November 17, 1990

The prospects for financing Mayor David N. Dinkins's sweeping anti-crime plan have been damaged by his administration's difficulties in focusing on more than one problem at a time, and on his lack of personal diplomacy with the politicians whose support is needed to make the plan a reality. From the Mayor's announcement six weeks ago that he would hire thousands of new police officers, legislative leaders in Albany have resisted his call for a payroll tax to finance the plan. Now it risks becoming Mark Twain's definition of a classic: a book which people praise and don't read -- or, in this case, won't pay for.

In a reassuring report on inflation that appeared to lead to another interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve, the Labor Department said today that consumer prices had climbed less in October than in the preceding two months. The bond market rallied in response. About half the October increase in prices reflected petroleum costs, which have flattened lately.

Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega lashed out at his accusers today, charging in a court hearing that he is a political prisoner "at the mercy of a totally unfair and unjust system." In his first public remarks since being brought to the United States in January to face drug charges, the ousted Panamanian leader said it was "painfully obvious to me that the United States Government does not wish me to be able to defend myself and have done everything possible to deprive me of a fair trial."

Donald J. Trump, whose sudden financial problems this year seemed a symbolic bookend for the free-spending 1980's, agreed yesterday to turn over half ownership of his crown jewel casino to its bondholders. On top of that, the flamboyant financier must take thecasino on a brief detour to bankruptcy court, and could eventually even lose control of it. Even though Mr. Trump faced severe troubles this spring in his real estate and gambling empire, the latest agreement, reached early yesterday morning, represents the first time he has given up part ownership in one of his properties.

Conceding that his country was paralyzed by political stalemate and sinking deeper into economic crisis, President Mikhail S. Gorbachev today promised a shake-up of Government and military leaders to win back diminishing public support. But the Soviet leader, who was summoned by Parliament to give an emergency report on the state of the union, rejected demands that he form a coalition government with non-Communists and insisted that the constituent Soviet republics accept a new union treaty preserving the country's federal structure.