European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 b the stars and stripes tuesday september 17,1991 suicide rate jumps 21% among those 65, older by Malcolm Ritter a science writer new York a rates of suicide by americans 65 and older jumped 21 percent Between 1980 and 1986, rising 42 percent for Black men and 23 percent for White men a Federal study says. The increases followed a drop in suicides by older americans Between 1950 and 1980, researchers said. The reasons for the new trend Are not Clear although increases in social isolation and longer lives with chronic illness May have played some role or. Richard Sattin of the Federal centers for disease control in Atlanta said. Sattin co authored the study. The increases occurred before recent publicity about doctor assisted suicides and this year s publication of a Best Selling suicide manual. At the time the study was done Sattin said in a Telephone interview data for 1986 were the most recent available. Updated Federal figures for 1990 show a a 4 percent increase Over 1986 for people Ages 75 to 84. A a 6 percent increase for americans 85 and older. However there was an 8 percent drop for 65 to 74-Ycar-Olds. For statistical reasons however it is not Clear How these changes compare with trends in the new study. Or. Dan Blazer a psychiatry professor at Duke University medical Center who studies suicide among older people said he had expected some increase but not As Large As what the Federal study found. A a it a a pretty Sharp increase Over a pretty Short period of time a Blazer said adding that he could not explain it. The study appears in this months Issue of the american journal of Public health. It reported that nearly 37,000 americans 65 or older Killea themselves from 1980 through 1986. Researchers said that within this age group the suicide rate Rose from 17.8 suicides per 100,000 people in 1980 to 21.5 suicides per 100,000 in 1986. White men had the highest rates. They Rose from 37.2 suicides per 100,000 White men Mote Effort needs to be focused on programs that reduce social isolation that provide older people an outlet if they Are depressed a or. Richard Sattin 65 or older in 1980 to 45.6 suicides per 100,000 in 1986. For Black men the rates Rose from 11.4 per 100,000 Black men 65 or older to 16.2 per 100,000. White women 65 and older showed a 17 percent increase to 7.5 per 100,000. There were too few suicides among Black women to produce a meaningful trend Sattin said. Firearms were the most common Means of suicide used by 73 percent of men and 29 percent of women. Sattin said it is not Clear what kinds of programs would curb suicide among the elderly and he called for More research into the area. A More Effort needs to be focused on programs that reduce social isolation that provide older people an outlet if they Are depressed a he said. One possible program he said would be suicide hot lines for the elderly Ike the ones in operation for suicidal youth. Divorced and widowed men showed the highest suicide rates among the elderly so perhaps programs should focus on them he said. Although youth suicide has captured much attention experts say suicide rates among older americans Are higher. Federal figures for 1990 show 13.6 suicides per 100.000 population for people Ages 15 to 24. The 1990 rate for people Ages 65 to 74 was 18.1 per 100,000, with 26.1 per 100,000 people for Ages 75 to 84 and 22.5 per 100.000 for people Ages 85 and above. Small Man in general s uniform prosecutor contends of Noriega Miami apr a prosecutor monday opened the . Government s drug Case against Manuel Noriega by pointing out the deposed panamanian ruler and calling him a a Small Man in a general s  a the is the last military strongman from Panama a said Lead prosecutor Michael Sullivan. A the s Small Here in this cavernous courtroom but he was a giant in  Noriega 53, wearing a Brown uniform with four Star epaulettes listened impassively through earphones As the trial was translated into Spanish. Noriega a lawyers have threatened to expose dirty dealings by . Intelligence agencies at the trial while prosecutors say they Wail show Noriega sold his country to cocaine traffickers. The first witnesses in the trial were to take the stand monday 20 months after Noriega surrendered to . Troops who invaded Panama in an extraordinary Effort to bring a foreign Leader to Justice in the United states. Sullivan said drug traffickers including convicted Kingpin Carlos Lehder Rivas will testify that Noriega met secretly with Medellin Cartel Bosses in Colombia and Panama to sell his Protection for cocaine flights. During his hour Long opening statement Sullivan used a Chart to explain in detail the 10 charges of drug smuggling and racketeering that could put Noriega in prison for 140 years. Noriega a wife Felicidad and one of his three daughters thays sat behind him in the first Row of the ornate Central Federal courtroom. The defense elected to hold its opening until the prosecution completes its Case which could take several months. Initial witnesses including drug informant Max Mermelstein were expected to outline for the Federal july the operations of colombians Medellin Cartel. Also taking the stand for the government will be a string of drug pilots Bankers cocaine traffickers and former Noriega aides. The government accuses Noriega of signing on with the Cartel and taking at least $10 million in payoffs to service and protect its cocaine network in the Early and mid-1980s. Prosecutors allege that Noriega approved .