The Week March 27 -April 2

NATION

Quiet Time for Washington

With the Clintons away on vacation in California and Congress in recess, Washington's political temperature cooled down considerably. Administration officials capitalized on the break to put the clamor of Whitewater behind them and refocus on promoting the President's domestic agenda. But...

Hillary's Profits

... the Clintons' finances continued to prompt headlines and speculation after the White House released Hillary Rodham Clinton's trading records on the commodities-futures market. The documents revealed that Mrs. Clinton made nearly $100,000 during 1978 and 1979 by investing just $1,000 of her own money. She made her investment on the advice of a lawyer friend who represented one of Arkansas' most powerful companies.

More Bad News for Bill

In documents that have since been turned over to special counsel Robert Fiske, investigators for the federal Resolution Trust Corporation last year named the 1984 Clinton gubernatorial campaign committee as a suspect in its criminal probe of the now defunct Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan of Arkansas. According to news reports, $60,500 in funds from the thrift may have been illegally diverted to the campaign with the knowledge of committee officials. The reports also said the documents name Hillary Clinton as a possible witness.

A State Abortion Revolt

At least 10 states, including the President's home state of Arkansas, announced that they would ignore a new federal Medicaid requirement to pay for the abortions of low-income women who suffer rape or incest. The state revolt sets the stage for months of negotiations with the Federal Government, and for lawsuits by abortion-rights advocates.

Federal Downsizing

President Clinton signed into law a measure offering buyouts of as much as $25,000 to federal employees who resign or retire early. The measure, an attempt to streamline the federal bureaucracy in a humane way, calls for elimination of nearly 273,000 workers by 1999.

Smoking Wars, Continued

The campaign to snuff out cigarettes continued to heat up as California Congressman Henry Waxman released a 1983 study conducted by a Philip Morris researcher indicating that nicotine is addictive to rats; the Congressman charged that the firm tried to suppress the report. Philip Morris denied the allegation.

U.S. to Japan: We're Sorry

At a news conference in Tokyo, U.S. Ambassador Walter Mondale somberly apologized to Japan for the carjacking murder of two 19-year-old Japanese students in Los Angeles -- the latest in a series of violent crimes against Japanese in the U.S. Three days later, the Los Angeles police chief announced the arrest of two suspects.

Brady's Initial Results

Federal officials unveiled preliminary statistics on the effectiveness of the Brady gun-control law during its first month: at least 1,605 people, including fugitives and felons, were stopped from purchasing handguns in 15 states and cities.

Naval Academy Expulsions

More than a year after the U.S. Naval Academy learned of widespread cheating on a December 1992 exam, a Navy panel recommended expelling 29 midshipmen and disciplining 42 others. The final decision will be up to the Secretary of the Navy.

Medicare's Sliding Scales