Check out the important world news stories on a \Jday\j-by-\Jday\j basis from January 1996 through to June 30 1999. From January 1997 onwards, these stories are segmented by world region, making it easier to find what you are looking for.
Pages are also included through to December 31 2001, as these dates occur, you can download the information using our \JInternet Updater.\j
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"January 1, 1996",2,0,0,0
FIFA President, Joao Havelange, promises the 2006 World Cup \Jsoccer\j finals to South Africa.
Amazing revelations of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral, namely the making of arrangements years before he died, are made in British parliament.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Tomiichi Murayama, makes claims of improvement in the Japanese economy as a result of consumer spending and improved performance of the yen against the dollar.
PLO Chairman, Yasser Arafat, urges Palestinians to vote for the best candidate in the coming election-even if it means not voting for him.
John Major, Britain's Prime Minister, announces he may have to call an early election, courtesy of defecting party members and MPs.
Senate leaders in the US fail to end a 16-\Jday\j shutdown of government services.
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.0 strikes Sulawesi, an island in \JIndonesia\j.
New figures reveal that New York's crime rate in 1995 was the lowest since the 1970s.
Scientists in Paris find four dead blue whales, all suspected of dying from the \Jmeasles\j.
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"January 2, 1996",3,0,0,0
Rome prepares for one of the largest intakes of tourists ever, expected between 1999 and 2001; the reason being the coming of the second millennium since the birth of Christ.
King Fahd of Saudi \JArabia\j hands over his rule to Prince Abdullah after his health rapidly deteriorates as a result of a recent stroke.
Russia confirms that it missed a December 1991 deadline to destroy tanks and weapons; Uzbekistan, \JKazakhstan\j and Turkmenistan also missed the deadline.
Lives of the Egyptian President and his MPs are threatened in \JCairo\j after the Islamic Group attack a village.
A bus crash in Zaire claims 72 lives.
Pneumonia claims the life of one of America's greatest WWII military officials, Admiral Arleigh Burke.
The President of \JBurundi\j expresses alarm during his New Year message to his people, that their country faces the possibility of deterioration as a result of the in-fighting between the two major army controllers, the Hutus and Tutsis.
1950s and 60s rock legend Buddy Holly's songs are brought back to the 1990s courtesy of a tribute album by Holly's friends, including names such as Waylon Jennings and Mark Knopfler.
Atlanta is on the downhill run to the 1996 Olympics as preparations for the largest Olympics yet are almost finalized. 197 countries have been invited to attend and all have accepted.
Figures reveal that China's \Jinflation\j fell in 1995, but foreign investment rose.
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"January 3, 1996",4,0,0,0
The United States major phone company, AT & T, announces it will shed 13 per cent of its workforce (about 40,000 jobs).
The Senate in the US passes a bill to end the shutdown of government services.
Officials reveal that ten East Timorese men are due to return home after 37 years in exile in \JPortugal\j.
High profile opium trafficker, Khun Sa, surrenders to the Burmese Government.
Salman Rushdie wins the Whitbread Prize for his latest novel The Moor's Last Sigh.
Greek Socialist Party members decide to elect a new Prime Minister after Andreas Papandreou, the current Prime Minister, is still on a life-support system after 44 days.
Threats from Islamic militants are made to the United States if the American government takes covert action against \JIran\j.
Twenty people are killed and 48 injured in a rocket attack in Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j's capital city.
Elections in \JJerusalem\j are viewed by worldwide critics as being fraudulent and rigged by Yasser Arafat after a further three contenders withdraw their candidacy.
The trial of the century is finally over and O.J. Simpson is acquitted of murder in the first degree.
#
"January 4, 1996",5,0,0,0
Japanese researchers say they have come across the antibody that kills \JHIV\j infected cells.
Disgraced \Jsoccer\j legend, Diego Maradona, tells a magazine of his hard struggle to conquer drug addiction.
Six people are killed in a New Delhi bomb blast; the Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front responsible say it is in protest against acts committed by Indian security squads.
Members of a Costa Rican gang, who have kidnapped a Swiss and a German woman, demand $US1 million ransom.
Lech Walesa, former Polish President, is fined 1,000 zloyts for not maintaining 1990 election promises.
Doctors at a \JSan Francisco\j \Jhospital\j announce that a man suffering from AIDS, who had \Jbaboon\j bone marrow transplanted into him, is due to be released from \Jhospital\j soon.
Madonna appears in court against Robert Hoskins, the man accused of stalking her.
An eight o'clock curfew is placed on Care \JAustralia\j workers in \JNairobi\j after a Goma Christmas Day massacre.
Thirty-two people are killed and 60 injured when warfare erupts between Burmese troops and Karen forces at the Thai border town of Mae Sot.
Singapore transport planners decide to spend more than $19 billion on a state-of-the-art public transport system.
Princess Diana is reported to have accepted the demands of the Queen to divorce Prince Charles.
The Greek Socialist Party begins the process of selecting a new Prime Minister to replace Andreas Papandreou who is in bad health.
Bosnian Serbs release three of their 16 hostages in \JSarajevo\j.
China withdraws its bid for the 2004 Olympics.
Maori protesters in \JNew Zealand\j object to the visit of the replica of Captain Cook's boat the \IEndeavour.\i
#
"January 5, 1996",6,0,0,0
Mr Tomiichi Murayama, \JJapan\j's Prime Minister, announces he will resign.
The US announces a $US2 million reward for information leading to Burmese drug lord Khun Sa's arrest.
Eighty people are killed in a sudden cold snap in Mexico.
Liberian guerillas ambush and hold hostage 130 members of a peacekeeping force in \JNigeria\j.
The US still experiences difficulties in establishing a Budget.
#
"January 6, 1996",7,0,0,0
Experts claim that \Jpollution\j is one of the factors for the possible \Jextinction\j of up to twenty species of rare animals.
Christopher Reeve, the American actor best known for his role as Superman, takes his first breaths without the aid of a \Jrespirator\j, after being paralyzed as a result of a horse riding accident last year.
Azuma Nelson is named \Jboxer\j of the year by the World Boxing Council.
The Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer, hires one of Britain's best divorce lawyers.
David Hempleman-Adams achieves the amazing feat of walking solo and unaided to the South Pole.
America, \JRussia\j and the \JUkraine\j combine forces to demolish a missile silo.
#
"January 7, 1996",8,0,0,0
A Chinese Government report claims that children have been found starving and dying in the country's orphanages.
Bill Clinton finally announces a balanced seven year budget plan for America.
The United States deploys additional forces to the Gulf.
Forty planes are shot or forced down in \JColombia\j after a massive anti-narcotic operation.
Princess Anne has security stepped up as a result of an alleged stalker.
One of the leaders of the Sicilian Mafia, Salvatore "Toto" Riina, is forced to appear in court in relation to a car bombing in \JPalermo\j in 1992.
England's largest lottery jackpot, worth approximately ú172 million is to be divided by three winners.
More than 100,000 people attend the funeral in \JJerusalem\j of one of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas' most prominent terrorists, Yehiya Ayyash, who was recently assassinated.
#
"January 8, 1996",9,0,0,0
Jakarta suffers the worst flooding in twenty years, with eight people already dead and hundreds injured.
Bill Clinton's fifth Budget proposal is knocked back by the Republicans.
Former French President, Francois Mitterrand, dies after a battle with prostate cancer.
A cold snap hits New York with temperatures dropping to 10 degrees C below zero.
Fourteen people die in America as a result of wild blizzards that are currently sweeping the country.
Boris Yeltsin, \JRussia\j's President, searches for a new foreign minister after the resignation of Andrei Kozyrev.
#
"January 9, 1996",10,0,0,0
Security upgrades are made for the imminent visit of US President, Bill Clinton, to \JSarajevo\j.
Nine people are killed in \JIndonesia\j when guerillas attack their vehicle.
Record snow falls are recorded in Philadelphia, as well as one of the worst snow storms in New York's history.
The Prime Minister of \JFrance\j announces a \Jday\j of mourning in honor of the former president, Francois Mitterrand.
900,000 yen compensation is paid to a family from \JOkinawa\j for the alleged rape of their 12-year-old daughter by three American servicemen.
An overloaded cargo plane crashes into Zaire's capital city, \JKinshasa\j, killing 250 citizens.
A huge oil spill in Moscow is located from a pipe running into the Belaya River.
Recent blizzards cause the New York Stock Markets to delay trading.
Pop singer Madonna's stalker is found guilty by a Los Angeles jury.
Chechen rebels take 2,000 people hostage in Kizlar.
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"January 10, 1996",11,0,0,0
Rebels in Irian Jaya take 14 hostages near Mapnduma.
The Chechen hostage situation eases when hostages are released.
Lille submits its bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Lech Walesa, \JPoland\j's ex-president, applies for a job as an electrician at Gdansk shipyards.
India bans abortions of healthy female fetuses.
US snow storms so far claim 87 lives.
Yevgeny Primakov, \JRussia\j's Foreign Intelligence Service Chief, is assigned the post of Foreign Minister.
Israel starts to release Palestinian prisoners in accordance with a deal negotiated with the PLO.
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"January 11, 1996",12,0,0,0
The candidates for the 2004 \JOlympic Games\j are: \JAthens\j, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, \JIstanbul\j, Lille, Rio De Janeiro, \JRome\j, San Juan, Seville, Stockholm and St Petersburg.
King Hussein of Jordan pays his first visit to Tel Aviv amidst some of the tightest security ever, as Israel begins releasing 1200 Palestinian prisoners.
Stock prices fall after Bill Clinton warns that the Budget might not pass until November.
A morbid discovery in Bosnia by officials reveals a mass grave containing a suspected 8,000 bodies.
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"January 12, 1996",13,0,0,0
Trouble "brews" in \JPakistan\j as leading beer manufacturers lock in bitter feuds.
Irian separatists who took 14 hostages, warn that the hostages' lives will be in jeopardy if their rescue is attempted.
Tension flares in \JSarajevo\j as anticipation of an order from Serbian authorities for all Serbs to leave \JSarajevo\j grows.
Fighting resumes between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and Papua New Guinean forces in Bougainville.
Russia does not cooperate in the hostage situation in \JChechnya\j.
New research figures reveal that there are 9.5 million \JInternet\j users in the US.
Space Shuttle \IEndeavour\i begins its search of a Japanese \Jsatellite\j.
1970s and 80s punk rock band The Sex Pistols announce their reunion tour.
Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, who is in a serious condition in \Jhospital\j, indicates he is ready to resign.
The former South Korean President, Chun Doo Hwan, will be brought to trial charged with accepting bribes from various high-profile Korean companies and having been the catalyst behind a 1979 coup.
The Italian Prime Minister, Lamberto Dini, resigns, in order to avoid facing a no-confidence vote against him.
#
"January 14, 1996",14,0,0,0
Bill Clinton visits war-torn Bosnia.
The British Broadcasting Bill looks at being changed in the wake of Rupert Murdoch's bid for the European TV rights to all \JOlympic Games\j until 2020.
The Algerian Muslim bombers claim responsibility for a bomb in Paris late last year.
Yigal Amir, Hagai Amir and Dror Adani are charged in Tel Aviv for a plot to murder the former Prime Minister of Israel.
Three thousand citizens of \JNagoya\j, \JJapan\j, protest over the rape, and other crimes, committed by US servicemen based in their country.
Lucien Bouchard replaces Jacques Parizeau as the latest Premier of Quebec.
Russian soldiers hold back from a village where Chechen rebels are keeping hostages.
Indonesian soldiers accelerate their attempt to free hostages that were taken by the Free Papua Movement.
#
"January 15, 1996",15,0,0,0
It is reported that China is arranging an underground nuclear test before the nuclear test ban treaty comes into effect.
Russia closes negotiations with nuclear reactor operators in Europe to sell uranium to them.
A US report claims that organized crime monopolizes a large percentage of Russian banks.
Jorge Sampaio becomes the new President of \JPortugal\j.
The Chinese Government decides to slash the People's Liberation Army by 500,000.
Russian soldiers attack the Chechen rebels who are holding hostages in the village of Pervomaiskoye.
#
"January 16, 1996",16,0,0,0
The Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou announces his resignation.
Chinese archaeologists in Xuzhou dig up a 2,000 year old shroud made of jade in which a king had been buried.
Bill Clinton warns India that he will cut off economic aid to them if they go ahead and conduct nuclear tests.
Singapore assigns a new Filipino ambassador.
King Moshoeshoe II of \JLesotho\j dies after a car accident.
Juan Garcia Abrego, one of the top drug dealers in Mexico, is arrested.
A \JPakistan\j court charges a Canadian aid worker with a bomb that destroyed the Egyptian Embassy.
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"January 17, 1996",17,0,0,0
Russian soldiers shell the Chechen guerillas who are still holding 80 hostages.
Seven opposition politicians in India are charged with accepting bribes.
Sierra Leone's government leader, Captain Valentine Strasser, is overthrown in a coup.
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"January 18, 1996",18,0,0,0
President Boris Yeltsin announces that the hostages taken by Chechen rebels have been freed.
Apple Computers announce they will have to cut 3,000 staff worldwide.
NATO forces withdraw troops in Bosnia.
Buckingham Palace confirms that the Queen will not help The Duchess of York with her one million pound overdraft.
The safety of the hostages in Irian Jaya is in doubt as \JIndonesia\j prepares to attack the Free Papua Movement.
Three of the seven politicians in India who were charged with bribery resign.
Fighting closes a Rwandan refugee camp in \JBurundi\j; 15,000 escape to the Tanzanian border.
Space scientists in the US say they have discovered two new planets in which organisms may be able to live.
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"January 19, 1996",19,0,0,0
Iraq tells the United Nations that it wants to sell $US2 billion worth of oil to pay for much-needed food and health requirements for its people.
Mr Costas Simitis becomes the new Prime Minister of \JGreece\j.
Boris Yeltsin announces the end of the strike on the Chechen rebels in Pervomaiskoye.
Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson.
Ten foreigners die in a fire in a hostel in \JGermany\j.
Indonesia's foreign minister confirms his country would not back \JSingapore\j in voting that \JAustralia\j join the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
A French court bans a book about the late President Francois Mitterrand.
The British Government announces prisoners giving birth will no longer be handcuffed.
Famous jazz player, Gerry Mulligan, dies from difficulties arising after surgery.
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"January 20, 1996",20,0,0,0
George Burns celebrates his 100th birthday.
Twenty-nine people are killed and many missing after an Indonesian ferry sinks.
UN Secretary, Boutros Boutros-Ghali insists on the release of 14 hostages taken by the Free Papua Movement.
Dagestan grieves over the death of nearly 43 hostages taken by Chechen rebels.
The Duchess of York returns a $75,000 BMW she can no longer afford.
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"January 21, 1996",21,0,0,0
The Duchess of York reaches an agreement to enable her to pay all her debts.
Palestinians in East \JJerusalem\j are deterred from voting at the first ever Palestinian elections, where Yasser Arafat claims victory.
Chechen rebels reveal they are still holding hostages in eastern \JChechnya\j.
Over 100 people are still missing after a ferry sunk in \JIndonesia\j.
A \Jcyclone\j hits Madagascar and 10,000 are left destitute.
Mufti of Tajikistan, England's spiritual leader of the Muslims, is found dead.
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"January 22, 1996",22,0,0,0
Don Simpson, producer of \IBeverly Hills Cop\i and \ITop Gun,\i dies in Los Angeles.
PLO officials announce that the results of the election will clear the way for an eventual Palestinian independent state.
A war crimes investigator from the US visits a newly-discovered mass grave site in Bosnia.
The Tanzanian border is closed when thousands of Rwandan refugees flee there to escape violence.
A state of emergency is declared in Buenos Aires after fire rages through Bariloche.
One of the 14 hostages held in Irian Jaya by the Free Papua Movement is released.
Indian troops kill seven Muslims in Kashmir.
Bosnian's Prime Minister, Haris Silajdzic, announces his resignation; Hasan Muratovic will replace him.
The east coast of America suffers severe flooding.
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"January 23, 1996",23,0,0,0
Princess Diana's private secretary resigns.
A Japanese newspaper claims that \JIodine\j 131 was detected near Mururoa \JAtoll\j after the nuclear testing by \JFrance\j.
Data sent back by a space probe reveals that Jupiter is a lot different than previously thought.
The US Government faces a default on its debts if Congress doesn't raise the debt limit.
The leader of the Chechen rebels, Salman Raduyev, vows to keep fighting \JRussia\j.
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"January 24, 1996",24,0,0,0
Tanzania reopens its borders to 12,000 \JRwanda\j refugees who fled violence in \JBurundi\j.
Princess Diana's chauffeur and her personal assistant both resign.
Reports reveal that \JJapan\j suffered its first trade surplus fall in five years.
#
"January 25, 1996",25,0,0,0
The US Government warns China not to attack \JTaiwan\j.
Three soldiers are killed in an explosion in \JSarajevo\j.
Fifteen rebels are killed in Bougainville in a battle between soldiers and rebels.
#
"January 26, 1996",26,0,0,0
The price of gold in London is at its highest for five years.
AT & T reports a loss of $US2.68 billion for the last quarter of 1995.
The World Health Organization wants the last container of the smallpox virus destroyed by the end of the decade.
India's Opposition Leader calls on the Prime Minister to step down over alleged corruption activities.
The Indonesian Government reveals that 60 civilians have been killed in Irian Jaya by the Indonesian military in attempts to defuse the Free Papua Movement.
Australia appeals to \JRussia\j and China to agree to a total ban on nuclear testing.
Britain's Prime Minister, John Major, seeks to fix a disagreement with John Bruton, the Irish Prime Minister.
Bill Clinton's wife, Hillary, after being subpoenaed, appears in court regarding the Whitewater affair.
#
"January 27, 1996",27,0,0,0
Thousands protest in Bogota, \JColombia\j, insisting on President Ernesto Samper's resignation.
The Bosnian Government makes an agreement with the Serbs to release hundreds of prisoners of war.
Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, announces the date of March 2 for the country's general election.
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"January 28, 1996",28,0,0,0
Taiwan announces it will practice naval exercises to prepare themselves against \JBeijing\j's forces.
France detonates its sixth and biggest nuclear blast at Fangataufa \JAtoll\j.
Around 250 Bosnian Serb prisoners are freed by the Croatian and Bosnian governments.
Lieutenant-Colonel Ibrahim Bare Mainassara is named \JNiger\j's new President, when Mahamane Ousmane was overthrown in a coup.
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"January 29, 1996",29,0,0,0
The 1987 winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, Joseph Brodsky, dies of heart failure.
Yemeni tribesmen release 17 French hostages.
Five people are killed after a light plane crash on \JNew Zealand\j's South Island.
Portuguese Prime Minister, Mr Guterres, announces he fully backs East \JTimor\j in their fight for freedom.
Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchange gunfire after \JPakistan\j accused India of firing a rocket into a mosque in Kashmir.
Magic Johnson announces his return to \Jbasketball\j, signing up with the Los Angeles Lakers.
King Mswati III of \JSwaziland\j commands his subjects return to work or face war.
The head of the Nation of \JIslam\j in the US, Louis Farrakhan, and Nelson Mandela, carry out a successful meeting.
Chinese soldiers who will enforce law in Hong Kong from 1997 are already being trained.
Tamil Tigers attack an army camp in Colombo and kill 33 people.
Fire destroys much of \JItaly\j's 18th century La Fenice opera house.
#
"January 30, 1996",30,0,0,0
Greece and Turkey fight over an island in the \JAegean Sea\j.
Female refugees from Srebrenica march on the Red Cross office in Bosnia.
Japan's recession looks to be nearly over.
Scientists warn that large amounts of radioactive waste will leak from the atolls where \JFrance\j conducted nuclear tests.
Eight people are killed and many more injured when gunmen open fire on thousands of people queuing for jobs in \JJohannesburg\j.
#
"January 31, 1996",31,0,0,0
Bombay officially changes its name to \JMumbai\j.
Bill Clinton successfully intervenes in the fight between \JGreece\j and Turkey over an island in the \JAegean Sea\j.
Two Tamil Tigers are arrested in \JSri Lanka\j after a major bomb is exploded there.
Bosnia appoints Hasan Muratovic as the Prime Minister of the dual State.
Ambassadors at the \JNicaragua\j Foreign Ministry are released after being held by students.
A museum being built in \JEgypt\j is stopped after archaeologists reveal it was being built on top of a cemetery over 2,600 years old.
The Free Papua Movement threatens to kill 13 hostages if \JIndonesia\j uses military force to free them.
#
"February 1, 1996",32,0,0,0
A bomb explodes outside a Sri Lankan bank in Colombo, killing at least 80 and injuring thousands.
The Republicans lose a seat to the Democrats in a by-election in Oregon, USA.
The United Nations backs \JEthiopia\j in their request for the \Jextradition\j of terrorists in \JSudan\j.
The Maltese Falcon statue is auctioned for a record price for a movie prop.
Polish President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, appoints Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz as the new Prime Minister.
Champion bridge player, Terence Reese, dies in England, aged 82.
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"February 2, 1996",33,0,0,0
Officials announce that charges of \Jmanslaughter\j for the death of Ayrton Senna will be laid.
Gold bullion jumps to its highest price in over five years.
Scores of Democrats boycott Jacques Chirac's address to Congress in Washington.
NATO peacekeepers kill a sniper in \JSarajevo\j.
Health officials in Moscow reveal that over 400 people have died due to freezing temperatures.
A grenade explodes amongst a crowd at a railway station in Manila, \JPhilippines\j.
The Sri Lankan Government ensures the Australian cricketers safety at the World Cup in Colombo.
Over 100 people die when a bomb explodes in Shaoyang, China.
Turkey threatens \JAthens\j with war if it extends its territorial waters.
Italy's President, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, appoints Antonio Maccanico as the Prime Minister-designate.
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"February 3, 1996",34,0,0,0
Actor, singer and dancer, Gene Kelly, dies aged 83.
Actress Audrey Meadows announces she has terminal cancer.
The World Health Organization claims that \Jbacteria\j resistant to \Jantibiotics\j is a serious problem.
A fox kills the Queen's flamingos at \JBuckingham Palace\j.
Taiwan tests a new air-to-air missile.
#
"February 4, 1996",35,0,0,0
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.0 strikes Lijiang, China, killing hundreds and injuring thousands.
The Red Cross airlifts food into Afghan's capital after roads were cut off due to fighting.
Coalminers in \JRussia\j end their two-\Jday\j strike.
Michael Spindler, president and chief executive of Apple Computer, is sacked.
#
"February 5, 1996",36,0,0,0
A Colombian cargo plane crashes in \JParaguay\j, killing all four members on board and at least 18 on the ground.
Over 100 people are injured when 30,000 people turn up to ice skate on a frozen lake in the Netherlands.
Actress Audrey Meadows dies of cancer, aged 71.
An assassination attempt is made on the Guatemalan President, Alvaro Arzu.
Archaeologists announce they have found the relics of Lord \JBuddha\j in Kathmandu.
Lijiang experiences major aftershocks after their worst \Jearthquake\j in eight years hit yesterday.
#
"February 6, 1996",37,0,0,0
Tommy Mitchell, who was a member of the English Bodyline cricket team, dies aged 93.
Masashi Yamada, who was stripped of his pro-am title after cheating, shuts down the $34.4 million golf course he owns in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Police in London unveil a new-look jacket and a new police cap to replace the bobby.
The Bosnian Government holds two Bosnian Serb officers accused of war crimes.
Soldiers in Irian Jaya closely follow rebels from the Free Papua Movement, who are detaining 13 hostages, towards the border of Papua New Guinea.
#
"February 7, 1996",38,0,0,0
NATO confirms it will not interfere with the Bosnian Government's capturing of two Bosnian Serbs they have accused of war crimes.
Jean-Bertrand Aristide hands over the Haitian presidency to Rene Preval.
Russia sells over 70 SU-27 fighter planes to China.
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"February 8, 1996",39,0,0,0
A Boeing 757 carrying mainly Germans crashes into the \JCaribbean Sea\j near the Dominican Republic.
The Irish Foreign Minister proposes a peace conference for Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Serge Vohor, announces his resignation.
Hundreds of Chechen protesters in Grozny demand the retreat of Russian forces.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, announces a general election for May.
Madonna begins the filming of \IEvita.\i
#
"February 9, 1996",40,0,0,0
Colombo steps up security after bomb threats by Tamil Tigers.
Japan orders South Korea to stop work on a wharf on a disputed island in the \JJapan\j Sea.
China threatens to boycott the \JAtlanta\j Olympics if top Taiwanese officials attend.
China and Britain argue over who will be granted permanent residency in Hong Kong in 1997.
All 189 people on board a Boeing 757 that crashed near the Dominican Republic are presumed dead.
Russian forces in Grozny confront Chechen protesters.
A Bosnian Serb military official halts communication with \JNATO\j in protest at the Bosnian Government's holding of two Bosnian Serb officers accused of war crimes.
#
"February 10, 1996",41,0,0,0
A surgeon in \JBelgium\j, using a high-tech computer, takes charge of a \Jstomach\j operation in Holland.
Astronomers announce a newly-discovered \Jcomet\j will be visible in the night sky at the end of March.
The IRA announces the end of the cease-fire and claims responsibility for a bomb explosion in London.
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"February 11, 1996",42,0,0,0
Security is stepped-up in London and \JBelfast\j after the IRA bomb blast yesterday.
Rescuers attempt to retrieve people trapped in a collapsed highway tunnel in \JJapan\j.
Japan and South Korea fight over ownership of three islets in the \JJapan\j Sea.
Bill Clinton continues to support a peace settlement for Northern Ireland.
#
"February 12, 1996",43,0,0,0
Colombian police find a truck full of explosives outside a Buddhist temple.
US studies report that almost 10,000 people worldwide acquire the \JHIV\j virus every \Jday\j.
Japan orders China to withdraw their ships searching for oil around the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by China, \JTaiwan\j and \JJapan\j.
Irish Prime Minister John Bruton urges John Major to abandon elections for Northern Ireland.
Heavyweight \Jboxer\j, Tommy Morrison, is banned indefinitely from boxing, due to an alleged \JHIV\j positive test.
A disease similar to \Jcholera\j kills dozens of people in \JTimor\j.
Chechen protesters in Grozny dismantle, following the loss of six lives while fighting with Russian troops.
#
"February 13, 1996",44,0,0,0
Indonesia continues plans to build a $2.1 billion nuclear power station.
Over 300 cars are involved in a pile-up on a freeway in \JItaly\j.
The Tamil United Liberation Front president accuses Sri Lankan soldiers of killing two dozen Tamil civilians.
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"February 14, 1996",45,0,0,0
Both British and Irish Governments decide to hold talks with Northern Ireland to get the peace plan up and running.
Time Warner and MAI announce they will build huge film and TV studios in London.
Sri Lanka attacks a vessel carrying weapons for Tamil Tigers.
Archaeologists in \JEgypt\j unearth 2500 BC murals in the Fifth Dynasty Sahu Ra pyramid.
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"February 15, 1996",46,0,0,0
Presidents of \JSerbia\j, \JCroatia\j and Bosnia are asked to attend a meeting to enforce the signing of the Dayton treaty.
A Chinese rocket explodes just after take-off in \JBeijing\j.
The President of \JColombia\j, Ernesto Samper, is charged with electoral \Jfraud\j and cover-up.
The British Government sends 500 troops back to Northern Ireland, following the end of the 17-month-long cease-fire.
Sri Lanka closes schools, fearing violent Tamil attacks.
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"February 16, 1996",47,0,0,0
Mud slides in \JRio de Janeiro\j kill dozens of people.
A guerilla group in \JAthens\j fires a grenade at the US Embassy.
London police safely destroy a suspected IRA bomb located in a \Jtelephone\j booth in the busy theater district of London.
A palace used for defense is the center for an explosion in Kabul, Islamabad.
Boris Yeltsin announces he will stand for another term as President, while the Communist Party announces Gennady Zyuganov as their candidate.
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"February 17, 1996",48,0,0,0
A reward of one million pounds is offered by Scotland Yard for information on the IRA bombers.
McLean Stevenson, best known for his role as a surgeon in \IMASH,\i dies of a heart attack, aged 66.
Two trains carrying passengers collide near Washington DC, killing at least a dozen people.
#
"February 18, 1996",49,0,0,0
The Health Minister of \JJapan\j claims responsibility and apologizes for the deaths of hundreds of people who contracted \JHIV\j through contaminated blood.
Italy announces April 21 for general elections.
Two of the rebels who are holding 13 hostages in Irian Jaya surrender.
Another IRA bomb is blasted in London, this time on a double-decker bus.
#
"February 19, 1996",50,0,0,0
Pat Brown, a former Californian Governor, dies aged 90.
An overloaded Filipino ferry is ripped apart by massive waves, killing over 60 people.
Two bombs explode in \JAlgiers\j, killing a dozen people.
Pete Sampras takes Andre Agassi's title of World No. 1 men's tennis player.
#
"February 20, 1996",51,0,0,0
The IRA threatens to extend its terrorist activities to other cities in Britain.
Archaeologists reveal that they have dug up the world's oldest musical instrument-a flute-probably made by Neanderthals over 45,000 years ago.
Twelve Russian hostages in Dagestan are freed by Chechen rebels. Meanwhile, Russian soldiers return fire at rebels in a village in north-eastern \JChechnya\j.
A member of the Indian Government, Kamal Nath, resigns, following his name being linked to a bribery scandal.
Japan declares a 200 nautical mile zone around its coast, worsening relationships with South Korea and China over ownership of islands.
Maverick Republican Pat Buchanan wins the New Hampshire presidential primary election.
#
"February 21, 1996",52,0,0,0
Bosnian Serb leaders announce all Serbs should leave \JSarajevo\j or face living under Muslim-Croat federation.
Russian soldiers announce they have won a battle with Chechen rebels in Novogroznensky, near Grozny.
The US announces it will apply sanctions against China, following their supplying of nuclear materials to \JPakistan\j.
London police uncover a bomb factory believed to be owned by the IRA.
The Red Cross sends in staff to find 12 hostages held by the Free Papua Movement in Irian Jaya.
President Fidel Ramos of the \JPhilippines\j orders an investigation into the sinking of an overloaded ferry.
#
"February 22, 1996",53,0,0,0
Thousands of Serbs in \JSarajevo\j plea for assistance to move out.
126 people are reported to have been murdered at the Sao Paulo \Jcarnival\j in \JBrazil\j.
An oil tanker which ran aground off the Welsh coast last week, spills 65,000 tons of crude oil.
Twenty Tamil Tigers are killed in Colombo after they attack a military base.
#
"February 23, 1996",54,0,0,0
A tidal wave hits the northern coast of \JPeru\j, killing 10 people.
A US F-14 crashes in the Persian Gulf, the third F-14 crash in 4 weeks.
French President, Jacques Chirac, announces the shut-down of the Mururoa \JAtoll\j nuclear test site.
Peter Thurnham, a member of John Major's Conservative Party, resigns to stand as an independent.
US President, Bill Clinton, announces he may move a US air base off the island of \JOkinawa\j, \JJapan\j.
Fourteen more Indian politicians are charged with accepting bribes.
#
"February 24, 1996",55,0,0,0
Astronomers in Hawaii find the most distant known galaxy in the universe-14,000 million light-years away.
#
"February 25, 1996",56,0,0,0
Hamas, the Islamic extremists, detonate two bombs, one in \JJerusalem\j and the other in Ashkelon, killing 25 people.
Steve Forbes wins the \JDelaware\j Republican presidential primary election.
Cuban fighter planes shoot down a couple of planes belonging to a Cuban exile group in Miami.
NATO ensures Serbs in \JSarajevo\j that they will provide safe transport for their evacuation.
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, announces he will oppose \JAustralia\j attending future Asia-Europe summit meetings.
#
"February 26, 1996",57,0,0,0
The US condemns \JCuba\j for shooting down two exile planes.
The Israeli Government urges Yasser Arafat to help put a stop to the bombings by Muslim militants.
Former South Korean President, Chun Doo Hwan, attends court on charges of bribery.
A bomb explodes in a shopping center in Tirana, \JAlbania\j.
NASA fails another attempt to tow a \Jsatellite\j through space when the 20 km (12 mile) tether breaks away from their \Jspace shuttle\j.
#
"February 27, 1996",58,0,0,0
Haing Ngor, who won an Oscar for his part in \IThe Killing Fields,\i is shot dead.
Tens of thousands of Tibetans face the possibility of frostbite and starvation as a severe snowstorm settles in.
John Major avoids a vote of no confidence when a backbencher decides not to abandon the Conservatives.
#
"February 28, 1996",59,0,0,0
Indonesia plans to limit international shipping in their waters to three sea-lanes.
Soldiers in India and \JPakistan\j exchange gunfire near the border of Kashmir.
The Irish and British Prime Ministers hold talks regarding the Northern Ireland peace process.
A top Government official in \JJapan\j admits he received bribes to keep contaminated blood in circulation.
#
"February 29, 1996",60,0,0,0
Nearly thirty people are killed when a bus and car collide in \JSpain\j.
Warren Buffett overtakes Bill Gates to becomes the world's richest businessman; he is estimated to be worth over $US16 billion.
The Irish and British Prime Ministers set June 10 aside for all-party talks; the IRA can participate only if it restores its cease-fire.
Princess Diana finally agrees to a royal divorce.
#
"March 1, 1996",61,0,0,0
Japan and Britain support \JAustralia\j's fight to join Asia-Europe summit meetings.
John Major visits Hong Kong.
The militant Islamic Hamas group announces they will cease attacks if Israel releases Palestinian prisoners.
The Portuguese and Indonesian governments meet to end their fight over East \JTimor\j.
Kenya beats the West Indies in a cricket match in the World Cup in India.
All 123 passengers on board a Boeing 737 that crashed in the \JAndes\j are confirmed dead.
The Bosnian Government announces that the Serb crisis in \JSarajevo\j is over.
Princess Diana's divorce lawyer threatens to halt proceedings unless her demands are met by the palace.
The IRA refuses to restore the cease-fire.
50,000 police in \JTaiwan\j continue to clean up criminal activities for the coming election.
#
"March 2, 1996",62,0,0,0
Security is stepped-up after police find a prowler outside Princess Diana's living quarters.
Sothebys prepare for their biggest ever auction-that of Jackie Kennedy Onassis' personal possessions.
China announces it will persist in applying military pressure on \JTaiwan\j.
The US Government dispatches ships and fighter jets to make sure Cuban exiles don't start any acts of war in the \JFlorida\j Straits.
Imelda Marcos is said to owe a law company $4.5 million from 1991.
Liberal Party leader John Howard becomes the new prime minister of \JAustralia\j.
#
"March 3, 1996",63,0,0,0
Malaysia's Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, presses for \JAustralia\j's indefinite exclusion from the Asia-Europe summit meetings.
Records indicate that New York has just had its whitest winter in more than 100 years.
Another bomb explodes on a bus in \JJerusalem\j, killing 19 people; the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, claims responsibility.
Scientists at NASA release results of a study which indicate that dams built all over the world affect the orbital rotation of the Earth.
Bob Dole claims victory over Pat Buchanan in the South Carolina primary presidential election.
#
"March 4, 1996",64,0,0,0
Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Peres, demands Yasser Arafat put a stop to the Hamas Movement's terrorist attacks, or risk any chance of a peace process.
Right-wing Popular Party leader, Jose Maria Aznar, claims victory in the Spanish general election.
The leaders of the Motherland Party and True Path Party in Turkey form a joint coalition government to rule the country.
Famous French author, Marguerite Duras, dies aged 81.
John Major announces he will allow Hong Kong residents without visas to enter Britain after 1997.
Following fears of a coup, the Prime Minister of \JBangladesh\j, Khaleda Zia, offers to stand down.
Mamonas Assassinas, a well-known Brazilian music group, are involved in a plane crash near Sao Paulo, killing all five members.
Most government ministers in the Cook Islands call on the Prime Minister, Geoffrey Henry, to resign.
The political wing of the IRA, Sinn Fein, is refused any involvement in Northern Ireland peace talks.
Senator Bob Dole claims victory in the Puerto Rico presidential primary election.
#
"March 5, 1996",65,0,0,0
A bomb explodes in Tel Aviv, Israel, the fourth bomb in nine days by the Hamas movement; 14 people are killed.
China announces it will test missiles near \JTaiwan\j ports.
A senior member of the Pol Pot terrorist group defects to the government.
#
"March 6, 1996",66,0,0,0
The Sri Lankan cricket team score a record 5-398 in their one-\Jday\j game against \JKenya\j.
Senator Bob Dole claims victory in the Georgia presidential primary election, making it his eighth primary election win.
Israel storms Palestinian villages and arrests suspected bombers.
Nelson Mandela undergoes extensive health tests.
The commander of the Chechen guerillas is killed in \JChechnya\j.
Houses are evacuated following a \Jvolcano\j eruption in \JJapan\j.
The US Government announces a bill will be introduced to cancel US visas of people who have any dealings with \JCuba\j.
#
"March 7, 1996",67,0,0,0
The United Nations announces an end to aid for over 35,000 Vietnamese boat people.
Chechen rebels attack Russian forces in Grozny.
#
"March 8, 1996",68,0,0,0
The International Chess Federation announces \JBaghdad\j as the venue for the next world championships.
Dozens are trapped and 17 people die after a five-story building collapses in \JBombay\j.
Hundreds of people are left dead when Chechen rebels take control of a large portion of Grozny.
Taiwan prepares its warships following China's missile tests near their ports.
Senator Bob Dole claims victory in the New York presidential primary election.
#
"March 9, 1996",69,0,0,0
A bomb explodes in an underground station in London, amazingly causing no deaths or injuries.
The threat of war between \JTaiwan\j and China escalates when China fires its fourth test missile near Taiwanese ports.
#
"March 10, 1996",70,0,0,0
George Burns, who recently turned 100, dies of heart failure.
China threatens to use live ammunition in its missile tests near \JTaiwan\j.
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, announces they will continue terrorist attacks on the Israelis.
Russian soldiers regain control of Grozny from Chechen rebels.
The \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia lands at Cape Canaveral after 15 days in space.
#
"March 11, 1996",71,0,0,0
The US Government sends naval ships to \JTaiwan\j to discourage China from testing missiles there. Meanwhile China warns the US not to get involved.
Tamil Tigers attack and kill 20 commandos in Colombo.
The British Government will investigate the selling at auction of an IRA filing cabinet full of classified information.
The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, announces he has arrested three key figures of the Hamas movement.
#
"March 12, 1996",72,0,0,0
Pressure is put on Boris Yeltsin to sack his Defense Minister over the Chechen crisis.
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, is banned from traveling for free on the royal train.
The US Government sends more warships to \JTaiwan\j as China continues to test missiles in the area.
Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank warn they will shoot if Israel enters their towns.
#
"March 13, 1996",73,0,0,0
Sixteen school children aged four and five, and their school teacher, are shot dead by a single gunman in a school in Dunblane, Scotland. The gunman then kills himself.
China continues its missile testing near \JTaiwan\j despite heavy presence from US warships.
Hundreds of people from a Papuan village continue a four-\Jday\j riot near a gold and copper mine.
Pakistani military shoot dead Naeem Sherri, a senior member of the Mohajir Quami Movement.
Princess Diana denies having an affair with Will Carling.
Steve Forbes, a runner in the Republican presidential race in the US, may bow out, as Senator Bob Dole claims victory in all seven primary elections today.
#
"March 14, 1996",74,0,0,0
Taiwan asks the US for more military help against the threat of a Chinese invasion.
Rebels in \JColombia\j explode a bomb attached to a donkey, killing 11 police officers.
Steve Forbes ends his bid for the US presidency; he spent over $US30 million on his campaign.
The Free Papua Movement threatens to kill 12 hostages if they don't get what they have demanded.
Reports indicate that the Dunblane massacre gunman, Thomas Hamilton, had a history of abusing children.
#
"March 15, 1996",75,0,0,0
Israel wants to erect an electronic fence to stop Palestinian terrorists entering their state.
A full inquiry is to be conducted regarding the Dunblane massacre.
China confirms to the US that they will not attack \JTaiwan\j.
A newly-released report indicates that the United Nations failed to act on the Rwandan crisis in 1994 which left 800,000 people dead.
The Opposition Leader in Zimbabwe asks if the elections can be postponed for three months.
#
"March 16, 1996",76,0,0,0
China defers the testing of missiles off \JTaiwan\j.
Poachers kill a white \Jrhinoceros\j in Zaire; leaving only 29 left in the world.
#
"March 17, 1996",77,0,0,0
Millions of people in Britain hold a minute's silence for the school children and their teacher who died in the Dunblane massacre.
20,000 Taiwanese protest against China's missile tests.
The Russian Parliament votes overwhelmingly to restore the \JSoviet Union\j, however Boris Yeltsin is not in favor.
Zimbabwe's elections go ahead, despite there being only one candidate.
Mike Tyson regains his WBC heavyweight title.
#
"March 18, 1996",78,0,0,0
Tamil Tigers kill five policemen in \JSri Lanka\j.
The US announces that it will apply pressure on China and \JRussia\j to support a global ban on nuclear testing.
Many Taiwanese islands are evacuated following orders from China.
Russian Communist leader, Gennady Zuganov, announces he will try to restore the \JSoviet Union\j if he comes to power.
Russia unveils a new \Jsupersonic\j plane, a Tu-144LL, which is bigger and faster than the \JConcorde\j.
Sri Lanka defeats \JAustralia\j in the World Cup cricket finals.
#
"March 19, 1996",79,0,0,0
A fire in a Manila nightclub kills 150 people.
Nelson and Winnie Mandela appear in court for divorce proceedings.
Famous Greek poet, Odysseus Elytis, dies of a heart attack.
Tamil Tigers kill 18 soldiers in Jaffna, Colombo.
#
"March 20, 1996",80,0,0,0
Billionaire Ross Perot announces he may run in the presidential elections.
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.9 strikes Xinjiang, China.
The divorce of Nelson and Winnie Mandela is granted.
Archaeologists reveal that \JStonehenge\j may be five hundred years older than previously thought.
Former Sarajevan civilians return to their homes after Serbs hand back the suburb of Grbavica.
The US \JSecretary of State\j condemns the Russian Parliament's vote to restore the \JSoviet Union\j.
Faulty wiring is found to be the cause of an inferno in a Manila club which claimed the lives of 151 people.
#
"March 21, 1996",81,0,0,0
The United Nations reveals \JIraq\j still has scud missiles in their possession.
Israeli soldiers blow up three houses belonging to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.
NATO soldiers attempt to resolve a dispute between Muslims and Serbs over a boundary line in Dobrinja, a suburb in \JSarajevo\j.
The British Government announces there is a strong link between mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) and the human form, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
#
"March 22, 1996",82,0,0,0
A restoration of the IRA cease-fire looks slim after the date of elections in Northern Ireland is announced.
Reports that the President of \JColombia\j, Ernesto Samper, took millions of dollars in bribes from major drug traffickers, are confirmed by a US official.
Environment ministers in Jakarta announce that nearly 73 per cent of its \Jwater\j has e-coli \Jbacteria\j present.
The United States launches its \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis at Cape Canaveral.
Ex-Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, finally leaves \Jhospital\j following a bout of \Jpneumonia\j contracted last November.
Islamic militants from the Hamas movement break away and form the Islamic National Salvation Party.
Scientists confirm that a million people may be infected with CJD. Meanwhile many countries ban the import of British beef and millions of \Jcattle\j may have to be slaughtered.
#
"March 23, 1996",83,0,0,0
Madonna's convicted stalker is jailed for ten years.
Taiwan holds its first ever direct presidential elections.
Figures reveal that Mike Tyson has earned over $80 million from three fights since he was released from prison.
Britain, the US and \JFrance\j join 11 other countries, including China and \JRussia\j, in declaring they will sign the Treaty of Raratonga, making the South Pacific nuclear free.
33 people die when an avalanche crashes into the Neelum Valley.
#
"March 24, 1996",84,0,0,0
Lee Ten-hui of the Kuomintang Party claims victory in the Taiwanese elections.
Bosnia releases over 100 Serb prisoners to their own territory.
#
"March 25, 1996",85,0,0,0
Nuclear equipment smuggled out of the \JSoviet Union\j is allegedly being sold in \JPakistan\j.
The British Health Department announces that it will not accept organ and blood donations from people with CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease).
Russian soldiers shell the village of Grozny, Chechen's capital.
Officials in India place a curfew on an Islamic shrine in Kashmir following a battle between police and Muslim militants, killing 11 people.
China ends its missile testing off \JTaiwan\j.
Tibet suffers its worst ever snowstorms.
Beijing votes to cancel Hong Kong's legislature in 1997.
Pope John Paul II is said to have cancer.
#
"March 26, 1996",86,0,0,0
Europe bans the import of British beef following the mad cow disease scare. Meanwhile John Major refuses to cull over ten million \Jcattle\j.
Bangladesh passes a bill to hold general elections under a neutral government.
The Khmer Rouge kidnaps 26 Cambodians while they cleared mines.
Masahide Ota, the Governor of \JOkinawa\j, says he will not sign papers forcing locals to renew leases for the US military.
An Iraqi terrorist group member declares that his group is sponsored by the US.
#
"March 27, 1996",87,0,0,0
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's murderer is sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j.
Greenpeace reveals that Shell has been dumping contaminated \Jwater\j into an area which supplies part of Turkey's drinking \Jwater\j.
Senator Bob Dole claims victory in presidential primary elections in Nevada, \JCalifornia\j and Washington State.
Cuba warns the US after they say two US planes entered their air space; however, the US denies any of their planes entered Cuban air space.
Following pressure from farmers, John Major considers culling 11 million \Jcattle\j.
The International Monetary Fund agrees to lend \JRussia\j just over $US10 billion.
A radio station in \JRussia\j reports that as a result of Russian soldiers and Chechen rebels fighting in Samashki, \JChechnya\j, over 500 people are dead.
26 Cambodian hostages taken by the Khmer Rouge are released.
#
"March 28, 1996",88,0,0,0
Thousand of people working in the British \Jcattle\j industry lose their jobs.
The chief executive of Apple Computer expects to report a loss of $US700 million for the second quarter.
High-profile former Japanese politician, Shin Kanemaru, dies aged 81.
A portion of the roof of one of the world's oldest mosques, the Amr ibn el-As mosque in \JEgypt\j, collapses during repairs.
The President of \JTaiwan\j, Lee Teng-hui, declares he will try to gain his country a seat at the United Nations.
#
"March 29, 1996",89,0,0,0
A scientist in New York discovers two men who are immune to \JHIV\j.
The military in Israel arrest hundreds of Palestinians in order to find Hamas movement members.
The State of \JTexas\j sues the \Jtobacco\j industry in the Federal court.
Queues of up to 10,000 people per \Jday\j are reported outside the \JImmigration\j Department in Hong Kong as residents apply for British naturalization.
A copper mine in the \JPhilippines\j inadvertently contaminates a river and over 2,000 people are evacuated.
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, signs documents to force locals to renew leases for US military bases.
A fire kills 77 people in an Indonesian shopping complex.
North Korea claims that a war with South Korea is unavoidable.
Thousands of Zulus hold a protest march to commemorate the second anniversary of the eight Zulus killed outside the African National Congress headquarters.
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.7 strikes \JEcuador\j, killing over 60 people.
#
"March 30, 1996",90,0,0,0
A bomb accidentally dropped by \JRussia\j kills 10 people in \JChechnya\j.
#
"March 31, 1996",91,0,0,0
Tamil Tigers attack a navy ship off Vettilaikerni, \JSri Lanka\j, killing 45 people.
The Mayor of Bogor, \JIndonesia\j, denies 77 people were killed by a fire in a shopping center; he says the figure is only ten.
The Olympic flame begins its 26,000 kilometer (16,000 mile) expedition from \JGreece\j to \JAtlanta\j.
Thousands of spectators crowd a park in Kabul to watch the public hangings of three men.
The Prime Minister of \JBangladesh\j, Begum Khaleda Zia, announces her resignation.
The \JImmigration\j Department in Hong Kong opens for 24 hours a \Jday\j to process the tens of thousands of applications for British naturalization.
Hezbollah guerillas fire rockets at northern Israel.
Boris Yeltsin announces he will withdraw his soldiers from \JChechnya\j.
#
"April 1, 1996",92,0,0,0
Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, announces he may hold a referendum before signing peace agreements with the Palestinians.
Mitsubishi Bank Ltd and Bank of \JTokyo\j Ltd merge to form the biggest bank in the world.
Chechen rebels attack and kill 28 Russian troops.
The British Government decides to cull 3 million \Jcattle\j to help eradicate mad cow disease.
The Chinese Government warns the US and \JJapan\j not to support \JTaiwan\j's struggle for independence.
Muhammad Habibur Rahman becomes neutral caretaker Prime Minister of \JBangladesh\j, following the resignation of Begum Khaleda Zia.
#
"April 2, 1996",93,0,0,0
The Hamas terrorist group announces it will resume bombings in Israel.
Russian soldiers continue to attack Chechen rebels despite Boris Yeltsin's orders to stop.
The President of \JBelarus\j, Aleksander Lukashenko, and \JRussia\j's President, Boris Yeltsin, announce they will sign a treaty to unite their country's political, trade, and military bodies to line up with the European Union.
The United Nations begins cutting staff; in all 10,000 jobs will go.
#
"April 3, 1996",94,0,0,0
Five members of the Afrikaner Resistance Movement are sentenced to prison for 26 years after being found guilty of exploding a bomb in \JJohannesburg\j in 1994 which killed 20 people.
The Prime Minister of \JNew Zealand\j, Jim Bolger, is left leading without a majority after a minister deserts him for the First Party.
China announces it will lay charges against 18 people involved in a $3 billion \Jfraud\j scheme against the \JBeijing\j Municipal Government.
Thousands of people in \JFrance\j and Britain are questioned over unrelated pedophile rings.
#
"April 4, 1996",95,0,0,0
A US military plane crashes near \JDubrovnik\j Airport in \JCroatia\j, killing 33 people, including the US Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown.
One of America's most wanted men, Theodore Kaczynski, believed to be the Unabomber, is captured by the \JFBI\j.
Over 200 Vietnamese boat people are freed in Hong Kong after a loophole in the legal system is found.
#
"April 5, 1996",96,0,0,0
US officials reveal that Bill Clinton secretly supported Bosnia receiving arms from \JIran\j in 1994, despite a United Nations restriction.
Scientists in \JJapan\j claim they have discovered an \Jenzyme\j that will repair genes which have been damaged by UV rays.
An 82-year-old German SS captain during World War II is to face charges for war crimes committed in \JItaly\j in 1944.
#
"April 6, 1996",97,0,0,0
A gunman shoots dead ten people, including himself, at a wedding in Canada.
Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson dies, aged 92.
#
"April 7, 1996",98,0,0,0
North Korean forces move into the demilitarized zone, despite warnings from South Korea and the United Nations.
A researcher claims that mad cow disease may have been caused by organo-phosphate \Jpesticide\j used over ten years ago.
An avalanche in \JQuito\j, \JEcuador\j, kills eight people and traps many others.
The Red Cross and officials investigating war crimes argue over rights to a mass grave site in Bosnia.
The US Government says it may return half the land they lease for military bases on the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j.
Sri Lankan soldiers kill nine Tamil Tigers, following the Tamil's attack on Sri Lankan police, which claimed 18 lives.
#
"April 8, 1996",99,0,0,0
The South Korean Government appeals to the US to send surveillance planes to monitor North Korea's encroachment of the demilitarized zone.
The President of \JSri Lanka\j, Chandrika Kumaratunga, announces that police will have greater powers to hold terrorists for extended time periods.
Officials reveal that the PLO and their enemies, the Jewish settlers, have been involved in secret peace talks for a couple of years.
Foreigners prepare to evacuate \JLiberia\j as fighting against warlords continues.
Leader of the Chechen rebels, General Dzhokhar Dudayev, agrees to hold peace talks with Boris Yeltsin.
Over eighty people are killed in \JMogadishu\j as a result of fighting between supporters of Mohamed Farah Aideed and Osman Ali Hassan Atto.
A train crash in Zaire claims the lives of nearly 100 people.
#
"April 9, 1996",100,0,0,0
Loyalist demonstrators riot in the streets of \JBelfast\j.
Cambodia's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, insists enemies are planning to assassinate him.
The Islamic Hezbollah movement fires rockets into a Jewish village bordering \JLebanon\j.
South Korea warns North Korea they will attack their soldiers if they cross over the demilitarized zone.
#
"April 10, 1996",101,0,0,0
IBM announces it may sign a contract with Apple Computer to sub-license its Macintosh system for other corporations to make clones.
A Croat commandant is being held by the United Nations for alleged war crimes.
Warlords agree to a cease-fire in \JLiberia\j's capital, \JMonrovia\j.
Indonesia sends eight warships to Natuna Islands where pirates allegedly shot the captain of a small vessel.
Archaeologists dig up 6,000-year-old relics in China.
#
"April 11, 1996",102,0,0,0
Israeli ships and helicopters fire at southern \JLebanon\j.
The Dunblane massacre school gym is demolished.
Chinese and French prime ministers differ over human rights issues.
Foreigners are still being evacuated from \JLiberia\j as fighting in \JMonrovia\j continues.
Thousands of Turkish soldiers close in on Kurdish guerillas in south-east Turkey.
A seven year old pilot who set out to fly across the US and back, crashes the single-engined Cessna and all three occupants die.
#
"April 12, 1996",103,0,0,0
A fire at \JDusseldorf\j airport in \JGermany\j kills sixteen people.
Hezbollah troops fire back at Israel, forcing Israel to retaliate with air attacks.
A scientist in America claims he has created a test to diagnose mad cow disease.
A by-election win for the British Labour Party in Staffordshire South-East leaves John Major's Conservative Government with a one-seat majority.
#
"April 13, 1996",104,0,0,0
Investigators claim that the plane flown by a seven year old pilot that crashed and killed all on board was overloaded.
Israel steps up its attacks on \JLebanon\j, dropping bombs near the village of Hinniyeh.
John Major admits his government is in trouble after the Labour Party won a by-election and reduced his lead to only one seat.
#
"April 14, 1996",105,0,0,0
Dozens of villages in \JLebanon\j are evacuated due to heavy fighting by the Israelis and Hezbollah guerillas.
A bomb explodes in a \Jhospital\j in \JPakistan\j, killing four people.
Russian forces begin to withdraw soldiers from \JChechnya\j.
Peter Sampras reclaims his number one spot in the world tennis rankings.
Aid workers in \JLiberia\j flee as factional fighting in \JMonrovia\j worsens.
#
"April 15, 1996",106,0,0,0
Nick Faldo wins the US Masters (golf).
Israel warns they will continue bombing \JLebanon\j until the Islamic extremists, Hezbollah, stop their attacks on Jewish villages.
The US Government announces it will close six military bases in \JOkinawa\j, \JJapan\j.
Fourteen people are shot dead by an Indonesian army officer armed with a \Jmachine-gun\j at Timika Airport in Irian Jaya.
Faction leader, Roosevelt Johnson, demands the release of his soldiers who are being held by rival forces in \JLiberia\j.
#
"April 16, 1996",107,0,0,0
American spies claim that \JRussia\j is building a massive underground military compound.
US President, Bill Clinton, and South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, ask North Korea and China to join them for peace talks.
The US Government intervenes in the Israel/\JLebanon\j crisis, asking leaders to cease all rocket attacks.
#
"April 17, 1996",108,0,0,0
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, and US President, Bill Clinton, sign an agreement that will see \JJapan\j commit $20 billion for a security alliance with the US.
The High Court in England announces the Duke and Duchess of York will be granted a divorce at the end of May.
Chechen rebels attack and kill 26 Russians in southern \JChechnya\j.
Hezbollah rejects America's proposal to halt rocket attacks against Israel.
Indonesia announces it will allow Australian ships east-west passage through its archipelago.
China supports \JRussia\j in its bid to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
The British Government announces it will undertake legal proceedings against the European Union's worldwide ban on British beef.
#
"April 18, 1996",109,0,0,0
Israeli soldiers attack a United Nations base in southern \JLebanon\j; up to 100 people are killed.
A suspected IRA bomb explodes near Chelsea, London; there are no casualties.
Islamic extremists are blamed for the massacre of 18 foreigners outside a \JCairo\j hotel.
Malaysia sends 300 Vietnamese boat people back home.
Pat Buchanan announces his withdrawal from the Republican presidential nominations.
Astronomers from the US claim to have found a new \Jplanet\j 50 light years from Earth.
#
"April 19, 1996",110,0,0,0
Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters continue attacking each other despite pleas from other country's leaders to stop.
Archaeologists reveal that the 14,000-year-old art found in caves in the Amazon jungle is closely related to Australian Aboriginal rock art.
United Nations secretary, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, condemns Israel's attack on a United Nations base which killed over 100 people.
The Sri Lankan Government administers an indefinite curfew in northern Sri Lanka, where Tamil Tigers are present.
A head-on train crash in India kills 53 people.
#
"April 20, 1996",111,0,0,0
Warring factions in \JLiberia\j again agree to another cease-fire.
#
"April 21, 1996",112,0,0,0
Police in \JBrazil\j kill 19 farmers seeking land.
Sri Lankan soldiers attack and kill Tamil Tigers in the northern Jaffna peninsula.
Kashmiri separatists claim responsibility for a bomb explosion in New Delhi two days ago, which killed 14 people.
US peacekeepers arrive in \JMonrovia\j, \JLiberia\j, to remove gunmen off the streets.
The US \JSecretary of State\j arrives in Israel to try and secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas.
The Group of Seven industrialized nations agree to ban nuclear testing.
#
"April 22, 1996",113,0,0,0
The center-left Olive Tree coalition claims victory (with the help of the Marxist Communist Refoundation Party) in Italian elections. It is the center-left's first win in 50 years.
Sri Lankan soldiers in the Jaffna peninsula claim to have cut off Tamil Tigers from the mainland.
Gunmen attack and kill 20 people in \JBurundi\j, \JNairobi\j.
Muhammed Maccido is named as the new sultan for the Muslims of \JNigeria\j.
Queen Elizabeth cancels her 70th birthday party at a London restaurant because details were leaked to newspapers.
#
"April 23, 1996",114,0,0,0
Cook Islands Prime Minister, Geoffrey Henry, announces he will have to cut government staff drastically or face \Jbankruptcy\j.
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sign an agreement to increase political and commercial relationships.
Steffi Graf may have to pay back over ú20 million in back taxes and fees following an investigation into her affairs that her father used to look after.
Hezbollah guerillas fire Katyusha rockets into the north of Israel and hundreds of thousands of Lebanese refugees are in urgent need of medical aid and food.
An opposition minister in the \JNew Zealand\j Government, Michael Laws, announces his resignation.
A former aide of Kim Young-sam, the South Korean President, admits he accepted bribes of over $1 million.
Thousands of Tamil villagers return to their homes in the Jaffna peninsula, \JSri Lanka\j, after they were forced to leave due to heavy fighting.
The US Government announces a plan to help Vietnamese boat people.
The Ukrainian Government says it will continue plans to close the nuclear plant at \JChernobyl\j.
Heavy rains and flooding occur in Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j.
A Greek coast guard shoots at a Turkish boat after it tried to smuggle illegal immigrants into \JGreece\j.
Sotheby's begin the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis auction.
#
"April 24, 1996",115,0,0,0
Canadian Conrad Black makes a ú275 million offer to buy out the UK newspaper \IThe Telegraph.\i
Walt Disney Co. reports a loss of $US25 million for the second quarter.
A fire destroys deserted villages near \JChernobyl\j, sending radioactive clouds over two and a half million residents in \JKiev\j.
Chechen officials confirm that their leader, General Dzhokhar Dudayev, was killed four days ago by Russian soldiers.
Record prices are set at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis auction.
The Israelis and Hezbollah guerillas continue their attacks on each other.
Members of Commonwealth countries agree to impose sanctions on \JNigeria\j against their military regime.
#
"April 25, 1996",116,0,0,0
The PLO announces it will excise calls for Israel's destruction from its founding charter.
A 1996 US Budget is finally announced.
Former cricketer Imran Khan enters Pakistani politics with the formation of the Movement for Justice.
The IRA's Sinn Fein announces it will contest the coming elections in Northern Ireland.
#
"April 26, 1996",117,0,0,0
The Israeli's attack a pro-Syrian group in \JLebanon\j.
Mourners congregate near \JChernobyl\j nuclear plant for the 10th anniversary of the worst nuclear disaster ever.
Sri Lankan soldiers take control of the northern Jaffna peninsula from the Tamil Tigers; hundreds of thousands of Tamil refugees are left stranded.
China's, \JRussia\j's, \JKazakhstan\j's, \JKyrgyzstan\j's and Tajikistan's leaders agree to turn their common border into a peace zone.
Pepsi-Cola makes a deal with the Mir space station, possibly putting a huge billboard up in space.
British police make arrests in London following an unsuccessful attempt by the IRA to blow up Hammersmith Road Bridge in London's south-west.
#
"April 27, 1996",118,0,0,0
The IRA claims responsibility for bombs found under the Thames Bridge.
The US \JSecretary of State\j helps Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, and Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafic Hariri, agree to a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas.
Voting begins in India's general election.
A bomb explodes on a bus in India killing 15 people.
Chechen rebels attack a pro-Russian ministry office near Grozny.
Thousands of people riot in Baucau, a former Portuguese colony of East \JTimor\j.
Former \JCIA\j director, William Colby, mysteriously disappears while boating near Washington DC.
#
"April 28, 1996",119,0,0,0
Thirty five people are shot dead and many are injured when a lone gunman, Martin Bryant, goes on a shooting rampage in Port Arthur, \JTasmania\j, \JAustralia\j; it is the world's worst-ever massacre by a single person.
Indonesia's First Lady, Madam Tien Suharto, dies aged 72.
Former Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev's widow announces she will travel to Moscow to attempt to stop the war in \JChechnya\j.
General elections in Western \JSamoa\j leave Independents holding the balance of power.
Tamil Tigers offer peace talks with the Sri Lankan Government.
Thousands of Lebanese refugees return home following the announcement of a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas.
A bomb explodes on a bus in \JPakistan\j, killing approximately 40 people.
There are fresh claims that the new Chechen leader, Zelimkhan Yandarbyev, has been killed by rivals.
#
"April 29, 1996",120,0,0,0
The US Government commits to upgrading Israel's security; they will provide confidential \Jsatellite\j data that will detect any missile attacks.
US President Bill Clinton faces trial via video link-up concerning the Whitewater affair.
A bus crash in \JPeru\j kills approximately 30 people and injures others.
#
"April 30, 1996",121,0,0,0
The US and Chinese governments end talks concerning global environmental problems.
North Korea lets the US act as peacekeepers against South Korea, but only under certain conditions.
NATO has trouble keeping peace between Muslims and Serb civilians returning to their homes.
The United Nations faces \Jbankruptcy\j as it runs out of funds, mainly due to debts owed by the US.
#
"May 1, 1996",122,0,0,0
China announces it will grant permanent residency to foreigners in Hong Kong who have worked and lived there for the past seven years.
A survey in the US reports that international \Jterrorism\j is increasing.
The head of a major South Korean bank is arrested on bribery charges.
Leader of the Chechen rebels, Zelimkhan Yandarbyev, proving reports of his death were wrong, announces he will continue his fight against the Russians.
#
"May 2, 1996",123,0,0,0
An unknown novel by Louisa May Alcott (author of \ILittle Women),\i is found in the \Jarchives\j at \JHarvard University\j.
Yasser Arafat and Bill Clinton meet for \JMiddle East\j talks at the \JWhite House\j.
The Israeli Government announces it will go ahead and pull troops out of the West Bank city of \JHebron\j.
#
"May 3, 1996",124,0,0,0
Chinese dissident, Liu Gang, who was sent to prison for his role in the Tiananmen Square protests, is granted political asylum in the US.
Yasser Arafat wants the United Nations to take on a "more effective role" in the \JMiddle East\j peace talks.
Singapore passes a law to enable terminally ill patients the right to have treatment stopped.
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.4 hits \JMongolia\j; so far eight people are killed.
A suspected Tamil Tiger bomb explodes in \JSri Lanka\j, killing five people.
#
"May 4, 1996",125,0,0,0
A plane from \JSudan\j crashes and kills over 50 people at Shigla, north of \JKhartoum\j.
2.5 million \Jcattle\j in England reported to have mad cow disease are slaughtered.
Jose Maria Aznar, leader of the Popular Party in \JSpain\j, is voted into power as Prime Minister.
#
"May 5, 1996",126,0,0,0
The United Nations fails to secure a global ban on landmines.
The Israeli Government and the PLO begin peace talks.
Pakistani Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, says she will only sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on nuclear weapons if India does.
Fighting between warlords breaks out in \JMonrovia\j, \JLiberia\j again.
Chechen rebels shoot down a Russian plane.
Salvatore Cucuzza, a top Mafia boss, is arrested by Italian police in \JPalermo\j.
#
"May 6, 1996",127,0,0,0
Anonymous humanitarian sources in \JBurundi\j claim that over 200 Hutus were killed by the Tutsi Army in April.
Fierce fighting continues in \JMonrovia\j, \JLiberia\j, between Charles Taylor and Roosevelt Johnson loyalists.
Eighty people die when a boat off Sierra Leone sinks due to engine failure.
Thailand's opposition government accuses Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa of lying about his father's nationality, enabling him to stand in elections.
US police find the body of former \JCIA\j agent, William Colby, following his disappearance on a boating trip.
#
"May 7, 1996",128,0,0,0
Sri Lanka attacks a boat full of Tamil Tigers off the Jaffna peninsula.
The South African Government postpones local elections due to violence in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
#
"May 8, 1996",129,0,0,0
A bomb explodes on a bus near \JLahore\j, \JPakistan\j, killing up to nine people.
Government sources indicate that China will conduct a nuclear test in a couple of weeks near north-west Xinjiang.
Famous Spanish bullfighter, Luis Miguel Dominguin, dies aged 69.
Russian soldiers capture the village of Goiskoye in \JChechnya\j.
Black and white leaders in South Africa agree on a permanent constitution regarding the property clause.
Health care officials in the Ivory Coast claim that more than 100,000 people have contracted bacterial meningitis in the past few months, of which 10,000 have already died.
#
"May 9, 1996",130,0,0,0
The US Government announces it will impose sanctions on China if they continue pirating American CDs, software and movies.
The Filipino Government considers calling for the death penalty for convicted pedophiles.
Russians on the Antarctic Expedition are left stranded with limited food and fuel supplies.
Tamil civilians start returning home to the Jaffna peninsula, which they were forced to evacuate after fighting broke out.
Dissidents within the defeated Congress-I Party in India turn to Sonia Gandhi to win her support to remove the Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, as leader of the party.
Deputy President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, announces the white-led National Party will withdraw from Nelson Mandela's Government of National Unity.
Thousands of \JBurundi\j refugees flee into Zaire following fierce fighting between Tutsi and Hutu armies.
The Red Cross announces it will not continue efforts to free 11 hostages held by the Free Papua Movement in Irian Jaya.
New information reveals that in 1926 the first man to fly over the \JNorth Pole\j, Richard Byrd, stopped 240 kilometers (149 miles) short; the honors now go to Norwegian Roald Amundsen.
#
"May 10, 1996",131,0,0,0
Two hundred Vietnamese boat people escape from a detention center in Hong Kong.
The Duchess of York makes a ú1.3 million book deal in the US.
The results of the general election in India leave no clear winner.
Ugandans vote for a president for the first time since claiming independence 34 years ago.
#
"May 11, 1996",132,0,0,0
Fourteen soldiers are killed in a mid-air collision during an American-British war exercise in \JNorth Carolina\j.
The British Government is under pressure following \JAustralia\j's ban on semi-automatic guns.
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani is fined over $80,000 for bribing tax inspectors.
Manchester United defeat Liverpool in the \Jsoccer\j FA Cup in England.
An American Valujet DC-9 crashes into the \JEverglades\j, \JFlorida\j, following a fire in the cockpit; there are no survivors of the 109 people on board.
#
"May 12, 1996",133,0,0,0
Israeli soldiers return fire on Hezbollah guerillas in \JLebanon\j.
The President-elect in \JUganda\j, Yoweri Museveni, is sworn into office.
The Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party in India claims victory to control parliament.
#
"May 13, 1996",134,0,0,0
Singer Bob Geldof and Paula Yates are granted a divorce by the London courts.
Nine mountaineers, including New Zealander Rob Hall, die while attempting to climb Mt Everest during a severe blizzard.
The US and West Africans warn \JLiberia\j to stop fighting or face worldwide isolation.
Chechen rebel, Shamil Basayev, refuses to meet with Boris Yeltsin for peace talks.
#
"May 14, 1996",135,0,0,0
Israel's Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, announces he will step up security against Palestinian terrorists.
An overcrowded ship full of Liberian refugees docks in \JGhana\j, following the United Nations promise of aid.
Steffi Graf breaks the record for staying at the number one spot for tennis at 332 weeks.
A main left-wing party in India announces it will not join an alliance to block a Hindu-led Government, paving the way for the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party to form a government.
The President of \JIran\j, Hashemi Rafsanjani, opens a railway line between the Persian Gulf and Turkmenistan.
Hong Kong sends over 100 Vietnamese boat people back to \JHanoi\j.
A \Jtornado\j sweeps through Tangail in \JBangladesh\j, killing over 300 people.
Seventeen hundred Muslim separatists in China are arrested by the military, following orders of a crackdown on activists.
#
"May 15, 1996",136,0,0,0
Tens of thousands of people are left homeless after a \Jtornado\j hit Tangail, \JBangladesh\j; the final death toll may reach over 800.
The Free Papua Movement releases nine of the 11 hostages held in Irian Jaya.
Talks break down between Chinese and US officials regarding China's copyright piracy industry.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party is appointed caretaker Prime Minister of India.
China agrees to join the US in a four-nation summit to restore peace to North and South Korea.
#
"May 17, 1996",137,0,0,0
A senior officer in the US Navy, Admiral Jeremy Boorda, fatally shoots himself half an hour before he was to be interviewed by \INewsweek,\i who were investigating him regarding his medals.
Argentinean scientists report the discovery of \Jdinosaur\j bones in the Moroccan desert that are larger than the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Pressure is on \JSerbia\j to turn President Radovan Karadzic over to United Nations war crime's officials.
Leader of the Olive Tree coalition, Romano Prodi, is named Italian prime minister-designate.
The World Wide Fund for Nature announces the tiger is on the brink of \Jextinction\j.
Boris Yeltsin, on the campaign trail, announces he will cancel conscription and the death penalty.
Tofilau Eti Alesana claims victory in the Western Samoan elections.
The Indian Prime Minister announces his cabinet line-up.
US President Bill Clinton decides not to support a US ban on using landmines.
The United Nations offers Saddam Hussein a deal for \JIraq\j to sell oil on the condition that the revenue collected will be used for food and medical supplies for his people.
#
"May 18, 1996",138,0,0,0
Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, appoints Gojko Klickovic as Prime Minister after he dismissed Rajko Kasagic.
The \JAtlanta\j Olympic stadium is officially opened by US Vice President Al Gore.
#
"May 19, 1996",139,0,0,0
An assassination attempt is made on the Turkish President, Suleyman Demirel.
The United Nations announces that the Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, may step down.
Turkish soldiers attack and kill 60 \JKurds\j in the province of Batman.
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, threatens to take revenge on Israel for arresting a top Hamas member.
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui is sworn in and he is expected to announce that \JTaiwan\j will not seek independence.
#
"May 20, 1996",140,0,0,0
Actor Jon Pertwee, best known for his Doctor Who role, has died aged 77.
Serb separatists deny that President Radovan Karadzic will step down.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin says he will risk assassination attempts and travel to \JChechnya\j for peace talks.
The World Health Organization statistics report that 50,000 people are dying every \Jday\j from preventable diseases such as \Jmalaria\j, \Jcholera\j and tuberculosis.
Italian police arrest Giovanni Brusca, believed to be the head of the Mafia.
#
"May 21, 1996",141,0,0,0
Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, agrees to a United Nations deal to sell oil to buy much-needed food and medical supplies for his country with the proceeds.
The head of the \JBangladesh\j Army, Lieutenant-General Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim, is dismissed for violating orders, and placed under house arrest.
The US Government announces it will renew trading with China, despite disagreements over copyright piracy.
The US Government steps up security following an explosion at an \JFBI\j office.
Chinese police shoot dead nine armed Muslim separatists in Xinjiang.
Russian soldiers attack more Chechen villages by air.
Head of the IRA's political wing Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, announces he may accept disarmament conditions so he may be allowed to attend peace talks.
#
"May 22, 1996",142,0,0,0
Burma's military regime detains more politicians from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, bringing the total number detained to 80.
A bomb explodes at a shopping center in New Delhi, killing 16 people.
A Tanzanian ferry sinks in Lake Victoria; claiming the lives of up to 400 people.
Five generals from the \JBangladesh\j Army are placed under house arrest.
Bosnia threatens to pull out of September elections if Bosnian Serb leaders, Radovan Karadzic, and General Ratko Mladic, are not stripped from power.
Over twenty Russian troops are killed by Chechen rebels near the town of Bamut.
British Prime Minister, John Major, threatens to halt European business until the European Union lifts the ban on British beef.
Russians film a Pepsi commercial aboard the space station Mir.
#
"May 23, 1996",143,0,0,0
British actor, Patrick Cargill, best known for the lead role in \IFather, Dear Father,\i dies aged 77.
Aung San Suu Kyi announces that \JBurma\j's military regime has arrested a total of 191 members from her National League for Democracy Party.
Japanese President, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces his country will spend up to $90 million for a super-spy agency.
French soldiers continue to attack mutineers in the Central African Republic.
A North Korean soldier defects to South Korea.
#
"May 24, 1996",144,0,0,0
Lebanon's Ambassador to South Africa, Charbel Stepha, announces he will be going back to \JBeirut\j where he says it's safer.
Two ferries on \JBangladesh\j's Jamuna River collide; 100 people are missing after one sinks.
The death toll for the Tanzanian ferry disaster may reach 600.
Burma's military regime detains more members of the National League for Democracy, bringing the total detained to 217.
A former prisoner of war in Vietnam is named as the new US Ambassador to Vietnam, the first one appointed since 1975.
French soldiers in the Central African Republic defeat mutineers and the Government reclaims control of the capital from the rebels.
The US Government announces it will sell over 450 Stinger anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles to \JTaiwan\j.
The North Korean soldier who defected to South Korea confirms that \Jmalnutrition\j and \Jfamine\j are getting worse in North Korea.
The final stage of England's Windsor Castle restoration is started.
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, agrees to meet with Chechen rebel leader, Zelimkhan Yandarbyev, in Moscow for peace talks.
#
"May 25, 1996",145,0,0,0
Burma's military regime threatens to arrest Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy.
The British Government appeals to the European Court of Justice to lift the European Union's worldwide ban on British beef.
Divers recovering bodies from the Tanzanian ferry disaster fear the death toll could reach 1000.
#
"May 26, 1996",146,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Chechen rebel leader Zelimkhan Yandarbyev agree to an immediate cease-fire in \JChechnya\j.
The leader of the National League for Democracy in \JBangladesh\j, Aung San Suu Kyi, pledges a national campaign to force a return to democracy.
Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, secretly talks with Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, to try and stop suicide bombings in the lead up to the elections.
Chinese authorities confirm up to 84 people are dead after an explosion at a coalmine.
#
"May 27, 1996",147,0,0,0
Burma's military regime indicates it may be ready to talk with Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
One of John Major's ministers threatens to resign over the Government's handling of the worldwide ban on their beef.
Twenty-five members of a wedding party in New Delhi are killed when their car collides with a train.
#
"May 28, 1996",148,0,0,0
India's newly elected Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, announces his resignation, rather than face a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin flies to \JChechnya\j for a peace visit, leaving the Chechen rebel leader behind in Moscow, ensuring Yeltsin's safety.
A British mine-clearing expert, who is being held hostage by the Khmer Rouge, is forced to make explosives and home-made mines.
Closing a congress of her National League for Democracy Party, Aung San Suu Kyi calls on \JBurma\j's military regime to release political prisoners.
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma dismisses Prime Minister Yevhen Marchuk.
National elections are held in Israel.
#
"May 29, 1996",149,0,0,0
Two of US President Bill Clinton's partners in the Whitewater affair are convicted on \Jfraud\j charges.
Elections are held in Northern Ireland.
France halts military cooperation with \JBurundi\j following the death of over 50 Tutsi refugees by the Hutu Army.
United Front leader and Indian Prime Minister-designate, H. D. Deve Gowda, takes action to form a center-left government.
Burma's military regime orders civilians to attend rallies to protest against Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy leader.
#
"May 30, 1996",150,0,0,0
Right-wing Likud Party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is set to become the new Prime Minister of Israel.
US President Bill Clinton is issued another \Jsubpoena\j regarding the Whitewater affair.
A French archaeologist unearths tombs in \JCairo\j containing Fatimid rulers from \JEgypt\j.
#
"May 31, 1996",151,0,0,0
Former Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, announces he will not serve in a government with newly-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Sri Lankan Government orders striking power workers back to work after a three \Jday\j strike disrupts the nation.
A Venezuelan court finds former president Carlos Andrew Perez guilty of corruption.
Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah guerillas continue attacks.
Researchers claim that the hole in the \Jozone layer\j could start closing within ten years.
#
"June 1, 1996",152,0,0,0
In a very close result, Benjamin Netanyahu is named Israel's newest prime minister. Meanwhile Yasser Arafat fears the newly-appointed leader may endanger the Israel/PLO peace process.
H. D. Deve Gowda takes office in India and leads a five-party government.
A train collision in western \JSiberia\j kills 17 people.
Burma's military regime releases over 80 of the 260 political prisoners belonging to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party.
Former president of India, Neelam Sanjiva, dies aged 83.
#
"June 2, 1996",153,0,0,0
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces he is eager to continue the peace process between his country and the PLO.
Russian troops and Chechen rebels continue to fight despite the agreed cease-fire.
A train and bus collision in Mexico kills over 30 people.
US \JSecretary of State\j, Warren Christopher, arrives in Geneva to conduct peace talks with Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian leaders.
John Major is under pressure to allow Sinn Fein into Northern Ireland peace talks following Sinn Fein's 15 per cent win in Northern Ireland elections.
The Czech Republic's Prime Minister, Vaclav Klaus, gains less than 30 per cent of the vote in elections as the country's people favor the leftist Social Democrats.
#
"June 3, 1996",154,0,0,0
Desmond Tutu preaches his final sermon as head of the Anglican Church in southern Africa, including South Africa, \JNamibia\j, \JSwaziland\j, \JLesotho\j, \JMozambique\j, and St Helena.
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, announces it will continue to resist Israel until Israel removes troops from Palestinian land.
#
"June 4, 1996",155,0,0,0
Thousand of people gather in Victoria Park, Hong Kong, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Syria freezes negotiations with Israel in a no-confidence vote against newly-elected Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
A United Nations conference on human settlement reports that many developing countries will face severe shortages of \Jwater\j by 2010.
Speaking in his new role as opposition leader in South Africa, F. W. de Klerk promises the government a fight on economic policy and post-\Japartheid\j change.
NATO restructures to allow European members to start military action autonomously of the US.
The European Union partially lifts the worldwide ban on British beef and allows the selling of beef derivatives.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer meets with the Japanese Government to discuss \JIndonesia\j's plans to constrain its shipping lanes.
The Japanese accidentally shoot down a US military plane during exercises; no deaths are reported.
The unmanned European rocket Ariane 5 blows up 45 seconds after take-off; it was a $10 billion attempt by Europe to dominate the space race.
#
"June 5, 1996",156,0,0,0
Rebels on Bougainville Island attack and kill six civilians.
The US Government announces it may sell 28 F-16 jets to \JIndonesia\j and give the money to \JPakistan\j, who previously paid for the jets but didn't receive them because the US accused them of building nuclear weapons.
Following a summit in Jordan, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, King Hussein of Jordan, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, step up efforts to continue peace negotiations in the \JMiddle East\j.
Russian opposition leader, Gennady Zyuganov, calls on other candidates to join forces with him against Boris Yeltsin.
The Hutus Army kills three Red Cross members in \JBurundi\j.
The \JUkraine\j Government announces it has completely disarmed its nuclear missiles, sending them to \JRussia\j to be destroyed.
#
"June 6, 1996",157,0,0,0
The Khmer Rouge announces that their leader, Pol Pot, has died; however these claims are unconfirmed.
Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu confirms he will not consider dividing \JJerusalem\j for the Palestinians.
Over 200 workers in a gold mine in Yunnan province, China, are killed following a landslide.
Satellite photographs discover an area in Bosnia where nearly 3,000 Muslims may be buried.
The IRA announces it will not decommission any of its weapons.
A fire in \JAlaska\j rages uncontrollably causing over 1,000 people to evacuate their homes.
#
"June 7, 1996",158,0,0,0
The United Nations announces that AIDS is spreading quickly in Asia and Africa; 1.3 million people worldwide have AIDS.
Russian cosmonauts continue filming the Pepsi Cola commercial at the Mir space station.
Max Factor Junior dies in Los Angeles, aged 91.
Burma's military regime bans all gatherings of supporters outside Aung San Suu Kyi's house.
British and Irish leaders ask a former senator in the US, George Mitchell, to be chairman at their peace talks.
Thirteen people die in a \Jhelicopter\j crash near \JDortmund\j, \JGermany\j.
#
"June 8, 1996",159,0,0,0
The Queen officially opens Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
China conducts a nuclear test at Lop Nor nuclear station in western China.
Scotland Yard arrests six men in connection with an IRA bomb at Canary Wharf, London.
Syrian, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian leaders continue talks on the \JMiddle East\j peace plan.
#
"June 9, 1996",160,0,0,0
Over 10,000 people gather outside Aung San Suu Kyi's house, despite \JBurma\j's military regime banning them, in support of her push for democracy.
Secret government files show that the US Government lied to hundreds of former Vietnam commandos' families, stating that they were dead, when in fact they were not.
World leaders condemn China's latest nuclear test.
Leaders in \JSyria\j, \JEgypt\j, and Saudi \JArabia\j, warn the newly-elected Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that another war is imminent if he doesn't continue with peace negotiations.
Tamil Tigers kill 17 Sri Lankan troops in an army camp.
#
"June 10, 1996",161,0,0,0
Hezbollah guerillas kill five Israeli soldiers in South \JLebanon\j.
Indian and Pakistani leaders announce they are ready to resume formal talks after almost 30 months.
#
"June 11, 1996",162,0,0,0
Eight people are killed in three separate bomb explosions in Gujranwala, \JPakistan\j.
Peace talks in Northern Ireland begin without Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, who refuses to call a cease-fire.
Russian and Chechen leaders sign agreements to end the war and remove roadblocks and troops by August.
US police announce they have arrested 18 Mafia members in New York.
Nearly 50 people are killed when a bomb explodes in a shopping center near Sao Paulo, \JBrazil\j.
#
"June 12, 1996",163,0,0,0
Eighteen Australian soldiers are killed when two Blackhawk helicopters collide during exercises in northern \JQueensland\j, \JAustralia\j.
Center-left Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda wins a vote of confidence in parliament.
A bomb explodes at an underground train station in Moscow, killing four people.
#
"June 13, 1996",164,0,0,0
Hundreds of thousands of people gather outside the \JKremlin\j in support of Boris Yeltsin's election campaign.
A Garuda plane crashes seconds after it takes off at \JFukuoka\j Airport in southern \JJapan\j; three people are killed and over 100 are injured.
The US Government announces it has evidence that \JPakistan\j is housing medium-range ballistic missiles and has developed nuclear warheads for these missiles.
The mayor of Zhukovsky, \JRussia\j, is shot and killed outside his home.
#
"June 14, 1996",165,0,0,0
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams supports Britain's and Ireland's decision for former US senator George Mitchell to chair peace talks.
Eighteen people die in \JAnkara\j, Turkey, following a bus and a petrol tanker collision.
Approximately 50 civilians are feared dead following a snowstorm in Kashmir, India.
Results from \JBangladesh\j's general elections have Sheikh Hasina Wazed assured of a victory.
#
"June 15, 1996",166,0,0,0
A suspected IRA car bomb explodes outside a busy shopping center in Manchester, England, injuring over 200 people.
Boris Yeltsin makes a final plea for Russians to vote for him in general elections tomorrow.
A \Jcyclone\j hits the south-east coast of India, killing over thirty people.
Famous jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald dies aged 78.
#
"June 16, 1996",167,0,0,0
General elections are held in \JRussia\j.
NATO and Russian officials approve proposals for joint military development and arms control.
The US Government may impose sanctions against \JBurma\j's military regime.
Over 300,000 Germans protest against cuts in welfare payments.
#
"June 17, 1996",168,0,0,0
Boris Yeltsin and Gennady Zyuganov prepare for a second round of voting in \JRussia\j as the first round results are too close for a clear majority.
Tourists in \JNew Zealand\j are evacuated from the slopes when Mount Ruapehu erupts sending sulfurous gas and ash over the North Island.
The US and French governments sign a secret agreement enabling them to share information regarding nuclear testing.
Chinese and US governments move a step closer to an agreement on the protection of US copyrights in China.
Fifteen people are crushed to death in \JZambia\j at a World Cup qualifying \Jsoccer\j match between \JZambia\j and \JSudan\j.
An antique dealer in Paris claims to have found Joan of Arc's suit of armor.
#
"June 18, 1996",169,0,0,0
The Papua New Guinean Government says it is ready to destroy the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin appoints Alexander Lebed as head of the Security Council and dismisses General Pavel Grachev as his Defense Minister.
Auckland International Airport in \JNew Zealand\j closes as Mount Ruapehu continues to erupt.
The Chinese and US governments make an eleventh-hour deal on China's illegal copyright trade.
Biologists in \JRio de Janeiro\j report that the last known specimen of a rare bird, the blue ara, has disappeared.
#
"June 19, 1996",170,0,0,0
A newly-discovered hand-written manuscript by Mozart is expected to sell for around $50,000 at a London auction house.
A UN embargo on military equipment and weapons against Yugoslavia is lifted.
#
"June 20, 1996",171,0,0,0
Troops in Papua New Guinea launch an attack on rebels on the island of Bougainville.
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan warns Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to stay out of his country's affairs.
The US Government announces it will veto Boutros Boutros-Ghali's attempt for another five-year term as head of the United Nations.
The US Senate votes to give $US20 million to 281 Vietnamese commandos of the Vietnam War who were written off as dead.
The Islamic Hamas resistance movement offers Israel's Government a cease-fire if they promise to stop attacks, release Hamas prisoners and open up the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Pro-British Protestant politicians announce they will not accept former US senator, George Mitchell, as chairman of Northern Ireland peace talks.
Bosnian Serb leaders announce they want to set up their own court to try war criminals.
Flash floods occur in Tuscany, \JItaly\j, killing 11 people.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin dismisses two chiefs of security and his Deputy Prime Minister, Oleg Soskovyets.
Thousands of Indonesians gather in Jakarta in support of opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, who is facing a leadership challenge from a break-away faction of the pro-democracy party.
#
"June 21, 1996",172,0,0,0
Papua New Guinean troops kill 13 Bougainville Revolutionary Army rebels.
The Indian Government announces it will only sign a treaty banning nuclear testing if provisions are included to limit nuclear weapons research and there is a schedule for nuclear disarmament.
The European Parliament urges European Union nations to halt arms sales to \JIndonesia\j.
British police want all private ownership of handguns banned.
Space shuttle Columbia launches at Cape Canaveral for a two and a half week trip.
The United Nations finalizes the destruction of a massive germ warfare plant in \JIraq\j.
#
"June 22, 1996",173,0,0,0
Russian cosmonauts on the Mir space station extend their stay because \JRussia\j cannot afford to bring them down yet.
The US Whitewater investigation is to include a separate investigation into whether the \JWhite House\j illegally gained secret \JFBI\j files on high level Republicans in 1993.
Cairo, \JEgypt\j, holds a two-\Jday\j summit for 13 Arab leaders and eight other countries to discuss the new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's peace plans.
#
"June 23, 1996",174,0,0,0
Indonesia's pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri announces she will appeal to win back her leadership after she was ousted by a break-away faction of her party.
Arab leaders attending a summit in \JCairo\j say that Israel should declare a Palestinian State with East \JJerusalem\j as the capital.
Colonel Gaddafi defies a United Nations Lybian flight ban when he flies from there to \JCairo\j to attend the Arab summit.
A summit attended by European Union leaders ends a ban on British beef exports.
Former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou dies from a heart attack at the age of 77.
Papua New Guinean soldiers and Bougainville Revolutionary Army rebels continue fighting.
Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic announces he will resign.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed of the \JBangladesh\j Awami League is sworn in as Prime Minister of \JBangladesh\j.
Flooding continues in \JItaly\j and \JAustria\j, so far leaving 14 dead.
Severe fires occur in \JMongolia\j; 10 million hectares of land has so far been destroyed.
#
"June 24, 1996",175,0,0,0
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces he will not give up land for a Palestinian State.
A survey in Hong Kong reveals that over 56% of residents don't have any confidence in the Chinese committee set up to oversee the handing over of Hong Kong to China.
Sri Lanka's President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, announces she wants to rebuild Jaffna Town as the "Peace City of Sri Lanka."
Hundreds of Papua New Guinean troops move in on Bougainville Revolutionary Army rebels near the unused Panguna copper mine.
The President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, announces his Government will seize white-owned land after the whites stole land from the blacks.
The Khmer Rouge announces that Pol Pot is alive and well and has not died as previously reported.
#
"June 25, 1996",176,0,0,0
The Premiere of Bougainville supports its claim for independence and says the Papua New Guinean troops would not succeed with their offensive.
Pakistan steps up security following riots by right-wing Jamaat-i-Islami party workers that left two people dead and many others injured.
#
"June 26, 1996",177,0,0,0
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister is under pressure to halt his Government's military offensive against the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic announces he will only resign if certain conditions are met.
Elections are held in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, amid heavy security.
The World Health Organization announces that South Africa is in the middle of a serious tuberculosis epidemic.
A terrorist bomb explodes in a US military complex in Saudi \JArabia\j claiming the lives of 23 people.
Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the democracy party in \JIndonesia\j, takes legal action against her removal from leadership.
#
"June 27, 1996",178,0,0,0
The Bosnian Serb Prime Minister, Gojko Klickovic, announces that the Bosnian Serb President, Radovan Karadzic, will not contest the September elections.
Scientists in the US announce they have discovered a way to accurately date ancient wood from the eastern Mediterranean.
A recently-discovered Mozart aria is auctioned for $170,000, over three times the expected amount.
At the opening of the G7 summit, Bill Clinton announces that \Jterrorism\j will be on the top of the agenda.
Taliban rebels attack the city of Kabul, killing over 50 people, in protest at Gulbuddin Hekmatyar becoming the new Prime Minister of \JAfghanistan\j.
#
"June 28, 1996",179,0,0,0
Turkish soldiers attack Kurdish guerillas in northern \JIraq\j, killing over 40 \JKurds\j.
Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, leading without a majority, signs a government agreement with two coalition parties.
The United Nations treaty on the banning of nuclear tests is put on hold following India's refusal to sign.
Tamil leaders discard the Sri Lankan Government's proposals for the Tamil's requests for greater autonomy.
A bomb explodes in a hotel in Rawalpindi, \JPakistan\j.
Thousands of Indonesians gather outside Parliament in Jakarta to show their support for ousted democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Cameras on the \Jspacecraft\j \JGalileo\j take pictures of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede.
Taliban rebels in \JAfghanistan\j reject the Prime Minister's peace offer.
Producer of 17 James Bond films, Cubby Broccoli, dies aged 87.
Necmettin Erbakan becomes the first Islamic Prime Minister of Turkey.
#
"June 29, 1996",180,0,0,0
Nelson Mandela's African National Congress party wins most votes so far in the KwaZulu-Natal elections.
#
"June 30, 1996",181,0,0,0
Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic officially resigns.
Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov announces that Boris Yeltsin cannot run the country because of deteriorating health.
#
"July 1, 1996",182,0,0,0
A recent survey ranks American Bill Gates, owner of Microsoft Corp, as the world's richest private citizen, estimated to be worth $US18 billion.
The Democratic Union Coalition Party in \JMongolia\j claims victory in general elections; the outgoing Mongolian Revolutionary People's Party had ruled for the previous 75 years.
The State of Haryana, India, prohibits the sale, possession, and consumption of alcohol.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis is voted in as president of the reigning Pasok socialist movement.
Over sixty Sri Lankan soldiers and Tamil Tigers are killed following heavy fighting.
Left-wing Olafur Ragnar Grimsson is named \JIceland\j's new president.
Fears for Boris Yeltsin's health grow when he cancels appointments for five days running.
American actress and model Margaux Hemingway, aged 41, is found dead in her apartment.
#
"July 2, 1996",183,0,0,0
A firecracker factory in south-western China explodes, killing 40 people and injuring over 45.
#
"July 3, 1996",184,0,0,0
Russians vote in the second round of general elections.
Papua New Guinean officials announce that over half their military is preparing for war with the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
Embattled Indonesian pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri is banned from taking part in next year's elections.
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6 on the Richter scale strikes central \JTibet\j.
Flooding continues in southern China, leaving over 140 dead.
US officials investigating the bombing of a US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j announce that it may have been the work of terrorists from other countries.
Hutu rebels kill over 80 Tutsi troops in a Burundian tea plantation.
#
"July 4, 1996",185,0,0,0
Boris Yeltsin claims victory in the Russian presidency election.
A Tamil suicide bomber in the northern Jaffna Peninsula, \JSri Lanka\j, kills over 15 people.
A public petition against the Soeharto Government's authoritarian nature is released in \JIndonesia\j.
Over 40 Jews are murdered by angry Polish citizens in Kielce, \JPoland\j.
#
"July 5, 1996",186,0,0,0
The death toll from the floods in southern China rises to over 300.
Indonesia's Government announces that President Soeharto will journey to Europe for health reasons.
The Princess of Wales is offered a divorce settlement rumored to be ú20 million.
Australian officials decide to go ahead with building a $55 million bridge in Vietnam; it will be \JAustralia\j's biggest aid project.
The IRA promises to continue fighting against the British Government.
Serbia wants the new Bosnian Serb leader, Biljana Plavsic, to have Radovan Karadzic, the old leader, extradited for war crimes.
Muslim extremists announce they will fight the Filipino Government for a new Islamic State.
#
"July 6, 1996",187,0,0,0
US health officials find a new strain of AIDS that is not found by blood tests currently in use.
Thousands of people gather in \JPamplona\j, \JSpain\j, for the San Fermin festival, better known as the running of the bulls.
Steffi Graf from \JGermany\j wins the women's singles final at Wimbledon.
#
"July 7, 1996",188,0,0,0
Amnesty International reports that Papua New Guinean troops are guilty of human rights abuses on the island of Bougainville.
Russian soldiers back down on their promise to remove roadblocks in \JChechnya\j.
Lawrence Leung, Hong Kong's Director of \JImmigration\j, resigns; he is the third senior public servant to resign since January.
Tens of hundreds of people in \JBangladesh\j evacuate their homes due to flooding.
Richard Krajicek from the Netherlands wins the men's singles final at Wimbledon.
#
"July 8, 1996",189,0,0,0
The International Court of Justice votes to reject the threat or use of nuclear weapons in war, but is undecided on their use in a self-defense situation.
Dr Peter Piot from the United Nations AIDS program announces that India has the greatest number of people with the \JHIV\j virus.
US President Bill Clinton videotapes evidence for another Whitewater-related case.
Indonesian soldiers and over 20,000 supporters of ousted pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri clash during riots.
Islamic fighters are still causing havoc in Bosnia, despite a condition of the Dayton peace accord that they leave.
#
"July 9, 1996",190,0,0,0
Thousands of Loyalist Orangemen riot in Northern Ireland, attacking police and terrorizing Catholics.
Fighting continues between Chechen rebels and Russian troops in south-western \JChechnya\j; six Russian soldiers are killed.
The UN war crimes tribunal announces that it is adamant for Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to stand trial for war crimes.
A man armed with a machete attacks children and adults in a British school, luckily no one is killed.
#
"July 10, 1996",191,0,0,0
Wild rioting by Loyalists continues in Northern Ireland while Britain announces they may send in more soldiers.
Twenty people are killed when \JRussia\j launches air raids in south-east \JChechnya\j.
General Ibrahim Bare Mainassara claims victory in \JNiger\j's presidential elections.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits with US President Bill Clinton primarily to talk about continuing the peace process in the \JMiddle East\j.
#
"July 11, 1996",192,0,0,0
Police in Northern Ireland allow Loyalist Orangemen to march through Portadown, terrorizing Catholics. Meanwhile the British Army sends more troops to Northern Ireland.
Chechnya is bombed by Russian warplanes hoping to destroy the Chechen leader's headquarters.
#
"July 12, 1996",193,0,0,0
The official divorce settlement between the Prince and Princess of Wales is finally announced; Diana loses Her Royal Highness title but keeps Princess of Wales unless she remarries, and she gets a ú60 million cash payout.
The United Nations War Crimes Tribunal issues warrants for the arrest of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and army commander Ratko Mladic.
Rioting continues in Northern Ireland.
Figures accumulated by the Papua New Guinean Government reveal that up to 10,000 people were killed in seven years of fighting on the island of Bougainville.
A bomb explodes on a trolleybus in Moscow injuring over 20 people.
Following a visit to a medical clinic in \JGermany\j, Indonesian President Soeharto is given a clean bill of health.
Seventeen Tamil Tigers are killed when Sri Lankan troops capture the town of Vakarai.
#
"July 14, 1996",194,0,0,0
The US pressures \JSerbia\j to remove Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and army commander Ratko Mladic from power.
Police and hundreds of rioters clash in Northern Ireland where a bomb damages a hotel in Enniskillen. Meanwhile the Social Democratic and Labour Party announces it is withdrawing from peace talks.
Thirteen Sri Lankan soldiers are killed in the northern Jaffna Peninsula following an attack by Tamil Tigers.
Cyclist Djamolidine Abdoujaparov from Uzbekistan wins the annual Tour de \JFrance\j.
#
"July 15, 1996",195,0,0,0
The IRA denies any involvement in yesterday's bombing of a hotel in Enniskillen.
Australia welcomes \JBurma\j joining ASEAN Regional Forum talks.
Over 50 people are crushed to death in India during a Hindu festival.
Indonesia strongly opposes \JAustralia\j's desertion over a solar electrification project.
A Belgian military \Jaircraft\j crashes at an air base in Eindhoven, Holland, killing over 30 people.
Two hundred and fifty Papua New Guinean troops withdraw from Aropa.
#
"July 16, 1996",196,0,0,0
US vice-president Al Gore and Russian President Boris Yeltsin hold a meeting.
Serb police warn \JNATO\j that attempting to detain Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and army commander Ratko Mladic would be unwise.
Bill Clinton agonizes over a decision of whether or not to let Americans sue foreign companies who have traded property of US citizens seized by \JCuba\j after the 1959 revolution.
A popular national park in \JSri Lanka\j closes due to increased occupation by Tamil Tigers.
#
"July 17, 1996",197,0,0,0
At the Geneva climate summit, the US announces it wants worldwide action to protect the world's climate.
The Princess of Wales reports that she will withdraw her services from over 100 charity organizations.
US President Bill Clinton places a six month delay on the Helms-Burton anti-Cuban law which allows foreign companies who trade in assets taken from US citizens by \JCuba\j to be sued.
NATO warns Bosnian Serb soldiers not to get in the way of Radovan Karadzic's arrest for war crimes.
An assassination is attempted on the life of Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Jordan's Prime Minister Abdul-Karim al-Kabariti.
Food poisoning in \JJapan\j has left almost 5,000 people, mainly school children, ill.
A TWA jumbo jet flight from New York to Paris explodes in mid-air and crashes into the Atlantic off Long Island; there are no survivors of the 230 on board.
#
"July 18, 1996",198,0,0,0
Igor Rodionov is named as \JRussia\j's new Defense Minister.
Scientists announce they have discovered how to measure the motion of the inner core of the Earth.
Tamil Tigers launch one of their biggest battles when they attack a government army base in \JSri Lanka\j, reportedly killing over 500 soldiers.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with \JEgypt\j's President Hosni Mubarak.
#
"July 19, 1996",199,0,0,0
The US announces that a terrorist bomb may have been the cause of the TWA Flight 800's explosion which killed 230 people.
Security is tightened at the \JAtlanta\j Olympic site following the alleged terrorist attack on TWA Flight 800.
Chechen commander Salman Raduyev, whose death was reported in March, is found to be alive.
Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic announces his withdrawal from politics.
The United Nations reveals that fighting in \JBurundi\j may lead to hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths.
A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak does little to heal the \JMiddle East\j peace process.
Over 7,000 people have now been affected by food poisoning in \JJapan\j.
The death toll for people killed in floods in China reaches over 700.
Eighty five thousand spectators attend the opening ceremony of the \JOlympic Games\j in \JAtlanta\j; Muhammad Ali officially opens the games when he lights the Olympic flame.
#
"July 20, 1996",200,0,0,0
Divers search for any clues to the cause of the explosion of TWA Flight 800 which killed all 230 people on board.
Prince Andrew announces he will resign from the Royal Navy to spend more time with his family.
The Chinese Olympic Committee announces that all of its 310 athletes in \JAtlanta\j were subjected to drug tests before leaving China for the Games.
#
"July 21, 1996",201,0,0,0
Indonesia announces the development of new military \Jaircraft\j with their aim to sell them to \JAustralia\j.
Over 300 people are killed when Hutus attack Tutsis in \JBurundi\j.
Heavy fighting continues in northern \JSri Lanka\j between government troops and Tamil Tigers.
As Irish swimmer Michelle Smith wins her second gold medal at the \JAtlanta\j Olympics, questions arise as to whether or not her performance was enhanced by drugs.
#
"July 22, 1996",202,0,0,0
Floodwaters rise in \JBangladesh\j leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
Thousands of Tutsis in \JBurundi\j protest against the slaughter of hundreds of people killed by the Hutus.
Thousands of civilians in Montreal, Canada, are evacuated due to rising floodwaters.
A bomb explodes at \JLahore\j International Airport, \JPakistan\j, killing nine people and injuring many others.
#
"July 23, 1996",203,0,0,0
The Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the Papua New Guinean Government both indicate they are ready to compromise on autonomy for the island.
US \JFBI\j investigators discover a chemical residue on the wing of TWA Flight 800 that exploded, indicating that it was probably a bomb.
Burundi's Government continues sending thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees back to their homes, with many dying on the way.
The ASEAN Regional Forum focuses on \JBurma\j's abuse of human rights.
A trial on a new AIDS drug, 3TC, reveals that it may halve the number of AIDS-related deaths.
The United States beats \JRussia\j, the favorites, in winning gold in the women's gymnastic teams event at \JAtlanta\j.
#
"July 24, 1996",204,0,0,0
Media from around the world criticize the city of \JAtlanta\j for poor organization during the \JAtlanta\j Olympics.
The International Monetary Fund delays paying \JRussia\j a portion of its $13 billion loan.
Talks between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy on continuing the \JMiddle East\j peace process prove positive.
Japan seeks help from the United States in helping to combat their worst food poisoning outbreak in 50 years.
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien promises $US150 million in emergency funds to help victims of recent flooding.
Over 30 per cent of \JBangladesh\j is affected by heavy flooding.
A bomb explosion in Colombo leaves 15 people dead.
The \JFBI\j announces that initial tests on a wing of TWA Flight 800, indicating that a bomb caused the explosion, may not have been accurate.
Michelle Smith of Ireland wins her third gold medal for swimming at the \JAtlanta\j Olympics.
#
"July 25, 1996",205,0,0,0
Burundi's Hutu Government is overthrown by the Tutsis in a military coup; former military president Pierre Buyoya is named new President. Meanwhile the United Nations intervenes to attempt to instill peace.
The TWA Flight 800 black boxes are found by divers.
Twenty seven Tamil Tigers are questioned by Sri Lankan police following a bomb explosion on a train in Colombo which killed 70 people.
US President Bill Clinton supports a bill that will see sanctions imposed on companies investing in \JIran\j and \JLibya\j.
#
"July 26, 1996",206,0,0,0
US President Bill Clinton increases security for all planes leaving and arriving the country's airports.
The Sri Lankan Government undertakes an offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels.
Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Sir Julius Chan accuses the Australian media of ignorance and incompetence when reporting on his country.
The US Senate votes to impose sanctions on \JBurma\j if they harm or arrest the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat holds hopeful peace talks with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.
#
"July 27, 1996",207,0,0,0
A bomb explodes in Centennial Olympic Park \JAtlanta\j during a concert where Olympic athletes attend; two people are killed and over 100 are injured.
Reports from London claim that Prince Charles has bought Camilla Parker Bowles a $50,000 diamond ring.
Investigators announce that the black boxes from TWA Flight 800 confirm that there were no signs of engine trouble when it exploded in mid-air.
Canadian Donovan Bailey breaks the world record when he wins gold for the 100 m sprint in 9.84 seconds at the \JAtlanta\j Olympics. Former 100 m gold medalist Lindford Christie is disqualified for breaking twice.
US Gail Devers wins gold for the 100 m sprint at \JAtlanta\j with a time of 10.94 seconds.
#
"July 28, 1996",208,0,0,0
Marines are made available to help restrain pro-democracy rioters in Jakarta.
The \JFBI\j continues its search for those responsible for the pipe bomb that exploded during a concert at Centennial Park near the \JAtlanta\j Olympic Stadium.
Hundreds of Turkish prisoners announce they will end their 10-week hunger strike following the government agreeing to accepting some of their demands.
Nearly 30,000 people in South Korea are left homeless, and many feared dead, after flooding and landslides occur.
China detonates what it says is its last nuclear bomb test.
Lee Lai-shan from Hong Kong wins her country's first ever, and also last, Olympic medal when she takes gold in the women's Mistral sailboarding class event.
#
"July 29, 1996",209,0,0,0
The Human Rights Commission in \JIndonesia\j claims that human rights violations occurred during the previous week's political riots.
Burundi's new military leader Pierre Buyoya announces he will form a broad-based government with national unity.
US investigators indicate that a bomb in the forward cargo hold was the most probable cause for the explosion of TWA Flight 800 which killed 230 people.
American athlete Carl Lewis wins his ninth Olympic gold medal when he comes first in the long jump final.
#
"July 30, 1996",210,0,0,0
Rioting in \JIndonesia\j worsens and the military is ordered to shoot any troublemakers.
Syria announces it wants to continue peace talks with Israel under the watchful eye of the US.
Members of the G7 summit in Paris unanimously agree to fight \Jterrorism\j.
China, along with India, object to certain clauses of the global treaty banning nuclear testing.
The Tutsi army allegedly attacks and kills over 50 Hutus in \JBurundi\j.
FBI investigators announce that they have found no hard evidence that a terrorist bomb was the cause of the TWA Flight 800 explosion.
Russian Andrey Chemerkin sets a new world record when he lifts 260 kg in the clean and jerk final for the super heavyweights.
#
"July 31, 1996",211,0,0,0
An American security guard, hailed a hero for his rescue work during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in \JAtlanta\j, is named as a suspect.
The Indonesian Army announces that a left-wing organization will be arrested and that the pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri may be implicated for recent riots in the country.
Two opposition party leaders of \JBelarus\j seek political asylum in the US.
The \JFBI\j finds evidence that TWA Flight 800 was exploded by a bomb.
The Organization of African Unity agrees to imposing economic sanctions on \JBurundi\j, due to continued fighting in the country.
#
"August 1, 1996",212,0,0,0
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan admits that his country has committed human rights abuses during their conflict with the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
US President Bill Clinton announces changes to welfare payments that will see families only being able to receive welfare for a lifetime total of five years.
Political riots continue in \JIndonesia\j.
US sprinter Michael Johnson wins gold in the 200 m sprint at \JAtlanta\j with a world record of 19.68 seconds and consequently becomes the first ever to win the 200 m and 400 m finals at the one Olympics.
#
"August 2, 1996",213,0,0,0
Somali faction leader General Mohamed Farah Aideed killed by a gunshot wound.
Arthur C. Clarke, 79-year-old author of the book \I2001: A Space Odyssey,\i is paid a reported nine figure sum for his new book \I3001: The Final Odyssey.\i
The military regime in \JBurma\j refuses to talk with the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Muchtar Pakpahan, leader of the Indonesian Labour Union, is arrested by officials on charges relating to political riots.
#
"August 3, 1996",214,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin launches an investigation into the missing 60 billion rubles meant for miners who are now striking over unpaid wages.
The Japanese Government claims responsibility for the recent food poisoning outbreak which affected over 9,000 people.
Indonesia's pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri is summoned by police for questioning.
Palestinians condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to lift bans on Jewish settlements in occupied lands.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch presents Muhammad Ali with a new gold medal, replacing his 1960 medal that he threw into the river in protest over the treatment of blacks.
For the first time in history the American men's 4 x 100 m relay team settles for an Olympic silver medal after the Canadians beat them for gold.
Burundian runner Venuste Niyongabo wins his country's first ever Olympic gold medal when he comes first in the 5,000 m finals.
#
"August 4, 1996",215,0,0,0
Costa Rican swimmer and \JAtlanta\j gold medalist, Claudia Poll, may be stripped of her medal for wearing a Pepsi t-shirt while receiving it.
America claims the number one spot in the 1996 Olympic medal tally with 44 gold, 32 silver, and 25 bronze medals.
NBC in America is criticized over its biased coverage of the \JOlympic Games\j.
Coca-Cola signs a deal with the IOC to ensure that it will be the only soft drink available at the Games until 2008.
Indonesia's pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri refuses to be questioned by the police, sending her lawyers instead.
Iraqi Olympic weightlifter Raed Ahmed is granted political asylum in the US.
Speculation is rife that Boris Yeltsin is in poor health and some say he will be unable to continue ruling \JRussia\j.
#
"August 5, 1996",216,0,0,0
Indonesia's military investigates allegations that their People's Democratic Party was receiving funds from the Australian Labor Party.
Hundreds of people are killed during a Sri Lankan Government offensive on Tamil Tigers.
US divers retrieve part of the cockpit of TWA Flight 800 that exploded in mid air killing all 230 on board.
Hussein Aideed succeeds his late father, Mohamed Farah Aideed, as president of \JSomalia\j.
#
"August 6, 1996",217,0,0,0
The Chinese Government attempts to fix up the country's banking system which is in financial crisis.
The Russian Government demands that Chechen rebels cease their assault or all peace talks will be canceled.
A British woman who wants to abort one of two healthy twins because she can't afford both, is offered over ú60,000 not to go through with the \Jabortion\j.
Indonesia's pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, after being summoned, announces she will attend talks with police.
America's European traders are unhappy with Bill Clinton's decision to punish foreign companies investing millions of dollars in \JIran\j's and \JLibya\j's oil industries.
The Syrian Government announces it will cease peace talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hundreds of Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan troops are killed during heavy fighting.
Up to 30 people are killed in floodwaters and landslides in \JNepal\j.
#
"August 7, 1996",218,0,0,0
US officials announce that NASA has discovered a life form on the \Jplanet\j Mars.
Russian soldiers and Chechen rebels continue fierce fighting in Grozny.
China agrees to sign the treaty on banning nuclear testing, leaving India the only country unwilling to sign.
A British woman who was offered over ú60,000 not to abort one of her twins has allegedly already had the \Jabortion\j.
#
"August 8, 1996",219,0,0,0
Cambodia's Second Prime Minister Hun Sen announces that up to 3,000 Khmer Rouge fighters have defected to the government, including the deputy leader, Ieng Sary.
Russian soldiers and Chechen rebels continue fighting for the city of Grozny.
The British Government bans an annual march by pro-British Protestants in Ireland.
Over 70 tourists are killed and many more are missing when flash flooding causes a mudslide at a camping site in \JSpain\j.
US President Bill Clinton announces that a summit will be held on the US space program following the discovery of possible life on Mars.
#
"August 9, 1996",220,0,0,0
US scientists claim that up to one in ten people have mutant genes that protect them from catching AIDS.
The US security guard named as a suspect in the \JAtlanta\j Olympic Centennial Park bombing is set to receive a formal apology from the \JFBI\j.
Rwanda is set to join other African nations by imposing sanctions against \JBurundi\j.
Tamil Tigers appeal to the Sri Lankan Government to stop its attacks on civilians.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is inaugurated for a second term in office.
Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, dies aged 89.
#
"August 10, 1996",221,0,0,0
After hours of questioning by police, \JIndonesia\j's pro-democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri is asked to return later for more talks.
#
"August 11, 1996",222,0,0,0
Khmer Rouge soldiers capture defecting troops along the Thai-Cambodian border.
A British woman, pregnant with octuplets, is determined to have them all.
Over 50,000 citizens loyal to \JIndonesia\j's Soeharto Government hold a rally to support their leader.
#
"August 12, 1996",223,0,0,0
The leader of \JIndonesia\j's illegal People's Democratic Party, Budiman Sudjatmiko, is arrested for allegedly starting last month's political riots.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat urges Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet with him to try and resume the \JMiddle East\j peace process.
Runner for US presidency, Bob Dole, receives an increase in public support following his announcement that Jack Kemp, a former gridiron player, is his running mate.
#
"August 13, 1996",224,0,0,0
South Korean police and hundreds of students clash during riots in Seoul.
British MPs dispute over whether to ban handguns or not.
Ten Iraqi officers are executed for their involvement in an attempted coup.
Turkey signs a $US23 billion deal with \JIran\j to buy \Jnatural gas\j from them, despite the US threatening economic sanctions.
#
"August 14, 1996",225,0,0,0
Despite an agreed cease-fire, Russian troops launch a rocket attack at Chechen refugees.
Thousands of South Korean police fire tear gas at rioting students wanting reunification with North Korea.
#
"August 15, 1996",226,0,0,0
US President Bill Clinton is allegedly $2 million in debt due to legal costs relating to the Whitewater scandal.
India sticks with its original decision to block the global nuclear test ban treaty.
Bob Dole is officially named the nominee for president for the Republican Party in the US.
The Paralympics officially opens in \JAtlanta\j, with quadriplegic actor Christopher Reeve acting as master of ceremonies.
#
"August 16, 1996",227,0,0,0
Indonesian President Soeharto bans any new political parties in the country.
Member of parliament and daughter of \JThailand\j's Prime Minister, Kanchana Silpa-archa publicly announces that she wants her father, Banharn Silpa-archa, to retire from politics for health reasons.
Former senior Khmer Rouge member Ieng Sary appeals to Cambodians to restore peace.
Pope John Paul II is taken to \Jhospital\j for health tests.
Fighting between Russian troops and Chechen rebels begins to ease.
US divers recover the last of the engines belonging to TWA Flight 800 that exploded and killed all 230 on board.
Thirty-five people are electrocuted when a power line falls down during a fireworks display in \JPeru\j.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat asks US President Bill Clinton for assistance to stop Israel from expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
#
"August 17, 1996",228,0,0,0
Sources within \JBuckingham Palace\j claim that a bracelet worth ú50,000 has been stolen from a display case.
#
"August 18, 1996",229,0,0,0
More than 10,000 South Korean police surround a university in Seoul where rioting students call for the reunification with North Korea.
Ross Perot wins the presidential nomination for the Reform Party in the US; meanwhile Bob Dole's popularity is increasing and Bill Clinton's is decreasing.
Russian and Chechen troops agree to call a cease-fire.
#
"August 19, 1996",230,0,0,0
Fifteen hundred South Korean students who have barricaded themselves in a university threaten to blow up gas cylinders if they are arrested.
#
"August 20, 1996",231,0,0,0
Japanese scientists plan to use frozen woolly mammoth sperm to fertilize an elephant's egg and hopefully produce a hybrid.
Philippine President Fidel Ramos and rebel leader Nur Misuari agree to restore peace to the country.
South Korean students calling for reunification with North Korea surrender to riot police following a seven-\Jday\j siege at a university.
Over 5,000 South Korean students are arrested over the recent riots at a university.
#
"August 22, 1996",233,0,0,0
David Peter McMillan, an Australian imprisoned on drug smuggling charges in the "\JBangkok\j Hilton", a prison in \JThailand\j, escapes-the first foreigner ever to escape from this prison.
Russia overtakes America as the top arms seller to developing countries.
The two prime ministers of \JCambodia\j feud over the recent Khmer Rouge split.
Libya's Colonel Gaddafi is preparing to arrest up to 1,500 business people on charges of corruption.
Indonesia's opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri sues the government for $27 million, claiming they defamed her when they accused her of attempting to overthrow the Soeharto Government.
#
"August 23, 1996",234,0,0,0
Health officials in India announce that Mother Teresa is in intensive care suffering from \Jmalaria\j.
The US Government threatens sanctions against \JBurma\j following the arrest and jailing of dozens of \JBurma\j's opposition members.
Amnesty International reports that human rights continue to worsen in \JBurundi\j following the recent takeover by the military.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin wants peace talks held over the continuing crisis in \JChechnya\j, as the cease-fire is not working.
#
"August 24, 1996",235,0,0,0
A truce between Russian soldiers and Chechen rebels comes into effect following Boris Yeltsin's interference.
Up to 70 Hindus are killed and 50,000 left stranded following a landslide in India.
#
"August 25, 1996",236,0,0,0
US officials accuse \JPakistan\j of secretly building a missile factory; \JPakistan\j denies the accusations.
Mother Teresa's condition worsens following her hospitalization for \Jmalaria\j and a heart condition.
Peace talks between \JRussia\j and Chechen rebels are put on hold due to legalities.
Russian swimmer and \JAtlanta\j Olympic gold medalist Alexander Popov suffers serious wounds after being stabbed in Moscow.
Israeli President Ezer Weizman offers to hold peace talks with PLO President Yasser Arafat, after Arafat told him he was upset over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the \JMiddle East\j peace process.
#
"August 26, 1996",237,0,0,0
Former South Korean presidents Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo are charged and sentenced for \Jtreason\j and mutiny for their roles in a massacre 16 years ago following a military coup; Chun is sentenced to death, while Roh is sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.
Up to 65,000 Hindu pilgrims are left stranded in the \JHimalayas\j following severe blizzards.
#
"August 27, 1996",238,0,0,0
Iraqis hijack a Sudanese Airways plane carrying almost 200 passengers and crew on its way from \JSudan\j to Jordan; the plane eventually lands in London and all passengers are released unharmed.
South Korean President Kim Young Sam announces that he may pardon nine businessman charged with bribery connected to former presidents Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin says that \JChechnya\j must remain part of \JRussia\j.
The Cambodian Government announces that it will grant amnesties to breakaway Khmer Rouge leaders.
#
"August 28, 1996",239,0,0,0
Scientists announce they have discovered a protein in frogs' eggs that may be effective in treating cancer.
A first-ever global summit on child sexual abuse opens in Stockholm.
British Prime Minister John Major announces that he will warn the Queen that the monarchy will be ruined if Prince Charles decides to marry Camilla Parker Bowlers.
A former high-ranking police officer in South Africa is convicted of dozens of \Japartheid\j crimes, including murder, committed in the early 1990s.
US basketballer Michael Jordan is the richest commercial spokesman in sports for the sixth year running; so far this year he has taken home almost $US40 million.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana are officially divorced.
#
"August 29, 1996",240,0,0,0
Target stores across America announce they will not sell cigarettes anymore.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat claims that Israel is doing nothing to restore peace by announcing plans for Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
US President Bill Clinton becomes the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1936 to be renominated unopposed.
A Russian airplane crashes on the \JArctic\j island of Spitzbergen; all 141 on board are killed.
Scientists in England estimate that over 700,000 \Jcattle\j affected by mad cow disease have been eaten.
American Robert Frowick, who is organizing the elections in Bosnia, delays the municipal part of the voting due to \Jfraud\j among the Bosnian Serbs.
The 126 countries attending the World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Stockholm adopt a declaration to eradicate child sexual abuse.
There is a typhoid outbreak among Tamil refugees escaping fighting in \JSri Lanka\j.
#
"August 30, 1996",241,0,0,0
US President Bill Clinton's chief \JWhite House\j strategist Dick Morris resigns over an alleged sex scandal.
The US Commerce Department announces that the economy grew much quicker than expected between April and June, causing the Dow Jones Average to decline.
The Philippine Government announces it will use the death penalty for child sex offenders.
Australian Lisa Marie Smith, who recently skipped bail in \JThailand\j on drug charges, has allegedly left the country and is unlikely ever to return to face charges.
A draft peace agreement is signed by the Manila Government and the Muslim rebel group, Moro National Liberation Front, effectively ending a 25-year-old \Jcivil war\j.
US specialist divers lift a huge portion of the \ITitanic's\i hull off the ocean bed, eventually to be shown in an exhibition.
Vincent Gigante, leader of America's most powerful mob, is to finally face murder charges, after previously pleading insanity.
Up to 15,000 French farmers, worried about mad cow disease, stage a protest by raiding trucks carrying beef from Britain and other countries.
A mudslide washes away a small village in Kuala Lumpur, killing 10 people and leaving dozens missing.
Chinese and British governments are unable to agree on how to conduct a farewell ceremony for Britain's handing over of Hong Kong in 1997.
US marines are enlisted to help firefighters in Los Angeles extinguish up to 50 major fires.
A poll in Britain shows that 52 per cent of the population agree to abolish the monarchy.
#
"August 31, 1996",242,0,0,0
A large portion of the hull from the \ITitanic,\i that US divers recovered from the ocean floor, falls back down two and a half miles into the ocean after a cable that was carrying it snapped.
A recent poll in the US shows Bill Clinton is favored by Americans for preferred president, at 54 per cent, with Bob Dole on 34 per cent, and Ross Perot on 8 per cent.
The Chinese Government announces it wants to improve trade and economic relations with \JAustralia\j.
Russia's defense leader Alexander Lebed and Chechen's military leader Aslan Maskhadov both agree to defer a decision on whether \JChechnya\j should become independent at the end of 2001.
#
"September 1, 1996",243,0,0,0
Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, raises concerns about the peace settlement signed between the security chief, Mr Alexander Lebed, and the Chechen rebels.
In an effort to establish new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Norwegian diplomats commence talks to bring the two sides together.
Traces of two chemicals, used in plastic explosives, are uncovered in the wreckage of one area of TWA Flight 800's cabin-the strongest evidence linking the crash to a bomb.
An inquiry into the deaths of 240 Hindu pilgrims killed by a blizzard in the \JHimalayas\j is to be conducted by the Indian Government.
Pacific Island leaders, outraged by proposals by a US firm to dump nuclear waste in Palmyra \JAtoll\j, plan to carry a resolution condemning such moves.
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, makes his first overseas trip as Prime Minister to the \JMarshall Islands\j.
Iraqi troops and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) guerillas attempt to drive out a rival Kurdish faction from Arbil in northern \JIraq\j which could signal the end of the independent Kurdish region.
Iraq warns the US Administration to keep out of the Kurdish region in the north, threatening to turn the area into another Vietnam if the US intervenes.
The expense records of former \JWhite House\j political adviser, Dick Morris, will be examined to ensure that American taxpayers did not finance his alleged affair with a prostitute.
The office of the South African President announces that Nelson Mandela and the widow of the former Mozambican president, Samora Machel, are involved in a serious relationship.
#
"September 2, 1996",244,0,0,0
Almost 100 Iraqi defectors are executed by \JBaghdad\j forces in the Kurdish city of Arbil in northern \JIraq\j.
The Clinton Administration pledges that Saddam Hussein will face the consequences of \JIraq\j's invasion of the Kurdish enclave in northern \JIraq\j.
The UN suspends the US$2 billion deal which permitted \JIraq\j to sell oil to raise cash for food and medicine.
Due to the Iraqi offensive, secret negotiations between representatives from the US and two rival Kurdish factions cease.
Bob Dole, the US Republican presidential challenger, accuses President Clinton of being too lenient with \JIraq\j.
Alzheimer's disease is taken a step closer to prevention with the discovery by Australian and US researchers that the onset of the disease is similar to a head injury.
Finnish scientists will soon release details of the world's first anti-gravity device. The device, which is 30 cm (12 in) wide, is believed to reduce considerably the weight of anything suspended over it.
The \JMarshall Islands\j, which are threatened by the rising sea levels, will try to convince the Australian Government to reverse their opposition to the greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr Gunawan Muhammad, the head of \JIndonesia\j's independent election monitor, is summoned for questioning about the July riots.
The Philippine Government and Muslim rebels sign an historic peace agreement which signals the end of a 24-year \Jcivil war\j.
The Russian Government approves a plan, which was signed by the national security chief, Mr Alexander Lebed and the rebel Chechen leadership, to end the war in \JChechnya\j.
Due to escalating crime rates in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) will review the case for the return of \Jcapital punishment\j.
Middle East talks, between the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu and the Palestinian President, Mr Arafat, could commence this week.
Due to Mother Teresa's recent illness, calls are made for her to be replaced as head of the Missionaries of Charity.
#
"September 3, 1996",245,0,0,0
As a consequence of the Iraqi assault on the Kurdish region in northern Iraqi, the US Administration orders its cruise missiles to fire against air defense and communications facilities in southern Iraqi. In retaliation, Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, announces that Iraqi no longer recognizes the UN no-fly zone.
Russia condemns the US air strikes against southern \JIraq\j and demands that all military conflict ceases.
Claims are made that the US Government's air strikes on southern \JIraq\j places considerable strains on the \JNATO\j alliance and could damage relations with \JRussia\j.
Fears for the personal safety of Muslim rebel chief, Nur Misuari, lead him to cancel the ceremony to mark the historic agreement between the Philippine Government and the rebels which signaled the end of the 24-year \Jcivil war\j.
Burma's pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, is denounced by the military junta for allegedly associating with subversives.
China alerts the US that the Sino-US relationship could be damaged if human rights issues continue to be sensationalized.
In return for a pardon for their leader, Ieng Sary, Khmer Rouge \Jdissidents\j opposed to Pol Pot vow to allow the Cambodian Government access to resource-rich areas under their control.
Agreements are reached which will allow the first summit meeting to be held between the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat.
A major Scottish heritage symbol, a medieval casket thought to contain the embalmed heart of King Robert the Bruce, undergoes tests by high-tech equipment.
#
"September 4, 1996",246,0,0,0
Mr Alexander Lebed, the Russian national security chief, reveals that nearly 90,000 people died, and hundreds of thousands were injured, during the Chechen war.
Over the last two years, Israel has allegedly deposited almost US$100 million into a secret bank account for Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.
An American multi-millionaire purchases a 1975 Ford Escort previously belonging to Pope John Paul II for $US102,000.
California becomes the first American state to give legislative approval to a bill which demands chemical \Jcastration\j for offenders with a history of repeated child molestation.
Former American president, Ronald Reagan, is awarded $US562,111 for expenses incurred during the \JIran\j-Contra legal case.
Concern about the forthcoming Bosnian general election grows, as human rights abuses and forced expulsions continue.
The \JMaastricht Treaty\j discussions reopen in Brussels. The Irish President is determined to compile a draft for the revised European Union constitution.
The American oil giant, Unocal, is sued by Burmese opposition groups over the \JBurma\j-Thai gas pipeline which they allege is causing human rights abuses.
Mr Win Htein, personal assistant to the Burmese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, has his jail sentence doubled.
As a result of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's refusal to accept no-fly zones and his threats to shoot down US \Jaircraft\j, American President Bill Clinton orders a second missile attack on \JIraq\j.
The American Government decides to extend the no-fly zone over southern \JIraq\j.
Massound Barzani's Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) forms an alliance with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as a move to combat the internal struggles among the \JKurds\j.
The American military assault against \JIraq\j places pressure on the American Administration's relationship with many Middle Eastern countries as it is widely condemned by the 22-member Arab League.
#
"September 5, 1996",247,0,0,0
Turkey threatens to become involved in the Iraqi crisis and is believed to be planning air and land assaults against the Kurdish rebels in northern \JIraq\j.
The US Administration believes that the US military mission against \JIraq\j was successful but is prepared to order further military action in the area if circumstances change.
Mr Ross Perot, the US Reform Party presidential nominee, claims that President Clinton is trying to improve his political image and boost his ratings in the polls with his missile assaults against \JIraq\j.
International charity organizations, who are leaving the war-torn area of northern \JIraq\j, warn that a humanitarian crisis is likely to occur in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
It is revealed by the UN Security Council that Britain fails to re-establish the Gulf War coalition.
It is announced that Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, is to undergo heart surgery.
Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, meets with the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, to discuss the peace process. As a consequence of the meeting, there are threats of revolt within Mr Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party.
Legal action by Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), against senior government officials is postponed once again.
The forthcoming Bosnian elections are jeopardized, as the Bosnian President Mr Izetbegovic warns that a boycott will occur if the separatist Croat state in the south is not dispersed.
The United Nations General Assembly is ready to accept an Australian-led resolution, leading the way for the signing of a major global nuclear test-ban treaty.
Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, the Japanese Prime Minister, is put under pressure to schedule general elections for October.
The Chinese Government restricts access to certain large \Jinternet\j sites, as it wishes to retain strict control over the flow of information into China.
The Chinese Government reveals it would like to hold talks with Hong Kong's Democratic Party to discuss the maintenance of democracy in Hong Kong.
A major hurricane, Hurricane Fran, forces thousands of people in the American states from Georgia to Carolina to flee their homes, as it approaches the coastline at speeds of over 100 mph.
Ms Susan McDougal, a former business associate of US President Bill Clinton, is placed in contempt of court after declining to answer questions from a Whitewater prosecutor.
France decides to send a government delegation to the \JMarshall Islands\j in an attempt to restore relations after the recent French nuclear tests in the Pacific.
#
"September 6, 1996",248,0,0,0
Khmer Rouge guerillas loyal to Pol Pot occupy a village in north-west \JCambodia\j.
Mother Teresa is released from \Jhospital\j after suffering from heart problems and \Jmalaria\j.
The announcement that Russian President Boris Yeltsin is to undergo open heart surgery causes a leadership struggle for control of \JRussia\j.
The people of the Russian state of \JChechnya\j celebrate the end of the Chechen war.
Hong Kong's \JChief Justice\j, Sir Ti Liang, tenders his resignation after declaring his intention to run as Hong Kong's first chief executive after the 1997 handover to China.
Australia manages to foster the support of nearly 100 countries for a planned treaty which bans nuclear tests.
Chinese archaeologists in Sanzingdui in China's Sichuan Province uncover treasures from a previously unknown ancient civilization.
A court in New York finds Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and two accomplices guilty of a terrorist plan to blow up 12 American \Jaircraft\j.
It is acknowledged by the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation, who is supervising the Bosnian elections, that the conditions of the Dayton agreement are not being met.
The criticism by some members of the Likud Party of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, leads the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, to threaten to dismiss five Cabinet ministers.
Comments made after the Israeli-Palestinian talks by the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, about his opposition to the Palestinian State, annoy Palestinian negotiators.
Mrs Leah Rabin, the widow of assassinated former Israeli Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin, speaks out against the Israeli Prime Minister's meeting with the Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat. As leader of the opposition Mr Netanyahu had been highly critical of Mr Rabin's peace talks.
France is unwilling to patrol the American-established no-fly zone over southern \JIraq\j.
A \IWashington Post\i-ABC News poll shows that the Iraqi conflict has improved US President Bill Clinton's popularity and placed him well ahead of Republican opponent Bob Dole.
Indonesia's human rights record raises concern that leads the American Government to delay until 1997 the sale of nine F-16 fighter planes.
The Indian State of Kashmir prepares for its first general elections in over 10 years.
Hurricane Fran kills at least 11 people and causes power failures in cities and towns along the east coast of America.
Iraqi forces withdraw from northern \JIraq\j, as reports come in of fighting between two rival Kurdish factions about the Turkish plan to set up a buffer zone on the Iraqi border.
Thousands of Arab people in \JIraq\j march against the American Administration's military assault against \JIraq\j.
In America, the author of a new book on the O. J. Simpson trial claims that the defense knew that Simpson had murdered his ex-wife and her friend and that Simpson knew the verdict of the case before it was officially announced.
The widow of \JMozambique\j President Samora Machel, Graca Machel, reveals that she will not marry South African President Nelson Mandela, but will continue their close relationship.
American intelligence reports reveal that the royalties which Adolf Hitler received from his book \IMein Kampf\i are still being held in a Swiss bank account.
Former \JWhite House\j political adviser, Dick Morris, who resigned over an alleged sex scandal, signs a book deal worth over $US1 million.
#
"September 7, 1996",249,0,0,0
The Iraqi Government claims victory over the American Administration after its Kurdistan Democratic (KDP) ally captures seven villages from rival \JKurds\j.
Demands are made for Russian President Boris Yeltsin to stand down as leader, after he announced that he will undergo major heart surgery.
The Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty may be signed within two weeks, after \JAustralia\j led the way to overcome a previous veto by India.
A South African court finds that parts of the new constitution need to be reworked.
A state of emergency is called in the American state of \JNorth Carolina\j after Hurricane Fran wreaks havoc and kills 12 people.
#
"September 8, 1996",250,0,0,0
In a special referendum held in the island of \JOkinawa\j, \JJapan\j electors vote for the reduction of the number of American military bases.
Christian vigilantes in the \JPhilippines\j demonstrate their firepower which they warn might be used to fight against the new agreement between the Philippine Government and the Muslim rebels.
Opinion polls show that the Israeli people support the Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu's meeting with the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat.
Israel is determined to institute the agreements reached during Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
A gene essential for the development of normal breathing, which could help in comprehending breathing problems such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is detected by scientists in the US.
Eleven people are killed during the elections held in the state of Kashmir, India, the first elections in almost ten years.
Cambodian Prime Ministers, Mr Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Sihanouk, declare that Khmer Rouge guerillas faithful to Mr Ieng Sary have consented to recognize the power of the Cambodian Government.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin puts on a show of confidence despite the rumored leadership struggle.
The Bosnian elections are to go ahead as the ruling Muslim party dismissed any moves to boycott the vote.
Hurricane Fran leaves hundreds of thousands of homes on the east coast of America without power and is responsible for the deaths of at least 21 people.
Iraq alleges that it fired missiles at American \Jaircraft\j in the no-fly zones in northern and southern \JIraq\j, as European powers continue to criticize American missile attacks on \JIraq\j.
The Iraqi attack on the Kurdish enclave in northern \JIraq\j ended a six-year secret \JCIA\j mission against the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Turkey's intention to set up a security zone on the Turkish-Iraqi border is endorsed by the Clinton Administration, but is denounced by European Union countries, \JRussia\j, and pro-Western Arab nations.
It is disclosed that a recent assassination attempt on the President of \JIraq\j, Saddam Hussein, had been made by one of his bodyguards.
Kurdish forces supported by the Iraqi Government are reported to have occupied the town of Koi Sanjack in northern \JIraq\j.
#
"September 9, 1996",251,0,0,0
US President, Bill Clinton, arranges to meet Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, as America is keen for Israel to take more positive measures to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations.
US President Bill Clinton warns that he will order more US military assaults against \JIraq\j if Iraqi air defense facilities continue to be restored.
An Iraqi-backed Kurdish faction occupies two important towns in northern \JIraq\j which forces thousands of \JKurds\j to flee from the region and causes the Kurdish group, ousted from Arbil, to demand American help.
Nearly 200 Iraqi \JArabs\j, who have links with the \JCIA\j-backed opposition to the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, ask for political asylum in America as they believe they will be killed by \JIraq\j's secret police.
Alliances, established in northern \JIraq\j after the Gulf War, are threatened by the American military assaults against \JIraq\j, Iraqi military attacks, and the fighting among the Kurdish rival factions.
Lal Krishna Advani, president of India's main opposition party, the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata, is accused of corruption.
White House officials are convinced that US President, Bill Clinton, will win the forthcoming election by an overwhelming majority.
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, will try to persuade the American Administration to reduce the size of its military bases on the island of \JOkinawa\j.
Russian troops continue to withdraw from \JChechnya\j, as details of the final peace agreement are discussed.
Two Libyans suspected of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, are not likely to be brought to trial according to their Scottish lawyer, as he claims the Scottish and American authorities are not prepared to compromise on the case.
Mr Ieng Sary, the Khmer Rouge leader, verifies that he has come to an understanding on a cease-fire with the Cambodian Government, and hopes for an amnesty to safeguard his freedom.
An analysis of \JFiji\j's racially-based constitution demands that indigenous Fijians concede their rights of political domination over ethnic Indians.
India refuses to allow other countries to direct its nuclear policy, as the United Nations General Assembly prepares to adopt a global nuclear test-ban treaty.
The Indonesian Government announces that opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri's newly-opened political office is not legal.
Separatist Bosnian Serb leaders request secession, which alarms Muslims who are afraid that Bosnia faces permanent division after the forthcoming election.
An ex-governor of Jakarta, \JIndonesia\j, and the senior editor of a banned weekly magazine, \ITempo,\i undergo questioning by the attorney-general over a riots subversion inquiry.
Twelve Papua New Guinean soldiers are believed to have been killed by rebel fighters on Bougainville Island.
American tennis player, Pete Sampras, wins his fourth US Open title.
#
"September 10, 1996",252,0,0,0
Twenty-four Papua New Guinean soldiers are feared dead or injured, after rebel fighters entrapped them on the southern tip of Bougainville Island.
A new political party is likely to enter the Japanese political party after receiving the support of the Japanese Health Minister, Naoto Kan.
Ms Susan McDougal, a former business partner of Bill Clinton and his wife, is sent to jail after refusing to answer questions about Whitewater land deals.
A Kurdish faction supported by \JIraq\j's President Saddam Hussein occupies the city of Sulaymaniyah in northern \JIraq\j, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
US President Bill Clinton is unwilling to undertake any military mission to rescue opponents of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but pledges to help them, though he does not specify exactly how.
At a meeting between the American President and Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu tells Mr Clinton that he is keen to restart peace talks with \JSyria\j but is unwilling to accept a precondition that Israel withdraws from the Golan Heights.
The Australian Government welcomes the support of 126 countries for the Australian-backed Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.
India continues to oppose the historic Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, as the Indian Government believes that the treaty text is flawed.
Typhoon Sally kills nearly 140 people and leaves 130 missing in Guangdong Province in southern China.
A report which analyzes \JFiji\j's constitution calls for the country to revert back to the multi-ethnic democracy which it lost in the 1987 military coup.
A group of right-wing Japanese students spark off a territorial dispute between \JJapan\j and China by sailing to islands north-east of \JTaiwan\j and repairing a \Jtyphoon\j-damaged lighthouse.
A plan to transport victims of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia back to their villages, sparks off a controversy and threatens the forthcoming elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Talks directed at ending the impasse in the Northern Ireland peace process are stopped abruptly after unionists argue.
The American Government sends Paul Hare, a special envoy, to \JAngola\j to attempt to restart peace talks between the rebel leaders and the Government.
Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), is questioned for ten hours by the Indonesian authorities.
The lawyers of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, suspects in the 1995 bombing of the federal building in \JOklahoma City\j, USA refuse to confirm reports that the \JFBI\j has discovered a hand-drawn map of the building in Nicholas' home.
Australian exports of beef to \JJapan\j fall by 35 per cent as Japanese people consume less beef due to a recent serious outbreak of food poisoning.
#
"September 11, 1996",253,0,0,0
Thousands of Kurdish people in northern \JIraq\j continue to flee from the town of Sulaymaniyah occupied by Iraqi-supported Kurdish allies, as Saddam Hussein claims that \JIraq\j controls northern \JIraq\j.
The United States Government warns \JIraq\j that if it tries to restore its southern air defenses then America will order another military air strike.
Iraqi military forces shoot at two American F-16 fighter planes patrolling the no-fly zone in northern \JIraq\j, prompting the US to begin preparations for further air strikes against \JIraq\j.
It is uncovered by American intelligence sources that the Greek Government is supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey.
Swiss banks are under increasing pressure to release billions of dollars worth of gold collected from Adolf Hitler during the war.
China protests against a small group of right-wing Japanese students landing on the Senkaku/Diaoya islands-the islands are at the center of a sovereignty controversy between \JTokyo\j, \JBeijing\j, and Taipei.
Burundi soldiers continue to search for the body of the Catholic \JArchbishop\j of \JBurundi\j, the Most Rev Joachim Ruhuna, who was assassinated two days ago.
Mr Hashimoto, the Japanese Prime Minister, makes a pledge to spend 5 billion yen to restore the island of \JOkinawa\j which settles the ongoing disputes about the future of the island.
Mr Ross Perot, United States presidential candidate, chooses a non-political economist, Dr Pat Choate, as his vice-presidential running mate.
The German Government uncovers a harsh budget for 1997 which cuts back on federal spending in an attempt to qualify for the European monetary union.
Hurricane Hortense causes severe flooding in San Juan, Puerto Rica and leaves seven people dead.
Mr Nur Masuari, a former Marxist professor and now an Islamic rebel, is announced governor of the autonomous Muslim region in the southern \JPhilippines\j.
In Israel three Jewish extremists are found guilty of assassinating former Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin.
The United Nations votes to adopt the world's first global nuclear test-ban treaty, a major accomplishment for \JAustralia\j who led the way in bringing the matter to a vote.
The American Senate votes to limit the lawfulness of same-sex marriages and disallows an attempt to ban employment discrimination based on sexual persuasion.
A few days before the historic general elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnian Serbs are fined for demanding withdrawal from the elections.
Papua New Guinea Defense Force reinforcements track down seven soldiers who had been cornered after rebel fighting broke out in the southern tip of the Island of Bougainville.
Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), holds talks with supporters.
#
"September 12, 1996",254,0,0,0
Following an Iraqi missile attack on American fighters in the no-fly zone in northern \JIraq\j, President Clinton sends eight F-117A stealth bombers to \JKuwait\j in readiness for the American retaliation against \JIraq\j.
The City of \JKuwait\j awaits an Iraqi reprisal after it allows American F-117 stealth bombers to use its air bases.
Tens of thousands of Kurdish refugees fleeing from northern \JIraq\j, afraid to return to their home and terrified of entering temporary refugee camps, accuse Western relief agencies and governments of neglecting them.
Bob Dole, American presidential challenger, persuades Republicans not to lose faith in his campaign, as colleagues advise that a landslide win for President Clinton could cost the Republicans control of the Congress.
India continues to be unwilling to support a global nuclear test-ban treaty.
The \JFBI\j is following up leads on a new suspect in the \JAtlanta\j \JOlympic Games\j park bombing.
Two assistant secretaries of the US Department of Health and Human Services resign, after American President Clinton signs a Bill that ends a 60-year-old guarantee to assist all poor American people.
An American doctor claims that poet Edgar Allen Poe died of \Jrabies\j.
A march to celebrate the anniversary of the 1973 Chilean coup results in 20 people being injured and 73 arrested.
The forthcoming Bosnian elections are likely to be marred by ill-preparation and claims of intimidation, \Jfraud\j, and election rigging. It is claimed the elections will either prolong peace or aggravate the situation in Bosnia.
Amnesty International requests that the Cambodian Government reconsiders before giving the Khmer Rouge faction leader, Ieng Sary, a pardon.
Russian doctors are unwilling to operate on Boris Yeltsin, suggesting that he should have the operation done overseas, as the Russian health system is drastically underfunded.
A Japanese court rejects an appeal for a shorter sentence for two American soldiers found guilty of raping a Japanese schoolgirl last year.
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is not likely to set a date for the general elections until the future of the American bases on the island of \JOkinawa\j has been decided.
An American Federal appeal court reverses a ruling to transfer the former \JPhilippines\j President Ferdinand Marcos' Swiss bank accounts to the United States.
Tamil Tiger rebels in eastern \JSri Lanka\j fire at a civilian bus, killing nearly 11 \JSinhalese\j people and injuring another 27.
It is reported that Pope John Paul II is suffering from Parkinson's disease and has a tumor which is sparking off rumors of a secession.
#
"September 13, 1996",255,0,0,0
The Chinese Government jails over 100 Buddhist monks as it steps up its campaign to quell political opposition at Buddhist monasteries in \JTibet\j and tries to weaken loyalty to the Tibetan exiled religious leader, the Dalai Lama.
In a change of tactics, American Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole alters his campaign strategy in an effort to close the gap in the opinion polls between him and President Bill Clinton.
A further American military assault against \JIraq\j seems likely, as American \Jaircraft\j carrier \IUSS Enterprise\i is sent to the Persian Gulf and stealth bombers are ordered into position for attack.
The American Administration promises to rescue nearly 2,000 Kurdish people who helped military and relief activities in northern \JIraq\j, as well as giving many of them asylum in the United States.
Indian women's groups protest against the Miss World competition, which is scheduled to be held in India in November, and warn they will conduct a public suicide.
After a year's acrimonious discussions, the Governor of the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j, Masahide Ota, agrees to extend the land leases for the American military bases on the island.
In reply to protests from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments, the Japanese Government is unwilling to dismantle a lighthouse recently built by a Japanese extreme right-wing group on the disputed Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.
The Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, now requests two foreign doctors to be involved in his forthcoming heart operation, despite announcing previously he trusted Russian doctors to carry out the surgery.
Members of the Congressional Black \JCaucus\j demand an inquest into reports that the \JCIA\j launched crack-\Jcocaine\j into black neighborhoods during the 1980s as a way to raise revenue for the Nicaraguan Contra rebels.
Archaeologists in the state of Virginia in the US uncover a skeleton of one of English America's very first settlers.
In \JAfghanistan\j the rebel Talibaan Islamic militia occupies Lahman and Junar which are pro-Government provinces.
Sri Lankan Government troops start once again shelling the political headquarters of the Tamil Tiger guerillas in the northern town of Kilinochichi.
Two new opinion polls place the American President Bill Clinton well ahead of Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole.
In the southern Guangxi province in China, 39 people are killed by Typhoon Sally, bringing the death toll to at least 178.
In his will the late Greek socialist leader Andreas Papandreou bequeaths all his possessions to his second wife Dimitra Liani-Papandreou.
Twenty-five American and Italian tourists on safari in \JTanzania\j's \JSerengeti\j National Park are ambushed, two people are seriously wounded.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, wants to alter an agreement to hand over parts of the town of \JHebron\j in the West Bank to the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Israeli forces shoot at supposed Hezbollah bases and also ambush a group of guerillas they found in Israel's occupation zone in southern \JLebanon\j.
#
"September 14, 1996",256,0,0,0
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl offers the assistance of two prominent German cardiologists to help with Russian President Boris Yeltsin's forthcoming heart surgery.
American President Bill Clinton orders 5,000 troops to \JKuwait\j for a military exercise which is also seen as a display of American military force against \JIraq\j.
Seven members of the Solidarity of Indonesian Students for Democracy are arrested for allegedly instigating recent riots in Jakarta.
After the American Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole goes public with his medical history, the American Government releases President Bill Clinton's medical records.
A new \Jbiography\j of Pope John Paul II claims that the Pope had access to American intelligence reports, as well as reportedly assisting the \JCIA\j and former American President Reagan to attempt to overthrow the Soviet empire.
#
"September 15, 1996",257,0,0,0
The American Government begins to evacuate 2,500 Iraqi Kurd refugees from northern \JIraq\j.
Despite the Iraqi Government's assertion that it will no longer shoot at American \Jaircraft\j in the no-fly zones, the American Administration continues to expand its forces in the Persian Gulf, leaving \JIraq\j unsure of America's intentions.
Dr William Perry, the United States Defense Secretary, is sent to the \JMiddle East\j to convince Arab allies that there is more at risk in America's stance against \JIraq\j than boosting American President Bill Clinton's image in the run up to the election.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin's heart surgery is delayed as he undergoes further routine medical tests.
It is announced that Pope John Paul II will have his appendix removed by the end of the year.
Afghan Government \Jaircraft\j attack targets in the rebel-occupied eastern city of Jalalabad, injuring 25 people.
Ex-members of the British pop band the Beatles appear in Japanese \Jtelevision\j advertisements, the ads will only be broadcast in \JJapan\j.
The Khmer Rouge leader, Ieng Sary, is given a pardon for his involvement in the "killing fields" of the late 1970s.
India's Supreme Court rejects \Jhomicide\j charges against eight former senior executives of the Union Carbide, the company responsible for a toxic gas leak in 1984 which killed 4,500 people.
Subaru Takahashi, a Japanese schoolboy, sets a record as the youngest person to sail solo across the \JPacific Ocean\j.
A secret report on the pigeon infestation in Trafalgar Square, London, recommends that a major culling should be conducted.
International overseers of the Bosnian elections promise to continue nation-building despite a warning by the nationalist Muslim SDA party that they will not accept the result of the Bosnian Serb election.
Muslim survivors of ethnic cleansing carried out during the war in former Yugoslavia return to their homes to vote in the first general election since the war ended in November 1995.
The United States embarks on a new international peace movement for Bosnia-Herzegovina, as nearly 1.9 million Bosnians voted in the general elections to rebuild a united country from the ethnic groups destroyed by the war.
After ten years, the leaders of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) plan to meet, which could signal an end to its 27-year campaign to get the British out of Northern Ireland.
#
"September 16, 1996",258,0,0,0
The United States is permitted to dispatch more ground troops to \JKuwait\j.
As leaders of the IRA meet for the first time in ten years, they rule out discussing a cease-fire.
The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, promises to work at restoring French-Australian links, after relations were strained due to recent French nuclear testing.
Prince Abdullah, the Crown Prince of Saudi \JArabia\j, steps in as mediator in a dispute between the Emir of the Gulf State of \JQatar\j, Sheikh Hamed, and his father, Sheikh Khalifa, over $US8 billion claimed to be missing from the \JQatar\j treasury.
The civil trial against American O. J. Simpson commences in \JCalifornia\j.
In three weeks' time the presidents of Bosnia and \JSerbia\j will meet in Paris in an effort to bring together Bosnia's former warring sectors.
In \JAfghanistan\j, government planes bomb the rebel Talibaan-occupied city of Jalalabad, killing 12 people and wounding 50 others.
Former Indonesian opposition leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri's nomination for 1997's general elections is rejected.
Hong Kong begins the process of repatriation of Vietnamese boat-people by moving refugees to a top security camp.
NASA announces the lift-off of the \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis for its fourth meeting with orbiting Russian space station Mir.
The head of the Papua New Guinea Defense force asks politicians from the island of Bougainville to help gain the release of five security force members captured during a rebel ambush.
Violence keeps voters away from the Indian State of Kashmir in their first elections in nearly ten years.
In an attempt to restore peace between the warring Kurdish factions, a senior American official will meet the leader of the \JIraq\j-backed Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Turkey.
In the initial results of Bosnia's general elections, it looks likely that the Muslim President, Mr Alija Izetbegovic, is likely to beat his Serbian opponent.
#
"September 17, 1996",259,0,0,0
American President Bill Clinton says that the United States is not actively striving to get involved in any further military action against \JIraq\j, as America cools off its plans for another strike.
The first meeting between senior Cambodian military commanders and leaders of eight renegade Khmer Rouge factions commences in Pailin, \JCambodia\j.
Talibaan rebel militia leaders claim that they will shortly occupy the capital of \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul, and will set up the first pure Islamic state in the world.
A former South African Government assassin claims that ex-president, Mr P. W. Botha, was involved in the murders of many anti-\Japartheid\j activists.
After spending six months in \Jorbit\j on the Russian Mir station, female \Jastronaut\j Shannon Lucid is preparing to transfer to the American \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis.
The former national security adviser to American presidents Kennedy and Johnson, McGeorge Bundy, dies.
The American Administration warns Israel and \JSyria\j to retain self-control in order to avoid an outbreak of war.
Thail officials prepare for a possible election and change of leadership as the Government is accused of corruption and misgovernment.
Fears of war breaking out in the Russian state of \JChechnya\j prompt the Russian security chief Alexander Lebed to return to restore the peace initiative.
#
"September 18, 1996",260,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is admitted to \Jhospital\j for tests, sparking off reports that his health is deteriorating.
Muslim President, Dr Alija Izetbegovic, beats the Bosnian Serb leader, Mr Momcilo Krajisnik, to become the first leader of Bosnia's new collective presidency.
The Indonesian Government claims that the former opposition leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri's new office premises are not legal.
Mr Spiro Agnew, who was vice-president to former American President, Mr Richard Nixon, dies at the age of 77.
The Thai Prime Minister, Mr Banharn Silpa-archa, is denounced as corrupt, as a parliamentary no-confidence debate against him commences.
The American Administration attempts to convince the Iraqi \JKurds\j to break off alliances with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The American-Iraqi conflict cools off, as the United States shows less signs of a further attack against them.
An ex-Czech defense official claims that American troops who went missing during the Korean War died either in medical experiments or were sent to the \JSoviet Union\j.
An attack by Islamic Talibaan militia on western Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j fails after being halted by Afghan Government troops.
Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk stands by his decision to grant an amnesty to Khmer Rouge leader Ieng Sary.
#
"September 19, 1996",261,0,0,0
The Bosnia-Herzegovina President, Mr Izetbegovic, reiterates his loyalty to the new united republic.
A former South African police colonel accuses ex-president, Mr F. W. de Klerk, of being involved in campaigns to murder \Jdissidents\j of the former \Japartheid\j government.
Newly 200 out of 3,500 American troop reinforcements arrive in \JKuwait\j, as the United States continues to strengthen its military presence in the Gulf.
A refugee camp in \JIran\j is attacked by Kurdish forces backed by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, killing four people.
China and its allies stop moves for the fourth consecutive year to permit United Nations membership for \JTaiwan\j.
Former Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, announces that he will not run for the prime minister's job in the next elections in 2000 but may join a unity government.
The American \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis joins up with \JRussia\j's Mir station, as female \Jastronaut\j Shannon Lucid prepares to transfer to Atlantis for the trip home.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin will transfer control of \JRussia\j's nuclear weapons to the Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, when he has heart surgery shortly.
The American Administration discontinues a recommendation by former president George Bush to put a man on Mars by 2019 and opts to aim to put a robot on Mars by 2000.
The United States announces it will proceed with its intention to sell F-16 fighter jets to \JIndonesia\j, while asking other countries to aid American attempts to improve human rights in \JIndonesia\j.
#
"September 20, 1996",262,0,0,0
Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa's Chart Thai party, is accused of blackmailing a bank.
A \JCIA\j chief claims that the latest US-Iraqi conflict has strengthened the political image of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Discussions between the Chinese and British authorities about the 1997 Hong Kong handover ceremonies come to a standstill.
Chinese and Russian researchers establish that the first printed material using movable type dates back to the Western Xia Dynasty (1031-1227).
Leading German supermodel Claudia Schiffer announces her retirement.
Large sculpted boulders, similar to \JStonehenge\j in the UK, are discovered in the Kimberley in Western \JAustralia\j which could possibly mean that Australian history will have to be rewritten.
The 35-year-old guerilla war in \JGuatemala\j comes to an end, as Government authorities and left-wing rebel forces sign a peace treaty.
Israel announces that it intends to build 2,000 new homes in the Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Pope John Paul II commences a four-\Jday\j visit to \JFrance\j.
#
"September 21, 1996",263,0,0,0
The brother of \JPakistan\j Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Murtaza Bhutto, dies after a shoot-out with police.
#
"September 22, 1996",264,0,0,0
It is disclosed that Russian President Boris Yeltsin had a fourth heart attack during the summer, as a Russian cardiologist claims that surgery may be too dangerous to perform.
Declassified American and British intelligence sources reveal that Nazi booty worth billions of dollars stolen from Jews during the second World War was sent to \JSwitzerland\j for safekeeping.
More confirmation of corruption in the Bosnian elections crops up, with voting returns of up to 103 per cent, placing uncertainty over the results.
In a display of American military strength, 300 more American troops arrive in \JKuwait\j and US \Jaircraft\j begin patrols over \JIraq\j.
American President Bill Clinton signs anti-gay legislation which prohibits gay marriages.
Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa is ousted by his coalition partners; a former military chief is seen as his likely replacement.
Former Indian Prime Minister, Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao, resigns as head of the Indian Congress Party.
Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is accused of murdering her brother, Murtaza Bhutto, by her mother.
#
"September 23, 1996",265,0,0,0
Followers of murdered Pakistani Murtaza Bhutto want his Arab-born widow to head their party.
Due to accusations of corruption, a recount is ordered in the Bosnian elections, which shows that Alija Izetbegovic did win the presidency.
The United States looks likely to withdraw one of its \Jaircraft\j carriers from the Persian Gulf, as \JIraq\j backs down.
Sri Lankan Government troops attack the headquarters of the separatist Tamil Tiger rebel group in the town of Kilinochchi.
The leader of the Greek Panhellenic Socialist Movement, Costas Simitis, wins the general elections in \JGreece\j.
Settlement of a \Jdefamation\j lawsuit called by former Indonesian opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, against a government official, is reached out of court.
The British Government thwarts a plan by the IRA, which could have seen the IRA's biggest bomb attack on mainland Britain.
Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa fights off pressure from the Government to resign early in favor of his deputy, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
#
"September 24, 1996",266,0,0,0
Pressure is on Russian President Boris Yeltsin to resign due to ill-health.
Mr Sitaram Kesri replaces Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao as leader of India's Congress Party.
The former Indonesian opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, is ordered to close down her party's new offices within three days.
Leader of the world's nuclear powers-the US, \JRussia\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, and China-sign an historic treaty to stop nuclear testing throughout the world.
Mr Ross Perot, the US Reform Party nominee, takes legal action in which he insists on the right to participate in the American presidential debates.
Sri Lankan Government troops occupy a rebel-held village in northern Sri Lanka following three days of fighting in which 146 people died.
The death of Mr Murtaza Bhutto, the brother of the Pakistani Prime Minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, sparks off religious riots in which a Sunni Muslim mosque is attacked and two Shi'ite Muslim leaders are killed.
Police in London reveal more details of the proposed IRA bomb attack which was foiled by authorities, as future Northern Ireland peace talks are in jeopardy.
#
"September 25, 1996",267,0,0,0
The former Indonesian opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, fights against the instructions by the Indonesian Government to close her party's new headquarters.
In \JAfghanistan\j, rebel Talibaan fighters allege that they have reached the eastern fringes of Kabul in their fight for control of the capital.
The United States praises \JAustralia\j for its role in initiating the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-an Treaty (CTBT) which was signed by five nuclear powers.
The American Administration promises to pay $US20 million in compensation to 500 South Vietnamese who helped the \JCIA\j during the Vietnam war.
British police stand by their decision to fatally shoot an unarmed IRA suspect.
A post-mortem report on Murtaza Bhutto, the estranged brother of the Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, reveals that he was killed by security forces.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is finally given the go-ahead for heart surgery.
#
"September 26, 1996",268,0,0,0
Despite requests from the United Nations Security Council for a cease-fire, the government in \JAfghanistan\j sends reinforcements to fight against the rebel Talibaan militia near the capital Kabul.
After 188 days in space, female \Jastronaut\j Shannon Lucid returns to Earth aboard the shuttle Atlantis.
Former Indian Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao is charged with corruption.
The head of a Hong Kong group protesting against Japanese ownership of the Diaoyu islands dies as he plunges into the sea in an attempt to reach the islands.
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announces that he will dissolve parliament and set the election date for October 20.
A former South African assassin claims that the South African security services were involved in the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme, in 1986.
Nearly 51 people are killed, as relations between Israel and Palestine worsen and hopes of peace fade.
#
"September 27, 1996",269,0,0,0
Talibaan militia occupy \JAfghanistan\j's capital Kabul, announce that they are the new Afghan Government, establish strict Islamic law, and hang former president Najibullah.
Fighting continues between Israeli and Palestinian forces near \JJerusalem\j's Al-Aqsa mosque, leaving at least 57 people dead.
Israel announces a state of emergency in the Palestinian territories, as \JJerusalem\j's police force is doubled.
Many countries in the West, including the United States, voice their opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank, as support mounts for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
In \JBurma\j, authorities arrest pro-democracy politicians and prevent access to the house of democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi in order to stop a party meeting.
The Indonesian Government shuts down the party headquarters of former opposition and democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Tamil guerillas fight Sri Lankan Government forces near the town of Kilinochchi, at least 500 people have been killed in the clashes.
#
"September 28, 1996",270,0,0,0
Fighting between Israeli and Palestinian forces continues, as the Israeli Government stands firm and offers no hope of an end to the crisis.
#
"September 29, 1996",271,0,0,0
Israel warns that it will re-occupy self-governing Arab cities and disarm Palestinian police if the fighting between Palestinians and Israelis continues.
American President Bill Clinton calls for a Palestinian-Israeli peace summit, as Israel goes ahead with reopening the archaeological tunnel near the Al-Aqsa mosque in \JJerusalem\j.
Sri Lankan Government troops occupy the town of Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka which was the last main town under the control of Tamil Tiger guerillas.
In \JBurma\j, authorities threaten to stop democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's weekend meetings with the public, as they believe they upset the balance of Burmese law and order.
The decision to call an election by Thai Prime Minister, Banharn Silpa-archa, leads to many deserting the Chart Thai party.
Talibaan militia, who have occupied the Afghan capital of Kabul, strengthen their hold over the city and institute strict Islamic law.
#
"September 30, 1996",272,0,0,0
Officials at a meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), decide not to admit \JBurma\j as a full member in 1997.
A skeleton recently uncovered in Washington State, US, is said to be 9,300 years old.
Government forces in \JSri Lanka\j occupy the regional headquarters of the Tamil Tiger rebels.
Palestine and \JEgypt\j rebel against the United States' plans for a \JMiddle East\j peace summit, as Yasser Arafat requests a postponement of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu until the weekend.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, is criticized by crucial coalition partners for damaging the peace process.
#
"October 1, 1996",273,0,0,0
The Talibaan militia plans to move into northern \JAfghanistan\j in a campaign to take control of the whole country.
The Pakistani Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, denies that the Afghan Talibaan militia is backed by \JPakistan\j.
The Palestinian and Israeli leaders, Mr Yasser Arafat and Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, depart for a peace summit in the US, but prospects for a successful outcome look grim, as both sides are unwilling to compromise their positions.
American President Bill Clinton could jeopardize his success in the forthcoming elections if the \JMiddle East\j peace summit held in Washington is not successful.
Burmese authorities arrest more than 550 members or supporters of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) Party.
The Northern Ireland peace process is endangered after loyalist groups threaten to withdraw from peace talks.
The British Governor of Hong Kong, Mr Chris Patten, will give the final address as British Governor at possibly the last democratically elected Legislative Council in Hong Kong.
In the US, Black groups are planning to sue the American Government over claims that it was behind the introduction of \Jcocaine\j into L.A. in the 1980s and used the profits to fund right-wing Contra rebels in \JNicaragua\j.
#
"October 2, 1996",274,0,0,0
European countries voice their support of Palestinian demands for the closure of the \JJerusalem\j tunnel and for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from \JHebron\j.
Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, Palestine's leader, Mr Arafat, King Hussein of Jordan and American President Bill Clinton hold a cordial meeting at the \JWhite House\j to discuss the \JMiddle East\j peace.
Hong Kong's British Governor, Mr Chris Patten, challenges the Chinese authorities to leave Hong Kong as a free and democratic society.
In \JAfghanistan\j the Talibaan militia pursue the ousted government's top military commander, Mr Ahmed Shah Massoud, who is on the run.
The American Government concedes that over 15,000 troops could have been exposed to chemical weapons during the Gulf War.
A Peruvian \Jaircraft\j crashes near Lima, the capital of \JPeru\j, killing almost all of the 70 passengers and crew on board.
The UN Security Council votes to remove sanctions placed on the former Yugoslavia in 1992.
The Canadian Mounties uncover one of the largest illegal drug laboratories ever in \JNorth America\j, the drugs are said to be worth almost US$42 million.
A major Indonesian military figure warns the former pro-democracy leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, to stop creating trouble.
Mr Alexander Lebed, the Russian security chief, says that \JRussia\j should get involved in the Afghan crisis and assist retreating government troops.
#
"October 3, 1996",275,0,0,0
Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader, promises to continue fighting for democracy in \JBurma\j.
Talibaan militia gather at the mouth of the \JSalang\j tunnel in northern \JAfghanistan\j, waiting for an order to fight with the troops of Uzbed warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum.
As Palestinian officials return home, they claim that the peace summit held in Washington, US between Israel and Palestine was a failure, after the Israeli Prime Minister refused to compromise and fears of violence escalated.
Wislawa Szymborska, a Polish poet, wins the $1.4 million 1996 Nobel Prize for Literature.
The crash of a Peruvian \Jaircraft\j yesterday is attributed to a faulty computer navigation system.
#
"October 4, 1996",276,0,0,0
A report by the IUCN-World Conservation Union claims that a quarter of the world's \Jmammal\j species are in danger of \Jextinction\j.
To gain a final settlement to the Chechen war, Russian and Chechen leaders sign a joint statement which aims to maintain peace.
Leaders of \JRussia\j and four central Asian republics prepare to meet to talk about security on the southern border areas, following the Talibaan militia's rise to power in \JAfghanistan\j.
In \JJapan\j the world's first "paperless" newspaper is sold, it comes in the form of a small electronic wallet.
An Australian pilot who was held captive in \JSomalia\j for 131 days is released from jail.
Israel wants to impose severe controls on Palestinian police to avoid them from ever shooting against the Jewish State.
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and Bosnian leader Dr Alija Izetbegovic meet in Paris and agree to exchange ambassadors which is a pre-condition of the Dayton agreement.
The Russian national security chief, Mr Alexander Lebed, threatens to resign over President Boris Yeltsin's choice of candidate for a military appointment.
The United States forbids Burmese military leaders and their families to enter the US, following the authority's crackdown on the Burmese opposition party.
#
"October 5, 1996",277,0,0,0
Pope John Paul II is admitted to \Jhospital\j for an appendix operation.
In \JIceland\j a \Jvolcano\j erupts under a \Jglacier\j, and is in danger of bursting the ice cap which could lead to severe flooding.
It is announced that the American State Department will conduct an inquiry into what happened to the gold booty which the Nazis accumulated during the Second World War.
#
"October 6, 1996",278,0,0,0
Serbian leaders refuse to attend the first session of Bosnia's newly elected parliament which hampers the peace process and is seen as a blow to the new post-war government.
In \JBurma\j, authorities release more than 50 supporters of opposition leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.
Yao Wenyuan, the only remaining survivor of China's "Gang of Four" is declared officially free.
Clashes occur between Islamic Talibaan militia and ex-government troops in Panjshir valley, \JAfghanistan\j.
The North Korean Government arrests an American citizen who is charged with spying for South Korea.
Mr Warren Christopher, the US \JSecretary of State\j, commences talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, in an attempt to encourage a peace settlement between Israel and Palestine.
#
"October 7, 1996",279,0,0,0
Mr Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian President, prepares to fly to Israel for peace talks with Israeli President Mr Ezer Weizman.
Australian Professor Peter Doherty wins the Nobel Prize for Medicine in conjunction with Professor Rolf Zinkernagel of \JSwitzerland\j.
Talibaan rebel fighters continue to clash with ex-government troops in northern \JAfghanistan\j, while requesting international recognition and aid.
Taiwanese and Hong Kong demonstrators land on the disputed Diaoyu islands, while \JJapan\j tries to instill calm into the situation.
After a major televised debate, American President Bill Clinton continues to take the lead in the polls over Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole.
Concern mounts over Pope John Paul II's health, as it is rumored that he may be suffering from more than an inflamed appendix.
In Kashmir, India, Muslim rebels kill seven supporters of the National Conference Party in an act of revenge against people who assisted in the general elections.
#
"October 8, 1996",280,0,0,0
The IRA plants two car bombs at British army barracks in Lisburn, Northern Ireland injuring 23 people and placing the peace process in danger.
The Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, arrives in Israel for talks with Israeli President Mr Ezer Weizman.
It is claimed that Talibaan militia allegedly used poison gas against government troops in Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j.
Fighting continues in \JAfghanistan\j between Talibaan militia and troops loyal to the former government.
In \JCambodia\j five Khmer Rouge divisions, which amounts to 5,000 soldiers, desert and align themselves with the Cambodian Government.
Demonstrations against the economic policies of Pakistani Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, take place in \JLahore\j, \JPakistan\j.
A report published by Earthscan claims that the world's population will top 10.6 billion in 2080.
Pope John Paul II undergoes an appendicitis operation and is given a clean bill of health.
#
"October 9, 1996",281,0,0,0
In an effort to curb further political unrest, the Indonesian Government lays charges against many supporters of pro-democracy leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Ex-government troops in \JAfghanistan\j corner a large portion of the Islamic Talibaan militia in the \JSalang\j Pass as well as wounding many of their opponents in the clashes.
The IRA admits responsibility for the recent car bomb attacks at British army barracks in Lisburn, while Northern Ireland seems set for a bout of renewed violence.
In Kashmir, India, pro-India party leader, Dr Farooq Abdullah, takes office as head of the region's first government in seven years.
King Hussein of Jordan, Israel's closest ally, cautions that there could be another war in the \JMiddle East\j due to the Israeli Prime Minister's conceitedness.
#
"October 10, 1996",282,0,0,0
Talibaan militia in Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j begin to forcefully conscript young men and boys to fight against their opposition in the north of the country, as the UN evacuates its foreign staff.
All legal cases against the Indonesian Government brought to court by democracy leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri are thrown out by the authorities.
The State of \JBavaria\j warns that it will expatriate Bosnian war refugees.
In an effort to improve relations between Israel and Jordan, Israel will send a special envoy to Jordan.
Former Indian Prime Minister Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao is formally charged with \Jforgery\j and released on bail.
#
"October 11, 1996",283,0,0,0
Mr Carl Bildt, an international mediator, calls on foreign peacekeeping forces to remain in Bosnia until 1998 to help the peace process.
Five people die in the Indonesian town of Situbondo in East Java, after riots break out in which property and churches are demolished.
After four days of talks on the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j, the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, claims that no progress has been achieved.
Mr Magnus Malan, the ex-South African Defense Minister, has charges of ordering the murder of 13 black people dismissed.
Afghan fighters attack Talibaan militia near the Bagram air base north of Kabul in \JAfghanistan\j.
The Nobel Peace Prize is given to the Most Rev Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and Mr Jose Ramos-Horta for their peace-making attempts in East \JTimor\j-the award is unlikely be viewed kindly by the Indonesian authorities.
The Canadian Defense Ministry demands an inquiry into photographs which show troops posing with the remnants of people who were killed by a minefield in \JKuwait\j in the Gulf War.
#
"October 12, 1996",284,0,0,0
It is announced that Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, wishes to withdraw nearly all Israeli forces from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j.
#
"October 13, 1996",285,0,0,0
Indonesian President, Mr Soeharto, condemns the decision to award the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize to political activist Mr Jose Ramos-Horta.
Civilians are wounded during clashes between forces loyal to the former Afghan Government and Talibaan militia, just north of Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j.
Mr Theodore Miriung, the Premier of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, is assassinated.
In Washington, D.C. thousands of Hispanic people demonstrate against \Jimmigration\j and welfare reforms.
Kurdish rebels opposed to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein occupy the northern area of Sulaymaniya which they had lost a month ago to a Kurdish faction backed by Saddam Hussein.
In a report by the Indonesian Commission of Human Rights, the Indonesian Government and security forces are charged with initiating two days of riots in Jakarta in July.
#
"October 14, 1996",286,0,0,0
The Vatican announces that Pope John Paul II is suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo condemns \JIndonesia\j's military rule in East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j.
In \JAfghanistan\j ex-government troops recapture two critical towns north of Kabul.
The US suggests a 24-hour delay for any further talks between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, giving them time to iron out differences over Israel's delayed withdrawal from \JHebron\j.
Indonesian pro-democracy leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri attends the trials of 60 of her supporters who are charged with rioting.
Mr Newt Gingrich, the speaker of the US States Congress, demands an inquiry to ascertain if the Clinton administration favored an Indonesian business which had contributed $US800,000 to Democratic Party campaigns since 1992.
#
"October 15, 1996",287,0,0,0
Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Belo meets with Indonesian President Soeharto in Dili, East \JTimor\j.
In Korea 468 students go to court on charges of organizing violent pro-North Korean demonstrations in August.
In \JAfghanistan\j, Talibaan militia and ex-government forces continue to clash, as fighting closes in on the capital Kabul.
In the American presidential campaign President Clinton is accused of allegedly taking donations from rich Indonesians which may have influenced his policies on East \JTimor\j.
King Hussein of Jordan travels to the West Bank to meet with Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, in a demonstration of support for the Palestinians in their dispute with Israel.
A Kurdish faction backed by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein goes to Arbil in northern \JIraq\j to defend it against fighters from an opposing Kurdish group.
#
"October 16, 1996",288,0,0,0
In the American presidential campaign, Republican nominee Bob Dole launches an attack on President Bill Clinton's character and morals.
Britain is likely to ban all handguns, except small calibre guns, in light of a report issued on the massacre in Dunblane, Scotland.
Ex-government forces in Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j warn Talibaan militia that they will not give up their fight for the capital Kabul.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is given the go-ahead for heart surgery.
The American Administration is getting reconnaissance \Jaircraft\j ready to observe North Korea's test firing of a nuclear Nodong-1 missile.
The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party is being touted as the likely winner of the forthcoming general elections in \JJapan\j.
#
"October 17, 1996",289,0,0,0
It seems very likely that American President Bill Clinton will win another four-year term in office.
Papua New Guinea Defense Force troops are linked to the recent murder of Theodore Miriung, the premier of the island of Bougainville.
Russian Security Chief Alexander Lebed is denounced for allegedly planning a coup.
Jewish people in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j caution that they will use private troops to protect them from Palestinian attacks if Israeli forces are withdrawn.
Iraqi Kurdish rebels attempt to regain the city of Arbil in northern \JIraq\j from an Iraqi-backed rival group.
In \JPakistan\j, Imran Khan, former cricketer and now politician, is preparing to file charges of corruption against the Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto and her husband, Mr Asif Ali Zardari.
A union between two of \JAfghanistan\j's fighting forces endangers the Talibaan militia's stronghold over Kabul.
In \JGuatemala\j City, nearly 83 people are crushed to death in a stampede as \Jsoccer\j fans rush to get into an overcrowded \Jsoccer\j stadium.
Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission sends people to East Java to study the causes of the Situbondo riot which left five people dead.
#
"October 18, 1996",290,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin sacks national security chief Alexander Lebed.
The Clinton Administration announces that it intends to go ahead with the sale of nine F-16 jet fighters to \JIndonesia\j.
It is believed that the crash of the TWA Flight 800 in July was caused by a mechanical failure and not a bomb as previously suspected.
The Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) warns that it will ask for help from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if Western countries convince \JIran\j to stop supporting rival groups.
The former Afghan government's military leader, General Ahmad Shah Massoud, demands that Talibaan militia withdraw from the capital of \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul, and hand it over to the UN or else go to war.
The American Senate banking committee accuses Swiss banks of profiting from victims of the \JHolocaust\j by diverting money taken from Jews to Swiss citizens.
A badly planned event led to yesterday's stampede at a \Jsoccer\j stadium in \JGuatemala\j City which killed 83 people.
Mr Newt Gingrich, the US House Speaker, demands that the sale of F-16 jet fighters to \JIndonesia\j be suspended until an investigation is made into political donations by wealthy Indonesians to the Democrats.
#
"October 19, 1996",291,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin names a moderate, Mr Ivan Rybkin, as the new Russian security chief.
The United States begins to evacuate nearly 700 Iraqi refugees who were forced to flee from an Iraqi-backed Kurdish faction.
#
"October 20, 1996",292,0,0,0
Talks are delayed again between Israel and Palestine on the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j.
In the US two opinion polls show that President Bill Clinton holds a large lead over Republican opponent Bob Dole.
Former Afghan military leader General Ahmad Shah Massoud orders rockets to be fired on the capital of \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul, as a warning to the Talibaan militia.
The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party looks likely to win \JJapan\j's general elections.
#
"October 21, 1996",293,0,0,0
In Brussels, the \JBelgium\j Prime Minister, Mr Dehaene, guarantees major changes in the legal system after thousands of people demonstrate against the handling of a recent pedophile case.
The \JPhilippines\j bans Nobel Peace Prize winner Mr Jose Ramos-Horta from visiting Manila during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, as they say he would embarrass the government.
Fighting continues between Talibaan militia and former government forces north of Kabul, \JAfghanistan\j.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Hashimoto's Liberal Democratic Party prepares to establish a new government without forming a coalition.
The outcry over donations by the Indonesian Lippo group to the American Democratic Party is encouraging the two presidential nominees to promise reform when it comes to campaign contributions.
Hong Kong's Catholic bishop, Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng-chung, discloses that he will retire on July 1, 1997-the \Jday\j Hong Kong is handed over to China-signaling the \JCatholic Church\j expects problems under Chinese rule.
#
"October 22, 1996",294,0,0,0
Australia fails to gain non-permanent membership to the United Nations Security Council.
Nicaraguan people vote for Mr Arnoldo Aleman of the Liberal Alliance for president-he defeated Sandinista leader and ex-president Mr Daniel Ortega.
As the US fails to reach a solution in talks between Israel and Palestine over the Israeli withdrawal from \JHebron\j, there is pressure on Israel to accept more involvement from Europe.
Documents belonging to the late Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, discovered after 50 years, are put up for sale.
Thousands of Hutu refugees from \JRwanda\j and \JBurundi\j escape to eastern Zaire to avoid fighting between Zairean forces and ethnic Tutsis.
General Abdul Rashid Dostum, leader of former Afghan government forces, issues a warning to Talibaan militia to withdraw from Kabul, as international pressure increases for a cease-fire.
Former South African President, Mr P. W. Botha, and two of his cabinet ministers, are blamed for ordering a spate of violence in the 1980s.
The Indonesian Government disclaims any connection with the disputed contributions by an Indonesian businessman to the American Democratic Party.
Mr Vytautas Landsbergis, the Lithuanian independent leader, defeats former communist opponents in \JLithuania\j's parliamentary elections.
#
"October 23, 1996",295,0,0,0
In southern \JCalifornia\j, USA, thousands of people are forced to flee their homes as the area is hit by fire-storms.
French President Jacques Chirac appeals to \JArabs\j to give up using violence to gain a Palestinian state.
American President Bill Clinton recommends that \JNATO\j be expanded and shoul allow the entry of former Soviet bloc countries by the year 1999.
Lawyers acting for supporters of former Indonesian opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, abandon the law courts, claiming that the judge was conducting an unfair trial.
Fighting in eastern Zaire between ethnic Tutsis and Zairean troops prevents vital food supplies from reaching thousands of refugees.
The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission warns that it will \Jsubpoena\j ex-president Mr P. W. Botha over \Japartheid\j crimes unless he assists with investigations.
The Norwegian Prime Minister, Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland, announces her resignation.
An American Boeing 707 cargo plane explodes in mid-air over Manta, \JEcuador\j, killing at least 100 people.
#
"October 24, 1996",296,0,0,0
Authorities in \JBurma\j continue to hold Mr Kyi Maung-a senior adviser to the democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi-in custody.
The Russian Prime Minister, Mr Victor Chernomyrdin, warns the Russian \Jsecret service\j to stay out of the political tussle for power.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) launches rockets and shells at a rival Kurdish faction in northern \JIraq\j which destroys the cease-fire established by the US just hours earlier.
It is alleged that documents uncovered reveal that the sacked Russian security chief, Mr Alexander Lebed, was planning to stage a coup d'Θtat against Mr Yeltsin's government.
On the anniversary of former Israeli Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin's death, hundreds of people march peacefully in his memory.
Thousands of Hutu refugees seek refuge in the town of Bukavu, Zaire to avoid fighting between the Zairean army and Tutsis.
French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac again requests a greater role for Europe in the failing \JMiddle East\j peace talks despite the offer previously being refused by the US and Israel.
Swiss authorities will establish an investigative body to conduct an inquiry into the missing Jewish assets which were placed in Swiss banks during the Nazi German rule.
It is believed that Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland, who resigned as \JNorway\j's Prime Minister, may be seeking the United Nations Secretary-General position.
#
"October 25, 1996",297,0,0,0
American investigators are yet to discover the cause of the TWA Flight 800 crash in July.
In \JPakistan\j 11 policemen are charged in connection with the death of the Prime Minister's brother, Mr Murtaza Bhutto.
Two Israeli soldiers are killed and four others wounded in a bomb attack in south \JLebanon\j.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin tells his political enemies to stop squabbling in what is seen as an attempt to reassert his power.
It is believed that the UN Secretary-General, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, will call a regional conference to discuss the crisis in Zaire, \JRwanda\j and \JBurundi\j.
Hundreds of people riot in St Petersburg, \JFlorida\j, USA after police fatally shoot a black motorist.
Talibaan militia use MiG fighters to bomb villages north of Kabul and succeed in pushing back rival General Ahmad Shad Massoud's forces.
Mr Lee Yang-Ho, the former South Korean defense minister, and three businessmen from the company Daewoo, face charges of corruption and bribery.
Indonesian military authorities claim that a riot held in Situbondo, East Java, in which five people were killed, was organized.
China announces that it wishes to send Chinese troops to Hong Kong for defense reasons before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China.
The Japanese Prime Minister continues to search for political allies to join his coalition which would enable him to form a new government.
In \JBurma\j, Mr Kyi Maung, senior advisor to democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, is still held in custody, while Ms Suu Kyi is effectively under house arrest once again.
#
"October 26, 1996",298,0,0,0
In St Petersburg, \JFlorida\j, USA a state of emergency is declared and the sale of handguns is stopped after rioting erupted when a black motorist was fatally shot by police.
Europe, USA, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j put international pressure on the Burmese authorities after the arrest of democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's senior advisor Mr Kyi Maung.
#
"October 27, 1996",299,0,0,0
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch makes a US$1 million contribution to the Californian Republican party.
As fighting between Tutsi rebels and the Zairean army continues in Zaire, it is feared that a humanitarian crisis will erupt in this part of Africa.
American security guard, Mr Richard Jewell, the prime suspect in the July \JAtlanta\j Olympic bombing, is officially declared innocent by Federal authorities.
Prior to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, the \JPhilippines\j Government tightens its security, banning entry to many human rights activists.
In Saudi \JArabia\j authorities arrest three Saudis and three Shi'ite Muslims in connection with a truck bombing in June which killed 19 American soldiers in the City of Dhahran.
In an attempt to put pressure on the Burmese authorities, \JBurma\j's military leaders will not be allowed to enter any country in the European Union.
#
"October 28, 1996",300,0,0,0
General Abdul Rashid Dostum's forces launch ground and air attacks on the Talibaan militia, however they have no impact on the Talibaan's position.
In \JCairo\j, \JEgypt\j at least 100 people are killed after an apartment block collapses.
Maung Kyi, senior advisor to Burmese democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, is released from custody.
The American Administration and Arab leaders put pressure on Israel and Palestine to finalize details on the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, is publicly criticized over the proposed Israeli withdrawal from \JHebron\j by his brother-in-law Mr Haggai Ben-Artzi, who announced his resignation from the Likud Party and his intention to move to \JHebron\j.
Tutsi fighters continue to defeat Zaire's armed forces, threatening to divide up Zaire.
#
"October 29, 1996",301,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin cancels his meetings held in \Jhospital\j which is seen as another signal of his weakening political power.
Authorities in \JRwanda\j claim that they have no involvement in the crisis in Zaire.
In \JPakistan\j, police and soldiers stop nearly 2,000 demonstrating militant Islamic students from mobbing the national parliament in what is seen as an effort to start a constitutional crisis.
The Australian Government is criticized by South-East Asian newspapers and magazines over its policy towards Asia.
In the United States the Democrat and Republican parties, in the final week in the run up to presidential elections, embark on campaigns to convince the public to vote.
In Baukavu, Zaire soldiers and citizens run amuck and begin looting, while the UN attempts to get supplies to nearly 700,000 Hutu refugees fleeing the violence.
It is estimated by researchers at the University of \JIndonesia\j that between 12,000 and 31,000 people die from AIDS in \JIndonesia\j every year.
#
"October 30, 1996",302,0,0,0
Former South African \Japartheid\j assassin, Mr Eugene de Kock, is jailed for life.
The American Republican Party attacks the Democrat Party for failing to disclose in a report presidential campaign donations and spending.
Chinese dissident, Mr Wang Dan, is given a ten-year jail sentence after being found guilty of planning to overthrow the Chinese Government.
Zairean President, Mr Sese Seko Mobutu, from his sickbed in \JSwitzerland\j, attempts to restore calm to Zaire and orders the eastern provinces of South and North Kivu to be put under military control.
The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party is unsuccessful in its attempt to gain the support of former coalition members or independents which will mean a shaky minority government.
Rioting occurs in the occupied West Bank, \JHebron\j after an Arab boy is allegedly bashed to death by a Jewish settler.
#
"October 31, 1996",303,0,0,0
In Sao Paulo, \JBrazil\j, 95 people are killed after an \Jaircraft\j crashes into a residential area minutes after takeoff.
Rwanda and Zaire are on the brink of a full-scale war, as fighting continues in eastern Zaire.
The Zairean President, Mr Mobutu, continues his exile in \JSwitzerland\j and, as yet, has made no announcement on the fighting in Zaire.
Former Afghan Government troops bomb the capital of \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul, and attack Islamic Talibaan militia north of Kabul.
The Japanese Liberal Party comes to an agreement with former coalition partners which allows it to form a new government.
American President Bill Clinton maintains a 16-point lead over his Republican opponent Bob Dole in the US presidential campaign.
#
"November 1, 1996",304,0,0,0
Chinese dissident Wang Dan's harsh jail sentence of 11 years raises fears about how the Chinese authorities will handle criticism once it resumes control of Hong Kong.
French film director, Marcel CarnΘ, dies.
British scientists allege that they have uncovered evidence of life on Mars which dates back 600,000 years.
The new United Nations delegate to central Africa, Mr Raymond ChrΘtien, announces that his first task will be to work towards a cease-fire in Zaire.
International aid organizations are preparing to evacuate over 100 foreign employees from the town of Goma in eastern Zaire.
The Zairean Parliament votes to cut diplomatic relations with \JRwanda\j, \JBurundi\j, and \JUganda\j.
Former Bulgarian prime minister Andrei Lukanov is murdered.
Fighting between Islamic Talibaan militia and former Afghan government soldiers continues in \JAfghanistan\j.
Pope John II nominates Monsignor Joseph Zen as successor to Hong Kong's Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng-chung, who will retire when China resumes control of Hong Kong in 1997.
The Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, claims that his coalition will win the Yugoslav elections.
American Republican challenger Bob Dole continues his battle in the presidential campaign against heavy odds - American President Bill Clinton holds a double-digit lead.
Indian authorities lay more corruption charges against former Indian prime minister, Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao.
After 14 years in power, German Chancellor Dr Helmut Kohl sets a record as \JGermany\j's longest-serving Chancellor this century.
#
"November 2, 1996",305,0,0,0
All aid workers in Goma, eastern Zaire, are evacuated to the Town of Gisenyi, \JRwanda\j.
It is predicted that only 55% of the voting population will vote in the American elections this coming week.
#
"November 3, 1996",306,0,0,0
After international aid agencies withdraw from Zaire, efforts to get food to more than one million Rwandan and Burundian refugees fail, which leaves thousands dying from starvation.
It is feared if aid is not given to the one million refugees in Zaire, the crisis could lead to the biggest humanitarian catastrophe in the world.
The Rwandan army takes over the town of Goma in eastern Zaire.
American navy divers undertake a final trip to retrieve wreckage from TWA Flight 800 which crashed in July.
In the Egyptian port of Alexandria, archaeologists on a diving expedition believe that they have uncovered the remains of the Lighthouse of Pharos and the royal palace of Cleopatra.
Israelis gather to commemorate the death of former prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated a year ago.
Yugoslavs vote in the general elections.
Allegations over donations to the American Democrat Party begin to erode President Bill Clinton's lead in the presidential campaign.
The Australian Government announces that it will continue to push for better human rights in \JBurma\j but will not join other Western countries in imposing sanctions.
The Cambodian Government comes to a peace agreement with a renegade faction of the Khmer Rouge.
#
"November 4, 1996",307,0,0,0
The United Nations attempts to find a way to get involved in the crisis in Zaire and re-establish aid to the area.
An Irish newspaper claims that the British Government and the Irish Republican Army are involved in secret talks via a middleman in an attempt to restore the cease-fire in Northern Ireland.
Another main Khmer Rouge faction, led by Nuon Paet, agrees to unite with the Cambodian Government forces.
#
"November 5, 1996",308,0,0,0
In \JBurma\j, authorities arrest a dozen supporters of democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, after stopping them from going to hear her deliver a speech.
An October plane crash in Lima, \JPeru\j, is believed to have been caused by workers forgetting to take off duct tape from critical sensors after cleaning the \Jaircraft\j.
