May 18, 1991

The Polish Parliament today rejected legislation that would have banned abortions, dealing the Roman Catholic Church here its first political setback since the fall of Communism in 1989. The decision closed the door on Poland's bishops and other Catholic leaders, who had been lobbying energetically to have a comprehensive ban on abortions passed as a gift for Pope John Paul II, who is due to begin a visit to his Polish homeland in two weeks.

A jump in exports and sinking demand for imports narrowed the nation's trade deficit in March to $4.05 billion, the smallest monthly imbalance in almost eight years, the Commerce Department said today. By comparison, the deficit totaled $5.50 billion in February and $8.62 billion in March of last year.

Sergio Perez lives in an off-campus apartment with other Chicano students at the University of California at Berkeley. A senior, he is majoring in Chicano studies, and participating in bilingual commencement exercises reserved for Chicano and Latino students. Most of his friends are Mexican-American, like Jesus Covarrubias, who, one recent afternoon, was relaxing with Mr. Perez at Sproul Plaza on a section of wall marked as Chicano territory.

Scores of municipal officials across New York State are resigning their positions on public boards and authorities rather than filing extensive financial disclosure reports required by a new state ethics law. The law has generated a backlash across the state, in which an effort to stop corruption is threatening to stop government instead. Officials in some municipalities fear that the resignations will paralyze local government by making it difficult to convene quorums on zoning boards, community college boards and development agencies.

Legislative leaders agreed today on $1 billion in new taxes as they struggled to fashion a budget now certain to be the latest in the state's history. Among the new taxes would be $150 million in corporate taxes, as well as taxes on petroleum products that could add as much as 4 cents a gallon to the price of gasoline. Facing increasing urgency as New York City and other fiscally troubled municipalities press them to come up with a plan, the Democratic-controlled Assembly and Republican-led State Senate have sharply narrowed their differences and hope to have specific budget measures ready for a vote next week, officials here said.