Push

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- This time there would be no Phil Simms' touchdown passes to leave the Washington Redskins drained and defeated.This time there would be no costly turnover to carry the New York Giants to another improbable victory.This time, when push came to shove, the Redskins were recipients of a very friendly officiating call that proved to be instrumental in Washington's 17-13 win over the Giants last night.The Giants had pushed the Redskins all over the field in the first half, opening a 10-0 lead behind the slippery running of Rodney Hampton.

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton faced the stinging defeat of a prized foreign policy objective last night, as the Senate moved toward an agreement to delay voting on a nuclear test ban treaty indefinitely.Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott tentatively agreed to withdraw the treaty without a vote after Tom Daschle, the Senate Democratic leader, promised not to push for a ratification vote until after Clinton leaves office.The president's Democratic allies in the Senate are short of the two-thirds majority, or 67 votes, needed for passage of the treaty.

WASHINGTON - For two years, terrorism and the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea have dominated America's relationship with the Pacific Rim. But as President Bush opened a six-day, six-nation Far East trip yesterday, his efforts to spur a still-weak U.S. economic recovery shared equal billing with his national security priorities. With polls suggesting that Bush's handling of the U.S. economy continues to pose the biggest danger to his re-election in 2004, the White House has made a point of highlighting administration efforts to boost American exports and improve what officials call "economic security for American workers."

A Columbia engineering company has designed a "Mayday" system that allows motorists to summon help directly from inside or outside their cars at the push of a button.The system combines a cellular phone, computer data programs, surveillance services and navigation technology to protect a motorist in trouble and pinpoint the car's location, even as a car thief or carjacker speeds away.Its creator -- Simms Industries Inc., which specializes in defense system engineering -- plans to be selling the security system, called the Protector, by July, after five years of development.

Four years after fraud allegations enveloped the gubernatorial election, Baltimore will employ a new $6.5 million computerized system next month that officials hope will eliminate doubts over accuracy in counting votes.For close to 50 years, the city relied on the lever-and-crank ballot casting system, which was criticized in the 1994 election between Gov. Parris N. Glendening and his Republican challenger, Ellen R. Sauerbrey.Glendening won by 5,993 votes, resulting in a recount and investigation into voter fraud in Baltimore City and Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

Congress must push for mandatory rules for electricity grids and the industry must stockpile critical equipment for use in the event of a terrorist attack, the National Commission on Energy Policy said yesterday. "The massive power outages two weeks ago are symptoms of a system that needs both new regulatory requirements and better economic incentives," said John W. Rowe, co-chairman of the bipartisan commission and chairman of Exelon Corp. The group's recommendations likely would be funded by taxpayers and electricity users.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush, working to allay public fears about foreign competition, will promote his plan to sharpen America's economic edge during a visit today to a Maryland magnet school. Bush's appearance in Rockville comes two days before he is to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao amid continuing tensions over trade and China's ascension as a world power. Bush, under pressure from members of Congress to be tougher on China, is looking for ways to show he is addressing the challenge.

LA PLAGNE, France -- You could call it the humbling of Herschel Walker.Earlier in the week, before the beginning of the Olympic two-man bobsled competition, Walker, the famous halfback-turned-bobsledder, said he was now "the best [bobsled] pusher in the world" despite his almost total lack of training.But when the two-man was over yesterday on a cool, windy afternoon high in the Alps, the world's "best" was in seventh place, far behind the gold-medal winners from Switzerland, Gustav Weder and Donat Acklin.

If the team of defense lawyers representing City Comptroller Jacqueline F. McLean angered the public with their pull-out-all-the-stops strategy to help their client's case, it probably won't bother them. Not as long as they win.William H. Murphy Jr. and M. Cristina Gutierrez were victorious when -- aided by five City Council members outside the public's view -- they persuaded Baltimore Circuit Judge Joseph H. H. Kaplan to postpone Mrs. McLean's trial. They also may succeed in their vigorous efforts to remove Judge Elsbeth L. Bothe from the case.

A Baltimore judge who ordered a police detective to do 25 push-ups in court as punishment this week also had an officer arrested and locked up for three hours last week because he was on vacation on a day the judge wanted him in court. The officer was read his rights and led away from the courtroom in handcuffs. When prosecutors discovered that their office was at fault, not the policeman, he was released. But Circuit Judge John N. Prevas did not apologize to him, instead warning he would lock up any police officers who miss court dates.