April 13, 1995

Republican governors who helped shape the welfare bill approved by the House of Representatives say it still imposes too many restrictions on the states and are urging the Senate to give them more freedom to run their own welfare programs. The governors have submitted a new proposal to the Senate that differs in significant ways from the bill written and passed by House Republicans. The governors' proposal would eliminate some of the harsher features of the House bill. That measure would prohibit the use of Federal money for welfare benefits to unmarried teen-age mothers, most legal aliens and additional children born to women already on welfare. The governors' proposal would let states decide whether to provide assistance to those groups.

A former executive of the company that makes Sweet 'n Low pleaded guilty in Federal court in Brooklyn yesterday to operating a complicated scheme to make illegal contributions to some of the nation's most prominent politicians, including Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato and Senator Bob Dole. At least some of the money, prosecutors say, was intended to influence Congress as it considered whether to ban the use of saccharin, a key ingredient in Sweet 'n Low. But there is no evidence that any of the politicians knew the money was tainted, the prosecutors said.

Time Warner is nearing a deal to sell about 50 percent of the Six Flags theme parks to a group of investors for as much as $800 million, according to people familiar with the plan. The deal, which Time Warner hopes to announce within two weeks, would be the biggest asset sale engineered under Gerald M. Levin's chairmanship since he pledged to reduce the company's $15 billion debt two months ago.

Kirk Kerkorian Offers $22.8 Billion for Chrysler Backed by Lee A. Iacocca, Kirk Kerkorian astonished Wall Street and the auto industry by offering $22.8 billion, or $55 a share, for Chrysler, in a deal that would be the largest takeover since RJR Nabisco was bought more than six years ago for $25 billion. The two men hope to complete the offer by lining up a handful of other investors, possibly including another auto company; to borrow more than $10 billion, and to raid Chrysler's own cash reserves to buy the company. Chrysler stock closed up $9.50, at $48.75, after opening at $52.50. A1.

Two thousand years ago, or so the legend goes, an Irish hero conquered a kingdom by wrestling a giant guard dog and shoving a ball down its throat. This was not just any ball. It came from the lightning-fast, rough-and-tumble, lacrosselike sport called hurling. That pretty much sealed hurling's place as Ireland's national pastime. Ancient armies played it to warm up for battle, sometimes killing hundreds before the real fighting began. Fourteenth-century British rulers banned it: too Irish. Irish Republican Army supporters used hurley sticks to break up British Army recruiting classes.