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1 China's Communist party marks 50 years of power * by Elaine Kurtenbach Associated Press Beijing — China’s ruling Communist Party is cel ebrating 50 years in power with a pre-anniversary housecleaning reminiscent of political purges of the past. The grand celebrations marking the Oct. 1,1949, founding of modern China trumpet the party’s progress in transforming an impoverished, semi-feu dal society into a modem state. But the “three stress es” political campaign is a relic of the Maoist era. Looking ahead to the party Central Commit tee’s annual policy-setting plenum that convenes Sunday, millions of senior bureaucrats and party of ficials in state-run factories, banks and other insti tutions spent weeks this summer in political study and criticism sessions. “In a puige like this, you see a reliance on ex tremely anachronistic methods,” said Geremie Barme, a China expert at the Australian National Universi ty He said such campaigns, which occur roughly every two years, are “a normal part of the political biorhythm of China.” The aims are to ensure loyalty among the par ty’s 61 million members and to root out the cor ruption that permeates virtually every aspect of life in China. “Party leaders at all levels should improve their study of Marxism, Leninism, Mao Tse-tung thought and particularly Deng Xiaoping theory so as to sharp en their political consciousness,” Vice President Hu Jintao, a member of the party’s powerful Politburo, told students recently at the Party School, a uni versity devoted to instilling those beliefs. By invoking the revolutionary icons, including the late leader Deng Xiaoping, who launched the current era of economic and social reforms, the com munist leadership seeks to reinforce its claim to pow er. Its need to do so reflects the party’s slipping grasp on the hearts of a public no longer in thrall to its leaders and thoroughly alienated by corruption. “The party has lost its ideological appeal and its spiritual hold over the people. But as an organiza tion, it has to keep going, to pretend that it works, to try anything to keep going rather than surrender,” said Dali L. Yang, a China specialist at the Univer sity of Chicago. The discovery this spring that many party mem bers belonged to the since-banned Falun Gong med itation movement despite the communists’ atheist creed was further evidence of its waning influ ence. The most intractable and perhaps most urgent goal of the latest campaign — stressing theoretical study, political awareness and good conduct — is to combat corruption that appears as rampant as ever. Auditors found that $14.2 billion in government money was misused in the first half of the year, the equivalent of one-fifth of total central government revenue last year. One glaring example among many: The Min istry of Water Resources, in charge of preventing floods, illegally collected money to build luxury of fice buildings and also embezzled funds for other us es, official reports said. Annual summer floods last year killed 4,150 people. Andrew Nathan, a politi cal science professor at Columbia University in New York, said China is likely to remain stuck in its cy cle of periodic purges until political reforms estab lish balances of power, a free media and an inde pendent legal system. Three decades ago, politics dominated practi cally every aspect of daily life. But the often violent campaigns of the past — particularly the anti-right ist crusade of the late 1950s and the 1966-1976 Cul tural Revolution — made leaders wary of hard-to control mass movements. Today’s campaigns have little impact outside bu reaucratic circles. Even within the party, while some senior officials have lost their posts or been sen tenced to prison, most have been assigned to new jobs. Barme, the Australian scholar, said purge pol itics do serve a purpose. They offer opportunities for bonding — and backstabbing — and are practi cally the only method the party has for assessing its members, he said. “This is the way the party conducts its business, and it does result in a response. People know to shut up, to pull their heads in, to be careful, to play it safe,” he said. Security lapses seen at weapons labs ’ by H. Josef Herbert Associated Press Washmgion—Despite finding marked improvements in se curity at the government’s three nuclear weapons labs, inves tigators still were able to penetrate some sensitive areas of the labs’ computer systems, according to a top-level Enetgy De partment review. However, a team of security experts was un able to penetrate the top-secret computer network used for nuclear weapon design during the intense security review con ducted over the summer. But one official said at two of the labs — Sandia and Lawrence Livermore— the security specialists were able obtain from the outside “sensitive,” though not se cret, information on unclassified computer systems “without a whole lot of difficulty.” At Los Alamos, which has been the focus of a three-year investigation into alleged Chinese espionage, such penetrations were successful only from within the lab