A Zairean rebel leader announces a three-week cease-fire between Zaire's army and Tutsi fighters in Zaire.
Medical authorities successfully perform multiple heart by-pass surgery on Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
The American public votes in the presidential and congressional elections.
The President of \JPakistan\j, Farooq Ahmed Leghari, sacks Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her government, after accusations of corruption are made.
#
"November 6, 1996",309,0,0,0
The sacked Pakistani Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, claims that her government's removal was a constitutional coup and promises to regain her position in the February elections.
US President Bill Clinton wins a second term in office but his Democrat Party fails to gain a majority number of seats in the Congress or Senate.
A UN report alleges that Rwandan Hutu rebels, who are fighting in eastern Zaire, have been supplied with weapons from Europe and South Africa.
Plans are drawn up to send a UN force to eastern Zaire in an attempt to rescue more than one million refugees.
Not quite a \Jday\j after undergoing heart by-pass surgery, Russian President Boris Yeltsin resumes full presidential powers.
#
"November 7, 1996",310,0,0,0
Sacked Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto condemns her former friend and colleague President Farooq Leghari for dismissing her.
Japan re-elects Mr Hashimoto, the leader of \JJapan\j's Liberal Democratic Party, as Prime Minister.
Plans for an international force to rescue more than 1.2 million refugees in eastern Zaire are drawn up after receiving the go-ahead from the Zairean President, Mr Mobutu.
Bosnian Serbs destroy the homes of Muslims who had asked for permission to visit their villages in a Serb-controlled region.
Republican leaders of Congress offer support to the newly-elected American President Bill Clinton.
In an effort to satisfy the American human rights movement, Chinese authorities release dissident Mr Chen Ziming on medical parole, prior to the US \JSecretary of State\j, Mr Warren Christopher's visit to China.
#
"November 8, 1996",311,0,0,0
Russian President Boris Yeltsin continues to make a speedy recovery from recent heart by-pass surgery.
In London, UK, the infamous Carnaby Street is sold for ú90 million.
The Cambodian Government holds a ceremony to welcome thousands of former Khmer Rouge fighters into its army.
It is revealed that the Bosnian Government has been caught smuggling heavy artillery arms into Bosnia via southern \JCroatia\j.
It is alleged that TWA Flight 800 which crashed in July, was mistakenly shot down by a missile fired by a US Navy warship.
As the Clinton Administration in the US heads to another term in office, key members of the Cabinet resign, including \JSecretary of State\j Warren Christopher.
In Lagos, \JNigeria\j, a Boeing 727 crashes and all 141 people on board are presumed dead.
NASA launches the American Mars Global Surveyor on a mission to locate life on Mars.
Mr Imran Khan, former cricketer and now politician, is on the campaign trail in \JPakistan\j and condemns sacked Pakistani Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto.
The cease-fire in Zaire fails, which sees the renewal of fighting in a violent \Jcivil war\j.
As the international community slowly draws up plans for international aid to Zaire, Zairean refugees are "dying like flies".
In \JAfghanistan\j, Islamic Talibaan militia are told that international aid will be cut unless they halt the cultivation of opium.
A \Jcyclone\j in India's south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh kills up to 2,000 people.
#
"November 9, 1996",312,0,0,0
American President Bill Clinton announces that businessman, Mr Erskine Bowles, will be his new chief of staff.
#
"November 10, 1996",313,0,0,0
The US Navy and \JFBI\j deny that TWA Flight 800 was shot down by an American missile.
Zairean President Mr Mobutu promises to return to Zaire in several weeks time to handle the growing crisis there.
American singer Frank Sinatra is released from \Jhospital\j after a health scare.
In Papua New Guinea, authorities place main towns on a curfew, following a period of violent crime.
International figures criticize the United Nations for failing to go to the assistance of one million refugees in Zaire.
It is announced that sacked Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and her husband Asif Ali Zardari, will have criminal charges laid against them.
Thirteen people are killed in a bomb explosion at a Moscow cemetery.
#
"November 11, 1996",314,0,0,0
A UN spokesperson announces that Zairean rebels are willing to allow access via a humanitarian corridor to more than one million Rwandan and Burundian refugees who are trapped by the fighting.
The Khmer Rouge gives Nuon Paet, a well-known leader of the guerrilla faction, the status of "hero".
China forbids the importation of certain American goods, which will aggravate trade relations between the American Administration and China.
The Burmese democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, asks the European Union to impose sanctions against \JBurma\j's military authorities.
Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the Indonesian opposition leader, reveals that she was informed prior to her party headquarters being taken over in July.
In \JRussia\j, police commence a search for the people responsible for planting a bomb at a Moscow cemetery - the explosion killed 13 people.
The Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, calls on a European Union delegation to convince Israel to implement its plan to remove troops from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j.
#
"November 12, 1996",315,0,0,0
Pro-government supporters demonstrating in Jakarta call for Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Belo to be banished from \JIndonesia\j.
Mr Warren Christopher, on his last overseas trip to Israel before resigning as American \JSecretary of State\j, attempts to negotiate a peace settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians.
General Ratko Mladic fails to obey orders from the Bosnian Serb President, Ms Biljana Plavsic, to resign as army leader.
International aid agencies manage to get some supplies to starving refugees in Goma, eastern Zaire, but are given severe warnings about making any deals with Tutsi rebel fighters.
An investigation claims that the American \JCIA\j is innocent of charges of introducing cheap \Jcocaine\j onto the streets of LA and using the profits to fund \JCIA\j training of Nicaraguan Contras.
#
"November 13, 1996",316,0,0,0
A Saudi jumbo jet and a Kazakh \Jaircraft\j crash in mid-air over New Delhi, India, killing all 351 passengers and crew.
In \JSwitzerland\j, $US1.3 million in assets belonging to Jewish victims of the Nazi \Jholocaust\j has been discovered by the Swiss banking ombudsman.
Zairean President Mr Mobutu wants more than one million Hutu refugees to return home to \JRwanda\j.
Serb police and Muslim citizens fight in Celic, Bosnia - the most serious violation of the cease-fire since the general elections.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, goes to court in an attempt to overturn the decision by President Farooq Leghari to sack her.
An \Jearthquake\j in southern \JPeru\j kills seven people and injures 500 others.
International aid organizations are stopped by rebels from reaching thousands of refugees in Bukavu, Eastern Zaire, while plans to send an international force to Zaire are discussed.
#
"November 14, 1996",317,0,0,0
American President Bill Clinton grudgingly promises to send 1,000 soldiers to Zaire as part of an international humanitarian rescue mission led by Canada.
Air traffic controllers are blamed for the recent crash between a Kazakh cargo plane and a Saudi jumbo in India.
Pope John Paul II gives the first address at the beginning of the World Food Summit which is being held in \JRome\j.
Demonstrations in support of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Filipe Belo are held in Dili, East \JTimor\j.
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, postpones a trip to the US so he can take control of discussions on the withdrawal of troops from the town of \JHebron\j on the West Bank.
The wrangle for control of the Bosnian army continues, as Bosnian Serb leaders attempt to reach a compromise.
#
"November 15, 1996",318,0,0,0
In Israel, the High Court allows the secret police the power to torture an Islamic extremist to glean information about a terrorist attack.
Reactions to the proposed Zaire international peace force are mixed, while Tutsi rebels claim that the limited mandate of the force will render it useless.
Mr Nelson Mandela, the South African President, sends a team to \JTanzania\j for discussions on South Africa's role in the international rescue mission to Zaire.
Palestinians in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j celebrate the forthcoming withdrawal of Israeli troops.
In Sydney, \JAustralia\j, touring pop star Michael Jackson marries Ms Debbie Rowe, who is expecting their first child early in 1997.
#
"November 16, 1996",319,0,0,0
American President Bill Clinton announces that 10,000 soldiers will remain in the \JNATO\j-led force in Bosnia.
#
"November 17, 1996",320,0,0,0
Hundreds of thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees return to \JRwanda\j, inundating aid organizations and forcing the West to rethink the role of the multinational humanitarian force.
Indonesian authorities tell Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Ximines Filipe Belo to keep out of politics.
Shipping tycoon, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, looks likely to become Hong Kong's first leader under Chinese rule.
A bomb explodes in a military apartment block in the southern Russian republic of Dagestan, killing 17 people and injuring many others.
#
"November 18, 1996",321,0,0,0
A Russian Mars probe, experiencing rocket motor failure, crashes in the \JPacific Ocean\j off Easter Island, west of \JChile\j.
It is revealed that European armaments companies sold weapons to the exiled Hutu army.
The international humanitarian mission to help out refugees in Zaire is put in doubt as thousands of refugees return to \JRwanda\j.
Authorities arrest another minister from the sacked Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's government.
The American oil company, Texaco, pays out $US176 million to settle a case of \Jracial discrimination\j - the largest payout in US history.
#
"November 19, 1996",322,0,0,0
A fire breaks out on a freight train traveling through the Channel Tunnel from \JFrance\j to England, injuring 34 people.
An ex-military leader, Mr Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, is set to become \JThailand\j's next prime minister, after making a coalition deal with one of his former enemies.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro meets with Pope John Paul II in \JRome\j.
Aid organizations say the crisis in central Africa is far from over and would still welcome some military assistance with their relief efforts.
In the wake of the Dunblane massacre, the British Government refuses to institute a ban on all handguns.
Factions fighting in \JAfghanistan\j admit to a UN envoy that they are willing to come to an agreement on a cease-fire but do not know how it would be implemented.
#
"November 20, 1996",323,0,0,0
American President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, visit \JAustralia\j en route to the APEC forum in Manila, the \JPhilippines\j.
Plans to send an international military force to Zaire are postponed, as \JRwanda\j does not want military intervention.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's legal battle to get her government reinstated suffers a delay as parts of her petition are deemed irrelevant and scandalous.
Authorities allow the Miss World competition to proceed in India despite widespread protests.
The US puts pressure on the United Nations Secretary-General Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali to resign - the only nation to withdraw support for Dr Boutros-Ghali's second term in office.
NASA launches Columbia, the 15-year-old American \Jspace shuttle\j, on a scientific mission, carrying the oldest \Jastronaut\j ever, 61-year-old Dr Story Musgrave.
#
"November 21, 1996",324,0,0,0
At least 39 people die when a 16-story office block in Hong Kong catches fire.
Australia supports US opposition to a move by Asian governments to increase membership of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC).
Mr Newt Gingrich is re-elected as Speaker of the American \JHouse of Representatives\j.
Germany and Bosnia make a deal to repatriate 300,000 refugees from the war in the former Yugoslavia.
Another group of thousands of Rwandan refugees starts to return to \JRwanda\j, lessening the need for the international UN force.
#
"November 22, 1996",325,0,0,0
In investigations into the worst fire in an office block in Hong Kong, it is claimed that up to 80 per cent of Hong Kong's office buildings are fire traps.
Palestinian authorities claim that they are prepared to fight against the Israeli expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, claims that donations from two welfare organizations are legal.
Mr P. W. Botha, former South African President, claims that he was not involved in any of the violence during the \Japartheid\j reign.
As discussions about the international humanitarian force to Zaire take place in \JGermany\j, heavy fighting and large refugee movements continue.
Mother Teresa is hospitalized after experiencing heart failure.
In Northern Ireland, British troops detonate a large bomb which had been placed outside the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) headquarters in \JLondonderry\j.
#
"November 23, 1996",326,0,0,0
Over 200,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees, fleeing fighting between Rwandan Hutu troops and Zairean rebels, hide in the mountains in eastern Zaire.
British fashion photographer, Terence Donovan, commits suicide.
#
"November 24, 1996",327,0,0,0
The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum commences in Manila, the \JPhilippines\j.
An Ethiopian Airlines \Jaircraft\j, which was hijacked over East Africa, crashes in the \JComoros\j Islands after it runs out of fuel, killing at least 120 people.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin orders the withdrawal of Russian troops from \JChechnya\j so it can commence the process to elect its own leaders.
American and British sources reveal that scientists in the UK have carried out radiation tests on humans for the last 30 years.
Rwandan refugees continue their mass exodus to \JRwanda\j, while international humanitarian aid looks in doubt.
In \JBangalore\j, India, authorities arrest over 1,500 people who demonstrated against the Miss World contest.
#
"November 25, 1996",328,0,0,0
Zairean rebels allow UN officials access to evaluate the need for aid to wartime refugees, while plans for an international humanitarian force are still not confirmed.
At the APEC meeting in Manila, \JPhilippines\j, 18 world leaders support a plan to create a single Pacific Rim economy by 2020 as well as the US push to loosen controls on global trade in information technology.
Rescuers continue to pull out bodies from the wreckage of the hijacked Ethiopian airliner which crashed off the \JComoros\j Islands, East Africa.
Egypt, \JSyria\j and Jordan announce their disapproval of Israeli plans to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bishop Carlos Belo appeals for a fresh start in the relationship between East \JTimor\j and Indonesian authorities.
#
"November 26, 1996",329,0,0,0
In Zaire, Tutsi rebels murder at least 300 Rwandan and Burundian Hutu refugees at Chimanga camp, south-west of Bukavu.
In the civil trial against American footballer O. J. Simpson, who is accused of murdering his ex-wife and her friend, it is revealed that he failed a polygraph test.
French truck drivers strike, causing widespread shortages of food and fuel.
To stave off widespread hunger and disease, \JIraq\j comes to a $US2 billion agreement with the UN regarding selling small amounts of oil to finance its humanitarian requirements.
More than 50,000 people demonstrate in \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j, to force President Milosevic's Socialist Party to accept defeat in the recent elections - results which the Party recently annulled.
One of Albert Einstein's vital scientific manuscripts sells at auction for $US400,000.
Mother Teresa asks to be allowed to die but then permits doctors to conduct an angiogram test.
#
"November 27, 1996",330,0,0,0
Indonesian authorities acquit 124 supporters of opposition leader Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri who were arrested four months ago in connection with riots in Jakarta.
The American Administration claims that the Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu is endangering the \JMiddle East\j peace talks by proposing to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
French transport workers continue to strike, threatening to bring the country to a standstill.
During his Asian trip, American President Bill Clinton gives his support to the Burmese democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and highlights the need for the spread of democracy in Asia.
Thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees, who had been missing for a month in the bush in East Zaire, appear in Minova, west of Lake Kivu.
#
"November 28, 1996",331,0,0,0
Authorities in \JThailand\j shoot a drug gang after the gang surrenders; the killings are publicly condemned.
In a widespread show of dissatisfaction, Serbs refuse to cast their vote in the new elections called by the Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, who was unhappy with the results of the previous election.
General Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb commander of the army, agrees to step down after fighting for control with the President Ms Plavsic.
British comedian and star of the Goons show, Michael Bentine, dies in London.
South African President, Mr Nelson Mandela, announces that South Africa will cut off links with \JTaiwan\j in favor of diplomatic relations with China.
Nearly 126 UN member countries demand an end to the Israeli expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
#
"November 29, 1996",332,0,0,0
It is uncovered that troops from the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, and civilians, were guilty of murdering Bougainville Premier Theodore Miriung.
Muslim academics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, claim that pages from the world's oldest Koran, dating from AD646-656, have been pulled out and put up for auction by Christie's, the London auctioneers.
In \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j, demonstrations continue against corruption at the ballot and calls are made to overthrow President Slobodan Milosevic.
The international force which was to be sent to Zaire now seems unlikely, although 20 countries agree to parachute food to Rwandan Hutu refugees in Zaire.
Mr F. W. de Klerk, the former South African president, claims that Mr Nelson Mandela gave in to the Chinese communist demands when he decided to stop diplomatic relations with \JTaiwan\j.
Seven weeks after general elections were held in \JNew Zealand\j, there is still no conclusive results.
Astronauts aboard the \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia are forced to give up attempting a spacewalk after failing to open the hatch.
British Prime Minister John Major refuses to allow the Irish Republican Army to participate in any future peace talks on Northern Ireland until a lasting cease-fire is announced.
#
"November 30, 1996",333,0,0,0
Mother Teresa is in a stable condition after undergoing major heart surgery.
Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohammad, calls Australian Independent MP Pauline Hanson "a little bit moronic" for her anti-Asian \Jimmigration\j opinions.
The United Nations claims that Rwandan-backed Zairean rebels have expanded their power base over much of Zaire's eastern border area.
William Perry, the American Defense Secretary, threatens that the US would go to war if \JIran\j or \JIraq\j presented any military danger.
#
"December 1, 1996",334,0,0,0
The Stone of Scone, a symbol of Scottish nationhood and sovereignty, is returned to Edinburgh Castle - the stone was taken from Scotland in 1296 by King Edward I to punish his enemies.
The French truck strike ends after an agreement is reached.
The leaders of ASEAN remain undecided about giving full membership of ASEAN to \JBurma\j; it was agreed \JBurma\j would join with \JCambodia\j and Laos though no date of entry was given.
Mrs Ghinva Bhutto, the widow of the murdered brother of the former Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, takes over control of her late husband's party faction.
The United Nations World Food Program reveals that over 150,000 people have died in the \Jcivil war\j in \JBurundi\j and there is a shortage of food and also refugee problems in the country.
Mother Teresa is reported to be in a critical condition at a \JCalcutta\j \Jhospital\j.
#
"December 2, 1996",335,0,0,0
An American history student discovers that Hitler kept secret the fact that thousands of Nazi soldiers were of Jewish origin.
Fears mount that a further crisis is about to erupt in Central Africa, as Zaire and \JUganda\j warn of retaliation against each other as fighting again breaks out in \JBurundi\j.
Demonstrations against President Slobodan Milosevic's Government continue in \JSerbia\j.
Despite widespread denouncement of Israeli expansions of Jewish settlements, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives the go-ahead for houses to be built in the Jordan Valley.
The Thai deputy police chief is alleged to have ordered the shooting of six members of an alleged drug ring.
American pop singer Tiny Tim dies in \JMinneapolis\j, USA.
Japan and the US sign a deal to cut back the size of the disputed US military bases on the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j by one fifth.
#
"December 3, 1996",336,0,0,0
A Pentagon official announces that an American \Jspacecraft\j has discovered ice on the moon which will have implications for further scientific exploration of the \Jplanet\j.
Mr Vaclav Havel, the President of the Czech Republic, undergoes an operation to treat lung cancer.
African countries put forward alternative candidates for the job of UN Secretary-General which weakens Boutros Boutros-Ghali's campaign to win a second term in office.
Zairean rebels occupy more land and declare they will attempt to overthrow the Government of Zaire.
To ensure residency of Hong Kong, China stipulates that emigrants must return to the island by June 30, 1997.
A gas explosion occurs in a \Jcoal\j mine in Shanxi province, China, killing over 100 workers.
Burmese authorities arrest hundreds of people participating in the largest anti-government demonstrations since 1988.
#
"December 4, 1996",337,0,0,0
A bomb explodes in a passenger train at a Paris underground station, killing two people and injuring 51 others.
One of the world's worst serial murderers, South African Moses Sithole, confesses to killing 29 women - it is alleged that he is responsible for the deaths of at least 38 people.
As widespread anti-government protests continue in \JSerbia\j, the government shuts down the last two remaining independent radio stations.
In Zaire, rebels say that they have occupied three main towns and are about to take over the last government-controlled city in eastern Zaire.
Following large anti-government demonstrations in \JBurma\j, the democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, is again placed under house arrest as authorities clamp down on government opponents.
A \Jcyclone\j which threatens the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh forces 50,000 to flee their homes.
A \Jvolcano\j erupts on the island of Manam, Papua New Guinea, killing four people and forcing hundreds more to evacuate.
NASA announces it will use its Lunar Prospector \Jspacecraft\j to investigate claims of finding ice on the moon.
The British Public Record Office reveals that Hitler offered the Duke and Duchess of Windsor the office of puppet king and queen of Britain at the beginning of the Second World War.
#
"December 5, 1996",338,0,0,0
The Indonesian Minister for Mines, Mr Ida Bagus Sudjana, is accused of stealing $30.5 million from a state-owned mining company.
In South Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, soldiers attack a church, killing nine people.
The US condemns the Serbian Government for closing radio stations, while widespread anti-government demonstrations continue.
Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the United Nations Secretary-General, postpones his bid for a second term in office so he can observe how much influence other African nations wield in the Security Council.
Israeli and Palestinian authorities agree to meet to discuss the stalemate over \JHebron\j in the West Bank.
Former Japanese vice-health minister, Mr Nobuharu Okamitsu, is arrested on charges of bribery.
Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader, is no longer under house arrest.
In \JGuatemala\j, rebel and government leaders agree to sign a peace deal, ending 36 years of \Jcivil war\j.
#
"December 6, 1996",339,0,0,0
US President Bill Clinton chooses Ms Madeleine Albright as American \JSecretary of State\j, the first female to hold this position.
Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, makes a few compromises after weeks of anti-government demonstrations and denouncements.
It is alleged that the leader of an Algerian Islamic terrorist group was responsible for the recent bombing in the Paris underground.
It is announced that American President Bill Clinton will meet with Russian President Boris Yeltsin early in 1997.
The Japanese Government is embroiled in a controversy over charges of bribery.
The American Administration cautions Zairean rebels against pursuing a policy of separatism in eastern Zaire.
Actor Woody Allen is prevented from visiting his adopted daughter, Dylan.
#
"December 7, 1996",340,0,0,0
The Minister for Information in \JSerbia\j resigns in protest over the Government's clamp down on the media.
#
"December 8, 1996",341,0,0,0
For the first time in 17 years the British Conservative Party loses its parliamentary majority.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization's leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, claims that there is a real danger of an Arab-Israeli war as fighting erupts in South \JLebanon\j.
In \JBurma\j, students demonstrate and establish a students' union, despite threats from authorities.
The Supreme Court of \JSerbia\j disallows the opposition's appeal against election rigging.
Mother Teresa's condition worsens and concern for her health continues to mount.
#
"December 9, 1996",342,0,0,0
Burmese authorities close universities after student protests, as opposition leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi denounces the force used to break up the demonstrations.
The first meeting of the World Trade Organization is held in \JSingapore\j.
A poll conducted in Asia shows that senior businessmen are worried about the Australian Government's handling of the Asian migration debate instigated by independent MP Pauline Hanson.
Sudanese rebels release Australian nurse, Ms Maree Worthington, whom they were holding captive for five weeks.
Pakistani authorities launch a campaign to stamp out the production of drugs.
#
"December 10, 1996",343,0,0,0
Two months after a general election, \JNew Zealand\j finally gets a new center-right coalition Government led by Prime Minister Mr Jim Bolger and Mr Winston Peters as Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister.
In \JNorway\j, Indonesians Bishop Carlos Belo and Mr Jose Ramos Horta are presented with the Nobel Peace Prize.
NATO condemns Serbian President Mr Slobodan Milosevic's decision to invalidate the results of the November elections.
Mr Tung Chee-hwa, a Hong Kong shipping tycoon, looks likely to be appointed as the first Chinese person as governor of Hong Kong.
The American \JFBI\j offers a reward of $US500,000 for information on the \JAtlanta\j Olympics bomber.
South Africa's new Constitution becomes law.
#
"December 11, 1996",344,0,0,0
In Hong Kong the shipping tycoon Mr Tung Chee-hwa is elected as the first Chief Executive when Hong Kong comes under Chinese authority in July 1997.
Israeli authorities release plans to expand the Jewish settlements in Arab east \JJerusalem\j, which causes outrage among Palestinians.
The new government of \JNew Zealand\j intends to place restrictions on foreigners purchasing farms and large publicly owned assets.
Ghana's Mr Kofi Annan and the Ivory Coast's Mr Amara Essy emerge as favorites in the contest for the position as new Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, comes under pressure from the United States and other Western nations to recognize the demands of demonstrators protesting against the cancellation of election results.
Iraqi President, Mr Saddam Hussein, under UN authority, starts the process which allows Iraqi oil to flow to world markets for the first time in six years.
#
"December 12, 1996",345,0,0,0
At the World Trade Organization meeting held in \JSingapore\j, America and the European Union agree to get rid of worldwide tariffs for information technology.
Israeli authorities demand that the Palestinian Liberation Organization hands over the terrorists responsible for fatally shooting a Jewish mother and her son in the West Bank.
Hong Kong's newly chosen Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee-hwa, announces that the Chief Secretary under British rule, Mrs Anson Chan, will continue in her role after July 1 - a decision welcomed by many people.
British broadcaster Willie Rushton dies at the age of 59.
American authorities uncover evidence that strongly connects \JIran\j with the bombings of US military operations in Saudi \JArabia\j in June.
The British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is forced to give up his attempt to be the first man to walk without assistance across \JAntarctica\j due to health problems.
#
"December 13, 1996",346,0,0,0
United Nations' officials claim that Rwandan refugees have fled their camps in \JTanzania\j but instead of returning home to \JRwanda\j have headed east into the bush.
Uday Hussein, the eldest son of the Iraqi President, is attacked and believed to be in a critical condition.
In South Africa, thousands of people apply to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for amnesties for crimes committed during the \Japartheid\j era.
The opposition campaign against the Serbian President's decision to annul the November 17 election results begins to wane.
The list of suspects linked to the attempted assassination of Uday Hussein, the unpopular and hated eldest son of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, continues to grow.
Kofi Annan from \JGhana\j is chosen by the United Nations Security Council as the next UN Secretary-General.
#
"December 15, 1996",347,0,0,0
New Zealand plans to hold a referendum in 1997 to see if the monarchy will be retained or the country will become a republic.
Hundreds of thousands of Rwandan refugees return to \JRwanda\j from \JTanzania\j.
Israeli President, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, continues to support the expansion of Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
Demonstrations against Serbian President Mr Slobodan Milosevic continue, as demands for the end to election \Jfraud\j mount.
An Australian consular official is sent to Saudi \JArabia\j to help solve the murder of Australian nurse Ms Yvonne Gilford.
Families of the victims of TWA Flight 800, which crashed in July, meet airline executives to demand compensation, despite no public official explanation for the accident.
#
"December 16, 1996",348,0,0,0
Former leading American officials send a letter to Israeli President Mr Benjamin Netanyahu asking him to rethink Israel's expansion of the Jewish settlements and promote peace in the \JMiddle East\j.
The death sentence for former South Korean president Chun Doo Hwan is changed to life in prison and his successor Roh Tae Woo's sentence is cut to 17 years.
Zairean President, Mr Mobutu, plans to return to Zaire after spending six weeks in \JFrance\j recovering from treatment for prostate cancer.
Pakistani President, Mr Farooq Leghari, issues a verbal assault on former Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto while justifying the right to use his constitutional authority to sack her.
Over 250,000 demonstrators in \JBelgrade\j accuse the Serbian Government of election \Jfraud\j, as a court in the city of Nis orders the election commission to reinstate an opposition victory.
#
"December 17, 1996",349,0,0,0
The leader of the UK's grand prix racing team, Frank Williams, and five others, are to be charged with \Jmanslaughter\j over the death of Brazilian racing champion Ayrton Senna in 1994.
Following a summit in \JNairobi\j, Africa, the presidents of South Africa, \JKenya\j, Zimbabwe, and \JCameroon\j pledge to take steps to help end the crisis in eastern Zaire.
In \JSerbia\j, the opposition rejects any deal to end the election \Jfraud\j crisis despite a number of concessions by President Slobodan Milosevic.
Discussions between Israel and Palestine on the withdrawal from the West Bank city of \JHebron\j recommence, as America claims that Israel is damaging the peace process by providing finance for the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.
Former South Korean defense minister, Lee Yang-Ho, is given a four-year jail sentence for corruption over arms deals.
The author, explorer, farmer, soldier and conservationist, Sir Laurens van der Post, dies in London at the age of 90.
In the Russian State of \JChechnya\j, six Western International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers are shot dead in their sleep.
#
"December 18, 1996",350,0,0,0
Mystery still surrounds the slaughter of six Red Cross workers in the Russian State of \JChechnya\j.
Rebels from the pro-Cuban Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) take more than 480 people hostage after infiltrating a party at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, \JPeru\j - while demanding the release of comrades from jail. Nearly 170 women and elderly are released immediately.
Mr Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's chief-in-waiting, commences discussions with China's Foreign Minister on his role in Hong Kong's future.
Kofi Annan is sworn in as Secretary-General of the United Nations until 2001.
Wreckage from the \Jspace shuttle\j Challenger, which crashed 11 years ago, is washed up on the coast of \JFlorida\j, US.
Mr Mobutu, the President of Zaire, returns to his country after months of treatment for cancer in Europe.
#
"December 19, 1996",351,0,0,0
Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni dies at the age of 72.
Negotiations continue between Peruvian authorities and left-wing rebels, who are holding over 300 people hostage in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, while the rebels threaten to kill hostages if 300 comrades are not released from jail.
International aid organizations withdraw workers from the Russian State of \JChechnya\j after the slaughter of six medical staff from the Red Cross.
Mother Teresa is released from \Jhospital\j three weeks after suffering a heart attack.
Mr Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of sacked Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, is charged in connection with the murder of Ms Bhutto's brother, Mr Murtaza Bhutto.
Two Palestinian men are jailed for life and a third is given a 15-year jail sentence for murdering a Jewish settler and her son.
#
"December 20, 1996",352,0,0,0
No solution is reached in the three-\Jday\j hostage crisis in \JPeru\j, as the US sends a security team and the UK sends six SAS commandos.
China's last eunuch, Sun Yaoting, dies at the age of 94.
Iraq buys 300,000 tonnes of wheat from \JFrance\j and \JAustralia\j, its biggest food purchase in six years.
Chinese authorities in Hong Kong choose 400 candidates for the "provisional legislature" - the Chinese form of Hong Kong's elected Legislative Council.
A Tibetan human rights group claims that many \JHollywood\j actors have been banned by Chinese authorities from going to \JTibet\j, including Martin Scorsese, Brad Pitt, and Harrison Ford.
Authorities in the Russian State of \JChechnya\j arrest some suspects in connection with the deaths of six Red Cross workers.
#
"December 21, 1996",353,0,0,0
American footballer O. J. Simpson, who was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife and her friend, is awarded custody of his two children.
The estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is valued at $US43.7 million, it was originally thought to be worth up to $US100 million.
#
"December 22, 1996",354,0,0,0
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori urges left-wing rebels to release over 300 hostages at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, and guarantees that no force will be used against them if they do so.
It is claimed that Palestinians have called for the removal of American mediator, Mr Dennis Ross, from the \JMiddle East\j peace talks.
China nominates a shadow parliament as a replacement to Hong Kong's elected legislature, which is likely to worsen relations between Britain and China in the lead-up to the 1997 handover.
#
"December 23, 1996",355,0,0,0
Tupac Amaru rebels release a further 225 hostages from the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, \JPeru\j, but threaten to kill the remaining hostages.
The Northern Ireland peace process is damaged after a bomb explodes in a car in the Ardoyne area of north \JBelfast\j, Ireland, injuring a senior IRA officer.
After an absence of five months, Russian President Boris Yeltsin returns to the \JKremlin\j.
The \JPhilippines\j President, Mr Ramos, is recovering after surgery to treat a blocked artery.
#
"December 24, 1996",356,0,0,0
A bomb explodes in a church in Frankfurt, \JGermany\j, killing three people and injuring 13 others.
Three bombs explode during peak-hour Christmas shopping at Worcester, South Africa, killing three people and injuring 80 others.
#
"December 25, 1996",357,0,0,0
Two British nurses are charged with the recent murder of Australian nurse, Ms Yvonne Gilford, in Saudi \JArabia\j.
The Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement releases Uruguay's ambassador to \JPeru\j from hostage at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, after authorities in Uruguay release two Tupac Amaru members from jail.
Clashes continue between the Serbian Government and opposition forces, leaving 58 people wounded, as the American Administration accuses President Milosevic of causing the violence.
Cuba is conducting an anti-AIDS vaccine experiment on humans.
The United Nations Children's Fund (\JUNICEF\j) claims that nearly 150,000 refugees are dying of starvation in Zaire.
James Earl Ray, the assassin of renowned black \Jcivil rights\j leader Dr Martin Luther King, is reported to be critically ill.
Israeli-Palestinian talks over Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j anger Jewish settlers, who occupy two buildings in \JHebron\j's Arab casbah area.
Riots break out, killing one and injuring 11 others, at the homecoming of Indonesian Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Belo in Dili, East \JTimor\j.
#
"December 26, 1996",358,0,0,0
The Serbian Government bans demonstrations to prevent support for the opposition, which has been making accusations of election rigging for weeks.
British saxophonist Ronnie Scott dies in London at the age of 69.
Two bombs explode at a Buddhist temple in \JRangoon\j, \JBurma\j, killing four people and wounding 18 others.
In his Christmas message, Pope John Paul II focuses on the humanitarian crisis in Central Africa.
In Lima, \JPeru\j, an explosion is heard at the Japanese ambassador's home where Tupac Amaru rebels hold over 100 people hostage - the First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Lima is released after falling ill.
Eighty-eight people are killed and many others are missing after a storm hits the State of \JSabah\j in eastern \JMalaysia\j.
Mr Dennis Ross, the American \JMiddle East\j mediator, claims that Israel and Palestine will sign an agreement on the city of \JHebron\j early next week.
#
"December 27, 1996",359,0,0,0
The Guatemalan Ambassador to \JPeru\j is released by Tupac Amaru rebels, who are holding 103 people hostage at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, as \JJapan\j makes a request to the Group of Seven members to assist in working out a solution to the hostage crisis.
In South Korea over 1.7 million workers go on strike in protest against strict new labor laws.
Chechen authorities take another 15 people into custody in connection with the deaths of six Red Cross workers.
At least 600 people are arrested in connection with the attempted assassination of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday Hussein.
Despite warnings to end protests from the Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, about 60,000 continue to demonstrate against his government.
The death toll from the storm that hit the State of \JSabah\j in eastern \JMalaysia\j rises to 127.
The former Russian national security chief, Mr Alexander Lebed, drums up support from troops to launch a new political party.
Members of Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu's cabinet threaten to withdraw their support in protest against the plan to remove Israeli troops from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j.
#
"December 28, 1996",360,0,0,0
In \JIndonesia\j three people are killed and 15 injured after Muslims riot in an attack against Christian churches and Chinese businesses.
The Peruvian President, Alberto Fujimori, calls a state of emergency in Lima and expands the powers of the army and police to deal with the hostage crisis.
#
"December 29, 1996",361,0,0,0
Over 10,000 people attend the funeral of the first victim of \JSerbia\j's opposition movement in defiance of a ban on demonstrations placed by President Milosevic's Government.
Tupac Amaru rebels release a further 20 hostages from the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima after negotiations with a Peruvian Government representative.
Despite bitterly cold \Jweather\j and heavy police presence, demonstrators continue to protest in \JSerbia\j against the Government.
In \JRwanda\j thousands of Hutu refugees returning home from \JTanzania\j head towards their villages.
Indonesian authorities arrest 120 people in connection with rioting in the West Java towns of Tasikmalaya and Ciawi which killed four people.
Israel and Palestine seem likely to sign an agreement on the West Bank town of \JHebron\j, as Israel reopens the \JHebron\j University after its closure ten months ago.
A strike by thousands of workers in South Korea over new labor laws enters its fourth \Jday\j, despite clashes with riot police in Seoul.
Tibetan authorities arrest an American-trained filmmaker, Ngawang Choepel, on charges of spying.
Europe is hit by bitterly cold \Jweather\j which has so far killed 60 people.
#
"December 30, 1996",362,0,0,0
Israel and Palestine prepare to sign an historic agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from \JHebron\j in the West Bank.
After 36 years of \Jcivil war\j, the Guatemalan Government and left-wing rebels sign a final peace agreement.
France closes down its nuclear testing center in Mururoa in the South Pacific.
On the thirteenth \Jday\j of the hostage crisis in Lima, \JPeru\j, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement continues to hold 83 people captive despite progress made in negotiations with the Peruvian Government.
After two years of war, the remaining Russian troops are withdrawn from the State of \JChechnya\j.
In \JSerbia\j, several divisions of the armed forces voice their support of the opposition movement which is protesting against President Slobodan Milosevic's Government.
Eight Indonesian children are injured after playing with a hand grenade which exploded in Cibalong, West Java - the area affected by recent riots.
One of \JPakistan\j's leading fundamentalist Islamist parties, the Jamaat-i-Islami, threatens to blackball the forthcoming general elections due to claims that corruption is still rampant.
#
"December 31, 1996",363,0,0,0
Paul McCartney is awarded a knighthood in the Queen's birthday honors list.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is expected to reinstate 15-year-old Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich Romanov, the heir-apparent to \JRussia\j's last tsar, as head of \JRussia\j's imperial family.
More than 50 people are killed when a bomb explodes on a crowded train in north-east India.
Dozens of members of the Burmese Communist Party and the National League for Democracy, headed by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, are arrested for taking part in recent student protests.
Ex-senior leader of China, 92-year-old Deng Xiaoping, is rushed to \Jhospital\j for emergency treatment.
Peru's President, Alberto Fujimori, may allow the rebels, who are holding over 80 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, to leave the country safely if they agree to free the hostages.
Hundreds of people in the Caucasus mountains in \JRussia\j are trapped by avalanches.
#
"January 1, 1997",364,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Concern grows for China's paramount leader, Mr Deng Xiaoping, whose health is believed to be deteriorating rapidly. \I(China)\i
A railway bridge near Goreshawar in the State of Assam in north-east India is blown up by tribal separatists; no injuries are reported in this latest incident. Two days ago militant separatists allegedly planted a bomb on a passenger train which exploded in Kokrajhar 100 miles northeast and killed 38 people. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Former UN Secretary-General Dr Boutros Bourtros-Ghali ends his term in office, making one last plea to the USA to pay the $US1.5 billion that it owes the United Nations. \I(USA)\i
In Lima, \JPeru\j, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement permits cameras into the Japanese ambassador's residence where 81 people are being held captive. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Jewish soldier fires at a crowd of people in an Arab market in the town of \JHebron\j in the West Bank, injuring seven people, in a desperate attempt to thwart the \JHebron\j peace agreement. \I(Israel)\i
A week after an avalanche blocked a tunnel in the Caucasus Mountains in Tbilisi, Georgia, rescuers manage to free nearly 240 of the 300 trapped people. So far, there has only been one death and the road is expected to be cleared in the next few days. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council decides that sanctions against \JIraq\j should be reinstated, as no progress has been made in tracking down prisoners of war or missing people. For six months the sanctions will not be enforced, allowing \JIraq\j to sell oil in exchange for food and medical supplies for Iraqi people. \I(Iraq)\i
Pope John Paul II in his New Year message calls for forgiveness and peace and demands an end to conflicts throughout the world. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Fifteen Muslim fundamentalists are given the death sentence in \JAlgeria\j for their involvement in armed terrorist groups. Since 1993, over 1,200 fundamentalists have been sentenced to death, many in absentia, for their connections with terrorist factions. \I((Algeria)\i
Despite the bitter cold, over 250,000 people bang drums, pots and pans in \JBelgrade\j to show their support of the Serbian opposition. Numbers were lower than expected as the Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's Government has banned demonstrations. \I(Serbia)\i
#
"January 2, 1997",365,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At the Dieng Plateau in central Java, \JIndonesia\j, a crater emits poisonous gas. In 1979 a similar incident occurred which led to the deaths of 179 people. \I(Indonesia)\i
In West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, five people die in clashes between members of the local Dayak tribe and migrants from the island of Madura. \I(Indonesia)\i
Burmese authorities announce that they will continue to place restrictions on opposition leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi. Universities are also to remain shut following December's unrest. \I(\JBurma\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA), who are involved in the Lima hostage crisis, frees seven more hostages from captive despite the Peruvian President's refusal to offer any compromises. The release came after the Peruvian Bishop Juan Luis Cipriani spent five hours in discussions with the rebels -- the MRTA called it a "goodwill gesture". \I(Peru)\i
Scientists claim that there are over 200 stray \Jasteroids\j which may coincide with the Earth's \Jorbit\j. \I(USA)\i
The new Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ghanaian Mr Kofi Annan, begins his term in office. He reportedly wants all member nations to keep up with their UN commitments, a veiled reference to the $2 billion owed by the US, and promises to reform the United Nations. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A bomb explodes on a bus in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing 15 people and injuring 30 others. Syrian authorities allege that Israel's Mossad intelligence service was responsible for the bombing. \I(Syria)\i
Northern Irish police defuse a bomb left by the IRA in the grounds of \JBelfast\j Castle where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate the New Year. The truck contained over 1,000 pounds of explosives. \I(N. Ireland)\i
Europe is still suffering from bitterly cold \Jweather\j which has been responsible for the deaths of at least 150 people. Many of those killed during this period of freezing \Jweather\j have been the elderly and homeless. \I(Europe)\i
The outgoing Swiss President, Mr Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, claims that demands for a compensation fund for victims of the \JHolocaust\j who lost their assets during the Nazi reign are tantamount to \Jblackmail\j. His remarks cause outrage worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Kurdish rebel camps situated on the Turkish border are attacked by Turkish \Jaircraft\j as Turkish forces continue a cross-border campaign against the guerrillas. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"January 3, 1997",366,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The People's Action Party (PAP) in \JSingapore\j wins another five-year term in office in an election campaign which was very damaging to the opposition and strengthened Prime Minister's Goh Chok Tong's stronghold. As only 36 out of the 83 parliamentary seats were actually contested, victory was always certain for the PAP. \I(Singapore)\i
An Indian tribal group, the Bodoland Liberation Tigers Force, admits responsibility for the bombing of a passenger train in the state of Assam. \I(India)\i
The caretaker Pakistani Government arrests Mr Hakim Ali Zardari, the father-in-law of sacked Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, and Mr Nawaz Khokhar, the former minister of science and technology. This is seen as attempt to show the Government is being tough with its anti-corruption drive. \I(Pakistan)\i
Rioting between two ethnic groups, the indigenous Dayak group and migrants from the island of Madura, worsens in West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j. The violent clashes, which have been responsible for the deaths of at least five people, have caused thousands of people to flee their homes. \I(Indonesia)\i
A bomb explodes outside the home of Kashmir Chief Minister, Mr Farooq Abdullah, in Srinagar, India which kills four people. Jamait-ul-Mujahideen, a militant Kashmiri separatist group, claims responsibility for the attack. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Alberto Fujimori, the Peruvian President, claims that the hostage crisis is not damaging the Government or preventing foreign investment. In another move, Mr Fujimori announces that key officials, including the president of \JPeru\j's Supreme Court, held hostage have been replaced. This is a step which could be seen as an attempt to lessen the rebels' negotiation powers. \I(Peru)\i
It is recommended by the American congressional ethics subcommittee that the speaker of the US \JHouse of Representatives\j, Mr Newt Gingrich, be given a warning after an investigation into an ethics transgression. \I(USA)\i
Francisco "Pancho" Morales, who invented the margarita -- a tequila-based cocktail, dies in El Paso, \JTexas\j at the age of 78. \I(USA)\i
Five states in western USA are affected by terrible flooding following heavy rains and \Jwater\j from melting snow. The flooding leaves tens of thousands of people homeless. \I(USA)\i
American security guard Richard Jewell, who was falsely accused by the \JFBI\j as a suspect in the bombing at the \JAtlanta\j \JOlympic Games\j, reaches a settlement worth US$500,000 with NBC. \I(USA)\i
In southern \JColombia\j a passenger bus goes over a cliff edge, killing 37 people and injuring 3 others. \I(Colombia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Another Israeli soldier is arrested in connection with the attack on an Arab market in \JHebron\j in the West Bank. \I(Israel)\i
Israeli \Jaircraft\j bomb villages in southern \JLebanon\j in retaliation for Hezbollah guerrillas' attacks on Israel's security zone. The security zone in southern \JLebanon\j was set in 1985 to safeguard against guerrilla attacks on Israel's northern towns. \I(Israel)\i
Rebels seize the town of Bunia and goldmines in north-east Zaire after days of fighting with government troops which leave hundreds dead. \I(Zaire)\i
In \JLibya\j, six senior soldiers and two civilians are executed for their involvement in an attempt to launch a coup against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in October 1993. The Libyan leader has never acknowledged that an attempted coup occurred. \I(Libya)\i
A bitterly cold snap continues to grip most of Europe, killing at least 150 people. \I(Europe)\i
The Serbian Orthodox Church condemns the Government of President Slobodan Milosevic, claiming that the Government has encouraged violence and \Jfraud\j in elections. It is seen as one of the worst verbal attacks on the Government by the Church since it came into power ten years ago. The Serbian Foreign Minister, Mr Milan Milutinovic, sends a letter to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) stating that the Serbian opposition did win nine seats in the municipal elections. \I(Serbia)\i
#
"January 4, 1997",367,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Two bombs explode in the Indian capital of New Delhi, killing one person and injuring 11 others. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. \I(India)\i
Burmese authorities allow opposition leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, to meet up with 500 supporters. She expressed her gratitude to the government for allowing such a large gathering to proceed. \I(\JBurma\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JFBI\j reports that violent crime rates in the US dropped in the first half of 1996. As combating crime rates was a pivotal point of President Clinton's election campaign, he claims that the Government has made a difference in fighting crime. \I(USA)\i
A state of emergency is called in 37 counties in northern \JCalifornia\j after heavy flooding forces over 100,000 people from their homes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A court in \JRwanda\j gives two Rwandan Hutus the death sentence for their involvement in crimes and deaths against humanity. They were the first suspects to go on trial. Over 90,000 Rwandans are in jail suspected of crimes related to the deaths of 800,000 minority Tutsis and Hutu moderates. \I(Rwanda)\i
The Vatican confirms that Pope John Paul II will visit \JCuba\j in January 1998. It will be the Pope's first visit to communist \JCuba\j, the only country in \JLatin America\j that he has not visited. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
A gas explosion in a bank in the town of Theux, \JBelgium\j, kills two people and injures many others. \I(Belgium)\i
Despite pressure from the opposition and Western nations to concede defeat, the Serbian Government orders an election to be held again in the city of Nis where the Government lost its seat. \I(Serbia)\i
For the second \Jday\j in succession, Israeli \Jaircraft\j attack guerrilla bases in south \JLebanon\j in retaliation for the rebels' attack on an Israeli patrol. \I(Israel) (Lebanon)\i
#
"January 5, 1997",368,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Phnom Penh, Cambodian police blast demonstrators with fire hoses where garment workers are protesting against wages and conditions. \I(Cambodia)\i
Ethnic groups who have been rioting in West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, agree to halt the fighting. \I(Indonesia)\i
Strikes continue in South Korea, as workers protest against the Government's new labor laws. \I(South Korea)\i
Attempts by Japanese authorities to clean up an oil spill are thwarted by bad \Jweather\j. The oil spill occurred after a Russian tanker split in two, polluting Japanese waters with 26,000 barrels of oil. \I(Japan) (Russia)\i
Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader, calls for political discourse and reinforces her aim to continue struggling for democracy. \I(\JBurma\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A Japanese newspaper, the \I(Mainichi Shimbun),\i claims that the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement is demanding $38 million for the release of Japanese executives held hostage in Lima. The Japanese Government claims to have no knowledge of such demands and says that it has not been approached by the MRTA. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
Mr Bill Clinton, the US President, declares \JCalifornia\j and \JIdaho\j flood disaster areas, where storms have created havoc and killed at least 20 people. After a change in the \Jweather\j, Californians face the daunting task of cleaning up after severe storms, which left thousands of people homeless. \I(USA)\i
Despite investigations into the alleged ethical violations of Mr Newt Gingrich, Republicans are confident that the speaker of the American \JHouse of Representatives\j will be re-elected. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The President of the Czech Republic, Mr Vaclav Havel, marries actor Ms Dagmar Veskrnova. Mr Havel is recovering from recent surgery to treat lung cancer. \I(Czech Republic)\i
The Russian government contemplates its troop withdrawal from the state of Chechyna. The withdrawal was part of an agreement made last year between Moscow and Chechen separatists. It looks likely that the Chechen authorities will hold an election in late January. \I(Russia) (Chechyna)\i
For the third \Jday\j in a row, Israeli \Jaircraft\j attack guerrilla hideouts in south \JLebanon\j. At present, it is not known if there have been any casualties. \I(Israel) (Lebanon)\i
Jets, belonging to the Afghan warlord Rashid Dostum, bomb the Afghan capital Kabul, killing four people. In another incident in Kabul, a bomb explodes in a vegetable cart killing another four people, and injuring many others. The Talibaan militia blame Dostum and military chief Ahmed Shah Massood for the attacks. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Europe is hit by the lowest temperatures in three decades, while the \Jweather\j continues to create turmoil. The latest death toll due to the bitterly cold snap has been put at 200. \I(Europe)\i
Muslim guerrillas attack Ben Achour village in Blida Province, \JAlgeria\j, killing 16 people. The attack follows a statement by the Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahai that the government had nearly quelled any dissent from Muslim guerrilla factions. \I(Algeria)\i
An unknown right-wing South African group claims responsibility for the Christmas Eve bombings in the town of Worcester which killed four people. There is growing concern in South Africa that the right-wing activities may be a sign of growing opposition to the new democratic government. \I(South Africa)\i
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, appeals to Protestants in N. Ireland to maintain their cease-fire. It is believed that the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) are contemplating ending their two-year truce and launching a fight again pro-Irish nationalist enemies if the IRA kills anyone. \I(N. Ireland) (United Kingdom)\i
Zairean President, Mr Mobutu, is hiring mercenary soldiers and will ask for Morocco's assistance to curb a rebellion in eastern Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
Mr Nebojsa Covic, the mayor of \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j, steps down in protest at the Government's refusal to acknowledge electoral defeat in \JBelgrade\j. The President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, comes under increasing pressure from the United States to accept all opposition victories in the recent elections. \I(Serbia)\i
The Israeli-Palestinian agreement over the West Bank town of \JHebron\j could be jeopardized by Israeli cabinet members refusing to support crucial Palestinian demands. In another attempt to stop the settlement on \JHebron\j proceeding, Jewish settlers move seven mobile homes onto Artis Hill in the West Bank, claiming that they are going to establish a new settlement there. \I(Israel)\i
It is believed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mr Yassar Arafat met secretly to discuss breaking the deadlock over the \JHebron\j settlement.
The American special envoy, Mr Dennis Ross, arranged the meeting after separate discussions with each leader the previous \Jday\j. \I(Israel)\i
#
"January 6, 1997",369,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In South Korea mass strikes take place, as union leaders are called by courts for questioning. It is now being seen as a showdown between the Government and workers. \I(South Korea)\i
Indonesian President Mr Soeharto voices his concern over the recent riots in West \JKalimantan\j, claiming that such unrest is damaging to the country's future. \I(Indonesia)\i
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, JosΘ Ramos-Horta, encourages the Japanese Prime Minister Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto to raise the question of human rights when he visits \JIndonesia\j next week. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American billionaire and real estate investor, Harry Helmsley, one of New York's richest businessmen, dies at the age of 87. \I(USA)\i
Police search the home of a six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, who was murdered in her home the \Jday\j after Christmas. Her parents have fallen under suspicion after they hired separate lawyers. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Serbian capital of \JBelgrade\j is brought to a standstill, as protesters against President Slobodan's Government drove their cars into the main streets, despite the Government ban on demonstrations. \I(Serbia)\i
In Turkey, over 100,000 workers protest in the capital \JAnkara\j against corruption. \I(Turkey)\i
Mr Pierre Mauroy, former French Premier, claims that he knew that deceased French President, Mr Francois Mitterrand, was suffering from cancer when he was first elected in 1981. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak claims that the Israeli Prime Minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu has destroyed the relationship of trust between Israel and \JEgypt\j. \I(Egypt)\i
Survivors from a shipping disaster, where two vessels crowded with people crashed off the coast of Malta on Christmas Day, recount their stories of the struggle to stay alive. Over 280 Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan migrants are presumed dead. \I(Greece)\i
Russian authorities clear the Roksky tunnel, which links \JRussia\j and Georgia, after it was blocked by an avalanche two weeks ago. Last week, over 300 people trapped inside the tunnel were freed. \I(Russia)\i
In Northern Ireland, the IRA releases a video, seen as an attempt to improve support for the IRA's campaign of violence after the collapse of the peace talks. It features footage of Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness who have always denied their association with the IRA. \I(N. Ireland)\i
The two British nurses charged with the murder of Australian nurse, Ms Yvonne Gilford, in Saudi \JArabia\j withdraw their confessions plus a statement that one had an affair with the deceased nurse. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
The British Conservative Party is rocked by another sex scandal. Mr Jerry Hayes, a Conservative MP, is alleged to have been involved in a homosexual relationship with an underage teenager. \I(United Kingdom)\i
In Bangui, Central African Republic French troops attack a rebel soldier camp, killing at least six people. The rebels had occupied part of the capital for a six-week period. \I(Central African Republic)\i
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, says that he is unable to make any further concessions on reaching a settlement about the Israeli withdrawal of troops from \JHebron\j. \I(Israel)
#
"January 7, 1997",370,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mr Imran Khan, former cricketer turned politician, is served with a paternity suit. Mr Khan denies that he is the four-year-old girl's father. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Media and medical workers join the mass strikes in South Korea, despite appeals from the President, Mr Kim Young-sam, for labor peace. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement refuses to release any more of the 74 hostages until negotiations recommence. Witchdoctors from the Peruvian highlands attempt to end the hostage crisis using potions and skulls. The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, criticizes the Peruvian Government's handling of the hostage crisis and believes that a solution will not come for some time. \I(Peru)\i
States in the Western USA begin a major clean-up after flooding and storms caused havoc and major damage to the \Jinfrastructure\j. \I(USA)\i
Torrential rain and flooding for over a week in south-east \JBrazil\j causes the deaths of at least 67 people and leaves thousands of others homeless. \I(Brazil)\i
Former Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Brian Mulroney, settles his C$50 million case against the Canadian Government out of court. The Government had alleged that Mr Mulroney had accepted C$5 million in bribes in the purchase by Air Canada of 34 \Jaircraft\j in 1988. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, is forced to cancel meetings due to ill health, raising further speculation about the state of his health. \I(Russia)\i
In Monaco the Grimaldis royal family prepare to celebrate 700 years of power. \I(Monaco)\i
To mark the first anniversary of the death of former President Francois Mitterrand, \JFrance\j will hold a number of grand and special events. \I(France)\i
Hopes of peace are shattered in Northern Ireland, as a series of bomb scares, punishment attacks, and a rocket attack by the IRA on the Royal Courts of Justice, take place. \I(N. Ireland)\i
Protesters against the Serbian Government continue to ignore bans on marches, as more than 200,000 people demonstrate. It is claimed that senior army officers are preparing to revolt against President Slobodan's Government. \I(Serbia)\i
A Sri Lankan theologian, Rev. Tissa Balasuriya, is excommunicated by the Vatican because he questioned the Church's teaching on \Jbaptism\j, original sin, and the virginity of Mary as well as challenging the authority of the Pope. \I(\JItaly\j) (Sri Lanka)\i
The settlement on \JHebron\j suffers another setback, as Israel requests that further troop withdrawals from the West Bank be put off for nearly two years. The American envoy, Mr Dennis Ross, attempts to set up another meeting between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to end the differences between them and work out a deal on the Israeli withdrawal from \JHebron\j. \I(Israel)\i
One of the alleged suspects involved in the Christmas Eve bombing of the South African town of Worcester is arrested. \I(S. Africa)\i
#
"January 8, 1997",371,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In South Korea, union leaders give the Government one week to do away with its new labor laws or face a total work ban by public service employees. The President, Mr Kim Young- sam, dismisses the strikers' demands for removal of the new law. \I(South Korea)\i
The newly established Pakistani Council for Defense and National Security, which has formalized the army's role in the country's political structure, is considering calling a state of emergency to deal with the troubled political and economic situation. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Cambodian Khmer Rouge guerrilla faction continues to disintegrate with more than 900 members defecting to the Government of \JCambodia\j. \I(Cambodia)\i
The oil spill from a Russian tanker which split in two is endangering wildlife and is starting to spread to the coastline after the area was hit by bad \Jweather\j. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
China criticizes the decision of the American Administration to grant a visa to \JTaiwan\j vice president and premier, Mr Lien Chan, claiming it could damage USA-China relations. \I(China)\i
Chinese authorities claim that the paramount leader, Mr Deng Xiaoping, is in reasonably good health. \I(China)\i
In Hong Kong, it is decided that Queen Elizabeth II's profile will be removed from postage stamps. Many organizations are also dropping the word "royal" from their names in preparation for the July handover to China. \I(Hong Kong) (China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Newt Gingrich, the American Speaker of the \JHouse of Representatives\j, narrowly manages to get re-elected to the position despite the continuing investigation into his alleged unethical behavior. Mr Gingrich apologizes to the \JHouse of Representatives\j for being arrogant. \I(USA)\i
Negotiations to free the hostages held captive by rebels in Lima have come to a halt. Concern is now being expressed for the health of the 74 hostages. The Peruvian President, Mr Alberto Fujimori, reiterates that he will not give in to the rebels' demands to free 440 comrades from Peruvian jails. \I(Peru)\i
The American Supreme Court begins a case to decide over the right to \Jeuthanasia\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As incidents of violence return to N. Ireland, any hopes of a peace settlement diminish. A second attack on a security target occurs in Ulster. \I(N. Ireland)\i
Researchers in \JNamibia\j claim that new evidence shows that the reason for a giraffe's long neck is so it can use its neck to club opposition when vying for the best females. \I(Namibia)\i
British tycoon Richard Branson is forced to end his attempt to circle the globe in a hot air \Jballoon\j, as the \Jballoon\j began descending rapidly and dangerously. \I(United Kingdom)\i
In an attempt to placate Jews worldwide, after a Swiss official made some remarks that Jewish demands for compensation were \Jblackmail\j, Swiss authorities offer to use money from unclaimed bank accounts to set up a fund for \JHolocaust\j victims and their families. The offer fails to appease Jews who are still outraged by the recent comments. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Two car bombs explode in \JAlgeria\j, killing 20 people and injuring 111 others. An Algerian rebel leader warns of a new spate of bomb attacks. \I(Algeria)\i
Hundreds of European mercenaries recruited by ex-French government security officers meet in eastern Zaire. The intention is that the mercenaries will provide back-up to the Zairean army. \I(Zaire)\i
In Britain, the Prime Minister, Mr John Major, has the country guessing over the proposed election dates -- possible choices are March, April or May. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Eighteen minutes from the classic 1946 movie \I(The Big Sleep),\i starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is discovered in \Jarchives\j. \I(United Kingdom)\i
The American negotiator, Mr Dennis Ross, in the \JMiddle East\j talks steps up efforts to finalize a deal between Palestinians and Israelis on the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. He encourages the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to meet to solve their differences. \I(Israel)\i
Two Russian monkeys, who had been in space for two weeks, safely return to \Jearth\j after a mission to test the effects of weightlessness on plants and animals. \I(Russia)\i
#
"January 9, 1997",372,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korean authorities issue arrest warrants against 20 union leaders which leads to violent demonstrations in protest. Despite President Kim Young-sam's appeal for an end to the labor strikes, the protests spread. \I(South Korea)\i
In \JCambodia\j police break up protests by garment workers -- the eighth demonstration in recent weeks. \I(Cambodia)\i
Pakistani political parties criticize the new national security council which allows the military political participation. \I(Pakistan)\i
Mr Imran Khan, the former cricketer turned politician, claims that the paternity suit being launched against him is part of a plot to weaken his political position. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
The Singaporean opposition party calls for a police investigation into election irregularities after claiming that people voted twice in the election. \I(Singapore)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Dr Madeleine Albright, the American \JSecretary of State\j-designate, announces that the US foreign policy agenda will focus on Europe followed closely by Asia. \I(USA)\i
The result of the US Supreme Court's ruling on \Jeuthanasia\j is not expected for months though privately a vote will take place this week. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, is hospitalized with \Jpneumonia\j. Concern grows over the deteriorating health of the President who recently underwent major heart surgery. \I(Russia)\i
Prince Rainier of Monaco urges his son Prince Albert to marry, as the royal family celebrates 700 years of power. \I(Monaco)\i
A new vaccine against \Jmalaria\j is successful in its first round of testing -- a series of tests are to be conducted in Africa. \I(United Kingdom)\i
It is believed that British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, is about to launch a campaign for re-election despite lagging behind in the polls. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Swiss authorities refuse to apologize for comments by its former president about attempts to gain compensation for \JHolocaust\j victims. His comments, claiming the demands were "\Jblackmail\j", upset Jewish communities worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, concedes that the opposition did win control of the city of Nis. This concession is seen as a sign that the President is anxious to end the protest movement which has been going on for seven weeks after the Government annulled the election results. \I(Serbia)\i
The Israeli-Palestinian agreement on the West Bank town of \JHebron\j encounters more obstacles as the issue of when the Israeli troops will be withdrawn is discussed. The Palestinian leader, Mr Yassar Arafat, is annoyed by the suggestion that the withdrawal should be delayed for two more years. \I(Israel)\i
#
"January 10, 1997",373,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Hyderabad, India left-wing rebels allegedly murder 16 policemen and 2 civilians in an assault on a police station. \I(India)\i
Union leaders in South Korea manage to avoid arrest by taking refuge in Myongdong Cathedral in Seoul. The leaders warn that any attempt to arrest them would lead to all-out strikes. \I(South Korea)\i
The former \JBangladesh\j President, Mr Hussain Muhammad Ershad, is released from prison after serving a six-year jail sentence. Rival activists riot over his release, leaving at least 20 people injured. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Police in \JHaiti\j injure several people in an attempt to prevent an anti-government demonstration. \I(Haiti)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, Government soldiers resist attacks by Tamil rebels in the north of the country and manage to retain control of two critical army camps. It is believed that over 800 soldiers from both sides were killed or injured in one of the worst battles in the history of the 24-year \Jcivil war\j. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Shots are heard from inside the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, \JPeru\j, where left-wing rebels are holding 74 people hostage. No explanation has been issued for the gunfire. In another major development, it is believed that \JPeru\j is discussing safe passage out of the country for the 20 Tupac Amaru Revolutionary rebels. \I(Peru)\i
The American \JHouse of Representatives\j ethics committee prepares to release details of the speaker, Mr Newt Gingrich's alleged misuse of tax-exempt funds to pay for a lecture course. \I(USA)\i
American singer, Frank Sinatra, is believed to have suffered from a heart attack. \I(USA)\i
The US Supreme Court receives arguments for the right to doctor-assisted suicide but reacts unfavorably to them. \I(USA)\i
In America more than 100,000 pagers buzz at the same time, after a nationwide paging service went berserk. \I(USA)\i
Twenty-nine people die in an air crash in \JDetroit\j after the \Jaircraft\j hits a snow storm. \I(USA)\i
British rock star, David Bowie, celebrates his 50th birthday by holding a concert in Madison Square Garden, New York. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Twelve people are injured after two pipe bombs, loaded with nails, explode in garbage bins near the central bus terminal in old Tel Aviv. The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, threatens to retaliate if those people responsible come from the areas controlled by the Palestinian Liberation Organization. \I(Israel)\i
Mr Alexander Lebed, the former Russian national security adviser, calls for the resignation of the Russian President Mr Boris Yeltsin. Mr Yeltsin has been hospitalized with \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Russia)\i
The European Parliament accuses Britain of mishandling the "mad cow" disease. \I(United Kingdom)\i
After a 12-hour confrontation with students, Serbian police back off and tear down a barricade which was preventing the students from demonstrating. More than 2,000 students were joined by \JBelgrade\j residents. \I(Serbia)\i
The \Jpetroleum\j company, Shell, denies claims by the World Council of Churches (WCC) that the company is liable for much of \JNigeria\j's environmental destruction. \I(Nigeria)\i
It is claimed that the foreign mercenaries assisting the Zairean Government are being paid by \JFrance\j. The Zairean President, Mr Mobutu, returns to \JFrance\j to undergo some medical treatment, three weeks after his return to Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
Hollywood stars write an open letter published in the \I(International Herald Tribune)\i which accuses \JGermany\j of persecuting members of the Church of \JScientology\j in much the same way as Nazi \JGermany\j handled the Jews. German Chancellor, Mr Helmut Kohl, claims that the letter is "rubbish" and has no intention of replying. \I(Germany)\i
#
"January 11, 1997",374,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mr Kwon Young Gil, leader of the South Korean trade union, claims that workers will not back down and end strikes even though the Government appears ready to offer a peaceful solution to the crisis. \I(South Korea)\i
Government and rebel sources in \JSri Lanka\j confirm that over 800 people were killed last week in fighting to gain control of two army bases. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Burmese authorities stop supporters of the opposition leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, from meeting. \I(\JBurma\j)\i
To stamp out any dissent, Chinese authorities arrest three pro-democracy activists in a nationwide campaign. \I(China)\i
In \JIndonesia\j, four policemen are sacked for attacking a Muslim teacher. The attack started off the riots in Tasikmalaya in West Java last month. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
China vetoes a move by the United Nations to send military observers to \JGuatemala\j to oversee the peace agreement which ends the 36-year-old war between the Government and leftist guerrillas. It is thought that China vetoed the motion because \JGuatemala\j continues to recognize \JTaiwan\j. \I(Guatemala)\i
Scientists in \JChicago\j and Madrid discover that a chemical in grape skins, resveratrol, prevents cancer. \I(USA)\i
Bad \Jweather\j is responsible for the deaths of at least 20 people, as the USA is hit by snow, sleet and freezing rain. \I(USA)\i
In an attempt to improve his image, the Peruvian President, Mr Alberto Fujimori, visits shantytowns claiming that he can improve their lot in life rather than the Tupac Amaru Movement rebels. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mullah Mohammed Rabbani, the Talibaan militia's second-in-command, reappears in \JAfghanistan\j after a two-month absence. \I(Afghanistan)\i
In an attempt to thwart the 1993 peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Islamic militants in the West Bank city of Nablus demonstrate. \I(\JMiddle East\j)\i
During his visit to India, the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, drops clues that he may call a general election on May 1. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Pope John Paul II meets the new Australian Ambassador to the Vatican, Mr Edward Stevens; at the discussion the Pope condemns Australian \Jeuthanasia\j legislation. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In \JBulgaria\j, riot police are posted outside the Bulgarian Parliament as the opposition held demonstrations, demanding an early election. \I(Bulgaria)\i
After a bomb explosion in Tempo village in the south-west of Northern Ireland, which caused no injuries, the IRA threatens informers that it will retaliate if IRA members' lives are put in jeopardy. \I(N. Ireland)\i
#
"January 12, 1997",375,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi wins a battle to retrieve Mahatma Gandhi's ashes from a bank in India. Tushar is expected to take the ashes through India, ending up at the Ganges River on January 30 to scatter them in the river; this will be the anniversary of Gandhi's assassination in 1948. \I(India)\i
The 450-\Jkilometre\j oil spill off the coast of \JJapan\j is stopped from entering nuclear reactors at Wakasa Bay. It is now estimated that the Russian tanker spilled almost 20,000 tones of fuel oil. \I(Japan)\i
Tony Bullimore, the British yachtsmen rescued by the Australian Defense Force 2,600 km off the coast of Western \JAustralia\j, and Thierry Dubois, the French yachtsmen whom Australians also rescued near where they found Bullimore, are to receive a huge welcome when they arrive in Fremantle, Western \JAustralia\j tomorrow. The Australian navy ship HMAS \IAdelaide\i and its crew will also receive a huge welcome home. \I(Australia)\i
A new superior general for the Roman Catholic order is to be elected after poor health forces Mother Teresa to relinquish her position in February. As well as a superior general, four other members will be elected in a confidential ballot. \I(India)\i
Following claims that elections in \JPakistan\j would be postponed, President Farooq Ahmed Leghari announces that they will go ahead on February 3 as planned. If former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's petition to be reinstated goes ahead, elections will not take place. \I(Pakistan)\i
Sri Lankan troops continue their search for the Tamil Tiger guerrillas who killed or wounded 800 people during their attack on two army camps. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A Canadian yachtsman (Gerry Roufs) competing in the same solo round-the-world race as rescued Bullimore and Dubois is still missing, believed to be somewhere near Easter Island. Rescuers are reported to have lost faith in finding Roufs, after not hearing from him for five days. \I(Easter Island) (Canada)\i
It is reported that champion golfer, Arnold Palmer, has prostate cancer. 67-year-old Palmer cancels a tournament he was scheduled to play in next week. \I(USA)\i
It is claimed that newly-married John F. Kennedy jnr and his wife Carolyn Bessette are to seek a divorce; Carolyn is reported to be demanding $US10 million after only four months of marriage. \I(USA)\i
Below freezing temperatures and blizzards cause havoc throughout America, with North Dakota hardest hit. Over 30 people have died in the United States in the last four days due to the inclement \Jweather\j. \I(USA)\i
Space shuttle Atlantis launches from the Kennedy Space Center, heading for the Russian Mir space station. When it reaches the space station, Atlantis will pick up \Jastronaut\j John Blaha and leave behind Jerry Linenger for just over four months. \I(USA)\i
The US Federal \JAviation\j Authority is to check for abrasions on the fuel tank wiring of all Boeing 747 planes. This follows the confirmation that it was the fuel tank that caused the explosion when TWA Flight 800 blew up after taking off from Kennedy Airport in New York, killing all 230 passengers and crew. \I(USA)\i
More than fifty years after the end of the Second World War, a former US Army member becomes the first US black soldier who served in the Second World War to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Seventy-seven year old Vernon Baker receives the award at the \JWhite House\j, while six of his compatriots, also black, posthumously receive the award. \I(USA)\i
The Peruvian government, keen to end the 26-\Jday\j hostage drama, offers to send their chief negotiator to meet with the head of the Tupac Amaru rebel group who are still holding 74 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. \I(Peru)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hits \JMexico City\j; so far the extent of the damage and the injuries are unknown. \I(Mexico)\i
The parents of the murdered six-year-old American beauty, JonBenet Ramsey, go into hiding as a safety precaution. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following 55 days of protests against his government's refusal to approve opposition wins in the November elections, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic may be forced to back down after his government met with students representing the tens of thousands of demonstrators. \I(Serbia)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin's doctors say his health is improving while he recovers from \Jpneumonia\j, although this does not stop the rumors that Yeltsin is too ill to continue running the country. \I(Russia)\i
Mortars are fired into a small police station in Northern Ireland; the mortars, which do not explode, are believed to be the work of the IRA. Bomb disposal officials from the British Army are called in to defuse them. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Over 80 people in \JGabon\j come into contact with the Ebola virus, five are isolated in \Jhospital\j. The Ebola virus has no known cure and in six months has killed over 40 people in \JGabon\j. \I(Gabon)\i
Princess Diana of Wales is set to visit \JAngola\j to help raise support, led by the Red Cross, to place a global ban on the use of landmines. Over ten million landmines are believed to be scattered throughout \JAngola\j, killing and injuring thousands of people each year. \I(Angola)\i
Following a crucial meeting between King Hussein of Jordan and Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat, a proposal for the \JMiddle East\j peace process looks set to go ahead when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to meet with King Hussein to hear a new compromise for peace. US mediator Dennis Ross announces that he will stay in the \JMiddle East\j for now and not return to Washington as previously planned. \I(Israel)\i
Newly-elected attorney-general in Israel, Roni Bar-On, officially tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he will not be taking up this position. Since he was appointed three days ago, there has been a petition against him taking this position because he was a former member of the Likud Central Committee. \I(Israel)\i
Israel's Defense Minister claims that the proposed agreement for the \JMiddle East\j will not necessarily secure safety among the Jews and Palestinians in the \JHebron\j area. \I(Israel)\i
A train traveling from Milan to \JRome\j comes off the rails in \JPiacenza\j, \JItaly\j, killing eight people and injuring dozens more. The seven-car train derails while rounding a bend in the track. \I(Italy)\i
Following Richard Branson's failed attempt to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j, two men, one from \JSwitzerland\j and the other from \JBelgium\j, launch their \Jballoon\j from \JSwitzerland\j but are forced to land six hours later in the south of \JFrance\j. Kerosene fumes are blamed for the forced landing. \I(Switzerland)\i
Controversial French novelist, politician, and editor, Jean-Edern Hallier, dies aged 60, following a \Jbicycle\j accident. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
In \JBulgaria\j, police push their way through thousands of people to free lawmakers trapped inside \JBulgaria\j's Parliament building. Demonstrators had been demanding new elections, and voicing complaints about low salaries, crime and high \Jinflation\j. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Cyprus is determined to buy anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles from \JRussia\j despite protests from Turkey and \JGreece\j. \I(Cyprus)\i
#
"January 13, 1997",376,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Rescued yachtsmen Tony Bullimore from the United Kingdom and Thierry Dubois from \JFrance\j, along with the crew from the HMAS \IAdelaide\i (their rescuers) arrive in Fremantle, Western \JAustralia\j to thousands of well-wishers, politicians and journalists. In Tony Bullimore's speech he generously thanks \JAustralia\j for giving him back his life. \I(Australia)\i
Two delegates from both the Chinese and Taiwanese Foreign Ministries fly to Africa to gain support from the African countries to recognize either China or \JTaiwan\j. China hopes to gain recognition from the nations that currently recognize \JTaiwan\j, but \JTaiwan\j hopes to keep their support. \I(China) (Taiwan)\i
South Korea's military is in training to run the country's public transport system and other vital services in the wake of the nationwide strike that may see up to 1.7 million union members go out on strike, effectively bring South Korea to a standstill. \I(South Korea)\i
The Supreme Court in \JPakistan\j upholds the provision under which President Farooq Leghari dismissed prime minister Benazir Bhutto in November. Nawaz Sharif from the \JPakistan\j Muslim League is the favorite to become the next prime minister of the country. \I(Pakistan)\i
The death toll for the fierce Tamil Tiger attack on Sri Lankan soldiers last week rises to over 220, sixty more soldiers than previously thought. The death toll for the Tamil Tigers is estimated at around 350. Injuries and deaths on both sides are believed to be around 1000 people. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The oil spill cleanup off \JJapan\j's coastline continues, with special temporary fences being built to keep the oil out of a nuclear power plant at Wakasa Bay. The captain of the Russian tanker which spilled the oil is still missing. \I(Japan)\i
Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi, who has won the right to take possession of Mahatma's ashes, is told by an Indian court that he is not allowed to take them on a tour of India before scattering them in the Ganges on January 30. Instead they will stay in the bank vault until January 30 when he will scatter them on the anniversary of his great-grandfather's death. \I(India)\i
The Dalai Lama accepts an offer from \JTaiwan\j to visit the country despite warnings from China. \I(Taiwan) (\JTibet\j)\i
British Prime Minister John Major, winding up his South Asian visit, travels to the Khyber Pass, a known area for heroin trafficking, to call for tougher penalties for drug dealers. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton's lawyers want an emerging alleged sexual harassment case against Clinton to be postponed until he has finished his second term in office. The woman who has filed the case says it happened six years ago when Clinton was Governor of \JArkansas\j. \I(USA)\i
Five people are killed when a \Jhelicopter\j crashes into a mountain peak in Kimberley, Canada. \I(Canada)\i
American Steve Fossett launches his \Jballoon\j from St. Louis, in an attempt to be the first to travel solo around the world in a \Jballoon\j. Two earlier attempts this week in the United Kingdom and \JSwitzerland\j both failed shortly after take-off. \I(USA)\i
O.J. Simpson admits in court that he was unfaithful to his wife Nicole Brown Simpson saying that it was dishonest but that he was not a liar. \I(USA)\i
The Hubble Space \JTelescope\j provides astronomers with strong evidence that there are black holes in many galaxies in the universe; until proof was found, black holes were only theories. \I(USA)\i
Authorities defuse two letter bombs after they were sent to a UN bureau of an Arab newspaper in London. Police intercept thousands of parcels going to the UN headquarters in Manhattan after two more bombs were found and defused in the Arab newspaper's office there. \I(USA)\i
Gunshots are heard from inside the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, where Tupac Amaru rebels are still holding 74 hostages. However, there are no reports of injuries. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
King Hussein of Jordan arrives in Gaza, Israel to meet with Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank. It is expected letters of assurance from the US will be handed to both the Israelis and Palestinians regarding the withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank area. \I(Israel)\i
Thousands of demonstrators in Sofia, \JBulgaria\j, call for a new election but the governing Socialist Party refuse to call one. The country still has no prime minister following the resignation of Zhan Videnov in December. \I(Bulgaria)\i
The Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, who was recently attacked, is still believed to be in a serious condition and will need further operations for his injuries. \I(Iraq)\i
The President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, is under pressure from his country to minimize his expensive overseas trips and lavish spending to concentrate on Zimbabwe's poor economy. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
The Greek Foreign Minister, Theodore Pangalos, urges the Serb President Slobodan Milosevic to accept the recent opposition wins in the elections, while protests continue against Milosevic's Socialist Government to also accept the opposition victories. \I(\JSerbia\j)\i
The Greek Cypriot Government announces that it will not deploy Russian anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles on Cyprus for at least 16 months, but this did not mean that the Cyprus crisis was over. The Turkish Cypriot Government warmly welcomes the Greek Cypriot Government's announcement. \I(Cyprus\i
#
"January 14, 1997",377,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Rescued British yachtsman Tony Bullimore undergoes surgery in Western \JAustralia\j to treat frostbite on his fingers. Bullimore also spends two hours in a decompression chamber to treat poor blood circulation to his feet. Rescued French yachtsman Thierry Dubois flies to Adelaide in South \JAustralia\j to honor Australian defense forces involved in the three recent sailing rescues. \I(Australia)\i
The massive strike in South Korea worsens when dock workers call an indefinite strike and 5,000 white-collar workers take to the streets demanding President Kim Young Sam abandon the new strict labor laws. The three week strike is estimated to have mounted to over $3 billion in production losses. \I(South Korea)\i
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto claims that the US military presence in \JJapan\j was a key ingredient to peace in the region and calls on \JTaiwan\j and China to try to work out their conflicts peacefully. \I(Japan)\i
The Japanese island of Kanmurijima, where tens of thousands of white-faced shearwater birds nest this time of year, is threatened by oil slicks from the Russian tanker that spilled most of its fuel oil off the coast of \JJapan\j. Environment officials in \JJapan\j call for more volunteers to help clean up the disaster. \I(Japan)\i
British Prime Minister John Major, visiting \JPakistan\j to encourage more trade with Britain, calls on India and \JPakistan\j to solve the Kashmir conflict. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a response to the US Government's announcement that it may cut aid to South Africa if it sells weapons to \JSyria\j, South African President Nelson Mandela condemns the decision. \I(USA)\i
Supreme Court judges in America hold a meeting to decide whether President Bill Clinton should face an alleged sexual harassment charge while still in office or wait until he finishes his second term. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori hints that he may transport the Tupac Amaru rebels, who are still holding 74 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, to another country if they release the hostages, but he is determined not to give in to their demands of releasing 400 comrades from prison. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Approximately 400,000 people gather in the streets of \JBelgrade\j to celebrate the Orthodox New Year's Eve while also demonstrating against Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and his government for not recognizing opposition victories in local elections. \I(Serbia)\i
Petar Stoyanov, who will become President of \JBulgaria\j in a few days time, announces that he will call early elections in the wake of tens of thousands of protesters demanding an immediate election. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assures his Cabinet members that he will not sign any agreement until it satisfied the country's security needs. He also tells his government that the proposed \JHebron\j agreement does not mean that Israel will hand over a major portion of the West Bank area to the Palestinians. \I(Israel)\i
It is claimed that Russian President Boris Yeltsin has called for a referendum on reuniting his country with \JBelarus\j; meanwhile Alexander Lebed, former head of the National Security Council, and the leader of the Communists, Gennady Zyuganov, call for Yeltsin to stand down due to his on-going health problems. \I(Russia)\i
Rebel members of the John Garang's \JSudan\j People's Liberation Army attack and seize the eastern \JSudan\j towns of Kurmuk, Geissan and Ora, while the President of \JSudan\j, Omar el-Bashir, announces that his country's soldiers will "defend the homeland and deter the enemies of \JIslam\j and humanity." \I(Sudan)\i
Greece is hit by severe rain storms, leaving five people dead and causing millions of dollars worth of flood damage. \I(Greece)\i
Archaeologists in \JGreece\j claim they have uncovered the ancient site of \JLyceum\j, where Aristotle taught after leaving \JPlato\j's Academy. Aristotle lived from 384 BC to 322 BC. \I(Greece)\i
Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry, Lord Todd, dies aged 89.\I(United Kingdom)\i
A bus crash in \JCairo\j kills over 30 people and injures others when it plunges off a bridge into the Nile River. \I(\JEgypt\j)\i
The British Government expresses annoyance when the European Union Competition Commissioner in Brussels threatens to take British Airways to court if a merger between British Airways and American Airlines is approved. This merger, if successful, will create the world's biggest airline. \I(United Kingdom)\i
#
"January 15, 1997",378,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's politicians accuse \JAustralia\j of not supporting Britain and its democratic reforms when Hong Kong is handed over to China in July, while \JAustralia\j's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, avoids any criticism towards China in a bid to keep China on side. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Police use tear-gas on approximately 25,000 striking workers in Seoul as the general strike enters its second \Jday\j. \I(South Korea)\i
The Malaysian Government announces that it will not allow a British ship carrying recycled nuclear waste from \JFrance\j to \JJapan\j to enter its waterways. \I(Malaysia)\i
One of the largest ever \Jcocaine\j hauls in \JNew Zealand\j is seized by police in Auckland. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
An explosion, believed to be a bomb, kills three people in a New Delhi mosque. Reports of the number of people injured are still unclear. \I(India)\i
Up to 1,000 journalists in \JSri Lanka\j hold a demonstration against the government for its recent crackdown on the country's media. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
The clean-up of the massive oil spill off \JJapan\j's coast is hampered by bad \Jweather\j and rough seas. The oil slick continues to spread, causing considerable environmental damage. \I(Japan)\i
The Humans Rights Group in Asia claims that a proposed visit to China by United States Vice President Al Gore in March should not go ahead because the human rights situation is not improving in China and a visit by USA will not help matters. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Golfer Arnold Palmer, who has only just found out he has prostate cancer, is to undergo immediate surgery. \I(USA)\i
Astronomers at \JPennsylvania\j State University say that there is more chance of finding evidence of life forms on planets' moons and not on the planets themselves. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton congratulates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on their signing of the \JHebron\j peace deal. Clinton also thanks King Hussein of Jordan for his much-needed help in securing the agreement. \I(USA)\i
US Vice President Al Gore announces that all Boeing 737s in USA will have to have their rudder's improved in order to prevent unexplained disasters. \I(USA)\i
Tupac Amaru rebels still holding 74 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima signal that they are ready to accept the government's proposal for mediators to step in to try to end the four week crisis. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
American Steve Fossett, who launched his \Jballoon\j two days ago in an attempt to be the first to fly solo around the world in a \Jballoon\j, runs into trouble when \JRussia\j doesn't allow him to fly over their air space. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A new vaccine, Twinrix Adult, is launched in London. It is a combined vaccine that guards against both hepatitis A and B. \I(United Kingdom)\i
The approval for a new runway at Manchester Airport will see this airport become the second busiest, after Heathrow, in England. Environmentalists and residents living nearby oppose the ú170 million runway. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Prince Edward reportedly signs a ú1.3 million deal with a US broadcaster to make documentaries for the \Jtelevision\j station. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Following revelations that four women were infected with hepatitis B from their surgeons during operations in Britain, British surgeons are to undertake more stringent health checks. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sign an historic peace deal that will see self-rule for Palestinians in \JHebron\j and the deployment of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. \I(Israel)\i
Extra soldiers and police are brought into \JHebron\j to enable a safe and smooth deployment of the area. \I(Israel)\i
The Police Prime Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz confirms that his government will do everything in its power to return the assets of Jewish people or their heirs that were seized during World War II. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
The Russian Parliament attempts to oust President Boris Yeltsin, claiming him to be unfit to remain in office. Yeltsin is still in \Jhospital\j recovering from \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Russia)\i
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic may finally succumb to opposition pressure and eight weeks of street demonstrations when \JSerbia\j's electoral commissions announces they will restore election victories to the opposition. \I(Serbia)\i
Sudanese President al-Bashir declares a holy war against rebels when they overrun the town of Geissan and threaten to cut off power to the capital city. \I(Sudan)\i
#
"January 16, 1997",379,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Striking union leaders in South Korea reject the government's offer of introducing safeguards on job security. The continuing strike in South Korea causes millions of dollars worth of loss from potential exports and even more from production. \I(South Korea)\i
Over a dozen people are injured in Manila when Philippine police try to force squatters out of a slum colony where some of them have been living illegally in the area for up to ten years. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
As the Taiwanese Government announces that the Pope has accepted an invitation to visit its country, China strongly protests against any proposed visit by the Pope to \JTaiwan\j, which consequently causes more friction between the \JCatholic Church\j and \JBeijing\j. \I(China) (Taiwan)\i
A Canadian astronomer in \JAustralia\j claims that the Big Bang happened 15 billion years ago and not 10-13 billion years ago as most scientists believe. \I(Australia)\i
The Malaysian Government extends the amnesty period for illegal immigrants to surrender before imposing new strict penalties, including a fine and imprisonment. \I(Malaysia)\i
The government in \JSri Lanka\j reports that it is not willing to negotiate with Tamil Tiger rebels if they keep insisting upon a separate state. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Golfer Arnold Palmer recuperates after successful surgery for prostate cancer. \I(USA)\i
Tupac Amaru rebels holding hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima accept the Peruvian Government's offer to supply mediators as long as there is are representatives from \JGuatemala\j and from Europe. \I(Peru)\i
The US Energy Department reveals that American soldiers accidentally left behind \Jplutonium\j in \JHanoi\j during the Vietnam War. This was only recently discovered by senior officials at the US Energy Department, who are negotiating with \JHanoi\j to retrieve it. \I(USA)\i
Plaintiffs in the O.J. Simpson civil trial being held in \JCalifornia\j claim that evidence certifies that O.J. Simpson was at the crime scene (where his estranged wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead). \I(USA)\i
The son of comedian Bill Cosby is found dead on the side of a Los Angeles roadway. Ennis William Cosby was fatally shot in a probable bungled robbery attempt. \I(USA)\i
A cold snap including strong winds and snow in the Upper Midwest of USA causes main roads and schools to shut down. \JWisconsin\j and \JMinnesota\j are affected and so far six people have died due to the \Jweather\j. \I(USA)\i
The Peruvian Government rejects the Tupac Amaru rebel's demand that \JGuatemala\j sends a mediator to help solve the month-old hostage crisis in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. \I(Peru)\i
Protesters demonstrating against massive budget cuts in \JHaiti\j demand that the prime minister step down. \I(Haiti)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Talibaan militia in \JAfghanistan\j capture an air base north of Kabul and also the town of Charikar. \I(Afghanistan)\i
The historical \JHebron\j deal signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, causes a rift within the Israeli Government, with one minister, Benjamin Begin, resigning. \I(Israel)\i
Doctors in \JRussia\j admit that President Boris Yeltsin's \Jpneumonia\j is linked to his heart condition and his recovery is not going as well as they had hoped. Yeltsin's stay in \Jhospital\j is extended for an estimated three weeks. \I(Russia)\i
Heavy rain and thunderstorms cause widespread flooding in Haifa, breaking a winter \Jdrought\j and topping up much-needed \Jwater\j levels. \I(Israel)\i
As demonstrations calling for an early election continue in \JBulgaria\j, the government organizes an emergency importation of wheat as the country faces starvation and poverty. \I(Bulgaria)\i
A French court is to decide whether an 87-year-old \JVichy\j official should stand trial for deporting hundreds of Jews to Nazi death camps during World War II. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Muslim guerrillas and Algerian forces exchange fire in the streets of the casbah in Boufarik, south of \JAlgiers\j. Fourteen people are reported killed when a bomb explodes in a marketplace. \I(Algeria)\i
MP for Meriden in the United Kingdom, Iain Mills, is found dead in his London home. \I(United Kingdom)\i
#
"January 17, 1997",380,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The investigation into the murder of Bougainville's Premier Theodore Miriung in October is postponed when pro-government fighters threaten police. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Seven union leaders in South Korea continue to hide from authorities in a cathedral to keep from being arrested while workers continue nationwide strikes. \I(South Korea)\i
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child makes a proposal to \JBurma\j for them to stop child military conscription. The Burmese Government denies that they conscript children for the military. \I(Burma)\i
A Japanese \Jcult\j member who is accused of being behind the \JTokyo\j subway gas attack in March 1995, denies that his \Jcult\j tried to bring down the Japanese Government in a coup. \I(Japan)\i
An Australian bishop claims that he has proof that an Indonesian soldier was supposed to assassinate Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Carlos Belo at the end of last year but was stopped at the last moment by Belo supporters who then turned around and killed him. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Canadian environmentalist and businessman Maurice Strong is appointed by the newly-elected United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to help guide reforms to the United Nations. \I(Canada)\i
Police investigating the murder yesterday of Bill Cosby's son, Ennis Cosby, in Los Angeles, claim that there were two witnesses to the fatal shooting. \I(USA)\i
Blizzards and extreme temperatures still continue in the Upper Midwest around \JMinnesota\j where hundreds of people are forced to stay indoors because of the inclement \Jweather\j. \I(USA)\i
A Delta rocket launching from Cape Canaveral explodes shortly after take-off. The rocket was holding a million dollar Global Positioning System \Jsatellite\j for the nation's Air Force. \I(USA)\i
Tupac Amaru rebels holding hostages at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima release one hostage, Peruvian Luis Valencia Hirano. They are still holding 73 people. Meanwhile former US president Jimmy Carter offers to mediate in an attempt to solve the crisis. \I(Peru)\i
US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, may pay a fine of approximately $US300,000 for ethics charges, while still being able to keep his job. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Alleged Australian pedophile, Philip Bell, who has been on the run from Australian police for 18 months, is finally found in South Africa and placed under arrest. \JInterpol\j, who were involved in the arrest, will apply for Bell to be extradited. \I(South Africa)\i
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa reports that the chief of defense General Goerg Meiring was involved in State-sponsored murder during the \Japartheid\j era. \I(South Africa)\i
Following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from \JHebron\j, Palestinians fly the Palestinian flag at the military building to celebrate the end of 30 years of Israeli occupation. Israel still controls 20 per cent of \JHebron\j, mainly where the Jews have settled. \I(Israel)\i
The President of \JSudan\j, Omar al-Beshir, closes universities and calls up students for military service to be ready to fight against \JEthiopia\j. \I(Sudan)\i
Former Anglican \JArchbishop\j of Southern Africa, Desmond Tutu, has surgery for prostate cancer. \I(South Africa)\i
In a bid to settle the eight-week crisis, where protesters demand the reinstatement of opposition victories in local elections, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic promises to reshuffle economic reforms and also his Cabinet. The European Union recommends that its members should halt relations with \JSerbia\j until the crisis is solved. \I(Serbia)\i
Thousands of people continue protests against the government in \JBulgaria\j. To avoid starvation among the people the government is to import millions of dollars worth of wheat from America to continue the country's bread supply. \I(Bulgaria)\i
A Polish oil company strikes a deal with Dor Energy, Israel, for them to construct 400 gas stations in \JPoland\j over the next five years. \I(Poland)\i
Ireland, the last European country to legalize divorce, grants its first divorce in the High Court. Tens of thousands of more people in the country are now hopeful that their divorces will be granted too. \I(Ireland)\i
American Steve Fossett, attempting to be the first to fly solo around the world in a \Jballoon\j, runs into trouble when \JLibya\j refuses him permission to fly over the country's air space. \I(Libya)\i
France says it will not let Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's son, Uday Hussein, into the country to receive medical treatment after he was attacked in December. \I(France)\i
#
"January 18, 1997",381,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A Norwegian explorer, Boerge Ousland, becomes the first person to cross the Antarctic alone. It took him 64 days to travel 2,830 km. \I(\JAntarctica\j)\i
Over 25 people are reported dead and dozens are injured when a bomb explodes in \JLahore\j, \JPakistan\j. The bomb was said to be planted in a motorbike outside a courthouse. \I(Pakistan)\i
South Korean striking workers slowly continue to return to work, but union leaders vow to keep fighting the government to rewrite the new strict labor laws, giving the government a deadline of mid-February. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Frank Sinatra is released from a Los Angeles medical center three weeks after suffering a heart attack.\I(USA)\i
A Chilean pilot reports spotting missing yachtsmen, Canadian Gerry Roufs, in Chilean waters off Cape Horn. Gerry Roufs is competing in the solo round-the-world yacht race and has not been heard from for nearly two weeks. \I(Chile) (Canada)\i
The \JWhite House\j ethics committee confirms that US House Speaker Newt Gingrich will be fined $US300,000 for ethics violations as well as being reprimanded. \I(USA)\i
Former US presidential candidate for the Democrats, Paul Tsongas, dies from \Jpneumonia\j, he was aged 55. \I(USA)\i
Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the \Jplanet\j Pluto, dies aged 90. \I(USA)\i
In a bid to impose a tougher stance towards the IRA, the US Government announces that it will not allow Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams a visa to enter its country. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton announces that he will call for a global ban on land mines at a United Nations conference this week. America, along with Britain want 'smart' mines, which self-destruct after a period of time, to be excluded from the ban. China and \JRussia\j are expected to oppose the global land-mine ban. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is to make a visit to \JHebron\j to address the people from the headquarters of the Palestinian police. \I(Israel)\i
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes it clear that the Golan Heights area will remain in Israel's control for historic and economic reasons. \I(Israel)\i
American Steve Fossett, while attempting to fly solo round-the-world in a hot air \Jballoon\j, eventually receives permission from \JLibya\j to fly over its air space but not before wasting a large amount of fuel. \I(Libya)\i
In an attempt to solve the nine-week crisis, a human rights spokesperson for the United Nations pleads with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to accept opposition victories in local elections. \I(Serbia)\i
The Department of Trade and Industry in the United Kingdom reports that it has received evidence that the Iraqi Government or agents acting on its behalf has placed orders with British companies to suggest that it is rebuilding its scud missiles and other weapons. \I(United Kingdom) (Iraq)\i
In a bid to impose a tougher stance towards the IRA, the US Government announces that it will not allow Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams a visa to enter its country. \I(Ireland)\i
#
"January 19, 1997",382,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tamil Tigers attack a Sri Lankan police post in Kebitigollewa, killing a reported twenty men. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Police in South Korea announce that they will not try to arrest seven union members who are seeking refuge in a cathedral after they agreed to stop the massive strike that has cost the country millions of dollars. The union leaders still want the government to rewrite the new strict labor laws and they say they will encourage workers to strike every Wednesday until the government backs down. \I(South Korea)\i
Approximately half of the 15,000 people that were evacuated a couple of days ago start returning to their homes in the Central Java province in \JIndonesia\j near the Merapi \Jvolcano\j which is still erupting. \I(Indonesia)\i
Following a government crackdown on guerrillas in India, up to 25,000 Indian troops move into Assam to set up a unified command. \I(India)\i
American Steve Fossett, attempting to be the first to fly round the world solo in a hot air \Jballoon\j, is forced to land in India due to low fuel. However, Fossett broke the world record for the longest time in a \Jballoon\j. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Freezing conditions in Washington D.C. don't stop tens of thousands of Americans turning up for the three-\Jday\j celebrations of President Bill Clinton's inauguration. \I(USA)\i
NASA is to conduct an investigation into the recent explosion of the Delta II rocket that blew up shortly after launching last week. The $US55 million rocket was carrying a $US40 million Air Force navigational \Jsatellite\j. \I(USA)\i
The US Energy Department says that Vietnam can keep a small portion of the \Jplutonium\j that America only just discovered was accidentally left there during the Vietnam War. \I(USA)\i
American Steve Fossett, attempting to be the first to fly round the world solo in a hot air \Jballoon\j, is forced to land in India due to low fuel. However, Fossett broke the world record for the longest time in a \Jballoon\j. \I(USA)\i
US House Speaker Newt Gingrich may be forced to pay the $US300,000 fine imposed for ethics violations out of his own pocket rather than from campaign funds. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Heavy fighting erupts in \JSudan\j for the province of Kurmuk, as the \JSudan\j Government reports that \JEthiopia\j has captured Yaqub Hussein, the Commissioner of Kurmuk Province. Thousands of Sudanese volunteers turn up in response to the government's calls for mobilization. \I(Sudan) (Ethiopia)\i
Up to 60,000 Palestinians turn out to greet Palestinian Yasser Arafat on his arrival in \JHebron\j. Arafat's last visit to \JHebron\j was over 30 years ago. \I(Israel)\i
The Talibaan militia in \JAfghanistan\j announces that it will conduct house-to-house searches in their recently captured towns to confiscate all weapons. \I(Afghanistan)\i
A car bomb explosion in a cafΘ in \JAlgiers\j kills over 20 people and injures others. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Rebels in \JSudan\j report that they killed approximately 150 government soldiers who were stopping them from heading towards a dam in the east of \JSudan\j. \I(Sudan)\i
Four Muslims are sentenced to death in \JCairo\j for the murder in 1994 of two policemen in south \JCairo\j. \I(\JEgypt\j)\i
A tanker carrying fuel and a cargo ship collide in the North Sea just off \JFrance\j. Officials claim that the \Jgasoline\j that was spilled would evaporate and would cause minimal \Jpollution\j. \I(France)\i
Staff at the headquarters of the French bank CrΘdit Foncier in Paris hold the bank's governor and other executives hostage in a protest at the government's decision to close the bank. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Three Spanish aid workers are shot dead in \JRwanda\j by Hutu extremists and the United Nations claims that it may halt operations in the nation. \I(Rwanda)\i
#
"January 20, 1997",383,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Candidates for the Golkar Party just announced in \JIndonesia\j include four of President Soeharto's children and one of his daughters-in-law. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announces that his government will receive an economic overhaul and there will be big cuts in spending. \I(Japan)\i
South Korea's President, Kim Young Sam, finally agrees to meet with opposition leaders to talk about revising the new strict labor laws which have caused massive strikes in the country. \I(South Korea)\i
The republic of \JNauru\j, situated in the central Pacific, announces that it will hold a general election on February 8 in order to elect a stable government, as it has had four presidents in the last 10 weeks. \I(Nauru)\i
Up to three dozen people are reported dead in China following severe snowstorms. Thousands more people are stranded in their homes. \I(China)\i
Three female members of the Bhutto family, deposed premier Benazir; her murdered brother's wife, Ghinva; and Benazir's mother, Nusrat are all set to contest the elections due to be held in February. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
The Japanese Government asks for assistance from as many private boat owners as possible to help clean up the massive oil spill from a Russian tanker almost three weeks ago. The slick has spread along 900 km of the Japanese coastline with irreparable environmental damage occurring near shellfish farms and bird sanctuaries. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton is sworn in for a second term as President of America. Clinton's inaugural speech takes 22 minutes as he calls for racial and political unity saying "We must succeed as one America". \I(USA)\i
Madonna takes out the best actress award in a musical for her role in \IEvita;\i while Australian actor Geoffrey Rush takes the best actor award in a drama for his role in \IShine;\i and British actress Brenda Blethyn wins the best actress award in a drama for her role in \ISecrets and Lies,\i at the Golden Globe Awards in America. \I(USA)\i
Intelligence sources in USA believe that a Saudi Shi'ite, Ahmed Mughasil, ordered the bombing of a US military base in Dhahran, Saudi \JArabia\j last year, which killed 19 US servicemen. \I(USA)\i
It is revealed by a released hostage that a lover of one of the Tupac Amaru rebels is one of the 300 comrades that the rebels are demanding be released from prison. The Tupac Amaru rebels are still holding 73 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Petar Stoyanov of the UDF Party is sworn in as the Bulgarian President. Up to 60,000 citizens enter the 13th \Jday\j of demonstrations against the current Socialist Party Government, calling for an immediate election. \I(Bulgaria)\i
In a bid to solve the crisis at CrΘdit Foncier, the French bank in Paris where staff hold the governor of the bank and four senior executives hostage, the French Government appoints a mediator. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Turkey says it will develop naval bases in northern Cyprus if \JGreece\j continues to plan similar facilities in southern Cyprus. \I(Cyprus) (Greece) (Turkey)\i
The Prime Minister of Zaire, Leon Kengo wa Dondo, declares war on Tutsi rebels in order to recover land on its eastern border. \I(Zaire)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is almost ready to be released from \Jhospital\j but he will not return to full-time work until he is completely recovered from \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Russia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approves the building of more Jewish homes in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, claiming that Israel will always keep control of the Jordan Valley area. Meanwhile, Netanyahu claims that he wants to resume peace talks with the Syrian Government. \I(Israel) (Syria)\i
A month after receiving a pay rise, politicians in Israel are now to receive thousands of dollars a year extra to help pay for the rent on their offices. \I(Israel)\i
Thousands of Israeli Jews who are against the newly-signed \JHebron\j agreement attend a rally to mourn the historic decision. \I(Israel)\i
Thousands of Albanians blame the President Sali Berisha for failed pyramid schemes where some citizens of \JAlbania\j have lost all their money. \I(Albania)\i
#
"January 21, 1997",384,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A billionaire Australian-based Orthodox Jew, who helped fund Israeli Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, says he opposes the historic \JHebron\j agreement and he will help Jewish settlers expand in \JHebron\j. \I(Australia)\i
Over 40 homes are destroyed and hundreds of people are evacuated when bushfires rage and in around Melbourne. A three-\Jday\j heatwave in the city does not help the hundreds of firefighters control the flames. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Xinjiang province in China is hit by two earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 6.3 on the Richter Scale. Over ten people are reported dead and many more injured. \I(China)\i
A member of the Japanese Government reports that \JJapan\j, the US, and South Korea have been discussing a contingency plan for the \Jfamine\j crisis in North Korea. \I(Japan) (North Korea)\i
The Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, urges his successor when Hong Kong is handed to China, Tung Chee-hwa, not to accept new legislation that will abandon \Jcivil rights\j in Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong) (China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Advertisers in America pay up to $US2.4 million a minute for their commercials to air during this weekend's Super Bowl XXXI. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton enters his second term as president with a 60 per cent approval rating. \I(USA)\i
US House Speaker Newt Gingrich receives a reprimand from the \JHouse of Representatives\j; this is in conjunction with his $US300,000 fine for ethics violations. \I(USA)\i
Colonel Tom Parker, best known as Elvis Presley's manager, dies in Las Vegas, aged 87. \I(USA)\i
A woman in America is arrested after she falsely claims to be the illegitimate daughter of Bill Cosby, but police do not think this is related to the murder of Cosby's son, Ennis, earlier this week. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A billionaire Australian-based Orthodox Jew, who help fund Israeli Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, says he opposes the historic Israeli \JHebron\j agreement and he will help Jewish settlers expand in \JHebron\j. \I(Israel)\i
US government officials in the \JMiddle East\j start encouraging Arab countries to improve ties with Israel following the historic \JHebron\j deal. \I(Israel)\i
Israel and the Palestinian Authority start to advertise for more tourism to the area in the wake of the new \JHebron\j agreement. Already there are signs that tourism is on the rise. \I(Israel)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is released from \Jhospital\j after nearly two weeks following a bout of \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Russia)\i
The opposition government in \JSerbia\j says that a war is imminent if President Slobodan Milosevic does not agree to recognize opposition victories in local elections held at the end of last year. \I(Serbia)\i
Germany and the Czech Republic sign a declaration to end their post World War II ill feelings of one another and to end over 50 years of friction. \I(Czech Republic) (Germany)\i
The oldest living survivor of the \ITitanic\i disaster in 1912, Edith Haisman, dies in England, aged 100. \I(United Kingdom)\i
A bomb explodes in \JAlgiers\j, killing up to 20 people; this is the second bomb in a week that has rocked the city, the first bomb killed 66 people. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
#
"January 22, 1997",385,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Opposition parties in South Korea decline President Kim Young-sam's offer to recommence the discussions on the new labor law. Thousands of workers go on a one-\Jday\j strike in an effort to prevent the new labor law from going ahead. \I(South Korea)\i
India announces that it is willing to assist \JSri Lanka\j bring the separatist war to an end. \I(India)\i
In northeast India rebels announce that they are halting their campaign for a separate homeland and call a cease-fire. \I(India)\i
In Mindanao island, the \JPhilippines\j, government soldiers kill 20 Muslim rebels in violent fighting using gunships. \I(Philippines)\i
Indonesian President Soeharto establishes "riot alert" centers to stop further outbreaks of violence. The Government believes that military action, rather than a political solution, will curb any future violence. \I(Indonesia)\i
The province of Xinjiang in China is hit by further snow storms that have already killed 36 people which has prevented rescue work. \I(China)\i
It is predicted that the Japanese population is rapidly aging and by the year 2050 over 23% of the population will be over the age of 65. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American \Jastronaut\j, John Blaha, returns to \Jearth\j after spending four months on the Russian space station Mir. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian police throw stones at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima where Marxist rebels are holding 73 people captive. The Red Cross has requested neighbors to allow their houses to be utilized for discussions in an effort to end the six-week crisis. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The skeleton of an unknown flesh-eating \Jdinosaur\j is uncovered on the \JIsle of Wight\j, United Kingdom. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Sudanese rebels say that they have murdered hundreds of government soldiers and are about to capture a major hydro-electric dam. The rebels are attempting to overthrow the Islamic Government. \I(Sudan)\i
The Socialists leaders of \JBulgaria\j admit that the country has been misgoverned for two years and announce that they will investigate the claims of corruption. \I(Bulgaria)\i
The South African Government halts its plan to sell armaments to \JSyria\j and will reconsider the proposal in three years' time. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"January 23, 1997",386,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Cambodian army is increasingly taking control from Khmer Rouge rebels of an illegal logging organization which is destroying the country's parks and forests. \I(Cambodia)\i
Talibaan militia in \JAfghanistan\j occupy two main towns north of Kabul and announce that it is plans to move up the \JSalang\j Pass towards the Panjsher Valley. \I(Afghanistan)\i
In \JPakistan\j, former cricketer turned politician, Mr Imran Khan attempts to win support for his Movement for Justice in the lead-up to the February general election. \I(Pakistan)\i
A Taiwanese Power Company (Taipower) is sending 5,000 barrels of nuclear waste for disposal to \JRussia\j on a trial basis. \I(Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Shots are fired inside the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima where Marxist rebels are holding 73 people hostage. The Peruvian President, Mr Fujimori, refuses to negotiate with the rebels in a new tough stance. \I(Peru)\i
The United States examines a plan with \JRussia\j which would go further than the 1993 START II program to cut nuclear weapons by 50% in ten years' time. \I(USA)\i
An American congressional group condemns China's moves to stop democracy in China, claiming such attempts could damage US trade privileges. \I(USA)\i
The US is annoyed by an agreement which Canada has signed with \JCuba\j which covers cooperation on human rights and proposes retaliating against the American law to punish \JCuba\j's foreign investors. \I(USA) (Canada) (Cuba)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Vatican calls for smoking to be prohibited, claiming that it is an addictive habit equivalent to using heroin. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In \JRussia\j, opposition parties promise to continue their campaign to have the President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, removed on the grounds that ill-health make him unfit for office. \I(Russia)\i
British astronomers witness the birth of a star 5,000 light-years away, at the center of the Lagoon Nebula. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Maurice Papon, a suspected Nazi collaborator, is ordered by the French Supreme Court to stand trial for crimes against humanity -- he has been fighting his case for 15 years. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Masood, the Israeli foreign intelligence agency, announce that war is likely between \JSyria\j and Israel unless peace talks between the two countries recommence in the near future. \I(Israel)\i
The Sudanese Government announces that it has prevented rebels' attempts to seize a main hydro-electric power station in the eastern Blue Nile State. \I(Sudan)\i
Scientists in Tel Aviv establish a program to save vultures from \Jextinction\j. \I(Israel)\i
In an attempt to thwart the South African peace process, the wife of a senior colored MP is raped on Robben Island, by a white man. \I(S. Africa)\i
The new Russian equivalent of the \JKGB\j denies claims made by \JChechnya\j that it was responsible for the murder of six Red Cross workers in \JChechnya\j. \I(Chechnya)\i
The \JFBI\j claims that Saudi Arabian authorities held back evidence relating to the bombing of American barracks, which killed 19 people in June, 1996. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
#
"January 24, 1997",387,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Union leaders in Seoul, South Korea, leave the Myongdong Cathedral which has been their refuge for more than one month of industrial action. The opposition party announces that it is ready to discuss in parliament the new labor law which has been the cause of strikes. The South Korean Government is criticized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for not satisfying its obligations to key trade union freedoms. \I(South Korea)\i
The incoming chief executive of Hong Kong, Mr Tung Chee-hwa, requests that 26 human rights laws be abolished before China takes over the territory in July this year. The outgoing British Governor, Mr Chris Patten, demands that the laws must remain intact. \I(Hong Kong) (China)\i
In the province of Xinjiang in China, authorities attempt to continue rescue work after two disasters hit the area. An \Jearthquake\j left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and 12 dead, while snow blizzards killed 36 people and left hundreds of thousands trapped. \I(China)\i
In Srinagar, India, police arrest more than 100 suspected separatist guerrillas ahead of India's Republic Day celebrations. \I(India)\i
The North Korean Government protests against \JTaiwan\j's intention to send nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(N. Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American President, Mr Bill Clinton, promises to pay the money owed to the United Nations if the new Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, introduces a program of reform for the world body. \I(USA)\i
In an effort to gain concessions for political prisoners in China, the USA is not pushing so hard on China's human rights record. \I(USA)\i
Despite the heavy military presence around the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, where Marxist rebels are holding 73 people captive, no end appears to be in sight to the crisis. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
Dr Madeleine Albright is sworn in as the American \JSecretary of State\j -- the first woman in US history to hold the position. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Swiss Government agrees to establish a \JHolocaust\j memorial fund after it is pressurized by Jewish groups around the world. It is believed that \JSwitzerland\j profited from assets taken from victims of the \JHolocaust\j during the Nazi era. \I(Switzerland)\i
The Moroccan Government begins a crackdown on the Muslim extremist movement, fearing an eruption of violence similar to recent events in \JAlgeria\j. \I(Morocco)\i
Mr Peter Graf, the father of German tennis star Steffi Graf, is found guilty of not paying taxes on his daughter's earnings and is sentenced to three years and nine months in jail. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The Prince of Wales voices his objections to British taxpayers having to foot the ú60 million bill to replace the Royal Yacht Britannia. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Guerrillas murder at least 46 people and a suburban mayor in a village south of the Algerian capital, \JAlgiers\j, in the latest violent incident. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. \I(Algeria)\i
Chechnya prepares for a general election, after two years of \Jcivil war\j. \I(Chechnya)\i
The Red Cross organization announces that it will introduce armed guards for its staff after nine Red Cross workers were murdered in 1996. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The British Government nearly dismisses its participation in a single currency and claims that the European initiative will fail. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Mr Alexander Lebed, the former Russian national security chief, attends US President Bill Clinton's inauguration which is seen as a sign of US support for the Russian President's main political opponent. \I(USA)\i
Talibaan militia fail to turn up to peace talks due to be held in Tehran with former Afghan president, Mr Burhanuddin Rabbani. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Violence erupts during anti-government protest in \JSerbia\j, as police use clubs against demonstrators blocking a freeway in Kragujevac. The protest was about control of the media. \I(Serbia)\i
The third anniversary of the 1994 \JHebron\j massacre is commemorated by thousands of people. \I(West Bank)\i
The Rwandan army kills hundreds of people in a military operation against Hutu rebels, who are believed to have killed 50 people, including three Spanish aid workers. \I(Rwanda)\i
#
"January 25, 1997",388,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In China, five people are sentenced to jail for participating in a petition which demanded democratic rights that was distributed on Tiananmen Square. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In \JPeru\j, military activities around the Japanese ambassador's residence, where Marxist rebels are holding 73 people hostage, stop the Red Cross from gaining access to the captives. \I(Peru)\i
A man threatens to explode a bomb at the Paramount studios in L.A. \I(USA)\i
California is again hit by fierce storms, as concern about renewed flooding mounts. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Rebels in \JAlgeria\j hack 22 people to death; in the last two weeks more than 200 people have died in the recent outbreak of violence. \I(Algeria)\i
The health of Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, is still a cause for concern, as the \JKremlin\j reschedules a summit planned for next week. \I(Russia)\i
Germany and \JFrance\j enter into discussions on a nuclear defense pact. \I(France)\i
The Irish Government stops all official contacts with Sinn Fein, the political arm of the IRA, accusing its leaders of bad faith. \I(N. Ireland)\i
Calls are made for the resignation of Swiss economics minister, Mr Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, whose comments about the fund for \JHolocaust\j victims caused outrage in Jewish circles. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Speculation mounts that German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, will resign after his loyal second in command, Wolfgang SchΣuble, announces that he would like to be \JGermany\j's new chancellor. \I(Germany)\i
The Palestinian Liberation Organization's leader, Mr Yassar Arafat, says the PLO will not revise its charter as long as Israel does not use a constitution. \I(Israel)\i
According to the Syrian newspaper, \I(Tishrin),\i \JSyria\j is willing to recommence talks with Israel on the basis of the UN Resolution 242 which "calls for trading land for peace." \I(Syria)\i
Saudia Arabian authorities refuse to allow the US to get involved in the investigation into the bombing of American barracks which killed 19 people in 1996. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
#
"January 26, 1997",389,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The new Chinese form of the Hong Kong legislature meets in Shenzen, China, as it begins the process of choosing a president and establishing an agenda. \I(Hong Kong) (China)\i
The Thai Prime Minister, Mr Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, will meet with thousands of poor rural people who came to \JBangkok\j to protest. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
New Delhi bans smoking in movie theaters, buses, parks and other public places -- the first Indian city to issue such a ban. \I(India)\i
Eastern \JIndonesia\j is hit by a series of earthquakes, though there were no reports of injuries or damage. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A Peruvian national police general is released by Marxist rebels in Lima, \JPeru\j, who are holding 72 people hostage at the Japanese ambassador's residence. \I(Peru)\i
The new American Secretary for State, Dr Madeleine Albright, vows that she will discuss human rights and Hong Kong's future with China. \I(USA)\i
An American financed study, the Cambodian Genocide Program, reveals that over 2 million people died under Cambodian Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot. \I(USA)\i
Guilherme de Padua, a former Brazilian soap star, is sentence to 19 years jail for murdering his co-star, Ms Daniella Perez. \I(Brazil)\i
Three bank robbers are suspects in the \JAtlanta\j \JOlympic Games\j bombing. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In an about-turn, the Vatican supports a new kind of fertility treatment for women. Previously, Pope John Paul II objected to any type of invasive treatment. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In the Russian State of \JChechnya\j, a Chechen commander, Mr Shamil Basayev, demands independence from \JRussia\j. \I(Russia) (Chechnya)\i
In Madagascar, six people are killed and thousands left homeless after the country is hit by a \Jcyclone\j. \I(Madagascar)\i
Mr Berisha, the President of \JAlbania\j, makes a plea for calm after thousands of people demonstrate when pyramid investment schemes collapse. The army is used to control the protests. \I(Albania)\i
Rebels in Zaire fight against government soldiers in the east of the country. Rebels have control of a 450-mile piece of land along Zaire's eastern border. \I(Zaire)\i
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, reveals that he has many doubts about a single European currency. \I(United Kingdom)\i
It is revealed that an investigation will commence into claims that the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, attempted to place a close associate in the position of attorney-general as a trade-off to stop corruption charges against a main political ally. \I(Israel)\i
A British soldier is wounded after a car bomb explodes in Ballynahinch in Northern Ireland. \I(N. Ireland)\i
The Afghan Talibaan militia claim to have occupied the areas of Shinwari and Siagird in the Ghorband Valley in the north Parwan province of \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
According to a Jesuit priest, Mother Teresa is in very poor health and will die soon. \I(India)\i
#
"January 27, 1997",390,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The South Korean President, Mr Kim Young-sam, announces an investigation into the Hanbo Steel and General Construction Company which folded up after failing to honor promissory notes worth millions of dollars. \I(South Korea)\i
It is believed that the Indian Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda, is in a political fight for power with his main rival, Sitaram Kesri, but his position is safe for the present. \I(India)\i
Ms Jemima Goldsmith, the wife of Pakistani politician Mr Imran Khan, denies that her wealthy financier father Sir James Goldsmith is providing money to support Khan's political campaign. \I(Pakistan)\i
Thousands of poor people from country areas demonstrate outside Government House in \JBangkok\j, \JThailand\j. The Thai Prime Minister, Mr Chavalit, vows to look into their grievances. \I(Thailand)\i
Singapore's deputy prime minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, says that lawyers are examining further suspected defamatory remarks made by opposition politician Mr Tang Liang Hong. Mr Hong has already had six \Jdefamation\j suits filed against him by various members of the People's Action Party for previous comments. \I(Singapore)\i
ASEAN decides to accept \JBurma\j as a new member to the association in 1997 despite the possibility of its inclusion causing problems with the West. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
The Burmese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, encourages multinational organizations to stop doing business in \JBurma\j. She claims that investing in \JBurma\j only assists the Burmese military and does nothing to promote justice and equality. \I(Burma)\i
\BThe Americas\b
It seems likely that the American administration will withdraw support for President Slobodan Milosevic of \JSerbia\j and President Franjo Tudjman of \JCroatia\j. \I(USA)\i
US political parties come under increasing pressure to launch an investigation into methods of fundraising after the rumors surrounding the last election campaign. \I(USA)\i
The Swiss ambassador to the US resigns after it is revealed that he suggested fighting any claims for compensation by \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian soldiers show off their military power outside the Japanese ambassador's residence where 73 people are still being held hostage by Marxist rebels. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of people demonstrate in Sofia, \JBulgaria\j, demanding a general election. However, the Socialist Party refuses and insists on establishing a new Cabinet. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Mercenaries fighting in Zaire's \Jcivil war\j use gunships in their attempts to regain land occupied by rebel forces. \I(Zaire)\i
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, claims he has a plan for peace to settle any differences with Palestinians. Mr Netanyahu says that the plan could go ahead without the need for a national referendum. \I(Israel)\i
In \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j, more than 300,000 people join a religious and pro-democracy march. \I(Serbia)\i
Over 20,000 people demonstrate in clashes with the police in \JAlbania\j and attempt to storm the parliament in protest against the collapse of savings schemes. The army tries to quell the violence -- the worst incident since the President, Mr Sali Berisha came to power in 1992. \I(Albania)\i
Sudanese authorities claim that its soldiers killed more than 300 Ethiopian troops who were trying to invade the country near the eastern border. \I(Sudan)\i
The people of the Russian State of \JChechnya\j vote for a new leader and government in the country's general elections. \I(Russia) (Chechnya)\i
The Afghan warlord Rashid Dostum bombs a highway north of Kabul in an effort to stop advances by the Talibaan militia. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
#
"January 28, 1997",391,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Street vendors riot in Jakarta causing damage to buildings. This is another sign of how volatile the Indonesian population is at present. \I(Indonesia)\i
The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions cancels its weekly strikes after the country is hit by economic chaos caused by the collapse of Hanbo, one of the country's largest steelmakers. \I(South Korea)\i
China and \JFrance\j sign a deal which will encourage cooperation in space technology. \I(China)\i
A \JPhilippines\j' electric company is threatening to cut the power off to the former President Marcos' \Jcrypt\j if bills are not paid. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson, Tushar Arun Gandhi, plans to take his grandfather's ashes on a last pilgrimage to the Ganges River. \I(India)\i
Burmese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, denounces the jail sentences given to 14 students who were involved in anti-government protests. \I(\JBurma\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the summing up at the O.J. Simpson civil case, both sides appeal to the jury to ignore arguments presented by the opposite side. \I(USA)\i
American President, Mr Bill Clinton, announces that he will try to encourage the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, to recommence talks with \JSyria\j when he meets with Mr Netanyahu in February. \I(USA)\i
Former suspect in the \JAtlanta\j Olympics bombing, Mr Richard Jewell, settles his case against CNN and launches another suit against an \JAtlanta\j newspaper. \I(USA)\i
Outside the besieged Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peruvian police and Marxist rebels get involved in a battle of the airwaves. \I(Peru)\i
An American report on human rights reveals that there were no Chinese \Jdissidents\j who had not been put in jail or exiled by the end of 1996. \I(USA)\i
The American State Department is likely to condemn \JGermany\j's treatment of the Church of \JScientology\j. The issue has already soured diplomatic relations between the two countries. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
France will try to track down Jewish assets stolen during the Nazi occupation. \I(France)\i
Mr Aslan Maskhadov, the rebel leader, wins the \JChechnya\j's presidential elections according to results of the ballot count. \I(\JRussia\j) (Chechnya)\i
Due to the recent attacks on Red Cross workers, the organization decides, for the first time in its history, not to fly the Red Cross flag in conflict areas, as people associate it closely with the West. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The eldest son of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Uday Hussein, who was the victim of a recent assassination attempt, marries the daughter of one his father's most violent bodyguards. \I(Iraq)\i
Spain asks the United Kingdom to share the sovereignty of \JGibraltar\j for 100 years and then pass control of the colony to \JSpain\j. However, the United Kingdom rejects the offer, claiming that the people of \JGibraltar\j wish to remain United Kingdom citizens. \I(United Kingdom)\i
It is believed that the Serbian President, Mr Slobodan Milosevic, will seek exile in \JGreece\j if the pressure from opposition parties becomes all too much. \I(Serbia)\i
Ex-security officers confess to the murder of anti-\Japartheid\j campaigner, Mr Steve Biko, in South Africa. They are hoping to be granted an amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. \I(S. Africa)\i
Israeli police forcefully remove Palestinian Bedouins and destroy their camp to allow for the expansion of Jewish settlements. \I(West Bank)\i
Mr Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, cancels his visit to Holland which increases fears about his health and ability to govern \JRussia\j. \I(Russia)\i
China and \JFrance\j sign a deal which will encourage cooperation in space technology. \I(France)\i
#
"January 29, 1997",392,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Malaysia is planning to expatriate thousands of illegal foreign workers once a deadline for them to give themselves up expires in the next few days. \I(Malaysia)\i
Taiwanese power workers clash with South Korean anti-nuclear demonstrators, who are on a hunger strike, over \JTaiwan\j's proposals to send nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(Taiwan)\i
A fire in an office building in \JBombay\j kills three people and traps many others. \I(India)\i
The Pakistani President Farooq Leghari's decision to sack former prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, is upheld by the country's Supreme Court. The result means that the general elections will go ahead in February as planned. \I(Pakistan)\i
US officials are in China trying to gain some concessions on human rights that would make it futile for the US to support a UN resolution criticizing China's policy. \I(China)\i
Four Australian mining firms are blamed for environmental damage and violation of the rights of people in \JKalimantan\j, Indonesian \JBorneo\j, by the Indonesian parliament. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The jury in the civil case against O.J. Simpson, who is accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ronald Coleman, retires. \I(USA)\i
It is thought that \JPeru\j may allow \JJapan\j a bigger role in helping to end the hostage crisis in Lima. \I(Peru)\i
It is announced that American President Bill Clinton plans to meet with leaders of Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j and Jordan in the next few months. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission wants the former policemen, who confessed to the murder of anti-\Japartheid\j activist Steve Biko, to release the names of their superiors. \I(South Africa)\i
In \JRwanda\j, a Tutsi (Froduald Karamira), accused of being responsible for the deaths of over half a million people, goes on trial. \I(Rwanda)\i
Diana, the Princess of Wales, announces that she will give her wedding dress to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London as well as selling 65 evening dresses for charity. \I(United Kingdom)\i
Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, places his first wife, Sajida Talfah, under house arrest. \I(Iraq)\i
In \JSerbia\j, police abolish plans to try to keep demonstrators off the streets of \JBelgrade\j after thousands of protests gather in the city. The opposition asks the army and workers to join the protest. \I(Serbia)\i
The Socialist Party in \JBulgaria\j begins to set up a new Government despite demands from President Stoyanov to call an immediate election. \I(Bulgaria)\i
In the capital of \JAlgeria\j, \JAlgiers\j, fundamentalists murder one of the country's top trade union officials Mr Abdelhak Benhamouda. \I(Algeria)\i
In an attempt to stop demonstrations against the Government, \JAlbanian\j President, Mr Sali Berisha, guarantees that investors in the collapsed pyramid schemes will have their money refunded. \I(Albania)\i
Syria will recommence talks with Israel on condition that discussions start where they "left off" under Labor. \I(Syria)\i
Many Swiss intellectuals and celebrities criticize the Swiss Government's handling of the issue surrounding the assets of victims of the \JHolocaust\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Britain is suffering from one of the driest periods in 250 years. \I(United Kingdom)\i
The UN reports that troops in \JBurundi\j round up thousands of people and murder at least 1,000 civilians. \I(Burundi)\i
Zaire claims that Ugandan soldiers are helping rebels. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"January 30, 1997",393,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Three people die and thousands of others are left homeless after Burmese rebels attacked refugee camps on the border between \JThailand\j and \JBurma\j. \I(Burma) (Thailand)\i
The head of the Japanese auto manufacturer, Toyota, encourages the United Kingdom to participate in the single European currency movement and threatens to stop building any new factories there if the Government fails to do so. \I(Japan)\i
The Princess Royal officially opens the British consulate in Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The decision by the Pakistani Supreme Court to uphold the President's decision to sack Ms Benazir Bhutto is seen as a major setback to her political life and hampers any real attempts to make a comeback to power. \I(Pakistan)\i
The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are scattered over the River Ganges almost fifty years after his assassination. \I(India)\i
Police are used to separate Muslims from Chinese in the Town of Rengasdenklok in West Java after thousands of Muslim youths went on the rampage destroying property. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The founder of the Hanbo Group is called for questioning about the collapse of the company which has shaken the whole of South Korea. \I(South Korea)\i
Taiwan expels South Korean anti-nuclear demonstrators for protesting against \JTaiwan\j's intentions to send nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(Taiwan)\i
The \JSingapore\j Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, files another \Jdefamation\j suit against opposition politician Tang Liang Hong. \I(Singapore)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an attempt to bring a solution to the hostage crisis in Lima, the Peruvian President Mr Alberto Fujimori will meet the Japanese Prime Minister Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto. \I(Peru)\i
Mr Richard Jewell, who was wrongly suspected of the \JAtlanta\j Olympics Games bombing, agrees to make a movie with 20th Century Fox about the experience with the \JFBI\j. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian police search for a group of leftist rebels believed to be acting as messengers for the Marxist rebels holding 72 people hostage. \I(Peru)\i
Extra police are placed outside the courthouse where the jury are deliberating in the O.J. Simpson case, after it is feared that violence will erupt when the verdict is announced. \I(USA)\i
The American Government draws up a proposal to pay the money it owes the United Nations. However, the plan will only be instituted if the UN is reformed and payment will commence in October 1. \I(USA)\i
A newly released document reveals that \JSwitzerland\j accepted 100 tons of gold stolen by the Nazis from the \JBelgium\j national treasury. \I(USA)\i
The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, wants the US to pay the $1 billion dues in arrears within two years. \I(USA)\i
It is thought that Saudi \JArabia\j is considering buying $30 billion worth of American F-16 fighter jets. \I(USA)\i
The biggest ever discovered drug laboratory in \JColombia\j is closed down. \I(Colombia)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Dr Madeleine Albright, plans to visit China at the end of February. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Bulgaria's leading Socialist Party calls on opposition parties to meet to discuss setting a date for a general election. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Teachers in \JSerbia\j go on strike in protest against President Slobodan Milosevic's Government. \I(Serbia)\i
In \JBulgaria\j, people attempt to exchange their savings as the local currency collapses. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Northern Ireland commemorates the 25th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, where British troops killed 14 civilians during a protest march; calls are made for an investigation to be held into the shootings. \I(N. Ireland)\i
Three Israeli troops are killed and others wounded when a bomb, planted by the pro-Iranian Hezbollah guerrillas, exploded in South \JLebanon\j. \I(Lebanon)\i
The Islamic group Hamas threatens that if the US extradites one of its leaders to Israel that they would retaliate. \I(Israel)\i
The Great Seal belonging to Queen \JElizabeth I\j is found in a trunk in a mews house. \I(United Kingdom)\i
As the United Kingdom Labor party takes a lead by 25 points in the latest opinion poll, it seems unlikely that an early general election will be called. \I(United Kingdom)\i
#
"January 31, 1997",394,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Muslim youths continue to destroy property owned by Chinese Christians and Buddhists in the town of Rengasdenklok on the outskirts of Jakarta, \JIndonesia\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indian air experts warn of future air crashes if the country's \Javiation\j system is not upgraded. \I(India)\i
The founder of the South Korean company Hanbo, which collapsed after failing to meet debt repayments, is arrested on charges of illegally writing checks. \I(South Korea)\i
Sacked Pakistani prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto and her main political opponent, Mr Nawaz Sharif, fight to gain support for their respective parties in the final lead-up to the forthcoming elections. \I(Pakistan)\i
American analysts claim that China managed to stifle all forms of public dissension in 1996 -- it is thought that 1996 was the worst year for Chinese \Jdissenters\j since the 1989 demonstration in Tiananmen Square. \I(China)\i
Despite worldwide condemnation, China's Hong Kong Preparatory Committee meets to vote on abolishing Hong Kong's human rights laws. \I(Hong Kong) (China)\i
In Vietnam, four people are given the death sentence for their participation in the downfall of the company Tamexco which lost $52.05 million. \I(Vietnam)\i
As the Talibaan militia make headway in their campaign to seize the north of \JAfghanistan\j, panic spreads as people in the northern region stock up on food and the local currency collapses. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Human rights organizations in \JBangladesh\j say that they believe Australian aid is being used to evict traditional landowners from their properties in the east of the country. \I(Bangladesh)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration supports a worldwide campaign to raise finance for small loans to help poor people start their own businesses. \I(USA)\i
Jamaica refuses to give permission to US drug hunters to enter the island. \I(Jamaica)\i
Up to US$75,000 is offered as reward in return for information about the killer of actor Bill Cosby's son -- Ennis Cosby was shot dead on a L.A. freeway last month. \I(USA)\i
The only black juror in the O.J. Simpson civil case is dismissed which means deliberations will have to restart. \I(USA)\i
The American State Department's yearly report on human rights highlights Indonesian human right abuses and claims that its human rights record has seriously deteriorated. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian President, Mr Alberto Fujimori, prepares to travel to Canada to meet up with Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, to discuss the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
In New York, the world's smallest Rembrandt portrait sells for $3.7 million; it is thought to be the world's most expensive painting. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel asks \JSyria\j to try to prevent Hezbollah guerrilla attacks on Israeli forces after a recent incident killed three Israeli soldiers in South \JLebanon\j. \I(Lebanon)\i
The British Government is to establish an official commission to look into ways to stop the disputed sectarian marches in Northern Ireland. \I(United Kingdom)\i
The Red Cross reunites thousands of Rwandan children with their families. \I(Rwanda)\i
Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, returns to the Krelim while still recuperating from \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Russia)\i
The fire that destroyed La Fenice opera house in \JVenice\j in 1996 is blamed on Mafia-supported arson. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In \JCroatia\j, a Belgian soldier is shot dead, the latest shooting in the run-up to the March elections. \I(Croatia)\i
The Serbian opposition cautiously welcomes President Slobadan's decision to recognize opposition victories in the municipal elections. \I(Serbia)\i
Bulgarian President, Mr Petar Stoyanov, encourages the socialist government to resign after anti-government demonstrations take place. \I(Bulgaria)\i
In \JAlbania\j, opposition parties join forces to insist that the Government resigns after police arrest nearly 150 people after a series of violent clashes occur. \I(Albania)\i
The Ugandan President, Mr Yoweri Museveni, claims that \JUganda\j and \JSudan\j are preparing for war. \JUganda\j believes that the \JSudan\j is providing support to anti-Museveni rebels. \I(Uganda) (Sudan)\i
In \JItaly\j, five people are arrested in connection with the fashion designer Maurizio Gucci's murder, including his ex-wife. \I(Italy)\i
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu meets with the Swiss President Mr Arnold Koller. Mr Koller and Mr Netanyahu attempt to smooth out Swiss-Jewish relations after comments by a Swiss official about the \JHolocaust\j angered Jewish communities worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
South African President Nelson Mandela nominates his main political opponent, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, as the country's acting President. \I(S. Africa)\i
#
"February 1, 1997",395,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An \Jearthquake\j measuring five on the Richter scale hits the Indonesian island of Bali, so far there have been no reports of any damage. \I(Indonesia)\i
According to local newspapers, the prospects of sacked Pakistani prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, being voted back into power are bleak. \I(Pakistan)\i
In China, Hong Kong's Preparatory Committee votes that Hong Kong's bill of rights and two ordinances be reworked; in effect Hong Kong's civil liberties are to be abolished. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, the Japanese Prime Minister, arrives in Canada for talks with Peruvian President Mr Alberto Fujimori, in an effort to end the Lima hostage crisis. Mr Hashimoto encourages Mr Fujimori to negotiate with the Marxist rebels. \I(Peru, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, the Japanese Prime Minister, arrives in Canada for talks with Peruvian President Mr Alberto Fujimori, in an effort to end the Lima hostage crisis. Mr Hashimoto encourages Mr Fujimori to negotiate with the Marxist rebels. \I(Peru, Japan)\i
In Houston, USA, Garcia Abrego, a Mexican drug king, is given 11 life sentences and a fine of $US128 million. \I(USA)\i
The jury members in the O.J. Simpson civil trial are ordered not to have any contact with the media and all communication with the outside world is monitored. \I(USA)\i
Captain Mark Phillips, the former husband of Princess Anne, marries American heiress Sandy Pfluger. \I(USA)\i
The American annual report on human rights highlights that both Israeli and Palestinian security troops have been involved in serious human rights abuses. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The American annual report on human rights highlights that both Israeli and Palestinian security troops have been involved in serious human rights abuses. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, is to meet up with King Hussein of Jordan in \JAmman\j, in an effort to warm bilateral ties between the two countries. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
The Prince of Wales proposes that his relationship with his mistress, Ms Camilla Parker Bowles, is seen as more open and public. \I(UK)\i
Twenty European tourists are killed in an aircrash in \JDakar\j, \JSenegal\j. \I(Senegal)\i
Iraqi authorities denounce claims by American and Kuwaiti officials that it is moving soldiers towards \JKuwait\j. \I(Iraq, Kuwait)\i
Mr Amr Moussa, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, claims that if Israel withdrew from Palestinian-owned land, its relations with \JSyria\j and \JEgypt\j would improve. \I(Egypt, \JSyria\j, Israel)\i
Support for Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's Government continues to dwindle, as a former ally claims that he is ignoring the will of the people. \I(Serbia)\i
Accusations that \JSwitzerland\j helped the Nazis during the Second World War and a recent revival of anti-semitism shock the country. \I(Switzerland)\i
Protesters in \JBulgaria\j block the main road and railway line to \JGreece\j, demanding that the Socialist Government resigns. \I(Bulgaria)\i
#
"February 2, 1997",396,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The former Pakistani prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, warns that if she does not win the general elections she will boycott parliament and cause trouble for the new government. At the start of election \Jday\j, very few people turn out at the polling stations. \I(Pakistan)\i
Mr Kim Jong II is to take over as the North Korean head of state, three years after the death of his father Kim Il Sung, the previous head of state. \I(North Korea)\i
Calls are made by the South Korean Opposition for President Kim Young-sam's key economic aide, Lee Suk-chae, to be sacked over his role in the Hanbo Group collapse. \I(South Korea)\i
The first independent Cambodian trade union holds its maiden summit. \I(Cambodia)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j 37 people die during fighting between Tamil Tiger rebels and security soldiers. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Indonesian authorities arrest more people in connection with the Muslim riots west of the capital Jakarta, while fresh violence erupts in the city of \JBandung\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
After discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Mr Hashimoto in Canada, Peruvian President Mr Fujimori agrees to recommence negotiations with the Tupac Amaru Movement rebels who are still holding 72 hostages in Lima. \I(Peru, Japan)\i
It seems likely that the USA and Vietnam will shortly resume normal diplomatic relations, 22 years after the end of the Vietnam War. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
The new UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, announces during a visit to \JSwitzerland\j that he will attempt to smooth relations between \JPortugal\j and \JIndonesia\j in order to bring about a solution to the East \JTimor\j problem. \I(Portugal, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Mr Hashimoto in Canada, Peruvian President Mr Fujimori agrees to recommence negotiations with the Tupac Amaru Movement rebels who are still holding 72 hostages in Lima. \I(Peru, Japan)\i
The American Government's case against the Oklahoma bombers, who were responsible for the deaths of 168 people in 1995, is collapsing. It is thought that the main suspect Tim McVeigh may even be released. \I(USA)\i
It seems likely that the USA and Vietnam will shortly resume normal diplomatic relations, 22 years after the end of the Vietnam War. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Palestinian leader, Mr Arafat, and Israeli leader, Mr Netanyahu, agree to meet for discussions during their attendance at an economic summit in \JSwitzerland\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Zairian President, Mr Mobutu, arrives in Morocco for discussions with King Hassan to try to get his army's help after mercenaries in Zaire appear to have failed to quell rebels. \I(Zaire, Morocco)\i
The German Government is criticized after confessing it gave Nazi war criminals pensions, while victims of the \JHolocaust\j were given no compensation at all. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Reports reveal that the Russian armed forces are in a state of disarray and the defense ministry is financially crippled. \I(Russia)\i
An ex-chief judge accuses \JAlbanian\j President Sali Berisha and his government of using money from pyramid schemes to finance election campaigns. \I(Albania)\i
Albanians fighting for a separate independent state in \JKosovo\j in southern \JSerbia\j, condemn President Milosevic's recent police restrictions after three people were fatally shot. \I(Albania, Serbia)\i
It is disclosed that UK Ministry of Defense scientists conducted secret germ warfare tests in London until 1977. \I(UK)\i
The new UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, announces during a visit to \JSwitzerland\j that he will attempt to smooth relations between \JPortugal\j and \JIndonesia\j in order to bring about a solution to the East \JTimor\j problem. \I(Portugal, Indonesia)\i
Belgian pedophile, Marc Dutroux, is charged with killing two teenagers. He has previously been charged with murdering six other children and kidnapping two others. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
In Medea, \JAlgeria\j, 31 people are brutally murdered; Muslim fundamentalists are thought to be responsible for the killings. \I(Algeria)\i
Gibraltar's Chief Minister rejects any plans for Anglo-Spanish co-sovereignty of the island as proposed by the Spanish Foreign Minister. \I(Gibraltar)\i
#
"February 3, 1997",397,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Britain proposes giving UK passports to thousands of Indian and Pakistani citizens of Hong Kong. \I(UK, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan)\i
Singaporean opposition member, Mr Tang Liang Hong, has his twelfth \Jdefamation\j suit filed against him by senior minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his son Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong. \I(Singapore)\i
North Korea reveals that it is experiencing a drastic food shortage and appeals for international assistance. \I(North Korea)\i
Pakistani President Farooq Leghari says that he would sack another corrupt government. \I(Pakistan)\i
The people of \JPakistan\j vote in the country's general elections; the army oversees the voting at the ballot stations. \I(Pakistan)\i
China uses heavy \Jcensorship\j in the media and the arts in an attempt to abolish any form of dissent. \I(China)\i
Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, calls for a summit on whether \JAustralia\j should become a republic. \I(Australia)\i
At a forthcoming meeting between the European Union and ASEAN, ASEAN announces that it is willing to discuss the situation in \JMyanmar\j but not enter into talks about the East \JTimor\j problem. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Burmese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, claims that supporters of the military junta had been encouraged to attempt to murder her. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the spread of \JHIV\j in Asia will promote the growth of tuberculosis in the region. \I(Asia)\i
Taiwanese President Mr Lee Teng-hui wants \JGermany\j to sell submarines to \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, Germany)\i
The Indonesian army warns that it will use force if riots continue to erupt in \JIndonesia\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Negotiations between China and the US make some headway on trade but no progress is made in the area of human rights. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Bill Clinton, the American President, encourages the Peruvian President Mr Fujimori to search for a peaceful end to the Lima hostage crisis. \I(USA, Peru)\i
An El Greco painting, \IChrist on the Cross,\i sells for a record $AUD4.2 million at a Christie's auction in New York. \I(USA)\i
O.J. Simpson's defense team calls for a mistrial after a juror is removed. Their request is denied. \I(USA)\i
Negotiations between China and the US make some headway on trade but no progress is made in the area of human rights. \I(USA, China)\i
Military police in \JGuatemala\j end their five-\Jday\j protest against proposed job cuts to take place when the new peace agreement is instituted. \I(Guatemala)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Pope John Paul II meets with Israeli Prime Minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu in \JRome\j to discuss the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(\JItaly\j, Israel)\i
Taiwanese President Mr Lee Teng-hui wants \JGermany\j to sell submarines to \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, Germany)\i
Britain proposes giving UK passports to thousands of Indian and Pakistani citizens of Hong Kong. \I(UK, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan)\i
Separatists explode 61 bombs on the island of \JCorsica\j in retaliation for the French Government's crackdown - no injuries are reported. \I(Corsica)\i
In \JBulgaria\j, the Opposition declines an offer by the Socialist Government to form a temporary coalition. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Mrs Winnie Mandela, former wife of South African President Mr Nelson Mandela, claims that the African National Congress was involved in the 1993 murder of Mr Chris Hani, one of its popular members. \I(South Africa)\i
A major step in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is taken when Israel reopens a road which leads to the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
In an attempt to disperse a march by thousands of opposition protesters, Serbian police attack demonstrators with clubs, \Jwater\j cannons, and tear gas, in the most violent clash of the six-week protest. \I(Serbia)\i
During the economic conference in \JSwitzerland\j, Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mr Arafat meet and agree to continue discussions when they return home. Mr Arafat earlier criticized Israel's economic sanctions against Palestine, Israel's unwillingness to follow through on the \JHebron\j peace settlement and the expansion of Jewish settlements. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Russia is highly critical of the move to expand \JNATO\j to include \JPoland\j and other Eastern European countries, claiming it would be \JNATO\j's "biggest error in 50 years." \I(Russia, Poland)\i
Mr Boris Yeltsin, on his return to the international world of politics after a run of ill health, meets with French President Mr Jacques Chirac in Moscow. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Thousands of people march in Northern Ireland to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" - where 13 Catholic demonstrators were killed by British soldiers. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Hundreds of people are involved in a stampede at a mosque in western \JIran\j, at least five people die and 44 others are injured. \I(Iran)\i
Eleven people die after two trains crash in \JCairo\j, \JEgypt\j. \I(Egypt)\i
#
"February 4, 1997",398,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In light of the recent riots, Indonesian authorities forbid all social and political meetings involving large numbers until after the forthcoming elections. \I(Indonesia)\i
In South Korea leading bankers are questioned about the loan scandal surrounding the collapse of the Hanbo Group. \I(South Korea)\i
South Korean environmentalists agree to co-operate with Greenpeace in a campaign to stop the transportation of Taiwanese nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
Severe flooding in the \JQueensland\j town of Charleville forces 400 people to evacuate - the region is declared a natural disaster area. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Sri Lankan troops commence a new campaign against Tamil rebels in the north of the country. The President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga, announces that she is still searching for a solution to the \Jcivil war\j. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Former Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto's future political career looks bleak, following one of her party's worst election defeats in its history. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American Republican politician Mr Bob Dole reveals that his wife, Elizabeth Dole, may run for the presidency in 2000. \I(USA)\i
The family of \Jcivil rights\j leader Martin Luther King is demanding a new trial for the alleged assassin James Earl Ray in light of Ray's later denial that he murdered King. \I(USA)\i
Discussions on American President Clinton's nominee as Chief of the \JCIA\j, Anthony Lake, are expected to be fierce. There is pressure on President Clinton to choose another candidate. \I(USA)\i
The American ambassador to \JFrance\j, Ms Pamela Harriman, is in \Jhospital\j in Paris after suffering a suspected stroke. \I(USA, France)\i
In the civil case against O.J. Simpson, Simpson is found guilty of murdering his ex-wife and her friend Ronald Goldman. Simpson is ordered to pay $US8.5 million in damages. \I(USA)\i
The US, UK and \JFrance\j agree to stop the distribution of $US68 million in gold that the Nazis stole from European banks - it has been stored for the past 50 years. \I(USA, UK, France)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After the use of violence and force against protesters, the Serbian Opposition calls for all-out passive resistance to President Slobodan Milosevic's Government. President Milosevic finally accepts the Opposition's successes in the municipal elections. \I(Serbia)\i
The Russian Prime Minister, Mr Victor Chernomyrdin, claims that the expansion of \JNATO\j will endanger Mr Yeltsin's Government as well as encourage Russian extremists to call for war against the West. \I(Russia)\i
The American ambassador to \JFrance\j, Ms Pamela Harriman, is in \Jhospital\j in Paris after suffering a suspected stroke. \I(USA, France)\i
The US, UK and \JFrance\j agree to stop the distribution of $US68 million in gold that the Nazis stole from European banks - it has been stored for the past fifty years. \I(US, UK, France)\i
As the British Prime Minister Mr John Major continues to refuse to announce the date of the general election, a local election in Wirral South is called. \I(UK)\i
Britain commences investigations into its biggest child sexual abuse case after reports from children's homes in Wales are released. \I(UK)\i
Zairian soldiers are ordered to go to the province of Shaba to protect it from attacks by the rebels. \I(Zaire)\i
British author, Iris Murdoch, is reported to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 5, 1997",399,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Ousted Pakistani prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, accedes to the general election results and gives up any plans to boycott parliament. The \JPakistan\j Muslim League (PML) party led by Mr Nawaz Sharif forms the country's new government. \I(Pakistan)\i
South Korean environmentalists demonstrate aboard 40 boats in the lead-up to an attempted sea blockage to prevent the transportation of Taiwanese nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(South Korea, \JTaiwan\j, North Korea)\i
The Indonesian Government announces that all political speeches to be broadcast as part of the election are to be censored by officials. \I(Indonesia)\i
The environmental group Greenpeace reveals that it has videotaped cracks in the Antarctic ice shelf. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Sri Lankan troops begin a major campaign against Tamil rebels in an effort to reopen an access route to the government-controlled town of Vavuniya. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
On the eve of Chinese New Year, China's paramount leader Mr Deng Xiaoping receives visits from the President Jiang Zemin and Premier Mr Li Peng. Deng Xiaoping is reportedly in good health. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In his State of the Union speech, American President Mr Clinton calls for an upgrade of the education system, a more balanced budget, and a reform to campaign finances. \I(USA)\i
The discovery that the new \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, is of Jewish descent, should in no way affect her participation in the \JMiddle East\j peace talks. \I(USA)\i
A senior negotiator in the Peruvian hostage crisis says that the government and the rebel leaders must compromise in order for talks to begin. \I(Peru)\i
Jurors in the civil case against O.J. Simpson try to determine his worth and then they will decide on punitive damages. \I(USA)\i
Ms Pamela Harriman, the American envoy to \JFrance\j, dies in Paris at the age of 76. \I(USA, France)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two Israeli military helicopters, transporting troops to South \JLebanon\j, crash in midair over northern \JGalilee\j, killing all 73 passengers. An investigation is to be conducted. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
Zairian rebels announce a deadline of two weeks for President Mr Mobutu to give up power or they will launch a major military campaign against the government. \I(Zaire)\i
Ms Pamela Harriman, the American envoy to \JFrance\j, dies in Paris at the age of 76. \I(USA, France)\i
Five United Nations officials conducting investigations into human rights abuses in \JRwanda\j are murdered. After the killings, the Red Cross organization announces that it will remove its aid workers from the country. \I(Rwanda)\i
The ruling Socialist Party in \JBulgaria\j caves into pressure and announces that it will hold elections, following 30 days of protests against the government. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Speculation in \JGermany\j mounts about how long Helmut Kohl will remain in the role of Chancellor. \I(Germany)\i
The number of unemployed German people increases to 4.6 million, the highest figure since 1993, quelling any hopes of improvements in the labor market. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Three of the main Swiss banks set up a \JHolocaust\j Fund, worth 100 million Swiss francs, as means to compensate victims of the Nazi era. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
In \JIran\j at least 70 people die after the northeastern region is hit by earthquakes and aftershocks. \I(Iran)\i
A bomb, allegedly planted by the IRA, explodes in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. No injuries are reported. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
#
"February 6, 1997",400,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesian soldiers are sent to West \JKalimantan\j to quell riots between the indigenous Dayak people and Muslim immigrants. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Chinese Government is unhappy over an American report on China's human rights record, claiming that the American media is biased and disreputable. \I(China, USA)\i
Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the Indonesian pro-democracy leader, does not reply to a summons by police in connection with a meeting held at her home in January. \I(Indonesia)\i
Due to the severe food shortage in North Korea, the United Nations is proposing to launch a worldwide campaign for humanitarian assistance. \I(North Korea)\i
Pakistan's new Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, celebrates and gives thanks for his landslide victory in the country's elections. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American State Department voices its concern over the Zairian \Jcivil war\j which continues to worsen as well as increasingly involve nearby countries. \I(USA)\i
The Chinese Government is unhappy over an American report on China's human rights record, claiming that the American media is biased and disreputable. \I(China, USA)\i
It is announced that the American actor Elizabeth Taylor has a benign tumor in her brain. Surgery is to be conducted shortly. \I(USA)\i
It is reported that O.J. Simpson is worth only $US500,000 and not the figure of US$8 million released previously. \I(USA)\i
The Ecuadorian Congress votes to oust President Abdala Bucaram from office due to his "mental incapacity." \I(Ecuador)\i
In Lima, mediators meet with Tupac Amaru Movement rebels, who are holding 72 people hostage, in an effort to end the crisis. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
American attorney general, Ms Janet Reno, claims that the number of people using heroin has increased, as heroin has become cheaper and purer. \I(USA)\i
The writer of an anonymous letter about the recent murder of six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey is asked to contact the police. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Turkey's Islamic Government is in danger as the Opposition fights against moves by the government to bring religion into matters of state. \I(Turkey)\i
British troops uncover a stockpile of weapons and arrest over ten people in Northern Ireland. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Staff from the British auctioneers, Sotheby's, are suspended after being charged with smuggling paintings into the UK. \I(UK)\i
Hundreds of people, whites and coloreds, demonstrate against discrimination by the government in towns outside \JJohannesburg\j. It is reported that four people are killed and hundreds of others are injured in the clashes. \I(South Africa)\i
Four United Nations officials are taken hostage by rebels in Tajikistan. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Despite assurances from Serbian President Milosevic to recognize election victories, the Opposition accuses him of trying to con them out of certain victories. \I(Serbia)\i
Thousands of people protest against the \JAlbanian\j Government which they believe is at fault for causing the collapse of pyramid investment schemes. \I(Albania)\i
After the murder of five United Nations officials, the UN decides to withdraw hundreds of aid workers, both expatriate and locals, from western \JRwanda\j. \I(Rwanda)\i
Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, announces that Israel will continue to send soldiers to South \JLebanon\j despite the recent aircrash which killed 72 military personnel. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
#
"February 7, 1997",401,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong celebrates the Chinese New Year - the year of the ox - with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. A British tourist is killed by a float which went out of control during the New Year parade. \I(Hong Kong)\i
In an attempt to stop overcrowding in prisons, \JBangladesh\j will free more than 1,000 prisoners. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Thousands of Muslims riot in central \JPakistan\j, damaging property and killing two people. \I(Pakistan)\i
Charles Sobhraj, the mass murderer, is due for release after spending more than 20 years in Indian prisons. \I(India)\i
Voting commences in elections in the Indian State of Punjab. \I(India)\i
New violent clashes occur between the indigenous locals and migrants from the Madura Island in West \JKalimantan\j, despite the presence of police. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Actor Mia Farrow's book \IWhat Falls Away,\i about her relationship with film actor and director Woody Allen, is released. \I(USA)\i
Mexico's Opposition party, the National Action Party, is embroiled in scandal, spoiling its chances of coming to power. \I(Mexico)\i
Mediators in the Lima hostage crisis say that progress is being made. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
In the case against the Oklahoma bomb suspect, Timothy McVeigh, it is revealed that he expected to cause a kind of "uprising." \I(USA)\i
Researchers with the government indicate that children in the USA are much more likely to be murdered, commit suicide, or to die because of a gun, than children in other developed nations. \I(USA)\i
The jury members in the civil case against O.J. Simpson are told that Simpson is $US3.7 million richer since he was found guilty of the murders of his ex-wife and her friend; meanwhile the defense paints a picture of him being quite poor. \I(USA)\i
It is announced that American President Bill Clinton will meet up with Russian President Boris Yeltsin in \JFinland\j in March. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The Hawaii Senate approves a ban on same-sex marriages. \I(USA)\i
Five people are arrested in \JGermany\j in connection with the 1986 bombing of a West Berlin nightclub which led to an American air attack on \JLibya\j. \I(Germany, USA, Libya)\i
The American space agency, NASA, announces it will loan up to $US20 million to Russian aerospace companies who are lacking funds. \I(USA, Russia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanians vow that they will continue to stage protests against the government until their money from the failed pyramid investment schemes is refunded. \I(Albania)\i
The American space agency, NASA, announces it will loan up to $US20 million to Russian aerospace companies who are lacking funds. \I(USA, Russia)\i
It is announced that American President Bill Clinton will meet up with Russian President Boris Yeltsin in \JFinland\j in March. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Five people are arrested in \JGermany\j in connection with the 1986 bombing of a West Berlin nightclub which led to an American air attack on \JLibya\j. \I(Germany, USA, Libya)\i
Jewish leaders welcome the move by three major Swiss banks to establish a 100 million Swiss francs \JHolocaust\j humanitarian fund. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
In Tajikistan, over 15 relief workers and journalists are taken hostage by rebels. \I(Takijistan)\i
Talibaan militia in \JAfghanistan\j prepare to invade the north of the country after having achieved several military advances. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Rebel forces in eastern Zaire continue to be make military gains over government troops. The United Nations plans to pull out its workers from the town of \JKisangani\j, as the fighting draws closer to the area. \I(Zaire)\i
The Serbian Opposition announces that they will halt all street protests once the government has reinstated all the municipal election victories. \I(Serbia)\i
A British widow, Ms Diane Blood, wins her fight to be artificially inseminated with her dead husband's sperm - a major legal victory. \I(UK)\i
Calm returns to \JJohannesburg\j after violent clashes occurred in mixed-race townships. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"February 8, 1997",402,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the town of Raurimu in the North Island of \JNew Zealand\j, a gunman goes berserk killing at least six people and injuring five others. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
The people of North Korea are facing difficult times, as food shortages continue and winter \Jweather\j hits the country. \I(North Korea)\i
According to a study released by the Pentagon, China and \JRussia\j could emerge as military peers of the US in their regions. \I(USA, China, Russia)\i
China criticizes the agreement between \JCambodia\j and \JTaiwan\j to open up commercial air connections. \I(China, \JCambodia\j, Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
According to a study released by the Pentagon, China and \JRussia\j could emerge as military peers of the US in their regions. \I(USA, China, Russia)\i
Ecuadorian President Abdala Bucaram refuses to resign after Congress voted to sack him from office on the grounds of mental incompetence. It is hoped that the military will be able to solve the political crisis. \I(Ecuador)\i
Peruvian President Mr Fujimori flies to London, which means that, until his return, little progress will be made in negotiations with the Marxist rebels involved in the hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
The American \JImmigration\j and Naturalization Service reports that about 5 million illegal immigrants are residing in the US. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
According to a study released by the Pentagon, China and \JRussia\j could emerge as military peers of the US in their regions. \I(USA, China, Russia)\i
Tajik rebels, who are holding at least 15 people hostage, including nine United Nations officials, issue new demands. \I(Tajikistan)\i
It is reported that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, has cleared off her million dollar debts. \I(UK)\i
Israel announces that it will release 23 of its female Palestinian prisoners. \I(Israel)\i
Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister of \JItaly\j, is to have further charges of corruption filed against him. \I(Italy)\i
In Zaire, rebels gain ground against government troops, forcing thousands of people to escape from the region. \I(Zaire)\i
Ms Camilla Parker Bowles, the Prince of Wales's mistress, accuses two journalists of harassment. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 9, 1997",403,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, a main road in the province is reopened after it was closed by police due to rioting between local Dayak people and migrants from Madura Island. \I(Indonesia)\i
After yesterday's massacre in \JNew Zealand\j, calls are renewed for stricter gun laws. \JNew Zealand\j's legislation on \Jfirearms\j is behind many other countries in the world. Stephen Anderson is charged with murder. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Hong Kong's chief-designate, Mr Tung Chee-hwa, is recognized as a state leader by Chinese authorities. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Australia is asked by the International Federation of the Red Cross to provide assistance for North Korea, which is suffering from food shortages and widespread flooding. \I(Australia, North Korea)\i
It is thought that India and \JPakistan\j are ready to recommence discussions after a two-year stalemate. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Bucaram is ousted as President of \JEcuador\j. The Vice-President, Ms Rosalia Arteaga, is to act as interim president. \I(Eucador)\i
It is believed that the former \JCIA\j agent-turned-spy, Aldrich Ames, betrayed 25 spies to the former \JSoviet Union\j. \I(USA)\i
The American sports shoe producer, Reebok, initiates a million dollar lawsuit against the makers of the movie \IJerry Maguire\i for omitting a scene, shot at Reebok's cost, as a semi-advertisement. \I(USA)\i
France awards the recently deceased American ambassador to \JFrance\j, Ms Pamela Harriman, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. \I(France, USA)\i
The family of Juan Mendonza, one of the 72 people held hostage at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, pleads with the Tupac Amaru rebels for his release due to ill health. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Rebel troops in eastern Zaire occupy large tracts of land and now endanger the Mobutu Government. Government forces and mercenaries have so far been unable to put up much resistance to the rebel fighters. \I(Zaire)\i
Diana, Princess of Wales, refuses to continue to support a book published for AIDS research after she feared that it might offend the Royal Family. The book apparently contains pictures of naked men opposite photographs of the Royal Family. \I(UK)\i
In an attempt to appease Russian opposition to the expansion of \JNATO\j, \JNATO\j calls for a special security forum with close Russian involvement. \I(Russia)\i
It is believed that rebels have killed over 20 people during fighting in northern \JUganda\j. \I(Uganda)\i
Spanish authorities discover a 44-year-old woman who had been kept in a pit for 40 years by her own family. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
Speculation over the state of Russian President Yeltsin's health continues to mount, as the country faces increasing economic crises. \I(Russia)\i
Albanian police use batons on people protesting against the government's involvement in the collapse of the pyramid investment schemes. \I(Albania)\i
Thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees, who disappeared into the Zairian jungle last year, reappear in dire need of assistance. \I(Zaire)\i
It is thought that the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, will be questioned by police in connection with the influence-trading affair. \I(Israel)\i
After suffering from the flu, Pope John Paul II returns to public duties. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In Tula, \JRussia\j, local elections commence - the seat was vacated by former national security chief Mr Alexander Lebed. \I(Russia)\i
France awards the recently deceased American ambassador to \JFrance\j, Ms Pamela Harriman, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. \I(France, USA)\i
It is revealed that negotiations are under way concerning the possible withdrawal of Israeli troops from South \JLebanon\j. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
The President of Tajikistan fails to gain the release of hostages, which includes UN personnel, held by Tajik rebels. \I(Tajikistan)\i
#
"February 10, 1997",404,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the region of Xinjiang in China, thousands of Uighur Muslims riot and clash with Han Chinese, killing at least 10 people. Authorities arrest over 1,000 people. \I(China)\i
Mass murderer Charles Sobhraj fails in his bid to be released from prison when an Indian court refuses to grant him bail - it is believed that he will launch an appeal. \I(India)\i
It is reported that Stephen Anderson, the man accused of the recent massacre of six people in \JNew Zealand\j, has a history of mental illness. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
In the State of Punjab, a pro-Sikh regional party and its Hindu nationalist ally defeat the ruling Congress party in the State's elections. \I(India)\i
Three politicians are brought in for questioning by the South Korean state prosecutors in connection with loans to the collapsed Hanbo Steel Company. \I(South Korea)\i
In Port Moresby an Australian judge gives three Papua New Guinean men the death penalty for murder. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
One of American President Clinton's former Whitewater business partners, James McDougal, alters his story. He now claims that the President was present at a 1986 meeting where an illegal loan was discussed. \I(USA)\i
It is believed that the American ambassador to Ireland, Ms Jean Kennedy Smith, will be removed from her post due to her strong pro-nationalist opinions which differ from the Administration's policy on Ireland. \I(USA, Ireland)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Rwandan army begins a major show of force against Hutu militants who they blame for the recent murders of foreign aid workers and local officers. \I(Rwanda)\i
It is believed that the American ambassador to Ireland, Ms Jean Kennedy Smith, will be removed from her post due to her strong pro-nationalist opinions which differ from the Administration's policy on Ireland. \I(USA, Ireland)\i
Indian's Special Protection Group must ensure the safety of Priyanka Gandhi, the daughter of assassinated Indian leader Rajiv Gandhi, who is to get married next week. \I(India)\i
The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, attempts to make amends with the former Russian State of \JChechnya\j by sending a representative to the presidential inauguration ceremony. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
The Serbian Opposition continues to battle with the government and claims the fight for democratic reforms is yet to happen. \I(Serbia)\i
British yachtsman Tony Bullimore returns to the UK after his terrifying ordeal of spending four days trapped below his boat before being rescued by the Australian navy in January. \I(UK)\i
Thousands of people clash with riot police in Vlore, a southern port in \JAlbania\j; many people are reported injured. \I(Albania)\i
The National Front, the anti-immigrant party in \JFrance\j, led by Jean-Marie Le Pen, wins control of the municipal council of Vitrolles in the south of \JFrance\j. It is seen as a major defeat of the government and opposition parties. \I(France)\i
#
"February 11, 1997",405,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Australian movie, \IShine,\i is nominated for seven Oscars by the \JHollywood\j Academy of Motion Pictures. \I(Australia)\i
In New York two men are found guilty of the 1991 murder of Mr Yankel Rosenbaum, a visiting Australian scholar to the US. Mr Rosenbaum was killed after a crowd went on the rampage when a black child was run over and killed by a car driven by a Jew. \I(USA, Australia)\i
A Sri Lankan MP and a bodyguard are shot dead during clashes between supporters of the ruling People's Alliance and the opposition United National Party in Colombo. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
China becomes increasingly concerned about the rising number of unemployed people. It is thought that the figure might hit 7.4 per cent of the population by 2000. \I(China)\i
The American Administration admits that \Jaircraft\j fired thousands of radioactive bullets during military drills over the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j. The Japanese Government is angry that it has taken the US a year to disclose the information. \I(USA, Japan)\i
China announces that the efforts to protect the giant panda, as well as the captive breeding programs, have been successful. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York two men are found guilty of the 1991 murder of Mr Yankel Rosenbaum, a visiting Australian scholar to the US. Mr Rosenbaum was killed after a crowd went on the rampage when a black child was run over and killed by a car driven by a Jew. \I(USA, Australia)\i
The American Administration admits that \Jaircraft\j fired thousands of radioactive bullets during military drills over the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j. The Japanese Government is angry that it has taken the US a year to disclose the information. \I(USA, Japan)\i
The jury in the civil case against O.J. Simpson decrees that he should pay $US25 million in punitive damages. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British film \IThe English Patient,\i is nominated for 12 Oscars by the \JHollywood\j Academy of Motion Pictures. \I(UK)\i
In \JAlbania\j, people continue to clash with police during protests against the government's involvement in the collapse of the pyramid investment schemes. \I(Albania)\i
Muslims are expelled by Bosnian Croats from the town of Mostar. Outbreaks of violence in the town have killed at least one person and injured 22 others. \I(Bosnia)\i
The Government of Tajikistan is prepared to make a deal with rebels who are holding several foreign aid workers hostage. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Mr Malcolm Rifkind, the British Foreign Secretary, warns that \JGreece\j and Turkey may go to war over the island of Cyprus. \I(Greece, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
Mr Alexander Korzhakov, a former chief of President Yeltsin's bodyguards, wins a parliamentary seat. He has already warned that he will reveal \JKremlin\j secrets. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"February 12, 1997",406,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Nearly 100 Muslim separatist leaders, who organized last week's riots in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, are executed by the Chinese Government. \I(China)\i
It is reported that major priceless works of art are being removed from Hong Kong prior to the island's handover to the Chinese authorities. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Mr Kim Woo Suk, the South Korean Minister of Home Affairs, quits after it is announced that he will be investigated in connection with the Hanbo Group loans affair. \I(South Korea)\i
Mr Hwang Jang Yop, a leading North Korean official, and his assistant Mr Kim Duk Hung, flee North Korea and ask for asylum at the South Korean embassy in China. North Korean officials claim that the two have been kidnapped by South Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea, China)\i
The border between West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, and \JSarawak\j is reopened by \JMalaysia\j after recent riots. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Thousands of people meet at the home of Burmese pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, to celebrate Burmese Union Day. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration cautions \JRussia\j about providing help to \JIran\j's missile program. The US believes that such assistance could endanger American soldiers in Saudi \JArabia\j and other \JMiddle East\j allies. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iran)\i
Thousands of people demonstrate against Colombian President Ernesto Samper's economic saving proposals. \I(Colombia)\i
In an effort to solve the Lima hostage crisis, a Peruvian Government negotiator and a leader of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement hold discussions. \I(Peru)\i
Mr Fabian Alarcon is elected as President of \JEcuador\j after the resignation of Ms Rosalia Arteaga, who was initially chosen as President when Abdala Bucaram was recently ousted. \I(Ecuador)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thirty-one Palestinian female prisoners are released from Israeli jails to a warm welcome from PLO chairman Yasser Arafat. \I(West Bank)\i
Albanian authorities decide against instituting emergency rule in the port of Vlore, where three people were killed in recent rioting. \I(Albania)\i
Another South African former police officer admits that he was involved in the death of black activist Steve Biko twenty years ago. \I(South Africa)\i
The American Administration cautions \JRussia\j about providing help to \JIran\j's missile program. The US believes that such assistance could endanger American soldiers in Saudi \JArabia\j and other \JMiddle East\j allies. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iran)\i
The Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, claims that his soldiers have occupied the town of Isiro and are heading towards Buta. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"February 13, 1997",407,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Charles Sobhraj, one of India's most infamous murderers, is released on bail after more than 20 years in prison. \I(India)\i
In South Korea, authorities issue arrest warrants for two MPs and a former Cabinet minister over their involvement in the Hanbo loans case. \I(South Korea)\i
Thousands of Karen people flee to \JThailand\j to seek asylum from the fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese soldiers in \JMyanmar\j. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, the Dayak tribespeople are believed to be cutting off the heads of rival immigrants from the island of Madura. \I(Indonesia)\i
Negotiations are underway between South Korea and China over the future of North Korean defector Mr Hwang Jang Yop. \I(South Korea, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Fred Goldman, the father of murder victim Ronald Goldman, is willing to give up the punitive damages bill of millions of dollars awarded to him if O.J. Simpson publicly confesses to being the murderer. \I(USA)\i
Mr Fujimori, the Peruvian President, returns to \JPeru\j after an overseas visit. The Lima hostage crisis continues with no solution in sight. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Northern Ireland, a British soldier is murdered by the IRA. Authorities are concerned that Loyalist factions will seek revenge. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Serbian teachers join the protest movement against the Government of President Slobodan Milosevic. \I(Serbia)\i
In \JBulgaria\j, President Petar Stoyanov announces that elections will be held on April, 19, and nominates a caretaker government to guide the country to the polls. \I(Bulgaria)\i
In the port of Vlore, \JAlbania\j, where clashes between police and protesters took place last week, a policeman is shot dead. \I(Albania)\i
A United Nations report finds that the Rwandan genocide trials have not been conducted properly. Senior officials are called for talks with UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan. \I(Rwanda)\i
#
"February 14, 1997",408,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China refuses to be pressured into making an immediate decision about the future of North Korean defector Mr Hwang Jang Yop. Mr Hwang claims that thousands of North Korean spies are operating in South Korea. \I(China, North Korea, South Korea)\i
About 100 people demonstrate outside the Taiwanese embassy in South Korea against the proposals by \JTaiwan\j to ship nuclear waste to North Korea. \I(Taiwan, South Korea, North Korea)\i
About 70 youths are arrested by the Indonesian army over their involvement in recent rioting in Viqueque in East \JTimor\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Six people are taken into custody in connection with the recent killing of a Sri Lankan MP. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Indian police disperse a gathering of hundreds of Christians protesting against violent attacks against them. \I(India)\i
Leaders from the EU and ASEAN meet in \JSingapore\j and agree on ways to increase business and trade relations. \I(Singapore)\i
Japan's oldest written character, dating back to the fourth century, is discovered on a piece of wooden armor. \I(Japan)\i
Malaysia opposes \JAustralia\j's admission to a new dialog forum between Asian and European countries. \I(Malaysia, Australia)\i
The American Administration launches an investigation into reports that China provided financial backing for the American Democratic Party's election campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
China criticizes both the US and \JJapan\j for failing to release the news that the US used radioactive bullets during military exercises in \JOkinawa\j, \JJapan\j over one year ago. \JJapan\j was only informed by the US a month ago of the news. \I(China, USA, Japan)\i
British pop star, Elton John, cancels his proposed concerts that were to mark Hong Kong's return to China, following suggestions that the public listens to the concerts through headphones. \I(UK, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Ms Debbie Rowe, wife of American popstar Michael Jackson, gives birth to a baby boy. \I(USA)\i
Mr Ernesto Samper, the President of \JEcuador\j, weathers an attempted assassination involving an attack on his jet. \I(Ecuador)\i
During discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the \JWhite House\j, American President Bill Clinton encourages Mr Netanyahu to recommence peace talks with \JSyria\j. \I(USA, Israel, Syria)\i
The town of Brcko in Bosnia is at the center of controversy after it was revealed that an American mediator had decided to temporarily hand it over to the Serbs. Muslims stage a protest, while the US fears that no side will be happy about the final decision. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
The American Administration launches an investigation into reports that China provided financial backing for the American Democratic Party's election campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
In a book about to be released by the relatives of murder victim Ronald Goldman, the family clearly states its belief that O.J. Simpson was the murderer. \I(USA)\i
Former business associate and friend of American President Bill Clinton, Susan McDougal, who is currently serving a jail sentence, comes under increasing pressure to confess to the President's involvement in Whitewater. \I(USA)\i
Astronauts from the spaceshuttle \IDiscovery\i update the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j by installing two new eyes to improve its view of the Universe. \I(USA)\i
China criticizes both the US and \JJapan\j for failing to release the news that the US used radioactive bullets during military exercises in \JOkinawa\j, \JJapan\j over one year ago. \JJapan\j was only informed by the US a month ago of the news. \I(China, USA, Japan)\i
Israeli authorities claim to have known of the new American \JSecretary of State\j Ms Madeleine Albright's Jewish origins for more than two years. \I(Israel, USA)\i
The American computer magnate, Bill Gates, is reported to have increased his wealth to $US29 billion in 1996 - he is on his way to becoming the richest person in the world ever. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Labor Party pushes hard for an early general election to be called by the government. \I(UK)\i
Mercenaries employed by the Zairian Government to assist the army are fleeing the country as rebels make significant headway. \I(Zaire)\i
Israeli authorities claim to have known of the new American \JSecretary of State\j Ms Madeleine Albright's Jewish origins for more than two years. \I(Israel, USA)\i
British pop star, Elton John, cancels his proposed concerts that were to mark Hong Kong's return to China, following suggestions that the public listens to the concerts through headphones. \I(UK, Hong Kong)\i
Sotheby's chief executive officer launches an investigation into claims that the firm was responsible for smuggling art works out of Europe for sale in Britain. \I(UK)\i
Loyalists in Northern Ireland decide whether to keep to their 28-month-old cease-fire after a British soldier is killed, presumably by the IRA. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
During discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the \JWhite House\j, American President Bill Clinton encourages Mr Netanyahu to recommence peace talks with \JSyria\j. \I(USA, Israel, Syria)\i
In \JAlbania\j, protesters demand that the government refunds their money that they put into the collapsed pyramid investment schemes. \I(Albania)\i
The town of Brcko in Bosnia is at the center of controversy after it was revealed that an American mediator had decided to give it to the Serbs. Muslims stage a protest, while the US fears that no side will be happy about the final decision. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Tajik rebels claim that they have killed a UN official who they had been holding hostage. \I(Tajikistan)\i
#
"February 15, 1997",409,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China's paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, is reported to be seriously ill having suffered a major stroke. \I(China)\i
North Korea is reportedly in a desperate state, with people starving and thousands dying from hunger; floods are causing chaos and the crops are failing. \I(North Korea)\i
The Burmese army murders villagers in the south of the country, as the army attempts to clear the land in order to make way for international investment and force out minorities. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, says that if his request for refuge in South Korea is denied, he will die in South Korea's Chinese embassy. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Astronauts from the spaceshuttle \IDiscovery,\i who are repairing the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j, move into higher \Jorbit\j to avoid colliding with a piece of space junk. \I(USA)\i
Iraq claims that the American Administration's policy of "dual containment" towards \JIran\j and \JIraq\j is not fair. \JIraq\j says that the USA is overlooking \JIran\j's purchase of weapons while pressing for the continuance of UN sanctions against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Iraq)\i
Progress is believed to have been made during talks between a Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement leader and a Peruvian Government official regarding ending the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mr Boris Yeltsin, the Russian leader, dismisses demands by the Opposition that his constitutional powers should be reduced. \I(Russia)\i
The British Government considers a plan to send a peacekeeping force to the island of Cyprus, after grave fears arose that \JGreece\j and Turkey would go to war over the island. \I(UK, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
In \JRwanda\j, Froduald Karamira is sentenced to death for war crimes committed during 1994 when hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and Hutus were murdered; he is ordered to pay $AUD22 million in compensation to families of the victims. \I(Rwanda)\i
British author Salman Rushdie, on the eighth anniversary of the Iranian \Ifatwa,\i claims that the EU has done nothing to remove the \Ifatwa.\i \I(UK, Iran)\i
Syria announces that it is prepared to recommence peace talks with Israel immediately, if Israel will abandon the Golan Heights. \I(Israel, Syria)\i
Rebels in Zaire warn that they will attack the largest refugee camp unless Rwandans armed by the government leave the country. \I(Zaire)\i
After the Serbian Government finally agrees to recognize the Opposition's election victories, the Opposition is prepared to bring to a halt the protest campaign. The Opposition demands that the media has controls lifted within a three-week period. \I(Serbia)\i
Iraq claims that the American Administration's policy of "dual containment" towards \JIran\j and \JIraq\j is not fair. \JIraq\j says that the USA is overlooking \JIran\j's purchase of weapons while pressing for the continuance of UN sanctions against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Iraq)\i
A photograph published in the British \ISunday Times\i magazine reveals that formula one racing driver Ayrton Senna may have crashed into debris on the racetrack which could have caused his fatal accident in 1994. \I(UK)\i
It is believed that the jazz musician Ronnie Scott, who died in December 1996, committed suicide. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 16, 1997",410,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Seoul, South Korea, North Korean defector Lee Han Young is shot, allegedly by North Korean agents. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
In southern \JSri Lanka\j, troops and protesters clash, leaving two dead and over 30 others wounded. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
The Indonesian army is to remain in West \JKalimantan\j, where recent violent ethnic riots occurred. \I(Indonesia)\i
China is enmeshed in the diplomatic crisis between South and North Korea. Chinese police are at the ready to stop North Korea from forcing their way into the South Korean embassy to retrieve defector Mr Hwang Jang Yop. \I(China, North Korea, South Korea)\i
A leading North Korean official, Mr Kim Duk Hong, who defected to South Korea last week, apparently revealed last year that North Korea has five atomic bombs. \I(North Korea)\i
At an ASEM \I(Asia-Europe Meeting)\i held in \JSingapore\j, it is announced that human rights issues and the admission of new members will be discussed. However, the matter of \JMyanmar\j's entry still remains unresolved. \I(Singapore)\i
International aid agencies try to cope with the influx of thousands of Karen people into \JThailand\j after they were forced to leave their homes by Burmese troops. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The release from prison of the infamous Indian criminal, Charles Sobhraj, is delayed by two days. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Discussions between the Peruvian Government and Tupac Amaru rebel leaders about the Lima hostage crisis are yet to reach any solution. The government mediator now appears more wary of finding an immediate solution. \I(Peru)\i
The mother of murder victim Ronald Goldman says that she wants justice to be carried out and she is not trying to make money out of the O.J. Simpson case. \I(USA)\i
Astronauts from the spaceshuttle \IDiscovery\i carry out a fifth spacewalk to repair faulty \Jinsulation\j on the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is claimed by a member of the Russian security forces that President Boris Yeltsin needs assistance in walking and is showing early symptoms of Parkinson's disease. \I(Russia)\i
Albanian President, Mr Berisha, publicly confesses that his government has made errors over the pyramid savings schemes and permits demonstrations outside the capital. \I(Albania)\i
Tajik rebels release five of the eleven hostages they are holding, following a warning from the government that it would use force to secure their release. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Captain Hani Ayad, the Palestinian intelligence chief, is arrested in Nablus for torturing a prisoner to death. \I(Palestine)\i
In a newly released report by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is revealed that a Russian male cannot expect to live longer than 58 years - a figure significantly below many other countries in the world. \I(Russia)\i
Zairian rebels make significant progress in eastern Zaire, and President Mr Mobutu gets ready to defend the capital, \JKinshasa\j. The President forbids any demonstrations and imposes restrictions on the media. It is rumored that private businessman are willing to fund their own army to drive back the rebels. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"February 17, 1997",411,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mr Hwang Jang Yop, a recent defector from North Korea, is rumored to have revealed that another seven leading North Korean officials are preparing to defect to South Korea. \I(North Korea)\i
Thousands more Karen refugees are expected in \JThailand\j, as the Burmese army continues its drive into south-east \JMyanmar\j, which is still controlled by Karen guerrillas. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Bo Mya, the leader of the Karen guerrillas, uses refugees as a human shield to try to stop a split within the ranks of his troops. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
India expels an American diplomat; as a counterstroke the US banishes two Indian diplomats. \I(India, USA)\i
An Australian school principal commits suicide just before his appearance at a royal commission which is looking into pedophilia. It is alleged that he covered up allegations of child abuse at his school. \I(Australia)\i
Indian authorities attempt to extradite an Italian businessman over an armaments deal made with the Indian Government over ten years ago. \I(India)\i
The Dalai Lama commends the Taiwanese President Mr Lee Teng-hui's attempts to initiate democratic reforms. \I(Taiwan)\i
Papua New Guinean soldiers thought to have been responsible for the murder of the Premier of Bougainville, Mr Theodore Miriung, are also believed to have tampered with evidence. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Thousands of Muslims attack Christians and destroy property in Khanewal in Punjab province in \JPakistan\j. So far, two people have died and many others are wounded. \I(Pakistan)\i
Thirty-two people are killed in a village in the Indian State of Tripura. Authorities arrest 80 guerrillas in connection with the murders. \I(India)\i
Ms Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, is hospitalized due to a \Jstomach\j illness. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
China claims that it did not participate in the funding of the American Democrat's election campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
American authorities keep a careful track of accounts about the deteriorating health of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The leading American \JHouse of Representatives\j investigator issues another 20 subpoenas in connection with investigations into foreign funding of the 1996 election campaign. \I(USA)\i
China claims that it did not participate in the funding of the American Democrat's election campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
India expels an American diplomat; as a counterstroke the US banishes two Indian diplomats. \I(India, USA)\i
American authorities keep a careful track of accounts about the deteriorating health of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(USA, China)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, is on her first official overseas visit where she will discuss with allies the plan to expand \JNATO\j. \I(USA)\i
Plans to secure the release of the people held hostage in Lima are revealed. Meanwhile, talks to find a solution to the crisis continue. Rebels vow to hold out as long as possible, claiming any plan to invade the Japanese ambassador's residence could lead to death for the hostages as well as the rebels. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
The diplomatic immunity in Washington of Georgian diplomat George Makharadze is removed as he faces charges of \Jmanslaughter\j of a young American girl - he allegedly crashed into her while driving under the influence of alcohol. \I(USA, Georgia)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, urges \JGermany\j to cut links with \JIran\j, \JIraq\j and \JLibya\j. \I(Germany, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Rebels, who are holding six people hostage in Tajikistan, fail to appear for talks with the President Imomali Rakhmonov. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Zairian Government troops attack three rebel-occupied towns in the east of the country and promise to step up their campaign. \I(Zaire)\i
The diplomatic immunity in Washington of Georgian diplomat George Makharadze is removed as he faces charges of \Jmanslaughter\j of a young American girl - he allegedly crashed into her while driving under the influence of alcohol. \I(USA, Georgia)\i
It is claimed in a Russian newspaper that the President's wife Naina Yeltsin is also urging her husband to resign, however, Mrs Yeltsin denies the report. \I(Russia)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, urges \JGermany\j to cut links with \JIran\j, \JIraq\j and \JLibya\j. \I(Germany, USA)\i
Poland fears that \JRussia\j is conducting a campaign to stop its admission to \JNATO\j. \I(Russia, Poland)\i
#
"February 18, 1997",412,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mr Nawaz Sharif is sworn in as \JPakistan\j's new Prime Minister, promising to lead a "clean" government. \I(Pakistan)\i
Chinese authorities try to halt rumors that the country's paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, is critically ill and dying. \I(China)\i
North Korea wants evidence that recent defector Mr Hwang Jang Yop is willingly seeking asylum and is not being held in the \JBeijing\j's South Korean embassy against his will. Talks between South Korea and China fail to bring about a solution on Mr Hwang's fate. \I(North Korea, China, South Korea)\i
The infamous murderer, Charles Sobhraj, released after spending 20 years in Indian prisons, is immediately re-arrested after his release - he is detained while \Jimmigration\j officials examine his case. \I(India)\i
The Burmese army prepares for its final attack on the Karen guerrillas at the Thai-Burmese border. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Order is restored to a town in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, where recent riots erupted. \I(China)\i
Cambodia is informed by Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas, that it will be granted admission to ASEAN in July 1997. \I(Cambodia, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A new American study reveals that Walt Disney Company was one of the main financial contributors to the 1995-96 US election campaigns. \I(USA)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, suggests that \JNATO\j and \JRussia\j create a joint force for peacekeeping and special crisis management projects. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Mr Kenneth Starr, the Whitewater prosecutor, decides to retire from the Whitewater inquiry. \I(USA)\i
Mr Carlos Ruckauf, the Argentinean Vice-President, calls for a banning of the new film \IEvita,\i labeling it "offensive." \I(Argentina)\i
James Earl Ray, the alleged killer of \Jcivil rights\j activist Martin Luther King, plans to go on \Jtelevision\j to plead for a liver - he is dying of \Jcirrhosis\j of the liver. \I(USA)\i
Medical experts from the Red Cross examine the hostages held captive in Lima by the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement - no major problems are reported. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thirty-three villagers in the town of Blida, \JAlgeria\j are decapitated by Muslim guerrillas. \I(Algeria)\i
Tajik rebels release the five remaining hostages - five UN officials - ending the two-week crisis. \I(Tajikistan)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, suggests that \JNATO\j and \JRussia\j create a joint force for peacekeeping and special crisis management projects. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The Zairian army threatens to increase the number of air attacks on rebel-occupied areas. \I(Zaire)\i
Israeli \Jaircraft\j bomb two villages in South \JLebanon\j, killing one person and seriously injuring another. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
Russian President Mr Boris Yeltsin meets with Palestinian leader Mr Arafat at the \JKremlin\j. \I(Russia)\i
French actors and media personalities demand a boycott of proposed \Jimmigration\j laws which are presently being discussed in parliament. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The British Government weathers a parliamentary move condemning Prime Minister John Major's handling of the mad cow disease crisis. \I(UK)\i
The British Life Insurance Association brings in a new ruling for applicants of life insurance policies that forces people to reveal whether they have undergone genetic testing. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 19, 1997",413,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In South Korea, prosecutors intend to indict ten middle-ranking officials in the investigation into the collapse of the Hanbo Group. There is widespread criticism of the investigation. \I(South Korea)\i
Chinese authorities close down the office of paramount leader, Mr Deng Xiaoping, which reads as a sign of the leader's ailing health. \I(China)\i
In \JKalimantan\j, Dayak tribal chiefs claim that a peace accord between them and migrants from the island of Madura will not last. They have sent out the so-called "red cup" of war. The past three weeks of riots have left hundreds of people dead. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The Australian Government gives $AUD4 million in aid to the Red Cross Organization to help 30,000 people in the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
Hundreds of Karen guerrillas surrender their weapons to the Burmese army. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Lebanese authorities arrest five members of the Japanese Red Army in Beka'a Valley. The Red Army has close links with Palestinian guerrillas. \I(\JLebanon\j, Japan)\i
Australian Philip Bell, who is accused of pedophilia, is to be extradited from South Africa to face charges in \JAustralia\j. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
Vietnam sends its first official military contingent to the US. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Daniel Gajdusek, a Nobel Peace prize winner, confesses that he is guilty of child abuse; he will serve a maximum of one year in prison. \I(USA)\i
A mudslide in an Andean village in southern \JPeru\j kills 33 people and over 100 others are reported missing. \I(Peru)\i
The repair work to the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j is completed; the \IDiscovery\i spaceshuttle continues its mission. \I(USA)\i
Vietnam sends its first official military contingent to the US. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Lebanese authorities arrest five members of the Japanese Red Army in Beka'a Valley. The Red Army has close links with Palestinian guerrillas. \I(\JLebanon\j, Japan)\i
Australian Philip Bell, who is accused of pedophilia, is to be extradited from South Africa to face charges in \JAustralia\j. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
It is reported that the Zairian Government has given weapons to Hutu guerrillas among the Rwandan refugees in the east of the country. Talks between rebels and the government are scheduled to be held in South Africa. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"February 20, 1997",414,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China's paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, dies at the age of 92. World leaders send their condolences to Deng's family as well as paying tribute to the leader. \I(China)\i
In \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j the army arrests 86 people in connection with recent ethnic unrest in Sungai Kunyit. \I(Indonesia)\i
The USA and South Korea propose nearly $US16 million in food aid to North Korea. \I(USA, South Korea, North Korea)\i
Seven people are killed at an Iranian cultural center in \JPakistan\j. \I(Pakistan, Iran)\i
\BThe Americas\b
It is now thought that nearly 300 people died in the mudslide in two remote Andean villages in \JPeru\j yesterday. \I(Peru)\i
The USA and South Korea propose nearly $US16 million in food aid to North Korea. \I(USA, South Korea, North Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Ms Mirjana Markovic, the wife of Serbian President Mr Slobodan Milosevic, claims that members of the Opposition are "militant enraged ... sick beasts." \I(Serbia)\i
It is claimed that \JIraq\j is building up its army presence in the south-east of the country near the border to \JIran\j. \I(Iraq, Iran)\i
Peace talks are held in South Africa between Zairian rebel leaders and government officials, including South African Deputy President Mr Thabo Mbeki and American mediators. \I(South Africa)\i
Seven people are killed at an Iranian cultural center in \JPakistan\j. \I(Pakistan, Iran)\i
#
"February 21, 1997",415,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A memorial service is to be held next week for China's paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, at \JBeijing\j's Great Hall of the People. Following Deng's wishes, the funeral will be modest and without grandeur. \I(China)\i
In an effort to ensure that peace reigns in China, authorities institute tight security measures in volatile areas. Local authorities are forbidden from organizing mourning ceremonies in case they lead to protests. \I(China)\i
Chinese authorities forbid the family of Deng Xiaoping to release a letter on Deng's death as it differs from the official version. \I(China)\i
It is speculated that the Premier of North Korea, Mr Kang Song San, may have been sacked from office. Mr Hong Song Nam is named as acting premier. \I(North Korea)\i
Hong Kong celebrates the opening of a new runway at Chek Lap Kok Airport. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The violent attack on the Iranian cultural center in \JPakistan\j yesterday is blamed on the Sunni Muslim Group. \I(Pakistan, Iran)\i
India announces plans to test a contentious new missile. The move is condemned by the US. \I(India, USA)\i
Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the Indonesian Opposition leader, sues police over an attempt to interrogate her without proper authority. \I(Indonesia)\i
A state-owned oil well in southern India catches fire. People protest, as the fire causes damage to the surrounding area. \I(India)\i
One of South Korean President Kim Young-sam's sons is questioned about his participation in the Hanbo Group loans scandal. \I(South Korea)\i
A boat, carrying hundreds of Tamil refugees, sinks off the coast of \JSri Lanka\j; 130 people are feared drowned. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
An investigation into the funding of the American election campaign extends to many countries and over a hundred people are served with subpoenas. \I(USA)\i
Weather conditions hamper the rescue of victims of a mudslide in \JPeru\j. It is thought so far 300 people have died. \I(Peru)\i
India plans to test a contentious new missile. The move is condemned by the US. \I(India, USA)\i
During her visit to \JRussia\j, the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, admits there are still issues to be resolved between \JRussia\j and \JNATO\j over the proposed expansion of \JNATO\j into Eastern Europe. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The American actor, Elizabeth Taylor, undergoes surgery to remove a tumor from her brain. \I(USA)\i
Croatian high school computer hackers manage to access a US military base computer. \I(Croatia, USA)\i
The Mexican Government's main anti-drug fighter, General Jose de Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, is arrested and accused of involvement with a leading criminal. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Australian businessman, Mr Joseph Gutnick, is widely criticized by Palestinians and Israelis for privately financing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
The violent attack on the Iranian cultural center in \JPakistan\j yesterday is blamed on the Sunni Muslim Group. \I(Pakistan, Iran)\i
In \JRomania\j, prisoners protest about over-crowding in jails. \I(Romania)\i
During her visit to \JRussia\j, the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, admits there are still issues to be resolved between \JRussia\j and \JNATO\j over the proposed expansion of \JNATO\j into Eastern Europe. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Croatian high school computer hackers manage to access a US military base computer. \I(Croatia, USA)\i
Thousands of Serbs apply for Croatian citizenship. They have been encouraged by the United Nations transitional administration \I(UNTAES)\i to apply, so they can participate in \JCroatia\j's economic future. \I(Croatia)\i
#
"February 22, 1997",416,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Thousands of East Timorese people set fire to Muslim homes in \JIndonesia\j. Rioting occurs in the town of Ambeno which kills at least one person and wounds seven others. \I(Indonesia)\i
A ferry catches fire in the \JPacific Ocean\j off Wellington. Twenty-five people drift in life rafts to await rescue. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
American security sources claim that Chinese President Jiang Zemin has no guarantee of retaining office and faces threats from at least seven other parties. \I(USA, China)\i
China is now in a six-\Jday\j mourning period for the paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(China)\i
Chinese leaders ask the people to support them to continue Deng Xiaoping's legacy of economic reforms. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After announcing his decision to retire, the Whitewater prosecutor Mr Kenneth Starr changes his mind due to public pressure to remain in the position. \I(USA)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, criticizes the Church of \JScientology\j for its protests to the German Government about the treatment of German Scientologists. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
American security sources claim that Chinese President Jiang Zemin has no guarantee of retaining office and faces threats from at least seven other parties. \I(USA, China)\i
The imprisonment of top Mexican anti-drugs fighter, Jose de Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, creates fears in the US that he was privy to classified information. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
Hopes of a peaceful solution to the Lima hostage crisis rise, following further talks between government and rebel representatives. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
A bomb explodes in the city of \JAtlanta\j - the fourth bomb in a seven-month period. Police investigate the possibility that a serial bomber may be responsible. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Three British men are released from jail after serving 18-year sentences for the murder of newspaper boy Carl Bridgewater, following the discovery that the evidence was faulty. \I(UK)\i
Two sets of sisters are found murdered in Boulogne, \JFrance\j - they went missing ten days ago after a local \Jcarnival\j. \I(France)\i
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, may be questioned by police about the controversial appointment of associate Roni Bar-On as attorney-general. \I(Israel)\i
British military personnel contemplate establishing their own trade union for the very first time in history. \I(UK)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, criticizes the Church of \JScientology\j for its protests to the German Government about the treatment of German Scientologists. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
A recent poll indicates that Irish and Spanish people are in favor of female priests as well as marriage for \Jclergy\j. \I(Ireland, \JSpain\j)\i
In \JFrance\j thousands of people demonstrate against a proposed new \Jimmigration\j law. The law wants French people to inform authorities about the movements of Arab and African immigrants. \I(France)\i
The government accuses rebels in Zaire of breaking the cease-fire. A cease-fire was called once peace talks commenced in South Africa. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
#
"February 23, 1997",417,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australia threatens to stop its $320 million aid program to Papua New Guinea if it continues with a proposal to use mercenaries to attack rebels. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese paramount leader, is cremated at the Babaoshan revolutionary cemetery in \JBeijing\j. \I(China)\i
Chinese forbids foreign journalists to enter China. Journalists in China are uncertain whether they are permitted to cover the funeral of Deng Xiaoping. \I(China)\i
A fire breaks out at a Hindu religious meeting in eastern India, killing more than 120 people and injuring hundreds of others. \I(India)\i
The son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam is cleared of any misconduct in the Hanbo loans affair. \I(South Korea)\i
Despite condemnation from the US, India goes ahead with test-firing a disputed new missile. \I(USA, India)\i
A fire in a 36-story building in \JBangkok\j kills two people; another 93 are rescued. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Mr Choe Kwang, the North Korean defense minister, dies suddenly. The power structure in North Korea has been overhauled dramatically with the recent defection of Mr Hwang Jang Yop, the alleged sacking of Mr Kang Song San and the promotion of two military marshals. \I(North Korea)\i
Mr Jiang Zemin, the Chinese President, vows to continue to reform policies. \I(China)\i
Mr Jose Ramos-Horta, the Nobel Peace prize laureate, claims that the recent rioting in East \JTimor\j is symptomatic of the tension in the region. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The former sacked Pakistani prime minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, claims at a judicial tribunal that the murder of her brother Murtaza was part of a plan to overthrow her government. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Indonesian President, Mr Soeharto, meets with the Burmese leader, General Ne Win, to discuss \JMyanmar\j's admission to ASEAN. \I(Indonesia, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In her ten-country first overseas trip, the American \JSecretary of State\j Ms Madeleine Albright makes her last stop in China. She is expected to leave prior to the funeral of Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Flooding and heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in \JPeru\j. Thousands of people have been made homeless and at least 63 people have died. \I(Peru)\i
On the observation deck at the top of the \JEmpire State Building\j, New York, a Palestinian man shoots at a group of tourists, killing one person and injuring six others before killing himself. \I(USA)\i
To counter Russian criticism of plans to expand \JNATO\j, the American Administration hands over a proposal to Congress to support its policy and halt the disapproval. \I(USA)\i
Love letters, written by Cuban leader Fidel Castro when he was 26, are published by a Spanish newspaper. \I(Cuba)\i
Despite condemnation from the US, India goes ahead with test-firing a disputed new missile. \I(USA, India)\i
A report reveals that 380 people died in American air crashes in 1996. This makes 1996 the worst year since 1985 for deaths caused by air disasters. \I(USA)\i
In her ten-country first overseas trip, the American \JSecretary of State\j Ms Madeleine Albright makes her last stop in China. She is expected to leave prior to the funeral of Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(USA, China)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a world first, Scottish scientists discover a method of producing the clone of an adult animal. The prospects of human \Jcloning\j become even more real and feared. \I(UK)\i
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, informs King Hussein of Jordan of Israel's plans to build thousands of homes for Jews on Har Homa and homes for \JArabs\j in the \JJerusalem\j area. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
The leader of the German Social Democrat Party, Gerhard Schr÷der, makes it clear that if elected leader he would put off the introduction of the European monetary union. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu hires one of Israel's top criminal lawyers to represent him in the investigation into the hiring of Roni Bar-On as attorney-general. \I(Israel)\i
Eleven Palestinians drown after their van is swept away by a flash flood. \I(Palestine)\i
In the Russian State of \JChechnya\j, thousands gather to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of Chechens' deportation to \JSiberia\j and Central Asia under Stalin. \I(Chechnya)\i
In \JSerbia\j, the Opposition chooses one of its leaders as Mayor of \JBelgrade\j. Mr Zoran Djindjic's appointment marks the end to President Milosevic's domination of power. \I(Serbia)\i
In the \JCongo\j, the bodies of hundreds of elephants who had been shot dead are discovered - it is one of the largest poaching undertakings in recent years. \I(Africa)\i
#
"February 24, 1997",418,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Papua New Guinea plans to hire foreign mercenaries to assist in the rebel situation on the island of Bougainville after \JAustralia\j refuses to provide electronic intelligence to support a campaign to attack rebels. \JAustralia\j strongly recommends that Papua New Guinea should avoid hiring mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
China's legislature votes to abandon 14 of Hong Kong's civil liberties laws and change ten others. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
Three people die when Muslim guerrillas seize a ferry in the southern \JPhilippines\j. \I(Philippines)\i
A search continues to find and rescue victims of a fire which broke out at a Hindu religious ceremony in eastern India. \I(India)\i
Despite being warned by China, \JTibet\j's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, plans to go ahead with a trip to \JTaiwan\j. \I(China, \JTibet\j, Taiwan)\i
In \JCambodia\j there are calls for an international boycott of landmines - it is common knowledge that landmines kill or mame hundreds of Cambodians each month. \I(Cambodia)\i
In order to cut \JPakistan\j's foreign debt, the new Prime Minister Mr Nawaz Sharif introduces savings plans. \I(Pakistan)\i
Malaysia calls for other countries to accept the admission of \JMyanmar\j into ASEAN. \I(Malaysia, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
An investigation commences into the fire in a \JBangkok\j office building which killed three people. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Mr Le Van Bang is chosen as Vietnam's first ambassador to the United States. \I(Vietnam)\i
It is revealed that just after World War II, the USA put \JJapan\j under pressure to drop any compensation claims over the sinking of a Japanese cruise liner. \I(USA, Japan)\i
During her time in China, the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, entreats the leaders of China to release political prisoners. \I(USA, China)\i
Thousands of people gather in a village in the southwestern province of Sichuan, the birthplace of Deng Xiaoping, to pay their final respects to the paramount leader. \I(China)\i
It appears that the USA and China might come to an agreement over the human rights issues after long-standing disputes. \I(China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
It appears that the USA and China might come to an agreement over the human rights issues after long-standing disputes. \I(China, USA)\i
It is revealed that just after World War II, the USA put \JJapan\j under pressure to drop any compensation claims over the sinking of a Japanese cruise liner. \I(USA, Japan)\i
American President, Mr Bill Clinton, wants a bioethics advisory commission to look into the ramifications of the recent \Jcloning\j discovery in the UK. \I(USA)\i
After the recent massacre atop the \JEmpire State Building\j, where a gunman killed one person and injured others, security is tightened. \I(USA)\i
American computer magnate, Bill Gates, is not as wealthy as he was reported to be earlier this month - he is ranked 31st in a record of America's wealthy. \I(USA)\i
The American actor Christopher Reeves, who was paralyzed in a horseriding accident, is to return to acting in a updated version of Hitchcock's film \IRear Window.\i \I(USA)\i
It is believed that the \JFBI\j received a letter claiming responsibility for the latest \JAtlanta\j bombing. \I(USA)\i
Reports continue to be published about the new American \JSecretary of State\j's Jewish roots. Ms Albright was only recently informed of her Jewish heritage. \I(USA)\i
During her time in China the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, entreats the leaders of China to release political prisoners. \I(USA, China)\i
France will reconsider its decision to rejoin \JNATO\j if the USA refuses to surrender control of the Southern Command. \I(France, USA)\i
American President Bill Clinton and his wife are cleared by Whitewater prosecutors of any conspiracy in connection with the death of their friend Vince Foster. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mr Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, launches a campaign to stamp out any further speculation about his ailing health. He also demands a reorganization of his cabinet after the government's failure of paying wages and pensions. \I(Russia)\i
In \JPiacenza\j, \JItaly\j, a painting by Gustav Klimt is stolen from an art gallery. \I(Italy)\i
Croatian President, Mr Franjo Tudjman, says that he will try for re-election to office despite it being thought that he is terminally ill. \I(Croatia)\i
The first criminal in the UK to be identified by a "voice identity parade" is appealing against his sentence. \I(UK)\i
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl invites the Opposition to participate in discussions about the overhaul of the tax system. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
France will reconsider its decision to rejoin \JNATO\j if the USA refuses to surrender control of the Southern Command. \I(France, USA)\i
Serbian businessman, Bogoljub Karic, announces that he will run for presidency if the Opposition cannot find a viable candidate. \I(Serbia)\i
Thousands of Germans demonstrate against proposals to transport nuclear waste across \JGermany\j, from Neckarwestheim to Gorleben. \I(Germany)\i
It is revealed that the ailing London underground will be sold for ú2 billion. The profits will be used to construct a new network. \I(UK)\i
It is reported that \JRussia\j has been sending armaments to \JAfghanistan\j to help them in their fight against the Islamic Talibaan militia. \I(Russia, Afghanistan)\i
Russia's space program is in jeopardy due to a shortage of funds and a recent fire on the space station Mir. \I(Russia)\i
#
"February 25, 1997",419,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A memorial service attended by over 10,000 of China's top political establishments is held for Deng Xiaoping at the Great Hall of the People in \JBeijing\j. \I(China)\i
China's leaders vow to strengthen ties with the USA and refuse to be pressurized by the USA over human rights issues. \I(China, USA)\i
It is revealed that Papua New Guinea is grooming an elite force to fight rebels, made up of 150 native soldiers and police who are experts in anti-\Jterrorism\j. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A report by Amnesty International details a number of human rights abuses by Papua New Guinean soldiers on the island of Bougainville. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
In \JThailand\j, an Australian man is on trial for allegedly raping and beating two young girls under the age of 15. \I(Thailand)\i
The South Korean leader, Mr Kim Young-sam, publicly apologizes for the role his son and colleagues played in the Hanbo loan scandal and the new labor law which caused a series of strikes. \I(South Korea)\i
It is now thought that 204 people died when a fire ripped through a Hindu religious campsite in India. \I(India)\i
Due to the stringent conditions placed on political campaigning, the Indonesian Muslim United Development Party is thinking of blackballing the forthcoming elections. \I(Indonesia)\i
In \JIndonesia\j, Mr Amien Rais, the leader of the Muhammadiyah Muslim Organization, resigns. It is thought he was forced out of office because of his public censure of the government. Mr Rais promises to continue criticizing the government. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
China's leaders vow to strengthen ties with the USA and refuse to be pressurized by the USA over human rights issues. \I(China, USA)\i
It is reported that America has developed a nuclear bomb with the capacity to attack targets well below the Earth's surface. \I(USA)\i
Government and Tupac Amaru rebel representatives continue talks in Lima in an effort to end the ten-week hostage crisis. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
Thousands of sea lions face death following of an oil spill off the coast of Uruguay. \I(Uruguay)\i
The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles publicizes the names of thousands of Jewish people's Swiss bank accounts which were frozen in the 1940s. \I(USA)\i
The reasons for a gunman killing one person and injuring eight others at the top of the \JEmpire State Building\j in New York still remain uncertain. It is thought that he managed to possess a gun by using a loophole in the federal gun control law. \I(USA)\i
The American President, Bill Clinton, urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to be more helpful in the investigation into the 1996 bombing of American quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, Saudia Arabia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mr Boris Yeltsin is calling for the sacking of several government ministers who he claims have been spreading rumors about his health and are responsible for a fall in his popularity. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Leaders from the Afghan Talibaan militia and opposition alliance meet for discussions on ending the war in \JAfghanistan\j in \JPakistan\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Rev. Canaan Banana, the President of Zimbabwe, is charged with homosexual rape. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Israeli troops kill one person and injure three others in the West Bank village of Hizme. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
In \JAlgeria\j, the Armed Islamic Group kills 17 passengers on a bus. Over the past few days at least 29 civilians have been murdered. \I(Algeria)\i
About 80 designer dresses owned by Diana, Princess of Wales are to go on sale in an auction by Christies. Proceeds of the sale will be donated to charity. \I(UK)\i
It is thought that Virgin and Railtrack are the companies most likely to be interested in purchasing the London Underground. \I(UK)\i
Iran announces it will conduct a presidential election on May, 23. \I(Iran)\i
The American President, Bill Clinton, urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to be more helpful in the investigation into the 1996 bombing of American quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, Saudia Arabia)\i
Tiit Vahi, the Estonian prime minister, announces his resignation. \I(Estonia)\i
The Zairian rebel leader, Commander Laurent Kabila, goes to South Africa to attend peace talks with the South African Government and US Government representatives in an effort to bring about a solution to Zaire's \Jcivil war\j. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
At Har Homa outside \JJerusalem\j, the proposed site for the construction of Jewish homes, hundreds of Palestinian people demonstrate. \I(West Bank)\i
Plans to expand Jewish settlements are a threat to the Israeli-Palestinian peace proposals. The Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu is hoping to stem criticism by announcing plans to build more houses for \JArabs\j near \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel)\i
#
"February 26, 1997",420,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JIndonesia\j a questionable law is passed which allows 12 new nuclear power plants to be built. Critics fear that \JIndonesia\j's background of volcanic and \Jearthquake\j activity could mean the introduction of nuclear plants is a recipe for disaster. \I(Indonesia)\i
It is thought that over 200 people have been killed during recent ethnic riots in West \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Australia tries to drum up international support to condemn Papua New Guinea's plans to use foreign mercenaries to attack rebels on the island of Bougainville. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Three bombs explode on buses in China's Xinjiang province, killing seven people and injuring many more. The military and police guard the region. \I(China)\i
Mr Lee Han Young, the North Korean defector who was shot in Seoul 11 days ago, dies. \I(North Korea)\i
The South Korean President, Mr Kim Young-sam, reorganizes his cabinet. \I(South Korea)\i
The Cambodian King, Norodom Sihanouk, wants to give up the monarchy and become a common citizen. However, he is afraid that by doing so it would cause great instability in the country. \I(Cambodia)\i
Discussions between China and South Korea on the fate of North Korean defector Hwang Jang Yop are due to recommence this week. \I(China, North Korea, South Korea)\i
The Taiwanese Government conducts tests with US manufactured Patriot missiles. \I(Taiwan)\i
The Australian Olympic Committee proposes to offer the British cheap packages to attend the 2000 Games in Sydney. \I(Australia)\i
It is hoped that the Australian businessman, James Peng, who is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in China, will be released in the post-Deng era. \I(China)\i
It is revealed that all family members of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, and many senior leaders, were present when he died. \I(China)\i
The Indonesian Nobel Peace prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta urges the American President to increase pressure on \JIndonesia\j and approve a referendum in East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration plans to set aside $US21 billion for a ten-year plan to combat drugs, targeted at America's youth. \I(USA)\i
John Du Pont, the American multi-millionaire, is found guilty of the third degree murder of wrestler David Schultz. His claims of insanity are rejected by the jury, but he is found to be mentally ill. \I(USA)\i
A letter written by the gunman, who shot and killed people from the top of the \JEmpire State Building\j last week, states that he was acting in retaliation against the treatment of Palestinians by the USA, Israel and other nations. \I(USA, Israel)\i
American President Bill Clinton and Chilean President Eduardo Frei press for freer trade in the Americas. \I(USA, Chile)\i
The Indonesian Nobel Peace prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta urges the American President to increase pressure on \JIndonesia\j and approve a referendum in East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
The Pentagon confesses that senior military officers were aware that \JIraq\j was storing chemical weapons in a depot a few weeks before US troops blew up the building during the 1991 Gulf War. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Amnesty International's report, \IBreaking the Silence,\i demands that the murders and attacks on homosexual people stop. \I(UK)\i
The Pentagon confesses that senior military officers were aware that \JIraq\j was storing chemical weapons in a depot a few weeks before US troops blew up the building during the 1991 Gulf War. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
A letter written by the gunman, who shot and killed people from the top of the \JEmpire State Building\j last week, states that he was acting in retaliation against the treatment of Palestinians by the USA, Israel and other nations. \I(USA, Israel)\i
One person is killed and three others injured when Israeli troops fire during a clash in the West Bank village of Hizme. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
Over 30 police are wounded in Paris during demonstrations against the proposed new \Jimmigration\j laws. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
There are reports coming out of \JBelgium\j that mass graves are being discovered in Zaire. The Zairian rebel leader Laurent Kablia is in South Africa for peace talks. \I(Zaire, Belgium)\i
Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan refuses to attend the opening of a peace center in Israel in protest over Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
The Czech Republic parliament passes a constitutional law which recognizes border changes between the Republic and \JSlovakia\j. \I(Czech Republic, Slovakia)\i
Over a hundred relatives of victims of the Saudi Arabian airlines crash over India last year receive compensation. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
The British Labor Party continues to maintain a lead in the opinion polls, while the by-election in the seat of South Wirral is held. \I(UK)\i
The British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber becomes Lord Lloyd-Webber on his admission to the \JHouse of Lords\j. \I(UK)\i
