The World - News from March 22, 1989

The Soviet Academy of Sciences opened the way for human rights activist Andrei D. Sakharov to make a second attempt to represent it in the new legislature. The official news agency Tass said academy scientists approved only eight candidates for the 20 seats allocated to the organization in the new Congress of People’s Deputies. Under the election law, there must now be new nominations for the remaining 12 seats, giving the 1975 Nobel peace laureate another chance. In January, the academy’s ruling presidium failed to nominate Sakharov and several other reform-minded scientists for the congress, apparently ignoring the wishes of its rank and file.