compound, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The report by the Eneigy Department’s Office of Inde pendent Oversight says the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico overall showed significant improvements in its security and was given a “satisfactory” rating. . The Sandia National Laboratory near Albuquerque, N.M., and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California both were given a “marginal” rating. Officials said security im provements already under way make it likely the two labs' rat ings will be raised to satisfactory by year’s end. Eneigy Sec retary Bill Richardson said that while more work is needed, the findings of the report, to be formally released today, showed major improvement and demonstrated that his security reforms were working. “It’s good to get a decent report card on secu rity measures,” Richardson said when questioned about the forthcoming report in a recent telephone interview. “Securi ty at our labs is good and getting better. The labs deserve cred it for their improvements rather than continued criticism.” Separately, Sandy Beiger. the president’s national security adviser, said Sunday that attempts to beef up security, begin ning in 1997, were hampered by “bureaucratic resistance” and “an institutional unwillingness” by the research labs to adopt more rigorous security controls. Beiger, appearing on NBC’s "Meet the Press,” defended administration responses to alle gation of Chinese espionage at the labs about which he got a detailed briefing in mid-1997. President Clinton directed new security measures in February 1998, but it wasn’t until earlier tliis year that tough, new measures were put in place by Richardson. The independent review by a team of investigators Richard son calls “junkyard dogs” was intended to test those new se curity measures, including computer safeguards and improved handling of classified material. Over the past six months, new procedures have been put in place to guard against moving da ta out of the top-secret classified system, and to better safe guard the unclassified system against outside access, officials said For example, the unclassified network has been com partmentalized separating “sensitive" from other information, and electronic mail is being randomly monitored. Nevertheless, said one official familiar with the review, in vestigators were able to get into the sensitive areas of the un classified system at all three labs during their reviews this sum mer. He said changes were made at each of the labs to plug the gaps. •» Dole talks health care in New Hampshire by Kathy Webster Associated Press Concord, N.H. — Elizabeth Dole talked health care and heard compli ments Saturday as she kicked off a walk in support of the American Heart As sociation. Tie former president of the Amer ican Red Cross, Dole also pointed out that her campaign, like the Amer ican Heart Association and Red Cross, relies heavily on volunteers. “I regard volunteers as so very spe cial and near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I hope all of you will join my race and help make history.” More than a dozen of Dole’s New Hampshire campaign volunteers took part and donated money that will benefit heart disease and stroke re search in the state. . Jessica Wright, a 12-year-old vol unteer at the heart walk, said she likes Dole because “she realizes what the problems are and she reacts to them very nicely, like stroke and women’s health.” And because “it would be nice to have a woman in the office,,” she said. Dole campaign volunteer Mary Littlefield, a staunch Republican, would be tempted to vote for a Democrat if the Democrats nominated a woman. “I think it’s time for a woman in the White House,” Littlefield said. “This is the year 2000 — look at all the other countries who’ve had women in office, and they’ve all done well.” Girl Sica, a Republican and retired U.S. Army colonel, said gender has nothing to do with how he will vote. When Dole was secretary of La bor, he remembers thinking, “Boy, she would be a great president!” Still, now that Dole is actually run ning, Sica is undecided about whom to support. At the moment, he is leaning toward another Republican, publisher Steve Forbes. Memorial held for four church shooting victims by Stefani Kopenec Associated Press Fort Worth, Texas — Friends and strangers both k hurting and hopeful turned to Scripture on a Saturday “of phenomenal sadness and mourning” to remember victims cut down in the most sacred of places — a house of worship. The funerals for four of the victims were the first held as a result of Wednesday night’s massacre at Wedg wood Baptist Church. Gunman Larry Gene Ashbrook killed seven people before committing suicide. Those mourned were a Sunday school teacher studying to be a youth minister, a seminary student with a bright smile, a favorite church soloist who taught inner-city youth and a high school student who dreamed of owning a film and sound production company. Three of the services were at Southwestern Bap tist Theological Seminary, while the funeral for the high school student was held at a Methodist church. More than 1,000 people packed