In an effort to save money, the Duchess of York moves back to Sunninghill - the home which she previously shared with her ex-husband, the Duke of York. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 27, 1997",421,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian hospitals are asked if they would be willing to treat foreign mercenaries working in Papua New Guinea in the event of injury. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Papua New Guinea's plans to use foreign mercenaries is questioned by a major human rights group in the Supreme Court. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claims that \JPakistan\j's relationship with India will only improve if a referendum is conducted in the controversial state of Kashmir. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Thailand pressures thousands of refugees, who fled the heavy fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese soldiers, to return to \JMyanmar\j. Amnesty International asks \JThailand\j to stop forcing Karen refugees back to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The South Korean Yonhap News Agency publishes a report that claims a fierce argument between North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and his son Kim Jong II may have caused Kim Il Sung's death. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
In Aceh province in \JIndonesia\j, the army arrests 13 people in connection with a separatist movement who wish to establish an Islamic state. \I(Indonesia)\i
During the July handover of Hong Kong to China, China vows that its soldiers will take over "discreetly and sensitively." \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
Thousands of people, who suffered rights abuses under the rule of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, are angry at a Swiss court's refusal to release millions of dollars from his Swiss bank accounts. \I(\JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Police arrest several people in connection with the bombings of three buses in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. \I(China)\i
Chinese President Jiang Zemin receives support from nearly all government departments. \I(China)\i
The ashes of Deng Xiaoping are to be scattered over Chinese territorial waters. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, is expected to urge American President Bill Clinton during a forthcoming meeting in Washington to try to get Israel to change its mind about establishing Jewish settlements in Har Homa. \I(Palestine, USA, Israel)\i
Police are now in doubt over the authenticity of a letter claiming responsibility for the \JAtlanta\j bombings. \I(USA)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright meets with Saudi Defense Minister, Prince Sultan, in Washington. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
An American engineer is freed after being kidnapped over two weeks ago in Yemen. \I(USA, Yemen)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, is at the center of controversy for giving permission to financial backers of the presidential campaign to be allowed to spend the night in the Lincoln Bedroom at the \JWhite House\j. \I(USA)\i
Hillary Clinton, the wife of American President Bill Clinton, receives a \JGrammy\j award for the recording of her book \It Takes A Village.\i \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Ancient spears, which can be traced back 400,000 years, are discovered in an open-cast mine in \JGermany\j. \I(Germany)\i
An American engineer is freed after being kidnapped over two weeks ago in Yemen. \I(USA, Yemen)\i
The IDF and police are placed on full alert after the approval to commence construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa is granted. \I(Israel)\i
If Palestinians allow the building of Jewish homes in Har Homa to proceed quietly, it is reported that Israel will withdraw from 10 per cent of the West Bank. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
American \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright meets with Saudi Defense Minister, Prince Sultan, in Washington. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Thousands of people, who suffered rights abuses under the rule of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, are angry at a Swiss court's refusal to release millions of dollars from his Swiss bank accounts. \I(\JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, is expected to urge American President Bill Clinton during a forthcoming meeting in Washington to try to get Israel to change its mind about establishing Jewish settlements in Har Homa. \I(Palestine, USA, Israel)\i
A bomb planted by the IRA is discovered near police quarters in west \JBelfast\j. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Holocaust survivors will participate in the board which will organize the \JHolocaust\j humanitarian fund set up by the Swiss Government. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, threatens to use force if Palestinians demonstrate against plans for new Jewish homes in Har Homa in East \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel)\i
Divorce is allowed in the Irish Republic for the first time since 1921. So far, there is no significant increase in people filing for divorce. \I(Ireland)\i
Speculation mounts in \JRussia\j that the Prime Minister, Mr Victor Chernomyrdin, is about to be sacked by President Boris Yeltsin. Mr Yeltsin has warned that he will sack several cabinet members thought to be responsible for rumors about his ailing health. \I(Russia)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is about to make an announcement about plans to salvage \JRussia\j's ailing armed forces. \I(Russia)\i
Serbian Opposition leaders visit Crown Prince Alexander, who lives in exile in the UK, asking him to consider taking up the monarchy in a republican \JSerbia\j. \I(Serbia)\i
Two senior officials of the UN war crimes tribunal are sacked the Mr Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, after it was discovered that a Rwandan tribunal was mismanaged. \I(Rwanda)\i
A British doctor is at the center of controversy over his decision to establish a test-tube sex-selection practice in \JRiyadh\j, Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(UK)\i
The controversial new French \Jimmigration\j law is changed following violent protests and disputes. The clause demanding that French people report on the whereabouts of foreigners is abolished. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The Vatican demands that there is worldwide prohibition of attempts to clone humans. Fears of \Jcloning\j are rising due to the successful \Jcloning\j of an adult sheep in Scotland. \I(\JItaly\j, Scotland)\i
President Saddam Hussein of \JIraq\j is believed to be getting ready to attack a western protected enclave in northern \JIraq\j. \I(Iraq)\i
#
"February 28, 1997",422,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Papua New Guinea refuses to disclose any details of a proposed live-fire training exercise to be run by mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The introduction of controversial new labor laws to South Korea is delayed by parliament. \I(South Korea)\i
South Korean President, Mr Kim Young-sam reorganizes his cabinet and nominates a former home minister as the new chief of staff. \I(South Korea)\i
The first post-Deng political conferences are held in China. \I(China)\i
A chemical bomb explodes in a shopping center in Bondi, Sydney, injuring 19 people. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
An \Jearthquake\j registering 6.2 on the Richter scale hits the province of \JBaluchistan\j in \JPakistan\j, killing 48 people. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Indonesian Government decrees that all public servants must vote for the ruling Golkar Party in the forthcoming elections. This contradicts laws which protect citizen's freedom of choice in voting. \I(Indonesia)\i
Mr Kim Kwang Jin, the North Korean deputy defense minister, dies. \I(North Korea)\i
Thai authorities are criticized for forcing Burmese refugees, who fled fighting between Karen rebels and the Burmese army, back to \JMyanmar\j. \JThailand\j denies that it is forcibly making the refugees return to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
China cautions the USA against continuing to sell armaments to \JTaiwan\j. China threatens the matter could affect American-Chinese relations. \I(China, USA)\i
The UK and the USA join \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j in denouncing Papua New Guinea's plans to use mercenaries against rebel forces on the island of Bougainville. \I(UK, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
India and \JPakistan\j get ready to recommence talks, with the province of Kashmir still remaining a contentious issue. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
The Indian city of \JBombay\j is hit by a major power failure. \I(India)\i
A Swiss man, found guilty of pedophilia in \JSri Lanka\j, is given a sentence of two years hard labor. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American health officials release data showing that the number of people dying from AIDS in the USA has dropped. \I(USA)\i
The UK and the USA join \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j in denouncing Papua New Guinea's plans to use mercenaries against rebel forces on the island of Bougainville. \I(UK, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
Police inquiries into the brutal murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey now focus on her step-brother. \I(USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, reinforces his country's relationship with Mexico in the war against drugs, despite the arrest of top Mexican anti-drug fighter General Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
The Democratic Party announces that it will send back controversial donations worth about $US1.5 million. \I(USA)\i
China cautions the USA against continuing to sell armaments to \JTaiwan\j. China threatens the matter could affect American-Chinese relations. \I(China, USA)\i
It is reported that the prime suspect in the Oklahoma bombing, Timothy McVeigh, confessed to a member of his defense team that he organized the bombing. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The UK and the USA join \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j in denouncing Papua New Guinea's plans to use mercenaries against rebel forces on the island of Bougainville. \I(UK, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
Soaring crime rates in South Africa indicate that citizens are increasingly taking the law into their own hands. \I(South Africa)\i
Queen Elizabeth II is to have a web-site on the \JInternet\j. \I(UK)\i
According to a British \Jtelevision\j channel, \JIraq\j has a large store of chemical weapons and is working on the creation of long-range missiles. \I(UK, Iraq)\i
The British Labor Party wins a by-election in Wirral South - it was previously a Conservative stronghold. \I(UK)\i
A British woman celebrates the decision to allow her to take her dead husband's sperm overseas for \Jinfertility\j treatment. \I(UK)\i
Despite major protests, German authorities plan to transport nuclear waste across the country. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Thousands of bits of clothing from the homes of Belgian pedophile Marc Dutroux are put on display in the hope that some relatives may recognize some of the items. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
Thousands of people attend a funeral in Boulogne for two sets of sisters who were raped and murdered; this has led to calls for the return of \Jcapital punishment\j. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
It is believed that there is a secret group in Holland planning to remove Queen Beatrix from the throne and get rid of the monarchy. \I(Holland)\i
Turkey's Islamic Government clashes with the military which is annoyed by the new government's attempt to bring religion into matters of secular state. \I(Turkey)\i
Zairian rebels in South Africa are prepared to participate in talks about ending the \Jcivil war\j, but the Zairian government officials say that they have not been given permission to commence discussions. \I(Zaire)\i
A Swiss man, found guilty of pedophilia in \JSri Lanka\j, is given a sentence of two years hard labor. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JSri Lanka\j)\i
Iran is hit by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, killing over 100 people and wounding many more. It is the second \Jearthquake\j in \JIran\j in one month. \I(Iran)\i
The British Government decides to withdraw funding for the Roslin Institute in Scotland - the institute recently announced its success in \Jcloning\j from an adult sheep. \I(UK)\i
Hundreds of Palestinians gather at Har Homa, the proposed site for new Jewish settlements, to request worldwide assistance in preventing the project. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
A British historian claims that the ancient historic site of \JStonehenge\j may have been built by the French. \I(UK)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, makes the first move towards ending \Jcapital punishment\j by signing an international protocol. \I(Russia)\i
#
"March 1, 1997",423,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The province of \JBaluchistan\j in \JPakistan\j is hit by aftershocks. At least 50 people died in the recent \Jearthquake\j, and rescue efforts are hampered by bad \Jweather\j. \I(Pakistan)\i
A crewman of a luxury cruise ship dies after a fire erupts as the ship approaches \JSingapore\j. \I(Singapore)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration vows to continue its support of Mexico's anti-drug program. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An \Jearthquake\j, registering 5.5 on the Richter scale, hits the Ardabil area in north-west \JIran\j. Over 100 people are killed and hundreds more injured. \I(Iran)\i
British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, claims that the Conservative Party will win the forthcoming general elections despite the dim prospects and the latest by-election defeat. \I(UK)\i
The UN withdraws its aid workers from the city of \JKisangani\j after rebels make significant headway to the south. The UN asks to be allowed continued access to the refugees. \I(Zaire)\i
After the announcement that funding will be cut to the Roslin Institute in Scotland (the institute recently released news of its ability to clone animals) it is thought that scientists will be lured overseas. \I(UK)\i
In Munich, thousands of neo-Nazis clash with police and other protesters. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Senior Turkish military officials and President Suleyman Demirel meet with Prime Minister Mr Erbakan to discuss and attempt to halt the introduction of \JIslam\j into secular affairs. \I(Turkey)\i
In Vlore, \JAlbania\j four demonstrators are killed and 22 others injured in a shooting incident near the secret police quarters. \I(Albania)\i
It is rumored that Queen Elizabeth II wants to draw up a legal document with her former daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson preventing her from getting involved in potential commercial deals which could lead to embarrassment for the Royal Family. \I(UK)\i
A British newspaper, \IThe Express on Sunday,\i issues an apology to Diana, Princess of Wales about a story which alleged that she would keep half the profits from the sale of her designer dresses. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 2, 1997",424,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The area of \JQuetta\j in the province of \JBaluchistan\j desperately seeks medical supplies to treat victims of the recent \Jearthquake\j. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
The Indonesian army announces that it will support the ruling Golkar Party in the forthcoming general elections, after years of remaining neutral. \I(Indonesia)\i
Canadian golfer Gail Graham wins the Australian Ladies Masters at the Royal Pines Course in \JQueensland\j. \I(Australia, Canada)\i
For the first time in 50 years, a cargo ship sails directly from China to \JTaiwan\j. This follows an agreement made between China and \JTaiwan\j in January. \I(China, Taiwan)\i
Up to 700,000 people attend the Sydney Gay and Lesbian \JMardi Gras\j. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Senior Chinese military officials show their support for President Jiang. \I(China)\i
The province of Xinjiang in China is hit by an \Jearthquake\j. Two people are killed and thousands of others are left homeless. \I(China)\i
A fire breaks out a shipyard in Shanghai, killing eight people and injuring five others. \I(China)\i
Khmer Rouge rebels in \JCambodia\j kill seven villagers and injure others during an attack on Kra Chao village. \I(Cambodia)\i
Australian golfer Richard Green wins the Desert Classic golf tournament - his first European tour win. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, prepares for his trip to the USA. He intends to encourage the American President Mr Clinton to help stop Israel from going ahead with plans to construct Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(Palestine, USA, Israel)\i
Mr Alberto Fujimori, the Peruvian President, will discuss the Lima hostage crisis when he meets with Dominican Republican President, Mr Fernandez, during his visit to the Republic. \I(Peru, Dominican Republic)\i
Canadian golfer Gail Graham wins the Australian Ladies Masters at the Royal Pines Course in \JQueensland\j. \I(Australia, Canada)\i
American scientists reveal that they have been able to produce monkeys from clone embryos. \I(USA)\i
American \Jboxer\j Sugar Ray Leonard's attempt to make a comeback is stopped when he is defeated by Puerto Rican Hector "Macho" Camacho. \I(USA)\i
Over 40 people die in \JTexas\j, \JArkansas\j, Mississippi, \JTennessee\j, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia when the areas are hit by tornadoes, rain and flooding. \I(USA)\i
Golfer Nick Faldo wins the Los Angeles Open golf tournament. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi, and his cabinet, resign after riots erupt in the port of Vlore. It is thought that at least nine people died during the violent protests. The ruling Democratic Party of Mr Berisha does not seem likely to meet the opposition demands. \I(Albania)\i
Iranian authorities believe that over 550 people died in the \Jearthquake\j in Ardabil in north west \JIran\j yesterday. Snow and bitter \Jweather\j conditions make rescue work difficult and leave thousands of others homeless. It is now feared that the death toll could reach 3,000. \I(Iran)\i
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, prepares for his trip to the USA. He intends to encourage the American President Mr Clinton to help stop Israel from going ahead with plans to construct Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(Palestine, USA, Israel)\i
Controversial Irish swimmer, Michelle Smith, breaks another record by making a time of 2 minutes and 01.38 seconds for the 200 meters freestyle. \I(Ireland)\i
The protest against Serbian President Mr Milosevic's Government enters its hundredth \Jday\j. Thousands of students demonstrate to mark the occasion. \I(Serbia)\i
Thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees attempt to leave eastern Zaire as Tutsi-led rebels begin to gain ground after capturing the main river town of Kindu. \I(Zaire)\i
Journalists in Kabul are warned by the Talibaan militia against taking photos, saying that any offenders will be severely punished. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Unemployment figures in \JGermany\j rise to 4.8 million - a postwar record. \I(Germany)\i
Thousands of German protests meet to prepare to protest against, and if possible block, the transportation of nuclear waste to the north of the country. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Israeli \Jaircraft\j attack Hezbollah guerrilla targets in South \JLebanon\j. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
Pope John Paul II condemns any experiments which attempt to clone humans. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Zairian President Mobutu enlists the assistance of Serbian soldiers as mercenaries to help Government troops in the \Jcivil war\j. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"March 3, 1997",425,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The family of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping scatter his ashes over the East China Sea. \I(China)\i
Over 135 people die in a train crash in the province of Punjab in \JPakistan\j. \I(Pakistan)\i
A \JPhilippines\j electricity company cuts the power to the \Jmausoleum\j of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos - the Marcos family owes the company thousands of dollars. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
The Australian Test cricket team scores a record 628 runs against South Africa, as they take the lead in the first cricket Test in \JJohannesburg\j. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
The US monitors any changes in the Chinese leadership post-Deng during discussions in \JSwitzerland\j about China's efforts to join the World Trade Organization. \I(USA, China)\i
One person dies after a bomb explodes in the town of Nuwara Eliya close to the holiday home of Sri Lankan President Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunga. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
An Indonesian Muslim Party, the United Development Party, claims it may ignore the Government's restrictions on election campaigning as well as voting to boycott the elections in one critical area. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Indonesian pro-democracy leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, is again questioned by police about an alleged illegal political gathering in her home. \I(Indonesia)\i
It is believed that a former Australian SAS officer, representing the Solomon Islands, bought thousands of Australian armaments in 1996 - it is now claimed that the weapons were headed for Bougainville rebels in Papua New Guinea. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
One of \JMalaysia\j's richest businessmen, car manufacturer Yahaya Ahmad, is killed in a \Jhelicopter\j crash. \I(Malaysia)\i
An Australian woman, suffering from terminal cancer, becomes the fourth person to die under the \JNorthern Territory\j's disputed \Jeuthanasia\j law. \I(Australia)\i
Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j) says that it would like to join ASEAN but is not overly anxious to do so. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Taiwan is likely to recommence live-fire missile practice later this month - a move likely to anger China. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Fourteen Indian Ocean countries form a trading bloc. The Indian Ocean Rim initiative is made up of \JAustralia\j, India, \JIndonesia\j, \JKenya\j, Madagascar, \JMalaysia\j, \JMauritius\j, \JMozambique\j, Oman, \JSingapore\j, South Africa, \JSri Lanka\j, \JTanzania\j and Yemen. \I(Australia, India, \JIndonesia\j, \JKenya\j, Madagascar, \JMalaysia\j, \JMauritius\j, \JMozambique\j, Oman, \JSingapore\j, South Africa, \JSri Lanka\j, \JTanzania\j, Yemen)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US monitors any changes in the Chinese leadership post-Deng during discussions in \JSwitzerland\j about China's efforts to join the World Trade Organization. \I(USA, China)\i
The \JCIA\j drops over 1,000 informers after an investigation into their efficiency and human rights backgrounds. \I(USA)\i
Scientists believe that the weed killer, Roundup, could become a new treatment for cancer and AIDS. \I(USA)\i
It is revealed that American Vice-President, Mr Al Gore, played a vital role in drumming up financial support for the Democratic Party's election campaign. So far, he has avoided attracting any controversy in the investigation into election funds. \I(USA)\i
Canada's latest anti-smoking law forbids smoking in all of Toronto's bars and restaurants unless owners seal and separately ventilate rooms. \I(Canada)\i
The wreckage of English pirate Blackbeard's ship \IQueen Anne's Revenge\i is believed to have been discovered off the coast of \JNorth Carolina\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A state of emergency is called in \JAlbania\j after widespread violent rioting affects the country. All media coverage of the unrest is stopped. \I(Albania)\i
The Turkish military draws up a 20-point plan to resist the introduction of \JIslam\j into secular affairs by the Government. \I(Turkey)\i
The Australian Test cricket team scores a record 628 runs against South Africa, as they take the lead in the first cricket Test in \JJohannesburg\j. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
A plan is approved by EU environment ministers to try to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 15 per cent of 1990 figures by 2010. \I(Europe)\i
There are already signs that Israel will not meet the deadline for withdrawing its troops out of the West Bank. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
In Papua New Guinea, opposition groups demand a royal commission into Australian share dealings in connection with the use of mercenaries on the island of Bougainville. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Thousands of Bibles are destroyed by Russian orthodox priests. It is believed to be an attempt to stop freedom of religion. \I(Russia)\i
Fourteen Indian Ocean countries form a trading bloc. The Indian Ocean Rim initiative is made up of \JAustralia\j, India, \JIndonesia\j, \JKenya\j, Madagascar, \JMalaysia\j, \JMauritius\j, \JMozambique\j, Oman, \JSingapore\j, South Africa, \JSri Lanka\j, \JTanzania\j and Yemen. \I(Australia, India, \JIndonesia\j, \JKenya\j, Madagascar, \JMalaysia\j, \JMauritius\j, \JMozambique\j, Oman, \JSingapore\j, South Africa, \JSri Lanka\j, \JTanzania\j, Yemen)\i
#
"March 4, 1997",426,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Australian Government formulates proposals to pressure Papua New Guinea into abandoning a plan to use foreign mercenaries. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Pakistani authorities will conduct an investigation into the train crash in central \JPakistan\j which killed 126 people. \I(Pakistan)\i
For the first time in over 40 years, representatives from the two Koreas will meet with American officials in New York for peace talks. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
Indonesian President Mr Soeharto takes a tough stance against opponents planning to overthrow the Government in a coup d'etat. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Japanese capital city of \JTokyo\j is hit by an \Jearthquake\j registering 5.6 on the Richter scale. There are no reports of damage or injuries. \I(Japan)\i
Authorities in East \JTimor\j arrest nine people in connection with clashes between East Timorese and migrants from South Sulawesi. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In a reorganization of the South Korean Government, President Kim Young-sam names Mr Koh Kun as the new Prime Minister. Mr Koh is well-respected and is viewed as incorruptible. \I(South Korea)\i
The Australian cricket team defeats South Africa by an innings and 196 runs in the first Test in \JJohannesburg\j. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
Chinese authorities announce that they will invite the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, to Hong Kong's handover ceremony in July. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
In retaliation for criticism of China's human rights record by the USA, China attacks America's human rights performance. \I(China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
For the first time in over 40 years, representatives from the two Koreas will meet with American officials in New York for peace talks. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
It is believed that \JCuba\j will offer asylum, if requested by \JPeru\j, to the Tupac Amaru Movement rebels who are holding 72 people hostage in Lima. \I(Cuba, Peru)\i
American President Bill Clinton meets with Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat in Washington. After the meeting Mr Clinton voices his disapproval of Israel's plans to build Jewish homes in Har Homa, claiming such proposals will affect peace in the area. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
The American State Department asks Zairian rebels to stop their push into eastern Zaire, claiming that it is endangering the hopes of a peaceful end to the \Jcivil war\j. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
Chinese authorities announce that they will invite the American \JSecretary of State\j, Ms Madeleine Albright, to Hong Kong's handover ceremony in July. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
In retaliation for criticism of China's human rights record by the USA, China attacks America's human rights performance. \I(China, USA)\i
The American Administration's decision to stop all funding for human \Jcloning\j research is widely applauded in the community. \I(USA)\i
Tupac Amaru rebels, who are holding 72 people hostage in Lima, refuse \JCuba\j's offer of asylum. \I(\JPeru\j, Cuba)\i
The American Republican Party is investigating claims that the Administration encouraged the \Jimmigration\j service to give citizenship to at least one million people just prior to the election in 1996. \I(USA)\i
Bolivia is hit by torrential rain. It is reported that flooding has been responsible for the deaths of at least 16 people. \I(Bolivia)\i
American actor, Elizabeth Taylor, is believed to have suffered a seizure shortly after being released from \Jhospital\j following brain surgery. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The UN Security Council reinstates sanctions against \JIraq\j - it is thought that \JIraq\j could be hiding nerve gas after the country failed to prove it had been destroyed. \I(Iraq)\i
The American State Department asks Zairian rebels to stop their push into eastern Zaire, claiming that it is endangering the hopes of a peaceful end to the \Jcivil war\j. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
The Russian parliament considers banning \Jcapital punishment\j. \I(Russia)\i
American President Bill Clinton meets with Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat in Washington. After the meeting Mr Clinton voices his disapproval of Israel's plans to build Jewish homes in Har Homa, claiming such proposals will affect peace in the area. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Neighboring countries of \JAlbania\j become increasingly concerned about the state of unrest in \JAlbania\j. President Berisha's Government attempts to halt the widespread violent unrest. \I(Albania)\i
Turkey's Islamic Prime Minister, Mr Erbakan, refuses to accept proposals by the military-led National Security Council to weed out Islamic radicals from the Government. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"March 5, 1997",427,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Three British universities are asked by the Indonesian military to help set up the first officer training program to include international law and human rights. \I(Indonesia)\i
Mr Kang Kyong Shik is named as the new South Korean Finance Minister. \I(South Korea)\i
It is proposed that during the New York meeting between the two Koreas, a joint US-South Korean plan for North Korea and China to join them in talks will be discussed. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea, China)\i
In an effort to halt the use of foreign mercenaries by Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands plans to appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. \I(Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands)\i
Tamil Tiger guerrillas launch an attack on \JSri Lanka\j's airforce base in the east of the country. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
For security reasons, the murder trial of Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of former Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, will be conducted inside the prison where he is being held. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
It is proposed that during the New York meeting between the two Koreas, a joint US-South Korean plan for North Korea and China to join them in talks will be discussed. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea, China)\i
Two tourists, a German and an Austrian, taken hostage in \JColombia\j by guerrillas, die when soldiers attack the guerrillas' camp. \I(Colombia)\i
Storms and atrocious \Jweather\j conditions are responsible for the deaths of 50 people in \JArkansas\j, Ohio and Kentucky. \I(USA)\i
American President Bill Clinton's wife, Hillary Clinton, becomes embroiled in the latest controversy over the Democrats fund-raising methods. Mrs Clinton allegedly approved a 1994 memo which listed potential financial supporters. \I(USA)\i
The American President, Bill Clinton, wants stricter gun laws for foreigners coming to the US. This follows the recent shooting incident at the top of the \JEmpire State Building\j by a Palestinian - he had managed to gain access to a gun after only three weeks in the country. \I(USA)\i
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, meets with former US presidents Mr George Bush and Mr Jimmy Carter - Mr Arafat wants to rally support from the UN against Israel's decision to build Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
The Peruvian Government draws up a proposal to end the Lima hostage crisis. However, the Tupac Amaru rebels do not seem prepared to agree to it. \I(Peru)\i
American child-actor, Macaulay Culkin, gains access to his $US7 million fortune. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In \JAlbania\j, government troops clash with rebels in the southern port of Sarande. \JAlbania\j is still gripped by violent unrest. \I(Albania)\i
Tired of being the victims, Liberian villagers seek revenge when they attack and murder former guerrillas. \I(Liberia)\i
Four Palestinian offices in \JJerusalem\j are closed by Israeli police following orders from Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, meets with former US presidents Mr George Bush and Mr Jimmy Carter - Mr Arafat wants to rally support against Israel's decision to build Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
The Russian prosecutor-general, Mr Yuri Skuratov, is publicly blamed by President Yeltsin for the rising crime rates. \I(Russia)\i
Thousands of Germans demonstrate against the transportation of nuclear waste across the country. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Over 40 international aid workers are expelled from Zaire, following government claims that their withdrawal from the city \JKisangani\j led to the deaths of thousands of Rwandan Hutus and Zairians. \I(Zaire)\i
A UN official reports that \JIraq\j is not using the money from the UN oil-for-food agreement to purchase food. \I(Iraq)\i
In \JIraq\j many people continue to celebrate the attempted assassination of Uday Hussein. Saddam Hussein's eldest son is well known and feared for his brutality - it is widely hoped that he has been paralyzed. \I(Iraq)\i
#
"March 6, 1997",428,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Sri Bintang Pamungkas, a former Indonesian MP and pro-democracy campaigner, is arrested on charges of subversion. \I(Indonesia)\i
Chinese authorities arrest 20 Uighur Muslims believed to have been responsible for planting bombs on buses in the province of Xinjiang. \I(China)\i
The Chinese Premier, Mr Li Peng, offers hope about the possibility of political reorganization and human rights reform in talks with US representatives. \I(China, USA)\i
A legal case is to be heard against the Papua New Guinean Government in an effort to halt the hiring of foreign mercenaries to end the Bougainville problem. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The first meeting for 25 years between North and South Korea in New York goes ahead. However, North Korea is unwilling to make any firm commitments to further discussions. In an attempt to encourage North Korea to participate in further talks, the USA and South Korea cancel a joint military exercise. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
Tamil Tigers kill over 38 people during an attack on an army camp in eastern \JSri Lanka\j. Sri Lankan troops claim to have killed 125 guerrillas. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The murder trial of Mr Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of former Pakistani prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, is delayed until late March. Mr Abdullah Shaf, the former chief minister of Sindh province, is also arrested in connection with the murder of Murtaza Bhutto, the brother of Ms Bhutto. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
An investigation is to be conducted by a Congress committee to determine if overseas governments tried to interfere in the 1996 elections. \I(USA)\i
The first meeting for 25 years between North and South Korea in New York goes ahead. However, North Korea is unwilling to make any firm commitments to further discussions. In an attempt to encourage North Korea to participate in further talks, the USA and South Korea cancel a joint military exercise. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
The President of \JGuyana\j, Mr Cheddi Jagan, dies at the age of 78. \I(Guyana)\i
The Chinese Premier, Mr Li Peng, offers hope about the possibility of political reorganization and human rights reform in talks with US representatives. \I(China, USA)\i
American \Jaircraft\j deliver over 1,000 peacekeeping soldiers to \JLiberia\j. The troops are there to safeguard a peace plan which ends seven years of \Jcivil war\j. \I(Liberia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite widespread unrest throughout \JAlbania\j, President Sali Berisha rejects any offers of assistance by western mediators. \I(Albania)\i
Mr Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, initiates a campaign to force down crime rates and encourage economic reforms. \I(Russia)\i
The Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Erbakan, finally agrees to a plan to halt the spread of Islamic radicalism. \I(Turkey)\i
Despite international disapproval, Israel intends to go ahead with plans to construct Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(Israel)\i
The Palestinian Liberation Authority encourages Palestinians to demonstrate at Har Homa against the building of Jewish homes there. \I(Palestine)\i
Victims of the Nazi \Jholocaust\j welcome the announcement by Swiss President Mr Arnold Koller that a second $US5 billion humanitarian fund will be established. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Zairian President, Mr Mobutu, accepts a UN plan to end the country's \Jcivil war\j. However, rebels continue to make advances in eastern Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
American \Jaircraft\j deliver over 1,000 peacekeeping soldiers to \JLiberia\j. The troops are there to safeguard a peace plan which ends seven years of \Jcivil war\j. \I(Liberia, USA)\i
Northern Ireland peace talks are put on hold until after the May general election. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
\ITΩte de Femme,\i a painting by Picasso worth ú700,000, is stolen from a London art gallery by a man wielding a sawn-off shotgun. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 7, 1997",429,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An attack by Tamil Tiger guerrillas on the Sri Lankan Vavunativu army camp in the area of Batticaloa leaves over 270 people dead. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Both European and international trade unions pressure Brussels to punish \JBurma\j's military junta by imposing severe economic sanctions. \I(Europe, \JMyanmar\j (formerly Burma))\i
Indonesian President Mr Soeharto asks the army reserve to be ready for action to curb any further political dissension. The President makes it clear that anti-government groups will not be condoned. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesian opposition parties voice their discontent with strict government regulations on electoral campaigning. \I(Indonesia)\i
Mohammed Yusus Ganai, the leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen, is shot by Indian security forces in the state of \JJammu-Kashmir\j. \I(Jammu-Kashmir)\i
China removes the statement about crimes of counter-revolution from the criminal code, as part of a legal shake-up. \I(China)\i
The computer magnate and head of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, is given head-of-state treatment during a visit to India. \I(USA, India)\i
Mr Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Prime Minister of \JNepal\j, resigns after 17 months in power. \I(Nepal)\i
Talks on the fate of North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, continue between China, South Korea and North Korea. \I(China, South Korea, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Former Jamaican prime minister, Mr Michael Manley, dies from cancer at the age of 72. \I(Jamaica)\i
In the investigation into the murder of six-year-old beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey, her halfbrother and halfsister are cleared of any involvement in the crime. \I(USA)\i
Tupac Amaru Movement rebels who are still holding 72 people hostage in Lima halt all negotiations with Peruvian Government negotiators. They believe that the Government is plotting to free the hostages and think that a underground tunnel is being constructed. \I(Peru)\i
A recent report shows that Americans continue to get bigger - \Jobesity\j in adults increased by 9 per cent from 1980 to 1994, despite health warnings. \I(USA)\i
The computer magnate and head of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, is given head-of-state treatment during a visit to India. \I(USA, India)\i
An American expert in animal \Jcloning\j claims that \Jcloning\j of humans could produce abnormal children. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian President Mr Berisha meets with opposition parties and formulates a plan to end the \Jcivil war\j by calling a 48-hour cease-fire during which the rebels could give up their weapons. Rebels in southern \JAlbania\j reject President Sali Berisha's demands for them to lay down their arms. \I(Albania)\i
Zairian rebels continue their advance towards the city of \JKisangani\j in eastern Zaire - it looks like the city will fall to rebel occupation at any time. \I(Zaire)\i
In an effort to stop the \Jcivil war\j, a European diplomatic mission visits \JAlbania\j to encourage the Government to find a political solution to the country's escalating problems. \I(Albania)\i
The British Labor Party leads by 26 points in the latest opinion poll, just a few weeks before the UK's general election. \I(UK)\i
Both European and international trade unions pressure Brussels to punish \JBurma\j's military junta by imposing severe economic sanctions. \I(Europe, \JMyanmar\j (formerly Burma)\i
The Gdansk shipyard in \JPoland\j is about to close and 3,600 workers are to lose their jobs after the shipyard was found to be bankrupt late last year. \I(Poland)\i
It is feared that \JBelgium\j is about to be hit by another pedophile scandal when a nine-year-old girl is found murdered. \I(Belgium)\i
Bitter conditions in north-west \JIran\j put thousands of people already left homeless by a recent \Jearthquake\j in danger. \I(Iran)\i
The Israeli Cabinet consents to a plan by the Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, to pass another nine per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
British scientists, who discovered a method to clone a lamb from an adult sheep, claim that human \Jcloning\j will be possible within a couple of years. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 8, 1997",430,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cyclone Gavin hits the \JFiji\j islands, killing three people. \I(Fiji)\i
A Japanese newspaper claims that North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, will be allowed to proceed to South Korea via a third country but not the USA. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Adak Island in \JAlaska\j is hit by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale. \I(Alaska)\i
An American diplomat is ordered to leave \JGermany\j after he is charged with spying. \I(USA, Germany)\i
A Japanese newspaper claims that North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, will be allowed to proceed to South Korea via a third country but not the USA. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
Despite military threats from the US, \JLibya\j continues in the construction of the world's biggest chemical weapons factory. \I(USA, Libya)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Demonstrators in \JAlbania\j refuse to accept a 48-hour Government cease-fire. Rebels occupy another town in the south of the country. The protesters are angry over the Government's role in the collapse of the pyramid investment schemes. \I(Albania)\i
An American diplomat is ordered to leave \JGermany\j after he is charged with spying. \I(USA, Germany)\i
French officials claim that the unwillingness of \JSyria\j and Israel to compromise means that peace talks are unlikely to recommence in the near future. \I(Syria, Israel, \JFrance\j)\i
Contenders for the 2004 \JOlympic Games\j are announced by the International Olympic Committee. They are \JAthens\j, \JRome\j, Stockholm, Buenos Aires and Cape Town. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Half of \JSwitzerland\j's population agrees with the Government's decision to establish a humanitarian fund for \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(Switzerland)\i
Despite military threats from the US, \JLibya\j continues in the construction of the world's biggest chemical weapons factory. \I(USA, Libya)\i
An \Jearthquake\j registering 4.4 on the Richter scale hits Accra in \JGhana\j. \I(Ghana)\i
Thousands of Palestinians demonstrate at Har Homa - the proposed site for new Jewish homes. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, consents to enter discussions on halting the rebel push against the Government in the east of the country. \I(Zaire)\i
The worldwide racing car business, Formula One, is to be sold on the stock market. It will be one of the largest sports-related flotations, worth an estimated ú2.5 billion. \I(UK)\i
Doctors in \JBelgium\j reveal that they accidentally cloned a human being while experimenting with \Jinfertility\j treatment four years ago. \I(Belgium)\i
#
"March 9, 1997",431,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The McLaren team of Scot David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen wins the Qantas Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne. \I(Australia)\i
The death toll from \JCyclone\j Gavin which hit the islands of \JFiji\j rises to four. Twelve people are believed to be missing. \I(Fiji)\i
Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, holds private talks with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan. The discussions focus on the proposed use of foreign mercenaries by Papua New Guinea to solve the Bougainville problem. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Muslim separatists are believed to be responsible for two bomb explosions in \JBeijing\j, injuring eight people. Security measures are tightened. \I(China)\i
New labor laws, which replace the disputed Labor Bill, threaten to spark off another serious of strikes in South Korea. \I(South Korea)\i
A solar \Jeclipse\j coincides with the Hale-Bopp \Jcomet\j - much to the delight of Chinese and Russian astronomers. \I(China, Russia)\i
An American human rights organization claims that China is pressuring Hong Kong authorities to make Vietnamese refugee camp conditions unbearable, in order to force refugees to return to Vietnam. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American actor, Elizabeth Taylor, is released from \Jhospital\j after suffering from a seizure. \I(USA)\i
An American human rights organization claims that China is pressuring Hong Kong authorities to make Vietnamese refugee camp conditions unbearable, in order to force refugees to return to Vietnam. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam)\i
An American report says that there is no clear evidence to suggest that non-monetary belongings of \JHolocaust\j victims went directly to Swiss banks. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Israel welcomes the US rejection of a UN Security Council resolution which would have disapproved of the construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa. The Palestine community is outraged by the move. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Arab nations demand an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following America's decision to ban the Council's resolution which calls for Israel to stop its construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The President of \JAlbania\j, Sali Berisha, does not increase the 48-hour cease-fire. However, he vows to hold an election within two months. Rebels seize the largest military camp in southern \JAlbania\j. \I(Albania)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin's decision to promote Mr Anatoly Chubais to First Deputy Prime Minister causes widespread outcry. Mr Chubais is unpopular and hated throughout \JRussia\j. \I(Russia)\i
Israel welcomes the US rejection of a UN Security Council resolution which would have disapproved of the construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa. The Palestine community is outraged by the move. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Arab nations demand an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following America's decision to ban the Council's resolution which calls for Israel to stop its construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Pope John Paul II disapproves of Israel's recent decision to build Jewish homes at Har Homa, claiming that it could endanger the peace process. \I(\JItaly\j, Israel)\i
Palestine disapproves of Israel's decision to pull out troops from nine per cent of the West Bank. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A solar \Jeclipse\j coincides with the Hale-Bopp \Jcomet\j - much to the delight of Chinese and Russian astronomers. \I(China, Russia)\i
Iraq asks \JEgypt\j for help to get UN sanctions removed, claiming they have destroyed the country. \I(Iraq, Egypt)\i
An American report says that there is no clear evidence to suggest that non-monetary belongings of \JHolocaust\j victims went directly to Swiss banks. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Thousands of people attend the funeral in \JBelgium\j of nine-year-old Loubna Benaissa -a murder victim of Patrick Derochette who has a record of pedophile crimes. \I(Belgium)\i
Kenya is in danger of experiencing a \Jdrought\j, following a non-rain period of 18 months. \I(Kenya)\i
#
"March 10, 1997",432,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
To encourage Papua New Guinea to drop its plans to use foreign mercenaries, \JAustralia\j offers additional aid and assistance with military training. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Five South Korean soldiers accidentally wander across the border between the two Koreas, causing some alarm. Meanwhile South Korea cautions North Korea against any challenges over the defection of Mr Hwang Jang Yop. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, claims that violence in \JTibet\j could worsen. He blames China for following a policy of "cultural genocide." \I(Tibet, China)\i
A Taiwanese man hijacks a Taiwanese \Jaircraft\j, forcing it to fly to China. He gives himself up to authorities in Xiamen on China's south-east coast. \I(China)\i
Communists and their allies in \JNepal\j plan to set up a new government. \I(Nepal)\i
The Sri Lankan Government rules out any possibility of an end to the \Jcivil war\j through negotiation despite the recent secret visit by a Tamil Tiger rebel leader. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The Mayor of \JBeijing\j claims that there is no connection between the bombings in the city and the Muslim separatist movement. \I(China)\i
Indian authorities wish to deport infamous criminal Charles Sobhraj but have yet to find any country willing to accept him. \I(India)\i
The American business community disapproves of sanctions against \JBurma\j and supports the Southeast Asian policy of "constructive engagement." \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly Burma))\i
Russia proposes to sell nuclear fuel rods made of uranium to \JTaiwan\j in return for taking \JTaiwan\j's nuclear waste. \I(Russia, Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The leader of the Tupac Amaru Movement rebels, Mr Nestor Cerpa, says that he is ready to recommence discussions with the Peruvian Government over the release of the 72 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. \I(Peru)\i
Allegations that the Chinese Government tried to direct illegal campaign donations to members of the USA Congress result in calls for further investigations into campaign donations. \I(USA)\i
American Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki signs three judgments amounting to $US33.5 million against O.J. Simpson. \I(USA)\i
The American business community disapproves of sanctions against \JBurma\j and supports the Southeast Asian policy of "constructive engagement." \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly Burma))\i
The American Administration claims that the US veto of the UN Security Council's resolution against Israel's construction plans should not be interpreted as approval. President Clinton asks the Arab world to understand the reasons for the veto. \I(USA, Israel)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite \JAlbanian\j President Berisha's offer to hold elections in the next two months, rebels continue to demand that the President resigns. \I(Albania)\i
The American Administration claims that the US veto of the UN Security Council's resolution against Israel's construction plans should not be interpreted as approval. President Clinton asks the Arab world to understand the reasons for the veto. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat claims that the peace process is in danger due to Israel's reluctance to withdraw more soldiers from the West Bank. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
King Hussein of Jordan sends a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu in which he voices his disapproval of Israel's plans to go ahead with the construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa, the closing of PLO offices in \JJerusalem\j, and the extent of the withdrawal from the West Bank. \I(Jordan, Israel)\i
Sir George Gardiner, a British MP who recently resigned from the Conservative Party, warns that Prime Minister John Major will suffer a humiliating defeat at the forthcoming elections. \I(UK)\i
Thousands of Serbian people demonstrate against President Milosevic's Government. They call for the removal of media restrictions. \I(Serbia)\i
The claims that a Belgian boy was cloned four years ago are firmly denied by the head of the laboratory where the alleged \Jcloning\j took place. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
Thousands of people protest in Paris against a controversial new \Jimmigration\j law. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Russia proposes to sell nuclear fuel rods made of uranium to \JTaiwan\j in return for taking \JTaiwan\j's nuclear waste. \I(Russia, Taiwan)\i
Thousands of civilians leave the Zairian city of \JKisangani\j, as rebels advance towards the city. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"March 11, 1997",433,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The World Bank and other international organizations re-examine loans to Papua New Guinea worth $AUD210 million in light of Papua New Guinea's plans to hire foreign mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Mr Lokendra Bahadur Chand is named by King Birendra as \JNepal\j's new Prime Minister. \I(Nepal)\i
The Vietnam Government consents to pay back America millions of dollars in debt; the debt was run up for construction projects in the former South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, to improve trade relations. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Indonesian opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, claims that Supreme Court judges were under instruction from the Government to rule against her. \I(Indonesia)\i
Mr Tang Liang Hong, a Singaporean opposition politician, claims that his family met with financial disaster due to a High Court ruling which wiped out his defense against a series of \Jdefamation\j suits filed by members of the People's Action Party. \I(Singapore)\i
It is possible that the North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, may make a stopover in \JAustralia\j en route to South Korea. \I(North Korea, \JAustralia\j, South Korea)\i
Opposition parties in \JIndonesia\j make official complaints about the restrictions of election campaigning. \I(Indonesia)\i
It is declared by an environmentalist that New Delhi's \Jwater\j is so polluted that it could lead to cancer. \I(India)\i
Water ruins a petition, which contained hundreds of thousands of signatures, demanding a constitutional change to allow \JPhilippines\j President Ramos to run for a second term. \I(Philippines)\i
Chinese authorities say that they made no financial contributions to the American Democrats election campaign. \I(China, USA)\i
Vietnam proposes to censor all \JInternet\j information and restrict access to the service. \I(Vietnam)\i
A Chinese scientist claims that China has been conducting \Jcloning\j experiments on animals since 1993. \I(China)\i
An explosion at a \Jcoal\j mine in Lushan in China's Henan province kills at least 89 people and injures many others. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Mariano Hernan Salvatti is named by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo as the new chief of the Anti-Drug Institute. \I(Mexico)\i
The Vietnam Government consents to pay back America millions of dollars in debt; the debt was run up for construction projects in the former South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, to improve trade relations. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Chinese authorities say that they made no financial contributions to the American Democrats election campaign. \I(China, USA)\i
A grand jury will look at the video which reportedly shows a missile heading towards the doomed TWA Flight 800 which crashed in July 1996, killing all passengers. \I(USA)\i
A Norwegian diver discovers the wreck of a Spanish ship, \ILa Capitana Jes·s Marφa,\i off the coast of \JEcuador\j. It is believed to contain treasures worth $US3.5 billion. \I(\JNorway\j, Ecuador)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian President Mr Sali Berisha's position looks increasingly in danger, as rebels refuse to accept his promise to hold elections and their control in the south strengthens. \I(Albania)\i
British murderer Peter Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper, is attacked and blinded in one eye by a fellow prisoner. \I(UK)\i
The World Health Organization voices its disapproval of human \Jcloning\j but says other \Jcloning\j experiments could be useful in the field of medicine. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Mr Ahmed Qreia, a leading Palestinian MP, demands a withdrawal from talks with Israel, as Israel is only willing to hand over 9 per cent of the West Bank rather than the anticipated 30 per cent. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, hails his recent visit to \JRussia\j as a success. \I(Israel, Russia)\i
Rebels in Yemen release six German tourists they were holding hostage. \I(Yemen)\i
Turkish foreign minister, Ms Tansu Ciller, admits that torture does occur in Turkey and makes a promise to try to stop the practice. \I(Turkey)\i
The Zairian Government rejects claims that the rebels have seized control over entry to the city of \JKisangani\j in eastern Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
The \Jcomet\j Hale-Bopp is being hailed as one of the best-viewing comets in the twentieth century. \I(UK)\i
A Norwegian diver discovers the wreck of a Spanish ship, \ILa Capitana Jes·s Marφa,\i off the coast of \JEcuador\j. It is believed to contain treasures worth $US3.5 billion. \I(\JNorway\j, Ecuador)\i
#
"March 12, 1997",434,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cyclone Justin hits Papua New Guinea, killing 26 people and damaging property. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Indonesia postpones the building of its first nuclear power plant to 2020, after new \Jenergy\j sources are found. \I(Indonesia)\i
Singaporean opposition MP, Mr Tang Liang Hong, says that he will only return to \JSingapore\j to face legal action if he is given a guarantee that he will not be arrested. \I(Singapore)\i
The Thai Government orders an investigation into a judge's decision to free a drug lord who arranged the largest shipment of heroin ever seized by US authorities. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
When Hong Kong is handed over to China in July, it is estimated that Hong Kong will have reserves of $HK330 billion. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
The Japanese Government orders an investigation into a fire at a nuclear reprocessing plant at Tokai. It is believed that 35 people were exposed to low levels of radiation. \I(Japan)\i
Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis, known as the Scud, beats American former world number 1 player Andre Agassi at the Indian Wells Tournament in the US. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Indian authorities claim that China has illegally invaded 38,000 square kilometers of its land in the state of Kashmir. \I(India, China)\i
Over 60 people die when a Indonesian ship sinks in bad \Jweather\j conditions in the East Java sea. \I(Indonesia)\i
Maoris in \JNew Zealand\j launch a campaign for a name change - from \JNew Zealand\j to Aotearoa - which is \JNew Zealand\j's second name. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Taiwan reportedly will sign a trade agreement with \JNicaragua\j, \JGuatemala\j, Cost Rica, El Salvador and \JHonduras\j. \I(Taiwan, \JNicaragua\j, \JGuatemala\j, Cost Rica, El Salvador, Honduras)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speculation resurfaces that the TWA Flight 800, which crashed in July last year, was hit by a missile. \I(USA)\i
American academics claim that they discovered pieces of a "lost gospel" which they say has conversations between Jesus Christ and the disciples. \I(USA)\i
Zairians demonstrate in \JKinshasa\j against the USA. They are dismayed at America's reluctance to help solve the \Jcivil war\j. Only the French Government has initiated discussions about getting involved in the war. \I(Zaire, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Taiwan reportedly will sign a trade agreement with \JNicaragua\j, \JGuatemala\j, Cost Rica, El Salvador and \JHonduras\j. \I(Taiwan, \JNicaragua\j, \JGuatemala\j, Cost Rica, El Salvador, Honduras)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mr Bashkim Fino, a relatively unknown socialist, is named by President Berisha as \JAlbania\j's new Prime Minister. Rebels continue to advance to the north of the country, looting and capturing main military installations. Increasingly, \JAlbania\j is heading towards a state of anarchy. \I(Albania)\i
The Israeli cabinet plans to meet to discuss the deteriorating relations with Palestine. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The French Government launches a campaign to stop Europe moving its clocks forward every spring and putting them back every autumn. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The trial against six men charged in connection with the death of racing driver Ayrton Senna in 1994 resumes in \JRome\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Palestine halts any official talks with Israel and calls an international conference in Gaza for discussions about the latest problems in Israeli-Palestinian relations. So far, Israel is reluctant to compromise or revise its plans. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Scottish scientist, Ian Wilmut, who discovered the method to clone an adult sheep, condemns human \Jcloning\j. \I(UK)\i
Zairians demonstrate in \JKinshasa\j against the USA. They are dismayed at America's reluctance to help solve the \Jcivil war\j. Only the French Government has initiated discussions about getting involved in the war. \I(Zaire, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
The President of Ireland, Ms Mary Robinson, says that she will not be running for a second term in office. It is anticipated she will run for the position of United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(Ireland)\i
#
"March 13, 1997",435,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Sister Nirmala is appointed by the Missionaries of Charity as successor to their head, Mother Teresa. \I(India)\i
Singapore's senior minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, apologizes for his derogatory remarks about a Malaysian state. \I(Singapore, Malaysia)\i
Mr Ali Alatas, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, promises to ask \JMalaysia\j to change its mind about vetoing the inclusion of \JAustralia\j in an Asian-European summit. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, Australia)\i
Sri Lankan troops attack the main Mullaitivu camp of Tamil Tiger rebels. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Sir Julius Chan, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, rejects Australian demands and inducements to drop plans to hire foreign mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
A white Australian man, who posed as an Aboriginal female writer, admits his deception. His book \IMy Own Sweet Time\i won the 1996 Dobbie award. \I(Australia)\i
The Foreign Minister of India holds out hope that officials from India and \JPakistan\j will be able to meet shortly for discussions. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
The Chinese Government issues a stern warning against the proposed meeting between \JTibet\j's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the Taiwanese President Mr Lee Teng-hui. \I(China, \JTibet\j, Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Los Angeles police arrest one man and take two others in for questioning over the murder of actor Bill Cosby's son Ennis Cosby. \I(USA)\i
American tennis player Pete Sampras experiences his first defeat in 1997 against Czech Republican player Bohdan Ulihrach at the Champions Cup in \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
America removes its diplomats from \JAlbania\j due to the worsening crisis. President Berisha and the opposition agree to form a new coalition government for the country. All borders, airports and ports are shut down. \I(USA, Albania)\i
The \JFBI\j searches for nine people who they believe witnessed the bombing in Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 \JAtlanta\j Olympics. \I(USA)\i
The US considers sending further humanitarian aid to Zaire. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
The Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, says that \JCuba\j will continue to follow \Jcommunism\j unlike other countries in the eastern block who have dropped \Jcommunism\j. \I(Cuba)\i
The US condemns the murder of seven Israeli school girls by a Jordanian soldier. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Tensions in relations between Canada and \JNigeria\j lead Canada to close its offices in Lagos, cancel diplomatic communications, and evacuate its High Commissioner. \I(Canada, Nigeria)\i
Evidence which supports the claims that TWA Flight 800 was shot down by a US Navy missile during a military training exercise is reported to have been discovered. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Jordanian soldier opens fire at an Israeli tourist group on the island of Naharayim on the Israeli-Jordanian border, killing at least seven people and injuring six others. The group was mainly made up Israeli school girls on a school excursion. \I(Jordan, Israel)\i
The US condemns the murder of seven Israeli school girls by a Jordanian soldier. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, pledges that construction will commence in Har Homa next week, despite increasing international condemnation of the project. Over 50 countries have voiced their disapproval of Israel's plans. \I(Israel)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin is criticized in Parliament for choosing Mr Anatoly Chubais as First Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Chubais is widely condemned in \JRussia\j. \I(Russia)\i
Nigerian authorities charge Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and 11 others with \Jtreason\j over a series of recent explosions. \I(Nigeria)\i
On the first anniversary of the Dunblane massacre in Scotland, candles are lit at 7 pm to remember the school children left dead by a deranged killer. \I(UK)\i
The disputed prison ship, \IThe Resolution,\i arrives in the UK from New York. It is to be used to solve the crisis of overcrowding in British jails. \I(UK)\i
The US considers sending further humanitarian aid to Zaire. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
America removes its diplomats from \JAlbania\j due to the worsening crisis. President Berisha and the opposition agree to form a new coalition government for the country. All borders, airports and ports are shut down. \I(USA, Albania)\i
To encourage Russian President Yeltsin to accept the expansion of \JNATO\j in eastern Europe, \JRussia\j is asked to participate in the Group of Seven's summit. \I(Russia)\i
Tensions in relations between Canada and \JNigeria\j lead Canada to close its offices in Lagos, cancel diplomatic communications, and evacuate its High Commissioner. \I(Canada, Nigeria)\i
Islamic militants open fire on a crowd of civilians in a Coptic Christian village in southern \JEgypt\j. Twelve people are believed to have died. \I(Egypt)\i
#
"March 14, 1997",436,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Accusations of bribery and corruption endanger Manila's largest real estate project and possibly President Ramos's bid for re-election. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
The Communist leader in charge of China's Xinjiang province claims that many of the separatists responsible for the recent bombings have been arrested. \I(China)\i
Chinese Premier Mr Li Peng says that post-Deng leadership is strong and ready to lead China. \I(China)\i
In China, a ban on human \Jcloning\j is demanded. \I(China)\i
It is claimed that imprisoned Australian murderer Martin Bryant, who shot 35 people dead at Port Arthur in \JTasmania\j in 1996, has twice tried to take his own life. \I(Australia)\i
Thousands of North Korean civilians assist with the repairing of river embankments and planting trees - damaged which occurred in the latest bout of severe flooding. \I(North Korea)\i
UMNO, the youth arm of \JMalaysia\j's main party, plans to sue senior Singaporean minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, for his recent derogatory remarks about the Malaysian state of Johore. \I(Malaysia, Singapore)\i
Indonesian President Soeharto threatens to deal harshly with any group who incites boycotting of the May elections. \I(Indonesia)\i
The \JAmerica's Cup\j, the international yachting trophy which was last won by \JNew Zealand\j, is damaged after a man attacks it with a sledgehammer. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the agenda of the forthcoming meeting between American President Clinton and Russian President Yeltsin are cuts in the long-range nuclear weapons held by each country and the controversial expansion of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The American Administration and \JFrance\j argue over the role they should play in the Zairian \Jcivil war\j. \JFrance\j is pressuring the EU to interfere, while the USA turns out the idea of an international force. \I(USA, France)\i
American President Bill Clinton is to undergo surgery to treat a torn \Jtendon\j after he hurt his knee when he missed a step during a visit to golfer Greg Norman's home. \I(USA)\i
A Russian immigrant is believed to have been arrested in connection with the death of actor Bill Cosby's son. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the agenda of the forthcoming meeting between American President Clinton and Russian President Yeltsin are cuts in the long-range nuclear weapons held by each country and the controversial expansion of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
At least 20 foreigners held hostage by youths in Lagos are released when the Nigerian navy comes to the rescue. \I(Nigeria)\i
The American Administration and \JFrance\j argue over the role they should play in the Zairian \Jcivil war\j. \JFrance\j is pressuring the EU to interfere, while the USA turns out the idea of an international force. \I(USA, France)\i
A bomb explodes in Short Strand in eastern \JBelfast\j, injuring three people. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
An Iranian transport \Jaircraft\j crashes in northern \JIran\j - there are no reports on the fate of the passengers and crew. \I(Iran)\i
Israel claims that Arab countries incited tensions which led to the killing of seven Israeli school girls by a Jordanian soldier earlier this month. \I(Israel)\i
The United Nations General Assembly condemns Israel's plans to construct Jewish homes in Har Homa. The Assembly accuses Israel of endangering the peace process and says that the plans are illegal. \I(Israel)\i
Conditions in \JAlbania\j continue to deteriorate as anarchy and turmoil reign. International countries evacuate their diplomats as looters attack the capital Tirana. It is also believed that President Berisha's family have fled to \JItaly\j. The evacuation of Americans is stopped after helicopters are fired at. \I(Albania)\i
Macedonia, Yugoslavia, and other countries bordering \JAlbania\j take preventative measures to stop the unrest from \JAlbania\j spreading. \I(Albania, Macedonia, Yugoslavia)\i
#
"March 15, 1997",437,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A man is charged with attacking the \JAmerica's Cup\j with a sledgehammer. It is thought that he was trying to raise the issue of \JMaori\j sovereignty in \JNew Zealand\j. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
The Chinese Government signals that it has nearly come to a decision on the fate of North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, who took refuge in \JBeijing\j's South Korean embassy over a month ago. \I(China, North Korea, South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Former American tennis player John McEnroe marries rock singer Patty Smyth in Hawaii. \I(USA)\i
American film-maker, Fred Zinnemann, dies in London at the age of 89. \I(USA)\i
All American citizens are safely evacuated from \JAlbania\j. \I(USA, Albania)\i
The \JFBI\j manages to locate seven out of the nine people it wishes to question in connection with the 1996 \JAtlanta\j Olympics bombing. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mr Franz Vranitzky, an European envoy, claims the only way to rescue \JAlbania\j from the state of anarchy and chaos is to send in an international force. \I(Albania)\i
Zairian rebels attack the city of \JKisangani\j. Government sources deny that the city is now in rebel control. \I(Zaire)\i
All American citizens are safely evacuated from \JAlbania\j. \I(USA, Albania)\i
The Israeli cabinet votes to proceed with construction in Har Homa despite fears that it could lead to further violence in the region. \I(Israel)\i
Scientists in \JBelgium\j claim to have uncovered the cause of the disease multiple sclerosis. They believe it is caused by \Jantibodies\j against the herpes virus 6. \I(Belgium)\i
Speculation about the health of South African President Nelson Mandela mounts, after he cancels another official engagement. \I(South Africa)\i
King Hussein of Jordan visits \JJerusalem\j to pay his respects to the families of the seven school girls shot dead by a Jordanian soldier. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
At a summit held in Gaza, the leader of Palestine, Mr Yasser Arafat, warns international representatives that recent Israeli actions have seriously damaged the peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"March 16, 1997",438,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Bus drivers on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok go on a rampage. It is the latest incidence of violence erupting in \JIndonesia\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Singapore's senior minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, accuses the British Governor to Hong Kong, Mr Chris Patten, of wasting time. He claims that Mr Patten should have been paving the way for the smooth transition of Hong Kong to China rather than trying to implement changes. \I(Singapore, Hong Kong, China)\i
The \JPhilippines\j Government is asked to allow North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, to make a stopover in Manila en route to South Korea. \I(Philippines, North Korea, South Korea)\i
Police question South Korean Prime Minister Kim Young-sam's former doctor over the accusations of \Jfraud\j against the Prime Minister's son. \I(South Korea)\i
Head of the Papua New Guinean defense force, General Singirok, and police chiefs, demand that Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan resigns within 48 hours over his decision to use foreign mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Migrants from Madura Island and leaders of the indigenous Dayak tribe, who fought recently in West \JKalimantan\j province, make peace. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Australian cyclist, Gary Neiwand, is fined $AUD1,000 for taking a banned stimulant. He claims to have overlooked that cough medication contained the substance. \I(Australia)\i
During the second Test between South Africa at Port Elizabeth in South Africa, the Australian cricket team is plagued by injuries. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
China warns that it might take revenge if certain nations continue to condemn its human rights record. \I(China)\i
Mother Teresa announces that she wishes to establish a clinic for AIDS patients in the USA. \I(India, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American President Clinton's recent knee injury is likely to hamper his lifestyle and he will have to undergo six months of \Jphysiotherapy\j. \I(USA)\i
The American President's wife, Mrs Hillary Clinton and his daughter, leave for a six-country tour of Africa. \I(USA)\i
Mother Teresa announces that she wishes to establish a clinic for AIDS patients in the USA. \I(India, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of Albanians attempt to flee the anarchy that is gripping the country. Many attempting to escape crowd the ports in an effort to get a safe passage via sea to \JItaly\j. \I(Albania, Italy)\i
British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, is to enter into a series of televised debates with Labor leader, Mr Tony Blair. \I(UK)\i
The Russian Prime Minister, Mr Victor Chernomyrdin, draws up a list of new cabinet members. Mr Yeltsin will announce the new cabinet shortly before he leaves for the \JHelsinki\j summit with US President Clinton. \I(Russia)\i
The Russian President, Mr Boris Yeltsin, orders his Government to fix the financial problems that have been lingering for months. \I(Russia)\i
During the second Test between South Africa at Port Elizabeth in South Africa, the Australian cricket team is plagued by injuries. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
A portrait of the Jordanian soldier responsible for murdering seven Israeli school girls begins to emerge. He is reportedly a violent person and mentally unstable but not politically motivated. \I(Jordan)\i
Hundreds of people volunteer for a new security force to stabilize and restore order to \JAlbania\j after President Berisha's Government made a \Jtelevision\j appeal for help. \I(Albania)\i
The European Union arranges to send a team of civil and military experts to help solve the crisis in \JAlbania\j. \I(Europe, Albania)\i
Allegations are made that French banks also profited from the assets of \JHolocaust\j victims during World War II in the same way that Swiss banks did. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The Loyalist cease-fire in Northern Ireland is in jeopardy after a Catholic man is shot dead in \JBelfast\j. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
After Zairian rebels capture the city of \JKisangani\j, they refuse requests by the United Nations for a cease-fire in order to continue peace talks. President Mobutu cancels his arrangements to return from \JFrance\j after the fall of \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
Colonel Juma Oris, the Ugandan rebel leader, is killed after his forces were attacked by Government troops. \I(Uganda)\i
Tajikistan soldiers capture the rebel leader Bakhrom Sadirov. \I(Tajikistan)\i
#
"March 17, 1997",439,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Dean Capobianco, the Australian sprinter, receives a four-year suspension from the International Amateur \JAthletics\j Federation after being found guilty of taking steroids. \I(Australia)\i
The capital of \JIndonesia\j, Jakarta, is hit by a series of earthquakes. \I(Indonesia)\i
Over 35 people drown when a ferry in northern \JMyanmar\j capsizes during a storm. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Brigadier General Jerry Singirok, the chief of the Papua New Guinean army, is sacked by the cabinet. General Singirok and Prime Minister Chan have been arguing over the use of foreign mercenaries to solve the rebel problem on the island of Bougainville. Earlier, General Singirok had called for the resignation of the Prime Minister. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Australian cricket team defeats South Africa in the second Test at Port Elizabeth. \JAustralia\j leads by 2-0 in the three-Test tournament. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
Taiwan orders shoulder-fired missiles from the USA after \JFrance\j refuses to sell the missiles to \JTaiwan\j. \I(France, USA, Taiwan)\i
Two former economic aides to South Korean President Mr Kim Young-sam are accused of participating in the Hanbo loans scandal. \I(South Korea)\i
The British Government announces that it will contribute ú495,000 in food aid to North Korea. \I(UK, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Due to his recent knee injury, the American President is forced to delay his summit in \JHelsinki\j with Russian President Yeltsin by one \Jday\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
In an effort to satisfy American critics of the United Nations, the Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, institutes a number of managerial reforms. \I(USA)\i
Ms Janet Jagan, the widow of the former president Cheddi Jagan, is appointed as first female Prime Minister of \JGuyana\j. \I(Guyana)\i
American Marines assist with the evacuation of thousands of foreigners from \JDurres\j in \JAlbania\j. \I(USA, Albania)\i
Taiwan orders shoulder-fired missiles from the USA after \JFrance\j refuses to sell the missiles to \JTaiwan\j. \I(France, USA, Taiwan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, announces that a general election will be held on May, 1. One of the latest opinion polls gives the Labour Party a 28-point lead. \I(UK)\i
The British Government announces that it will contribute ú495,000 in food aid to North Korea. \I(UK, North Korea)\i
Due to his recent knee injury, the American President is forced to delay his summit in \JHelsinki\j with Russian President Yeltsin by one \Jday\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Reports in Zaire claim that the occupation of the city of \JKisangani\j signals the end of President Mobutu Sese Seko's rule. Hundreds of foreigners and wealthy Zairians flee \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin offers the position of first deputy prime minister to Mr Boris Nemtsov. He will share the position with Mr Anatoly Chubais. Mr Nemtsov will be responsible for social matters and relations. \I(Russia)\i
Palestine refuses to attend a summit with Jordan and Israel in an attempt to solve the peace process. \I(Palestine, Jordan, Israel)\i
Fatos Nano, he leader of the \JAlbanian\j opposition socialist party, begs Albanians to remain in the country, surrender their weapons and follow orders from the new Government. \I(Albania)\i
Thousands and thousands of Albanians flee to southern \JItaly\j. Already, southern \JItaly\j feels overwhelmed by the sheer volume of refugees. \I(Albania, Italy)\i
Thousands of European labor union members protest in Brussels over the loss of jobs. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
The construction of Jewish homes in Har Homa is scheduled to commence tomorrow. Palestine warns it may be forced to use violence if the construction goes ahead. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
American Marines assist with the evacuation of thousands of foreigners from \JDurres\j in \JAlbania\j. \I(USA, Albania)\i
The Australian cricket team defeats South Africa in the second Test at Port Elizabeth. \JAustralia\j leads by 2-0 in the three-Test tournament. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
#
"March 18, 1997",440,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Sir Julius Chan, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, says that the sacked army leader, Brigadier General Jerry Singirok, may be charged with \Jtreason\j. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, threatens to withdraw thousands of dollars of aid to Papua New Guinea if the use of foreign mercenaries on Bougainville proceeds. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
Brigadier General Jerry Singirok orders Papua New Guinean soldiers to remain calm after his sacking by the Prime Minister. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Over 40 foreign mercenaries are detained in Papua New Guinea, despite orders by Prime Minister Chan to release them. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Thousands of people are expected to attend the ceremony to mark the appointment of Dr Basilio do Nascimiento as the second bishop in East \JTimor\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
North Korean defector, Mr Hwang Jang Yop, flies to Manila en route to South Korea. Mr Hwang sought refuge for 35 days in the South Korean embassy in \JBeijing\j. \I(South Korea, North Korea, \JPhilippines\j, China)\i
The South Korean Prime Minister, Mr Koh Kun, demands that a new inquiry be launched into the Hanbo loans affair. He condemned the first investigations as being inadequate. \I(South Korea)\i
A ship transporting radioactive waste from \JFrance\j arrives in northern \JJapan\j. The ship is met by crowds of protesters. \I(Japan, France)\i
The \JPhilippines\j army attacks a Muslim camp in the south of the country, killing ten high school students. \I(Philippines)\i
The director of the World Food Program claims that millions of North Korean children are dying of starvation and appeals for more assistance. \I(North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Mr Anthony Lake, who was nominated by the American President for the position of \JCIA\j director, withdraws his name from the list of candidates. Mr Lake is tired of the drawn out lengthy procedure to confirm his nomination. \I(USA)\i
An American team composed of military advisors and civilians leaves for Zaire to assess the situation there. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
Southern \JCalifornia\j is hit by an \Jearthquake\j, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale - there are no reports of injuries or serious damage. \I(USA)\i
In Mexico another army general is arrested on charges of bribery and corruption. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is reported that the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, is in the worst position at the commencement of an election campaign in the polls since the Second World War. \I(UK)\i
A ship transporting radioactive waste from \JFrance\j arrives in northern \JJapan\j. The ship is met by crowds of protesters. \I(Japan, France)\i
In \JAlgeria\j, Muslim fundamentalists plant a series of bombs which kill at least 18 people and injure many others. \I(Algeria)\i
Nearly 50 people are believed to have died when a Russian passenger \Jaircraft\j crashes in the south of \JRussia\j. \I(Russia)\i
The World Formula One champion, Damon Hill, receives an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II. \I(UK)\i
The Israeli army and police prepare to defend Har Homa as an outbreak of violence by Palestinian opposition and demonstrators is anticipated. Construction finally commences at the site of Har Homa. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The leader of the opposition socialist party, Mr Fatos Nano, who was recently released from prison after serving a four-year sentence, reinforces his claims to the leadership of \JAlbania\j. \I(Albania)\i
Italy warns it will institute tighter controls on the number of \JAlbanian\j refugees arriving in the country. \I(Italy, Albania)\i
An American team composed of military advisors and civilians leaves for Zaire to assess the situation there. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
The Zairian Parliament passes a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister Mr Leon Kengo wa Dondo. \I(Zaire)\i
With the introduction of new blood into the Russian Cabinet, President Yeltsin revives \JRussia\j's economic reform campaign. \I(Russia)\i
#
"March 19, 1997",441,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following heavy protesting, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan announces that his government may remove the mercenaries that he brought into the country to help fight Bougainville rebels. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Australia sends diplomat Philip Flood to Port Moresby in an attempt to solve the crisis in Papua New Guinea. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
One week before Australian Prime Minister John Howard visits China, China expresses concern over \JAustralia\j's military ties with the United States and warns \JAustralia\j to stay out of its human rights issues. \I(China, Australia)\i
While inaugurating East \JTimor\j's second bishop, the Pope calls for a quick and recognized settlement for East \JTimor\j. \I(East Timor)\i
The Sri Lankan President, Ms Chandrika Kumaratunga, pleads with her people to vote for her in tomorrow's elections. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Hwang Jang Yop, the senior defector from North Korea, is reportedly safe in the \JPhilippines\j, but only temporarily. \I(North Korea, Philippines)\i
The South Korean Parliament is to hold a televised hearing in April investigating accusations of corruption by President Kim Young-sam's son. \I(South Korea)\i
A senior member of \JCambodia\j's Parliament calls for peace from the political parties fighting over the monarchy. \I(Cambodia)\i
A newly-released report by health and environmental authorities in \JBangkok\j indicates that dust levels are extremely high, mainly due to building works and motor vehicles crowding the city. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
An explosion occurs at a police compound in Jalalabad, \JAfghanistan\j. Over 40 people are reported dead and hundreds of homes destroyed; it is yet to be determined if the explosion was accidental or not. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Taiwan test-fires two US-made Hawk missiles in the \JTaiwan\j Straits from Tamsui base. \I(Taiwan)\i
A truck in China spills 200 drums of toxic \Jcyanide\j into the Xijiang River; emergency warning notices are issued in several nearby areas. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton appoints George Tenet as director of the \JCIA\j, following the withdrawal of nominee Anthony Lake. \I(USA)\i
Thirty-four victims of the \JOklahoma City\j bombing in April 1995 start legal action against the US Government, claiming that the government could have prevented the bombing. \I(USA)\i
Hundreds of people are evacuated and roads are closed when floods and mudslides occur in Washington. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton welcomes Russian President Boris Yeltsin's new Cabinet reforms. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Following recent fundraising scandals, US Vice-President Al Gore may have to work a little harder if he wants to become the Democratic candidate for President. \I(USA)\i
Dutch-born American painter, Willem de Kooning, dies in New York, aged 92. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
South Africa announces that it will introduce legislation to stop foreign countries using the company Executive Outcomes to deploy mercenaries. \I(South Africa)\i
British Prime Minister John Major agrees to a live \Jtelevision\j debate with Labour opposition leader Tony Blair in the lead-up to the country's elections. \I(UK)\i
Scientists in Berlin announce that they have discovered a major breakthrough in the treatment of tuberculosis that has the potential to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people each year. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Parliament members in Zaire vote to dismiss the country's Prime Minister, Leon Kengo wa Dondo. \I(Zaire)\i
A mass exodus is reported in war-torn Zaire, as rebels capture the country's third largest city, \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
As Israel is condemned worldwide for starting the construction of Jewish settlements in east \JJerusalem\j, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat calls for peace among his people. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to speed up final talks for negotiating territories, even welcoming US President Bill Clinton's involvement; Palestinian President Yasser Arafat says that he will not talk unless Netanyahu stops the building of a Jewish settlement on Har Homa. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss the Israeli/Palestinian Har Homa crisis. \I(Israel, Palestine, Egypt)\i
Albania's rebel National Salvation Committee warns President Sali Berisha that rebel leaders will march on the capital if he doesn't step down immediately. However, there are many areas in \JAlbania\j that support the President. \I(Albania)\i
Italy declares a state of emergency to help cope with more than 10,000 refugees from \JAlbania\j. \I(Albania, Italy)\i
US President Bill Clinton welcomes Russian President Boris Yeltsin's new Cabinet reforms. \I(USA, Russia)\i
#
"March 20, 1997",442,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Three envoys of Australian Prime Minister John Howard meet with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan to demand that Papua New Guinea stops its military offensive on Bougainville and sends all foreign mercenaries home. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
The Bougainville Revolutionary Army warns \JAustralia\j not to send anymore military aid to Papua New Guinea, even if Papua New Guinea decides to send foreign mercenaries home. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
An inquiry is to be conducted into the foreign mercenaries hired by Papua New Guinea. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
It is reported that senior figures within China are challenging Chinese President Jiang Zemin's leadership. \I(China)\i
The \Jorang-utan\j population in \JBorneo\j is shrinking at an alarming rate - it is reported that childless couples steal them from the wild to raise as their own children. \I(Borneo)\i
Officials who are hiding the North Korean defector Hwang Jang Yop in the \JPhilippines\j keep the defector's location a secret. \I(The Philippines)\i
As \JSri Lanka\j is about to go to the polls, officials claim that due to recent violence, voters are likely to stay away on election \Jday\j. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
India announces that it will ease travel restrictions to neighboring Pakistanis. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Golfer Arnold Palmer, who underwent prostate cancer surgery just over two months ago, returns to competition golf. \I(USA)\i
On the eve of the United States-Russian summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton reiterates that he wants \JNATO\j to be expanded; however, Russian President Boris Yeltsin is strongly against \JNATO\j's expansion. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Officials investigating the six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey's murder allow JonBenet's parents access to DNA testing; officials are also investigating the ransom note, claiming that the note resembles JonBenet's mother's handwriting. \I(USA)\i
Government officials announce that they will toughen laws to help eliminate Quebec's war with \Jmotorcycle\j gangs. \I(Canada)\i
Cuba's President Fidel Castro offers political asylum to the Tupac Amaru rebels who are still holding 72 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. \I(\JPeru\j, Cuba)\i
Canadian Elvis Stojko wins the men's world ice-skating championship for the third time. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British \Jsoccer\j team Manchester United reaches the semi-finals of the European Cup. \I(UK)\i
During the British election campaign, Opposition leader Tony Blair is 20 per cent ahead of Prime Minister John Major. \I(UK)\i
On the eve of the United States-Russian summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton reiterates that he wants \JNATO\j to be expanded; however, Russian President Boris Yeltsin is strongly against \JNATO\j's expansion. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Israeli soldiers bomb suspected guerrilla targets near the Syrian border in \JLebanon\j. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
Violence fills the streets of \JBethlehem\j when Palestinians clash with Israeli soldiers over the controversial Jewish settlement being built in east \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel)\i
King Hussein of Jordan dismisses Prime Minister Abdul-Karim al-Kabariti; a former prime minister, Abdul-Salam al-Majali is appointed as the new prime minister. \I(Jordan)\i
The United Nations calls on member nations to donate over $US300 million dollars to help feed and keep up medical aid for refugees in central Africa. \I(Africa)\i
The President of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, calls for a cease-fire and promises to hold an election. \I(Zaire)\i
The first food delivery in the United Nations' oil-for-food program arrives in \JIraq\j; \JIraq\j is permitted to sell oil to buy food and medical requirements for its people. \I(Iraq)\i
#
"March 21, 1997",443,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Australian Federal Government organizes to evacuate 12,000 Australian citizens from Papua New Guinea due to the recent fighting involving foreign mercenaries. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
As the foreign mercenaries are sent home from Papua New Guinea, the sacked military commander, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok again demands that Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan steps down over his alleged lying over why he hired the mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
As polling booths open in \JSri Lanka\j, more violence strikes the country when a bomb explodes outside a polling station 50 kilometers from Colombo; a dozen people are reported injured. The government consequently imposes a night-long curfew. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Four opposition leaders in \JBangladesh\j are arrested over alleged acts of \Jterrorism\j. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Over 60 per cent of Japanese legislators want the nation's US-imposed constitution amended. \I(Japan)\i
The Indian Government ends direct rule over India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, as Kumari Mayawati is sworn in as its chief minister. \I(India)\i
Officials investigating the nuclear explosion in Tokai two weeks ago indicate that the explosion was much worse than previously believed. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Prince Norodom Sirivudh, the half-brother of King Norodom Sihanouk, is granted a royal pardon over an alleged plot to assassinate Second Prime Minister Hun Sen. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At the ATP Tour and Corel WTA Tour awards in \JMiami Beach\j, Pete Sampras wins the tennis player of the year award; Steffi Graf wins the women's player of the year award and the most exciting player award; Martina Navratilova wins the David Gray special service award for her contributions to tennis; Martina Hingis wins the women's most improved player award; and Tim Henman wins the men's most improved player award. \I(USA)\i
Scientists in America discover vital clues from a soldier who died 80 years ago leading them to the identity of the deadly Spanish flu virus that killed between 20 and 40 million people in one season. \I(USA)\i
\IThe Wall Street Journal\i is ordered to pay over $US220 million to a former brokerage company in \JTexas\j that claimed \IThe Wall Street Journal\i forced them out of business; the \IJournal\i is expected to appeal the decision. \I(USA)\i
The American \JHouse of Representatives\j votes to ban "partial-birth abortions" - a procedure for late-term abortions that involves crushing the fetus' skull before removing it. \I(USA)\i
It is reported that O.J. Simpson may lose his Brentwood mansion if he doesn't come up with $US86,000 in mortgage payments. \I(USA)\i
In a world-first, an American \Jcigarette\j company admits that smoking is addictive and that it causes cancer. The Liggett Group agrees to put warning labels on all of their packaging. \I(USA)\i
During the Russian-American summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin come away at odds over the expansion of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Scientists in America discover a way to improve the detection of colon and skin cancers. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A suicide bomber is responsible for an explosion in a cafΘ in Tel Aviv, killing four people and injuring over 40 - the explosion is said to be in retaliation for Israel's decision to build a Jewish settlement in the disputed east \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel)\i
Italy considers sending military assistance to \JAlbania\j to help solve the crisis and to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid. \I(Italy, Albania)\i
Rev Wilbert Awdry, the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, dies aged 85. \I(UK)\i
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, is optimistic that a ceasefire will be enforced in war-torn Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
The International Amateur Athletic Federation announces that Seville, \JSpain\j will hold the 1999 world championships. \I(Spain)\i
In the British election campaign, Prime Minister John Major accuses Opposition Labour leader Tony Blair of "double standards." \I(UK)\i
During the Russian-American summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin come away at odds over the expansion of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Author and short story writer V.S. Pritchett dies aged 96. \I(UK)\i
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney takes legal action to stop the lyrics of \IPenny Lane\i being sold at auction. \I(UK)\i
Russia and \JIraq\j agree on a $US3.5 billion oil deal, despite the United Nation's embargo. \I(Russia, Iraq)\i
#
"March 22, 1997",444,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
It is reported that the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Julius Chan, has requested that \JAustralia\j sends troops over to help quell an army uprising in the country. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
It is reported that companies from Britain helped to secure a multi-million dollar oil deal between \JIraq\j and China, despite a United Nations embargo. \I(Iraq, Britain, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Following the Russian-American summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin agree to commence talks on reducing nuclear stockpiles. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The Dominican Government announces that it will grant asylum to the Tupac Amaru rebels who are still holding 72 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima; \JCuba\j also previously offered asylum to the rebels. \I(Dominica, \JPeru\j, Cuba)\i
At a United Nations Security Council meeting, America blocks a resolution that would have called on Israel to halt the controversial Jewish settlement at Har Homa; America, however, says that it does not support the project in any way. \I(Israel, USA)\i
FBI investigators claim that a photograph taken near TWA Flight 800 just before it exploded shows a picture of an unarmed Navy plane and not a missile as some people believe. \I(USA)\i
One thousand US military personnel head for war-torn Zaire in an effort to solve the crisis. \I(Zaire, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following the Russian-American summit in \JHelsinki\j, US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin agree to commence talks on reducing nuclear stockpiles. Yeltsin also claims that he wants \JRussia\j to join the European Union. \I(Russia, USA)\i
One thousand US military personnel head for war-torn Zaire in an effort to solve the crisis. \I(Zaire, USA)\i
Holland health authorities report the country's first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow disease." \I(Holland)\i
It is confirmed that a Hamas member was responsible for the suicide bombing of a cafΘ in Tel Aviv this week that killed four people and injured many more. \I(Israel)\i
In separate incidents, up to 100 people are wounded during clashes between Palestinians and Israelis in \JHebron\j; the Israeli military consequently imposes a curfew in the area. \I(Israel)\i
At a United Nations Security Council meeting, America blocks a resolution that would have called on Israel to halt the controversial Jewish settlement at Har Homa; America, however, says that it does not support the project in any way. \I(Israel, USA)\i
It is reported that companies from Britain helped to secure a multi-million dollar oil deal between \JIraq\j and China, despite a United Nations embargo. \I(Iraq, Britain, China)\i
Over ú800,000 was raised during an auction selling Beatles' memorabilia; Paul McCartney successfully stops the lyrics of \IPenny Lane\i from being sold. \I(UK)\i
Rebels in \JAlgeria\j violently murder over 30 civilians in a village in the province of Medea. \I(Algeria)\i
Hundreds of supporters line the streets to cheer Laurent Kabila, Zaire's rebel leader, on his way to his headquarters in the recently captured city of \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"March 23, 1997",445,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan refuses to stand down over the foreign mercenaries incident, despite pressure from Opposition leaders and the sacked military chief, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, refuses to say whether \JAustralia\j will be sending any troops to embattled Papua New Guinea. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
With the US Government investigating claims that the Chinese embassy illegally donated money to the last US election campaign, US Vice-President Al Gore's visit to China this week will not help in improving relations between the two countries. \I(China, USA)\i
The Sri Lankan Government is voted in again at the local elections; President Chandrika Kumaratunga promises to restore peace by the end of 1997. The main opposition party in the country accuses the government of vote rigging and threatens to take legal action. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda condemns the murder of seven Hindus in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir State. \I(India)\i
Fiji beats South Africa in the final of the Rugby Union World Cup Sevens tournament. \I(Fiji, South Africa)\i
Security is tightened around the streets of \JRangoon\j in the wake of recent violent attacks against mosques. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Police arrest some of the hundreds of South Korean students who demand that South Korean's President Kim Young-sam step down and also accuse his son of corruption. \I(South Korea)\i
Dozens of people are injured in violent attacks during a one-\Jday\j nationwide strike in \JBangladesh\j which was called by the opposition \JBangladesh\j Nationalist Party (BNP). \I(Bangladesh)\i
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-heu agrees to meet with the Dalai Lama at Taipei Guest House later this week, despite China condemning the meeting. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American Tara Lipinski wins the women's world figure skating championship - she is the youngest ever, at 14 years, nine months and 32 days, to win the title. \I(USA)\i
With the US Government investigating claims that the Chinese embassy illegally donated money to the last US election campaign, US Vice-President Al Gore's visit to China this week will not help in improving relations between the two countries. \I(China, USA)\i
A former employee of the US Government claims that hackers retrieved top secret information from US Government computers and offered the information to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
It is expected that the American \Jtobacco\j industry will plummet following the Liggett Group admitting that smoking is addictive, causes cancer and can kill; major \Jtobacco\j companies in America try to stop the Liggett Group from handing over potentially incriminating secret documents between \Jtobacco\j companies to appropriate authorities. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton promises to boost US investment in \JRussia\j following Russian President Boris Yeltsin's last minute decision at the Russian-American summit to agree to a plan for \JNATO\j to include Moscow's former east European satellites. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Five members of the \Jcult\j Order of the Solar Temple die in a murder-suicide incident in Quebec. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A former employee of the US Government claims that hackers retrieved top secret information from US Government computers and offered the information to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls off peace talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat following the recent bombing in a cafΘ in Israel by the Hamas. Meanwhile violence continues in the West Bank. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Rebel forces in Zaire say they will continue capturing more of the country if President Mobuto Sese Seko does not step down. \I(Zaire)\i
US President Bill Clinton promises to boost US investment in \JRussia\j following Russian President Boris Yeltsin's last minute decision at the Russian-American summit to agree to a plan for \JNATO\j to include Moscow's former east European satellites. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Fiji beats South Africa in the final of the Rugby Union World Cup Sevens tournament. \I(Fiji, South Africa)\i
The Technion university is to award King Hussein of Jordan an honorary doctorate to recognize his commitment to peace in the \JMiddle East\j. \I(Jordan)\i
A British author claims that \Jarchives\j in \JSwitzerland\j disclose a 50-year conspiracy by Swiss bankers to hide Nazi loot and steal money from Jews. \I(Switzerland)\i
The British Army considers rewriting the discipline and standards guidelines that would remove the ban on homosexuals joining the army. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 24, 1997",446,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Three ministers who were opposed to the appointment of foreign mercenaries by Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan resign; other ministers are also expected to resign. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Members of Papua New Guinea's defense force are expected to join a public protest demanding that Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan steps down. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Sri Lankan Government pleads with the Australian Government to help stop Tamils that are living in \JAustralia\j sending money to rebels in Sri Lanka. \I(Australia, Sri Lanka)\i
Sri Lankan navy gunboats cause the sinking of a dozen Tamil Tiger boats in a battle off the coast of northeastern Sri Lanka; up to 80 rebels are killed in the battle. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Five ethnic Uygurs are executed in China after their involvement in riots in February in Xinjiang province. \I(China)\i
The Dalai Lama claims that his visit to \JTaiwan\j will help \JTibet\j and China come closer together. \I(China, \JTibet\j, Taiwan)\i
China signs a deal with US-based Boeing which will see China purchase five 777-200 series passenger jets worth $US685 million. Another deal, worth $US1.3 billion, is struck between General Motors and a Chinese car manufacturer to make Buick cars. \I(USA, China)\i
A train collides with a bus in South Korea, killing over a dozen people and injuring many more. \I(South Korea)\i
The Senate in \JAustralia\j looks set to vote out the \JNorthern Territory\j's \Jeuthanasia\j legislation in the third and final vote yet to be passed. Two terminally ill patients who have already filled out necessary paperwork to legally use the \Jeuthanasia\j legislation appeal to the Governor-General to allow them to be exempt from the law if it is overturned in the Senate. \I(Australia)\i
Singaporean Prime Minister Toh Chok Tong claims that the race debate in \JAustralia\j, that was started when Australian Independent MP Pauline Hanson made controversial comments on race and \Jimmigration\j, has damaged ties between the two countries; Australian Prime Minister John Howard is due to visit \JSingapore\j later this week. \I(Singapore, Australia)\i
A new high-speed train in \JJapan\j tops the world's fastest average speed on a commercial run, at 151.5 miles per hour, with a top speed of 187 miles per hour. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
China signs a deal with US-based Boeing which will see China purchase five 777-200 series passenger jets worth $US685 million. Another deal, worth $US1.3 billion, is struck between General Motors and a Chinese car manufacturer to make Buick cars. \I(USA, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright announces that she may visit the \JMiddle East\j, but only if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat resume peace talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
General Motors recalls 1,400 1997 Corvettes following the discovery of a faulty suspension rod. \I(USA)\i
NASA announces that they are developing unmanned space vehicles that will be able to fly ten times the speed of sound; this $US33 million project is set to launch in 1999. \I(USA)\i
American soldiers prepare to evacuate US citizens from Zaire as the rebels continue to capture more areas in the country. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
According to new information in the hands of the US Government, Nazi \JGermany\j sold over $US700 million worth of looted gold to \JSwitzerland\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, and Turkey during World War II. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, Turkey)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Security officials in Israel publicly accuse Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat of approving terrorist attacks and riots. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Dozens of people, mainly Palestinians, are injured during riots in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright announces that she may visit the \JMiddle East\j, but only if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat resume peace talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Deputy President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, meets with Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko in an attempt to find a solution to Zaire's six month \Jcivil war\j. \I(South Africa, Zaire)\i
The President of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, dismisses Prime Minister Leon Kengo wa Dondo. \I(Zaire)\i
American soldiers prepare to evacuate US citizens from Zaire as the rebels continue to capture more areas in the country. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
During Britain's election campaign, Allan Stewart, the member for Eastwood - the Conservative's safest seat in Scotland - resigns following investigations into his private life. \I(UK)\i
Scientists in \JFrance\j claim that drinking three or four glasses of wine per \Jday\j helps prevent Alzheimer's disease. \I(France)\i
Road workers in Israel discover huge pavers near the Wailing Wall in \JJerusalem\j said to be part of a 4th century Roman road. \I(Israel)\i
Thirty-eight Indian teenage boys are released from Pakistani prisons; they were originally imprisoned for fishing in Pakistani waters. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
According to new information in the hands of the US Government, Nazi \JGermany\j sold over $US700 million worth of looted gold to \JSwitzerland\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, and Turkey during World War II. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, Turkey)\i
#
"March 25, 1997",447,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian actor Geoffrey Rush wins the best actor Oscar at the 69th Academy Awards for his role in the Australian movie \IShine.\i Rush is the second Australian to take this coveted award. \I(Australia)\i
A team of scientists in \JAustralia\j and a team in Sweden both discover (within a \Jday\j of each other) a gene that enhances the growth of blood vessels in the heart, possibly leading to a successful therapy which will replace drugs and surgery. \I(Australia, Sweden)\i
Papua New Guinea's President, Sir Julius Chan, survives a parliamentary motion calling on him to stand down following his handling of the foreign mercenaries case. Thousands of protesters, including soldiers, gather outside Parliament House to demand his resignation. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Authorities in \JNew Zealand\j ban \Jsquid\j fishing in the Southern Ocean in order to protect endangered Hooker's sea-lions; the sea-lions can become entangled in fishing nets and drown. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Controversial Australian Independent MP Pauline Hanson, who publicly voiced her anti-\Jimmigration\j views last year, announces that she will form her own party, called Pauline Hanson's One Nation. \I(Australia)\i
Two terminally ill patients in \JAustralia\j who were going to use the \JNorthern Territory\j's \Jeuthanasia\j laws before the Senate overturned them this week, consider ending their lives prematurely before the Governor-General signs the bill and makes \Jeuthanasia\j illegal. \I(Australia)\i
Sri Lanka refuses Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's offer to mediate a settlement in Sri Lanka's war; this war against Tamil Tiger guerrillas has killed approximately 50,000 people. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The ruling military government in \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j) claims that recent violence between Buddhists and Muslims is politically motivated by groups wanting to create instability in the country. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
Judges in Mississippi and \JTexas\j prevent the major \Jtobacco\j companies in the US from taking any legal action against the Liggett Group when it hands over potentially incriminating secret documents between \Jtobacco\j companies to authorities. \I(USA)\i
Authorities in \JBelarus\j accuse an American diplomat, Serge Alexandrov, of being a spy, and order him to leave the country; America consequently stops $US40 million in aid to \JBelarus\j, claiming \JBelarus\j does not meet international human rights standards. \I(Belarus, USA)\i
An Israeli government official claims that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat knew about the 1993 bombing of New York City's World Trade Center and that he met with terrorists to discuss the bombing. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Former US president, 72-year-old George Bush, parachutes from a plane; this is a first for an American president. \I(USA)\i
Lawyers of O.J. Simpson appeal to the civil court, claiming that Simpson didn't get a fair trial and that $US33.5 million is too much compensation to pay to the murdered victim's families. \I(USA)\i
US envoy Dennis Ross departs for the \JMiddle East\j to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an attempt to restart peace negotiations following a week of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Government officials in \JCuba\j and \JPeru\j, and the Tupac Amaru rebels who are still holding 72 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, are close to agreeing on a deal that will see the hostages go free in exchange for giving the rebels asylum in \JCuba\j and releasing 17 of the 300 prisoners that the rebels want released. \I(Cuba, Peru)\i
Half a dozen companies from around the world bid for a license to salvage what is believed to be $US4 million worth of gold and silver from a Spanish \Jgalleon\j which sank off the coast of \JEcuador\j in 1654. \I(Ecuador)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A team of scientists in \JAustralia\j and a team in Sweden both discover (within a \Jday\j of each other) a gene that enhances the growth of blood vessels in the heart, possibly leading to a successful therapy which will replace drugs and surgery. \I(Australia, Sweden)\i
Authorities in \JBelarus\j accuse an American diplomat, Serge Alexandrov, of being a spy, and order him to leave the country; America consequently stops $US40 million in aid to \JBelarus\j, claiming \JBelarus\j does not meet international human rights standards. \I(Belarus, USA)\i
Sudanese rebels capture the town of Kajo-Kaji. \I(Sudan)\i
The President of Zaire, Mobutu Seso Seko, is expected to announce a new prime minister in the near future and is planning to negotiate with rebel leader Commander Laurent Kabila in an attempt to end the nation's six-month-old crisis. \I(Zaire)\i
Prison officers at a Northern Ireland maximum security prison discover a tunnel that had been built by prisoners planning a mass breakout. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The British movie \IThe English Patient\i wins a massive nine Oscars at the 69th Academy Awards, including best picture, best supporting actress (Juliette Binoche), best art direction, best editing, best sound, best \Jcinematography\j, best director, best costume design and best dramatic score. \I(UK)\i
An Israeli government official claims that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat knew about the 1993 bombing of New York City's World Trade Center and that he met with terrorists to discuss the bombing. \I(Israel, USA)\i
For the sixth consecutive \Jday\j, violence continues between Palestinians and Israelis in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
US envoy Dennis Ross returns to the \JMiddle East\j to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an attempt to restart peace negotiations following a week of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Orlando Figes wins the 1997 ú10,000 W.H. Smith Literary Award prize for his book titled \IA People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891-1924.\i \I(UK)\i
Approximately 20,000 steelworkers in Frankfurt protest against the power of German banks. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Italy is expected to send 5,000 soldiers to \JAlbania\j to oversee the distribution of aid to refugees. \I(Albania, Italy)\i
#
"March 26, 1997",448,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan announces that he is stepping down, along with his defense and finance ministers; thousands of civilians cheer his decision. Chan finally succumbed to pressure to resign over his hiring of foreign mercenaries for use against Bougainville rebels. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A wild pig, \ISus bucculentus,\i first described in the 1880s, is rediscovered in dense forest near the border of Laos and Vietnam. \I(Laos, Vietnam)\i
The top golf players from around the world get ready for the Players Championship tournament with American Tiger Woods the favorite to win the event; the world's number one player, Australian Greg Norman will also be contesting. \I(USA, Australia)\i
US Vice-President Al Gore gets ready to leave China following his successful visit while Australian Prime Minister John Howard gets ready to arrive in China for his official visit. \I(USA, China, Australia)\i
After previously agreeing to allow foreign countries access to monitor the country's elections, Indonesian President Soeharto now says that they cannot monitor the elections. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japan's former vice health minister, Nobuharu Okamitsu, admits that he took bribes during his term as vice health minister; he now faces a five year jail term. \I(Japan)\i
The two main political parties in \JCambodia\j agree to hold general elections at the end of 1998. \I(Cambodia)\i
The President of \JPakistan\j, Farooq Ahmed Leghari, calls on the Indian Government to accept the right of Kashmir to self-determination. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Despite China's strong opposition, senior \JTaiwan\j government officials meet with the Dalai Lama in Taipei. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j, \JTibet\j)\i
A factory dormitory in Fujian collapses, killing at least 35 people and injuring many more. \I(China)\i
United States, North Korean, and South Korean diplomats meet in New York to discuss the war between South and North Korea. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea)\i
It is reported that the Malaysian Government is halting political ties with \JSingapore\j following a diplomatic row between the two nations. \I(Singapore, Malaysia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The top golf players from around the world get ready for the Players Championship tournament with American Tiger Woods the favorite to win the event; the world's number one player, Australian Greg Norman will also be contesting. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Soldiers from \JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j, Britain and America are ready at \JCongo\j's \JBrazzaville\j Airport in preparation to evacuate foreigners from war-torn Zaire. \I(Belgium, \JFrance\j, Britain, USA, Zaire)\i
US Vice-President Al Gore gets ready to leave China following his successful visit while Australian Prime Minister John Howard gets ready to arrive in China for his official visit. \I(USA, China, Australia)\i
Violence still continues in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j and it is hoped that US envoy Dennis Ross's visit will restore peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In what is described as a mass suicide, 39 people are found dead in a mansion in \JCalifornia\j; the victims are believed to have belonged to a \Jcult\j. \I(USA)\i
NASA reports that a million dollar camera attached to the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j is not working properly. \I(USA)\i
United States, North Korean, and South Korean diplomats meet in New York to discuss the war between South and North Korea. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Spanish woman claiming to be a baroness is jailed for attempting to \Jfraud\j British companies of ú16,000 billion. \I(\JSpain\j, UK)\i
Soldiers from \JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j, Britain and America are ready at \JCongo\j's \JBrazzaville\j Airport in preparation to evacuate foreigners from war-torn Zaire. \I(Belgium, \JFrance\j, Britain, USA, Zaire)\i
Ten European Union members head for \JAlbania\j in an attempt to quell unrest in the nation which was caused when thousands of Albanians lost money in collapsed pyramid savings schemes in what they say was the fault of the Government. \I(Albania)\i
A teenage girl who had a troubled upbringing becomes Britain's youngest convicted female murderer when a court finds her guilty of murder which she committed at the age of 12. \I(UK)\i
Two bombs explode on railway tracks in north-western England; no injuries are reported. It is widely believed that they were planted by the IRA. \I(UK)\i
Violence still continues in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j and it is hoped that US envoy Dennis Ross's visit will restore peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Earthquakes hit Israel, \JLebanon\j and \JSyria\j; there are no reports of serious damage or injury. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Syria)\i
The Conservative MP for Beckenham is accused of having an affair with a teenager while Conservative candidate Tim Smith resigns after he admitted receiving envelopes with large amounts of cash in them. \I(UK)\i
The Russian Government pledges to pay back all wages and pensions owed to millions of Russians. \I(Russia)\i
Boutros-Boutros Ghali, the former United Nations Secretary-General, is set to become head of the community of 49 French-speaking countries. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"March 27, 1997",449,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An American mining company, Freeport, who won a multi-million contract to mine the huge gold find in Busang, \JIndonesia\j, claims that the amount of gold was grossly overstated. The chief geologist of the Canadian company, Bre-X Minerals, who made the find, was found dead last week when he either fell of jumped from a \Jhelicopter\j. \I(Indonesia, USA, Canada)\i
Pakistan and India begin formal talks, mainly about the disputed territory of Kashmir. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
John Giheno is appointed caretaker Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, replacing Sir Julius Chan following his resignation yesterday. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Dalai Lama meets with Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui in \JTaiwan\j; China condemns the meeting. \I(Taiwan, \JTibet\j, China)\i
Thousands of Burmese soldiers celebrate Army Day; tight security is in force following a fortnight of attacks on Muslim mosques. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The Malaysian Government denies that it is freezing political ties with \JSingapore\j. \I(Malaysia, Singapore)\i
Thousands of Indians in India protest against \JPakistan\j's support of Muslim separatists in Kashmir. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Australia's Governor-General signs the anti-\Jeuthanasia\j bill, officially making \Jeuthanasia\j illegal in \JAustralia\j. Two terminally ill patients previously pleaded with the Governor-General to delay signing the bill until they had time to use the \JNorthern Territory\j's \Jeuthanasia\j legislation legally. \I(Australia)\i
North Korea says it will hold four-nation peace talks only if the United States can guarantee food aid for the country. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Peru's President Alberto Fujimori claims that the hostage crisis in Lima is coming to an end; it is reported that the hostages who are being held inside the Japanese ambassador's residence will be freed and the Tupac Amaru rebels will receive a multi-million dollar payoff and asylum in \JCuba\j. \JJapan\j considers giving economic aid to \JCuba\j if \JCuba\j agrees to accept the rebels. \I(Peru, \JCuba\j, Japan)\i
The Sydney Organizing Committee for the \JOlympic Games\j appoints its fourth chief executive in 12 months following the forced resignation of Mal Hemmerling. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
An American mining company, Freeport, who won a multi-million contract to mine the huge gold find in Busang, \JIndonesia\j, claims that the amount of gold was grossly overstated. The chief geologist of the Canadian company, Bre-X Minerals, who made the find, was found dead last week when he either fell of jumped from a \Jhelicopter\j. \I(Indonesia, USA, Canada)\i
Mystery still surrounds the deaths of 39 people inside a Californian mansion yesterday, but it is believed that they all ingested a cocktail of alcohol and phenobarbital. \I(USA)\i
US envoy Dennis Ross arrives in Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an attempt to help them restart peace negotiations; the \JMiddle East\j peace process is in turmoil following a week of violence in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j. \I(USA, Israel)\i
A judge orders O.J. Simpson to hand over some of his personal items to help pay for the $US33.5 million compensation settlement to the murdered victims' families. \I(USA)\i
Convicted murderer Charles Manson is denied parole for the ninth time; Manson is in prison for the 1969 murder of actress Sharon Tate and six other people. \I(USA)\i
The US Government announces that it will step up efforts to subsidize health insurance costs for up to 10 million children in the country. \I(USA)\i
Shining Path rebels are said to be responsible for two bombs exploding in Lima, killing two people and injuring others. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
Peru's President Alberto Fujimori claims that the hostage crisis in Lima is coming to an end; it is reported that the hostages who are being held inside the Japanese ambassador's residence will be freed and the Tupac Amaru rebels will receive a multi-million dollar payoff and asylum in \JCuba\j. \JJapan\j considers giving economic aid to \JCuba\j if \JCuba\j agrees to accept the rebels. \I(Peru, \JCuba\j, Japan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Rebels in Zaire agree to meet with President Mobutu Sese Seko to negotiate an end to the \Jcivil war\j. \I(Zaire)\i
US envoy Dennis Ross arrives in Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an attempt to help them restart peace negotiations; the \JMiddle East\j peace process is in turmoil following a week of violence in \JBethlehem\j and \JHebron\j. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Shoul Eisenberg, chairman of the Israel Corporation, dies aged 76. Eisenberg played a major part in gaining full diplomatic ties between Israel and China. \I(Israel)\i
The Conservative MP, Allan Stewart, who announced his resignation earlier this week, reportedly suffers a nervous breakdown. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 28, 1997",450,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A plane loaded with weapons arrives in the \JNorthern Territory\j from \JBangkok\j after authorities in Papua New Guinea refused to let it land there. The weapons, worth millions of dollars, were reportedly supplied by Sandline, the company who also supplied foreign mercenaries for the Papua New Guinean Government. \I(\JAustralia\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
Australian golfer Stuart Appleby becomes one of the hot favorites to win the Players Championship in \JFlorida\j, following his most successful year to date. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The Canadian company, Bre-X Minerals, who found what was believed to be a massive gold discovery in Busang, \JIndonesia\j, but later on was revealed that it was not nearly as much as first reported, suffers when its shares drop by 80 per cent. \I(Canada, Indonesia)\i
A recent report from America reveals that factories in Vietnam making Nike brand shoes pay their workers an average of only $US1.60 per \Jday\j and that working conditions are appalling. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
The Chinese central government assures Hong Kong's leader-in-waiting, Tung Chee-hwa, that he has the government's support. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
After three years, India and \JPakistan\j resume talks on the disputed Kashmir; however, a resolution is still not in sight. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Approximately fourteen people in the \JPhilippines\j are nailed to crosses in an Easter ritual re-enacting the death of Jesus. \I(The Philippines)\i
The chairman of the collapsed Hanbo Group, Chung Bo Keun, is arrested for allegedly stealing over $US40 million from the Hanbo Group; Chung Bo Keun's father is already in custody, along with nine other people, for similar offenses. \I(South Korea)\i
China announces that it will step up its efforts to stop drug traffickers and drug-related crimes. \I(China)\i
China continues to accuse the Dalai Lama of trying to split China during his recent visit to \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, China, \JTibet\j)\i
A member of a Japanese \Jcult\j - the \Jcult\j that is believed to be responsible for a gas attack on the \JTokyo\j Underground in 1995 - claims that the \Jcult\j planned to release poisonous gas in Washington and New York as well, but their plans were foiled. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Australian golfer Stuart Appleby becomes one of the hot favorites to win the Players Championship in \JFlorida\j, following his most successful year to date. \I(Australia, USA)\i
A videotape left behind from the 39 \Jcult\j members who all committed suicide earlier this week in \JCalifornia\j reveals that they all believed that the Hale-Bopp \Jcomet\j, now visible in the Northern Hemisphere, was their ticket to heaven. The victims were all thought to be computer programmers and public interest in the \Jcult\j's Web Site causes massive jams through the \JInternet\j. \I(USA)\i
The Canadian company, Bre-X Minerals, who found what was believed to be a massive gold discovery in Busang, \JIndonesia\j, but later on was revealed that it was not nearly as much as first reported, suffers when its shares drop by 80 per cent. \I(Canada, Indonesia)\i
A recent report from America reveals that factories in Vietnam making Nike brand shoes pay their workers an average of only $US1.60 per \Jday\j and that working conditions are appalling. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
The 18-year-old man accused of murdering Bill Cosby's son in January pleads not guilty in a Los Angeles court. \I(USA)\i
Officials start confiscating items belonging to O.J. Simpson as ordered by a judge; these items are to be sold to help pay for the $US33.5 million settlement Simpson has to pay to his murdered ex-wife's and her murdered friend's families. \I(USA)\i
James Earl Ray, who is in prison for the 1968 murder of Martin Luther King, tells the son of Luther King that he had nothing to do with the assassination. \I(USA)\i
America announces that it is going to grant asylum for up to 18,000 Bosnian refugees who are still living in Europe. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
A member of a Japanese \Jcult\j - the \Jcult\j that is believed to be responsible for a gas attack on the \JTokyo\j Underground in 1995 - claims that the \Jcult\j planned to release poisonous gas in Washington and New York as well, but their plans were foiled. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli tanks and soldiers are sent to the West Bank in an attempt to quell recent unrest between Palestinians and Israelis. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Seventeen people are fatally shot during a violent attack in \JAlbania\j, while Red Cross workers step up efforts to transport aid to \JAlbanian\j refugees. \I(Albania)\i
The United Nations agrees to send forces to \JAlbania\j to oversee the distribution of aid to the needy in the wake of recent unrest in the country. \I(Albania)\i
Approximately two million workers in \JRussia\j protest against the government by holding strikes and demonstrations; the workers are protesting against unpaid wages and pensions. \I(Russia)\i
Rebels in Zaire claim that they have captured the town of Kasenga and say they won't stop moving until President Mobutu Sese Seko agrees to talk. \I(Zaire)\i
America announces that it is going to grant asylum for up to 18,000 Bosnian refugees who are still living in Europe. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Thousands of doctors and medical workers in \JFrance\j hold demonstrations in Paris, protesting against the Government's cuts to medical spending. \I(France)\i
#
"March 29, 1997",451,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Seven people are killed, including a member of the opposition party, when three grenades explode at a political demonstration in \JCambodia\j. \I(Cambodia)\i
Two explosions at a bus station in Kashmir kill 18 people and injure many more. \I(\JJammu-Kashmir\j)\i
An investigation is underway by the British Government into a British company who allegedly helped set up oils deals between China and \JIraq\j that breached United Nations sanctions. \I(UK, China, Iraq)\i
A World Health Organization report indicates that China has the one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. \I(China)\i
Australian golfer Steve Elkington takes the lead so far in the Players Championship tournament in \JFlorida\j. \I(Australia, Florida)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US envoy Dennis Ross leaves the \JMiddle East\j following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat; Ross was sent by US President Bill Clinton to help restart the \JMiddle East\j peace process that was halted when violence erupted between Israelis and Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Mysterious stories begin to unravel regarding the 39 \Jcult\j members who committed suicide earlier this week in \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
Tornadoes cause damage in \JTennessee\j following strong storms in \JIndiana\j and Kentucky which killed two people. \I(USA)\i
It is believed that the man behind the bombing of a US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996 is hiding in \JIran\j; some officials believe that \JIran\j and \JSyria\j were behind the bombing that killed 19 US servicemen. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JSyria\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
As the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial is about to start, with Timothy McVeigh the prime suspect, it is reported that some evidence was tampered with. The bomb caused the death of 168 people and injured hundreds more. \I(USA)\i
French-Canadian Jacques Villeneuve takes pole position in the Brazilian Grand Prix tomorrow; he is widely believed to succeed Damon Hill as world champion. \I(Brazil, Canada)\i
Australian golfer Steve Elkington takes the lead so far in the Players Championship tournament in \JFlorida\j. \I(Australia, Florida)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A boat carrying refugees from \JAlbania\j sinks in the Adriatic Sea following a collision with an Italian Navy ship; over 60 people are believed to have drowned in the incident. \I(Albania)\i
Winds over 120 miles per hour hit many areas in \JGermany\j, the Czech Republic, and \JPoland\j, reportedly killing 12 people and causing damage to many parts of Europe. \I(Germany, Czech Republic, Poland)\i
Hundreds of thousands of Russian workers return to work following a strike over unpaid wages and pensions from the government. \I(Russia)\i
US envoy Dennis Ross leaves the \JMiddle East\j following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat; Ross was sent by US President Bill Clinton to help restart the \JMiddle East\j peace process that was halted when violence erupted between Israelis and Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As Land Day is celebrated in Israeli, security is stepped up to quell expected violence. \I(Israel)\i
It is believed that the man behind the bombing of a US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996 is hiding in \JIran\j; some officials believe that \JIran\j and \JSyria\j were behind the bombing that killed 19 US servicemen. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JSyria\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
Zaire's army chief reports that the rebels have not captured the town of Kasenga as previously claimed. \I(Zaire)\i
Air \JFrance\j Europe holds a snap strike, forcing thousands of Easter travelers to find other forms of transport. \I(France)\i
British Prime Minister John Major announces that he wants MPs Neil Hamilton and Piers Merchant to stand down following their alleged scandalous activities. \I(UK)\i
The family of rock star Jimi Hendrix, who have just won control of his estate after a lengthy legal battle, wants to open a museum in his honor and release new and unheard of versions of his songs. \I(UK)\i
An investigation is underway by the British Government into a British company who allegedly helped set up oils deals between China and \JIraq\j that breached United Nations sanctions. \I(UK, China, Iraq)\i
#
"March 30, 1997",452,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Human rights groups around the world attack Prime Minister John Howard's soft approach to human rights issues while on his visit to China; this comes after the US Vice-President Al Gore took a similar approach with Chinese leaders earlier this month. \I(\JAustralia\j, China, USA)\i
More talks between India and \JPakistan\j are doubtful following recent violence in the disputed Kashmir region. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
The collapsed Hanbo company in South Korea is accused of more illegal dealings, this time involving an illegal purchase of a North Korean steel mill. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
Police in \JSri Lanka\j arrest a Tamil Tiger who they suspected of planning to assassinate President Chandrika Kumaratunga. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Japan and China agree to improve bilateral relations and Chinese Premier Li Peng and Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announce that they will visit each other's country during 1997. \I(Japan, China)\i
Taiwan announces that it will fund up to $HK1.4 million for \JTibet\j's Dalai Lama to build an office in \JTaiwan\j. \I(Tibet, Taiwan)\i
US House Speaker Newt Gingrich, on a visit to China, says that his country will defend \JTaiwan\j if China ever launched an attack. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Human rights groups around the world attack Prime Minister John Howard's soft approach to human rights issues while on his visit to China; this comes after the US Vice-President Al Gore took a similar approach with Chinese leaders earlier this month. \I(\JAustralia\j, China, USA)\i
Sixteen-year-old Swiss tennis player Martina Hingis becomes the youngest player to take the number one tennis spot when she beats Monica Seles in the Lipton Championships in \JFlorida\j, USA. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
Tourists at Kennedy Space Center, \JFlorida\j are injured when a severe wind storm rips through the area. \I(USA)\i
US House Speaker Newt Gingrich, on a visit to China, says that his country will defend \JTaiwan\j if China ever launched an attack. \I(USA, China)\i
An investigation is underway into the US Government's involvement in the looted gold from Nazi \JGermany\j during World War II; a similar investigation is currently underway into \JSwitzerland\j's involvement. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, Switzerland)\i
The Peruvian President, Alberto Fujimori, refuses to release jailed rebels as a condition of the Tupac Amaru rebels releasing the 72 hostages from the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima; Tupac Amaru rebels say that they will not budge until jailed comrades are released. \I(Peru)\i
The United States and Saudi \JArabia\j both want to try the suspect in the 1996 bombing of the US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j which killed 19 Americans. The suspect is currently being detained in Canada. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, USA, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sixteen-year-old Swiss tennis player Martina Hingis becomes the youngest player to take the number one tennis spot when she beats Monica Seles in the Lipton Championships in \JFlorida\j, USA. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
Conservative Party member Sir Michael Hirst becomes the third party member to resign this week, following alleged homosexual activities. \I(UK)\i
A suspected IRA bomb is found and defused outside a British army base. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
A Palestinian is fatally shot in the West Bank following violence between Israeli \JArabs\j and Palestinians; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeals for calm and pleads with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to help stop the violence. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Aid workers in Zaire confirm that rebels have captured the town of Kasenga and are heading towards another town, \JLubumbashi\j, the second largest city in Zaire and an area rich in copper. \I(Zaire)\i
Eight people are fatally shot when a man randomly fires a \Jmachine-gun\j in two schools in Sanaa. \I(Yemeni)\i
An investigation is underway into the US Government's involvement in the looted gold from Nazi \JGermany\j during World War II; a similar investigation is currently underway into \JSwitzerland\j's involvement. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, Switzerland)\i
Jean-Marie Le Pen is re-elected as leader of the opposition National Front party in \JFrance\j, despite only yesterday tens of thousands of people protesting against his party. \I(France)\i
The Arab League pleads with its 22 countries to end any ties with Israel as long as Israel continues with plans to build Jewish settlements in east \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel)\i
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) claims that brown bears have returned to the Italian Alps for the first time in over 130 years. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"March 31, 1997",453,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian golfer David Graham wins the $US800,000 Southwestern Bell Dominion Seniors in \JSan Antonio\j, America. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The Indonesian Department of Agriculture says that if no more cases of \Janthrax\j are reported in \JAustralia\j within a week then they will lift their bans on importing Australian meat. \I(Australia, Indonesia)\i
The military helicopters loaded with arms that arrived in the \JNorthern Territory\j earlier this week, following Papua New Guinea's refusal to accept them, are said to be in poor condition and that they would only last another six months at the most. The weapons were supplied by the mercenary company that the Papua New Guinean Government hired for use against Bougainville rebels. \I(\JAustralia\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
During a visit to China, Australian Prime Minister John Howard presses Chinese Premier Li Peng to discuss human rights issues and "suggests" that China release an Australian prisoner serving 18 years for \Jembezzlement\j. \I(Australia, China)\i
Three Australians in \JBangkok\j are all sentenced to 50 years imprisonment for trafficking heroin. \I(Australia, \JThailand\j)\i
Australian golfer Steve Elkington wins the Players Championship tournament in \JFlorida\j by a massive seven strokes. Elkington becomes the top money earner on the US PGA tour so far for 1997. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is asked to seek a vote of confidence in the Lower House of Parliament by the beginning of next week following the Congress Party withdrawing support for his United Front Government. \I(India)\i
Five American shareholders launch legal action against Canadian company Bre-X Minerals, claiming fraudulence over the supposed billion-dollar gold find at Busang. \I(Canada, USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korea announces that it will now send food aid to North Korea, following an earlier ban on aid. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Cambodian dissident Sam Rainsy, who survived a grenade attack that killed 16 people, vows to continue to fight corruption in the country. \I(Cambodia)\i
During the trial on the Hanbo loans affair in South Korea, President Kim Young-sam's associates profusely apologize for their wrongdoings. \I(South Korea)\i
Hundreds of Karen refugees flee \JMyanmar\j to \JThailand\j as rebels sweep through villages in \JMyanmar\j. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
Australian golfer David Graham wins the $US800,000 Southwestern Bell Dominion Seniors in \JSan Antonio\j, America. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Australian golfer Steve Elkington wins the Players Championship tournament in \JFlorida\j by a massive seven strokes. Elkington becomes the top money earner on the US PGA tour so far for 1997. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Austrian tennis player Thomas Muster wins the Lipton championships in America. \I(USA, Austria)\i
It is revealed that the 39 \Jcult\j members who took their lives earlier this week in \JCalifornia\j each took out $US1 million insurance policies with British insurers in the event of alien abduction, alien impregnation or death by aliens. \I(USA, UK)\i
US President Bill Clinton appoints General Wesley Clark as the next top \JNATO\j military commander and head of US forces in Europe. \I(USA)\i
Five American shareholders launch legal action against Canadian company Bre-X Minerals, claiming fraudulence over the supposed billion-dollar gold find at Busang. \I(Canada, USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Favorite Formula One driver Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the Brazilian Grand Prix. \I(Brazil, Canada)\i
American golfer John Daly, after withdrawing from the Players Championship tournament in \JFlorida\j, announces that he is checking into the Betty Ford Clinic to begin treatment for \Jalcoholism\j. \I(USA)\i
Selection begins for the jury for the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the main suspect in the \JOklahoma City\j bombing in April 1995 which killed 168 people. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Austrian tennis player Thomas Muster wins the Lipton championships in America. \I(USA, Austria)\i
Officials uncover a hidden IRA training camp near the Northern Ireland border; firing ranges and weapons are also uncovered. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
It is revealed that the 39 \Jcult\j members who took their lives earlier this week in \JCalifornia\j each took out $US1 million insurance policies with British insurers in the event of alien abduction, alien impregnation or death by aliens. \I(USA, UK)\i
Arab League leaders unanimously decide to recommend imposing sanctions against Israel as long as Israel continues to build Jewish settlements in east \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Albania accepts Italians into the country to oversee the distribution of aid but sternly warns Italian troops to stay away or be killed. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
Over twenty people are killed and many more injured when a passenger train derails in \JSpain\j. \I(Spain)\i
#
"April 1, 1997",454,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
During his overseas visit to China the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, claims that \JAustralia\j's defense agreement with the United States is not a major issue for the Chinese Government. \I(Australia, China)\i
An investigation into the hiring of foreign mercenaries by the Papua New Guinean Government commences in Port Moresby. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
It is reported by an American Government official that thousands of North Koreans have died of hunger since September due to the dire food shortages. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
In \JPakistan\j a constitutional amendment is passed by parliament which prevents the President from sacking a government. \I(Pakistan)\i
South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, and opposition leaders agree to concentrate on reviving the economy and put the issue of the Hanbo Group collapse aside for the present. \I(South Korea)\i
In \JCambodia\j it is thought that nearly 15 journalists were killed or wounded after a grenade attack on an opposition demonstration in Phnom Penh. \I(Cambodia)\i
As a result of the lack of ammunition, Indian authorities cannot use thousands of assault weapons purchased from \JRumania\j. North Korea has failed to meet an agreement to supply the ammunition. \I(India, \JRumania\j, North Korea)\i
The Indian United Front ruling coalition asks for assistance from its former ally, the Indian Congress Party, in an effort to prevent its collapse. \I(India)\i
Newt Gingrich, the US congressional chief, meets with Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, in Taipei. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is believed to be preparing for a visit to mainland China. \I(Tibet, China)\i
An American representative to the United Nations and Chinese \Jdissidents\j again criticize China's human rights record. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The trial of the alleged \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, commences in the USA. The first major task is to choose a jury which is unbiased and has not been influenced by the media coverage of the case. \I(USA)\i
The American Administration is donating $US3 million to help with the repatriation of thousands of Rwandan refugees in eastern Zaire. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j, Zaire)\i
In New York, the United Nations Security Council gives the go ahead for 186 international police officers to be sent to the Bosnian town of Brcko. Serbs and Muslims are embroiled in a dispute over the ownership of the town. \I(USA)\i
An American representative to the UN and Chinese \Jdissidents\j again criticize China's human rights record. \I(USA, China)\i
It is reported by an American Government official that thousands of North Koreans have died of hunger since September due to the dire food shortages. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Two members of the Heaven's Gate \Jcult\j, which committed mass suicide last week, are believed to have purchased a \Jtelescope\j early in 1997 in an effort to track down the spaceship they thought was coming to collect them. \I(USA)\i
A major reform of the World Bank could mean the loss of nearly 700 jobs from the Washington headquarters. \I(USA)\i
The space probe, Pioneer-10, retires after 25 years' service because its technology is no longer current. \I(USA)\i
Scientists in New York announce that they have developed artificial human chromosomes, the strands that carry genes, which could assist in the progress of gene therapy. \I(USA)\i
Newt Gingrich, the US congressional chief, meets with Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, in Taipei. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
The US President, Bill Clinton, meets with King Hussein of Jordan to discuss the recent crisis in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
A mediator in the Peruvian hostage crisis paints a gloomy picture and does not hold out much hope for a solution in the near future. \I(Peru)\i
An American Air Force plane crashes in a street in Tegucigalpa, \JHonduras\j, killing three people and injuring seven others. \I(USA, Honduras)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Huarte Araquil in northern \JSpain\j 19 people die and nearly 90 others are injured after a train derails. In another rail accident in Azuqueca de Henares two people die and 20 are injured. \I(Spain)\i
The US President, Bill Clinton, meets with King Hussein of Jordan to discuss the recent crisis in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
The British Prime Minister, John Major, attempts to curb the growing speculation about corruption and sex scandals within the Conservative Party. \I(UK)\i
The American Administration is donating $US3 million to help with the repatriation of thousands of Rwandan refugees in eastern Zaire. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j, Zaire)\i
In an effort to reunite the former Russian states, the Presidents of \JRussia\j and \JBelarus\j are expected to sign an agreement outlining their union. \I(Russia, Belarus)\i
Two Palestinian suicide bombers, using the disguise of Palestinian police uniforms, kill themselves and injure five others. It is thought that they were attempting to kill Jewish school children traveling by bus to school. \I(Israel)\i
As a result of the lack of ammunition, Indian authorities cannot use thousands of assault weapons purchased from \JRumania\j. North Korea has failed to meet an agreement to supply the ammunition. \I(India, \JRumania\j, North Korea)\i
Algerian soldiers kill at least 20 Islamic militants who had sought refuge in a mountainous area east of \JAlgiers\j. \I(Algeria)\i
#
"April 2, 1997",455,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australia is embroiled in controversy after agreeing to accept four helicopters, meant to be delivered to Papua New Guinea, from the British mercenary organization Sandline International. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
An inquiry into the hiring of foreign mercenaries by the Papua New Guinean Government reveals that the Government wanted the mission to be finished by June before the elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Red Cross organization issues a warning that thousands of North Koreans are likely to die of starvation due to the severe shortage of food supplies. \I(North Korea)\i
The Thai Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, visits China. \I(\JThailand\j, China)\i
The Indonesian President, Mr Soeharto, insinuates that he may be too old to run for another five-year stint in office-President Soeharto is 77 years old. \I(Indonesia)\i
The family of one of the \JPhilippines\j' leading geologists claims that it is unlikely that he committed suicide by falling from a \Jhelicopter\j several weeks ago after making a major discovery of gold. \I(Philippines)\i
The \JPhilippines\j Government permits the North Korean defector, Hwang Jang Yop, and his assistant, Kim Duk Hong, to extend their stay in the \JPhilippines\j. \I(North Korea, Philippines)\i
Philippines troops kill seven members of a Muslim faction in a clash in the south of the country. \I(Philippines)\i
Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the Cambodian co-Premier, demands that an independent investigation is conducted into the recent grenade attack during an opposition demonstration. \I(Cambodia)\i
America's support of the UN resolution, which criticizes China's human rights record, angers China who accuses the US of hypocrisy. \I(China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an effort to recommence the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, American President, Bill Clinton, calls emergency talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. A meeting is to be held next week in Washington. The US denies that it attempting to set up a summit meeting between Israel and Palestine. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The newspaper, \IThe \JArizona\j Republic,\i uncovers a story that the American \Jtobacco\j industry juggled \Jnicotine\j levels and marketed its product specifically at young people despite acknowledging the toxic effects of \Jnicotine\j. \I(USA)\i
America's support of the UN resolution, which criticizes China's human rights record, angers China who accuses the US of hypocrisy. \I(China, USA)\i
On behalf of nine \JHolocaust\j victims, Jewish lawyers are suing for $US7 billion for claims on life insurance policies that were never met. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Prime Minister, John Major, prepares to release the Conservative Party's manifesto for the forthcoming general election. The Conservative Party fared better in a recent opinion poll, narrowing the Labour Party's lead to 14 points. \I(UK)\i
The Zairian parliament chooses opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, as its candidate for Prime Minister. This is being read as a sign for President Mobutu to start talking with rebel leader Laurent Kabila. \I(Zaire)\i
In an effort to recommence the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, American President, Bill Clinton, calls emergency talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. A meeting is to be held next week in Washington. The US denies that it attempting to set up a summit meeting between Israel and Palestine. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Bosnian orphans, who were plucked from the war zone, are sent home from \JGermany\j after spending four years there. \I(Germany, Bosnia)\i
Francie Molly, a Sinn Fein leader, praises two armed men who made an appearance at an Easter Rising commemoration march. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
An international group of soldiers is expected to arrive in \JAlbania\j later this week-their task will be to protect aid shipments. \I(Albania)\i
#
"April 3, 1997",456,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The US and South Korea threaten North Korea that it will not receive any humanitarian aid in the form of food or economic assistance unless it agrees to peace talks. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
An Australian report reveals that \JAborigines\j have one of the world's shortest life expectancies. \I(Australia)\i
In \JCambodia\j a French businessman is murdered after it is thought he witnessed a grenade attack on an opposition demonstration. \I(\JFrance\j, Cambodia)\i
A seminar scheduled to be held this month in \JIndonesia\j is put back until after the general elections, as it is expected to slander President Soeharto. \I(Indonesia)\i
Tourism in the Japanese town of Ito is in danger of being destroyed after it is hit by thousands of small earthquakes during the last month. \I(Japan)\i
An Australian academic accuses the American sports shoe manufacturer, Nike, of brutal exploitation of people in its Indonesian factories. \I(Australia, USA, Indonesia)\i
China tells the US to adopt one policy towards \JTaiwan\j rather than use several different tactics. \I(China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American scientists, using information from the \Jspacecraft\j \JGalileo\j, discover molecules containing carbon and \Jnitrogen\j on the moons Ganymede and Calisto. \I(USA)\i
The US and South Korea threaten North Korea that it will not receive any humanitarian aid in the form of food or economic assistance unless it agrees to peace talks. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
An American Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j and its cargo go missing in \JArizona\j. \I(USA)\i
An Australian academic accuses the American sports shoe manufacturer, Nike, of brutal exploitation of people in its Indonesian factories. \I(Australia, USA, Indonesia)\i
China tells the US to adopt one policy towards \JTaiwan\j rather than use several different tactics. \I(China, USA)\i
Peruvian authorities isolate guerrillas in a prison in the \JAndes\j. The move suggests it is part of a scheme to end the hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
The United Nations Security Council approves a plan to keep peacekeepers in \JHaiti\j until the end of July. \I(USA, Haiti)\i
Israel drops its \Jextradition\j order for the Hamas leader, Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, from the US, claiming that his presence would worsen Israeli-Palestinian exchanges. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of people in Minsk clash with police during a protest against the recent agreement which will see \JBelarus\j reintegrated with \JRussia\j. \I(Russia, Belarus)\i
The Islamic \JJihad\j are believed to be responsible for last week's bungled suicide bombers attack in Gaza. \I(Israel)\i
Israel drops its order for the Hamas leader, Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, to be extradited from the US, claiming that his presence would worsen Israeli-Palestinian exchanges. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Peace talks between \JRussia\j and \JChechnya\j reach stalemate according to the Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
In \JCambodia\j a French businessman is murdered after it is thought he witnessed a grenade attack on an opposition demonstration. \I(\JFrance\j, Cambodia)\i
It is thought that Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, is about to propose giving asylum to thousands of Turkish \JKurds\j in northern \JIraq\j. \I(Iraq, Turkey)\i
The Polish parliament gives its consent to a new constitution which could signal the end of \Jcommunism\j in \JPoland\j if approved in a referendum. \I(Poland)\i
The British Labour Party prepares to release its election manifesto; it is not expected to contain any new controversial issues. \I(UK)\i
It is believed that nearly ten per cent of Saudi \JArabia\j's workforce is unemployed. Unemployment among young people is particularly rife. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
The Israeli Government refuses to resume peace talks with Palestine until Palestinians stop their bombing campaign. In the latest attack, a firebomb was thrown at a truck transporting Israeli troops, injuring at least 12 people. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announces that building will continue in Har Homa and issues a warning that action will be taken against Palestinian acts of violence. \I(Israel)\i
Thousands of artworks, stolen from the French by the Nazis, are to be exhibited in the Louvre, Paris. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The Italian Government announces that it will compensate the families of the \JAlbanian\j refugees who died after their boat collided with an Italian ship. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
The trial of an East German woman for the murder of a young girl in a \Jconcentration camp\j during the Second World War could be the final Nazi war crimes case. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The new Zairian Prime Minister, Etienne Tshisekedi, offers rebels six seats in Cabinet and asks them to surrender their weapons, however, the offer is rejected. \I(Zaire)\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, reveals that he intends to run for a fifth term in office. Over the last few months, it has been rumored that he will retire. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Police in Britain discover two bombs beneath a main highway in Bescot, England, after receiving a tip-off from the IRA. \I(UK)\i
The International Monetary Fund is conducting an inquiry into the transfer of ú100 million by Israel to the President of Palestine, Yasser Arafat. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"April 4, 1997",457,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, asks \JAustralia\j to stop all aid and support an international investigation into last week's grenade attack on an opposition rally. \I(Cambodia, Australia)\i
Japanese authorities appear unwilling to give a visitor's visa to the Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, for a private visit to the country. \I(Taiwan, Japan)\i
The Taiwanese Government urges South Africa to retain high-level relations despite South Africa's decision to stabilize its ties with China. \I(Taiwan, South Africa, China)\i
Indonesian students claim that to boycott the forthcoming elections is their only option, as the electoral process heavily favors President Soeharto's Government. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Indian Congress Party announces that it is willing to enter discussions with Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda's United Front coalition. \I(India)\i
The infamous criminal, Charles Sobhraj, is to be deported from India to \JFrance\j. \I(India, France)\i
Peace talks between India and \JPakistan\j are to proceed next week despite the problems faced by Indian Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
In East \JTimor\j, Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo claims that protesters arrested two weeks ago have been beaten up in prison. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The Australian \JDavis Cup\j team beats the Czech Republic team by 2-0 in the first \Jday\j of the competition held in Adelaide. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration is willing to increase financial assistance for Israel's anti-missile defense program including more money for the Arrow missile and a new \Jlaser\j weapon. \I(Israel, USA)\i
The US is the only Western country to vote against a United Nations human rights commission to abolish \Jcapital punishment\j. \I(USA)\i
The cost of independent investigations over the past two years into the affairs of US President Bill Clinton and his wife amount to thousands and thousands of dollars. \I(USA)\i
Despite the forthcoming arrival of an Italian-led international peacekeeping force, violence continues in \JAlbania\j. Gunmen fire at the American ambassador's residence in Tirana. Police seize armaments from homes in the vicinity of the US Embassy. \I(Albania, USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, and his wife are accused of using incorrect fundraising methods for the Democrat Party's presidential campaign. \I(USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, hits Los Angeles; there are no reports of injuries and only minor damage occurs. \I(USA)\i
Swiss authorities are ready to seize over $US100 million in alleged drug money which has been placed in Swiss bank accounts by the brother of former Mexican President Raul Salinas de Gortari. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The American Administration is willing to increase financial assistance for Israel's anti- missile defense program including more money for the Arrow missile and a new \Jlaser\j weapon. \I(Israel, USA)\i
During a visit to \JGreece\j, the \JAlbanian\j Prime Minister, Bashkim Fino, receives backing from the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. \I(Albania, Greece)\i
The Taiwanese Government urges South Africa to retain high-level relations despite South Africa's decision to stabilize its ties with China. \I(Taiwan, South Africa, China)\i
British police are forced to evacuate underground stations and cordon off areas in central London after receiving bomb threats from the IRA. \I(UK)\i
The infamous criminal, Charles Sobhraj, is to be deported from India to \JFrance\j. \I(India, France)\i
Despite the forthcoming arrival of an Italian-led international peacekeeping force, violence continues in \JAlbania\j. Gunmen fire at the American ambassador's residence in Tirana. Police seize armaments from homes in the vicinity of the US embassy. \I(Albania, USA)\i
Lech Walesa, former Polish president and leader of the Solidarity trade union, announces that he will establish a new political party. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
It is claimed by the French newspaper, \ILe Monde,\i that the Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, is worth $US5 billion. Prime Minister Chernomyrdin strongly denies the report. \I(\JFrance\j, Russia)\i
In \JBelarus\j, protesters continue to demonstrate against the agreement made by President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. \I(Belarus, Russia)\i
Amnesty International claims that thousands of Russian prisoners have been tortured to death by police and prison officers. \I(Russia)\i
A special envoy representing Zairian President, Mr Mobutu, arrives in South Africa for peace talks with rebels. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
Swiss authorities are ready to seize over $US100 million in alleged drug money which has been placed in Swiss bank accounts by the brother of former Mexican President, Raul Salinas de Gortari. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Mexico)\i
Representatives from Zairian President Mobutu's Government are due to meet with rebel leaders to discuss a cease-fire. The end of President Mobutu's 31-year rule seems in sight. \I(Zaire)\i
The Australian \JDavis Cup\j team beats the Czech Republic team by 2-0 in the first \Jday\j of the competition held in Adelaide. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
#
"April 5, 1997",458,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amnesty International claims that over 4,200 people were executed in the world in 1996-China was responsible for at least 3,500 deaths. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, China)\i
In response to the report by Amnesty International, China supports its use of the death sentence, claiming it was necessary to stop increasing crime rates. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
\IThe New York Times\i publishes a story which links a drug dealer with the American President, Bill Clinton, claiming he made a $US20,000 donation to the Democrat Party. \I(USA)\i
The search continues for the US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j which went missing over \JArizona\j three days ago. \I(USA)\i
The American poet, Allen Ginsberg, dies in New York at the age of 70. \I(USA)\i
It is reported that American President, Bill Clinton, will suggest a plan to solve the crisis in the \JMiddle East\j peace process during his discussions with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(USA, Israel)\i
America is preparing for its first non-explosive nuclear test to be held in June. \I(USA)\i
In the USA, there is a campaign to bury the criminals Bonnie and Clyde together. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Authorities cancel the British Grand National horse race held at Aintree after receiving bomb threats from the IRA. Over 70,000 spectators are evacuated. \I(UK)\i
It is reported that Diana, Princess of Wales, is worth ú17 million and is richer than her former husband the Prince of Wales. \I(UK)\i
Failure in equipment on board the Russian \Jspacecraft\j, Mir, leaves only eight days supply of air; a space rescue mission is to be launched. \I(Russia)\i
Amnesty International claims that over 4,200 people were executed in the world in 1996-China was responsible for at least 3,500 deaths. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, China)\i
Israeli helicopters attack Hizbollah guerrilla camps in the Bekaa valley area. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Zairian rebels capture the diamond-mining town of Mbuji-Mayi. \I(Zaire)\i
It is reported that American President, Bill Clinton, will suggest a plan to solve the crisis in the \JMiddle East\j peace process during his discussions with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(USA, Israel)\i
#
"April 6, 1997",459,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the lead-up to Papua New Guinea's June general elections, political tensions increase. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Australian \JDavis Cup\j tennis team beats the Czech Republic by 5-0 in Adelaide. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
American Scott Pruett wins the 1997 IndyCarnival \JAustralia\j Formula One racing event held in Surfers Paradise. \I(Australia, USA)\i
In Pathankot, North India, a bomb explodes on a bus, killing one person and wounding eight others. \I(India)\i
The prospect of an agreement being reached between India's United Front ruling coalition and its rival, the Indian Congress Party, seems remote. \I(India)\i
Newspapers in South Korea report that North Korea is prepared to get involved in peace talks with the US, South Korea, and China. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
In light of the growing humanitarian crisis in North Korea, China, the US, and \JJapan\j are attempting to sway North Korea away from the Kim Il Sung economic and political doctrine. \I(North Korea, China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
Despite Britain's involvement in the Sri Lankan Government's agreement with rebels to work towards the end of the \Jcivil war\j, no peace talks with Tamil Tiger guerrillas are scheduled. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
The Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir, signs a business agreement with opposition Muslim fundamentalists that may eventually lead to political co-operation. \I(Malaysia)\i
Denmark joins forces with the USA and the UK to support the United Nations resolution to condemn China's human rights abuses. \I(Denmark, UK, China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and American President, Bill Clinton, commence today in Washington. Mr Netanyahu is under increasing pressure to get the peace process back on track. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The turnout in \JHaiti\j's election is low, as locals no longer have faith in the electoral process. \I(Haiti)\i
In light of the growing humanitarian crisis in North Korea, China, the US, and \JJapan\j are attempting to sway North Korea way from the Kim Il Sung economic and political doctrine. \I(North Korea, China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
The American Administration consents to pay the estate of former president, Richard Nixon, $US26 million in compensation for \JWhite House\j documents. \I(USA)\i
Newspapers in South Korea report that North Korea is prepared to get involved in peace talks with the US, South Korea, and China. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
American Scott Pruett wins the 1997 IndyCarnival \JAustralia\j Formula One racing event held in Surfers Paradise. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Denmark joins forces with the USA and the UK to support the United Nations resolution to condemn China's human rights abuses. \I(Denmark, UK, China, USA)\i
The American computer company, Microsoft Corporation, plans to buy WebTV Networks for $US425 million. \I(USA)\i
A poll conducted in \JPeru\j shows that most Peruvians support the Government's stance in the hostage crisis that they should not give in to the rebels' demands. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Australian \JDavis Cup\j tennis team beats the Czech Republic by 5-0 in Adelaide. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
Albania's Prime Minister, Bashkim Fino, is ambushed while traveling to the north of the country. The gunmen exploded two bombs and fired gunshots but no one was injured in the fracas. \I(Albania)\i
British pop star, Elton John, celebrates his fiftieth birthday in lavish style. \I(UK)\i
Peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and US President, Bill Clinton, commence today in Washington. Mr Netanyahu is under increasing pressure to get the peace process back on track. \I(USA, Israel)\i
It is believed that the former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, heads a monopoly over the sale of gas, cigarettes, and other goods. It is said that he earns millions of dollars per year. \I(Bosnia-Herzegovina)\i
Zairian rebel forces allow over 200,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees to be transported via air back to \JRwanda\j from camps in \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
Despite Britain's involvement in the Sri Lankan Government's agreement with rebels to work towards the end of the \Jcivil war\j, no peace talks with Tamil Tiger guerrillas are scheduled. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
Israel refuses an offer by the European Union to help solve the current crisis in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, Europe)\i
Denmark joins forces with the USA and the UK to support the United Nations resolution to condemn China's human rights abuses. \I(Denmark, UK, China, USA)\i
Finnish sailor, Ludde Ingvall, sets a record in his 80ft Grand Mistral maxi, Nicorette, for the fastest time for a monohull crossing of the Atlantic from New York to Cornwall. \I(\JFinland\j)\i
In \JFrance\j, a countdown to the year 2000 commences with a large digital clock installed on the Eiffel Tower keeping track of the number of days to the end of the century. \I(France)\i
#
"April 7, 1997",460,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chung Tae-soo, who established the South Korean company Hanbo, admits that he contributed financially to President Kim Young-sam's election campaign. \I(South Korea)\i
Hutomo Mandala Putra, the youngest son of Indonesian President Soeharto, announces that he is to get married shortly. \I(Indonesia)\i
A bomb explodes at the home of one of \JMyanmar\j's leading military officials, killing his daughter. Security is tightened in \JRangoon\j after the incident. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
An Australian scientist and an American marine salvage expert are suing creationist Allen Roberts over his lectures about an archaeological site in Turkey which many think is the remains of Noah's Ark. \I(Australia, USA, Turkey)\i
It is reported that \JJapan\j's foreign aid donations fell by one third in 1996. \I(Japan)\i
The Chinese region of Xinjiang is hit by two major earthquakes in one \Jday\j, injuring 14 people and damaging property. \I(China)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, promises that China will sign one of two main UN conventions which cover human rights. \I(China)\i
China announces that its relations with any country that backs the United Nations resolution condemning China's human rights record may be jeopardized. \I(China)\i
The boss of the British organization Sandline, the company proposing to hire out mercenaries to Papua New Guinea, admits that talks in Hong Kong with the mining tycoon, Tony Buckingham, may have touched on gaining an interest in one of Papua New Guinea's main mines. \I(Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea)\i
The Indonesian town of Pekalongan is placed under military control after thousands of Muslim people riot leaving five people wounded and property severely damaged. \I(Indonesia)\i
American political analysts forecast that North Korea's position is precarious and a collapse is imminent. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The Indian Congress Party confirms its determination to bring about the downfall of Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda's minority government. \I(India)\i
The United Nations appeals for emergency aid for North Korea. \I(North Korea)\i
Vietnam and the US sign an agreement which means that Vietnam will repay the wartime debt of South Vietnam. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American political analysts forecast that North Korea's position is precarious and a collapse is imminent. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
An Australian scientist and an American marine salvage expert are suing creationist Allen Roberts over his lectures about an archaeological site in Turkey which many think is the remains of Noah's Ark. \I(Australia, USA, Turkey)\i
Vietnam and the US sign an agreement which means that Vietnam will repay the wartime debt of South Vietnam. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Opposition parties in \JHaiti\j condemn the recent elections, claiming they are a \Jfarce\j and demand that the results be ignored. \I(Haiti)\i
Astronauts are forced to cut short Columbia's latest mission after a problem in the electrical generator became potentially dangerous. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, claims that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is placing the peace process in jeopardy. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
The Chechen leader, Aslan Maskhadov, nominates a controversial guerrilla as acting head of state during his absence to the \JMiddle East\j. \I(\JChechnya\j)\i
An anonymous British millionairess assists the people of the island of Eigg in Scotland to buy their island. \I(UK)\i
Muslim guerrillas murder more than 80 people in the village of Thalit in \JAlgeria\j using chainsaws or burning people to death. \I(Algeria)\i
An Australian scientist and an American marine salvage expert are suing creationist Allen Roberts over his lectures about an archaeological site in Turkey which many think is the remains of Noah's Ark. \I(Australia, USA, Turkey)\i
In Zaire rebels capture the town of Kipushi and are now reported to be heading towards the city of \JLubumbashi\j. Laurent Kabila, the rebel leader, announces that he wishes to have face-to-face talks with President Mobutu. Thousands of Government troops defect to the rebel cause. \I(Zaire)\i
The World Health Organization (WHO) announces that new and stronger diseases have started to appear despite advances in medical technology. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The horse Lord Gyllene wins the 150th Grand National at Aintree; the original race had to be canceled after bomb threats were made by the IRA. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 8, 1997",461,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In an attempt to stave off a humanitarian crisis in North Korea, international efforts of assistance are stepped up. \I(North Korea)\i
A fire in a Hong Kong apartment block kills seven and injures 38 others. \I(Hong Kong)\i
A wealthy Cambodian businessman shoots at a Boeing 737 at \JCambodia\j's international airport after losing his temper over lost baggage. \I(Cambodia)\i
Myanmar's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, asks in a videotape smuggled out of the country for help from other countries to protect members of her political party from the country's military junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The investigation into the Papua New Guinean Government's deal to hire foreign mercenaries from Sandline will ask Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption to investigate the British company's bank account. \I(Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong)\i
In Geneva the Indonesian Nobel Peace Prize winner, Bishop Jose Ramos-Horta, shows photographic evidence of the terrible atrocities carried out by the Indonesian military in East \JTimor\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Indonesia)\i
It is announced that Chinese Premier, Li Peng, will visit \JAustralia\j. \I(China, Australia)\i
The American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that the US has no intention of reducing the number of American soldiers based in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Charles Sobhraj, the infamous criminal who has just been released from an Indian jail, arrives in \JFrance\j. Police question him about the alleged poisoning of a French citizen. \I(India, France)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Talks between American President, Bill Clinton, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, fail after no solution is reached on how to solve the latest crisis in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
American authorities discover a proposal by guerrillas in \JBahrain\j to attack US military bases in the country. The US puts its troops on maximum security alert. \I(USA, Bahrain)\i
Jazz trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis, wins a Pulitzer Prize-the first ever Pulitzer Prize awarded to jazz. \I(USA)\i
In \JHaiti\j, former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas Family party claims to have won the latest elections. \I(Haiti)\i
Mystery continues to surround the disappearance of a US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j over \JArizona\j. \I(USA)\i
The American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that the US has no intention of reducing the number of American soldiers based in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Talks between American President, Bill Clinton, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, fail after no solution is reached on how to solve the latest crisis in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In Geneva the Indonesian Nobel Peace Prize winner, Bishop Jose Ramos-Horta, shows photographic evidence of the terrible atrocities carried out by the Indonesian military in East \JTimor\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Indonesia)\i
Doubt exists over the Italian-led international force which is to be sent to \JAlbania\j and threatens to bring down Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi's Government. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
In \JGermany\j unemployment rates climb to a post-war record for March. \I(Germany)\i
British astronomers claim to have discovered how galaxies form using theory and evidence provided by telescopes on land and in space. \I(UK)\i
Zairian President Mobutu's 31-year-old rule looks on the verge of collapse; as his Government copes with the crisis, troops surrender and rioting continues. \I(Zaire)\i
Albanians become increasingly despondent after the Italian-led international force fails to arrive in \JAlbania\j. \JItaly\j promises that the troops will begin to arrive in the next week. \I(Albania, Italy)\i
In fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinians in the town of \JHebron\j in the West Bank, two Palestinians are killed and nearly 100 others are injured. \I(West Bank, Israel, Palestine)\i
American authorities discover a proposal by guerrillas in \JBahrain\j to attack US military bases in the country. The US puts its troops on maximum security alert. \I(USA, Bahrain)\i
Charles Sobhraj, the infamous criminal who has just been released from an Indian jail, arrives in \JFrance\j. Police question him about the alleged poisoning of a French citizen. \I(India, France)\i
It is revealed that a subsidiary of the food company NestlΘ has been blackmailed for millions of dollars after receiving warnings that its food products could be poisoned. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
#
"April 9, 1997",462,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
It is believed that the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party is preparing to form a new alliance with the Shinshinto party. \I(Japan)\i
Afifudin Musytari, an Indonesian Muslim leader, is to be charged in connection with the riots in the town of Pekalongan in Java. \I(Indonesia)\i
For the first time in eight years, India and \JPakistan\j meet for discussions; on the agenda is the Kashmir crisis. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, is angered by a cover-up by a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant over a fire last month. \I(Japan)\i
In Papua New Guinea, sacked military chief, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok, tells the inquiry into the Government's hiring of foreign mercenaries that former Prime Minister Chan wanted to establish a palace guard. The purpose of the special force was to provide protection for politicians and other prominent members of society. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The parcel bomb, which killed the daughter of one of \JMyanmar\j's security chiefs, is now believed to have been sent from \JJapan\j. \JMyanmar\j \Jdissidents\j based in \JJapan\j deny any involvement in the bombing. \I(Japan, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
William Cohen, the US Defense Secretary, vows to "lessen the burden" of the US military troops on the Japanese people on the island of \JOkinawa\j. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, announces his proposals to halt protests and stop foreign financing of political groups once Hong Kong is handed over to China. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
A key Taiwanese official who handles Chinese-Taiwanese relations is to visit China shortly. His visit is seen as a sign of improving relations between the two countries. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
In \JJohannesburg\j, \JAustralia\j beats South Africa in the fifth one-\Jday\j international cricket test series. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
William Cohen, the US Defense Secretary, vows to "lessen the burden" of the US military troops on the Japanese people on the island of \JOkinawa\j. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Severe flooding in the state of North Dakota creates hazardous conditions. \I(USA)\i
The search still continues for a US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j and its cargo which went missing over a week ago. \I(USA)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, are scheduled to meet with two Palestinian negotiators in Washington to discuss the \JMiddle East\j crisis. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The US Golf Masters competition commences in Augusta. \I(USA)\i
An American court allows new tests to be conducted on the rifle and bullet allegedly used to murder the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. \I(USA)\i
The American Administration supports calls for the resignation of Zairian President Mobutu, as the country's second city, \JLubumbashi\j, capitulates to the rebels. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An unknown composition by the composer Franz Liszt is discovered in \JBelgium\j. \I(Belgium)\i
Leah Rabin, the widow of assassinated Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, holds the present Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, responsible for creating the violent climate which led to her husband's death. \I(Israel)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, are scheduled to meet with two Palestinian negotiators in Washington to discuss the \JMiddle East\j crisis. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
It is thought that \JIran\j is planning to sue over 20 German companies who assisted in the production of chemical weapons. \I(\JGermany\j, Iran)\i
In \JJohannesburg\j, \JAustralia\j beats South Africa in the fifth one-\Jday\j international cricket test series. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, asks Palestinians to remain calm after violence breaks outs in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. Mr Netanyahu fears that further incidents will cause irreparable damage to the peace process. \I(West Bank, Israel, Palestine)\i
In the UK, BBC foreign correspondent, Martin Bell, is nominated as Independent candidate for the seat of Tatton. \I(UK)\i
Zairian President Mobutu calls a state of emergency and puts military administrators in charge of key government positions. \I(Zaire)\i
The American Administration supports calls for the resignation of Zairian President Mobutu, as the country's second city, \JLubumbashi\j, capitulates to the rebels. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
The funeral of one of the three Palestinians killed in recent rioting in \JHebron\j causes further fighting between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. At least 30 people are believed to have been wounded in the clashes. \I(West Bank, Palestine, Israel)\i
Pope John Paul II plans to visit Bosnia next weekend where he will award peace prizes to four humanitarian organizations. \I(Bosnia)\i
In Britain, the Conservative Party is 15 points behind the Labour Party according to a recent \ITimes\i newspaper poll. \I(UK)\i
Germany and \JFrance\j reinforce their intentions to introduce the European single currency by 1999. \I(France, Germany)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, publicly criticizes the Prime Minister, Victor Chernomyrdin, and asks for reasons for the poor tax collection records. \I(Russia)\i
#
"April 10, 1997",463,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Australian Government announces that it will not support a United Nations resolution that sets out to condemn China's human rights records. \I(Australia, China)\i
An Indonesian newspaper claims that the body buried in the \JPhilippines\j last week was not that of geologist Michael de Guzman. \I(Indonesia, Philippines)\i
So far, efforts to save the Indian United Front Government fail. Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda, requires the backing of the Indian Congress Party to remain in power. \I(India)\i
The Papua New Guinean investigation into the hiring of foreign mercenaries reveals that an employee of one of Hong Kong's main brokerage organizations, Jardine Fleming, may have been involved in the deal. \I(Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong)\i
It is announced that the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, plans to visit \JRussia\j. \I(China, Russia)\i
The \JNew Zealand\j Government postpones its reform of its \Jimmigration\j policy until late in the year. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
In \JPakistan\j, the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, dismisses nearly 90 senior civil servants, accusing them of corruption. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, vows that the Government will continue the struggle with Tamil Tiger guerrillas to the very end if necessary. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Soldiers from North and South Korea exchange gunfire in the border area just before American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, is scheduled to visit the area. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Declassified records are released by the American State Department which highlight that the UK and \JFrance\j attempted to foil efforts by the US to recover assets taken by the Nazis. \I(USA, UK, France)\i
Soldiers from North and South Korea exchange gunfire in the border area just before American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, is scheduled to visit the area. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
The American \JCIA\j acknowledges that mistakes may have led to the destruction of an Iraqi warehouse filled with chemical weapons during the Gulf War. It is thought that thousands of US soldiers were exposed to nerve gas. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
It is revealed that former Mexican president, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, was aware that his brother may have been involved in the murder of their ex brother-in-law. \I(Mexico)\i
The space probe \JGalileo\j transmits pictures of the Jupiter moon Europa. The pictures show that it may be the only other \Jplanet\j that has \Jwater\j. \I(USA)\i
After a 20-year ban, the American Administration prepares to resume the sale of advanced armaments to South American countries. \I(USA, South America)\i
The British magazine, \INew Scientist,\i claims that American experts are developing bullets known as BLAMS (Barrel-Launched Adaptive Munitions) which follow their target. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the European cup semi-final, the British football team, Manchester United, is beaten by Borussia \JDortmund\j by 1-0. \I(UK)\i
It is announced that Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, plans to visit \JRussia\j. \I(China, Russia)\i
Declassified records are released by the American State Department which highlight that the UK and \JFrance\j attempted to foil efforts by the US to recover assets taken by the Nazis. \I(USA, UK, France)\i
Shimon Peres, former Israeli prime minister, criticizes the Israeli Government and claims that it should have realized that there would have to be compromises with Palestine if the peace process is to proceed. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The British magazine, \INew Scientist,\i claims that American experts are developing bullets known as BLAMS (Barrel-Launched Adaptive Munitions) which follow their target. \I(UK, USA)\i
The Australian Government announces that it will not support a United Nations resolution that sets out to condemn China's human rights records. \I(Australia, China)\i
A Rwandan court clears a second person, Joseph Karega, of charges of genocide. \I(Rwanda)\i
Zairian rebels capture the country's second city, \JLubumbashi\j. The rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, demands that President Mobutu commences discussions on his resignation or the rebels will start a new offensive. \I(Zaire)\i
Zaire's new Prime Minister, Etienne Tshisekedi, is dismissed from the position after only one week in office. \I(Zaire)\i
Romano Prodi, the Italian Prime Minister, wins the backing of the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of Parliament) to send Italian soldiers to meet up with the international force being sent to \JAlbania\j. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
The American \JCIA\j acknowledges that mistakes may have led to the destruction of an Iraqi warehouse filled with chemical weapons during the Gulf War. It is thought that thousands of soldiers were exposed to nerve gas. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
A German court accuses \JIran\j's leaders of being responsible for the 1992 assassination of Iranian Kurdish leaders in Berlin's Mykonos restaurant. \I(\JGermany\j, Iran)\i
#
"April 11, 1997",464,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodian soldiers are heading towards a Khmer Rouge base, after rebels murdered 12 Government staff. \I(Cambodia)\i
In the sixth one-\Jday\j international cricket series in \JJohannesburg\j, \JAustralia\j beats South Africa; \JAustralia\j leads by 4-2 in the series. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, tells senate deputy president, Mal Colston, to resign from office after expense \Jfraud\j claims come to light. \I(Australia)\i
The future of Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Dowda's minority Government looks bleak, as the Government suffered defeat in a vote of confidence in parliament. \I(India)\i
Two senior South Korean opposition members are called for questioning in connection with the Hanbo loans scandal. \I(South Korea)\i
The Chinese province of Xinjiang is hit by another \Jearthquake\j, measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, killing nine people and injuring 40 others. \I(China)\i
In \JJapan\j, legislation is passed which permits the US armed forces to continue using land even if the owners refuse to renew leases. \I(Japan, USA)\i
China criticizes the USA and Denmark's support of a United Nations resolution which condemns China's human rights record. China threatens that diplomatic relations could be affected. \I(China, Denmark, USA)\i
It is claimed that by the year 2000 China's ratio of males to females will be severely imbalanced if the current trend to abort or kill female babies continues because of the Government's one-child family policy. \I(China)\i
In Hong Kong there is growing opposition to Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa's proposals to reduce civil liberties when China takes over the territory in July. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
William Cohen, the American Defense Secretary, rules out large-scale food donations to North Korea until North Korea starts taking apart its threatening military machine. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, cautions of the "dangerous and unpredictable situation" in the \JMiddle East\j after the US's failure to help bring about any solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The 21-year-old American golfer, Tiger Woods, takes the lead in the US Masters being held in Augusta, Georgia. Last year's winner, Nick Faldo is knocked out of the winning contenders by scoring a round of 81. \I(USA)\i
The US Administration asks \JGermany\j and other European countries to participate in the US economic boycott of \JIran\j. \I(USA, Germany)\i
In \JJapan\j, legislation is passed which permits the US armed forces to continue using land even if the owners refuse to renew leases. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Plans to build an international space station are delayed due to NASA's funding problems. \I(USA)\i
China criticizes the USA and Denmark's support of a United Nations resolution which condemns China's human rights record. \I(China, Denmark, USA)\i
William Cohen, the American Defense Secretary, rules out large-scale food donations to North Korea until North Korea starts taking apart its threatening military machine. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The US Air Force believes that the pilot of the missing A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j apparently intentionally broke out of the formation. The pilot and the \Jaircraft\j are still missing. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the sixth one-\Jday\j international cricket series in \JJohannesburg\j, \JAustralia\j beats South Africa; \JAustralia\j leads by 4-2 in the series. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
The US Administration asks \JGermany\j and other European countries to participate in the US economic boycott of \JIran\j. \I(USA, Germany)\i
A British expert helps to save the leading Italian tourist monument, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He advised the Italians to put large quantities of lead on one side of the base of the monument. \I(UK, \JItaly\j)\i
The verdict of a German court, which accused the Iranian leadership of being responsible for the assassination of four leading opposition leaders in a Berlin restaurant, causes turmoil in Europe's relations with \JIran\j. Both \JGermany\j and \JIran\j recall their ambassadors from each other's capitals; 14 other European countries have done the same. \I(Europe, Iran)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, cautions of the "dangerous and unpredictable situation" in the \JMiddle East\j after the US's failure to help bring about any solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
China criticizes the USA and Denmark's support of a United Nations resolution which condemns China's human rights record. \I(China, Denmark, USA)\i
Israeli security troops join forces with the Palestine Liberation Organization to arrest an Islamic terror cell which is part of Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
General Radovan Stojici, a key confidant to Serbian President, Slobodan Milosevic, is shot dead in \JBelgrade\j. \I(Serbia)\i
Commander Salman Raduyev, a Chechen guerrilla leader, is badly wounded in an assassination attempt. \I(\JChechnya\j)\i
In Northern Ireland a female police officer is badly injured after being shot by the IRA outside the courthouse in \JLondonderry\j. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The first batch of Italian soldiers (from the international force who are to safeguard European Union aid convoys) arrive in \JAlbania\j. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, launches a campaign to stamp out corruption in politics once and for all. \I(Russia)\i
The British newspaper, \IThe Times,\i dares the British Prime Minister, John Major, and the leader of the Labour Party, Tony Blair, to participate in a televised debate. \I(UK)\i
Despite increasing demands from Zairian rebels for the resignation of President Mobutu, the President is showing no sign of backing down and continues to struggle to remain in control of Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
Foreigners are told to leave the Zairian capital of \JKinshasa\j, as rebels continue to push towards the city. \I(Zaire)\i
The African National Congress Party sacks an ANC leader in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. He is accused of being a spy; rumors continue to circulate about agents working in the ANC who worked for prior governments. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"April 12, 1997",465,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Government of Indian Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda, collapses after being defeated in a vote of no confidence. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In Washington, Palestinian negotiators, who met with US Government representatives to discuss the peace process, assure the US Administration that the PLO is fighting \Jterrorism\j. \I(Palestine, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, announces that he is thinking of setting up a national unity government with the opposition Labor Party. \I(Israel)\i
The Shroud of Turin is saved from a fire that broke out in an Italian cathedral. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
It is revealed by recent surveys that the UK has nearly 10 million voters who have yet to make up their minds about which party to vote for in the forthcoming elections. \I(UK)\i
Zairian rebels give President Mobutu a deadline of today to resign otherwise they intend to occupy the capital city \JKinshasa\j. President Mobutu rejects the deadline set by the rebels. \I(Zaire)\i
Violent clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians continue in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j; seven people are injured. \I(Israel, Palestine, West Bank)\i
The European Union is pushing Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to put a halt to \Jterrorism\j in order to revive the peace process. \I(Europe, Palestine)\i
In Washington, Palestinian negotiators, who met with US Government representatives to discuss the peace process, assure the US Administration that the PLO is fighting \Jterrorism\j. \I(Palestine, USA)\i
The Russian Government plans to overhaul all its underground tunnels and bunkers to provide protection in the event of a nuclear disaster. \I(Russia)\i
The Snowdrop campaign, which was set up after the Dunblane shooting massacre to fight for a ban on handguns, is to stop after the May general elections. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 13, 1997",466,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As a reprisal against \JAustralia\j's decision to recall its ambassador to \JIran\j, \JIran\j cancels a visit by an Australian business group. \I(Australia, Iran)\i
On the Kashmir border, fighting erupts between Indian and Pakistani forces. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Four South Korean politicians confess that they accepted money from Chung Tae-soo, the founder of the collapsed Hanbo organization. \I(South Korea)\i
The United Malays National Organization is shocked by the resignation of the Chief Minister of \JSelangor\j State. Muhammad Taib faces charges in \JAustralia\j over his possession of undeclared currency worth $AUS1.2 million at Brisbane's airport. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Australia)\i
Australian Michael Doohan wins the Malaysian \Jmotorcycle\j Grand Prix which was held at Shah Alam. \I(Australia, Malaysia)\i
In Papua New Guinea thousands of people may be forced to leave their homes after the Tavurvur \Jvolcano\j erupts. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Feng Xiliang, a leading Chinese journalist, is to join \IThe South China Morning Post,\i Hong Kong's main English-language newspaper. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Turmoil reigns in the Indian Congress Party after it joined forces with the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in an effort to bring down the United Front coalition government. \I(India)\i
It is thought that North Korea will soon agree to participate in peace talks next month. \I(North Korea)\i
The tennis final at the Salem Open between American Michael Chang and Australian Pat Rafter is postponed at match point due to torrential rain. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Improved \Jweather\j conditions are likely to assist in the US Air Force's search for the missing A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j and its pilot. \I(USA)\i
American and Saudi Arabian intelligence officers claim that a leading Iranian government official is connected to a group of Shiite Muslims who they think were responsible for the bombing of a US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
American golfer Tiger Woods leads by a record margin in the US Masters championship being held in Augusta, as the contest enters its final \Jday\j. \I(USA)\i
The European Union announces that it has come to an agreement with the USA over the Helms-Burton Act. The Act allows US citizens to sue foreign businesses that trade in \JCuba\j. \I(Europe, USA, Cuba)\i
The tennis final at the Salem Open between American Michael Chang and Australian Pat Rafter is postponed at match point due to torrential rain. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In London police clash with demonstrators who are attempting to bring anarchy into the general election campaign. \I(UK)\i
The European Union announces that it has come to an agreement with the USA over the Helms-Burton Act. The Act allows US citizens to sue foreign businesses that trade in \JCuba\j. \I(Europe, USA, Cuba)\i
Cholera breaks out among Rwandan Hutu refugees in Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
Israel permits Palestinians who work in Israel to enter the country for the first time in three weeks. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
American and Saudi Arabian intelligence officers claim that a leading Iranian government official is connected to a group of Shiite Muslims who they think were responsible for the bombing of a US military base in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
In Bosnia security forces uncover a plan to assassinate Pope John Paul II during his visit; the Pope continued his visit despite the security threat. \I(Bosnia)\i
In a reaction to the German court decision, which found \JIran\j's leadership responsible for the assassination of four main opposition politicians in \JGermany\j, \JIran\j is reviewing all economic and political ties with \JGermany\j. \I(Iran, Germany)\i
As a reprisal against \JAustralia\j's decision to recall its ambassador to \JIran\j, \JIran\j cancels a visit by an Australian business group. \I(Australia, Iran)\i
The Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, arrives in the port of Vlore in \JAlbania\j. He plans to visit Italian troops stationed there. \I(\JItaly\j, Albania)\i
Zairian President Mobutu clings to the presidency and will participate in discussions with rebels only if the rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, asks "politely." \I(Zaire)\i
#
"April 14, 1997",467,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indian Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda, announces that he will resign as the leader of the United Front coalition if his resignation would help in the formation of a more stable government. The United Front alliance commences a search for a replacement. \I(India)\i
Reports surface that local tribespeople in Irian Jaya have spotted Tasmanian tigers. The Indonesian Government plans to send researchers to investigate the claims. \I(Indonesia)\i
Hong Kong's Chief Executive Office announces that it will draw up laws governing the right of abode in the territory. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Troops fighting against the Afghan Talibaan militia step up their attacks and reveal that they plan to capture Kabul by the end of 1997. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The military operation Flying Fish 1997 commences. Five countries, including \JAustralia\j and \JMalaysia\j, are participating. \I(Australia, Malaysia)\i
Iran severs its trade relationship with \JNew Zealand\j, as part of the reaction against a German court's finding that blamed the Iranian leadership for assassinating four people. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, \JGermany\j, Iran)\i
The newly built Sikh shrine, Akal Takht, is reopened ten years after it was damaged during a military conflict. \I(India)\i
Muhammad Taib, a Malaysian politician who faces charges of possessing more than $AUS1.2 million in undeclared currency in \JAustralia\j, refuses to resign as vice-president of the United Malays National Organization. \I(Malaysia, Australia)\i
Yukihiko Ikeda, the Japanese Foreign Minister, announces that there are unconfirmed reports that North Korea has ballistic missiles powerful enough to hit \JJapan\j. \I(Japan, North Korea)\i
Hundreds of thousands of people are left homeless in the region of Xinjiang after the area was hit by an \Jearthquake\j last week. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Tiger Woods wins the US Masters competition in Augusta, Georgia. He set several records with his victory: he is the youngest person to win; he is the first black person to win; he won by the greatest margin; and he won with the lowest score. \I(USA)\i
An American organization is given a Europe-wide patent on blood from human umbilical cords. There is outcry in Europe against the decision. \I(Europe, USA)\i
French-Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the Argentinean Grand Prix in a Williams car. \I(Canada, Argentina)\i
The American Air Force commences a ground search of the New York Mountain Range for the A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j and pilot which went missing over a week ago. \I(USA)\i
It is believed that American scientists have developed a nuclear bomb capable of demolishing underground bunkers. \I(USA)\i
James McDougal, former business associate of American President, Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, is given a three-year prison sentence for his role in the Whitewater land affair. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Grenades are thrown at a restaurant in Addis Ababa, killing one person and injuring 42 others, including tourists. \I(\JEthiopia\j)\i
Iran severs its trade relationship with \JNew Zealand\j as part of the reaction against a German court's finding that blamed the Iranian leadership for assassinating four people. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, \JGermany\j, Iran)\i
In the Algerian village of Boufarik, it is thought that Islamic extremists murdered at least 30 people. \I(Algeria)\i
An American organization is given a Europe-wide patent on blood from human umbilical cords. There is outcry in Europe against the decision. \I(Europe, USA)\i
The capital of Zaire, \JKinshasa\j, prepares for another \Jday\j of "dead city" protest against President Mobutu's Government. \I(Zaire)\i
In Bosnia, Pope John Paul II pleads with Bosnian political leaders to try to work towards peace. \I(Bosnia)\i
Hundreds of Iranian students protest outside the German Embassy in Tehran against a German court's finding that the Iranian leadership was responsible for the assassination of four political \Jdissidents\j. \I(Iran, \JGermany\j)\i
It is speculated that President Mobutu of Zaire may have already removed his wealth from the country. \I(Zaire)\i
In Israel orthodox Jews are angered by the Government's decision to keep \JJerusalem\j's Bar-Ilan Street open during pray times on the Sabbath and threaten to stage protests. \I(Israel)\i
#
"April 15, 1997",468,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JCambodia\j, King Norodom Sihanouk's half-brother, who has been in exile for over 18 months, is prevented from returning to Phnom Penh. He is attempting to clear his name after being accused of planning to assassinate the Second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Australian Government refuses to be pressured by the American Administration to support a United Nations resolution that condemns China's human rights record. \I(Australia, China, USA)\i
Kim Soo-han, South Korea's parliamentary speaker, refuses to answer questions about rumors that he accepted money from the collapsed Hanbo group. \I(South Korea)\i
The Japanese Government intends to ask prosecutors to charge the state-run Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation with attempting to cover up the country's main nuclear accident. \I(Japan)\i
Thousands of people demonstrate in Jakarta, demanding that the pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, be allowed to participate in May's general elections. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Migrants from the island of Madura are to be sent home from West \JKalimantan\j after months of clashes with the indigenous Dayaks. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In Papua New Guinea, sacked Brigadier General Jerry Singirok warns that he may refuse to participate in the inquiry into the use of mercenaries, after being blamed for covering up the army's role in the murder of Bougainville Premier, Theodore Miriung. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The \JInternet\j is introduced into China by American media \Jmogul\j, Rupert Murdoch, in conjunction with the newspaper the \IPeople's Daily.\i \I(USA, China)\i
An Indonesian newspaper claims that Australian meat is infected with \Janthrax\j disease and warns of deadly consequences. The report is a follow-up to a ban on meat from two Australian states where an outbreak of the disease occurred. Australian authorities attempt to calm fears and assure locals that the meat is safe for consumption. \I(Indonesia, Australia)\i
In North Korea thousands of dollars are spent in renovations to the \Jmausoleum\j of the deceased president Kim Il Sung, despite the dire food shortages and economic downfall. \I(North Korea)\i
Tonnes of ore from the Busang gold property in \JKalimantan\j, \JIndonesia\j, is sent to Western \JAustralia\j for testing. \I(Indonesia, Australia)\i
In Lucknow, northern India, 21 people die and 24 are injured after a tractor pulling a trailer on which they were traveling crashes with a truck. \I(India)\i
Peace talks are due to commence with the US and North Korea. The US will send $US15 million of corn to help North Korean children. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
It is reported that the spread of Aids continues in India. \I(India)\i
Potential candidates to replace H. D. Deve Gowda as India's Prime Minister are being sought. After last week's vote of no confidence, H.D. Deve Gowda agreed to step down as leader of the United Front party. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Duchess of York begins a weekly column for the New York Times Syndicate. \I(USA, UK)\i
The \JInternet\j is introduced into China by American media \Jmogul\j, Rupert Murdoch, in conjunction with the newspaper the \IPeople's Daily.\i \I(USA, China)\i
The Australian Government refuses to be pressured by the American Administration to support a United Nations resolution that condemns China's human rights record. \I(Australia, China, USA)\i
According to a recent tax return, American President, Bill Clinton, is a millionaire. However, once outstanding bills are taken into account, his wealth will be somewhat depleted. \I(USA)\i
An American scientist claims that \Jcoffee\j may assist humans in the fight against \Jheart disease\j and cancer. \I(USA)\i
Peace talks are due to commence with the US and North Korea. The US will send $US15 million of corn to help North Korean children. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The US Air Force suspends the search for the A-10 Thunderbolt \Jaircraft\j and its pilot after extensive searches uncovered no clues. The \Jaircraft\j went missing on 2 April. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Duchess of York begins a weekly column for the New York Times Syndicate. \I(USA, UK)\i
A fire breaks out an Iranian tent site where thousands of Muslims have gathered for the yearly haj pilgrimage. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Supporters of the sacked Zairian Prime Minister, Etienne Tshisekedi, announce that they will step up demonstrations against President Mobutu's Government. \I(Zaire)\i
The bedraggled \JAlbanian\j armed forces make an effort to get themselves in order. Recent domestic troubles in \JAlbania\j have seen the disintegration of the army. \I(Albania)\i
More than 1,200 soldiers from \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, and \JSpain\j arrive in \JAlbania\j as part of an international peacekeeping force. \I(France, \JItaly\j, \JSpain\j, Albania)\i
In \JCroatia\j, President Franjo Tudjman's Croatian Democratic Union wins victories in most municipal governments and the upper house of Parliament in the weekend elections. \I(Croatia)\i
#
"April 16, 1997",469,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
For the very first time, the United Nations Human Rights Commission voices its disapproval of human rights abuses in East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
Sacked Brigadier General Jerry Singirok walks out of the Papua New Guinean inquiry into the hiring of foreign mercenaries after he is charged with lying. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Fugen, \JJapan\j's only heavy-\Jwater\j nuclear reactor, closes after a power failure and a leak of toxic radioactive material. \I(Japan)\i
A second autopsy is to be done on the body of \JPhilippines\j geologist, Michael de Guzman, who allegedly fell out of a \Jhelicopter\j over \JIndonesia\j. His company Busang Gold claimed to have discovered a large amount of gold. \I(Philippines, Indonesia)\i
The Australian beer company, Foster's, halts all trading in \JMyanmar\j in a protest against the human rights abuses by the military junta. \I(Australia, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
North Korean defector, Hwang Jang-yop, is due to arrive in South Korea next week after spending some time in the \JPhilippines\j. \I(North Korea, South Korea, Philippines)\i
China praises \JAustralia\j, Canada, and \JJapan\j for refusing to support the American-backed United Nations resolution that condemns China's human rights record. The resolution failed to gain backing by 27-16 in the United Nations Human Rights Commission. \I(China, USA, \JAustralia\j, Canada, Japan)\i
G. K. Moopanar, a politician with close links to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, is leading the contest as a replacement for deposed Prime Minister, H. D. Deve Gowda. \I(India)\i
Despite the German court ruling that \JIran\j was responsible for the 1992 deaths of four \Jdissidents\j, \JAustralia\j will continue normal trade relations with \JIran\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, Iran)\i
China is angry over the US State Department's decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to \JTaiwan\j. \I(China, USA, Taiwan)\i
The Chinese region of Xinjiang is hit by yet another \Jearthquake\j, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale. \I(China)\i
Australian cricket captain, Mark Taylor, refuses to step down from the position despite calls from cricketers Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman. \I(Australia)\i
American actor, Sydney Poitier, is chosen as non-resident ambassador to \JJapan\j for the \JBahamas\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Bahamas)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two American \Jtobacco\j companies are involved in closed-door discussions with plaintiffs about a settlement that would cover the industry's liability for smoking. Compensation could amount to $US300 billion. \I(USA)\i
China is angry over the US State Department's decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to \JTaiwan\j. \I(China, USA, Taiwan)\i
A recent report states that the \JFBI\j supplied tampered evidence in the \JOklahoma City\j bombing and in other cases. The report heavily criticizes the work practices of the \JFBI\j. \I(USA)\i
China praises \JAustralia\j, Canada, and \JJapan\j for refusing to support the American-backed United Nations resolution that condemns China's human rights record. The resolution failed to gain backing by 27-16 in the United Nations Human Rights Commission. \I(China, USA, \JAustralia\j, Canada, Japan)\i
The mother of JonBenet Ramsey, the murdered six-year-old American beauty queen, is asked to supply police with a fifth handwriting sample. It will be compared with the ransom note found at the scene of the crime. \I(USA)\i
American scientists report that spring now arrives eight days earlier in the \JArctic\j than it did ten years ago. \I(USA)\i
The US pays tribute to the \Jbaseball\j player Jackie Robinson. He was the first black person to play in the majors competition. \I(USA)\i
The US congressional speaker, Newt Gingrich, will pay a $US300,000 ethics penalty from his own finances and will borrow to do so. \I(USA)\i
The Peruvian hostage crisis enters its fifth month; no solution seems in sight. \I(Peru)\i
Israel closes the West Bank to stop further terrorist attacks. The US envoy to the \JMiddle East\j, Dennis Ross, meets with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss the peace process. \I(West Bank, Israel, USA)\i
The United Nations, after being pressured by the US, condemns \JCuba\j's \Jcivil rights\j record. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
American actor, Sydney Poitier, is chosen as non-resident ambassador to \JJapan\j for the \JBahamas\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Bahamas)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is thought that more than 343 Muslim pilgrims died and thousands were injured as fire broke out in a large camp site near the holy city of Mecca where people had gathered for the yearly haj pilgrimage. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The United Nations, after being pressured by the US, condemns \JCuba\j's \Jcivil rights\j record. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
German authorities are contemplating pressing charges against leading Iranian politicians, including President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, following the outcome of the recent German court case. It found the Iranian leaders responsible for the deaths of four \Jdissidents\j in \JGermany\j. \I(Germany, Iran)\i
Despite the German court ruling that \JIran\j was responsible for the 1992 deaths of four \Jdissidents\j, \JAustralia\j will continue normal trade relations with \JIran\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, Iran)\i
The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, meets with the Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, in Malta to discuss the \JMiddle East\j peace crisis. \I(Palestine, Israel, Malta)\i
In \JLisbon\j, \JPortugal\j, 12 people die after a nightclub is deliberately set on fire. \I(Portugal)\i
An independent report into \JBelgium\j's pedophile scandal shows that two young girls could have been rescued from death if the police authorities had been more competent. \I(Belgium)\i
The Zairian Government claims that a former prime minister, Kengo wa Dondo, has fled the country with part of the State Treasury worth millions of dollars. \I(Zaire)\i
It is believed that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and three other leading politicians from the Israeli Government could face serious charges of corruption. An Israeli prosecutor is expected to announce next week if he will indict the Prime Minister. \I(Israel)\i
Israel closes the West Bank to stop further terrorist attacks. The US envoy to the \JMiddle East\j, Dennis Ross, meets with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss the peace process. \I(West Bank, Israel, USA)\i
The British Prime Minister, John Major, is faced with a schism within his party. Two of his ministers publicly announce their disapproval of the UK's participation in a single European currency. \I(UK)\i
The Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, meets with German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, in the German resort of \JBaden\j-\JBaden\j. On the agenda is \JNATO\j's proposed expansion. \I(Russia, \JGermany\j)\i
The Austrian international mediator, Franz Vranitzky, encourages \JAlbania\j's Government to commence discussions with the rebels. \I(Austria, Albania)\i
Laurent Kabila, the Zairian rebel leader, meets with South African President, Nelson Mandela, for peace talks. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
#
"April 17, 1997",470,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Officials from the US, South Korea, and North Korea meet. It is seen as a sign that North Korea is ready to accept a plan for four-nation talks to end the Korean problem. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea)\i
The Indian United Front coalition delays choosing a replacement for H. D. Deve Gowda after a senior party member dies. \I(India)\i
A South Korean court rejects an appeal by the former president, Chun Doo-hwan, to cut his life sentence. The sentence given to his successor, Roh Tae-woo, also remains unchanged. \I(South Korea)\i
Indonesian pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, warns that \JIndonesia\j is on the brink of collapse due to corruption, disorganization, and nepotism. \I(Indonesia)\i
Madeleine Albright, the US \JSecretary of State\j, announces that it is anticipated that President Clinton will try for the renewal of Most Favored Nation trading status for China. \I(USA, China)\i
Amnesty International accuses \JAustralia\j of putting trade considerations first in its decision not to support the United Nations resolution that condemned China's human rights record. \I(Australia, China)\i
A clash occurs at a meeting between Hong Kong's pro-democracy activists and pro-China supporters to talk about changes to civil liberties. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
The American Administration claims that the United Nations Human Rights Commission failed the Chinese population by not voting for the resolution condemning China's human rights record. \I(USA, China)\i
The Japanese state-owned nuclear power plant, Fugen, confesses that it did not report at least 11 radioactive leaks over a three-year period. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has heart surgery to treat a congenital heart condition. \I(USA)\i
Officials from the US, South Korea, and North Korea meet. It is seen as a sign that North Korea is ready to accept a plan for four-nation talks to end the Korean problem. \I(USA, North Korea, South Korea)\i
Madeleine Albright, the US \JSecretary of State\j, announces that it is anticipated that President Clinton will try for the renewal of Most Favored Nation trading status for China. \I(USA, China)\i
The Red River in Dakota continues to rise, forcing 40 families to leave their homes. \I(USA)\i
The American Administration claims that the United Nations Human Rights Commission failed the Chinese population by not voting for the resolution condemning China's human rights record. \I(USA, China)\i
In \JPeru\j, airline employees are blamed for the deaths of 70 people who died when the Aeroperu Boeing 757 crashed off Lima. They were negligent in failing to take off adhesive tape that covered sensor ports. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli police recommend that the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, be charged with corruption in connection with a political scandal. Other leading political figures also face criminal charges. Mr Netanyahu is standing firm and refuses to consider resigning. \I(Israel)\i
Former Israeli president, Chaim Herzog, dies at the age of 76. \I(Israel)\i
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the religious leader of \JIran\j, accuses the German Government of creating a political storm with the Mykonos verdict. \I(Iran, \JGermany\j)\i
Albania's political parties concur that the general election should be held on 29 June. Italian troops, who form part of an international force, take up their posts in the port of Vlore to protest aid shipments. \I(Albania, \JItaly\j)\i
The House of Saud is blamed for the fire that broke out at a haj pilgrims' camp site near the holy city of Mecca. Critics claim that the Saudi royalty are not capable of properly organizing the thousands of pilgrims. Over 300 people are believed to have died. Thousands of people perform Eid al-Adha prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca as a symbol of the end of the pilgrimage. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The Zairian diamond company, De Beers, acquiesces to rebels' demands that it cuts off all links with President Mobutu. \I(Zaire)\i
It is revealed that Zairian Government representatives and rebel leaders have agreed in principle to meet up. \I(Zaire)\i
John Major, the British Prime Minister, asks his own party members to support the Conservative Party's European policy to avoid further division within party ranks. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 18, 1997",471,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A newly published book claims that David Bain, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing five members of his family in Dunedin, is innocent. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
An executive of the Hong Kong brokerage firm, Jardine Fleming, is suspended for his alleged involvement in the Sandline mercenary deal with Papua New Guinea. \I(Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea)\i
The exiled half-brother of \JCambodia\j's King Norodom Sihanouk returns to \JFrance\j after being prevented from going back to \JCambodia\j. Cambodian authorities were prepared to arrest him on his arrival in the country. \I(Cambodia, France)\i
It is reported that North Korea wants diplomatic relations with the USA, as a pre-condition to its participation in Korean peace talks. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
In Hong Kong the Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, vows that people will retain their basic civil liberties when China takes over the territory in July. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Prince Norodom Ranariddh of \JCambodia\j claims that the Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, has been plotting to oust him as president of the Funcinpec party. \I(Cambodia)\i
At the world shortcourse swimming championships held in \JGothenburg\j, Sweden, \JAustralia\j's 4 x 100 meters medley relay team set a world record. \I(Sweden, Australia)\i
On the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j, thousands of people demonstrate against a bill which extends the lease of land to the US army despite objections from landowners. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Greenpeace claims that \JAustralia\j has been responsible for dumping illegal shipments of toxic waste in India. \I(Australia, India)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, is willing to meet Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate in Washington. \I(USA, Hong Kong)\i
In retaliation for some European countries support of the United Nations resolution condemning China's human rights record, China is planning to take action including canceling visits by the Chinese vice premier. \I(China, Europe)\i
\BThe Americas\b
To pay an ethics fine, Newt Gingrich, the American \JHouse of Representatives\j Speaker, is planning to borrow $US400,000 from Republican Bob Dole. \I(USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, is willing to meet Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate in Washington. \I(USA, Hong Kong)\i
It is reported that North Korea wants diplomatic relations with the USA, as a pre-condition to its participation in Korean peace talks. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
On the Japanese island of \JOkinawa\j, thousands of people demonstrate against a bill which extends the lease of land to the US army despite objections from landowners. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Thousands of protesters end a two-month trek through \JBrazil\j with a large gathering in \JBrasilia\j. They are demanding agrarian reform. \I(Brazil)\i
In the US, never before released recordings of Elvis Presley, only uncovered recently, are to form part of new album to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of his death. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, announces that \JRussia\j and the former Soviet States will join \JNATO\j on 27 May. \I(Russia)\i
Experts claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future looks bleak, even if the charges of corruption against him are dropped. It is widely believed that his reputation has been irreparably damaged. \I(Israel)\i
In retaliation for some European countries support of the United Nations resolution condemning China's human rights record, China is planning to take action including canceling visits by the Chinese vice premier. \I(China, Europe)\i
At the world shortcourse swimming championships held in \JGothenburg\j, Sweden, \JAustralia\j's 4 x 100 meters medley relay team set a world record. \I(Sweden, Australia)\i
Russia is thought to be in such dire financial straits that it will be necessary to form a plan to cut back government spending and drop its Federal budget half-way through 1997. \I(Russia)\i
Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, claims that President Mobutu has instructed his troops to kill all expatriates in \JKinshasa\j in order to gain foreign intervention and prevent his downfall. \I(Zaire)\i
Zairians attack Rwandan refugees and steal aid intended for them, accusing Rwandans of murdering seven Zairians. For the present, all aid is suspended until calm is restored. \I(Zaire, Rwanda)\i
It is thought that Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, has struck several major business deals with foreign organizations in anticipation of taking over running Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
The British Conservative Party's latest advertisement campaign shows Labour leader, Tony Blair, as a small boy sitting on the lap of a large German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. It is meant to symbolize that Labour will sell out on the European issue. The UK is increasingly anti-Europe. \I(UK, Europe)\i
As \JBulgaria\j, \JRomania\j, and \JAlbania\j undergo increasingly political and economic changes, there is a trend being set which sees the return of exiled monarchs. Exiled King Simeon of \JBulgaria\j this week returned to his native country. Earlier, King Michael of \JRomania\j and King Leka of \JAlbania\j went back to their countries. \I(Bulgaria, \JRomania\j, Albania)\i
Police in the UK arrest an IRA guerrilla in connection with the February 1996 bombing in London's docklands. \I(UK)\i
In Tuscany, \JItaly\j, nine mummies dating from the 16th century are discovered in almost perfect condition. \I(Italy)\i
The exiled half-brother of \JCambodia\j's King Norodom Sihanouk returns to \JFrance\j after being prevented from going back to \JCambodia\j. Cambodian authorities were prepared to arrest him on his arrival in the country. \I(Cambodia, France)\i
It is now thought that at least 400 haj pilgrims died at the camp site in Mecca, Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
#
"April 19, 1997",472,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The American President, Bill Clinton, warns China that there will be repercussions if Hong Kong's civil liberties are drastically changed once the territory is given back to China. \I(USA, Hong Kong, China)\i
North Korean defector, Hwang Jang-yop, is due to arrive in South Korea after spending four and half weeks in the \JPhilippines\j. \I(North Korea, South Korea, Philippines)\i
Australia and \JNew Zealand\j's ambassadors to \JIran\j return there. They were withdrawn as part of Europe's protest against \JIran\j after a court in \JGermany\j found the Iranian leadership guilty of the murder of four \Jdissidents\j. \I(Australia, \JNew Zealand\j, Germany)\i
North Korea requests more time to consider if it will join in peace talks with the USA and South Korea to end the Korean crisis. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
An Indonesian jet crashes, killing 15 of the 52 passengers on approach to the island of Belitung. \I(Indonesia)\i
In China, 17 people are executed for serious crimes, including murder and rape. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American President, Bill Clinton, warns China that there will be repercussions if Hong Kong's civil liberties are drastically changed once the territory is given back to China. \I(USA, Hong Kong, China)\i
North Korea requests more time to consider if it will join in peace talks with the USA and South Korea to end the Korean crisis. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
In \JOklahoma City\j the two-year anniversary of the Oklahoma bombing is marked by 168 seconds of silence. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, demands that President Mobutu Sese Seko gives up power or his soldiers will occupy the capital, \JKinshasa\j. It appears that peace talks were not on Mr Kabila's agenda. \I(Zaire)\i
British police arrest a second suspected IRA terrorist in connection with the 1996 bombing in London's docklands. \I(UK)\i
An Israeli \Jtelevision\j report claims that the police's case against Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is weak. Mr Netanyahu faces charges of corruption over the appointment of an attorney general. It is thought that support for the Prime Minister is beginning to weaken. \I(Israel)\i
Yasser Arafat, leader of the PLO, orders Palestinian troops to re-establish communication links with their Israeli counterparts after a one-month lapse in contact. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Police in \JBelgium\j make a grisly discovery of three garbage bags full of dismembered body parts. The search for the "killer of Mons" continues. \I(Belgium)\i
Australia and \JNew Zealand\j's ambassadors to \JIran\j return to the country. They were withdrawn as part of Europe's protest against \JIran\j after a court in \JGermany\j found the Iranian leadership guilty of the murder of four \Jdissidents\j. \I(Australia, \JNew Zealand\j, Germany)\i
#
"April 20, 1997",473,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
For the first time in 48 years, a Chinese ship sails directly to \JTaiwan\j. \I(China, Taiwan)\i
Inder Kumar Gujral is named as the new Indian Prime Minister and leader of the United Front coalition. \I(India)\i
North Korean defector, Hwang Jang-yop, arrives in South Korea. He appeals to North Korea to assist its starving population and stop its military action against South Korea. Mr Hwang claims that he defected to prevent North Korea from declaring war. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Eleven members of \JCambodia\j's royalist Funcinpec Party revolt and support the Second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen. It leaves the First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in a precarious political position. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Sri Lankan Government halts monetary assistance to Tamil refugees in an effort to push them back to their homes in the north of the country. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
It is thought that Japanese authorities are preparing to raid the state-run nuclear power organization that recently covered up one of \JJapan\j's main nuclear accidents. \I(Japan)\i
Jiang Zemin, the Chinese President, leaves for an official visit to \JRussia\j. He will sign an historic troop reduction agreement with \JRussia\j and Central Asian countries. \I(China, Russia)\i
The Chinese Government claims that \JTibet\j's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, utilizes religion to fight for independence for \JTibet\j. \I(Tibet, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Families of victims of the 1995 Oklahoma bombing employ O. J. Simpson's defense lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, to represent them against the Government. \I(USA)\i
Juan Briones, the Peruvian Interior Minister, and Ketin Vidal, the police chief, resign after failing to provide adequate security that resulted in the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
The world's first space funeral takes place. The ashes of many space enthusiasts, including the guru of LSD, Timothy Leary, will be transported into space. \I(USA)\i
Members of the American defense department are campaigning for an attack to be launched against \JIran\j to get back at the mullahs for their alleged participation in the bombing of an American military quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli newspapers report that Prime Minister Netanyahu's right-wing coalition party may suffer irreparable damage, even if Mr Netanyahu is not charged with \Jfraud\j. \I(Israel)\i
Martin Luther King's alleged assassin, James Earl Ray, is hospitalized with a serious liver complaint. \I(USA)\i
Jiang Zemin, the Chinese President, leaves for an official visit to \JRussia\j. He will sign an historic troop reduction agreement with \JRussia\j and Central Asian countries. \I(China, Russia)\i
The French newspaper, \ILe Monde,\i reports that President Chirac is about to call early legislative elections. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The British football team Manchester United look likely to win the premiership title, as Manchester beat the Liverpool team by 3-1. \I(UK)\i
Zairian President Mobutu and rebel leader Laurent Kabila agree to meet for peace talks organized by South African President, Nelson Mandela. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
Members of the American defense department are campaigning for an attack to be launched against \JIran\j to get back at the mullahs for their alleged participation in the bombing of an American military quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
The United Nations World Food program distributes its first supply of food to Albanians. \I(Albania)\i
It appears that Ivan Kostov's United Democratic Forces party has won \JBulgaria\j's parliamentary elections. \I(Bulgaria)\i
A schism takes place in the British Conservative Party over the issue of Europe in the lead-up to the May general election. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Germany's Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, urges \JIran\j to retain diplomatic links with \JGermany\j. \I(Germany, Iran)\i
In \JItaly\j, police tighten security around Pope John Paul II's papal audience after it is speculated that the Pope could be a target for Islamic terrorists. \I(Italy)\i
#
"April 21, 1997",474,0,0,0
Cambodia's First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, accuses his co-premier, Mr Hun Sen, of involvement in the March grenade attack on an opposition rally. \I(Cambodia)\i
Chinese victims of the 1937-1945 Sino-Japanese war intend to sue the Japanese Government for compensation for \JJapan\j's germ warfare. \I(Japan, China)\i
It is revealed that the new Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, plans to continue with the policy of economic reforms started by the previous governments. \I(India)\i
Soldiers from \JMyanmar\j and rebels clash, killing 23 people. It is thought that they were looking for the treasure of former opium warlord, Khun Sa. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Fighting erupts between \JPhilippines\j security troops and Muslim guerrillas just days before scheduled peace talks. \I(Philippines)\i
China and Vietnam agree to rush talks focusing on land and sea borders. \I(China, Vietnam)\i
Hong Kong's new Tsing-Ma bridge is attacked by vandals just a week before the official opening by former British prime minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The first Chinese People's Liberation Army troops arrive in Hong Kong in preparation for the July hand-over of the territory to China. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, Pakistani batsman Ijaz Ahmed scores a century in the first test against \JSri Lanka\j. \I(\JSri Lanka\j, Pakistan)\i
Australia tops the medal list in the world shortcourse swimming championships at \JGothenburg\j, Sweden. \I(Australia, Sweden)\i
Australian golfer, Karrie Webb, wins the inaugural Susan G. Komen International held in South Carolina, USA; another win for her in the US LPGA Tour. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
It is thought that the wreckage of the missing US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt jet has been spotted in a snow covered area of the Rocky Mountains, however, bad \Jweather\j delays the search. As yet, it is not known what happened to the pilot. \I(USA)\i
A fire breaks out in Grand Forks, North Dakota, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. The area has already suffered major flooding. \I(USA)\i
Australian golfer, Karrie Webb, wins the inaugural Susan G. Komen International held in South Carolina, USA; another win for her in the US LPGA Tour. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says that \JIran\j has not been definitely connected to the 1996 bombing of US military quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Israel, prosecutors decide not to charge the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, with corruption due to a lack of evidence. Members of the opposition appeal to the High Court to reverse the decision. \I(Israel)\i
The American Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says that \JIran\j has not been definitely connected to the 1996 bombing of US military quarters in Saudi \JArabia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
Israeli jets attack guerrilla targets in South \JLebanon\j after two Israeli soldiers died in bomb explosions. \I(Israel, South Lebanon)\i
Australia tops the medal list in the world shortcourse swimming championships at \JGothenburg\j, Sweden. \I(Australia, Sweden)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, commences the process to call an early parliamentary election by dissolving the National Assembly. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
In the UK, sections of Heathrow and Gatwick airports as well as five London railway stations are closed after police received a number of threatening \Jtelephone\j calls. It may be part of the IRA's terrorist campaign in the lead-up to the UK general elections. \I(UK)\i
Gerry Adams, the leader of the political wing of the IRA, Sinn Fein, says his Party is willing to participate in peace talks after the May election. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Europe looks likely to suffer a major \Jdrought\j this coming summer after record low rates of rainfall. \I(Europe)\i
Gennady Zyuganov is re-elected as the Russian Communist leader. \I(Russia)\i
Uday Hussein, the eldest son of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, undergoes further surgery to remove a bullet from his spine. \I(Iraq)\i
The Government of Zaire announces that it will continue to fight against rebels and vows to continue to defend the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"April 22, 1997",475,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan is apparently attempting to get more recognition for \JAustralia\j within Asia, including membership of ASEM (the Asia Europe Meeting). \I(Japan, Australia)\i
The Party of controversial independent Australian politician, Pauline Hanson, releases a publication that claims Aboriginal Australians were once cannibals. \I(Australia)\i
China cautions the American Administration to treat the Tibetan Dalai Lama with care and not allow him to meet leading Government officials during his visit. \I(China, \JTibet\j, USA)\i
Fighting between Muslim rebels and \JPhilippines\j security soldiers leaves 31 people dead. \I(Philippines)\i
New Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, wins a vote of confidence in parliament. \I(India)\i
Hwang Jang-yop, the North Korean defector, claims that North Korea has the power to destroy South Korea using its store of nuclear and chemical armaments. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Indonesia refuses to accept the United Nations resolution that disapproved of the East \JTimor\j human rights record. \I(Indonesia)\i
In Hong Kong, \Jimmigration\j authorities step up their campaign to stop illegal immigrants from settling in the territory. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The American Administration approves of a proposal to ban all new American investment in \JMyanmar\j due to the human rights record of the military junta there. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Two Indonesian labor leaders are given jail sentences ranging from four to six years for their involvement in a 1996 strike in \JSurabaya\j. \I(Indonesia)\i
South Korea and the USA do not manage to convince North Korea to participate in peace talks. \I(South Korea, USA, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the US at the Oklahoma bombing trial, jurors continue to be questioned. The final jury is due to be selected shortly. \I(USA)\i
South Korea and the USA do not manage to convince North Korea to participate in peace talks. \I(South Korea, USA, North Korea)\i
Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, claims that there is sufficient evidence to show that investigations into the Whitewater case have been hampered. \I(USA)\i
Trinidad and Tobago are hit by earthquakes, measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale. \I(Trinidad and Tobago)\i
The Peruvian hostage crisis, which lasted over four months, ends when troops storm the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima. Among the casualties were one hostage, two Peruvian soldiers, and 14 Tupac Amaru Movement rebels. \I(Peru)\i
China cautions the American Administration to treat the Tibetan Dalai Lama with care and not allow him to meet leading Government officials during his visit. \I(China, \JTibet\j, USA)\i
The American Administration approves of a proposal to ban all new American investment in \JMyanmar\j due to the human rights record of the military junta there. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Romania's foreign minister, Adrian Severin, meets with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, in an effort to gain admission to \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Romania)\i
Iraq contravenes the US "no-fly zone" by sending helicopters to the Saudi \JArabia\j border to collect Muslim pilgrims. \I(Iraq, USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
Reforms continue in the United Nations. It is believed that managerial restructuring could save the United Nations $US100 million. \I(USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, visits the disaster-struck town of Grand Forks, North Dakota. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Irish Republican Army continues to wage a terrorist campaign in mainland Britain in the lead-up to the May general election. The latest incident involved bomb hoaxes which paralyzed London's airports, railways, underground, and an English Channel ferry port. \I(UK)\i
In Zaire, rebels advance towards the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \JFrance\j withdraws its support of President Mobutu's Government and suggests a transitional government might help to end the \Jcivil war\j. \I(Zaire, France)\i
Iraq contravenes the US "no-fly zone" by sending helicopters to the Saudi \JArabia\j border to collect Muslim pilgrims. \I(Iraq, USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
Romania's foreign minister, Adrian Severin, meets with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, in an effort to gain admission to \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Romania)\i
Jacques Santer, the President of the European Commission, criticizes British cynics who oppose British \Jintegration\j in Europe. Mr Santer's comments are condemned both by Prime Minister, John Major, and leader of the opposition, Tony Blair. \I(UK)\i
It is hoped that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will focus on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process after surviving the political crisis. It was decided not to indict Mr Netanyahu for corruption. Mr Netanyahu vows to establish a screening process for all senior appointments in the future. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli troops fire at Palestinians who were throwing stones in the West Bank. It is thought that five Palestinians were injured. \I(Israel, West Bank, Palestine)\i
Almost 93 people are murdered by Muslim militants in the Algerian village of Haouch Boughlef-Khemisti in the Bougara district. \I(Algeria)\i
The United Nations asks Zairian rebels to allow humanitarian workers to enter the refugee camps. \I(Zaire)\i
Herbert Zipper, who established a secret orchestra in the Dachau \Jconcentration camp\j in the 1940s, dies at the age of 92. \I(\JAustria\j)\i
In the UK a sword, helmet, ceremonial bowl, and the remains of an \JAnglo-Saxon\j king, which are thought to date back to the seventh century, are discovered. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 23, 1997",476,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Former Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan, who was forced to step aside because of the mercenary affair, says that is no real grounds to prevent him from taking up office again. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Indonesian labor activist, Dita Indah Sari, is given a jail sentence of six years for "sowing public hatred" against President Soeharto's Government. \I(Indonesia)\i
An Indonesian soldier is given the death sentence for his role in a massacre in Irian Jaya in 1996. Australian and \JNew Zealand\j diplomats pressured the Indonesian Government for an outcome to the case, after an Australian pilot was killed in the massacre. \I(Indonesia, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Fighting between triads erupts in the island of Macau, leaving one person dead and 11 others wounded. \I(Macau)\i
Australia decides not to join forces with the US in implementing economic sanctions on \JMyanmar\j. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
During the Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to \JRussia\j, attempts are made to strengthen relations between \JRussia\j and China. \I(Russia, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
More details of the end to the Lima hostage crisis emerge. It is reported that the Peruvian military had planted explosives below the area that the rebels had turned into an indoor \Jsoccer\j field. All the rooms in the Japanese ambassador's residence had been wired. The Tupac Amaru Movement vows it will launch a campaign of retaliation. \I(Peru)\i
Australia decides not to join forces with the US in implementing economic sanctions on \JMyanmar\j. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
Thousands are forced to leave their homes in the Canadian province of \JManitoba\j after the area is hit by severe flooding. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In South Africa the white rightist leader, Eugene Terre'Blanche, is found guilty of attempting to murder a black employee and attacking another person. \I(South Africa)\i
During the Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to \JRussia\j, attempts are made to strengthen relations between \JRussia\j and China. \I(Russia, China)\i
In the lead-up to the British general election, a poll printed by the newspaper, \IThe Guardian,\i shows that the Labor Party's lead over the Conservatives has fallen from 14 percentage points to just five. \I(UK)\i
Ben Dunne, the former chief executive of one of Ireland's main department stores, admits that he gave former Prime Minister, Charles Haughey, $AUS410,000. \I(Ireland)\i
#
"April 24, 1997",477,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian tennis player, Mark Philippoussis, beats American Jim Courier by 7-5, 7-5 in the Monte Carlo Open. \I(Australia, USA, Monte Carlo)\i
The political crisis in \JCambodia\j deteriorates as the Second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen, warns that he will kill three members of the royalist Funcinpec party if Funcinpec soldiers attack the Cambodian People's Party troops. \I(Cambodia)\i
During the mercenary inquiry in Papua New Guinea, it is revealed that \JAustralia\j agreed to send ships to monitor the situation in the islands if the Government dropped its proposals to use foreign mercenaries. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
China and North Korea will be topics high on the agenda of talks between Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, and American President, Bill Clinton, during their meeting today in Washington. \I(Japan, USA, China, North Korea)\i
An agreement to cut the number of military personnel along the Soviet-Chinese border is signed by the presidents of \JRussia\j, China, \JKazakhstan\j, Tajikistan, and \JKyrgyzstan\j.
