European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday november 29, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3flu epidemic taking heavy toll in schools Atlanta up a a worsening influenza epidemic apparently is aiming its hardest punches at Public schools where some systems reported classroom absenteeism up to 40 percent Federal health officials said. The centers for disease control said wednesday widespread flu outbreaks were reported in Mississippi Alabama Florida Missouri Tennessee and Texas. About 20 other states reported regional or sporadic flu activity. While some of the cd cd so Sentinel physicians reported a Normal 5 percent of their patient visits concerned flu or flu like infections other doctors said that up to 16 percent of their patients were suffering from upper respiratory tract infections including influenza. The influenza virus forced the closing of some school systems last week and continued to cause High absenteeism rates in elementary Middle and High schools the cd reported. It said 99 percent of the flu viruses that have been identified so far were Type a mostly a Beijing which historically has been associated with higher death rates. The Early and widespread Start of the flu season caught Federal and state influenza experts off guard. Outbreaks of flu were reported in some states in Early november. It takes two to three weeks for the flu vaccine to work. . Agrees to pay Iran $278 million for weapons the Hague Netherlands apr the United states has signed an agreement to pay Iran $278 million for weaponry impounded by Washington after the 1979 Tehran hostage crisis a tribunal official said thursday. The settlement represents a significant segment of Iran a claims against Washington stemming from the . Foreign military sales program. The program sup Elied the former iranian Leader Shah Mohammed Leza Pahlavi with the bulk of his weaponry before the 1979 revolution. The settlement at the Iran United states claims Tribuna clears the Way for the two nations to Deal with a much larger fms claim for weaponry ordered in some cases paid for but never delivered because of a . Embargo against Iran. The tribunal official set that claim at $1.4 billion. In the document signed tuesday Washington pledged to Transfer the $278 million to the iranian government after the agreement is officially filed with the tribunal on Friday. Of those funds $260 million will go directly to Tehran and the remaining $18 million will go into a fund used to pay off compensation claims against Iran arbitrated at the Hague tribunal. The impounded Materiel included tanks missiles and even a submarine shipped Back to the United states for repairs or calibrations. Much of it is now obsolete. Final negotiations on the agreement coincided with last weeks release of briton Terry Waite and american Thomas Sutherland who were held by iranian backed shiite muslims in Lebanon. But the official denied any connection. The Iran-. Claims tribunal was set up by the 1981 Algiers accords which brought Freedom to the 52 american hostages held by islamic militants at the . Embassy in Tehran for 444 Days. Iranian leaders have in the past cited release of iranian assets held by Washington As a precondition for interceding with the Host age holders in Lebanon. But the iranian and american sides at the tribunal said they have taken pains to keep political issues including the hostages out of the decade Long arbitration process. Negotiations at the tribunal have resulted in the payment of $2.3 billion in claims on both sides arising from the revolution consequent freezing of assets impoundments and expropriation of property the actual compensation figure for this weeks settlement was agreed upon last Spring but details on the wording of the document delayed the signing according to officials. Tehran has estimated the total value of the foreign military sales claims at $11 billion a figure the . Side says is exaggerated. The dispute also includes an iranian claim for unspecified damages resulting from the . Arms embargo imposed during the Tehran hostage crisis. Because of Lack of spare parts for its Many .-built aircraft the Iran a air Force was virtually grounded in the later stages of the Iran Iraq War in the 1980s. While both sides deny any connection with the hostages in Lebanon settlement of the fms claim As Well As the hostage crisis would remove major impediments to the resumption of Normal diplomatic relations Between Tehran and  slows in Croatia after . Action Zagreb Yugoslavia apr fighting ebbed in Croatia thursday a Day after the United nations caved the Way for the dispatch of peacekeepers. But oth sides reported numerous deaths in earlier clashes. The bombardment of Osisek capital of the embattled Eastern Slavonia Region stopped by noon croatian defense officials said. The City has been under almost constant attack for months. Following the fall of nearby Vukovan last week croats fear that serb dominated forces