the seminary au J ilitorium for the funeral of Shawn Brown, the 23-year old Sunday school teacher. Pastor A1 Meredith told those grieving to breathe deeply and focus on their faith “to get your mind off the pain, and just hang in there.” “Don’t expend too much enemy trying to under stand what happened ... the other night,” said Meredith, who called the funerals “a day of phe nomenal sadness and mourning.” “This is not Shawn Brown,” the pastor said, point ing to Brown’s cherry-stained wooden casket. “He’s with the Lord today.” Brown was studying at the seminary for his mas ter’s degree and hoped to become a youth minister. He was eulogized as fun-loving and eager to learn, studying guitar and sign language. In the rotunda just outside the auditorium, Brown’s college baseball letter jacket was draped over the arms of a chair. His glove and ball rested in the seat and his empty spikes beneath. Family photos from happier days surrounded the display. Dan Biaz, who was best man at Brown’s wedding two years ago, recalled Iris friend’s “almost-mischievious, rapid fire giggle.” “He was always ready to laugh and make you laugh,” Biaz said. Brown’s widow, Kathy Jo, said her husband’s goal was to immerse himself in his Baptist faith. “Shawn ran the race victoriously, all the way to God’s arms,” she said. Susan “Kim” Jones, 23, worked with youth at Wedg wood. She lived on campus at the seminary, where she just recently began classes after graduating front Texas Cliristian University. Friends said she loved mission ary work and had a ready smile and a personality that lit up a room. Meredith said Ms. Jones led her sorority in Bible study the night before she was shot. “We are not angry, and we have peace that God is in control,” said Ms. Jones’ mother, Stephanie Jones. “She was a joy and a delight.” Toward the end of the service at the seminary, the grieving mother stood and urged those gathered to “put a smile on our faces.” “Because if you haven’t seen her smile, then you’ve missed something,” she said. Ms. Jones’ white casket was covered with messages scrawled by family and friends in black marker. One read: “Let your light so shine,” and was signed, “Dad.” A bagpipe led the funeral procession for Sydney R. Browning, a 1991 seminary graduate and the chil dren’s choir director at Wedgwood. Brett Cooper, a friend of Ms. Browning’s, recalled her “unique Syd ney wisdom” for the standing-room-only crowd. “As long as you thought she was funny, she was OK with any other opinion” of her, he said. Cooper asked friends and family to think of “the joy, the laughter so much that she brought into our lives that made them immeasurably richer.” The 36-year-old taught at Success High School, a night school on the Trimble Tech High School cam pus, where many of her students were dropouts. She was shot while sitting on a couch in the foyer with a friend. She also sang in the choir and was a favored soloist. Justin Ray, 17, whose service took place at a Methodist church, is said to have blossomed after trans ferring to the Cassata Learning Center, an alternative school with a self-paced environment. “We are not angry, and we have peace that God is in control." Stephanie Jones victim’s mother Russia targets Chechnya with air, artillery strikes by Nabi Abdulayev Associated Press Makhachkala, Russia—Russian forces if lunched overnight air and artillery strikes against suspected guerrilla bases in the breakaway republic of Chechnya in southern Russia, military officials said today. The strikes were ordered to prevent a possible raid of Islamic militants from Chechnya into the neighboring repub > - lie of Dagestan, the ITAR-Tass news agency said, quoting a military spokesman at the regional federal force headquar ters. Russian aircraft will have flown up to 100 sorties by the day’s end, the spokesman said. The suspected bases were also shelled by Russian artillery from Dagestan, Russ ian television reported. Federal forces were gathering in the Dagestani towns of Kizylar, Khasavyurt i and Babayurt after intelligence reports indicated that guerrilla groups were preparing to attack Russian bases in Dagestan, the spokesman said. Islamic militants have twice crossed the Chechen border and seized vil lages in Dagestan since the beginning of August, clashing with Russian forces. Chechen separatists drove out Russ ian troops in the 1994-96 war, winning de facto independence for the republic. Islamic militants from Chechnya now want to declare an independent Islamic state in Dagestan and other Caucasus Mountains regions. Before the upper house of parlia ment, the Federation Council, Putin said lawmakers had urged him “to act harsh ly and rapidly” to stabilize the situation in the Caucasus Mountains region. “This is exactly what we are going Russia see page e Drought affects foliage Staff Reports Associated Press Highlands, N.C.