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has an informal meeting with US President, Bill Clinton, during his visit to Washington. To avoid upsetting diplomatic relations with China, no formal talks were organized. \I(USA, \JTibet\j, China)\i
It is now believed that hundreds of Indian haj pilgrims, who died in the fire at Mecca, could have escaped if Saudi authorities had not locked them in their compound; the Saudis took this action to prevent a stampede. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, India)\i
Shoko Asahara, the leader of the Japanese Aum Shinri Kyo \Jcult\j, tells a court that he ordered his members not to attack a Toyko underground station with poison gas but they ignored his instructions. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The trial of alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, commences in \JDenver\j, USA. \I(USA)\i
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has an informal meeting with US President, Bill Clinton, during his visit to Washington. To avoid upsetting diplomatic relations with China, no formal talks were organized. \I(USA, \JTibet\j, China)\i
Pieces of the A-10 Thunderbolt Air Force jet, which went missing a few weeks ago, have been positively identified. \I(USA)\i
Australian tennis player, Mark Philippoussis, beats American Jim Courier by 7-5, 7-5 in the Monte Carlo Open. \I(Australia, USA, Monte Carlo)\i
New Zealand authorities are upset by the attempt of a leading Chinese scientist to smuggle cuttings of a new type of apple tree out of Auckland. New Zealand formally protests to the Chinese Government. \I(New Zealand, China)\i
China and North Korea will be topics high on the agenda of talks between Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, and American President, Bill Clinton, during their meeting today in Washington. \I(Japan, USA, China, North Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the village of Omaria in the region of Medea in \JAlgeria\j, another 42 people are savagely murdered by Muslim rebels. \I(Algeria)\i
It is now believed that hundreds of Indian haj pilgrims, who died in the fire at Mecca, could have escaped if Saudi authorities had not locked them in their compound; the Saudis took this action to prevent a stampede. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, India)\i
The British football team Manchester United loses 1-0 to Borussia \JDortmund\j in the European Cup competition. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
The Spanish Open golf competition commences in Madrid. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
The controversial issue of German soldiers who deserted during the Second World War is finally solved. It is decided to clear their names. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Zairian rebels occupy the town of Ilebo which is en route to the capital, \JKinshasa\j-an important victory for the rebel forces. \I(Zaire)\i
Australian tennis player, Mark Philippoussis, beats American Jim Courier by 7-5, 7-5 in the Monte Carlo Open. \I(Australia, USA, Monte Carlo)\i
John Major, the British Prime Minister, makes a personal appeal to the British electors, asking them to ignore his Party's antics. \I(UK)\i
An agreement to cut the number of military personnel along the Soviet-Chinese border is signed by the presidents of \JRussia\j, China, \JKazakhstan\j, Tajikistan, and \JKyrgyzstan\j.
Thousands of Indonesian workers, who work for the American sports shoe manufacturer, Nike, walk off the job for the second \Jday\j in a row demanding better wages and conditions. \I(Indonesia)\i
The leaders of \JCambodia\j's military and police instruct their forces to remain apolitical in the dispute between the First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and the Second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia)\i
It is reported that thousands of starving North Koreans are flooding to cities on the Chinese border looking for food. \I(North Korea, China)\i
In the Papua New Guinean inquiry into the mercenary affair, the Defense Minister, Mathias Ijape, says that the mercenaries should be used after the June elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Sri Lanka plans to ask the United National cultural authority, \JUNESCO\j, to attempt to halt the proposed destruction by Afghan Talibaan guerrillas of the world's tallest \JBuddha\j. \I(Sri Lanka, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At the crash site of the US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt jet, human remains are discovered. \I(USA)\i
The human rights organization, Amnesty International, announces that it will hold an inquiry into the deaths of the 14 Marxist guerrillas who died during the Lima hostage crisis. Peruvian authorities deny that they were executed. \I(Peru)\i
An American Air Force truck, which was transporting four guided missiles in Washington, goes missing. \I(USA)\i
Mexico's Government announces that it intends to reorganize its anti-drug operations. This is viewed as an effort to distance the Government from corruption and drug cartels. \I(Mexico)\i
American astronomers claim that they have found a new \Jplanet\j, about the size of Jupiter, orbiting a nearby star, Rho Coronae Borealis. \I(USA)\i
In the investigation into the murder of six-year-old American beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey, the analysis of a palm print found on the back of the ransom note may lead authorities to the murderer. \I(USA)\i
Canadian world champion Formula One driver, Jacques Villeneuve, warns that he will resign from Formula One driving if new rules to make the sport safer are implemented. \I(Canada)\i
American Golf Masters champion, Tiger Woods, accepts an apology by golfer, Fuzzy Zoeller, for comments Zoeller made after the tournament in Augusta. Many people found his comments offensive. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British police tighten security measures in the lead-up to the 1 May general election following increasing threats from the IRA. \I(UK)\i
Two explosions occur on major British highways, allegedly planned by the IRA as part of a terrorist campaign in mainland Britain. \I(UK)\i
Over 100,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees are missing. It is thought that local Zairian villagers attacked the refugee camps and forced the refugees to leave. \I(Zaire)\i
Eugene Terre'Blanche, the leader of the South African Resistance Movement, awaits his sentence for the attempted murder and beating of two men. \I(South Africa)\i
At the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, General Magnus Malan, the former security chief during \Japartheid\j, upholds the methods used by his forces to implement \Japartheid\j. \I(South Africa)\i
Thousands of people turn out for the visit of exiled \JAlbanian\j King Leka during his visit to the port of Vlore. \I(Albania)\i
General Momcilo Perisic, the Yugoslav army chief of staff, is given a jail sentence of 20 years for his role in war crimes. \I(\JCroatia\j)\i
#
"April 26, 1997",479,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Employees from the Nike sports shoe factories in \JIndonesia\j protest against low wages. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations General Assembly prepares to approve a resolution that insists on the end to Israeli construction on the site of Har Homa and an end to the expansion of Jewish settlements. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The US Senate supports an international treaty that bans chemical weapons. The Senate's backing is seen as a major coup for President Clinton. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian newspapers and former hostages claim that some of the Tupac Amaru rebels were executed despite surrendering to Peruvian soldiers. Authorities continue to deny these reports. \I(Peru)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale hits southern \JCalifornia\j. There were no reports of damage or injuries. \I(USA)\i
Human remains are discovered among the wreckage of the A-10 US Air Force jet that went missing some weeks ago. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations General Assembly prepares to approve a resolution that insists on the end to Israeli construction on the site of Har Homa and an end to the expansion of Jewish settlements. \I(USA, Israel)\i
It is revealed that the British Conservative Party has received donations from an international organization of Muslim mosques. \I(UK)\i
An alleged IRA terrorist is arrested 14 years after his escape from the Maze prison. He faces \Jextradition\j to the UK. \I(UK)\i
The exchanges between British Prime Minister, John Major, and Opposition leader, Tony Blair, become more vicious and personal in the lead-up to the 1 May general election. \I(UK)\i
Hopes for formal talks between Zairian rebels and the Government dissipate. It is rumored that the country's leaders are preparing to abandon Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
The prospects of Zairian opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, look bleak, as the rebels advance towards the capital, \JKinshasa\j, and peace talks are once again rescheduled. \I(Zaire)\i
Iran ends the largest war games exercise ever organized by its army. \I(Iran)\i
#
"April 27, 1997",480,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, arrives for trade talks with Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. \I(Japan, Australia)\i
At the commencement of the Indonesian election campaign, thousands of people march through the streets of Jakarta, showing their support for the various parties. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, leaves the US after agreeing to corporate with the US on issues such as the environment. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Sam Rainsy, the leader of \JCambodia\j's Khmer National party, claims that the country is on the brink of \Jcivil war\j unless its receives some international aid. \I(Cambodia)\i
Police in the \JPhilippines\j are examining the charred remains of the hotel in the south of the country in which 24 people were killed. They are considering the theory that an arsonist may have been involved. \I(Philippines)\i
Peng Zhen, a victim of Mao Tse-tung's purges, dies at the age of 95. \I(China)\i
The new Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, promises to assist hundreds of Hindu refugees to return to their homes in the Kashmir valley. They were forced to leave because of the rise of Muslim insurgency some years ago. \I(India)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, Tamil Tiger separatists attack an army patrol, killing 28 people. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Indonesian workers at Nike, the American sports shoe manufacturer, win a 10.7 per cent pay rise after days of fairly violent protests. \I(USA)\i
A North Korean fisherman defects to South Korea. He managed to cross a heavily guarded border area. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Australian golfer, Greg Norman, leads in the Spanish Open Golf championship. \I(Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
Despite American pressure to halt \JMyanmar\j's application for membership of ASEAN, many South-East Asian countries still consider it. \JMalaysia\j and other countries are annoyed by the American interference. \I(Malaysia, USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Three Uighur student activists are executed after being charged with participating in riots in the region of Xinjiang earlier this year. \I(China)\i
Thousands of Japanese people help to clean up beaches which were polluted when a Russian tanker broke in two pieces in January. \I(Japan, Russia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, leaves the US after agreeing to cooperate with the US on issues such as the environment. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Despite American pressure to halt \JMyanmar\j's application for membership of ASEAN, many South-East Asian countries still consider it. \JMalaysia\j and other countries are annoyed by the American interference. \I(Malaysia, USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, Michael Kennedy, is accused of conducting an illicit affair with his children's baby-sitter. It appears to be yet another scandal for the Kennedy family. \I(USA)\i
The flooding in the \JManitoba\j region forces thousands to leave their homes and is responsible for the deaths of three others. The Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, promises federal aid to the area. \I(Canada)\i
A US$100,000 reward is offered for information leading to the killer of six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey. \I(USA)\i
The truck transporting four US Air Force dummy bombs is discovered, after the driver, who ran into financial problems, abandoned it. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of Rwandans are forced to flee refugee camps after Zairian villagers and rebels attack them. \I(Zaire)\i
The IRA claims responsibility for the bomb that exploded near a motorway in Birmingham. The IRA continues to wage a terrorist campaign in the lead-up to the general election on 1 May. \I(UK)\i
Mr Erbakan, the Turkish Prime Minister, promises to stop the spread of \JIslam\j within Turkey's schools. The military have being pressurizing the Government to stop the spread of \JIslam\j into secular affairs. \I(Turkey)\i
Winnie Mandela is re-elected as leader of the African National Congress women's league. \I(South Africa)\i
The \JUkraine\j asks for international assistance to deal with the consequences of the \JChernobyl\j nuclear disaster. Eleven years have passed since the accident but the region continues to suffer from the effects of the radiation. \I(Ukraine)\i
Australian golfer, Greg Norman, leads in the Spanish Open Golf championship. \I(Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
Only days prior to the UK's general election, polls show that the Labour Party is leading by 15 to 24 percentage points over the Conservative Party. \I(UK)\i
Thousands of Japanese people help to clean up beaches that were polluted when a Russian tanker broke in two pieces in January. \I(Japan, Russia)\i
#
"April 28, 1997",481,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Five pro-democracy activists, including the leader of the People's Democratic Party, are given severe jail sentences ranging from seven to thirteen years for subversion. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Authorities in India are preparing to prosecute members of the governing coalition, including the leader of the United Front-they are accused of corruption. Such a scandal will place the Government of the new Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, into a crisis. \I(India)\i
China gives its approval to the international Chemical Weapons Convention. \I(China)\i
Two Japanese men land on the disputed Diaoyu islands. It is against Government policy to land on the islands that are also claimed by \JTaiwan\j. \I(Japan, Taiwan)\i
China launches a campaign to cut \Jilliteracy\j among women; women make up to 70 per cent of the country's illiterates. \I(China)\i
Lim Guan-eng, the leader of the Malaysian Democratic Action Party, is found guilty of sedition and risks losing his political seat. \I(Malaysia)\i
The Japanese ambassador to \JPeru\j, Ambassador Morihisa Aoki, returns home to \JJapan\j after his hostage ordeal. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
Human rights organizations declare that China's restructuring of its legal code has given authorities more power to halt dissent. \I(China)\i
British golfer, Mark James, wins the Spanish Open beating \JAustralia\j's Greg Norman in a playoff at La Moraleja II. \I(UK, \JSpain\j, Australia)\i
The American Administration is seriously considering requests by the United Nations World Food Program to supply food to North Korea which is facing a severe \Jfamine\j. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
In an attempt to avoid fighting between Afghan Talibaan militia and opposition forces, thousands of people seek refuge in the capital, Kabul. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Australians remember the 35 people who lost their lives in the Port Arthur massacre a year ago. It is revealed that the killer, Martin Bryant, has tried for the third time to take his own life. \I(Australia)\i
The European Union announces that its sanctions on \JMyanmar\j will be extended for another six months. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reaches an agreement with China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, which allows US ships to visit Hong Kong port after the July hand-over. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister of Canada, calls a national election. \I(Canada)\i
American astronomers believe that they have discovered an "annihilation fountain" spurting up from the center of the \JMilky Way\j galaxy. \I(USA)\i
The American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reaches an agreement with China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, which allows US ships to visit Hong Kong port after the July hand-over. \I(USA, China)\i
Former Lima hostages talk about their Tupac Amaru captors, describing them as naive and uneducated youths led by four guerrilla leaders. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
The Japanese ambassador to \JPeru\j, Ambassador Morihisa Aoki, returns home to \JJapan\j after his hostage ordeal. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, it is claimed that he had an envelope full of anti-government material when he was arrested. \I(USA)\i
Members of a separatist group, who want independence for \JTexas\j, occupy a Davis Mountain property. The group released two hostages in exchange for a jailed group member. \I(USA)\i
The American Administration is seriously considering requests by the United Nations World Food Program to supply food to North Korea which is facing a severe \Jfamine\j. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
One of the killers of American student Amy Biehl, who was murdered in South Africa in 1993, applies for an amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
It is reported that Peruvian police have arrested the wives of two Tupac Amaru rebels who are currently serving jail sentences. Peruvian authorities continue to deny reports that rebels were executed and families were not permitted to view the bodies. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
International aid workers find thousands of missing Rwandan Hutu refugees south of \JKisangani\j. The rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, asks for an apology from the United Nations World Food Program which had accused the rebels of murder. Though refugees claim that thousands were slaughtered by a rebel-backed attack in a camp south of \JKisangani\j. \I(Zaire)\i
Zairian rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, gives the United Nations a deadline of 60 days to repatriate the thousands of Rwandan refugees. \I(Zaire)\i
Yemen holds its first general election since 1994. Sixteen people are believed to have died when violence erupted at polling stations. \I(Yemen)\i
One of the killers of American student Amy Biehl, who was murdered in South Africa in 1993, applies for an amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
European ambassadors to \JIran\j continue to return to their posts in Tehran despite being removed after the German court's decision in the Mykonos affair. \I(Europe)\i
In the West Bank town of \JHebron\j, Israeli troops open fire, killing one Palestinian man. The soldiers were there to conduct an inquiry into the deaths of two Jewish women in the West Bank. \I(West Bank, Palestine, Israel)\i
British golfer, Mark James, wins the Spanish Open beating \JAustralia\j's Greg Norman in a playoff at La Moraleja II. \I(UK, \JSpain\j, Australia)\i
Thousands of Iraqis celebrate the sixtieth birthday of President Saddam Hussein. \I(Iraq)\i
The British Prime Minister, John Major, and opposition Labour leader, Tony Blair, attempt to win over swaying voters in the last few frantic days prior to the general election. Polls continue to predict that it will be a major victory for the Labour Party. \I(UK)\i
Alain Juppe, the French Prime Minister, fears that his political future is in doubt, as criticism of his leadership grows. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
A boat loaded with over 570 \JAlbanian\j refugees arrives at the Italian port of Barletta; the boat was originally designed to transport 30 people only. \I(Albania, \JItaly\j)\i
The European Union announces that its sanctions on \JMyanmar\j will be extended for another six months. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe)\i
#
"April 29, 1997",482,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the Indonesian town of Pekalongan, thousands of Muslims demonstrate against President Soeharto's Government. The demonstration forced the closure of many businesses. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesian police and soldiers prevent thousands of supporters of a minority Muslim party from demonstrating in Jakarta. \I(Indonesia)\i
John Giheno, the acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, claims that \JAustralia\j is meddling with Papua New Guinean affairs and has caused stress in relations between the two countries. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
A \JSingapore\j court decides to remove remarks from its records made by Senior Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, about the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru. His comments damaged \JSingapore\j-Malaysian relations. \I(\JSingapore\j, Malaysia)\i
The United Nations World Food Program calls for international assistance for North Korea. The United Nations claims that a disaster of major proportions is waiting to happen in North Korea. \I(North Korea)\i
In an effort to strengthen security and defense ties between \JAustralia\j and \JJapan\j, the Australian Minister of Defense, Mr McLachlan, will conduct official talks in \JJapan\j. \I(Australia, Japan)\i
In a meeting between American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, China's human rights record is again a main issue on the agenda. Ms Albright is highly critical of China on a number of matters. \I(USA, China)\i
After international protests, the Afghan Talibaan militia drops its intentions to demolish two world famous statues of \JBuddha\j. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Indian Prime Minister, Mr Gujral's new ruling coalition gets the backing of former finance minister Mr P. Chidambaram's regional party. \I(India)\i
Authorities in South Korean are intending to arrest the son of President Kim Young-sam, Kim Hyun-chul but not in connection with the Hanbo loans scandal. \I(South Korea)\i
Japan gives a donation of $AUS14.7 million to \JPeru\j to assist with upgrading hospitals and extending its electricity supplies. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
A railway crash occurs in central China on the \JGuangzhou\j-\JBeijing\j line, killing 90 people and injuring hundreds of others. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Thousands of Canadian troops are sent to the city of \JWinnipeg\j, which is affected by severe flooding; almost 20,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. \I(Canada)\i
Japan gives a donation of $AUS14.7 million to \JPeru\j to assist with upgrading hospitals and extending its electricity supplies. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
It is announced that there are likely to be huge job cuts in US military personnel so that the Pentagon can purchase new hi-tech jet fighters. \I(USA)\i
DNA tests show that the human remains found in the \JColorado\j mountains were those of the pilot of the American Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt jet which went missing. However, the Air Force have yet to find the cargo of four bombs. \I(USA)\i
Bill Richardson, a leading US diplomat, arrives in Zaire for discussions with President Mobutu. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
In a meeting between American \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, China's human rights record is again a main issue on the agenda. Ms Albright is highly critical of China on a number of matters. \I(USA, China)\i
O. J. Simpson's request for a new trial is denied. It is judged that the damages of $US33.5 million awarded to the estate of his ex-wife and her friend Ron Goldman's family are fair. \I(USA)\i
American golfer, Fuzzy Zoeller, is again in hot \Jwater\j over his comments about Tiger Woods winning the Masters Golf Competition. Zoeller did apologize to Woods, saying that his comments were meant as a joke. \I(USA)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, invites the Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, to Washington for talks about the precarious \JMiddle East\j peace process. The invitation to Mr Levy is seen as the US bypassing the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(USA, Israel)\i
American Nobel Prize winner, Dr Daniel Gajdusek, is given a jail sentence of 18 months for sexually abusing a young boy. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Conservative Party continues to lose support, even from traditional supporters such as the newspapers \IThe Times\i and \IThe Financial Times.\i \I(UK)\i
In mainland Britain, the IRA continues to wage a terrorist campaign. Major roads and London's main airports are forced to close due to bomb threats, causing major havoc in the country in the lead-up to the general election. \I(UK)\i
Bill Richardson, a leading US diplomat, arrives in Zaire for discussions with President Mobutu. He has arranged for President Mobutu to meet the rebel leader, Laurent Kabila. \I(USA, Zaire)\i
The international community is concerned about the plight of thousands of Rwandan refugees. It is reported that Zairian rebels kidnapped 50 Rwandan refugees from a children's \Jhospital\j. Rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, continues to deny reports that rebels are harming refugees. \I(Zaire)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, invites the Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, to Washington for talks about the precarious \JMiddle East\j peace process. The invitation to Mr Levy is seen as the US bypassing the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, announces that the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be reopened after a four-year closure. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
In Southern \JRussia\j, a bomb explodes, killing one person and injuring 17 others. \I(Russia)\i
Zlatko Aleksovski, a former commander of a detention camp in Bosnia, is extradited to The Hague to face war crime charges by the International Criminal Tribunal. \I(\JCroatia\j, Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
British anti-drug force discovers nearly 250 kg of heroin-the biggest drug haul in recent years. \I(UK)\i
In northwest \JRwanda\j, a gunman kills 17 school girls and their headmistress. \I(Rwanda)\i
British golfer, John Daly, loses his $US10 million sponsorship deal with Wilson sports organization after his drunken behavior at The Players Championship. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 30, 1997",483,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, assures pro-democracy supporters that they will be able to air their opinions freely under Chinese rule. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Calls are made for the resignation of Laloo Prasad Yadav, one of the leaders of India's ruling coalition, for his participation in a corruption scandal. \I(India)\i
Former Indian Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, is to return to his position in the new Government of Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. \I(India)\i
In a South African court, suspected Australian pedophile, Philip Bell, loses his appeal against \Jextradition\j to \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
Hutomo Mandala Putra, the youngest son of Indonesian President Soeharto, marries Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani Suryobandoro. \I(Indonesia)\i
A nuclear power station in \JJapan\j is forced to shut down after a radiation leak. \I(Japan)\i
The leading South Korean opposition party accuses President Kim Young-sam of taking money from the collapsed Hanbo Group to finance his election campaign. \I(South Korea)\i
A Chinese official arrested in connection with the Tiananmen massacre in 1989, Bao Tong, is allowed to return home after seven years in jail. \I(China)\i
It is thought that thousands of illegal Chinese immigrants are arriving in Hong Kong each week. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American newspaper columnist, Mike Royko, dies at the age of 64 in \JChicago\j. \I(USA)\i
American boxing champion, Mike Tyson marries for a second time. \I(USA)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, a witness gives an account of McVeigh informing her of his intentions to plant a bomb in the \JOklahoma City\j Federal building. \I(USA)\i
The Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, is to be extradited to Jordan from the US. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is announced that the Russian Government is to sell off the telecommunication organization, Svyazinvest, in an effort to raise revenue. \I(Russia)\i
It is predicted that the British Labour Party will win the UK general election by a large majority. \I(UK)\i
The Hamas leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, is to be extradited to Jordan from the US. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
Relations between \JRussia\j and \JChechnya\j deteriorate as the Russian Interior Minister, General Anatoly Kulikov, accuses \JChechnya\j of acts of \Jterrorism\j. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
British Prime Minister, John Major, and Labour opposition leader, Tony Blair, make last-ditch efforts to sway undecided voters prior to the general election. \I(UK)\i
Israeli soldiers kill a Palestinian man at a roadblock. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
An attempted assassination attack on Tajikistan's President, Imomali Rakhmonov, fails. \I(Tajikistan)\i
It is revealed by British financial analyst, Paul Hodges, that insurance companies may have to pay out $US300 billion in compensation for deaths related to \Jtobacco\j. \I(UK)\i
In a South African court, suspected Australian pedophile, Philip Bell, loses his appeal against \Jextradition\j to \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
Twenty-two people die after an explosion occurs at a weapons store in the town of Burrel, \JAlbania\j. \I(Albania)\i
The proposed talks between Zairian President Mobutu and rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, look less likely, as controversy surrounds the venue for the discussions. \I(Zaire)\i
Rwandan refugees accuse Zairian rebels of murder and attacks on refugee camps. These accounts are contrary to rebel leader Laurent Kabila's denials of any rebel involvement in attacks on refugees. \I(Zaire)\i
Benjamin Netanyahu says that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is still alive and going strong, despite rumors that it is almost dead. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"May 1, 1997",484,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The \JPhilippines\j criticizes the decision of the United States and the European Union to impose economic sanctions against \JMyanmar\j. The \JPhilippines\j disagrees that sanctions will assist in the introduction of democracy to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Philippines, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, Europe)\i
The \JPhilippines\j and \JSingapore\j supports \JAustralia\j's admission to ASEM (the Asia-Europe Meeting), despite the Malaysian opposition. \I(Philippines, \JSingapore\j, Malaysia)\i
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, is trying to arrange discussions between \JIndonesia\j and \JPortugal\j in an effort to solve the East \JTimor\j problem. \I(Indonesia, Portugal)\i
Helmut Kohl, the German Chancellor, arrives in \JAustralia\j as part of an 11-\Jday\j visit to Asia. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, Asia)\i
Australia deports murderer, Archie "Mad Dog" McCafferty, back to Scotland after serving 23 years in an Australian jail. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, attacks the policies of anti-\Jimmigration\j MP, Pauline Hanson, and her One Nation Party. \I(Australia)\i
Newt Gingrich, the US \JHouse of Representatives\j Speaker, declares that the US's trade relationship with China will depend on China's deals with Hong Kong. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
Japanese authorities blame North Korea for the alleged kidnapping of ten Japanese people. \JJapan\j is unwilling to give any humanitarian aid to North Korea. \I(Japan, North Korea)\i
Japan's ambassador to \JPeru\j, Morihisa Aoki, reveals that he firmly backed \JPeru\j's decision to use force to end the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JPhilippines\j criticizes the decision of the United States and the European Union to impose economic sanctions against \JMyanmar\j. The \JPhilippines\j disagrees that sanctions will assist in the introduction of democracy to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Philippines, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, Europe)\i
Newt Gingrich, the US \JHouse of Representatives\j Speaker, declares that the US's trade relationship with China will depend on China's deals with Hong Kong. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
The Mexican Government announces the establishment of a new anti-drugs force. The move was welcomed by American President, Bill Clinton. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
The parents of murdered six-year-old beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey, claim that they are innocent and appeal for help in tracking down the killer. \I(USA)\i
Japan's ambassador to \JPeru\j, Morihisa Aoki, reveals that he firmly backed \JPeru\j's decision to use force to end the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
The Peruvian Government lays charges against 19 police officers, accusing them of slack security measures that led to the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British general election is held. It is predicted that the Labour party will win by a large majority. \I(UK)\i
The \JPhilippines\j criticizes the decision of the United States and the European Union to impose economic sanctions against \JMyanmar\j. The \JPhilippines\j disagrees that sanctions will assist in the introduction of democracy to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Philippines, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, Europe)\i
During a May Day celebration, thousands of communists march in Moscow's \JRed Square\j, protesting against President Yeltsin and his Government. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of the French National Front party, says that he will not stand in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
In the World Cup football competition, the English team beats Georgia by 2-0. This fortified England's second place in Group 2. \I(UK, Georgia)\i
Australia deports murderer, Archie "Mad Dog" McCafferty, back to Scotland after serving 23 years in an Australian jail. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Zairian rebels claim that President Mobutu is ready to discuss the terms of his resignation and handover of power. Mr Mobutu has consented to meet rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, on a South African naval ship. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, is trying to arrange discussions between \JIndonesia\j and \JPortugal\j in an effort to solve the East \JTimor\j problem. \I(Indonesia, Portugal)\i
Near \JAntarctica\j, French and British naval ships prevent fishermen from poaching toothfish, a practice which is increasingly becoming prevalent in the area. \I(Antarctica, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
It is announced that the Swiss Banking Association will disclose the names on bank accounts dating back to the time of the Nazi \Jholocaust\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Authorities in Israel arrest seven people in connection with a major international drug cartel. \I(Israel)\i
A small remaining section of the Berlin Wall is to be left intact due to its historical significance. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Helmut Kohl, the German Chancellor, arrives in \JAustralia\j as part of an 11-\Jday\j visit to Asia. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, Asia)\i
#
"May 2, 1997",485,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The government of new Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, faces major political problems as police decide to charge the president of his Indian People's Party, Laloo Prasad Yadav, with corruption. Mr Yadav is refusing to resign despite calls from the opposition to do so. \I(India)\i
Efforts are made to quell rumors that Indonesian President Soeharto is about to remarry. \I(Indonesia)\i
Australia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Butler, is named as Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM). UNSCOM is in charge of Iraqi disarmament. \I(Australia, Iraq)\i
In Pekalongan, central Java, rioting erupts between supporters of the Government and the opposition Muslim-led United Development Party. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Japan orders a Chinese exploration ship to leave waters off the island of \JOkinawa\j because it was breaching territorial waters. \I(China, Japan)\i
Alvaro de Soto, the United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, visits \JCambodia\j in an attempt to assess the deteriorating political situation. \I(Cambodia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the American sitcom, \IEllen,\i history is made as the main character, Ellen, acknowledges that she is a lesbian. \I(USA)\i
In \JTexas\j, separatists who have been involved in a five-\Jday\j siege in Davis Mountains are given a deadline by police to surrender or face their compound being forcibly occupied. \I(USA)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, a gun dealer gives an account of McVeigh asking him for a \Jdetonator\j for a bomb. \I(USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, unveils a statue dedicated to former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. \I(USA)\i
The level of the Red River in \JWinnipeg\j, Canada continues to rise; it is the worst flooding since 1852. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Labour Party has an overwhelming victory in the UK general elections. The Conservative Party saw the worst results in over 165 years and the end of 18 years in power. Five Conservative Ministers lost their seats. In Scotland, the Conservative Party lost all its seats. \I(UK)\i
The Palestine Liberation Organization announces that it is prepared to recommence the peace process, despite Israel's refusal to halt the construction of a Jewish settlement in Har Homa. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
It is announced that German tennis player, Michael Stich, will retire at the end of the season. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
A former Angolan rebel leader sends hundreds of Angolan guerrillas as a "special bodyguard" for Zairian President Mobutu. It is thought that the Angolan Government has supplied Zairian rebels with soldiers and weapons. \I(Zaire, Angola)\i
International aid workers attempt to help thousands of Rwandan refugees who are trying to escape from Zaire. \I(Rwanda, Zaire)\i
Australia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Butler, is named as Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM). UNSCOM is in charge of Iraqi disarmament. \I(Australia, Iraq)\i
Scottish MP, Gordon Brown, is chosen as Britain's new Chancellor of the Exchequer. \I(UK)\i
The new Labour Government in the UK is composed of more female, Black, and Asian MPs than ever before. \I(UK)\i
Islamic extremists are given approval by Muslim \Jclergy\j to kill an Egyptian academic. It is claimed that the work of Dr Hassan Hanafi offends the Koran. \I(Egypt)\i
In Yemen, the ruling General People's Congress looks likely to win the first parliamentary election. \I(Yemen)\i
Egypt is hit by a major sandstorm, forcing airports to close and havoc throughout the country. \I(Egypt)\i
French truck drivers are planning to block main roads in an effort to get the Government to keep its promises made after last year's strike. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Russian scientists claim that thousands of old satellites and other pieces of space rubbish are orbiting at such low levels that they are in danger of colliding with \Jspacecraft\j. \I(Russia)\i
#
"May 3, 1997",486,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
It is thought that whole North Korean villages are dying of starvation. Hundreds of thousands of people are in danger of dying of \Jmalnutrition\j. \I(North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American property tycoon, Donald Trump, separates from his third wife Marla Maples. \I(USA)\i
The American Justice Department refuses to accept a report by the newspaper, \IThe \JJerusalem\j Post,\i that PLO leader Yasser Arafat was aware of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. \I(USA, Palestine)\i
It is revealed that American special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, will visit the region. It is hoped that he will be influential in restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
On the tropical island of \JBarbados\j, a campaign is launched to replace British Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. \I(Barbados, UK)\i
The siege by Texan separatists ends after four members of the Republic of \JTexas\j secessionist group surrender to the authorities. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Proposed talks between Zairian President Mobutu and rebel leader Laurent Kabila are again postponed. The talks organized by South African President, Nelson Mandela, were to be conducted at sea but Mr Kabila is doubtful of the security arrangements. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Minister of Culture, is stabbed by a mentally unstable person. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
On the tropical island of \JBarbados\j, a campaign is launched to replace British Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. \I(Barbados, UK)\i
British \Jtelevision\j host, Hughie Green, dies at the age of 77 in London. \I(UK)\i
The American Justice Department refuses to accept a report by the newspaper, \IThe \JJerusalem\j Post,\i that PLO leader Yasser Arafat was aware of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. \I(USA, Palestine)\i
Israel refuses to meet with \JSyria\j for peace talks. \JSyria\j only agreed to the talks on the condition that Israel withdraws from the Golan Heights. \I(Israel, Syria)\i
Thousands of Rwandan refugees continue to reappear, after fleeing last week's attacks from Zairian villagers and rebel forces. It is feared that thousands may have died in the massacres. \I(Rwanda, Zaire)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, continues to try to entice Zairian President Mobutu and rebel leader Laurent Kabila to attend peace talks aboard a ship off the coast of \JCongo\j. Mr Mobutu did turn up but Mr Kabila failed to make an appearance. \I(South Africa, Zaire)\i
In the UK, Conservative Party members fight for the leadership position just hours after their defeat in the country's general election. \I(UK)\i
The new British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, begins to choose the members of Cabinet for his Government. \I(UK)\i
It is revealed that American special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, will visit the region. It is hoped that he will be influential in restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"May 4, 1997",487,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The human rights group, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, publishes a report that highlights the violence and massacres carried out by North Korean-trained Zimbabwean soldiers during a rebellion in \JMatabeleland\j province during the 1980s. \I(North Korea, Zimbabwe)\i
For the first time in five years, Red Cross representatives from both North and South Korea meet. However, they did not manage to settle on a plan for the distribution of food supplies to North Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
In the professional World Aerobic Championships held in Sydney, the women's title is won by Olga Sipkova from the Czech Republic; the men's title is won by Alexandro Viligiardi from \JItaly\j; and the mixed pairs is won by Alba de las Heras and Jonatan Canada from \JSpain\j. \I(\JAustralia\j, Czech Republic, \JItaly\j, Spain)\i
In \JAfghanistan\j, the Taliban militia punishes five men for shaving or trimming their beards which is seen as an offence to \JIslam\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger's hold on office is likely to be challenged by the Minister for Agriculture and International Trade, Dr Lockwood Smith. \I(New Zealand)\i
In China media restrictions are gradually being lifted. Recently, China has witnessed the introduction of tabloid-style newspapers and more articles critical of the Government are being printed. \I(China)\i
The Chunichi Crowns golf competition held in \JNagoya\j is won for the third year running by Japanese Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki. \I(Japan)\i
In \JMyanmar\j at a rally of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, the Union promises to punish pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Politicians, protesters, and leading members of the community criticize Australian independent MP, Pauline Hanson, for her racist views. \I(Australia)\i
In discussions between North Korea and the USA about missing US servicemen, progress is made which will allow American authorities access to North Korean records. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Hundreds of people protest outside the office of Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, against his proposals to place restrictions on marches and political groups. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The murder of a Taiwanese actor's daughter leads to calls for the resignation of Premier Lien Chan and the Cabinet. Thousands of people demonstrate outside the President's office, blaming him for the rising crime rates. \I(Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The five-\Jday\j siege in \JTexas\j ends when the \JTexas\j separatists surrender to authorities; no charges were laid. Two members of the group escape and are believed to be armed. \I(USA)\i
The American State Department announces that it has found that 1996 was the worst year for \Jterrorism\j with more people killed than ever before. \I(USA)\i
In discussions between North Korea and the USA about missing US servicemen, progress is made which will allow American authorities access to North Korean records. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Millions of \JHolocaust\j victims are remembered in \JHolocaust\j Memorial Day throughout the United States. \I(USA)\i
Madeleine Albright, the US \JSecretary of State\j, goes to \JGuatemala\j to give America's backing for a peace agreement that signals the end of the 36-year \Jcivil war\j. \I(USA, Guatemala)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The new British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is likely to take up residence in No. 11 Downing Street, rather than No. 10, to accommodate his young family. \I(UK)\i
Milos Jakes, the last communist party leader of \JCzechoslovakia\j, and two other party members are charged with \Jtreason\j for their participation in the 1968 rebellion to end the \JPrague\j reforms. \I(Czech Republic)\i
A fire breaks out at the Royal Academy of Art in London. Many artworks were saved and damage was said to be fairly minimal. \I(UK)\i
In the professional World Aerobic Championships held in Sydney, the women's title is won by Olga Sipkova from the Czech Republic; the men's title is won by Alexandro Viligiardi from \JItaly\j; and the mixed pairs is won by Alba de las Heras and Jonatan Canada from \JSpain\j. \I(\JAustralia\j, Czech Republic, \JItaly\j, Spain)\i
In \JSpain\j, Spaniard Alex Criville wins the 500cc Spanish Grand Prix held in Jerez de la Frontera. \I(Spain)\i
It is reported that 16 German businesses are being investigated in connection with their commercial links to \JIraq\j. It is thought that they sold nuclear technology and Scud rocket parts to \JIraq\j. \I(\JGermany\j, Iraq)\i
A South African official reveals that a proposal outlining the resignation of Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko has been drafted. \I(South Africa, Zaire)\i
The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission is to order Winnie Mandela, the President's former wife, to answer questions about four murders. \I(South Africa)\i
In an effort to recommence the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Israeli President, Ezer Weizman, will meet for talks with the Palestine Liberation Organization leader, Yasser Arafat. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The human rights group, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, publishes a report that highlights the violence and massacres carried out by North Korean-trained Zimbabwean soldiers during a rebellion in \JMatabeleland\j province during the 1980s. \I(North Korea, Zimbabwe)\i
#
"May 5, 1997",488,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
During his visit to \JAustralia\j, the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl says that he would back \JAustralia\j's campaign to be included in the Asia-Europe Meetings (ASEM). \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
Rebel Papua New Guinean troops are involved in a fraught standoff with police, after police conduct raids on certain organizations connected to the military. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Independent testing of the Canadian mining company Bre-X's infamous Busang gold deposit in \JBorneo\j, believed to be the world's largest gold discovery, uncovers only minimal traces of gold and the alleged misrepresentation of many previous samples. \I(Canada, Borneo)\i
Zhao Ziyang, the former Chinese Communist party chief, is prevented from going to the funeral of statesman Peng Zhen. The Chinese Government still remains suspicious of Mr Ziyang's intentions. \I(China)\i
Indonesian politician, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, fails to win his appeal against a jail sentence given for offending President Soeharto in a speech. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Indonesian army threatens to use force if illegal political street demonstrations continue to be conducted in Jakarta. \I(Indonesia)\i
Former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, goes on a two-week vacation to the USA to rest and recover from the recent upheavals in her life. \I(Pakistan)\i
Afghan Taliban militia kill 15 opposition guerrillas and capture 20 others in the eastern province of Kunar. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
South Korean prosecutors uncover US$14.8 million of political funds which they allege was hidden by President Kim Young-sam's son Kim Hyun-chul. \I(South Korea)\i
Indonesia and \JMalaysia\j come to an agreement over the ownership of the islands of Sipidan and Ligitan off the coast of \JBorneo\j. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, Borneo)\i
Over 600 people are rescued after a ferry, the King Cruiser, sinks in the Andaman Sea. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Hong Kong's chief executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, rejects claims that he will restrict demonstrations and political groups once Hong Kong comes under Chinese rule. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Australian tennis player, Mark Philippoussis, beats Spanish player Alex Corretja in the final of the Munich Open tennis tournament. \I(Australia, \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Independent testing of the Canadian mining company Bre-X's infamous Busang gold deposit in \JBorneo\j, believed to be the world's largest gold discovery, uncovers only minimal traces of gold and the alleged misrepresentation of many previous samples. \I(Canada, Borneo)\i
During a gun battle, police kill one of the two Texan separatists who fled after the week-long siege. \I(USA)\i
Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook arrives in Jordan after spending 21 months in custody in the USA. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, his sister testifies against him. She claimed that he used an alias and transported over 455kg of explosives. \I(USA)\i
The \JFBI\j release an announcement stating that it seems likely that a mechanical problem rather than a terrorist act led to the crash of TWA Flight 800 in July, 1996. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
During his visit to \JAustralia\j, the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl says that he would back \JAustralia\j's campaign to be included in the Asia-Europe Meetings (ASEM). \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
Tony Blair, the new British Prime Minister, commences a campaign to renew relations with Europe. He appointed Doug Henderson as the new Minister for Europe as well as vowing to end 18 years of "isolationism and inward-looking chauvinism." \I(UK)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is to meet with Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, to discuss peace talks. \I(UK, Ireland)\i
The Zairian \Jcivil war\j looks set to worsen as the rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, refuses to accept a conditional offer from President Mobutu. During discussions organized by South African President Mandela and held on a South African warship, President Mobutu offered to step down and hand the country over to a transitional government. The rebel leader, wanting the power for himself, vows to capture the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
Nearly 100 Rwandan refugees die in a stampede in a train which was transporting them from a camp to the Zairian city of \JKisangani\j. \I(Rwanda, Zaire)\i
It is announced that the Palestinian Authority will issue the death sentence to Palestinians who willingly sell their land in the West Bank or East \JJerusalem\j to Israelis. \I(Palestine, Israel, West Bank)\i
German golfer, Bernard Langer, wins the Italian Open golf championship held in Brescia. \I(\JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Twelve people are killed in a train crash at Reptowo station in northwest \JPoland\j. \I(Poland)\i
Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook arrives in Jordan after spending 21 months in custody in the USA. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
#
"May 6, 1997",489,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's chief executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, claims that it is necessary to restrict civil liberties in order to stop unrest similar to events in the United States in the 1960s. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
In \JMyanmar\j, it is claimed that members of ASEAN are angered by US attempts to prevent \JMyanmar\j's admission to ASEAN. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
The failure of representatives from North and South Korea to come to an agreement about food supplies for the North is blamed on South Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
A Japanese politician visits the controversial Diaoyu islands. His visit angers China and \JTaiwan\j. \I(Japan, China, Taiwan)\i
An explosion at a New Delhi factory kills 11 people and wounds 8 others. \I(India)\i
Opposition parties in South Korea lodge a complaint against the President's son, Kim Hyun-chul, and five others, accusing them of lying before an inquiry into the Hanbo loans scandal. \I(South Korea)\i
In Melbourne, \JAustralia\j, the Crown Casino opens; it is one of the biggest casinos in Asia and \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The American Administration demands a peaceful end to the Zairian \Jcivil war\j, while rebels continue to advance towards the capital, \JKinshasa\j. The United Nations condemns the rebels' involvement in the massacre and violence against Rwandan refugees. \I(USA, Zaire, Rwanda)\i
The search for the \JTexas\j separatist who escaped authorities is suspended after conditions become hazardous. \I(USA)\i
American scientists discover a way to alter the surface of sensitive red blood cells that may lead to a universal blood type. \I(USA)\i
In a landmark decision, a US jury finds the \Jtobacco\j company, R. J. Reynolds \JTobacco\j Co., not liable for the death of a person who died from lung cancer. It is thought that the result will have consequences throughout the \Jtobacco\j industry. \I(USA)\i
The American actor, Charlton Heston, is nominated as the first vice president of the US National Rifle Association. \I(USA)\i
Hong Kong's chief executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, claims that it is necessary to restrict civil liberties in order to stop unrest similar to events in the United States in the 1960s. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
In \JMyanmar\j, it is claimed that members of ASEAN are angered by US attempts to prevent \JMyanmar\j's admission to ASEAN. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The American Administration demands a peaceful end to the Zairian \Jcivil war\j, while rebels continue to advance towards the capital, \JKinshasa\j. The United Nations condemns the rebels' involvement in the massacre and violence against Rwandan refugees. \I(USA, Zaire, Rwanda)\i
Frederik de Klerk, the former South African president, announces that he will not submit an application for an amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. \I(South Africa)\i
Israeli police lay charges against 18 Jewish settlers after they tried to stop the Israelis from pulling down illegal houses built in the West Bank. \I(Israel, West Bank)\i
A diplomatic rift breaks out between Jordan and Israel in connection with shared \Jwater\j resources. King Hassan of Jordan cancelled high-powered talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(Jordan, Israel)\i
The new British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, reveals that the UK will hold a conference on Nazi gold in the near future. All nations with claims to the assets, held by the \JBank of England\j, will be invited. \I(UK)\i
The new British Labour Government announces major reforms to the \JBank of England\j as well as a rise in interest rates. \I(UK)\i
The battle for leadership of the British Conservative Party gains strength as more candidates enter the race. \I(UK)\i
In \JFrance\j, voters and political analysts deem the French parliamentary election campaign boring. \I(France)\i
#
"May 7, 1997",490,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Thai newspaper, the \IBangkok Post,\i criticizes Australian Prime Minister John Howard's treatment of the independent MP, Pauline Hanson. \I(\JThailand\j, Australia)\i
The Japanese Government describes an MP's visit to the Diaoyu islands as "illegal." \I(Japan)\i
The warring premiers of \JCambodia\j, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, meet for the first time in two months and agree to make peace. \I(Cambodia)\i
It is reported that four Western hostages captured by Muslim separatists in the Indian State of Kashmir over 21 months ago are dead. \I(India)\i
Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, refuses Premier Lien Chan's offer to resign over the spiraling crime rates. \I(Taiwan)\i
In an effort to deal with rising crime rates, Taiwanese authorities execute three people charged with drug smuggling. \I(Taiwan)\i
In \JSingapore\j, leading Government politicians are suing opposition candidate, Tang Liang Hong, for \Jdefamation\j, claiming a record $12 million in damages. \I(Singapore)\i
In one of Vietnam's major drug trials, three more police officers are named for their involvement in the country's largest drug cartel. \I(Vietnam)\i
In India, separatist guerrillas shoot dead a policeman and 17 paramilitary troops in an ambush in the Natunbazar region. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
During the American President's visit to Mexico two agreements are signed with Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo. The first vows to join forces in the fight against drugs and the other promises to bring down the number of illegal migrants. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, his sister claims that a few weeks before the bomb he told her that "something big is going to happen." \I(USA)\i
An American report into the assets of \JHolocaust\j victims is about to be published-it is believed to be critical of \JSwitzerland\j. It is claimed that \JGermany\j was able to use the money to extend its war efforts. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
About US$670 million is awarded to hemophiliacs who were infected with \JHIV\j through blood donations in the 1980s. \I(USA)\i
An American army sergeant is given a 25-year jail sentence for the rape of six female trainee officers. \I(USA)\i
The third chess challenge between \JIBM\j's computer Deep Blue and world champion Gary Kasparov ends in a draw. \I(USA)\i
Lt. Gen. Luis Malasquez, the Peruvian police officer blamed for the slack security measures that led to the Lima hostage crisis, flees from \JPeru\j. \I(Peru)\i
In the Whitewater inquiry, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the wife of the American President, is named as a key person. Kenneth Starr, the prosecutor, claims that her testimony has changed or differed from those of other people. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Reforms introduced by new British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, are an attempt to make the \JBank of England\j more independent. \I(UK)\i
A British diving team is reported to have uncovered the world's oldest ship-it is thought to date back 6,431 years. \I(UK)\i
An American report into the assets of \JHolocaust\j victims is about to be published-it is believed to be critical of \JSwitzerland\j. It is claimed that \JGermany\j was able to use the money to extend its war efforts. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
Dusan "Dusko" Tadic, a Bosnian Serb police officer, is found guilty of war crimes by the United Nations war crimes tribunal. \I(Bosnia)\i
Zairian President, Mobutu Sese Seko, leaves Zaire for the \JGabon\j, apparently the purpose of his visit is a meeting with regional leaders but it is thought he may have left the country permanently. The capital of Zaire, \JKinshasa\j, prepares itself for the arrival of advancing rebel forces. \I(Zaire)\i
Pope John Paul II is due to visit \JLebanon\j. Thousands of soldiers are sent to the capital, \JBeirut\j, as security measures are tightened. \I(Lebanon)\i
The meeting between Israeli President, Ezer Weizman, and the Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, does not manage to restart the peace process but does bring about an agreement to renew security contacts. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Four leading contenders for the position of the British Conservative Party emerge; they are Michael Howard, John Redwood, Kenneth Clarke, and Peter Lilley. \I(UK)\i
#
"May 8, 1997",491,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JSri Lanka\j, Tamil Tiger guerrillas are preparing to defend themselves against an anticipated attack by Government troops. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
A Tibetan monk in China is given a six-year jail sentence for helping \JTibet\j's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in the search for the \Jreincarnation\j of a holy monk. \I(China, Tibet)\i
Norodom Sihanouk, the King of \JCambodia\j, says that he is willing to stand trial with other Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge's rule in the 1970s. \I(Cambodia)\i
The President of the \JPhilippines\j, Fidel Ramos, asks the USA to give pensions to Filipinos who served with American soldiers during the Second World War. \I(Philippines, USA)\i
A scandal over millions of dollars allegedly hidden by South Korean President's son, Kim Hyun-chul, continues to grow. The money is believed to have been left over from the presidential election campaign. A former police officer is to be questioned about the money. \I(South Korea)\i
Two fuel tanks from a Pakistani Air Force jet are dropped over \JKarachi\j in an effort to avoid crashing. Five people on the ground were killed. \I(Pakistan)\i
Despite wanting to strengthen ties with \JPakistan\j, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, says that he will not endanger India's security to do so. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohammed, quells rumors that his two-month vacation is the lead-up to his retirement or problems with his health. \I(Malaysia)\i
Twelve people die after a fire breaks out at a sewage treatment plant in the city of Chongqing in central China. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
America's special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, attempts to bring Israel and Palestine together to recommence peace talks. American diplomats warn that if his efforts fail, violence could once again erupt in the \JMiddle East\j. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
A Swiss security guard that saved historical documents pertaining to the \JHolocaust\j from the shredder at the Union Bank of \JSwitzerland\j receives a hero's welcome in the USA. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
The President of the \JPhilippines\j, Fidel Ramos, asks the USA to give pensions to Filipinos who served with American soldiers during the Second World War. \I(Philippines, USA)\i
The American President, Bill Clinton, meets with Central American leaders in Costa Rica. \I(USA, Costa Rica)\i
The American Republican Party confesses that it received illegal donations which it was forced to return. \I(USA)\i
Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, says that \JNATO\j's plans to expand eastwards are straining relations between \JRussia\j and the US. He made a comparison with the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The deportation of criminals from the United States to the Caribbean causes crime rates to spiral. \I(USA, Caribbean)\i
A newly published American report claims that \JSwitzerland\j did not keep to a 1946 agreement which proposed that it should return millions of dollars worth of assets belonging to \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In his first address to new Labour MPs, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, warns that they must keep up their high standards and must not let voters down. He proposes to push 22 new bills through parliament in the coming months. \I(UK)\i
Robin Cook, the new British Foreign Minister, travels to \JGermany\j to meet with ministers from \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j in an effort to get Britain actively involved in the European Union. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, France)\i
The Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, says that Labour's UK election victory increases the chances of peace in Northern Ireland. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
A Swiss security guard that saved historical documents pertaining to the \JHolocaust\j from the shredder at the Union Bank of \JSwitzerland\j receives a hero's welcome in the USA. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
America's special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, attempts to bring Israel and Palestine together to recommence peace talks. American diplomats warn that if his efforts fail, violence could once again erupt in the \JMiddle East\j. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
German tennis player, Boris Becker, wins his first match in nearly three months at the German Open. He has been treated for a major wrist injury. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Angolan troops are apparently gathering along the Zairian border. It is feared that they may join rebel forces in an attack on the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \I(Angola, Zaire)\i
Speculation in Zaire continues to mount that President Mobutu Sese Seko has fled the country. He is scheduled to return from a meeting in \JGabon\j with regional leaders. \I(Zaire)\i
General Magnus Malan, former South African defense minister, confesses at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he ordered the Civil Co-operation Bureau to be set up. \I(South Africa)\i
France intends to hold a trial in absentia against Abdallah Senoussi, the brother-in-law of \JLibya\j's Colonel Gaddafi, on charges of planting a bomb on a French \Jaircraft\j that killed 171 people in 1989. \I(France, Libya)\i
Boris Yeltsin, the Russian President, says that \JNATO\j's plans to expand eastwards are straining relations between \JRussia\j and the US. He made a comparison with the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A newly published American report claims that \JSwitzerland\j did not keep to a 1946 agreement which proposed that it should return millions of dollars worth of assets belonging to \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
#
"May 9, 1997",492,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
It is reported that thousands of Karen refugees, who fled from fighting in \JMyanmar\j, have left refugee camps in \JThailand\j. It is thought that they have either returned to \JMyanmar\j or gone to look for work in major Thai cities. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Thailand)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, makes his first public condemnation of independent MP, Pauline Hanson. Ms Hanson is known to be anti-Asian, anti-Aboriginal, and critical of foreign investment. \I(Australia)\i
Another North Korean defector to South Korea, Kwon Young-hae, says that he believes North Korea has nuclear weapons but he is unable to provide any evidence to support his claims. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Thirty-five people die and many others are injured in a plane crash at Huangtain Airport in the Chinese City of Shenzhen. \I(China)\i
Under the rule of the Islamic Taliban militia, it is reported that \JAfghanistan\j is producing nearly 40 per cent of the world's heroin supply for 1997. International aid workers claim that the Taliban have been portrayed as evil despite the fact they are more efficient than their mujahideen predecessors. \I(Afghanistan)\i
America's first ambassador to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War, Douglas "Pete" Peterson, arrives in \JHanoi\j. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, the son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam, is accused of hiding thousands of dollars left over from the presidential election campaign. \I(South Korea)\i
It is announced that \JJapan\j's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit \JBrazil\j and Argentina at the end of May. \I(Japan, \JBrazil\j, Argentina)\i
Sonia Gandhi, the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, displays support for India's Congress party; this move is seen as her first public step towards political life. \I(India)\i
Over 70 people traveling to a wedding in the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh die when their truck is involved in a collision. \I(India)\i
The Japanese Government intends to increase the number of coast guard patrols near the Diaoyu islands-Taiwanese and Hong Kong activists are expected to try to land on the islands. \I(Japan, \JTaiwan\j, Hong Kong)\i
The American Administration is suspicious of the claims made by North Korean defector, Hwang Jang-yop, that North Korea has nuclear weapons and is getting ready for war. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
America's special envoy to the \JMiddle East\j, Dennis Ross, is apparently unsuccessful in his efforts to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A scandal over Michael Kennedy's involvement with a babysitter ends when the girl's family agrees not to press charges. Michael Kennedy is the son of Robert Kennedy. \I(USA)\i
It is announced that \JJapan\j's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit \JBrazil\j and Argentina at the end of May. \I(Japan, \JBrazil\j, Argentina)\i
The American Administration is suspicious of the claims made by North Korean defector, Hwang Jang-yop, that North Korea has nuclear weapons and is getting ready for war. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
America's first ambassador to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War, Douglas "Pete" Peterson, arrives in \JHanoi\j. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Newt Gingrich, the US \JHouse of Representatives\j speaker, launches the Republicans' plan for social reform, vowing to cut down the number of drug users, and improve education. \I(USA)\i
The Mexican Government's efforts to overhaul the police force fail when hundreds of graduates of a police re-education course fight with military riot forces. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is believed that thousands of rebel troops are gathering in the city of Kikwit in preparation for the advance on the capital of Zaire, \JKinshasa\j. President Mobutu announces that he will not make a bid for re-election. \I(Zaire)\i
America's special envoy to the \JMiddle East\j, Dennis Ross, is apparently unsuccessful in his efforts to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and King Hussein of Jordan meet in secret to resolve the dispute over \Jwater\j resources. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
In \JGermany\j, over 20 right-wing extremists are arrested after riots occurred in towns in the former East \JGermany\j. \I(Germany)\i
Eight Italian separatists are arrested in \JVenice\j. They had occupied a bell tower in St. Mark's Square in an effort to bring attention to their aim for an independent state of \JVenice\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In \JFrance\j, a folder containing information on thousands of Jews who were sent to concentration camps is discovered in a garbage dump. \I(France)\i
The new British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, introduces a wave of reforms in his first days of office, including an effort to renew relations with the European Union, fill the top 90 positions in Government, and introduce reforms to the \JBank of England\j. \I(UK)\i
Michael Heseltine, a former British deputy prime minister, undergoes major heart surgery. Mr Heseltine had been tipped as a contender for Conservative Party leader but was forced to pull out of the race due to ill health. \I(UK)\i
It is revealed that Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, is preparing to sign an agreement solidifying \JRussia\j's relationship with \JNATO\j. \I(Russia)\i
#
"May 10, 1997",493,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Vietnam's first ambassador to the USA, Le Van Bang, arrives in the US. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Vietnam's first ambassador to the USA, Le Van Bang, arrives in the US. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
In the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the alleged Oklahoma bomber, McVeigh is identified as the person who hired the truck that was utilized in the explosion at the \JOklahoma City\j federal building. \I(USA)\i
It is revealed that the \JFBI\j has been monitoring the activities of members of the American Administration because it believes that someone is a spy for Israel. \I(USA, Israel)\i
In \JBarbados\j, the American President, Bill Clinton, holds a one-\Jday\j conference on regional cooperation. \I(USA, Caribbean)\i
It is announced that the new British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, will meet with American President, Bill Clinton, at the end of May. \I(USA, UK)\i
Charles Bendheim, a strong promoter of Jewish causes in the USA and Israel, dies at the age of 79. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Dennis Ross, the American \JMiddle East\j envoy, meets with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an effort to restore the peace process. \I(USA, Israel)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
It is announced that the new British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, will meet with American President, Mr Bill Clinton, at the end of May. \I(USA, UK)\i
It is revealed that the \JFBI\j has been monitoring the activities of members of the American Administration because it believes that someone is a spy for Israel. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Fighting in south \JLebanon\j continues between Hezbollah guerrillas and the South Lebanese Army. \I(Lebanon)\i
Charles Bendheim, a strong promoter of Jewish causes in the USA and Israel, dies at the age of 79. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Some of the British Labor Party's new MPs reject the Prime Minister's suggestion that formality should be dispensed with and to address each other using first names. \I(UK)\i
It is thought that contrary to rumors that he had fled the country, the Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko will be returning to Zaire. \I(Zaire)\i
Dennis Ross, the American \JMiddle East\j envoy, meets with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an effort to restore the peace process. \I(USA, Israel)\i
#
"May 11, 1997",494,0,0,0
In an effort to renew relations between \JPakistan\j and India, the prime ministers from both countries are due to meet for the first time. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
It is now thought that a mechanical problem caused the plane crash that killed 35 people in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. \I(China)\i
It is reported that hundreds of North Korean soldiers are starving. They have been seen demanding food supplies and money. \I(North Korea)\i
In \JNew Zealand\j, scientists claim that high-tension power lines are connected to \Jasthma\j and depression in adults. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Violent protests take place in \JTasmania\j against the independent Australian MP, Pauline Hanson. Ms Hanson's racist views have been causing outrage in \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia)\i
The Chinese province of Guangdong is hit by severe storms that killed over 100 people and left thousands of other people homeless. \I(China)\i
Hong Kong's Democratic Party announces it will start a legal challenge against the shadow legislature appointed by China. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Hundreds of South Korean students clash with riot police during a demonstration. They want President Kim Young-sam to resign. \I(South Korea)\i
The \JFBI\j uncovers new evidence that there was a Chinese plan to influence American politicians and policies. \I(USA, China)\i
Ten years after becoming a republic, \JFiji\j is requesting re-admission to the Commonwealth. \I(Fiji)\i
Thousands of opposition supporters from two factions demonstrate in Jakarta; such protest is against \JIndonesia\j's election laws. It is thought that the opposition groups may be considering a merger. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JFBI\j uncovers new evidence that there was a Chinese plan to influence American politicians and policies. \I(USA, China)\i
Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr's request for Hillary Rodham Clinton to give up notes of her conversations with \JWhite House\j lawyers is refused by the President on the grounds of privilege. \I(USA)\i
Twenty-six Iraqis are in jail in \JCalifornia\j, accused of being double agents for \JIraq\j. They were brought to the US to help in efforts to overthrow President Saddam Hussein. They now face deportation to \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
The United Nations is proposing a major structural reform of its humanitarian and development sectors in preparing for the twenty-first century. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Nearly 2,500 people are presumed dead after an \Jearthquake\j, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, hit Qaen, north east of Birjand in \JIran\j. Six thousand other people are reported to have been injured. \JIran\j asks for international assistance. \I(Iran)\i
Twenty-six Iraqis are in jail in \JCalifornia\j, accused of being double agents for \JIraq\j. They were brought to the US to help in efforts to overthrow President Saddam Hussein. They now face deportation to \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, names a convicted IRA bomber, Siobhan O'Hanlon, to set up offices at the UK's \JHouse of Commons\j for the party's two MPs, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Almost 30,000 people took to the streets of \JBeirut\j hoping to catch a glance of Pope John Paul II during his visit to \JLebanon\j. \I(Lebanon)\i
William Hague appears to be winning the race for the leadership of the British Conservative Party. \I(UK)\i
In South Africa the deadline to apply for an amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ends. Thousands of people make last-minute applications. \I(South Africa)\i
An Irish political faction called the Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility for the death of an off-duty policeman. \I(UK)\i
Farid Bashiti, an Arab real estate agent, is found murdered. He is believed to have been killed by Palestinian security forces after the President last week ordered his troops to stop the sale of land to Jews. \I(Palestine)\i
Zairian President Mobutu returns to the country after discussions with regional leaders in the \JGabon\j; many people thought that he would have taken the opportunity to go into exile. President Mobutu agrees to further discussions about passing power to the rebel leader, Laurent Kabila. \I(Zaire)\i
#
"May 12, 1997",495,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A senior United Nations official reiterates that many North Korean people are starving, as \Jfamine\j slowly hits the country. \I(North Korea)\i
Atrocious storms and winds hit Mount Everest, leaving nine climbers missing. \I(\JNepal\j)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, Tamil separatists attack a police station by using rocket-propelled grenades, killing 16 policemen and 5 civilians. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Australian tennis player, Jason Stoltenberg, wins the America's Red Clay Tennis Championship held in \JCoral\j Springs, \JFlorida\j. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The leader of the province of Xinjiang in China confesses that many separatist groups exist in the region. The province was the site of ethnic rioting earlier this year. \I(China)\i
A former colleague of Kim Hyun-chul, the son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam, claims that he secreted away millions of dollars for him. \I(South Korea)\i
China denies claims by the \JFBI\j that it made illegal cash contributions to American politicians in an effort to influence US foreign policy. \I(USA, China)\i
In the Indian City of Srinagar in the province of Kashmir, a strike is held to demonstrate against human rights abuses by security forces. \I(India)\i
Australian long-distance swimmer, Susie Maroney, successfully swims from \JCuba\j to the Straits of \JFlorida\j. \I(Cuba, USA, Australia)\i
In the Papua New Guinean Island of Bougainville, rebels murder four villagers. This is the first case of violence in five months. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, the \JIBM\j supercomputer, Deep Blue, beats the world chess champion, Garry Kasparov. The computer won by one game. \I(USA)\i
Australian long-distance swimmer, Susie Maroney, successfully swims from \JCuba\j to the Straits of \JFlorida\j. \I(Cuba, USA, Australia)\i
The American City of Miami is hit by a \Jtornado\j that caused lots of damage but no injuries. \I(USA)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, it is said that he was set on starting a "general uprising in America." \I(USA)\i
It is said that the newly repaired and updated Hubble \Jtelescope\j is better than ever. \I(USA)\i
Madeleine Albright, the US \JSecretary of State\j, approves $US100,000 in aid for victims of the Iranian \Jearthquake\j. \I(USA, Iran)\i
China denies claims by the \JFBI\j that it made illegal cash contributions to American politicians in an effort to influence US foreign policy. \I(USA, China)\i
American actor, Katharine Hepburn, celebrates her 90th birthday. \I(USA)\i
Australian tennis player, Jason Stoltenberg, wins the America's Red Clay Tennis Championship held in \JCoral\j Springs, \JFlorida\j. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British organizations Grand Metropolitan Plc and Guinness Plc announce plans to merge. The amalgamation of such large food groups would result in a $43 billion mammoth organization. \I(UK)\i
The personal guard of Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, is blamed for the death of the Arab real estate agent, Farid Bashiti. His murder followed the announcement that Palestinians found selling land to Jews would be given the death penalty. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Four explosions in the city of \JAlgiers\j kill six people and wound over 70 other people in the lead-up to the general elections. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Countries from all around the world promise to give aid to the victims of the Iranian \Jearthquake\j. It is believed that at least 4,000 people died and over 6,000 were injured in the \Jearthquake\j which hit the north-east region of the country. \I(Iran)\i
Iran is hit by another \Jearthquake\j, measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale; there were no reports of any injuries or further damage. \I(Iran)\i
The South African Government invites Northern Irish political parties to a meeting about how to resolve conflict. \I(South Africa, Northern Ireland)\i
Madeleine Albright, the US \JSecretary of State\j, approves $US100,000 in aid for victims of the Iranian \Jearthquake\j. \I(USA, Iran)\i
Michael Schumacher wins the 55th Monaco Grand Prix. \I(Monaco)\i
A bill supported by the army that proposes to close down many Islamic schools causes outrage. Thousands of people demonstrate against the bill in the streets of \JAnkara\j. \I(Turkey)\i
Thabo Mbeki, the South African Deputy President, confesses that ANC leaders plotted to kill Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of the Zulu Nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party. \I(South Africa)\i
The prospects of a peaceful end to the Zairian \Jcivil war\j look remote, as rebels refuse to accept the person chosen to succeed President Mobutu. The \JArchbishop\j Laurent Monsengwo was named as parliamentary speaker at the weekend, placing him as a leading contender for the position. \I(Zaire)\i
Italian authorities claim that the Venetian separatists who occupied a tower in St. Mark's Square are part of a larger organization. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In Moscow, the Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and the Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov, sign a peace agreement, signaling the end of the conflict between the two states. \I(Russia, \JChechnya\j)\i
#
"May 13, 1997",496,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The North Korean Government rejects any plans to help the US to locate American soldiers who have been missing since the Korean War. It is a move believed to be motivated to force the US to supply food aid to North Korea. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The high-level talks between the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers are hailed as a success. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Six climbers are presumed dead after fierce storms hit Mount Everest. \I(\JNepal\j)\i
Despite the Indonesian Government's ban on opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri's participation in the forthcoming general elections, she continues to receive growing support from Indonesians. The Government bans any symbols or signs portraying her image. \I(Indonesia)\i
Spiraling crime rates in \JTaiwan\j continue to threaten President Lee's Government. \I(Taiwan)\i
A company manager and a surveyor at the Canadian-owned, Bre-X Busang mine are taken hostage by workers. Indonesian workers are angered by the company's decision to lay off hundreds of employees. \I(Indonesia, Canada)\i
Japan's ambassador to \JPeru\j, Morihisa Aoki, resigns. He is blamed for the lapse in security that led to the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
Thousands of people are expected to demonstrate on the island of \JOkinawa\j to demand the withdrawal of American military bases from the island. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
The Japanese island of \JKyushu\j is hit by an \Jearthquake\j, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. Six people are injured. \I(Japan)\i
Top military leaders from China and the US meet and agree to renew military relations that were severed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident. \I(China, USA)\i
It seems likely that Hong Kong's Chief Executive in-waiting, Tung Chee-hwa, will drop his intentions to reform civil liberties in the territory after international and local protests. \I(Hong Kong)\i
At the forthcoming meeting of the World Trade Organization to be held in \JSwitzerland\j next week, China hopes to overcome barriers that are preventing its admission to the trade group. \I(China, Switzerland)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The sale of artworks owned by the Loeb family, which are being auctioned by Christie's in New York, nets $US92.7million in the first week. Proceeds will go towards establishing a charity in the family's name. \I(USA)\i
Thousands of people are expected to demonstrate on the island of \JOkinawa\j, demanding the withdrawal of American military bases from the island. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
Japan's ambassador to \JPeru\j, Morihisa Aoki, resigns. He is blamed for the lapse in security that led to the Lima hostage crisis. \I(Japan, Peru)\i
The North Korean Government rejects any plans to help the US to locate American soldiers who have been missing since the Korean War. It is a move believed to be motivated to force the US to supply food aid to North Korea. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Top military leaders from China and the US meet and agree to renew military relations that were severed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident. \I(China, USA)\i
The person accused of murdering Ennis Cosby, the son of American actor Bill Cosby, pleads not guilty. \I(USA)\i
A company manager and a surveyor at the Canadian-owned Bre-X Busang mine are taken hostage by workers. Indonesian workers are angered by the company's decision to lay off hundreds employees. \I(Indonesia, Canada)\i
American actor Christopher Reeve, who was paralyzed in a horse accident two years ago, reveals that he has regained a little sensation in his hands, arms, and back. \I(USA)\i
Despite no success in renewing the peace process, the US special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, extends his visit in the region and continues his efforts to bring Israel and Palestine to the discussion table. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Zairian rebels are rumored to be 100km away from the capital, \JKinshasa\j. A general strike is called as last-minute peace talks are held. \I(Zaire)\i
Forthcoming elections in Bosnia may mean that thousands of additional \JNATO\j soldiers will be sent to assist the peacekeeping force already stationed there. \I(Bosnia)\i
It is claimed that Palestinian guerrillas hatched a plan to assassinate Pope John Paul II during his recent visit to \JLebanon\j. \I(Palestine, Lebanon)\i
At the forthcoming meeting of the World Trade Organization to be held in \JSwitzerland\j next week, China hopes to overcome barriers that are preventing its admission to the trade group. \I(China, Switzerland)\i
The predicted demise of President Mobutu's rule in Zaire also signals the death knell for Western influence in that country. \I(Zaire)\i
The new British Government announces that it intends to instigate a complete ban on all handguns. \I(UK)\i
The British Labour Government reveals that it plans to rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It left 12 years ago due to problems with mismanagement and corruption. \I(UK)\i
Despite no success in renewing the peace process, the US special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Dennis Ross, extends his visit in the region and continues his efforts to bring Israel and Palestine to the discussion table. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"May 14, 1997",497,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Two men held hostage by Indonesian workers at the Busang gold mine are released. The company has promised to pay employees their salaries. \I(Indonesia)\i
A large bomb that dates back to the Second World War is found in Phnom Penh. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The Thai coalition Government of Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is embroiled in sleaze scandals, worsening economic problems, and internal political disputes. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Clashes between Indonesian opposition and government supporters result in violence and the closure of part of Jakarta. \I(Indonesia)\i
A bomb explodes in a park near the Great Hall of the People in \JBeijing\j, killing one person. Another explosion occurs in a bus in the town of Shunde, killing five people. It is thought unemployed people may have been responsible for the explosions. \I(China)\i
The Deputy Prime Minister of \JNew Zealand\j, Winston Peters, is found guilty of attacking another MP in March. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Sri Lankan troops continue to advance towards Tamil Tiger guerrilla territory as part of a plan to seize a major road in the north of the country. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In Vietnam eight people are given the death sentence for their part in a drug traffic ring; the Vietnamese Government is trying to crack down on drug dealers. \I(Vietnam)\i
At a meeting of South Asian leaders in the \JMaldives\j, there is a call to end further environmental damage and to stop rising sea levels. \I(Asia, Maldives)\i
A report by the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation claims that former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was involved in a corruption scandal between India and the Swedish company Bofors 11 years ago. The news comes a week after the entry of his widow, Sonia Gandhi, into the political arena. \I(India, Sweden)\i
The American Administration cautions China that North Korea is endangering peace in the Asia-Pacific region. \I(USA, China, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an attempt to renew the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the American Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, organizes discussions at his home in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In the trial against alleged Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, a witness gives evidence claiming that he saw a truck pull away from the building two minutes before the explosion. \I(USA)\i
The American millionaire, John du Pont, is given a jail sentence of 13 to 30 years for killing wrestler David Schultz in 1996. \I(USA)\i
The American Administration cautions China that North Korea is endangering peace in the Asia-Pacific region. \I(USA, China, North Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the hope of a last-ditch effort to save the Zairian capital, \JKinshasa\j, the South African President, Nelson Mandela, organizes talks between President Mobutu and the rebel leader, Laurent Kabila. At the last minute, Mr Kabila withdraws from the talks, complaining about the location. \I(Zaire, South Africa)\i
Thousands of Rwandan refugees are preparing to leave Zaire and attempt to go to the \JCongo\j. The Congolese Government is unwilling to accept the refugees, fearing that it will bring war to the \JCongo\j. \I(Rwanda, Zaire, Congo)\i
Fears for the safety of foreigners and leading political figures mount, as it is rumored that they have been earmarked for execution when rebels arrive in the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \I(Zaire)\i
The Croatian Government repossesses thousands of homes that once belonged to ethnic Serbs and is promising them to ethnic Croats from Bosnia and \JSerbia\j. \I(Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia)\i
The speaker of the \JHouse of Commons\j bans two Sinn Fein MPs from using the facilities in the Commons after they do not wish to promise allegiance to the British Queen. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
It seems likely that \JRussia\j will sign an agreement with \JNATO\j that will allow \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, and \JHungary\j to join the organization. \I(Russia, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, Hungary)\i
The new British Government announces its proposals to radically reform the welfare state. \I(UK)\i
The British author, Laurie Lee, dies at the age of 82. \I(UK)\i
Newly published reports issue warnings about the safety of the Eurotunnel between the UK and Europe after the 1996 fire. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Albanian President Sali Berisha's Democratic Party issues its own version of electoral law avoiding any discussions on the subject. \I(Albania)\i
The Russian Parliament votes to stop the return of billions of dollars worth of artworks taken by Russian troops from \JGermany\j during the Second World War. \I(Russia, Germany)\i
In an attempt to renew the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the American Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, organizes discussions at his home in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The career of Israeli politician Shimon Peres looks likely to end after the Israeli Labor Party rejects any plans to create an honorary post for him. \I(Israel)\i
A report by the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation claims that former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was involved in a corruption scandal between India and the Swedish company Bofors 11 years ago. The news comes a week after the entry of his widow, Sonia Gandhi, into the political arena. \I(India, Sweden)\i
It is reported that Turkish soldiers using heavy artillery have crossed the border into northern \JIraq\j in an attack against separatist Kurdish rebel camps. \I(Turkey, Iraq)\i
#
"May 15, 1997",498,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Jakarta, many people are injured in a brawl between construction site workers and participants in an election rally supporting President Soeharto's Golkar Party. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Tung Chee-wha, Hong Kong's Chief Executive in-waiting, revises his proposed laws to restrict civil liberties. The changes are made after widespread public opposition to proposed legislation in Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong)\i
In South Korea, Kim Hyun-chul, son of President Kim Young-sam, faces charges of graft and influence peddling. \I(South Korea)\i
The Sri Lankan military begins firing on Tamil Tiger guerrillas, killing and injuring guerrillas and possibly some civilians. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Taiwan's President, Lee Teng-hui, apologizes to the Taiwanese public for a number of recent unsolved murders and expresses his government's intention to improve social order. \I(Taiwan)\i
Taiwan, which has set up an agreement to purchase 150 F-16 jet fighters from the US, takes delivery of five of the planes. Two were delivered in April, and the remaining planes will be delivered in groups of two or three per month. \JTaiwan\j ordered the planes to strengthen its position against China. \I(Taiwan, USA)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, arrives in \JBeijing\j for a state visit. President Chirac and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, hold private talks to establish a partnership between their countries. \I(\JFrance\j, China)\i
On the 25th anniversary of \JOkinawa\j's return to Japanese rule from US administration, thousands protest about the US military bases still there. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The inquiry into Papua New Guinea's use of mercenaries finishes after six weeks. It is possible that the report on the inquiry won't be published until after Papua New Guinea's elections in June. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A Royal Commission, set up in 1994 to investigate corruption in the \JNew South Wales\j police force, publishes its findings. Justice James Wood, who headed the royal commission, presents a report containing 174 recommendations for cleaning up the force. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US air force B-52 pilot, Lieutenant Kelly Flinn, may be allowed to resign with an honorable discharge rather than face a court-martial over her affair with a married civilian. \I(USA)\i
In the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the man suspected of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing, a witness states that McVeigh's fingerprints could not be found on several crucial pieces of evidence. \I(USA)\i
Auguste Renoir's painting \IYoung Woman Bathing\i sells for $US12.4 million at an auction in New York. \I(USA)\i
Taiwan, which has set up an agreement to purchase 150 F-16 jet fighters from the US, takes delivery of five of the planes. Two were delivered in April, and the remaining planes will be delivered in groups of two or three per month. \JTaiwan\j ordered the planes to strengthen its position against China. \I(Taiwan, USA)\i
On the 25th anniversary of \JOkinawa\j's return to Japanese rule from US administration, thousands protest about the US military bases still there. \I(Japan, USA)\i
After lengthy negotiations, \JRussia\j reluctantly approves efforts by the US to admit the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j to the \JNATO\j military alliance. \I(Russia, Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, USA)\i
British-born NASA \Jastronaut\j, Dr Michael Foale, blasts off in the shuttle Atlantis to carry out repairs on the Russian space station, Mir. \I(Russia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Labour Government publishes a Referendums Bill that will let Scotland and Wales vote on the Government's proposals to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh elected assembly. \I(UK)\i
Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, announces national elections for 6 June. \I(Ireland)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, arrives in \JBeijing\j for a state visit. President Chirac and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, hold private talks to establish a partnership between their countries. \I(\JFrance\j, China)\i
British-born NASA \Jastronaut\j, Dr Michael Foale, blasts off in the shuttle Atlantis to carry out repairs on the Russian space station, Mir. \I(Russia, USA)\i
After lengthy negotiations, \JRussia\j reluctantly approves efforts by the US to admit the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j to the \JNATO\j military alliance. \I(Russia, Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, USA)\i
Thirty villagers in \JAlgeria\j are killed in a massacre by an armed band of criminals. The attack occurs on the first \Jday\j of \JAlgeria\j's election campaigns. No group claims responsibility for the attack. \I(Algeria)\i
In Zaire, rebel leader, Laurent Kabila, demands that President Mobutu accepts his peace proposal by Monday. \I(Zaire)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is pleased that justice minister, Yaacov Neeman, was acquitted of \Jperjury\j and obstructing justice. \I(Israel)\i
Shimon Peres, leader of the Israeli Labour Party, meets Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and recommends that they not give up hope on achieving peace in the area. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"May 16, 1997",499,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chinese authorities plan to station more than 10,000 police along the border during the Hong Kong handover period to prevent illegal immigrants leaving the mainland for Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, son of the President of South Korea, who is facing charges of graft and influence peddling, claims that prosecutors blackmailed businessmen to say that they had received favors from Kim after providing him with kickbacks. \I(South Korea)\i
Food shortages in North Korea have prompted its leader to make the military responsible for managing the country's farms. \I(North Korea)\i
US Army personnel are to visit North Korea soon in an effort to identify some of the thousands of Americans listed as missing during the Korean War. The Army team will excavate three sites and examine dog tags to help them in their search. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The leaders of India and \JPakistan\j meet for the first time in eight years. Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, and Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, agree to open the lines of communication between their countries. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
France's Foreign Minister, Herve de Charette, asks the Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, to release 17 Chinese and Tibetan \Jdissidents\j being detained in Chinese prisons. \I(China, France)\i
In the north of \JSri Lanka\j, military forces seize a town held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Tamil Tigers are fighting to establish a separate state. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Prosecutors seek the death penalty in the case of Theodore Kaczynski, America's "Unabomber" suspect. \I(USA)\i
In \JDenver\j, the prosecution's case against alleged \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, ends. Prosecutors claim they can show that residue from explosives used in the bombing were found on McVeigh's clothes. \I(USA)\i
Space shuttle Atlantis docks safely with the Russian space station, Mir. \JAstronaut\j Dr Michael Foale will replace Jerry Linenger, the American \Jastronaut\j who has been aboard Mir for four months. Dr Foale will remain on Mir for four and a half months. \I(USA, Russia)\i
US Army personnel are to visit North Korea soon in an effort to identify some of the thousands of Americans listed as missing during the Korean War. The Army team will excavate three sites and examine dog tags to help them in their search. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
New welfare laws in the US cause debate as President Clinton proposes that people who do community work for welfare benefits be paid the minimum wage. Critics claim that people on the "workfare" scheme should not necessarily receive the minimum wage because it is unfair to those earning the minimum wage in "proper" jobs. \I(USA)\i
President Bill Clinton apologizes to eight men who were unknowingly used by the US Government in an experiment to see the effects of \Jsyphilis\j when left untreated in black men. The experiment, which began in 1932, was uncovered in a newspaper report in the early 1970s. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In an effort to encourage an IRA ceasefire and subsequently admit Sinn Fein to peace talks, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, offers Sinn Fein a chance to meet with government officials. If Sinn Fein leaders show that they want peace, and that the IRA will call a ceasefire, Prime Minister Blair will invite them to take part in multi-party peace talks early in June. If the IRA does not call a ceasefire, Sinn Fein will not be admitted to the talks. \I(UK, Ireland)\i
NATO's member nations approve the wording of a new accord that allows for \JRussia\j to be involved in consultation on \JNATO\j plans. The accord will be officially signed on 27 May at a summit in Paris. \I(Russia)\i
Space shuttle Atlantis docks safely with the Russian space station, Mir. \JAstronaut\j Dr Michael Foale will replace Jerry Linenger, the American \Jastronaut\j who has been aboard Mir for four months. Dr Foale will remain on Mir for four and a half months. \I(USA, Russia)\i
President Mobutu leaves the Zairian capital, \JKinshasa\j, effectively conceding defeat to rebel leader, Laurent Kabila. \I(Zaire)\i
A meeting between Mother Teresa and the Pope is postponed as Mother Teresa falls ill on her arrival in \JRome\j. Mother Teresa is now recovering in a convent. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Clashes between Hezbollah guerrillas and the Israeli Army occur in \JJerusalem\j. Three soldiers are killed and seven are wounded. \I(Israel)\i
Shimon Peres is unofficially replaced as leader of the opposition Labour Party in Israel. Ehud Barak will replace Mr Peres. \I(Israel)\i
#
"May 17, 1997",500,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Fighting between Sri Lankan troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam continues as troops capture another town held by the rebels in northern Sri Lanka. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam, is arrested on charges of tax evasion and influence peddling. The arrest is televised nationally. \I(South Korea)\i
In the lead-up to the 29 May Indonesian elections, supporters of opposing parties clash in the streets of Jakarta. Police use gas and \Jrubber\j bullets to stop the fighting. \I(Indonesia)\i
Vietnam expresses anger at the European Parliament over a critical report on its human rights record. The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry claims that the Parliament has no right to interfere in Vietnam's affairs. \I(Vietnam)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Newt Gingrich, US congressional Speaker, pays $US50,000 of his $US300,000 ethics penalty. \I(USA)\i
It is reported that US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton owe millions of dollars in legal fees after investigations into their business dealings. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, meets Irish officials in preparation for talks with Britain's new Labour Government. \I(UK)\i
English \Jsoccer\j team Chelsea defeats Middlesbrough in the FA Cup competition. It is only the second time that Chelsea has won the competition. \I(UK)\i
Laurent Kabila's rebel forces enter the capital city of \JKinshasa\j. Kabila declares himself leader of Zaire and changes the name of the country to the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(Zaire)\i
Roelf Meyer, a prominent member of South Africa's former ruling party, the National Party, resigns and announces his intention to start a new party. \I(South Africa)\i
Fighting in south \JLebanon\j continues after a battle that began earlier in the week. Paratroopers and Hezbollah guerrillas both suffer fatalities in the encounter. \I(Lebanon)\i
Turkish forces pursue Kurdish rebel guerrillas in \JIraq\j in the largest operation of its kind in over two years. \I(Turkey, Iraq)\i
Israel and Turkey agree to work together to produce the Popeye II air-to-ground missile. \I(Israel, Turkey)\i
#
"May 18, 1997",501,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JSri Lanka\j, almost three hundred troops and guerrillas are killed in a military offensive that began a week ago. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam, remains in prison after being arrested on Saturday. Calls are now being made for the President to explain his own financial dealings with the collapsed Hanbo steel group, which contributed to his election campaign in 1995. \I(South Korea)\i
The largest opposition party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposes Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's decision to cooperate with \JPakistan\j and form a group to discuss Kashmir's future. Kashmir is controlled by the two countries, however the BJP wants India to regain complete control of it, rather than discuss other options with \JPakistan\j. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
In \JMongolia\j, the people go to the polls to elect a new president. \I(Mongolia)\i
On the southern coast of \JBangladesh\j, thousands of people leave their homes for storm shelters when a \Jcyclone\j threatens to strike. \I(Bangladesh)\i
In Taipei, thousands of people march to protest against rising violent crime. The protesters call for President Lee to apologize and for Premier Lien to resign. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
The \JBahamas\j decides to develop diplomatic relations with China, causing \JTaiwan\j to sever relations with the \JBahamas\j. \I(Taiwan, Bahamas)\i
The first round of French parliamentary elections is held in French \JPolynesia\j. \I(\JFrance\j, Polynesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American President, Bill Clinton, challenges researchers in the US to find an AIDS vaccine within 10 years. \I(USA)\i
Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, asks US President, Bill Clinton, to save the \JMiddle East\j peace process by intervening and sending US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, for talks in the region. \I(Palestine, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Britain, the Labour MP for Glasgow Govan is being investigated after allegations that he paid bribes to help him win the seat. \I(UK)\i
The first round of French parliamentary elections is held in French \JPolynesia\j. \I(\JFrance\j, Polynesia)\i
Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, asks US President, Bill Clinton, to save the \JMiddle East\j peace process by intervening and sending US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, for talks in the region. \I(Palestine, USA)\i
Pope John Paul II celebrates his 77th birthday in \JRome\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"May 19, 1997",502,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After withholding its backing for a UN resolution that condemns China's human rights record, \JAustralia\j is to receive a visit from China's Vice-Premier, Zhu Rongji and 70 other business and political leaders. The visit will begin next Friday. \I(Australia, China)\i
Japan is being pressured by the US to buy its Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) system. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The US and \JJapan\j recognize Laurent Kabila's new regime in Zaire, which he renamed the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Indonesia's three major political parties announce that they will not hold any more street rallies before the May 29 election. The announcement comes after three weeks of violence between political demonstrators. \I(Indonesia)\i
A \Jcyclone\j hits the southern coast of \JBangladesh\j as evacuation efforts continue. \I(Bangladesh)\i
In South Korea, prosecutors call for long jail terms for 11 of the politicians, bankers, and businessmen standing trial for graft in the case of the collapsed Hanbo steel group. \I(South Korea)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, hundreds more soldiers join the offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Preliminary results in \JMongolia\j's presidential election indicate that ex-communist and member of the opposition party, Natsagiin Bagabandi, has defeated the incumbent president and member of the ruling democratic party, Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat. \I(Mongolia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Japan is being pressured by the US to buy its Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) system. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The US and \JJapan\j recognize Laurent Kabila's new regime in Zaire, which he renamed the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
The US Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, says that the \JMiddle East\j peace accord has broken down. Calls by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, for President Clinton to personally intervene to save the peace process were rejected by the US National Security Adviser. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In the trial of suspected \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, a scientist testifies that McVeigh's clothes contained traces of explosive residue. \I(USA)\i
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, arrives in Washington for talks with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. The US may once again become involved in the Northern Ireland peace process and encourage the IRA to declare a cease-fire. \I(USA, UK)\i
The US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, presents a comprehensive four-year review of US defense. The report says that the number of US troops should be reduced by almost 62,000 and the number of civilian staff reduced by 80,000. The 100,000 troops in Europe and the western Pacific will stay. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, arrives in Washington for talks with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. The US may once again become involved in the Northern Ireland peace process and encourage the IRA to declare a cease-fire. \I(USA, UK)\i
In \JKinshasa\j, the new rebel leaders execute soldiers of deposed President Mobutu's regime. Looting also occurs throughout the city. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
The US and \JJapan\j recognize Laurent Kabila's new regime in Zaire, which he renamed the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
The US Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, says that the \JMiddle East\j peace accord has broken down. Calls by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, for President Clinton to personally intervene to save the peace process were rejected by the US National Security Adviser. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Relations between \JIran\j and Europe are strained as the Iranian Foreign Minister calls for \JGermany\j to correct a Berlin court's ruling regarding the murder of four Iranian \Jdissidents\j in 1992. The court found that the order for the murders came from senior Iranian officials. \I(Iran, Europe)\i
#
"May 20, 1997",503,0,0,0
President Bill Clinton wants the US to extend Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade status to China, however, critics of the move could hinder the proposal's progress through Congress. \I(USA, China)\i
The Islamic Taliban militia in \JAfghanistan\j claims to have captured an important pass in its efforts to penetrate the country's last remaining area controlled by an alliance of opposition forces. The opposition, led by General Dostum, denies the claim. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, announces his intention to create a coalition between his National United Front Party and the Khmer Rouge. This is likely to stir up existing tensions between the first Prime Minister and the second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who has also been seeking an alliance with the Khmer Rouge for his own party, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP). \I(Cambodia)\i
Despite a ban on political demonstrations, riots continue in Jakarta in the lead-up to the 29 May election. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Bangladeshi villagers return to assess the damage inflicted by the \Jcyclone\j that hit the country's southern coast on Monday night. Many homes are destroyed or completely swept away and 27 deaths are reported. \I(Bangladesh)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, troops secure the areas that they captured from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam before they move further into rebel territory. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Australian Aboriginal leaders and human rights groups are angered by the Federal Government's condemnation of a report on the removal of Aboriginal children from their families between the late 1800s and the late 1960s. The report will be tabled in parliament on Tuesday 26 May. \I(Australia)\i
The family of Yvonne Gilford, the Australian nurse murdered while working in Saudi \JArabia\j, has instructed its lawyer to ask for the death penalty for the two British nurses charged with the murder. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, imposes a ban on new US investment in \JMyanmar\j. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
This week in \JTexas\j, four people will be executed; it is expected that the State's number of executions this year will exceed its previous high of 19 in 1995. \I(USA)\i
President Bill Clinton wants the US to extend Most Favored Nation (MFN) trade status to China, however, critics of the move could hinder the proposal's progress through Congress. \I(USA, China)\i
The prosecutors' case against alleged \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, is due to conclude tomorrow. \I(USA)\i
The Pentagon announces that in the American state of \JUtah\j, a bomb blast will re-create the Iraqi explosion that is being blamed for causing Gulf War syndrome in war veterans. \I(USA)\i
The Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) is facing a lawsuit after its refusal to disclose details about its espionage budget. \I(USA)\i
A survey by the US Government finds that many Jewish homes in the West Bank are empty; this conflicts with claims by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that the building of new Jewish settlements is necessary. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Madeleine Albright, US \JSecretary of State\j, and Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary, agree to hold an international conference later this year to investigate the theft of gold and valuables by the Nazis during World War II. \I(USA, UK)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, imposes a ban on new US investment in \JMyanmar\j. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Labour Government announces that it wants to ban sponsorship of sporting events by \Jtobacco\j companies. \I(UK)\i
Madeleine Albright, US \JSecretary of State\j, and Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary, agree to hold an international conference later this year to investigate the theft of gold and valuables by the Nazis during World War II. \I(USA, UK)\i
Pope John Paul II meets with Mother Teresa and Sister Nirmala, who will be taking over from Mother Teresa as head of the charity order she established. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Laurent Kabila, self-proclaimed head of state of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), arrives in \JKinshasa\j to take control of the capital and the country. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
A survey by the US Government finds that many Jewish homes in the West Bank are empty; this conflicts with claims by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that the building of new Jewish settlements is necessary. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The family of Yvonne Gilford, the Australian nurse murdered while working in Saudi \JArabia\j, has instructed its lawyer to ask for the death penalty for the two British nurses charged with the murder. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
#
"May 21, 1997",504,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
With only one protest reported today, it seems that the pre-election violence in Jakarta has subsided for the moment. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In \JRangoon\j, members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) Party are arrested prior to the anniversary of the Party's victory in elections on 27 May, 1990. Despite the Party's victory, the ruling body, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, refused to recognize the result. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
A number of different groups criticize President Clinton's decision to extend Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status to China. \I(USA, China)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, restates his country's claim to a shoal in the South China Sea, which is also claimed by China. \I(\JPhilippines\j, China)\i
In \JAfghanistan\j, it appears that the Islamic Taliban militia is getting closer to defeating the opposing coalition force, which has been weakened by desertions in recent weeks. If the Taliban is successful in its campaign, it will take control of the entire country. \I(Afghanistan)\i
President of India's Congress Party, Sitaram Kesri, officially welcomes to the party Sonia Gandhi, wife of murdered Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Mrs Gandhi joined India's oldest political party last month, six years after her husband's assassination. \I(India)\i
Australia's \JImmigration\j Minister announces a large cut in the country's \Jimmigration\j intake for 1997-98. The government feels that the cut is necessary to reduce high levels of unemployment. \I(Australia)\i
Controversy continues over a report on the "stolen generation" of Aboriginal children who were taken from their parents and placed in the care of white families. Aboriginal, church, and human rights groups are calling for the government to compensate families affected by the policy, which was active between the turn of the century and the late 1960s. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A number of different groups criticize President Clinton's decision to extend Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status to China. \I(USA, China)\i
The prosecutors in the case against Timothy McVeigh, the man accused of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing, bring their case to an end. \I(USA)\i
Congresswomen in Washington call for charges of adultery against Lieutenant Kelly Flinn to be dropped. The Air Force is currently considering her resignation and whether or not to go ahead with a court-martial. \I(USA)\i
The US shuttle Atlantis leaves the Russian space station Mir and begins its journey back to Earth. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In response to Palestine's decision to impose the death penalty on people who sell land to Jews, Israel intends to complain to the United Nations commission on human rights. The US has criticized Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat's support for the law. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), conducts talks with British civil servants. \I(UK)\i
The US shuttle Atlantis leaves the Russian space station Mir and begins its journey back to Earth. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, new leader, Laurent Kabila, works on arrangements for his first government. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
In response to Palestine's decision to impose the death penalty on people who sell land to Jews, Israel intends to complain to the United Nations commission on human rights. The US has criticized Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat's support for the law. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In South Africa, a controlled explosion to destroy anti-personnel landmines is the first step towards ridding the country of all such devices by October. This coincides with an announcement by the British Government that all landmines held by the British Army are to be destroyed by 2005. \I(South Africa, UK)\i
#
"May 22, 1997",505,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6 on the Richter scale hits India at dawn and kills 30 people and injures hundreds more. Thousands are left homeless. \I(India)\i
Around 750 fishermen are reported missing after a \Jcyclone\j hit \JBangladesh\j three days ago. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Myanmar accuses the US of interfering in its affairs and providing money to support anti-government organizations. The criticism comes after the US called for \JMyanmar\j to release members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), arrested earlier in the week to stop them from attending an anniversary party meeting. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
The US imposes more sanctions on companies in China that transfer chemicals and weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(USA, China, Iran)\i
Chinese officials express their hope that British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, will attend the June 30 handover ceremonies in Hong Kong. \I(China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
In the case against the collapsed Hanbo steel group in South Korea, eight more politicians are indicted. The men are charged with receiving money from Hanbo in return for favors. \I(South Korea)\i
North Korean defectors describe the country's dire food shortages and the fears that there will be war against South Korea. \I(North Korea)\i
Ousted leader of \JIndonesia\j's Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati Sukarnoputri, announces that she will not vote in the 29 May general and local elections and urged her supporters to follow her lead. Ms Megawati claims that the take-over of her party was illegal and therefore people should not vote for the PDI. \I(Indonesia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces that on her way to the handover ceremony in Hong Kong, she will visit \JCambodia\j and Vietnam. She is concerned about increasing violence in \JCambodia\j and fears that the country may again be disturbed by \Jcivil war\j. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam)\i
The Australian Government's decision to reduce \Jimmigration\j by 8 per cent in 1997-98 draws criticism from politicians, ethnic groups and the business sector. Some believe that the Government's decision was influenced by independent MP, Pauline Hanson, who has caused heated debate recently over her call to stop \Jimmigration\j. \I(Australia)\i
An illegal organization for smuggling Sri Lankan refugees into \JAustralia\j by plane is discovered by \Jimmigration\j officials. The refugees are Sri Lankan Tamils. \I(Australia, Sri Lanka)\i
In a one-\Jday\j international cricket match in England, England beats \JAustralia\j. \I(UK, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Lieutenant Kelly Flinn, charged by the US Air Force with adultery, is granted a general discharge. The Air Force decided not to court-martial Lt Flinn, however it refused to grant the honorable discharge that she sought. \I(USA)\i
In the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the man suspected of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing, the testimony of a British forensic scientist has supported a theory that the bomber actually died in the blast. The scientist claims that an unidentified leg found in the rubble could have been the bomber's. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces new measures to encourage the peace process in Bosnia. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
US Attorney General, Janet Reno, commends Venezuela's decision to extradite a suspected Colombian drug lord to the US. \I(USA, Venezuela)\i
Myanmar accuses the US of interfering in its affairs and providing money to support anti-government organizations. The criticism comes after the US called for \JMyanmar\j to release members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), arrested earlier in the week to stop them from attending an anniversary party meeting. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
The US imposes more sanctions on companies in China that transfer chemicals and weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(USA, China, Iran)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces that on her way to the handover ceremony in Hong Kong, she will visit \JCambodia\j and Vietnam. She is concerned about increasing violence in \JCambodia\j and fears that the country may again be disturbed by \Jcivil war\j. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, holds talks with former prime minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher. Baroness Thatcher advises Mr Blair on how to approach his upcoming round of international meetings. \I(UK)\i
In a one-\Jday\j international cricket match in England, England beats \JAustralia\j. \I(UK, Australia)\i
Chinese officials express their hope that British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, will attend the June 30 handover ceremonies in Hong Kong. \I(China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sacks his Defense Minister and the military's Chief of Staff saying that they have neglected military reform. \I(Russia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces new measures to encourage the peace process in Bosnia. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
A car bomb explodes in \JAlgeria\j killing 21 people and injuring 30 others. The explosion occurred in the center of the Boufarik, which is expected to be a campaign meeting place in the lead-up to the June 5 elections. \I(Algeria)\i
Supporters of former Zairian prime minister, Etienne Tshisekedi, pressure the President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, Laurent Kabila, to create a role for Tshisekedi in Kabila's new government. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
At the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Kurdish demonstrators demand that the UN helps stop Turkey from continuing its official nine-\Jday\j offensive into \JIraq\j. \I(Iraq, Turkey, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The US imposes more sanctions on companies in China that transfer chemicals and weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(USA, China, Iran)\i
#
"May 23, 1997",506,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Despite the bans on political rallies in Jakarta, riots occur as opposing supporters clash in the streets on the last \Jday\j of campaigning in the lead-up to the 29 May elections. Police use tear gas and \Jrubber\j bullets to disperse the crowds. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korea agrees to supply 40,000 tonnes of food to North Korea, which is reported to be on the brink of \Jfamine\j. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
South Korean President Kim Young-sam claims that he cannot reveal details of his 1992 election funds. \I(South Korea)\i
Tension escalates between China and the \JPhilippines\j as they argue about which country has the right to an island in the South China Sea, called Huangyan Island by the Chinese and the Scarborough Shoal by the \JPhilippines\j. \I(China, Philippines)\i
Taiwan cancels a visit by officials from China, claiming that the mainlanders snubbed the organizers of the visit by refusing to meet with them and by demanding changes to the itinerary. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
China condemns the sanctions imposed by the US on Chinese companies and citizens suspected of transferring chemical weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(China, USA, Iran)\i
Malaysia announces that it will support \JTaiwan\j's admission as an official dialog partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). If the admission is permitted, \JTaiwan\j will become ASEAN's sixth dialog partner, taking its place alongside \JJapan\j, China, \JAustralia\j, the US, and the European Union. \I(Taiwan, Malaysia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, announces that US troops will not remain in Bosnia beyond the June 1998 deadline. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
China condemns the sanctions imposed by the US on Chinese companies and citizens suspected of transferring chemical weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(China, USA, Iran)\i
President Clinton approves the action taken by the US Air Force in the case of Lieutenant Kelly Flinn who was given a general discharge from the force after an adulterous affair. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, talks to European leaders at an informal summit meeting about his approach to Europe. Mr Blair encourages his counterparts to focus on issues of importance to people everywhere in Europe. \I(UK, Europe)\i
The Presidents of \JRussia\j and \JBelarus\j, Boris Yeltsin and Alexander Lukashenko, sign a charter that contains details about the relationship between the two countries. \I(Russia, Belarus)\i
A German court finds a Bosnian-Serb guilty of war crimes committed during the war in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995. \I(\JGermany\j, Bosnia)\i
Laurent Kabila, self-declared president of the newly-named Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, appoints members of his interim government. President Kabila abolished the position of prime minister and failed to include in his new government Zaire's former prime minister, Etienne Tshisekedi. Mr Tshisekedi says that he will not recognize the new government and he is calling for the people to do the same. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Iran holds presidential elections as the current president nears the end of his eight years in office. \I(Iran)\i
China condemns the sanctions imposed by the US on Chinese companies and citizens suspected of transferring chemical weapons technology to \JIran\j. \I(China, USA, Iran)\i
#
"May 24, 1997",507,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The US Senate is presented with a bill to end subsidies to China and to increase funding for cultural exchange programs. \I(USA, China)\i
Unrest continues in \JIndonesia\j as election violence results in a fire that kills at least 130 in the city of Banjarmasin. \I(Indonesia)\i
The leader of \JMyanmar\j's National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, plans to go ahead with a meeting on 27 May to commemorate the anniversary of her party's election win seven years ago. Despite the party's mandate of 1990, it was prevented from taking office by the ruling military junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Debate about the report into \JAustralia\j's "stolen generation" of Aboriginal children continues. The report, called \IBringing Them Home,\i is due to be tabled in parliament next week. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis returns from its mission to the Mir space station and lands at the Kennedy Space Center in \JFlorida\j. \I(USA)\i
The US Government is unsure whether or not it will back a renewal of a deal which allowed \JIraq\j to sell $US2 billion worth of oil in order to buy food and medicine for the people. The deal, organized by the United Nations, is due for renewal in June. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
The US Senate is presented with a bill to end subsidies to China and to increase funding for cultural exchange programs. \I(USA, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is concerned because all of the members in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j's new cabinet, appointed by self-declared ruler, Laurent Kabila, came from Mr Kabila's own alliance. Ms Albright feels that the cabinet should be broadened to include others. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
The US grants refuge to a Swiss bank security guard who discovered and kept records that show dealings between the bank and the German Nazis. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) hold an inquiry into the alleged dumping of toxic waste by British \JPetroleum\j (BP) in northern \JAlaska\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The US has granted refuge to a Swiss bank security guard who discovered and kept records that show dealings between the bank and the German Nazis. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) are holding an inquiry into the alleged dumping of toxic waste by British \JPetroleum\j (BP) in northern \JAlaska\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
Laurent Kabila, self-proclaimed President of the newly-named Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, announces that his country will hold democratic elections after a two-year transition period. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is concerned because all of the members in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j's new cabinet, appointed by self-declared ruler, Laurent Kabila, came from Mr Kabila's own alliance. Ms Albright feels that the cabinet should be broadened to include others. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
In \JIran\j's presidential election, the candidate supported by the establishment, Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, is defeated by former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Khatami. \I(Iran)\i
The US Government is unsure whether or not it will back a renewal of a deal which allowed \JIraq\j to sell $US2 billion worth of oil in order to buy food and medicine for the people. The deal, organized by the United Nations, is due for renewal in June. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Israel announces that it will not stop building 6,500 Jewish houses in Har Homa, East \JJerusalem\j, despite calls by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the building to cease. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"May 25, 1997",508,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After an offensive into the north of the country, the Islamic Taliban militia claims to control all of \JAfghanistan\j. The leader of opposition forces, General Dostum, flees to Turkey. \JPakistan\j is the first country to recognize the Taliban as the official government of \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Afghanistan, Pakistan)\i
Red Cross negotiators from North and South Korea meet to work out the details of food support to North Korea. South Korea offered to supply 40,000 tonnes of food by the end of July, delivered through the zone that separates the two countries. North Korea wants more food delivered earlier through a different route, and it doesn't want any of the packaging to show that the food is from South Korea. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
Sri Lankan government troops advance into territory held by Tamil rebels in the north of the country. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Leader of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Mililani Trask, warns that Australian independent MP, Pauline Hanson, is sometimes perceived overseas as \JAustralia\j's leader because of the amount of publicity she is receiving. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, seeks support from the opposition Labor Party for a motion that will look at the issues of housing, health, and education for Aboriginal Australians. \I(Australia)\i
In the Texaco Trophy one-\Jday\j international cricket series, England beats \JAustralia\j. \I(UK, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Bill Clinton prepares for his visit to Europe this week. Mr Clinton will meet Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, then go to the Netherlands to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Marshall Plan, the plan that helped shape Europe's post World War II economy. Following this, President Clinton will fly to London to meet with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(USA, UK, Netherlands, Russia)\i
Leader of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Mililani Trask, warns that Australian independent MP, Pauline Hanson, is sometimes perceived overseas as \JAustralia\j's leader because of the amount of publicity she is receiving. \I(USA, Australia)\i
The Clinton administration declares that its highest foreign priority is the expansion of \JNATO\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Foreign Office Minister, Derek Fatchett, arrives in \JEgypt\j for a tour of the \JMiddle East\j. Mr Fatchett has expressed the British Government's intention to take a more active role in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(UK)\i
President Bill Clinton prepares for his visit to Europe this week. Mr Clinton will meet Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, then go to the Netherlands to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Marshall Plan, the plan that helped shape Europe's post World War II economy. Following this, President Clinton will fly to London to meet with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(USA, UK, Netherlands, Russia)\i
In the Texaco Trophy one-\Jday\j international cricket series, England beats \JAustralia\j. \I(UK, Australia)\i
In Saudi \JArabia\j, the two British nurses accused of murdering Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, deny the charge and say that they signed confessions only because their clothes had been removed and they were sexually abused by police. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
In the west African nation of Sierra Leone, soldiers stage a coup and oust the government after clashes with Nigerian troops. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
#
"May 26, 1997",509,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North and South Korea come to an agreement regarding food supplies. South Korea will provide North Korea with 50,000 tonnes of food by July. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
Torrential rains and resulting floods in Manila leave at least 20 people dead. The rain affects the whole of Manila. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
Fighting between the Sri Lankan military and rebel Tamils eases as the military fortifies its position in the areas that it has gained. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Japanese patrol boats stop protesters landing on the Senkaku islands. \JJapan\j, \JTaiwan\j, and China all claim ownership of the islands. \I(Japan, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
In Melbourne, the three-\Jday\j Australian Reconciliation Convention begins. Prime Minister, John Howard, personally apologizes for the government policy which saw Aboriginal children taken from their parents and placed in the care of white families between the 1880s and the late 1960s. Mr Howard fails to apologize on behalf of the nation, a failure that prompts 100 of the 2,000 delegates to turn their backs on Mr Howard as he speaks. \I(Australia)\i
Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, says that the government does not see China as a threat and that it wants to strengthen ties between the two countries. \I(Australia, China)\i
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, calls for action against illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean. \I(New Zealand)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale is monitored in \JNew Zealand\j, about 1,000 kilometers north-east of Auckland. The quake causes no apparent damage. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the west African nation of Sierra Leone, Major Johnny Paul Koromah declares himself head of state after he overthrows the democratically elected government. The US State Department condemns the coup and tells its leaders to restore the government. The US Government prepares to evacuate its citizens living in Sierra Leone, and advises others to cancel any plans to travel there. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, hopes to encourage \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j to continue aiming towards peace in Bosnia. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, Bosnia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) claims responsibility for a bomb explosion in Ireland. The LVF supports British rule of Northern Ireland. \I(UK, Ireland)\i
British golfer Ian Woosnam wins the British PGA title in England. \I(UK)\i
The French Open tennis championship begins. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
French Prime Minister, Alain Juppe, announces his resignation. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, arrives in Paris to sign an accord that gives \JRussia\j a voice in \JNATO\j affairs. \I(Russia, \JFrance\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, hopes to encourage \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j to continue aiming towards peace in Bosnia. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, Bosnia)\i
In the west African nation of Sierra Leone, Major Johnny Paul Koromah declares himself head of state after he overthrows the democratically elected government. The US State Department condemns the coup and tells its leaders to restore the government. The US Government prepares to evacuate its citizens living in Sierra Leone, and advises others to cancel any plans to travel there. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
#
"May 27, 1997",510,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JMyanmar\j, the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) uses road blocks and security checks to stop members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) from attending a party meeting at the home of NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The meeting was intended to commemorate the NLD's 1990 election victory, which was not recognized by the SLORC. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j)\i
In Manila, people begin cleaning up following three days of torrential rain that caused severe flooding. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, agrees to address the nation about funds for his 1992 election campaign. Opposition parties claim that funds came from the collapsed Hanbo steel group and they accuse President Kim of over-spending during the campaign. \I(South Korea)\i
The United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights expresses concern about the detention of National League for Democracy (NLD) members in \JMyanmar\j. NLD members were detained by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to prevent them from attending a meeting to celebrate their 1990 election victory. The victory was not recognized by the SLORC. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Fighting between residents and the Taliban militia occurs in the city of Mazar-e Sharif in the north of \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
China commends the accord between \JRussia\j and \JNATO\j, with Foreign Ministry spokesman, Shen Guofang, expressing his hope that the accord will help develop security in Europe. \I(China)\i
A meeting between \JAustralia\j's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and China's Vice-Premier, Zhu Rongji, has resulted in the establishment of a dialog on human rights, scheduled to begin in August. \I(Australia, China)\i
Brigitte Muir becomes the first Australian woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest. \I(Australia, \JNepal\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President, Bill Clinton, will face a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones, who alleges that the President made unwanted sexual advances to her in 1991 when he was governor of \JArkansas\j and she was an employee of the state. The President had requested that the lawsuit be delayed until he leaves office, but the Supreme Court denied this request. \I(USA)\i
In Paris, US President, Bill Clinton, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sign a pact which states that \JRussia\j and \JNATO\j are no longer adversaries and that they will work together to create a secure, stable Europe. The pact also gives \JRussia\j the right to be included in \JNATO\j discussions. After signing the pact, President Yeltsin announced that \JRussia\j would no longer target \JNATO\j states with nuclear missiles. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Tornadoes in central \JTexas\j kill at least 30 people and flatten dozens of homes. \I(USA)\i
Though the US military receives no request to evacuate US citizens in Sierra Leone, it sends 1,200 marines on the ship \IKearsarge\i to stand by should an evacuation be required. The west African nation's elected government was overthrown in a coup at the weekend. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
At his first news conference, \JIran\j's president-elect, Mohammed Khatami, says that it is time for \JIran\j to pursue more democracy, without letting that pursuit weaken the Islamic government against its enemies. Mr Khatami also spoke about \JIran\j's relationship with America, calling on the US to end its hostility towards the Islamic republic and make the first move in restoring relations between the two countries. \I(Iran, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The first all-female team reaches the \JNorth Pole\j. The team of four British women are participating in a relay expedition with four other teams. \I(UK)\i
In Paris, US President, Bill Clinton, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sign a pact which states that \JRussia\j and \JNATO\j are no longer adversaries and that they will work together to create a secure, stable Europe. The pact also gives \JRussia\j the right to be included in \JNATO\j discussions. After signing the pact, President Yeltsin announced that \JRussia\j would no longer target \JNATO\j states with nuclear missiles. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The US announces plans to send its United Nations ambassador, Bill Richardson, for talks with Laurent Kabila, self-proclaimed President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. The US wants Mr Kabila to broaden his government to include members who are not part of his own alliance. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, supports Laurent Kabila's decision to ban political activities in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), South Africa)\i
Rebels from the country in Sierra Leone arrive in the capital, \JFreetown\j, to support the military's overthrow of the elected government, as troops from \JNigeria\j arrive to support the ousted President Kabbah, who sought \JNigeria\j's aid before fleeing to Guinea. \JNigeria\j issues a 24-hour ultimatum, demanding that the coup leaders restore the President. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
Though the US military receives no request to evacuate US citizens in Sierra Leone, it sends 1,200 marines on the ship \IKearsarge\i to stand by should an evacuation be required. The west African nation's elected government was overthrown in a coup at the weekend. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
A summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, on the \JMiddle East\j peace process ends with no resolutions, but both leaders claim that more talks will help resolve the problem. Israel's decision to continue building a new Jewish settlement in East \JJerusalem\j has caused the Palestinians to refuse to attend talks. \I(Egypt, Israel, Palestine)\i
At his first news conference, \JIran\j's president-elect, Mohammed Khatami, says that it is time for \JIran\j to pursue more democracy, without letting that pursuit weaken the Islamic government against its enemies. Mr Khatami also spoke about \JIran\j's relationship with America, calling on the US to end its hostility towards the Islamic republic and make the first move in restoring relations between the two countries. \I(Iran, USA)\i
#
"May 28, 1997",511,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Taliban militia is forced out of the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif by Uzbek troops and Shi'ite Muslims. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The Sri Lankan navy sinks a number of boats belonging to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Almost 60,000 tonnes of donated food arrives in \Jfamine\j-threatened North Korea. The food was supplied by countries contributing to the World Food Program. \I(North Korea)\i
The car of \JCambodia\j's second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is shot at in what is thought to be an assassination attempt. The bullet misses the car but hits one of the riders in the \Jmotorcycle\j escort. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Australian Reconciliation Convention ends in Melbourne by presenting recommendations for achieving reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Many want a national apology and compensation for the Aboriginal children who were affected by a government policy which saw them forcibly removed from their parents in an attempt to assimilate them into white society. On the first \Jday\j of the Convention, the Prime Minister, John Howard, apologized personally for the injustices done to the Aboriginal people, but he did not apologize on behalf of the nation, and his government has since expressed its opposition to compensation. \I(Australia)\i
At a press meeting in Sydney, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tang Guoqiang, says that Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is committed to a one-China policy and will not allow any official contact with \JTaiwan\j. \I(Australia, China, Taiwan)\i
In a speech during his seven-\Jday\j tour of \JAustralia\j, Chinese Vice-Premier, Zhu Rongji, declares that people would be foolish to leave Hong Kong after the July 1 handover, claiming that Hong Kong is the best place to make money. \I(Australia, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) releases documents showing that it: compiled a list of Latin American assassination targets; trained assassins to kill these targets; and backed the Guatemalan coup that ousted the elected president in 1954. \I(USA, Guatemala)\i
At a ceremony in The Hague celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, President Clinton calls for eastern Europe's former Communist states to be helped so that they can become part of a united, peaceful Europe. \I(USA, the Netherlands)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, visits the war crimes tribunal at The Hague and talks about tougher measures to ensure that indicted war criminals in Bosnia are brought to justice. \I(USA, the Netherlands, Bosnia)\i
The defense attorneys in the trial of suspected \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, end their case. \I(USA)\i
The US urges the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to call a cease-fire and re-enter talks with Britain. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a ceremony in The Hague celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, President Clinton calls for eastern Europe's former Communist states to be helped so that they can become part of a united, peaceful Europe. \I(USA, the Netherlands)\i
Newly released Swiss \Jarchives\j show that \JSwitzerland\j exported millions of dollars worth of arms to Nazi \JGermany\j between 1940 and 1944. \I(Switzerland, Germany)\i
In \JKinshasa\j, supporters of former prime minister, Etienne Tshisekedi, march in protest of the Rwandans in Laurent Kabila's forces. Despite Kabila's ban on political activities, his soldiers let the march begin, but later break it up. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
After talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sends an adviser to brief Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. Mr Arafat says he will not talk with Mr Netanyahu until the expansion of Jewish settlement is stopped; Mr Netanyahu says that will not happen. \I(Egypt, Israel, Palestine)\i
In the west African nation of Sierra Leone, fighting spreads out from the capital, \JFreetown\j. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
#
"May 29, 1997",512,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
National elections are held in \JIndonesia\j after the worst pre-election violence in decades. Approximately 15 people were shot dead overnight prior to polling \Jday\j. Many people, believing that the ruling Golkar Party will tamper with election results, will follow the lead of democracy leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and not vote. \I(Indonesia)\i
Singapore's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, and members of his party are awarded $S8.08 million in libel cases against an opposition politician. It is the highest amount ever awarded in a case of this type in \JSingapore\j. \I(Singapore)\i
Fighting in Mazar-e Sharif in \JAfghanistan\j leaves hundreds of people dead. \I(Afghanistan)\i
The Chinese Foreign Ministry accuses some US politicians of applying pressure on China by expressing their opposition to President Clinton's announcement that he wants to renew China's Most Favored Nation trade status. \I(China, USA)\i
The government in Papua New Guinea announces a plan to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Bougainville conflict. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is criticized for not giving a national apology to the "stolen generations" of Aboriginal Australians who were forcibly removed from their parents between the 1890s and the late 1960s. Mr Howard's legal advisers have told him that an apology on behalf of the nation would have legal implications. It is thought that Mr Howard will respond to the issue again after he has had time to review the 700-page report on the stolen generations by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, called \IBringing Them Home.\i \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On a one-\Jday\j visit to England, US President, Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, meet to fortify their relationship and discuss issues of importance to both of them. In particular, they resolved to work together to tackle unemployment. Mr Clinton also used his time in England to speak about the situation in Northern Ireland, urging the Irish Republican Army to call a cease-fire so that it can join talks aimed at creating peace there. \I(USA, UK)\i
The Chinese Foreign Ministry accuses some US politicians of applying pressure on China by expressing their opposition to President Clinton's announcement that he wants to renew China's Most Favored Nation trade status. \I(China, USA)\i
At a meeting of \JNATO\j foreign ministers in \JPortugal\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that new members must meet high standards, and that other prospective member countries must be given a chance to join the alliance at a later date. \I(USA, Portugal)\i
After a military coup in the west African nation of Sierra Leone on Sunday, the Pentagon announces that Americans in the nation's capital, \JFreetown\j, will be evacuated by US Marines on Friday. Sierra Leone's US ambassador asks if the Marines can be used to help restore unrest in the country, but the US Government rejects the request. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
Lawyers of the woman accusing President Clinton of sexual harassment plan to \Jsubpoena\j the President and ten other women they suspect of having affairs with him. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On a one-\Jday\j visit to England, US President, Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, meet to fortify their relationship and discuss issues of importance to both of them. In particular, they resolved to work together to tackle unemployment. Mr Clinton also used his time in England to speak about the situation in Northern Ireland, urging the Irish Republican Army to call a cease-fire so that it can join talks aimed at creating peace there. \I(USA, UK)\i
At a meeting of \JNATO\j foreign ministers in \JPortugal\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that new members must meet high standards, and that other prospective member countries must be given a chance to join the alliance at a later date. \I(USA, Portugal)\i
In northern \JSpain\j, a team from the National Museum of Natural Sciences says it has found human remains thought to be 800,000 years old. \I(Spain)\i
Turkey's Islamic Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, announces that he will step down from office. The decision comes after accusations from the military that the Prime Minister wants to impose radical Islamic policies on the country. The premiership will be handed to former prime minister and coalition ally, Tansu Ciller, ahead of early elections. \I(Turkey)\i
Laurent Kabila, self-proclaimed President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, officially takes office as head of state. President Kabila promises to hold elections in April 1999. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
After a military coup in the west African nation of Sierra Leone on Sunday, the Pentagon announces that Americans in the nation's capital, \JFreetown\j, will be evacuated by US Marines on Friday. Sierra Leone's US ambassador has asks if the Marines can be used to help restore unrest in the country, but the US Government rejects the request. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
#
"May 30, 1997",513,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After three-quarters of votes in the Indonesian election are counted, the ruling Golkar Party claims its biggest victory in three decades. The Muslim opposition and the Independent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP) accuse the Golkar group of cheating. \I(Indonesia)\i
In the city of Mazar-e Sharif in northern \JAfghanistan\j, fighting continues between the Taliban militia and its opposition forces. Control of the city has switched back and forth from one force to the other throughout the fighting. \I(Afghanistan)\i
South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, apologizes on national \Jtelevision\j for scandals over political campaign funding, however he does not speak directly about charges concerning illegal funding of his 1992 election campaign. \I(South Korea)\i
The man who was ordered to pay $S8.08 million in \Jdefamation\j damages to \JSingapore\j's Prime Minister and other members of his party says that he will challenge the court order. \I(Singapore)\i
Parts of a plan by the Papua New Guinean Government for achieving peace in the Bougainville conflict are rejected by rebels. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
In the Australian city of Newcastle, thousands of people protest against independent MP, Pauline Hanson, as she holds a meeting to put forth the views of her newly-formed One Nation Party. Ms Hanson has caused emotional debate in \JAustralia\j because of her stance against \Jimmigration\j and special assistance for Aboriginal Australians. \I(Australia)\i
The Australian Government intends to ask Saudi authorities not to impose the death penalty on two British nurses if they are found guilty of murdering Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, the seven male and five female jurors begin their second \Jday\j of deliberations. \I(USA)\i
Cuba claims that moves by the US to tighten trading restrictions on it go against an agreement that the US made with the European Union to ease the embargo. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
In the case against Mikhail Markhasev, the man accused of murdering Ennis Cosby, the son of American comedian, Bill Cosby, prosecutors will not seek the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
More than 900 US citizens are evacuated from \JFreetown\j in Sierra Leone as coup leaders negotiate to avoid an attack by Nigerian soldiers who have been called into the region to restore the ousted government. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
Allegations of sexual harassment continue to surface in the US forces as a Navy rear admiral is relieved of duties, a high-level Army lawyer is investigated, and an Army sergeant is sentenced to six months in a military prison. \I(USA)\i
Amnesty International expresses concern about the high rate of executions in \JTexas\j. So far this year, 16 people were executed in the state and ten more executions are expected to take place in June. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, signs a pact with \JUkraine\j that allows \JRussia\j to base its \JBlack Sea\j fleet in Sevastopol, a Ukrainian city on the Crimean peninsula. \I(Russia, Ukraine)\i
When Irish President, Mary Robinson, leaves office in December, she will become the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(Ireland)\i
More than 900 US citizens are evacuated from \JFreetown\j in Sierra Leone as coup leaders negotiate to avoid an attack by Nigerian soldiers who have been called into the region to restore the ousted government. \I(Sierra Leone, USA)\i
The British Government delays approval of a European Union treaty that includes a proposal to remove internal border controls. Some European Union ministers have expressed their disappointment in Prime Minister Blair's approach to the treaty. \I(UK, European Union)\i
Violence occurs when Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters clash outside an Israeli shrine in the West Bank. The people were protesting about a Palestinian death in police custody. \I(Palestine, Israel, West Bank)\i
#
"May 31, 1997",514,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) agrees to admit \JCambodia\j, Laos, and \JMyanmar\j to the alliance in July. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
In \JAfghanistan\j, the coalition between the Islamic Taliban militia and its former enemies, formed only last week, disintegrates. The forces that helped the Taliban conquer cities in the north turned back against the militia and now fight for control of the city that links the country to its northern areas. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Thousands of students protesting in South Korea become violent and throw firebombs at police. The students are calling for the resignation of President Kim Young-sam after scandal over his 1992 election campaign funds. \I(South Korea)\i
In East \JTimor\j, 17 police officers are killed when separatist guerrillas throw a grenade into a police truck. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A spokesman for the US State Department calls for \JIndonesia\j to change its political system and investigate allegations of corruption in the electoral procedures. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
Alleged pedophile, Philip Bell, is extradited from South Africa and appears in court to face 170 charges relating to offences against young boys. \I(\JAustralia\j, South Africa)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, accuses \JCroatia\j and \JSerbia\j of being slow to comply with the 1995 Dayton peace accord. The US and its allies want to ensure that the peace is stable before their troops leave in June 1998. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
A spokesman for the US State Department calls for \JIndonesia\j to change its political system and investigate allegations of corruption in the electoral procedures. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
The jury in the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the man accused of the \JOklahoma City\j bombing, fails to reach a verdict. \I(USA)\i
In a speech to West Point graduates, President Clinton outlines the advantages of expanding the \JNATO\j alliance, saying that it will benefit US security. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Pope arrives in \JPoland\j for an eleven-\Jday\j visit that will see him tour twelve cities. \I(Poland)\i
The IRA attempts to plant and detonate a landmine in west \JBelfast\j but abandons the plan when something goes wrong. The discarded landmine is yet to be examined by experts. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
The \Jday\j before the final round of voting in \JFrance\j's elections, leader of the National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen is caught up in a brawl and allegedly pushes a Socialist candidate, Annette Peulvast-Bergeal, to the ground. \I(France)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, accuses \JCroatia\j and \JSerbia\j of being slow to comply with the 1995 Dayton peace accord. The US and its allies want to ensure that the peace is stable before their troops leave in June 1998. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Alleged pedophile, Philip Bell, is extradited from South Africa and appears in court to face 170 charges relating to offences against young boys. \I(\JAustralia\j, South Africa)\i
#
"June 1, 1997",515,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Frank Gilford, brother of Yvonne Gilford, the Australian nurse who was murdered in Saudi \JArabia\j last December, refuses to meet the parents of the two British nurses who are on trial for the murder. According to Islamic law, Mr Gilford has the authority to ask for the women to be put to death if they are found guilty. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
Tensions escalate between \JCambodia\j's co-Prime Ministers, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Mr Hun Sen, as Prince Norodom is expelled as leader of his party. Mr Hun Sen supports the faction of Prince Norodom's party that called for the expulsion. \I(Cambodia)\i
Fighting between the Taliban militia and its opposition continues in \JAfghanistan\j. The Taliban militia is reinforced with troops from eastern \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Soldiers in East \JTimor\j search for the separatist guerrillas responsible for yesterday's grenade attack which killed 17 officers. The rebels are part of a resistance movement that opposes \JIndonesia\j's 1975 annexation of East \JTimor\j. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A US State Department spokesman says that the Government will donate $US12.6 million towards aiding Rwandan Hutu refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. The US has criticized President Kabila's indifference to the refugees. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
For the third \Jday\j in a row, the jury in the trial of Timothy McVeigh, the man accused of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing, fails to reach a verdict. \I(USA)\i
In Sierra Leone, more foreigners are evacuated by US military helicopters. Soldiers from other African countries such as \JNigeria\j, \JGhana\j, and Guinea are sent to help maintain order and discourage the military coup leaders. \I(Sierra Leone, \JNigeria\j, \JGhana\j, Guinea, USA)\i
In \JBolivia\j, former dictator, Hugo Banzer, is elected president. \I(Bolivia)\i
In a race to determine the fastest runner in the world, Canadian Donovan Bailey defeats American Michael Johnson. Johnson suffers a leg injury during the race. \I(USA, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the final round of voting in the French elections, leftist parties defeat the Conservative Government. Outgoing Conservative Prime Minister, Alain Juppe, will probably be replaced by Socialist Lionel Jospin, who will then share political power with Conservative President, Jacques Chirac. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Frank Gilford, brother of Yvonne Gilford, the Australian nurse who was murdered in Saudi \JArabia\j last December, refuses to meet the parents of the two British nurses who are on trial for the murder. According to Islamic law, Mr Gilford has the authority to ask for the women to be put to death if they are found guilty. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
Pope John Paul II holds an outdoor mass attended by 200,000 people in \JPoland\j. It is expected that this will be his last visit to his home country. \I(Poland)\i
A US State Department spokesman says that the Government will donate $US12.6 million towards aiding Rwandan Hutu refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. President Kabila's indifference to the refugees has been criticized by the US. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
In Sierra Leone, US military helicopters evacuate more foreigners. Soldiers from other African countries such as \JNigeria\j, \JGhana\j, and Guinea are sent to help maintain order and discourage the military coup leaders. \I(Sierra Leone, \JNigeria\j, \JGhana\j, Guinea, USA)\i
Ahead of elections in \JAlgeria\j, two bombs explode in the capital \JAlgiers\j, killing six people and injuring many others. \I(Algeria)\i
#
"June 2, 1997",516,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Seoul, eleven people, including politicians and the owner of the bankrupt Hanbo steel company, are sentenced to prison. Thousands of students hold a rally to call for the resignation of President Kim Young-sam, who is accused of using money from Hanbo in his 1992 election campaign. The Conservative opposition leader also calls for the President's resignation. \I(South Korea)\i
A Federal Court judge in Sydney dismisses a case between a scientist, Professor Ian Plimer, and a creationist, Dr Allan Roberts, concerning claims about the existence of the remains of Noah's Ark in eastern Turkey. Professor Plimer claimed that Dr Roberts had breached the Fair Trading Act by making false claims in his lectures, but the judge found the Act did not apply to Dr Roberts because his lectures were not given for profit. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Sir Julius Chan reclaims his position as Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister after an inquiry clears him of corruption allegations. Acting Prime Minister, John Giheno, challenges the inquiry's findings, but does not oppose Sir Julius's move. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman warns that the rest of Asia will be concerned if \JJapan\j extends its security alliance with the US, which is currently being reviewed. \I(China, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Parliamentary elections are held in Canada. Liberal Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, looks likely to win the election, but with a reduced majority. \I(Canada)\i
Timothy McVeigh is found guilty on all charges in the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial. The jury will now decide whether McVeigh should be executed or sentenced to life in prison. \I(USA)\i
Jury selection begins for a civil case brought against nine US \Jtobacco\j companies on behalf of 60,000 non-smoking flight attendants. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton informs Congress that the US forces in Sierra Leone will leave as soon as the evacuation of US citizens and other foreigners is complete and they are no longer needed there for security reasons. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
The United Nations' deal that waives a ban on Iraqi oil sales is due for renewal on 7 June. The ban was enforced after \JIraq\j invaded \JKuwait\j in 1990, but was waived so that \JIraq\j could sell oil and use the money to buy food and necessities for its people. United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, recommends that the deal be renewed; it is believed that the US will back the renewal. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After the leftist victory in yesterday's French elections, President Jacques Chirac asks new Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, to form a government. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Nigerian naval vessels open fire on Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j. \JNigeria\j wants military coup leaders to reinstate ousted President Kabbah. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria)\i
President Clinton informs Congress that the US forces in Sierra Leone will leave as soon as the evacuation of US citizens and other foreigners is complete and they are no longer needed there for security reasons. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, announces that he will step down and hold early elections. The move comes after pressure from the military. \I(Turkey)\i
The United Nations' deal that waives a ban on Iraqi oil sales is due for renewal on 7 June. The ban was enforced after \JIraq\j invaded \JKuwait\j in 1990, but was waived so that \JIraq\j could sell oil and use the money to buy food and necessities for its people. United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, recommends that the deal be renewed; it is believed that the US will back the renewal. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
#
"June 3, 1997",517,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JAfghanistan\j, the Islamic Taliban militia begins a new offensive against the opposition groups and advances towards the town of Jabal os-Siraj, which is held by Ahmad Shah Masood and his guerrilla force. Fighting continues in a number of cities. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Fighting between the army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam continues in \JSri Lanka\j with a new army attack on the rebels in the north. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
The military in \JIndonesia\j continues its search for East Timorese separatist guerrillas responsible for Saturday's grenade attack that killed 17 officers. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Electoral officials say that voting in 86 polling stations in \JIndonesia\j's Sampang regency will be re-run because the ballot boxes were destroyed by protesters. \JIndonesia\j's Muslim-backed United Development Party (PPP) wants all 1,033 stations in the region to vote again. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Secretary General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) defends the Association's decision to admit \JMyanmar\j. The US had urged ASEAN not to admit \JMyanmar\j because of its democracy and human rights records. ASEAN responded by saying that it wants to achieve the same objectives as the US, but intends to go about it in a different way. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Papua New Guinea's acting Prime Minister, John Giheno, says that he won't allow Sir Julius Chan to resume office as Prime Minister until he is satisfied that an inquiry into the Government's contract with a mercenary organization has answered all questions and cleared Sir Julius of all allegations of corruption. Sir Julius maintains that he is the rightful Prime Minister, and appoints a new commander of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Greenpeace activists uncover barrels thought to contain toxic waste at Homebush Bay near the site of the 2000 \JOlympic Games\j. The discovery comes after a request by the International Olympic Committee for the \JNew South Wales\j Government to provide a report on \Jdioxin\j levels near the site. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the Canadian election, Jean Chretien's Liberal Party maintains a slim majority by winning 155 of the 301 parliamentary seats. \I(Canada)\i
US helicopters evacuate more foreigners from Sierra Leone, bringing the total number of evacuees to almost 2,500. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
British and US Defense Secretaries George Robertson and William Cohen meet in Washington. Mr Robertson urges Mr Cohen against the early withdrawal of US troops from Bosnia. \I(USA, UK, Bosnia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British and US Defense Secretaries George Robertson and William Cohen meet in Washington. Mr Robertson urges Mr Cohen against the early withdrawal of US troops from Bosnia. \I(USA, UK, Bosnia)\i
Newly elected socialist leader, Lionel Jospin, takes office as Prime Minister of \JFrance\j. His party expresses its intention to adhere to the timetable for the introduction of the single European currency in 1999. \I(France)\i
Northern Ireland peace talks resume in \JBelfast\j. Sinn Fein, the political arm of the Irish Republican Army, is not admitted to the talks because the IRA has refused to renew its cease-fire. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
The German Government stops pursuing its plan to revalue the country's central bank gold reserves in order to qualify for European monetary union in 1999. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
US helicopters evacuate more foreigners from Sierra Leone, bringing the total number of evacuees to almost 2,500. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
#
"June 4, 1997",518,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
More than 50,000 people attend a vigil in Victoria Park to remember the pro-democracy demonstrators killed at \JBeijing\j's Tiananmen Square in 1989. \I(China)\i
United Nations food organizations warn that North Korea's food rationing system will collapse and the country will face \Jfamine\j unless urgent action is taken to alleviate the problem. \I(North Korea)\i
Around 1,500 Australian \JAborigines\j from the "stolen generations" are organizing law suits against the Government to claim compensation for being taken from their parents under a previous government policy. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Jurors in the case of the \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, hear testimonies from relatives of people killed in the explosion. When the prosecution and defense testimonies are complete, the jury will decide whether McVeigh is to be executed or sentenced to life in prison. \I(USA)\i
US astronomers announce the discovery of a mini-\Jplanet\j at the edge of the \Jsolar system\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
French naval vessels evacuate more than 700 foreigners from \JFreetown\j in Sierra Leone. \I(\JFrance\j, Sierra Leone)\i
France's new Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, forms his government. \I(France)\i
Switzerland uncovers more assets of former Zairian president Sese Seko Mobutu. The discovery comes after Swiss banks claimed to have already found all the former president's money. \I(Switzerland, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Security measures are tightened in \JAlgeria\j ahead of tomorrow's general elections. \I(Algeria)\i
Ehud Barak replaces Shimon Peres as leader of Israel's opposition Labor Party. Mr Barak was head of Israel's Army between 1991 and 1994. \I(Israel)\i
A Turkish court jails 31 members of the People's Democratic Party. The members were charged with aiding separatist rebels. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"June 5, 1997",519,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Kim Hyun-chul, the son of South Korean President Kim Young-sam, is indicted on charges of graft and tax evasion. The investigation into his funds continues. \I(South Korea)\i
Patrol boats from North and South Korea fire at each other in the Yellow Sea when North Korean trawlers drift into territory claimed by South Korea. No casualties are reported. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
A landslide in the Chinese province of Sichuan destroys four villages and leaves 150 people presumed dead. \I(China)\i
The Muslim leaders of \JIndonesia\j's United Development Party (PPP) hold a meeting to decide whether or not the party will accept the results of the recent elections. PPP leaders believe that the election was rigged. \I(Indonesia)\i
In Glasgow, the families of two British nurses accused of murdering an Australian nurse in Saudi \JArabia\j hold a press conference and issue statements which claim that the confessions of the two nurses were unreliable and were obtained under duress. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Former \JCIA\j agent, Harold Nicholson, is sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to charges of selling US secrets to \JRussia\j. \I(USA)\i
Prosecutors continue with the penalty phase in the trial of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh. \I(USA)\i
Memphis police discover the body of folk-rock singer, Jeff Buckley, in the Mississippi River. Mr Buckley went missing a week ago. \I(USA)\i
Bill Richards, the US ambassador to the United Nations, leaves for talks with the President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, Laurent Kabila. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, officially thanks the US for its help to rebuild Europe after World War II and reunite \JGermany\j after the \JCold War\j. \I(Germany, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An independent commission calls for Swiss banks to publish the names of Jewish people who opened Swiss bank accounts before 1945. The commission, headed by American Paul Volcker, is trying to locate dormant accounts belonging to Jews murdered by Hitler's regime. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, officially thanks the US for its help to rebuild Europe after World War II and reunite \JGermany\j after the \JCold War\j. \I(Germany, USA)\i
Conservative President, Jacques Chirac, meets with \JFrance\j's new Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, and the members of his new cabinet. \I(France)\i
In Glasgow, the families of two British nurses accused of murdering an Australian nurse in Saudi \JArabia\j hold a press conference and issue statements which claim that the confessions of the two nurses were unreliable and were obtained under duress. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
Britain's Agriculture Minister, Jack Cunningham, announces that sheep infected with the disease scrapie will be culled because it is believed that the scrapie could actually be BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) or "mad cow" disease. While there is no evidence of BSE in British sheep at this stage, precautionary measures will be taken. Mr Cunningham also announces that Britain will no longer import beef from countries that have had cases of BSE but don't follow the stringent controls that are in place in England. \I(UK)\i
The first general elections for five years are held in \JAlgeria\j. \I(Algeria)\i
Bill Richards, the US ambassador to the United Nations, leaves for talks with the President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, Laurent Kabila. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Sierra Leonean coup leader, Major Johnny Paul Koromah, tells politicians that he wants 18 months in power before giving the leadership to an interim government. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
#
"June 6, 1997",520,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia pulls out of a deal to buy nine F-16 planes from the US and withdraws from the US Government's Expanded International Military Education and Training program. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Sri Lankan troops advance further into areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla forces. Many civilian casualties are reported. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Supporters of \JMyanmar\j's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, are released after allegedly being detained to prevent them from attending a meeting at Ms Suu Kyi's home in \JRangoon\j. Authorities deny the detentions. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In Papua New Guinea, John Giheno meets with Sir Julius Chan and later acknowledges Sir Julius as Prime Minister. Mr Giheno was acting Prime Minister while Sir Julius was being investigated on charges of corruption and refused to relinquish power earlier in the week. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Taiwan re-states its intention to dispose of nuclear waste for North Korea, despite opposition to the contract from South Korea, the US, and environmental groups. \I(Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
A US National Security Adviser warns Congress that if it does not renew China's most favored nation trade status the US could become a Chinese enemy. \I(USA, China)\i
Four drug smugglers from \JMyanmar\j are executed in China after being found guilty of smuggling heroin into the province of Yunnan. \I(China, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Members of the royalist Funcinpec Party negotiate with Khmer Rouge leaders to try to organize a deal in which Pol Pot and two of his aides are granted exile. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The Attorney General of \JNew South Wales\j calls for investigations into allegations of crimes committed against the "stolen generations" of Australian \JAborigines\j. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Indonesia pulls out of a deal to buy nine F-16 planes from the US and withdraws from the US Government's Expanded International Military Education and Training program. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Taiwan re-states its intention to dispose of nuclear waste for North Korea, despite opposition to the contract from South Korea, the US, and environmental groups. \I(Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
In \JDenver\j, \JColorado\j, defense attorneys begin the task of trying to convince jurors to spare Timothy McVeigh's life. McVeigh was found guilty of bombing a federal government building in \JOklahoma City\j in 1995. The jury must decide whether McVeigh will serve life in prison, or be executed by lethal injection. \I(USA)\i
A US National Security Adviser warns Congress that if it does not renew China's most favored nation trade status the US could become a Chinese enemy. \I(USA, China)\i
Rebels kill four Colombian police officers and destroy a local police station. The Army is called in to help the police. \I(Colombia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Irish general election is held. \I(Ireland)\i
In parliamentary elections, Algerian President Leamine Zeroual's National Democratic Rally wins 155 of the 380 seats. Another pro-government party wins 64 seats. Opposition parties say that the election was fraudulent. \I(Algeria)\i
An opposition leader in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j demands that President Laurent Kabila holds early elections or grants the opposition places in the Government. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Military coup leaders in Sierra Leone announce their willingness to step down in 18 months after peace has been established. The coup leaders call for talks to help ease the situation with \JNigeria\j; the Nigerian Government wants to restore Sierra Leone's elected president to power. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria)\i
#
"June 7, 1997",521,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korean police arrest three student activists who turned themselves in after beating a man to death during riots earlier in the week. \I(South Korea)\i
Rainstorms in China's Hunan province leave 30 dead and others missing. \I(China)
A team of US military experts discovers remnants of an American plane that was shot down in the north of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The team is on a mission to find remains of American soldiers still listed as missing in action. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
A fire in a Hindu temple in southern India kills at least 50 people. \I(India)\i
Fierce fighting between Sri Lankan troops and guerrilla forces leaves many dead. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Indonesian police arrest four people suspected of starting a fire in a market place in East \JTimor\j's capital Dili. One of the men arrested is also thought to have been involved in a truck bombing which killed seventeen police officers on 31 May. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
In a conference speech in Brisbane, \JAustralia\j's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, stresses the importance of \JAustralia\j's trade relations with Asia, particularly \JJapan\j, and denounces anti-Asian comments made by Independent MP Pauline Hanson. \I(Australia, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A team of US military experts discovers remnants of an American plane that was shot down in the north of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The team is on a mission to find remains of American soldiers still listed as missing in action. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
A report published by the National Bioethics Advisory Commission in the US states that it is morally unacceptable to clone human babies. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On an official visit to \JGermany\j, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, meets with Chancellor Helmut Kohl for talks about Europe and relations between the two countries. \I(UK, Germany)\i
Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j President, Laurent Kabila, says the United Nations officials are free to investigate allegations that his troops killed thousands of refugees. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Croatian Iva Majoli defeats Martina Hingis in the women's final of the tennis French Open. \I(Croatia, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 8, 1997",522,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Deals for food aid are finalized between the Red Cross organizations in North Korea and South Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
Sri Lankan troops fortify their positions after gaining ground in fighting against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Pakistan's former chief of police is detained in relation to the murder of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the brother of former premier, Benazir Bhutto. \I(Pakistan)\i
Police in Papua New Guinea patrol the annual Port Moresby Show and other potentially volatile areas ahead of next weekend's elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Torrential rains cause landslides that kill at least 28 people in the Himalayan mountains. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US says that it is prepared to offer military cooperation to the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j to encourage it to maintain human rights standards. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten defeats Sergi Brugeura in the men's final of the tennis French Open. \I(Brazil, \JFrance\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Ireland's national election, the government of John Bruton is defeated. It appears that Bertie Ahern and his Fianna Fail party will now form alliances with other parties or independents to form a government. \I(Ireland)\i
In Krakow, the Pope is greeted by more than one million people. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten defeats Sergi Brugeura in the men's final of the tennis French Open. \I(Brazil, \JFrance\j)\i
The US says that it is prepared to offer military cooperation to the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j to encourage it to maintain human rights standards. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Negotiators from Israel and Palestine meet in \JEgypt\j to plan further peace talks. \I(Egypt, Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"June 9, 1997",523,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan, the US, and South Korea discuss options for peace talks with North Korea and for providing food aid to the \Jfamine\j-threatened country. \I(Japan, USA, South Korea, North Korea)\i
Japan sends special envoys to China and North Korea to allay fears about changes to its military alliance with the US. \I(China, North Korea, USA)\i
Sri Lankan troops carry out air and artillery attacks on positions thought to be held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla forces. More people are killed in the fighting, which intensified on Friday. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Li Shuxian, widow of China's last emperor, dies of lung cancer aged 73. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Japan, the US, and South Korea discuss options for peace talks with North Korea and for providing food aid to the \Jfamine\j-threatened country. \I(Japan, USA, South Korea, North Korea)\i
Japan sends special envoys to China and North Korea to allay fears about changes to its military alliance with the US. \I(China, North Korea, USA)\i
Defense attorneys for Timothy McVeigh, the man found guilty of bombing an \JOklahoma City\j federal building and killing 168 people, try to convince the jury to sentence him to life in prison, rather than death by lethal injection. \I(USA)\i
Foreigners in the \JCongo\j flee fierce fighting between government troops and a private militia. The fighting causes the US to suspend its evacuation operation. \I(Congo, USA)\i
US Air Force General Joseph Ralston withdraws as a candidate for the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of the controversy surrounding his disclosure that he had an adulterous affair 13 years ago. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Convention on International Trade in \JEndangered Species\j begins in Zimbabwe, one of three countries seeking to reduce the 1989 world-wide ban on ivory trading. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Coup leaders in Sierra Leone express concern about the implications of foreign interference in the country's affairs. They call for the withdrawal of Nigerian troops from \JFreetown\j who were deployed to back \JNigeria\j's support for Sierra Leone's ousted president. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria)\i
Foreigners in the \JCongo\j flee fierce fighting between government troops and a private militia. The fighting causes the US to suspend its evacuation operation. \I(Congo, USA)\i
#
"June 10, 1997",524,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Sri Lankan Army's offensive to open a road link to the Jaffna peninsula is hampered by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels. Independent journalists have been banned from the area, so reports come only from Government and rebel sources and are often conflicting. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
South Korean officials urge student groups to leave the Hanchongryon federation of student associations. Hanchongryon is accused of being violent, pro-communist, and a threat to state security. Groups that do not leave the federation by the end of July may be prosecuted under the National Security Law. \I(South Korea)\i
The Pentagon announces plans to sell $US307 million worth of anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles and launchers to South Korea. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Manila's Supreme Court rejects a petition to change the constitution so that President Fidel Ramos can run for a second six-year term in office. The constitution, rewritten in 1987, says that a president is allowed only one term. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
The US \JHouse of Representatives\j approves an amendment to the Foreign Policy Reform Act. The amendment condemns Indonesian human rights abuses in East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
The US announces that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will boycott the July 1 ceremony to swear in Hong Kong's new, Chinese-appointed legislature, the Provisional Legislative Council. \I(USA, Hong Kong, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US \JHouse of Representatives\j approves an amendment to the Foreign Policy Reform Act. The amendment condemns Indonesian human rights abuses in East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, condemns the Palestinian policy of killing \JArabs\j who sell land to Israelis. Mr Gingrich intends to block aid to the Palestinian Authority if its leaders do not publicly condemn the killings. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The US announces that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will boycott the July 1 ceremony to swear in Hong Kong's new, Chinese-appointed legislature, the Provisional Legislative Council. \I(USA, Hong Kong, China)\i
The Pentagon announces plans to sell $US307 million worth of anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles and launchers to South Korea. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Pope returns to \JRome\j after an eleven-\Jday\j visit to his homeland, \JPoland\j. \I(\JItaly\j, Poland)\i
Fighting in the \JCongo\j continues. French soldiers rescue foreigners trapped in the city. \I(\JFrance\j, Congo)\i
Nigerian soldiers in \JFreetown\j fire on Sierra Leonean soldiers, killing at least five. Soldiers in Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front are calling for vengeance for the killings. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria)\i
US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, condemns the Palestinian policy of killing \JArabs\j who sell land to Israelis. Mr Gingrich intends to block aid to the Palestinian Authority if its leaders do not publicly condemn the killings. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expresses his hope that \JEgypt\j will be able to revive peace talks between Israel and Palestine. \I(Israel, \JEgypt\j, Palestine)\i
#
"June 11, 1997",525,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Taiwan re-states its plans to hold military exercises during the lead-up to the hand-over of Hong Kong from the British back to the Chinese. The US has urged \JTaiwan\j not to hold the exercises, which are scheduled to take place in late June. \I(Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
China announces that President Jiang Zemin will attend Hong Kong's hand-over ceremony. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
North Korea begins talks about its missile program with the US. The US is hoping to stop North Korea from producing, deploying, and exporting missiles. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, says that he will not attend the ceremony to swear in Hong Kong's Chinese-appointed Provisional Legislative Council after the hand-over ceremony at midnight on June 30. \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Defense lawyers in the case of Timothy McVeigh, the man convicted of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing, conclude their case in the penalty phase of the trial. \I(USA)\i
Congress and the Clinton administration discuss US funding for the United Nations. The US, which is two years in arrears with its UN funding, intends to repay $US819 million and reduce its future contributions from 25 per cent to 20 per cent over three years. \I(USA)\i
North Korea begins talks about its missile program with the US. The US is hoping to stop North Korea from producing, deploying, and exporting missiles. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Taiwan re-states its plans to hold military exercises during the lead-up to the hand-over of Hong Kong from the British back to the Chinese. The US has urged \JTaiwan\j not to hold the exercises, which are scheduled to take place in late June. \I(Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
The Palestinian Authority denies involvement in the killing of \JArabs\j who sold land to Israelis and rejects comments made by the US, which has condemned the killings. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Hundreds of forest fires burn out of control in Canada. The provinces of Quebec, \JOntario\j, and \JManitoba\j are worst affected. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Swiss bankers find more unclaimed accounts from the World War II era and prepare to violate the country's banking secrecy laws and publish the names of the account holders in order to comply with a Government request to do so. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The British \JHouse of Commons\j passes the second stage of a bill designed to outlaw all handguns. The bill must pass through two more stages before it becomes law. \I(UK)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, says that he will not attend the ceremony to swear in Hong Kong's Chinese-appointed Provisional Legislative Council after the hand-over ceremony at midnight on June 30. \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
The Congolese President, Pascal Lissouba, orders a cease-fire in the hope of starting peace talks with former military leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso. \I(Congo)\i
The Palestinian Authority denies involvement in the killing of \JArabs\j who sold land to Israelis and rejects comments made by the US, which has condemned the killings. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
#
"June 12, 1997",526,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The first food aid from South Korea arrives in North Korea. \I(South Korea, North Korea)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, sends military officials to meet with Khmer Rouge leader, Khieu Samphan, in the hope of ending the war between the Government and the rebels. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Japanese Foreign Minister, Yukihiko Ikeda, offers his resignation over the four-month hostage crisis at the Japanese embassy in \JPeru\j, which began in December last year. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto persuades Mr Ikeda to stay on. \I(Japan)\i
The relationship between India and \JPakistan\j is strained ahead of peace talks. The Pakistani Government accuses India of increasing tension by violating Pakistani airspace and deploying ballistic missiles near their border. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
The UK rejects requests by China to admit more Chinese troops to Hong Kong before the hand-over ceremony at midnight on June 30. \I(UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, says that \JAustralia\j's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Hong Kong's unelected Provisional Legislative Council after the June 30 hand-over ceremony. The Chinese-appointed body will replace Hong Kong's elected Legislative Council. \I(Australia, Hong Kong, China)\i
One hundred and forty Mandarin-speaking illegal immigrants arrive by boat at Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. The immigrants are handed to \Jimmigration\j officials and will be investigated by the Australian Government. \I(China, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The sentencing phase of the Timothy McVeigh trial continues as jurors fail to reach a decision on whether McVeigh should be sentenced to life in prison or death by lethal injection. \I(USA)\i
In Brussels, \JNATO\j defense ministers meet to discuss the expansion of the alliance. US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, tells the meeting that the US wants to invite only the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j to join \JNATO\j. \I(\JBelgium\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Koffi Annan, appoints Irish President, Mary Robinson, as the UN's new High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mr Annan wants Mrs Robinson to take up the position before September, three months before her term as President is finished. \I(Ireland)\i
The UK rejects requests by China to admit more Chinese troops to Hong Kong before the hand-over ceremony at midnight on June 30. \I(UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
In Brussels, \JNATO\j defense ministers meet to discuss the expansion of the alliance. US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, tells the meeting that the US wants to invite only the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j to join \JNATO\j. \I(\JBelgium\j, USA)\i
In Turkey, Islamist Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, talks with coalition leader, Tansu Ciller, in an effort to save the ruling coalition from collapsing after continued criticism from the secularist army. Mrs Ciller has threatened to leave the Government if Mr Erbakan doesn't resign. \I(Turkey)\i
Iraq refuses to admit United Nations weapons inspectors to two weapons sites near \JBaghdad\j. \I(Iraq)\i
#
"June 13, 1997",527,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces that \JJapan\j's Foreign Affairs Minister, Yukihiko Ikeda, will attend the swearing-in ceremony for Hong Kong's unelected legislature, to replace the current Legislative Council on July 1. The \JNew Zealand\j Government also announces that it will attend the swearing-in. \I(Japan, Hong Kong, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Ahead of peace talks between India and \JPakistan\j scheduled for 19-23 June, \JPakistan\j urges members of the United Nations Security Council to take action over India's alleged deployment of missiles along the border between the two countries. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
A fire in an Indian movie theater kills sixty people and injures hundreds of others. \I(India)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, once again warns the \JHouse of Representatives\j that a decision not to renew China's most favored nation trade status would have dire consequences. \I(USA, China)\i
China and \JKazakhstan\j vow to work together to stabilize the tensions in the Xinjiang province which borders \JKazakhstan\j. \I(China, Kazakhstan)\i
The second month of a military offensive in \JSri Lanka\j begins. Government troops are fighting separatist guerrillas, called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in the army's largest operation of its kind. The Tamil forces claim that \JPakistan\j helped the Sri Lankan Government to plan the offensive. \I(Sri Lanka, Pakistan)\i
It is reported that Pol Pot, \JCambodia\j's despotic ruler between 1975 and 1979, has killed his former defense minister, taken several hostages, and fled his base in the north of the country. It is believed that Pol Pot is sick and had to be carried in a sling by his men. \I(Cambodia)\i
The leader of \JAustralia\j's opposition Labor Party, Kim Beazley, urges voters to direct their preferential votes against Independent MP, Pauline Hanson, and her One Nation Party at the next election. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President, Bill Clinton, once again warns the \JHouse of Representatives\j that a decision not to renew China's most favored nation trade status would have dire consequences. \I(USA, China)\i
Timothy McVeigh is sentenced to death. The 29-year-old man was convicted of bombing a federal building and killing 168 people in \JOklahoma City\j on 19 April 1995. \I(USA)\i
At a \JNATO\j meeting in Brussels, leaders of \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and Canada express their intention to consider bids by \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j to join the alliance. The announcement comes a \Jday\j after the US says that it won't consider bids from countries other than the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j. \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j express surprise at the US decision. \I(\JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Canada, \JRomania\j, \JSlovenia\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a \JNATO\j meeting in Brussels, leaders of \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and Canada express their intention to consider bids by \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j to join the alliance. The announcement comes a \Jday\j after the US says that it won't consider bids from countries other than the Czech Republic, \JPoland\j, and \JHungary\j. \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j express surprise at the US decision. \I(\JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Canada, \JRomania\j, \JSlovenia\j, USA)\i
French and German leaders meet to discuss a European Union stability pact. While both countries want monetary union, they differ on their approaches to achieving it. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
A \Jday\j-old cease-fire in \JBrazzaville\j, \JCongo\j, is destroyed as fighting resumes between the army, commanded by President Pascal Lissouba, and the Cobra militia of former military leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso. French army troops continue their efforts to evacuate foreigners. \I(Congo, \JFrance\j)\i
The United Nations General Assembly approves a resolution that urges Israel to pay for damage caused after it shelled a United Nations base in \JLebanon\j in 1996. Israel claims that it is not bound to pay. \I(Israel)\i
#
"June 14, 1997",528,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Voting begins in Papua New Guinea's national elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Forces opposed to \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia use a jet to bomb a neighborhood near Kabul's airport. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Police arrest four movie theater managers in relation to a fire that killed 60 people and injured hundreds of others. It is thought that the deaths and injuries were caused because of lax safety provisions. \I(India)\i
A mob riot occurs on the Indonesian island of Madura. \I(Indonesia)\i
Hong Kong's new Provisional Legislative Council, appointed by \JBeijing\j to run Hong Kong after the June 30 hand-over, approves legislation to restrict demonstrations, public protests, and foreign financial support of political parties. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to seek cooperation in an \JFBI\j investigation into a bombing that killed 19 US troops in Saudi \JArabia\j last June. \I(USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
At a speech in \JSan Diego\j, US President, Bill Clinton, addresses racial problems, warning that the US must be careful not to return to the days of racial segregation. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An electrical fire in London's Tate Gallery causes some damage but no injuries. \I(UK)\i
Demonstrators in \JAmsterdam\j march to demand action to reduce unemployment ahead of a European Union summit on monetary union. Many feel that the issue of unemployment will be overlooked in the race to achieve a single European currency. \I(the Netherlands)\i
Pope John Paul II calls for an end to fighting in Sierra Leone and \JCongo\j. \I(\JItaly\j, Sierra Leone, Congo)\i
Turkish Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, agrees to step down after pressure from the secular army and his coalition partner and Deputy Prime Minister, Tansu Ciller. \I(Turkey)\i
Clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians continue in \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Neo-fascists, air-force officers, and family attend the funeral of Vittorio Mussolini, the second son of Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"June 15, 1997",529,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis wins the London grass-court Queen's Club title by defeating Croatian, Goran Ivanisevic. \I(Australia, \JCroatia\j, UK)\i
The brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, is granted one week by Saudi judges to prove that he is a beneficiary of his sister's will and therefore entitled to insist on the death penalty if the two British women accused of the murder are found guilty. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack police commandos, killing 18 of them. Eight rebels are killed in the fighting. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
South African golfer, Ernie Els, wins the US Open. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
German Michael Schumacher wins the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix. \I(\JGermany\j, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
European Union finance ministers meet to discuss differences in approaches to European monetary union ahead of tomorrow's summit meeting in \JAmsterdam\j. \I(the Netherlands)\i
Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis wins the London grass-court Queen's Club title by defeating Croatian, Goran Ivanisevic. \I(Australia, \JCroatia\j, UK)\i
German Michael Schumacher wins the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix. \I(\JGermany\j, Canada)\i
Heavy fighting occurs at the airport of \JBrazzaville\j as French troops prepare to end their evacuations and leave. \I(\JCongo\j, \JFrance\j)\i
South African golfer, Ernie Els, wins the US Open. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
The Israeli High Court rejects a petition for Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to be charged with \Jfraud\j. \I(Israel)\i
Street clashes between Israelis and Palestinians continue in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, is granted one week by Saudi judges to prove that he is a beneficiary of his sister's will and therefore entitled to insist on the death penalty if the two British women accused of the murder are found guilty. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
#
"June 16, 1997",530,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following Khmer Rouge defections there are reports that former Cambodian leader, Pol Pot, the man responsible for the killing of up to two million Cambodians during his despotic rule between 1974 and 1979, is on the run. \JThailand\j reinforces its borders with troops to block possible escape routes. Khmer Rouge defectors are said to have joined the government and are assisting in efforts to capture Pol Pot and the remaining rebels. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
Voting continues in Papua New Guinea's general elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A South Korean foreign ministry spokesman says he expects that North Korea will agree to peace talks involving both Koreas, the US, and China. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
Chinese officials urge \JBeijing\j residents to stay at home during the June 30 hand-over celebrations in Hong Kong. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
A Taiwanese official says that \JTaiwan\j is prepared to accept applications for asylum from Chinese \Jdissidents\j who want to leave Hong Kong after the hand-over. \I(Taiwan, China, Hong Kong)\i
Hong Kong invites Taiwanese officials to attend the hand-over ceremony at midnight on June 30. \I(Hong Kong, Taiwan)\i
The upper house of the Japanese Parliament passes a bill that will allow doctors to transplant organs such as hearts, lungs, and livers from brain-dead people. Before now, brain death was not recognized in \JJapan\j, so transplants were allowed only after a patient's heart stopped beating. The bill is expected to pass through parliament's lower house uncontested. \I(Japan)\i
In \JSri Lanka\j, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack and kill 14 police officers. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Nine \JSinhalese\j soldiers are charged with murdering four Tamil civilians. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Muslim guerrillas in the \JPhilippines\j kidnap 43 surveyors from a state oil firm, but are forced by the military to release the captives ten hours later. The surveyors are taken to a military headquarters overnight. \I(Philippines)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President, Bill Clinton, condemns the murder of two Northern Ireland policemen by IRA guerrillas. \I(USA, UK)\i
A South Korean foreign ministry spokesman says he expects that North Korea will agree to peace talks involving both Koreas, the US, and China. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
Lawyers for Timothy McVeigh's co-defendant, Terry Nichols, in the \JOklahoma City\j bombing case say that he was a victim of McVeigh and was used unwittingly in the bombing. Nichols will probably go to trial later this year. \I(USA)\i
US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, promises a thorough inquiry into Gulf War syndrome. The promise comes after a report which criticizes the Government for dismissing links between biological weapons used during the Gulf War and symptoms experienced by veterans. \I(USA)\i
On a visit to \JKuwait\j, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, assures \JKuwait\j that the US is prepared to continue protecting it from \JIran\j and \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, \JIran\j, Iraq)\i
US President Bill Clinton's former business partner, James McDougal, begins serving a three-year sentence for \Jfraud\j and conspiracy. The sentence was reduced because McDougal provided information about the business dealings of the President and his wife. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that elections in \JCroatia\j were free, but not fair, claiming that opposition parties did not have equal access to the media. \I(USA, Croatia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Leaders at a European summit meeting discuss monetary union. \JFrance\j drops its objections to strict budgetary rules in return for promises that job creation will be at the top of the European Union's agenda. \I(Europe)\i
IRA gunmen fatally shoot two Northern Ireland policemen. The British government responds by cutting off all communication with Sinn Fein, the IRA's political organization. \I(UK)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, condemns the murder of two Northern Ireland policemen by IRA guerrillas. \I(USA, UK)\i
The business manager of \JRussia\j's top football club is murdered. \I(Russia)\i
Unofficial results in the Croation presidential elections show that Pesident Franjo Tudjman has retained the leadership. \I(\JCroatia\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that elections in \JCroatia\j were free, but not fair, claiming that opposition parties did not have equal access to the media. \I(USA, Croatia)\i
The French Government rejects a request from the President of \JCongo\j, Pascal Lissouba, to leave its troops in \JBrazzaville\j. The French Army begins moving out after evacuating foreigners from the capital. \I(Congo, \JFrance\j)\i
Clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in \JHebron\j continues; Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accuses the Palestinian Authority of orchestrating the violence. Meanwhile, the United Nations announces the cancellation of a visit to Israel saying that conditions imposed by Israel are unacceptable. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
On a visit to \JKuwait\j, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, assures \JKuwait\j that the US is prepared to continue protecting it from \JIran\j and \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, \JIran\j, Iraq)\i
#
"June 17, 1997",531,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Muslim guerrillas who kidnapped 43 surveyors from a state oil firm yesterday attack the military camp where they were staying overnight. Eight guerrillas and one soldier are killed in the clash. \I(\JPhilippines\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, leaves for a sixteen-\Jday\j tour of London, Washington, and New York. \I(Australia, UK, USA)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says that he wants Pol Pot captured so that he can stand trial at an international tribunal. \I(Cambodia)\i
Fierce fighting in \JCambodia\j between supporters of first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and supporters of second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen, is reported in the capital, Phnom Penh. \I(Cambodia)\i
Mir Aimal Kansi, the Pakistani man accused of killing two \JCIA\j employees and injuring three others in a 1993 shooting, is captured by Afghans and handed over to the US authorities. He will face murder charges in the US. \I(Pakistan, USA, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United Nations Committee on Decolonization hears plans for reducing violence in East \JTimor\j from the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jose Ramos Horta. Mr Ramos Horta says that the number of Indonesian troops in East \JTimor\j should be limited to 1,000; resistance fighters should stop armed activities; and a protection zone should be established for resistance fighters and their families. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Ahead of Australian plans to build a spaceport, Sydney businessman, David Kwon, signs a deal with a Russian-French company to bring \JRussia\j's Soyuz space rocket to \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, leaves for a sixteen-\Jday\j tour of London, Washington, and New York. \I(Australia, UK, USA)\i
A Saudi man suspected of involvement in a 1996 bomb attack which killed 19 US troops in Saudi \JArabia\j is deported from Canada to the US. US officials say that the man has struck a plea-bargain agreement with US prosecutors. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, Canada)\i
Current laws in the US entitle convicted \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, to burial with military honors. McVeigh was sentenced to die by lethal injection. \I(USA)\i
The US, \JRussia\j, \JBelarus\j, \JKazakhstan\j, and the \JUkraine\j sign accords to improve the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JBelarus\j, \JKazakhstan\j, Ukraine)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, announces a plan to help poor African nations and those that reform their economies. \I(USA, Africa)\i
Mir Aimal Kansi, the Pakistani man accused of killing two \JCIA\j employees and injuring three others in a 1993 shooting, is captured by Afghans and handed over to the US authorities. He will face murder charges in the US. \I(Pakistan, USA, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, leaves for a sixteen-\Jday\j tour of London, Washington, and New York. \I(Australia, UK, USA)\i
Ahead of Australian plans to build a spaceport, Sydney businessman, David Kwon, signs a deal with a Russian-French company to bring \JRussia\j's Soyuz space rocket to \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
At the European Union summit in \JAmsterdam\j, leaders fail to reach agreement on how to restructure the voting system and streamline the union in preparation for its enlargement. \I(Europe)\i
Violent storms in Normandy kill four people and flood hundreds of homes. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The US, \JRussia\j, \JBelarus\j, \JKazakhstan\j, and the \JUkraine\j sign accords to improve the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JBelarus\j, \JKazakhstan\j, Ukraine)\i
Switzerland's upper house of parliament passes a law that requires Swiss bankers to report transactions which they suspect are related to illegal drugs and other crimes. \I(Switzerland)\i
A proposal by Zimbabwe, \JNamibia\j, and \JBotswana\j to partially lift the ban on ivory trade is rejected after a secret ballot at the Convention on International Trade in \JEndangered Species\j. The three countries will present another proposal to sell their stockpiled ivory. \I(Zimbabwe, \JNamibia\j, Botswana)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, announces a plan to help poor African nations and those that reform their economies. \I(USA, Africa)\i
A Saudi man suspected of involvement in a 1996 bomb attack which killed 19 US troops in Saudi \JArabia\j is deported from Canada to the US. US officials say that the man has struck a plea-bargain agreement with US prosecutors. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, Canada)\i
A fourth \Jday\j of fighting between Israelis and Palestinians is reported in \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
#
"June 18, 1997",532,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels ambush an army patrol. Officials say that twenty-seven security officers were killed in the attack. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
North Korea warns that it is prepared to battle the US and South Korea if they attack while North Korea is weak and suffering from \Jfamine\j. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA)\i
Cambodia's second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen, warns the first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to stop pursuing a deal with members of the Khmer Rouge. \I(Cambodia)\i
Eleven people are killed in \JKarachi\j amid violent clashes between factions of the Mohajir National Movement, an ethnic party. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, arrives in England for talks with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In Washington, a Saudi man is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and international \Jterrorism\j after his involvement in a truck bombing that killed 19 US troops in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996. The man has agreed to plead guilty and will cooperate in an \JFBI\j investigation into the bombing. \I(USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
The US Senate passes a bill that would prevent veterans convicted of first-degree murder from receiving benefits. The move comes after it was revealed that under current law, convicted murderer, Timothy McVeigh, is entitled to a military burial with full honors. \I(USA)\i
The man convicted of killing Senator Robert Kennedy in 1968 is refused parole for the tenth time. \I(USA)\i
The US State Department warns Congress that its moves towards formal recognition of \JJerusalem\j as Israel's capital are not good for US foreign policy. \I(USA, Israel)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In \JRome\j on a visit to \JItaly\j, \JFrance\j, and Britain, \JEgypt\j's Foreign Minister urges Europe to support the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Italy, \JFrance\j, UK, Egypt)\i
French police arrest 600 people after two days of raids on suspected pedophiles and child pornographers. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, arrives in England for talks with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Opposing militias in \JCongo\j begin a 72-hour cease-fire. The leaders, President Pascal Lissouba and his rival Denis Sassou Nguesso, agree to let wounded people pass through the front line unharmed. \I(Congo)\i
Major Johnny Koromah, Sierra Leonean coup leader, is sworn in as head of state. Major Koromah pledges to restore peace and democracy to Sierra Leone. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
In Washington, a Saudi man is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and international \Jterrorism\j after his involvement in a truck bombing that killed 19 US troops in Saudi \JArabia\j in 1996. The man has agreed to plead guilty and will cooperate in an \JFBI\j investigation into the bombing. \I(USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
The US State Department warns Congress that its moves towards formal recognition of \JJerusalem\j as Israel's capital are not good for US foreign policy. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The Turkish Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, presents his resignation to President Suleyman Demirel. The secularist military and Mr Erbakan's coalition partner and deputy Prime Minister, Tansu Ciller, have been pressuring him to resign for some time. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"June 19, 1997",533,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says that Pol Pot has not yet been found. \I(Cambodia)\i
The \JNew South Wales\j State Government announces a clean-up plan to remove \Jdioxin\j contamination from the bay near the 2000 Olympics site. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Rebels on the island of Bougainville try to disrupt voting in national elections. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Thailand's Commerce Minister and Finance Minister resign, adversely affecting \JThailand\j's currency and stock market. \I(Thailand)\i
Almost 60 Chinese drug traffickers are executed in a number of Chinese cities. \I(China)\i
Hong Kong's last British Governor, Chris Patten, appears for the final time before Hong Kong's legislature. \I(UK, Hong Kong)\i
At the Convention on International Trade in \JEndangered Species\j, a committee recommends that Zimbabwe, \JBotswana\j, and \JNamibia\j be permitted to sell ivory to \JJapan\j in 18 months time under a system of careful monitoring. \I(Zimbabwe, \JBotswana\j, \JNamibia\j, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
World leaders start arriving in \JDenver\j for an annual summit meeting. Leaders from Canada, \JJapan\j, the United Kingdom, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JRussia\j will attend the weekend meeting hosted by the US. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's opposition Conservative Party elects William Hague as its new leader. \I(UK)\i
Hong Kong's last British Governor, Chris Patten, appears for the final time before Hong Kong's legislature. \I(UK, Hong Kong)\i
Russia's parliament passes a bill that places tight restrictions on all but a few religions. The new law protects and promotes Russian Orthodoxy and tolerates \JIslam\j, \JJudaism\j, and \JBuddhism\j, but limits other religions by requiring them to complete a 15-year registration process. \I(Russia)\i
France's new Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, delivers his first speech to the National Assembly, promising to create 700,000 jobs for young people and to achieve European monetary union on time. \I(France)\i
At the Convention on International Trade in \JEndangered Species\j, a committee recommends that Zimbabwe, \JBotswana\j, and \JNamibia\j be permitted to sell ivory to \JJapan\j in 18 months time under a system of careful monitoring. \I(Zimbabwe, \JBotswana\j, \JNamibia\j, Japan)\i
The Israeli Finance Minister, Dan Meridor, revokes his support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and resigns. \I(Israel)\i
Iraq accuses United Nations weapons inspectors of trying to spy on its intelligence headquarters. \I(Iraq)\i
#
"June 20, 1997",534,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Ahead of the Earth Summit in New York next week, the United Nations General Assembly President, Razali Ismail, attacks \JAustralia\j for opposing strict greenhouse emission targets. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, claims that Pol Pot has been surrounded by his former Khmer Rouge supporters and his capture is imminent. \I(Cambodia)\i
Foreign Ministry officials from India and \JPakistan\j hold peace talks. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
The Chinese army's general chief of staff warns \JJapan\j that it should be careful when formulating plans for its military alliance with the US. \I(China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
The Group of Seven, or G7, nations meet in \JDenver\j, \JColorado\j for their annual summit. Leaders from the USA, Canada, the UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j invited \JRussia\j to join in the talks, causing some observers to rename the meeting the "Summit of Eight." \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j, Russia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Ahead of the Earth Summit in New York next week, the United Nations General Assembly President, Razali Ismail, attacks \JAustralia\j for opposing strict greenhouse emission targets. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The Chinese army's general chief of staff warns \JJapan\j that it should be careful when formulating plans for its military alliance with the US. \I(China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
At an address to the \JChicago\j Council on Foreign Relations, German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, says that Europe needs a common currency to complete its single market and bind it to a common destiny. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
In the US, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, asks American supporters of Sinn Fein to stop sending them money. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
The Group of Seven, or G7, nations meet in \JDenver\j, \JColorado\j for their annual summit. Leaders from the USA, Canada, the UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j invited \JRussia\j to join in the talks, causing some observers to rename the meeting the "Summit of Eight." \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j, Russia)\i
In the US, the United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution that will impose sanctions on \JIraq\j if it does not permit international arms experts to inspect Iraqi weapon sites. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Forty of the United States' attorneys-general reach an agreement with the American \Jtobacco\j industry after nearly three months of negotiations. If the deal is backed by President Clinton and Congress, the \Jtobacco\j industry will pay $US368 billion for anti-smoking campaigns and public health aid over the next twenty-five years. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the US, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, asks American supporters of Sinn Fein to stop sending them money. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
The Group of Seven, or G7, nations meet in \JDenver\j, \JColorado\j for their annual summit. Leaders from the USA, Canada, the UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j invited \JRussia\j to join in the talks, causing some observers to rename the meeting the "Summit of Eight." \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j, Russia)\i
At an address to the \JChicago\j Council on Foreign Relations, German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, says that Europe needs a common currency to complete its single market and bind it to a common destiny. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
In the US, the United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution that will impose sanctions on \JIraq\j if it does not permit international arms experts to inspect Iraqi weapon sites. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Turkish President, Suleyman Demirel, asks the leader of the secular Motherland Party, Mesut Yilmaz, to form a new government. The request comes after Turkey's Islamist Prime Minister resigned because of continuous pressure from the secular army. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"June 21, 1997",535,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Cambodian Government announces that Pol Pot has been captured by Khmer Rouge defectors. \JCambodia\j's prime ministers say they will ask the United Nations to back an international tribunal to put Pol Pot on trial. \I(Cambodia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At the Group of Seven meeting in \JDenver\j, world leaders threaten to stop aid to \JCroatia\j and \JSerbia\j if the peace process in Bosnia breaks down. \I(USA, \JCroatia\j, \JSerbia\j, Bosnia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At the Group of Seven meeting in \JDenver\j, world leaders threaten to stop aid to \JCroatia\j and \JSerbia\j if the peace process in Bosnia breaks down. \I(USA, \JCroatia\j, \JSerbia\j, Bosnia)\i
Fighting and riots spread from \JHebron\j to Nablus, another West Bank city, as Israeli soldiers clash with Palestinians protesting about construction of Jewish settlements in disputed territory. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Three people are injured in a car-bomb explosion in south \JBelfast\j. No one claims responsibility for the attack. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The newly appointed Prime Minister of Turkey, Mesut Yilmaz, calls for pro-secular parties to work together to defend democracy and stop the threat of a military coup. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"June 22, 1997",536,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speculation continues to surround events in \JCambodia\j. Second Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen, says he was told that Pol Pot was dead, while a government general says that Pol Pot is alive and being held by a group of breakaway Khmer Rouge fighters and will soon be handed over to authorities. \I(Cambodia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that Pol Pot, \JCambodia\j's despotic leader between 1974 and 1979, should face an international tribunal for war crimes. Pol Pot is responsible for the deaths of almost two million Cambodians who were worked to death or killed during his reign. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
The Group of Seven (USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j) issues a final communique at the close of its annual summit meeting held in \JDenver\j over three days. The Group of Seven, which this year invited \JRussia\j to all but one of its summit talks, intends to pursue peace in the \JMiddle East\j and urge China to hold democratic elections in Hong Kong. \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Group of Seven (USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j) issues a final communique at the close of its annual summit meeting held in \JDenver\j over three days. The Group of Seven, which this year invited \JRussia\j to all but one of its summit talks, intends to pursue peace in the \JMiddle East\j and urge China to hold democratic elections in Hong Kong. \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says that Pol Pot, \JCambodia\j's despotic leader between 1974 and 1979, should face an international tribunal for war crimes. Pol Pot is responsible for the deaths of almost two million Cambodians who were worked to death or killed during his reign. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
In the US, South African golfer, Ernie Els, wins the Buick Classic golf tournament, earning the rank of world number one in golf. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Group of Seven (USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and \JJapan\j) issues a final communique at the close of its annual summit meeting held in \JDenver\j over three days. The Group of Seven, which this year invited \JRussia\j to all but one of its summit talks, intends to pursue peace in the \JMiddle East\j and urge China to hold democratic elections in Hong Kong. \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JJapan\j)\i
In the US, South African golfer, Ernie Els, wins the Buick Classic golf tournament, earning the rank of world number one in golf. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
#
"June 23, 1997",537,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh says that Pol Pot is alive and claims that those people who have reported him dead did so because they fear what he might say if he is brought to trial. \I(Cambodia)\i
Government officials report that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, has asked Canada to extradite Pol Pot so that he can be tried under Canada's law against genocide. \JCambodia\j's two prime ministers have appealed to the United Nations for international assistance in dealing with Pol Pot. \I(USA, Canada, Cambodia)\i
India and \JPakistan\j set an agenda for peace talks and agree to set up working groups on a number of issues that affect the two countries. Both countries also agree to release fishermen held for violating territorial waters. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Britain gives in to \JBeijing\j's demands to allow People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops to enter Hong Kong before the official hand-over at midnight on 30 June. Five hundred PLA troops will join the two hundred troops already in Hong Kong. \I(UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
A British war veteran who was held by the Japanese as a prisoner of war during World War II says that he will fight the Japanese Government in court to get an apology and compensation for 10,000 British people held as prisoners of war. \I(UK, Japan)\i
Taiwan begins two days of military exercises despite warnings from China and the US that the exercises could cause tension in the area in the lead-up to the Hong Kong hand-over. \I(Taiwan, China, USA, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The second United Nations Earth Summit begins in New York. \I(USA)\i
Government officials report that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, has asked Canada to extradite Pol Pot so that he can be tried under Canada's law against genocide. \JCambodia\j's two prime ministers have appealed to the United Nations for international assistance in dealing with Pol Pot. \I(USA, Canada, Cambodia)\i
Betty Shabazz, widow of American \Jcivil rights\j leader, Malcolm X, dies from burns she received in a fire at her home on June 1. It is believed that the fire was deliberately started by her 12-year-old grandson Malcolm. \I(USA)\i
Taiwan begins two days of military exercises despite warnings from China and the US that the exercises could cause tension in the area in the lead-up to the Hong Kong hand-over. \I(Taiwan, China, USA, Hong Kong)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and outgoing Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, agree to a joint venture which will see Britain and Ireland work together to encourage the IRA to decommission its weapons. \I(UK, Ireland)\i
A British war veteran who was held by the Japanese as a prisoner of war during World War II says that he will fight the Japanese Government in court to get an apology and compensation for 10,000 British people held as prisoners of war. \I(UK, Japan)\i
Britain gives in to \JBeijing\j's demands to allow People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops to enter Hong Kong before the official hand-over at midnight on 30 June. Five hundred PLA troops will join the two hundred troops already in Hong Kong. \I(UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
The leaders of \JAlbania\j's three major political parties sign a pact that binds them to holding a free and democratic election next Sunday. \I(Albania)\i
The cease-fire in \JBrazzaville\j, \JCongo\j, is broken when rival groups fire at each other. Leaders of west African states meet and discuss the possibility of creating a peace-keeping force for \JBrazzaville\j. \I(Congo)\i
#
"June 24, 1997",538,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, announces elections for May 1998. He also says that rebels holding Pol Pot will not be granted amnesty unless they hand him over to the Government within the next few days. \I(Cambodia)\i
Sri Lankan troops renew their offensive against Tamil guerrillas and capture a rebel town in the north of the country. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The US \JHouse of Representatives\j votes for President Clinton's proposal to renew China's most favored nation trade status. \I(USA, China)\i
In its last week in office, Hong Kong's elected legislature passes laws to ensure that only violent political dissent can be punished, not vocal protests. \I(Hong Kong)\i
At the Earth Summit in New York, \JAustralia\j's Environment Minister, Senator Robert Hill, argues against binding reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, saying that the targets would place an unfair burden on countries such as \JAustralia\j whose economies rely on exports of \Jenergy\j and raw materials. European nations, particularly Britain, support flat-rate reduction targets and believe that \JAustralia\j should not be treated as a special case. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US \JHouse of Representatives\j votes for President Clinton's proposal to renew China's most favored nation trade status. \I(USA, China)\i
The US Air Force issues a statement saying that the so-called Roswell Incident in 1947 was a military exercise in which dummies were used in parachute drops; some people insist that the incident was actually an alien space crash that the Government covered up. \I(USA)\i
At the Earth Summit in New York, \JAustralia\j's Environment Minister, Senator Robert Hill, argues against binding reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, saying that the targets would place an unfair burden on countries such as \JAustralia\j whose economies rely on exports of \Jenergy\j and raw materials. European nations, particularly Britain, support flat-rate reduction targets and believe that \JAustralia\j should not be treated as a special case. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At the Earth Summit in New York, \JAustralia\j's Environment Minister, Senator Robert Hill, argues against binding reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, saying that the targets would place an unfair burden on countries such as \JAustralia\j whose economies rely on exports of \Jenergy\j and raw materials. European nations, particularly Britain, support flat-rate reduction targets and believe that \JAustralia\j should not be treated as a special case. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
London auctioneers Sotheby's sell a Van Gogh watercolor painting for úUK8 million. \I(UK)\i
Thousands of people flee shelling in the Central African Republic as peacekeepers try to stamp out rebellious soldiers who have been involved in clashes over the past four days in the capital, Bangui. \I(Central African Republic)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, defeats a vote of no-confidence in parliament. \I(Israel)\i
#
"June 25, 1997",539,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In northern \JAfghanistan\j, a Taliban jet bombs the headquarters of a former president. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Britain and the United States announce that they will send officials to the swearing-in ceremony for Hong Kong's Provisional Legislative Council next Tuesday. The move comes a short time after the leaders of both countries said that they would boycott the ceremony to show their disapproval of China's decision to remove Hong Kong's elected legislature and replace it with an appointed one after the hand-over. \I(UK, USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry issues a statement saying that more than 200 troops and rebels were killed in fierce fighting on Tuesday. The Sri Lankan air force deploys helicopters to attack suspected rebel areas. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In the \JPhilippines\j, Army helicopters inflict heavy fire on a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel camp. \I(Philippines)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says that the United States should not become involved in the fate of Pol Pot because it is an internal affair. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
The second-in-command of East \JTimor\j's Fretilin guerrilla force, David Alex, dies after being shot by Indonesian soldiers who arrested him. \I(Indonesia, East Timor)\i
Government officials in South Korea announce that North Korea has agreed to help arrange four-nation peace talks with South Korea, China, and the United States. \I(South Korea, North Korea, China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Britain and the United States announce that they will send officials to the swearing-in ceremony for Hong Kong's Provisional Legislative Council next Tuesday. The move comes a short time after the leaders of both countries said that they would boycott the ceremony to show their disapproval of China's decision to remove Hong Kong's elected legislature and replace it with an appointed one after the hand-over. \I(UK, USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says that the United States should not become involved in the fate of Pol Pot because it is an internal affair. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
A docking exercise goes wrong when a cargo craft collides with the Russian space station Mir. Russian officials say that the American and two Russians aboard Mir are in no danger. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Government officials in South Korea announce that North Korea has agreed to help arrange four-nation peace talks with South Korea, China, and the United States. \I(South Korea, North Korea, China, USA)\i
At the second Earth Summit in New York, the World Bank and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) agree to work together to protect the world's forests. The bank will contribute funds to acquire millions of hectares of forest around the world. \I(USA)\i
In the Caribbean island of Montserrat, a British-dependent territory, part of the Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j collapses and sends ash, rock, and hot gas towards villages. At least ten people are dead and others are missing. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain and the United States announce that they will send officials to the swearing-in ceremony for Hong Kong's Provisional Legislative Council next Tuesday. The move comes a short time after the leaders of both countries said that they would boycott the ceremony to show their disapproval of China's decision to remove Hong Kong's elected legislature and replace it with an appointed one after the hand-over. \I(UK, USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, announces plans for Northern Ireland peace talks in September which will go ahead without Sinn Fein if the IRA does not agree to a cease-fire. If the IRA does call a cease-fire, it must last for six weeks before Britain will make a decision about Sinn Fein's inclusion in the talks. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
In the Caribbean island of Montserrat, a British-dependent territory, part of the Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j collapses and sends ash, rock, and hot gas towards villages. At least ten people are dead and others are missing. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
French oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, dies at the age of 87. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
A docking exercise goes wrong when a cargo craft collides with the Russian space station Mir. Russian officials say that the American and two Russians aboard Mir are in no danger. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Hundreds of civilians free \JBrazzaville\j as opposing troops fight for control of the airport. \I(\JCongo\j)\i
#
"June 26, 1997",540,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A Sri Lankan military official says that attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebel forces will not stop the army from advancing northwards into rebel territory. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, visits Vietnam to strengthen ties between the two countries. Ms Albright had planned to visit \JCambodia\j as well, but canceled the visit after tensions escalated between the rival prime ministers of the country. \I(USA, Vietnam, Cambodia)\i
In Lucknow, India, a curfew is imposed to prevent violent clashes between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. \I(India)\i
At the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, India admits that it has chemical weapons. Ten years ago, India said that it had no chemical weapons and had no plans to produce them. \I(India, the Netherlands)\i
Hong Kong democrats criticize the US and Britain for now deciding to send representatives to the swearing-in of Hong Kong's Chinese-appointed legislature after the hand-over at midnight on June 30. \I(Hong Kong, USA, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Supreme Court rules that a law which restricts the dissemination of sexually explicit material over the \JInternet\j to people under 18 is unconstitutional. \I(USA)\i
US President, Bill Clinton, pledges to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions significantly but rejects specific targets proposed by Europe. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, visits Vietnam to strengthen ties between the two countries. Ms Albright had planned to visit \JCambodia\j as well, but canceled the visit after tensions escalated between the rival prime ministers of the country. \I(USA, Vietnam, Cambodia)\i
The American and two Russians aboard the Russian space station Mir are instructed to conserve oxygen after the station suffered damage when a cargo craft collided with it yesterday. Unless power can be restored soon, the astronauts will have to abandon the station and return to Earth in an escape craft. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The commander of the United States Central Command in the Gulf warns that \JIran\j is moving closer to developing nuclear weapons. \I(USA, Iran)\i
Hong Kong democrats criticize the US and Britain for now deciding to send representatives to the swearing-in of Hong Kong's Chinese-appointed legislature after the hand-over at midnight on June 30. \I(Hong Kong, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Bertie Ahern, leader of Ireland's Fianna Fail party, is elected Prime Minister. Mr Ahern heads a minority government backed by Independents. \I(Ireland)\i
Hong Kong democrats criticize the US and Britain for now deciding to send representatives to the swearing-in of Hong Kong's Chinese-appointed legislature after the hand-over at midnight on June 30. \I(Hong Kong, USA, UK)\i
At the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, India admits that it has chemical weapons. Ten years ago, India said that it had no chemical weapons and had no plans to produce them. \I(India, the Netherlands)\i
The American and two Russians aboard the Russian space station Mir are instructed to conserve oxygen after the station suffered damage when a cargo craft collided with it yesterday. Unless power can be restored soon, the astronauts will have to abandon the station and return to Earth in an escape craft. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The last of \JBrazzaville\j's foreign aid workers leaves \JCongo\j. \I(Congo)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hits north-eastern \JIran\j and destroys 15 villages. \I(Iran)\i
The commander of the United States Central Command in the Gulf warns that \JIran\j is moving closer to developing nuclear weapons. \I(USA, Iran)\i
Two days before parliamentary elections, gunmen shoot at the motorcade of \JAlbania\j's President, Sali Berisha. The President is unhurt, but three guards are wounded.
