November 15, 1994

As it rolled out its "new order" for Congress and the nation, the incoming House Republican leadership announced today that it would force Congress to work 20 hours a day, seven days a week, if necessary, to push through Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America" in 100 days. The Republicans also pledged to hold hearings around the country on a constitutional amendment that would reintroduce prayers in public schools, which was not part of the contract, and vote on the matter by the 4th of July. Hearings also will be held on the Federal budget so that citizens can tell lawmakers what the Government's spending priorities should be.

With one tart letter to the Chrysler Corporation's board, Kirk Kerkorian, the largest investor in the company, made $100 million in paper profits today. Mr. Kerkorian said he planned to increase his 9 percent stake in Chrysler, the No. 3 United States auto maker, and would put pressure on the board to quickly raise the share price.

Shootout in San Francisco A drifter who was foiled in a carjacking Sunday used two assault rifles and three handguns to engage 10 police officers in a firefight in the streets of San Francisco. Page A20. Iraq Sanctions Retained The United Nations kept sanctions against Iraq, despite its recognition of Kuwait, in response to troop movements and reports of lavish spending by Iraq's leader. Page A6. This Bird Brain Grows When fall comes and the black-capped chickadee needs to sharpen its thinking, it grows new brain cells. Science Times, page C1. A Giant Step for Solar Power Enron, pursuing an elusive dream of solar power, plans to build a $150 plant in Nevada to produce energy at competitive rates. Page D1.

Using its power over transit construction funds as leverage, the Giuliani administration persuaded transit officials yesterday to go ahead with rebuilding a busy subway station in Flushing, Queens, even as they planned to put off similar work at 15 other stations. The city Budget Director, Abraham M. Lackman, announced yesterday that Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani would restore about $250 million in capital funds he had planned to cut from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's current five-year building plan.

For the world's central bankers, the stage these days may be smaller, but their role has become bigger. In the 1980's, when Paul A. Volcker, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Karl Otto Pohl of the Bundesbank in Germany stepped onto the world stage, central bankers starred in the drive to curb global inflation, sharing top billing with the finance ministers of the seven largest industrial nations in moving currency rates up and down to cope with trade imbalances.