—A midsummer dry spell that created water shortages and hurt crops has at least one silver lining — it should lead to spectacular fall col ors in western North Carolina. “Midsummer drought should lead to a brilliant fall color season in the cen tral Piedmont and good color in the mountains," said professor Dan Pittillo, a Western Carolina University biolo gist and Appalachian plant ecology. “Moisture stress has historically been associated with good fall color, and the year will be at least average over the en tire state and above average in the more drought-stricken regions.” 1 hat s good news tor rail tourism. “We hope it is, we always hope it is,” said Carol Wilkes, co-owner of High land Hiker, in Highlands. The store of fers wildflower walks and other hikes in the western part of the state. “We just think every season is wonderful,” she said.Leaf forecasters say the Piedmont might be prettier than the mountains this year, because the middle part of the state had even less rain than in western areas. “The basic principle at work here is stress on trees,” Pittillo said. “A short age of water hinders the normal growth pattern, and the trees become stressed. “That stress causes a slowing of the cellular processes, including the for mation of green chlorophyll that nor mally masks the other pigments present in the leaf. We typically see the bright est fall color in years when the grow ing season has been dry,” he said. World Briefs ■ U.S. military holds Y2K drills in Japan Tokyo (AP) — U.S. jets roared over Japanese beaches and amphibious assault vehicles stormed ashore Friday as the Navy and Marines tested their readiness for the so-called Y2K computer glitch. In the drills, which will continue un til Saturday, the forces will advance the dates inside computers running ships, air planes and other equipment, the U.S. Sev enth Fleet said. As the reset clocks roll over from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, Marines will be be sieging beaches in Okinawa, the release said. More than 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan. About two-thirds are concentrated in Okinawa, about 1,000 miles southwest of Tokyo. The exercise will also involve de stroyers, helicopter carriers and food and oil supply vessels, said Lt. Jeff Davis fleet spokesman. More than 5,000 people will participate. There is widespread concern around the world that computers will grind to a halt at midnight, New Year’s Eve, because of a programming bug that might confuse the year 2000 with 1900. The Navy hopes that the test will find any weak links in systems that coordi nate everything from automatic bank teller machines aboard ships to comput ers that help navigate at sea, Davis said. Though some of the ships carry missiles, the drills won’t involve hve fire, Davis said. He said nuclear weapons will not be involved. Less than 5 percent of the Navy’s equipment is sensitive to the Y2K bug, he added. ■ NASA auctions name tag for $310 K New York (AP) — A NASA name tag coated with lunar dust that was worn by an astronaut who walked on the moon sold at auction for $310,500. The 6-by-12-inch cloth keepsake was cut from an insulated jacket worn by an astronaut, the late James Irwin, during the 1971 flight of Apollo 15. The lunar dust, which created a dark gray tint around the raised edges of the tag, became em bedded into the tag during three separate moon walks Irwin took. The jacket and other equipment were left on the moon to lighten the load on the spacecraft’s return trip home, but Ir win cut out and kept his tag, which also bears a NASA emblem, before discard ing the jacket. The item, which was sold Saturday by Christie’s auction house on behalf of Irwin’s estate, sold for three times its pre sale estimate and was the highest-sell ing lot in a sale of nearly 300 space-re lated items. A spacesuit worn by Neil Armstrong during training brought the second-high est price of the sale — $178,500, more than twice its presale estimate. The suit bears a NASA emblem, has Armstrong’s name on an interior label and has several layers designed to protect die body both from temperature extremes and punctures. Any item that was flown into space and all spacesuits must first be offered to the Smithsonian before they can be sold on the open market, which contributes to their rarity and value. ■ Human bones discovered in Mexican city Mexico City (AP) — Archaeologists have discovered what they believe to be an ancient religious offering of human and animal bones in a pyramid in the pre Columbian city of Teotihuacan, Mexi co’s government news agency reported Saturday. The artifacts were discovered in a pit filled with loose stones inside the Pyra mid of the Moon, Notimex said. Archaeologists have been digging a tunnel to the center of the pyramid since last year. Last October, the team, led by Arizona State University archaeologist Saburo Sugiyama, found a skeleton of a man who died about 1,800 years ago. He was buried among rich offerings of green stone figurines, obsidian knives, eagles and jaguars. The latest discovery, made about two weeks ago and announced Saturday, con sisted of four human bones, the skeletal remains of cats and birds, snails, dozens of pieces of jade, and arrowheads of dark stone, Notimex said. Teotihuacan, in the valley of the same name 30 miles north of Mexico City, used to be a thriving city and ceremonial cen ter that predated the Aztecs by several centuries.