#
"June 27, 1997",541,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India's main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, demands that the Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, quit if he is unable to force the resignation of Laloo Prasad Yadav, a chief minister who has been accused of \Jembezzlement\j. \I(India)\i
Sri Lankan military officials halt their advance into rebel territory so that they can search for missing soldiers and wait for reinforcements. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Myanmar's military intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt accuses the United States of funding terrorist attacks against members of \JMyanmar\j's ruling junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces agreements with Vietnam to protect intellectual property rights and open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Ms Albright also urges the Vietnamese Government to improve its human rights record and provide greater freedom for its citizens. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
In a speech to the nation, the \JPhilippines\j' President, Fidel Ramos, defends the decision to admit \JMyanmar\j to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) saying that the country's economy and international acceptance will benefit from the admittance. \I(Philippines, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Russia and China sign a multi-billion dollar oil and \Jnatural gas\j deal. The two countries also seal a deal that allows Russian trains to pass into Chinese territory. \I(Russia, China)\i
Hong Kong's future chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, announces that 4,000 People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops will enter Hong Kong just hours after it returns to Chinese rule at midnight on 30 June. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
Cambodia's first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, accuses Khmer Rouge defectors of delaying the hand-over of Pol Pot in order to gain security for other Khmer Rouge leaders. \I(Cambodia)\i
Australia expresses concern for five East Timorese Fretilin activists captured by Indonesian security forces and warns the Indonesian Government against harming them. The leader of the Fretilin independence group, David Alex, was killed on Wednesday; the Government says that Mr Alex was killed during a clash with security troops while Fretilin supporters say that he was killed while being interrogated. \I(Australia, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Myanmar's military intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt accuses the United States of funding terrorist attacks against members of \JMyanmar\j's ruling junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces agreements with Vietnam to protect intellectual property rights and open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Ms Albright also urges the Vietnamese Government to improve its human rights record and provide greater freedom for its citizens. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
The second Earth Summit in New York ends with no firm targets on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russia and China sign a multi-billion dollar oil and \Jnatural gas\j deal. The two countries also seal a deal that allows Russian trains to pass into Chinese territory. \I(Russia, China)\i
At a conference in Brussels, 95 countries sign a treaty that bans the use of land-mines. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
Rival Protestants and Roman Catholics begin talks with Britain's Northern Ireland Minister, Mo Mowlem, in the lead-up to the Protestants' pro-British parade on 6 July. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Riots break out in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j when opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, is detained after defying a ban on political demonstrations. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Israeli soldiers shoot at Palestinian demonstrators in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Mathematicians from around the world meet in \JGermany\j to see British Professor Andew Wiles receive a prize for proving a \Jtheorem\j created in the 17th century by Pierre de Fermat, a French judge. \I(UK, Germany)\i
#
"June 28, 1997",542,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's elected legislature concludes its final session. It will be replaced by an unelected legislature, appointed by \JBeijing\j, when Hong Kong returns to Chinese rule on 30 June. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Typhoon Peter hits \JJapan\j and causes death, injuries, and landslides. \I(Japan)\i
Australian \Jmotorcycle\j rider, Mick Doohan, wins the Dutch Grand Prix. \I(Australia, Netherlands)\i`
\BThe Americas\b
At a boxing re-match in Las Vegas, Mike Tyson is disqualified from the title fight for biting the ears of his opponent, Evander Holyfield. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Serbian mayor, Slavko Dokmanovic, is arrested and taken to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Dokmanovic is suspected of involvement in the 1991 massacre of at least 200 people in a Croatian city. \I(the Netherlands, Croatia)\i
Last week, the United Nations Security Council threatened to impose more sanctions on \JIraq\j if it refused to allow UN weapons inspectors to enter sites suspected of containing banned weapons, however, \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister says that \JIraq\j will not guarantee unrestricted access to its weapons sites. \I(Iraq)\i
In Tel Aviv, around 50,000 Israelis demonstrate against Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and call for his resignation and new elections. \I(Israel)\i
#
"June 29, 1997",543,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, criticizes China's intention to move 4,000 People's Liberation Army troops into Hong Kong just hours after the territory returns from British to Chinese rule. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
In Kashmir, three people are killed and two are wounded when a bomb explodes in a high-security building for Kashmiri politicians. Police suspect that the attack came from separatist Muslim guerrillas, but no-one claims responsibility for the explosion. \I(Kashmir, India)\i
Australian golfer, Graham Marsh, wins the US Senior Open in Illinois. \I(Australia, USA)\i
In the PGA St Jude Classic in \JTennessee\j, Australian golfer Greg Norman wins by one stroke. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, meets with Hong Kong's incoming chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa. Mr Tung assures Mr Downer that Hong Kong will have elections within a year and that civil liberties in Hong Kong will not be affected after the hand-over. \I(Australia, China, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, thousands of people attend a tribute to Betty Shabazz, the widow of assassinated \Jcivil rights\j leader Malcolm X. Ms Shabazz died on Monday from severe burns that she received in a fire at her apartment, which was allegedly started by her 12-year-old grandson Malcolm. \I(USA)\i
The crew of the Russian space station Mir appears in a \Jtelevision\j link with Earth and shows some of the damage that was caused when a cargo craft collided with the station earlier in the week. NASA officials say that the situation is improving, but the crew must still carry out repair work. \I(Russia, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, criticizes China's intention to move 4,000 People's Liberation Army troops into Hong Kong just hours after the territory returns from British to Chinese rule. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
The death toll rises on the British island territory of Montserrat as rescue teams search for survivors of last week's volcanic eruption. Scientists predict another big eruption soon. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
San Francisco's annual gay pride parade draws hundreds of thousands of onlookers. The 27th parade was made up of thousands of participants. \I(USA)\i
Australian golfer, Graham Marsh, wins the US Senior Open in Illinois. \I(Australia, USA)\i
In the PGA St Jude Classic in \JTennessee\j, Australian golfer Greg Norman wins by one stroke. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, criticizes China's intention to move 4,000 People's Liberation Army troops into Hong Kong just hours after the territory returns from British to Chinese rule. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
Parliamentary elections are held in \JAlbania\j. \I(Albania)\i
The death toll rises on the British island territory of Montserrat as rescue teams search for survivors of last week's volcanic eruption. Scientists predict another big eruption soon. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
The crew of the Russian space station Mir appears in a \Jtelevision\j link with Earth and shows some of the damage that was caused when a cargo craft collided with the station earlier in the week. NASA officials say that the situation is improving, but the crew must still carry out repair work. \I(Russia, USA)\i
German Formula One driver, Michael Schumacher, wins the French Grand Prix. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 30, 1997",544,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States and Britain call for China to maintain Hong Kong's freedom after it is handed from British to Chinese rule at midnight. \I(US, UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
At midnight, Hong Kong ends 156 years under British rule and is returned to Chinese rule. The territory will be referred to as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and will be ruled by China under the "one country, two systems" policy proposed by the late communist leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(Hong Kong, UK, China)\i
Cambodia's second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, warns that if his political rival, first Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, illegally brings troops and weapons into Phnom Penh, he is prepared to fight. \I(Cambodia)\i
Four North Korean defectors, one of whom was a government official, arrive in Seoul, South Korea; about 60 other North Koreans have defected to Seoul this year. \I(North Korea, South Korea)\i
The USA, South Korea, and North Korea set a date for four-nation talks, which will include China. The talks will take place on 5 August in New York where the delegates will determine a data, venue, and agenda for talks aimed at creating a formal peace treaty between North and South Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States and Britain call for China to maintain Hong Kong's freedom after it is handed from British to Chinese rule at midnight tonight. \I(US, UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
American \Jboxer\j, Mike Tyson, apologises to his opponent, Evander Holyfield, for biting his ears in Satuday's world title fight. \I(USA)\i
The US State Department announces that it will provide training and equipment for a proposed African peacekeeping force. \I(USA, Africa)\i
The USA, South Korea, and North Korea set a date for four-nation talks, which will include China. The talks will take place on 5 August in New York where the delegates will determine a data, venue, and agenda for talks aimed at creating a formal peace treaty between North and South Korea. \I(North Korea, South Korea, USA, China)\i
In Montserrat, the Chances Peak \Jvolcano\j erupts again and produces clouds of ash. The British Government promises aid for the island. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States and Britain call for China to maintain Hong Kong's freedom after it is handed from British to Chinese rule at midnight tonight. \I(US, UK, China, Hong Kong)\i
At midnight, Hong Kong ends 156 years under British rule and is returned to Chinese rule. The territory will be referred to as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and will be ruled by China under the "one country, two systems" policy proposed by the late communist leader Deng Xiaoping. \I(Hong Kong, UK, China)\i
In Montserrat, the Chances Peak \Jvolcano\j erupts again and produces clouds of ash. The British Government promises aid for the island. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
Albania's ruling Democratic Party concedes defeat in parliamentary elections; the Democrats are defeated by the country's Socialist alliance. \I(Albania)\i
President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, Laurent Kabila, asks for help from developed nations to reconstruct his country. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
The US State Department announces that it will provide training and equipment for a proposed African peacekeeping force. \I(USA, Africa)\i
Turkey's President, Suleyman Demirel, approves Mesut Yilmaz's anti-Islamist coalition government. The President asked Mr Yilmaz to form a government after the previous Islamist prime minister, Necmettin Erbakan, resigned under pressure from Turkey's secular army. \I(Turkey)\i
Israel's Foreign Minister, David Levy, threatens to resign unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu changes the way he runs the Government. If Mr Levy resigns, Mr Netanyahu will be left with a parliamentary majority of only one. \I(Israel)\i
#
"July 1, 1997",545,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The new Hong Kong Government is sworn in. Speaking after the ceremony, the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, welcomes Hong Kong's return to the "motherland", urging all patriots to strive for the return of Macau, the resolution of "the \JTaiwan\j question", and the peaceful reunification of the Chinese people in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle. \I(China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan)\i
Hong Kong's new Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, announces reforms to improve education, help the elderly, address housing shortages, and curb property speculation. Mr. Tung maintains that economic vitality and growth are Hong Kong's greatest defenses against threats posed by high \Jinflation\j, social problems, and employment dislocation. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Martin Lee, leader of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, valiantly predicts the "return" of the party and declares that campaigning for the promised elections in May next year will begin immediately. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Donald Tsang, Hong Kong's Finance Secretary, names a committee to advise on the management and investment of official funds transferred from the former British colonial government. The boost in funds will make Hong Kong the world's fourth or fifth biggest holder of foreign exchange. \I(Hong Kong, China, UK)\i
Britain's Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says Britain would consider referring any Chinese breach of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong to the United Nations. Mr. Cook rejects accusations of British intervention, insisting that while Britain cannot turn its back on Hong Kong, a working relationship with China is also very important. \I(Hong Kong, China, UK)\i
The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, defends \JAustralia\j's relaxed stance on human rights in the Hong Kong region. During a speech to the Foreign Policy Association in New York, Mr. Howard argues that preservation of Hong Kong's substantial autonomy is in China's best interests. \I(Australia, Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
The Australian Electoral Commission advises Independent MP Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party that it has been entered into the official register of political parties and is now legally recognized. \I(Australia)\i
David Martin, Australian novelist, poet, and playwright, dies at the age of 81. \I(Australia)\i
North Korea agrees to a meeting of senior officials from the two Koreas, China, and the United States. The meeting is scheduled for August 5, and will set an agenda and procedural details for peace talks. South Korea and the United States are pleased, but are not expecting speedy results. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Indonesian Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, warns that \JIndonesia\j will simply find other suppliers of arms if Britain's Labor Government continues to link human rights and equipment sales. \I(UK, Indonesia)\i
Sir Julius Chan, Papua New Guinea's ousted Prime Minister, expresses regret and sorrow at his defeat in the recent elections. The "deepest cut", he says, is the rejection by traditionally loyal tribesmen in his home area. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Cambodian Cabinet states that co-Prime Minister, Hun Sen, will not meet an Australian special envoy when he arrives this week to discuss \JCambodia\j's worsening political climate. Cabinet says that Hun Sen will appoint his representative to receive the envoy. \I(Cambodia, Australia)\i
The \JHanoi\j Supreme People's Court upholds eight death sentences imposed for drug related offenses, including that of Vu Xuan Truong, a former captain of the Ministry of the Interior's anti-drug squad. \I(Vietnam)\i
Myanmar's State-run media accuses the United States of pursuing "geopolitical hegemonism", condemning its attacks on the human rights records of certain countries. Newspaper commentary also claims that pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, is a puppet of Washington, and has no chance of becoming a leader of the country. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
Tamil Tiger separatists attack a passenger ship anchored off Pesalai, abducting the nine crew members before setting the vessel alight. The ship, the \IMisen,\i had been hired by \JSri Lanka\j's Rehabilitation Ministry to ferry refugees to the northern Jaffna peninsula. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Japan's space agency says it is abandoning efforts to recover Midori, its Earth research \Jsatellite\j. The \Jsatellite\j, which lost power due to a defective solar panel, carried $US229 million worth of NASA instruments, and its failure is a significant setback to \JJapan\j's space program. \I(Japan)\i
In women's squash, \JAustralia\j's Sarah Fitzgerald and Michelle Martin retain their world rankings of No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Myanmar's State-run media accuses the United States of pursuing "geopolitical hegemonism", condemning its attacks on the human rights records of certain countries. Newspaper commentary also claims that pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, is a puppet of Washington, and has no chance of becoming a leader of the country. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, defends \JAustralia\j's relaxed stance on human rights in the Hong Kong region. During a speech to the Foreign Policy Association in New York, Mr. Howard argues that preservation of Hong Kong's substantial autonomy is in China's best interests. \I(Australia, Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
North Korea agrees to a meeting of senior officials from the two Koreas, China, and the United States. The meeting is scheduled for August 5, and will set an agenda and procedural details for peace talks. South Korea and the United States are pleased, but are not expecting speedy results. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
The Russian-US crew aboard space station Mir is forced to shut down a new oxygen generator when a cooling loop becomes too hot. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Space shuttle Columbia, and its crew of seven, launch into space to repeat April's laboratory mission. It is the quickest return to space for any American, and the first time a NASA crew has lifted off together more than once. \I(USA)\i
In response to a petition containing more than 13,000 signatures, a grand jury in Oklahoma is to investigate allegations of a government cover-up in relation to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. The petition alleges that convicted bomber Timothy McVeigh was part of a larger conspiracy. \I(USA)\i
A 15-member committee selects a design for a permanent memorial to the victims, survivors, and heroes of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing. The plans for the memorial were submitted by Hans-Ekkehard Butzer, Torrey Butzer, and Sven Berg, a group of German designers. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
In Washington, scientists believe that photographs of asteroid Mathilde may furnish them with a glimpse into the early history of the \Jsolar system\j. Studies of the photograph suggest that the space rock is around 4.6 billion years old. \I(USA)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, commits the \JWhite House\j administration to a schedule that will allow the establishment of an \JInternet\j marketplace for US businesses by the year 2000. \I(USA)\i
Three American ambassadors are nominated by President Clinton for Senate confirmation: Gordon Giffin to Canada, Keith Smith to \JLithuania\j, and James Mack to \JGuyana\j. \I(USA, Canada, \JLithuania\j, Guyana)\i
American actor, Robert Mitchum, dies in \JCalifornia\j at the age of 79. He was suffering from emphysema and lung cancer. Mitchum is survived by Dorothy, his wife of 56 years. \I(USA)\i
As Mexico's Popocatepetl \Jvolcano\j belches another mushroom \Jcloud\j, troops prepare to evacuate 30 villages and the \Jvolcano\j tracking system remains in a state of alert. \I(Mexico)\i
A wooden gunboat, identified as belonging to a fleet commanded by Benedict Arnold in the Revolutionary War, is discovered in Lake Champlain, \JVermont\j. \I(USA)\i
In a preliminary move, the Nevada State Athletic Commission temporarily suspends Mike Tyson and freezes his $US30 million purse, the first disciplinary action since Tyson's disqualification for biting opponent Evander Holyfield's ears in the third round of the World Boxing Association heavyweight championship contest last weekend. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says Britain would consider referring any Chinese breach of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong to the United Nations. Mr. Cook rejects accusations of British intervention, insisting that while Britain cannot turn its back on Hong Kong, a working relationship with China is also very important. \I(Hong Kong, China, UK)\i
Donald Tsang, Hong Kong's Finance Secretary, names a committee to advise on the management and investment of official funds transferred from the former British colonial government. The boost in funds will make Hong Kong the world's fourth or fifth biggest holder of foreign exchange. \I(Hong Kong, China, UK)\i
The Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, announces that he is considering his withdrawal from the Government. Mr. Levy's announcement follows the disclosure of a secret meeting between a senior Palestinian official and an Israeli Cabinet minister, Ariel Sharon. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Indonesian Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, warns that \JIndonesia\j will simply find other suppliers of arms if Britain's Labor Government continues to link human rights and equipment sales. \I(UK, Indonesia)\i
The Russian-US crew aboard space station Mir is forced to shut down a new oxygen generator when the cooling loop becomes too hot. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A 15-member committee selects a design for a permanent memorial to the victims, survivors, and heroes of the 1995 \JOklahoma City\j bombing. The plans for the memorial were submitted by Hans-Ekkehard Butzer, Torrey Butzer, and Sven Berg, a group of German designers. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
Three American ambassadors are nominated by President Clinton for Senate confirmation: Gordon Giffin to Canada, Keith Smith to \JLithuania\j, and James Mack to \JGuyana\j. \I(USA, Canada, \JLithuania\j, Guyana)\i
In a \Jday\j of violent Israeli-Palestinian clashes in \JHebron\j, two Israeli soldiers are injured in a pipe bomb explosion and one Palestinian is wounded by \Jrubber\j bullets. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel claims an increase in discrimination against Israeli Arab communities since Benjamin Netanyahu was elected to the office of prime minister. \I(Israel)\i
At a two-\Jday\j conference in Brussels, EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner, Emma Bonino, says the decision to ban bone and meat meal from animal feed seems to have slowed the spread of "mad cow disease". \I(\JBelgium\j, Europe)\i
President Boris Yeltsin is accused of breaking \JRussia\j's civil service law by appointing his younger daughter, Tatyana Dyachenko, to the council position of official image advisor. \I(Russia)\i
Gunfire in \JBrazzaville\j prevents negotiators from traveling to neighboring \JGabon\j to resume peace talks. President Pascal Lissouba and former dictator Denis Sassou-Nguesso both deny responsibility for violating the cease-fire agreement. \I(\JCongo\j)\i
All Russian nuclear power plants are ordered to undergo safety checks following the death of a researcher from radiation exposure. Alexander Zakharov died three days after being accidentally exposed to more than 1,000 roentgens. The accident occurred on June 17 at a research center in Nizhny \JNovgorod\j, and has been attributed to human error and faulty procedures. \I(Russia)\i
Under a new ban, British handgun owners have until the end of September to surrender their weapons at police stations. After the deadline, the penalty for possession of a handgun larger than a .22-caliber will be a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. \I(UK)\i
Albanian President, Sali Berisha, concedes defeat in the recent parliamentary elections. As some of Berisha's key aides abandon the country, Fatos Nano, the man likely to become the new president, says he expects the incoming Socialist Government to adopt legislation preventing Democratic Party officials fleeing \JAlbania\j before their corrupt five years of power can be fully investigated. \I(Albania)\i
Aspirant to the \JAlbanian\j throne, self-proclaimed King Leka, claims widespread \Jfraud\j on the part of the Socialists in a referendum on restoring the monarchy. \I(Albania)\i
Zimbabwe's President Mugabe reveals plans to appropriate over 8.2 million acres of farmland currently held by white citizens, foreigners, and foreign companies. Under the provisions of a proposed Land Bill, the farmland is to be redistributed among Zimbabwe's 11.5 million blacks. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
#
"July 2, 1997",546,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The supertanker, \IDiamond Grace,\i runs aground on a shallow reef in \JTokyo\j Bay, spilling an estimated 13,400 tonnes of crude oil. \JJapan\j's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, orders that a disaster center be set up immediately. \I(Japan)\i
North Korea agrees to a United Nations \Jnutrition\j survey on condition that the UN increases its aid to the hunger-stricken nation. \I(North Korea)\i
New Zealand confirms its decision not to import the deadly \Jrabbit\j calicivirus disease from \JAustralia\j. The decision is based on insufficient knowledge of the virus and its effectiveness. \I(New Zealand, Australia)\i
Australia's Minister for the Olympics, Mr. Knight, attacks the Pauline Hanson political movement in a speech to the \JAustralia\j \JIndonesia\j Institute in \JIndonesia\j. Mr. Knight insists that "xenophobic rantings" of the extreme Right are unrepresentative of \JAustralia\j's culture of tolerance and equality. \I(Australia, Indonesia)\i
Peter Yates, \JAustralia\j's Environment Protection Authority overseer for the 2000 Olympics project, denies any public risk from \Jdioxin\j-contaminated waste buried near the Olympic site. \I(Australia)\i
Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, stresses the strength of the Australian economy in an address to United States bankers and investors at the City Midday Club, Manhattan. Mr. Howard says that \JAustralia\j's economic prospects are as bright as those of the United States. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Delegates at the Sydney-based 20th International Congress of \JChemotherapy\j are told that the deadly equine morbillivirus is a misnomer and is expected to be renamed. Professor Keith Murray, deputy director of the CSIRO's animal heath division in Geelong, says that research has now linked the virus to the uterine fluid of pregnant flying foxes. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Dr. Robert Will, head of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh, tells delegates of the Sydney-based 20th International Congress of \JChemotherapy\j that confirmed cases of the human form of "mad cow disease" in Britain have doubled in the past year. Dr. Will says that it will take another four years to establish the extent of any human epidemic. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
The Sri Lankan military's defense positions near Omanthai are attacked by Tamil Tiger rebels. Military officials report that the attacks are foiled. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In \JCambodia\j, fighting breaks out between the rival troops of Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, the country's co-Prime Ministers. Three soldiers are reported killed. \I(Cambodia)\i
Khmer Rouge rebels in \JCambodia\j's north confirm that they are discussing peace with an envoy of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
Taiwan's President, Lee Teng-hui, offers to travel to \JBeijing\j to re-open talks, but stresses that the "one country, two systems" formula is unacceptable. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Following a fact-finding mission to East \JTimor\j, \JAustralia\j's Ambassador to \JIndonesia\j, John McCarthy, reports evidence of increased arrests and continued mistreatment of prisoners. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Don McKinnon, confirms that peace talks aimed at ending Bougainville's war will take place at Burnham army camp, near \JChristchurch\j. Attendees will include representatives of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), its political wing, the Bougainville Interim Government, and the PNG-appointed Bougainville Transitional Government. \I(New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
Tung Chee-hwa speaks at his first press conference as Hong Kong's Chief Executive.
Mr. Tung cites Hong Kong's successful transition to Chinese rule as a blueprint for settling other disputed British-controlled territories, such as the Falkland Islands and \JGibraltar\j. \I(China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
Martin Lee, Hong Kong's leading democracy campaigner, challenges \JAustralia\j's acceptance of China's promise to hold fair elections to choose a new legislature. Mr. Lee maintains that the electoral rules will significantly disadvantage his party. \I(Hong Kong, China, Australia)\i
In \JThailand\j, the baht collapses to 28.40 per US dollar, its lowest value ever. The rapid \Jdevaluation\j follows an announcement by Thanong Bidaya, the country's new Finance Minister, that the value of the baht will no longer be set against US dominated exchange rates, but will be the subject of a managed float determined by market forces. \I(Thailand, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Actor, James Stewart, dies of cardiac arrest in \JCalifornia\j at the age of 89. \I(USA)\i
Australia's Prime Minister, John Howard, stresses the strength of the Australian economy in an address to United States bankers and investors at the City Midday Club, Manhattan. Mr. Howard says that \JAustralia\j's economic prospects are as bright as those of the United States. \I(Australia, USA)\i
A New York federal judge finds the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy to be unconstitutional, saying it discriminates against gays. \I(USA)\i
In \JThailand\j, the baht collapses to 28.40 per US dollar, its lowest value ever. The rapid \Jdevaluation\j follows an announcement by Thanong Bidaya, the country's new Finance Minister, that the value of the baht will no longer be set against US dominated exchange rates, but will be the subject of a managed float determined by market forces. \I(Thailand, USA)\i
The crew of the \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia sets the first of 144 controlled fires in the shuttle's laboratory module. By studying the behavior of fire in space, scientists hope to improve fuel efficiency in cars, jet engines, and heating appliances. \I(USA)\i
While the Russian-US crew of the damaged space station Mir trains for the job of repairing it, a mission control spokeswoman refutes reports that Mir has potential problems with its oxygen supply. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Wall Street stocks soar in the wake of the Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates steady. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Dr. Robert Will, head of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh, tells delegates of the Sydney-based 20th International Congress of \JChemotherapy\j that confirmed cases of the human form of "mad cow disease" in Britain have doubled in the past year. Dr. Will says that it will take another four years to establish the extent of any human epidemic. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Britain is threatened with legal action by the European Commission following confirmation of illegal exports of British beef. The exports breach the worldwide ban imposed 15 months ago when it was disclosed that "mad cow disease" might have infected humans. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Tung Chee-hwa speaks at his first press conference as Hong Kong's Chief Executive.
Mr. Tung cites Hong Kong's successful transition to Chinese rule as a blueprint for settling other disputed British-controlled territories, such as the Falkland Islands and \JGibraltar\j. \I(China, Hong Kong, UK)\i
Six IRA terrorists, who were convicted of plotting to blow up London's electricity supply, each receive a prison sentence of 35 years. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
At Wimbledon, British tennis player Tim Henman, the 14th seed, defeats defending champion, Richard Krajicek, securing a place in the quarter-finals. \I(UK)\i
Outlawed Protestant extremists threaten to kill Irish Catholic civilians if Britain prohibits a traditional march of the ancient Orange Order from proceeding through the town of Portadown in Northern Ireland. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
While the Russian-US crew of the damaged space station Mir trains for the job of repairing it, a mission control spokeswoman refutes reports that Mir has potential problems with its oxygen supply. \I(USA, Russia)\i
In an almost unprecedented political move, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sacks his Justice Minister, Valentin Kovalyov, who had been allegedly filmed cavorting in a sauna with three naked women. \I(Russia)\i
Albanian President, Sali Berisha, confirms that he will resign when the victorious Socialists form a new government. \I(Albania)\i
A group of Russian amateur historians hold a memorial service for 9,111 unknown people whose remains were discovered in three mass graves in the Karelia region of northern \JRussia\j, the site of one of the first slave labor camps opened under Stalin. The dead are believed to be victims of the 1937 purge, and it is assumed that most were intellectuals from Moscow and St Petersburg. \I(Russia)\i
#
"July 3, 1997",547,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Hong Kong, severe storms cause floods and multiple landslides, destroying homes, disrupting traffic, and injuring eight people. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The family of East Timorese guerrilla leader, David Alex, awaits a reply from the Indonesian military following a request to exhume a body, purported to be that of Alex, buried in Dili. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Lein Chan, \JTaiwan\j's Premier and Vice-President, calls for the establishment of a special zone where Hong Kong, \JTaiwan\j, and China can meet on equal terms to exchange views. \I(Hong Kong, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
As many as 40 workers are buried when a partially constructed apartment building collapses in \JKarachi\j. Six men are dug from the debris, and a giant crane is used to aid the search for the remaining men. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
After discovering that a tank believed to be ruptured is intact, \JJapan\j reduces its estimate to one tenth of the crude oil initially assumed to have spilled into \JTokyo\j Bay from the supertanker, \IDiamond Grace\i yesterday. \I(Japan)\i
North of Phnom Penh in \JCambodia\j, Hun Sen loyalists disarm a naval base and a royalist convoy. Troops of the rival political factions adopt an uneasy standoff, exacerbating fears about the country's stability under the coalition government. \I(Cambodia)\i
Philippine legislators demand the dismissal and prosecution of senior jail officials after a violent prison riot in Manila leaves 42 people injured, and three inmates and a three-year old girl dead. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Japan's Health and Welfare Ministry reveals that since April 1991, side effects of the drug, irinotecan hydrochloride, have killed 94 cancer patients and 55 patients who received the drug during clinical tests. Health officials are now discussing methods of reducing the mortality rate to maximize the drug's potential benefit. \I(Japan)\i
As part of constitutional reforms aimed at increasing regional power, reducing expenditure, and bringing ethnic peace to \JSri Lanka\j, the government announces plans to change the system of election and cut the number of legislators from 225 to 198. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tang Guoqiang, denies US allegations that China has exported weapons of mass destruction and used supercomputer technology for military purposes. \I(China, USA)\i
China voices concern regarding a US underground \Jplutonium\j experiment, the first of number of tests designed to manage aging nuclear weapons. While the US Energy Department insists that the experiment did not contravene the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, China plans to monitor the situation closely. \I(China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
An eight-year United States study concludes that there is no solid link between childhood leukemia and exposure to power lines. \I(USA)\i
US Attorney General, Janet Reno, vows to appeal the federal judge's ruling that struck down the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of restrictions on gays in the military. \I(USA)\i
An independent commission issues a damning report on Canada's 1992-93 peacekeeping mission in \JSomalia\j, charging the military with lack of leadership, discipline, and accountability. The commission slates the government for its attempts to cover up the military's acts of brutality and \Jracism\j. \I(Canada, Somalia)\i
Despite pressure from nine of the 16 \JNATO\j partners, American President, Bill Clinton, stands firm on his resolve to admit only three new members to the alliance: \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic. \I(USA, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tang Guoqiang, denies US allegations that China has exported weapons of mass destruction and used supercomputer technology for military purposes. \I(China, USA)\i
China voices concern regarding a US underground \Jplutonium\j experiment, the first of number of tests designed to manage aging nuclear weapons. While the US Energy Department insists that the experiment did not contravene the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, China plans to monitor the situation closely. \I(China, USA)\i
Space station Mir faces another problem when its alignment system breaks down, causing further loss of power. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
In a reversal of tactics, American President, Bill Clinton, submits a formal 80 page denial of the sexual harassment allegations brought against him by Paula Jones, and requests a federal judge to dismiss the case. \I(USA)\i
In the wake of further recent eruptions of the Chances Peak \Jvolcano\j on the island of Montserrat, the British Foreign Office meets with MPs and Montserrat representatives to determine what additional assistance can be given to islanders fleeing to Britain. The British Government also asks Washington to allow islanders with American relations free entry into the United States. \I(Montserrat, UK, USA)\i
Newly released \JCIA\j documents reveal that in the early 1960s, the agency offered two organized crime figures a sum of $US150,000 to assassinate Cuban leader, Fidel Castro. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
As Israeli troops and Palestinians clash in \JHebron\j and Gaza, Israel seeks US and Egyptian backing for its attempts to pressure the Palestinian Authority to control the outbreaks of violence. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, USA)\i
The United States informs \JBelarus\j that it will have to improve its human rights record before Washington unfreezes $US40 million pledged to assist in the destruction of Soviet-era nuclear missile launch pads. \I(USA, Belarus)\i
Authorities confirm widespread damage due to tornadoes and thunderstorms in western \JMassachusetts\j and southern New Hampshire. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Vadim Sinstov, a Russian arms export manager charged with spying for the British, has his property confiscated and is sentenced to 10 years hard labor by a Moscow military tribunal. \I(Russia, UK)\i
Preliminary findings of a comprehensive \Jcensus\j in South Africa suggest that the population is growing at 1.9 per cent a year, a rate low in comparison with the rest of the continent, and much lower than expected by officials. \I(South Africa)\i
The British Medical Association votes for a chemically pure version of cannabis to be made legally available for the treatment of certain medical conditions. \I(UK)\i
As Israeli troops and Palestinians clash in \JHebron\j and Gaza, Israel seeks US and Egyptian backing for its attempts to pressure the Palestinian Authority to control the outbreaks of violence. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, USA)\i
An independent commission issues a damning report on Canada's 1992-93 peacekeeping mission in \JSomalia\j, charging the military with lack of leadership, discipline, and accountability. The commission slates the government for its attempts to cover up the military's acts of brutality and \Jracism\j. \I(Canada, Somalia)\i
The Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, orders the dissolution of parliament and sets new elections for September 1. Radovan Karadzic, covert leader of the government of Bosnia's Serb territory, dismisses the move as unconstitutional, and calls a parliamentary session to instigate the removal of Ms. Plavsic as President. \I(Bosnia)\i
Space station Mir faces another problem when its alignment system breaks down, causing further loss of power. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Despite pressure from nine of the 16 \JNATO\j partners, American President, Bill Clinton, stands firm on his resolve to admit only three new members to the alliance: \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic. \I(USA, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
The United States informs \JBelarus\j that it will have to improve its human rights record before Washington unfreezes $US40 million pledged to assist in the destruction of Soviet-era nuclear missile launch pads. \I(USA, Belarus)\i
President Laurent Kabila's new Congolese government insists that United Nations investigators must agree to certain conditions before beginning their probe into alleged massacres of Hutu refugees. UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he is prepared to be flexible and pragmatic in order to achieve this end. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Gunfire breaks out during a march by \JAlbanian\j monarchists in Tirana, killing one person and injuring another. \I(Albania)\i
In the wake of further recent eruptions of the Chances Peak \Jvolcano\j on the island of Montserrat, the British Foreign Office meets with MPs and Montserrat representatives to determine what additional assistance can be given to islanders fleeing to Britain. The British Government also asks Washington to allow islanders with American relations free entry into the United States. \I(Montserrat, UK, USA)\i
#
"July 4, 1997",548,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian gold shares plummet to the lowest price in nearly 12 years when the Reserve Bank announces the sale of 167 tonnes of its bullion reserves. \I(Australia)\i
After being scuttled by its crew 82 years ago, \JAustralia\j's World War I AE2 submarine is found lying upright in 80 meters of \Jwater\j in the Sea of Marmora behind \JGallipoli\j. \I(Australia, Turkey)\i
Hong Kong's \JImmigration\j Department is besieged by families seeking residency for their illegal immigrant children, a rush triggered by the pronouncement that mainland-born offspring of permanent Hong Kong residents are entitled to stay. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Cambodia's First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, leaves the country for \JFrance\j, appealing for calm and urging his supporters not to succumb to violence. \I(Cambodia, France)\i
Japan's \Jcoastguard\j confirms that its massive clean-up operation has recovered most of the oil spilled in \JTokyo\j Bay when the supertanker, \IDiamond Grace,\i ran aground two days ago. \I(Japan)\i
In the first innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, the English cricket players join the crowd in applauding Australian Steve Waugh after he is bowled for 108 by Darren Gough. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US space craft Pathfinder lands on Mars, beaming back color photographs of a landscape comprised of stones, boulders, plateaus and mountains. The landing, timed to coincide with America's 221st Independence Day, is the first in 21 years, and the second ever. \I(USA)\i
Following a request from \JSpain\j, \JSwitzerland\j agrees to freeze the assets and bank accounts of four Argentine military officers. The four officers are charged by \JSpain\j with responsibility for the disappearance and execution of Spanish citizens in Argentina during the 1970s. \I(Spain, \JSwitzerland\j, Argentina)\i
Vasily Makarov, convicted of spying against \JRussia\j for the United States, is sentenced in Moscow to seven years hard labor. \I(USA, Russia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After being scuttled by its crew 82 years ago, \JAustralia\j's World War I AE2 submarine is found lying upright in 80 meters of \Jwater\j in the Sea of Marmora behind \JGallipoli\j. \I(Australia, Turkey)\i
A specialist report, based on the studies of several art scholars, claims that more than 100 of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings and drawings may be fakes. The claim is not treated seriously by Schaar van Heugten, the curator of the Van Gogh museum in \JAmsterdam\j. \I(UK, Netherlands)\i
Following a request from \JSpain\j, \JSwitzerland\j agrees to freeze the assets and bank accounts of four Argentine military officers. The four officers are charged by \JSpain\j with responsibility for the disappearance and execution of Spanish citizens in Argentina during the 1970s. \I(Spain, \JSwitzerland\j, Argentina)\i
30,000 Palestinians, outraged by a Jewish extremist's anti-Muslim leaflet depicting the \Jprophet\j Mohammed as a pig stomping on the Koran, riot in the streets of Nablus. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Cambodia's First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, leaves the country for \JFrance\j, appealing for calm and urging his supporters not to succumb to violence. \I(Cambodia, France)\i
Vasily Makarov, convicted of spying against \JRussia\j for the United States, is sentenced in Moscow to seven years hard labor. \I(USA, Russia)\i
In the first innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, the English cricket players join the crowd in applauding Australian Steve Waugh after he is bowled for 108 by Darren Gough. \I(Australia, UK)\i
1991 Wimbledon champion, Michael Stitch of \JGermany\j, announces his immediate retirement after being defeated in this year's Wimbledon semi-finals by unseeded Cedric Poline from \JFrance\j. \I(UK, Germany)\i
In one of Britain's largest divorce settlements ever, the former wife of restaurateur and designer, Sir Terence Conran, is awarded ú45 million. \I(UK)\i
#
"July 5, 1997",549,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least four people are killed and 29 are wounded when fighting breaks out in Phnom Penh between the rival forces of \JCambodia\j's co-leaders. First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, accuses Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, of attempting a coup. Hun Sen appears on \Jtelevision\j in camouflage fatigues, accusing Prince Ranariddh of importing weapons and preparing for \Jcivil war\j. \I(Cambodia)\i
In the Sri Lankan port town of Trincomalee, gunmen of the Tamil Tiger guerrillas mark the 10th anniversary of their first suicide bombing by exploding a powerful bomb and opening fire on attendees of a school ceremony. At least 15 people are seriously injured and five people are killed, including senior Tamil MP, Mr. Thangathurai. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In the first innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, Australian leg-spinner, Shane Warne, picks up 6 wickets from 30 overs to become the third highest wicket-taker in \JAustralia\j's Test history, topping Richie Benaud's total of 248 with an updated tally of 249. \I(Australia, UK)\i
In a closely contested final in Kuala Lumpur, Argentina defeats Uruguay 2-1 to retain the World Youth \JSoccer\j title. \I(Kuala Lumpur, Argentina, Uruguay)\i
\BThe Americas\b
NASA's Sojourner, the six-wheeled, solar-powered pride of the US Pathfinder mission, descends onto freezing Martian soil via a rear ramp of the main lander, becoming the first mobile vehicle to rove and explore another \Jplanet\j. \I(USA)\i
Loaded with a cargo of electrical cables and crucial repair supplies, the unmanned Russian ship, Progress, lifts off to rendezvous with the Russian-US manned Mir space station. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In defiance of strong US criticism, Bosnian Serb legislators ally with suspected war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, in amending laws to facilitate President Biljana Plavsic's removal from power. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Despite Washington's determination to allow only three Eastern European nations to join \JNATO\j, \JFrance\j continues to press for invitations to be extended to \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRomania\j, Slovenia)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, urges the states and the private business sector to assist with moving even more Americans from the welfare system and into employment. \I(USA)\i
Scientists in the United States begin testing hundreds of \Jmelanoma\j patients with the experimental gm2 vaccine. \I(USA)\i
In a closely contested final in Kuala Lumpur, Argentina defeats Uruguay 2-1 to retain the World Youth \JSoccer\j title. \I(Kuala Lumpur, Argentina, Uruguay)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Loaded with a cargo of electrical cables and crucial repair supplies, the unmanned Russian ship, Progress, lifts off to rendezvous with the Russian-US manned Mir space station. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In defiance of strong US criticism, Bosnian Serb legislators ally with suspected war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, in amending laws to facilitate President Biljana Plavsic's removal from power. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Despite Washington's determination to allow only three Eastern European nations to join \JNATO\j, \JFrance\j continues to press for invitations to be extended to \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRomania\j, Slovenia)\i
British soldiers place an armored cordon around the Northern Ireland town of Portadown pending a Government decision to allow the annual march of the Orange Order to proceed through its Catholic neighborhood. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Sixteen-year-old Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j defeats Jana Novotona to become Wimbledon's youngest women's singles champion in 110 years. \I(UK, Switzerland)\i
In the first innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, Australian leg-spinner, Shane Warne, picks up 6 wickets from 30 overs to become the third highest wicket-taker in \JAustralia\j's Test history, topping Richie Benaud's total of 248 with an updated tally of 249. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Britain's Chris Boardman wins his 30th Tour de \JFrance\j prologue with a ride of 8min 20.90s on a flat 7.3km course through the streets of \JRouen\j. \I(UK, France)\i
The South African Springboks defeat the British Lions 35-16 in the third Rugby Test, averting the humiliation of a first ever 3-0 Test defeat on home soil. \I(South Africa, UK)\i
#
"July 6, 1997",550,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Fierce fighting between forces of \JCambodia\j's rival political factions closes Phnom Penh International Airport and blocks all roads into the city. Thousands flee as shelling continues and troops loyal to co-Prime Minister, Hun Sen, tighten their grip on the city. \I(Cambodia)\i
The government of the United States contacts both Cambodian Prime Ministers to urge restraint. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Janata Dal, the political party of India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, is significantly weakened when the party's former president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, defects with 17 MPs to form the breakaway Rashtriya Janata Dal. The government's main opposition, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, calls for a national election to end the political uncertainty. \I(India)\i
Relatives of Commander David Alex, the East Timorese rebel leader, confirm that he is dead and buried, and extend their gratitude to the Indonesian military for treating Alex's body with respect. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
In a show of support for Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, \JTokyo\j voters increase his Liberal Democratic Party's majority in the municipal legislature by 16 seats. The Communist Party also gains from the election, doubling its seats to become the second largest party in the legislative body. \I(Japan)\i
Reports indicate that severe floods caused by five days of torrential rainstorms in South China have killed at least 14 people, cut power supplies, washed out roads, and destroyed thousands of acres of farmland. \I(China)\i
In a bid to deter crime, \JTaiwan\j is considering criminal code amendments which would permit flogging as a punishment for some offenses. \I(Taiwan)\i
It is revealed that \JSri Lanka\j's military has launched a nation-wide search and sought \JInterpol\j's help in a hunt for more than 10,000 deserters. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Australian environmental authorities move to protect the prehistoric Wollemi pine, or "Jurassic tree", which is known to exist only in an isolated pocket of Wollemi National Park near Sydney. \I(Australia)\i
In the second innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, Australian batsman, Steve Waugh, is dismissed for 116, becoming the first player from either side to score a century in both innings of an Ashes Test in 50 years, and the third Australian player ever to do so. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Australian \Jmotorcycle\j racer and triple world champion, Michael Doohan, wins the 500cc San Marino Grand Prix on a Honda, bringing his total number of grand prix wins to 41. \I(Australia, \JItaly\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Pathfinder's roving vehicle, Sojourner, drops a probe into a Martian rock that scientists nickname "Barnacle Bill". \I(USA)\i
The government of the United States contacts both Cambodian Prime Ministers to urge restraint. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j declines to confirm or deny a report of a secret plan to capture alleged war criminal and former Bosnian Serb president, Radovan Karadzic. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
The Russian-US crew of the Mir space station spends the \Jday\j exercising and resting in preparation for docking with the unmanned Russian supply ship bringing urgently needed equipment. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Iran denies a report that the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, in retaliation for the loss of an Iranian passenger jet shot down by the US military. \I(Iran, Scotland, USA)\i
In the first election in 69 years, Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), wins the \JMexico City\j mayoral race, holding nearly a 2-1 advantage over Afredo Del Mazo of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). For the first time since it was founded in 1929, the PRI is in danger of losing its congressional majority. \I(Mexico)\i
US Drug Enforcement Administrator, Thomas Constantine, announces the death of powerful Mexican drug lord, Amado Carillo Fuentes. Carillo is reported to have died at Santa Monica \JHospital\j, \JMexico City\j, following extensive plastic surgery. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
US tennis player, Pete Sampras, defeats Cedric Poline from \JFrance\j to win the men's Wimbledon singles championship for the fourth time in five years. \I(UK, USA)\i
Top seeds, Gigi Fernandez of the USA and Natasha Zvereva of \JBelarus\j, win their fourth Wimbledon women's doubles title. \I(UK, USA, Belarus)\i
American golfer, Tiger Woods, finishes 13 under par to win the Motorola Western Open by 3 strokes. The tournament win is his fourth this year, pushing him to a world ranking of No. 1, and bringing his career earnings for the season to a record breaking $US1,780,159. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the second \Jday\j of his vital peace mission to \JBaghdad\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, holds another round of lengthy talks with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz. Although some progress is reported, Mr. Annan nevertheless admits that his task is "not easy". In his bid to avert United States-led military action against \JIraq\j, Mr. Annan is seeking to obtain a written agreement pledging unfettered access for UN arms inspectors to any Iraqi site suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. On a more ominous note, meanwhile, preparations for a sustained air strike on Iraq continue, with Washington also advising all US citizens to leave the country as soon as possible. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United Nations humanitarian co-ordinator for \JIraq\j, Dennis Halliday, says the expanded oil-for food deal approved yesterday by the UN Security Council will hopefully demonstrate that the member states are aware of the needs of the Iraqi people and are eager to respond. The Iraqi Government previously refused to provide formal input for the report on which the expanded deal was based, saying it was a poor substitute for lifting UN sanctions entirely. The new deal, which has yet to be accepted by \JBaghdad\j, will allow Iraq to sell up to $US5.3 billion worth of oil every six months to buy food and medicine. \I(Iraq)\i
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) denies responsibility for a bomb attack that rocked the mainly Protestant town of Moira, in County Down, just hours after the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein, was suspended from the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. Sinn Fein also maintains that the IRA cease-fire is intact, and says it is planning a series of marches to protest against its expulsion from the talks. Meanwhile, it is demanding a meeting with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, but the prime minister's office says that Mr. Blair is unlikely to meet party representatives while Sinn Fein is excluded from the talks. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
At a meeting in London, the Group of Seven (G7) pledges a program of expanded export credit loans to Asia, and agrees that diligent pursuit of reforms in the region should ensure that the effects of its financial crisis on world growth will be manageable this year. \JJapan\j's fellow G7 members - Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, and the United States - also say there is a strong case for \JJapan\j to enact fiscal stimulus so that it can lead in reviving the rest of Asia. \I(Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
At Sotheby's in New York, the table at which Britain's King Edward VIII signed his \Jabdication\j papers on December 10, 1936 sells to an anonymous \Jtelephone\j bidder for $US415,000. More than 40,000 items from the Paris home of the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor are being sold by businessman Mohammed al-Fayed, who purchased the residence after the death of the Duchess in 1986. Mr. Fayed is the father of Dodi al-Fayed, who died last year in a car crash with Diana, Princess of Wales, and proceeds from the nine-\Jday\j auction will benefit charities supported by Dodi and Diana. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
A moderate \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shakes the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, for about 10 seconds, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. The \Jday\j's gold medalists also come through unscathed, with Tara Lipinski of the United States winning the women's figure skating, Hans-Petter Buraas of \JNorway\j winning the men's \Jalpine\j slalom, and the German team winning the four-man bobsleigh. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"July 7, 1997",551,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JCambodia\j, counter-attacks are reported in the north, but fighting in Phnom Penh subsides, leaving troops loyal to Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party in control of the airport, the military headquarters of Prince Norodom Ranariddh's most senior commander, the offices of the royalist Funcinpec party, and the Prince's city residential compound. Hun Sen appears on \Jtelevision\j, denying accusations of a coup, but declaring that he will no longer work with Prince Ranariddh. The Prince, set to appeal for help from the French Government, calls on his routed troops and the people of \JCambodia\j to re-group as a resistance force. \I(Cambodia, \JFrance\j)\i
Thousands of Cambodian people return to their homes in the strife-torn capital of Phnom Penh to find that their property has been mercilessly looted. \I(Cambodia)\i
In \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul's combined military and civilian airport is barraged by opposition jets for the third consecutive \Jday\j. Two of the bombs explode just meters from multistory apartment blocks housing hundreds of families. The fundamental Taliban rulers accuse \JIran\j and \JRussia\j of supplying the bombers. \I(Afghanistan, \JIran\j, Russia)\i
The seven-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) calls for an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers to discuss the Cambodian situation. ASEAN was scheduled to admit \JCambodia\j as a member on July 24. \I(Cambodia, South East Asia)\i
Members of a three-man expedition reveal the discovery of thousands of fossilized \Jdinosaur\j footprints in the Kimberley region of Western \JAustralia\j. The footprints are claimed to be the largest, the best preserved, and the most diverse in the world. \I(Australia)\i
Rival Bougainville groups begin formal peace talks at a military camp near \JChristchurch\j in \JNew Zealand\j. The talks are expected to continue for a week. \I(Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, the son of South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, is brought to trial, charged by state prosecutors with accepting bribes and gifts worth 6.61 billion won, and with evading taxes estimated at 1.4 billion won. Kim admits receiving the sum of money, but denies it was in return for favors; he partially denies tax evasion, claiming a lack of intention. \I(South Korea)\i
It is alleged that a part of the financial conglomerate Lippo Group, Hip Hing Holdings Ltd., a US-based real estate holding company headed by former Commerce Department official, John Huang, was used to channel money from \JIndonesia\j into US election campaigns. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
On the 60th anniversary of The \JMarco Polo\j Bridge incident, streams of Hong Kong protesters march to the Japanese Consulate-General. Petitions are presented by four organizations. \I(Hong Kong, Japan)\i
Taiwan announces plans to build a fleet of fast-attack missile boats to boost its defense forces. Production is not expected to begin before 2001, however. \I(Taiwan)\i
In the second innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, Australian fast bowler, Glenn McGrath, takes 4 wickets for 15 to secure a win for \JAustralia\j, leveling the score for the six-match series at one-all. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Australian tennis players, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, win their fifth straight Wimbledon men's doubles title, surpassing the record set by the English Doherty brothers between 1897 and 1901. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Citing 15 reasons, lawyers for convicted Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh, seek a retrial for their client. \I(USA)\i
Operating under automatic pilot, the Russian-US manned Mir space station successfully docks with the Russian cargo ship bearing 400 kilograms of vital repair equipment. \I(USA, Russia)\i
With nearly 90 per cent of votes counted, Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) seems certain to have lost majority control of the Lower House of Congress. Although his party suffered sweeping defeats in the elections, President Ernesto Zedilo welcomes the step towards democracy. \I(Mexico)\i
American President, Bill Clinton, supports the outcome of the Mexican elections, declaring that the democratic vote benefits the common future of the United States and Mexico alike. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Independent human rights groups accuse the United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, of succumbing to pressure from the United States and the new \JCongo\j President, Laurent Kabila. The accusations follow Mr. Annan's decision to drop expert UN investigator, Roberto Garreton, from the team assigned to inquire into the reported massacres of refugees by Tutsi soldiers who were allied with the drive to overthrow Mobutu Sese Seko. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
It is alleged that a part of the financial conglomerate Lippo Group, Hip Hing Holdings Ltd., a US-based real estate holding company headed by former Commerce Department official, John Huang, was used to channel money from \JIndonesia\j into US election campaigns. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
David Hale, President Clinton's accuser in the Whitewater affair, is ordered to stand trial for allegedly filing false statements about the financial situation of an insurance company which was owned by him, and which later collapsed. \I(USA)\i
State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, expresses the United States' great concern regarding the weekend violence in Northern Ireland, urging Protestants and Catholics to calmly and constructively strive towards peace talks. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Scientific analyses of photographs from the Pathfinder landing vehicle on Mars reveal evidence of massive flooding, arousing speculation that the Red \JPlanet\j was once warmer, wetter, and able to support life. \I(USA)\i
Egyptian-born financier and chairman of Harrods, Mohammed Al Fayed, announces that the personal possessions of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor will be sold separately at a week-long auction to be held in New York in September. Mr. Al Fayed proposes to donate the proceeds of the auction to charity. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In \JCambodia\j, counter-attacks are reported in the north, but fighting in Phnom Penh subsides, leaving troops loyal to Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party in control of the airport, the military headquarters of Prince Norodom Ranariddh's most senior commander, the offices of the royalist Funcinpec party, and the Prince's city residential compound. Hun Sen appears on \Jtelevision\j, denying accusations of a coup, but declaring that he will no longer work with Prince Ranariddh. The Prince, set to appeal for help from the French Government, calls on his routed troops and the people of \JCambodia\j to re-group as a resistance force. \I(Cambodia, \JFrance\j)\i
Operating under automatic pilot, the Russian-US manned Mir space station successfully docks with the Russian cargo ship bearing 400 kilograms of vital repair equipment. \I(USA, Russia)\i
In a move to ease the Cabinet crisis, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, bypasses hardline contender, Ariel Sharon, to appoint Yaacov Neeman as the country's new Finance Minister. \I(Israel)\i
After an acknowledged victory in the first round, \JAlbania\j's opposition Socialists claim to have won the second round of legislative elections, despite incomplete polling so far. \I(Albania)\i
An Israeli military court imposes 46 life sentences on Hassan Salameh, the Islamic Resistance Movement member convicted of planning the three suicide bombings which killed 46 people in Israel last year. \I(Israel)\i
In \JAfghanistan\j, Kabul's combined military and civilian airport is barraged by opposition jets for the third consecutive \Jday\j. Two of the bombs explode just meters from multistory apartment blocks housing hundreds of families. The fundamental Taliban rulers accuse \JIran\j and \JRussia\j of supplying the bombers. \I(Afghanistan, \JIran\j, Russia)\i
The seven-member panel of \JSwitzerland\j's \JHolocaust\j memorial fund pledges to begin distribution of payments to needy \JHolocaust\j survivors and their families. \I(Switzerland, Europe)\i
Riot police break up pro-democracy demonstrations across \JKenya\j; at least seven people are killed and dozens more injured, including several prominent opposition leaders. The violence is the country's worst since 1991, and comes after weeks of tension surrounding demands for constitutional reform. \I(Kenya)\i
Independent human rights groups accuse the United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, of succumbing to pressure from the United States and the new \JCongo\j President, Laurent Kabila. The accusations follow Mr. Annan's decision to drop expert UN investigator, Roberto Garreton, from the team assigned to inquire into the reported massacres of refugees by Tutsi soldiers who were allied with the drive to overthrow Mobutu Sese Seko. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, expresses the United States' great concern regarding the weekend violence in Northern Ireland, urging Protestants and Catholics to calmly and constructively strive towards peace talks. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)
Germany announces its intention to proceed with the four-nation Eurofighter project. The announcement comes after months of uncertainty and fierce debates between \JGermany\j's Finance and Defense Ministries. \I(Germany, Europe)\i
France dismisses suggestions that it will fail to qualify for the European single currency, stressing the country's commitment to the project of monetary union. \I(France, Europe)\i
Egyptian-born financier and chairman of Harrods, Mohammed Al Fayed, announces that the personal possessions of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor will be sold separately at a week-long auction to be held in New York in September. Mr. Al Fayed proposes to donate the proceeds of the auction to charity. \I(UK, USA)\i
In the second innings of the third Ashes Test between \JAustralia\j and England, Australian fast bowler, Glenn McGrath, takes 4 wickets for 15 to secure a win for \JAustralia\j, leveling the score for the six-match series at one-all. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Australian tennis players, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, win their fifth straight Wimbledon men's doubles title, surpassing the record set by the English Doherty brothers between 1897 and 1901. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"July 8, 1997",552,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As helicopters evacuate tourists and aid workers from the violence and fighting in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, officials of Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party reveal that Ho Sok, a leading opponent of Hun Sen, was yesterday executed by a bullet to the head after being arrested and accused of plotting against the country's new leadership. From Paris, meanwhile, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, \JCambodia\j's co-Prime Minister, appeals to the international community to reject the Hun Sen regime. \I(Cambodia, \JFrance\j)\i
The Pentagon announces that three ships carrying US marines and helicopters have been deployed to \JJapan\j in case an evacuation of the estimated 1,500 Americans in \JCambodia\j is deemed necessary. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Cambodia)\i
Military officials reveal that a North Korean cargo vessel, employed to carry food from the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo to northern Jaffna, has been captured by Tamil Tiger rebels and taken to their north-eastern base. \I(Sri Lanka, North Korea)\i
India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, comes under pressure from the Communist Party and a section of his own People's Party to sack three ministers who defected to join the breakaway faction launched by former party president, Laloo Prasad Yadav. \I(India)\i
Lorenzo Kom'\Jboa\j Ervin, a former Black \JPanther\j convicted in the United States for hijacking a plane to \JCuba\j in 1969, has his visa canceled by the Australian Federal Government, and is detained in a maximum security institution pending deportation. \JImmigration\j authorities maintain that Ervin concealed his conviction and used a different name to gain entry into \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, USA, Cuba)\i
Three high-level Bougainville rebels finally arrive for peace talks at Burnham Camp, near \JChristchurch\j in \JNew Zealand\j. Their first attempt to travel to the talks was foiled when a \Jhelicopter\j sent to transport them was fired on by guerrillas. \I(Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
In the northern Indian State of Punjab, at least 20 people are killed and 61 are injured when a bomb explodes on a train pulling out of Lekhar Khana station. \I(India)\i
At a memorial meeting in \JPyongyang\j, North Korean officials declare an end to a three-year period of mourning for former president, Kim Il Sung, clearing the way for his eldest son to assume absolute power of the nation. \I(North Korea)\i
Botanists claim to have discovered the world's oldest living plant in an area of \Jrainforest\j in \JTasmania\j's southwestern World Heritage Area. The \ILomatia tasmanica,\i more commonly known as King's Holly, is reputedly 43,000 years old. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Paleontologists fear that the diverse range of fossilized \Jdinosaur\j footprints, recently found in Western \JAustralia\j, could be lost unless steps are taken to protect the area against erosion, vandalism and potential mining. \I(Australia)\i
A professor from the National \JTaiwan\j University predicts that if \JBeijing\j proves its ability and determination to ensure Hong Kong's continuing prosperity, \JTaiwan\j could consider reunification under the "one country, two systems" formula. Recent opposition to reunification, he maintains, stems from long-term distrust of the communists. Meanwhile, the country's defense ministry announces plans to stage a large-scale military exercise between April and June next year, insisting that the war games are merely routine. \I(Taiwan, Hong Kong, China)\i
China announces its decision to donate 80,000 tonnes of grain to North Korea in addition to 70,000 tonnes already pledged and shipped to the \Jfamine\j-stricken country this year. \I(China, North Korea)\i
A United States Senate committee begins hearings into alleged Democratic Party fund-raising irregularities. Committee chairman, Fred Thompson, accuses China of using illegal political donations to manipulate US foreign policy. However, ranking Democrat, John Glenn, questions the existence of real evidence to that effect, and suggests that the panel should investigate money donated to both parties. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Lorenzo Kom'\Jboa\j Ervin, a former Black \JPanther\j convicted in the United States for hijacking a plane to \JCuba\j in 1969, has his visa canceled by the Australian Federal Government, and is detained in a maximum security institution pending deportation. \JImmigration\j authorities maintain that Ervin concealed his conviction and used a different name to gain entry into \JAustralia\j. \I(Australia, USA, Cuba)\i
The United States President, Bill Clinton, takes a firm stand on \JNATO\j membership and \JFrance\j loses its bid to recruit \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. After three hours of strong debate, \JNATO\j leaders agree to extend membership invitations to \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRomania\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
Actor Debbie Reynolds, and the Debbie Reynolds Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, file for Chapter 11 \Jbankruptcy\j protection, a move necessitated by the collapse of the planned purchase of the hotel by ILX, a time-share resort developer. \I(USA)\i
A Los Angeles County Court orders Susan McDougal, former Whitewater investment partner of President Clinton and Hillary Clinton, to stand trial on charges of embezzling $US150,000 from the wife of conductor, Zubin Mehta. \I(USA)\i
NASA reveals that if the damaged Mir module contains deadly chemicals and other dangers, these could enter the space station after the planned spacewalk by cosmonauts to make the repairs. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
A United States Senate committee begins hearings into alleged Democratic Party fund-raising irregularities. Committee chairman, Fred Thompson, accuses China of using illegal political donations to manipulate US foreign policy. However, ranking Democrat, John Glenn, questions the existence of real evidence to that effect, and suggests that the panel should investigate money donated to both parties. \I(USA, China)\i
Scientists estimate that the photographed and analyzed rock on Mars nicknamed "Barnacle Bill" is probably one third \Jquartz\j in composition, a finding which suggests that Mars bears more similarities to Earth than the Moon does. An analysis also reveals that the rock's "chemical fingerprints" are identical to 12 meteorites found on Earth and believed to have originated on Mars billions of years ago. \I(USA)\i
The Pentagon announces that three ships carrying US marines and helicopters have been deployed to \JJapan\j in case an evacuation of the estimated 1,500 Americans in \JCambodia\j is deemed necessary. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Cambodia)\i
In reaction to Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield's ears in a recent bout, the World Boxing Association strips Mike Tyson of his ranking as No. 1 challenger, assigning the position to South African heavyweight, Frans Botha. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States President, Bill Clinton, takes a firm stand on \JNATO\j membership and \JFrance\j loses its bid to recruit \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. After three hours of strong debate, \JNATO\j leaders agree to extend membership invitations to \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRomania\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
In \JNairobi\j, there are further clashes between police and university students after more people die from injuries sustained during the previous \Jday\j's violent demonstrations, bringing the death toll to at least 15. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
Mo Mowlam, Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, condemns the violence which spread throughout Irish Catholic communities following a Protestant march in the town of Portadown. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
NASA reveals that if the damaged Mir module contains deadly chemicals and other dangers, these could enter the space station after the planned spacewalk by cosmonauts to make the repairs. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Ukraine and \JNATO\j sign a charter allowing the former Soviet republic the right to seek "consultations" with the alliance in the event of external threat. \I(Ukraine, Europe)\i
Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, denounces \JNATO\j's expansion into Eastern Europe, maintaining that the enlargement threatens security and creates new divisions. \I(Russia, Europe)\i
NATO leaders issue a statement in support of embattled Bosnian Serb leader, Biljana Plavsic, calling on hardliners allied to suspected war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, to resolve their differences peacefully, or face further isolation from the international community. \I(Bosnia)\i
In reaction to Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield's ears in a recent bout, the World Boxing Association strips Mike Tyson of his ranking as No. 1 challenger, assigning the position to South African heavyweight, Frans Botha. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
A buried treasure of Roman coins and bullion, uncovered on farmland in West Sussex, is hailed by the British Museum as one of the rarest finds ever made. \I(UK)\i
Israeli archaeologists discover an indoor swimming pool, dating back to 10 BC, on the West Bank site of what was once Herod the Great's summer palace at Herodion. \I(Israel)\i
#
"July 9, 1997",553,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Fear grips the ravaged Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh as troops and police loyal to Hun Sen mount house-to-house searches and raid hotels, hoping to locate key officials and supporters of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. At least 10 members of the Prince's family are reported to have left the country, but as many as 50 royalist officials are believed to be still in hiding. \I(Cambodia)\i
The United States declares its intention to evacuate 40 diplomats and their families from \JCambodia\j. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Cambodia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Prince Sisowath Sirirath, calls for the freezing of international aid to \JCambodia\j and insists that ASEAN should do nothing to make Hun Sen's coup "a fait accompli". Sirirath says that supporters of Prince Ranariddh propose to amass troops in Battambang and establish an alternative regime. \I(Cambodia)\i
As Hong Kong's \JBeijing\j-appointed legislature opens, pro-democracy activists demonstrate outside the old colonial legislature building. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
The death toll in yesterday's train bombing in India rises to 34 amid growing fears of a renewed terrorist campaign in Punjab. State police suspect that Pakistani intelligence may have masterminded the bombing, but the allegations are denied by \JPakistan\j. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Beijing authorities implement restrictions on construction in the city, suspending or reducing 18 major office-building projects, and imposing a three-year ban on future commercial development. The restrictions coincide with the release of a nationwide report detailing more than 5,400 cases of corruption involving party, government, and judicial officials during the first five months of the year. \I(China)\i
Former Democrat Party finance director, Richard Sullivan, gives testimony before the Senate panel investigating campaign finance abuses, denying any knowledge of Chinese attempts to influence the US political process through campaign contributions. \I(USA, China)\i
The World Food Program launches an appeal for tens of millions of dollars in food aid to boost supplies the United Nations is already dispatching to North Korean children. \I(North Korea)\i
The upper house of the South Australian Parliament votes 13-8 in favor of \Jeuthanasia\j legislation, proceeding one step closer to introducing what would become the world's second voluntary \Jeuthanasia\j law. \I(Australia)\i
North Korea announces its intention to abandon the world calendar and introduce a calendar based on the birth of founding leader, Kim Il Sung. In response to the announcement, South Korea accuses the North of reverting to the feudal system. \I(The Koreas)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, repudiates criticism of \JAustralia\j's racial tolerance record, labeling such criticism "unreasonable", "ill-founded", "uninformed", and 'unjustified". \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In their first face-to-face encounter in almost three years, the Greek Cypriot leader, Glafcos Clerides, and the Turkish Cypriot lead, Rauf Denktash, begin United Nations-sponsored talks in New York under the watchful eye of Richard Holbrooke, Washington's new envoy to Cyprus. \I(Cyprus, USA)\i
At the conclusion of \JNATO\j's two-\Jday\j summit, American President, Bill Clinton, says the decision to expand into eastern Europe has "bridged a chasm in history" and "paved the way for others to follow". \I(USA, Europe)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, estimates that \JNATO\j's expansion will cost US taxpayers $200 million a year, but considers the move to be insurance against the possibility of a more costly war in Europe. \I(USA, Europe)\i
The Nevada State Athletic Commission unanimously votes to fine \Jboxer\j Mike Tyson $US3 million and revoke his boxing license for a minimum of one year following his fight with Evander Holyfield where Tyson bit off parts of Holyfield's ears. \I(USA)\i
Former Democrat Party finance director, Richard Sullivan, gives testimony before the Senate panel investigating campaign finance abuses, denying any knowledge of Chinese attempts to influence the US political process through campaign contributions. \I(USA, China)\i
Sojourner, the Mars rover, edges close to another boulder scientists have nicknamed "Yogi" because of its bear-like appearance. \I(USA)\i
The United States declares its intention to evacuate 40 diplomats and their families from \JCambodia\j. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
In a bid to revive formal peace talks, Israel's defense minister and a senior Palestinian official meet under US and Egyptian auspices. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, Egypt)\i
Apple Computer announces the resignation of chairman and chief executive, Dr. Gilbert Amelio, after only seventeen months in the position. The announcement prompts industry speculation as to whether the pioneering personal computer company can be revived. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Justice sources reveal that the leader of \JFrance\j's neo-fascist National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen, will stand trial in November for the alleged assault of a female Socialist Party parliamentary candidate. \I(France)\i
Five Turkish prisoners are killed and five are injured when police storm \JIstanbul\j's Metris prison to quell a riot staged by prisoners to protest against the jail's poor conditions. \I(Turkey)\i
In their first face-to-face encounter in almost three years, the Greek Cypriot leader, Glafcos Clerides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, begin United Nations-sponsored talks in New York under the watchful eye of Richard Holbrooke, Washington's new envoy to Cyprus. \I(Cyprus, USA)\i
Rwanda's Defense Minister, Paul Kagame, acknowledges that his government planned and directed the overthrow of President Mobutu Sese Seko in the former Zaire, providing training and arms for the rebels, and providing troops and officers to lead their forces. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
At the conclusion of \JNATO\j's two-\Jday\j summit, American President, Bill Clinton, says the decision to expand into eastern Europe has "bridged a chasm in history" and "paved the way for others to follow". \I(USA, Europe)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, estimates that \JNATO\j's expansion will cost US taxpayers $200 million a year, but considers the move to be insurance against the possibility of a more costly war in Europe. \I(USA, Europe)\i
The Irish National Liberation Army, a splinter group of the IRA, threatens to kill Protestants if pro-British marches are permitted to proceed through \JBelfast\j and Derry on the weekend. Meanwhile, Britain dispatches 500 more troops to Northern Ireland to help quell the surge of nationalist violence that has erupted since last weekend's march. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Scores of students are seriously wounded as riot police move in to close the University of \JNairobi\j. The students were planning to march on State House to demonstrate in support of constitutional changes. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
In a bid to revive formal peace talks, Israel's defense minister and a senior Palestinian official meet under US and Egyptian auspices. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, Egypt)\i
Eight separatists, who staged an armed raid on the St Marks belltower in \JVenice\j two months ago, are given jail sentences of up to six years by an Italian judge. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"July 10, 1997",554,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Australian Federal Government orders the evacuation of an estimated 400 Australians from Phnom Penh, threatening to slash its $AUD32 million aid program to \JCambodia\j if the political violence worsens. \I(Australia, Cambodia)\i
Japan, \JCambodia\j's largest donor of foreign aid, announces a freeze in this year's promised aid of $AUD120 million. \I(Japan, Cambodia)\i
At an emergency meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers agree to delay \JCambodia\j's proposed admission to the regional group until a later date. \I(Cambodia, South East Asia)\i
The United States Embassy in Phnom Penh steps up preparations to evacuate any US citizens who wish to leave \JCambodia\j. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
In his first news conference since seizing power, Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, denies staging a coup, issuing warnings against ASEAN interference in the country's internal affairs and any international moves to support plans by former co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to establish a resistance government. Hun Sen says that Ranariddh can come back to his country to face legal proceedings. \I(Cambodia, South East Asia)\i
North Korean defector and former senior ideologue, Hwang Jang-yop, warns South Korea that the North's entire economy is geared towards imminent war. \I(The Koreas)\i
After four days of torrential rain, a mudslide sweeps away parts of the village of Harihara on the Japanese island of \JKyushu\j, killing at least 19 people and injuring 14 others. \I(Japan)\i
Britain comes under pressure from East \JTimor\j to cancel current agreements to supply arms to \JIndonesia\j, and to freeze further contracts for up to five years. \I(UK, East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
The Fijian Senate unanimously approves a new constitution removing racial restriction on the political power of the Indian community. \I(Fiji)\i
Two years to the \Jday\j after being released from six years of house arrest, democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi declares that repression has increased in \JMyanmar\j. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
As torrential downpours continue to flood China's southern provinces, causing loss of life and widespread damage, millions of people in the north are facing the worst \Jdrought\j in 80 years. \I(China)\i
Delegates from the 16 members of the South Pacific Forum meet in \JAustralia\j to begin talks aimed at solving the island states' economic problems. \I(Australia, South Pacific)\i
China denies attempting to influence US elections through secret campaign donations, warning that such allegations risk damaging Sino-US relations. \I(China, USA)\i
US Senator Susan Collins informs the US campaign funds hearing that Democratic Party donor, Yogesh Ganhi, last year received cash transfers from a Japanese bank which may have covered his donations. \I(USA, Japan)\i
In a continuing effort to preserve the giant panda, China plans to build three new nature reserves and 17 "green passageways" to link their habitats. \I(China)\i
Australia's pioneer Olympics and \JAmerica's Cup\j yachting skipper, Jock Sturrock, MBE, dies at his \JQueensland\j home, aged 82. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Mars rover, Sojourner, is unable to make its chemical analysis of the rock "Yogi" due to a collision which prevents the sensing mechanism from sitting properly on the rock's surface. \I(USA)\i
At least 59 people are killed and 500 families left homeless when eastern Venezuela is razed by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale. \I(Venezuela)\i
US Senator Susan Collins informs the US campaign funds hearing that Democratic Party donor, Yogesh Ganhi, last year received cash transfers from a Japanese bank which may have covered his donations. \I(USA, Japan)\i
China denies attempting to influence US elections through secret campaign donations, warning that such allegations risk damaging Sino-US relations. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States Embassy in Phnom Penh steps up preparations to evacuate any US citizens who wish to leave \JCambodia\j. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
US Attorney General, Janet Reno, reveals that in response to new information, the \JFBI\j has reopened its investigation into the 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing of a black church in Birmingham, \JAlabama\j. Klansman, Robert Edward Chambliss, who was convicted of the bombing in 1977, died eight years later in prison. \I(USA)\i
Switzerland's three-year experiment with state-distributed heroin, which experts say reduced disease, slashed crime and saved taxpayers' money, is hailed by the Lindesmith Center for drug policy research as a guide for programs in the United States and other countries. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order decides to cancel marches scheduled to proceed through Catholic neighborhoods on the weekend. The decision is greatly welcomed by both the British Government and Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Archaeologists uncover the remains of 200 people who were burned alive in a church \Jcrypt\j at Portmahomack, north-east Scotland, during clan feuds 500 years ago. \I(Scotland)\i
In a written statement to a judicial inquiry, former Irish Prime Minister, Charles Haughey, admits receiving the equivalent of úIR1.3 million in payments from supermarket chief, Ben Dunne. \I(Republic of Ireland)\i
Israel's transport ministry announces the introduction of gender-segregated buses for ultra-Orthodox Jews. \I(Israel)\i
In the first concerted attempt to arrest suspected Bosnian Serb war criminals, \JNATO\j-led British troops shoot dead police chief, Simo Drljaca, and capture \Jhospital\j director, Milan Kovacevic. \I(Bosnia, UK)\i
While the decision is not yet finalized, the European Commission agrees in principle that the European Union should open membership talks with \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JEstonia\j, and Cyprus. \I(Poland, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JEstonia\j, Cyprus)\i
Amnesty International accuses Israel of unlawfully holding Lebanese nationals to use as a lever against Islamic militia groups. Israel defends the charge, insisting that the detainees are "terrorists" who threaten the state's sovereignty. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
A team of scientists, led by Dr. Svante Paabo of the University of Munich, conclude from genetic evidence that Neanderthals were not human ancestors, but branched off the human family tree 600,000 years ago. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Civil defense officials in southwestern \JPoland\j report that floods have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes. At least 15 people have drowned, as well as another 17 in the neighboring Czech Republic, and dozens of people are missing. \I(Poland, Czech Republic)\i
Britain comes under pressure from East \JTimor\j to cancel current agreements to supply arms to \JIndonesia\j, and to freeze further contracts for up to five years. \I(UK, East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Sixteen workers are killed and two are injured when an experimental bomb explodes during a test at a military airfield in southern \JRomania\j. \I(Romania)\i
Switzerland's three-year experiment with state-distributed heroin, which experts say reduced disease, slashed crime and saved taxpayers' money, is hailed by the Lindesmith Center for drug policy research as a guide for programs in the United States and other countries. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
#
"July 11, 1997",555,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least 82 people die when fire and explosions rip through the Royal Jomtien Resort in the Thai coastal town of Pattaya, cutting the electricity supply and trapping guests in their rooms. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
In \JBombay\j, 10 people are killed and 34 injured when a mob of 3,000 Hindu slum-dwellers, enraged by the desecration of a statue, clash with police. \I(India)\i
At least 54 of the 60 passengers aboard a boat are believed drowned when it capsizes in the Bagmati River, east of \JPatna\j in India. \I(India)\i
Clashes are reported between rival Cambodian forces near the town of Siem Reap, 150 miles northwest of Phnom Penh. \I(Cambodia)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, shrugs off decisions taken by the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JGermany\j to cut off aid, pointing out that his country has been subjected to economic embargo in the past. \I(Cambodia, USA, \JJapan\j, Germany)\i
During his visit to Washington, \JCambodia\j's exiled Prince Norodom Ranariddh assures the United States that if he is reinstated as leader of his country, he will not bring the Khmer Rouge into government. While welcoming the US decision to freeze aid to \JCambodia\j for 30 days, Prince Ranariddh says the freeze should continue until a legitimate government is restored. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
From \JCambodia\j, a senior member of Prince Ranariddh's Funcinpec party, Loy Sim Chheang, states that it is time for Ranariddh to be replaced as first prime minister. \I(Cambodia)\i
South Korea announces that a new agency will be established to ensure the defense capabilities of the capital region. \I(South Korea)\i
Robert Kim, a former US Navy intelligence analyst, is sentenced to nine years in prison for selling US secrets to a South Korean military official last year. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Authorities in China are investigating two recent bus accidents which killed 46 people and injured nine others. \I(China)\i
Australian authorities recruit 24 officers to form the new Blade Joint Operations team, stepping up the fight against Asian drug trafficking. \I(Australia, Asia)\i
The death toll from floods sweeping the southern and eastern provinces of China rises to 87. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
During his visit to Washington, \JCambodia\j's exiled Prince Norodom Ranariddh assures the United States that if he is reinstated as leader of his country, he will not bring the Khmer Rouge into government. While welcoming the US decision to freeze aid to \JCambodia\j for 30 days, Prince Ranariddh says the freeze should continue until a legitimate government is restored. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, shrugs off decisions taken by the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JGermany\j to cut off aid, pointing out that his country has been subjected to economic embargo in the past. \I(Cambodia, USA, \JJapan\j, Germany)\i
Robert Kim, a former US Navy intelligence analyst, is sentenced to nine years in prison for selling US secrets to a South Korean military official last year. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
The US Senate strongly recommends that US troops are withdrawn from Bosnia by June 30, 1998. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Heavy security surrounds the burial of Mexican drug baron, Amado Carillo Fuentes, at his family compound in Sinaloa state. Meanwhile, authorities are investigating a report that Fuentes was murdered by one of his bodyguards. \I(Mexico)\i
Testimony from a ballistics expert reveals that markings on bullets recently fired from the former rifle of James Earl Ray do not match those on the bullet that killed Martin Luther King in 1968. Ray's lawyers are hoping that the evidence will win their client a retrial. \I(USA)\i
During an eight-hour stop in \JRomania\j, US President Bill Clinton urges Romanians to press ahead with reform in order to secure entry into \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Romania)\i
Hillary Clinton addresses a women's forum in Vienna, calling on all women of former Soviet nations to aspire to full participation in their developing democracies. \I(USA, \JAustria\j)\i
The Sojourner rover on Mars remains stuck on the Martian rock "Yogi" for a second \Jday\j while scientists try to reposition it. \I(USA)\i
Cubana de Aviacion Flight 787 plunges into the sea approximately three minutes after taking off from Santiago de \JCuba\j. The plane, carrying 39 passengers and five crew, was en route to \JHavana\j; there is little hope for any survivors. \I(Cuba)\i
Suspected serial killer, Glen Rogers, is sentenced to the electric chair for the brutal murder of a woman in \JFlorida\j. Rogers is also accused of murder in Louisiana, \JCalifornia\j, and Mississippi. \I(USA)\i
German tennis player, Boris Becker, puts his name down for next month's US Open, putting an end to speculation that Wimbledon would be his last grand slam event. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In response to opposition warnings that \JKenya\j could face further violence unless constitutional reforms are enacted before this year's elections, President Daniel arap Moi threatens to take decisive action against any opposition MPs who try to bring chaos to the country. \I(Kenya)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, shrugs off decisions taken by the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JGermany\j to cut off aid, pointing out that his country has been subjected to economic embargo in the past. \I(Cambodia, USA, \JJapan\j, Germany)\i
During an eight-hour stop in \JRomania\j, US President Bill Clinton urges Romanians to press ahead with reform in order to secure entry into \JNATO\j. \I(USA, Romania)\i
Hillary Clinton addresses a women's forum in Vienna, calling on all women of former Soviet nations to aspire to full participation in their developing democracies. \I(USA, \JAustria\j)\i
The US Senate strongly recommends that US troops are withdrawn from Bosnia by June 30, 1998. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Russia condemns the British military's role in the \JNATO\j-led raid on alleged Bosnian Serb war criminals, accusing London of jeopardizing the Dayton peace agreement. \I(UK, \JRussia\j, Bosnia)\i
In the wake of May's military coup in Sierra Leone, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group announces the suspension of Sierra Leone from Commonwealth meetings. \I(UK, Sierra Leone)\i
Egyptian Foreign Minister, Amr Moussa, laments \JEgypt\j's failure to restart Mideast peace talks, predicting more violence unless Israel softens its position. \I(Egypt, Israel)\i
According to official results of the recent elections, \JAlbania\j's Socialist Party and the allied Social Democrats now hold a two-thirds majority in the country's parliament. \I(Albania)\i
German tennis player, Boris Becker, puts his name down for next month's US Open, putting an end to speculation that Wimbledon would be his last grand slam event. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
#
"July 12, 1997",556,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China reveals its decision to open the country's weapons industry to overseas investors, inviting foreign companies to display their equipment at the China International Defense \JElectronics\j Exhibition in \JBeijing\j next May. \I(China)\i
In response to claims by defector, Hwang Jang-yop, that North Korea is forcing its people into war, the North's Radio Minminjon adopts an angry stance, casting doubt on the future of next month's four-way peace talks, and warning of a potential catastrophe on the Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas)\i
Thai officials are attempting to identify and locate the owners of Pattaya's Royal Jomtien Resort Hotel which was destroyed by fire yesterday, killing at least 82 people. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
In the first Rugby match of the two-Test Cook Cup, the Australian Wallabies defeat the British Lions 25-6. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Reports suggest that the \JFBI\j is satisfied that most of the $US2 million China allegedly spent to enhance its political influence in the United States went towards legal activities. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A massive search for victims of the Cuban plane crash recovers the bodies of 17 people. Little hope is held of finding any survivors. \I(Cuba)\i
Tests conducted on the rifle believed to have been used by James Earl Ray to kill Martin Luther King are ruled inconclusive by a US criminal court judge. A date is set to discuss the possibility of new tests. \I(USA)\i
A judge orders the exhumation of the body of Dr. Sam Sheppard, the man whose case inspired the film and \Jtelevision\j versions of \IThe Fugitive.\i DNA tests are to be conducted to establish whether or not Dr. Sheppard murdered his wife in 1954. \I(USA)\i
While the search for victims continues, the death toll from the Venezuelan \Jearthquake\j is estimated at 67, with another 469 people reported injured. \I(Venezuela)\i
Neurosurgeons at the University of \JFlorida\j Brain Institute at Shands \JHospital\j perform a first-ever US transplant of human embryonic spinal cord cells into a cavity of a paralyzed man's spine. \I(USA)\i
Reports suggest that the \JFBI\j is satisfied that most of the $US2 million China allegedly spent to enhance its political influence in the United States went towards legal activities. \I(USA, China)\i
US President Clinton visits Denmark, becoming the first American President in office to do so. \I(USA, Denmark)\i
In the Cuban capital of \JHavana\j, explosions shatter windows in two leading tourist hotels: the Capri and the Nacional. \JCuba\j's Interior Ministry claims to have uncovered evidence that the people responsible for the bombings came from the United States. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
After being jammed up against the Martian rock "Yogi" for two days, the Sojourner rover is moving again. \I(USA)\i
The remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, unearthed from a secret grave in \JBolivia\j, arrive in \JCuba\j nearly 30 years after he was captured and shot. \I(Cuba, Bolivia)\i
US military and intelligence officials are unavailable for comment regarding German newspaper allegations that wartime bandleader, Glen Miller, died in a Paris brothel, and not in a plane crash, as officially reported. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US President Clinton visits Denmark, becoming the first American President in office to do so. \I(USA, Denmark)\i
US military and intelligence officials are unavailable for comment regarding German newspaper allegations that wartime bandleader, Glen Miller, died in a Paris brothel, and not in a plane crash, as officially reported. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Miguel Angel Blanco, a Basque politician kidnapped by the ETA separatist group, is found with two bullets in his head less than an hour after the deadline for his threatened execution. The group was demanding the transfer of 450 ETA prisoners to Basque in return for Mr. Blanco's life. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
In the first Rugby match of the two-Test Cook Cup, the Australian Wallabies defeat the British Lions 25-6. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"July 13, 1997",557,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speaking in \JBeijing\j, \JCambodia\j's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk declines to endorse Prince Ranariddh's accusations of a coup, merely calling on Hun Sen to observe the Constitution and all laws passed by the coalition government since the 1993 elections. The king says that although he will not personally sign documents legitimizing Hun Sen's takeover, he will not oppose any decrees signed by acting head of state, Chea Sim. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
Reports from Seoul indicate that prosecutors have seized millions of dollars believed to be part of the concealed slush fund of jailed ex-president, Chun Doo-hwan. \I(South Korea)\i
Pending further checks and permits, \JTaiwan\j's nuclear authority initially approves a plan to ship radioactive waste to North Korea for storage. The plan faces strong opposition from China, South Korea, and the international environmental group, Greenpeace. \I(Taiwan, China, The Koreas)\i
A split emerges in \JAustralia\j's Uniting Church congregations following a revelation by the Church's second highest office bearer that she is a lesbian. \I(Australia)\i
In the Australian national capital, a young girl is killed and nine people are injured when two detonations, intended to implode the Royal \JCanberra\j \JHospital\j, shower debris on spectators positioned 300 meters from the demolition site. \I(Australia)\i
At least 77 passengers drown when a heavily overloaded Indonesian boat sinks in Lake Toba, one of the world's deepest lakes. \I(Indonesia)\i
Following the release of incriminating documents, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok, former Defense Force commander and leader of a protest movement against corruption in the Papua New Guinean administration, admits accepting secret payments worth ú30,000 from British arms dealer, Franklins. \I(New Guinea, UK)\i
Sir Garfield Barwick, Australian politician, judge, and clandestine figure in the controversial 1975 sacking of the Whitlam Government, dies in Sydney at the age of 94. \I(Australia)\i
In the final of the Superball tournament in Georgia, the Australian women's softball team defeats the United States. It is the first time in 14 years that the 1996 Olympic gold medalists have failed to win a tournament. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
For the third consecutive year, \IForbes\i magazine's tally of billionaires names Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and Chairman, as the richest businessman in the world. Gates' net worth is assessed at $US36.4 billion, the highest ever recorded in the tally. \I(USA)\i
In a special political category created by \IForbes\i magazine, \JCuba\j's President Castro and \JIraq\j's Saddam Hussein are for the first time listed among the world's richest people. Castro's wealth is estimated at $US1.4 billion; Hussein's wealth at $US5 billion. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, Iraq)\i
A flotilla of 15 boats cruises from \JFlorida\j to within 12 miles of \JCuba\j's coast to commemorate the deaths of 41 Cubans who died at sea while attempting to flee the island in 1994. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, assures \JEstonia\j, \JLatvia\j, and \JLithuania\j that Washington supports their ultimate membership of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, \JEstonia\j, \JLatvia\j, Lithuania)\i
Bulgarian officials inform US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, that their country is undertaking the necessary military reforms to qualify for future \JNATO\j membership. \I(USA, Bulgaria)\i
The US State Department requests the Cuban Government to supply them with evidence to support the claim that Americans were responsible for the bombing of two \JHavana\j hotels this week. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
Christopher Meyer, the current British envoy in \JBonn\j, emerges as the front-running candidate to succeed Sir John Kerr as British Ambassador to Washington later this year. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Britain's Alison Nicholas narrowly wins the $US1.3 million US Women's Open Golf Tournament. \I(UK, USA)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the British Grand Prix in a Williams-Renault, bringing his overall points to 43, and closing the gap on two-time Formula One world champion, Michael Schumacher of \JGermany\j, who leads the drivers' standings on 47 points. \I(UK, Canada, Germany)\i
In the final of the Superball tournament in Georgia, the Australian women's softball team defeats the United States. It is the first time in 14 years that the 1996 Olympic gold medalists have failed to win a tournament. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Miguel Angel Blanco, the 29-year-old Basque town councilor held to ransom by ETA separatists, dies in \Jhospital\j from gunshot wounds to the head. His death outrages the Spanish people, triggering mass protests around the country. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
According to reports, 21 people have been killed by suspected Islamic extremists in two separate massacres on the Algerian coast. \I(Algeria)\i
Anglican \JArchbishop\j David Gitari, speaking to a packed congregation from the pulpit of \JNairobi\j's All Saints Cathedral, finds President Moi "wanting", and insists that constitutional reforms must be set in motion by the Government. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
Officials reveal that the Israeli soldier who engaged in a shooting rampage in \JHebron\j on \JNew Year's Day\j has been discharged from the army and will not face trial. \I(Israel)\i
At the state funeral of Simo Drljaca, the alleged war criminal shot dead in a \JNATO\j-led raid, Bosnian Serb officials honor the former police chief as a martyr. \I(Bosnia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, assures \JEstonia\j, \JLatvia\j, and \JLithuania\j that Washington supports their ultimate membership of \JNATO\j. \I(USA, \JEstonia\j, \JLatvia\j, Lithuania)\i
Bulgarian officials inform US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, that their country is undertaking the necessary military reforms to qualify for future \JNATO\j membership. \I(USA, Bulgaria)\i
Christopher Meyer, the current British envoy in \JBonn\j, emerges as the front-running candidate to succeed Sir John Kerr as British Ambassador to Washington later this year. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
In a special political category created by \IForbes\i magazine, \JCuba\j's President Castro and \JIraq\j's Saddam Hussein are for the first time listed among the world's richest people. Castro's wealth is estimated at $US1.4 billion; Hussein's wealth at $US5 billion. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, Iraq)\i
Following the release of incriminating documents, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok, former Defense Force commander and leader of a protest movement against corruption in the Papua New Guinean administration, admits accepting secret payments worth ú30,000 from British arms dealer, Franklins. \I(New Guinea, UK)\i
After 57 years, a Cubist masterpiece looted by the Nazis is returned to the family of its rightful owner by the French Government. The painting, \ILandscape of Meudon,\i by the French artist Albert Gleizes, was the property of Jewish collector, Alphonse Kann. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Britain's Alison Nicholas narrowly wins the $US1.3 million US Women's Open Golf Tournament. \I(UK, USA)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the British Grand Prix in a Williams-Renault, bringing his overall points to 43, and closing the gap on two-time Formula One world champion, Michael Schumacher of \JGermany\j, who leads the drivers' standings on 47 points. \I(UK, Canada, Germany)\i
#
"July 14, 1997",558,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, warns the international community against harboring the ousted Prince Norodom Ranariddh, accusing the prince of \Jterrorism\j, and demanding his arrest and \Jextradition\j to \JCambodia\j to face trial. \I(Cambodia)\i
Taiwanese military officials refute accusations by Cambodian leader Hun Sen that \JTaiwan\j supplied arms to Prince Ranariddh's Funcinpec forces. \I(Taiwan, Cambodia)\i
In response to an appeal by the UN World Food Program, the United States doubles its food aid to North Korea, bringing its contribution for the year to $US52 million. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
An independent inquiry is to be conducted into the bungled demolition of the Royal \JCanberra\j \JHospital\j which killed one girl and left nine people injured. In the meantime, officials of the \JAustralian Capital Territory\j Government are calling for a total ban on implosions. \I(Australia)\i
The minority ruling coalition of India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, is confronted by another crisis when the allied Dravidian Progressive Party defects, taking four cabinet ministers with it. \I(India)\i
Ninety-two Chinese boat people are flown back to China after exhausting all avenues of appeal to stay in \JAustralia\j. The five boat-loads of people had illegally entered the country in 1992, 1994, and 1996. \I(Australia, China)\i
Tasmanian officials warn people not to handle any of the thousands of dead fish that have washed up on the east coast of the island state. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
The death toll from the floods in eastern and southern China rises to at least 101. An estimated 340,000 hectares of farmland have been affected by the flooding, and 26,000 houses have been destroyed. \I(China)\i
Floods hit 21 districts of \JBangladesh\j, causing 83 deaths, and displacing approximately 2 million people. Rice paddy crops are destroyed, as well as roads, bridges, and railway tracks, leaving army helicopters to drop food packages to stranded villagers. \I(Bangladesh)\i
President of the Bougainville Interim Government, Francis Ona, condemns a new border treaty between Papua New Guinea and the Solomons, saying it will cut off his blockaded island's access to humanitarian aid. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US health officials report that the number of Americans dying from AIDS is continuing to decline, attributing the trend to new treatments which extend the lives of sufferers. \I(USA)\i
In response to an appeal by the UN World Food Program, the United States doubles its food aid to North Korea, bringing its contribution for the year to $US52 million. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Hawthorn Savings and Loan, mortgagee of O.J. Simpson's Los Angeles mansion, purchases the property at auction for $US2.6 million. The proceeds will not contribute to the $US33.5 million in damages Simpson was ordered to pay for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. \I(USA)\i
A home loan of up to 125 per cent of a property's market value is launched by US lenders. \I(USA)\i
In the first of a series of experiments planned for the week, investigators test fly a Boeing 747, attempting to replicate conditions on board the TWA flight which exploded off Long Island a year ago. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Minutes before the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv, a wooden bridge bearing a contingent of Australian competitors collapses into the Yarkon River, killing two people, critically injuring seven, and leaving scores of others with minor injuries. \I(Australia, Israel)\i
Officials at mission control in \JRussia\j reveal that space station Mir's commander, Vasily Tsibliyev, is suffering from cardiovascular problems. Scheduled repairs to the damaged space station will be delayed while doctors determine how to treat his condition. \I(Russia)\i
Bosnian Serb, Dusan Tadic, who was convicted in May for taking part in an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against Muslim civilians, is sentenced to 20 years in prison by the UN war crimes tribunal. \I(Bosnia)\i
More than 2 million people take to the streets in cities across \JSpain\j, mourning for slain Basque politician, Miguel Angel Blanco. In Madrid, a procession of hundreds of political leaders is led by Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar. \I(Spain)\i
In continued defiance of President Daniel arap Moi, thousands of students clash with riot police in \JNairobi\j. The \JKenya\j \JPolytechnic\j students take control of a major highway for hours, voicing their demands for constitutional reforms before being driven back to campus by police firing teargas and \Jrubber\j bullets. \I(Kenya)\i
Britain's Minister for the Armed Forces announces a decision to double government funding to assist sufferers and medical researchers of Gulf War Syndrome. \I(UK)\i
#
"July 15, 1997",559,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Diplomats and human rights workers believe that at least 35 royalist officials and military personnel have been killed in custody since Hun Sen's military takeover in \JCambodia\j last week. Meanwhile, Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, urges his supporters to join with Funcinpec in resisting Hun Sen's tyranny. \I(Cambodia)\i
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, announces that the Government has decided to suspend its $AUD2 million military aid to \JCambodia\j. At this stage, however, the $AUD32 million civil aid program is to remain untouched. \I(Australia, Cambodia)\i
The government of Papua New Guinea declines to accept an English High Court writ for nearly $AUD30 million brought by Sandline International in the wake of its abortive mercenary contract. \I(UK, Papua New Guinea)\i
A team of 10 US experts arrives in Unsan County, North Korea, to start joint search and recovery operations for the remains of several hundred Americans missing in action from the 1950-53 Korean War. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
In the face of tumbling stock market prices and fresh fears of political instability, India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, denies any threat to his minority ruling coalition following yesterday's defection of the DMK. \I(India)\i
China calls upon Washington to block a transit visa request from Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, stressing that failure to do so could damage Sino-US ties. Despite China's intervention, however, \JTaiwan\j's foreign ministry remains confident that a transit visa for the President's proposed September visit will be granted. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j, USA)\i
The US Senate committee probing campaign finance abuses receives direct evidence that at the request of John Huang, the Indonesian Lippo Group reimbursed an American subsidiary for a $US50,000 donation to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). In view of the evidence, the DNC says it will return the money. The Senate committee also receives evidence that Eric Hotung pledged $US100,000 to the Democrats in return for a meeting with national security aides to promote \JTaiwan\j's interests. The \JWhite House\j special counsel admits that a five minute meeting took place, but denies it was in exchange for a campaign contribution. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, Taiwan)\i
Thailand's Cabinet orders local governments to carry out mass fire safety inspections, and to evaluate firefighter response and emergency communications equipment. The order comes four days after a hotel fire in the beach resort of Pattaya killed 90 people and injured 60 others. Police have now traced the hotel's owners who are banned from leaving the country. \I(Thailand)\i
As the death toll reaches 75, Indonesian rescue officials believe as many as 100 people may have died when an overloaded ferry sank in Lake Toba on Sunday. The ferry had a maximum legal capacity of 50 to 60 passengers, but is thought to have been carrying more than 150 people at the time. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Celebrated international fashion designer, Gianni Versace, dies outside his \JMiami Beach\j home after being shot twice in the back of the head. The \JFBI\j's prime suspect is one of its ten most-wanted fugitives, Andrew Phillip Cunanan, an alleged homosexual serial killer. \I(USA)\i
China calls upon Washington to block a transit visa request from Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, stressing that failure to do so could damage Sino-US ties. Despite China's intervention, however, \JTaiwan\j's foreign ministry remains confident that a transit visa for the President's proposed September visit will be granted. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j, USA)\i
The US Senate committee probing campaign finance abuses receives direct evidence that at the request of John Huang, the Indonesian Lippo Group reimbursed an American subsidiary for a $US50,000 donation to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). In view of the evidence, the DNC says it will return the money. The Senate committee also receives evidence that Eric Hotung pledged $US100,000 to the Democrats in return for a meeting with national security aides to promote \JTaiwan\j's interests. The \JWhite House\j special counsel admits that a five minute meeting took place, but denies it was in exchange for a campaign contribution. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, Taiwan)\i
Russian and US space officials debate whether American \Jcosmonaut\j, Michael Foale, should perform vital electrical repairs outside space station Mir, replacing ailing Russian commander, Vasily Tsibliyev. \I(USA, Russia)\i
A team of 10 US experts arrives in Unsan County, North Korea, to start joint search and recovery operations for the remains of several hundred Americans missing in action from the 1950-53 Korean War. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Despite Russian criticism of \JNATO\j's recent arrest operation in Bosnia, the United States and other Western governments stand firmly behind a tougher international approach to war criminals, warning Bosnian Serbs against taking retaliatory action. \I(USA, Bosnia, Russia)\i
After a fresh investigation into the 1993 death of former Deputy \JWhite House\j Counsel, Vince Foster, Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, concludes that Foster committed suicide by gunshot. \I(USA)\i
According to scientists, Sojourner's analysis of the Martian rock "Yogi" reveals it to be more like an Earth rock than the previously analyzed "Barnacle Bill". \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The government of Papua New Guinea declines to accept an English High Court writ for nearly $AUD30 million brought by Sandline International in the wake of its abortive mercenary contract. \I(UK, Papua New Guinea)\i
Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic, is elected President of Yugoslavia by the country's two-house Parliament in \JBelgrade\j. General elections for Milosevic's replacement as Serbian President will be held within two months. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia)\i
Russian and US space officials debate whether American \Jcosmonaut\j, Michael Foale, should perform vital electrical repairs outside space station Mir, replacing ailing Russian commander, Vasily Tsibliyev. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Following ETA separatist threats against another Basque town councilor, a matter of days after Miguel Angel Blanco was kidnapped and killed, \JSpain\j's ruling party tightens security and vows not to give in. \I(Spain)\i
Despite Russian criticism of \JNATO\j's recent arrest operation in Bosnia, the United States and other Western governments stand firmly behind their tougher international approach to war criminals, warning Bosnian Serbs against taking retaliatory action. \I(USA, Bosnia, Russia)\i
In a meeting with \JKenya\j's religious leaders, President Daniel arap Moi agrees to review the constitution with regard to the needs of modern \JKenya\j. Moi's concession comes after a week of bloody clashes between riot police and demonstrators. \I(Kenya)\i
Gerda Christian, Adolf Hitler's loyal private secretary until his 1945 suicide, dies of cancer in a \JDusseldorf\j \Jhospital\j. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Protestant Unionists are angered when Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, admits to renewed contact with Sinn Fein leaders, contravening assurances that all contact would be suspended after the deaths of two policemen in an IRA ambush last month. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
In the wake of threatened legal action, Britain promises the European Union to crack down hard on illegal exports of beef, warning, however, that imports will also be subjected to rigorous checks to ensure that British standards are met. \I(UK, Europe)\i
#
"July 16, 1997",560,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The two Koreas accuse each other of provocation after troops exchange heavy fire across the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South. A number of North Korean soldiers are wounded in the clash, which is considered the most serious in recent years. \I(The Koreas)\i
Cambodia's Foreign Minister, Ung Huot, is nominated to succeed Prince Norodom Ranariddh as First Prime Minister and leader of the royalist Funcipec party. Ung Huot, who holds dual Cambodian and Australian nationality, agrees to accept the position in the interests of his country, and on condition that he retains his original post in the foreign ministry. \I(Cambodia, Australia)\i
Further to recent peace talks held in \JNew Zealand\j, Gerard Sinato, head of the Bougainville Transitional Government, says both sides of the island's 10-year conflict are almost ready to meet representatives from the central Papua New Guinean Government to negotiate a peace accord. Premier Sinato denies any push for Bougainvillean independence at this stage. \I(Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
The Sri Lankan Defense Ministry reports an outbreak of fierce fighting between government troops and Tamil rebels in the country's north-east. According to the report, 17 soldiers are killed and 17 rebel bodies recovered, with total rebel deaths estimated at 60. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Two-weeks after his re-election, Papua New Guinean politician and former health minister, Yaip Avini, receives an eight-year jail sentence for misappropriating almost $A100,000 of public funds. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
At least 83 people are now reported to have died when a ferry sank in \JIndonesia\j's Lake Toba three days ago. According to \Jwater\j transport officials, the ferry capsized after passengers surged to the vessel's shore side in a rush for a waiting bus. \I(Indonesia)\i
Armed with a motion signed by nine diplomatic allies, \JTaiwan\j begins its fifth annual bid to rejoin the United Nations, not as a new \JTaiwan\j entity, but as the Republic of China. \JBeijing\j, however, denies the existence of the Republic of China, vigorously opposing \JTaiwan\j's efforts to gain international recognition. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
The US Senate committee investigating political campaign funding abuses is told that Democratic Party fundraiser, John Huang, received secret briefings about China and visited the Chinese Embassy while employed by the Commerce Department. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On Wall Street, the blue-chip Dow Jones index closes above the 8,000-point mark for the first time, gaining 63.17 points to settle at 8038.88. \I(USA)\i
The gala closing of the \JRome\j high fashion shows, scheduled to take place on \JRome\j's Spanish Steps, is canceled as a mark of respect for Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace, who was gunned down outside his \JMiami Beach\j home this week. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Researchers at New York University's Howard Hughes Medical Institute reveal the discovery of two new \Jreceptors\j used by the \JHIV\j virus to enter and infect cells, a discovery they say sheds more light on the way \JHIV\j adapts and evolves. \I(USA)\i
The US Environmental Protection Agency announces new air \Jpollution\j control rules. The new rules are welcomed by health groups, but are criticized as too costly by sections of industry and local government. \I(USA)\i
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, releases a 90-page document proposing massive reforms within the world body. The proposals are applauded by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. \I(USA)\i
Amid Bosnian Serb anger over \JNATO\j's recent moves against war criminals, an outburst of violence is reported in the territory. Four explosions rock a British military base in Banja Luka, a grenade explodes near the house of a United Nations employee in Prijedor, and in Vlasenica, an American soldier suffers minor injuries when he is stabbed in the shoulder with a sickle. \I(Bosnia, UK, USA)\i
The US Senate committee investigating political campaign funding abuses is told that Democratic Party fund-raiser, John Huang, received secret briefings about China and visited the Chinese Embassy while employed by the Commerce Department. \I(USA, China)\i
President Clinton decides to once more waive a controversial provision of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act. The provision, which allows US citizens to sue foreign companies reaping profits from property confiscated after the 1959 Cuban communist revolution, has drawn continuing criticism from Canada, the European Union, and \JCuba\j. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, Canada, Europe)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The gala closing of the \JRome\j high fashion shows, scheduled to take place on \JRome\j's Spanish Steps, is canceled as a mark of respect for Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace, who was gunned down outside his \JMiami Beach\j home this week. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The Polish Government introduces 22 new laws in order to assist hundreds of communities devastated by floods this month. At least 46 people have died in the floods, and the damage to homes and livelihoods is said to be incalculable. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
Spain's King Juan Carlos denounces the actions of ETA Basque guerrillas, branding them "contemptible terrorists" for their recent execution of young Spanish politician, Miguel Angel Blanco. Meanwhile, widespread outrage continues to be expressed in cities across \JSpain\j as hundred of thousands of people demonstrate against ETA \Jterrorism\j. \I(Spain)\i
The signing of a non-aggression pact between \JGreece\j and Turkey is hailed in \JAthens\j and \JAnkara\j as the first attempt to sensibly settle the two nations' outstanding differences. \I(Greece, Turkey)\i
In a document entitled "Agenda 2000", the European Commission officially unveils plans to begin membership talks with \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, the Czech Republic, \JEstonia\j, \JSlovenia\j, and at a later date, Cyprus, urging these nations to make greater economic efforts before crossing the threshold. \I(Poland, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, \JEstonia\j, \JSlovenia\j, Cyprus)\i
President Clinton decides to once more waive a controversial provision of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act. The provision, which allows US citizens to sue foreign companies reaping profits from property confiscated after the 1959 Cuban communist revolution, has drawn continuing criticism from Canada, the European Union, and \JCuba\j. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, Canada, Europe)\i
After prolonged talks which culminate in the sacking of the country's defense minister, President Boris Yeltsin signs decrees to reform the Russian army, cutting back its size and scope, refining its reporting structure, and reducing its spending. \I(Russia)\i
Amid Bosnian Serb anger over \JNATO\j's recent moves against war criminals, an outburst of violence is reported in the territory. Four explosions rock a British military base in Banja Luka, a grenade explodes near the house of a United Nations employee in Prijedor, and in Vlasenica, an American soldier suffers minor injuries when he is stabbed in the shoulder with a sickle. \I(Bosnia, UK, USA)\i
#
"July 17, 1997",561,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Two partners in the Ben-Ezra Construction company are placed under house arrest following the deaths of two Australians in the collapse of a pedestrian bridge at the Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv earlier this week. The detained building contractors are denying criminal negligence, blaming the project's authorizing engineer, and also the police who, they claim, drove police vehicles across the bridge in the lead-up to the games. \I(Israel, Australia)\i
Ten minutes after take-off from \JBandung\j's airport, a Sempati Air commuter plane crash-lands in a field near a housing complex, bursting into flames on impact. Of the 50 passengers and crew aboard the Jakarta-bound flight, only 17 survive, but most of the survivors are seriously injured. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, shrugs off US rejection of his newly nominated co-Prime Minister, Ung Huot, insisting that it is more important to please his own people than the Americans. Meanwhile, the country's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk endorses ASEAN efforts to mediate a solution to \JCambodia\j's internal strife. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
An Election Commission spokesman confirms that Kocheril Raman Narayanan has been elected as India's 10th President, becoming the first member of a low Hindu caste to fill the post. \I(India)\i
The State Department announces US support for a proposal to expand the United Nations Security Council's permanent members from five to ten. In addition to seats for \JGermany\j and \JJapan\j, the proposal includes three seats for developing countries from Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
A landslide in Sichuan demolishes a new building, killing at least 48 people taking shelter from a torrential rainstorm, and seriously injuring 29 others. \I(China)\i
In a tough crackdown on child abuse, Sri Lankan authorities unveil a draft Child Rights Bill which is likely to be incorporated in the Constitution by the end of the year. As well as granting children the right to \Jnutrition\j, shelter, health care, and education, the bill aims to protect them from neglect, degradation, exploitive labor practices, and physical and moral hazards. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The US-led United Nations Command in South Korea reprimands the North in relation to Wednesday's border clash, accusing them of violating the armistice accord that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Meanwhile, the US Senate unanimously votes to cut additional funding for a landmark nuclear project in North Korea if further violations occur. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
Branding President Clinton's China policy as "one of appeasement", US Republican leaders release an 11-point legislative package targeting China's military, arms sales, and human rights violations. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Mir space station is plunged into darkness when a vital computer cable is mistakenly unplugged, causing a further drop in power. The Russian-US crew is forced to retreat to the Soyuz space capsule to communicate with Earth. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, shrugs off US rejection of his newly nominated co-Prime Minister, Ung Huot, insisting that it is more important to please his own people than the Americans. Meanwhile, the country's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk endorses ASEAN efforts to mediate a solution to \JCambodia\j's internal strife. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Subject to US Senate approval, President Clinton names Army General, Henry Shelton, as chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Shelton currently heads the US Special Operations Command. \I(USA)\i
White House special counsel, Lanny Davis, launches an angry attack on Senate hearings probing US campaign fundraising scandals, accusing the Republican majority of adopting a "partisan slashing approach". \I(USA)\i
High tides whipped up by tropical storm Danny force the evacuation of 1,500 residents of Grande Isle, approximately 60 miles south of \JNew Orleans\j. \I(USA)\i
Branding President Clinton's China policy as "one of appeasement", US Republican leaders release an 11-point legislative package targeting China's military, arms sales, and human rights violations. \I(USA, China)\i
The State Department pledges US support for a proposal to expand the United Nations Security Council's permanent members from five to ten. In addition to seats for \JGermany\j and \JJapan\j, the proposal includes three seats for developing countries from Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
The US-led United Nations Command in South Korea reprimands the North in relation to Wednesday's border clash, accusing them of violating the armistice accord that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Meanwhile, the US Senate unanimously votes to cut additional funding for a landmark nuclear project in North Korea if further violations occur. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
Reversing the declining trend over the past decade, the US Senate announces a $US1 billion boost in foreign aid for fiscal 1998, at the same time issuing a general warning to recipients that US assistance is not an automatic entitlement. \I(USA)\i
While not anticipating a trade war, President Bill Clinton says the United States may approach the World Trade Organization if the European Commission carries out its intention to block the proposed Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger. \I(USA, Europe)\i
The United States and \JCuba\j begin two days of talks to review the progress of migration agreements signed in 1994 and 1995. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
Peruvian Defense Minister, General Tomas Castillo Meza, and Justice Minister, Carlos Hermoza, resign in outrage over a government scandal involving wiretapping and repression of media freedom. The resignations come one \Jday\j after that of Foreign Minister, Francisco Tudela. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two partners in the Ben-Ezra Construction company are placed under house arrest following the deaths of two Australians in the collapse of a pedestrian bridge at the Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv earlier this week. The detained building contractors are denying criminal negligence, blaming the project's authorizing engineer, and also the police who, they claim, drove police vehicles across the bridge in the lead-up to the games. \I(Israel, Australia)\i
In the Basque town of \JDurango\j, police investigating an explosion in an apartment discover an ETA guerrilla hideout stashed with weapons. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
The Mir space station is plunged into darkness when a vital computer cable is mistakenly unplugged, causing a further drop in power. The Russian-US crew is forced to retreat to the Soyuz space capsule to communicate with Earth. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Eight people are killed and dozens injured when the roof of a three-story dormitory collapses at the Tomsk Military Communications in western \JSiberia\j. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
In a shock announcement, President Daniel arap Moi's ruling \JKenya\j African National Union party agrees to enact constitutional reforms before the next presidential and parliamentary polls. \I(Kenya)\i
British scientists conclude that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, can cross species and infect humans, saying their findings may also have implications for lamb infected with scrapie. They add, however, that the efficiency of transmission is greatly hindered by the species barrier. \I(UK)\i
The State Department announces US support for a proposal to expand the United Nations Security Council's permanent members from five to ten. In addition to seats for \JGermany\j and \JJapan\j, the proposal includes three seats for developing countries from Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
During a televised address to the nation, President Saddam Hussein warns that relations between \JIraq\j and United Nations weapons inspectors could reach a deadlock unless the Security Council lifts all sanctions imposed after the invasion of \JKuwait\j seven years ago. \I(Iraq, Kuwait)\i
Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, angered by Anglo-Irish ploys to win a cease-fire and secure republican admission to peace talks, accuses the British Government of weakening its stance on disarming IRA terrorists. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
While not anticipating a trade war, President Bill Clinton says the United States may approach the World Trade Organization if the European Commission carries out its intention to block the proposed Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger. \I(USA, Europe)\i
#
"July 18, 1997",562,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The families of the victims of \JTasmania\j's 1996 Port Arthur massacre are given government authorization to seek compensation from the $A1.3 million assets seized under legislation from convicted mass murderer, Martin Bryant. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Pro-democracy activists are outraged when Hong Kong's newly appointed legislature suspends four laws passed by the pre-handover government. The suspension of the laws now gives police the power to ban protests or political groups on "national security" grounds, deprives workers' unions of collective bargaining rights, and removes anti-discrimination protection for union members. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
In an effort to resolve his country's political crisis, \JCambodia\j's ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, meets with royalist party members and ASEAN foreign ministers to map out compromise plans for an interim caretaker government. \I(Cambodia, Southeast Asia)\i
Thailand's Interior Ministry releases the confession of 25-year-old Mom Chalasai Ukol, who has admitted murdering her aging husband, Prince Thitipan Ukol, by lacing his \Jcoffee\j with liquid \Jflea\j killer. \I(Thailand)\i
Leading delegates of Bougainville's warring factions sign the Burnham Declaration, committing themselves to peace talks with the Papua New Guinean Government, and to the introduction of a United Nations peacekeeping force on the island. The declaration also urges all parties to agree to a cease-fire, but leaves open the question of a referendum on independence demanded by Francis Ona, the leader of the rebel Bougainville Interim Government. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea)\i
Official figures released in China anticipate a swell in urban unemployment to 5.9 million by the end of the year and an unprecedented swell in the labor force in the next two decades. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
While the \JMiami Beach\j fashion industry pays homage to murdered designer, Gianni Versace, his ashes are laid to rest by his family in a cemetery overlooking Lake \JComo\j in the Italian village of Moltrasio. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Hurricane Danny lashes the US coastline from Mississippi to the \JFlorida\j Panhandle with winds of 75mph and a storm surge up to 5 feet above normal. \I(USA)\i
A Jacksonville judge dismisses a constitutional challenge to \JFlorida\j's electric chair, ruling that the execution device does not violate prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. \I(USA)\i
NASA scientists report that \JGalileo\j, the space probe exploring Jupiter and its moons, has discovered that the moon Europa has an \Jionosphere\j, a strong indicator that it may also have an \Jatmosphere\j. \I(USA)\i
During a visit to \JSarajevo\j, \JNATO\j Supreme Commander, US General Wesley Clark, declares that the alliance-led peace force in Bosnia will not be intimidated by the wave of retaliatory violence which has rocked Serb territory since \JNATO\j's recent raid on suspected war criminals. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
President Bill Clinton names Felix Rohatyn, a retired New York investment banker, as US Ambassador to \JFrance\j. \I(USA, France)\i
Following a mishap which left the crew in darkness, power is restored to the main block of space station Mir, but officials say planned repairs to the stricken vessel will probably be delayed until a new crew arrives. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
While the \JMiami Beach\j fashion industry pays homage to murdered designer, Gianni Versace, his ashes are laid to rest by his family in a cemetery overlooking Lake \JComo\j in the Italian village of Moltrasio. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The United Nations tribunal on Rwandan genocide announces the arrest of seven suspects, including former prime minister, Jean Kambanda, and top military commander, Gratien Kabiligi. \I(Rwanda)\i
In a bid to gain entry to multi-party peace talks, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, calls on the Irish Republican Army to renew a cease-fire in its war against British rule in Northern Ireland. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Adding to the national outcry, three jailed ETA guerrillas denounce the movement's killing of Basque politician, Miguel Angel Blanco, saying the act accumulated more hate than 38 years of \Jterrorism\j. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
During a visit to \JSarajevo\j, \JNATO\j Supreme Commander, US General Wesley Clark, declares that the alliance-led peace force in Bosnia will not be intimidated by the wave of retaliatory violence which has rocked Serb territory since \JNATO\j's recent raid on suspected war criminals. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
After some of the worst violence in the country's recent history, \JKenya\j's pro-reform movement reacts warily to President Moi's statement promising constitutional review, pointing out potential loopholes which could amount to delaying tactics. \I(Kenya)\i
The first session of \JNATO\j's Permanent Joint Council is held, launching a new arrangement with \JRussia\j to ease its concerns about the Eastern expansion of the alliance. \I(Russia, Europe)\i
After a two-hour closed meeting, the German, Austrian, and Italian heads of state announce that all border controls will be lifted by April 1, 1998. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustria\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Official data released by the Romanian Government reveal that nearly 100,000 children have been abandoned across the country, a tragedy that has assumed the proportions of a national disaster. \I(Romania)\i
President Bill Clinton names Felix Rohatyn, a retired New York investment banker, as
US Ambassador to \JFrance\j. \I(USA, France)\i
Britain's Prince Charles throws a lavish party for 80 guests at his Highgrove estate in \JGloucestershire\j to celebrate the 50th birthday of Camilla Parker Bowles. \I(UK)\i
Russia's Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, says full membership of the European Union is the ultimate aim of his country's reforms, stressing, however, that his country is nowhere near ready for such a step. \I(Russia)\i
Following a mishap which left the crew in darkness, power is restored to the main block of space station Mir, but officials say planned repairs to the stricken vessel will probably be delayed until a new crew arrives. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Britain's Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, appeals to business and industry to heed the impact of equipment and weapon sales on human rights abroad, an appeal foreshadowing the Labor Government's determination to introduce tougher licensing of arms exports. \I(UK)\i
Poland holds a national \Jday\j of mourning for the 48 people who recently lost their lives in the country's worst flood disaster in centuries. \I(Poland)\i
In the Czech Republic, the death toll from floods ravaging the country stands at 46. River authorities are emptying dams on the Vltava to accommodate the next downpour. \I(Czech Republic)\i
German authorities prepare for possible mass evacuations in the eastern state of Brandenburg, where flood waters have already exceeded the highest levels this century. Hundreds of bridges and crossings along the German/Polish border are closed, diverting traffic to crossings further south in \JBavaria\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JPoland\j, Bavaria)\i
#
"July 19, 1997",563,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
ASEAN foreign ministers abandon attempts to negotiate a political compromise when Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, flatly rejects their proposal for a caretaker administration prior to elections next May. Meanwhile, US envoy, Stephen Solarz, is touring Asian capitals, urging governments not to grant recognition to the Hun Sen regime. \I(Cambodia, USA, Southeast Asia)\i
In the opening rugby match of the Tri Nations Test played in \JJohannesburg\j, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 35-32 victory over the South African Springboks. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, South Africa)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The weary crew aboard space station Mir is informed by Mission Control that a fresh crew will make the vital repairs required to keep the damaged vessel functioning. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Canada accuses the United States of breaching the 1985 Pacific salmon treaty, claiming that Alaskan fishermen have already exceeded this season's agreed catch level of sockeye salmon. \I(Canada, USA)\i
A \JWhite House\j spokesman announces that \Jcivil rights\j leader, Jesse Jackson, and Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater, will lead a delegation of black Americans to the Fourth African/African-American Summit to be held in the Zimbabwean capital of \JHarare\j this month. \I(USA, Zimbabwe, Africa)\i
The Irish Republic Army declares a new cease-fire, opening the way for Sinn Fein representatives to participate in multi-party talks aimed at securing peace in Northern Ireland. The cease-fire is hailed as a breakthrough by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and American President, Bill Clinton. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, USA)\i
The US Senate cautions Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, saying US aid will be frozen if he signs a bill revoking the legal status of religious groups which are currently challenging the popularity of the powerful \JRussian Orthodox Church\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
ASEAN foreign ministers abandon attempts to negotiate a political compromise when Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, flatly rejects their proposal for a caretaker administration prior to elections next May. Meanwhile, US envoy, Stephen Solarz, is touring Asian capitals, urging governments not to grant recognition to the Hun Sen regime. \I(Cambodia, USA, Southeast Asia)\i
New York City police arrest a 37-year-old man following claims by four deaf-mute Mexicans that dozens of deaf Mexicans are being held captive and forced to work for slave wages. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The weary crew aboard space station Mir is informed by Mission Control that a fresh crew will make the vital repairs required to keep the damaged vessel functioning. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
A \JWhite House\j spokesman announces that \Jcivil rights\j leader, Jesse Jackson, and Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater, will lead a delegation of black Americans to the Fourth African/African-American Summit to be held in the Zimbabwean capital of \JHarare\j this month. \I(USA, Zimbabwe, Africa)\i
The Irish Republic Army declares a new cease-fire, opening the way for Sinn Fein representatives to participate in multi-party talks aimed at securing peace in Northern Ireland. The cease-fire is hailed as a breakthrough by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and American President, Bill Clinton. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, USA)\i
The US Senate cautions Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, saying US aid will be frozen if he signs a bill revoking the legal status of religious groups which are currently challenging the popularity of the powerful \JRussian Orthodox Church\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Corporal Ahmed Daqamsa, a Jordanian soldier convicted of shooting down seven Israeli schoolgirls in March because they mocked him at prayer, is sentenced to life in prison by an Israeli military court. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
NATO troops stage a show of military force near the Pale home of leading war crimes suspect and former Bosnian Serb president, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Throughout the Czech Republic, flood-swollen rivers force hundreds of people to abandon their homes, many for the second time in 10 days. \I(Czech Republic)\i
Sir James Goldsmith, Anglo-French billionaire financier and member of the European Parliament, dies of a heart attack at the age of 64 after a long battle with cancer. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
In the opening rugby match of the Tri Nations Test played in \JJohannesburg\j, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 35-32 victory over the South African Springboks. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, South Africa)\i
#
"July 20, 1997",564,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Fighting flares near the town of Samrong in northern \JCambodia\j, an area occupied by royalist forces loyal to ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Thai border officials are anticipating an influx of refugees if the fighting worsens. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Vietnamese authorities take to the streets with megaphones, urging voters to participate in the upcoming national assembly elections. \I(Vietnam)\i
Near the \JMoslem\j-dominated town of Trincomalee, gunmen attack the vehicle of Sri Lankan parliamentary deputy, Mohammed Moharoof, killing Mr. Moharoof and five others. Police blame the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the attack, the second against a parliamentary deputy in the area this month. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The Australian Federal Government moves to quell a diplomatic furor provoked by the release of a confidential briefing paper deriding both the policies and the politicians of a number of South Pacific nations. \I(Australia, South Pacific)\i
Northern-based forces allied against the Taliban capture the city of Charikar, 65 kilometers north of \JAfghanistan\j's capital of Kabul, before moving on to seize control of Bagram air base. Allied sources say some 500 Taliban soldiers are killed in the conflict. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Philippine Defense Secretary, Renato de Villa, announces his candidacy for the presidential elections in May, 1998. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, defends President Clinton's hotly criticized policy of Chinese "appeasement", saying, however, that policy changes could result if \JBeijing\j is found to have illegally sought to influence US elections. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
From Washington, it is disclosed that the Clinton Administration is preparing a "package deal" to revive peace talks between Israel and Palestine. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Seven people are arrested and three arraigned on state charges in connection with the alleged slave labor of more than 60 Mexicans, most of whom are deaf and mute. New York City Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, has reason to believe that the Mexicans were kidnapped and smuggled into the United States. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, defends President Clinton's hotly criticized policy of Chinese "appeasement", saying, however, that policy changes could result if \JBeijing\j is found to have illegally sought to influence US elections. \I(USA, China)\i
Texan golfer, Justin Leonard, finishes 12-under par to win the British Open by three strokes. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Across Northern Ireland, the newly promised IRA cease-fire takes effect. Prayers for peace are held in Roman Catholic and Protestant churches throughout the province. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, announces plans for a select decommissioning body, an announcement timed to allay Unionist fears over the decision to admit Sinn Fein to all-party peace talks prior to the surrender of IRA arms. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
The ultra-nationalist Serb Democratic Party expels Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, demanding that she step down from office. \I(Bosnia)\i
In talks between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, progress is made when agreement is reached on bridging proposals to settle the region's future. The Polisario Front is seeking an independent state. \I(Morocco, Algeria)\i
The findings of a 13-year study by the Oxford-based Imperial Cancer Research Fund suggest that women with high levels of oestradiol may be five times more susceptible to breast cancer. Researchers are now investigating factors which control the level of the hormone. \I(UK)\i
More than 1,000 Jordanian university students march in a show of support for Ahmed Daqamsa, the Jordanian soldier sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j for killing seven Israeli girls in March. \I(Jordan, Israel)\i
From Washington, it is disclosed that the Clinton Administration is preparing a "package deal" to revive peace talks between Israel and Palestine. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Texan golfer, Justin Leonard, finishes 12-under par to win the British Open by three strokes. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"July 21, 1997",565,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States urges Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, to reconsider his outright refusal of ASEAN efforts to mediate in his political dispute with ousted First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Kim Hyun-chul, the second son of South Korean President, Kim Young-sam, promises to hand over 7 billion won in alleged bribes before his trial on corruption charges reaches a conclusion. \I(South Korea)\i
Results of a recent World Vision survey reveal that the \Jdrought\j in North Korea has affected crops over hundreds of thousands of hectares, seriously aggravating the country's chronic food shortage. Aid workers say a third of North Korean children under the age of six are now malnourished. \I(North Korea)\i
Indonesian Democracy Party parliamentarian, Aberson Sihaloho, is sentenced to nine months jail for insulting President Soeharto and various government organizations at a free speech forum last year. \I(Indonesia)\i
On the eve of \JMyanmar\j's admission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Amnesty International pressures the regional group to forgo its policy of non-interference in \JMyanmar\j's affairs, also urging the government of \JMyanmar\j to end its repression of ethnic minorities and pro-democracy groups. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
ASEAN spokesman, Malaysian Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, says the association will not hastily implement moves to cut off aid to \JCambodia\j, adding that \JCambodia\j's delayed admission to ASEAN is a temporary measure pending resolution of the country's political crisis. \I(Malaysia, \JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Beijing reports the conclusion of the Chinese navy's biggest war games in over 30 years. The 10-\Jday\j exercises in the East China Sea north of \JTaiwan\j involved a fleet of 100 warships testing missiles and other advanced weapons. \I(China, Taiwan)\i
Nine people die when monsoon rains lash \JKarachi\j, destroying a number of poorly constructed slum dwellings. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
New Zealand yachtsman, Sir Peter Blake, accepts an offer from the Jacques Cousteau Foundation to become the new skipper of its marine research vessel, \ICalypso II.\i The foundation's choice is criticized by Jean-Michel Cousteau, the late explorer's estranged eldest son. \I(New Zealand, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Four people arrested for holding dozens of deaf-mute Mexicans in servitude in New York are arraigned on federal charges. Authorities say they are still trying to track down the leader of the alleged smuggling ring. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
The United States urges Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, to reconsider his outright refusal of ASEAN efforts to mediate in his political dispute with ousted First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
In defiance of a court order, Canadian fisherman, angered by alleged American overfishing of \JPacific Ocean\j salmon, blockade an Alaskan state ferry in the harbor at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. \I(USA, Canada)\i
An Earth-induced two-\Jday\j communications blackout with the Pathfinder mission's Mars rover is rectified. The Sojourner rover is now taking samples of a large white Martian rock scientists have dubbed Scooby Doo. \I(USA)\i
The 200-year-old USS \IConstitution,\i nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its victory over a British warship in 1812, sails through \JMassachusetts\j Bay under its own power for the first time in more than a century. \I(USA, UK)\i
A high-level commission is due to begin investigations into human rights violations during the 36-year \Jcivil war\j between leftist rebels and \JGuatemala\j's military regimes. An estimated 140,000 people were killed or "disappeared" throughout the conflict. \I(Guatemala)\i
The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, declares Bosnian Serb retaliatory violence to be intolerable and dangerous, warning that Serb authorities risk forfeiting reconstruction aid if they fail to uphold their obligations to the UN war crimes tribunal. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Despite strong Senate opposition, the \JWhite House\j says President Clinton intends to nominate \JMassachusetts\j Governor, William Weld, for the post of US Ambassador to Mexico. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
While giving testimony in a passive smoking lawsuit being heard in Miami, Liggett chief executive, Bennett LeBow, becomes the first US \Jtobacco\j chief to publicly acknowledge that smoking is addictive and causes cancer. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, meets with Ulster Unionist Party leader, David Trimble, to discuss the surrender of IRA arms. Trimble is demanding a firm timetable for IRA disarmament prior to September's multi-party peace talks, but Sinn Fein is arguing for a handover of weapons as part of a final settlement to the conflict, an argument currently regarded by Britain as the only realistic way of achieving the desired result. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Violence erupts in San Sebastian when supporters of ETA separatists, protesting against the suicide of an ETA prisoner, are attacked by opponents angered by the recent slaying of a Basque politician. Elsewhere, three ETA guerrillas, found guilty of plotting to kill King Juan Carlos, are sentenced to a total of 109 years imprisonment. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
As a result of international pressure to locate assets left by \JHolocaust\j victims, Swiss banks agree to release a detailed list of dormant pre-1945 accounts. The information will appear on the \JInternet\j and in newspapers across the world. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
With one-third of potential votes counted in \JLiberia\j's elections, former warlord, Charles Taylor, leads with a tally of just under 66 per cent. \I(Liberia)\i
The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, declares Bosnian Serb retaliatory violence to be intolerable and dangerous, warning that Serb authorities risk forfeiting reconstruction aid if they fail to uphold their obligations to the UN war crimes tribunal. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Five hundred guerrilla veterans of the war to overthrow white rule storm the office of Zimbabwean President Mugabe, demanding resumption of disability benefits which were frozen in March following reports of bogus claims. President Mugabe responds by announcing the appointment of a commission of inquiry to examine the abuse of the system and make recommendations. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Palestinian police disclose details of a huge stash of Hamas explosives and equipment found in an apartment building near \JBethlehem\j. Included in the stash are nine explosive devices ready for use, and various items of Israeli-style disguise. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
The 200-year-old USS \IConstitution,\i nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after its victory over a British warship in 1812, sails through \JMassachusetts\j Bay under its own power for the first time in more than a century. \I(USA, UK)\i
Experts speaking at a conference in \JHelsinki\j predict that diabetes will become a global epidemic, with much of the growth occurring in developing countries. \I(\JFinland\j)\i
New Zealand yachtsman, Sir Peter Blake, accepts an offer from the Jacques Cousteau Foundation to become the new skipper of its marine research vessel, \ICalypso II.\i The foundation's choice is criticized by Jean-Michel Cousteau, the late explorer's estranged eldest son. \I(New Zealand, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"July 22, 1997",566,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's Hun Sen regime orders the closure of \JTaiwan\j's representative office in Phnom Penh, accusing Taiwanese businessmen of providing money and military aid to ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, Taiwan)\i
Port Moresby Mayor, Bill Skate, is elected Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, defeating favored candidate, Sir Michael Somare, by 71 votes to 35. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Bougainville Revolutionary Army announces it will release five Papua New Guinea Defense Force hostages to a representative of the \JNew Zealand\j Government on board HMNZS \ICanterbury.\i The goodwill gesture comes almost a year after the hostages were taken captive, and is regarded as a boost for the peace process. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
The Speaker of the Kashmir legislature, Ali Mohammed Naik, narrowly escapes an assassination attempt when Muslim separatists blow up his convoy near Srinagar, killing three of his bodyguards. \I(India)\i
Returning from a visit to \JPyongyang\j, former US ambassador to Seoul, James Laney, says North Korea admits to wanting more international food aid, but is resisting external pressure to make changes to its crippled socialist economic system. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
South African officials confirm that President Nelson Mandela met with jailed East Timorese rebel leader, Xanana Gusmao, while on a visit to \JIndonesia\j last week. The meeting took place at the official residence of President Soeharto. \I(South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
A United Nations report reveals that India has 40 per cent of the world's malnourished children. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Clinton formally nominates Philip Lader, former \JWhite House\j deputy chief of staff, as the next American Ambassador to Britain. \I(USA, UK)\i
The United States pressures \JOttawa\j to enforce a court order to end a Canadian fishermen's blockade of the Alaskan ferry \IMalaspine,\i accusing Canada of creating tension by scuttling proposed talks on a deal to divide the year's catch. \I(USA, Canada)\i
Returning from a visit to \JPyongyang\j, former US ambassador to Seoul, James Laney, says North Korea admits to wanting more international food aid, but is resisting external pressure to make changes to its crippled socialist economic system. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Red Cross and local officials reveal that a right-wing death squad recently massacred about 30 people and tortured others in the remote village of Mapiripan, Eastern \JColombia\j. \I(Colombia)\i
President Clinton endorses a racially sensitive proposal to narrow the wide disparities in federal prison sentences for the use of crack and powder \Jcocaine\j. Crack \Jcocaine\j carries a much tougher sentence and is more often used by blacks. \I(USA)\i
Nicaraguan officials announce that eleven leaders of the anti-Government North Front 3-80 guerrilla group have surrendered their weapons to President Arnoldo Aleman. Since the President took office in January, approximately 600 guerrillas have given up their weapons and returned to civilian life. \I(Nicaragua)\i
Army troops are deployed to combat lawlessness in several Brazilian cites when more than 40,000 police join a strike in support of pay rises. \I(Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Swiss banks publish a list of some 2,000 dormant pre-1945 account holders who may have died in the \JHolocaust\j, inviting heirs to come forward. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
An Italian military court convicts former Nazi SS Captain, Erich Priebke, and former Major Karl Hass, for their part in the 1944 Ardeatine Caves massacre, in which 335 men and boys were rounded up and shot by SS soldiers. Priebke's 15-year jail sentence is reduced to 5 years; Hass is sentenced to 10 years and 8 months, but will not spend any time in jail because of his age. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j)\i
A meeting monitored by the European Union in Brussels is hailed as a positive and productive step towards building mutual trust by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, and Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy. \I(\JBelgium\j, Palestine, Israel)\i
Britain acknowledges that Protestant Unionist politicians in Northern Ireland, angered by the terms of a new cease-fire, plan to block a controversial British Government proposal for decommissioning IRA weapons. A further threat to the peace process comes from Protestant politician and pastor, Ian Paisley, who announces his party's withdrawal from September's multi-party peace talks on the future of the province. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
South African officials confirm that President Nelson Mandela met with jailed East Timorese rebel leader, Xanana Gusmao, while on a visit to \JIndonesia\j last week. The meeting took place at the official residence of President Soeharto. \I(South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
In Tel Aviv, eleven young overseas tourists are hurt when an Israeli Arab fundamentalist rams his car into their tour group and attacks them with a knife. \I(Israel)\i
An inquiry into corruption ordered by Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, finds "serious shortcomings", and recommends that several senior officials of his administration be brought to trial. \I(Palestine)\i
President Clinton formally nominates Philip Lader, former \JWhite House\j deputy chief of staff, as the next American Ambassador to Britain. \I(USA, UK)\i
A solar-powered British \Jcatamaran\j crosses the English Channel from Dover to \JCalais\j, becoming the first vessel of its type to do so. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
More than 100 Santas from 10 nations congregate in \JCopenhagen\j for Denmark's 34th Annual Father Christmas World Congress, which is scheduled to last four days. \I(Denmark)\i
#
"July 23, 1997",567,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In an effort to address the city's escalating drug problem, \JBeijing\j authorities open a drug rehabilitation center capable of treating as many as 2,000 addicts at one time. \I(China)\i
Excavations in central Vietnam uncover the remains of 65 Vietnamese soldiers killed when US troops detonated a tunnel during a mop-up operation on August 19, 1965. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
After a \Jday\j of intense artillery and rocket exchanges, forces allied against the Taliban militia claim to have advanced into Hossein Kot, 25 kilometers north of \JAfghanistan\j's capital of Kabul. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Former Western Australian Premier, Brian Burke, is released after five months in jail when his conviction for the theft of $A122,585 in Labor Party donations is quashed by the WA Court of Criminal Appeal. \I(Australia)\i
Cambodian co-Prime Minister, Hun Sen, appeals to the international community to recognize his leadership. Meanwhile, troops loyal to Hun Sen claim to have taken control of the royalist bastion of Samrong in the country's north. Control of the town is reported to have switched between the opposing sides three times in as many days. \I(Cambodia)\i
In a letter to United Nations Secretary, Kofi Annan, China moves to block \JTaiwan\j's fifth consecutive appeal for membership, reiterating that \JTaiwan\j is a renegade province of China and thereby unqualified to join the body. \I(China, Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Boris Yeltsin's rejection of a draft law curbing religious freedom in \JRussia\j is hailed by Washington as a victory for Russian democracy. Yeltsin's Communist opponents, however, are determined to fight the veto. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Excavations in central Vietnam uncover the remains of 65 Vietnamese soldiers killed when US troops detonated a tunnel during a mop-up operation on August 19, 1965. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
The Pentagon acknowledges that tens of thousands more than the estimated 20,000 American troops were exposed to fallout from exploded Iraqi chemical weapons during the Gulf War, but doubts that the mysterious illnesses reported by some veterans are related to the low-level exposures. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Canada and the United States agree to appoint troubleshooters to investigate the recent dispute over Pacific salmon catches and re-open talks on fishing rights. \I(Canada USA)\i
A memorial service is held in Milan's Roman Catholic cathedral for murdered Miami-based fashion designer, Gianni Versace. The congregation includes Princess Diana, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, designers Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, and Valentino, and singers, Elton John and Sting. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Andrew Cunanan, prime suspect in the murder of fashion designer, Gianni Versace, is found shot dead on a \JMiami Beach\j houseboat after a police siege. Cunanan, who was also wanted in connection with the murders of four other men, had apparently committed suicide. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A memorial service is held in Milan's Roman Catholic cathedral for murdered Miami-based fashion designer, Gianni Versace. The congregation includes Princess Diana, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, designers Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, and Valentino, and singers, Elton John and Sting. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
A contentious Anglo-Irish proposal for IRA disarmament is voted down by all three Unionist parties on the grounds that it contains no cast-iron guarantee. Despite the decommissioning impasse, the Ulster Unionist Party confirms it will stay in the talks scheduled for September 15, but the Democratic Unionist Party and the UK Unionist party decide to quit the peace process. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Sali Berisha resigns as \JAlbanian\j president, joining the opposition in the new parliament which meets for the first time. \I(Albania)\i
President Boris Yeltsin's rejection of a draft law curbing religious freedom in \JRussia\j is hailed by Washington as a victory for Russian democracy. Yeltsin's Communist opponents, however, are determined to fight the veto. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The British Government tables a white paper detailing plans to hand back local power to the people of Wales. The leader of the Welsh nationalist party, Dafydd Wigley, criticizes the scheme for not going far enough, but believes it will be accepted at the referendum on September 18. \I(UK, Wales)\i
Slobodan Milosevic is sworn in as President of Yugoslavia amid rowdy protests from more than 3,000 demonstrators. \I(Yugoslavia)\i
The Pentagon acknowledges that tens of thousands more than the estimated 20,000 American troops were exposed to fallout from exploded Iraqi chemical weapons during the Gulf War, but doubts that the mysterious illnesses reported by some veterans are related to the low-level exposures. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
More than 2,300 people evacuate their homes when the Oder River in eastern \JGermany\j bursts through one of the dikes holding the torrential flood at bay. \I(Germany)\i
Museum officials report very little damage to valuable cinematic and architectural collections after a fire sweeps across the roof of the Chaillot Palace in Paris. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"July 24, 1997",568,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) confirms, that in the interests of effective coalition government in Phnom Penh, it will accept Ung Huot as co-Prime Minister of \JCambodia\j in place of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, Southeast Asia)\i
As five Papua New Guinean hostages are released to the \JNew Zealand\j navy, Bougainville Revolutionary Army leader, Francis Ona, criticizes the move, saying he was not consulted, and declaring that the rebel's unified stand has now been violated. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
The Sri Lankan navy engages in an eight-hour battle with a flotilla of 25 Tamil Tiger rebel boats off the island's east coast. Several rebel boats and two naval boats are reported to be damaged in the engagement. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The United States Defense Department announces a proposed $US479 million deal to sell 21 Super Cobra attack helicopters to \JTaiwan\j. Defense officials say they are not anticipating any objections from Congress. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
In what he terms as "a new spirit of co-operation", newly appointed United Nations arms inspector, Australian Richard Butler, advises that UN and Iraqi officials have agreed on how to verify the dismantling of long-range missiles, and of chemical and biological weapons. \I(Iraq, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the light of concessions offered by Boeing, the European Commission recommends approval of the planned Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger. American President, Bill Clinton, is pleased with the outcome. \I(Europe, USA)\i
The United States Defense Department announces a proposed $US479 million deal to sell 21 Super Cobra attack helicopters to \JTaiwan\j. Defense officials say they are not anticipating any objections from Congress. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
In the largest damages and compensation case of its kind, the Roman Catholic Diocese of \JDallas\j is ordered to pay out nearly $US120 million for continually ignoring evidence that a priest was molesting altar boys, and then conspiring to cover it up. \I(USA)\i
The Edinburgh-based scientists who cloned "Dolly" the sheep announce the creation of five new sheep containing human genetic material. An expert on animal \Jcloning\j from the University of Missouri, Randall Prather, applauds the technological step in terms of its future practical applications, saying the large amounts of proteins produced by the animals could be used to treat cystic fibrosis and hemophilia in humans. \I(Scotland, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the light of concessions offered by Boeing, the European Commission recommends approval of the planned Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger. American President, Bill Clinton, is pleased with the outcome. \I(Europe, USA)\i
The British Government announces its intention to abolish free university tuition for all students. Formal proposals will be presented later in the year. \I(UK)\i
The IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein, warns of a potential end to the current cease-fire after Unionists reject controversial Anglo-Irish proposals for IRA disarmament. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Amid accusations of police involvement, investigations continue into the execution-style murders of five African National Congress members in the small South African town of Richmond this week. \I(South Africa)\i
In the face of mounting opposition, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, agrees to amend legislation aimed at tightening Israel's grip on the Golan Heights. The amendment will reduce the required parliamentary majority for any territorial concessions to \JSyria\j from 80 to 61. \I(Israel, Syria)\i
The \JAlbanian\j parliament elects Socialist, Rexhep Mejdani, as the country's new President. Socialist Party chairman, Fatos Nano, is asked to form a Cabinet. \I(Albania)\i
Charles Taylor, former rebel chief and initiator of \JLiberia\j's seven-year \Jcivil war\j, is officially declared the winner of the country's presidential elections with 75 per cent of the vote. \I(Liberia)\i
Algerian security forces claim to have killed Antar Zouabri, the leader of the Armed Islamic Group which has been waging a five-year insurgency against the government. \I(Algeria)\i
In what he terms as "a new spirit of co-operation", newly appointed United Nations arms inspector, Australian Richard Butler, advises that UN and Iraqi officials have agreed on how to verify the dismantling of long-range missiles, and of chemical and biological weapons. \I(Iraq, Australia)\i
Following the Swiss banks' recent world-wide publication of dormant pre-1945 bank accounts, Jewish groups claim to have identified key Nazi figures among the account-holders, and urge that the proceeds of these accounts go to "people who deserve help", rather than the heirs of Nazi criminals. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The Edinburgh-based scientists who cloned "Dolly" the sheep announce the creation of five new sheep containing human genetic material. An expert on animal \Jcloning\j from the University of Missouri, Randall Prather, applauds the technological step in terms of its future practical applications, saying the large amounts of proteins produced by the animals could be used to treat cystic fibrosis and hemophilia in humans. \I(Scotland, USA)\i
#
"July 25, 1997",569,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JJohannesburg\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, meets with East Timorese independence activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jose Ramos Horta. After the meeting, Mr. Mandela says South Africa will not try to prescribe what \JIndonesia\j should do, but indicates his country's desire to play a facilitating role in bringing an end to the prolonged violence in East \JTimor\j. \I(South Africa, East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Taiwan denies Cambodian accusations of aiding the forces of ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and threatens to retaliate if the order to shut down its representative office in Phnom Penh is not withdrawn, accusing China of \Jengineering\j the rift in Cambodian-Taiwanese relations. \I(Taiwan, \JCambodia\j, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reiterates Washington's objections to Prince Ranariddh's forced removal from power, but says it seeks to work with coup leader Hun Sen rather than against him, stressing that Washington's goal is to return \JCambodia\j to "normalcy" and a democratic path. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, denies reports that he has softened his negative stance on ASEAN mediation in his country's political affairs, saying he welcomes ASEAN's role in contributing to stability and peace, but insisting that the international community must allow \JCambodia\j to solve its own internal problems. \I(Cambodia, Southeast Asia)\i
Post-election violence sweeps the Papua New Guinea highlands, leaving up to 20 people dead and a number of villages ravaged. The violence is reportedly due to anger over tribal candidates who failed to win office. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Pakistan announces the successful testing of its indigenously produced Anza surface-to-air missile, sparking international concern that the country's arms race with India is escalating. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
On the eve of his 58th birthday, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is admitted to Sydney's Mater \JHospital\j suffering from \Jpneumonia\j. Mr. Howard is expected to be hospitalized for at least a week. \I(Australia)\i
In the face of pending corruption charges, Chief Minister of India's Bihar State, Laloo Prasad Yadav, resigns and immediately appoints his wife as his successor. \I(India)\i
The British Foreign Office expresses concern over primeval conditions at a Saudi Arabian jail where two British nurses are being held while facing trial for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. A spokesman for the Foreign Office says new efforts are under way to have defendants Deborah Parry and Lucille McLauchlan moved from Dammam central prison. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
In the first innings of the fourth Ashes cricket Test between \JAustralia\j and England at Headingley, \JAustralia\j's Jason Gillespie takes 7-37 to leave England all out for 172. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American golfing legend, Ben Hogan, dies aged 84 in a Fort Worth \Jhospital\j. \I(USA)\i
Reputed New York mob boss, Vincent "Chin" Gigante, is convicted by a trial jury of murder, conspiracy, and racketeering, but is acquitted on seven other counts of murder. \I(USA)\i
A New York federal jury finds Autumn Jackson guilty of attempting to extort $US53 million from comedian Bill Cosby. Jackson, who claims to be Cosby's illegitimate daughter, was threatening to sell her story to the \IGlobe\i supermarket tabloid. \I(USA)\i
Plans to help Africa further develop its transportation system are announced by US Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater. \I(Africa, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reiterates Washington's objections to Prince Ranariddh's forced removal from power, but says it seeks to work with coup leader Hun Sen rather than against him, stressing that Washington's goal is to return \JCambodia\j to "normalcy" and a democratic path. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Following the recent Pentagon report on the bombing of an Iraqi chemical weapons plant by American \Jaircraft\j, Britain's Ministry of Defense is expected to re-assess the possible impact of nerve gas on 50,000 British Gulf War veterans. \I(UK, USA)\i
In the wake of five ministerial resignations and scandals involving government corruption, documents published in a Peruvian magazine suggest President Alberto Fujimori was not born in \JPeru\j and is therefore ineligible to hold office. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In \JJohannesburg\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, meets with East Timorese independence activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jose Ramos Horta. After the meeting, Mr. Mandela says South Africa will not try to prescribe what \JIndonesia\j should do, but indicates his country's desire to play a facilitating role in bringing an end to the prolonged violence in East \JTimor\j. \I(South Africa, East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
Plans to help Africa further develop its transportation system are announced by US Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater. \I(Africa, USA)\i
Palestinian and Israeli leaders react angrily to a plan by \JJerusalem\j city officials to build a new housing project in an Arab neighborhood. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, intends to fight the project, saying it was approved without his knowledge. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Following the recent Pentagon report on the bombing of an Iraqi chemical weapons plant by American \Jaircraft\j, Britain's Ministry of Defense is expected to re-assess the possible impact of nerve gas on 50,000 British Gulf War veterans. \I(UK, USA)\i
At least six people are killed and an undetermined number injured when soldiers of the new Congolese Government open fire on some 1,000 demonstrators demanding political freedom and democratic elections. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
In the latest move to bring peace to Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, meets with Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and moderate nationalist leader, John Hume, ending a 17-month freeze on direct ministerial contact. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
The British Foreign Office expresses concern over primeval conditions at a Saudi Arabian jail where two British nurses are being held while facing trial for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. A spokesman for the Foreign Office says new efforts are under way to have defendants Deborah Parry and Lucille McLauchlan moved from Dammam central prison. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Embattled Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, rejects \JNATO\j's demands for the \Jextradition\j of war crime suspects, insisting that \Jextradition\j is forbidden by the country's Constitution. \I(Bosnia)\i
Ireland's Roman \JCatholic Church\j sets up a \Jtelephone\j help line for victims of child abuse by the \Jclergy\j. The move coincides with the sentencing of Roman Catholic Priest, Brendan Smythe, who is given 12 years imprisonment for child-molesting offenses committed over a period of 36 years. \I(Republic of Ireland)\i
In the first innings of the fourth Ashes cricket Test between \JAustralia\j and England at Headingley, \JAustralia\j's Jason Gillespie takes 7-37 to leave England all out for 172. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"July 26, 1997",570,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a bid to resolve tension in the disputed state of Kashmir, India's Prime Minister, Inder Gujral, offers direct negotiations with Kashmiri Muslim guerrillas who are fighting to break away from New Delhi. At the same time, Mr. Gujral urges \JPakistan\j to cease its infiltration of militants to back the separatist rebellion. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, hold their fourth meeting this year, widening their discussion to include topics such as environmental protection and \JNATO\j's eastern expansion. \I(USA, China)\i
Aid workers are allowed their first access to more than 13,000 \JCambodia\j civilians who have fled the fighting in the country's north to take refuge on the Thai border. The desperate refugees say they have no rice and no clean \Jwater\j. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
In the Tri Nations Rugby Test played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 33-18 victory over the Australian Wallabies. \I(Australia, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, hold their fourth meeting this year, widening their discussion to include topics such as environmental protection and \JNATO\j's eastern expansion. \I(USA, China)\i
Reiterating charges of American involvement in the recent bombing of two \JHavana\j hotels, \JCuba\j accuses Washington of being too soft on "anti-Cuban terrorists" living in the United States. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
Aides of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, assure Washington that Israel will not permit another Jewish settler enclave to be built in Arab East \JJerusalem\j at this point in time. The assurance comes after the revelation of plans by \JJerusalem\j city officials to build a new housing project. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Reports indicate that the Clinton Administration will not oppose the installation of a billion dollar pipeline to carry huge quantities of Central Asian \Jnatural gas\j across \JIran\j. Although the administration is reported not to endorse the pipeline, it "does not technically violate" the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
The Pentagon discloses that the United Arab Emirates hopes to purchase 72 RIM-7M Seasparrow missiles and 24 RGM-84g-4 Harpoon missiles from the United States. \I(USA, The United Arab Emirates)\i
In response to requests from Mexico, and other countries which fish for \Jtuna\j in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, the US Senate agrees on legislation to lift the embargo on \Jtuna\j caught in nets capable of snaring dolphins, with the proviso that fish caught in such nets are banned from being labeled "dolphin safe". \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Despite the current impasse on the surrender of IRA weapons, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, is informed he will be allowed to enter the United States to raise funds, some of which will contribute to the cost of legal advice in preparation for the September 15 all-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At an air show in the Belgian coastal town of \JOstend\j, at least eight people die and dozens are injured when a Jordanian air force plane, participating in an aerobatics display, appears to lose power and then plummets into a Red Cross tent. \I(\JBelgium\j, Jordan)\i
Aides of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, assure Washington that Israel will not permit another Jewish settler enclave to be built in Arab East \JJerusalem\j at this point in time. The assurance comes after the revelation of plans by \JJerusalem\j city officials to build a new housing project. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Reports indicate that the Clinton Administration will not oppose the installation of a billion dollar pipeline to carry huge quantities of Central Asian \Jnatural gas\j across \JIran\j. Although the administration is reported not to endorse the pipeline, it "does not technically violate" the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
The Pentagon discloses that the United Arab Emirates hopes to purchase 72 RIM-7M Seasparrow missiles and 24 RGM-84g-4 Harpoon missiles from the United States. \I(USA, The United Arab Emirates)\i
Despite the current impasse on the surrender of IRA weapons, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, is informed he will be allowed to enter the United States to raise funds, some of which will contribute to the cost of legal advice in preparation for the September 15 all-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
#
"July 27, 1997",571,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In defiance of \JBangladesh\j officials, thousands of Muslim refugees from \JMyanmar\j fortify their camps and repel attempts to repatriate them, insisting they will only return to \JMyanmar\j if the \JRangoon\j Government gives them formal documents of nationality, guarantees human rights, ensures economic equity, and puts an end to Muslim persecution. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Bangladesh)\i
The United States modifies its conditions for accepting the Hun Sen regime in \JCambodia\j, droppings its demands for the reinstatement of ousted First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and postponing further action while ASEAN ministers seek a political solution to the crisis. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
American journalist, Nate Thayer, claims to have seen the notoriously elusive Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, in northern \JCambodia\j, but Thayer is declining to reveal details until his story is published in the Hong-Kong based, \IFar Eastern Economic Review.\i Adding weight to Thayer's claim, the clandestine Khmer Rouge radio announces that Pol Pot was convicted of \Jtreason\j at a trial last Friday and sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j. \I(Cambodia, Hong Kong, USA)\i
After a weekend of heavy fighting, official reports from \JAfghanistan\j say the Islamic Taliban militia has successfully repulsed rival faction infantry attacks on two fronts around the capital of Kabul. Meanwhile, as the battle for possession of Kabul intensifies, frightened residents of the city believe up to 2,500 people have been taken into custody by Taliban police. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Following rumors that \JThailand\j's military is unhappy with the recent constitution drafting process, top military chiefs move to dispel speculation of a possible coup to resolve the country's political and economic problems, insisting that force will not be necessary. \I(Thailand)\i
Disregarding an official ban, supporters of ousted democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, march through Jakarta to mark the first anniversary of a police-backed raid on the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party, a raid which sparked riots at the time and left five people dead and scores of buildings on fire. As a consequence of this year's illegal march, 55 people are arrested. \I(Indonesia)\i
Despite renewed efforts by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, \JAustralia\j fails to win Malaysian endorsement for membership of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), an important new forum linking the nations of East Asia and the European Union. \I(Australia, \JMalaysia\j, East Asia, Europe)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is to visit India and \JPakistan\j later this year, the first official visit of its kind in more than a decade. \I(USA, India, Pakistan)\i
Typhoon Rosie hits southwestern \JJapan\j with winds of up to 144 kph, killing four people and injuring dozens. \I(Japan)\i
At the end of the first innings in the fourth Ashes cricket Test between \JAustralia\j and England, \JAustralia\j holds a lead of 329 after declaring 9 for 501. Prior to the lunch-time declaration, \JAustralia\j's Matthew Elliot is bowled by Darren Gough for 199. \I(Australia, England)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States modifies its conditions for accepting the Hun Sen regime in \JCambodia\j, droppings its demands for the reinstatement of ousted First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and postponing further action while ASEAN ministers seek a political solution to the crisis. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
American journalist, Nate Thayer, claims to have seen the notoriously elusive Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, in northern \JCambodia\j, but Thayer is declining to reveal details until his story is published in the Hong-Kong based, \IFar Eastern Economic Review.\i Adding weight to Thayer's claim, the clandestine Khmer Rouge radio announces that Pol Pot was convicted of \Jtreason\j at a trial last Friday and sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j. \I(Cambodia, Hong Kong, USA)\i
In the face of mounting Israeli and international protests, Miami-based property developer, Irving Moscowitz, agrees to suspend city council-approved plans to build a Jewish settler enclave in an Arab neighborhood of \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is to visit India and \JPakistan\j later this year, the first official visit of its kind in more than a decade. \I(USA, India, Pakistan)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j wins her eighth WTA Tour title this year, defeating \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez in the final of the Bank of the West Classic hardcourt tennis event in Stanford, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Switzerland, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the face of mounting Israeli and international protests, Miami-based property developer, Irving Moscowitz, agrees to suspend city council-approved plans to build a Jewish settler enclave in an Arab neighborhood of \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel, USA)\i
More than 20,000 pro-ETA demonstrators march through the streets of San Sebastian in the largest show of political support since the killing of a Basque politician by ETA separatist rebels earlier this month. After the march, which proceeds peacefully, violence erupts when hooded people clash with police. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
Sinn Fein's vice-president, Pat Doherty, and other senior party representatives hold their first talks with British officials since the new cease-fire was declared by the IRA. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Despite renewed efforts by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, \JAustralia\j fails to win Malaysian endorsement for membership of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), an important new forum linking the nations of East Asia and the European Union. \I(Australia, \JMalaysia\j, East Asia, Europe)\i
In the wake of recent bloody demonstrations, new Congolese President, Laurent Kabila, warns opposition leaders to halt their public protests or be held responsible for those "who fall under fire", declaring that demonstrations against the ban on political activity are illegal during the country's period of "political transition." \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
After a battle lasting nearly 48 hours, firefighters manage to contain huge forest fires threatening property outside Marseilles. The fires are the worst in the area for five years. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
A third dike reinforcing the raging Oder River between \JGermany\j and \JPoland\j bursts, flooding the area around the German villages of Brieskow-Finkenheerd and Wiesenau, and necessitating the evacuation of 67 people. Officials say up to 2,700 people have already been evacuated from the lowlands south of Frankfurt, while to the north-east of Berlin, about 5,000 have been evacuated as a precautionary measure. In \JPoland\j, some 40,000 people are still homeless as a result of the floods. \I(Germany, Poland)\i
Jan Ullrich wins the Tour de \JFrance\j, becoming the first German cyclist to do so, and posting the largest margin of victory in 13 years, finishing nine minutes and nine seconds ahead of Frenchman, Richard Virenque. \I(\JGermany\j, France)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j wins her eighth WTA Tour title this year, defeating \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez in the final of the Bank of the West Classic hardcourt tennis event in Stanford, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Switzerland, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
Austria's Gerhard Berger, the oldest driver on the Formula One circuit, wins the German Grand Prix, giving Benetton-Renault its first victory since 1995. \I(Austria, \JGermany\j)\i
At the end of the first innings in the fourth Ashes cricket Test between \JAustralia\j and England, \JAustralia\j holds a lead of 329 after declaring 9 for 501. Prior to the lunch-time declaration, \JAustralia\j's Matthew Elliot is bowled by Darren Gough for 199. \I(Australia, England)\i
#
"July 28, 1997",572,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After a six-month recess, \JCambodia\j's National Assembly is opened by acting head of state, Chea Sim, who praises the government's success in purging the Khmer Rouge terrorists and First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
Video footage of Pol Pot's trial in the northern Cambodian Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng goes to air on American \Jtelevision\j. Journalistic source, Nate Thayer, whose eye-witness account of the trial is yet to be published, remains convinced it is not "a hoax", that Pol Pot is indeed "finished". Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, on the other hand, scoffs at the show trial of the shadowy Khmer Rouge leader, calling it a "political game", and insisting that Pol Pot is still controlling guerrilla forces in the country's north. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
On the order of the Hun Sen regime, \JTaiwan\j withdraws its representatives and closes its office in Phnom Penh, denying accusations of complicity in \JCambodia\j's political strife, and blaming \JBeijing\j for \Jengineering\j the rift in relations. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, applauds the order, saying \JCambodia\j has made the correct decision. \I(Taiwan, \JCambodia\j, China)\i
Speaking at an ASEAN conference in Kuala Lumpur, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, condemns \JMyanmar\j's drug trade, pointing out that traffickers are infiltrating the country's market economy and political order, thereby posing a threat to the region as a whole. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, reiterates his 1994 call to demilitarize strategic lanes in the South China Sea, pointing to China's expanding economy which, he says, will inevitably press politically and militarily on East Asia. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, China, East Asia)\i
The newly elected Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Bill Skate, orders a stay on all charges against soldiers and \Jcivil rights\j activists involved in an uprising against the Government during the Sandline mercenaries crisis in March. The order comes after armed soldiers storm police cells to release Major Walter Enuma, and announce that Defense Force Commander, Brigadier General Leo Niua, is being placed under house arrest. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Following reports of standover Korean loan sharking operations at the Sydney Harbour Casino, \JAustralia\j's Ambassador in Seoul, Mack Williams, says Korean authorities have offered to co-operate with Australian police agencies to stem the tide of Korean gang members entering the country. \I(Australia, The Koreas)\i
In an address to ASEAN members and major partners, Canada's Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, tries to gain added support for his country's push for a global ban on anti-personnel mines. \I(Canada, Southeast Asia)\i
Ten miners, trapped inside a flooded \Jcoal\j mine in China's Guangdong province, are now feared dead by rescue workers who have been struggling since Saturday to reach them. The disaster is the latest in a series which has prompted the \Jcoal\j ministry to hold mine officials liable for accidents resulting in the deaths of 10 or more people. \I(China)\i
Under the terms of a landmark agreement reached three years ago between Washington and \JPyongyang\j, two South Korean barges carrying 9,000 tons of equipment leave for the North to begin construction of light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
Reports reveal that China has purchased two Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-powered submarines from \JRussia\j at a cost of $US200 million. \I(China, Russia)\i
Seni Pramoj, leader of the Seri Thai anti-Japanese movement during World War II and three times Prime Minister of \JThailand\j, dies in \JBangkok\j General \JHospital\j at the age of 92. \I(Thailand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Video footage of Pol Pot's trial in the northern Cambodian Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng goes to air on American \Jtelevision\j. Journalistic source, Nate Thayer, whose eye-witness account of the trial is yet to be published, remains convinced it is not "a hoax", that Pol Pot is indeed "finished". Cambodian coup leader, Hun Sen, on the other hand, scoffs at the show trial of the shadowy Khmer Rouge leader, calling it a "political game", and insisting that Pol Pot is still controlling guerrilla forces in the country's north. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Speaking at an ASEAN conference in Kuala Lumpur, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, condemns \JMyanmar\j's drug trade, pointing out that traffickers are infiltrating the country's market economy and political order, thereby posing a threat to the region as a whole. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
In an address to ASEAN members and major partners, Canada's Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, tries to gain added support for his country's push for a global ban on anti-personnel mines. \I(Canada, Southeast Asia)\i
Under the terms of a landmark agreement reached three years ago between Washington and \JPyongyang\j, two South Korean barges carrying 9,000 tons of equipment leave for the North to begin construction of light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
General Motors signs a deal worth approximately $US1 billion to sponsor the next six \JOlympic Games\j, a deal far surpassing any previous sports package created for an advertiser. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Algerian troops claim to have killed more than 300 Muslim rebels in a two-week offensive, with scores more trapped in mountains to the northeast. Army officials are now warning villagers to be on the alert for retaliatory bomb attacks and massacres. \I(Algeria)\i
After a four-month freeze in negotiations, Israel and Palestine agree to resume peace talks on a limited range of issues. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In flood-threatened eastern \JGermany\j, dikes resist overnight pressure from the swollen Oder River, but residents, warned against complacency, remain ready for possible evacuation. \I(Germany)\i
Reports reveal that China has purchased two Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-powered submarines from \JRussia\j at a cost of $US200 million. \I(China, Russia)\i
#
"July 29, 1997",573,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following abortive efforts to encourage democratic reforms in \JMyanmar\j, Canada is considering joining the United States in imposing sanctions on trade and investment, determined not to allow \JMyanmar\j to profit from its new status as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). \I(Canada, USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
In a reversal of his recent stand against ASEAN mediation in \JCambodia\j's internal politics, coup leader Hun Sen says he ready to welcome another delegation from the regional group. Meanwhile, ASEAN's foreign ministers are seeking clarification on what role the group would play in attempts to bring stability to the strife-torn country. \I(Cambodia)\i
Crowds of Cambodians gather round ABC \Jtelevision\j monitors in Phnom Penh to watch footage of the recent show trial of despised Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. \I(Cambodia)\i
Cambodia's ministry of defense announces the safe release of four airforce \Jhelicopter\j pilots captured by the Khmer Rouge while transporting Prince Norodom Ranariddh's negotiators to the rebel group's northern jungle base for peace talks. \I(Cambodia)\i
Papua New Guinea's Defense Force Commander, Brigadier General Leo Nuia, who was yesterday placed under armed house arrest by mutinous soldiers, adamantly rejects a controversial decision by the Prime Minister, Bill Skate, to grant temporary amnesty to the soldiers and other military and civilian personnel involved in demonstrations over the Sandline mercenaries affair in March this year. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
A Hong Kong appeals court unanimously crushes a challenge to the legal and constitutional arrangements which took effect when the territory reverted to Chinese sovereignty four weeks ago, ruling that Hong Kong's legal system continued after the transfer, and that the \JBeijing\j-installed Provisional Legislative Council is legally entitled to administer the territory. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
A recent offer of talks by Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, is spurned by Kashmiri separatist guerrillas who are fighting to break away from New Delhi. \I(India)\i
Despite uneasy relations with China, \JTaiwan\j affirms its intention of proceeding with plans to streamline military personnel while building up its reserves of sophisticated weaponry. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
The United States and the European Union strongly reject a push by \JMalaysia\j for a review of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights. \JMalaysia\j argues that the declaration, drawn up by the superpowers after World War II, disregards the needs of poor countries, an argument firmly supported by \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, and China. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, China, USA, Europe)\i
Echoing recent concerns voiced by the United Nations World Food Program, the president of Food for the Hungry International, Ted Yamamori, says at least 5 million North Koreans are suffering from starvation in a national food crisis that is reaching the proportions of the Somalian and Ethiopian famines. \I(North Korea, \JSomalia\j, Ethiopia)\i
In central Vietnam's Thua-Thien \JHue\j province, an official hunt is underway for two drunken border soldiers who shot dead seven people and injured four others before seizing ammunition and escaping. \I(Vietnam)\i
The Senate panel investigating US campaign fundraising scandals is told that former restaurant owner, Charlie Trie, who donated $US220,000 to the Democratic National Committee, set up a network of shell companies which laundered money from an Asian business associate. \I(USA, Asia)\i
A report released by the World Wide Fund For Nature predicts the imminent commercial \Jextinction\j of the southern bluefin \Jtuna\j, a fish caught primarily for the Japanese sashimi trade, and sold for prices exceeding $US60,000 each. Stricter catch restrictions, affecting \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, and \JNew Zealand\j, are expected to be imposed. \I(Japan, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Australia posts a $A153 million trade surplus for the month of June, the biggest in its history, bringing the trade surplus for the 1996-97 financial year to $A2.8 billion, and decisively reversing the 1994-95 trend which recorded a deficit of $A8.6 billion. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Five people are confirmed dead and twenty people are missing after a freak \Jthunderstorm\j causes massive flash flooding in Fort Collins, \JColorado\j. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton delivers a moving eulogy at the funeral of former US Supreme Court Justice, William Brennan, the man whose rulings were responsible for the country's landmark \Jcivil rights\j laws. Brennan died at the age of 91 last week after a long illness. \I(USA)\i
A Greenpeace report claims that the Alaskan Bering \JGlacier\j, the largest in \JNorth America\j, has shrunk by up to 71/2 miles over the past century as a result of global warming. \I(USA)\i
Following abortive efforts to encourage democratic reforms in \JMyanmar\j, Canada is considering joining the United States in imposing sanctions on trade and investment, determined not to allow \JMyanmar\j to profit from its new status as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). \I(Canada, USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
The Pentagon says it is withdrawing anti-drug ground patrols of the Mexican border pending the outcome of a review. According to a spokesman, the chief focus of the review is to determine whether troops have adequate protection from civil or criminal liability for their actions, a focus prompted by the May shooting of an 18 year old student by a US marine. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Miami's City Commissioner, Humberto Hernandez, is one of 13 people indicted in an alleged $US8 million mortgage \Jfraud\j and money-laundering scheme involving luxury condominiums in prime neighborhoods. \I(USA)\i
The Senate panel investigating US campaign fundraising scandals is told that former restaurant owner, Charlie Trie, who donated $US220,000 to the Democratic National Committee, set up a network of shell companies which laundered money from an Asian business associate. \I(USA, Asia)\i
After the recent revival of diplomatic activity in the \JMiddle East\j, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, is to meet with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and present new proposals to help boost the peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The United States and the European Union strongly reject a push by \JMalaysia\j for a review of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights. \JMalaysia\j argues that the declaration, drawn up by the superpowers after World War II, disregards the needs of poor countries, an argument firmly supported by \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, and China. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, China, USA, Europe)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations war crimes tribunal discloses that forensic specialists are excavating a suspected mass grave on the site of the former Serb-run Luka prison camp in the north Bosnian town of Brcko. The excavation is being carried out in connection with the alleged 1992 massacre of hundreds of Muslim and Croat men, and the subsequent charges of genocide against two Serb men who still remain at large. \I(Bosnia)\i
Algerian newspapers report that armed Muslim guerrillas have killed more than 70 villagers in the past 48 hours, attacks believed to be in retaliation for the recent two-week military offensive during which some 300 fundamentalist rebels died. \I(Algeria)\i
Eleven people are hospitalized when police use batons, dogs, and \Jwater\j cannons to disperse thousands of Islamists protesting against attempts by Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, to curtail religious education. \I(Turkey)\i
After the recent revival of diplomatic activity in the \JMiddle East\j, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, is to meet with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and present new proposals to help boost the peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Echoing recent concerns voiced by the United Nations World Food Program, the president of Food for the Hungry International, Ted Yamamori, says at least 5 million North Koreans are suffering from starvation in a national food crisis that is reaching the proportions of the Somalian and Ethiopian famines. \I(North Korea, \JSomalia\j, Ethiopia)\i
Despite an unresolved dispute over the terms of IRA disarmament, Britain and Ireland vow to proceed with September's Northern Ireland multi-party peace talks, expressing hopes that pro-British unionists will forgo their reservations and join the negotiations. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
The United States and the European Union strongly reject a push by \JMalaysia\j for a review of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights. \JMalaysia\j argues that the declaration, drawn up by the superpowers after World War II, disregards the needs of poor countries, an argument firmly supported by \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, and China. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j, The \JPhilippines\j, China, USA, Europe)\i
Germany launches a new offensive against child abuse, child \Jpornography\j, and sex tourism, combining plans for harsher punishment with schemes for preventative education, and lobbying law enforcement authorities in other countries to similarly address the problem. \I(Germany)\i
In a report to the Palestinian Legislative Council, President Yasser Arafat is urged by an appointed panel of nine lawmakers to sack his entire cabinet, and put at least two of his ministers on trial for alleged corruption and misuse of power. \I(Palestine)\i
#
"July 30, 1997",574,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The \Jhelicopter\j pilots who transported an 11-member negotiating team to Khmer Rouge headquarters in northern \JCambodia\j last February reveal that the team was executed by the guerrillas. Meanwhile, having staged a jungle trial to publicly denounce reviled leader, Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge broadcasts its intention to keep fighting the Hun Sen regime, claiming their movement to be stronger than ever. \I(Cambodia)\i
At least 20 people are buried beneath hundreds of tons of rubble when a landslide demolishes two ski lodges at Thredbo in the Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j. Most of those trapped are employees of the Thredbo Village Resort. \I(Australia)\i
A South Korean resident of \JJapan\j, 40-year-old travel agent Yoo Yoong Bum, is arrested by South Korea's domestic intelligence agency on charges of spying for North Korea. \I(The Koreas, Japan)\i
A Washington spokesman confirms that Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, has applied for a transit visa. Despite likely protests from China, the visa is expected to be issued. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
Having split India's ruling party and installed his wife as his political successor, former chief minister of Bihar State, Laloo Prasad Yadav, surrenders himself to face corruption charges. Yadav is accused on seven counts of conspiring to defraud the state treasury of money meant to pay for fodder subsidies, a scam estimated to have cost the state some hundreds of millions of pounds. \I(India)\i
Gang violence erupts in Portuguese-ruled \JMacao\j with three people injured by \Jmachine-gun\j fire, cars set alight, and an explosion in the grounds of the Governor's palace. The violence occurs a week after the introduction of tough new anti-Triad regulations to crack down on casino-related rackets. \I(\JPortugal\j, Macao)\i
After a meeting with Portuguese President, Jorge Sampaio, South African President, Nelson Mandela, says he has written to \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, recommending the release of jailed East \JTimor\j independence leader, Xanana Gusmao. Mr. Mandela adds that all current efforts on behalf of East \JTimor\j are within the framework of resolutions passed by the United Nations. \I(\JPortugal\j, South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Speaking before the United Nations Working Group for Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, \JAustralia\j's Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Senator Herron, apologizes for the stolen generation of Aboriginal children, and adds that the Government is now seeking to free indigenous Australians by promoting greater economic independence. \I(Australia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Nicaragua denounces China for threatening to make it "pay the price" if it continues to support \JTaiwan\j's bid for United Nations membership. The denunciation comes after general distribution of China's letter of protest to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. \I(Nicaragua, China, Taiwan)\i
Following a mass gathering to denounce drugs, 14 drug traffickers are executed as sentenced by the \JGuangzhou\j Intermediary Court. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
While continuing to emphasize the danger, the United States lifts a 12-year ban on US citizens visiting \JLebanon\j, an action prompted by \JLebanon\j's pledge to step up the fight against \Jterrorism\j. The ban was originally imposed after Muslim extremists hijacked a TWA airliner and killed an American passenger. \I(USA, Lebanon)\i
A Washington spokesman confirms that Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, has applied for a transit visa. Despite likely protests from China, the visa is expected to be issued. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
Nicaragua denounces China for threatening to make it "pay the price" if it continues to support \JTaiwan\j's bid for United Nations membership. The denunciation comes after general distribution of China's letter of protest to the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. \I(Nicaragua, China, Taiwan)\i
A rush on Wall Street sends the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 80.36 points to a record-breaking 8254.89. The Dow has already risen 28 per cent this year, more than it rose in all of last year. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fifteen Israelis are killed and more than 100 injured when two suicide bombers detonate themselves in \JJerusalem\j's crowded central market. The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, claims responsibility for the attack and issues a Sunday 2 p.m. EDT deadline for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. As a result of the violence, Israel calls off peace talks with Palestine, slating President Yasser Arafat for failing to co-operate against the terrorists. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
While continuing to emphasize the danger, the United States lifts a 12-year ban on US citizens visiting \JLebanon\j, an action prompted by \JLebanon\j's pledge to step up the fight against \Jterrorism\j. The ban was originally imposed after Muslim extremists hijacked a TWA airliner and killed an American passenger. \I(USA, Lebanon)\i
Gang violence erupts in Portuguese-ruled \JMacao\j with three people injured by \Jmachine-gun\j fire, cars set alight, and an explosion in the grounds of the Governor's palace. The violence occurs a week after the introduction of tough new anti-Triad regulations to crack down on casino-related rackets. \I(\JPortugal\j, Macao)\i
A key dike holding back the flooded Oder River breaks, threatening the homes and livelihoods of some 1,000 villagers on the German-Polish border. \I(\JGermany\j, \JPoland\j)\i
After a meeting with Portuguese President, Jorge Sampaio, South African President, Nelson Mandela, says he has written to \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, recommending the release of jailed East \JTimor\j independence leader, Xanana Gusmao. Mr. Mandela adds that all current efforts on behalf of East \JTimor\j are within the framework of resolutions passed by the United Nations. \I(\JPortugal\j, South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Milan Kovacevic, the Bosnian Serb doctor seized in a \JNATO\j-led raid three weeks ago, pleads not guilty to charges of genocide when he appears before the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. \I(Bosnia, Netherlands)\i
Speaking before the United Nations Working Group for Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, \JAustralia\j's Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Senator Herron, apologizes for the stolen generation of Aboriginal children, and adds that the Government is now seeking to free indigenous Australians by promoting greater economic independence. \I(Australia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"July 31, 1997",575,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Hong Kong-based magazine, \IFar Eastern Economic Review,\i publishes the report of American journalist Nate Thayer, the first Westerner in 18 years to sight notorious Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. Detailed in Thayer's report is an interview with General Im Nguon, who stresses the guerrilla movement's break with Pol Pot, while reiterating its allegiance to ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. As the instigator of Pol Pot's show trial, Im Nguon now claims to be the movement's military chief and deputy political leader, but concedes that Ta Mok, otherwise known as "the butcher", effectively remains in control of the rebel forces. \I(\JCambodia\j, USA)\i
United Nations human rights workers in \JCambodia\j believe more than 35 people have been victims of extra-judicial killings during and after the July 5 and 6 coup by forces loyal to Hun Sen. Acting on information from sources, UN workers have already unearthed a body they suspect to be that of a bodyguard of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
A massive round-the-clock search and rescue operation to recover 20 people buried by a landslide in the Australian ski resort of Thredbo is severely hampered by sub-zero temperatures and the precarious instability of the site. With one body already discovered beneath tons of twisted debris, hopes of finding anyone alive are fading. \I(Australia)\i
At a rally to mark the 70th anniversary of the formation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, calls on the military to back the Communist Party and obey its absolute command, saying the PLA should become a strong, modernized army equipped to guard national security and achieve reunification. \I(China)\i
Despite strong international opposition, the Indian Government decides to renew work on its Agni \Jballistic missile\j, a long-range weapon capable of striking targets deep inside China or \JPakistan\j. \I(India, China, Pakistan)\i
At least 27 people are killed and hundreds injured when a false fire alarm triggers a stampede of workers in a \JDhaka\j garment factory. The factory was operating despite a general strike, and police are not ruling out union involvement. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Hong Kong leader, Tung Chee-hwa, celebrates the territory's first month as part of China, declaring that nothing has changed, and Hong Kong still remains a free market economy with its people free to express their political views. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
At a meeting of the Ministerial Council on Drugs Trafficking, approval is granted for a controversial heroin trial to proceed in the \JAustralian Capital Territory\j. The trial will treat 40 addicts using pharmaceutical heroin (diacetylmorphine). \I(Australia)\i
In defiance of directions from Prime Minister, Bill Skate, Papua New Guinea police re-issue an arrest warrant for Major Walter Enuma, the officer earlier freed from jail in a raid by mutinous soldiers. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee investigating US campaign fundraising abuses hears that a Buddhist sect, led by a Vietnamese woman now living in \JTaiwan\j, was the source of almost $US800,000 in contributions to President Clinton's legal defense fund. Meanwhile, the first Korean-American elected to congress, Republican Rep. Jay Kim, agrees to plead guilty to charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions from corporations and from a foreigner. Kim's wife June is also charged with campaign finance violations. \I(USA, Vietnam, \JTaiwan\j, The Koreas)\i
The United Nations World Food Program launches another appeal to Western countries for more aid to North Korea, saying the entire North Korean population is threatened by \Jfamine\j. \I(North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a dawn raid on a Brooklyn apartment, police arrest three men of Middle Eastern origin and seize five bombs apparently intended to blow up the New York City subway. \I(USA)\i
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee investigating US campaign fundraising abuses hears that a Buddhist sect, led by a Vietnamese woman now living in \JTaiwan\j, was the source of almost $US800,000 in contributions to President Clinton's legal defense fund. Meanwhile, the first Korean-American elected to congress, Republican Rep. Jay Kim, agrees to plead guilty to charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions from corporations and from a foreigner. Kim's wife June is also charged with campaign finance violations. \I(USA, Vietnam, \JTaiwan\j, The Koreas)\i
The Hong Kong-based magazine, \IFar Eastern Economic Review,\i publishes the report of American journalist Nate Thayer, the first Westerner in 18 years to sight notorious Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. Detailed in Thayer's report is an interview with General Im Nguon, who stresses the guerrilla movement's break with Pol Pot, while reiterating its allegiance to ousted co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. As the instigator of Pol Pot's show trial, Im Nguon now claims to be the movement's military chief and deputy political leader, but concedes that Ta Mok, otherwise known as "the butcher", effectively remains in control of the rebel forces. \I(\JCambodia\j, USA)\i
In the wake of \JUNESCO\j's threats to drop the Galapagos Islands from its list of world heritage sites, \JEcuador\j moves to restrict tourism and \Jimmigration\j in a bid to protect the islands from further environmental damage. \I(Ecuador)\i
The French Government says it will assert legal title to a 17th-century shipwreck salvaged by the state of \JTexas\j in 1995, claiming that \ILa Belle\i was the property of \JLouis XIV\j when it sank in Matagorda Bay, off \JTexas\j, in 1686. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
Based on data sent back from the Pathfinder craft, space officials issue a \Jweather\j forecast for Mars: cloudy, with winds light from the west, and a daytime \Jtemperature\j of 8║ Fahrenheit. \I(USA)\i
Dr. Robert Ballard, the American marine archaeologist who discovered the wrecks of the \ITitanic\i and the \IBismarck,\i discloses details of the recent deep-\Jwater\j \Jsonar\j detection of a cluster of eight shipwrecks in the Mediterranean trading route that once linked ancient \JRome\j with \JCarthage\j. Five of the ships date from between 100BC to AD400, and some well-preserved artifacts, recovered by a remote-controlled robot vessel, include a range of bronze and clay cookware, and a cargo of granite building stones and monolithic columns. \I(USA, The Mediterranean)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following this week's double suicide bombing in \JJerusalem\j, Israel closes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, rounds up suspected Muslim militants, and issues an arrest warrant against Palestinian police chief, Ghazi Jabali, for allegedly encouraging attacks on Jewish settlers. Israel also warns that it is prepared to enter Palestinian territory to pursue terrorists if President Yasser Arafat's forces fail to do the job. Arafat's aides, meanwhile, regard Israel's moves as "a declaration of war". \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In an attack bearing the hallmarks of Muslim militants, a car bomb explodes in front of a bar in \JAlgiers\j, killing five people and wounding at least 36. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), a Northern Ireland Protestant extremist group, refuses to call a cease-fire, scorning the July 20 truce called by its foes in the Irish Republic Army (IRA). \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Near Hohenwutzen, thousands of German soldiers, aid workers, and villagers fight to prevent a damaged dike on the Oder River from bursting completely and unleashing a potentially catastrophic flood. Elsewhere in Europe, flooding starts to ease, but the governments of \JPoland\j and the Czech Republic both fear that the cost of flood damage could seriously retard economic growth in their countries. \I(\JGermany\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
Spain's Prime Minister, JosΘ Marφa Aznar, promises new and more efficient laws after \JBarcelona\j police arrest 12 people in connection with a child \Jpornography\j and prostitution ring. The ring, which exported material throughout Europe and is suspected of operating for nearly a decade, used official medical and social services records to procure vulnerable children as young as five. \I(Spain)\i
The French Government says it will assert legal title to a 17th-century shipwreck salvaged by the state of \JTexas\j in 1995, claiming that \ILa Belle\i was the property of \JLouis XIV\j when it sank in Matagorda Bay, off \JTexas\j, in 1686. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
In a landmark breakthrough, the leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities agree to simultaneously exchange information on the location of graves of people listed as missing in past hostilities between the two sides. \I(Cyprus)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, promises to take all the necessary measures after the Legislative Council gives him one month to dissolve his cabinet and appoint another. The council's ultimatum is in response to a scathing report on widespread official corruption. \I(Palestine)\i
Dr. Robert Ballard, the American marine archaeologist who discovered the wrecks of the \ITitanic\i and the \IBismarck,\i discloses details of the recent deep-\Jwater\j \Jsonar\j detection of a cluster of eight shipwrecks in the Mediterranean trading route that once linked ancient \JRome\j with \JCarthage\j. Five of the ships date from between 100BC to AD400, and some well-preserved artifacts, recovered by a remote-controlled robot vessel, include a range of bronze and clay cookware, and a cargo of granite building stones and monolithic columns. \I(USA, The Mediterranean)\i
#
"August 1, 1997",576,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, threatens to launch a military attack to capture Pol Pot if the Khmer Rouge refuses to surrender the former guerrilla leader to face an international court. Hun Sen says he will also appeal to the Thai Government to close the border north of the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng. Meanwhile, some 2,000 civilian refugees continue to pour into the eastern Thai province of Sa Kaew, fleeing renewed fighting north of the Cambodian border town of Poipet, one of the last strongholds of the country's royalist forces. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Violence erupts across the Indian state of Bihar as workers stage a general strike over the arrest of Laloo Prasad Yadav, the state's former chief minister who is charged with embezzling millions in government funds; thousands of paramilitary troops and police are deployed to combat widespread looting and violence. \I(India)\i
Fighting flares in northern \JSri Lanka\j as government troops clash with a large group of Tamil Tiger rebels, killing at least 50. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Hundreds of pro-Communist South Korean students face arrest for defying a government order to withdraw from the outlawed Hanchongryon federation of student councils. The order to quit the radical pro-North Korean group came in June, after four days of student rioting claimed the lives of three people. \I(The Koreas)\i
In the Jakarta High Court, Megawati Sukarnoputri is granted a district court hearing, her first victory in a prolonged legal battle against a government-backed faction which unilaterally deposed her as head of the Indonesian Democracy Party in June 1996. \I(Indonesia)\i
The London-based \JTibet\j Information Network says Chinese re-education teams are forcing Tibetan monks and nuns to denounce the Dalai Lama as a serpent's head and a threat to \JBuddhism\j. \I(China, \JTibet\j, UK)\i
Under the terms of a new partnership agenda, \JJapan\j and \JAustralia\j agree to increase military and intelligence exchanges to help bolster defense ties. \I(Japan, Australia)\i
In a campaign to become a smoke-free nation, \JSingapore\j bans smoking in colleges, schools, private clubs, and air-conditioned shops, adding to earlier bans imposed on smoking in air-conditioned workplaces and residential buildings. \I(Singapore)\i
A NASA astrophysicist finds what he believes to be the fossilized remains of extraterrestrial microorganisms in the Murchison \Jmeteorite\j that fell on \JAustralia\j in 1969. If validated, the find will provide the scientific community with more evidence that life may exist beyond Earth. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Japanese twins, Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, celebrate their 105th birthday, suggesting that their daily two-hour exercise walks could be the secret to their longevity. \I(Japan)\i
After living exiled in \JFrance\j for four decades, the last Vietnamese Emperor, Bao Dai, dies aged 83 at a military \Jhospital\j in Paris. \I(France, Vietnam)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Law enforcement sources claim that three men arrested in connection with an alleged New York subway suicide bombing plot are linked to the radical Palestinian group, Hamas. President Clinton, however, says it is too soon to reach conclusions without ironclad evidence. \I(USA, Palestine)\i
President Clinton ends a 20-year ban on the sale of high-tech US warplanes and weapons to \JLatin America\j, a move keenly sought by the Pentagon, arms dealers, and Latin American governments. \I(USA, Latin America)\i
In his first visit to the \JWhite House\j, Azeri President, Haydar Aliyev, signs an investment treaty which forges stronger commercial links between the United States and oil-rich \JAzerbaijan\j. \I(USA, Azerbaijan)\i
A NASA astrophysicist finds what he believes to be the fossilized remains of extraterrestrial microorganisms in the Murchison \Jmeteorite\j that fell on \JAustralia\j in 1969. If validated, the find will provide the scientific community with more evidence that life may exist beyond Earth. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Four hours after abandoning a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier sinking in the Indian Ocean, all 21 crew members are picked up by a British tanker. \I(Panama, UK)\i
Prompted by official reports of more volcanic eruptions on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, Britain considers evacuating the island's remaining 5,000 residents. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
After performing neuropsychological tests on 46 Gulf War veterans, researchers at the University of \JTexas\j Southwestern Medical Center say some of the veterans suffering from "Gulf War syndrome" have a form of brain damage found in victims of toxic poisoning. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The National Cancer Institute warns that as a result of atomic bomb tests carried out during the 1950s and '60s, 10,000 to 75,000 Americans who were then younger than 15 could develop thyroid cancers. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Law enforcement sources claim that three men arrested in connection with an alleged New York subway suicide bombing plot are linked to the radical Palestinian group, Hamas. President Clinton, however, says it is too soon to reach conclusions without ironclad evidence. \I(USA, Palestine)\i
As Israel tightens security in the wake of the \JJerusalem\j market double suicide bombing, Palestine officials hit back at Israeli accusations, insisting the PLO has acted to prevent violence, and denouncing Israel's right-wing government for doing its best to jettison the peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
On the eve of peace talks between ethnic Hutu rebel groups and \JBurundi\j's Tutsi-controlled government, six men are hanged after being convicted by a criminal court of taking part in ethnic massacres during the country's four-year \Jcivil war\j. \I(Burundi)\i
Following pressure from Palestinian legislators over alleged corruption and abuse of power, 16 of President Yasser Arafat's 18 cabinet ministers offer to resign. \I(Palestine)\i
At Lisbellaw, 100 miles west of \JBelfast\j, the British Army carries out a controlled explosion on a bomb, the first found since the Irish Republican Army called a truce 11 days ago. Although no immediate claim of responsibility is made, authorities believe the device was planted by a breakaway republican group. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
In his first visit to the \JWhite House\j, Azeri President, Haydar Aliyev, signs an investment treaty which forges stronger commercial ties between the United States and oil-rich \JAzerbaijan\j. \I(USA, Azerbaijan)\i
After performing neuropsychological tests on 46 Gulf War veterans, researchers at the University of \JTexas\j Southwestern Medical Center say some of the veterans suffering from "Gulf War syndrome" have a form of brain damage found in victims of toxic poisoning. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
As soldiers battle to support weakened dikes on the swollen Oder River, the European Commission pledges speedy aid for flood victims in \JGermany\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic. \I(Germany, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic)\i
Prompted by official reports of more volcanic eruptions on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, Britain considers evacuating the island's remaining 5,000 residents. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
The London-based \JTibet\j Information Network says Chinese re-education teams are forcing Tibetan monks and nuns to denounce the Dalai Lama as a serpent's head and a threat to \JBuddhism\j. \I(China, \JTibet\j, UK)\i
Four hours after abandoning a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier sinking in the Indian Ocean, all 21 crew members are picked up by a British tanker. \I(Panama, UK)\i
Celebrated Russian pianist, Svyatoslav Richter, dies of a heart attack in Moscow at the age of 82. \I(Russia)\i
After living exiled in \JFrance\j for four decades, the last Vietnamese Emperor, Bao Dai, dies aged 83 at a military \Jhospital\j in Paris. \I(France, Vietnam)\i
#
"August 2, 1997",577,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian ski instructor, Stuart Diver, is rescued after surviving over 61 hours buried beneath the rubble of two Thredbo ski lodges engulfed by a landslide. The rescue workers also find the bodies of six more of the landslide's suspected 19 victims. \I(Australia)\i
One person is killed and 55 are injured when Typhoon Victor hits Hong Kong, lashing the territory with torrential rain and wind gusts of up to 127 kilometers per hour. \I(Hong Kong)\i
After applauding the heroism of a Japanese man who led an attack on an Israeli airport 17 years ago, a \JBeirut\j judge sentences the man, and four other members of the Japanese Red Army, to three years in jail for entering \JLebanon\j illegally. Both \JJapan\j and \JLebanon\j say they will appeal the verdict. \I(Japan, \JLebanon\j, Israel)\i
In the Tri Nations Rugby Test at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, the Australian Wallabies score a 32-20 victory over the South African Springboks. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the wake of the double suicide bombing in Israel this week, the United States amends the fiscal 1998 appropriations bill, suspending up to $US20 million of the $US100 million pledged in administration aid to the Palestinian Authority. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Washington condemns the execution of six people in \JBurundi\j this week, calling on the Burundian Government to halt all executions and suspend all trials in the interests of ethnic peace. \I(USA, Burundi)\i
The United States signs an end-use agreement with \JColombia\j, allowing the resumption of US anti-drug assistance previously suspended by human rights concerns. Under the terms of the new agreement, US officials will carry out inventories to ensure that supplies of weapons and money are not utilized by military units to fight rebel groups. \I(USA, Colombia)\i
Plans by Sierra Leone's military junta to stave off elections until 2001 are bitterly criticized by the United States. Spokesman, James Foley, says the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council has reneged on its commitment to negotiate restoration of the elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was toppled in a May coup. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
Vasily Tsibliyev, commander of the crippled Mir space station, gives his first news conference since the vessel's June 25 collision with a cargo ship. Tsibliyev defends his actions at that time, saying he averted a disaster that might have killed the Russian-American crew. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Beat Generation writer, William S. Burroughs, dies of a heart attack in a Kansas \Jhospital\j at the age of 83. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Israeli Army is now holding 79 Palestinians suspected of terrorist activity, a security move triggered by this week's suicide bombing of \JJerusalem\j's Mahane Yehuda market. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In the wake of the double suicide bombing in Israel this week, the United States amends the fiscal 1998 appropriations bill, suspending up to $US20 million of the $US100 million pledged in administration aid to the Palestinian Authority. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Washington condemns the execution of six people in \JBurundi\j this week, calling on the Burundian Government to halt all executions and suspend all trials in the interests of ethnic peace. \I(USA, Burundi)\i
Plans by Sierra Leone's military junta to stave off elections until 2001 are bitterly criticized by the United States. Spokesman, James Foley, says the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council has reneged on its commitment to negotiate restoration of the elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was toppled in a May coup. \I(USA, Sierra Leone)\i
After applauding the heroism of a Japanese man who led an attack on an Israeli airport 17 years ago, a \JBeirut\j judge sentences the man, and four other members of the Japanese Red Army, to three years in jail for entering \JLebanon\j illegally. Both \JJapan\j and \JLebanon\j say they will appeal the verdict. \I(Japan, \JLebanon\j, Israel)\i
Vasily Tsibliyev, commander of the crippled Mir space station, gives his first news conference since the vessel's June 25 collision with a cargo ship. Tsibliyev defends his actions at that time, saying he averted a disaster that might have killed the Russian-American crew. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In the Tri Nations Rugby Test at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, the Australian Wallabies score a 32-20 victory over the South African Springboks. \I(Australia, South Africa)\i
#
"August 3, 1997",578,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australia begins a clinical trial of a potential gene therapy for \JHIV\j. Based on "gene shears" technology devised by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the trial will test the use of ribozyme on \JHIV\j's genetic material, using six patients and their healthy identical twins as subjects. \I(Australia)\i
Sri Lankan military officials reveal that the death toll from the latest outburst of fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists in the country's north has risen to 243, with rebel losses totaling about 193. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
A member of the Bougainville Transitional Government, Thomas Batakai, is shot dead in the garden of his home. Mr. Batakai had only recently returned from the Burnham peace talks in \JNew Zealand\j. \I(Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Officials in \JBangladesh\j report that nearly 100,000 people have now been stranded or left homeless by floods sweeping the country's south-eastern region. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Thousands of New Zealanders turn out to watch the official fireworks opening of Auckland's 328-meter Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. \I(New Zealand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, voices support for any military action Israel decides to take against Palestinian militants, even if the action involves raids into Palestinian territory. Gingrich says Israel has the right to take whatever measures deemed necessary to protect its citizens from atrocities like the recent suicide bomb attack. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
An official Syrian newspaper attacks the \JMiddle East\j policy of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calling it "ineffective and confused", and accusing US foreign policy of leading the \JMiddle East\j to "explosion". \I(USA, \JSyria\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Top seed, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, claims her ninth tennis title this year, defeating Monica Seles in the final of the Toshiba Tennis Classic at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Americans dominate the 100 meter track events, with Maurice Greene winning the men's final, and Marion Jones winning the women's final. \I(\JGreece\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, voices support for any military action Israel decides to take against Palestinian militants, even if the action involves raids into Palestinian territory. Gingrich says Israel has the right to take whatever measures deemed necessary to protect its citizens from atrocities like the recent suicide bomb attack. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
An official Syrian newspaper attacks the \JMiddle East\j policy of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calling it "ineffective and confused", and accusing US foreign policy of leading the \JMiddle East\j to "explosion". \I(USA, \JSyria\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Despite Israel's heightened security, a Palestinian man is shot dead near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Meanwhile, retaliatory sanctions imposed by Israel, which include closure of the territories' borders, jamming of Palestinian airwaves, and halting the transfer of tax revenue, are strongly criticized by Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, who charges Israel with increasing tension and wrecking what is left of the peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Officials report that hundreds of Muslim families who recently returned to their pre-war homes in Jajce, a Croat-controlled area about 60 miles northwest of \JSarajevo\j, have been forced to flee again by drunken Croat mobs. The international community's High Representative office in Bosnia is demanding that conditions be established to fully guarantee the safe return of the families. \I(Bosnia)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, orders an investigation into the recent death of Labor MP, Gordon McMaster. The order comes after the recovery of a suicide note in which McMaster blames two senior party colleagues for perpetuating a campaign of malicious rumors against him. \I(UK)\i
The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh confirms that Sue Carey, a 36 year-old English woman who died in March, is the twenty-first victim of the new strain of the brain disease scientists have linked with eating beef. \I(Scotland, UK)\i
In southern Turkey, a road accident involving 7 trucks, a van, and a car leaves 18 people dead and 33 injured. \I(Turkey)\i
Mohammad Khatami, a 54 year-old clergyman, wins a landslide victory on a platform of social and economic change, and is confirmed as \JIran\j's fifth president since the 1979 Islamic revolution. \I(Iran)\i
Speaking to mourners in KwaZulu/Natal's Richmond area, South African President, Nelson Mandela, blames "third force" agents from the military and the police for the recent execution-style murders of five African National Congress members. \I(South Africa)\i
A study funded by Britain's Department of Health finds radioactive \Jplutonium\j deposits in children's teeth, a contamination linked by the study to discharges from the \JSellafield\j \Jplutonium\j reprocessing facility in northern England. Although authorities say the levels represent an insignificant risk to health, Greenpeace scientists insist that any level is too high, and call for the immediate closure of \JSellafield\j. \I(UK)\i
Top seed, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, claims her ninth tennis title this year, defeating Monica Seles in the final of the Toshiba Tennis Classic at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Americans dominate the 100 meter track events, with Maurice Greene winning the men's final, and Marion Jones winning the women's final. \I(\JGreece\j, USA)\i
#
"August 4, 1997",579,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The public \Jtelephone\j lines between North and South Korea are connected for the first time since the Korean peninsula was divided after World War II. \I(The Koreas)\i
An explosion, apparently caused by a bomb, rips apart a train in the southern Indian State of \JKarnataka\j, injuring at least 15 people. \I(India)\i
A \JKarachi\j police superintendent is shot dead as he leaves an armored personnel carrier in the eastern district of Malir, becoming the 7th person to die in two days of strife between authorities and militant political activists. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Reports indicate that China's \Jsatellite\j launching pad in Sichuan province has been hit by a landslide, burying its railway system and warehouses. \I(China)\i
North Korea officially hands over the remains of four US soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. The remains were found by US experts who arrived in the North in July to search for those still listed as missing in action. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
During a public lecture on Australian-Asian relations, \JAustralia\j's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, assures the Asian region that MP Pauline Hanson's prescriptive anti-\Jimmigration\j views are out of step with \JAustralia\j's contemporary reality, and would never be put into practice. \I(Australia, Asia)\i
After more than a week of fierce battles between the Taliban militia and opposition forces, the militia claims to have regained control of Hossein Kot, 20 kilometers north of the capital of Kabul, and to have captured Guldara and the surrounding hilltops. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
A report from London confirms that the former governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, is being investigated over allegations that he breached Britain's Official Secrets Act by leaking intelligence material to British journalist, Jonathan Dimbleby. The leaked material allegedly contained details of Britain's negotiations with China in relation to the handover of Hong Kong. \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
President Clinton asks chief executives from key utilities, manufacturing, and financial service companies to enter the contentious debate on how to cut \Jpollution\j to stem global warning, inviting them to express their views on what position the US should adopt in international talks for a climate treaty due to be signed in December in \JJapan\j. \JJapan\j, meanwhile, says it will not support any new international agreement on emission targets to reduce global warming unless the United States is a signatory. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Archaeologists unearth more life-size terra-cotta warriors at the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, who died in 206 BC. This new excavation yields 86 warriors, 44 horses, and chariots. \I(China)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Cathy Freeman wins the women's 400 meters final, becoming the first Australian woman and the first Aboriginal competitor to take a world track title. Freeman celebrates her double victory by parading the Aboriginal and Australian flags around the Olympic stadium. \I(Australia, \JGreece\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US Supreme Court blocks the execution of convicted killer, Thomas Thompson, just hours before he is scheduled to die by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
The US Food and Drug Administration approves the market release of the Activa system, an implanted electronic device that controls muscle tremor caused by disorders of the \Jnervous system\j. \I(USA)\i
Fiery \Jlava\j from Montserrat's \Jvolcano\j flows into the center of the abandoned capital city for the first time, torching the British colony's customs offices, two stores, a church, and a dozen houses. A government spokesman confirms that no one is hurt. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
North Korea officially hands over the remains of four US soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. The remains were found by US experts who arrived in the North in July to search for those still listed as missing in action. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
The United States sharply rebukes Carlos Westendorp, the international community's representative in Bosnia, accusing him of not spending enough time in the region. \I(USA, Bosnia, Europe)\i
Antonio Maya, a member of \JColombia\j's ruling Liberal Party and former state governor of Choco, is shot dead in his Bogota office by two gunmen. \I(Colombia)\i
The US Central Intelligence Agency admits that most sightings of unidentified flying objects throughout the \JCold War\j period of the 1950s and '60s were sightings of the newly developed \Jsupersonic\j spy planes, U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird, and that rather than betray the existence of these \Jaircraft\j, the \JCIA\j systematically fabricated false explanations and cover stories. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton asks chief executives from key utilities, manufacturing, and financial service companies to enter the contentious debate on how to cut \Jpollution\j to stem global warning, inviting them to express their views on what position the US should adopt in international talks for a climate treaty due to be signed in December in \JJapan\j. \JJapan\j, meanwhile, says it will not support any new international agreement on emission targets to reduce global warming unless the United States is a signatory. \I(USA, Japan)\i
The American fast-food chain, McDonalds, is banned from \JBermuda\j when the Prohibited Restaurants Bill is finally signed after 18 months of heated debate in the island's House of Assembly. \I(Bermuda, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, refuses to ease punitive measures imposed on Palestinians after the recent suicide bombings in \JJerusalem\j, insisting that the future of the \JMiddle East\j peace process depends on whether the Palestinian Authority makes an immediate all-out effort to round up terrorists and their leaders. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The French Foreign Ministry rejects requests from Anjouan separatists to return to French rule, saying any solution to Anjouan's social and economic problems must fully respect the territorial integrity of the \JComoros\j Islamic Federal Republic. Meanwhile, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) announces it will send a special envoy to the \JComoros\j to help resolve the dispute. \I(\JFrance\j, \JComoros\j, Anjouan Island, Africa)\i
The United States sharply rebukes Carlos Westendorp, the international community's representative in Bosnia, accusing him of not spending enough time in the region. \I(USA, Bosnia, Europe)\i
About 3,000 well-wishers bearing cards and flowers crowd six-deep outside the London home of Britain's Queen Mother to celebrate the occasion of her 97th birthday. \I(UK)\i
Fiery \Jlava\j from Montserrat's \Jvolcano\j flows into the center of the abandoned capital city for the first time, torching the British colony's customs offices, two stores, a church, and a dozen houses. A government spokesman confirms that no one is hurt. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
As soldiers and volunteers work around the clock to bolster dikes on the swollen Oder River, \JGermany\j's biggest industrial group, Daimler-Benz, pledges 1 million German marks in relief for flood victims. \I(Germany)\i
A report from London confirms that the former governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, is being investigated over allegations that he breached Britain's Official Secrets Act by leaking intelligence material to British journalist, Jonathan Dimbleby. The leaked material allegedly contained details of Britain's negotiations with China in relation to the handover of Hong Kong. \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
Frenchwoman, Jeanne Calment, dies at the age of 122 years and 164 days, the highest age ever documented for a human being. Although blind and almost deaf, Mrs. Calment remained mentally sharp until the end, and in defiance of medical advice, still enjoyed wine, chocolate, and the occasional \Jcigarette\j. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, \JGermany\j's Sabine Bruan dominates from the start to win the women's \Jheptathlon\j event with 6,739 points.
