European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Senate oks defense Bill most of big weapons programs preserved Washington apr the Senate on saturday passed a defense Bill that nudges the Pentagon toward the Post cold War Era but House members squabble More than they voted As Congress pushed to adjourn by thanksgiving. The $270 billion Pentagon spending Bill sent to president Bush nearly two months behind schedule preserved most of the big weapons programs begun in the past decade. But it also Points the Way toward a smaller military and fewer new weapons As the nation adjusts to the reduced soviet threat. Right up until the 66-29 final vote senators bickered Over specifics in the plan. Meanwhile there was no shortage of Finger pointing As Cranky lawmakers anticipated the end of their year. A a great Deal of the rhetoric we hear today is just end of session nonsense and nothing More a said rep. A1 Swift a Wash. Planes collide Rescue personnel pull an injured person from one of two private planes that collided Friday at Evergreen Airport East of Vancouver Wash. One plane a Cessna 150, came Down on top of a four seat Cessna 172, said a spokesman. The Cessna 172 Pilot Dave Mackin his wife Chrissie and passenger Mark Hadley received minor injuries. The three Are members of a Portland Rock group called Bandit. Student Pilot Stephen har Tung who was aboard the Cessna 150, was in critical condition at a Vancouver Hospital. The instructor Robert Freir was in serious condition at a Portland Hospital. House republicans demanded a vote on their newly drafted package of tax cuts including their Long desired Cut in the capital gains tax and an increase in the amount of Money social Security recipients can earn without suffering a reduction in benefits. But democrats refused noting that president Bush had refused to meet with the republicans. The gop see Bill on Page 2 Cicippio next to be freed sources say Baalbek Lebanon up a american hostage Joseph Cicippio will be freed within Days pro iranian Muslim fundamentalist sources said saturday. In addition they said the two other . Captives will be Home before the term of . Secretary general Javier p6rez de Cuellar expires at the end of december. Earlier this month Cicippio was re related Story on Page 9 ported to be ill although he was receiving regular treatment. Cicippio Deputy controller of the american University of Beirut was kidnapped by gunmen in the lebanese capital sept. 12, 1986. Along with him five other westerners Are held hostage by pro iranian Muslim fundamentalist groups in secret hideouts in Lebanon. They Are . Nationals Terry Anderson and Alann Steen germans Hinrich Struchil and Thomas Kemptner and italian Alberto Molinari. Some sources say Molinari was reported dead by the lebanese police this  landings going automatic Cape canaveral Fla. Apr astronauts will surrender the controls and let the space shuttle land itself beginning in 1993, a humbling reality for some pilots but one that May be inevitable if americans Hope to one Day live in space. A there Are advantages of the computer and advantages of the human a said James Wetherbie a shuttle Pilot assigned to the project. A a it a not a Competition of one against the  nasal a space flight director William Lenoir said last week he has ordered shuttle managers to test an automatic Landing system during a 1993 flight in Prepa ration of monthlong missions that could impair the flying ability of human Crews. Medical studies indicate astronauts would be in no shape to land shuttles following Long flights. Even now after less than i i weeks in orbit some astronauts Aresee shuttle on Page 2 inside today s paper sunday m a g a 2 i n e Why we miss what we miss Iraq frees jailed British businessman London apr Iraq freed British businessman Ian Richter on saturday after he served 51/2 years of a life sentence and Britain announced it will unfreeze 70 million pounds $125 million in iraqi assets for humanitarian purposes. The 45-year-old chemical Engineer told Independent television news from a Baghdad hotel where he was celebrating his Freedom that he ran a half Marathon saturday morning. He was told when he returned a a you be got five minutes to pack your bags a you re  Shirley Richter who spoke to her Hus band minutes after his release said the iraqis turned him Over to . Envoy Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan who is in Baghdad to renegotiate an agreement allowing the United nations to continue Relief work inside Iraq. South african born Richter became a British citizen after marrying his British wife. They have lived in Richmond in Southwest London for Many years. Richter a local manager of a water engineering company Paterson Candy International a was arrested As he was leaving bag dad Airport in july 1986 on suspicion of bribery. Eight months later after a trial lasting just More than an hour he was convicted of paying illegal commissions to a former mayor of Baghdad and sentenced to life imprisonment. The mayor was later executed for corruption. Britain denied in August that the unfree zing of iraqi assets was part of a Deal to free Richter. Britain froze iraqi assets As part of . Sanctions against Baghdad following its aug. 2, 1990, invasion of Kuwait. Baghdad later severed diplomatic ties with Britain