European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes tuesday february 25, 1992britain verges on sweatshop of Europe London. Up a Britain could become the a sweatshop of Europe with the average male employee working 45.5 hours a week a 4.5 hours longer than his european counterpart a report by the Low pay unit research group said monday. The report showed that one in five men in manual jobs worked longer than the european Community a recommended maximum clocking up 48 hours or More a week. A by opting out of an dec draft directive on working hour Britain is set to bec6me the sweatshop of Europe a said the report published in the units Magazine the new review. More than a fifth of women and 6 percent of men who work 48 hours or More earn less than the Council of Europe so decency threshold a the report said. Nearly one in 20 women work 48 hours or More per week. Unless Britain accepts the same standards As those considered Normal elsewhere it will become a the Treadmill of Europe with a work Force which is overworked and underpaid a said Chris Pond director of the Low pay unit. A that is no Way to compete in a modern Economy a he added. Railway workers train Drivers farm labourers Security guards and Bakers were among those forced to work longer hours to make up their pay the Independent group said. Farm workers were the lowest paid of All men who work Long hours it said Britain stood alone in not providing Legal limits on the length of the workweek or on the right to paid holidays the report said. The study argued that moves to limit work times with restrictions similar to those in Germany could Benefit both employees and employers. It said a reduction of work hours in Germany had improved efficiency. The unit said that by improving Basic pay work hours could be Cut without the loss of earnings. It said improved health and safety at work and a Rise in productivity would be other benefits. Bush reportedly cleared $1 billion in Aid to Iraq pied cd los Angeles up president Bush secretly ordered closer ties with Baghdad and opened the Way for approval of is billion in . Aid to Iraq just nine months before Iraq invaded Kuwait the los Angeles times reported sunday. The $1 billion commitment in the form of loan guarantees for the Purchase of . Farm commodities enabled iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to buy needed foodstuffs on credit and spend his scarce hard currency on the massive arms buildup that preceded the persian Gulf War. An agriculture department official cautioned in a february 1990 internal memo that when All the facts were known about the proposed loan guarantees to Iraq the program could become another a savings and loan  of the $5 billion in . Economic Aid provided to Iraq Over an eight year period american taxpayers have now been stuck for $2 billion in defaulted Loans. On nov. 8, 1989, nine months before iraqi tanks rolled into Kuwait the $1 billion in new loan guarantees was approved by the agriculture department. The times said Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii personally persuaded Secretary of agriculture Clayton Yeutter to drop his departments opposition to the $1 billion in food credits. Bush signed the top secret National Security decision directive ordering closer ties with Iraq in october of 1989, Clearing the Way for the food Aid the times reported. In addition senior Bush aides As late As the Spring of 1990 insisted that Saddam continue to be allowed to buy a dual use technology a advanced equipment that can be used for both military and civilian purposes. The a dual use decision came amid widespread concern by . Officials that Iraq was developing nuclear arms and other weapons of mass distinction. A Iraq is not to be singled out a National Security Council official Richard Haas declared at a High level meeting in april 199u, according to participants notes. At the time the Commerce department had proposed curbing iraqi purchases of militarily sensitive technology. The times said its Story was based on interviews and classified documents collect d Over the past two months. The information indicates there was a Long secret pattern of personal efforts by Bush a As both president and vice president a to placate Saddam. In several instances the times said there was opposition in the government to helping Saddam but Bush aides following his directives intervened to suppress the resistance. The White House declined to comment. Bush a involvement began in the Early 1980s As part of the so called tilt toward Iraq initiated by president Reagan to prop up Saddam in iraqis War against Iran. Many . Officials believed that . Aid would gradually cause Saddam to moderate his ways and even play a positive role in the Middle East peace process. But classified records show Bush a efforts in Saddam a behalf continued Well beyond the end of the Iran Iraq War the times reported. What motivated Bush to Champion the iraqi cause for so Long is not Clear the times said. But some evidence suggested that it May have been a Case of pursuing a policy after its original purpose had been overtaken by events. In addition there May have been a failure to understand Saddam himself. A we missed so Many cues. Saddam Wasny to behaving As you might expect an exhausted War weary Leader to behave a said William b. Quandt a Middle East expert at the Brookings institution. A the was showing that he had just won a War and he was a Power to be reckoned with. And he concluded that the americans were not too upset about  will help paint out computers Michelangelo virus Orlando Fla. Up a a software Developer is offering free help to computer users who May lose their data files to a virus named after Michelangelo on March 6, the Renaissance artists birthday. Martin Marietta corp. Computer Security analyst Padgett Peterson said somewhere someone developed the Michelangelo virus that has spread through computer systems As far away As Australia. A what is alarming about this one is How fast it has spread Quot Peterson said. The invisible program attaches itself to computers operating software. Peterson said it is feared the virus will activate March 6. Viruses Are most commonly spread by the Exchange of diskettes. There Are commercial software programs to scan disk drives for viruses and Peterson said most should be Able to detect the Michelangelo virus. But he has developed a program that detects and erases the Bug and he is offering it to the Public for free. He said concerned computer users should Contact local bulletin Board operators most of whom have already obtained a copy of Peterson a program from the nationally accessible internet bulletin Board. The Michelangelo virus attaches itself to the computers electronic operating system which is a combination of individual programs. The anti virus software checks each program of the system. Peterson a anti virus software is far from unique but the others can Cost As High As $130. Peterson said he decided to provide his software for free because of the potential damage the virus can do. He said Large companies Are most Likely Safe from the virus because they have invested in Security measures. But Small businesses schools and individual users Are vulnerable to Michelangelo if they done to take precautions. An appealing float citizens of the French Riviera town of Menton love to horse around during their annual International Lemon festival. During the festival Parade a girl from Menton poses in traditional dress with a Hor and Sleigh made of real Lemons and oranges. To town s 59th annual event was held Over the weekend