Cathy Freeman wins the women's 400 meters final, becoming the first Australian woman and the first Aboriginal competitor to take a world track title. Freeman celebrates her double victory by parading the Aboriginal and Australian flags around the Olympic stadium. \I(\JGreece\j, \JGermany\j, Australia)\i
#
"August 5, 1997",580,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian Government announces its decision to buy 12 Russian-made Sukhoi-30K jet fighters and eight Mi-17-IV helicopters. Under the terms of the deal, which will be signed in Moscow later this month, \JRussia\j is to accept shipments of Indonesian \Jpalm oil\j, \Jcoffee\j, and \Jrubber\j as payment. \I(Indonesia, Russia)\i
Chinese researchers reveal their success in \Jcloning\j a gene of the endangered giant panda. The gene, known as Brain Derived Neutrotrophic Factor, is linked to nervous disorders. \I(China)\i
Thousands of Muslim refugees enter the 14th \Jday\j of a hunger strike as part of a protest against alleged attempts by the \JBangladesh\j Government to send them back home to \JMyanmar\j. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Bangladesh)\i
India and China conclude two days of talks on issues relating to the India-China border, pledging to continue dialog on a mutually acceptable frontier. \I(India, China)\i
The first round of four-party talks between the Koreas, China, and the United States takes place at Columbia University. The goal of the talks is to set a date and agenda for launching substantive negotiations on the future peace of the Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Chris Patten, the former governor of Hong Kong, denies reports that he leaked classified documents relating to the region's handover to China, saying the charges are totally without foundation. Elsewhere, Jonathan Dimbleby, alleged recipient of the documents, and author of \IThe Last Governor,\i describes the reports as "astonishing". \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
Thailand suspends 42 finance companies as part of a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to salvage the country's economy. Finance Minister, Thanong Bidaya, confirms that the Thai Government is seeking to borrow around 500 billion baht from the IMF, \JJapan\j, and other sources. \I(Thailand, Japan)\i
Sri Lankan batsmen, Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama, record the world's highest partnership in Test cricket, scoring an unbeaten 548 against India. \I(Sri Lanka, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a Manhattan federal court, testimony begins in the second World Trade Center bombing case, with prosecutors alleging that defendant, Ramzi Yousef, was the mastermind behind the 1993 attack that killed six people and injured 1,000 others. \I(USA)\i
Commander Anatoli Solovyov, and flight engineer Pavel Vinogradov, lift off from \JRussia\j's Baikonur cosmodrome on a mission to relieve the weary Russian-US crew of the damaged Mir space station. The two cosmonauts are expected to rendezvous with Mir on Thursday. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The first round of four-party talks between the Koreas, China, and the United States takes place at Columbia University. The goal of the talks is to set a date and agenda for launching substantive negotiations on the future peace of the Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
The Mars Pathfinder lander and its Sojourner rover are back in action after a 24-hour battery recharging procedure which, according to mission commander, Carl Steiner, worked perfectly. \I(USA)\i
US Navy researchers reveal they may have found a way to block bodily rejection of "mismatched" organ transplants, a potential breakthrough that could help tens of thousands of people waiting for compatible organ donors. \I(USA)\i
Bosnia's government comes under further pressure to comply with the Dayton peace accords when more European Union states suspend diplomatic relations. Britain, \JFrance\j, Sweden, \JAustria\j, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Denmark, \JFinland\j, the Netherlands, and the United States have now joined in freezing contact with Bosnian ambassadors. \I(Bosnia, UK, Europe, USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j indicates that President Clinton is not likely to consider offering a formal national apology to black Americans for enslaving their ancestors. \I(USA)\i
Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, declares war on the crime wave that has soared in the country since 1995, sending heavily armed police into dangerous neighborhoods to round up hundreds of suspected criminals. \I(Mexico)\i
Six Mexicans drown when they are trapped in a flooded irrigation ditch while trying to illegally cross the border into the United States. Border officials are searching for a seventh body, believed to be that of a very young child. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
A bomb explodes in the lobby of \JHavana\j's Melia-Cohiba hotel, the third blast in a leading Cuban hotel in less than a month. The Interior Ministry blames all three attacks on anti-Castro Cubans residing in the United States. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, America's Michael Johnson wins his third successive 400 meters title. \I(USA, \JGreece\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The \JMiddle East\j crisis deepens when two militant Islamist groups vow to carry out fresh suicide bomb attacks inside Israel. Elsewhere, Israel's decision to freeze $US70 million owed to the Palestinian Authority is criticized as counter-productive to the trust and confidence required to restart peace negotiations. For the third time this year, Jordan's King Hussein makes a bid to prevent any further deterioration in relations by directly mediating between the two sides. \I(Israel, Palestine, Jordan)\i
Bosnia's government comes under further pressure to comply with the Dayton peace accords when more European Union states suspend diplomatic relations. Britain, \JFrance\j, Sweden, \JAustria\j, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Denmark, \JFinland\j, the Netherlands, and the United States have now joined in freezing contact with Bosnian ambassadors. \I(Bosnia, UK, Europe, USA)\i
Reports from \JAlgeria\j reveal that Muslim rebels launched a series of savage raids across two provinces in the last two days, slaughtering between 75 and 110 civilians. \I(Algeria)\i
The Indonesian Government announces its decision to buy 12 Russian-made Sukhoi-30K jet fighters and eight Mi-17-IV helicopters. Under the terms of the deal, which will be signed in Moscow later this month, \JRussia\j will accept shipments of Indonesian \Jpalm oil\j, \Jcoffee\j, and \Jrubber\j as payment. \I(Indonesia, Russia)\i
Chris Patten, the former governor of Hong Kong, denies reports that he leaked classified documents relating to the region's handover to China, saying the charges are totally without foundation. Elsewhere, Jonathan Dimbleby, alleged recipient of the documents, and author of \IThe Last Governor,\i describes the reports as "astonishing". \I(UK, Hong Kong, China)\i
Commander Anatoli Solovyov, and flight engineer Pavel Vinogradov, lift off from \JRussia\j's Baikonur cosmodrome on a mission to relieve the weary Russian-US crew of the damaged Mir space station. The two cosmonauts are expected to rendezvous with Mir on Thursday. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, is sworn in for a second five-year term, pledging his commitment to peace in Bosnia, and to rebuilding his country's economy. \I(Croatian Democratic Union, Bosnia)\i
British researchers report that air \Jpollution\j may be the cause of up to one in fifty heart attacks treated at London Hospitals. \I(UK)\i
The \JArchbishop\j of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey, says the \JChurch of England\j would be plunged into crisis if the Prince of Wales remarries, adding that the Church could face disestablishment over the issue. \I(UK)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, America's Michael Johnson wins his third successive men's 400m title, and South African, Marius Corbett, wins the men's javelin with a mighty 88.40m throw. In women's events, Carla Sacramento of \JPortugal\j takes the 1500m title, and Sally Barsosio takes the 10,000m, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win either an Olympic or world championship gold medal. \I(\JGreece\j, USA, South Africa, \JPortugal\j, Kenya)\i
#
"August 6, 1997",581,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 crashes in rugged jungle as it prepares to land at \JGuam\j airport, killing at least 200 passengers, most of whom are South Korean tourists and honeymooners. Early reports of survivors are conflicting, with numbers ranging between 33 and 50. Bad \Jweather\j and a fault in the airport's GSS (glide slope signal) system are being blamed for the disaster. \I(South Korea, Guam)\i
Cambodia's National Assembly votes to remove Prince Norodom Ranariddh as First Prime Minister and to install Foreign Minister, Ung Huot, in Ranariddh's place. In a separate vote, Ranariddh is stripped of his parliamentary immunity, clearing the way for him to be put on trial should he return to Phnom Penh. Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, says the decisive parliamentary votes are an endorsement of his decision to take military action against Prince Ranariddh's forces, and evidence that the coalition of the Cambodian People's Party and Funcinpec is still intact. \I(Cambodia)\i
The \JWhite House\j says President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, will meet Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, in \JBeijing\j next week to discuss preparations for Jiang's state visit to Washington in October. \I(USA, China)\i
President Clinton urges India and \JPakistan\j to work out their differences in relation to Kashmir, saying the economies of both countries would reap the benefits. The President adds that the United States will remain heavily engaged in the region. \I(USA, India, Pakistan)\i
As \JJapan\j marks the 52nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of \JHiroshima\j, Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, vows to press nations to ratify a treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. \I(Japan)\i
The Karen National Union (KNU), the last major ethnic insurgency fighting the military regime in \JRangoon\j, accuses the military of burning 178 villages and killing 83 civilians in a drive to cut off support for the KNU. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
On the second \Jday\j of four-party talks between The Koreas, China, and the United States, North Korea agrees to honor the 44-year truce on the divided Korean peninsula, but demands that US troops be withdrawn from the South. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
In a signed editorial in the official \IChina Daily,\i plans by the United States to appoint a special co-ordinator for Tibetan affairs are bitterly attacked as uninvited interference, and as an arrogant desire to assert control. The editorial staunchly defends Chinese rule of \JTibet\j, crediting China with boosting \JTibet\j's economy and eliminating a system of serfdom that existed until the 1960s. \I(China, \JTibet\j, USA)\i
Chairman of the \JTibet\j regional government, Gyaincain Norbu, claims that Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been involved in terrorist attacks, including explosions and attempted assassinations. Mr. Norbu adds that \JBeijing\j would nevertheless welcome the Dalai Lama's return if he abandoned separatist activities and contributed towards \JTibet\j's development. \I(Tibet, China)\i
Typhoon Victor creates havoc as it sweeps through the Meizhou area of Guangdon province in southern China, claiming the lives of 49 people. \I(China)\i
In the Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j, concerns are raised by the Council for Civil Liberties when three self-confessed killers are acquitted of murder by three Supreme Court juries within the space of a week. However, the Law Society of NSW denies that a dangerous precedent is being set, pointing to the highly unusual nature of each case, and arguing that the verdicts should thereby not have been unexpected. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Clinton announces that the US budget deficit will drop to $US37 billion for the current fiscal year, and that with the help of newly signed budget legislation, the nation will have a surplus of $US20 billion by the year 2002. The president also expects that his new line-veto authority will eliminate wasteful spending from the budget. \I(USA)\i
The architect of the Dayton peace agreement, Richard Holbrooke, returns to the Balkans to pressure leaders to abide by its terms. Accompanied by Robert Gelbard, the US envoy to Bosnia, Holbrooke meets with Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, and the Muslim chairman of the Bosnian presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, in the Adriatic port of Split. \I(USA, Croatian Democratic Union, Bosnia)\i
President Clinton urges India and \JPakistan\j to work out their differences in relation to Kashmir, saying the economies of both countries would reap the benefits. The President adds that the United States will remain heavily engaged in the region. \I(USA, India, Pakistan)\i
On the second \Jday\j of four-party talks between The Koreas, China, and the United States, North Korea agrees to honor the 44-year truce on the divided Korean peninsula, but demands that US troops be withdrawn from the South. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
In a signed editorial in the official \IChina Daily,\i plans by the United States to appoint a special co-ordinator for Tibetan affairs are bitterly attacked as uninvited interference, and as an arrogant desire to assert control. The editorial staunchly defends Chinese rule of \JTibet\j, crediting China with boosting \JTibet\j's economy and eliminating a system of serfdom that existed until the 1960s. \I(China, \JTibet\j, USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j says President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, will meet Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, in \JBeijing\j next week to discuss preparations for Jiang's state visit to Washington in October. \I(USA, China)\i
Apple Computer announces that Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates, has decided to buy $US150 million of the struggling computer company's stock, a move which will boost Apple and end the long-standing rivalry between the two industry giants. \I(USA)\i
Following a raid by German and Guatemalan authorities, Nestle's top executive in \JGuatemala\j, Andreas Hanggi Widler, is arrested on charges of alleged ties to a drug ring. \I(Guatemala, \JGermany\j)\i
Venezuela grinds to a virtual standstill as about 90 per cent of the workforce joins a 12-hour government-endorsed strike in protest against the private sector's failure to grant promised wage rises. \I(Venezuela)\i
Cuba's Javier Sotomayor wins the men's high jump at the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j. \I(Cuba, \JGreece\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, announces that an international conference will be held in London in December to solve the issue of gold stolen by the Nazis during World War II. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, meets with Britain's Northern Ireland Minister, Mo Mowlam, to begin talks aimed at paving the way for Sinn Fein's entry into September's multi-party peace negotiations. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The architect of the Dayton peace agreement, Richard Holbrooke, returns to the Balkans to pressure leaders to abide by its terms. Accompanied by Robert Gelbard, the US envoy to Bosnia, Holbrooke meets with Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, and the Muslim chairman of the Bosnian presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, in the Adriatic port of Split. \I(USA, Croatian Democratic Union, Bosnia)\i
Following a raid by German and Guatemalan authorities, Nestle's top executive in \JGuatemala\j, Andreas Hanggi Widler, is arrested on charges of alleged ties to a drug ring. \I(Guatemala, \JGermany\j)\i
Archaeologists in \JAthens\j believe that charred bones they recovered from mass graves are the remains of Athenian soldiers who died fighting Sparta in the opening years of the 5th Century BC Peloponnesian War. The site of the graves, less than a mile from the Acropolis, corresponds closely to the Demosian Sema, where \JPericles\j delivered his 430 BC funeral oration for those killed in the first year of the 27-year war. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
In men's events at the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Morocco's Hicham el Guerrouj wins gold in the 1500m final, \JEthiopia\j's Haile Gebrselassie wins the 10,000m final, Tomas Dvorak of the Czech Republic wins the \Jdecathlon\j, and \JCuba\j's Javier Sotomayor wins the high jump. \I(\JGreece\j, Morocco, \JEthiopia\j, Czech Republic, Cuba)\i
#
"August 7, 1997",582,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The "black box" flight recorders of the crashed Korean Air Lines 747 arrive at the United States National Transportation Safety Board for deciphering. At the crash site in \JGuam\j, meanwhile, the search for bodies is interrupted to allow experts to examine the wreckage for clues. Of the 254 people on board the plane, 69 are confirmed dead, 155 are still missing, and 30 survive. \I(South Korea, \JGuam\j, USA)\i
After an exhausting week-long effort by rescue workers in the tiny \JNew South Wales\j ski town of Thredbo, the last body is retrieved from the rubble of two ski lodges buried by a landslide. Eighteen people are now confirmed to have died in the disaster, the sole survivor being Australian ski instructor, Stuart Diver. Plans are announced to turn the area into a park with a memorial to the victims. \I(Australia)\i
Cambodian Foreign Minister, Ung Huot, is formally appointed First Prime Minister after King Norodom Sihanouk authorizes acting head of state, Chea Sim, to issue the decree. Ung Huot replaces the king's son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
A Sri Lankan military spokesman says about 20,000 government troops have resumed their advance on a key northern highway after being stalled for some days by a fierce counterattack mounted by Tamil Tiger rebels. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Punjab police announce the arrest of two Sunni Muslim militants who admitted killing 37 Shi'ite Muslims and planning to kill six notable Shi'ite politicians. \I(India)\i
New research data from \JAustralia\j and Britain strongly suggests that the debilitating condition known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is caused by a genetic predisposition in either the immune or the central \Jnervous system\j, which is in turn triggered by any one of a number of factors. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, is to meet with \JNew Zealand\j Foreign Minister, Don McKinnon, to discuss details of the Burnham declaration, a peace treaty recently signed by the parties involved in the nine-year conflict over the island of Bougainville. Mr. Skate supports the declaration, but fears it may be jeopardized by this week's assassination of key Bougainvillean negotiator, Thomas Batakai. \I(Papua New Guinea, \JNew Zealand\j, Bougainville)\i
Talks between the United States, China, and the two Koreas are recessed until September, when the four parties will meet again to prepare details and logistics for replacing the 1950-53 Korean War armistice with a more durable peace agreement. \I(USA, China, The Koreas)\i
Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, says his government wants to pursue the policy of befriending \JPakistan\j, but cannot ignore the backing given by Pakistani intelligence to terrorist activities in Jammu, Kashmir, and elsewhere. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
China is introducing a reserve labor system to help ease the problem of unemployment. Under a new Labor Ministry regulation being tried out in 36 cities, all new high school graduates will have to undergo one to two years' vocational training before they are allowed to work. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The "black box" flight recorders of the crashed Korean Air Lines 747 arrive at the United States National Transportation Safety Board for deciphering. At the crash site in \JGuam\j, meanwhile, the search for bodies is interrupted to allow experts to examine the wreckage for clues. Of the 254 people on board the plane, 69 are confirmed dead, 155 are still missing, and 30 survive. \I(South Korea, \JGuam\j, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, voices her concerns about a "crisis of confidence" in the \JMiddle East\j, criticizing Israeli and Palestinian leaders for publicly slating each other. Albright's criticism comes after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, angered by Israeli sanctions against the Palestinians, calls on his supporters to prepare for the next big battle with Israel. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A two-man Russian relief team reaches the Mir space station but is forced to dock manually when automatic systems develop a fault. The most urgent task awaiting the team is the repair of the vessel's oxygen system. \I(Russia, USA)\i
US Attorney General, Janet Reno, orders an investigation into reports that Gazi Ibrahim Abu Mezer, one of the three men arrested in connection with an alleged New York bombing plot, had declared in a US \Jimmigration\j application that he had been detained for \Jterrorism\j in Israel. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Talks between the United States, China, and the two Koreas are recessed until September, when the four parties will meet again to prepare details and logistics for replacing the 1950-53 Korean War armistice with a more durable peace agreement. \I(USA, China, The Koreas)\i
Seconds after takeoff from Miami International Airport, a DC-8-61F cargo jet plummets to the ground and skids across a six-lane road before crashing into the parking lot of a shopping mall. Four crew members are killed and at least two people on the ground are injured. \I(USA)\i
US District Judge, Susan Webber Wright, announces that a trial date in Paula Jones' sexual harassment case against President Clinton will be set during a hearing scheduled for August 22 in Little Rock. \I(USA)\i
A team of New York researchers reports the discovery of a protein on the surface of \Jmalaria\j cells that allows the parasites to invade human liver cells, saying if a method of blocking the protein can be found, it could lead to the development of a \Jmalaria\j vaccine. \I(USA)\i
In Madison, \JWisconsin\j, ABS Global Inc. announces the creation of a cloned calf named "Gene", a breakthrough researchers say has production line possibilities. \I(USA)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, American Allen Johnson takes gold in the men's 110m hurdles. In the men's shotput, American John Godina is declared the winner after \JUkraine\j's Aleksandr Bagach tests positive for the stimulant ephedrine and is stripped of his gold medal. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j, \JGreece\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
New research data from \JAustralia\j and Britain strongly suggests that the debilitating condition known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is caused by a genetic predisposition in either the immune or the central \Jnervous system\j, which is in turn triggered by any one of a number of factors. \I(Australia, UK)\i
A two-man Russian relief team reaches the Mir space station but is forced to dock manually when automatic systems develop a fault. The most urgent task awaiting the team is the repair of the vessel's oxygen system. \I(Russia, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, voices her concerns about a "crisis of confidence" in the \JMiddle East\j, criticizing Israeli and Palestinian leaders for publicly slating each other. Albright's criticism comes after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, angered by Israeli sanctions against the Palestinians, calls on his supporters to prepare for the next big battle with Israel. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
US Attorney General, Janet Reno, orders an investigation into reports that Gazi Ibrahim Abu Mezer, one of the three men arrested in connection with an alleged New York bombing plot, had declared in a US \Jimmigration\j application that he had been detained for \Jterrorism\j in Israel. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The official Sudanese News Agency reports that 400 members of the \JSudan\j People's Liberation Army (SPLA) were killed during an attack on their camp by government forces. The government and the SPLA rebels have been warring for the past 14 years. \I(Sudan)\i
Algerian authorities say about 40 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Muslim fundamentalist rebels in the past few days, raising the death toll from the 11-day string of rebel raids to at least 290. \I(Algeria)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, American Allen Johnson takes gold in the men's 110m hurdles. In the men's shot put, American John Godina is declared the winner after \JUkraine\j's Aleksandr Bagach tests positive for the stimulant ephedrine and is stripped of his gold medal. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j, \JGreece\j)\i
#
"August 8, 1997",583,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Eight survivors of the Korean Air Lines 747 that crashed in \JGuam\j are airlifted to Seoul by a United States medical evacuation plane. Elsewhere, investigators rule out mechanical failure as the cause of the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board also dismisses earlier reports that pilot error was to blame. \I(South Korea, \JGuam\j, USA)\i
The South Australian Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order barring the brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, from calling for the death penalty should two British nurses on trial for her murder in Saudi \JArabia\j be found guilty. Meanwhile, a leading member of the Saudi Royal Family declares that the two women do not deserve execution, which traditionally takes the form of a public beheading by the sword. \I(Australia, UK, Saudi Arabia)\i
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) marks the official start of its 30th anniversary celebrations by hoisting the flags of the nine member states at the regional group's Jakarta headquarters. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Australia agrees to allow four modified US Terrier ground-to-air missiles to be test-fired from the Western Australian coast between Broome and Port Hedland. The joint Australian-US Project Dundee (Downunder Early-warning Experiment) will contribute to research into defense against ballistic missiles such as the Scud. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Thailand's worst economic crisis in a decade sparks demands for the resignation of Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. The government's chief economic adviser, Chatichai Choonhaven, warns that a major political shake-up is inevitable when King Bhumibol Adulyadej summons Mr. Chavalit and senior ministers to a two-and-a-half-hour emergency meeting. \I(Thailand)\i
The United States says its suspension of aid to the Cambodian Government will be extended indefinitely, but direct help for the Cambodian people will continue. Aid was suspended last month following the coup in which Hun Sen ousted his co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Penny Wensley, head of the North Asia Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is appointed Australian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, the highest position ever given to an Australian woman career diplomat. \I(Australia, USA)\i
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average falls 156.78 points to 8031.22, the biggest decline since June 23. Analysts attribute the decline to a bond sell-off, and to a reaction to a 3 per cent fall in the US dollar against the Japanese yen. Despite the sharp drop, the Dow is still up 24.55 per cent for the year. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Eight survivors of the Korean Air Lines 747 that crashed in \JGuam\j are airlifted to Seoul by a United States medical evacuation plane. Elsewhere, investigators rule out mechanical failure as the cause of the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board also dismisses earlier speculation that pilot error was to blame. \I(South Korea,
Guam, USA)\i
As investigators sift through the wreckage of the cargo jet which slammed into a Miami shopping center carpark yesterday, the death toll rises to at least five, with one victim found in a car beneath the charred remains of the \Jaircraft\j. \I(USA)\i
The US \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery soars into \Jorbit\j, releasing a German-built \Jsatellite\j, known as CHRISTA-SPAS, which will monitor depletion of the Earth's protective \Jozone layer\j for a period of nine days. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
United States negotiator, Richard Holbrooke, wins agreement from Bosnian leaders on equal division of ambassadorships before heading off to \JBelgrade\j to pressure Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to fulfill his Dayton peace accords commitments. \I(USA, Bosnia, Yugoslavia)\i
Australia agrees to allow four modified US Terrier ground-to-air missiles to be test-fired from the Western Australian coast between Broome and Port Hedland. The joint Australian-US Project Dundee (Downunder Early-warning Experiment) will contribute to research into defense against ballistic missiles such as the Scud. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The United States says its suspension of aid to the Cambodian Government will be extended indefinitely, but direct help for the Cambodian people will continue. Aid was suspended last month following the coup in which Hun Sen ousted his co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Fire crews battle to control a wildfire threatening an oilfield 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The blaze, which started Tuesday, has already consumed 14,000 acres of trees and shrub. \I(USA)\i
Penny Wensley, head of the North Asia Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is appointed Australian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, the highest position ever given to an Australian woman career diplomat. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Reed Brody, an American human rights expert, is named as the third member of a United Nations team to probe alleged massacres of Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. Brody joins two African experts in a team formed after President Laurent Kabila refused entry to an earlier team because of a critical report from leader, Roberto Garreton. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA, \JRwanda\j, Africa)\i
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average falls 156.78 points to 8031.22, the biggest decline since June 23. Analysts attribute the decline to a bond sell-off, and to a reaction to a 3 per cent fall in the US dollar against the Japanese yen. Despite the sharp drop, the Dow is still up 24.55 per cent for the year. \I(USA, Japan)\i
In a $US2.4 billion war against the seventh-leading killer in the United States, President Clinton announces expanded benefits for diabetics and an intensified federal government effort to find a cure for the disease. \I(USA)\i
A US National Institute of Health report suggests further studies should be made into the medical value of marijuana, citing a number of cases in which the drug may provide benefits, including \Jglaucoma\j, nausea during cancer treatment, pain, poor appetite, and neurological disorders. \I(USA)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Trinidad's Ato Boldon takes gold in the men's 200m. \I(Trinidad, \JGreece\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel launches air, sea, and artillery strikes on targets south of \JBeirut\j after rockets from southern \JLebanon\j hit a residential area of northern Israel. Since Monday, escalating violence along the Israel-Lebanon border has killed 13 people. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
The South Australian Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order barring the brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, from calling for the death penalty should two British nurses on trial for her murder in Saudi \JArabia\j be found guilty. Meanwhile, a leading member of the Saudi Royal Family declares that the two women do not deserve execution, which traditionally takes the form of a public beheading by the sword. \I(Australia, UK, Saudi Arabia)\i
The US \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery soars into \Jorbit\j, releasing a German-built \Jsatellite\j, known as CHRISTA-SPAS, which will monitor depletion of the Earth's protective \Jozone layer\j for a period of nine days. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
In an escalating conflict over Turkey's state education plans, about 200 riot police clash with several hundred Islamist protesters who regard the plans as a threat to the future of religious schools. \I(Turkey)\i
As \JKenya\j braces itself for an unlawful national strike in support of constitutional reforms, a man suspected of being a police spy is beaten to death at a rally attended by 1,000 activists. \I(Kenya)\i
United States negotiator, Richard Holbrooke, wins agreement from Bosnian leaders on equal division of ambassadorships before heading off to \JBelgrade\j to pressure Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to fulfill his Dayton peace accords commitments. \I(USA, Bosnia, Yugoslavia)\i
Reed Brody, an American human rights expert, is named as the third member of a United Nations team to probe alleged massacres of Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. Brody joins two African experts in a team formed after President Laurent Kabila refused entry to an earlier team because of a critical report from leader, Roberto Garreton. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA, \JRwanda\j, Africa)\i
At Ireland's government-owned Teagasc dairy production center in Cork, a four-year-old cow is diagnosed with BSE. As a result, the center's specially bred herd of more than 300 cows will be destroyed. \I(Republic of Ireland)\i
Management announces the closure of South Crofty, the last working tin mine in Cornwall, southwest England, signaling the end of a regional industry dating back 2,500 years. At its commercial height in the last century, the industry operated 400 mines employing 30,000 people from the area. \I(UK)\i
Archaeologists unearth a roasted \Jcoffee\j bean in the tiny Gulf state of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, a find suggesting that the birth of \Jcoffee\j drinking may date back to the 10th or 11th century AD. \I(United Arab Emirates)\i
Freak \Jweather\j divides Britain, with central London experiencing the hottest \Jday\j of the year, and torrential rain continuing to fall in Devon and Cornwall, where flash floods force the evacuation of 1,000 people and the Environment Agency issues alerts on seven rivers. \I(UK)\i
At the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Trinidad's Ato Boldon takes gold in the men's 200m and in the men's 800m, Denmark's Wilson Kipketer retains his title but fails to set a new world record as expected. \I(\JGreece\j, Trinidad, Denmark)\i
#
"August 9, 1997",584,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A Formosa Airlines plane carrying 16 passengers and crew members crashes en route from Taipei to the offshore Matsu islands. No survivors are yet reported. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
United States officials rule out negotiating a withdrawal of troops from South Korea in response to demands made by the North, but say they are still optimistic about prospects for launching four-party Korean peace talks. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
In Rugby's Tri Nations Test, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 55-35 win over the South African Springboks at Auckland's Eden Park. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, South Africa)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In northwestern \JArizona\j, a 16-car Amtrack passenger train bound for \JChicago\j from Los Angeles derails as it crosses a bridge undermined by flash flooding. At least half of the 301 passengers on board the train are injured. \I(USA)\i
Speaking after more than eight hours of meetings with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, US special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, says he has received renewed promises that indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, will withdraw from Bosnian Serb politics. Holbrooke acknowledges, however, that the results of his Balkan peace mission are limited. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Bosnia)\i
United States officials rule out negotiating a withdrawal of troops from South Korea in response to demands made by the North, but say they are still optimistic about prospects for launching four-party Korean peace talks. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
The crew of the US \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery catches brief glimpses of the Hale-Bopp \Jcomet\j through an ultraviolet \Jtelescope\j. Hale-Bopp is currently 270 million miles from Earth, approaching the asteroid belt. \I(USA)\i
In the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, \JCuba\j's Ana Fidelia Quirot wins the women's 800m final. \I(\JGreece\j, Cuba)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Speaking after more than eight hours of meetings with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, US special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, says he has received renewed promises that indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, will withdraw from Bosnian Serb politics. Holbrooke acknowledges, however, that the results of his Balkan peace mission are limited. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Bosnia)\i
Following recent links made between top Basque terrorist, Emilio Arrizabalaga, and business operations in areas of \JSpain\j bordering \JGibraltar\j, Spanish detectives are to begin investigating accusations that \JGibraltar\j has been used for money-laundering by the ETA terrorist organization. \I(Spain, Gibraltar)\i
Diana, Princess of Wales visits landmine victims in Bosnia, hoping to raise awareness of the landmine issue leading up to a global meeting in \JNorway\j next month where many of the world's governments will discuss banning landmines. \I(UK, Bosnia)\i
An Anjouan separatist spokesman says the \JComoros\j Government has landed troops on the Indian Ocean island in a bid to quell secessionist protests in favor of a return to French rule. \I(Anjouan Island, \JComoros\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Many of Normandy's beaches are closed after a spill from an oil tanker creates a slick affecting more than 40 kilometers of French coastline. Firemen, servicemen, and volunteers working to clean up the beaches rescue more than 100 birds coated in the thick black oil, but the birds' chances of survival are said to be slim. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Two British archaeologists, Nigel Appleby and Adam Child, believe they have found the site of the Hall of Records, a secret chamber alluded to in the \JBible\j and other ancient texts, and reputed to contain artifacts and documents on the history of mankind. The archaeologists have already been granted permission by Egyptian authorities to survey an area about eight miles north of the Sphinx. \I(UK, Egypt)\i
In women's events at the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, \JCuba\j's Ana Fidelia Quirot wins the 800m final, \JRomania\j's Gabriela Szabo wins the 5,000m final, and \JNorway\j's Trine Hattestad wins the javelin. \I(\JGreece\j, \JCuba\j, \JRomania\j, Norway)\i
In Rugby's Tri Nations Test, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 55-35 win over the South African Springboks at Auckland's Eden Park. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, South Africa)\i
#
"August 10, 1997",585,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Reports from \JAfghanistan\j say the Taliban militia has launched an air-raid-backed offensive against opposition forces near the village of Kalakan, 16 miles north of the capital of Kabul. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Following the death of the fourth Australian victim of a bridge collapse at Israel's Maccabiah games last month, Australian Government laboratories are to test polluted soil and \Jwater\j samples from the site. Australian authorities say two of the deaths were unquestionably caused by toxins in the Yarkon River, and doctors urgently need information from the tests to treat those still suffering from the effects of the disaster. \I(Australia, Israel)\i
US special envoy, Desaix Anderson, fails to secure an interview with \JCambodia\j's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, but meets with newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, engaging in talks that cover human rights and next year's promised elections. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Tajik President, Imomali Rakhmonov, seeks support from \JRussia\j and Central Asian neighbors after three days of fighting between presidential troops and the army's Rapid Reaction Brigade. The factional dispute has shattered the unity of the military, and dislodged President Rakhmonov's control of all pro-government forces. \I(Tajikistan, \JRussia\j, Central Asia)\i
In \JNepal\j, fourteen hydroelectric workers are buried and six people are swept from their homes when monsoon rains trigger landslides. \I(Nepal)\i
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Bill Skate, orders a second inquiry into the Sandline mercenaries affair, a controversy which sparked a civil and military revolt in March. The new wide-ranging inquiry will look into the legality of the contract, the beneficiaries of the first $US18 million payment to Sandline, possible illegal share trading, and whether government or defense force personnel received bribes from arms dealers. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The United States envoy to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, is to spend two weeks visiting 10 nations across Asia and Europe. Richardson says the main issues of discussion will be UN concerns, such as Washington's debt to the world body, and reform of the Security Council. \I(USA, Asia, Europe)\i
Australia defeats England in the fifth cricket Test to win the Ashes for a fifth successive time. \I(Australia, UK)\i
In the final played at Melbourne Park Stadium, \JAustralia\j defeats Puerto Rico 88-73 to win the men's under-23 world \Jbasketball\j championships. \I(Australia, Puerto Rico)\i
Twenty-four-year-old Lee Troop from Geelong wins Sydney's 27th annual City to Surf marathon, finishing ahead of a record 47,444 starters in a time of 40m 55s. The winner of the women's 20,000-strong division is 33-year-old Sydneysider, Liz Miller, who finishes in a time of 47m 30s. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
In women's events at swimming's Pan Pacific Championships in \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j's Shelley Taylor-Smith wins the 25km open \Jwater\j race, Cost Rica's Claudia Poll wins the 200m freestyle final, \JAustralia\j's Susan O'Neill wins the 200m butterfly final, and Brooke Bennett of the United States wins the 1,500m freestyle final. In men's events, \JAustralia\j's Grant Robinson wins the 25km open \Jwater\j race, \JAustralia\j's Michael Klim wins the 200m freestyle final, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 100m backstroke final, and Grant Hackett of \JAustralia\j wins the 800m freestyle final. \I(Japan, \JAustralia\j, Costa Rica, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a bid to salvage the battered \JMiddle East\j peace process, US envoy, Dennis Ross, meets in Ramallah with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, Israeli negotiator, Yitzhak Molho, and Shin Bet chief, Ami Ayalon. According to officials, the meeting focuses primarily on security issues. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
US special envoy, Desaix Anderson, fails to secure an interview with \JCambodia\j's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, but meets with newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, engaging in talks that cover human rights and next year's promised elections. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
After being expelled from the Dominican Republic, three members of the ETA Basque separatists guerrilla group are jailed in Madrid on charges of murder, kidnapping, and planting explosives. \I(Dominican Republic, \JSpain\j)\i
The world's first offshore \JInternet\j bank goes into receivership. The two Russian-born owners of the collapsed European Union Bank, which is based in Antigua, are believed to have fled with depositors' money. \I(Russia, Antigua)\i
President Clinton issues an order requiring buildings owned or leased by the US federal government to be smoke-free within one year, saying \Jcigarette\j smoking is the single most significant public health problem in the country. \I(USA)\i
The United States envoy to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, is to spend two weeks visiting 10 nations across Asia and Europe. Richardson says the main issues of discussion will be UN concerns, such as Washington's debt to the world body, and reform of the Security Council. \I(USA, Asia, Europe)\i
Helicopters are employed to evacuate up to 400 tourists and residents after flash floods sweep through the Havasupai Indian Reservation in a remote \Jcanyon\j of northwestern \JArizona\j. \I(USA)\i
In the final played at the Melbourne Park Stadium, \JAustralia\j defeats Puerto Rico 88-73 to win the men's under-23 world \Jbasketball\j championships. \I(Australia, Puerto Rico)\i
Williams team driver, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, snatches the lead on the last lap to win the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. \I(Canada, \JHungary\j)\i
America's Peter Sampras defeats \JAustria\j's Thomas Muster to win the $US2.05 million ATP Championship in \JCincinnati\j, his fifth tennis title this year. \I(USA, Austria)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles survives a match point to beat Lindsay Davenport in the final of the $US450,000 Acura Classic tournament in Manhattan Beach, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
In the 4x100m relay finals at the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Canada takes gold in the men's event, and the United States takes gold in the women's event. \I(\JGreece\j, Canada, USA)\i
In women's events at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in \JJapan\j, Brooke Bennett of the United States wins the 1,500m freestyle final and Cost Rica's Claudia Poll wins the 200m women's freestyle final. In men's events, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 100m backstroke final. \I(Costa Rica, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following the death of the fourth Australian victim of a bridge collapse at Israel's Maccabiah games last month, Australian Government laboratories are to test polluted soil and \Jwater\j samples from the site. Australian authorities say two of the deaths were unquestionably caused by toxins in the Yarkon River, and doctors urgently need information from the tests to treat those still suffering from the effects of the disaster. \I(Australia, Israel)\i
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, hints that if the three-week-old IRA cease-fire holds, Britain might consider demands by IRA and British loyalist guerrillas to free prisoners. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
In a bid to salvage the battered \JMiddle East\j peace process, US envoy, Dennis Ross, meets in Ramallah with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, Israeli negotiator, Yitzhak Molho, and Shin Bet chief, Ami Ayalon. According to officials, the meeting focuses primarily on security issues. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Tajik President, Imomali Rakhmonov, seeks support from \JRussia\j and Central Asian neighbors after three days of fighting between presidential troops and the army's Rapid Reaction Brigade. The factional dispute has shattered the unity of the military, and dislodged President Rakhmonov's control of all pro-government forces. \I(Tajikistan, \JRussia\j, Central Asia)\i
After being expelled from the Dominican Republic, three members of the ETA Basque separatists guerrilla group are jailed in Madrid on charges of murder, kidnapping, and planting explosives. \I(Dominican Republic, \JSpain\j)\i
The world's first offshore \JInternet\j bank goes into receivership. The two Russian-born owners of the collapsed European Union Bank, which is based in Antigua, are believed to have fled with depositors' money. \I(Russia, Antigua)\i
The United States envoy to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, is to spend two weeks visiting 10 nations across Asia and Europe. Richardson says the main issues of discussion will be UN concerns, such as Washington's debt to the world body, and reform of the Security Council. \I(USA, Asia, Europe)\i
Williams team driver, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, snatches the lead on the last lap to win the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. \I(Canada, \JHungary\j)\i
America's Peter Sampras defeats \JAustria\j's Thomas Muster to win the $US2.05 million ATP Championship in \JCincinnati\j, his fifth tennis title this year. \I(USA, Austria)\i
Australia defeats England in the fifth cricket Test to win the Ashes for a fifth successive time. \I(Australia, UK)\i
In the 4x100m relay finals at the World Track and Field Championships in \JAthens\j, Canada takes gold in the men's event, and the United States takes gold in the women's event. \I(\JGreece\j, Canada, USA)\i
#
"August 11, 1997",586,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A bomb derails the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express train near Sarupeta in northeastern India. Seven coaches are thrown off the rails, but only a few of the 700 passengers receive injuries, mostly minor. Authorities believe the Bodoland Liberation Tiger Front to be responsible for the attack. \I(India)\i
Several people are injured when police clash with about 100 \JPakistan\j People's Party activists protesting in support of the opposition leader's political secretary, who has been placed on the Exit Control List, preventing her from leaving the country. \I(Pakistan)\i
An alliance official reveals that leaders of all three anti-Taliban factions are holding a summit aimed at finalizing a strategy to seize the Afghan capital of Kabul. The official says the summit is also discussing the formation of a viable political structure for ruling the capital once the hard-line Taliban militia has been ousted as planned. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk reveals plans to abdicate as soon as possible, describing recent events in Phnom Penh as "a comedy" and newly elected First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, as a "puppet" of the Hun Sen regime. The King's comments come as Hun Sen flies to \JBeijing\j to seek the king's support for \JCambodia\j's new leadership. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
A total of 108 Chinese plaintiffs begin legal action against the Japanese Government, seeking compensation for germ warfare experiments conducted by the Imperial Army's Unit 731 during World War II. \I(China, Japan)\i
A ten-member Australian Government delegation begins formal talks on human rights with Chinese Government counterparts in \JBeijing\j, a diplomatic breakthrough \JAustralia\j hopes to develop into an annual dialog. \I(Australia, China)\i
Thailand is granted some relief from its economic crisis when the international community pledges a total of $US16 billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund and Asian donors led by \JJapan\j. \I(Thailand, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
South Korea reveals that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is to visit Seoul in late August. During his visit, Mr. Netanyahu will hold talks with President Kim Young Sam and other government officials, and is expected to sign agreements calling for co-operation in agriculture, and postal and telecommunications development. \I(Israel, South Korea)\i
Anti-whaling groups accuse \JJapan\j of illegal whale hunting when a \JNew Zealand\j analysis of whale meat purchased in \JJapan\j detects DNA evidence of protected humpback and finback whales. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, Japan)\i
Australian scientists claim to have discovered a fossilized skeleton of the world's largest bird, the \IAlcoota dromornis,\i a flightless bird that lived about eight million years ago. The discovery was made outside \JAlice Springs\j, in \JAustralia\j's \JNorthern Territory\j. \I(Australia)\i
In the men's finals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j's Michael Klim wins the 100m freestyle, America's Kurt Grote wins the 100m breaststroke, and \JAustralia\j's Matthew Dunn wins the 400m individual medley. In the women's finals, America's Jenny Thompson wins the 100m freestyle, \JAustralia\j's Samantha Riley wins the 100m breaststroke, and America's M. Crippen wins the 400m individual medley. \I(Japan, \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
For the first time ever, President Clinton utilizes his power of line-item veto to cancel three provisions from the balanced-budget legislation, an historic exercise of the authority sought by generations of United States presidents. \I(USA)\i
Following a severe snowstorm, Peruvian army helicopters fly food, blankets, and medical supplies to thousands of people trapped in their cars on the snow-bound highway in the \JAndes\j mountain range. Six people are reported frozen to death, and others who are seriously ill are airlifted to Abancay, 380 miles southeast of Lima. \I(Peru)\i
On the second \Jday\j of his mission to resolve the crisis sparked by the recent suicide bombing of \JJerusalem\j's central market, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, says Israel and Palestine have come a step closer to reviving security ties, but concedes that success must be measured by results. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Convicted \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, will be formally sentenced this week following Judge Richard Matsch's denial of McVeigh's request for a new trial. The request cited 13 grounds, including pre-trial publicity, and emotional testimony from survivors and victims' relatives. A total of 168 people died as a result of the 1995 bombing. \I(USA)\i
California Republican, Jay Kim, the first Korean-American elected to the US Congress, pleads guilty to accepting illegal campaign contributions totaling $US145,000, including $US50,000 from a Taiwanese businessman. Kim's wife June pleads guilty to accepting $US38,000, and Kim's campaign committee pleads guilty to concealing the illegal funds. Sentencing is set for October 23 by the judge. \I(USA)\i
According to reports, Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, is to sign a contract with Columbia Pictures for a film about her relationship with the ex-Beatle. As part of the multi-million-dollar deal, she is apparently prepared to cede the rights to some of Lennon's songs. \I(UK, USA)\i
A spokesman for the Environmental Working Group says that over the last twelve months, 4.3 million Americans drank \Jwater\j containing concentrations of pesticides exceeding new federal standards of acceptable risk, but adds that efforts to improve \Jwater\j quality in a number of cities are producing results. \I(USA)\i
After a plan to re-power a back-up system fails, Russian space officials believe new parts from Earth may be needed to repair the main oxygen system on the damaged Mir Space Station. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In the finals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in \JJapan\j, America's Kurt Grote wins the men's 100m breaststroke, America's Jenny Thompson wins the women's 100m freestyle, and America's M. Crippen wins the women's 400m individual medley. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the second \Jday\j of his mission to resolve the crisis sparked by the recent suicide bombing of \JJerusalem\j's central market, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, says Israel and Palestine have come a step closer to reviving security ties, but concedes that success must be measured by results. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Tajik presidential forces recapture the key aluminum-producing area of Gissar Valley, an area seized three days ago in an attack launched by a mutinous military faction under the command of Makhmud Khudoyberdyev. The government of the former Soviet republic says it now hopes to resolve the conflict through peaceful means. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Northern Ireland's loyalist politicians react angrily to hints from Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, that jail terms of terrorist prisoners could be relaxed if the IRA cease-fire holds. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Kenyan President, Daniel arap Moi, condemns the violence that killed four people during the recent national strike called by pro-reform activist, accusing his opponents of creating chaos. \I(Kenya)\i
Following the failure of a plan to re-power a back-up system, Russian space officials believe new parts from Earth may be needed to repair the main oxygen system on the damaged Mir Space station. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Berlin archivists, artists, and politicians call for a concerted move to protect the last remaining fragments of the historic Berlin Wall. The Wall is being eroded by property developers, trophy hunters, and the \Jweather\j, with little more than a half mile of the original 26-mile structure still standing. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
South Korea reveals that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is to visit Seoul in late August. During his visit, Mr. Netanyahu will hold talks with President Kim Young Sam and other government officials, and is expected to sign agreements calling for co-operation in agriculture, and postal and telecommunications development. \I(Israel, South Korea)\i
Britain's Home Office announces that 6,000 names will be put on the national sex offenders' register when the Sex Offenders Act comes into force on September 1. Under the provisions of the act, persons convicted or cautioned for a range of sex offenses must keep police informed of where they live, or face a six-month jail sentence and/or a fine of five thousand pounds. In exceptional circumstances, police will have the authority to advise relevant local groups if an offender moves into the area. \I(UK)\i
Twenty-seven tourists suffer minor injuries when a boat cruising the Seine River in Paris hits a \Jbuttress\j of the historic Pont Neuf bridge. Police are investigating the cause of the accident. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Sergei Shoigu, head of \JRussia\j's Emergencies Ministry, flies to the southern republic of Dagestan to help combat an outbreak of typhoid which has swept through several villages near the \JCaspian Sea\j, hospitalizing 168 victims, most of whom are children. \I(Russia)\i
According to reports, Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, is to sign a contract with Columbia Pictures for a film about her relationship with the ex-Beatle. As part of the multi-million-dollar deal, she is apparently prepared to cede the rights to some of Lennon's songs. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"August 12, 1997",587,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
About 300 Khmer Rouge guerrillas are reported to have joined forces loyal to ousted Cambodian Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in a battle to defend two royalist strongholds in the country's north against troops of the Hun Sen regime. In Phnom Penh, meanwhile, a military prosecutor issues a warrant for the prince's arrest on charges of weapons smuggling, and in \JBeijing\j, Hun Sen meets with the prince's father, King Norodom Sihanouk, seeking the monarch's endorsement for the new political situation in \JCambodia\j. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
In Himachal Pradesh State, northern India, some 40 people are feared drowned when a flash flood, triggered by a monsoon downpour, bursts the banks of the Andhra River and inundates the Himalayan village of Chirgaon. \I(India)\i
Returning from a visit to North Korea, a United States congressional delegation expresses dissatisfaction with the secrecy surrounding the \Jfamine\j-stricken country's distribution of emergency food aid, saying \JPyongyang\j needs to make food distribution to the civilian population fully transparent and verifiable before the US considers additional assistance. The delegation also reports that despite considerable pressure, North Korea will not contemplate any changes to its centralized political and economic systems. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
In the wake of the fatal crash of a Korean Air Lines 747 in \JGuam\j, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense says it will begin overall inspections of 12 airports around the country to ensure flight safety standards. \I(South Korea, Guam)\i
Sir Julius Chan, former Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, denounces the new Sandline mercenaries inquiry as vindictive and highly personal. Sir Julius will be one of the main targets of the inquiry recently announced by the new Prime Minister, Bill Skate. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Taiwan restores diplomatic relations with the central African nation of Chad, pledging co-operation in medical, agricultural, technical training, and other areas. Diplomatic ties were first established in 1962, but Chad switched recognition to \JBeijing\j in 1972. \JBeijing\j is now expected to cut its ties with Chad, which has become the 31st country to recognize \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, Chad, China)\i
Hong Kong's Executive Council meets to establish firm guidelines for the 1998 polls which will elect a 60-member Legislative Council to replace the \JBeijing\j-appointed Provisional Legislature. The guidelines for the polls have already aroused strong protests from pro-democracy groups who were ousted when the territory returned to China on July 1. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
In the men's finals of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in \JJapan\j, Grant Hackett of \JAustralia\j wins the 400m freestyle, Neil Walker of the United States wins the 100m butterfly, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 200m backstroke, and the United States team wins the 4x100m relay. In the women's finals, Claudia Poll of Costa Rica wins the 400m freestyle, Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m butterfly, M. Nakamura of \JJapan\j wins the 200m backstroke, and the United States team wins the 4x100 relay. \I(Japan, \JAustralia\j, USA, Costa Rica)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Returning from a visit to North Korea, a United States congressional delegation expresses dissatisfaction with the secrecy surrounding the \Jfamine\j-stricken country's distribution of emergency food aid, saying \JPyongyang\j needs to make food distribution to the civilian population fully transparent and verifiable before the US considers additional assistance. The delegation also reports that despite considerable pressure, North Korea will not contemplate any changes to its centralized political and economic systems. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
After lengthy talks with the two sides, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, says Israel and Palestine have begun to restore security co-operation, fixing on a means of sharing information and acting together to combat \Jterrorism\j. Palestine, however, insists that security ties must be accompanied by political progress, and demands that Israel rescind stringent sanctions imposed after last month's double suicide bombing in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Lawyers defending Terry Nichols in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial request that the proceedings be moved to \JSan Francisco\j, arguing that potential jurors in \JColorado\j are too emotionally involved with the victims of the blast. Nichols is accused of conspiring with, and helping, Timothy McVeigh, who was convicted in June and sentenced to death for the 1995 bombing. \I(USA)\i
Bernard Parks is sworn in as Los Angeles' new police chief, becoming the city's first black officer to rise through the ranks to the top of the force. \I(USA)\i
In response to complaints from \JColombia\j, Mexico agrees to send a top-level anti-drugs envoy to co-ordinate with Colombians in the war on drugs. \JColombia\j is the world's largest producer of \Jcocaine\j, much of which passes through Mexico en route to the United States. \I(Colombia, Mexico, USA)\i
United States swimmers score gold at the Pan Pacific Championships in \JJapan\j, with Neil Walker winning the men's 100m butterfly, Lenny Krayzelburg winning the men's 200m backstroke, Jenny Thompson winning the women's 100m butterfly, and the US teams winning both the men's and women's 4x100m relay. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Claudia Poll of Costa Rica wins the 400m freestyle final at the Pan Pacific Championships in \JJapan\j. \I(Costa Rica, Japan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Taiwan restores diplomatic relations with the central African nation of Chad, pledging co-operation in medical, agricultural, technical training, and other areas. Diplomatic ties were first established in 1962, but Chad switched recognition to \JBeijing\j in 1972. \JBeijing\j is now expected to cut its ties with Chad, which has become the 31st country to recognize \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, Chad, China)\i
After lengthy talks with the two sides, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, says Israel and Palestine have begun to restore security co-operation, fixing on a means of sharing information and acting together to combat \Jterrorism\j. Palestine, however, insists that security ties must be accompanied by political progress, and demands that Israel rescind stringent sanctions imposed after last month's double suicide bombing in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission hears appeals for amnesty from the two men convicted of the 1993 murder of popular Communist Party leader, Chris Hani. Polish-born anti-Communist, Janusz Walus, who shot Hani four times outside his \JJohannesburg\j home, and former member of the right-wing Conservative Party, Clive Derby-Lewis, who supplied the gun, speak publicly about the assassination for the first time, saying it was designed to trigger chaos, spark a right-wing coup, and end President de Klerk's "betrayal" of his Afrikaner nation. The commission, set up by President Mandela to expose and heal \Japartheid\j-era crimes, has the power to grant amnesty to applicants who can prove their crimes had political motives. \I(South Africa, \JPoland\j)\i
Chancellor Helmut Kohl marks the 36th anniversary of the building of the Berlin Wall, which for 28 years, blocked the border between the city's East and West sectors. Chancellor Kohl refers to the Wall as a symbol of repression, and calls on Germans to remain vigilant in the fight against extremism. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
A constitutional court convenes outside \JSarajevo\j to debate President Biljana Plavsic's decision to dissolve the parliament and call a general election, a decision strongly opposed by government hard-liners loyal to ex-president and indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Opposing Northern Ireland politicians engage in a televised debate for the first time, an event regarded in an optimistic light by Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam. The debate, screened on BBC2's \INewsnight,\i is between Ulster Unionist MP, Ken Maginnis, and Sinn Fein MP, Martin McGuinness. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Newly elected President Mohammad Khatami submits his cabinet choices to the Iranian parliament. Despite widespread speculation, the list does not include any women. \I(Iran)\i
#
"August 13, 1997",588,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk says his offer to abdicate has been rejected by Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. The king also says he will return to his country in the near future, and calls on Hun Sen to bring peace to the nation. \I(Cambodia)\i
In \JBangkok\j, a grenade is thrown into the residential compound of newspaper publisher and opposition politician, Prasong Soonsiri. Mr. Prasong, an outspoken critic of the Thai Government's handling of the country's current economic crisis, claims that the attack is politically motivated. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Officials in the remote Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh in northern India now believe that at least 110 people have been killed in flash floods which swept through the area yesterday, saying that twelve villages are under \Jwater\j, and when reports come from cut-off areas, the toll could rise significantly. \I(India)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale damages buildings in the county of Rongchang in China's Sichuan province, but officials say there are no reports of casualties. \I(China)\i
Members of the US delegation returning from a visit to North Korea express further concerns about the distribution of food aid, saying they will seek steps to ensure that future US aid goes directly to the starving people of the \Jfamine\j-stricken country. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
The mayor of Seoul, Cho Soon, announces his candidacy in December's presidential elections, making the outcome of the four-cornered race less predictable. \I(South Korea)\i
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, indicates that the United States is considering granting Argentina "symbolic" status as a major non-\JNATO\j ally, a move which would place Argentina in the same category as Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, and Jordan. \I(USA, Argentina, Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, Jordan)\i
In the men's finals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in \JJapan\j, Matthew Dunn of \JAustralia\j wins the 200m individual medley, William Pilczuk of the United States wins the 50m freestyle, Kurt Grote of the United States wins the 200m breaststroke, Grant Hackett of \JAustralia\j wins the 500m freestyle, and the United States team wins the 4x100m medley relay. In the women's finals, Brooke Bennett of the United States wins the 800m freestyle, Kristine Quance of the United States wins the 200m individual medley, Le Jingyi of China wins the 50m freestyle, Samantha Riley of \JAustralia\j wins the 200m breaststroke, and the United States team wins the 4x100m medley relay. \I(Japan, \JAustralia\j, USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reacts strongly to reports that indicted Bosnian Serb war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, has turned down a US offer of refuge in a third country, denying that such an offer was made, and insisting that the United States wants Karadzic tried for war crimes by an international tribunal. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Members of the US delegation returning from a visit to North Korea express further concerns about the distribution of food aid, saying they will seek steps to ensure that future US aid goes directly to the starving people of the \Jfamine\j-stricken country. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
One hiker is found dead and 10 others are feared drowned after a flash flood sends an 11-foot wall of \Jwater\j tearing through the normally dry \JAntelope\j \JCanyon\j, about 50 miles northeast of the Grand \JCanyon\j in \JArizona\j. Seven of the hikers come from \JFrance\j, two from the United States, and one each from Britain and Sweden. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Britain)\i
A new study conducted by the US National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse finds that drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents is rising, with 2.4 per cent of eighth graders using heroin, and more using marijuana during seventh grade or earlier. \I(USA)\i
The US Southern Baptist Convention says it will ask each of its 15 million members to withhold at least $US100 on Disney products or services during the next 12 months. Leaders of Southern Baptist are accusing Disney of shifting to a "Christian-bashing, family-bashing, pro-homosexual agenda" over the past decade. \I(USA)\i
In \JCuba\j, President Fidel Castro's 71st birthday is marked with traditional official discretion. In the United States, meanwhile, the Cuban exile group says it will support any action to oust Castro from his 38 years of power. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, indicates that the United States is considering granting Argentina "symbolic" status as a major non-\JNATO\j ally, a move which would place Argentina in the same category as Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, and Jordan. \I(USA, Argentina, Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, Jordan)\i
Reports indicate that Ronald Biggs, one of the masterminds behind Britain's 1963 Great Train Robbery, will remain in \JBrazil\j despite its new \Jextradition\j agreement with the UK. According to the reports, \JBrazil\j's Supreme Court has accepted Biggs' argument that the 15-year statute of limitations for his crime has expired. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
United States swimmers take out a further six events at the Pan Pacific Championships in \JJapan\j, when William Pilczuk wins the men's 50m freestyle, Kurt Grote wins the men's 200m breaststroke, and the United States team wins the men's 4x100m medley relay. In the women's finals, Brooke Bennett wins the 800m freestyle, Kristine Quance wins the 200m individual medley, and the United States team wins the 4x100m medley relay. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, reacts strongly to reports that indicted Bosnian Serb war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, has turned down a US offer of refuge in a third country, denying that such an offer was made, and insisting that the United States wants Karadzic tried for war crimes by an international tribunal. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
During talks with Tajik President, Imomali Rakhmonov, maverick army colonel, Makhmud Khudoyberdyev, agrees to withdraw his forces to barracks. The agreement comes after four days of fighting between Khudoyberdyev's Rapid Reaction Brigade and troops loyal to the president. \I(Tajikistan)\i
Zambian police use tear gas and batons when rioting traders, angered by a mysterious overnight fire which gutted their sprawling market, vandalize property in the capital's central business district. Fifty-six people are arrested, and armed police then patrol the deserted streets, ordering anyone remaining to leave or face arrest. \I(Zambia)\i
An Iranian serial killer is lashed by his victims' male relatives before being hanged from a mobile crane in front of a crowd of some 20,000 people. Gholamreza Khoshrou Kouran Kordieh, dubbed the "Tehran Vampire", was sentenced to public execution after confessing on \Jtelevision\j to the kidnap, rape, and murder of nine girls and women aged 10 to 47 over a period of four months this year. \I(Iran)\i
Speaking just 24 hours after his \Jtelevision\j debate with Ulster MP, Ken Maginnis, Sinn Fein MP, Martin McGuinness, acknowledges the suffering for which the IRA has been responsible, at the same time noting that neither the British Government nor Unionist leaders have yet acknowledged their responsibility for Northern Ireland's long history of killings and injustice. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Chechnya's parliament declares Russian a foreign language and votes to make Chechen the official language of the breakaway southern region, which considers itself a sovereign state, despite \JRussia\j's statements to the contrary. \I(Russia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, indicates that the United States is considering granting Argentina "symbolic" status as a major non-\JNATO\j ally, a move which would place Argentina in the same category as Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, and Jordan. \I(USA, Argentina, Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea, Jordan)\i
One hiker is found dead and 10 others are feared drowned after a flash flood sends an 11-foot wall of \Jwater\j tearing through the normally dry \JAntelope\j \JCanyon\j, about 50 miles northeast of the Grand \JCanyon\j in \JArizona\j. Seven of the hikers come from \JFrance\j, two from the United States, and one each from Britain and Sweden. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Britain)\i
Reports indicate that Ronald Biggs, one of the masterminds behind Britain's 1963 Great Train Robbery, will remain in \JBrazil\j despite its new \Jextradition\j agreement with the UK. According to the reports, \JBrazil\j's Supreme Court has accepted Biggs' argument that the 15-year statute of limitations for his crime has expired. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
Britain's Chris and Rosalynde Lee become the world's first heart transplant couple to have a baby. Little Joseph Lee weighs in at 5lb 15oz and spends several hours on a ventilator after being delivered by cesarean section, but a \Jhospital\j spokesman later confirms that mother and baby are doing well. \I(UK)\i
#
"August 14, 1997",589,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A bomb explodes on a crowded train in the far eastern Indian State of Assam, killing at least seven people. Militants of the Bodo community are believed to be responsible for the blast. \I(India)\i
Pakistan officially celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from British rule. To mark the occasion, Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, announces a remission in sentences for prisoners in \JPakistan\j's jails, and urges neighboring India to join in resolving the lingering Kashmir problem, which still presents a barrier to bilateral ties. Later in the \Jday\j, however, the celebrations are seriously marred when at least two people are killed after police open fire on a crowd outside the \Jmausoleum\j of \JPakistan\j's founding father. \I(Pakistan, UK)\i
Returning from a crucial meeting with \JCambodia\j's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk in \JBeijing\j, Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, declares that he has ordered his army chief of staff to quickly capture the northern border village of O'Smach, the last main stronghold of troops loyal to the king's son, former First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Meanwhile, the prince's recently elected replacement as First Prime Minster, Ung Huot, claims that the king has given his "blessing" to the new political line-up in Phnom Penh, a claim vehemently disputed by staunch royalist supporters elsewhere. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
Amnesty International says continuing human rights abuses on the island of Bougainville should be the central focus of a Papua New Guinean Human Rights Commission to be established by the end of the year, adding that an offshoot of the commission should also be set up on Bougainville to hear widespread allegations of human rights violations during the nine-year \Jcivil war\j. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
The Portuguese Foreign Ministry announces that UN ambassadorial-level talks between \JPortugal\j and \JIndonesia\j will be held in October to discuss the disputed territory of East \JTimor\j. Officials in \JPretoria\j later confirm that \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto will fly to South Africa in November for talks with President Nelson Mandela, who has been actively seeking to broker peace in East \JTimor\j. \I(Portugal, \JIndonesia\j, East \JTimor\j, South Africa)\i
Despite recent concerns about North Korea's food distribution system, South Korea begins shipping 50,000 tons of promised food aid to the \Jfamine\j-stricken nation. It is the South's second huge shipment of food to the North in two months. \I(The Koreas)\i
In response to mounting pressure for his resignation, Taiwanese Premier, Lien Chan, announces that he will resign the premiership on August 21, stepping down with his entire cabinet. \I(Taiwan)\i
According to reports, Hong Kong's new leader, Tung Chee-hwa, is to make his first official visit to the United States in early September, when he will fly to Washington and New York to meet with President Clinton and members of Congress. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
.
\BThe Americas\b
In a federal court in \JDenver\j, convicted \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, is formally sentenced to death by lethal injection. \I(USA)\i
According to reports, Hong Kong's new leader, Tung Chee-hwa, is to make his first official visit to the United States in early September, when he will fly to Washington and New York to meet with President Clinton and members of Congress. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, approves a three-month visa for Northern Ireland Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, saying there will be no restrictions on Adams raising funds in the United States. The approval comes in response to the latest cease-fire called by the Sinn Fein affiliated Irish Republican Army. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Honduran authorities disclose that two prisoners were shot dead during a jail riot in Santa Rosa de Copan, the third riot in a week provoked by severe overcrowding in the country's penitentiaries. With 205 fugitives still at large following a mass jailbreak on Monday, Honduran politicians are now clamoring for a crackdown, and the military is preparing to send in troops to impose order in the nation's 24 prisons. \I(\JHonduras\j)\i
A grand jury in \JTexas\j decides not to indict a US Marine on charges of shooting dead a teenager while on an anti-\Jnarcotics\j surveillance mission near the Mexican border in May. Earlier, the Pentagon had spoken out in the Marine's defense, claiming he was doing his job at the time. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
New York City Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, announces the reassignment of the commanding and executive officers of the 70th police precinct following allegations that a Haitian immigrant was beaten and sodomized with a toilet plunger while in custody. The immigrant, Abner Louima, remains in a critical condition in \Jhospital\j after undergoing surgery for a pierced \Jrectum\j and a torn bladder. Mr. Louima, who also suffered a fractured jaw, is facing more surgery. \I(USA)\i
Near \JSpokane\j in the State of Washington, dozens of people are forced from their homes by two fast-moving wildfires fueled by searing temperatures of up to 94 degrees, and fanned by winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour. \I(USA)\i
Researchers reveal the discovery of a second common genetic \Jmutation\j which delays the onset of AIDS by an average of 2 to 3 years in some \JHIV\j positive people, adding that if scientists are able to mimic the \Jmutation\j, they might be able to stall the onset of AIDS in all people who have been exposed to the virus. \I(USA)\i
The Guinness Book of Records confirms that 116-year-old Canadian woman, Marie Louise Febronie Meilleur, is the world's oldest living person, a status she assumed following the recent death of 122-year-old Frenchwoman, Jeanne Calment. The world's oldest man, according to Guinness records, is 114-year-old Christian Mortensen of San Raphael, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Canada, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mir cosmonauts, Alexander Lazutkin and Vasily Tsibliyev, return to Earth, landing their Soyuz capsule in the barren steppeland of \JKazakhstan\j. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Pakistan officially celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from British rule. To mark the occasion, Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, announces a remission in sentences for prisoners in \JPakistan\j's jails, and urges neighboring India to join in resolving the lingering Kashmir problem, which still presents a barrier to bilateral ties. Later in the \Jday\j, however, the celebrations are seriously marred when at least two people are killed after police open fire on a crowd outside the \Jmausoleum\j of \JPakistan\j's founding father. \I(Pakistan, UK)\i
Following a scandal over the privatization of \JRussia\j's telecommunications giant, Svyazinvest, President Boris Yeltsin accepts the resignation of privatization boss, Alfred Kokh. At the center of the scandal was Kokh's "loans-for-shares" scheme, a process which enabled powerful friends of the government to buy blue-chip assets at minimal cost. \I(Russia)\i
The Portuguese Foreign Ministry announces that UN ambassadorial-level talks between \JPortugal\j and \JIndonesia\j will be held in October to discuss the disputed territory of East \JTimor\j. Officials in \JPretoria\j later confirm that \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto will fly to South Africa in November for talks with President Nelson Mandela, who has been actively seeking to broker peace in East \JTimor\j. \I(Portugal, \JIndonesia\j, East \JTimor\j, South Africa)\i
Kenyan police reveal that six officers and seven civilians were killed in an overnight attack on a police station in Mombassa. According to witnesses, dozens of men armed with machetes released prisoners and stole \Jfirearms\j before torching the station. \I(Kenya)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, approves a three-month visa for Northern Ireland Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, saying there will be no restrictions on Adams raising funds in the United States. The approval comes in response to the latest cease-fire called by the Sinn Fein affiliated Irish Republican Army. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Paleoanthropologists announce the discovery of three fossilized human footprints dating back 117,000 years, the oldest known footprints of an anatomically modern human being. The prints, which were discovered in rock along Langebaan Lagoon, 60 miles north of Cape Town, are believed to be those of a lone woman, possibly the "genetic Eve", a hypothetical figure who carried the DNA potential of modern women, and who lived in Africa between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"August 15, 1997",590,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a midnight ceremony, the recorded voices of Gandhi and Nehru herald the anniversary of India's half-century of independence from British rule. Later however, in a speech by Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, patriotic pageantry is sobered by calls for a national crusade against corruption, and by a candid acknowledgment of the poverty, ignorance, and disease that continue to plague India's people. The majority of the country's newspapers echo Mr. Gujral's line, many laying the blame for the nation's problems on its "scam-ridden" politics. \I(India)\i
Japan commemorates the 52nd anniversary of the end of World War II, with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto expressing deep regret for the suffering and sorrow the war brought to the people of \JJapan\j and other Asian countries. \I(Japan, Asia)\i
The Hong Kong Government's disclosure of its new draft election law provokes condemnation from the territory's pro-democracy activists. Under the new arrangements, only one-third of the 60-seat legislature is to be returned by geographical constituencies in next May's promised polls, with the remaining 40 seats to be filled by representatives from business and professional bodies, and by an election committee comprised of pro-China politicians, businessmen and professionals. As a consequence, more than 2 million previously eligible Hong Kong voters will be disenfranchised. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Despite calls for sweeping changes to end economic mismanagement and corruption, \JThailand\j's Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, makes only minor adjustments to his cabinet, the most significant being the appointments of Virabongsa Ramangkura and Thaksin Shinawatra as deputy prime ministers. \I(Thailand)\i
In the \JPhilippines\j, two passenger boats capsize in rough \Jweather\j, killing 16 people and leaving dozens missing. A number of the victims are Hong Kong tourists. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average closes at 7,694.66 after posting a loss of 247.37 points, its second-biggest one-\Jday\j point loss ever. The drop contributes to a loss of 336.56 points for the week, the largest weekly fall in the history of the average. \I(USA)\i
United States forces begin a redeployment aimed at boosting the US contingent with the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia by 50 per cent. Between 11,000 and 12,000 US troops will remain in the region for several weeks to help ensure security during the mid-September municipal elections. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
The Russian-US crew of Mir circles the space station in a Soyuz escape capsule for 45 minutes, filming the exterior in preparation for repairs to damage caused by the June 25 collision with a cargo ship. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The United States expresses disappointment at Israel's delay in releasing tax money and customs duties owed to the Palestinian Authority, a tactic Palestinian leaders condemn as a form of collective punishment for the July double suicide bombing of a central market in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A \JDenver\j judge rejects defense counsels' requests to relocate the trial of Terry Nichols, the accused \JOklahoma City\j bombing co-conspirator. The trial is expected to begin on September 29. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton appoints his wife, Hillary, to direct the United States millennium project, which will consist of a series of programs designed to showcase the nation's cultural, academic, and scientific achievements. \I(USA)\i
Citing possible contamination with a deadly strain of the \IE. Coli\i \Jbacteria\j, the United States Agriculture Department announces the recall of at least 1.2 million pounds of frozen hamburger, the largest recall of US ground beef products in history. \I(USA)\i
In the face of widespread media criticism, New York Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, defends the successful crime-fighting record of the city's police department. Giuliani's defense comes after an assault against a black Haitian immigrant in a Brooklyn precinct led to criminal charges against one policeman, and disciplinary action against at least 10 others. \I(USA)\i
The United States Government says its computers will not be plagued by the "millennium bug", a flaw whereby some systems will mistakenly calculate the year 2000 as 1900. According to government officials, the problem can be corrected for less than $US3 billion. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Bosnian Serb Constitutional Court backs hard-liners allied to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, ruling against a decision by President Biljana Plavsic to dissolve the parliament and call early elections. Ms. Plavsic later announces the formation of her own party, the Serb Popular Alliance. \I(Bosnia)\i
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recommends a delay of at least six weeks in further withdrawals of UN peacekeepers from \JAngola\j, raising the prospect of sanctions against the rebel UNITA movement for violating the 1994 \JLusaka\j peace accords. UNITA is charged with failing to return about half the country under its military control to government administration, and failing to demobilize a secret army estimated to be 35,000 strong. \I(Angola)\i
The Russian-US crew of Mir circles the space station in a Soyuz escape capsule for 45 minutes, filming the exterior in preparation for repairs to damage caused by the June 25 collision with a cargo ship. \I(Russia, USA)\i
United States forces begin a redeployment aimed at boosting the US contingent with the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia by 50 per cent. Between 11,000 and 12,000 US troops will remain in the region for several weeks to help ensure security during the mid-September municipal elections. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
In a joint statement, the leaders of Georgia and its rebel province of Abkhazia pledge to rule out force as a means of resolving the differences dividing them, and agree on the need to maintain permanent contact to settle disagreements through peaceful, political means. The breakthrough in the lengthy conflict comes after the two sides meet for peace talks mediated by Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov. \I(Georgia, Russia)\i
The United States expresses disappointment at Israel's delay in releasing tax money and customs duties owed to the Palestinian Authority, a tactic Palestinian leaders condemn as a form of collective punishment for the July double suicide bombing of a central market in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A French appeals court rules in favor of voluntary DNA testing of all young men in the town of Pleine Fougeres, near Rennes. The ruling comes in response to an appeal lodged by the parents of a British schoolgirl who was raped and murdered in the town's youth hostel on July 18, 1996. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
#
"August 16, 1997",591,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hundreds of Cambodian refugees converge on the Thai border, fleeing heavy fighting as the forces of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, close in on the town of O'Smach, the last major stronghold of royalist forces loyal to deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
The apparent defection to the North of a prominent member of South Korea's opposition party sparks a political row in Seoul. According to reports from the North, Oh Ik-jae, a former religious affairs adviser to the South's National Congress for New Politics, arrived in \JPyongyang\j on Friday. \I(The Koreas)\i
Pakistan mourns the death of 49-year-old Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a composer and classical singer who popularized the region's traditional mystic and semi-classical music by mixing it with modern fast beats. \I(Pakistan)\i
In Rugby's Tri Nations Test series, the \JNew Zealand\j All Blacks score a 36-24 victory against the Australian Wallabies. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a vocal show of outrage, thousands of demonstrators, many brandishing toilet plungers and Haitian flags, take to Brooklyn's streets to protest against the alleged torture of a Haitian immigrant at a local police precinct. Two officers have now been arrested in connection with the assault, and Police Commissioner, Howard Safir, says up to five more officers are implicated. \I(USA)\i
The 60-foot-long robot arm of the \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery picks up the free-flying \Jsatellite\j released last week to probe the Earth's \Jozone layer\j. During its nine-\Jday\j \Jorbit\j, the \Jsatellite\j found evidence that the upper \Jatmosphere\j contains much more \Jwater\j vapor than scientists expected. \I(USA)\i
After more than a year of painstaking DNA analysis, forensic scientists identify the last two victims of the crash of TWA Flight 800, which killed all 230 people on board when it exploded off Long Island shortly after takeoff. \I(USA)\i
At the University of Memphis, a three-hour memorial service is held to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Fans and friends offer tributes, and an estimated 30,000 people visit Presley's grave. \I(USA)\i
Alejandro Ortiz Martinez, the brother of Mexico's Finance Minister, is shot dead by two gunmen as he steps from his car in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood of \JMexico City\j. The Attorney-General's office considers the crime to be robbery with violence, but observers suspect it is more than a simple robbery attempt. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Kenyan authorities warn tourists in the Indian Ocean resort of \JMombasa\j to stay in their hotels. The warning comes as security forces hunt a gang of unidentified attackers who have launched raids and killed up to 17 people since Wednesday night. \I(Kenya)\i
Two recently returned cosmonauts from the Mir space station hit back at critics who have blamed them for the mission's spate of calamities, laying the blame on earthbound sources, namely \JRussia\j's poor economy. \I(Russia)\i
#
"August 17, 1997",592,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Sri Lankan military officials estimate that both sides lost at least 11 people during weekend clashes between government forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. The clashes occurred as the government continued its offensive to clear a land route through rebel-held territory to the Northern Jaffna peninsula. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Myanmar's military regime announces that three cousins of democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, have been jailed for ten years after being convicted of smuggling political videotapes abroad, and receiving political funding from the United States. Cho Aung Than, his sister, Nge Ma Ma Than, and her husband Myint Swe, were found guilty and sentenced under national security laws. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Reports indicate that forces of Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, have pushed to within 7 kilometers of the northern border enclave of O'Smach, the country's last stronghold of royalist resistance. Barbed wire has been strung along the nearby frontier to prevent a stampede of refugees, but \JThailand\j confirms it will grant temporary asylum to unarmed Cambodians whose lives are in danger. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
Indonesia marks its 52nd anniversary of independence from the Netherlands. In a speech to Parliament, Indonesian President Soeharto acknowledges the positive impetus provided by the information explosion, but warns of the negative influences whereby constant dissatisfaction could pose a threat to national unity and cohesion. \I(Indonesia, The Netherlands)\i
A number of deaths and injuries are reported when Typhoon Winnie lashes \JOkinawa\j and other Japanese islands with torrential rain and winds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. \I(Japan)\i
As part of a nationwide campaign, thousands march and gather around \JBangkok\j's Democracy Monument in a show of support for a controversial draft constitution which seeks to enhance civil liberties and curb corruption. Conservative members of \JThailand\j's ruling coalition are opposed to many aspects of the draft, but it goes before parliament at a time of economic crisis and widespread dissatisfaction with the Government of Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. \I(Thailand)\i
A spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reports visible evidence of widespread \Jmalnutrition\j in North Korea, especially in industrial cities. The spokesman also says 60 days without rain has ruined almost 70 per cent of this summer's \Jmaize\j crop, and farmers are now battling to save the rice crop which is due for harvest in September. \I(North Korea)\i
Beijing urges the United States to eliminate sanctions on sales of nuclear equipment and high-technology to China, pointing to bilateral trade as a solution to the US trade deficit. Washington says it is considering the issue, but is not yet ready to implement it. \I(China, USA)\i
A senior United States Treasury official says this week's World Trade Organization talks between American and Asian officials will lay down broad objectives on liberalizing financial markets rather than cementing specific deals. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Australian golfer, Karrie Webb, claims her second victory this season, finishing with a 19-under-par total of 269 to take out the Women's British Open by 8 strokes. \I(Australia, UK)\i
At the Pilot Pen International Tennis Tournament in \JNew Haven\j, \JRussia\j's Yevgeny Kafelnikov holds off \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter to win his second singles title for the year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Australian Michael Doohan retains his four-year hold on the 500cc motorcycling world championship after winning the British Grand Prix. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Five days and 20 hours after setting off on a rugged 538 kilometer course in \JAustralia\j's Far North \JQueensland\j, \JNew Zealand\j's Eco-\JInternet\j team wins the world's fourth Eco-Challenge race, an event in which teams trek, canoe, climb, whitewater-raft, mountain-bike, horse-ride, and sea-\Jkayak\j. \I(Australia, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Beijing urges the United States to eliminate sanctions on sales of nuclear equipment and high-technology to China, pointing to bilateral trade as a solution to the US trade deficit. Washington says it is considering the issue, but is not yet ready to implement it. \I(China, USA)\i
Myanmar's military regime announces that three cousins of democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, have been jailed for ten years after being convicted of smuggling political videotapes abroad, and receiving political funding from the United States. Cho Aung Than, his sister, Nge Ma Ma Than, and her husband Myint Swe, were found guilty and sentenced under national security laws. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
A senior United States Treasury official says this week's World Trade Organization talks between American and Asian officials will lay down broad objectives on liberalizing financial markets rather than cementing specific deals. \I(USA, Asia)\i
A docking procedure to link an unmanned cargo ship with the Mir space station is delayed for one \Jday\j due to an undisclosed "extraordinary situation". Mission Control suggests, however, that Mir's Russian-US crew is in no immediate danger. \I(Russia, USA)\i
American golfer, David Love III, finishes with an 11-under-par total of 269 to take out the PGA Championship by 5 strokes, his first ever major championship victory. \I(USA)\i
In the Senior PGA Tour, Gil Morgan birdies the 17th hole for a one-stroke win at the First of America Classic in Ada, \JMichigan\j. \I(USA)\i
At the Pilot Pen International Tennis Tournament in \JNew Haven\j, \JRussia\j's Yevgeny Kafelnikov holds off \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter to win his second singles title for the year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman defeats \JSpain\j's Carlos Moya in the final of the RCA Tennis Championships in \JIndianapolis\j, Bjorkman's first victory over Moya in three meetings. \I(Sweden, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles of the United States defeats Anke Huber of \JGermany\j to capture her third consecutive Canadian Open title. It is Seles' second WTA Tour title in 2 weeks, and her 40th career title. \I(USA, Canada, Germany)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Palestinian Authority reveals its intention to boycott Israeli products, a retaliatory move provoked by Israel's refusal to lift travel bans and economic sanctions imposed after the \JJerusalem\j market suicide bombing in July. Since July, Israel's tough stance has cut off 100,000 Palestinians from their jobs, and President Yasser Arafat is now threatening to abandon the peace process rather than bow to Israeli pressure. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Kenyan authorities send in the army to reinforce police and paramilitary units battling five days of violent raids by armed assailants in \JMombasa\j. Twenty-eight people have now been killed, and dozens have been wounded in a series of attacks which are believed to be politically motivated. \I(Kenya)\i
As a power struggle intensifies between supporters of Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, and loyalists of ex-president and indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, \JNATO\j sends in British troops to prevent a possible clash. \I(Bosnia, UK)\i
A docking procedure to link an unmanned cargo ship with the Mir space station is delayed for one \Jday\j due to an undisclosed "extraordinary situation". Mission Control suggests, however, that Mir's Russian-US crew is in no immediate danger. \I(Russia, USA)\i
United Nations-mediated talks aimed at reuniting Cyprus under a federation of two zones, end with Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders trading accusations. Neither Mr. Clerides nor Mr. Denktash agree to a compromise statement on the future of the island. \I(Cyprus)\i
Indonesia marks its 52nd anniversary of independence from the Netherlands. In a speech to Parliament, Indonesian President Soeharto acknowledges the positive impetus provided by the information explosion, but warns of the negative influences whereby constant dissatisfaction could pose a threat to national unity and cohesion. \I(Indonesia, The Netherlands)\i
Australian golfer, Karrie Webb, claims her second victory this season, finishing with a 19-under-par total of 269 to take out the Women's British Open by 8 strokes. \I(Australia, UK)\i
At the Pilot Pen International Tennis Tournament in \JNew Haven\j, \JRussia\j's Yevgeny Kafelnikov holds off \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter to win his second singles title for the year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman defeats \JSpain\j's Carlos Moya in the final of the RCA Tennis Championships in \JIndianapolis\j, Bjorkman's first victory over Moya in three meetings. \I(Sweden, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles of the United States defeats Anke Huber of \JGermany\j to capture her third consecutive Canadian Open title. It is Seles' second WTA Tour title in 2 weeks, and her 40th career title. \I(USA, Canada, Germany)\i
Australian Michael Doohan retains his four-year hold on the 500cc motorcycling world championship after winning the British Grand Prix. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"August 18, 1997",593,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Typhoon Winnie creates havoc as it lashes northern \JTaiwan\j, causing floods, landslides, and power breakdowns, and killing at least 12 people. \I(Taiwan)\i
The United States agrees to join a Canadian bid to forge a global treaty banning landmines by the end of the year. Meanwhile, South Korea endorses the bid in principle, but argues that its own landmines must be kept in place until the threat of a North Korean invasion is extinguished. \I(USA, Canada, The Koreas)\i
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Bill Skate, announces his intention of personally attending the next round of Bougainville peace talks. Mr. Skate's announcement is welcomed by Bougainville Revolutionary Army spokesman, Moses Havini, who hopes that it will inspire the attendance of rebel political leader, Francis Ona, who has avoided previous talks. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
The United States and South Korea launch joint military exercises which feature computer-simulated war games, and involve tens of thousands of South Korean troops, as well as 16,500 US soldiers. According to South Korean officials, the exercises have long been planned, and are unrelated to proposed peace talks between the two Koreas, the United States, and China. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
Amnesty International expresses concern over reports that the Government of \JSingapore\j is using civil \Jdefamation\j suits to silence political opponents. The expression of concern comes as \JSingapore\j's leaders continue their \Jdefamation\j case against Joshua Jeyaretnam, the second case against a Workers' Party member this year. \I(Singapore)\i
A top Sri Lankan Air Force official reveals plans to recruit women pilots this year, a move aimed at rectifying a shortfall in combat personnel caused by heavy losses during the 14-year conflict with Tamil Tiger separatists in the country's north and east. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Controversy surrounds Queen Elizabeth's proposed visit to India in October, with Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, attempting to head off a royal visit to the city of \JAmritsar\j amid growing demands that the Queen publicly apologize for the 1919 \JAmritsar\j massacre, in which British troops opened fire on a political rally, killing nearly 400 people. \I(India, UK)\i
Australia pays tribute to Aboriginal activist, author, and actor, Burnum Burnum, who dies of a heart attack in Sydney at the age of 61. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As Wall Street investors race for bargains in blue-chip stocks, the Dow Jones industrial average rises 108.70 points to 7,803.36, regaining almost half of Friday's 247-point drop. \I(USA)\i
The United States and South Korea launch joint military exercises which feature computer-simulated war games, and involve tens of thousands of South Korean troops, as well as 16,500 US soldiers. According to South Korean officials, the exercises have long been planned, and are unrelated to proposed peace talks between the two Koreas, the United States, and China. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
Two more police officers from the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn are charged with assaulting Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, bringing the number of officers charged in the case to four. One other officer has been suspended, 13 have been taken off active duty, and two top commanders have been transferred. All charges against Abner Louima have been dropped, and the US Justice Department has now begun a federal \Jcivil rights\j investigation. \I(USA)\i
A \JNew Orleans\j district court jury rules that Dow Chemical Company was negligent and intentionally withheld information about the danger of silicone breast implants. The ruling is a victory for the thousands of women suing Dow Chemical for its role in testing silicone for use in human implants. \I(USA)\i
The United States agrees to join a Canadian bid to forge a global treaty banning landmines by the end of the year. Meanwhile, South Korea endorses the bid in principle, but argues that its own landmines must be kept in place until the threat of a North Korean invasion is extinguished. \I(USA, Canada, The Koreas)\i
Following the release of recently declassified federal documents, Washington is accused of violating the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty by trying to increase the power of its nuclear weapons, an accusation strongly denied by US Government officials who insist that the work outlined in the documents complies with the international accord. \I(USA)\i
Mission Control reveals that a computer failure triggered during a docking operation has sent space station Mir spinning chaotically in \Jorbit\j, losing its orientation toward the \Jsun\j. Engineers have been forced to shut down all \Jenergy\j-consuming systems, leaving only vital life-support systems operational while the crew works to recharge the batteries. Mission Control also advises that planned repairs to the ailing vessel will now be postponed. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Earthquakes shake the ground beneath Montserrat's troublesome Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j, and scientists fear the tremors could build to a massive new eruption. Britain says it will evacuate residents who want to leave the island. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves market release of the Freehand System, a new surgical implant that will give some adult quadriplegics sufficient use of their hands to pour \Jcoffee\j, hold a pen, or feed themselves. \I(USA)\i
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues new rules to cut \Jpollution\j from \Jhospital\j waste incinerators. Under the new rules, air emissions of mercury and \Jdioxin\j will be slashed by about 95 per cent, and other dangerous emissions will be also be reduced, but environmental advocates complain that the EPA has backed down from a tougher proposal. \I(USA)\i
After losing a six-year legal battle to preclude women, The Virginia Military Institute enrolls co-ed cadets for the first time in its 158 years. \I(USA)\i
The Carter Center announces that former United States President, Jimmy Carter, will visit \JEthiopia\j, Mali, and \JMozambique\j this month to discuss agricultural and economic development in African nations. \I(USA, \JEthiopia\j, Mali, \JMozambique\j, Africa)\i
In \JRio de Janeiro\j, environment officials voice concern as their famed beaches are soiled by up to 4,000 liters of oil spilled from a tanker owned by the Brazilian \Jpetroleum\j company, Petrobras. \I(Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The death toll from six days of violence in the area around the Kenyan port of \JMombasa\j rises to at least 35, with the identities and motives of those responsible for the trouble still uncertain. At the height of the coastal resort's vital tourist season, holiday-makers are forced to remain confined to their hotels for safety. \I(Kenya)\i
At least six people are killed and 34 wounded when shells fired from the Israeli-occupied security zone in southern \JLebanon\j strike the Lebanese port city of Sidon. The Israeli Army denies responsibility for the attack, blaming forces of the South \JLebanon\j Army under the command of Antoine Lahd. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
Israel decides to relax its freeze on Palestinian Authority funds, releasing about 30 per cent of the transfers in taxes and customs duties it has withheld since the July suicide bombing of a \JJerusalem\j market. Israel's decision comes in response to "partial cooperation" from the Palestinians in probing the bombing. Sources say data had been provided on explosives Palestinian officials discovered in early July at a West Bank apartment suspected of being a Hamas movement bomb laboratory. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Mission Control reveals that a computer failure triggered during a docking operation has sent space station Mir spinning chaotically in \Jorbit\j, losing its orientation toward the \Jsun\j. Engineers have been forced to shut down all \Jenergy\j-consuming systems, leaving only vital life-support systems operational while the crew works to recharge the batteries. Mission Control also advises that planned repairs to the ailing vessel will now be postponed. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
The head of St. Petersburg's privatization committee, Mikhail Manevich, is killed en route to his office when his car is riddled with bullets. The crime is linked to the murder of another of the city's privatization officials two months ago. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
A United Nations raid on police headquarters in Banja Luka uncovers substantial evidence that the telephones and offices of Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic are being bugged. The search also produces evidence that the police were involved in a campaign to intimidate two judges of the Constitutional Court which ruled against Ms. Plavsic's decision to dissolve parliament and call new elections. \I(Bosnia)\i
Earthquakes shake the ground beneath Montserrat's troublesome Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j, and scientists fear the tremors could build to a massive new eruption. Britain says it will evacuate residents who want to leave the island. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
Controversy surrounds Queen Elizabeth's proposed visit to India in October, with Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, attempting to head off a royal visit to the city of \JAmritsar\j amid growing demands that the Queen publicly apologize for the 1919 \JAmritsar\j massacre, in which British troops opened fire on a political rally, killing nearly 400 people. \I(India, UK)\i
The \JBordeaux\j wine harvest begins more than a month earlier than usual, a once-in-a-century event growers say could produce 1997 vintage wines of exceptionally good quality. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"August 19, 1997",594,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Military forces of \JCambodia\j's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, claim to have captured the town of O'Smach, the last remaining bastion of deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. During an interview in Manila, however, Prince Ranariddh disputes the claim, saying his general has held the town, a statement supported by loyal royalist soldiers awaiting Khmer Rouge reinforcements near the Thai border. \I(Cambodia, The \JPhilippines\j, \JThailand\j)\i
Seven soldiers and more than 50 rebels are killed when Sri Lankan Government troops advance their northward campaign to capture a vital highway in territory held by Tamil Tiger separatists. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
After leaving at least 20 people dead, 16 missing, and 83 injured in \JTaiwan\j, Typhoon Winnie ravages the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. Local authorities describe the storm as the biggest disaster in the history of the region, with 37 people reported dead, and some 790,000 people forced to evacuate their homes. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Officials from 10 countries attend a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of two 1,000-megawatt light-\Jwater\j nuclear reactors in North Korea. \I(North Korea)\i
The Australian Federal Government decides to block a controversial heroin trial which received strong support from health and police ministers earlier this month. Prime Minister John Howard acknowledges the difficulty of the issue, but defends the decision, saying approval of the trial would send an adverse signal to the community. \I(Australia)\i
China reacts angrily to a suggestion by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, Seiroku Kajiyama, that the security treaty between \JJapan\j and the United States could extend to cover \JTaiwan\j. China says Mr. Kajiyama's remarks are dangerous and destructive, and a violation of good Sino-Japanese relations. \I(China, \JJapan\j, \JTaiwan\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Mir space station computer system is restarted, arresting a spin through space triggered by a technical failure during the docking of a cargo ship. Mission Control confirms that the crew will now be able to restore the craft's stable alignment with the \Jsun\j. In the United States, meanwhile, three separate inquiries into safety aboard Mir are proceeding, and space officials are debating whether relief \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, scheduled to lift off in the \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis on September 25, will embark on the station as planned. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
In the wake of the United States Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates steady, Wall Street's Dow Jones industrial average continues to recover from last week's plunge, closing 114.74 points higher at 7,918.10. \I(USA)\i
The \JFBI\j begins a \Jcivil rights\j investigation into the Brazoria County Detention Center in \JTexas\j following the release of a "training video" showing prisoners being brutalized by guards. Meanwhile, nearly 700 prisoners are being transferred out of the institution. \I(USA)\i
A National Transportation Safety Board hearing on last year's ValuJet crash points to failures up and down the line, and concludes that the crash might have been averted had the plane been fitted with fire detection and suppression gear. The ValuJet DC-9 plunged into the \JFlorida\j \JEverglades\j in May 1996, killing 110 people on board. \I(USA)\i
British officials meet to draw up hasty plans for a voluntary evacuation of the Caribbean island of Montserrat, areas of which are being threatened by further eruptions of the Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j. A British Navy destroyer is already anchored off the island's coast to assist those who wish to leave. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, applauds Washington's decision to join the "\JOttawa\j Process" negotiations on a treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines. The United States had earlier rejected the Canadian initiative because it failed to accommodate exceptions sought by US military commanders. \I(USA, Canada)\i
China reacts angrily to a suggestion by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, Seiroku Kajiyama, that the security treaty between \JJapan\j and the United States could extend to cover \JTaiwan\j. China says Mr. Kajiyama's remarks are dangerous and destructive, and a violation of good Sino-Japanese relations. \I(China, \JJapan\j, \JTaiwan\j, USA)\i
President Clinton celebrates his 51st birthday at a star-studded clam-bake dinner held at the Martha's Vineyard home of actors, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen. After the traditional clam-bake, the 75 guests are treated to a raspberry- and \Jblueberry\j-filled vanilla bean sponge birthday cake baked in the shape of the resort island's lighthouse. \I(USA)\i
The seedings are announced for the upcoming US Open Tennis Championships, with 16-year-old Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j becoming the event's youngest ever top seed. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At least one civilian is injured when northern Israel is pounded by Katusha rockets fired from southern \JLebanon\j. Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Islamic militant group, claims responsibility for the attack, which comes in response to the previous \Jday\j's shelling of the Lebanese city of Sidon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the immediate task is to end the cycle of escalation, at the same time warning of severe retaliation should the attacks continue. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
After days of continuing violence in the Kenyan port city of \JMombasa\j, the trouble spreads 75 miles north to Malindi, where two people are killed and fire destroys more than 300 curio stalls on municipal beachfront land. At least 37 people have now been killed in gang raids since last Wednesday. \I(Kenya)\i
The Mir space station computer system is restarted, arresting a spin through space triggered by a technical failure during the docking of a cargo ship. Mission Control confirms that the crew will now be able to restore the craft's stable alignment with the \Jsun\j. In the United States, meanwhile, three separate inquiries into safety aboard Mir are proceeding, and space officials are debating whether relief \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, scheduled to lift off in the \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis on September 25, will embark on the station as planned. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Following talks with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, Russian President Boris Yeltsin says he expects the rebel region to be given greater autonomy as part of a long-term settlement, but stresses that \JChechnya\j will remain an integral part of \JRussia\j. Mr. Maskhadov, however, reiterates \JChechnya\j's desire to become an independent, sovereign State. \I(Russia)\i
British officials meet to draw up hasty plans for a voluntary evacuation of the Caribbean island of Montserrat, areas of which are being threatened by further eruptions of the Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j. A British Navy destroyer is already anchored off the island's coast to assist those who wish to leave. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
A massive explosion in a grain silo complex at Blaye, 50 kilometers southwest of \JBordeaux\j, claims the lives of at least 13 people. The blast is thought to have occurred when gas from fermenting grain was ignited by \Jstatic electricity\j. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
St. Petersburg's Church of the Savior of Spilt Blood opens its doors to worshippers for the first time in 60 years. The church, which stands on the site of the 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II, has been undergoing extensive restoration. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
More than 200,000 young Roman Catholics congregate near the Eiffel Tower in Paris for the opening Mass of the 12th World Youth Festival, a six-\Jday\j event which will culminate with Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein decides to allow Iranians to visit \JIraq\j's Shi'ite \JMoslem\j shrines, a decision which lifts the ban imposed at the start of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. \I(Iraq, Iran)\i
The seedings are announced for the upcoming US Open Tennis Championships, with 16-year-old Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j becoming the event's youngest ever top seed. \I(USA, Switzerland)\i
#
"August 20, 1997",595,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Thai army is put on full alert as fighting intensifies between \JCambodia\j's warring factions around the border town of O'Smach, the last stronghold of deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Thai officials report that about 7,000 troops of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, are slowly encircling the town, which is currently held by between 2,000 and 5,000 royalist troops reinforced by Khmer Rouge rebels. Since the fighting started, more than 20,000 Cambodian civilians have fled the area to take temporary refuge in \JThailand\j. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
Twenty-nine soldiers and more than 130 rebels are killed in a \Jday\j of fierce fighting between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger separatists. In their push to capture a vital highway, Government troops use planes, tanks, and artillery to take control of four rebel-held locations on the east and west side of Puliyankulam, a town over 220 kilometers north of the capital Colombo. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In a text published by the \IKorean Central News Agency,\i North Korean leader, Kim Jong II, calls for a peace treaty with the United States to eliminate the danger of war on the divided peninsula, and proposes that the two Koreas should then join their efforts to promote the great cause of the country's reunification. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
The \JPhilippines\j begins a massive mop-up operation after being hammered by the fringes of Typhoon Winnie. Torrential rains caused severe flooding to Manila and surrounding provinces, leaving 12 people dead and about 69,000 in evacuation centers. \I(The Philippines)\i
Traditional Aboriginal owners sign an agreement guaranteeing diamond miner, Striker Resources, the right to explore and mine a 27,000 square kilometer native title claim area in the north-east Kimberley region of Western \JAustralia\j. The company and the \JAborigines\j urge \JAustralia\j's State and Federal Governments to use the new agreement as an example for other companies, which in the past, have failed to win Aboriginal consent for mining exploration in the region. \I(Australia)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto approves a plan to build what would become the world's longest bridge. The proposed bridge would span the Straits of Malacca between the Malaysian coast and the Indonesian island of \JSumatra\j. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia)\i
Following a rise in its \Jautomobile\j trade deficit with \JJapan\j, the United States urges \JJapan\j to honor a 1995 agreement and increase efforts to deregulate its car and car parts markets, opening up the markets to more US imports. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a text published by the \IKorean Central News Agency,\i North Korean leader, Kim Jong II, calls for a peace treaty with the United States to eliminate the danger of war on the divided peninsula, and proposes that the two Koreas should then join their efforts to promote the great cause of the country's reunification. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
The Israeli air force launches three strikes into \JLebanon\j, targeting Hezbollah guerrilla bases west of the border with \JSyria\j. It is Israel's biggest attack into \JLebanon\j in 16 months, and comes in retaliation for yesterday's Hezbollah rocket barrage. Meanwhile, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, appeals to \JSyria\j to assist in halting the conflict, voicing concerns that it could spiral out of control. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, \JSyria\j, USA)\i
After a computer failure which caused a loss of orientation toward the \Jsun\j, the Russian-US crew of the Mir space station successfully realigns the solar panels, clearing the way for the commencement of vital repairs to the craft's damaged Spektr module. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A previously classified Allied interrogation of Adolf Hitler's henchman, Hermann Goring, which was recently discovered in the United States National \JArchives\j, reveals that in the last days of World War II, Hitler wanted to exterminate hundreds of thousands of Allied prisoners of war, despite opposition from the majority of senior Nazis. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
In response to \JRussia\j's recently voiced concerns regarding increased United States influence in the Caucasus, the State Department denies any attempts to create a sphere of influence, saying Washington is working closely with \JRussia\j to resolve conflict in the former Soviet republics. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A federal grand jury indicts 20 alleged leaders of a nationwide ring responsible for luring 62 deaf-mute Mexicans to the United States to sell trinkets. Included in the \Jindictment\j is a new charge of placing the Mexicans in involuntary servitude, a situation exposed in July when two of the Mexicans walked into a New York police station with a note outlining the conditions under which they were living. \I(USA)\i
The 3rd United States Circuit Court of Appeals upholds \JNew Jersey\j's pioneering Megan's Law, which requires local authorities to inform residents when convicted sex offenders are considered a risk to the community. The law is named after Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old who was raped and murdered by a twice-convicted sex offender in 1994. \I(USA)\i
Despite a measure of success in fighting the \Jcocaine\j and heroin trades, a United States Government anti-drug panel reports a new threat from multi-national suppliers of methamphetamine, a powerful stimulant which is overtaking \Jcocaine\j as the illegal drug of choice in some parts of the country. \I(USA)\i
In the Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka, \JNATO\j forces support President Biljana Plavsic's bid to assert authority over her hardline rivals. Heavily armed British and Czech soldiers, backed by United States Apache \Jhelicopter\j gunships, surround four police stations and a police academy, while officers loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, are persuaded to allow newly appointed police chiefs to take control. \I(Bosnia, UK, Czech Republic, USA)\i
Following a rise in its \Jautomobile\j trade deficit with \JJapan\j, the United States urges \JJapan\j to honor a 1995 agreement and increase efforts to deregulate its car and car parts markets, opening up the markets to more US imports. \I(USA, Japan)\i
John Kornblum, the new United States Ambassador to \JGermany\j, arrives in \JBonn\j, filling a post that has been vacant for more than a year. Mr. Kornblum says he is looking forward to strengthening German-US ties. \I(USA, Germany)\i
German tennis star, Boris Becker, withdraws from next week's US Open following the death of his close friend and adviser, Axel Meyer-Woelden. Becker, who had been expected to make his final Grand Slam appearance at the Open, says he will play in just a few tournaments next year, and possibly the \JDavis Cup\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Israeli air force launches three strikes into \JLebanon\j, targeting Hezbollah guerrilla bases west of the border with \JSyria\j. It is Israel's biggest attack into \JLebanon\j in 16 months, and comes in retaliation for yesterday's Hezbollah rocket barrage. Meanwhile, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, appeals to \JSyria\j to assist in halting the conflict, voicing concerns that it could spiral out of control. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, \JSyria\j, USA)\i
Two men are lynched by villagers in Nt'ombeni, south of \JMombasa\j, raising the death toll from a week of savage gang raids in the coastal resort area to 39. Kenyan President, Daniel arap Moi, blames the unrest on opposition leaders fanning tribal hatred before the presidential and parliamentary polls, but the opposition accuses Mr. Moi's advisers of stoking the violence. \I(Kenya)\i
In the Bosnian Serb town of Banja Luka, \JNATO\j forces support President Biljana Plavsic's bid to assert authority over her hardline rivals. Heavily armed British and Czech soldiers, backed by United States Apache \Jhelicopter\j gunships, surround four police stations and a police academy, while officers loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, are persuaded to allow newly appointed police chiefs to take control. \I(Bosnia, UK, Czech Republic, USA)\i
Germany's Technology Minister, Juergen Ruettgers, calls on security authorities to crack down harder on neo-Nazis using the \JInternet\j to organize illegal rallies such as last weekend's rally to mark the anniversary of the death of Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess. \I(Germany)\i
After 15 hours of heated debate, \JIran\j's parliament approves all 22 members of the proposed cabinet of newly elected President Mohammad Khatami. \I(Iran)\i
John Kornblum, the new United States Ambassador to \JGermany\j, arrives in \JBonn\j, filling a post that has been vacant for more than a year. Mr. Kornblum says he is looking forward to strengthening German-US ties. \I(USA, Germany)\i
In response to \JRussia\j's recently voiced concerns regarding increased United States influence in the Caucasus, the State Department denies any attempts to create a sphere of influence, saying Washington is working closely with \JRussia\j to resolve conflict in the former Soviet republics. \I(Russia, USA)\i
After a computer failure which caused a loss of orientation toward the \Jsun\j, the Russian-US crew of the Mir space station successfully realigns the solar panels, clearing the way for the commencement of vital repairs to the craft's damaged Spektr module. \I(Russia, USA)\i
German tennis star, Boris Becker, withdraws from next week's US Open following the death of his close friend and advisor, Axel Meyer-Woelden. Becker, who had been expected to make his final Grand Slam appearance at the Open, says he will play in just a few tournaments next year, and possibly the \JDavis Cup\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
#
"August 21, 1997",596,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Despite heavy shelling attacks from troops of Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, forces loyal to deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, withhold return fire to conserve ammunition, determined to retain their grip on the last royalist bastion of O'Smach in the country's north. \I(Cambodia)\i
The death toll from Typhoon Winnie rises to almost 200 as reports of injury and damage continue to come in. Thirty-seven people have died in \JTaiwan\j, 16 in the \JPhilippines\j, and at least 140 in China, with another 3,000 people injured. \I(Taiwan, The \JPhilippines\j, China)\i
Abdul Rahim Ghaforzai, the newly appointed premier of \JAfghanistan\j's anti-Taliban alliance, is killed in a plane crash, dealing a crushing blow to the alliance's hopes of taking control of the capital of Kabul. According to a spokesman, last week's appointment of Mr. Ghaforzai was a key part of the political process to enter the capital, and his death will force a revision of the alliance's overall strategy. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Delegations from North Korea and \JJapan\j meet at the North Korean embassy in \JBeijing\j to begin talks aimed at establishing diplomatic relations. Previous talks between the two nations have ended in failure, the most recent attempt being in 1992. \I(North Korea, \JJapan\j, China)\i
Papua New Guinea's Health Minister, Ludger Mond, announces plans to develop a national \JHIV\j/AIDS strategy. The announcement comes after the release of World Health Organization statistics which warn of a Papua New Guinean AIDS epidemic rivaling African countries such as \JUganda\j. \I(Papua New Guinea, Uganda)\i
New Zealand's \JImmigration\j Minister, Max Bradford, says strict English-language requirements imposed in 1995 have thwarted the government's attempts to meet \Jimmigration\j targets. Mr. Bradford acknowledges that the 45 per cent drop in \Jimmigration\j over the past twelve months has had an adverse effect on the nation's economy, and that some relaxation of the rules might be needed. \I(New Zealand)\i
Chinese biologists disclose plans for one last effort to save the white flag dolphin, or \Ibaiqituan,\i which is the rarest dolphin in the world. Over the coming winter, scientists hope to capture about 20 of the estimated 100 dolphins remaining in the middle reaches of the Yangtze, and transfer them to a secluded channel reserve in Hubei Province to allow them to breed in safety. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As Montserrat residents prepare to be evacuated from the \Jvolcano\j-troubled island, protests break out over the amount of emergency relief offered by Britain, an amount which falls far short of that requested. Confronted by harsh criticism over his handling of the crisis, the British colony's senior elected official, Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne, abruptly resigns. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
The United States Agriculture Department forces the closure of a Hudson Foods plant and recalls 25 million pounds of beef suspected of being contaminated with the \IE. Coli\i bacterium. \IE. Coli\i is being blamed for 18 illnesses connected to meat processed at Hudson's Columbus, \JNebraska\j plant, and investigators are continuing to probe records to determine which of six slaughterhouses supplied the bad beef to Hudson. \I(USA)\i
Israel reacts angrily when Palestinian President Yasser Arafat holds national unity talks with Hamas, the fundamentalist Islamic movement believed to be responsible for the \JJerusalem\j market suicide bombing in July. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insists that the Palestinians must choose between embracing Hamas or embracing peace. The United States, meanwhile, expresses regret at the Palestinian leader's openly voiced defiance of Israel during the talks, saying it was counter-productive to the restoration of confidence and trust between the two nations. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
A \Jhelicopter\j crashes in \JPeru\j's Amazon jungle, 750 miles northeast of Lima, killing three of the six people on board. Two of those killed are United States seismologists from Houston-based Energy Innovations. \I(Peru, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Kenyan court charges 62 suspects in connection with last week's raid on a police station, a raid which has triggered a string of attacks around the port of \JMombasa\j. As the violence in the area continues, 40 people are now reported to have died. \I(Kenya)\i
NATO troops scale down their presence in Banja Luka now that their heavily armed backing has succeeded in installing a police force loyal to Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. Ms Plavsic's hardline nationalist opponents, however, are accusing her of staging a coup. \I(Bosnia)\i
Israel reacts angrily when Palestinian President Yasser Arafat holds national unity talks with Hamas, the fundamentalist Islamic movement believed to be responsible for the \JJerusalem\j market suicide bombing in July. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insists that the Palestinians must choose between embracing Hamas or embracing peace. The United States, meanwhile, expresses regret at the Palestinian leader's openly voiced defiance of Israel during the talks, saying it was counter-productive to the restoration of confidence and trust between the two nations. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As Montserrat residents prepare to be evacuated from the \Jvolcano\j-troubled island, protests break out over the amount of emergency relief offered by Britain, an amount which falls far short of that requested. Confronted by harsh criticism over his handling of the crisis, the British colony's senior elected official, Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne, abruptly resigns. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
Papua New Guinea's Health Minister, Ludger Mond, announces plans to develop a national \JHIV\j/AIDS strategy. The announcement comes after the release of World Health Organization statistics which warn of a Papua New Guinean AIDS epidemic rivaling African countries such as \JUganda\j. \I(Papua New Guinea, Uganda)\i
A young British woman who has been a vegetarian since 1985 is diagnosed with the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD) which is linked to beef contaminated with "mad cow" disease, a disease not diagnosed in \Jcattle\j until 1986. The CJD Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh believes the woman may have eaten meat from a cow incubating the disease before that time. \I(UK, Scotland)\i
Iran's artistic community welcomes the appointment of controversial new Culture Minister, Ataollah Mohajerani, a university professor and historian who has provoked conservative criticism by promising to ease current restrictions on cultural life in the Islamic republic. \I(Iran)\i
The arrival of Pope John Paul II in Paris is enthusiastically received by some 500,000 attendees of the 12th World Youth Festival, who cheer his every word and wave flags of dozens of nations at a colorful ceremony under the Eiffel Tower. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
At the European Swimming Championships in Seville, Russian Alexander Popov successfully defends his Olympic and European 100m freestyle titles, winning the final in the season's fastest time of 49.09s. In other finals, \JRussia\j's Vladmir Selkov wins the men's 200m backstroke, \JGermany\j's Antje Buschschulte wins the women's 100m backstroke, \JGermany\j wins the women's 4x100m relay, and \JGermany\j's Dagmar Hase wins the women's 400m freestyle ahead of Ireland's triple Olympic gold medallist Michelle de Bruin, who had earlier won the 200m freestyle and the 400m individual medley. \I(\JSpain\j, \JRussia\j, \JGermany\j, Republic of Ireland)\i
#
"August 22, 1997",597,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban fundamentalist group claims to have outlawed the growing and exporting of opium, the base for heroin, but officials admit needing help from the international community to ensure the effectiveness of the ban. \I(Afghanistan)\i
In the wake of a drugs scandal implicating police and border guards earlier this year, Vietnamese authorities announce that a total of nine people will now face the firing squad for their involvement in a syndicate believed to have flooded the country with hundreds of kilograms of heroin. \I(Vietnam)\i
The Portuguese Government says it is giving serious consideration to an East Timorese proposal citing the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States as an acceptable model for future relations between East \JTimor\j and \JIndonesia\j. \I(\JPortugal\j, East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j, Puerto Rico, USA)\i
At talks continue between North Korea and \JJapan\j in \JBeijing\j, North Korea pledges to lift a ban on home visits by Japanese women married to North Koreans. As a result, \JTokyo\j indicates that food aid to the \JPyongyang\j could be forthcoming. \I(North Korea, \JJapan\j, China)\i
Bombay receives about 250 millimeters of rain in just six hours. The downpour disrupts \Jtelephone\j and electricity services, floods roads and train tracks, destroys buildings, and claims at least 22 lives. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two Kenyans are shot dead by gunmen in a raid on a church south of the port of \JMombasa\j, raising the death toll from a ten-\Jday\j series of attacks in the area to 42. United States Ambassador, Prudence Bushnell, condemns the violence and corruption, warning the Kenyan Government that multilateral donors might decline to resume aid on the basis of former promises. \I(Kenya, USA)\i
Despite problems created by a leaking spacesuit, the Russian-US crew aboard space station Mir completes the risky task of reconnecting all power cables in the station's damaged Spektr module. Russian officials say it will take several days to ascertain if former power levels are restored to Mir, which has been operating on 60 per cent power since the June 25 collision with a cargo ship. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A United States federal appeals court stands by its ruling that a controversial \JCalifornia\j law, known as Proposition 209, is constitutional. Proposition 209, the first law of its kind passed by any State, outlaws preferential treatment based on race or gender in public employment, education, and contracting. \I(USA)\i
Lawyer and legislator, David Brandt, is sworn in as Montserrat's new chief minister following the abrupt resignation of Bertrand Osborne yesterday. Meanwhile, authorities confirm that the evacuation of up to half of the remaining residents from the \Jvolcano\j-troubled British colony will begin tomorrow. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
Jamaican Commissioner of Corrections, John Prescod, agrees to hand over his duties to a deputy after a strike by prison guards leads to three days of prison riots and the death of six inmates. The guards were protesting against a government proposal to distribute condoms to inmates and guards. \I(Jamaica)\i
The Portuguese Government says it is giving serious consideration to an East Timorese proposal citing the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States as an acceptable model for future relations between East \JTimor\j and \JIndonesia\j. \I(\JPortugal\j, East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j, Puerto Rico, USA)\i
A federal judge in Little Rock sets May 27, 1998 as the date for jury selection in Paula Jones' sexual harassment lawsuit again President Clinton. Some elements of Jones' complaint have been dismissed by the judge, but the central claim of sexual harassment and emotional distress remains intact, despite \JWhite House\j attempts to have the case thrown out. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two Kenyans are shot dead by gunmen in a raid on a church south of the port of \JMombasa\j, raising the death toll from a ten-\Jday\j series of attacks in the area to 42. United States Ambassador, Prudence Bushnell, condemns the violence and corruption, warning the Kenyan Government that multilateral donors might decline to resume aid on the basis of former promises. \I(Kenya, USA)\i
Bosnian Serb hardliners come under international pressure to end inflammatory media broadcasts accusing President Biljana Plavsic of acting unconstitutionally, and asserting her own will in the area of law and order. \I(Bosnia)\i
At least 107 ethnic Tutsi Congolese refugees are massacred when Hutu militiamen raid a camp in northwestern \JRwanda\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
Speaking at a hearing of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, right-wing assassin, Janusz Walus, gives a detailed account of how he stalked and executed Communist Party hero, Chris Hani, on April 10, 1993. Walus and co-conspirator, Conservative Party politician Chris Derby-Lewis, are seeking amnesty for the assassination, which almost provoked a race war at the time, and is currently rekindling anger among members of the South African Communist Party, and its ally, the armed wing of the African National Congress. \I(South Africa)\i
Despite problems created by a leaking spacesuit, the Russian-US crew aboard space station Mir completes the risky task of reconnecting all power cables in the station's damaged Spektr module. Russian officials say it will take several days to ascertain if former power levels are restored to Mir, which has been operating on 60 per cent power since the June 25 collision with a cargo ship. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Lawyer and legislator, David Brandt is sworn in as Montserrat's new chief minister following the abrupt resignation of Bertrand Osborne yesterday. Meanwhile, authorities confirm that the evacuation of up to half of the remaining residents from the \Jvolcano\j-troubled British colony will begin tomorrow. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
The Portuguese Government says it is giving serious consideration to an East Timorese proposal citing the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States as an acceptable model for future relations between East \JTimor\j and \JIndonesia\j. \I(\JPortugal\j, East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j, Puerto Rico, USA)\i
In defiance of protests from French \Jabortion\j rights supporters, Pope John Paul II flies to Chalo-Saint-Mars, south of Paris, to visit the grave of his friend, Jerome Lejeune, who was a genetic scientist and staunch anti-abortion campaigner. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
More than 50 years of communal secrecy and shame is exposed when a French newspaper reports on recently uncovered evidence concerning the deportation of 16 Jewish orphans from the French \Jalpine\j town of Voiron. According to the report, 16 children and two adults were betrayed to the \JGestapo\j by an informant in 1944 and taken away to Nazi death camps. The town is now planning a memorial to the slain children. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
The head of \JRussia\j's Federal Security Service, Nikolai Kovalyov, says the special spy hotline announced in June has drawn 550 calls, many yielding concrete results. The purpose of the line is to flush out foreign agents by offering them full confidentiality and immunity from prosecution. \I(Russia)\i
#
"August 23, 1997",598,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Forces loyal to \JCambodia\j's deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, continue to hold the besieged border town of O'Smach, exchanging only minor artillery fire with troops of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia)\i
As the peace process gains momentum, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Bill Skate, visits Bana in Bougainville's south, the first visit to the island by a PNG Prime Minister since the failed Arawa talks in 1994. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
Experts from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in \JAtlanta\j join the investigation into the death of a 3-year-old Hong Kong boy from the virus known as H5N1, which commonly infects birds, but has never before been known to infect humans. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
In the sixth and final Test cricket match in the 1997 Ashes series, the English side recovers to score a 19-run victory over the series-winning Australian line-up. \I(Australia, UK)\i
The season's final Tri Nations Rugby Test is played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in \JPretoria\j, with the South African Springboks defeating the Australian Wallabies 61-22. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Following the successful reconnection of power cables in the Mir space station's Spektr module, a NASA spokesman indicates that plans to replace \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with fellow American David Wolf are now likely to proceed. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
President Clinton appeals to Congress for "fast-track authority" to negotiate new trade deals with emerging markets. Under the authority, Congress would relinquish the right to amend trade agreements, thereby speeding up the process of approval. \I(USA)\i
Experts from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in \JAtlanta\j join the investigation into the death of a 3-year-old Hong Kong boy from the virus known as H5N1, which commonly infects birds, but has never before been known to infect humans. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
Island officials report that only about 17 people leave \Jvolcano\j-stricken Montserrat on the first \Jday\j of a British-sponsored evacuation, despite registration figures of between 600 and 800. Meanwhile, Washington reiterates that existing regulations will apply to Montserrat islanders wishing to come to the United States, but pledges to speed up the process for eligible applicants. \I(Montserrat, UK, USA)\i
Scientists express concern over news that a \JMichigan\j man is infected with a strain of Staph \Jbacteria\j resistant to last-resort antibiotic, vancomycin, a situation that is now spurring them to develop a new class of \Jantibiotics\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the fourth air strike this week, Israeli warplanes attack suspected Hezbollah guerrilla bases in south \JLebanon\j. The attack comes in response to the detonation of a roadside bomb which killed an Israeli-allied militiaman in the Israeli-occupied southern enclave yesterday. Twenty-six people, mostly civilians, have now been killed in this latest escalation of fighting between the two sides. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
A United Nations official joins Rwandan and Congolese Government authorities to assess the scope of yesterday's massacre at a Rwandan camp for Tutsi Congolese. The death toll has risen to 131, and plans are now under discussion to move the camp to a safer location, and possibly repatriate some of the refugees. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
Former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda, is shot when police fire at his car while breaking up a rally. Mr. Kaunda's wound is not life-threatening, but Roger Chongwe, another opposition leader traveling in the car, receives a serious gunshot wound to the neck. \I(Zambia)\i
In a statement released from the Pale headquarters of indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb military warns President Biljana Plavsic that it will move against her with all available means in order to prevent the Serb republic from splitting politically and geographically. \I(Bosnia)\i
For the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian Government appoints a woman as vice-president, a move not unexpected from President Mohammad Khatami, who owes a large part of his recent landslide election victory to the support of women seeking social and economic reform. The newly appointed vice-president in charge of environmental protection, Dr. Masumeh Ebtekar, holds a doctorate in \Jimmunology\j, is a former journalist, and has held posts including acting head of the central committee of \JIran\j's non-governmental women's organization. \I(Iran)\i
Following the successful reconnection of power cables in the Mir space station's Spektr module, a NASA spokesman indicates that plans to replace \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with fellow American David Wolf are now likely to proceed. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
Island officials report that only about 17 people leave \Jvolcano\j-stricken Montserrat on the first \Jday\j of a British-sponsored evacuation, despite registration figures of between 600 and 800. Meanwhile, Washington reiterates that existing regulations will apply to Montserrat islanders wishing to come to the United States, but pledges to speed up the process for eligible applicants. \I(Montserrat, UK, USA)\i
In the sixth and final Test cricket match in the 1997 Ashes series, the English side recovers to score a 19-run victory over the series-winning Australian line-up. \I(Australia, UK)\i
The season's final Tri Nations Rugby Test is played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in \JPretoria\j, with the South African Springboks defeating the Australian Wallabies 61-22. \I(South Africa, Australia)\i
At the European Swimming Championships in Seville, \JRussia\j's Oxana Verevka wins the women's 200m individual medley, \JGermany\j's Kerstin Kielgass wins the women's 800m freestyle, \JSpain\j's Martin Lopez Zubero wins his fourth European men's 100m backstroke title, and \JRussia\j's Alexander Popov wins the men's 50m freestyle, having already led \JRussia\j to victory in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. \I(Spain, \JRussia\j, Germany)\i
#
"August 24, 1997",599,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Several soldiers and civilians are killed when Indian and Pakistani forces exchange heavy artillery and mortar fire along the line of control dividing Kashmir. \JPakistan\j later accuses India of an unprovoked attack. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
As the Sri Lankan Government intensifies its bid to forge a land route through rebel-held territory to the Northern Jaffna peninsula, the Tamil Tiger rebels lose ground, with government soldiers consolidating a newly captured area and dominating the area ahead of the defenses. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In the \JBangladesh\j capital of \JDhaka\j, at least 50 people are injured when riot police and anti-strike supporters clash with opposition activists enforcing a general strike in protest against sharp increases in fuel prices. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Typhoon Zita ravages the Chinese province of Guangdong with strong winds and heavy rain, stranding four million people and flooding out 54,000 others. The state-run China News Service says no deaths are reported. \I(China)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he has received assurances that \JBeijing\j will not sell a nuclear reactor to \JIran\j. Mr. Netanyahu welcomes China's decision, adding that he hopes it will set an example for other countries in their relations with \JIran\j. \I(Israel, China, Iran)\i
In Washington, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations is created, with Alex Esclamado named as chairman. The new body aims to bolster the economic and political influence of Americans of Philippine descent, encouraging them to move from an "employee mentality" toward business ownership. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Australia's Greg Norman finishes with a 72-hole total of 7-under 273 to take out his second victory in three years at the World Series of Golf in Akron, Ohio. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Spain's Carlos Moya captures his first ATP Tour title of the year when he defeats \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter in the final of the Hamlet Cup Tennis Tournament in Commack, New York. \I(Spain, \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
NASA is forced to postpone the launch of the Advanced Composition Explorer \Jspacecraft\j when two shrimp boats are discovered in an area off the \JFlorida\j coast where the solid rocket boosters are expected to fall. The purpose of the \Jspacecraft\j, which will now be launched on Monday, is to provide a 30 to 60 minute warning before potentially dangerous solar storms hit Earth. \I(USA)\i
In Washington, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations is created, with Alex Esclamado named as chairman. The new body aims to bolster the economic and political influence of Americans of Philippine descent, encouraging them to move from an "employee mentality" toward business ownership. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Stephen Jones, lead attorney for convicted \JOklahoma City\j bomber Timothy McVeigh, says he believes at least four others involved in the 1995 explosion are still at large. McVeigh was found guilty in June and is now appealing a death sentence. \I(USA)\i
Spain's Carlos Moya captures his first ATP Tour title of the year when he defeats \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter in the final of the Hamlet Cup Tennis Tournament in Commack, New York. \I(Spain, \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
Australia's Greg Norman finishes with a 72-hole total of 7-under 273 to take out his second victory in three years at the World Series of Golf in Akron, Ohio. \I(Australia, USA)\i
In Surrey, British Columbia, American golfer Mark Calcavecchia plays a final round 5-under par 66 to capture the Greater Vancouver Open by one stroke. \I(USA, Canada)\i
At the Country Club of the North in Beavercreek, Ohio, Colleen Walker cards a 54-hole total of 13-under 203 to win the Star Bank LPGA Classic by two shots. \I(USA)\i
On the Senior PGA Tour, Bruce Summerhays pars the second hole of a playoff with South Africa's Hugh Baiocchi to win the St. Luke's Senior Classic in Belton, Missouri. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As the Bosnian Serb power struggle escalates, \Jtelevision\j employees loyal to President Biljana Plavsic air their own nightly news broadcast, cutting links with studios run by hardliners allied to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, and deepening the split between Ms. Plavsic's Banja Luka base and the hardline stronghold of Pale. \I(Bosnia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he has received assurances that \JBeijing\j will not sell a nuclear reactor to \JIran\j. Mr. Netanyahu welcomes China's decision, adding that he hopes it will set an example for other countries in their relations with \JIran\j. \I(Israel, China, Iran)\i
Former Zambian President, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, accuses his successor of an assassination attempt after being wounded yesterday when police opened fire at an opposition rally. \I(Zambia)\i
Iraq's most influential newspaper calls for a renewal of diplomatic ties with \JSyria\j to counter the growing military alliance between Israel and Turkey. \I(Iraq, \JSyria\j, Israel, Turkey)\i
More than one million people pack the Longchamp racecourse on the western fringes of Paris for an open-air papal Mass, the climax of Pope John Paul II's visit to the 12th World Youth Festival. Elsewhere, the Pope draws heavy criticism for scheduling the Mass on the anniversary of a massacre of French Protestants by Roman Catholics in 1572. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Germany's Michael Schumacher wins his 4th Belgian Grand Prix, his 4th Formula One victory this season. \I(Germany, \JBelgium\j)\i
Spain's Carlos Moya captures his first ATP Tour title of the year when he defeats \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter in the final of the Hamlet Cup Tennis Tournament in Commack, New York. \I(Spain, \JAustralia\j, USA)\i
At Dublin, Ireland, Sweden's Per-Ulruk Johansson takes out the European Open Golf Championship by six strokes. \I(Republic of Ireland, Sweden)\i
On the Senior PGA Tour, Bruce Summerhays pars the second hole of a playoff with South Africa's Hugh Baiocchi to win the St. Luke's Senior Classic Golf Tournament in Belton, Missouri. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
At Osterakers, Sweden, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam finishes with a 6-stroke lead to win the Women's Compaq Open Golf Tournament. \I(Sweden)\i
#
"August 25, 1997",600,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Heavy shelling erupts near the Cambodian border with \JThailand\j as royalist forces of deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, cling fiercely to their last outpost of O'Smach in the face of a sustained onslaught by troops of the Hun Sen regime. Across the border, Thai Red Cross officials voice concerns about sanitary conditions in the 4.8-hectare makeshift camp where more than 21,000 war-weary Cambodian civilians are taking refuge from the fighting. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
Indian and Pakistani troops continue to exchange intermittent artillery fire along the Kashmir border. India reports two soldiers and three civilians killed in hostilities over the past 48 hours; \JPakistan\j says Indian troops have killed four people and wounded several others. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
South Korean officials say North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j has defected to the West, and that Washington has granted a request for asylum. In \JCairo\j, however, North Korean embassy officials vehemently deny that Ambassador Jang Seung-il has left \JEgypt\j. \I(The Koreas, \JEgypt\j, USA)\i
At the opening of \JTaiwan\j's ruling Nationalist Party's 15th congress, Vice-President Lien Chan calls for an end to years of hostility between Taipei and \JBeijing\j, suggesting that talks should be opened to resolve differences and create a "win-win" situation. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Australian Defense Minister, Ian McLachlan, says studies are continuing into the potential purchase of long-range cruise missiles, a purchase defense analysts suggest could spark an arms race in Southeast Asia, and significantly reduce \JAustralia\j's security. \I(Australia, Southeast Asia)\i
While visiting \JJapan\j, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, admits that \JJapan\j has reservations about Israel's closure of the West Bank and Gaza strip following the suicide bombing of a \JJerusalem\j market in July, but says Israeli-Japanese economic ties remain unaffected. Mr. Netanyahu is currently touring the region to assure investors that Israel-Palestine tensions should not deter them from doing business with his country. \I(Israel, Palestine, Japan)\i
Amnesty International reports that Chinese courts imposed the death penalty more than 6,100 times and carried out 4,367 executions during 1996, more than all other countries combined. Amnesty says it is the highest number of State-sanctioned killings in China since 1983, and attributes the surge to the government's well-publicized "strike hard" anti-crime campaign. \I(China)\i
Following high-level talks in Port Moresby, \JAustralia\j's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, announces that over the next five years, \JAustralia\j will divert $A100 million from its general aid program to Papua New Guinea for a reconstruction program on war-torn Bougainville. The amount will be in addition to $A31 million already earmarked for reconstruction on the island. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
New Zealand's \JMaori\j Affairs Minister is to lead a delegation to Britain to recover approximately 200 preserved heads of \JMaori\j warriors. The first tattooed heads were brought back by Captain James Cook, and many were acquired by museums late last century. \I(New Zealand, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Wielding incriminating photographs at a meeting of the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention in Geneva, \JCuba\j charges the United States with carrying out an air operation to plague the island with a crop-eating pest, and calls for an international investigation. Washington admits that a plane flew over western \JCuba\j last October, but insists that the plane's emission of smoke was to identify its position to a Cuban commercial airliner. \I(Cuba, USA, Geneva)\i
South Korean officials say North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j has defected to the West, and that Washington has granted a request for asylum. In \JCairo\j, however, North Korean embassy officials vehemently deny that Ambassador Jang Seung-il has left \JEgypt\j. \I(The Koreas, \JEgypt\j, USA)\i
Russia reacts angrily when United States Navy warships join vessels from Turkey, \JRomania\j, \JBulgaria\j, and Georgia for naval exercises in the \JBlack Sea\j, condemning the maneuvers as provocative and insensitive. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Turkey, \JRomania\j, \JBulgaria\j, Georgia)\i
NASA reports that \JRussia\j's Mir space station has temporarily lost its means of generating oxygen, but adds that crew members are in no immediate danger. In Moscow, however, a Mission Control spokesperson denies that the craft has an oxygen problem. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Although the \Jvolcano\j on the Caribbean island of Montserrat continues to spew ash and rock, government officials report that only about 800 of the 5,000 remaining residents have signed up for Britain's voluntary evacuation program, and most are in no hurry to leave. The officials add that they are currently urging London to do more for those who want to stay on the tiny British colony. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
As part of a revised \Jbankruptcy\j reorganization plan, Dow Corning increases its settlement offer to women with breast implants, and also agrees to pay women who allege a variety of autoimmune disorders as a result of implants. A sum of $US2.4 billion is to be set aside to resolve claims from 15,000 women in the United States and 50,000 women elsewhere. \I(USA)\i
Researchers at John Hopkins University say a seemingly harmless genetic \Jmutation\j can actually cause one type of inherited colorectal cancer, and has now become the most common cancer-related \Jmutation\j known. \I(USA)\i
Despite expressions of concern from the Mexican Government, United States officials step up border patrols in a campaign to slow illegal \Jimmigration\j across the Rio Grande, a continuation of similar tough border enforcements in \JSan Diego\j and El Paso. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration licenses Carticel, a newly developed process which helps some younger patients with injured knees grow back their own cartilage. \I(USA)\i
The State of \JFlorida\j declares victory in its legal battle against the United States \Jtobacco\j industry, announcing a $US11.3 billion settlement to recover costs of treating sick smokers. The settlement also includes strict provisions on the marketing of cigarettes, and is the second of its kind this year, with Mississippi receiving $US3.36 billion from the \Jtobacco\j industry in July. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fierce fighting breaks out between Israeli forces and pro-Iranian Hezbollah guerrillas in \JLebanon\j's western Bekaa Valley, continuing a recent wave of violence that has killed 10 civilians, three Hezbollah fighters, and an Israeli-backed militiaman. In \JBethlehem\j, seven Palestinian youths are injured during a clash with Israeli troops, and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat calls for an urgent Arab summit on the troubled \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, \JIran\j, \JLebanon\j, Palestine)\i
Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, takes steps to assert control over the army, accusing hardliners of meddling in army affairs, and insisting that elections are the only way to resolve the crisis that has erupted from her power struggle with opponents loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
A Berlin court sentences Egon Krenz, the last leader of former East \JGermany\j, to 61/2 years in prison on charges of \Jmanslaughter\j, ruling that Krenz was responsible for the shoot-to-kill orders given to East German border guards in the late 1980s. Two other members of the former East's ruling \JPolitburo\j are also convicted on counts of \Jmanslaughter\j and are each sentenced to three years in prison. \I(Germany)\i
NASA reports that \JRussia\j's Mir space station has temporarily lost its means of generating oxygen, but adds that crew members are in no immediate danger. In Moscow, however, a Mission Control spokesperson denies that the craft has an oxygen problem. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Wielding incriminating photographs at a meeting of the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention in Geneva, \JCuba\j charges the United States with carrying out an air operation to plague the island with a crop-eating pest, and calls for an international investigation. Washington admits that a plane flew over western \JCuba\j last October, but insists that the plane's emission of smoke was to identify its position to a Cuban commercial airliner. \I(Cuba, USA, Geneva)\i
South Korean officials say North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j has defected to the West, and that Washington has granted a request for asylum. In \JCairo\j, however, North Korean embassy officials vehemently deny that Ambassador Jang Seung-il has left \JEgypt\j. \I(The Koreas, \JEgypt\j, USA)\i
Russia reacts angrily when United States Navy warships join vessels from Turkey, \JRomania\j, \JBulgaria\j, and Georgia for naval exercises in the \JBlack Sea\j, condemning the maneuvers as provocative and insensitive. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Turkey, \JRomania\j, \JBulgaria\j, Georgia)\i
Although the \Jvolcano\j on the Caribbean island of Montserrat continues to spew ash and rock, government officials report that only about 800 of the 5,000 remaining residents have signed up for Britain's voluntary evacuation program, and most are in no hurry to leave. The officials add that they are currently urging London to do more for those who want to stay on the tiny British colony. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
While visiting \JJapan\j, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, admits that \JJapan\j has reservations about Israel's closure of the West Bank and Gaza strip following the suicide bombing of a \JJerusalem\j market in July, but says Israeli-Japanese economic ties remain unaffected. Mr. Netanyahu is currently touring the region to assure investors that Israel-Palestine tensions should not deter them from doing business with his country. \I(Israel, Palestine, Japan)\i
British investigators voice fresh concerns that the domestic \Jwater\j supply could be the possible route of infection for cases of the new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD), which is linked to "mad cow" disease. The concerns are raised only days after a vegetarian is diagnosed as the 22nd victim of nvCJD, and echo previously denied allegations that liquid waste from slaughtered \Jcattle\j at Canterbury Mills was poured down a well. \I(UK)\i
Organizers say that the papal visit to the World Youth Days festival in Paris has left the Church with a deficit of up to Fr30 million. It was hoped that contributions from pilgrims and sales of souvenirs would cover the costs, but according to Bishop Michel Dubost, many of the pilgrims left without paying for their food and lodging, and 80 per cent of those who attended the Pope's final Mass dodged the admission fee. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
New Zealand's \JMaori\j Affairs Minister is to lead a delegation to Britain to recover approximately 200 preserved heads of \JMaori\j warriors. The first tattooed heads were brought back by Captain James Cook, and many were acquired by museums late last century. \I(New Zealand, UK)\i
British Museum archaeologists discover the remains of the first British Museum buried beneath their own forecourt. The first museum was demolished more than 150 years ago, and details of its precise position and layout had been lost. \I(UK)\i
#
"August 26, 1997",601,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Washington confirms that the United States has granted political asylum to two North Korean defectors. The two defectors are identified as North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j, Jang Seung-il, and his brother Jang Seung-ho, a diplomat in Paris. \I(USA, North Korea, \JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Japan's Science and Technology Agency says it will launch an immediate investigation into reports that a radioactive waste storage facility at a State-run nuclear reprocessing plant leaked low-level radiation over a period of approximately 30 years. The storage facility in question is located at Tokaimura, on the Pacific coast about 65 miles from \JTokyo\j. \I(Japan)\i
The office of \JCambodia\j's King Norodom Sihanouk announces that he will return to his homeland on Friday. The king has been undergoing medical treatment in \JBeijing\j, and his visit to \JCambodia\j will be the first since his son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, was overthrown last month by Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
Taiwan's President, Lee Teng-hui, wins a third term as chairman of the 2.5 million-member Kuomintang (KMT). \JBeijing\j comments that Mr. Lee's re-election is a local issue and does not alter \JTaiwan\j's status as part of China. \JBeijing\j also spurns \JTaiwan\j's recently offered overtures of peace, insisting that strained ties can only be improved if \JTaiwan\j ceases all efforts toward independence. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
In a continuation of his bid to help resolve the political crisis in East \JTimor\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, offers to host talks in his country between the Indonesian Government and exiled East \JTimor\j activists. \I(South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Sri Lanka's President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, announces a nationwide referendum for a constitution aimed at bringing an end to the country's ethnic conflict, which has killed more than 50,000 people. Under the proposed constitution, Sri Lanka would become a union of regions, with new regional councils assuming some of the administrative powers of central government, thereby giving greater autonomy to the minority Tamil community. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Philippine President Fidel Ramos renews calls for communist leader, Jose Maria Sison, and other rebels living in exile in the Netherlands, to come back to the \JPhilippines\j and take part in elections, offering a guarantee of safety should they do so. Mr. Sison, who founded the local communist party in 1968, has previously spurned all similar entreaties from Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, The Netherlands)\i
A separatist spokesman says Francis Ona, leader of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, has decided to attend peace talks with the Papua New Guinean Government in October. Mr. Ona has not attended any peace negotiations since the secessionist conflict started on the island nine years ago. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea)\i
Australia's Defense Minister, Ian McLachlan, announces an official inquiry into the mysterious loss of the \Jbattleship\j HMAS \ISydney,\i which on November 19, 1941, vanished with all hands off the Western Australian coast after a short battle with the German raider HSK \IKormoran.\i The inquiry comes as a result of sustained public interest, and widespread skepticism about the official version of events at the time. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
A frail Mother Teresa quietly celebrates her 87th birthday at the headquarters of her Roman Catholic order, the Missionaries of Charity in \JCalcutta\j. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Washington confirms that the United States has granted political asylum to two North Korean defectors. The two defectors are identified as North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j, Jang Seung-il, and his brother Jang Seung-ho, a diplomat in Paris. \I(USA, North Korea, \JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j)\i
NASA reports that an Earth-observing \Jsatellite\j launched last week is spinning out of control in \Jorbit\j, causing a loss of orientation toward the \Jsun\j and draining the craft's batteries. The "Lewis" \Jsatellite\j was to have monitored the Earth's \Jpollution\j, \Jendangered species\j habitats, and forest and agricultural productivity. \I(USA)\i
Leaders of the Caribbean Community meet in Antigua to discuss the fate of the \Jvolcano\j-stricken island of Montserrat. The new chief minister of the British colony says he hopes to persuade Britain to release about $US66 million of frozen funds for the development of Montserrat's northern zone, which is considered relatively safe. Britain has offered relocation aid, but the package has fallen far short of expectations and few islanders have accepted it. \I(Montserrat, Antigua, UK)\i
The Pentagon reveals that about 20 United States Air Force jet fighters will be deployed to \JBahrain\j next month to boost air power in the Gulf region. \I(USA, Bahrain)\i
In the lead-up to September's multi-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland, the British and Irish Governments sign an agreement to establish an international commission on disarmament. The governments of the United States, Canada, and \JFinland\j have already been asked to propose suitable candidates for membership of the commission. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, USA, Canada, Finland)\i
A United States judge rules that the Sultan of \JBrunei\j is protected by immunity from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by a former Miss USA, Shannon Marketic, who claims to have been held a virtual prisoner for 32 days in the sultan's palace. \I(USA, Brunei)\i
A United States federal appeals court upholds an 1837 treaty giving Chippewa Indians the right to hunt and fish on land beyond their reservation, finding that President Zachary Taylor erred in 1850 when he unilaterally revoked the harvesting privileges. The state of \JMinnesota\j says it intends to appeal the decision. \I(USA)\i
Kansas University researchers suggest that donating blood can help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in male non-smokers. The researchers attribute this to the so-called "iron hypothesis", whereby women are protected from \Jheart disease\j due to loss of iron during \Jmenstruation\j. \I(USA)\i
Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health warn that health risks could be posed by dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine, two appetite suppressants frequently used in weight-loss drugs. In the United States, dexfenfluramine is available under the brand "Redux", and fenfluramine under the brand "Pondimin". \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Washington confirms that the United States has granted political asylum to two North Korean diplomats. The two defectors are identified as North Korea's Ambassador to \JEgypt\j, Jang Seung-il, and his brother Jang Seung-ho, a diplomat in Paris. \I(USA, North Korea, \JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Former South African President, F.W. de Klerk, announces his intention to step down as leader of the opposition National Party and resign from active political life. De Klerk, who won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in dismantling \Japartheid\j, plans to write his memoirs. Co-winner of the Nobel Prize, President Nelson Mandela, praises the role de Klerk played in effecting a smooth transition from the painful past to the dispensation South Africa enjoys today. \I(South Africa)\i
The Zambian Government says it will investigate the apparent police shooting of former President and opposition leader, Kenneth Kaunda, and fellow opposition politician, Roger Chongwe, but vigorously rejects Dr. Kaunda's accusation of an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, 53 opposition supporters detained at the time remain in custody, and paramilitary police are now patrolling the capital and provincial towns because of continuing protests over the shooting. \I(Zambia)\i
Algerian newspapers report that at least 100 people, mostly women and children, have been slaughtered in village massacres in the last two days. Muslim fundamentalist extremists at war with the military-backed government are blamed for the attacks. \I(Algeria)\i
Despite President Biljana Plavsic's successful dissolution of parliament, defiant Bosnian Serb hardline politicians hold a parliamentary session, voting to cancel foreign monitoring of municipal polls scheduled for September 13, and proposing that presidential and parliamentary polls be held at the same time. Although the parliament's decisions are rejected as illegal by the international community, they exacerbate tensions in the politically split region. \I(Bosnia)\i
Egon Krenz, the former East \JGermany\j's last communist leader, lodges an appeal against his \Jmanslaughter\j conviction for the deaths of people trying to escape over the Berlin Wall in the 1980s. A sentence of 61/2 years imprisonment was imposed by a Berlin court yesterday. \I(Germany)\i
Leaders of the Caribbean Community meet in Antigua to discuss the fate of the \Jvolcano\j-stricken island of Montserrat. The new chief minister of the British colony says he hopes to persuade Britain to release about $US66 million of frozen funds for the development of Montserrat's northern zone, which is considered relatively safe. Britain has offered relocation aid, but the package has fallen far short of expectations and few islanders have accepted it. \I(Montserrat, Antigua, UK)\i
In the lead-up to September's multi-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland, the British and Irish Governments sign an agreement to establish an international commission on disarmament. The governments of the United States, Canada, and \JFinland\j have already been asked to propose suitable candidates for membership of the commission. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, USA, Canada, Finland)\i
The Pentagon reveals that about 20 United States Air Force jet fighters will be deployed to \JBahrain\j next month to boost air power in the Gulf region. \I(USA, Bahrain)\i
In a continuation of his bid to help resolve the political crisis in East \JTimor\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, offers to host talks in his country between the Indonesian Government and exiled East \JTimor\j activists. \I(South Africa, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
A furor breaks out in Sweden over reports that 60,000 Swedes, mostly women, were forcibly sterilized under an Institute for Racial \JBiology\j program between 1935 and 1976. The government is now reviewing laws which would allow victims of the program to seek compensation from the State. \I(Sweden)\i
Australia's Defense Minister, Ian McLachlan, announces an official inquiry into the mysterious loss of the \Jbattleship\j HMAS \ISydney,\i which on November 19, 1941, vanished with all hands off the Western Australian coast after a short battle with the German raider HSK \IKormoran.\i The inquiry comes as a result of sustained public interest, and widespread skepticism about the official version of events at the time. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
In an interview with the French newspaper, \ILe Monde,\i Diana, Princess of Wales condemns the British press as ferocious, labels the previous Conservative Government "hopeless", and declares that only her sons keep her from leaving Britain. However, the Princess has nothing but praise for the current Labor Government's determined stance on the campaign to ban anti-personnel landmines, saying she regards her own work in this and other humanitarian areas as her destiny. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
President Fidel Ramos renews calls for communist leader, Jose Maria Sison, and other rebels living in exile in the Netherlands, to come back to the \JPhilippines\j and take part in elections, offering a guarantee of safety should they do so. Mr. Sison, who founded the local communist party in 1968, has previously spurned all similar entreaties from Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, The Netherlands)\i
A United States judge rules that the Sultan of \JBrunei\j is protected by immunity from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by a former Miss USA, Shannon Marketic, who claims to have been held a virtual prisoner for 32 days in the sultan's palace. \I(USA, Brunei)\i
#
"August 27, 1997",602,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Responding to the United States decision to grant asylum to two defecting diplomats, North Korea withdraws from talks on missile proliferation scheduled to begin in New York, branding the US role in the diplomatic affair "a grave insult and hostility". \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Fierce battles rage in northern \JSri Lanka\j as government troops deepen their advance into territory held by Tamil Tiger guerrillas, continuing a three-month offensive to open the 75-kilometer stretch of road to Jaffna. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Fighting between the warring Cambodian factions around the northern enclave of O'Smach extends across the nearby border when several shells land inside Thai territory, killing a Thai paratrooper and injuring at least one other. \JThailand\j responds with five artillery rounds, and warns that it will to everything to protect Thai lives and property. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
India rejects a United States offer to mediate an end to Kashmir border clashes with \JPakistan\j, saying the problems must be resolved in bilateral talks. \JPakistan\j, meanwhile, proposes that United Nations observers visit the area to verify their claims of Indian provocations. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Former Solomon Islands Finance Minister, Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, is elected to the office of Prime Minister, with his new coalition government expected to hold a two-seat majority. \I(Solomon Islands)\i
Twenty-four people are reported drowned after several days of heavy tropical storms cause massive flooding in southern \JThailand\j. \I(Thailand)\i
Tidal waves strike the western coast of North Korea, submerging more than 107,600 hectares of arable land, flooding over 10,000 houses and public buildings, and leaving almost 30,000 people homeless. \I(North Korea)\i
The United Nations World \JMeteorology\j Organization warns that El Ni±o, an abnormal tropical \JPacific Ocean\j \Jweather\j pattern which causes far-reaching droughts and floods, could become the "climate event of the century", with the current El Ni±o surpassing the 1982-83 event as the worst on record. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Responding to the United States decision to grant asylum to two defecting diplomats, North Korea withdraws from talks on missile proliferation scheduled to begin in New York, branding the US role in the diplomatic affair "a grave insult and hostility". \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Italian police announce the arrest of Musbah Abulgasem Eter, a 40-year-old Libyan wanted in connection with the 1986 bombing of a Berlin discotheque, which killed a Turkish woman, two United States soldiers, and wounded 200 others, most of whom were US military personnel. At the time, the United States blamed \JLibya\j for the blast and retaliated by bombing the Arab state. \I(\JItaly\j, \JLibya\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Arriving in \JSarajevo\j to take up his post as United States Ambassador to Bosnia, Richard Kauzlarich says his mission is to fully implement the Dayton accord, and to lay the foundation of a prosperous democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina. \I(USA, Bosnia, Herzegovina)\i
NATO says Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, has sought permission to fly to the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, the power base of Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. Milosevic has been under increasing Western pressure to throw his support behind Ms. Plavsic, who is locked in a bitter struggle with hardliners loyal to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. The United States, however, is unable to confirm \JNATO\j's statement concerning Milosevic's future movements. \I(Yugoslavia, Bosnia, USA)\i
In a progress report on the Mars Pathfinder mission, NASA says the Sojourner rover is continuing to probe rock samples in the "Rock Garden" area, and has already identified two distinct types of rock: some rich in \Jsilica\j and others full of sulfur. NASA adds that the mission is now moving into a second phase which will focus on the \Jplanet\j's atmospheric changes. \I(USA)\i
Russian space officials acknowledge that last week's risky repairs to Mir space station's Spektr module have brought only partial success, restoring less than half of the anticipated power to the craft. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A Pentagon report reveals that the United States Defense Department carried out some 2,400 secret experiments or studies involving human subjects over a 50-year period. The main focus of the experiments, which began in 1944, was to determine the effects of fallout from a nuclear war. \I(USA)\i
The United Nations World \JMeteorology\j Organization warns that El Ni±o, an abnormal tropical \JPacific Ocean\j \Jweather\j pattern which causes far-reaching droughts and floods, could become the "climate event of the century", with the current El Ni±o surpassing the 1982-83 event as the worst on record. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
After an independent investigation lasting nearly three years, Mike Espy, President Clinton's first agriculture secretary, is indicted by a federal grand jury on 39 counts, including accepting $US35,000 in illegal gifts from cronies and firms regulated by the USDA. \I(USA)\i
Brandon Tartikoff, who became the youngest entertainment president in network history when he took over NBC's programming in 1980 at the age of 30, dies aged 48 from Hodgkins disease, a cancer of the \Jlymph\j nodes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As peace returns to the West Bank town of \JBethlehem\j after two days of skirmishes between Palestinians and Israeli troops, the Israeli Army lifts the closure imposed a month ago following the double suicide bombing of \JJerusalem\j's Mahane Yehuda market. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Italian police announce the arrest of Musbah Abulgasem Eter, a 40-year-old Libyan wanted in connection with the 1986 bombing of a Berlin discotheque, which killed a Turkish woman, two United States soldiers, and wounded 200 others, most of whom were US military personnel. At the time, the United States blamed \JLibya\j for the blast and retaliated by bombing the Arab state. \I(\JItaly\j, \JLibya\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
An armed group slaughters about 60 people, 30 of whom are women, in an Algerian mountain village south of the capital \JAlgiers\j, raising the death toll from the spate of murderous attacks since Sunday to at least 160. \I(Algeria)\i
Arriving in \JSarajevo\j to take up his post as United States Ambassador to Bosnia, Richard Kauzlarich says his mission is to fully implement the Dayton accord, and to lay the foundation of a prosperous democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina. \I(USA, Bosnia, Herzegovina)\i
NATO says Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, has sought permission to fly to the Bosnian town of Banja Luka, the power base of Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. Milosevic has been under increasing Western pressure to throw his support behind Ms. Plavsic, who is locked in a bitter struggle with hardliners loyal to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. The United States, however, is unable to confirm \JNATO\j's statement concerning Milosevic's future movements. \I(Yugoslavia, Bosnia, USA)\i
Russian space officials acknowledge that last week's risky repairs to Mir space station's Spektr module have brought only partial success, restoring less than half of the anticipated power to the craft. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The United Nations World \JMeteorology\j Organization warns that El Ni±o, an abnormal tropical \JPacific Ocean\j \Jweather\j pattern which causes far-reaching droughts and floods, could become the "climate event of the century", with the current El Ni±o surpassing the 1982-83 event as the worst on record. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
#
"August 28, 1997",603,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces his candidacy for a second two-year term as head of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, a post which for the first time since the party's founding in 1955, is apparently uncontested. \I(Japan)\i
United States diplomats meet with their North Korean counterparts to urge them to reconsider their withdrawal from missile talks, a withdrawal prompted by Washington's decision to give asylum to two defectors from the communist state. Meanwhile, despite the rift in relations, South Korea says it is still optimistic about the North's attendance at the planned mid-September four-nation talks aimed at bringing a more durable peace to the divided Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
Cambodia's newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, formally apologizes to \JThailand\j for the accidental killing of a Thai paratrooper during heavy fighting between Phnom Penh troops and resistance forces near the Thai-Cambodian border yesterday. Ung Huot also offers his condolences to the victim's family. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
In response to an invitation from Washington, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, says he will meet with President Clinton in New York next month only if Indo-Pakistani ties are excluded from the agenda. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
The Australian Federal Government passes legislation to establish a Constitutional convention, the purpose of which will be to discuss the country's options concerning its potential status as a republic. \I(Australia)\i
Australia's \JNorthern Territory\j Government dismisses media reports that the powerful eldest daughter of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto is seeking to invest in a proposed $A1 billion project to build a 1,400-kilometer rail link between \JAlice Springs\j and Darwin. \I(Australia, Indonesia)\i
Japan declares it is ready to join the \JOttawa\j Process, a Canadian-led bid to establish a global ban on the production, use, export, and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. \I(Japan, Canada)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States diplomats meet with their North Korean counterparts to urge them to reconsider their withdrawal from missile talks, a withdrawal prompted by Washington's decision to give asylum to two defectors from the communist state. Meanwhile, despite the rift in relations, South Korea says it is still optimistic about the North's attendance at the planned mid-September four-nation talks aimed at bringing a more durable peace to the divided Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
In response to an invitation from Washington, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, says he will meet with President Clinton in New York next month only if Indo-Pakistani ties are excluded from the agenda. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
The United States seeks clarification from Moscow concerning a "seismic event", which is suspected to have occurred 12 days ago at or near the \JArctic\j site of Novaya Zemlya. \JRussia\j denies carrying out a test explosion, insisting that it has observed its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear test blasts. \I(USA, Russia)\i
American troops assigned to the \JNATO\j-led Stabilization Force in Bosnia are attacked by angry hardline supporters wielding metal bars, rocks, and wood. The attack comes as soldiers attempt to replace police loyal to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, with officers of Western-back Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \JNATO\j says it will now step up security patrols in the area. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Japan declares it is ready to join the \JOttawa\j Process, a Canadian-led bid to establish a global ban on the production, use, export, and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. \I(Japan, Canada)\i
Thousands of people march peacefully across \JSan Francisco\j's Golden Gate Bridge to protest against Proposition 209, an anti-affirmative-action state law banning the consideration of race or gender in awarding jobs, contracts, and university places. \I(USA)\i
As part of \JFlorida\j's fight to stem an outbreak of deadly mosquito-borne \Jencephalitis\j, a crop duster sprays about 8,000 acres of mosquito-infested land around Orlando's theme parks and tourist attractions. There have been no reported cases of the disease so far. \I(USA)\i
Venezuelan Justice Ministry officials reveal that 29 inmates of a remote maximum security jail in the \Jrainforest\j region were hacked and stabbed to death in a battle for power between rival gangs. Thirteen other prisoners were injured by the attackers, who used machetes and primitive knives, and set fire to mattresses. \I(Venezuela)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
American troops assigned to the \JNATO\j-led Stabilization Force in Bosnia are attacked by angry hardline supporters wielding metal bars, rocks, and wood. The attack comes as soldiers attempt to replace police loyal to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, with officers of Western-back Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \JNATO\j says it will now step up security patrols in the area. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
In the latest wave of fighting around Israel's occupation zone in south \JLebanon\j, two Israeli troops are killed and four are wounded when a border patrol is attacked by Shi'ite Muslim guerrillas. Later, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah claims to have attacked an Israeli position at Qantara in the western sector of the zone, but there are no reports of casualties. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
A powerful bomb kills at least eight people and wounds about 50 others when it explodes in the Casbah, the ancient heart of the Algerian capital. Elsewhere in the city, a bomb is defused after suspicious traders call security services to investigate a package, and in the country's west and south-west, suspected Islamic extremists kill 21 villagers, five of whom are children, and kidnap 12 others. \I(Algeria)\i
The United Nations Security Council imposes air and travel sanctions on \JAngola\j's UNITA movement and orders the closure of its offices abroad. The sanctions, a unanimous UN response to UNITA's refusal to observe accords aimed at ending two decades of \Jcivil war\j, will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 30. \I(Angola)\i
South Africa's former foreign minister, Pik Botha, accepts nomination for the National Party leadership, a position opened up by the forthcoming retirement of F.W. de Klerk. Mr. Botha's nomination acceptance, however, is on condition that the party resumes its place in the Government of National Unity. \I(South Africa)\i
The United States seeks clarification from Moscow concerning a "seismic event", which is suspected to have occurred 12 days ago at or near the \JArctic\j site of Novaya Zemlya. \JRussia\j denies carrying out a test explosion, insisting that it has observed its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear test blasts. \I(USA, Russia)\i
#
"August 29, 1997",604,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As royalist supporters continue to clash with government troops in the country's north, \JCambodia\j's King Norodom Sihanouk arrives in Siem Reap, where he is greeted by government leaders, including Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, and newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, who replaced the king's ousted son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
Veteran Chinese activist, Ren Wanding, urges the Nobel Peace prize committee not to give the coveted award to his nation's best know political dissident, Wei Jingsheng. Ren argues that while Wei has made a contribution to China's democracy campaign, any prize should be shared by the people of China for their role in the struggle for greater freedom. Ren has spent 11 years in jail for his own role in the struggle; Wei is currently serving a 14-year jail term for his efforts. \I(China)\i
In \JTokyo\j, the Supreme Court rules that the government acted illegally when it removed from a textbook, written by historian Saburo Ienaga, a reference to \JJapan\j's biological experiments on 3,000 people in northern China during World War II. However, the court rejects Mr. Ienaga's claims concerning the illegal censoring of seven other portions in his textbook, including the rape of Chinese women by Japanese soldiers. \I(Japan, China)\i
Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, lashes out at foreign correspondents for giving coverage to the racist views expressed by maverick Independent MP Pauline Hanson. Mr. Downer points out that Ms. Hanson has neither a voice in government nor a vast following among the people, and accuses the foreign media of projecting an image of \JAustralia\j as a "narrow-minded, inward looking" nation led by Ms. Hanson. \I(Australia)\i
Britain's Labor Government announces its support for human rights and non-government pro-democracy organizations inside \JIndonesia\j. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says the government will also be active in seeking a solution to the conflict in East \JTimor\j, adding that Britain has already proposed to lead a senior European Union fact-finding mission to the disputed territory. \I(UK, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Three Australian warships arrive at the eastern Chinese port of Qingdao for a six-\Jday\j visit aimed at promoting a closer military relationship between the two countries. The visit was arranged by Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, during a summit in April. \I(Australia, China)\i
Typhoon Amber sweeps across \JTaiwan\j, killing one person, and leaving a trail of damage on the island which is still recovering from the devastating effects of Typhoon Winnie. \I(Taiwan)\i
At least 35 people are buried alive in a landslide in Shinkiari town, raising the death toll from torrential rains creating havoc in \JPakistan\j this week to 121. Off the coast of \JBangladesh\j, at least 100 fishermen are reported missing after their boats sink in heavy seas whipped up by a depression bringing rainstorms and winds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. \I(Pakistan, Bangladesh)\i
\BThe Americas\b
One person is killed and two are seriously injured when a bomb explodes in the town of Banja Luka, the power base of Western-backed Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. In Brcko, meanwhile, international troops and police successfully complete an operation to rescue 257 United Nations police officers besieged by angry Serb mobs loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. United States envoy to Bosnia, Robert Gelbard, warns that the West will act forcefully to stop hardliners whipping up violence against peacekeepers. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Following the launch of Operation Rio Grande, a United States crackdown against illegal \Jimmigration\j in south \JTexas\j, the Mexican Government says it will increase its diplomatic staff along the US-Mexico border to help protect illegal immigrants against human rights abuses, and simultaneously expand its internal campaign to warn Mexican citizens about the dangers of illegal \Jimmigration\j. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Thousands of demonstrators march across Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall in Manhattan, where community leaders make speeches condemning Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the police department's attitude towards minorities. The protests come in support of hospitalized Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, who was assaulted by officers at a Brooklyn station earlier this month, and whose condition has changed from stable to critical. \I(USA)\i
Along with other \Jcivil rights\j groups, the American Civil Liberties Union says it has requested the Supreme Court to issue an emergency stay to block implementation of Proposition 209, the controversial anti-affirmative-action law which was passed by \JCalifornia\j voters last November. \I(USA)\i
A federal judge agrees to limit the scope of a ruling that permitted a University of Illinois professor to publish a version of his encryption software over the \JInternet\j, giving the Clinton administration a partial victory in its court battle to maintain strict United States export limits on computer encoding technology. \I(USA)\i
In the largest banking acquisition in United States history, NationsBank agrees to buy Barnett Banks for $US15.5 billion. The takeover will make NationsBank the country's third largest commercial bank, and the second largest in terms of stock market value. \I(USA)\i
The United States subsidiary of the Swiss-based company, Novartis, announces the market withdrawal of laxative products containing phenolphthalein, a chemical the US Food and Drug Administration is proposing to ban because of its cancer-causing potential. The company says its best-selling Ex-Lax laxatives will be reformulated with senna, a plant-based ingredient. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In an historic move, the British Government invites Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), to participate in talks on Northern Ireland's future. The invitation comes after a six-week IRA cease-fire, and is hailed by Sinn Fein leaders as the most wonderful opportunity for peace. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
One person is killed and two are seriously injured when a bomb explodes in the town of Banja Luka, the power base of Western-backed Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. In Brcko, meanwhile, international troops and police successfully complete an operation to rescue 257 United Nations police officers besieged by angry Serb mobs loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. United States envoy to Bosnia, Robert Gelbard, warns that the West will act forcefully to stop hardliners whipping up violence against peacekeepers. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Four Israeli soldiers are burned to death and six others injured when a brush fire is ignited as a result of a gun battle with a squad of Amal Shi'ites in southern \JLebanon\j, during which four Amal soldiers were killed. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
The Algerian Government says Muslim fundamentalist rebels slaughtered at least 98 people and wounded 120 in villages south of the capital overnight. Residents of nearby Blida, however, say the number of dead totals at least 200, and that many were women and children, including tiny babies. \I(Algeria)\i
Britain's Labor Government announces its support for human rights and non-government pro-democracy organizations inside \JIndonesia\j. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says the government will also be active in seeking a solution to the conflict in East \JTimor\j, adding that Britain has already proposed to lead a senior European Union fact-finding mission to the disputed territory. \I(UK, \JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Despite government assurances, thousands of residents flee their homes south of the Kenyan port city of \JMombasa\j, fearful of being attacked or caught up in a sweep by security forces who have now arrested more than 450 people in connection with the area's recent wave of violence. \I(Kenya)\i
The United States subsidiary of the Swiss-based company, Novartis, announces the market withdrawal of laxative products containing phenolphthalein, a chemical the US Food and Drug Administration is proposing to ban because of its cancer-causing potential. The company says its best-selling Ex-Lax laxatives will be reformulated with senna, a plant-based ingredient. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"August 30, 1997",605,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Despite growing concern that North Korea may postpone September's scheduled peace talks as a further protest against the United States' decision to give asylum to two North Korean diplomats, the State Department confirms that it has not received notification of any intention to that effect. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Japan welcomes the nomination of Thomas Foley as the new United States Ambassador to \JJapan\j, saying the nomination is a clear sign that the Clinton administration continues to attach importance to its relations with \JJapan\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
In Liverpool, England, the head of 19th-century Aboriginal warrior, Yagan, is handed over to Australian High Commission representatives and a delegation of Aboriginal elders. In accordance with Aboriginal belief, Yagan's head will return to Western \JAustralia\j to be reunited with his body in order to allow Yagan's spirit to pass into the Dreamtime. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Following \JAustralia\j's fifth successive triumph over England in the Ashes Test cricket series, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, supports the Australian Cricket Board's call for the Ashes to be taken from Lord's to Melbourne. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After meeting with Bosnian Serb hardliners at their Pale stronghold, the United States envoy to Bosnia, Robert Gelbard, denounces their attempts to derail the Dayton peace agreement, and vows that the \JNATO\j-led Stabilization Force will put a stop to them. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Despite growing concern that North Korea may postpone September's scheduled peace talks as a further protest against the United States' decision to give asylum to two North Korean diplomats, the State Department confirms that it has not received notification of any intention to that effect. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Japan welcomes the nomination of Thomas Foley as the new United States Ambassador to \JJapan\j, saying the nomination is a clear sign that the Clinton administration continues to attach importance to its relations with \JJapan\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
A \JFlorida\j appeals court upholds a program by Marion County Sheriff to charge prison inmates for meals and any medical care. The sheriff hails the court ruling as "a great victory for taxpayers". \I(USA)\i
In a one-\Jday\j sale conducted simultaneously in London and Berlin, a collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia, including stage suits, record collections, and jewelry, fetches $US324,000. One of the biggest money-makers is Presley's 1960s Gretsch \Jguitar\j, which sells for $US66,240. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
About 100 people attack a police station in Roman Catholic west \JBelfast\j and officers are forced to fire plastic bullets to quell the disturbance. Fears that the incident may represent a breach of the six-week IRA cease-fire, and thereby hinder current moves to resolve the conflict in Northern Ireland, are dispelled by security analysts, who characterize the flare-up as spontaneous. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Traumatized survivors of the recent village massacre in Sidi Rais, south of the \JAlgiers\j, arrive in the capital to identify the bodies of their loved ones. According to the government, 98 people were slaughtered in the massacre, which they maintain was perpetrated by fundamentalist Muslim rebels. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
In Liverpool, England, the head of 19th-century Aboriginal warrior, Yagan, is handed over to Australian High Commission representatives and a delegation of Aboriginal elders. In accordance with Aboriginal belief, Yagan's head will return to Western \JAustralia\j to be reunited with his body in order to allow Yagan's spirit to pass into the Dreamtime. \I(Australia, UK)\i
In a one-\Jday\j sale conducted simultaneously in London and Berlin, a collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia, including stage suits, record collections, and jewelry, fetches $US324,000. One of the biggest money-makers is Presley's 1960s Gretsch \Jguitar\j, which sells for $US66,240. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
Following \JAustralia\j's fifth successive triumph over England in the Ashes Test cricket series, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, supports the Australian Cricket Board's call for the Ashes to be taken from Lord's to Melbourne. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"August 31, 1997",606,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Malaysians commemorate their country's 40th anniversary of independence from British rule. Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, appeals to the people to preserve and safeguard their independence against a return of colonial domination, at the same time assailing foreign investors for deliberately lowering the value of the currency and the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. \I(Malaysia, UK)\i
Cambodia's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk offers to mediate talks between his ousted son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, maintaining that free and fair elections cannot proceed unless there is peace between the former co-leaders of the country. \I(Cambodia)\i
Taiwan announces it will double its $US100 million contribution to a fund for five Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, \JGuatemala\j, \JHonduras\j, and \JNicaragua\j. The announcement comes after St. Lucia switches diplomatic recognition from \JTaiwan\j to China amid reports that the Caribbean nation had received donations from \JBeijing\j. \I(Taiwan, China, Costa Rica, \JGuatemala\j, \JHonduras\j, \JNicaragua\j, St. Lucia)\i
Philippine President Fidel Ramos swears he will never be a dictator, and urges Manila \JArchbishop\j, Cardinal Jaime Sin, to call off a mass rally opposing a campaign to allow Ramos to run for re-election as President next year. Cardinal Sin has accused Ramos of orchestrating the campaign to change the constitution; Ramos, on the other hand, has repeatedly declared his intention of stepping down next year when his six-year term expires. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, announces that he will hold peace talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, while visiting New York this month. Mr. Gujral says he is hopeful that aspirations for improved bilateral relations will be fulfilled. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Following the lead set by \JAustralia\j and \JJapan\j, Britain agrees to adopt new measures to crack down on sex tourism in the \JPhilippines\j. The measures include legislation allowing prosecution of paedophiles in Britain for crimes committed abroad, and a co-operative agreement with the Philippine police whereby intelligence on paedophiles will be shared. \I(UK, The \JPhilippines\j, \JAustralia\j, Japan)\i
Australia's Michael Doohan scores another victory on his Repsol Honda in the Czech Grand Prix at Brno. It is Doohan's 11th 500cc \Jmotorcycle\j championship win this season. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
In women's events at the 1997 World Track \JCycling\j Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, Felicia Ballanger of \JFrance\j wins the 500m time trial, and \JGermany\j's Judith Arndt wins the 3000m individual pursuit. In men's events, \JAustralia\j's Shane Kelly wins the 1km time trial; Frenchman Frederic Magne wins the keirin; Frenchman Philippe Ermeneault wins the individual pursuit; Frenchman Florian Rousseau wins the sprint; \JItaly\j's Silvio Martinello wins the 40km points race; and \JItaly\j wins the teams pursuit. \I(Australia, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Italy)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, claims that infiltrators from Yugoslavia played a role in the recent riot by hardline Serbs against peacekeeping troops in the town of Brcko. Two United States soldiers were injured in the flare-up, and dozens of United Nations vehicles were damaged. \I(Bosnia, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, announces that he will hold peace talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, while visiting New York this month. Mr. Gujral says he is hopeful that aspirations for improved bilateral relations will be fulfilled. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Taiwan announces it will double its $US100 million contribution to a fund for five Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, \JGuatemala\j, \JHonduras\j, and \JNicaragua\j. The announcement comes after St. Lucia switches diplomatic recognition from \JTaiwan\j to China amid reports that the Caribbean nation had received donations from \JBeijing\j. \I(Taiwan, China, Costa Rica, \JGuatemala\j, \JHonduras\j, \JNicaragua\j, St. Lucia)\i
American golfer Scott Hoch earns his first victory of the year when he eagles on the 18th hole to win the Greater \JMilwaukee\j Open by one stroke. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Diana, Princess of Wales, dies at 4 am in a Paris \Jhospital\j from internal injuries suffered in a car crash shortly after midnight. Despite closure of a wound to the left ventricle, and prolonged external and internal cardiac massage, surgeons at PitiΘ SaltpiΦtre \JHospital\j are unable to re-establish circulation. Later in the \Jday\j, Diana's body is escorted back to Britain by her former husband, Prince Charles. The Princess was 36, and is survived by her two children, Prince William, 15, and Prince Harry, 12. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Thousands of grieving Britons lay flowers and cards outside \JBuckingham Palace\j and Kensington Palace, the London home of the Princess of Wales, holding \Jcandle\j-light vigils well into the night. Meanwhile, as the rest of the world mourns Diana's untimely passing, tributes pour in from friends and acquaintances, charity workers, heads of state, and prominent figures from all areas and avenues of life. \I(UK)\i
Dodi Al Fayed, 41-year-old son of Egyptian-born billionaire, Mohamed Al Fayed, is buried in Britain less than 24 hours after he was killed instantly in the Paris car crash which also claimed the life of the Princess of Wales. The Princess and Dodi al Fayed had been constant companions over the past month, and earlier that evening, the couple had dined together at the Ritz Hotel, which is owned by the Al Fayed family. \I(UK, \JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j)\i
The French Interior Minister, Jean-Pierre Chevenement, releases details of the car crash in which the Princess of Wales, her companion, Dodi Al Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes Benz were killed. According to Mr. Chevenement, the driver is thought to have lost control of the vehicle, which was traveling at high speed through a tunnel near the Alma Bridge while being pursued by paparazzi photographers on motorcycles. Mr. Chevenement says Paris police have detained seven photographers for questioning, and have seized a motor-scooter and two motorcycles, one of which is badly damaged. Mr. Chevenement also confirms that the sole survivor of the crash was bodyguard, Trevor Rhys-Jones. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Anti-landmine campaigners lament the loss of Britain's Princess of Wales as a loss also to the initiative for a global ban on anti-personnel landmines. The Princess, who championed the worldwide humanitarian cause, had been credited with giving it a more human face and raising international awareness, and her tragic death comes on the eve of a 19-\Jday\j conference in Oslo, the aim of which will be to draft a text for a convention banning the use, export, production, and stockpiling of landmines. \I(UK, \JNorway\j)\i
Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, claims that infiltrators from Yugoslavia played a role in the recent riot by hardline Serbs against peacekeeping troops in the town of Brcko. Two United States soldiers were injured in the flare-up, and dozens of United Nations vehicles were damaged. \I(Bosnia, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, condemns the recent bloody massacre in \JAlgeria\j which is now reported to have killed at least 230 people. Mr. Annan indicates his support for international intervention in what has formerly been regarded as an internal problem, saying the world cannot continue to ignore the scope of the violence in \JAlgeria\j. \I(Algeria)\i
Egyptian-Israeli relations become tense when an Egyptian court sentences an Israeli man to 15 years imprisonment with hard labor. Azam Azam was convicted of working for Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, but Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insists that Azam is innocent, and attacks the sentence as an outrage. \I(Israel, Egypt)\i
Italian authorities toughen their stance against the Camorra, the Naples Mafia, after a man is shot dead in front of his young family during an attack on a coachload of Roman Catholic pilgrims. The attack is the most recent in a spate of robberies and murders by the Camorra which has led to a deployment of troops on the streets of Naples. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Malaysians commemorate their country's 40th anniversary of independence from British rule. Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, appeals to the people to preserve and safeguard their independence against a return of colonial domination, at the same time assailing foreign investors for deliberately lowering the value of the currency and the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. \I(Malaysia, UK)\i
Following the lead set by \JAustralia\j and \JJapan\j, Britain agrees to adopt new measures to crack down on sex tourism in the \JPhilippines\j. The measures include legislation allowing prosecution of paedophiles in Britain for crimes committed abroad, and a co-operative agreement with the Philippine police whereby intelligence on paedophiles will be shared. \I(UK, The \JPhilippines\j, \JAustralia\j, Japan)\i
Australia's Michael Doohan scores another victory on his Repsol Honda in the Czech Grand Prix at Brno. It is Doohan's 11th 500cc \Jmotorcycle\j championship win this season. \I(Australia, Czech Republic)\i
In women's events at the 1997 World Track \JCycling\j Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, Felicia Ballanger of \JFrance\j wins the 500m time trial, and \JGermany\j's Judith Arndt wins the 3000m individual pursuit. In men's events, \JAustralia\j's Shane Kelly wins the 1km time trial; Frenchman Frederic Magne wins the keirin; Frenchman Philippe Ermeneault wins the individual pursuit; Frenchman Florian Rousseau wins the sprint; \JItaly\j's Silvio Martinello wins the 40km points race; and \JItaly\j wins the teams pursuit. \I(Australia, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Italy)\i
#
"September 1, 1997",607,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As sporadic shelling continues around \JCambodia\j's contested northwestern border town of O'Smach, King Norodom Sihanouk prays for peace at a two-hour traditional Buddhist ceremony held at the royal chapel near his residence in Siem Reap. The king's previous calls for a cease-fire have been ignored by the Hun Sen Government, which insists that royalist forces entrenched in O'Smach must either surrender or fight until they are defeated. \I(Cambodia)\i
The shadowy leader of Bougainville's secessionist rebels, Francis Ona, attacks as a mockery Papua New Guinea's invitation to negotiate at the second round of \JNew Zealand\j-mediated peace talks, insisting that his side has won the nine-year conflict, and that the only outcome now must be a referendum on independence. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, denounces the \JRangoon\j Government for failing to act against the drug barons, adding that Europe's recent decision to deny visas to \JMyanmar\j's senior officials will exclude the country from next April's Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in London. \I(UK, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe, Asia)\i
Red Cross officials say the tidal wave which smashed dikes and flooded fields in North Korea last month had destroyed an estimated 700,000 tonnes of corn, exacerbating the starving nation's food crisis. The tidal wave, reported to be more than eight meters high, carried \Jseaweed\j and debris as far inland as 10 kilometers, and was caused by Typhoon Winnie, which lashed eastern China at the same time. In large areas of northern China, however, emergency steps are now being taken to minimize crop losses due to one of the worst droughts in decades. \I(North Korea, China)\i