-bound drug flights imports of cocaine refining chemicals and construction of drug laboratories and laundered the cartels Cash. Through it All millions of tainted dollars stuffed into suitcases allegedly fattened Noriega a secret Bank accounts financing a Jet set lifestyle of Paris boutiques and Miami Beauty shops for his wife and daughters. Pizza the barometer of world crises Washington up a the russian Peoples yearning for democracy May have thwarted last months coup attempt in the soviet Union but the pizza Man May have saved the Day for the resistance a published report said. Moscow a pizza hut delivered 260 pies to russian president Boris n. Yeltsin and company at the soviet republics parliament building in Moscow from aug. 19 to aug. 21, . News amp world report said in its Edi Tion that hit Newsstands monday. The Magazine said pizza deliveries can be seen As e a trusty crusty meter of geopolitical  for example the Pentagon a which normally order three pies a night a stepped up its orders to 125 pizza the night of Jan. 17, when operation desert Stortro began. On that night the White House a five pizza a night customer Cut off deliveries for Security reasons.  Ranger partner miss climbing deadline Quot from wire reports Yosemite National Park Calif. Wracked by fatigue and running Short of food a paraplegic Park Ranger and a partner stalled just 75 feet Short of completing their epic climb up the towering half dome Summit sunday. Mark Wellman and Mike Corbett called it a Day about 3 30 p.m., dashing Hopes that they would Complete their climbing Odyssey in 12 Days. Keith Walklet a Volunteer staffing a command Post at the base of the 2,200-foot Rock said the pair made the decision after facing the Prospect of making the two hour ascent in darkness. They were expected to continue the climb  rehiring teachers Dallas a the City a school superintendent or. Marvin Edwards has announced that the District has found the Money to hire Back nearly All of the 257 teachers Laid off three weeks ago because of a budget shortage. In a showy demonstration of support school Board members and representatives of four teachers organizations joined Edwards at a news conference to endorse the superintendent s latest plan. He said the additional $1.75 million necessary to hire Back the teachers would come through a freeze on hiring of administrators changes in the timing of some teacher re certification programs and a 15 percent reduction in the amount of Money set aside for substitute teachers.2 dead inmates identified Forsyth to. A the victims of a fire at the Taney county jail included a Drunken driving suspect who was moved from another jail that was too crowded and a former police chief held on a charge of failure to pay child support. Donna Redan and Charles Lee Nagel were among four inmates killed before Dawn saturday when a Generator fire filled the one Story Concrete jail with thick Black smoke. The fire Cut Power to the jail trapping All 26 inmates in their cells until firefighters could free them. A a in a still numb. I Don t know How in a going to Tell my kids a said Nagels sex wife Margaret Nagel. Charles Nagel who had been police chief in Rockaway Beach had four  to Idle 3 plants Poughkeepsie . Ism will shut Down most operations at its three mid Hudson Valley computer factories for five Days in july officials said. The shutdown is a Cost cutting measure spokesmen said. The move is expected to save on Energy costs and encourage the 26,400 workers at the three Sites to use vacation time instead of cashing out at retirement spokesmen told the Poughkeepsie journal. Ism last idled mid Hudson plants in the 1960s, spokesmen said. James Monahan spokesman at ism Poughkeepsie said the shutdown is not related to forecasts for computer demand next year. Ism Cut about 17,000 jobs worldwide this year. Since 1984, ism has Cut about 5,000 jobs from its mid Hudson work  found in Jet Atlanta a Delta air lines found More than it had bargained for on a Jet it bought from defunct Eastern airlines. Delta maintenance Crews found More than two kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden in the Lockheed l-1011. The drugs valued at Over $50,000, were disco a Las by workers refurbishing the Jet at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. One package was found wednesday tucked inside an air duct in the cockpit and another was found fonday in a toilet Drain tank . Drug enforcement administration officer Leo Defranco said saturday. Defranco who is investigating the find said v its. As run from Miami to new York s la Guardia Airport in january. The speculation is the plane was put out of Semcer before the drugs could be retrieved a a he said. Delta bought 10 a dolls from Eastern in february about a month after the Miami based airline went out of business