October 9, 1993

Welcome to Minnesota, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking and, if you believe the Clintons, all the health care providers are working happily and efficiently to hold down costs and deliver the very best care. As President Clinton and his wife, Hillary, set about selling their health care plan, they have added a glowing new verse to Garrison Keillor's paean to Lake Wobegon, presenting this state as a model of the humane, organized and cost-effective medicine to which the nation should aspire.

Fears for Haiti's Fragility As Haiti counts down the days to democracy, many are wondering if the violence exploding there will prevent a peaceful transition. Page 4. Motorman Faulted in Crash Transit officials said Thursday's subway crash was caused by a train operator who ran a red light and then probably tried to cover it up. Page 25. Letting Gay Troops Be Open Challenged by a Federal judge, the Pentagon has suspended its policy on homosexuals and will allow them to serve openly without reprisal. Page 9. White SOx Win, 6-1Z Wilson Alvarez pitched Chicago over the Blue Jays, 6-1. in game 3 of the American League playoffs. Page 31.

The Justice Department provided new information today that contradicted Attorney General Janet Reno's explanation of why she ordered the tear gas assault on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Tex., in April. The assault ended in a fire that killed at least 75 cult members, many of them children. The new details on the assault were disclosed in a portion of a three-part report prepared by the Justice Department on its handling of the 51-day standoff between cult members and Federal agents.

An American helicopter pilot captured by Somalis five days ago joked about the food but was in strong mental condition, said a Red Cross worker who visited him. Somali elders apologized for the abuses inflicted on the bodies of two G.I.'s. Article, page 6.

After embracing the United Nations as the global peacemaker of the future, President Clinton has broken sharply with it over Somalia, signaling the Administration's intense displeasure with Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and complicating United States participation in peacekeeping operations elsewhere. In his television address on Thursday, Mr. Clinton said in effect that after scores of Americans were killed or wounded in a United Nations-led raid in Mogadishu on Sunday, the United States would have no choice but to go it alone. Although he did not say it out loud, another message came through loud and clear: the United Nations is not up to the job.