An estimated 8 million Japanese people participate in a national \Jearthquake\j drill. The drill is conducted each year on the anniversary of the Great Kanto \JEarthquake\j, a natural disaster which claimed more than 140,00 lives in the \JTokyo\j area in 1923. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States officials and arms experts say foreign ministers from the US and four ex-Soviet republics hope to sign a package of five accords on missile defense systems during September's United Nations General Assembly session in New York. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
IBM announces improvements to Deep Blue, the chess-playing computer that defeated world champion, Garry Kasparov, in May. The improvements will apparently make Deep Blue 58 per cent faster. \I(USA)\i
As the world continues to mourn the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales, thousands of people queue for hours to sign books of condolences at St. James Palace in London, where the Princess's body is laid. \JBuckingham Palace\j announces that her funeral, to be held at London's historic Westminster Abbey on Saturday, will be a public service, but not a state occasion. Britain will nevertheless come to a halt on the day. Sporting events have been postponed, and banks and shops will close. For the second Saturday this century, renowned Knightsbridge department store, Harrods, will also close its doors to the public, and will be left in darkness throughout the weekend, with flags flying at half mast. Harrods is owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi Al Fayed was killed in the Paris car crash with the Princess. \I(UK)\i
The Paris prosecutor's office discloses that a post-mortem examination on the driver of the Mercedes-Benz that crashed at high speed, killing the Princess of Wales and her companion Dodi Al Fayed, revealed the driver's blood alcohol level to be more than three times the legal limit. The driver, Henri Paul, who was deputy security chief at the Al Fayed family's Ritz Hotel where the couple had dined that evening, was apparently a last-minute substitute for Mr. Fayed's regular chauffeur, who was deployed to divert a crowd of waiting photographers. Meanwhile, the seven photographers detained by police have not yet been released, and the sole survivor of the crash, bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, remains in \Jhospital\j suffering head and lung injuries, and is still unfit to be interviewed by authorities. \I(Paris, UK)\i
An international conference seeking a global ban on landmines opens in Oslo, with delegates observing a one-minute tribute of silence to the late Princess of Wales. Norwegian Foreign Minister, Bjoern Tore Godal, vows to spare no efforts to achieve the goal for which Diana had strenuously campaigned during the last months of her life. \I(\JNorway\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At Udrigovo, in northeast Bosnian Serb territory, troops of the \JNATO\j-led Stabilization Force are pelted with rocks by a 300-strong crowd directed by people with walkie-talkies. The attack comes in an attempt to take control of a \Jtelevision\j transmitter, but \JNATO\j troops stand their ground and there are no reports of casualties. \I(Bosnia)\i
The Algerian Foreign Ministry accuses United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, of interfering in \JAlgeria\j's internal affairs. The accusation comes in response to Mr. Annan's remarks that the world could no longer ignore terrorist atrocities such as the recent bloody massacre at Sidi Rais, near \JAlgiers\j, which reportedly killed some 200 people. Meanwhile, in a warning to those believed responsible for the carnage, the Algerian Interior Ministry announces the house arrest of Islamic leader, Abassi Madani, who was released from prison just six weeks ago. \I(Algeria)\i
Israel rejects Palestinian demands and refuses to implement a partial withdrawal of troops from West Bank territory in compliance with the Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Instead, Israel accuses the Palestinians of failing to honor the peace accords, and insists that the Palestinians must first take vigorous action against Islamic militants. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, denounces the \JRangoon\j Government for failing to act against the drug barons, adding that Europe's recent decision to deny visas to \JMyanmar\j's senior officials will exclude the country from next April's Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in London. \I(UK, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe, Asia)\i
In an effort to avert United Nations sanctions scheduled to take effect on September 30, \JAngola\j's UNITA movement declares it will fulfill its obligations to the 1994 peace treaty which ended the country's two-decade \Jcivil war\j. \I(Angola)\i
The Czech Government announces that under a new bill currently being drafted, prison inmates will be required to pay, in part or in whole, for their time behind bars. The announcement comes in the wake of a May public spending shake-up in which the prison service budget was cut by 50 per cent. \I(Czech Republic)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, reveals that he will not seek a third term in office, despite changes to the constitution which would allow him to do so. The President's current term ends in 2000. \I(Russia)\i
A five-member gang foils a series of security procedures to perpetrate one of the world's biggest ever armed robberies, stealing more than 53 million Swiss francs from a Zurich post office. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"September 2, 1997",608,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Cambodian Government reiterates that fighting in the country's northwest will only cease when royalist forces surrender. In a statement signed by co-Prime Ministers, Hun Sen and Ung Huot, the Government offers amnesty to all opposition soldiers and officials, with the exception of former First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and two of his top military men, General Nhiek Bun Chhay and General Serey Kosal. \I(Cambodia)\i
On the second \Jday\j of an Oslo-based conference to produce a text for a global treaty banning landmines, a United States proposal to exclude the Korean peninsula from the ban encounters stiff opposition. The US proposal calls for an open-ended arrangement which would allow the continued use of landmines in the peninsula's demilitarized zone separating North and South. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, hits back at a statement made by British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, concerning the exclusion of \JMyanmar\j from next year's Asia-Europe summit in London. Dr. Mahathir warns that discrimination against \JMyanmar\j is discrimination against the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and points out that \JMyanmar\j's alleged links to international drug trafficking are a direct result of Britain's colonial strategy in the mid-19th century. \I(Malaysia, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), UK)\i
At a meeting in \JSingapore\j, the InterAction Council, a 29-member group of elder world statesmen, completes a draft of a 19-point Universal Declaration of Human Obligations designed to balance the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, urging the United Nations and individual governments to adopt the document. The council is chaired by former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, and its members include former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, and former United States President, Jimmy Carter. \I(Singapore, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, accompanied by the United States Ambassador to Britain, William Crowe, will attend the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in London on Saturday. The \JWhite House\j adds that because the funeral will not be a state occasion, President Clinton will not attend, nor will there be an official US delegation. \I(USA, UK)\i
Following a \Jday\j of fiery confrontation with Serb hardliners near the northeast Bosnian town of Udrigovo, United States \JNATO\j troops hand back a disputed \Jtelevision\j transmission tower, at the same time demanding assurances that the propaganda media war against the Bosnian peace agreement will be moderated. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reveals it has dispatched a shipment of non-lethal hand grenades to US peacekeeping troops in the troubled region. Included in the shipment are so-called "sponge" grenades designed to knock people to the ground, and grenade-like devices containing dye which marks agitators and allows easier apprehension. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
The United States Defense Department says it is reviewing an Army request to test fire Miracel, the military's most powerful \Jlaser\j weapon, at an Air Force \Jsatellite\j circling Earth. If approved, the test would be the first of its kind, and a major step towards developing a weapon capable of destroying satellites or other space vehicles in time of war. \I(USA)\i
On the second \Jday\j of an Oslo-based conference to produce a text for a global treaty banning landmines, a United States proposal to exclude the Korean peninsula from the ban encounters stiff opposition. The US proposal calls for an open-ended arrangement which would allow the continued use of landmines in the peninsula's demilitarized zone separating North and South. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
At a meeting in \JSingapore\j, the InterAction Council, a 29-member group of elder world statesmen, completes a draft of a 19-point Universal Declaration of Human Obligations designed to balance the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, urging the United Nations and individual governments to adopt the document. The council is chaired by former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, and its members include former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, and former United States President, Jimmy Carter. \I(Singapore, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Northern Ireland Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, arrives in the United States on a five-\Jday\j visit, vowing that his party will make its very best effort during forthcoming all-party talks in \JBelfast\j to resolve the future of Northern Ireland. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
In an annual address, Mexico's President Zedillo pledges to work with the country's newly elected Congress, the first in seven decades not controlled by his Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). The President's pledge comes after PRI members threaten to boycott the opening of Congress, in which they are now outnumbered by the Opposition's combined 261 deputies. \I(Mexico)\i
Wall Street's Dow Jones industrial average records its biggest point gain ever, with the market surging 257.36 points to finish at 7,879.98. Last week, the Dow fell 265 points following concern that the market was overvalued. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A French magistrate puts seven paparazzi photographers under formal investigation for suspected \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the Paris car crash that killed Britain's Princess of Wales, her companion Dodi Al Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz. The investigation will also cover counts of causing \Jbodily harm\j, and failing to assist victims of an accident. Meanwhile, Mohamed Al Fayed files civil suits against the photographers who pursued the car in which the Princess of Wales and his son Dodi were traveling, despite revelations that the driver of the car, an employee of the Al Fayed family, had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
As grieving Britons react with outrage to the news that the welfare of the Princess of Wales had been entrusted to a driver affected by alcohol, the country's security experts lament the Princess's decision to dispense with the services of the Royal Protection Squad following her divorce from Prince Charles, pointing out that for members of the squad, reporting for any kind of duty under the influence of alcohol is a strict disciplinary offense. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
The \JWhite House\j announces that first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, accompanied by the United States Ambassador to Britain, William Crowe, will attend the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in London on Saturday. The \JWhite House\j adds that because the funeral will not be a state occasion, President Clinton will not attend, nor will there be an official US delegation. \I(USA, UK)\i
Following a \Jday\j of fiery confrontation with Serb hardliners near the northeast Bosnian town of Udrigovo, United States \JNATO\j troops hand back a disputed \Jtelevision\j transmission tower, at the same time demanding assurances that the propaganda media war against the Bosnian peace agreement will be moderated. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reveals it has dispatched a shipment of non-lethal hand grenades to US peacekeeping troops in the troubled region. Included in the shipment are so-called "sponge" grenades designed to knock people to the ground, and grenade-like devices containing dye which marks agitators and allows easier apprehension. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Fears of an imminent invasion of the secessionist island of Anjouan are sparked when about 300 Comoran Government soldiers leave the main island of Grande Comore. Despite assurances that the troops are merely on maneuvers at sea, the Organization of African Unity special envoy to \JComoros\j, Pierre Yere, urgently calls on the entire Comoran political establishment to exercise restraint. \I(Anjouan Island, \JComoros\j, Africa)\i
On the second \Jday\j of an Oslo-based conference to produce a text for a global treaty banning landmines, a United States proposal to exclude the Korean peninsula from the ban encounters stiff opposition. The US proposal calls for an open-ended arrangement which would allow the continued use of landmines in the peninsula's demilitarized zone separating North and South. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
At a meeting in \JSingapore\j, the InterAction Council, a 29-member group of elder world statesmen, completes a draft of a 19-point Universal Declaration of Human Obligations designed to balance the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, urging the United Nations and individual governments to adopt the document. The council is chaired by former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, and its members include former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, and former United States President, Jimmy Carter. \I(Singapore, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, hits back at a statement made by British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, concerning the exclusion of \JMyanmar\j from next year's Asia-Europe summit in London. Dr. Mahathir warns that discrimination against \JMyanmar\j is discrimination against the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and points out that \JMyanmar\j's alleged links to international drug trafficking are a direct result of Britain's colonial strategy in the mid-19th century. \I(Malaysia, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), UK)\i
Northern Ireland Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, arrives in the United States on a five-\Jday\j visit, vowing that his party will make its very best effort during forthcoming all-party talks in \JBelfast\j to resolve the future of Northern Ireland. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
Dutch Health Minister, Els Borst, goes before Parliament with a controversial plan to provide free heroin for 750 addicts, the aim of the plan being to integrate users back into society. If approved, Dr. Borst's scheme would run for two years. \I(Holland)\i
#
"September 3, 1997",609,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A Vietnam Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 crashes on approach to Phnom Penh's Pochentong Airport, exploding on impact, and killing 64 of the 66 people aboard. The two survivors of the crash are small children, but both are in a serious condition. \I(Vietnam, \JCambodia\j)\i
Pakistan denies Indian allegations of provoking a fresh round of firing on the Kashmir border. The skirmish resulted in the deaths of four Indian defense personnel, but despite the renewal of tensions, India reiterates its willingness to meet with \JPakistan\j for high-level peace talks this month. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
In the first opposition initiative for some days, Afghan forces loyal to ousted Government leader, Ahmad Shah Masood, attempt to capture two key hilltops north of the capital of Kabul, but are finally beaten back by a Taliban counterattack. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Two people die and 49 are hurt when a grenade explodes outside a Manila bus terminal. Only moments later, another grenade explodes inside a bus leaving the terminal, killing three more people and injuring 17. The Philippine military blames a splinter group of the Communist Party for the blasts. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Indonesia's Environment Minister, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, accuses logging and plantation companies of starting forest fires to clear land on the islands of \JBorneo\j and \JSumatra\j. The minister says at least 100,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed, and smoke from the fires has polluted the skies, forcing some airports to close. The smoke also causes respiratory problems for 20 million people. \I(Indonesia)\i
An Australian Federal Government decision to build a new $A300 million nuclear reactor at Sydney's Lucas Heights provokes strong protests from environmentalists, opposition politicians, and residents' groups, who insist that the reactor should not be located in an urban area because of radiation concerns. The government, however, defends the location, pointing to its 1.6-kilometer buffer zone, and the 40-year safety record of the existing reactor. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Senate votes unanimously to declare Saturday a national day of recognition for the humanitarian efforts of the late Princess of Wales, citing Diana's work on breast cancer, AIDS, homelessness, and more recently, her campaign for a global ban on antipersonnel landmines. \I(USA, UK)\i
As United States \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, prepares for a debut visit to the \JMiddle East\j aimed at bringing peace talks "back from the abyss", the Palestinians voice their doubts about her ability to make much headway in a single visit, blaming damage inflicted on the peace process by the stringent measures of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and by the Jewish settlement expansion in \JJerusalem\j. Israel, on the other hand, rules out a freeze in settlement building, and says Albright's trip will only be productive if she can effect a change in the Palestinian Authority's attitude towards the security issue. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
While on a lobbying and fundraising tour of the United States, Irish Republican leader, Gerry Adams, promises that Sinn Fein will enter upcoming all-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland in a spirit of generosity, accommodation, and compromise. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Working under United Nations monitoring, excavators remove ten corpses from one of the largest mass graves yet detected in Bosnia. Up to 300 bodies, mostly Muslim war victims, are believed to be buried in the recently discovered labyrinthine cave near the northwestern village of Hrgar. Meanwhile, at a Pentagon news briefing, the Supreme Allied Commander of \JNATO\j forces in Europe, Army Gen. Wesley Clark, calls on Bosnian Serb hardliner, Radovan Karadzic, to surrender for trial on war crimes charges, adding that moves to disarm Karadzic's bodyguards are being considered. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Seven groups organized under the umbrella of the American Civil Liberties Union refuse to comply with subpoenas issued by the Senate committee investigating political fundraising abuses, insisting that the \Jsubpoena\j demands for their records are too broad and intrusive. \I(USA)\i
Arizona Governor, Fife Symington, announces his resignation from office after being convicted by a federal jury on seven counts of \Jfraud\j committed while attempting to save his real estate empire from collapse. \I(USA)\i
In a reversal of a July decision, the United States Senate votes to fully fund the new Food and Drug Administration anti-youth smoking initiative, allocating $US34 million for anti-smoking education and enforcement of rules in relation to the purchase of cigarettes. Meanwhile, wholesale prices of cigarettes rise by an average of 7.6 per cent, the largest single increase in US history, as \Jtobacco\j companies are hit by compensation payouts in civil actions brought by the individual states. \I(USA)\i
Arizona authorities arrest two fugitive bounty hunters who broke into the wrong house in pursuit of a bail jumper, and allegedly shot and killed an innocent young couple. With three men already in custody and charged with two counts each of second-degree murder, police believe they have now apprehended all those suspected of being involved in the raid. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's royal family acknowledges the massive outpouring of public grief since the death of the Princess of Wales in a Paris car crash last Sunday, and takes steps to allow more people to pay a final tribute to Diana, extending the route her coffin will travel from her home at Kensington Palace to her funeral at Westminster Abbey on Saturday. \JBuckingham Palace\j also releases details of the route Diana's funeral cortege will later take from Westminster Abbey to the private burial service at the Spencer family's ancestral estate in Great Brington, \JNorthamptonshire\j. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
The United States Senate votes unanimously to declare Saturday a national day of recognition for the humanitarian efforts of the late Princess of Wales, citing Diana's work on breast cancer, AIDS, homelessness, and more recently, her campaign for a global ban on antipersonnel landmines. \I(USA, UK)\i
Working under United Nations monitoring, excavators remove ten corpses from one of the largest mass graves yet detected in Bosnia. Up to 300 bodies, mostly Muslim war victims, are believed to be buried in the recently discovered labyrinthine cave near the northwestern village of Hrgar. Meanwhile, at a Pentagon news briefing, the Supreme Allied Commander of \JNATO\j forces in Europe, Army Gen. Wesley Clark, calls on Bosnian Serb hardliner, Radovan Karadzic, to surrender for trial on war crimes charges, adding that moves to disarm Karadzic's bodyguards are being considered. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
The \JComoros\j Government confirms that its troops have landed on the secessionist island of Anjouan and quelled the breakaway rebellion. Organization of African Unity envoy, Pierre Yere, says the Comoran army has also imposed an air and sea blockade, and suspended \Jtelephone\j links on Anjouan and Moheli, cutting off both islands from the outside world and stranding a four-member United Nations team. \I(Comoros, Anjouan Island, Moheli Island, Africa)\i
As United States \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, prepares for a debut visit to the \JMiddle East\j aimed at bringing peace talks "back from the abyss", the Palestinians voice their doubts about her ability to make much headway in a single visit, blaming damage inflicted on the peace process by the stringent measures of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and by the Jewish settlement expansion in \JJerusalem\j. Israel, on the other hand, rules out a freeze in settlement building, and says Albright's trip will only be productive if she can effect a change in the Palestinian Authority's attitude towards the security issue. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Ferdi Barnard, a former member of South Africa's defunct Civil Co-operation Bureau, appears in court on 24 charges, including the 1989 murder of university lecturer and anti-\Japartheid\j campaigner, Dr. David Webster, the 1989 attempted murder of Dullah Omar, a prominent pro-democracy politician who is now the Minister of Justice in President Nelson Mandela's Cabinet, and the attempted murder about the same time of Bruce White, a student activist. \I(South Africa)\i
While on a lobbying and fundraising tour of the United States, Irish Republican leader, Gerry Adams, promises that Sinn Fein will enter upcoming all-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland in a spirit of generosity, accommodation, and compromise. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Deputy Director of the Russian Space Agency, Boris Ostroumov, announces that activities on the ill-fated Mir space station will be shut down when the new Alpha international space station begins operating in early 1999. Meanwhile, a commission investigating Mir's June collision with a cargo ship concludes that recently returned cosmonauts, Vasily Tsibliyev and Alexander Lazutkin, were to blame for the mishap. \I(Russia)\i
Swiss scientists studying the human form of "mad cow" disease report discovering how the fatal illness travels through the body before attacking the brain. The disease is usually not diagnosed until an advanced stage, but in the light of their discovery, Adriano Aguzzi and fellow members of the Neuropathology Institute at Zurich University say they are now hopeful that an effective treatment for the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD) will be found. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"September 4, 1997",610,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Preliminary findings of an inquiry into yesterday's crash of a Vietnam Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 reveal that the pilot was off course when he made his approach to Phnom Penh's Pochentong Airport, but was too low to regain altitude and correct his flight path. Airport officials say they have recovered one of the plane's vital "black box" flight recorders from the wreckage, but the second recorder has already been stolen by looters. \I(Vietnam, \JCambodia\j)\i
Vice-president of the World Vision relief group, Andrew Natsios, warns that the North Korean \Jfamine\j will worsen in the next two months, with child \Jmalnutrition\j already threatening to permanently stunt the nation's next generation. Last year, 120,000 people starved to death, but Mr. Natsios believes that many more are dying now, and predicts even graver danger for next year given the failure of this year's crops. \I(North Korea)\i
After a successful South Korean Government crackdown on membership of the outlawed Federation of University Student Councils, known as Hanchongryon, two former student leaders are arrested when it is discovered they have rejoined the group through the \JInternet\j. However, the government is still confident of wiping out Hanchongryon, which has been responsible for most of Korea's student rioting. \I(South Korea)\i
The Philippine's Cardinal Jaime Sin calls for churches to ring their bells and drivers to blow their horns every evening for the next two weeks. The Cardinal's call comes as part of escalating protests against moves to change the Constitution to allow President Fidel Ramos to run for a second term. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Tabled amendments to \JAustralia\j's Native Title Act provoke strong condemnation from \JAborigines\j and farmers alike, with both sides warning of years of legal battles. However, Prime Minister John Howard argues that by guaranteeing farmers the right to the land they have leased since European settlement, and by continuing to allow \JAborigines\j access for traditional purposes, his 10-point plan brings the balance back to the middle after the Wik decision. \I(Australia)\i
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, authorizes the release of $A4 million to help ease the \Jdrought\j crisis in the country's Central Highlands. Mr. Skate says up to 300,000 people are facing starvation, schools and mines are being forced to close due to lack of \Jwater\j, and there is a real danger of a serious breakdown in health. \JAustralia\j is already providing airforce transport for food and other emergency relief supplies, and is offering further assistance through its official aid agency, Ausaid. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration debates giving a \JNew Jersey\j-based company approval to market the drug thalidomide for the treatment of a painful side-effect of \Jleprosy\j. Thalidomide was prescribed in the 1960s to treat morning sickness in pregnant women until Australian Dr. William McBride discovered that it caused severe birth defects. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Australian-born media baron, Rupert Murdoch, reaches an agreement to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, a sports franchise which includes the \Jbaseball\j team, Dodger stadium, the spring training facility in \JFlorida\j, and a sports academy in the Dominican Republic. \I(USA, Dominican Republic, Australia)\i
Three suicide bombers strike a crowded pedestrian mall in the heart of Jewish West \JJerusalem\j, killing themselves, four others, and injuring a further 192. The attack occurs only a short stroll from the market where 17 people were killed in a suicide bombing five weeks ago. Once again, the Islamic movement Hamas claims responsibility, and demands that Israel release all its militants by September 14 or face more attacks. In the United States, President Clinton calls on Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to co-operate with Israel to create a secure environment in the region, adding that the perpetrators of these attacks aim to kill both innocent people and the peace process itself. President Clinton also confirms that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will still travel to the \JMiddle East\j next week as planned. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Bomb explosions shake the lobbies of the Copacabana, \JChateau\j, and Triton hotels in the Cuban capital of \JHavana\j. An Italian visitor, Fabio di Celmo, is killed when he is hit in the throat by flying debris in the lobby of the Copacabana Hotel. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
A Colombian army spokesman discloses that one of the country's largest hydroelectric power stations has been raided and at least 23 hostages seized. Those responsible for the raid are thought to belong to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of \JColombia\j, \JLatin America\j's oldest and largest rebel army. \I(Colombia, \JLatin America\j)\i
Following a 10-\Jday\j inspection by the United States Federal \JAviation\j Administration (FAA), Fine Air Services, the company whose DC-8 cargo jet crashed on takeoff from Miami airport last month, killing five people, agrees to stop flying pending further negotiations with the FAA. The inspection found that the carrier has inadequate control over its cargo operation. \I(USA)\i
United States Supreme Court justices reject a request by the city of \JSan Francisco\j and a coalition of \Jcivil rights\j group for an emergency stay on the enforcement of Proposition 209, a newly approved \JCalifornia\j law eliminating affirmative action programs in the areas of education and employment. \I(USA)\i
Testifying under a grant of immunity, two Buddhist nuns tell the United States Senate committee investigating campaign fundraising abuses how they destroyed documents and altered checks after a visit to their temple by Vice President Al Gore, an event which raised $US100,000 in political donations at the time. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration debates giving a \JNew Jersey\j-based company approval to market the drug thalidomide for the treatment of a painful side-effect of \Jleprosy\j. Thalidomide was prescribed in the 1960s to treat morning sickness in pregnant women until Australian Dr. William McBride discovered that it caused severe birth defects. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Two separate medical studies are published which together reveal possibilities for the treatment and prevention of cancer. One study finds that cancer cells grow and spread at a much faster rate once a tumor has formed; the other study finds a "checkpoint" gene that can delay the growth and spread of cancer cells until the damage is repaired. \I(USA)\i
United States astronomers report that new images made by the Hubble Space \JTelescope\j of the mini-\Jplanet\j Vesta show a huge crater 459 kilometers wide, a find which leads them to believe that Vesta is the source of the thousands of \Jasteroids\j which \Jorbit\j the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. \I(USA)\i
Australian-born media baron, Rupert Murdoch, reaches an agreement to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, a sports franchise which includes the \Jbaseball\j team, Dodger stadium, the spring training facility in \JFlorida\j, and a sports academy in the Dominican Republic. \I(USA, Dominican Republic, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
French police investigating the car crash in which Britain's Princess of Wales, her companion Dodi Al Fayed, and the driver were killed, detain three more photographers on possible charges of \Jmanslaughter\j and failure to assist at the scene of an accident. The seven members of the paparazzi already under investigation have denied the charges against them. Police are also looking into events at the Ritz Hotel prior to the crash, saying hotel staff could face charges over the fitness of chauffeur, Henri Paul, to drive the hired Mercedes. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and the young Princes William and Harry appear in public for the first time since the death of the Princess of Wales when they inspect masses of floral tributes to Diana outside the royal castle at Balmoral, Scotland. The royal family is reportedly hurt by criticism of their aloofness since Diana's death, and it is announced that the Queen will finally broadcast a statement to the nation expressing the family's feelings about the tragedy. \I(UK, Scotland)\i
Buckingham Palace releases details of the funeral of the Princess of Wales, which in keeping with the lifestyle of the Princess, will be an innovative mix of the traditional and the topical. Palace officials say the 2000-name invitation list has limited the number of royals and politicians to accommodate Diana's many friends, as well as her fellow charity workers. Protocol will be eased to allow the Union Jack to fly at half-mast over Buckingham Palace on the \Jday\j, while in a complete break with precedent during the Westminster Abbey ceremony, Diana's friend, rock star Elton John, will sing a specially re-written version of "Candle in the Wind", his 1970s tribute to Marilyn Monroe who also died at the age of 36. The song will now begin with the words, "Good-bye England's rose". \I(UK)\i
Three suicide bombers strike a crowded pedestrian mall in the heart of Jewish West \JJerusalem\j, killing themselves, four others, and injuring a further 192. The attack occurs only a short stroll from the market where 17 people were killed in a suicide bombing five weeks ago. Once again, the Islamic movement Hamas claims responsibility, and demands that Israel release all its militants by September 14 or face more attacks. In the United States, President Clinton calls on Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to co-operate with Israel to create a secure environment in the region, adding that the perpetrators of these attacks aim to kill both innocent people and the peace process itself. President Clinton also confirms that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will still travel to the \JMiddle East\j next week as planned. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Bomb explosions shake the lobbies of the Copacabana, \JChateau\j, and Triton hotels in the Cuban capital of \JHavana\j. An Italian visitor, Fabio di Celmo, is killed when he is hit in the throat by flying debris in the lobby of the Copacabana Hotel. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"September 5, 1997",611,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mother Teresa, winner of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize for her selfless devotion to the destitute, dies of cardiac arrest at the \JCalcutta\j headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, the order the 87-year-old Roman Catholic nun founded in 1950. \I(India)\i
Cambodian \Javiation\j officials report that villagers have handed in a vital "black box" flight recorder looted from the wreckage of a Vietnam Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 which crashed on Wednesday on approach to Phnom Penh airport. The villagers have been given a $US200 reward. Meanwhile, relatives of the 64 crash victims arrive from South Korea, Vietnam, \JTaiwan\j, Hong Kong, and China to identify their loved ones at Phnom Penh's Calmette \JHospital\j. \I(Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, \JTaiwan\j, Hong Kong, China)\i
Sri Lanka's National Integration Minister, Lakshman Peiris, meets with Tamil and Muslim political leaders to discuss a proposal aimed at ending the separatist insurrection which has caused more than 50,000 deaths in the past decade. The proposal would allow the nation's eight regions, including the Tamil stronghold in the northeast, powers over everything except the military, foreign affairs, \Javiation\j, and currency. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The arrival of the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier Independence at the civilian port of Otaru, in northern \JJapan\j, sparks strong protests from around 2,300 Japanese pacifists, who are already angered by the expansion of bilateral defense ties which \JTokyo\j and Washington plan to announce this month. \I(Japan, USA)\i
For the first time, \JPhilippines\j President Fidel Ramos admits to keeping his options open on a second term in office. The admission exacerbates fears that Mr. Ramos will become another Ferdinand Marcos, the late dictator who presided over a military-backed regime for 20 years. \I(The Philippines)\i
Israeli commandos land by \Jhelicopter\j south of the Lebanese port city of Sidon, engaging in heavy clashes with Lebanese army troops and Muslim guerrillas. Twelve Israelis are killed and four are wounded in the clashes. One Hezbollah fighter and three Amal guerrillas are also wounded, along with two Lebanese soldiers injured by Israeli \Jhelicopter\j rocket fire. The United States quickly calls for maximum restrain by all parties, stressing the extreme fragility of the \JMiddle East\j situation at the moment. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The arrival of the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier Independence at the civilian port of Otaru, in northern \JJapan\j, sparks strong protests from around 2,300 Japanese pacifists, who are already angered by the expansion of bilateral defense ties which \JTokyo\j and Washington plan to announce this month. \I(Japan, USA)\i
A storm causes the collapse of a stadium in the Paraguayan town of Ciudad del Este, killing at least 38 people and injuring more than 100. About 3,000 had gathered in the stadium for an electoral rally of the ruling \JColorado\j Party. \I(Paraguay)\i
The Cuban Government condemns the bomb attacks on three \JHavana\j hotels which killed an Italian visitor yesterday, accusing terrorists organized and supplied from the United States of attempting to damage \JCuba\j's international tourism industry. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
A United States federal appeals court rejects challenges to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuals, ruling that the military was within its rights to discharge two officers who acknowledged they were gay. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration advises licensing of all versions of thalidomide, but recommends severely restricted access to the dangerous drug. Thalidomide, which became notorious for causing birth defects, has now been found to offer relief for sufferers of diseases ranging from \Jleprosy\j to AIDS. \I(USA)\i
A jubilant \JAthens\j becomes the host city for the 2004 \JOlympic Games\j after defeating \JRome\j 66-41 in the fourth round of voting by the International Olympic Committee. The other short-listed cities seeking to stage the event were Stockholm, Cape Town, and Buenos Aires. \I(\JGreece\j, \JItaly\j, Sweden, South Africa, Argentina)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a televised broadcast from \JBuckingham Palace\j, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II pays tribute to her former daughter-in law, the late Princess of Wales, describing Diana as "an exceptional and gifted human being", and praising her energetic commitment to others and her devotion to her two sons, Princes William and Harry. The Queen's address to the nation comes amid mounting public criticism over the royal family's perceived failure to recognize and mirror Britain's overwhelming sense of grief since the death of Diana, who was widely regarded as the "People's Princess". \I(UK)\i
Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess of Wales, announces that his sister's final resting place will be on an island in a lake on the Spencer family's ancestral estate, Althrop Park, in the \JNorthamptonshire\j hamlet of Great Brington, central England. Diana's grave will be located in the midst of a grove of trees, some of which were planted by her two sons, and will be open to the public a number of weeks a year. For the rest of the year, however, Diana's grave will only be available for privately arranged visits. \I(UK)\i
French judicial sources confirm that the Spencer family has filed a civil suit against the photographers currently under investigation for suspected \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the deaths of the Princess of Wales, Dodi Al Fayed, and Henri Paul in a Paris car crash early last Sunday morning. A total of 10 photographers are now being investigated. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
Elton John reveals that after singing his specially re-written version of "Candle in the Wind" at Westminster Abbey tomorrow, he will record the song as a single and donate all profits from the sales to The Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund. Profits from the British rock star's singles currently go to the Elton John Aids Foundation. \I(UK)\i
In a savage three-hour onslaught, about 50 attackers armed with knives and hatchets massacre at least 87 people and injure at least 100 others in a village near \JAlgiers\j. The victims of this latest atrocity in \JAlgeria\j are mostly women. \I(Algeria)\i
Israeli commandos land by \Jhelicopter\j south of the Lebanese port city of Sidon, engaging in heavy clashes with Lebanese army troops and Muslim guerrillas. Twelve Israelis are killed and four are wounded in the clashes. One Hezbollah fighter and three Amal guerrillas are also wounded, along with two Lebanese soldiers injured by Israeli \Jhelicopter\j rocket fire. The United States quickly calls for maximum restrain by all parties, stressing the extreme fragility of the \JMiddle East\j situation at the moment. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, USA)\i
In the wake of the latest suicide bombing in \JJerusalem\j, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Israel will not hand over any more land to the Palestinians until President Yasser Arafat cracks down on Muslim militants. An Arafat spokesman later condemns Israel's decision as "an official declaration of destroying the peace process." \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Red Cross officials maintaining radio contact from the blockaded Comoran island of Anjouan say scores of people are being killed and wounded as separatists put up fierce resistance to the government troops who invaded the breakaway island on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Organization of African Unity envoy, Piere Yere, urges the Government of the \JComoros\j to give up the military option as a means of resolving the conflict. \I(Comoros, Anjouan Island, Africa)\i
A jubilant \JAthens\j becomes the host city for the 2004 \JOlympic Games\j after defeating \JRome\j 66-41 in the fourth round of voting by the International Olympic Committee. The other short-listed cities seeking to stage the event were Stockholm, Cape Town, and Buenos Aires. \I(\JGreece\j, \JItaly\j, Sweden, South Africa, Argentina)\i
In a solemn ceremony at the Olympic village, Munich marks the 25th anniversary of the massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian guerrillas at the 1972 \JOlympic Games\j. \I(\JGermany\j, Israel, Palestine)\i
Sir Georg Solti, former principal conductor and artistic director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, dies aged 84 while holidaying in Antibes in the south of \JFrance\j. Throughout his illustrious career, the Hungarian-born conductor won 31 \JGrammy\j awards for his music. Sir Georg is survived by his wife Valerie, and his daughters, Gabrielle and Claudia. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, \JHungary\j)\i
#
"September 6, 1997",612,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Thousands of grief-stricken followers stage an all-night vigil at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in \JCalcutta\j, where Mother Teresa died of heart failure at 9:30 p.m. Friday. Some 1,000 mourners file past her body, kissing Mother Teresa's feet as they pass. Later, it is later announced that there will be no further viewing until Mother Teresa's body is moved to Saint Thomas \JCatholic Church\j in central \JCalcutta\j, where she will lie until her funeral on September 13. In a complete break with tradition, the Indian Government says its has decided to honor Mother Teresa with a state funeral, an honor usually reserved for serving heads of state. \I(India)\i
The death of Mother Teresa on Friday inspires an outpouring of tributes from Government and Church leaders across the globe. Pope John Paul II, United States President Bill Clinton, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, join with other prominent world figures in praising \JCalcutta\j's revered "saint of the gutters" as an inspiration, and one of the giants of our time for her untiring devotion to the poor and suffering of all nationalities and religions. \I(India, Asia/Pacific, Europe, The Americas)\i
Inside London's Westminster Abbey, people from all walks of life join with family members to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Included in the congregation are celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Diana Ross, George Michael, Sting, and Pavarotti; members of Europe's royal families; representatives of world governments; and prominent British politicians. During the service, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reads from Corinthians, and Elton John sings his specially revised eulogy, "Candle in the Wind". The Princess's two sisters give short readings, and her brother Earl Spencer delivers an emotional, applause-drawing tribute to her life, at the same time denouncing the media who hunted Diana, and pledging to protect her two sons from a similar fate. \I(UK, Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
A \Jtelevision\j broadcast of the funeral of the Princess of Wales is beamed live to 60 countries around the world, reaching a record audience estimated at 2.5 billion, with radio reports of the procession and ceremony translated into at least 44 languages. City landmarks become floral shrines, and memorial church services for the Princess are held across the globe. Others choose to remember Diana in their own way, from candlelight vigils in the United States, to a traditional wake on the Pacific island kingdom of \JTonga\j. On the French Riviera, yachts lower their flags to half mast, while in Paris, hundreds of mourners leave flowers and candles at the tunnel near the Alma Bridge, the site of the car crash in which the Princess of Wales was killed. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, arrives in Panama City to attend a conference on the \JPanama Canal\j, and to lobby support for \JTaiwan\j in \JLatin America\j. \I(Taiwan, Panama)\i
At the 1997 \JVenice\j film festival, the coveted Golden Lion award for best picture goes to \IHana-Bi,\i a Japanese film by Takeshi Kitano about life, death, and violence. \I(\JItaly\j, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Inside London's Westminster Abbey, people from all walks of life join with family members to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Included in the congregation are celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Diana Ross, George Michael, Sting, and Pavarotti; members of Europe's royal families; representatives of world governments; and prominent British politicians. During the service, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reads from Corinthians, and Elton John sings his specially revised eulogy, "Candle in the Wind". The Princess's two sisters give short readings, and her brother Earl Spencer delivers an emotional, applause-drawing tribute to her life, at the same time denouncing the media who hunted Diana, and pledging to protect her two sons from a similar fate. \I(UK, Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
A \Jtelevision\j broadcast of the funeral of the Princess of Wales is beamed live to 60 countries around the world, reaching a record audience estimated at 2.5 billion, with radio reports of the procession and ceremony translated into at least 44 languages. City landmarks become floral shrines, and memorial church services for the Princess are held across the globe. Others choose to remember Diana in their own way, from candlelight vigils in the United States, to a traditional wake on the Pacific island kingdom of \JTonga\j. On the French Riviera, yachts lower their flags to half mast, while in Paris, hundreds of mourners leave flowers and candles at the tunnel near the Alma Bridge, the site of the car crash in which the Princess of Wales was killed. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
The death of Mother Teresa on Friday inspires an outpouring of tributes from Government and Church leaders across the globe. Pope John Paul II, United States President Bill Clinton, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, join with other prominent world figures in praising \JCalcutta\j's revered "saint of the gutters" as an inspiration, and one of the giants of our time for her untiring devotion to the poor and suffering of all nationalities and religions. \I(India, Asia/Pacific, Europe, The Americas)\i
The United States offers to investigate the series of explosions that have recently rocked hotels in \JHavana\j, but insists that Cuban authorities must first provide evidence to back up their claims that American groups are involved in the attacks. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
Mir commander, Anatoly Solovyov, and NASA \Jastronaut\j, Michael Foale, engage in a six-hour spacewalk to repair damage to the station caused by the June collision with a supply ship. Although the two men successfully reposition a solar panel, they are unable to locate a puncture in the Spektr module. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
US State Department spokesman, James Foley, accuses hardline Bosnian Serbs of failing to comply fully with a deal whereby control of a disputed \Jtelevision\j transmitter was exchanged for moderation of a propaganda war against the Bosnian peace agreement. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-hui, arrives in Panama City to attend a conference on the \JPanama Canal\j, and to lobby support for \JTaiwan\j in \JLatin America\j. \I(Taiwan, Panama)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Millions of mourners, many of whom have camped out overnight, line London's streets to bid farewell to Diana, Princess of Wales, as her flag-draped, lily-covered coffin, escorted by 12 Welsh Guards, is drawn on a gun carriage towards Westminster Abbey. In an unprecedented break with protocol, Queen Elizabeth and her family stand with bowed heads outside the gates of \JBuckingham Palace\j as the funeral procession passes. On the last leg of the slow 31/2 mile journey, Diana's cortege is also escorted by her two sons, Princes William and Harry, her brother Earl Spencer, her former husband, Prince Charles, and her sons' grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. \I(UK)\i
Inside London's Westminster Abbey, people from all walks of life join with family members to celebrate the life and mourn the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Included in the congregation are celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Diana Ross, George Michael, Sting, and Pavarotti; members of Europe's royal families; representatives of world governments; and prominent British politicians. During the service, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reads from Corinthians, and Elton John sings his specially revised eulogy, "Candle in the Wind". The Princess's two sisters give short readings, and her brother Earl Spencer delivers an emotional, applause-drawing tribute to her life, at the same time denouncing the media who hunted Diana, and pledging to protect her two sons from a similar fate. \I(UK, Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
A \Jtelevision\j broadcast of the funeral of the Princess of Wales is beamed live to 60 countries around the world, reaching a record audience estimated at 2.5 billion, with radio reports of the procession and ceremony translated into at least 44 languages. City landmarks become floral shrines, and memorial church services for the Princess are held across the globe. Others choose to remember Diana in their own way, from candlelight vigils in the United States, to a traditional wake on the Pacific island kingdom of \JTonga\j. On the French Riviera, yachts lower their flags to half mast, while in Paris, hundreds of mourners leave flowers and candles at the tunnel near the Alma Bridge, the site of the car crash in which the Princess of Wales was killed. \I(Europe, Asia/Pacific, The Americas)\i
The death of Mother Teresa on Friday inspires an outpouring of tributes from Government and Church leaders across the globe. Pope John Paul II, United States President Bill Clinton, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, join with other prominent world figures in praising \JCalcutta\j's revered "saint of the gutters" as an inspiration, and one of the giants of our time for her untiring devotion to the poor and suffering of all nationalities and religions. \I(India, Asia/Pacific, Europe, The Americas)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission summons Winnie Mandela, former wife of President Nelson Mandela, to answer questions in connection with the 1989 killing of Soweto doctor, Abu-Baker Asvat. One of the two men convicted of the crime is now seeking amnesty, claiming he was contracted by Mrs. Mandela to kill the doctor in order to cover up an assault on 14-year-old activist, Stompie Moeketsi, who was later found with his throat cut. In 1991, Mrs. Mandela was convicted of kidnapping Stompie, but her five-year jail sentence was commuted to a fine following an appeal. \I(South Africa)\i
After suffering heavy casualties in three days of fighting, the government of the \JComoros\j archipelago withdraws troops dispatched to end a separatist rebellion on the breakaway island of Anjouan. The Comoran Government urges \JFrance\j, its former colonial master, to intervene, but the French Government insists that negotiations will be used to resolve the problem. Anjouan, which declared its secession in early August, is seeking independence or a return to French rule. \I(Comoros, Anjouan Island, France)\i
US State Department spokesman, James Foley, accuses hardline Bosnian Serbs of failing to comply fully with a deal whereby control of a disputed \Jtelevision\j transmitter was exchanged for moderation of a propaganda war against the Bosnian peace agreement. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Albania's President Rexhep Meidani signs a decree dismissing 17 military generals from their commands, an act which the defeated Democratic Party insists is the start of a political purge by the new Socialist-led Coalition Government. \I(Albania)\i
A German newspaper reports that ailing Nazi war criminal, 84-year-old Heinz Barth, was released from prison by the Brandenburg State Supreme Court on July 10. Barth was convicted 15 years ago for his role in the 1944 slaughter of all but 10 of the 652 inhabitants of the French village of Oradour. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Mir commander, Anatoly Solovyov, and NASA \Jastronaut\j, Michael Foale, engage in a six-hour spacewalk to repair damage to the station caused by the June collision with a supply ship. Although the two men successfully reposition a solar panel, they are unable to locate a puncture in the Spektr module. \I(\JRussia\j, USA)\i
At the 1997 \JVenice\j film festival, the coveted Golden Lion award for best picture goes to \IHana-Bi,\i a Japanese film by Takeshi Kitano about life, death, and violence. \I(\JItaly\j, Japan)\i
#
"September 7, 1997",613,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An open wooden coffin bearing the body of Mother Teresa is moved to Saint Thomas \JCatholic Church\j in central \JCalcutta\j, where the body is removed and placed under a glass case on a four-foot platform draped in white and blue cloth, the colors of her Missionaries of Charity order. Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral leads the many VIPs paying personal tribute to the legendary missionary, and thousands of other mourners file past her body in the first hour it is on view. Mother Teresa will lie in state until her funeral on Saturday. \I(India)\i
Vietnam Airlines announces that it will ground its Tupolev \Jaircraft\j pending an investigation into the recent crash of one of its Tu-134s in \JCambodia\j. \I(Vietnam, Cambodia)\i
Reports in local newspapers reveal that the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan opposition group have been granted permission to establish offices in \JTaiwan\j. \I(Tibet, Taiwan)\i
After playing five finals without a victory this year, \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter claims his first major title when he beats unseeded Briton, Greg Rusedski, in the final of the men's 1997 US Open Tennis Tournament. The former 13th-seed, now ranked 3rd, is the first Australian to take the title since John Newcombe won at Forest Hills in 1973. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Watched by hundreds of people outside the Dobbins Air Reserve Base north of \JAtlanta\j, the new F-22 Raptor stealth fighter takes its first, long-awaited test flight. The F-22 Raptor is to replace the United States Air Force's aging fleet of F-15 Eagle fighters. \I(USA)\i
Former Russian National Security Advisor, Alexander Lebed, tells an American \Jtelevision\j audience that the Russian military has lost track of more than 100 suitcase-sized nuclear bombs, one of which could kill 100,000 people. The US State Department later calls for calm, saying Mr. Lebed's claims are staunchly denied by Russian officials, who insist that all of \JRussia\j's nuclear weapons are safely accounted for. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Switzerland's Martina Hingis defeats unseeded American, Venus Williams, to win the 1997 US Open women's singles tennis title in New York. It is the 16-year-old top-seed's third Grand Slam title this year. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
After playing five finals without a victory this year, \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter claims his first major title when he beats unseeded Briton, Greg Rusedski, in the final of the men's 1997 US Open Tennis Tournament. The former 13th-seed, now ranked 3rd, is the first Australian to take the title since John Newcombe won at Forest Hills in 1973. \I(Australia, USA)\i
At the Royal Montreal Golf Club, American Steve Jones cards a 72-hole total of 5-under 275 to take out the Canadian Open by one stroke. \I(USA, Canada)\i
In the Bank One Seniors Classic golf tournament played at the Kearney Hill Links in \JLexington\j, Kentucky, Vincente Fernandez finishes with a total of 13-under 203 to win the event by one stroke. \I(USA)\i
America's Chris Johnson finishes one stroke ahead of the field with 206 to win the LPGA Safeway Golf Championship at Portland, Oregon. \I(USA)\i
Former Italian Formula One driver, Alex Zanardi, wraps up the 1997 CART IndyCar World Series when he finishes third in the final race at Laguna Seca, in \JCalifornia\j. The final race is won by defending series champion, American Jimmy Vasser, also driving a Reynard Honda. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Donations pour in to The Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund, which was set up by Kensington Palace to support the late Princess's favorite charities. A single anonymous donation of ú3 million is understood to have boosted the fund to more than ú100 million in just four days. \I(UK)\i
As Britain's Prince Charles appeals to the media to give his two sons private time and space to come to terms with the loss of their mother, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, defends the royal family's perceived aloofness throughout the past week, saying the family felt very deeply about the death of the Princess of Wales, but was concerned to do the best thing for her children. Deflecting further criticism of the royals, Mr. Blair also points out that in the week since the Princess's death, the royal family has demonstrated it is prepared to change and move with the times. \I(UK)\i
Guerrillas stage an attack on an Israeli-occupied zone in southern \JLebanon\j, killing an Israeli lieutenant, and provoking retaliatory artillery barrages. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah claims responsibility for the attack. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
Kenyan police and paramilitary units seal off the center of the western city of Kisumu, detain five opposition legislators, and use tear gas to break up an anti-government rally calling for legal and constitutional reforms. \I(Kenya)\i
Former Russian National Security Advisor, Alexander Lebed, tells an American \Jtelevision\j audience that the Russian military has lost track of more than 100 suitcase-sized nuclear bombs, one of which could kill 100,000 people. The US State Department later calls for calm, saying Mr. Lebed's claims are staunchly denied by Russian officials, who insist that all of \JRussia\j's nuclear weapons are safely accounted for. \I(Russia, USA)
The former Zaire's ousted president Mobutu Sese Seko dies from prostate cancer at a military \Jhospital\j in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Mobutu was 66. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Morocco)\i
Moscow concludes three days of festivities to celebrate its 850th anniversary. Over the weekend, the festivities drew crowds of millions, and included pageants and concerts in \JRed Square\j, a \Jlaser\j light show in the Lenin Hills, and a parade down Tverskaya Street. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
From Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency reports that for the first time, there will be an international attempt to regulate used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The agency says an agreement will be signed by 62 nations at its annual general conference on September 29. \I(\JAustria\j)\i
Switzerland's Martina Hingis defeats unseeded American, Venus Williams, to win the 1997 US Open women's singles tennis title in New York. It is the 16-year-old top-seed's third Grand Slam title this year. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
In the European Masters golf tournament played at Crans Sur Sierre in \JSwitzerland\j, Italian Costantino Rocca finishes with a total of 266 to win the event by one stroke. \I(Switzerland, \JItaly\j)\i
Driving a McLaren-Mercedes, Britain's David Coulthard sweeps to the lead to win the Italian Formula One Grand Prix. Afterwards, Coulthard dedicates his victory, the third of his 54-race career, to the late Princess of Wales. \I(UK, \JItaly\j)\i
Former Italian Formula One driver, Alex Zanardi, wraps up the 1997 CART IndyCar World Series when he finishes third in the final race of the circuit at Laguna Seca, in \JCalifornia\j. The final race is won by defending series champion, American Jimmy Vasser, also driving a Reynard Honda. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
#
"September 8, 1997",614,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An estimated 10,000 mourners bearing flowers line up at Saint Thomas \JCatholic Church\j in \JCalcutta\j to view the body of Mother Teresa, who died of heart failure on Friday night. It is announced that Mother Teresa's state funeral next Saturday will be held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, which seats about 12,000, and allows standing room for several thousand more. Speeches will be made by a number of dignitaries, including Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. An hour-and-a-half-long Mass will then be led by Lourde Swami, an Indian cardinal, and joined by more than 20 cardinals and bishops from all over the world. After the public Mass, Mother Teresa will be buried in a private ceremony at the headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity order. \I(India)\i
The \JWhite House\j announces that first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, will lead the United States delegation to the funeral of Mother Teresa in \JCalcutta\j on Saturday. \I(USA, India)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, makes a special nationwide broadcast, emphatically denying accusations that he plans to cancel next year's presidential election or declare martial law. Mr. Ramos makes no mention of moves by his supporters to change the Constitution to allow him to stand for re-election. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, is re-elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It is the first time a president of the party has been re-elected unopposed, and the first time in 13 years that a president has won a second term. \I(Japan)\i
About 600 police raid 81 underworld dens in western Japanese cities. The police raids come in an effort to stop an outbreak of violence from escalating into all-out gangland war following the assassination of 61-year-old Masaru Takumi, deputy-head of Yamaguchi-gumi, the country's largest crime syndicate. \I(Japan)\i
Malaysia embarks on an eight-\Jday\j \Jcloud\j-seeding exercise aimed at relieving the suffocating haze caused by forest fires on the neighboring Indonesian island of \JSumatra\j. Smoke from the fires has pushed the air-quality index well beyond safe levels in much of \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, and \JMalaysia\j, causing air-traffic chaos and respiratory problems for residents. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j, Singapore)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, will lead the United States delegation to the funeral of Mother Teresa in \JCalcutta\j on Saturday. \I(USA, India)\i
As many as 400 people are feared drowned when a packed ferry capsizes off \JHaiti\j. United Nations personnel from the \JHaiti\j peacekeeping force lead the rescue effort, backed by the United States Coast Guard. \I(Haiti, USA)\i
In the first crackdown since last week's triple suicide bombing of a \JJerusalem\j shopping mall, Palestinian security forces arrest 35 suspected Muslim militants in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israel puts security forces on high alert ahead of the \JMiddle East\j peace mission of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, this week. As a result of the violence that has recently erupted in the region, however, Washington's expectations for progress on \JMiddle East\j peace are low. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
The United States Justice Department announces that it is dropping criminal charges against Hani al-Sayegh, and is seeking to extradite him to Saudi \JArabia\j to face charges of complicity in the 1996 Khobar Towers truck bombing that killed 19 US servicemen. The Justice Department had originally sought Sayegh's co-operation in investigating the Saudi Arabian bombing, but now says Sayegh has reneged on a plea agreement. \I(USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
Russian Mission Control reports that the crew of the Mir space station has repaired the main on-board computer following a failure earlier in the \Jday\j which cut \Jenergy\j supplies aboard the craft. Mission Control adds that the computer has yet to be restarted. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Army, police, and civilian groups battle a huge brush fire threatening the Inca citadel of \JMachu Picchu\j, a World Heritage site and \JPeru\j's most popular tourist attraction. \I(Peru)\i
Steven Spielberg tops \IForbes\i magazine's list of the world's highest paid entertainers, with an estimated income of $US313 million in 1996-7. Second on the list is George Lucas, and third is Oprah Winfrey, the only black, and one of only two women in the top 20 spots. Fourth on the list is author Michael Crichton, whose \Jdinosaur\j books have been turned into hit Spielberg films. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the first crackdown since last week's triple suicide bombing of a \JJerusalem\j shopping mall, Palestinian security forces arrest 35 suspected Muslim militants in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israel puts security forces on high alert ahead of the \JMiddle East\j peace mission of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, this week. As a result of the violence that has recently erupted in the region, however, Washington's expectations for progress on \JMiddle East\j peace are low. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
French police confirm that the Princess of Wales was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the car crash which claimed her life, but deny that a preliminary report has blamed the driver of the car, Henri Paul, and not the paparazzi, for the crash. Police have yet to interview the sole survivor, Trevor Rees-Jones, who is reported to be recovering, but will be unable to speak with investigators for some time. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
In defiance of a police ban, about 200 supporters of war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, some of them armed, stage a protest rally against Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, in her northern stronghold of Banja Luka. Earlier intervention by the \JNATO\j-led Stabilization Force had prevented another 50 busloads of hardliners from joining the protest rally. \I(Bosnia)\i
The United States Justice Department announces that it is dropping criminal charges against Hani al-Sayegh, and is seeking to extradite him to Saudi \JArabia\j to face charges of complicity in the 1996 Khobar Towers truck bombing that killed 19 US servicemen. The Justice Department had originally sought Sayegh's co-operation in investigating the Saudi Arabian bombing, but now says Sayegh has reneged on a plea agreement. \I(USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
A newly formed United Nations team, authorized to investigate alleged massacres of Rwandans in the former Zaire, is delayed when further constraints, imposed by President Laurent Kabila, threaten to alter the mandate of the mission. The first UN team assigned to the investigation was disbanded following objections from President Kabila. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Some 200,000 refugees fleeing escalating violence in Sierre Leone pour into Liberian border towns, posing a risk to the fragile peace process that ended the country's \Jcivil war\j. Rebel forces from both countries have held sway over the volatile Liberia-Sierra Leone border region throughout the past six years. \I(Sierre Leone, Liberia)\i
Russian Mission Control reports that the crew of the Mir space station has repaired the main on-board computer following a failure earlier in the \Jday\j which cut \Jenergy\j supplies aboard the craft. Mission Control adds that the computer has yet to be restarted. \I(Russia, USA)\i
At least 12 people are killed and more than 30 injured when an express passenger train, traveling from \JBordeaux\j to Bergerac in the Dordogne, strikes a petrol tanker on a railway crossing near the village of Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh, southwest \JFrance\j. Police believe the tanker bypassed barriers to cross onto the track. \I(France)\i
A Moroccan official says that former Zaire's ousted president Mobutu Sese Seko will be privately buried in exile in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Mobutu died in Rabat yesterday following a long battle with cancer. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Morocco)\i
#
"September 9, 1997",615,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Mourners carrying flowers continue to queue for miles in torrential rain to view Mother Teresa's embalmed body, which lies in state beneath a raised glass cover in \JCalcutta\j's Saint Thomas Church. Indian authorities announce that at Saturday's state funeral for the world-renowned missionary, her flag-draped coffin will proceed through the streets atop a horse-drawn gun carriage, and a military salute of three rifle shots, rather than a traditional 21-gun salute, will mark the end of the proceedings. \I(India)\i
The United States Senate unanimously votes to make Saturday a National Day of Recognition honoring the life and work of Nobel Peace laureate, Mother Teresa, who died aged 87 at the \JCalcutta\j headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity order last Friday. \I(USA, India)\i
North Korea marks the 49th anniversary of its founding by launching the use of the Juche era, a new dynastic calendar which starts at 1912, the birth year of founder, Kim Il Sung. Juche, or self-reliance, is North Korea's state \Jideology\j. \I(North Korea)\i
In a bid to reduce dangerous levels of smoke \Jpollution\j across wide areas of Southeast Asia, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto orders a ban on all land clearing fires on \JSumatra\j and \JKalimantan\j. In the meantime, \JMalaysia\j plans to continue \Jcloud\j-seeding activities in the hope that further rain with clear the pall of smog choking Kuala Lumpur. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia)\i
China cautions \JAustralia\j about possible damage to ties after \JCanberra\j announces that Resources and Energy Minister, Warwick Parr, will visit \JTaiwan\j this week. \JCanberra\j insists that the visit is private and unofficial, and does not violate \JAustralia\j's one-China policy which recognizes \JBeijing\j as the sole legitimate Government of all China. \I(China, \JAustralia\j, Taiwan)\i
In his first address to Parliament, \JTaiwan\j's new Premier, Vincent Siew, reiterates the island's status as a sovereign, independent state, and calls on \JBeijing\j to acknowledge the split across the \JTaiwan\j Strait. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
The former Mayor of \JBeijing\j, Chen Xitong, is charged with corruption, and is also expelled from the Communist Party ahead of Friday's 15th Party Congress. Chen will become the most senior Chinese communist to stand trial since the infamous Gang of Four. \I(China)\i
As part of improved bilateral relations, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands announce a united approach to resolving the nine-year Bougainville secessionist crisis, with the Solomons to attend the next round of peace talks in \JNew Zealand\j. \I(Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Following indications that India will support \JFiji\j's bid to return to the Commonwealth, Fijian Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says his country will invite India to resume full diplomatic ties. \I(India, Fiji)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Senate unanimously votes to make Saturday a National Day of Recognition honoring the life and work of Nobel Peace laureate, Mother Teresa, who died at the \JCalcutta\j headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity order last Friday. \I(USA, India)\i
Divers begin recovering the bodies of those trapped in a heavily overloaded Haitian ferry which sunk in 120 feet of \Jwater\j 50 yards from shore on Monday, claiming more than 200 lives. \JHaiti\j's President visits the disaster scene at Montrouis, but is confronted by angry villagers demanding to know why the government has not taken steps to prevent such accidents. \I(Haiti)\i
An illegal protest rally staged by Bosnia Serb hardliners ends in disarray, with about 40 protesters forced by an angry crowd to seek refuge in Banja Luka's central Bosna Hotel. Armored personnel carriers of \JNATO\j's peacekeeping force are brought in to escort leader, Momcilo Krajisnik, and the rest of the stranded hardliners to safety. The US State Department later accuses the protesters, all of whom are supporters of war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic, of trying to mount a second coup attempt against Western-backed Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, leaves for her first trip to the \JMiddle East\j, vowing to focus on Israel's security, as well as the need to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
NASA announces that an unmanned \Jspacecraft\j, launched from Earth 10 months ago, is closing in on Mars, and is expected to go into \Jorbit\j Thursday. The Mars Global Surveyor will offer scientists a view of the \Jplanet\j's climate and \Jweather\j patterns unavailable to the Mars Pathfinder rover, Sojourner. \I(USA)\i
Russia's Mir space station is reoriented toward the \Jsun\j when the three-man crew restarts the main computer after a failure yesterday. Mission Control says all systems now seem to be working normally. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A female cadet is suspended for two semesters from the Virginia Military Institute after striking an upperclassman. The cadet is one of the 30 women who enrolled in the formerly all-male college at the beginning of this semester. \I(USA)\i
The judge in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton grants a request from her lawyers to withdraw from the case. The request for withdrawal comes after Jones refuses a settlement offer of $US700,000. \I(USA)\i
The Chrysler Corporation announces that it has discovered a way to make a low-cost car body largely from plastic and as easy to assemble as a toy. Chrysler believes its discovery will enable car-makers in developing countries to sell vehicles for as little as $US6,000. \I(USA)\i
Colorful character-actor, Burgess Meredith, dies aged 88 at his home in Malibu, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
Richie Ashburn, one of the great center fielders in United States \Jbaseball\j history, and member of the Hall of Fame, dies in New York of an apparent heart attack at age 70. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
"Candle in the Wind", Elton John's farewell tribute to the late Princess of Wales, is transmitted by satellite to radio broadcasters in 50 countries around the world, hitting the airwaves days before the compact disc will be released for sale. John recorded the song just hours after singing it at the Princess's funeral last Saturday. \I(UK)\i
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, formally signs a declaration renouncing violence, a move required to gain a place in this month's all-party peace talks, and one that is hailed as a crucial step towards stability in Northern Ireland. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
French newspapers report that Algerian security forces have located and destroyed the main hideout of an elite force of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) about 70 kilometers southwest of \JAlgiers\j. The security operation killed 70 of the 100 members of the underground GIA force, which is believed to be responsible for most of the massacres in the area. \I(Algeria, \JFrance\j)\i
An illegal protest rally staged by Bosnia Serb hardliners ends in disarray, with about 40 protesters forced by an angry crowd to seek refuge in Banja Luka's central Bosna Hotel. Armored personnel carriers of \JNATO\j's peacekeeping force are brought in to escort leader, Momcilo Krajisnik, and the rest of the stranded hardliners to safety. The US State Department later accuses the protesters, all of whom are supporters of war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, of trying to mount a second coup attempt against Western-backed Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, leaves for her first trip to the \JMiddle East\j, vowing to focus on Israel's security, as well as the need to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, a 37-year-old former university lecturer, is elected as leader of South Africa's National Party, filling the position vacated by F.W. de Klerk, who, last month, announced his retirement from 25 years of active political life. \I(South Africa)\i
Russia's Mir space station is reoriented toward the \Jsun\j when the three-man crew restarts the main computer after a failure yesterday. Mission Control says all systems now seem to be working normally. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In the wake of a failed military attempt to quash the secessionist movement on the island of Anjouan, Comoran President, Mohamed Taki, sacks Prime Minister, Ahmed Abdou, and announces the formation of a transitional government. \I(\JComoros\j, Anjouan Island)\i
Iraq petitions the United Nations to request Britain to release details of the alleged killing of Iraqi prisoners by British troops during the 1991 Gulf War, and to prosecute those responsible for the killings. \I(Iraq, UK)\i
Using evidence based on fingerprints, Swiss police detain 13 suspects in connection with the recent robbery at a Zurich post office. The robbery was one of the largest in world history, yielding the thieves more than 53 million Swiss francs. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Plans are announced to release some 40,000 convicts under an amnesty aimed at relieving severe overcrowding in \JRussia\j's prisons. \I(Russia)\i
Israeli archaeologists disclose details of a Roman complex uncovered in the Mediterranean coastal village of Caesarea. The complex includes a palace, offices, a boathouse, and courtyards, and served as the seat of Roman Government from the beginning of the 1st century AD until the middle of the 3rd century. Part of the compound, still to be excavated, is believed to be the room in which the hearing of St. Paul took place before he was taken to \JRome\j and eventually killed during Nero's persecution of the Christians. \I(Israel)\i
#
"September 10, 1997",616,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As viewing hours are extended to allow thousands of waiting mourners to place flowers around the body of Mother Teresa in \JCalcutta\j's Saint Thomas Church, her followers hold a special Mass to mark the 51st anniversary of "Inspiration Day", the \Jday\j Mother Teresa was inspired to found her Missionaries of Charity order, which now spans over 100 nations. \I(India)\i
Six soldiers are killed when Tamil Tiger rebels attack an army defense line in \JSri Lanka\j's northwestern district of Mannar. The deaths add to the toll of the previous \Jday\j, when 12 rebels and a soldier were killed during an attack on troops operating ahead of the defense lines in the northern district of Vavuniya. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Japan indicates that it is ready to resume donations of food aid to North Korea after the two countries sign an historic agreement which, for the first time, will allow an estimated 1,800 Japanese wives of North Korean men to visit their homeland. \I(Japan, North Korea)\i
The United States Ambassador to Vietnam, former fighter pilot Pete Peterson, visits the village of An Doai, meeting the villager who captured him when he parachuted from his burning plane exactly 31 years ago during the Vietnam War. After sharing tea with the villager, Peterson says "reconciliation with a former adversary is not only possible, but absolutely the way to reach out." \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Authorities in New York announce the arrest of a 60-year-old Japanese man, Masatsugu Koga, on charges of possessing and selling $US10 million worth of stolen artwork, part of a collection which was lost from the Bremen Museum in \JGermany\j in 1943. Mr. Koga allegedly purchased the 12 paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Albrecht Durer, from employees of the National Museum of \JAzerbaijan\j, in \JBaku\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Azerbaijan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the first \Jday\j of a peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds three hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, endorsing Israel's demands for a crackdown on terrorist \Jinfrastructure\j, but insisting that the Palestinians must have a peace payoff once a sustained clampdown on militants is assured. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The United States Ambassador to Vietnam, former fighter pilot Pete Peterson, visits the village of An Doai, meeting the villager who captured him when he parachuted from his burning plane exactly 31 years ago during the Vietnam War. After sharing tea with the villager, Peterson says "reconciliation with a former adversary is not only possible, but absolutely the way to reach out." \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Pending the arrival of United States Navy divers, United Nations peacekeepers in \JHaiti\j suspend operations to recover the bodies of some 150 passengers entombed in a sunken ferry off Montrouis. Meanwhile, flags fly at half-mast at the National Palace and Government buildings as a three-\Jday\j national mourning period begins for the estimated 200 victims of the disaster. \I(Haiti, USA)\i
The Cuban Government announces the arrest of a mercenary agent who has allegedly confessed to the recent bomb attacks on \JHavana\j hotels. The Government also accuses a Cuban exile group in Miami of masterminding the bombings, saying the motive of the man in custody, Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon, was solely financial. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
Forest fires continue to threaten the Inca citadel of \JMachu Picchu\j in the Peruvian \JAndes\j. The area is now sealed off to tourists, hundreds of villagers have been evacuated, and helicopters are dousing the mountainsides with \Jwater\j in a determined bid to keep the fires from reaching the World Heritage site. \I(Peru)\i
Appearing at a brief arraignment in Washington, former United States Agricultural Secretary, Mike Espy, pleads not guilty to charges of accepting $US35,000 in gifts and favors from companies he regulated while in office. Espy also pleads not guilty to charges of trying to cover up the alleged scheme. \I(USA)\i
Following a European Union decision to ban imports of Iranian pistachios, a decision prompted by concerns about aflatoxin B1 contamination, \JIran\j accuses the United States of instigating the ban in order to capture the world \Jpistachio\j market. \I(Europe, \JIran\j, USA)\i
Authorities in New York announce the arrest of a 60-year-old Japanese man, Masatsugu Koga, on charges of possessing and selling $US10 million worth of stolen artwork, part of a collection which was lost from the Bremen Museum in \JGermany\j in 1943. Mr. Koga allegedly purchased the 12 paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Albrecht Durer, from employees of the National Museum of \JAzerbaijan\j, in \JBaku\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Azerbaijan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the first \Jday\j of a peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds three hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, endorsing Israel's demands for a crackdown on terrorist \Jinfrastructure\j, but insisting that the Palestinians must have a peace payoff once a sustained clampdown on militants is assured. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
As a result of a new analysis, Paris prosecutors announce that driver, Henri Paul, had a mixture of drugs and alcohol in his blood at the time of the car crash which killed the Princess of Wales. Prosecutors say the analysis confirms levels of alcohol more than three times the legal limit, together with therapeutic levels of fluoxetine, the active ingredient in the antidepressant drug Prozac, and lesser levels of tiapride, a drug prescribed as a treatment for agitation and aggression. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
The British Government declares it will waive its claim to tax sales of "Candle in the Wind", the specially revised song Elton John recorded to raise money for The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The Government says the tax, which is expected to exceed ú1 million, will be donated to the fund. \I(UK)\i
Speaking before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Harold Snyman, one of five white policeman seeking amnesty for the 1977 beating death of black activist Steve Biko, admits misleading the inquest concerning the date and time of the fatal assault, but claims he did so to protect the National Party Government and the police from international condemnation. The Biko family lawyer opposes amnesty for the five policemen, insisting that they still have not provided a full disclosure of the facts. \I(South Africa)\i
Bosnian Serb hardliners loyal to indicted war criminal and ex-president, Radovan Karadzic, withdraw a threat to boycott upcoming municipal elections. The threatened boycott was planned as a protest against Western support for Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Russia and \JChechnya\j sign a major commercial contract regarding the transit of Caspian oil through \JChechnya\j's oil pipeline. \JRussia\j agrees to finance repair and protection of the pipeline, parts of which were damaged during the 22-month Chechen war, which ended just over a year ago. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
Following a European Union decision to ban imports of Iranian pistachios, a decision prompted by concerns about aflatoxin B1 contamination, \JIran\j accuses the United States of instigating the ban in order to capture the world \Jpistachio\j market. \I(Europe, \JIran\j, USA)\i
Norwegian anthropologist, Ivar Bjoerklund, reveals his discovery of a forgotten tribe of about 200 nomadic \Jreindeer\j herders in the Siberian \Jtundra\j. According to Mr. Bjoerklund, the nomads have had no contact with authorities for generations, have gone without education and health care, and the Russian Government, having had no official record of them, was quite unaware of their existence until now. \I(\JNorway\j, Russia)\i
Authorities in New York announce the arrest of a 60-year-old Japanese man, Masatsugu Koga, on charges of possessing and selling $US10 million worth of stolen artwork, part of a collection which was lost from the Bremen Museum in \JGermany\j in 1943. Mr. Koga allegedly purchased the 12 paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Albrecht Durer, from employees of the National Museum of \JAzerbaijan\j, in \JBaku\j. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Azerbaijan)\i
British legal history is made when a woman wins damages from her husband for rape. The woman took civil action after prosecutors decided not to bring criminal charges against her husband. \I(UK)\i
#
"September 11, 1997",617,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a solemn ceremony at Saint Thomas \JCatholic Church\j, four high-ranking army officers drape the body of Mother Teresa with the Indian flag, marking the start of military honors that will culminate with a state funeral and national \Jday\j of mourning on Saturday. Until then, while nuns from Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity order keep holy vigil inside the \JCalcutta\j church, military officers will keep a 24-hour vigil outside the building. \I(India)\i
At a meeting in \JBeijing\j between US Deputy Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Charles Kartman, and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan, the United States and North Korea agree to resume preliminary talks next week aimed at securing a more lasting peace on the divided Korean peninsula. \I(China, USA, The Koreas)\i
The United Nations calls for a truce as fighting rages in \JAfghanistan\j. Opposition forces fire at least five rockets at the capital Kabul, which is held by the Taliban militia, while the northern opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif comes under siege for a third \Jday\j. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Before leaving on a ten-\Jday\j foreign trip, the embattled Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, makes an emotional appeal for national support. Just hours after Mr. Ramos leaves, at least eight buildings around the capital receive bomb threats, tactics the opposition claims to be reminiscent of those used in 1972 by the late former president Marcos to justify imposition of martial law. Meanwhile, growing anxiety over Mr. Ramos's political intentions is causing a marked slide in the country's stock and currency markets. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Thailand's influential Chamber of Commerce issues a statement calling for the resignation of Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, a move many in the private sector regard as essential to prevent the country from plunging into further political and economic turmoil. \I(Thailand)\i
Officials report that an international prostitution ring has been smashed by Canadian and United States police, who have arrested a total of 22 people. The ring, which sold kidnapped Southeast Asian women to brothel owners, is estimated to have collected between $US1.4 million and $US2.2 million in Canada alone. \I(Canada, USA, Southeast Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
During a televised speech in Israel, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, argues that a freeze on Jewish settlement in occupied land would create a better climate for achieving a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Later, Israel openly refutes Albright's argument, likening a freeze on settlement expansion to a freeze on life. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In a bid to ensure the smooth progress of key municipal elections in Bosnia over the weekend, the Pentagon reveals plans to deploy three \Jaircraft\j capable of disrupting hardline Serb radio and \Jtelevision\j broadcasts that have been challenging the Dayton peace accords. The three \Jaircraft\j are also capable of broadcasting information to Bosnia in favor of the accords. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
At a meeting in \JBeijing\j between US Deputy Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Charles Kartman, and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan, the United States and North Korea agree to resume preliminary talks next week aimed at securing a more lasting peace on the divided Korean peninsula. \I(China, USA, The Koreas)\i
Speaking at a conference in Oslo, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, one of the leaders in formulating a draft treaty for a global ban on landmines, declares that Canada will destroy its remaining anti-personnel mines before the scheduled treaty signing in early December. Canada destroyed two-thirds of its stockpile last year. \I(\JNorway\j, Canada)\i
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor blasts into \Jorbit\j around Mars after spending 10 months traveling 435 million miles to the red \Jplanet\j. Surveyor will now spend two years mapping Mars for a future manned mission, as well as providing scientists with an understanding of the \Jplanet\j's climate and \Jweather\j patterns. \I(USA)\i
Rain extinguishes huge flames surrounding \JPeru\j's Inca citadel of \JMachu Picchu\j, bringing a sweeping five-\Jday\j forest fire almost to an end, and saving the homes of about 1,000 people. \I(Peru)\i
A spokeswoman for the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) denies Cuban Government accusations of hiring a mercenary to plant bombs in \JHavana\j hotels. Spokeswoman Ninoska Perez says the goal of CANF is to oust President Fidel Castro, a goal it has always pursued through lawful means. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
As a result of a nine-month investigation of sexual misconduct in the United States Army, the Army concedes that sexual harassment is a problem, and says it will tighten the selection process for drill sergeants and other instructors who come into contact with female recruits. The investigation was triggered by charges of rape and sexual abuse brought against male enlisted personnel at a Maryland training camp. The camp has now undergone a major shake-up, with several drill sergeants court-martialed, and the former commander and several deputies reprimanded and discharged. \I(USA)\i
A United States District Judge rules that the pilots of a plane which crashed in 1995 near \JCali\j, \JColombia\j, were negligent, and that American Airlines should be liable for compensatory damages. The crash killed 159 passengers and crew members. \I(USA, Colombia)\i
Officials report that an international prostitution ring has been smashed by Canadian and United States police, who have arrested a total of 22 people. The ring, which sold kidnapped Southeast Asian women to brothel owners, is estimated to have collected between $US1.4 million and $US2.2 million in Canada alone. \I(Canada, USA, Southeast Asia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The people of Scotland vote in a referendum which could result in the return of a parliament to Edinburgh for the first time in nearly three centuries. Scots are being asked two questions: whether they want their own parliament, and whether they want it to have limited power to set taxes. The "Yes" campaign is endorsed by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Scotland, UK)\i
During a televised speech in Israel, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, argues that a freeze on Jewish settlement in occupied land would create a better climate for achieving a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Later, Israel openly refutes Albright's argument, likening a freeze on settlement expansion to a freeze on life. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In a bid to ensure the smooth progress of key municipal elections in Bosnia over the weekend, the Pentagon reveals plans to deploy three \Jaircraft\j capable of disrupting hardline Serb radio and \Jtelevision\j broadcasts that have been challenging the Dayton peace accords. The three \Jaircraft\j are also capable of broadcasting information to Bosnia in favor of the accords. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
London and Dublin react angrily when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) refuses to discard its weapons until there is agreement on a lasting political solution in Northern Ireland. The IRA also disavows the so-called Mitchell principles of democracy and non-violence, a stance contrasting with that of its political wing, Sinn Fein, whose participation in this month's all-party Northern Ireland peace talks may now be jeopardized. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Speaking at a conference in Oslo, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, one of the leaders in formulating a draft treaty for a global ban on landmines, declares that Canada will destroy its remaining anti-personnel mines before the scheduled treaty signing in early December. Canada destroyed two-thirds of its stockpile last year. \I(\JNorway\j, Canada)\i
Authorities and volunteers begin the mammoth task of removing millions of flowers left outside London's royal palaces in honor of the late Princess of Wales. Organizers say flowers that are still fresh will be sent to retirement homes and hopsitals. \I(UK)\i
The P & O liner \ICanberra\i leaves \JSouthampton\j on a 20-night Mediterranean cruise, the vessel's final cruise before it retires at the end of the month. \I(UK, Europe)\i
#
"September 12, 1997",618,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Police in \JCalcutta\j use riot batons to restore order when thousands of mourners, still waiting to pay their last respects to Mother Teresa, protest after soldiers finally close the doors to Saint Thomas Church, where the missionary's body has been lying in state all week. Up to a million people are expected to watch Mother Teresa's funeral procession tomorrow, when her open casket will be pulled on the same gun carriage used to carry Mahatma Gandhi's body to his \Jcremation\j site almost 50 years ago. \I(India)\i
Fighting enters a fourth \Jday\j around the besieged northern opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif, as \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia continues its offensive to take control of the city. Taliban warplanes pound Mazar-e-Sharif with bombs, while a large-scale counterattack mounted by opposition forces on Taliban positions outside the city is reportedly beaten back. \I(Afghanistan)\i
A draft treaty banning the use, production, sale, and storing of landmines is released for review by governments of the countries participating in a conference in Oslo. The United States, which has failed to win support for the exemption of the Korean peninsula, as well as three anti-tank weapons with anti-personnel devices, says it will be unable to sign the treaty in its current form. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
As armed troops begin arriving in \JBangkok\j, the Thai army calls for calm, assuring residents that the military show of force is not a coup, but a mobilization to prepare for a farewell parade in honor of retired officers. The mobilization occurs amid mounting criticism of the country's leadership and rumors of a possible military coup, an outcome not unprecedented in \JThailand\j. Since the country became a democracy in 1932, there have been 17 military coups, the most recent being in February 1991. \I(Thailand)\i
In a 21/2 hour speech, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, opens the ruling Communist Party's 15th Congress, outlining sweeping reforms which include opening big state-owned companies to public shareholding, and relaxing controls over smaller companies to allow sales and mergers. \I(China)\i
Cambodia's co-Prime Ministers, Hun Sen and Ung Huot, propose changes to cabinet which will eliminate royalist members loyal to deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and replace them with \Jdissidents\j of the royalist Funcinpec party who broke with Prince Ranariddh in April. \I(Cambodia)\i
The New Delhi High Court rules that former Indian Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and 18 others, will stand trial on charges of bribing deputies of a regional party in July 1993. \I(India)\i
Fire fueled by harsh \Jdrought\j conditions rages on Mount Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea's highest mountain. The fire is an added calamity for the 200,000 people of Chimbu province, who are already facing severe food shortages because of the \Jdrought\j. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in \JSyria\j to discuss a revival of Israeli-Syrian talks with \JSyria\j's President Hafez al-Assad. Earlier, Albright announced that senior Israeli and Palestinian officials will meet in Washington later this month in a bid to get the stalled peace process back on track. \I(USA, \JSyria\j, Israel, Palestine)\i
A United States Navy operation to recover up to 150 bodies from a sunken Haitian ferry is halted when it is feared the vessel might slip into deeper \Jwater\j. Crowds of people desperate to retrieve their relatives are forced to wait even longer while salvage experts work to stabilize the ferry. \I(Haiti, USA)\i
A draft treaty banning the use, production, sale, and storing of landmines is released for review by governments of the countries participating in a conference in Oslo. The United States, which has failed to win support for the exemption of the Korean peninsula, as well as three anti-tank weapons with anti-personnel devices, says it will be unable to sign the treaty in its current form. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
A United States Air Force report says pilot error was the cause of a May crash in which a female pilot was killed. The pilot, 29-year-old Amy Svoboda, was the first female Air Force pilot to die in a flying accident. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Results of yesterday's referendum in Scotland show that 74.3 per cent of voters are in favor of a Scottish parliament, and that 63.5 per cent want the parliament to have tax-varying powers. Although it is a victory for Scottish home rule campaigners, and for British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who spearheaded the final days of the campaign, the legislation required to transfer Westminster's powers over Scotland to a regional body still has to be passed by the British Parliament. \I(Scotland, UK)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in \JSyria\j to discuss a revival of Israeli-Syrian talks with \JSyria\j's President Hafez al-Assad. Earlier, Albright announced that senior Israeli and Palestinian officials will meet in Washington later this month in a bid to get the stalled peace process back on track. \I(USA, \JSyria\j, Israel, Palestine)\i
The Lebanese Army reports that up to seven of its soldiers plus a female civilian have been killed in overnight raids by Israeli helicopters. Seven other soldiers were reportedly wounded in the attacks, which occurred near the town of Nabatiyeh. \I(\JLebanon\j, Israel)\i
In a ceremony watched by a crowd of thousands, South African President, Nelson Mandela, unveils a life-size statue of Steve Biko, paying national tribute to the anti-\Japartheid\j activist on the 20th anniversary of his death while in police custody. \I(South Africa)\i
Two civilians are killed in crossfire when Kenyan paramilitary police shoot and kill eight men suspected of belonging to a gang that attacked a police station and burned shops in the coastal resort of Diani yesterday, killing five people. The attack was the latest in a series targeting tribes opposing President Daniel arap Moi and his ruling party. \I(Kenya)\i
A draft treaty banning the use, production, sale, and storing of landmines is released for review by governments of the countries participating in a conference in Oslo. The United States, which has failed to win support for the exemption of the Korean peninsula, as well as three anti-tank weapons with anti-personnel devices, says it will be unable to sign the treaty in its current form. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, The Koreas)\i
The body of driver Henri Paul is released for burial by the French magistrate heading the inquiry into the car crash which killed Britain's Princess of Wales in Paris nearly two weeks ago. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
The French Social Affairs Ministry launches an investigation into allegations that 15,000 French women, under the age of 45, have been sterilized by state-run psychiatric institutions responsible for their care. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
After seven years in office, Irish President, Mary Robinson, steps down to take up a new Geneva-based post as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(Republic of Ireland, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
A French publisher announces that 78-year-old Swiss-born writer, Robert Pinget, died on August 26 in Tours, where he lived for a number of years. Pinget was a prolific author and a leading figure in \JFrance\j's Nouveau Roman movement. \I(France, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"September 13, 1997",619,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Calcutta bids farewell to Mother Teresa as her open casket, escorted by resplendent military guards and accompanied in song by 400 white-robed nuns, is drawn on a gun carriage through streets lined with tens of thousands of mourners. After a funeral Mass attended by about 12,000 people, including scores of foreign dignitaries, Mother Teresa is privately buried in the courtyard of Mother House, the headquarters of her Missionaries of Charities order in \JCalcutta\j. \I(India)\i
President Clinton nominates Stephen Bosworth as United States Ambassador to South Korea, and Lindy Boggs as United States Ambassador to the Vatican in \JRome\j. Bosworth is a former US Ambassador to \JTunisia\j and to the \JPhilippines\j; Boggs is a former Democratic House Representative of Louisiana's 2nd District. \I(USA, South Korea, \JItaly\j, \JTunisia\j, The Philippines)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two military \Jaircraft\j, a German Tupolev and a United States C-141, are reported missing off the coast of Africa, sparking fears that they have collided and plunged into the Atlantic. The South African Air Force says a signal received from a life jacket emergency beacon indicates that some of the 33 people on board the planes may have survived. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, South Africa)\i
After holding talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in Saudi \JArabia\j for a meeting with King Fahd and other Saudi leaders. One of Albright's main goals is to persuade \JEgypt\j and Saudi \JArabia\j to attend the \JMiddle East\j economic summit scheduled for November. \I(USA, \JEgypt\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
President Clinton nominates Stephen Bosworth as United States Ambassador to South Korea, and Lindy Boggs as United States Ambassador to the Vatican in \JRome\j. Bosworth is a former US Ambassador to \JTunisia\j and to the \JPhilippines\j; Boggs is a former Democratic House Representative of Louisiana's 2nd District. \I(USA, South Korea, \JItaly\j, \JTunisia\j, The Philippines)\i
Dr. David Satcher, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is nominated by President Clinton as the next United States Surgeon General, a post which has been vacant for three years after controversy forced the resignation of former Surgeon General, Joycelyn Elders. \I(USA)\i
The Mexican Government announces that it has requested the freezing of a New York Citibank account, which is held in the name of a wealthy Chilean businessman, and contains $US26 million. The request comes after an investigation reveals that money was laundered through the bank by Amado Carillo Fuentes, a notorious Mexican drug lord who died in July. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
Hurricane Linda, one of the most powerful Pacific hurricanes in history, causes flooding along Mexico's west coast, forcing the closure of five ports. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two military \Jaircraft\j, a German Tupolev and a United States C-141, are reported missing off the coast of Africa, sparking fears that they have collided and plunged into the Atlantic. The South African Air Force says a signal received from a life jacket emergency beacon indicates that some of the 33 people on board the planes may have survived. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, South Africa)\i
After holding talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in Saudi \JArabia\j for a meeting with King Fahd and other Saudi leaders. One of Albright's main goals is to persuade \JEgypt\j and Saudi \JArabia\j to attend the \JMiddle East\j economic summit scheduled for November. \I(USA, \JEgypt\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Clashes break out in the Israeli-occupied area of southern \JLebanon\j, with Israeli soldiers killing four Hezbollah fighters, one of whom is Hadi Nasrallah, the 18-year-old eldest son of Hezbollah's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. \I(Lebanon, Israel)\i
Under the watchful eye of \JNATO\j peacekeeping troops, thousands of Bosnians turn out to vote in municipal elections. The elections could restore local political power to ethnic communities expelled from their homes during Bosnia's 31/2-year \Jcivil war\j, and are regarded as a crucial step toward future peace in the troubled region. \I(Bosnia)\i
"Candle in the Wind", the specially revised tribute sung by Elton John at the funeral of the Princess of Wales, becomes the fastest-selling record in history, with the first 250,000 copies on sale in Britain being snapped up in just four hours. Sales from the compact disc and cassette are expected to raise up to ú20 million for The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. \I(UK)\i
President Clinton nominates Stephen Bosworth as United States Ambassador to South Korea, and Lindy Boggs as United States Ambassador to the Vatican in \JRome\j. Bosworth is a former US Ambassador to \JTunisia\j and to the \JPhilippines\j; Boggs is a former Democratic House Representative of Louisiana's 2nd District. \I(USA, South Korea, \JItaly\j, \JTunisia\j, The Philippines)\i
#
"September 14, 1997",620,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Vatican comes under increasing pressure to make Mother Teresa a saint through "popular acclamation", a procedure that would hasten canonization, and one that has not been used since medieval times. The 87-year-old Nobel Peace laureate, who devoted her life to the destitute and downtrodden, died on September 5, and was buried after a state funeral yesterday in the grounds of her Missionaries of Charity order in \JCalcutta\j. Mother Teresa's successor as Superior-General of the worldwide order is Sister Nirmala Joshi. \I(\JItaly\j, India)\i
Scores of people are feared dead when a passenger train plunges into the Hansdev River near Champa village in the state of Madhya Pradesh, 950 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. The train was en route from Ahmedabad in western India to \JCalcutta\j in the east. \I(India)\i
A leaking pipeline triggers a massive explosion at the state-run Hindustan \JPetroleum\j Corporation refinery in the southeast Indian port city of Visakhapatam. At least 20 people are killed, and 100 others are injured. \I(India)\i
Aid workers report that villagers near the Afghan opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif have buried up to 70 people allegedly massacred by the Taliban militia after an unsuccessful offensive to capture the northern stronghold. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, creates a national storm over his appointment of convicted criminal, Koko Sato, as head of the Management and Co-ordination Agency. Mr. Sato, who was convicted 21 years ago off accepting bribes, is already under pressure to resign. \I(Japan)\i
Taiwan pledges $US290 million in development aid to \JLatin America\j after the region's leaders guarantee their continued support for \JTaiwan\j's bid to win a United Nations seat. \I(Taiwan, \JLatin America\j)\i
Under the Treaty of Waitangi, the Onewhero forest is returned to the \JMaori\j Tainui tribe by the \JNew Zealand\j Government. The 1,150-hectare forest is in Waikato, in the North Island, and is valued at $AUD1.3 million. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Australian golfer Karrie Webb finishes with a 16-under 272 to successfully defend her title in the LPGA Safeco Classic, and secure her third victory of the year. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Australian Michael Doohan claims his 12th victory of the year when he wins the Spanish 500cc \JMotorcycle\j Grand Prix at Montmelo. \I(Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United States Navy F/A 18 Hornet jet crashes about 75 miles northeast of the southern Omani port of Raysut, killing the pilot. The jet was on a routine training exercise operating from the \Jaircraft\j carrier USS John F. Kennedy. \I(USA, Oman)\i
A United States Air Force F-117A stealth fighter crashes during an air show near Baltimore in Maryland, exploding on impact, and destroying a house, a garage and two motor vehicles. The pilot, who ejected before the crash, suffers minor injuries, and four other people on the ground also receive minor injuries. \I(USA)\i
In return for recent Palestinian moves to tackle \Jterrorism\j, Israel announces plans to release half of the Palestinian tax revenue it has withheld since the \JJerusalem\j suicide bombing by Hamas extremists in July. From Saudi \JArabia\j, meanwhile, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, appeals to Arab countries to deny financial aid to Hamas and other radical Islamic groups. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
Premiers of Canada's English-speaking provinces begin a two-\Jday\j meeting to draft a proposal aimed at appeasing separatists in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Quebec's separatist Premier, Lucien Bouchard, boycotts the meeting, declaring he will reject any proposal that is generated. \I(Canada, \JFrance\j)\i
Taiwan pledges $US290 million in development aid to \JLatin America\j after the region's leaders guarantee their continued support for \JTaiwan\j's bid to win a United Nations seat. \I(Taiwan, \JLatin America\j)\i
Australian golfer Karrie Webb finishes with a 16-under 272 to successfully defend her title in the LPGA Safeco Classic, and secure her third victory of the year. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Golfer Mark O'Meara of the United States shoots to a one-stroke lead in the final round to win the Lancome Trophy at St. Nom La Breteche, \JFrance\j. \I(USA, France)\i
In seniors golf, the Boone Valley Classic at Augusta, Missouri, is won by Hale Irwin of the United States, who finishes two strokes ahead of the field. \I(USA)\i
United States golfer, Loren Roberts, cards a final round of 64 to take out the CVS Charity Classic at Sutton, \JMassachusetts\j. \I(USA)\i
At \Jtelevision\j's annual Emmy Awards in \JCalifornia\j, the winners in the comedy category are \IFrasier\i for best series, Helen Hunt of \IMad About You\i for best actress, and John Lithgow of \I3rd Rock From The Sun\i for best actor. In the drama category, the winners are \ILaw and Order\i for the best series, Gillian Anderson of \IThe X-Files\i for best actress, and Dennis Franz of \INYPD Blue\i for best actor. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A United States Navy F/A 18 Hornet jet crashes about 75 miles northeast of the southern Omani port of Raysut, killing the pilot. The jet was on a routine training exercise operating from the \Jaircraft\j carrier USS John F. Kennedy. \I(USA, Oman)\i
In return for recent Palestinian moves to tackle \Jterrorism\j, Israel announces plans to release half of the Palestinian tax revenue it has withheld since the \JJerusalem\j suicide bombing by Hamas extremists in July. From Saudi \JArabia\j, meanwhile, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, appeals to Arab countries to deny financial aid to Hamas and other radical Islamic groups. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA, Saudi Arabia)\i
Two Israeli soldiers are killed when a remote-controlled Hezbollah bomb is detonated in the Israeli-occupied zone of southern \JLebanon\j. Israeli artillery responds by bombing a Hezbollah stronghold adjoining the zone for more than six hours. \I(Israel, Lebanon)\i
The Governments of Britain and Ireland release a joint statement assuring Northern Ireland's pro-British Protestant leaders that any political settlement emerging from this week's all-party peace talks will be anchored by the principle of consent. Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist and Bob McCartney's United Kingdom Unionists have vowed not to take part in negotiations with the IRA-allied Sinn Fein Party, but the main Protestant Party, David Trimble's Ulster Unionists, is still divided on the issue. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Despite efforts by hardline nationalists to derail the polls, international mediators hail Bosnia's first post-war municipal elections as a success, with figures from the first \Jday\j of the two-\Jday\j elections indicating that Bosnians have turned out to vote in large numbers. \I(Bosnia)\i
Premiers of Canada's English-speaking provinces begin a two-\Jday\j meeting to draft a proposal aimed at appeasing separatists in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Quebec's separatist Premier, Lucien Bouchard, boycotts the meeting, declaring he will reject any proposal that is generated. \I(Canada, \JFrance\j)\i
After decades of official secrecy, the French Government agrees to grant historians access to its wartime state \Jarchives\j, which include sensitive records of the police and the diplomatic service under the Nazi-collaborationist \JVichy\j regime between 1940 and 1944. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Rescue workers use helicopters to evacuate 18 climbers after an avalanche in the French Alps kills four climbers and injures five others. More than 60 people have now been killed in climbing accidents in the Alps since mid-July. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The Vatican comes under increasing pressure to make Mother Teresa a saint through "popular acclamation", a procedure that would hasten canonization, and one that has not been used since medieval times. The 87-year-old Nobel Peace laureate, who devoted her life to the destitute and downtrodden, died on September 5, and was buried after a state funeral yesterday in the grounds of her Missionaries of Charity order in \JCalcutta\j. Mother Teresa's successor as Superior-General of the worldwide order is Sister Nirmala Joshi. \I(\JItaly\j, India)\i
A new study, presented at a conference in Vienna, says most psychiatrists agree that by the year 2020, depression will be the leading cause of disability in the developing world, and will be a huge economic burden unless better methods are developed to treat it. \I(\JAustria\j)\i
In Britain, "Candle in the Wind", Elton John's tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, reaches \Jplatinum\j sales of 600,000 and tops the charts a \Jday\j after its release. One thousand staff at Mercury Records pressing plant work a special shift to re-stock shops which all sold out of the compact disc and cassette within a few hours. \I(UK)\i
Australian Michael Doohan claims his 12th victory of the year when he wins the Spanish 500cc \JMotorcycle\j Grand Prix at Montmelo. \I(Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
Golfer Mark O'Meara of the United States shoots to a one-stroke lead in the final round to win the Lancome Trophy at St. Nom La Breteche, \JFrance\j. \I(USA, France)\i
#
"September 15, 1997",621,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As rescue efforts continue at the site, Indian railway officials estimate that 76 people died and 234 were injured yesterday when five carriages of a passenger train plunged off a bridge into the Handsdev River near the village of Champa, in central Madhya Pradesh state. \I(India)\i
The death toll from an oil refinery explosion in the southeast Indian port city of Visakhapatam rises to 40 after rescuers retrieve more bodies from the burning complex. Meanwhile, the Government orders an inquiry into the disaster amid growing suspicions of sabotage. \I(India)\i
China's official news agency announces that \JBeijing\j is implementing a licensing system to tighten control of nuclear-related exports. The licenses will be introduced under a package of regulations on nuclear exports issued by the State Council on September 10. \I(China)\i
At the request of the Government of \JPakistan\j, Swiss authorities impose a three-month freeze on bank accounts allegedly held by the former Pakistani Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, and her husband and mother. According to the Pakistani Government, the money in the Swiss accounts was siphoned out of the country. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Air and marine traffic is disrupted, electricity is cut, and one man is killed as Typhoon Oliwa lashes \JKyushu\j island in southern \JJapan\j with torrential rain and winds of 144 kilometers an hour. Oliwa is the 19th \Jtyphoon\j to hit \JJapan\j this year. \I(Japan)\i
In east Jakarta, 36 people die when an inter-city bus collides head on with a dump truck. The driver of the truck is among the dead. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States and German military authorities say it appears likely that a US Air Force C-141 cargo plane and a German Tupolev transport plane collided some 100 miles off Moewe Bay in northern \JNamibia\j on Saturday. Wreckage has been picked up by a Namibian patrol boat, and there are reports that a fuel slick has also been detected. The 33 people aboard the two \Jaircraft\j are now feared dead. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, Namibia)\i
Following the crash of one of its F-117A stealth fighters during an airshow near Baltimore yesterday, the United States Air Force announces that it is temporarily grounding the entire fleet. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, winds up her peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j with an unannounced stopover in \JLebanon\j. Earlier, Albright wins praise from Jordan's King Hussein for her hard-hitting statements denouncing guerrilla attacks on Israel and Israel's settlement expansion. \I(USA, \JLebanon\j, Jordan, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The United States offers to sign a global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines if US forces are permitted to use the weapons on the Korean peninsula for nine more years. The US also insists that countries be permitted to withdraw from the pact, after a waiting period of six months, should they become the victims of aggression. \I(USA)\i
In the face of unrelenting opposition from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Jesse Helms, former \JMassachusetts\j Governor, William Weld, withdraws his nomination to serve as United States Ambassador to Mexico. Despite President Clinton's support for Weld, Helms has insisted that Weld is too soft on drugs to serve in the post. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Dana, the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest winner, secures the backing of four county councils to become the first person officially nominated to succeed Mary Robinson as Irish President. The 44-year-old singer, who lives in the United States, is standing for office under her real name, Rosemary Scallon. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA)\i
United States researchers report that broccoli sprouts provide even more cancer-fighting power than the mature broccoli plant, saying the baby vegetables contain 20 to 50 times the amount of sulforaphane, a compound which helps mobilize the body's own defenses. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States and German military authorities say it appears likely that a US Air Force C-141 cargo plane and a German Tupolev transport plane collided some 100 miles off Moewe Bay in northern \JNamibia\j on Saturday. Wreckage has been picked up by a Namibian patrol boat, and there are reports that a fuel slick has also been detected. The 33 people aboard the two \Jaircraft\j are now feared dead. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, Namibia)\i
The first \Jday\j of Northern Ireland peace talks are adjourned after all five pro-British Unionist parties boycott the session to protest against the participation of the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein. Despite the setback, it is the first time Sinn Fein has held direct talks with the British Government since 1921. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, winds up her peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j with an unannounced stopover in \JLebanon\j. Earlier, Albright wins praise from Jordan's King Hussein for her hard-hitting statements denouncing guerrilla attacks on Israel and Israel's settlement expansion in \JJerusalem\j. \I(USA, \JLebanon\j, Jordan, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Palestinians are enraged after Jewish settlers take over two homes in annexed East \JJerusalem\j. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, condemns the settlers' moves, but nevertheless argues that Israeli property rights must be respected. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The former wife of South Africa's President Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who is facing hearings over her alleged complicity in the murders of child activist, Stompie Moeketsi Seipei, and Soweto doctor, Abu-Baker Asvat, is accused of complicity in a third murder, that of a teenage girl, Kuki Zwane, in 1989. \I(South Africa)\i
At the request of the Government of \JPakistan\j, Swiss authorities impose a three-month freeze on bank accounts allegedly held by the former Pakistani Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, and her husband and mother. According to the Pakistani Government, the money in the Swiss accounts was siphoned out of the country. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Following a wave of speculation about rifts in Britain's royal family since the death of the Princess of Wales, \JBuckingham Palace\j issues a rare and outspoken point-by-point rebuttal of the rumors, saying they are inaccurate and untrue, and need to be corrected. \I(UK)\i
Norway's Labor Prime Minister, Thorbjoern Jagland, announces that he and his Government will step down on October 13. Mr. Jagland's announcement comes as a result of national elections, in which his party received 35.1 per cent of the vote, less than the 36.9 per cent show of support Mr. Jagland had wanted to continue in office. \I(Norway)\i
Dana, the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest winner, secures the backing of four county councils to become the first person officially nominated to succeed Mary Robinson as Irish President. The 44-year-old singer, who lives in the United States, is standing for office under her real name, Rosemary Scallon. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA)\i
#
"September 16, 1997",622,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JBombay\j, the rear wing of a 10-story mid-city office block caves in, destroying dozens of offices, and killing at least seven people. Another 26 people are taken to hospitals suffering mostly minor injuries or shock, but eight people remain missing, and rescue workers are forced to proceed cautiously for fear of crushing possible survivors in the rubble. \I(India)\i
World Vision Vice President, Andrew Natsios, conservatively estimates that one in seven North Koreans has starved to death in some northern areas, and suggests that the death rate in the south of the country may be even higher. Natsios urgently calls on nations throughout the world to recognize North Korea's food shortage as a full-scale \Jfamine\j. \I(North Korea)\i
For the third time this year, senior diplomats from India and \JPakistan\j embark upon talks aimed at implementing mechanisms to tackle issues of division between the neighboring countries, one of the most contentious issues being the Himalayan region of Kashmir. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Cambodia's Hun Sen Government suffers a parliamentary defeat when the National Assembly rejects proposals for a Cabinet reshuffle. The proposals sought to remove four ministers loyal to ousted First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and replace them with a renegade faction of Prince Ranariddh's royalist Funcinpec party. \I(Cambodia)\i
Justice Minister, Xiao Yang, declares that China will never reverse its condemnation of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy demonstrations. Mr. Xiao's declaration comes in response to an open appeal by former Communist Party chief, Zhao Ziyang, who was stripped of his posts in June 1989 on charges of attempting to split the party. \I(China)\i
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, comes under intense pressure when the Social Democratic Party, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's biggest electoral ally, demands that he sack convicted criminal, Koko Sato, from his newly appointed position as head of the Management and Co-ordination Agency. \I(Japan)\i
Prime Minister Bill Skate announces that the Papua New Guinean Government will allocate another 30 million kina to assist victims of the country's \Jdrought\j. Hardest hit is the country's Highlands region, where four months of \Jdrought\j and frosts caused by the El Ni±o climate changes have completely destroyed crops, leaving up to a million people facing starvation. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Air Force reports the collision of two F-16 fighter jets off the coast of \JNew Jersey\j, southeast of \JAtlantic City\j. The Coast Guard says the two crew members of the F16D have been picked up, but the fate of the pilot of the F-16C is as yet unknown. \I(USA)\i
A piece of wreckage with United States markings is recovered from the south Atlantic off \JNamibia\j, providing the hardest evidence to date that two missing \Jaircraft\j, a US C-141 cargo jet and a German Tupolev transport plane, were involved in a mid-air collision. In Washington, meanwhile, the Defense Department reports that a US \Jsatellite\j detected a bright flash off the Atlantic coast of Africa about an hour after the US \Jaircraft\j took off from \JWindhoek\j last Saturday. \I(USA, \JNamibia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
In a final bid to persuade an Oslo conference of more than 100 countries to accept a proposed compromise, the United States requests that the vote on a draft global treaty to outlaw anti-personnel landmines be delayed by 24 hours. The United States says it would like to be a signatory to the pact, but reiterates that the terms of the agreement must meet US demands for exceptions. \I(USA, \JNorway\j)\i
Russian space officials report that a United States \Jsatellite\j passed within 500 yards of space station Mir yesterday, forcing Mir's crew to prepare for a possible emergency return to Earth in the Soyez escape capsule. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In New York, the 185-member United Nations General Assembly opens its 52nd annual session. A major pre-occupation this year will be the reforms to the world body proposed by Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the nation's Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) with a visit to the agency's headquarters in Langley, Vancouver. \I(USA, Canada)\i
The United States Senate votes in favor of President Clinton's nomination of Army General Henry Shelton as chairman of the US Military Joint Chiefs of Staff. Shelton will replace General John Shalikashvili. \I(USA)\i
California Governor, Pete Wilson, announces that the Pentagon is providing 600 US Army surplus M16 assault rifles for use by the Los Angeles Police Department, a move designed to ensure that police officers can equal the firepower of the criminals they encounter. \I(USA)\i
Federal health officials in the United States report that many more women are being diagnosed with AIDS, with numbers from 1991-95 surging by 63 per cent. The officials state that the greatest increases are among young women who were infected by older, rather than same-age heterosexual partners. \I(USA)\i
Researchers from the United States National Cancer Institute say there is little evidence to suggest that silicone breast implants cause breast cancer. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A piece of wreckage with United States markings is recovered from the south Atlantic off \JNamibia\j, providing the hardest evidence to date that two missing \Jaircraft\j, a US C-141 cargo jet and a German Tupolev transport plane, have been involved in a mid-air collision. In Washington, meanwhile, the Defense Department reports that a US \Jsatellite\j detected a bright flash off the Atlantic coast of Africa about an hour after the US \Jaircraft\j took off from \JWindhoek\j last Saturday. \I(USA, \JNamibia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
The Northern Ireland peace talks are thrown into turmoil after a bomb explodes in the heart of the County Armagh town of Markethill. The pro-British Ulster Unionist party (UUP), which was close to joining the peace process, accuses the Irish Republic Army (IRA) of responsibility, and demands that its political wing, Sinn Fein, be expelled from the talks. The IRA swiftly denies responsibility, and Sinn Fein then accuses the UUP of using the incident to avoid negotiations. Meanwhile, other political leaders, including Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, regard the bombing as a blatant attempt by terrorists to sabotage the peace process. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, cancels a trip to \JRomania\j in an effort to defuse the crisis caused by a Jewish settler takeover of buildings in the East \JJerusalem\j suburb of Ras al-Amoud. The incident has provoked outrage among Palestinians, and both the Palestinian Authority and Israeli left-wingers are demanding the immediate eviction of the settlers. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Russian space officials report that a United States \Jsatellite\j passed within 500 yards of space station Mir yesterday, forcing Mir's crew to prepare for a possible emergency return to Earth in the Soyez escape capsule. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In a final bid to persuade an Oslo conference of more than 100 countries to accept a proposed compromise, the United States requests that the vote on a draft global treaty to outlaw anti-personnel landmines be delayed by 24 hours. The United States says it would like to be a signatory to the pact, but reiterates that the terms of the agreement must meet US demands for exceptions. \I(USA, \JNorway\j)\i
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of South Africa's President Mandela, is nominated for the post of Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC), the country's ruling party. The nomination comes amid accusations that Ms. Mandela played a role in the deaths of three people in the late 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
Norway's Kjell Magne Bondevil, leader of a three-party coalition that won 42 of the parliament's 165 seats in the national election this week, says he will seek the support of the 23-seat Conservative Party before forming a coalition Government. Labor Prime Minister, Thorbjoern Jagland, has already announced that he will step down after voters declined to give him the 36.9 per cent support he was seeking. \I(Norway)\i
A Paris \Jhospital\j official announces that bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the car crash which killed the Princess of Wales, is now fully conscious and able to speak a little. Authorities are hopeful that Rees-Jones can give them a coherent, first-hand account of the accident. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Egypt's Tourism Ministry releases a statement revealing the recent discovery of an ancient complex of 150 burial chambers beneath the port city of Alexandria. The statement says the earliest tombs are from 300BC, but adds that inscriptions on the walls indicate that the cemetery may have also been used during the Byzantine era, between AD500 and AD600. \I(Egypt)\i
#
"September 17, 1997",623,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
For the fifth successive year, \JTaiwan\j loses its bid for United Nations membership after a lack of consensus among the Assembly's 28-member general committee prevents the issue from being placed on the agenda. \I(Taiwan)\i
The Indonesian city of Ujung Pandang enters a third \Jday\j of anti-Chinese rioting, with shops and schools closed, and police and troops patrolling the streets. At least three people have died in the riots, which erupted on Monday after a nine-year-old girl was hacked to death by an ethnic Chinese man believed to be mentally disturbed. \I(Indonesia, China)\i
Indonesia's Environment Ministry warns that evacuations must begin immediately from the island of \JSumatra\j, where choking \Jpollution\j from uncontrolled forest fires has exceeded hazardous levels, reducing visibility to almost zero, and shrouding much of Southeast Asia in a blanket of smog. \JMalaysia\j, meanwhile, stands ready to evacuate Kuala Lumpur if the air \Jpollution\j index reaches the emergency level of 500. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Amid calls for his resignation, \JThailand\j's embattled Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, urges the rural poor to rise up and protect the country from wealthy foreigners and the \Jmaterialism\j of the urban middle class. \I(Thailand)\i
The Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry admits that a total of 16,520 handicapped women were involuntarily sterilized between 1949 and 1995. The admission comes after disclosures of involuntary sterilizations in Sweden and \JFrance\j drew attention to similar claims made by Japanese women. \I(Japan, Sweden, France)\i
Britain says it will strongly support \JFiji\j's application to be readmitted to the 53-member Commonwealth. Britain's pledge of support comes in response to \JFiji\j's adoption of a new Constitution, which removes discrimination against ethnic Indians who account for almost half the country's population of 800,000. \I(UK, Fiji)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Twelve international officials are killed when a United Nations \Jhelicopter\j crashes into a \Jfog\j-shrouded hill in central Bosnia. Among those killed are German diplomat Gerd Wanger, who was deputy to the International High Representative to Bosnia, and United States official David Kriskovic, who was working as the deputy commissioner of the United Nations International Police Task Force. \I(Bosnia, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Violence erupts in the East \JJerusalem\j suburb of Ras al-Amoud after Miami-based property-owner, Irving Moscovitz, takes legal steps to prevent the eviction of Jewish settlers from two of his buildings in the densely populated Arab area. The growing crisis caused by the takeover has polarized the governing coalition of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and has provoked hostile criticism from Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, who regards it as a violation of the Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. The takeover also defies an appeal by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who counseled against further Israeli settlement expansion during her recent peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
At an international conference in Oslo, close to 100 countries endorse a draft treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines. The text of the treaty prohibits the use, production, and development of landmines, and requires a country to destroy its stockpiles, and remove all landmines it has laid. It is the first international treaty to ban a widely used weapon system since the end of World War I, and will be signed by participating countries in the Canadian capital, \JOttawa\j, in December. \I(\JNorway\j, Canada)\i
Having failed to win support for special exemptions, United States President, Bill Clinton, decides not to endorse the draft of a global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. President Clinton says he has now ordered the Pentagon to develop alternatives that would make US landmines obsolete by 2006. \I(USA)\i
In the wake of a cluster of air accidents this week, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders all services within the military to hold independent 24-hour training stand-downs to study safety. \I(USA)\i
Despite pleas for clemency from the Mexican Government, the state of Virginia executes a Mexican man convicted in 1991 of the murder-for-hire killing of a Navy cook. Mexico does not have a death penalty, and officials were seeking to have 25-year-old Mario Benjamin Murphy's sentence commuted to \Jlife imprisonment\j, offering to keep Murphy in a Mexican jail. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
In his first detailed statement on a June 20 proposed national settlement with the \Jtobacco\j industry, United States President, Bill Clinton, declines to give unequivocal support to the $US368.5 billion accord, saying he now wants Congress to build on the historic moment by introducing tougher measures to reduce the number of young smokers. \I(USA)\i
United States space officials report that the Mars Global Surveyor, a small robotic craft in \Jorbit\j since last week, has detected a magnetic field around Mars which could help scientists determine whether life ever existed on the red \Jplanet\j. \I(USA)\i
Anthony Abbott is sworn in as the new British Governor of the \Jvolcano\j-troubled island of Montserrat. Mr. Abbott, who replaces Frank Savage, reiterates Britain's commitment to those who wish to stay on the island, which has seen thousands of residents leave since the SoufriΦre Hills \Jvolcano\j erupted two years ago. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
American comedian, Red Skelton, dies at the age of 84 after a long illness. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Twelve international officials are killed when a United Nations \Jhelicopter\j crashes into a \Jfog\j-shrouded hill in central Bosnia. Among those killed are German diplomat Gerd Wanger, who was deputy to the International High Representative to Bosnia, and United States official David Kriskovic, who was working as the deputy commissioner of the United Nations International Police Task Force. \I(Bosnia, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Violence erupts in the East \JJerusalem\j suburb of Ras al-Amoud after Miami-based property-owner, Irving Moscovitz, takes legal steps to prevent the eviction of Jewish settlers from two of his buildings in the densely populated Arab area. The growing crisis caused by the takeover has polarized the governing coalition of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and has provoked hostile criticism from Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, who regards it as a violation of the Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. The takeover also defies an appeal by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who counseled against further Israeli settlement expansion during her recent peace mission to the \JMiddle East\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
At an international conference in Oslo, close to 100 countries endorse a draft treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines. The text of the treaty prohibits the use, production, and development of landmines, and requires a country to destroy its stockpiles, and remove all landmines it has laid. It is the first international treaty to ban a widely used weapon system since the end of World War I, and will be signed by participating countries in the Canadian capital, \JOttawa\j, in December. \I(\JNorway\j, Canada)\i
After a series of setbacks to the peace process, including yesterday's bomb blast in the County Armagh town of Markethill, pro-British Ulster Unionists join the third day of Northern Ireland all-party peace talks. The Unionists, however, rule out any immediate face-to-face discussions with representatives of the Irish Republican Army's political wing, Sinn Fein, who entered the talks for the first time on Monday. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Anthony Abbott is sworn in as the new British Governor of the \Jvolcano\j-troubled island of Montserrat. Mr. Abbott, who replaces Frank Savage, reiterates Britain's commitment to those who wish to stay on the island, which has seen thousands of residents leave since the SoufriΦre Hills \Jvolcano\j erupted two years ago. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, announces his intention to cancel plans for a new nuclear power plant at Carnet in the Loire Valley. The announcement comes after Environment Minister, Dominique Voynet, backs Greenpeace claims that the Cogema nuclear reprocessing plant near \JCherbourg\j has violated safety rules, leaving the surrounding seabed highly polluted with nuclear waste as a result. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Britain says it will strongly support \JFiji\j's application to be readmitted to the 53-member Commonwealth. Britain's pledge of support comes in response to \JFiji\j's adoption of a new Constitution, which removes discrimination against ethnic Indians who form almost half the 800,000 population. \I(UK, Fiji)\i
French police investigating the Paris car crash in which the Princess of Wales was killed reveal that fragments from a Fiat Uno brake light were found within a hundred yards of the crash site near pieces of headlamp and wing mirror from the Princess's car. Officials nevertheless believe that the chances of another vehicle being involved in the accident are very slim. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
The editors of 12 British newspapers meet with the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission to discuss tight reforms to their self-regulatory code. The move for reform comes amid charges that paparazzi photographers contributed to the Paris car crash which killed the Princess of Wales. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
The Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry admits that a total of 16,520 handicapped women were involuntarily sterilized between 1949 and 1995. The admission comes after disclosures of involuntary sterilizations in Sweden and \JFrance\j drew attention to similar claims made by Japanese women. \I(Japan, Sweden, France)\i
European veterinary scientists approve British proposals for a partial easing of the worldwide ban on beef exports, accepting a scheme which would permit the export of beef from herds certified free of "mad cow" disease for eight years, provided they are subject to a strict computerized tracing system. \I(UK, Europe)\i
#
"September 18, 1997",624,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JBeijing\j, delegates to the 15th Communist Party Congress elect a new 193-member Central Committee, dropping the National People's Congress chairman, 72-year-old Qiao Shi, who is regarded as one of the main rivals to President Jiang Zemin. Also dropped as a result of the election are the senior Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, General Liu Huaqing, and another former influential military leader, General Yang Baibing. \I(China)\i
Afghanistan's Taliban militia claims to have taken control of the key port town of Hairatan, which lies on the strategic \JSalang\j Highway linking the capital Kabul with Moscow. International aid workers confirm the militia's claim, reporting fierce exchanges of artillery and rocket fire between Taliban forces and their northern-based opponents. \I(Afghanistan, \JRussia\j)\i
In \JRangoon\j, \JMyanmar\j's military junta celebrates the ninth anniversary of the coup that brought it to power. Elsewhere, refugee ethnic groups and exiled pro-Democracy activists denounce the anniversary as a black \Jday\j in the nation's history. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
India and \JPakistan\j conclude three days of peace talks, with negotiators issuing a joint statement agreeing to continue dialogue in an attempt to normalize relations between the two countries. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Japan and \JRussia\j join the United States in criticizing the newly approved draft of a treaty to ban landmines. \JJapan\j expresses strong reservations, and \JRussia\j maintains the treaty has caused a world division between those countries who support it and those who are not yet ready for a total ban, such as China, India, \JPakistan\j, and Israel, all of whom have refused to sign in December. The United States has refused to sign because the treaty compromises Washington's security interests, but despite the US withdrawal, Oslo conference officials are hailing the outcome as a victory, and as a major stride towards ridding the world of the deadly weapons. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Israel, \JNorway\j, \JJapan\j, China, India, Pakistan)\i
In \JAustralia\j, microsurgeons at Melbourne's St. Vincents \Jhospital\j complete a 25-hour operation to re-attach a woman's face and scalp, which were torn off in one piece like a mask when her hair became caught in milking machinery. It is the first massive reconstruction of its kind to be performed in \JAustralia\j, and is believed to be only the second of its kind performed in the world. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After days of violent protests, three Jewish settler families are moved out of premises in the Arab neighborhood of Ras al-Amoud in East \JJerusalem\j. However, the Palestinian Authority rejects a deal, arranged between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Miami-based owner of the properties, Irving Moscovitz, to replace the settler families with Jewish seminary students. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Japan and \JRussia\j join the United States in criticizing the newly approved draft of a treaty to ban landmines. \JJapan\j expresses strong reservations, and \JRussia\j maintains the treaty has caused a world division between those countries who support it and those who are not yet ready for a total ban, such as China, India, \JPakistan\j, and Israel, all of whom have refused to sign in December. The United States has refused to sign because the treaty compromises Washington's security interests, but despite the US withdrawal, Oslo conference officials are hailing the outcome as a victory, and as a major stride towards ridding the world of the deadly weapons. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Israel, \JNorway\j, \JJapan\j, China, India, Pakistan)\i
The United States Government is accused of funding unethical medical research in Third World countries. Critics say pregnant \JHIV\j-infected volunteers in studies designed to find cheaper alternatives to the AIDS drug AZT are being denied effective treatment, thereby condemning the unborn babies to an AIDS-related death. In the United States, treatment with AZT has already been found to have a significant success rate in preventing the AIDS virus from being passed from a mother to her unborn child. \I(USA)\i
Canada names Lieutenant-General Maurice Baril, the chief of a former international mission, to what is now the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, as head of its defense staff. The top military post has been vacant since last October, when General Jean Boyle was sacked over his alleged role in a cover-up of human rights abuses by Canadian peacekeepers in \JSomalia\j in 1993. \I(Canada, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Somalia)\i
The United States Air Force, which evolved from the Army Air Force after World War II, celebrates its 50th birthday with jet fly-overs and a visit by President Clinton, who later slices a birthday cake with a saber. \I(USA)\i
Vice Chairman of Time Warner Incorporated, Ted Turner, announces in a speech in New York that he will donate a total of $US1 billion to the United Nations over the next ten years, with the money to be earmarked for United Nations Programs. \I(USA)\i
Chelsea Clinton, 17-year-old daughter of President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, leaves the \JWhite House\j to continue her education at Stanford University in Palo Alto, \JCalifornia\j. Mrs. Clinton praises the American media for allowing Chelsea to grow up in peace, and appeals for Chelsea's continued privacy while she is away at college. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Nine tourists, seven of them German, are killed when terrorists armed with machine guns and petrol bombs attack a crowded tour bus parked outside \JCairo\j's Egyptian Museum. Three other parked buses are riddled with bullets as police on the scene respond with more gunfire. Police later said they arrested three gunmen. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
After days of violent protests, three Jewish settler families are moved out of premises in the Arab neighborhood of Ras al-Amoud in East \JJerusalem\j. However, the Palestinian Authority rejects a deal, arranged between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Miami-based owner of the properties, Irving Moscovitz, to replace the settler families with Jewish seminary students. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Israel's Shin Bet security service arrests six members of the militant Muslim group, Hamas, on charges of planning to kidnap \JJerusalem\j's Mayor, Ehud Olmert, and planning to attack \JJerusalem\j's Malha Mall, the city's largest shopping center. \I(Israel)\i
At least 50 people are injured, 25 of them seriously, when a bomb explodes outside a police station in the Croat area of the divided Bosnian city of Mostar. Some 30 cars are destroyed or damaged by the blast, with buildings in the vicinity also badly hit. \I(Bosnia)\i
In \JSarajevo\j, 12 international officials who died in a United Nations \Jhelicopter\j crash yesterday are honored by \JNATO\j and local officials. Meanwhile, the crash site is cordoned off while authorities sift through the wreckage, searching for the cause of the accident. \I(Bosnia)\i
A senior member of \JAlbania\j's main opposition Democratic Party, Azem Hajdari, is shot four times inside the parliament building in Tirana by Gafur Mazreku, a member of \JAlbania\j's ruling Socialist Party. Mr. Hajdari is rushed to \Jhospital\j in a critical condition, while Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, appears on \Jtelevision\j in a bid to prevent political repercussions, announcing that Mr. Mazreku will be relieved of his parliamentary seat and charged with attempted murder. \I(Albania)\i
Afghanistan's Taliban militia claims to have taken control of the key port town of Hairatan, which lies on the strategic \JSalang\j Highway linking the capital Kabul with Moscow. International aid workers confirm the militia's claim, reporting fierce exchanges of artillery and rocket fire between Taliban forces and their northern-based opponents. \I(Afghanistan, \JRussia\j)\i
Japan and \JRussia\j join the United States in criticizing the newly approved draft of a treaty to ban landmines. \JJapan\j expresses strong reservations, and \JRussia\j maintains the treaty has caused a world division between those countries who support it and those who are not yet ready for a total ban, such as China, India, \JPakistan\j, and Israel, all of whom have refused to sign in December. The United States has refused to sign because the treaty compromises Washington's security interests, but despite the US withdrawal, Oslo conference officials are hailing the outcome as a victory, and as a major stride towards ridding the world of the deadly weapons. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Israel, \JNorway\j, \JJapan\j, China, India, Pakistan)\i
The people of Wales go to the polls to vote in a referendum on British Government proposals to establish a Welsh home-rule parliament in \JCardiff\j for the first time in 600 years. Unlike the parliament proposed for Scotland, however, the Welsh assembly will not have the power to make laws or raise taxes. \I(Wales, Scotland, UK)\i
Canada names Lieutenant-General Maurice Baril, the chief of a former international mission to what is now the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, as head of its defense staff. The top military post has been vacant since last October, when General Jean Boyle was sacked over his alleged role in a cover-up of human rights abuses by Canadian peacekeepers in \JSomalia\j in 1993. \I(Canada, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Somalia)\i
In defiance of Russian demands to outlaw \Jcapital punishment\j, a Chechen firing squad publicly executes two men convicted of murdering a mother and two of her children. The executions, which \JChechnya\j claims are in accordance with Islamic law, are immediately denounced by \JRussia\j as a violation of international law. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
An explosion rips through a Russian operated coalmine in Barentsburg, in \JArctic\j \JNorway\j, killing at least 26 miners, all of whom are Russians and Ukrainians. \I(Russia, \JUkraine\j, Norway)\i
#
"September 19, 1997",625,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Crucial four-nation talks in New York between the two Koreas, China, and the United States break down, with no plans made for further talks. Washington blames North Korea for the failure of the discussions, saying North Korea linked food aid to the talks and also demanded US troop withdrawals from South Korea. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
A \Jhelicopter\j transporting a royal entourage crashes in thick jungle in southern \JThailand\j during a storm. Of the 21 passengers aboard the twin-engine craft, 14 are killed, including Queen Sirikit's private secretary and the two pilots. It is believed that \Jlightning\j may have struck the craft, but Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh orders a full investigation into the crash. \I(Thailand)\i
After a week of widespread protests, \JJapan\j's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, is forced to dismiss convicted criminal, Koko Sato, from his newly appointed position as head of the Management and Co-ordination Agency. \I(Japan)\i
Malaysia declares a state of emergency in eastern \JSarawak\j as the air \Jpollution\j index rises to 635 in the capital of Kuching. Schools and offices are closed, and all flights to Kuching canceled due to the choking smog, which is blamed on forest fires burning out of control in \JIndonesia\j. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Japanese Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, indicates that \JTokyo\j will accept the newly drafted treaty for a global ban on anti-personnel landmines. Until now, \JJapan\j has supported the United States stance which called for special exemptions. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The Papua New Guinean Government sets up a special disaster relief committee to tackle the country's \Jdrought\j and frost crisis caused by the El Ni±o \Jweather\j pattern. Meanwhile, \JAustralia\j dispatches a disaster management team to assist the committee to assess the situation and develop strategies to help replace devastated crops. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
The head of Vanuatu's \Jimmigration\j department, Jean-Marc Bell, is ordered not to leave the country while police investigate allegations that he is involved in a scheme to sell Vanuatu passports to Asians from \JMacao\j, Hong Kong and \JTaiwan\j. \I(Vanuatu, \JMacao\j, Hong Kong, Taiwan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United States Air Force B-1 bomber on a training mission out of South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base crashes in Montana, killing all four crew members aboard. The crash is the sixth US military air disaster in a week, and prompts the Air Force to move-up a 24-hour stand-down of training flights to study safety, a procedure earlier ordered by Defense Secretary William Cohen. \I(USA)\i
Crucial four-nation talks in New York between the two Koreas, China, and the United States break down, with no plans made for further talks. Washington blames North Korea for the failure of the discussions, saying North Korea linked food aid to the talks and also demanded US troop withdrawals from South Korea. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Japanese Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, indicates that \JTokyo\j will accept the newly drafted treaty for a global ban on anti-personnel landmines. Until now, \JJapan\j has supported the United States stance which called for special exemptions. \I(Japan, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, advises other members of the United Nations to accept the reform and arrears package offered by Washington, or risk a proposal with more requirements for reform and less money. Albright says the United States owes the United Nations and its agencies about $US1 billion. \I(USA)\i
Russian space officials assert that there is no danger to the cosmonauts on board the Mir space station. The assertion comes in response to concerns voiced by United States legislators, who are arguing against NASA's plans to send a replacement \Jastronaut\j to the station next week. \I(Russia, USA)\i
United States Vice-President, Al Gore, hires two private attorneys amid mounting allegations about his 1996 fundraising practices. Attorney-General, Janet Reno, is currently considering the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate the charges against Mr. Gore, which include making dozens of fundraising phone calls from the \JWhite House\j. \I(USA)\i
A purported transcript of pager messages sent to President Clinton's Secret Service detail is posted on the \JInternet\j by Pamela Finkel, a New York-based computer consultant, who says her purpose is to show the ease with which private communications can be intercepted. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At least five people are killed and 150 injured when an express passenger train smashes into the side of a goods train at Southall station, in London's west. Emergency services respond quickly to extinguish fire caused by an explosion, and to cut victims free from the tangled wreckage. The driver of the goods train is later detained by police for questioning. \I(UK)\i
Egyptian authorities say yesterday's \Jmachine-gun\j and petrol-bomb attack on four tourist buses in \JCairo\j was the act of a deranged man who escaped from a mental \Jhospital\j on Monday. The Egyptian bus driver and nine tourists, mostly German, were killed in the attack, and the German Government is calling for a full investigation, suspecting Muslim fundamentalists to be responsible. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Israel increases security around two buildings in the East \JJerusalem\j neighborhood of Ras al-Amoud following the removal of three settler families, whose presence in the heavily populated Arab area has provoked days of violent Palestinian protests and deepened the \JMiddle East\j crisis. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Welsh voters narrowly endorse a British Government proposal for a separate parliament in \JCardiff\j. Unlike the enthusiastic three-to-one vote for \Jdevolution\j in Scotland last week, only 50.3 per cent of Welsh people vote in favor of the change. \I(Wales, Scotland, UK)\i
Russian space officials assert that there is no danger to the cosmonauts on board the Mir space station. The assertion comes in response to concerns voiced by United States legislators, who are arguing against NASA's plans to send a replacement \Jastronaut\j to the station next week. \I(Russia, USA)\i
In his first public appearance since the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales offers thanks on behalf of himself and his sons for the overwhelming public response to the Princess's death, saying how moved and comforted they were by the enormous numbers of letters of condolence from the people of Britain and all over the world. Prince Charles also praises his sons, Princes William and Harry, for the courage and dignity with which they have handled the tragedy of their mother's death. \I(UK)\i
In Paris, bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the car crash which killed the Princess of Wales, Dodi Al Fayed, and driver Henri Paul, is interviewed by authorities for the first time. Later, police sources say Mr. Rees-Jones is suffering from partial \Jamnesia\j, and is unable to recall anything about the circumstances of the crash. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
British actor, Jack May, dies aged 75 after a long illness. For the last 45 years, Mr. May has played the character of Nelson Gabriel in \IThe Archers,\i which began in 1950, and is reputed to be the world's longest-running soap opera on radio or \Jtelevision\j. \I(UK)\i
#
"September 20, 1997",626,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Officials in central Vietnam say 33 people were killed and 20 injured yesterday after a packed bus swerved off the road during a storm and plunged down a mountain slope into the sea. \I(Vietnam)\i
Despite strong pressure from attendees of the 16-nation South Pacific Forum in the Cook Islands, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, refuses to endorse a mandatory target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions to reduce global warming. Mr. Howard contends that targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions should be differentiated, based on each country's circumstances. \I(Australia, Cook Islands, South Pacific)\i
The United States pressures \JJapan\j to curb its growing trade surplus and foster domestic demand in order to boost growth rates, as well as preventing undue fluctuations on the world's foreign exchange markets. \I(USA, Japan)\i
The Indonesian Government approves immediate air drops of rice aid to remote mountain villages of Irian Jaya, where at least 154 people have already died as a result of the severe \Jdrought\j gripping the region. Concerns that the planes could be hampered by smoke haze from \JIndonesia\j's forest fires are exacerbating fears that the death toll could rise. \I(Indonesia)\i
Two human rights organizations in Hong Kong say four subcontractors making shoes for Nike and Reebok in China's southern Pearl River Delta are using workers as young as 13, and paying them as little as 10 cents an hour for 17 hours labor a \Jday\j. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Justice Department says it is reviewing allegations that President Clinton made illegal fundraising \Jtelephone\j calls from the \JWhite House\j in 1996. The focus of the department's review will be whether Mr. Clinton made the calls, and whether he is covered by a 1971 law prohibiting campaign fundraising on federal property. A similar review into \Jtelephone\j solicitations by Vice-President, Al Gore, is also underway. \I(USA)\i
Arab foreign ministers meeting in \JCairo\j blame Israel for the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, and cast doubts on the future of a controversial economic conference with the Jewish state. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, accuses Israel of resorting to "the lowest means" in its attempt to assert control over East \JJerusalem\j, describing the outcome of a recent Jewish settler takeover in the Arab district of Ras al-Amoud as a \Jfarce\j. The Palestinian leader also calls on the United States to do more to salvage the peace process, including offering support for the creation of a Palestinian state. \I(\JEgypt\j, Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
The United States pressures \JJapan\j to curb its growing trade surplus and foster domestic demand in order to boost growth rates, as well as preventing undue fluctuations on the world's foreign exchange markets. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Officials at Ellsworth Air Force Base say they are still searching for clues to explain why one of their B-1 bombers crashed in southeast Montana yesterday, killing all four crew members. Since September 13, a total of 16 Americans have died in random military plane crashes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The driver of a British express passenger train which yesterday collided with a freight train, killing seven people and seriously injuring another eight, is released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of \Jmanslaughter\j. Meanwhile, as police pick their way through piles of twisted metal, searching for a clue to the cause of the crash, it is confirmed that the Automatic Train Protection (ATP), a computerized system which overrides the driver and halts the train, was switched off because it was considered to be too unreliable. \I(UK)\i
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak issues a decree for the military trial of two men charged with killing 10 people during last Thursday's attack on four tourists buses in \JCairo\j. The trial is expected to begin in a few weeks. \I(Egypt)\i
Arab foreign ministers meeting in \JCairo\j blame Israel for the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, and cast doubts on the future of a controversial economic conference with the Jewish state. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, accuses Israel of resorting to "the lowest means" in its attempt to assert control over East \JJerusalem\j, describing the outcome of a recent Jewish settler takeover in the Arab district of Ras al-Amoud as a \Jfarce\j. The Palestinian leader also calls on the United States to do more to salvage the peace process, including offering support for the creation of a Palestinian state. \I(\JEgypt\j, Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
In Lorient, western \JFrance\j, some 300 people attend a funeral service for Henri Paul, the driver in the fatal car crash which also claimed the lives of the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed last month. \I(France, UK)\i
#
"September 21, 1997",627,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tens of thousands of Filipinos rally in Manila and in other cities across the country to protest against proposed constitutional changes which would allow President Fidel Ramos to seek a second term in office. Mr. Ramos acknowledges the widespread national protest, declaring he will not run for election in 1998, but denying that he is abandoning his support for a review of the Constitution. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Fire engulfs a shoe-making factory in China's southeast Fujian province, killing 32 people and injuring four, while the other 54 workers safely escape the inferno with the help of neighbors. The high death toll is blamed on the lack of emergency exits and fire-fighting facilities in the three-story building. \I(China)\i
Newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, lashes out at a United Nations decision to leave \JCambodia\j's seat vacant at this week's General Assembly in New York, calling it an insult to the country and to King Norodom Sihanouk, who had endorsed credentials for Ung Huot and Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, to represent \JCambodia\j. Following divided opinion last week, the UN General Assembly's credentials committee postponed indefinitely a decision on whether to accept the Phnom Penh Government delegation, or a delegation endorsed by \JCambodia\j's deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Long-standing foes, India and \JPakistan\j, are to begin a new round of diplomacy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, will meet on Tuesday after separate meetings on Monday with United States President, Bill Clinton. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Following the collapse of last week's four-nation talks in New York, North Korea counters United States allegations of blame, accusing the US of using food aid as a weapon to get political concessions. North Korea says its participation in future talks for a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula will depend on how Washington rectifies its policy towards \JPyongyang\j. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
In a fierce attack on the international financial system, Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, blames currency speculators for destabilizing Southeast Asian currency and stockmarkets in recent months, and calls for a ban on currency trading, saying Kuala Lumpur will now limit foreign exchange dealing to the financing of trade. \I(Malaysia, Southeast Asia)\i
Indonesian police report that nearly 600 people have been arrested following last week's ethnic riots in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Ujung Pandang. At least six people were killed, and hundreds of houses belonging to ethnic Chinese attacked during the riots, which were sparked when a mentally ill man of Chinese descent killed a local nine-year-old girl. \I(Indonesia)\i
Anti-nuclear protesters aboard about 100 fishing boats and pleasure craft rehearse a blockade of possible sea deliveries of equipment to the construction site of \JTaiwan\j's fourth nuclear power plant, located in the coastal township of Kungliao. The protesters are accusing \JJapan\j and the United States of foisting nuclear technology on \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles of the United States defeats Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of \JSpain\j in the final of the Princess Cup in \JTokyo\j. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, \JJapan\j)\i
At Forest of Arden, England, New Zealander Greg Turner wins the British Masters golf tournament by one stroke. \I(UK, New Zealand)\i
On the senior tour, the Comfort Classic at \JIndianapolis\j is won by Australian golfer, David Graham, who finishes with a 16-under 200 and a lead of one stroke. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Montserrat's troublesome Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j erupts, sending an avalanche of searing ash and rock down its eastern flank, and then on a 31/2 mile course to the airport, where it completely destroys the terminal and buries parts of the runway. Anthony Abbott, Montserrat's new British Governor, is now insisting that the western area of the island's exclusion zone be evacuated by next Saturday. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
Following the collapse of last week's four-nation talks in New York, North Korea counters United States allegations of blame, accusing the US of using food aid as a weapon to get political concessions. North Korea says its participation in future talks for a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula will depend on how Washington rectifies its policy towards \JPyongyang\j. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
As part of a tighter crackdown on Islamic militants, Israeli security forces arrest about 40 Palestinian suspects. The arrests come just hours before Cabinet Secretary, Dan Naveh, flies to Washington to pave the way for meetings later this week between Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, and top Palestinian official, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
At a meeting in \JCairo\j, the Arab League condemns Israel's settlement program and calls on the Jewish state to accept the principle of land for peace, a principle endorsed by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, in her efforts to restart deadlocked \JMiddle East\j peace talks. \I(\JEgypt\j, Israel, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
United States Vice-President, Al Gore, arrives in \JRussia\j with a high-level US delegation to participate in meetings aimed at boosting trade and economic co-operation between the two countries. The talks are also expected to include co-operation on space and nuclear non-proliferation. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Newly appointed First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, lashes out at a United Nations decision to leave \JCambodia\j's seat vacant at the General Assembly in New York, calling it an insult to the country and to King Norodom Sihanouk, who had endorsed credentials for Ung Huot and Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, to represent \JCambodia\j. Following divided opinion last week, the UN General Assembly's credentials committee postponed indefinitely a decision on whether to accept the Phnom Penh Government delegation, or a delegation endorsed by \JCambodia\j's deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Long-standing foes, India and \JPakistan\j, are to begin a new round of diplomacy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, will meet on Tuesday after separate meetings on Monday with United States President, Bill Clinton. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Anti-nuclear protesters aboard about 100 fishing boats and pleasure craft rehearse a blockade of possible sea deliveries of equipment to the construction site of \JTaiwan\j's fourth nuclear power plant, located in the coastal township of Kungliao. The protesters are accusing \JJapan\j and the United States of foisting nuclear technology on \JTaiwan\j. \I(Taiwan, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at Zeltweg. The win puts Villeneuve just one point behind \JGermany\j's Michael Schumacher, who is leading the 1997 drivers' championship. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, Austria)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles of the United States defeats Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of \JSpain\j in the final of the Princess Cup in \JTokyo\j. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Swedish golfer Liselotte Neumann finishes three strokes ahead of the field to win the LPGA Welch's Championship at Canton, \JMassachusetts\j. It is Neumann's first tour victory of the year. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
After surviving a shaky final round, American golfer, Tim Herron, takes out the \JTexas\j Open at \JSan Antonio\j by two strokes. \I(USA)\i
On the senior tour, the Comfort Classic at \JIndianapolis\j is won by Australian golfer, David Graham, who finishes with a 16-under 200 and a lead of one stroke. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the village of Beni-Slimane, about 40 miles south of the Algerian capital of \JAlgiers\j, an armed group kills 53 civilians then mutilates and burns the bodies. The bloody massacre follows two days of clashes between Algerian security forces and armed Islamic militants, in which 19 militants are reported to have died. \I(Algeria)\i
Egyptian security officials arrest four mental health officials for allegedly taking bribes and aiding the escape from the Khanqa Asylum of Saber Abu el-Ulla, one of the men who attacked a tour bus at \JCairo\j's Egyptian Museum last Thursday. Meanwhile, a private service, attended by relatives and German government officials, is held at the city's airport before the bodies of the nine German tourists killed in the attack are flown to Frankfurt. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Montserrat's troublesome Soufriere Hills \Jvolcano\j erupts, sending an avalanche of searing ash and rock down its eastern flank and then on a 31/2 mile course to the airport, where it completely destroys the terminal and buries parts of the runway. Anthony Abbott, Montserrat's new British Governor, is now insisting that the western area of the island's exclusion zone be evacuated by next Saturday. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
As part of a tighter crackdown on Islamic militants, Israeli security forces arrest about 40 Palestinian suspects. The arrests come just hours before Cabinet Secretary, Dan Naveh, flies to Washington to pave the way for meetings later this week between Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, and top Palestinian official, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
At a meeting in \JCairo\j, the Arab League condemns Israel's settlement program and calls on the Jewish state to accept the principle of land for peace, a principle endorsed by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, in her efforts to restart deadlocked \JMiddle East\j peace talks. \I(\JEgypt\j, Israel, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
Speculation about the declining health of Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, intensifies after news emerges that the 68-year-old leader collapsed last Friday during a heated meeting with Arab foreign ministers in \JCairo\j. \I(Palestine, \JEgypt\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
In an unprecedented clampdown on Islamic militants, the Lebanese Army kills two members of the northern al-Tawheed movement and wounds two others during a battle to close their unlicensed \Jtelevision\j station. Another 60 members of the movement are arrested, including two sons of its leader, Sheik Saced Shaaban. \I(\JLebanon\j)\i
Serbia goes to the polls to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections, despite opposition calls for a boycott. It is widely expected that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party coalition will again dominate parliament, with Socialist Party candidate and former Yugoslav president, Zoran Lilic, expected to become the new Serbian president. \I(Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
United States Vice-President, Al Gore, arrives in \JRussia\j with a high-level US delegation to participate in meetings aimed at boosting trade and economic co-operation between the two countries. The talks are also expected to include co-operation on space and nuclear non-proliferation. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Leaders of \JPoland\j's Solidarity Party claim victory over the governing Democratic Leftist Alliance after winning at least 33 per cent of the vote in the parliamentary elections. The final results of the polls are not expected until Wednesday. \I(Poland)\i
British researchers report that a \Jtapeworm\j living in fish has an impact on the reproductive system, and say that the significance for controlling reproduction in higher vertebrates, including humans, is clear. The researchers are now hoping to isolate the substance in the worm, which could offer the key to an effective male contraceptive pill. \I(UK)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wins the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at Zeltweg. The win puts Villeneuve just one point behind \JGermany\j's Michael Schumacher, who is leading the 1997 drivers' championship. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, Austria)\i
In women's tennis, Monica Seles of the United States defeats Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of \JSpain\j in the final of the Princess Cup in \JTokyo\j. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, \JJapan\j)\i
At Forest of Arden, England, New Zealander Greg Turner wins the British Masters golf tournament by one stroke. \I(UK, New Zealand)\i
Swedish golfer Liselotte Neumann finishes three strokes ahead of the field to win the LPGA Welch's Championship at Canton, \JMassachusetts\j. It is Neumann's first tour victory of the year. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
Laura Davies of Britain finishes with a one-stroke lead to claim golf's Hennessy Cup at Cologne, \JGermany\j. \I(UK, Germany)\i
#
"September 22, 1997",628,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least six people are killed and 141 are injured when two packed Manila-bound commuter trains collide. A spokesman for Philippine National Railways says a coupler on the first trained failed, sending three carriages rolling back into the path of the second train. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In a bid to end a protracted dispute over Kashmir, \JPakistan\j offers to open negotiations on a non-aggression pact with India. \JPakistan\j is advocating self-determination for the predominantly Muslim people of Kashmir, a region two-thirds controlled by India, and one that has triggered two wars since 1947. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
North Korea's Central News Agency reports that Kim Jong Il has been nominated as general secretary of the ruling Worker's Party, a post that has been vacant for more than three years since the death of Mr. Kim's father, revered leader, Kim Il Sung. South Korea welcomes the prospective appointment of Mr. Kim, saying the occasion will serve to enhance peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. \I(The Koreas)\i
As air \Jpollution\j in most parts of \JMalaysia\j worsens, the government offers to send 1,200 firefighters to help \JIndonesia\j battle forest fires in \JSumatra\j and \JKalimantan\j, which are generating the choking haze currently shrouding much of Southeast Asia. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
In \Jdrought\j-stricken Irian Jaya, the official death toll climbs to 251 after smoke from forest fires forces the cancellation of an emergency air drop of food and medical supplies to a number of isolated mountain villages, where subsistence crops have failed, and outbreaks of \Jcholera\j have occurred due to contamination of dwindling \Jwater\j supplies. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Taiwan confirms that it is preparing to give part of its aging fleet of F-5 jet fighters to \JParaguay\j, with whom it maintains diplomatic links. \JTaiwan\j is gradually upgrading its air force with F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s. \I(Taiwan, Paraguay)\i
The United States says it is abandoning plans for further high-level talks on a Korean peace conference until North Korea indicates it is ready to agree on the agenda. In the meantime, lower-level US officials are prepared to meet with officials from the \JPyongyang\j Government to try to resolve the deadlock which terminated the four-nation talks in New York last Friday. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Kuala Lumpur's stockmarket suffers its biggest one-\Jday\j decline and the Malaysian currency, the ringgit, falls to a record low of 3.10 per US dollar. The plunge follows threats by Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, to outlaw currency speculation by curbing foreign exchange dealing apart from trade financing. \I(Malaysia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, the United Nations General Assembly opens with a speech by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who calls for the adoption of his UN reforms package, while urging delinquent members to pay their dues. It is the first time in the 52-year history of the Assembly that a secretary-general has spoken before the beginning of the annual debate. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, makes his first extended comments in relation to the Justice Department's preliminary probe of his 1996 fundraising practices. Mr. Clinton claims that his own actions, and those of Vice-President Al Gore, were legal, but says he will co-operate with the probe in order to clarify the facts. \I(USA)\i
As NASA begins the count down for the shuttle Atlantis' mission to space station Mir, the 11-year-old Russian station suffers its fifth computer breakdown since the June collision with a cargo ship. Despite fresh concerns about the safety of Mir, NASA says there are no plans to delay the Atlantis mission, which will replace \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with David Wolf. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The United States says it is abandoning plans for further high-level talks on a Korean peace conference until North Korea indicates it is ready to agree on the agenda. In the meantime, lower-level US officials are prepared to meet with officials from the \JPyongyang\j Government to try to resolve the deadlock which terminated the four-nation talks in New York last Friday. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Taiwan confirms that it is preparing to give part of its aging fleet of F-5 jet fighters to \JParaguay\j, with whom it maintains diplomatic links. \JTaiwan\j is gradually upgrading its air force with F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s. \I(Taiwan, Paraguay)\i
Backing claims made earlier this month on American \Jtelevision\j, President Boris Yeltsin's former environmental safety adviser, Alexei Yablokov, says some of \JRussia\j's portable nuclear bombs might indeed be missing. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Dozens of American doctors, nurses, and public health activists volunteer to become the first humans injected with a live AIDS vaccine. The call for volunteers comes from the \JChicago\j-based International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, which is seeking to test a vaccine developed from a weakened strain of the \JHIV\j virus by Dr. Ronald Desrosiers of the Harvard Medical School. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a new drug for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. SmithKline Beecham's Requip (ropinirole hydrochloride) will allow physicians to delay the use of the standard levodopa drug, thereby extending the period of effective treatment for sufferers of the disease. Meanwhile, the FDA issues an "approvable letter" recognizing that the potential benefits of thalidomide in treating symptoms of \Jleprosy\j outweigh the risks, but says it still has reservations about releasing the drug on prescription. In the late 1950s and 1960s, thalidomide was prescribed to treat morning sickness in pregnant women, resulting in severe birth defects for at least 10,000 babies. \I(USA)\i
A team of British drivers seeking to break the world land speed record across Nevada's Black Rock desert clock an average of 650 miles per hour in two separate runs, 80 minutes apart. Although the attempt exceeds the current record average of 633 miles per hour, official rules allow only a 20-minute gap between runs. The team, and its Thrust \JSuperSonic\j Car, are set to try again. \I(UK, USA)\i
Hurricane Nora pounds Mexico's Pacific coast, with raging seas whipped up by winds of at least 128 miles per hour destroying local businesses and coastal homes in Guerrero and Jalisco states. \I(Mexico)\i
Conflict erupts in the northern Bosnian town of Prnjavor when officers loyal to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, attempt to regain control of the police station. The station was taken over the previous \Jday\j by officers loyal to Western-backed President, Biljana Plavsic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Polish President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, concedes defeat after fresh projections indicate that the Solidarity Election Action (AWS) has captured the majority vote in last Sunday's parliamentary polls. Solidarity leader, Marian Krzaklewski, hints at forming a coalition with the Freedom Union, which polled third with 13.4 per cent of the vote. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
Backing claims made earlier this month on American \Jtelevision\j, President Boris Yeltsin's former environmental safety adviser, Alexei Yablokov, says some of \JRussia\j's portable nuclear bombs might indeed be missing. \I(Russia, USA)\i
As NASA begins the count down for the shuttle Atlantis' mission to space station Mir, the 11-year-old Russian station suffers its fifth computer breakdown since the June collision with a cargo ship. Despite fresh concerns about the safety of Mir, NASA says there are no plans to delay the Atlantis mission, which will replace \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with David Wolf. \I(USA, Russia)\i
A team of British drivers seeking to break the world land speed record across Nevada's Black Rock desert clock an average of 650 miles per hour in two separate runs, 80 minutes apart. Although the attempt exceeds the current record average of 633 miles per hour, official rules allow only a 20-minute gap between runs. The team, and its Thrust \JSuperSonic\j Car, are set to try again. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"September 23, 1997",629,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States and \JJapan\j announce changes in their regional security co-operation arrangements. Under the revised arrangements, \JJapan\j will maintain its ban on the use of offensive military power, but will give key military support to US forces in an Asian crisis, including access to bases, minesweeping of sea lanes, and joint evacuation of civilians. \I(USA, Japan)\i
As forest fires continue to rage across much of \JIndonesia\j, air \Jpollution\j levels in \JMalaysia\j's \JBorneo\j state of \JSarawak\j exceed life-threatening levels for the fifth consecutive \Jday\j, reaching an all-time high of 835. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia)\i
In \JDhaka\j, at least 75 people are injured and 100 arrested after riot police use tear gas and batons to prevent demonstrations in protest against police repression. The demonstrations, organized by the \JBangladesh\j Nationalist Party, occur during a nationwide general strike. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Sri Lankan police attack dozens of houses and kill at least six Tamil civilians after a constable is shot dead by a Tamil Tiger gunmen in a village in the country's eastern district of Ampara. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
British libel lawyer, Charles Gray, QC, accuses \JSingapore\j leaders of publishing complaints to the police against them in order to frame political opponent, Tang Liang Hong. Mr. Tang is currently appealing against \Jdefamation\j awards totaling $S8.08 million to Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, and ten other leaders of the ruling People's Action Party. \I(Singapore, UK)\i
Myanmar's former dictator, 86-year-old General Ne Win, leaves \JRangoon\j with an 11-member entourage to visit \JIndonesia\j at the invitation of President Soeharto. General Ne Win, who stepped down in 1988 after ruling for 26 years, has not been seen in public since 1989. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Indonesia)\i
The \JNew Zealand\j Government and the Ngai Tahu \JMaori\j tribe announce settlement of what is believed to be the world's most protracted land claim by an indigenous people. Under the terms of the settlement, the 30,000-strong tribe will regain land and traditional food-gathering rights, as well as the right to rename almost 90 places of spiritual significance, including Mount Cook, the country's highest mountain. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
The sportswear company, Nike International, disputes a recent Hong Kong-based report detailing deplorable working conditions in its Chinese shoe factories, claiming the report is riddled with inaccuracies, and stressing Nike's commitment to improving workplace conditions. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
British nurse, 31-year-old Lucille McLauchlan, is sentenced by a Saudi court to 500 lashes and eight years imprisonment for being an accessory to the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, condemns flogging as totally unacceptable in a modern world, and says his government will pressure Saudi \JArabia\j not to carry it out. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Four of the 24 crew members are injured when a United States E-P3 electronic warfare plane veers off the runway while landing at Souda Bay airbase in \JCrete\j. It is the seventh US military \Javiation\j accident in less than two weeks. \I(USA, \JGreece\j)\i
The United States and \JJapan\j announce changes in their regional security co-operation arrangements. Under the revised arrangements, \JJapan\j will maintain its ban on the use of offensive military power, but will give key military support to US forces in an Asian crisis, including access to bases, minesweeping of sea lanes, and joint evacuation of civilians. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Russia assures the United States that it will not try to block elections called by Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, to replace a regional parliament dominated by allies of war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. \JRussia\j's assurance removes the final obstacle to electoral supervision by the Organization on Security and Co-operation in Europe, a move considered necessary to give the ballot international legitimacy. \I(Russia, USA, Bosnia)\i
United States Vice-President, Al Gore, signs an agreement that will help convert \JRussia\j's three \Jplutonium\j-producing nuclear plants to civilian use by the year 2000. The agreement also puts a cap on US and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons-grade \Jplutonium\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Amid mounting political and public pressure not to put another American aboard the ailing Mir space station, NASA delays final clearance of \Jastronaut\j David Wolf's mission to the Russian station pending the outcome of a review. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Addressing a huge rally of troops in Tehran's Azadi Square, Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, condemns the United States presence in the Gulf as illegitimate, and as a threat to regional stability and \JIran\j's Islamic republic. \I(Iran, USA)\i
Televised images of burnt out houses and floors awash with blood reach viewers around the world, as traumatized survivors speak of a four-hour overnight slaughter in the \JAlgiers\j suburb of Baraki, during which unidentified armed assailants systematically killed an estimated 200 men, women, and children. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Northern Ireland's pro-British Ulster Unionists make history by sitting at the same conference table as leaders of the IRA-allied Sinn Fein party for the first time since 1921. However, after reading out a seven-page \Jindictment\j calling for the expulsion of Sinn Fein from the peace talks, the Unionists abruptly walk out. Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, nevertheless regards the face-to-face encounter as a step forward. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Following DNA testing of suspected relatives in the West Bank village of Asira Shamaliya, Israeli security officials believe they have identified four of the five Islamic militants responsible for the deaths of 20 Israeli's in two separate \JJerusalem\j suicide bombings. Officials say all four men were on a wanted list handed to the Palestinian Authority by Israel's secret police. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
United States Vice-President, Al Gore, signs an agreement that will help convert \JRussia\j's three \Jplutonium\j-producing nuclear plants to civilian use by the year 2000. The agreement also puts a cap on US and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons-grade \Jplutonium\j. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Russia assures the United States that it will not try to block elections called by Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, to replace a regional parliament dominated by allies of war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. \JRussia\j's assurance removes the final obstacle to electoral supervision by the Organization on Security and Co-operation in Europe, a move considered necessary to give the ballot international legitimacy. \I(Russia, USA, Bosnia)\i
Interim results of Serbian parliamentary and presidential elections held on the weekend indicate that voter disenchantment with the ruling Socialist alliance, together with an opposition boycott of the polls, have allowed a resurgence of ultra nationalists, thereby denying the Socialist alliance an outright win. \I(Serbia)\i
During a street gun-battle in the Basque city of \JBilbao\j, a Civil Guard officer is wounded and two suspected members of the ETA guerrilla group are killed. It is later confirmed that one of those killed is Salvador Gaztelumendi Gil, the chief of the deadliest hit team of the Basque separatist group. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
Amid mounting political and public pressure not to put another American aboard the ailing Mir space station, NASA delays final clearance of \Jastronaut\j David Wolf's mission to the Russian station pending the outcome of a review. \I(USA, Russia)\i
British libel lawyer, Charles Gray, QC, accuses \JSingapore\j leaders of publishing complaints to the police against them in order to frame political opponent, Tang Liang Hong. Mr. Tang is currently appealing against \Jdefamation\j awards totaling $S8.08 million to Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, and ten other leaders of the ruling People's Action Party. \I(Singapore, UK)\i
Addressing a huge rally of troops in Tehran's Azadi Square, Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, condemns the United States presence in the Gulf as illegitimate, and as a threat to regional stability and \JIran\j's Islamic republic. \I(Iran, USA)\i
Four of the 24 crew members are injured when a United States E-P3 electronic warfare plane veers off the runway while landing at Souda Bay airbase in \JCrete\j. It is the seventh US military \Javiation\j accident in less than two weeks. \I(USA, \JGreece\j)\i
British nurse, 31-year-old Lucille McLauchlan, is sentenced by a Saudi court to 500 lashes and eight years imprisonment for being an accessory to the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, condemns flogging as totally unacceptable in a modern world, and says his government will pressure Saudi \JArabia\j not to carry it out. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
About 50,000 fans pack a stadium in \JSarajevo\j for a concert by the Irish rock group, U2, the first major rock group to play in Bosnia since the \Jcivil war\j ended in 1995. \I(Bosnia, Republic of Ireland)\i
#
"September 24, 1997",630,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Vietnam's National Assembly elects 60-year-old Tran Duc Luong as the country's president. Mr. Luong's appointment follows a decision by President Le Duc Anh to retire. \I(Vietnam)\i
South Korean President, Kim Young Sam, resigns as head of the ruling New Korea Party, clearing the way for presidential candidate, Lee Hoi Chang, to assume the party's leadership. \I(South Korea)\i
Following the United Nations' decision to leave \JCambodia\j's seat vacant at the General Assembly session, the country's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, threatens to suspend co-operation with the world body. \I(Cambodia)\i
Two senior Australian ministers are forced to resign in a scandal over parliamentary travel allowances. Transport Minister, John Sharp, admits that he over-claimed almost $AUD9,000 and secretly repaid it; Administrative Services Minister, David Jull, admits that he failed to report the transactions. \I(Australia)\i
Thailand's opposition leaders prepare to table evidence that business associates of Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, received advance information about the government's decision to float the baht in early July, enabling them to make huge profits from currency trading. \I(Thailand)\i
China reacts strongly to the newly revised military guidelines between the United States and \JJapan\j, insisting that any act which directly or indirectly includes the \JTaiwan\j Straits will be regarded as a violation against China's sovereignty. \I(China, USA, \JJapan\j, Taiwan)\i
Health officials in \JIndonesia\j announce that two people have died from respiratory complications, attributing the deaths to the blanket of thick smoke generated by the country's forest fires. \I(Indonesia)\i
An explosion destroys a three-story fireworks storehouse in Wu'ai Village, in China's Zhejiang province, killing 18 people and seriously injuring two others. The cause of the blast is under investigation, but lax safety standards are believed to have contributed. Explosions in fireworks factories throughout China cause scores of deaths each year. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his government intends to build 300 more homes in the West Bank settlement of Efrat and other areas occupied by Israel in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j War. Mr. Netanyahu's statement disregards a recent appeal for restraint by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and defies violent Palestinian objections to Israeli settlement expansion in Arab East \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United States pressures \JCroatia\j to turn over Bosnian Croat war criminals to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, warning that action may soon be taken by the international community to apprehend them for prosecution. \I(USA, \JCroatia\j, Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
China reacts strongly to the newly revised military guidelines between the United States and \JJapan\j, insisting that any act which directly or indirectly includes the \JTaiwan\j Straits will be regarded as a violation against China's sovereignty. \I(China, USA, \JJapan\j, Taiwan)\i
In what is hailed as a landmark decision, Northern Ireland's pro-British Ulster Unionists accept a formula they consider far from ideal, but one that will allow full-scale peace negotiations to proceed. The formula hands over the contentious issue of IRA disarmament to an international body which will be chaired by Canadian, John de Chastelain. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Canada)\i
A policeman and a soldier are killed, and at least 12 civilians are injured when Marxist rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of \JColombia\j launch simultaneous dawn raids on police stations in the towns of Castillo and La Uribe. \I(Colombia)\i
The \JFBI\j offers a reward of more than $US2 million for information leading to the arrest of Ramon Arellano Felix, who is the head of one of Mexico's most ruthless and powerful drug cartels, and has been charged in \JCalifornia\j with conspiring to import \Jcocaine\j and marijuana. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
The Recording Industry Association of America confirms that "Candle in the Wind", Elton John's tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, sold out within hours of its release, achieving a record-breaking eight times \Jplatinum\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
Algeria's Islamic Salvation Army rebels declare a cease-fire aimed at exposing the Armed Islamic Group, a rival guerrilla faction the Islamic Salvation Army is blaming for the country's recent string of civilian massacres. \I(Algeria)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his government intends to build 300 more homes in the West Bank settlement of Efrat and other areas occupied by Israel in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j War. Mr. Netanyahu's statement disregards a recent appeal for restraint by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and defies Palestinian objections to Israeli settlement expansion in Arab East \JJerusalem\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In what is hailed as a landmark decision, Northern Ireland's pro-British Ulster Unionists accept a formula they consider far from ideal, but one that will allow full-scale peace negotiations to proceed. The formula hands over the contentious issue of IRA disarmament to an international body which will be chaired by Canadian, John de Chastelain. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Canada)\i
The United States pressures \JCroatia\j to turn over Bosnian Croat war criminals to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, warning that action may soon be taken by the international community to apprehend them for prosecution. \I(USA, \JCroatia\j, Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
After a convincing win in the parliamentary polls last Sunday, \JPoland\j's Solidarity Election Action Party meets with the Freedom Union to discuss the formation of a coalition Cabinet. \I(Poland)\i
In a bid to rectify past errors, the Swiss city of Basle offers an apology and $US34,000 in compensation to a Jewish \JHolocaust\j survivor deported from the city to \JGermany\j in 1939. The Nazi \Jconcentration camp\j survivor, 81-year-old Eli Carmel, is now an Israeli citizen. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j, Israel)\i
The Cologne-based Information and Advice Association for Nazi victims accuses the German Government of deliberately delaying a five-year civil suit brought by 21 elderly Jewish women. The women are claiming compensation for their unpaid work in Adolf Hitler's army of World War II slaves, and it is believed that a final ruling on the case could trigger a flood of similar claims. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The Recording Industry Association of America confirms that "Candle in the Wind", Elton John's tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, sold out within hours of its release, achieving a record-breaking eight times \Jplatinum\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
In Britain, two ten-year-old boys appear in court, becoming the youngest in the country's legal history to be charged with rape. The two boys are accused of assaulting a nine-year-old girl in their school's toilets. \I(UK)\i
#
"September 25, 1997",631,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodian Government officials say troops have retaken territory in the remote Samlaut region occupied until now by renegade Khmer Rouge guerrillas loyal to deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The fighting is reported to have sent another wave of civilian refugees flooding across the border into \JThailand\j. \I(Cambodia, Thailand)\i
As more than 1,000 Malaysian fire-fighters swing into action, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto orders a full mobilization of central and regional government officials to help the battle against the country's forest fires. An estimated 1.5 million acres have already been affected by the flames, causing a regional health-threatening haze that the World Wide Fund for Nature regards as an international catastrophe. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Following an official investigation, the pilots of a Kazakh Ilyushin-76 are blamed for a November 1996 collision with a Saudi Boeing 747, which was the worst mid-air disaster in \Javiation\j history, killing all 349 passengers and crew aboard both \Jaircraft\j. The investigation concluded that the incoming Ilyushin-76 began its descent to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport without authorization. \I(\JKazakhstan\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, India)\i
Vietnam's National Assembly appoints 63-year-old Phan Van Khai, a popular southern reformer, as the country's Prime Minister. Mr. Khai replaces Vo Van Kiet, who has decided to retire. \I(Vietnam)\i
Heavy battles rage about 40 kilometers northeast of Mazar-e-Sharif, as \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia continues its advance against forces of the opposition alliance led by former military chief, Ahmed Shah Massood. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Two days of torrential rainstorms leave thousands homeless and at least 19 people dead in India's south-eastern Andhra Pradesh State. \I(India)\i
Senior \JPakistan\j official, Senator Saifur Rehman, claims to have evidence that former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, has $US1.5 billion of improperly obtained wealth invested in overseas bank accounts and property. According to Senator Rehman, some of Ms. Bhutto's wealth is drug-related. \I(Pakistan)\i
Members of \JMyanmar\j's National League for Democracy (NLD) begin arriving in \JRangoon\j for a congress to mark the ninth anniversary of the party's founding. Previous meetings of the party, which is headed by democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, have resulted in mass arrests by the military-backed government. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
An Indian court begins the trial of former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, on charges of bribery. Mr. Rao has also been indicted in a separate criminal \Jfraud\j case. \I(India)\i
After a 10-year absence, \JFiji\j is readmitted to the Commonwealth with the approval of all 53 members. \JFiji\j, now a republic, will reclaim its membership on October 1, and will be represented at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh next month. \I(Fiji, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Israel dismisses United States' censure of its plan to build 300 more settler homes in the West Bank, accusing Washington of misconstruing its policy, and denying that it will further aggravate the fragile \JMiddle East\j peace process. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, describes Israel's policy as bordering on insanity, insisting that it will plunge the \JMiddle East\j into violence and conflict. \I(Israel, USA, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Despite widespread opposition, the \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis blasts off on a controversial mission to drop off American \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, for a four-month tour of duty aboard \JRussia\j's Mir space station. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Fifty-one-year-old Robert Lip, a former United States Army clerical officer at the Nation Security Agency, is sentenced to 18 years imprisonment after being found guilty of selling military secrets 30 years ago to the former \JSoviet Union\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
European Trade Commissioner, Sir Leon Britain, calls for an end to the damaging dispute between Europe and the United States over the Helms-Button law. The US law is designed to curb foreign investment in the confiscated property of Cubans who fled their country's communist regime. \I(Europe, USA, Cuba)\i
The Cuban Government announces that 52-year-old Walter Van der Veer will stand trial on charges of attempting to stage an uprising against Fidel Castro in 1996, and could face the death penalty if found guilty. Prosecutors are contending that Van Der Veer belongs to a United States-based group called the Cuban Liberation Front. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
In a symbolic gesture, President Clinton marks the 40th anniversary of the Army-enforced desegregation of Little Rock's Central High School, holding open the door as the nine black students, who braved jeering white mobs 40 years ago, triumphantly re-enter the building. President Clinton uses the occasion to issue a national appeal for racial harmony. \I(USA)\i
Microsoft co-founder and chairman, Bill Gates, donates ú12 million to Cambridge University to meet half the cost of a new, state-of-the-art computer department to be built on the western outskirts of the city. The donation comes three months after Microsoft's decision to make the university the site for a ú50 million research center to develop a new generation of computers. \I(USA, UK)\i
Researchers publish a study of the experimental drug zanamivir, which if taken within 30 hours after the onset of symptoms, is claimed to shorten the duration of the influenza virus by up to 3 days. \I(USA)\i
The British Thrust \JSuperSonic\j Car, driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot, Andy Green, clocks an average speed of 714.1 miles per hour across Nevada's Black Rock Desert, breaking Richard Noble's 14-year-old land speed record of 633 miles per hour. \I(UK, USA)\i
Airline chief and former racing driver, Niki Lauda, takes delivery of a Boeing 777 equipped with \Jroulette\j tables and electronic gambling machines. According to Mr. Lauda, the \Jaircraft\j is the world's first flying casino. \I(USA)\i
Following an official investigation, the pilots of a Kazakh Ilyushin-76 are blamed for a November 1996 collision with a Saudi Boeing 747, which was the worst mid-air disaster in \Javiation\j history, killing all 349 passengers and crew. The investigation found that the incoming Ilyushin-76 began its descent to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport without authorization. \I(\JKazakhstan\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, India)\i
Israel dismisses United States' censure of its plan to build 300 more settler homes in the West Bank, accusing Washington of misconstruing its policy, and denying that it will further aggravate the fragile \JMiddle East\j peace process. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, describes Israel's policy as bordering on insanity, insisting that it will plunge the \JMiddle East\j into violence and conflict. \I(Israel, USA, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Official results of last weekend's Serbian parliamentary elections leave Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's leftist alliance without a majority in the assembly, and thereby the choice of either forming a minority government, or forming a coalition with one or both of its main political rivals. \I(Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Despite widespread opposition, the \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis blasts off on a controversial mission to drop off American \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, for a four-month tour of duty aboard \JRussia\j's Mir space station. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Fifty-one-year-old Robert Lip, a former United States Army clerical officer at the Nation Security Agency, is sentenced to 18 years imprisonment after being found guilty of selling military secrets 30 years ago to the former \JSoviet Union\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
European Trade Commissioner, Sir Leon Britain, calls for an end to the damaging dispute between Europe and the United States over the Helms-Button law. The US law is designed to curb foreign investment in the confiscated property of Cubans who fled their country's communist regime. \I(Europe, USA, Cuba)\i
The British Thrust \JSuperSonic\j Car, driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot, Andy Green, clocks an average speed of 714.1 miles per hour across Nevada's Black Rock Desert, breaking Richard Noble's 14-year-old land speed record of 633 miles per hour. \I(UK, USA)\i
Lord Wakeham, chairman of Britain's Press Complaints Commission, reveals proposals to clamp down on intrusive media practices. The proposals, drawn up after consultation with newspaper editors, include a ban on pictures obtained by stalking or hounding, more protection for children, and a wider definition of private property. \I(UK)\i
Microsoft co-founder and chairman, Bill Gates, donates ú12 million to Cambridge University to meet half the cost of a new, state-of-the-art computer department to be built on the western outskirts of the city. The donation comes three months after Microsoft's decision to make the university the site for a ú50 million research center to develop a new generation of computers. \I(USA, UK)\i
After a 10-year absence, \JFiji\j is readmitted to the Commonwealth with the approval of all 53 members. \JFiji\j, now a republic, will reclaim its membership on October 1, and will be represented at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh next month. \I(Fiji, UK)\i
#
"September 26, 1997",632,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
All 234 people on board a Garuda \JIndonesia\j Airbus are killed when it crashes into a hill just 30 miles south of Medan, in North \JSumatra\j. Blinding haze from forest fires burning out of control on the island is suspected to have contributed to the crash of the plane, which was on a scheduled flight from Jakarta to Medan. \I(Indonesia)\i
An Indian cargo ship sinks after colliding with another freighter in the smog-shrouded Straits of Malacca off the Malaysian coast. Five survivors, including a woman, are plucked from the sea, and a search and rescue operation is launched for the remaining 28 crew members. \I(India, Malaysia)\i
Officials in \JIndonesia\j say a huge area of burning forest \Jpeat\j, too thick and too hot to be extinguished without the added assistance of rain, is now the major cause of the dangerous \Jpollution\j enveloping much of Southeast Asia. \I(Indonesia, Southeast Asia)\i
The British Government blocks two lucrative arms contracts with \JIndonesia\j, the first test of its commitment to a new ethical foreign policy prohibiting weapons exports to oppressive regimes. \I(UK, Indonesia)\i
Myanmar's Government grants permission for the opposition National League for Democracy Party to hold a two-\Jday\j anniversary meeting at the residence of its leader, Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, on condition that the participants are limited to 300, and that the meeting is conducted in an orderly manner. The government's decision quells fears that the military would disrupt the special meeting. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In an escalating scandal over travel rorts, Australian Prime Minister sacks his principal political adviser, Grahame Morris, and his office manager Fiona McKenna. Mr. Howard also accepts the third ministerial resignation this week, that of the Minister for Science and Technology, Peter McGauran, who admits to having made false claims for travel allowances and charter flight fees. \I(Australia)\i
Vietnam's newly elected Prime Minister, Phan Van Khai, presents a cabinet line-up that includes five deputy premiers to be in charge of economy, foreign affairs, agriculture, industry and science, and technology and environment. Mr. Khai's move is regarded as a bid to decentralize executive power over key policy areas. \I(Vietnam)\i
Frank Gilford, brother of murdered Australian nurse Yvonne Gilford, says secret legal negotiations are continuing in a "blood money" deal to save British nurse, Deborah Parry, from the executioner's sword in Saudi \JArabia\j. Under Saudi law, the victim's family can demand the death penalty for the convicted murderer, or ask for clemency, usually in exchange for money. Mr. Gilford says he is also willing to plead for a lesser punishment for British nurse, Lucille McLauchlan, who has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment and 500 lashes for her part in the killing. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, and counterparts from \JUkraine\j, Kazahkstan, and \JBelarus\j, together sign arms agreements aimed at paving the way for even deeper cuts in nuclear arsenals. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, Kazahkstan, Belarus)\i
Responding to demands from Israel and the United States, the Palestinian Authority launches its biggest ever crackdown on the \Jinfrastructure\j of the radical Islamic group Hamas, closing down 16 Hamas-affiliated offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and arresting about 100 suspected militants, including some of the group's political leaders. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
After an 80-year presence in Panama, the last of the United States military's 980-strong Southern Command contingent leaves for a new headquarters in Miami. The US military withdrawal is in accordance with bilateral canal treaties signed in 1977, which require the removal of all troops from the canal zone by the end of 1999. \I(USA, Panama)\i
Despite objections from world church leaders and a last-minute appeal by United States Vice-President, Al Gore, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, signs a controversial law which will clamp down on minority religious groups posing a challenge to the country's Orthodox Church. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Two powerful earthquakes, respectively measuring 5.5 and 5.7 on the Richter scale, kill at least ten people and bring down part of the \Jbasilica\j of St. Francis of Assisi, damaging 13th and 14th-century frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue. An estimated 5,000 people across central \JItaly\j are made homeless as a result of the two earthquakes. \I(Italy)\i
Responding to demands from Israel and the United States, the Palestinian Authority launches its biggest ever crackdown on the \Jinfrastructure\j of the radical Islamic group Hamas, closing down 16 Hamas-affiliated offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and arresting about 100 suspected militants, including some of the group's political leaders. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
After a nine-month trial, a German court finds Bosnian Serb, Nikola Jorgic, 51, guilty of war crimes, and sentences him to \Jlife imprisonment\j on 11 counts of genocide, 30 counts of murder, and a number of lesser crimes committed against Muslims during the Bosnian war. It is the first time a non-German has been found guilty of genocide in \JGermany\j. \I(Germany, Bosnia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, and counterparts from \JUkraine\j, Kazahkstan, and \JBelarus\j, together sign arms agreements aimed at paving the way for even deeper cuts in nuclear arsenals. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, Kazahkstan, Belarus)\i
The Irish Government releases five Irish Republican Army prisoners, a move that angers Northern Ireland's pro-British Unionists, who complain of yet another concession to the republicans. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
A Sicilian court hands down life jail sentences to Mafia "Boss of Bosses", Salvatore "Toto" Riina, and 23 of his closest associates for the 1992 murder of anti-Mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Falcone, who was killed with his wife and three of his bodyguards in a bomb blast. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
The British Government blocks two lucrative arms contracts with \JIndonesia\j, the first test of its commitment to a new ethical foreign policy prohibiting weapons exports to oppressive regimes. \I(UK, Indonesia)\i
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of President Nelson Mandela, appears before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer questions in relation to 18 cases of human rights violations, including eight murders, during the late 1980s. After considering arguments for a full public hearing from Mrs. Mandela's lawyers, the commission rules to proceed with an in-camera hearing, announcing that a public hearing will be held in November. \I(South Africa)\i