Are determined to take Osisek As Well before peacekeepers arrive. Serb irregulars and the serb dominated Federal army took Vukovan after a three month siege completing control Over the corridor of Slavonia along the Danube River. A takeover of Osisek would substantially increase their hold on Slavonia. Thousands of people have died in the civil War since Croatia declared Independence on june 25. The army and serb insurgents gained control of More than one third of Croatia. Serbia maintains that Croatia a 600,000 serbs would suffer persecution in an Independent Croatia. Croatia charges that Serbia is using the minority Issue As a pretext to grab territory by Force. The army claimed 30 croatian soldiers died in fighting wednesday and Early thursday near Lipik 60 Miles Southeast of Zagreb. There was no confirmation from the croatian Side of those deaths reported by Yugoslavia a Tan Jug news Agency. In attacks on Osisek wednesday croatian radio reported that 16 people died. That report also was not independently confirmed. By thursday afternoon however a spokesman for Croatia a defense ministry said that the situation had quieted a unbelievably a except for sporadic shelling South of Darugar 60 Miles East of Zagreb and Karlo vac 30 Miles Southwest of the croatian capital. The United nations has said it will not Send peacekeepers until a cease fire is firmly in place. In new York the . Security Council adopted a Resolution wednesday urging the warring parties to comply with the truce. It asked that special . Envoy Cyrus Vance recommend immediately that Secretary general Javier Perez de Cuellar order the deployment of peacekeepers. Perez de Cuellar said it could take a week to decide whether to Send troops. He said the Security Council would not approve unless the cease fire holds. Earlier thursday croatian defense officials reported exchanges of fire at Nova Gradiska and sporadic shelling of the town 80 Miles Southeast of Zagreb. In the croatian capital Deputy Premier Zdravko Tomac told acting . Consul Kathlyn Stephens that More than 555,0w have fled their Homes in Croatia. The figure apparently includes croats and serbs. Croatian and army officials scheduled further talks in Zagreb on a general Exchange of prisoners and other Steps meant to reduce tensions. Gen. Andrija Raseta the army s chief negotiator said his Side had offered to release about 1,000 people. Federal soldiers have evacuated several Barracks As part of the cease fire agreement under which croats agreed to lift blockades of Federal army bases. But Tan Jug cited croatian radio As saying the Federal army suspended its withdrawal from Zagreb Barracks after croatian troops stopped empty trucks in route to the croatian capital to transport army equipment from the Barracks. An elderly woman weeps on her Way to a bomb shelter in the Eastern croatian Village of Nard. Supplies from . In route to chernobyl victims Newark . A an enormous ukrainian military Jet took off from Newark International Airport on wednesday with nearly 150 tons of supplies for Young victims of the chernobyl nuclear disaster. Stacked 16-feet High in the aircraft a fuselage were Cartons of antibiotics anti leukaemia Medicine  ultrasound machines vitamins and surgical equipment Tor hospitals treating children exposed to fallout. Supplies were collected by two groups the children of chernobyl Relief fund in Short Hills ., and Cit Hope inter National based in Andes . Chernobyl is the ukrainian spelling for the town. Representatives from both charities accompanied the cargo to oversee its distribution in Ukraine where the Power Plant is located and byelorussian about 10 Miles to the South. A this air plane is a dream come True for the children of chernobyl who Are waiting for this a said Nadia Matkiwsky the Relief funds ukrainian born director. The plane a the worlds largest a was an am225 Oriya supplied by the ukrainian government. A pm Riyal Means a dream Quot in ukrainian she said. The Airlift comes amid growing concerns Over the continued threat to Public health posed by the chernobyl Plant which has continued to operate after the april 26,1986, fire at the Plant. Ukrainian lawmakers voted last month to shut Down the Plant entirely by 1993 following a water leak and fire at the reactor Complex. A second fire broke out three Days after the vote. Environmental researchers in Kiev fear that radiation seeping from under the damaged reactor could contaminate the drinking water of millions of people. Supplies from wednesdays Airlift will be distributed in Ukraine to three Cerf sponsored hospitals treating a total of 4,000 children afflicted by cancer leukaemia and other diseases related to radiation exposure said Zenon Matkiwsky Nadia a husband and the funds founder and president. A a it a really a drop in the bucket a he said of the Airlift. The Relief fund formed in january 1990, has sent about 500 tons of medical supplies valued at More than $20 million to hospitals in Ukraine