Despite objections from world church leaders and a last-minute appeal by United States Vice-President, Al Gore, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, signs a controversial law which will clamp down on minority religious groups posing a challenge to the country's Orthodox Church. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Frank Gilford, brother of murdered Australian nurse Yvonne Gilford, says secret legal negotiations are continuing in a "blood money" deal to save British nurse, Deborah Parry, from the executioner's sword in Saudi \JArabia\j. Under Saudi law, the victim's family can demand the death penalty for the convicted murderer, or ask for clemency, usually in exchange for money. Mr. Gilford says he is also willing to plead for a lesser punishment for British nurse, Lucille McLauchlan, who has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment and 500 lashes for her part in the killing. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II agrees to abandon plans to refit the Royal Yacht \IBritannia.\i After a farewell voyage around Britain in November, the 43-year-old vessel will be scrapped unless a private buyer is found. \I(UK)\i
#
"September 27, 1997",633,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A \Jcyclone\j spawning torrential rain and winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour lashes the \JBangladesh\j coast, flooding farms and leveling tens of thousands of houses. At least 22 people die in the onslaught, and many more are reported missing. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Hundreds of grieving relatives of the victims of yesterday's Garuda \JIndonesia\j air disaster in \JSumatra\j are stranded in Jakarta when thick haze forces the closure of Medan airport. For many of the relatives of the 216 Indonesians killed in the crash, the delay means that their loved ones will not be honored with a proper Muslim funeral, which requires burial before sunset the day after death. \I(Indonesia)\i
Thailand's embattled Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, survives a parliamentary censure vote when his party's senior coalition partner, the Chart Pattana party, pledges its support. Immediately after the censure vote, the parliament ratifies a much-debated constitutional reform charter targeting the country's corrupt electoral system. \I(Thailand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis docks with \JRussia\j's Mir space station for a controversial replacement of \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with David Wolf. Atlantis also delivers a new computer for the station, as well as batteries, plugs, food, \Jwater\j, and other vital supplies. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The United States applauds the Palestinian Authority's recent crackdown on Islamic militants, saying the Palestinians have now taken tangible steps to support repeated assurances that they would dismantle the terrorist \Jinfrastructure\j responsible for suicide bombings in Israel. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
A scientific study, led by Dr. Moira Bruce at the government-funded Neuropathogenesis Unit in Edinburgh, proves that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or "mad cow" disease, has caused the outbreak of new-variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. Dr. Bruce's conclusions are supported by a separate series of experiments performed by Professor John Collinge at Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's \JHospital\j in London. \I(Scotland, UK)\i
Having earlier declared a cease-fire, \JAlgeria\j's outlawed Islamic Salvation Front calls for a general amnesty and a national reconciliation conference involving all forces in society. There is no immediate response to the call from President Liamine Zeroual's military-backed government, which has repeatedly blamed the rebel group for \JAlgeria\j's spate of violent civilian massacres. \I(Algeria)\i
The United States applauds the Palestinian Authority's recent crackdown on Islamic militants, saying the Palestinians have now taken tangible steps to support repeated assurances that they would dismantle the terrorist \Jinfrastructure\j responsible for suicide bombings in Israel. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
In the wake of twin tremors which rocked central \JItaly\j yesterday, art experts sift through the fallen rubble inside the \Jbasilica\j of St. Francis of Assisi, trying to piece together two sections of vaulted ceiling frescoes. Meanwhile, thousands of Italians, afraid to return to their houses, prepare to camp out in tent cities for a second night. \I(Italy)\i
In a televised interview, Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, accuses political rival and indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, of having transferred at least 49 million German marks from Bosnian bank accounts into foreign bank accounts. \I(Bosnia)\i
Former South African political opponents, Bantu Holomisa and Roelf Meyer, weld black and white when they launch their new political party, the United Democratic Movement. Mr. Holomisa is a former member of President Nelson Mandela's African National Congress; Mr. Meyer is a white Afrikaner and a former chief negotiator in the National Party. \I(South Africa)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis docks with \JRussia\j's Mir space station for a controversial replacement of \Jastronaut\j Michael Foale with David Wolf. Atlantis also delivers a new computer for the station, as well as batteries, plugs, food, \Jwater\j, and other vital supplies. \I(USA, Russia)\i
At an outdoor pop concert organized by \JBologna\j's Catholic archdiocese, Pope John Paul II draws cheers from a 200,000-strong crowd by rising to shake hands with singer Bob Dylan following Dylan's rendition of "Knocking on Heaven's Door". The nationally televised outdoor concert capped a week-long nationwide spiritual revival meeting in \JBologna\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"September 28, 1997",634,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rocks the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, killing at least 12 people and hospitalizing another 30. Hundreds of buildings are damaged in the tremor, with about 30 houses completely flattened. \I(Indonesia)\i
After being delayed by smog for almost two days, some 300 mourners fly into \JSumatra\j to identify the bodies of their relatives from among the 234 passengers killed in Friday's Garuda Airlines A300B4 Airbus crash. Most of the victims of the disaster were Indonesians, with only about 20 foreigners, including six Taiwanese, four Americans, four Germans, two Britons, and one Australian. \I(Indonesia, \JTaiwan\j, USA, \JGermany\j, UK, Australia)\i
The death toll from the powerful \Jcyclone\j which ravaged \JBangladesh\j yesterday rises to 39 after more deaths are confirmed in the worst-hit coastal island district of Bhola. Officials in the area say 41 people are still listed as missing. \I(Bangladesh)\i
Hong Kong's Provisional Legislative Council approves the second stage of controversial new laws which will govern the May 1998 legislative elections, the first elections since the territory's return to Chinese sovereignty. As a result of the new laws, only 20 of the 60 seats in the Legislative Council will be directly elected by universal suffrage. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) concludes its first successful party congress in years, denouncing past repression of political activities by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), and calling for face-to-face dialogue with SLORC to resolve the nation's problems. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
World No. 1 tennis champion, American Pete Sampras, defeats Australian Patrick Rafter in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in \JGermany\j. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, Germany)\i
On the Senior Tour of Tennis Champions played in \JJohannesburg\j, South Africa, John McEnroe of the United States wins the singles final, and Australians Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald win the doubles final. \I(South Africa, USA, Australia)\i
On the Senior PGA Tour, Japanese golfer Isao Aoki wins a playoff with America's Gil Morgan to take out the Emerald Coast Classic in Milton, \JFlorida\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Japan's Tadayuki Okada wins the Indonesian 500cc \JMotorcycle\j Grand Prix at Sentul, putting an end to the 10-race winning streak of Repsol Honda teammate, Australian Michael Doohan. \I(Japan, \JIndonesia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After being delayed by smog for almost two days, some 300 mourners fly into \JSumatra\j to identify the bodies of their relatives from among the 234 passengers killed in Friday's Garuda Airlines A300B4 Airbus crash. Most of the victims of the disaster were Indonesians, with only about 20 foreigners, including six Taiwanese, four Americans, four Germans, two Britons, and one Australian. \I(Indonesia, \JTaiwan\j, USA, \JGermany\j, UK, Australia)\i
The Lewis \Jspacecraft\j, a NASA Earth observation \Jsatellite\j which spun out of control four days after being launched in August, re-enters the \Jatmosphere\j at 17,000 miles per hour and burns up over the southern \JAtlantic Ocean\j off the coast of \JAntarctica\j. \I(USA)\i
The Zapatista National Liberation Army declares an autonomous county in Mexico's southern Chiapas, a move unlikely to be recognized by the country's Zedillo Government. Since the 1994 Zapatista rebellion, demands for autonomy for the region's Indians have been the greatest stumbling block to the renewal of stalled peace talks. \I(Mexico)\i
Following exhumation from an English cemetery on Thursday, the remains of 19th century Sioux Indian chief, Long Wolf, are buried in ancestral lands in South Dakota. Long Wolf died of \Jpneumonia\j a century ago while performing in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in London. \I(USA, UK)\i
Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, tops \IForbes\i magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans for the fourth consecutive year, with his 1997 net worth estimated at $US39.8 billion, more than double that of 1996. Runner-up, Warren Buffet, is the only non-computer magnate in the list's top six. \I(USA)\i
World No. 1 tennis champion, American Pete Sampras, defeats Australian Patrick Rafter in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in \JGermany\j. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, Germany)\i
German Nicolas Kiefer beats Australian Mark Philippoussis in the final of the Open Tennis Tournament at \JToulouse\j, in \JFrance\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, France)\i
On the Senior Tour of Tennis Champions played in \JJohannesburg\j, South Africa, John McEnroe of the United States wins the singles final, and Australians Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald win the doubles final. \I(South Africa, USA, Australia)\i
At the Valderrama course in \JSpain\j, Europe retains golf's Ryder Cup despite a valiant fightback by the American team. \I(Spain, Europe, USA)\i
American golfer, Wendy Ward, claims her first LPGA victory at the Fieldcrest Cannon Classic in Charlotte, \JNorth Carolina\j, shattering the all-time LPGA scoring record with a four-round total of 23-under-par 265. \I(USA)\i
On the Senior PGA Tour, Japanese golfer Isao Aoki wins a playoff with America's Gil Morgan to take out the Emerald Coast Classic in Milton, \JFlorida\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve captures the Luxembourg Grand Prix, a win that also takes him to the lead in the Formula One drivers' standings. \I(Canada, Luxembourg)\i
In a nationwide referendum, Swiss voters overwhelmingly endorse their government's liberal drug policies, which include state distribution of heroin to hardened addicts. \JSwitzerland\j has an estimated 30,000 addicts, one of the highest rates in Europe, and until now, the legal supply of heroin has been experimental and limited to 1,100 addicts. \I(Switzerland, Europe)\i
Following exhumation from an English cemetery on Thursday, the remains of 19th century Sioux Indian chief, Long Wolf, are buried in ancestral lands in South Dakota. Long Wolf died of \Jpneumonia\j a century ago while performing in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in London. \I(USA, UK)\i
After being delayed by smog for almost two days, some 300 mourners fly into \JSumatra\j to identify the bodies of relatives from among the 234 passengers killed in Friday's Garuda Airlines A300B4 Airbus crash. Most of the victims of the disaster were Indonesians, with only about 20 foreigners, including six Taiwanese, four Americans, four Germans, two Britons, and one Australian. \I(Indonesia, \JTaiwan\j, USA, \JGermany\j, UK, Australia)\i
World No. 1 tennis champion, American Pete Sampras, defeats Australian Patrick Rafter in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in \JGermany\j. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, Germany)\i
German Nicolas Kiefer beats Australian Mark Philippoussis in the final of the Open Tennis Tournament at \JToulouse\j, in \JFrance\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JAustralia\j, France)\i
On the Senior Tour of Tennis Champions played in \JJohannesburg\j, South Africa, John McEnroe of the United States wins the singles final, and Australians Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald win the doubles final. \I(South Africa, USA, Australia)\i
At the Valderrama course in \JSpain\j, Europe retains golf's Ryder Cup despite a valiant fightback by the American team. \I(Spain, Europe, USA)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve captures the Luxembourg Grand Prix, a win that also takes him to the lead in the Formula One drivers' standings. \I(Canada, Luxembourg)\i
#
"September 29, 1997",635,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The smoke haze lifts from parts of Southeast Asia following weekend rains in \JMalaysia\j and \JIndonesia\j. However, United Nations climatologists predict that monsoon rains desperately needed to extinguish the forest fires generating the dangerous haze will be delayed this year due to the El Ni±o \Jweather\j pattern in the Pacific. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
The remains of 48 unidentified victims of Friday's Garuda \JIndonesia\j Airbus crash are buried in a mass grave near Medan's Polonia Airport. Meanwhile, the search continues for the \Jaircraft\j's black box recorders which authorities hope will shed more light on the cause of the crash, which killed all 234 people aboard. \I(Indonesia)\i
The death toll from the strong \Jearthquake\j which shook \JIndonesia\j's South Sulawesi yesterday rises to at least 17, with reports of another 331 people injured. An official from the Jakarta office of the Meteorological and Geophysical Agency says the quake was centered about 20 kilometers north of the town of Parepare. \I(Indonesia)\i
European Union Commissioner, Emma Bonino, and 18 other people, are arrested and held for 31/2 hours by armed Taliban police in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Ms. Bonino, and journalists accompanying her, are accused of photographing women, an offense under Taliban Islamic law. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Europe)\i
A \JSingapore\j court awards Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, damages of $S20,000 in a libel suit he brought against Workers' Party leader, Joshua Jeyaretnam, who is now facing further suits brought by another 10 leaders of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP). Earlier this year, the PAP leaders were awarded damages total $S8.08 million in libel suits brought against Workers' Party politician, Tang Liang Hong. Mr. Tang is currently appealing the ruling. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
The Congress, India's ruling political party for almost four decades after independence, launches a campaign to redress its corruption-tainted reputation, setting up an ethics committee, and ordering its members to report details of personal assets and income each year. The party, which has been led by prime ministers such as Nehru, Indira Ghandi, and Rajiv Ghandi, has been in decline since the mid 1980s, and was voted out of office last year. \I(India)\i
China marks the 25th anniversary of \JTokyo\j's diplomatic switch from Taipei to \JBeijing\j, using the occasion to remind \JJapan\j of its commitment not to encourage \JTaiwan\j to break away from the mainland. \I(China, \JJapan\j, Taiwan)\i
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, drops Finance Minister, Roy Yaki, after only three months in the Cabinet post, claiming that Mr. Yaki has damaged the country's bilateral relations with China. \I(Papua New Guinea, China)\i
On Sriharikota Island, north of Madras, India launches its first fully operational \Jsatellite\j aboard a locally developed 468-tonne rocket. \I(India)\i
Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, ranked in 1976 as the world's heaviest monarch at 209.5 kilograms, is reportedly a "trim" 130 kilograms now. The report surfaces during the kingdom's latest weight-loss competition, which has attracted 1,313 entrants. \I(Tonga)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In \JDenver\j, jury selection begins for the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, that of alleged co-conspirator, Terry Nichols. Nichols goes on trial almost four months after Timothy McVeigh was convicted and sentenced to death for his role in the bombing, which killed 168 people. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces that agreement has been reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume formal peace talks next week. Mrs. Albright defines the agreement as a "medium step" forward in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Despite warnings from \JFrance\j, the United States vows to enforce its tough \JIran\j sanctions law over a $US2 billion contract between Tehran and the French oil company, Total. Total's contract to develop a giant offshore \Jnatural gas\j field invokes the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, which requires US President Clinton to penalize any foreign company investing more than $20 million a year in the two countries' \Jenergy\j industries. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says \JRussia\j is becoming an increasingly unreliable partner on international issues due to the corruption of its officials and businessmen, and its high rate of organized crime. \I(USA, Russia)\i
A leak in an underwater pipeline results in a spill of between 200 and 1,000 barrels of heavy crude oil across an estimated eight square miles of \JPacific Ocean\j off the \JCalifornia\j coast near Santa Barbara. Clean up crews say they are confident of recovering the oil within 72 hours. \I(USA)\i
A new University of \JCalifornia\j study of the celebrated AIDS drugs known as protease inhibitors finds that the drugs failed to significantly reduce the presence of the \JHIV\j virus in more than half of the 136 patients who were treated, a conclusion that radically differs from other clinical trials to date. \I(USA)\i
A fire sparked by an electrical problem in the roof at a Chilean home for the mentally handicapped kills 31 people, most of them children. Three residents of the home are also hospitalized with severe injuries. \I(Chile)\i
Painter Roy Lichtenstein dies in New York of complications from \Jpneumonia\j at the age of 73. Lichtenstein was best known for his \Jcartoon\j-like Pop Art which borrowed heavily from the imagery of mass culture and mass media. \I(USA)\i
Britain's Labour Party begins its first conference for 19 years as the party of government, with a poll returning a 93 per cent approval rating for Prime Minister Tony Blair, a rating believed to be a record for any democratic politician. \I(UK)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces that agreement has been reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume formal peace talks next week. Mrs. Albright defines the agreement as a "medium step" forward in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Reports from \JAlgeria\j reveal that 95 civilians have been slaughtered in six separate attacks over the weekend. The dead includes 52 members of the one family, and eleven female primary school teachers, who were brutally slain in front of their students. \I(Algeria)\i
European Union Commissioner, Emma Bonino, and 18 other people, are arrested and held for 31/2 hours by armed Taliban police in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Ms. Bonino, and journalists accompanying her, are accused of photographing women, an offense under Taliban Islamic law. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Europe)\i
The first full-scale political talks between Northern Ireland republicans and the Ulster Unionist Party begin, with British Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, optimistically predicting that the Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists and Robert McCartney's UK Unionists will soon join the negotiations. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Baghdad reports that eight Iranian warplanes have bombed targets inside \JIraq\j. An Iraqi-based Iranian opposition group, which advocates the armed overthrow of the Tehran Government, claims that two of its camps were attacked in the raids. \I(Iraq, Iran)\i
After a three-month recess, the United Nations Rwandan war crimes tribunal resumes the trial of Georges Rutaganda, a former vice-president of the country's Interahamwe militia, who is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity during 1994, a year in which an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists. \I(Rwanda)\i
Despite warnings from \JFrance\j, the United States vows to enforce its tough \JIran\j sanctions law over a $US2 billion contract between Tehran and the French oil company, Total. Total's contract to develop a giant offshore \Jnatural gas\j field invokes the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, which requires US President Clinton to penalize any foreign company investing more than $20 million a year in the two countries' \Jenergy\j industries. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says \JRussia\j is becoming an increasingly unreliable partner on international issues due to the corruption of its officials and businessmen, and its high rate of organized crime. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Following the announcement of a confirmed link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or "mad cow" disease, and new-variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, families of victims of the disease call for British Government compensation and a full judicial inquiry. \I(UK)\i
The tunnel under the Place de l'Alma is closed to all but French officials for nearly five hours after police tow the wrecked Mercedes limousine back to the site of the crash in which Diana, Princess of Wales, Dodi Al Fayed, and driver Henri Paul were killed on August 31. Investigators say they have not yet ruled out the possibility that a second car played a role in the accident. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
Masquerading as potential buyers, Greek undercover police seize a collection of gold jewelry consisting of 54 delicately hand-wrought gold-leaf pendants and amulets, which date from between 4000 and 5000 BC, and are suspected to have been looted from tombs in the \JCyclades\j islands. Ecstatic archaeologists say the collection surpasses everything unearthed thus far from the Greek \JNeolithic\j era. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
#
"September 30, 1997",636,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesian officials release a transcript of the final radio conversation between the pilot of the Garuda Airbus and the air traffic controller in Medan, which reveals repeated confusion regarding turning instructions just seconds before the plane crashed last Friday, killing all 234 people on board. \I(Indonesia)\i
Speaking in Jakarta, the chief representative of the United Nations, Ravi Rajan, predicts that the environmental emergency triggered by \JIndonesia\j's forest fires will have long-term negative effects on the Asian region's health, \Jecology\j, and economy. \JIndonesia\j's neighbors, particularly \JMalaysia\j, have born the brunt of the pall of smog generated by the fires, and are now demanding that \JIndonesia\j acts urgently and decisively. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, Asia)\i
The Taliban Minister of Information and Culture blames European Union Commissioner, Emma Bonino, and her entourage, for their arrest in the Afghan capital of Kabul yesterday, dismissing Ms. Bonino's complaint of being threatened with a rifle as a minor issue, and accusing the European Union delegation of disrespectfully flouting Afghan laws by breaking the ban on filming and photography. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Europe)\i
Two Swiss banks say they will appeal United States injunctions freezing nearly $US13 million allegedly belonging to the estate of the late \JPhilippines\j leader, Ferdinand Marcos. Both banks insist that they have never handled Marcos' money, and reject as forgeries the documents supporting the allegations, which were brought by an attorney representing victims of the Marcos regime. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, The Philippines)\i
United States officials say they are assuming that North Korea is stalling on peace talks until Kim Jong Il is formally vested as the nation's leader, an event expected to be held in October. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
In a move aimed at promoting economic recovery and national harmony, the South Korean Government announces an amnesty for seven corporate executives, including the chairmen of the Samsung and Daewoo groups, who were convicted last year of bribing disgraced former president, Roh Tae Woo. \I(South Korea)\i
Sithiporn Kham-art, a \JBangkok\j MP for the main opposition Democrat Party, turns himself into police after a warrant is issued for his arrest. Mr. Sithiporn is charged with the car-bomb killing of a fellow MP's mother on September 6, but vehemently protests his innocence, claiming the allegations were concocted to create a rift in the Democrat Party. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Nubuo Fujita, the only Japanese pilot to drop a bomb on the American mainland during World War II, dies of lung cancer at age 85 in Tusuchiura, northeast of \JTokyo\j. Mr. Fujita dropped the bomb outside Bookings, Oregon, while flying a reconnaissance plane from a submarine off the west coast of America in September 1942. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the highest-level meeting between officials of the two estranged countries for some years, Cuban Foreign Minister, Roberto Robaina, engages in brief talks with the United States representative to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, who is acting in his capacity as president of the world body's Security Council at the time. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
United States officials say they are assuming that North Korea is stalling on peace talks until Kim Jong-Il is formally vested as the nation's leader, an event expected to take place in October. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Two Swiss banks say they will appeal United States injunctions freezing nearly $US13 million allegedly belonging to the estate of the late \JPhilippines\j leader, Ferdinand Marcos. Both banks insist that they have never handled Marcos' money, and reject as forgeries the documents supporting the allegations, which were brought by an attorney representing victims of the Marcos regime. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, The Philippines)\i
Firefighters contain a 5,743-acre wildfire that has destroyed or damaged 83 homes, 65 outbuildings, two businesses, and 16 vehicles since breaking out last Saturday in the Sierra Nevada foothills northeast of \JSan Francisco\j. Authorities say the blaze was started by a short in a motor home's generator. \I(USA)\i
Nubuo Fujita, the only Japanese pilot to drop a bomb on the American mainland during World War II, dies of lung cancer at age 85 in Tusuchiura, northeast of \JTokyo\j. Mr. Fujita dropped the bomb outside Bookings, Oregon, while flying a reconnaissance plane from a submarine off the west coast of America in September 1942. \I(Japan, USA)\i
A 31/2-year study conducted by the University of Miami's School of Medicine indicates that \JHIV\j-infected patients with a deficiency of the mineral, \Jselenium\j, are nearly 20 times more like to die of causes related to \JHIV\j. The team is now embarking on a study to determine whether \Jselenium\j treatment can improve the survival chances of infected patients. \I(USA)\i
At an American Society of Microbiology meeting in Toronto, Ronald Turner, of the Medical University of South Carolina, reports on a new drug administered in the form of a nasal spray, which can block entry of common cold viruses into the body and thereby dramatically reduce the cold's symptoms. According to Mr. Turner, the spray has only been tested on 177 people, and it will be several years before it is commercially available. \I(USA, Canada)\i
Preliminary results of experiments conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Health Sciences show that frog eggs nurtured in \Jwater\j taken from two wetland sites in northwest \JMinnesota\j produced malformed frog embryos. The experiments were instigated by discoveries of a number of grossly deformed frogs in the area in recent years, and the researchers say they must now determine whether people in the area are also at risk. \I(USA)\i
South Africa's former president, P.W. Botha, is subpoenaed to appear before a special session of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer questions about the role played by the State Security Council during the \Japartheid\j era. Lawyers for Mr. Botha request a withdrawal of the \Jsubpoena\j on the grounds of their client's ill health, but commission chairman, \JArchbishop\j Desmond Tutu, refuses the request, saying they will explore an alternative date for Mr. Botha's appearance. \I(South Africa)\i
Amid reports of further bloody civilian massacres in \JAlgeria\j, it is announced that Saudi \JArabia\j will host talks between Algerian President, General Liamine Zeroual, and the country's opposition Muslim rebel leaders. \I(Algeria, Saudi Arabia)\i
Zoran Djindjic, \JBelgrade\j's first non-socialist Mayor since World War II, is ousted from office at a meeting of 67 city council deputies, who also replace the management board of the city's Studio B \Jtelevision\j channel, which functioned under Mr. Djindjic as a platform in opposition to the state media. Later, riot police charge more than 10,000 demonstrators attempting to march in protest against the toppling of Mr. Djindjic, which was largely engineered by his former ally, Vuk Draskovic, whose Serbian Renewal Movement has now joined with the Socialist Party and the nationalists of the Radical Party. \I(Serbia/Yugoslavia)\i
Within a \Jday\j of agreeing to resume formal peace talk with the Palestinian Authority, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterates his government's policy of allowing more Jewish settlement construction in Arab areas, a policy vehemently contested by the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, announces that new anti-terrorist legislation, to be introduced next year, will no longer include the power to intern suspected paramilitaries without trial. The announcement, which comes as one of the British Government's most significant rewards to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for its latest cease-fire, is regarded by Ulster Unionists as "another capitulation". \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Salman Raduyev, the hardline Islamic leader of \JChechnya\j's "Lone Wolf" guerrillas, is seriously wounded in a car bomb attack in the capital of Grozny, the fourth attempt on his life this year. The maverick leader, who has survived horrific injuries in the past, disputes the authority of elected Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov, refuses to recognize the Chechen peace deal with \JRussia\j, and has regularly threatened to mount a bombing campaign against Russian cities. \I(Russia, Chechnya)\i
Two Swiss banks say they will appeal United States injunctions freezing nearly $US13 million allegedly belonging to the estate of the late \JPhilippines\j leader, Ferdinand Marcos. Both banks insist that they have never handled Marcos' money, and reject as forgeries the documents supporting the allegations, which were brought by an attorney representing victims of the Marcos regime. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, The Philippines)\i
The Taliban Minister of Information and Culture blames European Union Commissioner, Emma Bonino, and her entourage, for their arrest in the Afghan capital of Kabul yesterday, dismissing Ms. Bonino's complaint of being threatened with a rifle as a minor issue, and accusing the European Union delegation of disrespectfully flouting Afghan laws by breaking the ban on filming and photography. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Europe)\i
In a ceremony at Drancy outside Paris, an \Jarchbishop\j of \JFrance\j's Roman \JCatholic Church\j reads the "Declaration of Repentance", a document acknowledging error and seeking forgiveness for the silence of Church elders when 76,000 Jews were deported from \JFrance\j to Nazi death camps during World War II. The ceremonial confession comes a week before the trial of former senior \JVichy\j Government official, Maurice Papon, who is accused of ordering the deportation of 1,560 Jews to death camps between 1942 and 1944. \I(France, \JGermany\j)\i
Britain loses its latest bid for a partial relaxation of a European ban on its beef exports. The ban was imposed in March 1996 to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as "mad cow" disease. \I(UK, Europe)\i
At an international conference in Moscow, experts attribute the rise in mortality among Russian men to excessive alcohol consumption, the underlying cause of which is identified as social and economic stress. The conference hears that in 1994, the average life expectancy for a Russian man fell to 57, while average daily alcohol consumption rose to the equivalent of six glasses of vodka. \I(Russia)\i
A leading monitoring service says the death of Diana, Princess of Wales has been the biggest British news story this century, with newspapers devoting an average of 35 per cent of space to the tragedy and its aftermath, compared with an average of 26 per cent of space devoted to the biggest events of World War II, including VE Day. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 1, 1997",637,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the Indian capital of New Delhi, at least 27 people are injured when two bombs explode within minutes of each other in a crowded market. A Sikh group claims responsibility, but offers no motive for the blasts. Later, at least two people die and about 20 people are injured when three bombs rip through a passenger train approaching Ghaziabad town in Uttar Pradesh state. Authorities are unsure whether the two incidents are connected. \I(India)\i
A two-\Jday\j outbreak of heavy artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers across the disputed Kashmir border leaves at least 38 civilians dead, and poses a threat to recent diplomatic attempts to resolve differences and reduce tensions between the neighboring countries. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
Sri Lankan officials report fresh fighting between Government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels near the rebel-held town of Puliyankulam. Officials say at least 50 rebels and 19 soldiers have been killed in the clashes, with large numbers of wounded on both sides. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Indonesia's Forestry Minister, Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo offers to resign when new fires break out in Java and also Lombok, which is located across a narrow strait from the major Indonesian tourist resort of Bali. Meteorologists predict that westerly winds will spread smoke from the fires across both Bali and the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Meanwhile, officials are appealing to villagers not to shoot tigers, monkeys, and other rare wildlife fleeing fires in Java's national parks. \I(Indonesia)\i
Following a decision by the United Nations credentials committee to leave \JCambodia\j's contested seat in the General Assembly unfilled, the country's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, threatens to reconsider permitting any UN role in next May's national elections if his Government is not awarded the seat. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, strikes back at Amnesty International's attack on Australia's attitude to human rights in East \JTimor\j, insisting that Australia accepts more refugees per head of population than almost any other country in the world, and that the Australian Government constantly raises the issue of East \JTimor\j with \JIndonesia\j. \I(Australia, East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
A former Japanese military police officer becomes the first Japanese to admit in civil court that he committed atrocities against Chinese during World War II. The admission of 83-year-old Yutaka Mio comes during a compensation lawsuit against the Japanese Government brought by families of Chinese victims believed to have been killed by the infamous Unit 731, which allegedly conducted germ warfare and other experiments on live prisoners. \I(Japan, China)\i
The European Commission publishes a feasibility study for a planned 15 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2010, challenging the United States, \JJapan\j, and other industrialized nations to develop a similar constructive program to combat global warming. In Washington, meanwhile, the threat of global warming is the focus of the agenda when more than 100 \Jtelevision\j \Jweather\j forecasters attend a one-\Jday\j \JWhite House\j conference hosted by President Clinton. \I(Europe, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Indian Gul Mohammed, who in 1992 entered the \IGuinness Book of World Records\i as the world's shortest man, dies aged 36. Mohammed measured 22.1 inches, and was a chronic smoker who had been treated by doctors for 10 years. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Despite United States condemnation of a $US2 billion \Jnatural gas\j contract signed between \JIran\j and the French oil firm, Total, \JFrance\j vows to continue dialogue with \JIran\j, saying it desires good relation with Washington, but insisting that US law prohibiting investment in \JIran\j does not apply outside the United States. \JFrance\j's strong stance is seconded by \JRussia\j, which also has a stake in the deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Cosmonaut Vladimir Titov becomes the first Russian to walk in space from an American shuttle when he engages in a five-hour spacewalk with \Jastronaut\j Scott Parazynski outside the shuttle Atlantis, which is moored at the Mir space station. As part of the walk, the two men scale Mir's docking module to retrieve four US science experiments placed there in 1995. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The European Commission publishes a feasibility study for a planned 15 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2010, challenging the United States, \JJapan\j, and other industrialized nations to develop a similar constructive program to combat global warming. In Washington, meanwhile, the threat of global warming is the focus of the agenda when more than 100 \Jtelevision\j \Jweather\j forecasters attend a one-\Jday\j \JWhite House\j conference hosted by President Clinton. \I(Europe, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
At a meeting of \JNATO\j defense ministers, \JFrance\j outlines its position in terms of the organization, declining to rejoin \JNATO\j's military structure, but agreeing to participate in allied activities such as peacekeeping. \JFrance\j has specifically linked its military reintegration with a demand for European leadership of \JNATO\j's southern command, but the United States has refused to surrender the post. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
The United States Senate Finance committee votes its support for a compromise bill to give President Clinton special powers to negotiate international trade deals. The bill is consistent with Clinton's objectives for "fast-track" trade negotiation authority, which would allow him to negotiate trade agreements that cannot be altered by Congress. \I(USA)\i
The United States Senate passes legislation banning imports of goods produced by forced child labor, at the same time extending a 1930 tariff law that bans goods made with indentured or convict labor to ensure that the legislation covers children in bonded work. Child labor activists have estimated that up to $US100 million worth of goods that are the product of forced child labor, such as rugs and carpets, enter the United States each year. \I(USA)\i
Speaking before a Senate subcommittee, cancer experts accuse the United States Government and the National Cancer Institute of minimizing the health risk to millions of Americans exposed to \Jradioactive fallout\j from Nevada desert nuclear tests in the 1950s. Citing studies conducted in 1990 and 1993, the experts show an eight-fold risk of children under 19 dying from leukemia, and a three-fold risk of thyroid cancer for those exposed to radioactive \Jiodine\j. \I(USA)\i
Two major studies conclude that radiation therapy dramatically reduces the risk of death from breast cancer when combined with conventional \Jchemotherapy\j. A Canadian study finds that radiation therapy cuts the death rate by 29 per cent; a Danish study finds that 54 per cent of women who received radiation therapy were still alive after 10 years, compared with only 45 per cent of women who did not receive the treatment. \I(Canada, Denmark)\i
Paula Jones announces that she has hired the \JDallas\j law firm of Rader, Campbell, Fisher, and Pyke to take over her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton. The original lawyers withdrew from the case after Jones reportedly rejected a settlement offer of $US700,000. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel releases ailing 61-year-old Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of the militant Islamic group, Hamas, who was jailed eight years ago for plotting attacks against the Jewish state. Israel's surprise decision sparks outrage among Palestinian officials, who have repeatedly called for Sheikh Yassin's release, but now regard his secret transfer to Jordan as deportation, and thereby another assault against the Palestinian nation. \I(Israel, Palestine, Jordan)\i
In a dawn raid, hundreds of \JNATO\j-led peacekeeping troops seize four \Jtelevision\j transmitters used in a propaganda offensive against the Dayton peace accords by Bosnian Serb hardliners loyal to Pale-based indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Four members of a United Nations team investigating alleged massacres of refugees in the former Zaire are recalled after their attempts to begin work are frustrated. The UN team has been requesting to go to Mbandaka, where the refugees crossed the river to \JBrazzaville\j in neighboring \JCongo\j, but the request has been repeatedly denied. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JCongo\j)\i
Despite United States condemnation of a $US2 billion \Jnatural gas\j contract signed between \JIran\j and the French oil firm, Total, \JFrance\j vows to continue dialogue with \JIran\j, saying it desires good relation with Washington, but insisting that US law prohibiting investment in \JIran\j does not apply outside the United States. \JFrance\j's strong stance is seconded by \JRussia\j, which also has a stake in the deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JRussia\j)\i
In the wake of recent air strikes by Iranian warplanes, exiled Iranian opposition groups meeting in \JBaghdad\j vow to escalate their struggle to overthrow the Tehran Government. \I(Iran, \JIraq\j)\i
At a meeting of \JNATO\j defense ministers, \JFrance\j outlines its position in terms of the organization, declining to rejoin \JNATO\j's military structure, but agreeing to participate in allied activities such as peacekeeping. \JFrance\j has specifically linked its military reintegration with a demand for European leadership of \JNATO\j's southern command, but the United States has refused to surrender the post. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
Relations between \JRussia\j and the breakaway republic of \JChechnya\j suffer a major setback when Moscow's representatives to the region are expelled after the expiry of a deadline set by Chechen Vice-President, Vakha Arsanov, who was demanding flight clearance for an \Jaircraft\j carrying a Chechen delegation to \JAzerbaijan\j. Moscow refused to yield to the demand, having accused the Chechens of using such flights for the purpose of smuggling. \I(\JRussia\j, \JChechnya\j, \JAzerbaijan\j)\i
In a bid to reduce extremely high air \Jpollution\j levels, the French Government imposes unprecedented emergency restrictions on Paris traffic, allowing only vehicles with odd-numbered license plates on the roads, while offering commuters free public transport, and providing extra train and bus services to cope with the added demand. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Cosmonaut Vladimir Titov becomes the first Russian to walk in space from an American shuttle when he engages in a five-hour spacewalk with \Jastronaut\j Scott Parazynski outside the shuttle Atlantis, which is moored at the Mir space station. As part of the walk, the two men scale Mir's docking module to retrieve four US science experiments placed there in 1995. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The European Commission publishes a feasibility study for a planned 15 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2010, challenging the United States, \JJapan\j, and other industrialized nations to develop a similar constructive program to combat global warming. In Washington, meanwhile, the threat of global warming is the focus of the agenda when more than 100 \Jtelevision\j \Jweather\j forecasters attend a one-\Jday\j \JWhite House\j conference hosted by President Clinton. \I(Europe, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Two major studies conclude that radiation therapy dramatically reduces the risk of death from breast cancer when combined with conventional \Jchemotherapy\j. A Canadian study finds that radiation therapy cuts the death rate by 29 per cent; a Danish study finds that 54 per cent of women who received radiation therapy were still alive after 10 years, compared with only 45 per cent of women who did not receive the treatment. \I(Canada, Denmark)\i
#
"October 2, 1997",638,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Dujral, and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawar Sharif, use a recently activated \Jtelephone\j hotline to discuss this week's upsurge of artillery fire across the disputed Kashmir border, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people from both sides. The two leaders express their concern about the sudden escalation of hostilities, and vow to try to put an end to such incidents. \I(India, Pakistan)\i
A wind shift saves the Indonesian capital of Jakarta from the choking smoke from forest fires that has been blanketing much of Southeast Asia, with heavy rains also cleansing the skies over some other parts of the region. In \JSingapore\j, however, the smog overhead thickens, and the Government warns the ailing and the elderly to curtail outdoor activities. \I(Indonesia, \JSingapore\j, Southeast Asia)\i
The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) accuses the \JSingapore\j judiciary of being improperly compliant to the interests of the country's ruling People's Action Party (PAP). The accusation follows the \JSingapore\j High Court's ruling against Workers' Party leader, Joshua Jeyeretnam, in a libel suit brought by Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. Mr. Jeyeretnam was ordered to pay damages of $S20,000, which the ICJ regards as unduly harsh, given that he is still to face suits brought by 10 other PAP litigants. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, holds a five-hour meeting with the country's Roman Catholic bishops in a bid to resolve differences and prevent problems worsening. The church leaders have been instrumental in organizing recent protests against plans to extend the president's term in office. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Australia announces that it is currently completing an agreement with the \JPhilippines\j to combat sexual abuse of Filipino children. The agreement will require both countries to seek ways of combating the trafficking of Filipino minors to Australia. \I(Australia, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Lawyers for British nurse, Lucille McLauchlan, confirm that they have lodged an appeal on her behalf with the Islamic court in the eastern Saudi city of Khobar. Ms. McLauchlan was recently sentenced by the court to 500 lashes and eight years imprisonment for her role in the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. The lawyers also confirm that the case of the other accused, Deborah Parry, has been referred to a higher Saudi court without any information on a verdict. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United States Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter crashes into the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off the coast of Virginia. The radar intercept officer, who safely ejected before the crash, is picked up by a Navy \Jhelicopter\j, but a search for the pilot of the fighter continues. \I(USA)\i
Israel provokes international criticism over reports that Hamas leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, was released in exchange for two Mossad agents captured in Jordan last week after a failed attempt to assassinate senior Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal. Canada, in particular, is outraged over reports that the two Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents were using Canadian passports to pose as Canadian tourists, a situation denounced by Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, as completely unacceptable. \I(Israel, Jordan, Canada)\i
After replacing the craft's main computer and receiving an overnight transmission of software from ground controllers, the Russian-US crew of the Mir space station begins restarting the orientation system that keeps the ship's solar panels facing the \Jsun\j. It is hoped that the system will be fully operational before the US shuttle Atlantis undocks from Mir tomorrow to return to Earth. \I(USA, Russia)\i
American scientists reveal that the Global Surveyor \Jspacecraft\j has detected a giant chasm deeper than the Grand Canyon on Mars, along with evidence that an ocean bigger than the Pacific may once have existed on the red \Jplanet\j. \I(USA)\i
Thousands line the streets of \JRio de Janeiro\j to welcome Pope John Paul II, who is on a four-\Jday\j visit to \JBrazil\j, the world's biggest Catholic country. In his arrival statement, the Pope expresses hope that \JBrazil\j's religious heritage will help it resolve the plight of urban street children and the vast gap between the country's rich and the poor. \I(\JBrazil\j, \JItaly\j)\i
In a massive sweep of 18 northern \JCalifornia\j sites, United States law enforcement agents arrest ten members of the Luis Garcia-Fidel Carvajal organization, a Mexican ring believed responsible for smuggling hundreds of pounds of \Jcocaine\j into the \JSan Francisco\j Bay area. Prosecutors confirm that both Garcia and Carvajal are among those taken into custody. \I(USA)\i
The Cuban Government announces that the trial of American Walter Van der Veer will be closed to the media. Mr. Van der Veer is charged with crimes against state security, and faces the death penalty if convicted. \I(Cuba, USA)\i
In the Caribbean port of Santa Marta, a bomb intended for the armor-plated staff car carrying \JColombia\j's chief of the armed forces, General Manuel Jose Bonett, kills Santa Marta mayoral candidate, Rafael Zuniga, who is traveling in a separate vehicle. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
The Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center says \JTexas\j has accounted for more than half the executions carried out in the United States this year, with nationwide executions currently numbering 57, a figure exceeding the previous high of 56 in 1995. The center also says that since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, United States authorities have executed 235 whites, 152 blacks, 24 Hispanics, and four others. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, visits the ailing leader of the Islamic group Hamas in a Jordanian \Jhospital\j. Mr. Arafat welcomes yesterday's release of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin from an Israeli jail, but says that the Sheikh's exile in Jordan is unacceptable, and insists that he must be allowed to return to his home in the Gaza Strip. \I(Palestine, Jordan, Israel)\i
Israel provokes international criticism over reports that Hamas leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, was released in exchange for two Mossad agents captured in Jordan last week after a failed attempt to assassinate senior Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal. Canada, in particular, is outraged over reports that the two Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents were using Canadian passports to pose as Canadian tourists, a situation denounced by Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, as completely unacceptable. \I(Israel, Jordan, Canada)\i
Winnie Madikilzela Mandela, former wife of South Africa's President Nelson Mandela, tells a news conference that there is no credible evidence to support recent allegations against her, citing five witnesses she claims can vouch for her innocence. Ms. Mandela has been subpoenaed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer questions in connection with a number of murders, beatings, and kidnappings during the 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
Serbian riot police use batons and tear gas to break up a demonstration by some 20,000 ethnic \JAlbanian\j students in \JPristina\j, the capital of \JKosovo\j. Later faced with international criticism over the use of force against peaceful protesters, the Serbian Government says the students were demanding a separate university system within an independent republic. \JAlbanian\j schools and university courses have been closed since 1989, and an agreement last year to reopen them has not yet been implemented. \I(Serbia)\i
Congo's \Jcivil war\j threatens to involve the former Zaire after gunners in \JKinshasa\j shell neighboring \JBrazzaville\j in retaliation for the deaths of 21 people, who were killed when artillery fire crossed the Congo River separating the two capitals. The militia of Congo's ex-president, Denis Sassou Nguesso, has been battling President Pascal Lissouba's army in \JBrazzaville\j since June. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Congo)\i
In southern \JFrance\j, a bus en route to \JItaly\j topples off an overpass and onto a road 50 feet below, killing at least 12 people and seriously injuring another 30. Officials say most of the passengers were from Morocco. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Morocco)\i
After replacing the craft's main computer and receiving an overnight transmission of software from ground controllers, the Russian-US crew of the Mir space station begins restarting the orientation system that keeps the ship's solar panels facing the \Jsun\j. It is hoped that the system will be fully operational before the US shuttle Atlantis undocks from Mir tomorrow to return to Earth. \I(USA, Russia)\i
United Nations officials report that \JIraq\j has blocked UN weapons inspectors from three sites over the past few days, a lack of compliance which could result in additional sanctions against \JBaghdad\j. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Thousands line the streets of \JRio de Janeiro\j to welcome Pope John Paul II, who is on a four-\Jday\j visit to \JBrazil\j, the world's biggest Catholic country. In his arrival statement, the Pope expresses hope that \JBrazil\j's religious heritage will help it resolve the plight of urban street children and the vast gap between the country's rich and the poor. \I(\JBrazil\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, deflects media questions about his political intentions, triggering speculation that he may be planning to run for a third term in the year 2000. The 1993 Russian Constitution limits presidents to two terms, and Yeltsin has previously denied that he would seek re-election. \I(Russia)\i
Facing a year-end deadline for signing membership treaties with \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, and \JHungary\j, \JNATO\j confirms that the three former communist countries will have to bear most of the cost of improving their forces and \Jinfrastructure\j to join the alliance operations. \I(\JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j)\i
The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) accuses the \JSingapore\j judiciary of being improperly compliant to the interests of the country's ruling People's Action Party (PAP). The accusation follows the \JSingapore\j High Court's ruling against Workers' Party leader, Joshua Jeyeretnam, in a libel suit brought by Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. Mr. Jeyeretnam was ordered to pay damages of $S20,000, which the ICJ regards as unduly harsh, given that he is still to face suits brought by 10 other PAP litigants. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
Russian prosecutors launch a criminal investigation to determine whether a payment of $US100,000 received by the country's former privatization chief, Alfred Kokh, played a role in the success of Uneximbank, a large financial and industrial group, in gaining a stake in the State-owned telecommunications company, Svyazinvest. \I(Russia)\i
French investigators say it has been established that paint scrapes on the wreckage of the car in which Diana, Princess of Wales, and two others died came from a Fiat Uno, adding weight to their theory that the Mercedes struck another vehicle before striking a concrete pillar in the tunnel beneath the Pont de l'Alma. Earlier, investigators had identified remnants of a Fiat Uno rear brake light among fragments of the Mercedes' headlamp about 30 yards from the fatal crash site. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
Lawyers for British nurse, Lucille McLauchlan, confirm that they have lodged an appeal on her behalf with the Islamic court in the eastern Saudi city of Khobar. Ms. McLauchlan was recently sentenced by the court to 500 lashes and eight years imprisonment for her role in the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford. The lawyers also confirm that the case of the other accused, Deborah Parry, has been referred to a higher Saudi court without any information on a verdict. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
#
"October 3, 1997",639,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia revokes logging licenses of 29 timber companies implicated in starting the forest fires responsible for the dangerous pall of smog enveloping much of Southeast Asia. Indonesia's move follows an ultimatum to 176 companies to account for their actions after \Jsatellite\j pictures located fire hotspots on land licensed to the companies. \I(Indonesia)\i
Sri Lankan Tamil parties reject a Government plan to hold a series of referendums to determine geographical \Jdevolution\j of the country's north and east, saying enactment of such a plan will only aggravate the ethnic divide. The referendums are planned to follow proposed constitutional changes aimed at appeasing minority Tamil separatists by giving more powers to regional administrative units. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Senior Australian opposition politician, Senator Nick Sherry, attempts to commit suicide after being targeted in the escalating parliamentary travel expenses scandal, which has thus far resulted in the resignations of three Government ministers, and the dismissal of four members of Prime Minister John Howard's staff. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In response to this week's Iranian attacks on targets in \JIraq\j, the United States orders the \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i and six other warships to speed to the Gulf to back efforts to enforce the ban on flights over southern \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Iran, \JIraq\j)\i
Israel expresses regret when Canada recalls its Ambassador to Israel, David Berger, in protest against the use of forged Canadian passports by two Mossad agents detained in Jordan after an alleged attempt to assassinate Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal. \I(Israel, Canada)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis undocks from \JRussia\j's Mir space station, circling at a distance of 240 feet to capture pictures that may pinpoint the elusive leak in the station's damaged Spektr module. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Federal agents in the \JTexas\j border city of El Paso reveal that they have rounded up and deported 43 people over a two-week period. The agents say they are abiding by a new \Jimmigration\j law which allows deportation of resident aliens, who are not US citizens, if they have been convicted of a \Jfelony\j at any time. \I(USA)\i
In the second major beef recall in the United States in less than two months, the Department of Agriculture requests that Omaha-based BeefAmerica recalls 443,656 pounds of hamburger due to suspected contamination with a strain of E.coli \Jbacteria\j. \I(USA)\i
On the first full \Jday\j of his Brazilian trip, Pope John Paul II holds a private meeting with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Although no official comment is made on the nature of the talks, a controversial \Jabortion\j bill currently in Congress was expected to be on the agenda. \I(\JItaly\j, Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A powerful \Jearthquake\j, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, hits central \JItaly\j, causing further damage to the \Jbasilica\j of St. Francis in Assisi. No deaths are reported from the tremor, which was centered on the town of Colfiorito in Umbria, six miles from the epicenter of last week's twin quakes, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Israel expresses regret when Canada recalls its Ambassador to Israel, David Berger, in protest against the use of forged Canadian passports by two Mossad agents detained in Jordan after an alleged attempt to assassinate Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal. \I(Israel, Canada)\i
In response to this week's Iranian attacks on targets in \JIraq\j, the United States orders the \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i and six other warships to speed to the Gulf to back efforts to enforce the ban on flights over southern \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Iran, \JIraq\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, engages in battle with the opposition-dominated \JDuma\j over important economic reform laws, issuing a veiled threat to consider dissolving the parliament if the laws are not passed. \I(Russia)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis undocks from \JRussia\j's Mir space station, circling at a distance of 240 feet to capture pictures that may pinpoint the elusive leak in the station's damaged Spektr module. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
On the first full \Jday\j of his Brazilian trip, Pope John Paul II holds a private meeting with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Although no official comment is made on the nature of the talks, a controversial \Jabortion\j bill currently in Congress was expected to be on the agenda. \I(\JItaly\j, Brazil)\i
Trevor Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the Paris car crash which killed Diana, Princess of Wales, returns to Britain aboard a \Jhelicopter\j owned by his employer, Mohammed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi was also killed in the crash along with the driver, Henri Paul. Before leaving \JFrance\j, where he has been hospitalized for more than a month, Mr. Rees-Jones was still unable to give investigators any details of the August 31 crash. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
#
"October 4, 1997",640,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the third change of Government since elections in 1994, \JNepal\j's coalition of communists and monarchists collapses when Prime Minister, Lokendra Bahadur Chand, loses a no-confidence motion proposed by the main opposition Nepali Congress Party. \I(Nepal)\i
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have been waging a long-running separatist war against the Sri Lankan Government, deny any knowledge of a missing shipment of mortar-bombs bound for the Sri Lankan military from Zimbabwe. The consignment went missing in July, and the Government has suggested that the ship was hijacked by the Tamil rebels. \I(Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in \JFrance\j after a brief stop-over in Bosnia. Despite recent political differences over \JNATO\j leadership and \JFrance\j's \Jnatural gas\j deal with \JIran\j, Mr. Cohen says the US and French militaries would like to forge closer ties. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Bosnia)\i
A Pentagon decision to test-fire America's most powerful military \Jlaser\j against an aging Air Force \Jsatellite\j is approved by the State Department, which maintains that the experiment is for defense purposes only, and will not complicate the nation's arms control goals. \I(USA)\i
Twenty-seven people are arrested at \JFlorida\j's Cape Canaveral Air Station during a 1,200-strong demonstration against NASA's recently approved plan to launch the Cassini space probe on an 11-year mission to Saturn and its moons. The bus-sized Cassini carries a little over 72 pounds of \Jplutonium\j and will be launched on October 13 aboard a United States Air Force Titan 4B rocket. \I(USA)\i
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) releases its final crime figures for 1996. The figures show that serious crime in the United States has dropped for the fifth consecutive year, with an overall drop of 3 per cent from the previous year, and a 9 per cent drop in the number of killings. \I(USA)\i
In \JMexico City\j, a police officer is charged with \Jhomicide\j and 19 other officers are charged with abuse of authority following a September 8 shootout between police and alleged thieves in a poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires. At the end of the shootout, relatives say three young men were pushed into a police van and were never seen again. \I(Mexico)\i
Hundreds of thousands of men hold hands and pray at a six-hour revival meeting held on Washington's historic Mall by the male-only evangelical group, Promise Keepers. Promise Keepers has been America's fastest growing Christian evangelical movement in recent years, and its stated commitment to strengthening family bonds has been heartily endorsed by President Bill Clinton. \I(USA)\i
In a speech to the Brazilian people on the third \Jday\j of his visit, Pope John Paul II uses some of his strongest words ever to condemn \Jabortion\j, urging Roman Catholics to oppose what he describes as an abominable crime and the shame of humanity. \I(Brazil, \JItaly\j)\i
The world's most complete fossilized skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex, the carnivorous king of the dinosaurs, is auctioned at Sotheby's in New York. Following heated bidding, the Tyrannosaurus, dubbed "Sue" after discoverer Susan Hendrickson, is sold to The Field Museum of Natural History in \JChicago\j for $US7.6 million. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite the truce called by the Islamic Salvation Army, \JAlgeria\j's brutal insurgency continues, with witnesses reporting at least 105 people killed in 48 hours of random massacres and bombings. In one incident, sixteen schoolchildren and the driver were killed when armed assailants attacked a school bus. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Helicopters and lifeboats ferry more than 670 people to safety after the cruise ship \IRomantica\i catches fire 65 miles off the southern coast of Cyprus. The Cypriot ship was on a voyage to Port Said, \JEgypt\j, when fire broke out in the engine room and quickly began to spread to the rest of the vessel. \I(Cyprus, \JEgypt\j)\i
Israeli media reports link Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, with the failed attempt to assassinate Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, in the Jordanian capital of \JAmman\j. It is alleged that Mr. Netanyahu ordered the Israeli \Jsecret service\j organization, Mossad, to draw up a target list of Hamas leaders abroad. Israeli opposition legislator, Yossi Sarid, demands that parliament investigates what he derides as an "infantile decision" on the part of the prime minister. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
A spokesman for United Nations overseer, Carlos Westendorp, states that Bosnian Serb hardliners will have to sack their anti-Western propagandists if they want to get back on the air in Bosnia. The statement comes after \JNATO\j-led troops seized four transmitters in Pale because of biased and inflammatory \Jtelevision\j broadcasts. \I(Bosnia)\i
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have been waging a long-running separatist war against the Sri Lankan Government, deny any knowledge of a missing shipment of mortar-bombs bound for the Sri Lankan military from Zimbabwe. The consignment went missing in July, and the Government has suggested that the ship was hijacked by the Tamil rebels. \I(Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in \JFrance\j after a brief stop-over in Bosnia. Despite recent political differences over \JNATO\j leadership and \JFrance\j's \Jnatural gas\j deal with \JIran\j, Mr. Cohen says the US and French militaries would like to forge closer ties. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Bosnia)\i
In a speech to the Brazilian people on the third \Jday\j of his visit, Pope John Paul II uses some of his strongest words ever to condemn \Jabortion\j, urging Roman Catholics to oppose what he describes as an abominable crime and the shame of humanity. \I(Brazil, \JItaly\j)\i
Spain's Princess Cristina, the 32-year-old daughter of King Juan Carlos, marries 29-year-old Olympic \Jhandball\j player, Inaki Urdangarin. The glittering wedding ceremony in \JBarcelona\j's 700-year-old cathedral is attended by 1,400 guests, including Britain's Prince Edward, Monaco's Prince Rainier, and Queen Noor, wife of Jordan's King Hussein. \I(Spain, UK, Monaco, Jordan)\i
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine find that \IAnopheles plumbeus,\i a species of mosquito found throughout Britain, is capable of carrying and transmitting the tropical falciparum strain of \Jmalaria\j. Until now, it has been thought that all British mosquito species were unable to harbor the deadly tropical parasite, which kills more than 2 million people worldwide each year. \I(UK)\i
Controversial British historian and Elizabethan scholar, A.L. Rowse, dies aged 93 at his home in Cornwell. During his lifetime, Rowse published almost 100 books of scholarship, and achieved worldwide notoriety in 1987 when he claimed that the elusive Dark Lady of William Shakespeare's sonnets was the Elizabethan lord chamberlain's mistress, Emilia Lanier, a theory that continues to be challenged by academics. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 5, 1997",641,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
More than 180 people are killed and hundreds more are injured in a major three-hour battle between Sir Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels at Obbusudan, in the Mullaitivu district, 260 kilometers north of the capital of Colombo. The battle began when the rebels attacked a camp of soldiers supporting the Government's five-month offensive to capture a highway leading north toward the city of Jaffna. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
The joint construction of two nuclear reactors on North Korea's east coast is disrupted after South Korean workers throw a newspaper containing a photograph of the North's leader into a rubbish bin. North Korean authorities confine the South's workers to their quarters, and angrily demand an official apology for the insult, a stance which prompts the South to postpone the departure of a survey team to the site. \I(The Koreas)\i
Supporters of the opposition \JBangladesh\j Nationalist Party (BNP) stage a nationwide train and road blockade in a protest aimed at bringing down the 15-month-old Awami League Government of Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. As a consequence of the protesters' dawn-to-afternoon action, the capital of \JDhaka\j is cut off from the rest of the country and millions of people are stranded. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, denies speculation that he will resign over the country's deepening economic crisis, accusing the Western media of trying to oust him, and declaring that he will not be silenced in his attack on foreign financiers, who he blames for undermining the economies of all of Southeast Asia. \I(Malaysia, Southeast Asia)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto again apologizes to other regional nations for the choking smoke drifting across Southeast Asia from forest fires in \JSumatra\j and \JBorneo\j. A force of about 50,000 soldiers, rangers, and volunteers is currently engaged in an attempt to combat the fires. \I(Indonesia, Southeast Asia)\i
Following the resignation of three ministers over the travel expenses scandal, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces an overhaul of his ministry, which critics say draws too heavily on the conservative side of the Coalition, shifting the political balance further to the Right. \I(Australia)\i
Britain's Greg Rusedski defeats \JAustralia\j's Mark Philippoussis in the final of the Swiss Indoor Tennis Championships at Basle, a victory that advances Rusedski to No. 4 in the world rankings. \I(UK, \JAustralia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Spain's Alex Criville wins the Australian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Philip Island. \I(Spain, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j gives Justice Department investigators previously undisclosed videotapes of 44 \Jcoffee\j meetings with campaign donors hosted by President Clinton in 1995 and 1996. \JWhite House\j Counsel, Lanny Davis, insists that the tapes do not reveal any illegal activity on the part of Mr. Clinton, but simply augment information already provided to the investigators. \I(USA)\i
Astronaut Michael Foale spends another \Jday\j in space when thick \Jcloud\j prevents the nighttime landing of the United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis, which is bringing Foale back to Earth after his 41/2 month tour of duty on \JRussia\j's Mir space station. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Colombia's President Ernesto Samper summons the country's top military personnel to a "war council" after 28 policemen, soldiers, and judicial officials are killed in separate attacks within a space of 24 hours. Either right-wing paramilitaries or Marxist rebels are believed to be responsible for the attacks. \I(Colombia)\i
In \JRio de Janeiro\j, more than a million people attend the final Mass of Pope John Paul's Brazilian visit. The 77-year-old pontiff focuses on defending the family, an institution he describes as "the fundamental community of love and life". \I(Brazil, \JItaly\j)\i
Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam retains her LPGA Betsy King Classic title at Kutztown, \JPennsylvania\j, finishing with a 14-under 274 total. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
Hale Irwin wins the Vantage Champion at Clemmons, \JNorth Carolina\j, his eighth victory on the Senior PGA Tour this year, pushing his earnings for one season to a golfing record of $US2,023,864. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Amid opposition calls for an official inquiry and the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Government defends its right to fight \Jterrorism\j without compromise, but stops short of confirming that Israeli secret agents were responsible for the attempted assassination of Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal. Mr. Meshaal's ear was injected with poison by two men as he entered his office in the Jordanian capital of \JAmman\j on September 25, and his death was only averted when Israel was allegedly forced to supply the antidote. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
The World Health Organization headquarters in \JIraq\j, which houses an office for United Nations officials monitoring the oil-for-food program, is attacked by gunmen firing bullets and throwing grenades. The attack takes place after office hours, and United Nations officials react with outrage, pointing out that the property should have been protected by the Iraqi Government. \I(Iraq)\i
In \JRio de Janeiro\j, more than a million people attend the final Mass of Pope John Paul's Brazilian visit. The 77-year-old pontiff focuses on defending the family, an institution he describes as "the fundamental community of love and life". \I(Brazil, \JItaly\j)\i
Italian and Polish Catholic bishops consecrate St. Joseph's Church, a new church constructed near the site of the former World War II \JAuschwitz\j \Jconcentration camp\j in memory of the victims of the Nazis. \I(\JItaly\j, \JPoland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Astronaut Michael Foale spends another \Jday\j in space when thick \Jcloud\j prevents the nighttime landing of the United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis, which is bringing Foale back to Earth after his tour of duty on \JRussia\j's Mir space station. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
A study co-ordinated by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in Oxford concludes that the risk of contracting breast cancer is 2.3 times higher among women who are receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT), with the overall risk 35 per cent higher for women who receive HRT, on average, for 11 years. The four-year study, which pooled data from more than 40 previous research projects involving more than 60,000 women, was specifically designed to resolve the debate about HRT's links to breast cancer. \I(UK)\i
A revised edition of \IDiana, Her True Story,\i the controversial 1992 \Jbiography\j of the late Princess of Wales, is withdrawn from sale at Harrods department store on the order of owner, Mohammed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi was killed in the August 31 Paris car crash with Diana. Author Andrew Morton's recent revelation that Diana herself was the primary source of information for his book has also distressed and angered \JBuckingham Palace\j and members of the Spencer family, who are considering taking legal action. The British Red Cross, meanwhile, says it will not accept an offered donation from the profits of the revised book, which now contains an 18,000-word transcript of tape recordings made by the Princess. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam retains her LPGA Betsy King Classic title at Kutztown, \JPennsylvania\j, finishing with a 14-under 274 total. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
Britain's Greg Rusedski defeats \JAustralia\j's Mark Philippoussis in the final of the Swiss Indoor Tennis Championships at Basle, a victory that advances Rusedski to No. 4 in the world rankings. \I(UK, \JAustralia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Spain's Alex Criville win the Australian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Philip Island. \I(Spain, Australia)\i
#
"October 6, 1997",642,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Preparing the ground for the Sino-US summit later this month, China's Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Development, Wu Yi, calls on the United States to end the annual review of China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status, adding that economic ties between the two nations will only improve when trade is divorced from other political issues. \I(China, USA)\i
Indonesia's Soeharto Government comes under increasing criticism, both regional and internal, over its handling of the forest fire emergency. The country's biggest Islamic organizations call on the Government to act more decisively, and to deal with the problems of corruption and collusion behind the crisis. \I(Indonesia)\i
President Clinton hosts a conference of scientists, economists, and business leaders at \JGeorgetown\j University to discuss the issue of global warming, due to be debated in December at an international climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j. President Clinton says the United States will be asking for meaningful but equitable commitments from all nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Street children gather in the Sri Lankan capital to demand the right to go to school.
The organizer of the demonstration, World Vision Lanka, says there is no state program to assist the estimated 20,000 street children who live in Colombo and other major towns. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
The latest data released by China's State Statistical Bureau indicates that the urban population has reached more than 500 million, or 43 per cent of its total population, a marked contrast to the early 1980s, when peasants accounted for around 85 per cent of the nation. \I(China)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh arrive in Islamabad for a two-week state visit to \JPakistan\j and India, the first the Queen has undertaken to the sub-continent since 1983. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Professor Stanley Prusiner, a biochemist at the University of \JCalifornia\j in \JSan Francisco\j, wins the 1997 Nobel Prize for Medicine for his pioneering work on deadly proteins known as prions, which are thought to be the cause of brain-wasting illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. \I(USA)\i
The International Court of Justice in the Hague announces that it will hear a dispute among \JLibya\j, Britain, and the United States over the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. London and Washington are demanding the \Jextradition\j of two Libyans suspected of planting a bomb on the plane, but Libya is asking the court to rule against the demand. \I(The Netherlands, Libya, UK, USA)\i
Preparing the ground for the Sino-US summit later this month, China's Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Development, Wu Yi, calls on the United States to end the annual review of China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status, adding that economic ties between the two nations will only improve when trade is divorced from other political issues. \I(China, USA)\i
At a joint news conference, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and French Defense Minister, Alain Richard, confirm their resolve to cement close security ties between Paris and Washington, despite their disagreement over the French company Total's $US2 billion \Jnatural gas\j deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j)\i
Three United States citizens appear in a federal court in northern Virginia on charges of spying for East \JGermany\j in the years before the end of the \JCold War\j. It is alleged that the three were ideologically motivated, and were recruited by East \JGermany\j during their student days at the University of \JWisconsin\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
After a one-\Jday\j delay because of unfavorable \Jweather\j, the United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis lands at Cape Canaveral, returning NASA \Jastronaut\j, Michael Foale, from his 41/2 month mission on board \JRussia\j's Mir space station. Back on Mir, meanwhile, a cargo craft fails to undock from the station, forcing a delay in the arrival of another craft bringing fresh supplies. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
President Clinton hosts a conference of scientists, economists, and business leaders at \JGeorgetown\j University to discuss the issue of global warming, due to be debated in December at an international climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j. President Clinton says the United States will be asking for meaningful but equitable commitments from all nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
A political storm brews over the release of videotapes showing campaign contributors attending informal \Jcoffee\j meetings at the \JWhite House\j between August 1995 and 1996, with Republicans accusing the \JWhite House\j of obstruction because of the delay in handing over the tapes to the Justice Department, and President Clinton insisting that the tapes' belated discovery was an unintentional oversight. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton wields his line-item veto to rule out 38 United States military construction projects worth $US286.7 million. It is the second time that Mr. Clinton has used his veto power, which has been sought by US presidents for decades. \I(USA)\i
Emerging from a three-hour "war council" with President Ernesto Samper and senior military commanders, \JColombia\j's military chief, General Manuel Jose Bonett, confirms that he is anticipating a surge in urban \Jterrorism\j as leftist rebels attempt to sabotage upcoming elections, but will boost intelligence operations in the cities in a bid to avert the attacks. A total of 28 security officials have already been killed in separate attacks over a period of 24 hours. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Jordan releases two Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents held since the attempted assassination of Hamas Chief, Khaled Meshaal, after Israel allows freed Hamas spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, to return to his home in Gaza. As part of the exchange for the two Mossad agents, Israel also frees 20 Palestinian and Jordanian prisoners, and announces that a further 50 prisoners will be released in the next two weeks. \I(Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
Ten Bosnian Croat war crimes suspects voluntarily surrender and are taken into custody by the Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal in the Hague. Among the ten is leading Bosnian Croat politician, Dario Kordic, one of the tribunal's most wanted men. \I(Bosnia, Yugoslavia, The Netherlands)\i
The International Court of Justice in the Hague announces that it will hear a dispute among \JLibya\j, Britain, and the United States over the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. London and Washington are demanding the \Jextradition\j of two Libyans suspected of planting a bomb on the plane, but Libya is asking the court to rule against the demand. \I(The Netherlands, Libya, UK, USA)\i
Iraqi officials announce the arrest of an Iranian intelligence agent who allegedly took part in yesterday's armed attack on the \JBaghdad\j office of the World Health Organization. \I(Iraq, Iran)\i
The electoral turnout for \JSerbia\j's presidential run-off between Socialist Party candidate, Zoran Lilic, and Radical Party candidate, Vojislav Seselj, fails to reach the required 50 per cent threshold, thereby invalidating the results. New elections will now have to be called. \I(\JSerbia\j)\i
Three United States citizens appear in a federal court in northern Virginia on charges of spying for East \JGermany\j in the years before the end of the \JCold War\j. It is alleged that the three were ideologically motivated, and were recruited by East \JGermany\j during their student days at the University of \JWisconsin\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
After a one-\Jday\j delay because of unfavorable \Jweather\j, the United States \Jspace shuttle\j Atlantis lands at Cape Canaveral, returning NASA \Jastronaut\j, Michael Foale, from his 41/2 month mission on board \JRussia\j's Mir space station. Back on Mir, meanwhile, a cargo craft fails to undock from the station, forcing a delay in the arrival of another craft bringing fresh supplies. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
At a joint news conference, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and French Defense Minister, Alain Richard, confirm their resolve to cement close security ties between Paris and Washington, despite their disagreement over the French company Total's $US2 billion \Jnatural gas\j deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j)\i
After more than three years of negotiations, \JRussia\j agrees to release a dossier of personal and official documents relating to British prisoners of war, which was compiled by the Germans over 50 years ago, and taken to Moscow by the Soviet Army after the capture of Berlin. The documents include diaries and letters, as well as administrative records, and will be of great emotional and historical significance to Britain. \I(\JRussia\j, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh arrive in Islamabad for a two-week state visit to \JPakistan\j and India, the first the Queen has undertaken to the sub-continent since 1983. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
#
"October 7, 1997",643,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Surya Bahadur Thapa, the 69-year-old leader of a small royalist party, is sworn in as \JNepal\j's fourth prime minister in three years after playing an instrumental role in bringing down a 6-month-old coalition government dominated by the Communist Party and the National Democratic party. \I(\JNepal\j)\i
The Indonesian Government says it is gathering evidence for legal action against 29 \Jforestry\j companies accused of illegal burning to clear land in \JSumatra\j and \JBorneo\j. Meanwhile, Australian aerial \Jwater\j bombing teams begin their assault on Indonesia's forest fires from the southern Sumatran province of Lampung, where visibility through smoke clouds is adequate for the \Jaircraft\j to operate. \I(Indonesia, Australia)\i
Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry says further heavy battles between security forces and Tamil Tiger rebels have raised the total death toll to at least 532 since the Government began its offensive to clear a land route to the north. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Reports from \JAfghanistan\j confirm that the anti-Taliban alliance has captured the strategic town of Hairaton, which is located on the border of \JAfghanistan\j and Uzbekistan. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Uzbekistan)\i
The \JPhilippines\j Supreme Court is forced to issue a temporary restraining order against further \Jgasoline\j price increases after protesting bus drivers stage a strike that strands hundreds of thousands of commuters. The oil companies say they have been forced to raise prices because of the depreciation of the Philippine peso, which has lost 34 per cent of its value since July. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The secretary-general of South Korea's ruling New Korea Party, Kang Sam-jae, accuses leading opposition presidential candidate, Kim Dae-jung, of having accumulated millions of dollars in secret slush funds under false or borrowed names. The opposition National Congress for New Politics angrily rejects the accusation as a desperate smear campaign against its popular party leader, and threatens Mr. Kang with legal action. \I(South Korea)\i
Officials from the United States and South Korea begin meetings to investigate claims by South Korean inspectors that some of September's shipments of US beef to South Korea were contaminated with a potentially lethal strain of E.coli \Jbacteria\j. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
The Australian Government calls for a review of Athletics Australia's appointment of Berlin-based Ekkart Arbeit as Australia's new head \Jathletics\j coach. The appointment of the former East German coach is the subject of widespread controversy because of doubts over Mr. Arbeit's role in the systematic administering of performance-enhancing drugs to East German athletes during the 1980s. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Russian-US crew of the troubled Mir space station locates an unremoved locking device which prevented the uncoupling of an unmanned cargo ship yesterday, and caused the postponement of an incoming cargo vessel. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Officials from the United States and South Korea begin meetings to investigate claims by South Korean inspectors that some of September's shipments of US beef to South Korea were contaminated with a potentially lethal strain of E.coli \Jbacteria\j. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
Astronomers using NASA's \JHubble Space Telescope\j identify a celestial body they dub the "Pistol Star", which is 10 million times more powerful than the \Jsun\j, and possibly the biggest and brightest star in the known universe. The astronomers explain that it cannot be seen with the naked eye because of interstellar dust between the Earth and the center of the \JMilky Way\j, where the huge star is located. \I(USA)\i
Los Angeles-based Martin Poll Films announces that it has acquired the film rights to the controversial revised edition of Andrew Morton's book, \IDiana, Her True Story,\i and plans to start production next year. Mr. Poll's company made the 1993 four-hour \Jtelevision\j mini-series based on the original edition of the book. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Central \JItaly\j is struck by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale, the fourth powerful quake in less than two weeks, with the epicenter again in Umbria, and the 13th century \Jbasilica\j of St. Francis in Assisi suffering further damage. The tremor is also felt 60 miles away in \JRome\j, and experts fear that the capital's ancient monuments and art treasures will likewise be at risk if the epicenter moves closer. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In \JBelfast\j, Northern Ireland's rival factions begin the first round of talks dealing with structures to ease tensions in the British-ruled province. It is the first time since Ireland was partitioned in 1921 that the pro-British and pro-Irish parties have engaged in a constructive business-like meeting. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announces that an inquiry will be held into the bungled assassination attempt of senior Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal, in \JAmman\j, Jordan, which is understood to have been carried out by two Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents. The inquiry is immediately denounced by the opposition as a \Jfraud\j, and an attempt to whitewash one of the most serious foul-ups ever made. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
Former French \JVichy\j Government official, Maurice Papon, 87, formally surrenders on the eve of his trial for crimes against humanity during World War II. Mr. Papon is accused of ordering the handover of more than 1,500 \JBordeaux\j Jews to the Nazis between 1942 and 1944. Most were later gassed at \JAuschwitz\j \Jconcentration camp\j in \JPoland\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JPoland\j)\i
Despite a powerful appeal by Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, the allied Communist Refoundation party rejects the Government's controversial deficit-cutting budget proposals, leaving Mr. Prodi's center-left coalition without a majority in the lower house of parliament. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Russia's Communist-led State \JDuma\j, the lower house of parliament, heads for a showdown with President Boris Yeltsin by announcing that it will seek a no-confidence vote in the Government over its unsatisfactory economic reform program. The announcement comes after President Yeltsin covertly threatened to dissolve the opposition-dominated \JDuma\j unless it stopped blocking economic privatization. \I(Russia)\i
Richard Butler, head of the United Nations Special Commission to rid \JIraq\j of weapons of mass destruction, reports progress in the country's ballistic and chemical weapons programs, but says \JBaghdad\j is restricting his inspection teams and concealing vital data pertaining to biological arms. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
The Russian-US crew of the troubled Mir space station locates an unremoved locking device which prevented the uncoupling of an unmanned cargo ship yesterday, and caused the postponement of an incoming cargo vessel. \I(Russia, USA)\i
The Australian Government calls for a review of Athletics Australia's appointment of Berlin-based Ekkart Arbeit as Australia's new head \Jathletics\j coach. The appointment of the former East German coach is the subject of widespread controversy because of doubts over Mr. Arbeit's role in the systematic administering of performance-enhancing drugs to East German athletes during the 1980s. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
Los Angeles-based Martin Poll Films announces that it has acquired the film rights to the controversial revised edition of Andrew Morton's book, \IDiana, Her True Story,\i and plans to start production next year. Mr. Poll's company made the 1993 four-hour \Jtelevision\j mini-series based on the original edition of the book. \I(USA, UK)\i
#
"October 8, 1997",644,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the first dynastic succession of power in a Communist state, Kim Jong Il, 55, is formally proclaimed General Secretary of North Korea's ruling Worker's Party, partially filling a three-year leadership vacuum left by the death of his father, Kim Il Sung, in July 1994. The post of state president, which was also occupied by Kim Il Sung, still remains vacant. \I(North Korea)\i
In his first major policy speech, Hong Kong's post-colonial leader, Tung Chee-hwa, unveils an ambitious program aimed at moving the territory into the information age. To achieve his aim, Mr. Tung plans major reforms of Hong Kong's education system, allocating an increase of 38 per cent to the total education budget. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Indonesia discloses that it has called in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an attempt to staunch the slide of its currency, which is threatening some of the country's biggest conglomerates. The Indonesian rupiah has lost more than 36 per cent of its value since mid-August, with a concurrent drop of almost 35 per cent in stock values. \I(Indonesia)\i
The United States designates 30 foreign groups as terrorist organizations whose members or representatives are to be denied funds and US visas. Included on the list are a range of Palestinian groups, two Jewish organizations, and \JSri Lanka\j's Tamil separatists. The Irish Republican Army is not included, but remains under review. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel, \JSri Lanka\j, Northern Ireland)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II addresses a joint session of \JPakistan\j's parliament in Islamabad, urging \JPakistan\j and India to renew efforts to settle their differences. The Queen's state visit to the region marks the 50th year of both countries' independence from Britain. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
United States Commerce Secretary, William Daley, estimates that China's trade surplus with the US will swell to $US44 billion this year, a trend he condemns as unacceptable, and one that must change. Mr. Daley's remarks precede this month's Sino-US summit, at which bilateral trade is expected to be a major item on the agenda. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Hurricane Pauline ravages southern Mexico, with fierce sheets of horizontal rain destroying homes, stranding towns, and cutting communications, and waves up to 30 feet high swamping the beaches of southern Oaxaca State and flooding the main coast highway. \I(Mexico)\i
A Scenic Airlines single-engine Cessna 208 crashes about 20 miles from southwestern \JColorado\j's Montrose airport shortly after takeoff. The plane, which was completely destroyed, was carrying the pilot and eight employees of the Federal Government's Bureau of Reclamation. \I(USA)\i
The United States designates 30 foreign groups as terrorist organizations whose members or representatives are to be denied funds and US visas. Included on the list are a range of Palestinian groups, two Jewish organizations, and \JSri Lanka\j's Tamil separatists. The Irish Republican Army is not included, but remains under review. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel, \JSri Lanka\j, Northern Ireland)\i
United States Commerce Secretary, William Daley, estimates that China's trade surplus with the US will swell to $US44 billion this year, a trend he condemns as unacceptable, and one that must change. Mr. Daley's remarks precede this month's Sino-US summit, at which bilateral trade is expected to be a major item on the agenda. \I(USA, China)\i
Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average plunges 83 points following warnings from Federal Reserve Board Chairman, Alan Greenspan, that the US economy has been on an unsustainable track, and that it would be unrealistic to expect a continuation of stock market gains anything like those of the past two years. \I(USA)\i
After a hearing lasting more than eight weeks, the United States Army orders a court martial for 29-year-old Sergeant-Major Gene McKinney, the service's highest-ranking enlisted man, on sexual harassment charges brought against him by six female servicewomen. \I(USA)\i
A South Carolina jury finds the Chrysler Corporation negligent in the design and testing of a 1985 Dodge minivan, and orders that it pay damages of $US262.5 million to the family of a six-year-old boy who was killed when he was thrown out of the vehicle after the rear door latch failed under impact. The payment is the largest ever awarded against a car manufacturer, and Chrysler officials say they plan to appeal the ruling. \I(USA)\i
United States scientists report that the Mars Pathfinder \Jspacecraft\j has provided them with strong evidence that there was once \Jwater\j on the red \Jplanet\j, the basic ingredient for creating and sustaining life. \I(USA)\i
Cuban President Fidel Castro delivers a dramatic six-hour, 43-minute opening speech to delegates of the Cuban Communist Party's first congress in six years, dampening rumors about his dwindling stamina and concentration that have been circulating since early this year. \I(Cuba)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In their first summit for eight months, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, meet for two-and-a-half hours of talks on the Gaza-Israel border, both pledging their resolve for a fresh start in peacemaking. Just hours later, four Israeli soldiers are killed and nine are wounded when Hezbollah fighters launch a series of attacks inside Israel's south \JLebanon\j occupation zone. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JLebanon\j)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II addresses a joint session of \JPakistan\j's parliament in Islamabad, urging \JPakistan\j and India to renew efforts to settle their differences. The Queen's state visit to the region marks the 50th year of both countries' independence from Britain. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
NATO deploys peacekeeping troops to the Bosnian Serb village of Tromedja to prevent possible violence during a confrontation between police loyal to Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, and police loyal to indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Ten Bosnian Croats appearing before a United Nations tribunal in The Hague plead not guilty to war crimes against Bosnian Muslims. The most prominent of the ten, Bosnian Croat political leader, Dario Kordic, denies charges of responsibility for the persecution and killing of hundreds of Muslim civilians in the Lasva Valley area of central Bosnia in 1993. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
On the opening \Jday\j of his trial for crimes against humanity during World War II, former French \JVichy\j Government official, Maurice Papon, 87, appeals to be allowed to stay out of prison during proceedings because of a heart ailment. Papon is accused of ordering the handover of more than 1,500 Jews to the occupying Nazis between 1942 and 1944. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
The United States designates 30 foreign groups as terrorist organizations whose members or representatives are to be denied funds and US visas. Included on the list are a range of Palestinian groups, two Jewish organizations, and \JSri Lanka\j's Tamil separatists. The Irish Republican Army is not included, but remains under review. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel, \JSri Lanka\j, Northern Ireland)\i
#
"October 9, 1997",645,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At estimated 2,000 mainland-born children face deportation from Hong Kong after a court rejects a legal challenge to a new \Jimmigration\j law, which demands that they must prove their status as children of Hong Kong residents before arriving in the territory. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Following two days of talks with Japanese trade officials, United States trade negotiators express disappointment over Japan's reluctance to honor promises in a 1995 trade accord and open up its car and parts markets to more foreign competition. \I(Japan, USA)\i
As the winds turn and scattered showers start to fall over \JSingapore\j and parts of \JMalaysia\j and northern \JIndonesia\j, the choking smog caused by \JIndonesia\j's forest fires begins to clear, with many cities in the region reporting the lowest air \Jpollution\j levels for weeks. There are no signs of improvement in southern areas, however, with at least four airports in \JSumatra\j and \JKalimantan\j still closed, and visibility down to 150 meters in some places. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry hails the inclusion of the Tamil Tiger separatist group on the United States' list of foreign terrorist organizations, saying it is a victory for Sri Lanka's foreign policy, and proof of strong and healthy bilateral relations with the United States. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The \JSingapore\j Government demands an apology from Australian lawyer Stuart Littlemore, a representative of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) who criticized a \Jdefamation\j judgment in favor of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Mr. Littlemore represented the ICJ as an observer at the trial of opposition leader, Joshua Jeyeretnam, who was found guilty of making defamatory remarks at a political rally. \I(\JSingapore\j, Australia)\i
Nepal's new Prime Minister, \JSurya\j Bahadur Thapa, and his three-party coalition win a vote of confidence boycotted by the main opposition United Marxist-Leninist party. The country's Constitution required Mr. Thapa to prove a parliamentary majority within 30 days of assuming office. \I(Nepal)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Hurricane Pauline continues its assault on Mexico, with torrential rain and winds of up to 150 miles per hour battering the Pacific tourist resort of Acapulco. At least 122 people are killed when buildings collapse and streets become raging rivers. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States warns \JIraq\j against continued violation of no-fly zones in the country's south, adding that the powerful US military contingent in the Gulf is prepared to enforce the United Nations ban. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Following two days of talks with Japanese trade officials, United States trade negotiators express disappointment over Japan's reluctance to honor promises in a 1995 trade accord and open up its car and parts markets to more foreign competition. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry hails the inclusion of the Tamil Tiger separatist group on the United States' list of foreign terrorist organizations, saying it is a victory for Sri Lanka's foreign policy, and proof of strong and healthy bilateral relations with the United States. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
President Clinton announces that eight major United States \Jfirearms\j manufacturers have agreed to fit child-safety locks on all new handguns, a move that will affect 80 per cent of handguns sold throughout the country. According to Government figures, some 1,500 children are accidentally shot each year. \I(USA)\i
Two police officers and a civilian are killed while trying to deactivate a bomb planted by rebels on a highway near Buenaventura, in western \JColombia\j. According to witnesses, the rebels fled after stopping traffic to plant the device. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses a Panama conference of 20 first ladies from \JSouth America\j. Mrs. Clinton calls for women around the world to play full parts in the political and economic lives of their countries, but suggests that advancing the political and economic rights of women could be more arduous than the building of the \JPanama Canal\j. \I(USA, Panama, \JSouth America\j)\i
With the eyes of the high-fashion world upon her, designer Donatella Versace shows her first collection for the Gianni Versace label in Milan, dedicating the glittering, celebrity-studded show to the founder of the internationally acclaimed fashion house, her brother Gianni, who was murdered in Miami three months ago. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Sotheby's announces that a black \Jchalk\j drawing by \JMichelangelo\j is to be sold in New York on January 28 next year. \IChrist and the Woman of Samaria\i is one of the few \JMichelangelo\j drawings in private hands, and only the second of his works to be offered for sale in the past two decades. It is being sold by a Swiss foundation established by the late bibliophile, Martin Bodmer. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Italian playwright Dario Fo is awarded the 1997 Nobel Literature Prize for creating texts which expose social abuses and injustices with a blend of laughter and gravity. Seventy-one-year-old Do has written about 70 works, including \IAccidental Death of an Anarchist,\i which has been staged around the world. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
The United States warns \JIraq\j against continued violation of no-fly zones in the country's south, adding that the powerful US military contingent in the Gulf is prepared to enforce the United Nations ban. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (DRC) appeals for international help to prevent the civil conflict raging in the neighboring Congolese capital of \JBrazzaville\j from crossing the Congo river into \JKinshasa\j. Earlier, DRC troops fired retaliatory volleys of rockets across the river after shells from \JBrazzaville\j killed two soldiers guarding President Laurent Kabila's offices in \JKinshasa\j. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Congo)\i
Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, offers his resignation after his Communist allies refuse their support for his 1998 budget. Mr. Prodi and his Government are to stay on as caretakers until a solution to the situation is found. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, reveals that he is considering resigning over the botched assassination attempt of Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal. Mr. Levy says he was not consulted about the "damaging" operation by Mossad secret agents, and denounces Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for making such an unnecessary decision. \I(Israel)\i
Germany's central bank raises interest rates for the first time since July 1992, triggering interest rate rises in \JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, \JAustria\j, The Netherlands, and Denmark. With the exception of Denmark, all of the countries are strongly committed to a single European currency. \I(Germany, \JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, \JAustria\j, The Netherlands, Denmark)\i
A court-appointed panel of doctors recommends that Maurice Papon, the former French \JVichy\j Government official charged with crimes against humanity between 1942 and 1944, should be held in a \Jhospital\j rather than a prison for the duration of his trial, which is expected to last three months. Papon, 87, underwent triple bypass surgery last year, and has suffered an \Jangina\j attack since the proceedings began this week. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
\ISchloss Kammer am Attersee II,\i a landscape by Viennese master, Gustav Klimt, is sold at Christie's in London to an anonymous \Jtelephone\j bidder for ú14.5 million, more than double the price expected. Christie's says it is a record price for a Klimt, and makes it the most expensive work sold anywhere this year. \I(UK, \JAustria\j)\i
Sotheby's announces that a black \Jchalk\j drawing by \JMichelangelo\j is to be sold in New York on January 28 of next year. \IChrist and the Woman of Samaria\i is one of the few \JMichelangelo\j drawings in private hands, and is only the second of his works to be offered for sale in the past two decades. It is being sold by a Swiss foundation established by the late bibliophile, Martin Bodmer. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
With the eyes of the high-fashion world upon her, designer Donatella Versace shows her first collection for the Gianni Versace label in Milan, dedicating the glittering, celebrity-studded show to the founder of the internationally acclaimed fashion house, her brother Gianni, who was murdered in Miami three months ago. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
#
"October 10, 1997",646,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After 10 days of talks at Burnham military camp in \JNew Zealand\j, Bougainville rebels and the Papua New Guinean Government declare a truce in Bougainville's nine-year \Jcivil war\j, a conflict which has cost the lives of an estimated 10,000 people. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea)\i
North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, makes his first public appearance since his formal appointment as General Secretary of the Workers' Party, marking the party's 52nd anniversary with a visit to the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where the embalmed body of his father, founding leader Kim Il Sung, lies in state. \I(North Korea)\i
Cambodia's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, vehemently rejects suggestions that his Cambodian People's Party has been divided by the diplomatic and economic consequences of the July ousting of co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Hun Sen says that after the May 1998 polls, he intends to propose his candidacy for another term as Prime Minister in order to finally crush the Khmer Rouge guerrilla group and its allies. \I(Cambodia)\i
About 50 anti-riot police and another 200 security men clash with 300 workers in the southwestern Chinese city of Zigong, in Sichuan province. The workers were blocking traffic to protest against cuts in pay and benefits by their state-run radio factory. \I(China)\i
Former \JLahore\j High Court judge and senior member of the \JPakistan\j People's Party, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, is shot dead by gunmen in his office in \JLahore\j. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
All five crew members are killed when a Taiwanese military plane crashes while attempting to land in heavy rain at Tapei's domestic Sungshan Airport. \I(Taiwan)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin announces that his country will support an international treaty banning landmines, a reversal of the decision taken at last month's conference in Oslo, when Russia joined China and the United States in declining to sign the treaty. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
A group of 200 women parade through \JTokyo\j's streets to the music of k.d. lang in \JJapan\j's first gay march in support of lesbian rights. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines and its American coordinator, Jody Williams, are awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. Ms. Williams and the campaign are cited for starting a process which changed a ban on anti-personnel mines from a vision to a reality within a few years. In an interview later, Ms. Williams criticizes President Clinton's stance against the recently drafted accord to outlaw the deadly weapons, accusing him of allowing the military to set US foreign policy, but adding that she will be urging him to sign the treaty when it is ratified by 100 countries in \JOttawa\j in December. \I(USA, Canada)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin announces that his country will support an international treaty banning landmines, a reversal of the decision taken at last month's conference in Oslo, when Russia joined China and the United States in declining to sign the treaty. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
Seventy-five passengers and crew members are killed when an Argentine Austral airlines DC-9 crashes and explodes in Uruguay during a heavy rainstorm. The last contact with the plane was about 40 minutes earlier, when the pilot reported a change of course to avoid heavy rain and hail near Buenos Aires. \I(Argentina, Uruguay)\i
In the wake of Hurricane Pauline's devastating sweep across Acapulco and the coast of southern Mexico, the death toll remains undetermined with about 128 people confirmed dead, and hundreds more still missing. As the extent of the disaster becomes clearer, officials estimate that 20,000 people have been stranded without food, drinking \Jwater\j, or homes. \I(Mexico)\i
The first-ever secondhand smoke lawsuit to come to trial in the United States ends abruptly with the \Jtobacco\j industry agreeing to fund a $US300 million research foundation on secondhand smoke on international airline flights. The industry must also pay $US46 million in legal fees to lawyers for the 60,000 non-smoking flight attendants who collectively filed the suit, and who now have the right to file individual suits under the terms of the agreement. \I(USA)\i
At the Fifth Party Congress in \JHavana\j, \JCuba\j's Communist Party announces its decision to reduce the Central Committee from 225 members to 150, a reduction designed to make the committee more agile and more active, and to ensure the party's immunity from "ideological viruses". Later, in a closing speech, President Fidel Castro names his brother Raul as his successor, re-igniting rumors that the 71-year-old leader suffers from ill health. \I(\JCuba\j)\i
Canada receives a full written apology from Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, who vows that the use of forged Canadian passports by Israel will never happen again. The apology clears the way for the return to Israel of Canadian Ambassador, David Bergen, who was withdrawn by his Government after it was discovered that Mossad secret agents had used forged Canadian passports during an attempt on the life of Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, in Jordan last month. \I(Canada, Israel, Jordan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
European leaders from 40 nations gather at a two-\Jday\j Council of Europe summit in \JStrasbourg\j, \JFrance\j. The aim of the summit is to establish a European social model in defense of social rights and social cohesion, which will include joint action against organized crime and drug abuse, a ban on human \Jcloning\j, protection of ethnic minorities, and promotion of gender equality. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
Canada receives a full written apology from Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, who vows that the use of forged Canadian passports by Israel will never happen again. The apology clears the way for the return to Israel of Canadian Ambassador, David Bergen, who was withdrawn by his Government after it was alleged that Mossad secret agents had carried forged Canadian passports during an attempt on the life of Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, in Jordan last month. \I(Canada, Israel, Jordan)\i
Israel goes on high alert for \JYom Kippur\j, the holiest \Jday\j of the Jewish year, after receiving new intelligence warnings that the Islamic group Hamas will try to extract revenge for the attempted assassination of Khaled Meshaal. At the same time, reports emerge that King Hussein of Jordan has ordered the expulsion of the entire Israeli intelligence mission from the Jewish state's embassy in the Jordanian capital of \JAmman\j. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
Four Kenyan opposition members of parliament are beaten up and arrested by riot police breaking up a rally at Kamukunji. The opposition rally was called to snub Moi Day, the anniversary of President Daniel arap Moi's 19th year in power. \I(Kenya)\i
The \JCongo\j's \Jcivil war\j takes a dramatic turn when the treasury building and the international airport in the capital of \JBrazzaville\j fall to the Cobra militia, which supports former military ruler, Denis Sassou Nguesso. Diplomats and aid workers later report fighting around the riverside palace of President Pascal Lissouba, but cannot confirm any outcome. \I(\JCongo\j)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin announces that his country will support an international treaty banning landmines, a reversal of the decision taken at last month's conference in Oslo, when Russia joined China and the United States in declining to sign the treaty. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
A French court grants the request of 87-year-old Maurice Papon to be freed from jail for the duration of his trial, a decision that outrages the families of Jewish \Jholocaust\j victims. The ailing former \JVichy\j Government official is charged with signing the arrest orders which sent over 1,600 Jews from \JBordeaux\j to Nazi extermination camps between 1942 and 1944. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Following the results of a survey of passengers, British trains are to be fitted with "no-telephoning" carriages, the windows of which will be covered in metallic microfilm to prevent penetration of mobile phone signals. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 11, 1997",647,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong police spend the \Jday\j tearing down flags erected yesterday to celebrate "Double Ten", the anniversary of the October 10, 1911 revolution which brought the nationalists to power in China, and which has become \JTaiwan\j's semi-official national day. Defending the police action, Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, says a new \Jtreason\j law will be introduced next year making it a criminal offense to advocate the independence of \JTaiwan\j or \JTibet\j. \I(Hong Kong, \JTaiwan\j, China, \JTibet\j)\i
Continuing his attack on foreign currency speculators, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, reminds a 10,000-strong predominantly Muslim crowd that the much-berated American financier, George Soros, is a Jew, a comment which draws immediate protests from senior members of Malaysia's opposition party. \I(Malaysia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As the death toll from Hurricane Pauline rises to almost 200, Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, cuts short a state visit to \JGermany\j to return to his stricken country. At least 150 of the deaths are reported to have occurred in Acapulco, Mexico's most popular tourist resort, but no foreigners are included among the victims. \I(Mexico, \JGermany\j)\i
Iran schedules 10 days of naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf to coincide with the arrival of the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i, which has been sent to the Gulf ahead of schedule in response to Iranian air raids in the "no-fly" zone in southern \JIraq\j. \I(Iran, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
A casket containing the remains of legendary leftist guerrilla, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, goes on public display for three days inside the Jose Marti memorial in \JHavana\j's Revolution Square. Guevara was executed on October 9, 1967 after leading an abortive uprising in \JBolivia\j, but his remains were unearthed and returned to \JCuba\j in July this year. Guevara will finally be laid to rest in a specially built \Jmausoleum\j in Santa Clara on October 17. \I(\JCuba\j, \JBolivia\j)\i
As NASA makes final preparations for the launch of the nuclear-powered Cassini \Jspacecraft\j to the \Jplanet\j Saturn, anti-nuclear protesters continue their efforts to prevent it, arguing that the \Jplutonium\j powering the probe could cause a disaster on the ground if the launch is unsuccessful. NASA disagrees, claiming that the chances of a radioactive release during the first three and a half minutes after blastoff are 1 in 1,400, and 1 in 476 thereafter during the rocket's climb to \Jorbit\j. \I(USA)\i
Continuing his attack on foreign currency speculators, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, reminds a 10,000-strong predominantly Muslim crowd that the much-berated American financier, George Soros, is a Jew, a comment which draws immediate protests from senior members of Malaysia's opposition party. \I(Malaysia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shakes the region of Vrancea, 100 miles northeast of the Romanian capital of \JBucharest\j. There are no immediate reports of injury or damage. \I(Romania)\i
More than 50 civilians are brutally massacred in an ambush near the small town of Sig, 205 miles west of the Algerian capital, \JAlgiers\j. Authorities suspect that the Armed Islamic Group is responsible for the attack. \I(Algeria)\i
The \JKremlin\j amends President Boris Yeltsin's pledge yesterday to support an international treaty banning landmines, saying Mr. Yeltsin confirmed \JRussia\j's attitude in principle, but that certain conditions first need to be created before a date can be fixed to sign a global pact. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Iran schedules 10 days of naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf to coincide with the arrival of the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i, which has been sent to the Gulf ahead of schedule in response to Iranian air raids in the "no-fly" zone in southern \JIraq\j. \I(Iran, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Italy's Communist Party declares it is willing to compromise an order to end the political crisis caused by the resignation of Prime Minister, Romano Prodi. However, the Communists rule out negotiation on crucial cuts to employment and welfare programs proposed in the Prodi Government's budget. \I(Italy)\i
As the death toll from Hurricane Pauline rises to almost 200, Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, cuts short a state visit to \JGermany\j to return to his stricken country. At least 150 of the deaths are reported to have occurred in Acapulco, Mexico's most popular tourist resort, but no foreigners are included among the victims. \I(Mexico, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"October 12, 1997",648,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A \Jtornado\j sweeps through the town of Tongi, 20 kilometers from the \JBangladesh\j capital of \JDhaka\j, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500 others. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
New Delhi police use \Jwater\j cannons to disperse a crowd of protesters demanding that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II apologize for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in which 379 unarmed Indians were killed when British troops opened fire on a crowd. The protest comes ahead of the scheduled arrival of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh from neighboring \JPakistan\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, UK)\i
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk makes his strongest comments to date on the state of affairs in his troubled country, lamenting two decades of almost continuous \Jcivil war\j that has destroyed the economy and made life miserable for the "little people", and blaming the country's ills on "saboteurs" seeking to bring crowns of laurel to their heads. The 74-year-old ailing monarch says if he was not a Buddhist, he would kill himself because of the shame, humiliation, and desperation of the national order. \I(Cambodia)\i
In the penultimate round of the World Drivers' Championship, Michael Schumacher of \JGermany\j wins the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan, a win that positions him one point from the lead in the drivers' standings. \I(\JGermany\j, Japan)\i
In \JSingapore\j, Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden wins his first title of the season when he comes from behind to beat Nicolas Kiefer of \JGermany\j in the final of the Heineken Tennis Open. \I(\JSingapore\j, Sweden, \JGermany\j)\i
At Wentworth, England, Fijian golfer, Vijay Singh, wins the final of the World Matchplay by one stroke. \I(Fiji, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Fifty-three-year-old American singer-songwriter, John \JDenver\j, is killed when the experimental Long-EZ \Jaircraft\j he is flying nose-dives into the \JPacific Ocean\j off Monterey, \JCalifornia\j, disintegrating on impact. \JDenver\j, an experienced pilot, had purchased the plane the previous \Jday\j. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in Venezuela on the start of a week-long visit to \JSouth America\j, his first presidential trip to the region. While marking \JCuba\j as the exception, Mr. Clinton hails the economic and democratic growth of South American countries as an opportunity to bring the Americas together again. \I(USA, Venezuela, South America)\i
In the aftermath of Hurricane Pauline, the Mexican Red Cross recruits backup teams and private rescue groups equipped with specially trained dogs to assist in the search for more than 200 people who are still missing. Meanwhile, Mexican officials come under fire for failing to provide people with adequate warning that the deadly storm was approaching. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i arrives in the Persian Gulf to help enforce the "no-fly" zone over southern \JIraq\j. \INimitz\i carries 75 warplanes and is accompanied by six warships. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
After being placed on the recently released United States blacklist of 30 terrorist organizations, the Egyptian Muslim militant group, Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyya, accuses Washington of attacking Muslims and warns of retaliation. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
Iran reaffirms its support for the Islamic group Hezbollah, which has been included on the United States list of foreign terrorists. Hezbollah is Israel's most formidable enemy in \JLebanon\j. \I(Iran, USA, Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of \JIslam\j, calls on black Americans in more than 100 cities to stay home from work for a national \Jday\j of atonement aimed at showing whites the relevance of blacks to the country. The \Jday\j of atonement is set for October 16, the second anniversary of the Million Man March during which black men from around the country staged a show of solidarity in Washington. \I(USA)\i
White House counsel, Charles Ruff, shoulders the responsibility for the 4-\Jday\j delay in disclosing the existence of videotapes of President Clinton's \Jcoffee\j meetings with campaign contributors. At the same time, however, Mr. Ruff strongly denies any attempt to conceal information from Attorney General, Janet Reno. \I(USA)\i
A cross-generation crowd joins with musicians and speakers in \JSan Francisco\j's Golden Gate Park to mark the 30th anniversary of the "Summer of Love", an event which originally drew tens of thousands of young hippies from all over the United States for free love, psychedelic drugs, and music carrying the message of peace. \I(USA)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j claims her 11th WTA Tour title of the year when she defeats American Lisa Raymond in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand
Prix in Filderstadt, \JGermany\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, \JGermany\j)\i
American David Duval captures his first PGA Tour victory when he wins the playoff in the Michelob Championship at the Kingsmill Gold Club in Williamsburg, Virginia. \I(USA)\i
After a slow start, American Dave Eichelberger cards a four-stroke victory in the Transamerica Senior Golf Tournament at the Silverado Country Club in Napa, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Three sharp earthquakes, the strongest registering 4.5 on the Richter scale, shake central \JItaly\j, badly damaging a 15th-century bell tower above the city hall in Foligno, a town of Umbria already hit heavily by the September quakes. Assisi's famous St. Francis Basilica, which was damaged in the twin September 26 quakes, survives the latest tremors without further harm. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Three \JAlbanian\j children are killed while playing with a grenade which they found near their homes in Valias, six miles east of the capital, Tirana. Official figures in the country show that more than 20 children have been killed by grenade explosions this year, with a further 50 children killed by gunfire. \I(Albania)\i
Israeli investigators begin an inquiry into Mossad's abortive attempt to assassinate Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, in \JAmman\j, Jordan, last month. Meanwhile, amid the widespread outcry stemming from the fiasco, Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, staunchly insists that he has no intention of sacking Mossad \Jsecret service\j head, Danny Yatom. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
In Minsk, twenty people are arrested following a rally of 3,500 opposition members in protest against deteriorating living standards under \JBelarus\j President, Alexander Lukashenko. Speakers at the rally strongly criticized Mr. Lukashenko for allowing salaries and pensions to remain frozen while prices rose. \I(\JBelarus\j)\i
The United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i arrives in the Persian Gulf to help enforce the "no-fly" zone over southern \JIraq\j. \INimitz\i carries 75 warplanes and is accompanied by six warships. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Angola is accused of attacking \JCongo\j's economically strategic south in support of former military ruler, Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has been locked in civil conflict with Congolese President, Pascal Lissouba, since June. Meanwhile, soldiers of Sassou's Cobra militia patrol newly acquired gains in the Congolese capital of \JBrazzaville\j, confident that they are within days of taking the entire city. \I(Congo, Angola)\i
After being placed on the recently released United States blacklist of 30 terrorist organizations, the Egyptian Muslim militant group, Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyya, accuses Washington of attacking Muslims and warns of retaliation. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
Iran reaffirms its support for the Islamic group Hezbollah, which has been included on the United States list of foreign terrorists. Hezbollah is Israel's most formidable enemy in \JLebanon\j. \I(Iran, USA, Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
In the first legal judgment against Israel's nuclear research establishment, a Tel Aviv court finds that there have been at least three radioactive leaks at the controversial nuclear reactor, Dimona, and accuses its management of showing contempt for human life through lack of safety precautions. The court decision is on behalf of the family of a Dimona technician who died of cancer. \I(Israel)\i
One of the last working World War II German Messerschmitts crashes near a motorway while landing at an air show at Cambridgeshire, about 45 miles northwest of London. The pilot, Sir John Allison, a commander in Britain's air force, is trapped for 45 minutes but is not seriously injured. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
New Delhi police use \Jwater\j cannons to disperse a crowd of protesters demanding that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II apologize for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in which 379 unarmed Indians were killed when British troops opened fire on a crowd. The protest comes ahead of the scheduled arrival of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh from neighboring \JPakistan\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, UK)\i
Three days of DNA testing concludes in the French village of Pleine-Fougeres, with samples collected from 169 of the 170 men between the ages of 15 and 35. Authorities are hoping that the tests will determine whether one of the men killed 13-year-old British schoolgirl, Caroline Dickinson, in a youth hostel on July 18, 1996. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
In the penultimate round of the World Drivers' Championship, Michael Schumacher of \JGermany\j wins the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan, a win that positions him one point from the lead in the drivers' standings. \I(\JGermany\j, Japan)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j claims her 11th WTA Tour title of the year when she defeats American Lisa Raymond in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt, \JGermany\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, \JGermany\j)\i
After a three-hour battle between two of the game's hardest servers, \JCroatia\j's Goran Ivanisevic finally prevails over Britain's Greg Rusedski to take out the CA Tennis Trophy event in Vienna, \JAustria\j. \I(\JCroatia\j, UK, \JAustria\j)\i
In \JSingapore\j, Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden wins his first title of the season when he comes from behind to beat Nicolas Kiefer of \JGermany\j in the final of the Heineken Tennis Open. \I(\JSingapore\j, Sweden, \JGermany\j)\i
At Wentworth, England, Fijian golfer, Vijay Singh, wins the final of the World Matchplay by one stroke. \I(Fiji, UK)\i
#
"October 13, 1997",649,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After a 3-month trial, a South Korean court sentences President Kim Young Sam's second son, Kim Hyun Chul, to three years in jail and a fine of 1.4 billion won on charges of graft and tax evasion. \I(South Korea)\i
At the opening of an international population conference in \JBeijing\j, China defends its strict family planning policies, insisting that co-ordinating population controls with economic and environment resources is the only way the country can modernize. \I(China)\i
The editor of \JHanoi\j's \IDoanh Nghiep\i business newspaper, Nguyen Hoang Linh, is arrested on charges of violating national secrets laws after publishing details of a corruption scandal involving the purchase of four patrol boats by the Customs Office. \I(Vietnam)\i
After reporting initial success in fighting \JIndonesia\j's forest fires, the Ministry of Environment announces that hot dry winds have now caused a fourfold increase in the number of major fires. Elsewhere in the region, smog warnings are renewed as air \Jpollution\j levels once again begin to rise above the limit considered safe. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's state visit to India is marred by accusations of pro-Pakistani bias and interference in India's internal affairs. The accusations come after British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, offers Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, help in finding a "just solution" to the Kashmir dispute. \I(India, Pakistan, UK)\i
Health officials disclose that more than 10,000 people contracted hepatitis C after donating blood at a blood bank in Dantu city, central China. The blood bank was originally investigated by officials after it was discovered that "blood merchants" were taking groups of poor villagers there to sell their blood. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the wake of Hurricane Pauline's devastation of the coastal areas of Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexican authorities report three cases of \Jcholera\j and six cases of \Jdengue\j fever, an emergency that sets health workers frantically working to vaccinate thousands of Acapulco residents in the hope of preventing epidemics. \I(Mexico)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives on a visit to \JBrazil\j, telling a welcoming reception hosted by Brazilian President, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, that America offers Brazil the hand of friendship and a pledge of partnership. \I(USA, Brazil)\i
Iran stages a show of strength during war games in the Persian Gulf, vowing that its forces will react decisively to any act of aggression by the United States fleet led by \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i, which sped to the Gulf ahead of schedule after Iran violated the "no-fly" ban over southern \JIraq\j. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Britain and \JLibya\j face each other in the International Court of Justice. Britain is seeking a trial in Scotland for two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan American Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie in 1988, killing all 250 people on board and 11 people on the ground. Libya is maintaining its right to try the two men, and is asking for a ruling to that effect. \I(UK, Libya, USA)\i
Forty-three people are killed when a bus carrying elderly passengers on an outing plunges about 60 feet from the road into a deep ravine near St. Joseph-de-la-Rive along the Saint Lawrence River, about 60 miles northeast of Quebec City. \I(Canada)\i
Driving the same jet-engine Thrust SuperSonic Car in which he set a land speed record of 714 miles per hour three weeks ago, British fighter pilot, Andy Green, becomes the first person to break the sound barrier on land, producing an average speed of 762 miles per hour in two runs across Nevada's Black Rock Desert. However, Green misses out on setting a \Jsupersonic\j land speed record, failing by a minute to complete the two runs within one hour as stipulated by international racing rules. \I(UK, USA)\i
A \JCalifornia\j biotech company, Cell Genesys Incorporated, reports that it has discovered a way to genetically alter immune cells so that they seek out and kill other cells infected with the \JHIV\j virus, thereby eradicating the AIDS virus completely. Cell Genesys adds, however, that trials thus far have been conducted in a laboratory setting, and results from human trials are needed to determine if the treatment will work as effectively in practice. \I(USA)\i
Investigators suggest it could take months to determine the cause of the ultralight plane crash in which American singer, John \JDenver\j, was killed yesterday. Meanwhile, as tributes continue to pour in from the music industry and from fans all over the world, President Clinton expresses his sorrow, praising \JDenver\j for his "soaring music" and his environmental concerns. \I(USA)\i
In the first execution in \JColorado\j for 30 years, Gary Lee Davis, 53, is put to death by lethal injection for the torture and murder of 33-year-old mother of two, Virginia May. Although Davis repented, \JColorado\j Governor, Roy Romer, refused to grant clemency, basing his decision on the convicted man's substantial criminal record, and the heinous nature of the murder. \I(USA)\i
The World Wide Fund for Nature presents \Jsatellite\j research showing that the destruction of \JBrazil\j's Amazon \Jrainforest\j has accelerated alarmingly over the past years, far exceeding the rate in other countries. The organization argues that if forest destruction by man-made fires is not controlled, the environmental consequences will be devastating. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Tony Blair becomes the first British Prime Minister in 76 years to meet with Northern Ireland's republican leaders. Afterwards, Mr. Blair says he is "hugely encouraged" by the talks, and Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams also expresses hope, saying Mr. Blair is the only British Prime Minister to hear a first-hand account of the experience, analysis, and vision of Irish republicans, and to recognize the need for change. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Eleven policemen are shot dead by suspected Islamic militants in the southern Egyptian province of Minya. It is one of the heaviest death tolls suffered by police in a single \Jday\j since 1992, and coincides with the announcement that two men accused of killing nine German tourists last month are due to go on trial. \I(Egypt)\i
A year-old cease-fire is shattered when fighting erupts on several fronts between the rival militias of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party in northern \JIraq\j. A spokesman for \JIraq\j's United Nations coordinator describes the situation as serious. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Italy's political crisis ends when Communist leader, Fausto Bertinotti, agrees to support the deficit-cutting 1998 budget of Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Mr. Prodi tendered his resignation last week when the Communist Refoundation Party refused to back his proposals. \I(Italy)\i
Israel releases nine Arab prisoners to Jordan, part of a trade-off for the release of two Israeli secret agents detained after September's attempted assassination of Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal, in the Jordanian capital of \JAmman\j. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provokes opposition anger when he fails to attend a special session of parliament called to debate the backlash from the affair. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
Around 4,000 Palestinians attend a rally at the An Najah University in the West Bank city of Nablus to celebrate the homecoming of 61-year-old Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of the Islamic group, Hamas, who was released from an Israeli prison as part of the exchange deal for the two Mossad agents implicated in the attempted assassination of Khaled Meshaal in Jordan. \I(Palestine, Israel, Jordan)\i
Britain and \JLibya\j face each other in the International Court of Justice. Britain is seeking a trial in Scotland for two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan American Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie in 1988, killing all 250 people on board and 11 people on the ground. Libya is maintaining its right to try the two men, and is asking for a ruling to that effect. \I(UK, Libya, USA)\i
Iran stages a show of strength during war games in the Persian Gulf, vowing that its forces will react decisively to any act of aggression by the United States fleet led by \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz\i, which sped to the Gulf ahead of schedule after Iran violated the "no-fly" ban over southern \JIraq\j. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's state visit to India is marred by accusations of pro-Pakistani bias and interference in India's internal affairs. The accusations come after British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, offers Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, help in finding a "just solution" to the Kashmir dispute. \I(India, Pakistan, UK)\i
Almost a year ahead of the 1998 general election, German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, launches the longest election campaign in the country's history, stating his intention to stand for re-election as Chancellor, and urging members of his Christian Democratic Union party to muster some fighting spirit. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
After losing a general election last month, \JNorway\j's Prime Minister, Thorbjoern Jagland, announces that he will submit the resignation of his 12-month-old minority Labor Government. \I(\JNorway\j)\i
Britain comes under mounting pressure from the European Union to sign up to a single currency in 1999, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, remains non-committal about his country's time of entry into the European Monetary Union. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Driving the same jet-engine Thrust SuperSonic Car in which he set a land speed record of 714 miles per hour three weeks ago, British fighter pilot, Andy Green, becomes the first person to break the sound barrier on land, producing an average speed of 762 miles per hour in two runs across Nevada's Black Rock Desert. However, Green misses out on setting a \Jsupersonic\j land speed record, failing by a minute to complete the two runs within one hour as stipulated by international racing rules. \I(UK, USA)\i
A team of Oxford scientists discovers a new gene that interacts with another Alzheimer's gene, multiplying by 30 the chance of people over 65 developing the disease. The scientists say about 6 per cent of the white population carries both genes, and if they can discover how the interaction works, they may be able to develop a drug to interfere with it. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 14, 1997",650,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amid heavy security, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II visits the Sikh city of \JAmritsar\j, laying a wreath at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, where British troops massacred an unarmed crowd of Indians 78 years ago. Although the Queen does not offer an official apology for the slaughter, her earlier expression of regret is sufficient to avert a threatened protest by descendants of the victims. \I(India, UK)\i
Two Arab gunmen armed with grenades and automatic rifles attack one of the \JPhilippines\j' largest army camps situated on southern Mindanao island. In a 30-minute gunbattle, the two men succeed in killing three soldiers and wounding 10 others before being shot dead. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The Thai Government approves a comprehensive fiscal reform package aimed at restoring the country's financial stability. Under the terms of the package, which was designed with the help of the International Monetary Fund, two new bodies will be established to oversee ailing institution and take over bad debts, and authorities will have the power to intervene in company management before a crisis develops. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
The Philippine Supreme Court rejects the latest plea by the Pirma citizens group for a national \Jplebiscite\j to change the Constitution. It is the fourth time the court has ruled against the group, which is seeking the Constitutional change in order to allow President Fidel Ramos to run for a second term in office. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
At an international population conference in \JBeijing\j, China exhibits a mobile \Jabortion\j clinic, one of 600 fully-equipped white vans that the government plans to send cruising the countryside as part of its strict \Jbirth control\j policy. \I(China)\i
A worldwide study released by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies suggests that nearly 18 million people have been killed in wars and other armed conflicts between 1945 and 1994. According to the study, East Asia, Central and South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa account for more than 15 million of the fatalities. The study also shows that the world weapons market increased by eight per cent last year due to growing demand from the \JMiddle East\j and East Asia. \I(UK, Asia, Africa, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Thirty-seven-year-old Indian screenwriter, Arundhati Roy, is awarded Britain's prestigious Booker Prize for her debut novel, \IThe God of Small Things\i, which traces the history of southern India through the eyes of seven-year-old twins. \I(India, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, and Brazilian President, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, agree to launch comprehensive negotiations towards a Free Trade Area of the Americas at a summit of US and Latin leaders in April, 1988. \I(USA, Brazil)\i
Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, returns to hurricane-ravaged Acapulco to deal with complaints about distribution of fresh \Jwater\j, fears of \Jcholera\j, typhoid, and hepatitis epidemics, and mounting accusations of official corruption. \I(Mexico)\i
Crowds of Cubans line the streets of \JHavana\j as police and army officers escort the remains of revolutionary icon, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, on the start of a 190-mile journey through the Cuban countryside to Santa Clara, where his remains will be displayed for two days before being reburied in a special \Jmausoleum\j. \I(Cuba)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, announces that she has ordered an expanded Justice Department investigation into President Clinton's fundraising \Jtelephone\j calls from the \JWhite House\j, saying she has been unable to determine as yet whether sufficient evidence exists to warrant the appointment of an independent counsel. Ms. Reno's announcement follows a similar decision in relation to fundraising calls made by Vice-President, Al Gore. \I(USA)\i
The Nobel Prize in Economics is jointly awarded to Professor Robert Merton of \JHarvard University\j and Myron Scholes, professor emeritus of Stanford University. The two American economists are cited for devising a formula that laid the foundation for massive growth of markets in financial derivatives. \I(USA)\i
The United States Supreme Court decides not to review an Oregon state law that allows physician-assisted suicide in some cases. In 1994, Oregon became the first state to adopt such a law, but it has never taken effect because of legal challenges. \I(USA)\i
Flying an F-15 jet fighter from Edwards Air Force Base in \JCalifornia\j, 74-year-old Charles "Chuck" Yeager re-enacts the historic flight 50 years ago when he became the first person to break the sound barrier. \I(USA)\i
American scientists report the discovery of a trove of 100-million-year-old fossils at \JCedar\j Mountain in central \JUtah\j, a discovery they say will fill a huge gap in the history of dinosaurs and shed more light on the cause of their \Jextinction\j. The dinosaur fossils include the earliest tyrannosaur, a velociraptor, a bone-headed ankylosaur, and a duck-billed hadrosaur. \I(USA)\i
Best-selling American novelist, Harold Robbins, dies aged 81 of respiratory heart failure at Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Another \Jearthquake\j hits central \JItaly\j, the latest in a 3-week string of tremors which has left thousands homeless and caused severe damage to the famed Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. The epicenter of this latest quake, which measures 4.9 on the Richter scale, is the town of Sellano, 19 miles southwest of Assisi, where no further damage is reported, but a few miles away in Foligno, the clock tower on the medieval town hall is brought down by the tremor and reduced to rubble. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Cobra militia forces of former Congolese military leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso, capture the presidential palace in \JBrazzaville\j and begin a \Jlightning\j advance through the government-held southern suburbs of the capital. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of President Pascal Lissouba, Sassou's rival in a bloody four-month power struggle, remain unknown. \I(Congo)\i
Two brothers appear before an Egyptian military court charged with attacking a tour bus in \JCairo\j's Tahrir square on September 18. One of the accused, Saber Abu el-Ulla, denies being a member of any Muslim militant group but admits sympathy with Islamist \Jideology\j. Abu el-Ulla says he has two regrets in connection with the attack: the death of the Egyptian bus driver, and the fact that the nine Germans he killed were not Jews. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Amid heavy security, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II visits the Sikh city of \JAmritsar\j, laying a wreath at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, where British troops massacred an unarmed crowd of Indians 78 years ago. Although the Queen does not offer an official apology for the slaughter, her earlier expression of regret is sufficient to avert a threatened protest by descendants of the victims. \I(India, UK)\i
Russia's Communist Party releases a draft no-confidence resolution attacking every aspect of the Government of Victor Chernomyrdin, and urges the \JDuma\j to support the motion at a vote scheduled for the next \Jday\j. \I(Russia)\i
Two former \Japartheid\j Cabinet members apologize before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Former foreign minister, Pik Botha, apologizes for failing to investigate the killing and torturing of political opponents by white security forces during his 17-year tenure; former police minister, Adriaan Vlok, apologizes for issuing orders sometimes construed by police as a license to kill political opponents of the white government. \I(South Africa)\i
A worldwide study released by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies suggests that nearly 18 million people have been killed in wars and other armed conflicts between 1945 and 1994. According to the study, East Asia, Central and South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa account for more than 15 million of the fatalities. The study also shows that the world weapons market increased by eight per cent last year due to growing demand from the \JMiddle East\j and East Asia. \I(UK, Asia, Africa, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Thirty-seven-year-old Indian screenwriter, Arundhati Roy, is awarded Britain's prestigious Booker Prize for her debut novel, \IThe God of Small Things\i, which traces the history of southern India through the eyes of seven-year-old twins. \I(India, UK)\i
#
"October 15, 1997",651,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least 15 people are killed and 110 wounded when Colombo's business district is rocked by a powerful bomb explosion followed by heavy gunbattles. Three hotels, the stock exchange, and several other buildings are damaged in the violence, believed to be perpetrated by Tamil Tiger rebels, and considered to be one of the worst outbreaks in the Sri Lankan capital in many years. Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, condemns the attack as cowardly, but maintains that it will not derail her efforts to end the country's 14-year ethnic war. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
United Nations human right workers reveal that the body of \JCambodia\j's Under-\JSecretary of State\j for Defense, Major-General Kruoch Yoeum, has been found buried in a field near the village of Lor, about 40 kilometers from the capital, Phnom Penh. According to the UN workers, General Kruoch was tortured before he died, and is one of more than 40 royalist Funcinpec party officials they believe to have been disposed of in this way after Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, seized power from co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in July. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Relief officials report that the death toll from the \Jdrought\j in \JIndonesia\j's remote Irian Jaya province has climbed to 445, with serious food shortages aggravated by outbreaks of \Jmalaria\j and \Jcholera\j. Officials estimate that nearly 90,000 people are now at risk from \Jfamine\j and disease. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In response to a request from the Pakistani Government, Swiss officials say they have frozen 20 million Swiss francs in bank accounts held by former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, her husband, and her mother. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Pakistan)\i
Frank Gilford, brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, announces that he has waived his right under Saudi Arabian law to request the death penalty for either Deborah Parry or Lucille McLauchlan, the two British nurses charged with his sister's murder. In exchange for the two women's lives, Mr. Gilford says he has received a sum of $AUD1.7 million, the bulk of which will fund a children's \Jday\j surgery at the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital in Australia, and the balance of which will be used to pay his Saudi Arabian and Australian lawyers. \I(Australia, Saudi Arabia, UK)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, receives a 21-gun salute when he arrives in \JRangoon\j on a two-\Jday\j visit. The visit is hailed by \JMyanmar\j's official media as "auspicious", being the first by an ASEAN head of state since \JMyanmar\j's controversial entry into the regional group in July. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In a totally unexpected move, Senator Cheryl Kernot, leader of the Australian Democrats since 1993, defects to the Australian Labor Party. It is the first time the leader of an Australian Federal political party has defected to another since 1916, when William Morris Hughes left the Labor Party to form the National Labor Party and then the Nationalist Party. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
NASA's controversial nuclear-powered Cassini probe is launched on its seven-year mission to the \Jplanet\j Saturn. Covering a distance of 2.2 billion miles, the mission is described as NASA's most ambitious voyage of exploration, and represents the last of its big-budget planetary probes. \I(USA)\i
Thousands of people queue in Santa Clara, \JCuba\j, to view the small wooden casket containing the remains of national revolutionary hero, Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Guevara's remains are to be buried in Santa Clara, the city he captured on January 1, 1959, in a battle decisive for the victory of Fidel Castro's rebel army against the forces of former dictator, Fulgencio Batista. \I(\JCuba\j)\i
Talks in Brussels between the United States and the European Union conclude without a solution to the dispute over Washington's legislative bid to stop foreign investment in \JCuba\j. Washington's Helms-Burton Act, designed to penalize foreigners who invest in \JCuba\j, is considered illegal by Europe, and has been an irritant in EU-US relations since it came into law in 1996. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JBelgium\j, Europe)\i
Despite official promises of assistance, thousands of homeless Mexicans in relief centers across Acapulco desperately complain of receiving no food or \Jwater\j. Most of the city has been without clean \Jwater\j since Hurricane Pauline caused massive destruction and killed an estimated 400 people last week. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States names a delegation to visit the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j in an attempt to break the impasse on a United Nations probe of alleged massacres. The delegation will be headed by UN Ambassador, Bill Richardson, and will include Donald Payne and Howard Wolpe, all three of whom are familiar with the situation and with President Laurent Kabila. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
The final 1997 \JNobel Prizes\j are announced. The Physics Prize is awarded for the development of methods to cool and trap atoms with \Jlaser\j light, and is shared by Americans Steven Chu and William Philips, and Frenchman Claude Cohen-Tannoudji. The Chemistry Prize goes to work on enzymes, and is co-won by Dr. John Walker, from Britain's Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Dr. Paul Boyer from America's University of \JCalifornia\j, and Dr. Jenjs Skou, from Denmark's Aarhus University. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK, Denmark)\i
After 50 years of secrecy, the United States Government unveils its annual spending on the \JCIA\j and sister intelligence agencies, disclosing that in fiscal 1997, a budget of $US26.6 billion was allocated for intelligence and intelligence-related activities. \I(USA)\i
Driving the British Thrust SuperSonic Car, Royal Air Force fighter pilot, Andy Green, sets the first \Jsupersonic\j world land speed record, averaging 763.035 miles per hour in two runs across Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Green also smashes his own land speed record of 714 miles per hour which he set three weeks ago. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Cobra militiamen of former military ruler, Denis Sassou Nguesso, declare victory in the battle for the Congolese capital of \JBrazzaville\j. The Government's top military commander also confirms that the oil capital of \JPointe-Noire\j has likewise been seized by Sassou's militia supported by troops from \JAngola\j. \I(Congo, \JAngola\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, offers compromise talks in an 11th-hour appeal to win the government a temporary reprieve from a no-confidence vote in the Communist-dominated State \JDuma\j, or lower house of parliament. Mr. Yeltsin's offer comes after two hours of heated parliamentary criticism of the Government's economic reforms and its 1998 budget proposals. \I(Russia)\i
Talks in Brussels between the United States and the European Union conclude without a solution to the dispute over Washington's legislative bid to stop foreign investment in \JCuba\j. Washington's Helms-Burton Act, designed to penalize foreigners who invest in \JCuba\j, is considered illegal by Europe, and has been an irritant in EU-US relations since it came into law in 1996. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JBelgium\j, Europe)\i
The United States names a delegation to visit the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j in an attempt to break the impasse on a United Nations probe of alleged massacres. The delegation will be headed by UN Ambassador, Bill Richardson, and will include Donald Payne and Howard Wolpe, all three of whom are familiar with the situation and with President Laurent Kabila. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
Thirty-seven Tutsis are killed and 14 wounded when Rwandan Hutu rebels attack a refugee settlement in the northwestern town of Gisenyi. Authorities say one group of attackers crossed from the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, and the other operated locally. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, formally names his deputy, Wolfgang Schauble, as his heir apparent, an announcement that triggers thunderous applause from delegates of the Christian Democratic Union's annual conference. Dr. Kohl says he intends to remain leader until after next September's general election, but does not specify when he intends handing over to Mr. Schauble. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
After weeks of negotiations, \JPoland\j's Solidarity Election Action party and its allies agree on a choice of leader, naming Jerzy Buzek, a 57-year-old professor of chemistry, as the country's new Prime Minister. \I(\JPoland\j)\i
The final 1997 \JNobel Prizes\j are announced. The Physics Prize is awarded for the development of methods to cool and trap atoms with \Jlaser\j light, and is shared by Americans Steven Chu and William Philips, and Frenchman Claude Cohen-Tannoudji. The Chemistry Prize goes to work on enzymes, and is co-won by Dr. John Walker, from Britain's Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Dr. Paul Boyer from America's University of \JCalifornia\j, and Dr. Jenjs Skou, from Denmark's Aarhus University. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK, Denmark)\i
Frank Gilford, brother of murdered Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, announces that he has waived his right under Saudi Arabian law to request the death penalty for either Deborah Parry or Lucille McLauchlan, the two British nurses charged with his sister's murder. In exchange for the two women's lives, Mr. Gilford says he has received a sum of $AUD1.7 million, the bulk of which will fund a children's \Jday\j surgery at the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital in Australia, and the balance of which will be used to pay his Saudi Arabian and Australian lawyers. \I(Australia, Saudi Arabia, UK)\i
In response to a request from the Pakistani Government, Swiss officials say they have frozen 20 million Swiss francs in bank accounts held by former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, her husband, and her mother. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Pakistan)\i
British doctors report on a new class of drugs known as "super aspirin", which have 50 times the cancer-killing potential of normal aspirin, but none of the side effects when taken in high doses. The doctors say "super aspirin" could help prevent or even treat bowel cancer, which kills up to 500,000 people each year. \I(UK)\i
Driving the British Thrust SuperSonic Car, Royal Air Force fighter pilot, Andy Green, sets the first \Jsupersonic\j world land speed record, averaging 763.035 miles per hour in two runs across Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Green also smashes his own land speed record of 714 miles per hour which he set three weeks ago. \I(UK, USA)\i
A press spokesman announces that Britain's Prince Charles will be accompanied by his younger son Harry on an official trip to South Africa at the end of the month, the Prince's first official trip since the death of his former wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. The spokesman adds that with the exception of a concert by the Spice Girls and a visit to a Kwazulu village, 13-year-old Harry's visit will be strictly private, and urges the media to treat it as such. \I(UK, South Africa)\i
#
"October 16, 1997",652,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's ruling Golkar Party officially nominates President Soeharto, aged 76, to lead the country for another five-year term from 1998 to 2003. \I(Indonesia)\i
An estimated 25,000 tonnes of oil is spilled in the \JSingapore\j Strait after the tanker \IEvoikos\i collides with the empty supertanker \IOrapin Global\i. \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j and the United States are asked for equipment to hasten the clean-up operation, and helicopters are brought in to assist the 34 boats already tackling the slicks, which cover an area of 8 by 11 kilometers, and are among the worst Southeast Asia has ever seen. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j, Southeast Asia, USA)\i
The Bank of \JThailand\j's economic research unit says the country cannot possibly meet 1997 GDP growth targets set by the International Monetary Fund as a condition for a $US17.2 billion rescue package. The statement comes as the Thai baht dips to an all-time low of 37.10 to the US dollar offshore. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
Amnesty International releases a hard-hitting report accusing \JSingapore\j's leaders of resorting to \Jdefamation\j suits as a political tactic to stifle critical views and cripple opposition activity. The report is sparked by the judgment in the recent \Jdefamation\j trial of opposition leader, Joshua Jeyaretnam, and echoes the observations of the International Commission of Jurists, which also condemned the verdict against Mr. Jeyaretnam. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, orders an investigation into Tuesday's daylight attack on Camp Siongco, a military establishment outside the southern city of Cotabato. The two perpetrators of the attack have been identified as \JArabs\j, and have been linked by military officials to the Muslim insurgent Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has categorically denied involvement. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) deny responsibility for the massive bomb blast and grenade attack which rocked the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo yesterday. Meanwhile, the government orders an investigation into how the explosives-laden truck managed to penetrate at least three check points and gain access to the city center. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
International Red Cross officials report that around 5,000 Tajik refugees have crossed from \JAfghanistan\j into neighboring Turkmenistan to escape armed clashes in northern \JAfghanistan\j's Sakhi refugee camp. \I(Tajikistan, \JAfghanistan\j, Turkmenistan)\i
The United States Maritime Commission says it intends asking the Coast Guard to bar Japanese ships from entering US ports, and to detain those already docked. The move comes after Japanese shipowners fail to pay fines of around $US4 million imposed in retaliation for discriminatory port practices against foreign carriers in Japan. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Jack Rieley, a \Jpeat\j specialist at the University of \JNottingham\j, draws widespread international agreement when he claims that \JIndonesia\j's smoldering \Jpeat\j bogs, ignited by the country's forest fires, will release more carbon dioxide greenhouse gas into the \Jatmosphere\j in six months than industrialized Western Europe emits in a year. \I(\JIndonesia\j, UK, Europe)\i
On the final \Jday\j of a government amnesty, thousands of illegal foreign workers, including Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos, scramble to leave Saudi \JArabia\j. Those failing to meet the deadline could face imprisonment of up to six months and fines of up to $US27,000. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, India, Pakistan, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Maritime Commission says it intends asking the Coast Guard to bar Japanese ships from entering US ports, and to detain those already docked. The move comes after Japanese shipowners fail to pay fines of around $US4 million imposed in retaliation for discriminatory port practices against foreign carriers in Japan. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Minutes after being derided by anti-American protesters at a wreath-laying ceremony in Buenos Aires, President Clinton formally notifies Argentina of his intention to make it America's first non-\JNATO\j military ally in the Western Hemisphere, paying glowing tribute to Argentina's involvement in peacekeeping missions around the world. \I(USA, Argentina)\i
A United States Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jet on a routine training mission crashes in a field close to the busy intersection of two freeways near Fairborn, Ohio. The pilot is hospitalized for observation after ejecting safely, and no major injuries on the ground are reported. \I(USA)\i
The \JFBI\j announces the arrest of six United States Marines and seven civilians in connection with the theft and subsequent sale of military weapons. The arrests stem from a federal investigation centered at Camp Lejeune in \JNorth Carolina\j, and prompt Defense Secretary, William Cohen, to order the military services to conduct a 30-\Jday\j review of weapons security procedures. \I(USA)\i
Sergeant Major Gene McKinney, the former top enlisted man in the United States Army, appears before a military court to answer 20 criminal counts of sexual misconduct. McKinney has previously denied all charges, which range from adultery to indecent assault to threatening a female soldier. \I(USA)\i
An estimated 25,000 tonnes of oil is spilled in the \JSingapore\j Strait after the tanker \IEvoikos\i collides with the empty supertanker \IOrapin Global\i. \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j and the United States are asked for equipment to hasten the clean-up operation, and helicopters are brought in to assist the 34 boats already tackling the slicks, which cover an area of 8 by 11 kilometers, and are among the worst Southeast Asia has ever seen. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j, Southeast Asia, USA)\i
The Bank of \JThailand\j's economic research unit says the country cannot possibly meet 1997 GDP growth targets set by the International Monetary Fund as a condition for a $US17.2 billion rescue package. The statement comes as the Thai baht dips to an all-time low of 37.10 to the US dollar offshore. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, James Michener, dies aged 90 at his home in Austin, \JTexas\j, after choosing to discontinue life-sustaining kidney \Jdialysis\j treatment last week. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Former military ruler, Denis Sassou Nguesso, claims victory in \JCongo\j's 4-month civil conflict, saying his forces have taken total control of \JBrazzaville\j and Pointe Noire, the country's political and economic capitals, and that both cities are now quite calm. Sassou adds that he proposes to establish a government of national unity to rebuild the country. \I(\JCongo\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and Prime Minister, Victor Chernomyrdin, firmly dismiss the possibility of sacrificing any liberal Cabinet members to appease Communist objections to the Government's economic reforms. The Communist opposition has formulated a list of demands after calling off a no-confidence vote at the urging of Mr. Yeltsin yesterday. \I(Russia)\i
In an escalation of factional fighting in northern \JIraq\j, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan attacks the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party headquarters at Sararush with Russian-made rockets. \I(\JIraq\j, Russia)\i
A group of 70 to 80 rebels breaks into the headquarters of Tajikistan's presidential guard in Dunshanbe, killing 18 members of the guard with silenced pistols. Security forces later seal off the barracks while Tajik troops sweep through the capital and nearby villages in search of the attackers. \I(Tajikistan)\i
International Red Cross officials report that around 5,000 Tajik refugees have crossed from \JAfghanistan\j into neighboring Turkmenistan to escape armed clashes in northern \JAfghanistan\j's Sakhi refugee camp. \I(Tajikistan, \JAfghanistan\j, Turkmenistan)\i
Athens accuses Turkey of \JCold War\j tactics after four Turkish F16 warplanes over the \JAegean Sea\j buzz a military transport plane carrying Greek Defense Minister, Akis Tsohatzopoulos. According to Athens, it is the second such incident in three days. \I(\JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
Speaking on the sixth \Jday\j of his trial for crimes against humanity during World War II, former \JVichy\j regime official, Maurice Papon, claims to have done his utmost to save the majority of the \JBordeaux\j Jewish community from being handed over to the occupying Nazis and deported to concentration camps. Mr. Papon's claims are yet to be cross-examined. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Seven South African miners trapped underground by a rockfall in Freegold, the world's biggest gold mine, are found alive and uninjured in a little less than a \Jday\j when rescue teams unexpectedly gain a breakthrough. \I(South Africa)\i
Several thousand \JPoles\j celebrate in St. Peter's Square as Pope John Paul II begins the 20th year of his pontificate, a reign that has created history and division alike in the Roman \JCatholic Church\j. \I(\JPoland\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Judicial sources in Paris reveal that bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the car crash which killed Diana, Princess of Wales, has joined the inquiry into the accident as a civil \Jplaintiff\j, a move that will allow him to sue for damages under French law. \I(Paris, UK)\i
On the final \Jday\j of a government amnesty, thousands of illegal foreign workers, including Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos, scramble to leave Saudi \JArabia\j. Those failing to meet the deadline could face imprisonment of up to six months and fines of up to $US27,000. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j, India, Pakistan, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Jack Rieley, a \Jpeat\j specialist at the University of \JNottingham\j, draws widespread international agreement when he claims that \JIndonesia\j's smoldering \Jpeat\j bogs, ignited by the country's forest fires, will release more carbon dioxide greenhouse gas into the \Jatmosphere\j in six months than industrialized Western Europe emits in a year. \I(\JIndonesia\j, UK, Europe)\i
#
"October 17, 1997",653,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A potentially damaging dispute between the United States and \JJapan\j over port access is averted when trade negotiators from both sides reach an agreement in principle. As a result of the agreement, the US Federal Maritime Commission says it will postpone plans to ban Japanese ships from entering US ports. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Twelve North Korean soldiers cross the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas and abduct two South Korean farmers working in a rice paddy northeast of the village of Taesong-dong. South Korea demands that the abducted man and woman be safely and speedily returned. \I(The Koreas)\i
Indonesian officials report the return of blinding smog to several cities in the country, with Rengat town in Riau province on \JSumatra\j registering zero visibility. Officials say the number of fires in \JSumatra\j and southern \JKalimantan\j is increasing, but monsoon rains and seasonal wind changes needed to dowse the flames and clear the smoke have been delayed by the El Nino \Jweather\j pattern. \I(Indonesia)\i
Philippine military intelligence announces the arrest of two leaders of a communist rebel faction which has been blamed for more than 100 assassinations of police and military officers since 1987. Nilo dela Cruz, alleged leader of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army, and Arturo Tabara, alleged leader of its political wing, the Revolutionary Workers' Party, were taken into custody after a high-speed chase and gunbattle. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In the wake of this week's bombing in Colombo, Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, calls for foreign "moral support" to counter the Tamil Tiger separatists, urging other countries to follow the United States' lead in banning the rebels. Mrs. Kumaratunga also appeals to Tamils locally and abroad to support her Government in solving the ethnic crisis and putting an end to the cycle of violence. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
A United Nations Human Development Report assesses the AIDS epidemic in \JCambodia\j as the most serious in Asia, with the highest rate of increase in \JHIV\j infections, the highest rate of infection among prostitutes, and the second highest rate of infection among pregnant women. The report estimates that 5 to 10 per cent of the Cambodian population will be infected with AIDS or \JHIV\j by the year 2006, costing the already impoverished country more than $US2 billion. \I(Cambodia)\i
Buckingham Palace issues a statement aimed at countering the series of controversies which has marred Queen Elizabeth II's visit to India and \JPakistan\j. The Palace expresses satisfaction with the Labor Government's handling of the visit and support for Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who has been accused by India of having a hidden agenda for an independent Kashmir state. \I(UK, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
A 15-year-old Japanese boy is convicted of beheading a younger schoolboy. The unnamed teenager, who is also convicted of another killing and three assaults, is sentenced to an indefinite term at a juvenile prison, where he will be treated for mental illness. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A potentially damaging dispute between the United States and \JJapan\j over port access is averted when trade negotiators from both sides reach an agreement in principle. As a result of the agreement, the US Federal Maritime Commission says it will postpone plans to ban Japanese ships from entering US ports. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Following a meeting in \JPort-au-Prince\j with Haitian President, Rene Preval, United States \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces that United Nations peacekeepers will leave Haiti on November 30. A force of about 1,000 peacekeeping troops currently patrols Haiti's streets. \I(Haiti, USA)\i
In a speech to business leaders in Buenos Aires, United States President, Bill Clinton, calls for co-operation in efforts to fully integrate the political and economic future of the Americas, insisting that isolationist voices must be ignored. \I(USA, Argentina, The Americas)\i
Thirty years after he was executed in \JBolivia\j, legendary revolutionary, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, is finally buried as a national hero in Santa Clara, \JCuba\j. President Fidel Castro pays tribute to the man who helped bring him to power, saying Guevara will always live on as an example and an inspiration for those who fight for justice in the world. \I(\JCuba\j, \JBolivia\j)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves the first human tests of a vaccine against the AIDS virus. Unlike the controversial vaccine developed by \JHarvard University\j, which uses a live but weakened version of the AIDS virus, the vaccine approved for testing at St. Jude \Jhospital\j in Memphis uses part of the outer \JHIV\j protein coating, the idea being to trigger the body's immune system to attack the virus, without introducing any parts of the virus that could become infectious. \I(USA)\i
John \JDenver\j's music fills Faith Presbyterian Church in Auror, \JColorado\j, as more than 2,000 people bid farewell to the 53-year-old singer-songwriter, who was killed when his experimental light plane crashed off the Californian coast last Sunday. \I(USA)\i
The US National Park Service says it is excited by an architect-designed veil which will shroud the 555-foot Washington Monument for three years while repairs are carried out. The transparent veil is imprinted with a grid of thin blue lines to mimic the masonry beneath, and was designed by Postmodern architect, Michael Graves. \I(USA)\i
In a huge upset, top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j loses out on a place in the semi-finals of the European Indoor Tennis Championships in Zurich when she is defeated by America's Lisa Raymond. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Denis Sassou Nguesso's Cobra militiamen, celebrating their victory over forces backing President Pascal Lissouba, go on a looting spree in the Congolese capital of \JBrazzaville\j. Militia commander, General Jean-Marie Tassoua, promises that action will be taken to stop the pillaging within 48 hours. \I(Congo)\i
An estimated 300,000 Basque residents, politicians, police, and pacifists march through the streets of \JBilbao\j, demanding an end to separatist violence. The demonstration is triggered by the death of a policeman in a foiled ETA guerrilla attack on \JBilbao\j's new Guggenheim museum earlier in the week. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
Turkey accuses \JGreece\j of violating a moratorium on military overflights in Cyprus, adding that it no longer considers itself tied to the ban. Turkey's remarks parry Greek accusations that Turkish fighter jets buzzed an \Jaircraft\j carrying Greek Defense Minister, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, from Cyprus to \JCrete\j. \I(Turkey, \JGreece\j, Cyprus)\i
Buckingham Palace issues a statement aimed at countering the series of controversies which has marred Queen Elizabeth II's visit to India and \JPakistan\j. The Palace expresses satisfaction with the Labor Government's handling of the visit and support for Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who has been accused by India of having a hidden agenda for an independent Kashmir state. \I(UK, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Father Giulio Berrettoni, the custodian of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, estimates that damage to the church should be repaired by the year 2000. The damage was caused when two earthquakes struck last month, bringing down part of the vaulted ceiling, and killing four people. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In a huge upset, top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j loses out on a place in the semi-finals of the European Indoor Tennis Championships in Zurich when she is defeated by America's Lisa Raymond. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
#
"October 18, 1997",654,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Preparing for his upcoming visit to the United States, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, says he hopes to raise Sino-US relations to a new level. Mr. Jiang urges Washington to accept China's political system and seek common ground, adding that China and the United States share the responsibility for preserving world peace and stability. \I(China, USA)\i
The United Nations Security Council is split over a proposal to impose a foreign travel ban against Iraqi military and intelligence officials for non co-operation with UN weapons inspectors. The British-American proposal is supported by at least seven other members of the 15-member Security Council, but \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, and China are opposing the move. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, China)\i
Inmates at Paparua Prison on the outskirts of \JChristchurch\j, \JNew Zealand\j, take six guards hostage and claim to have wired one wing of the prison with explosives. The inmates demand the review of at least three murder cases in exchange for the release of the guards, also threatening to defend themselves if attacked. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Preparing for his upcoming visit to the United States, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, says he hopes to raise Sino-US relations to a new level. Mr. Jiang urges Washington to accept China's political system and seek common ground, adding that China and the United States share the responsibility for preserving world peace and stability. \I(China, USA)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, orders a review of United States policy towards \JAlgeria\j to determine whether Washington can play a role in stopping the African nation's civilian massacres. More than 60,000 people have been killed in \JAlgeria\j since the violence began in 1992. \I(USA, \JAlgeria\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council is split over a proposal to impose a foreign travel ban against Iraqi military and intelligence officials for non co-operation with UN weapons inspectors. The British-American proposal is supported by at least seven other members of the 15-member Security Council, but \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, and China are opposing the move. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, China)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, winds up his three-nation visit to \JSouth America\j by signing joint environmental agreements with Argentina's President Carlos Menem. The agreements cover climate control, national parks, and the so-called "Globe Project", whereby children collect environmental data via the \JInternet\j. President Clinton also suggests to President Menem that the Organization of American States create a special unit to ensure freedom of the press. \I(USA, Argentina)\i
Chile rejects Washington's open offer to become a military ally of the United States like neighboring Argentina. Chilean Foreign Minister, Jose Miguel Insulza, says his country is not interested in seeking any special status. \I(Chile, USA)\i
Around 50 gunmen ambush an anti-drug police officers' van near Minas de Sal, 240 miles northwest of Lima, \JPeru\j, killing three officers and wounding a fourth. Police believe the attackers to be leftist Shining Path guerrillas, whose war against the Government has killed 30,000 people since 1980. \I(\JPeru\j)\i
American Vice-President Al Gore, Defense Secretary William Cohen, and other top ranking officers attend a dedication ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for a new military memorial honoring the services of American women in the armed forces. The curving granite memorial includes a reflecting pool, an exhibit hall, a theater, and a computerized registry of servicewomen. \I(USA)\i
Cuban-born Roberto Goizueta, Coca-Cola's chairman and chief executive for the past 16 years, dies of lung cancer in \JAtlanta\j aged 65. Reputed to be the richest Hispanic American, Mr. Goizueta began his career with Coke as a chemist in 1954, and rose through the ranks to become the first salary-earning businessman to accumulate a $US1 billion fortune. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
More than 3,000 people attend a three-hour memorial service for John \JDenver\j in Aspen, \JColorado\j, the singer-songwriter's home for 25 years. During the service, country and western star, Lyle Lovett, sings \IThe \JTexas\j River Song,\i a number they sang together several times on stage. Family and friends reminisce about \JDenver\j, who died when his experimental plane crashed off the Californian coast last Sunday. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations Security Council is split over a proposal to impose a foreign travel ban against Iraqi military and intelligence officials for non co-operation with UN weapons inspectors. The British-American proposal is supported by at least seven other members of the 15-member Security Council, but \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, and China are opposing the move. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, China)\i
The US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, orders a review of United States policy towards \JAlgeria\j to determine whether Washington can play a role in stopping the African nation's civilian massacres. More than 60,000 people have been killed in \JAlgeria\j since the violence began in 1992. \I(USA, \JAlgeria\j)\i
Former mental asylum inmate, Saber Abu el-Ulla, and his brother, Mahmoud, plead guilty before an Egyptian military court to killing nine German tourists and an Egyptian bus driver in an attack outside a \JCairo\j museum last month. Despite the guilty pleas, the trial will continue to allow the three-judge panel to determine the sentences. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Four people are killed and three others wounded when a gas leak causes an explosion and fire at the giant Razi petrochemical complex in southwestern \JIran\j. The complex was built in 1970, and produces 3.7 million tons of chemicals each year, including ammonia, \Jurea\j, and sulfur. \I(\JIran\j)\i
Two separate studies published in the \IBritish Medical Journal\i agree that exposure to environmental \Jtobacco\j smoke increases the risk of lung cancer and \Jheart disease\j in non-smokers by as much as 25 per cent. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 19, 1997",655,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A five-hour sea battle rages off \JSri Lanka\j's eastern coast after a fleet of naval vessels confronts three clusters of Tamil Tiger boats carrying large numbers of rebels from Pulmoddai. Naval officials later report the deaths of at least 100 rebels and two navy personnel, and the loss of seven rebel boats and a government Dvora fast attack craft. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
A delegation of United States officials leaves for China seeking clarification, after China indicates its willingness to stop \Jcruise missile\j sales and transfers of nuclear technology to \JIran\j. Washington has continuously opposed nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, arguing that a nuclear-armed \JIran\j would threaten US interests, as well as regional and international security. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
United States Air Force planes carry out a survey of forest fires on the Indonesian island of Java to determine where best they can help control the blazes, many of which are recent outbreaks. Smoke from the fires has been shrouding much of Southeast Asia in a pall of smog for more than a month. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Thailand's Finance Minister, Thanong Bidaya, resigns in protest over the Government's decision to scrap an oil tax rise, which was regarded as crucial to meeting fiscal targets imposed under the International Monetary Fund rescue package. Mr. Thanong is the sixth Thai finance minister to resign in just over two years. \I(Thailand)\i
A two-\Jday\j crisis ends peacefully at Paparua Prison near \JChristchurch\j, \JNew Zealand\j, when six guards taken hostage by inmates are released unharmed after authorities agree to review a specified number of convictions. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Pakistan's chief corruption investigator asks the Government to arrest former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, on charges of \Jembezzlement\j. Ms. Bhutto, meanwhile, admits holding Swiss bank accounts containing an estimated $US13.5 million, but denies allegations that the money was obtained corruptly. \I(Pakistan)\i
As heavy rains and high winds from approaching Typhoon Ivan lash the \JPhilippines\j' north, residents in coastal areas are urged to move to high ground, and military units in the region are mobilized for possible rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Several homes in the Sacramento suburb of Antelope are damaged when a bomb squad detonates eight recently discovered bombs. The 250-pound bombs were found by railway workmen, and were identified as belonging to a Vietnam-bound trainload of munitions that exploded in the area in 1973. Previously, it had been thought that all the bombs on board the train had been accounted for. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Pope John Paul II makes 19th-century Carmelite nun, St. ThΘrΦse of Lisieux, a Doctor of the Church, a rare honor bestowed on saints whose writings or teaching are considered to have outstanding merit. The late Mother Teresa of \JCalcutta\j took her name from the French nun, who died of tuberculosis in 1897 at the age of 24, and was canonized 28 years later. \I(\JItaly\j, \JFrance\j, India)\i
The World Championship of Golf in Seoul is won by American Juli Inkster, her first win since the 1992 Big Apple Classic. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in Israel for a new round of peace talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. In Gaza, meanwhile, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, says Islamic militants have agreed to halt their attacks on Israel for the time being, but the cooling off will only endure if Israel puts an end to punitive measures such as economic closures, house demolitions, and land seizures. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A delegation of United States officials leaves for China seeking clarification, after China indicates its willingness to stop \Jcruise missile\j sales and transfers of nuclear technology to \JIran\j. Washington has continuously opposed nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, arguing that a nuclear-armed \JIran\j would threaten US interests, as well as regional and international security. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, hits back at the United States' criticism of his forthcoming visit to \JLibya\j, accusing Washington of arrogance and \Jracism\j. The United States considers \JLibya\j to be a sponsor of \Jterrorism\j, but Mr. Mandela argues that, unlike other countries, \JLibya\j supported the struggle against South Africa's \Japartheid\j regime. \I(South Africa, \JLibya\j, USA)\i
Spain's new Guggenheim art museum, a striking edifice with undulating walls of \Jtitanium\j, opens to the public in the city of \JBilbao\j. Earlier in the week, police foiled a plot by ETA separatist guerrillas to bomb the museum, which was designed by American Frank Gehry, and is regarded by ETA as a symbol of American \Jimperialism\j. \I(Spain, USA)\i
United States Air Force planes carry out a survey of forest fires on the Indonesian island of Java to determine where best they can help control the blazes, many of which are recent outbreaks. Smoke from the fires has been shrouding much of Southeast Asia in a pall of smog for more than a month. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Several homes in the Sacramento suburb of Antelope are damaged when a bomb squad detonates eight recently discovered bombs. The 250-pound bombs were found by railway workmen, and were identified as belonging to a Vietnam-bound trainload of munitions that exploded in the area in 1973. Previously, it had been thought that all the bombs on board the train had been accounted for. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
In Beverly Hills, an auction of Muhammad Ali memorabilia fetches more than $US1.3 million and sets records for boxing items. The most notable item was a white robe with African-style embroidery worn by the \Jboxer\j in 1974 which fetched $US156,500. \I(USA)\i
American Lindsay Davenport claims her fifth WTA Tour title this year when she holds off Nathalie Tauziat of \JFrance\j in the final of the European Tennis Championships at Zurich, \JSwitzerland\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In his second straight PGA Tour victory, American golfer David Duval wins the first hole of a playoff to take out the Walt Disney World Classic at Lake Buena Vista, \JFlorida\j. \I(USA)\i
The World Championship of Golf in Seoul is won by American Juli Inkster, her first win since the 1992 Big Apple Classic. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in Israel for a new round of peace talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. In Gaza, meanwhile, Hamas founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, says Islamic militants have agreed to halt their attacks on Israel for the time being, but the cooling off will only endure if Israel puts an end to punitive measures such as economic closures, house demolitions, and land seizures. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, hits back at the United States' criticism of his forthcoming visit to \JLibya\j, accusing Washington of arrogance and \Jracism\j. The United States considers \JLibya\j to be a sponsor of \Jterrorism\j, but Mr. Mandela argues that, unlike other countries, \JLibya\j supported the struggle against South Africa's \Japartheid\j regime. \I(South Africa, \JLibya\j, USA)\i
Montenegro's pro-Western Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, wins the republic's presidency over Momir Bulatovic, the protΘgΘ of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. Djukanovic pledges to end the monopoly of power that Milosevic's socialists and their communist predecessors have wielded for 50 years. \I(Montenegro, Yugoslavia)\i
A delegation of United States officials leave for China seeking clarification after China indicates its willingness to stop \Jcruise missile\j sales and transfers of nuclear technology to \JIran\j. Washington has continuously opposed nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, arguing that a nuclear-armed \JIran\j would threaten US interests, as well as regional and international security. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
In Nyahururu, \JKenya\j, police attack thousands of anti-government demonstrators with whips, clubs, and tear gas after the protesters, seeking reforms before the upcoming elections, defy an order to disperse. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
Sixty-five people are killed when a truck crammed with about 120 refugees fleeing fighting in Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, tumbles off a bridge. The passengers were piled on top of sacks of rice in the back of the vehicle. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
Spain's new Guggenheim art museum, a striking edifice with undulating walls of \Jtitanium\j, opens to the public in the city of \JBilbao\j. Earlier in the week, police foiled a plot by ETA separatist guerrillas to bomb the museum, which was designed by American Frank Gehry, and is regarded by ETA as a symbol of American \Jimperialism\j. \I(Spain, USA)\i
British \Jimmigration\j officials report that nearly 170 Eastern European gypsies have arrived on ferries from \JFrance\j since Friday, enticed by rumors of Britain's quick asylum system for refugees. The officials say 36 of the new arrivals have already been sent home, 28 have left of their own accord, and another 22 are being detained. \I(UK, Eastern Europe)\i
Pope John Paul II makes 19th-century Carmelite nun, St. ThΘrΦse of Lisieux, a Doctor of the Church, a rare honor bestowed on saints whose writings or teaching are considered to have outstanding merit. The late Mother Teresa of \JCalcutta\j took her name from the French nun, who died of tuberculosis in 1897 at the age of 24, and was canonized 28 years later. \I(\JItaly\j, \JFrance\j, India)\i
Malawian and German archaeologists disclose the discovery of a 2.5-million-year-old human jaw \Jfossil\j, part of the oldest known ancestor of man found in eastern or southern Africa. \I(Malawi, \JGermany\j)\i
American Lindsay Davenport claims her fifth WTA Tour title this year when she holds off Nathalie Tauziat of \JFrance\j in the final of the European Tennis Championships at Zurich, \JSwitzerland\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"October 20, 1997",656,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Typhoon Ivan pummels the \JPhilippines\j' northern Cagayan province with driving rain and wind gusts of up to 200 kilometers per hour. One man is drowned in a swollen river, crops are damaged in 10 towns, and more than 800 houses are blown down. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Washington urges \JBeijing\j to release jailed political \Jdissidents\j ahead of next week's visit to the United States by President Jiang Zemin, the first visit by a Chinese head of state since 1985. American human rights groups have vowed to disrupt Mr. Jiang's trip in protest against China's continued detention of political activists. \I(USA, China)\i
Thousands of businessmen, academics, students, and office workers block traffic in the heart of \JBangkok\j's central business district, blaming Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for failing to solve the worst economic crisis in \JThailand\j's modern history, and demanding that he resign. Meanwhile, leaders of several parties in the ruling coalition prepare to step down, paving the way for a cabinet reshuffle reportedly resisted to date by Mr. Chavalit. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
As a furious clean-up operation continues in the \JSingapore\j Strait, \JSingapore\j police say they have arrested the captains of the two ships involved in the collision which caused the massive oil spill. According to the Vessel Traffic Information System, both ships were warned of the impending impact six minutes before it occurred. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
Seventeen Greenpeace activists are charged with trespassing after they evade security to assemble solar panels and unfurl a large protest banner on the roof of historic Kirribilli House, the Sydney residence of Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. Greenpeace is opposing the Government's negative stance on uniform cuts to greenhouse gases, a stance which appears to have isolated Australia ahead of December's Climate Change Convention in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j. \I(Australia, \JJapan\j)\i
Khaleda Zia, leader of the main opposition \JBangladesh\j Nationalist Party (BNP), claims that the Government has unleashed a reign of terror against her party workers ahead of local elections scheduled for December, with 200 BNP workers already killed and several thousand jailed. The ruling Awami League says those arrested are identified terrorists, and that a large number of Government workers have been killed by BNP activists. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
In what is considered the biggest breakthrough in animal welfare for more than a decade, \JJapan\j is persuaded to withdraw the electric lance. This is an instrument used by Japanese to kill whales, and one that has long been regarded by a number of nations as an instrument of torture. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After opening a new round of shuttle talks between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, meets with Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, and Palestinian negotiator, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, to discuss outstanding issues from the 1995 interim peace deal. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Washington urges \JBeijing\j to release jailed political \Jdissidents\j ahead of next week's visit to the United States by President Jiang Zemin, the first visit by a Chinese head of state since 1985. American human rights groups have vowed to disrupt Mr. Jiang's trip in protest against China's continued detention of political activists. \I(USA, China)\i
South Africa calls for an end to the United Nations' sanctions against \JLibya\j, saying it has demonstrated its "bona fides" by agreeing to allow a neutral country to conduct a trial of two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. The call comes ahead of President Nelson Mandela's visit to Libya later in the week, a visit that has attracted strong criticism from the United States. \I(South Africa, Libya, Scotland, USA)\i
The United States expresses gratitude when Israel's Attorney General agrees to extradite Samuel Sheinbein, 17, a non-Israeli citizen who is charged in the United States with a dismemberment killing. \I(USA, Israel)\i
The Pentagon announces that the United States military has successfully test-fired the ground-based "Miracl" \Jlaser\j at an aging Air Force \Jsatellite\j. The aim of the test is to measure the vulnerability of satellites to \Jlaser\j attack, but the Pentagon says the results are still being determined. \I(USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, accuses software giant, Microsoft, of violating its 1995 antitrust agreement with the Government by using its Windows monopoly to force computer manufacturers to include the Microsoft \JInternet\j browser in pre-loaded software. Ms. Reno says she has asked a Washington federal court to fine Microsoft $US1 million a \Jday\j if the violations continue. \I(USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j denies altering any of the videotapes of President Clinton's fundraising events that have since been turned over to investigators, insisting that the allegations, made by Republican Dan Burton, are completely without foundation. \I(USA)\i
The United States Energy and Information Administration reveals that the country's 1996 carbon emissions from burning \Jfossil\j fuels jumped 3.4 per cent above 1995 levels, one of the biggest annual increases. The figures are released as world leaders consider targets to reduce the threat of global warming from heat-trapping industrial \Jpollution\j. \I(USA)\i
After an unprecedented number of executions this year, the state of \JTexas\j is urged by its 21 Roman Catholic bishops to abandon the death penalty. Already this year, 31 men have been executed in \JTexas\j, the highest number in the state's history. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After opening a new round of shuttle talks between Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, United States envoy, Dennis Ross, meets with Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, and Palestinian negotiator, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, to discuss outstanding issues from the 1995 interim peace deal. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Algerian newspapers report that another 21 civilians have been massacred in attacks over the weekend, while 12 rebels have been killed by government-backed village guards. The newspapers also report that security forces are stepping up efforts, ahead of this week's local elections, to flush out Muslim militants from pockets in and near the capital, \JAlgiers\j. \I(Algeria)\i
The Protestant Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) walks out of a session of Northern Ireland peace talks after disputing Dublin's claims of \Jjurisdiction\j over the troubled British province. UUP leader, David Trimble, later indicates that the walkout is temporary. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Poland's newly elected parliament meets, with the Solidarity bloc and the Freedom Union having clinched a coalition deal on policy and agreed on posts in a new center-right Government. Prime Minister, Jerzy Buzek, says he expects to have a cabinet lineup ready by Friday. \I(Poland)\i
South Africa calls for an end to the United Nations' sanctions against \JLibya\j, saying it has demonstrated its "bona fides" by agreeing to allow a neutral country to conduct a trial of two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. The call comes ahead of President Nelson Mandela's visit to Libya later in the week, a visit that has attracted strong criticism from the United States. \I(South Africa, Libya, Scotland, USA)\i
The United States expresses gratitude when Israel's Attorney General agrees to extradite Samual Sheinbein, 17, a non-Israeli citizen who is charged in the United States with a dismemberment killing. \I(USA, Israel)\i
An \Jearthquake\j, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, hits the areas around the town of Baft, 885 kilometers southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran. There are no reports of casualties or damage. \I(Iran)\i
The Ambrosian Library, \JItaly\j's first public library and one of Europe's oldest, reopens in Milan after undergoing seven years of restoration. The library was founded in 1609 and is named after St. Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"October 21, 1997",657,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A one-story building collapses in Dadar railway station in \JBombay\j, killing at least 10 people, injuring 81, and leaving at least 20 people trapped in the rubble. The building was erected in 1910, and complaints have previously been made about the weakness of the structure. \I(India)\i
Investigators announce that they have recovered both "black box" flight recorders from the Garuda \JIndonesia\j airbus that crashed 40 kilometers south of Medan on \JSumatra\j Island last month, killing all 234 people aboard. Both flight recorders are to be analyzed in \JAustralia\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
As anti-Government protests spread, and \JThailand\j's political and economic crisis fuels further upheaval in regional currency and stock markets, the Government of embattled Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, endorses six decrees needed to implement a reform program aimed at salvaging 58 suspended banks and finance companies. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
In a bid to arrest the slide of the rupiah, \JIndonesia\j's Central Bank cuts minimum reserve levels for the country's banks from 5 per cent of US dollar deposits to 3 per cent, a move that releases $US850 million into the money market. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A confidence vote in India's Uttar Pradesh State Assembly degenerates into violence, with legislators exchanging abuse, throwing punches, and hurling chairs and microphones. After a delay of more than an hour, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party wins the vote to remain in power. \I(India)\i
Sections of \JSri Lanka\j's influential Buddhist \Jclergy\j voice their opposition to Government proposals to allow \Jdevolution\j of certain powers to regional councils, maintaining that the proposals represent a foundation for the break up of the country. In a further blow to the Government's efforts to appease Tamil separatists and bring ethnic peace to the country, the main opposition United National Party says it is reserving its position on some aspects of the plan. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
A United Nations spokesman tells of an 11-\Jday\j mission in China, during which human rights experts for the first time held private interviews with about 30 detained persons, including political prisoners. The visit was at the invitation of China, and according to the UN spokesman, was generally successful. \I(China)\i
The Vatican attacks a Chinese policy document on religious freedom as a publicity pamphlet aimed at deflecting criticism ahead of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States. The Vatican maintains that bishops and priests loyal to \JRome\j are still being persecuted by Chinese authorities. A report published by the New York-based Human Rights Watch agrees that persecution persists in China, but points to a growth in religious belief in the last five years, and a slight fall in arrests of those who worship in unregistered churches. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA)\i
A \JTokyo\j district court is told that in 1994, \JJapan\j's Aum Supreme Truth \Jcult\j planned to stage a coup by abducting the Prime Minister and attacking the Parliament with deadly sarin gas. The testimony is offered by a witness in the trial of former senior Aum member, Kiyohide Hayakawa, 48, who is charged with the 1989 murder of a lawyer, his wife, and their son. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization hold their highest-level security talks in months. In a 21/2-hour meeting brokered by United States envoy, Dennis Ross, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and Israel's Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, review a wide range of security issues and concerns. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Pentagon says it is negotiating with \JNATO\j and other United States allies to ensure that it is not forced to abandon overseas landmine stockpiles when the new anti-personnel landmines treaty is ratified in December. The United States has already indicated that it will not be a signatory to the pact. \I(USA)\i
The Vatican attacks a Chinese policy document on religious freedom as a publicity pamphlet aimed at deflecting criticism ahead of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States. The Vatican maintains that bishops and priests loyal to \JRome\j are still being persecuted by Chinese authorities. A report published by the New York-based Human Rights Watch agrees that persecution persists in China, but points to a growth in religious belief in the last five years, and a slight fall in arrests of those who worship in unregistered churches. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA)\i
United States Energy Secretary, Federico Pena, announces that scientists have discovered that \Jgasoline\j can be a fuel for low-\Jpollution\j electric cars. Mr. Pena says the discovery could result in a vast reduction in \Jautomobile\j \Jpollution\j and a doubling in fuel mileage. \I(USA)\i
An independent Pentagon-commissioned study conducted by the \JRAND\j National Defense Research Institute concludes that the presence or absence of female troops in combat-related jobs does not affect the performance of US military units. The study shows, however, that women continue to face a discriminatory "double standard" in the male-dominated armed forces. \I(USA)\i
Archaeologists report that divers are now recovering artifacts from an 18th century shipwreck off the north Carolina coast at Beaufort Inlet. The wreck is believed to be that of \IQueen Anne's Revenge\i, the flagship of the English pirate Blackbeard, which sank in the area in 1718. \I(USA, UK)\i
A fleet of lorries and cranes is deployed to replace sand swept from \JRio de Janeiro\j's Copacabana Beach over the past week by hurricane-force winds, massive tides, and choppy 10-feet waves. The storms are the worst to hit the area in decades, and are being blamed on the El Ni±o phenomenon. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
The United States requests that the Native American Makah tribe from Washington be allowed to hunt five gray whales a year, a move aimed at fulfilling an old treaty obligation to the tribe, whose members have not hunted whales for decades. The request is expected to go before tomorrow's meeting of the International Whaling Commission, which permits subsistence hunting by indigenous people who have traditionally hunted whales and need the meat. \I(USA)\i
The \IGuinness Book of Records\i officially declares Elton John's revised version of \ICandle in the Wind\i as the biggest selling single of all time. With 31.8 million sales in just 37 days, John's tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales has now overtaken the record 30 million sales of Bing Crosby's \IWhite Christmas,\i a feat that the British rock star says has left him "thrilled and staggered". \I(UK, USA)\i
Twenty-one-year-old American golfer, Tiger Woods, wins the PGA Player of the Year Award in his first full season on the tour. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization hold their highest-level security talks in months. In a 21/2-hour meeting brokered by United States envoy, Dennis Ross, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and Israel's Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, review a wide range of security issues and concerns. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Irish Government agrees to review its territorial claim on Northern Ireland. The agreement comes after Ulster Unionists storm out of multi-party peace talks in protest at Dublin's intransigence on the issue. The Unionists are demanding that Articles Two and Three of the Irish Constitution, which claim Northern Ireland as part of Irish territory, be put to a referendum at the same time as a Northern Ireland settlement. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Russia's Communist opposition, the biggest faction in the State \JDuma\j, formally withdraws a no-confidence motion in the reformist Government after concessions are offered by President Boris Yeltsin. Mr. Yeltsin and the \JDuma\j have been sparring for weeks over the 1998 Budget and other key economic issues. \I(Russia)\i
France's trial of alleged Nazi collaborator, Maurice Papon, takes a new turn when the historian who helped uncover Papon's wartime activities exonerates him, declaring that Papon helped Jews and did not sign deportation orders while he was a senior official in \JBordeaux\j from 1942 to 1944. Historian Michel Berges says he has made serious errors in assessing wartime documents, and suggests that families of \Jholocaust\j victims have made a political myth out of Papon. \I(France, \JGermany\j)\i
The outgoing president of \JMontenegro\j, Momir Bulatovic, rejects the internationally endorsed victory of rival presidential candidate, Milo Djukanovic, in the final round of elections, accusing Mr. Djukanovic of massive \Jfraud\j. Mr. Bulatovic is the protΘgΘ of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and it is feared that the Montenegrin confrontation could have wider implications. \I(\JMontenegro\j, Yugoslavia)\i
A United Nations mission arrives in the war-ravaged Congolese capital of \JBrazzaville\j to assess humanitarian and medical needs. At the same time, \JAngola\j pledges to send medicine and other humanitarian aid to civilians in Congo, where only days earlier, Angolan troops helped former military ruler, Denis Sassou Nguesso, regain power. \I(Congo, Angola)\i
The trial of the former Italian prime minister, Bettino Craxi, and 33 other ex-ministers and businessmen collapses, with the judge calling for a new investigation into the case. Mr. Craxi, who has sought refuge in \JTunisia\j to avoid prosecution, is charged along with 33 others of embezzling $US1 billion in funds destined for projects in developing countries. \I(\JItaly\j, \JTunisia\j)\i
As part of its campaign to improve human rights, Turkey's secular coalition Government announces new legislation whereby arbitrary virginity tests for girls are to be banned unless authorized by the Justice Ministry. \I(Turkey)\i
In a case considered to be the biggest mass killing in modern Danish history, a 32-year-old woman is charged with killing 22 elderly residents of a nursing home with overdoses of painkillers. The woman, who is also accused of stealing $US93,000 from patients at the home, pleads not guilty. \I(Denmark)\i
The Vatican attacks a Chinese policy document on religious freedom as a publicity pamphlet aimed at deflecting criticism ahead of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States. The Vatican maintains that bishops and priests loyal to \JRome\j are still being persecuted by Chinese authorities. A report published by the New York-based Human Rights Watch agrees that persecution persists in China, but points to a growth in religious belief in the last five years, and a slight fall in arrests of those who worship in unregistered churches. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA)\i
Archaeologists report that divers are now recovering artifacts from an 18th century shipwreck off the north Carolina coast at Beaufort Inlet. The wreck is believed to be that of \IQueen Anne's Revenge\i, the flagship of the English pirate Blackbeard, which sank in the area in 1718. \I(USA, UK)\i
The \IGuinness Book of Records\i officially declares Elton John's revised version of "Candle in the Wind" as the biggest selling single of all time. With 31.8 million sales in just 37 days, Johns' tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales has now overtaken the record 30 million sales of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas", a feat that the British rock star says has left him "thrilled and staggered". \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"October 22, 1997",658,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, proposes that industrialized countries stabilize emissions from burning \Jfossil\j fuels at 1990 levels between the years 2008 and 2012, a proposal described as a recipe for environmental disaster by the European Union, which wants to stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2000, with a further reduction of 15 per cent by 2010. China has already endorsed the European Union position on behalf of developing countries, and Pacific Island nations are arguing for a 20 per cent reduction by 2005, an argument flatly rejected by \JAustralia\j, which stands firmly against mandatory targets. \JJapan\j, meanwhile, has also drawn strong criticism from the European Union by proposing only a 5 per cent reduction in emissions by 2012. \I(USA, Europe, China, The Pacific, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
In his first interview in 18 years, \JCambodia\j's former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, is unrepentant for the genocide committed under his regime, claiming to have saved his country from the Vietnamese, who he blames for many of the "killing fields" deaths, including mass starvation. It is estimated that up to 2 million Cambodians died during Pol Pot's 1975-79 rule. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Hong Kong stock market closes more than 6 per cent down at a 13-month low, with market analysts expecting further falls. The slump is attributed to soaring interbank lending rates, along with intense pressure on the Hong Kong dollar, the last currency in the Asian region pegged to the US dollar. \I(Hong Kong, Asia, USA)\i
An attempt by Thai Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, to declare a state of emergency triggers fresh selling on the \JBangkok\j stock exchange, sends the baht plummeting to 39.45 against the US dollar offshore, and sharpens demands for his resignation. Mr. Chavalit was forced to abandon the attempt after police and military chiefs rejected his claims that rising anti-Government protests were a threat to national security. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
China puts pressure on the United States to guarantee an "amiable \Jatmosphere\j" throughout the forthcoming state visit of President Jiang Zemin. Opponents and critics of the Chinese Government are planning to stage demonstrations, which China says could disrupt the development of Sino-US relations. \I(China, USA)\i
The captains of two ships which collided in the \JSingapore\j Strait last week, causing a massive oil spill, are charged by a \JSingapore\j court with reckless navigation. The spill is the worst the area has ever seen, and is now threatening beaches along \JMalaysia\j's southern tip. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JMalaysia\j)\i
Indonesian officials report that 28 people died in \JBorneo\j on the weekend when two boats collided in thick smog generated by the country's forest fires. The smog problem shows no signs of easing, with air \Jpollution\j readings remaining at dangerous levels throughout the archipelago. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japanese scientists say they believe a recent increase in urban lung cancers is closely linked with a chemical found in the exhaust fumes of diesel engines. The scientists report that the compound, 3-nitrobenzanthrone, registered the highest ever score on a standard test for cancer-causing potential of toxic chemicals, and also caused chromosomal \Jaberrations\j in the blood cells of mice. \I(Japan)\i
Studies by the World Health Organization and other agencies find multi-drug resistant strains of tuberculosis in one-third of 35 countries surveyed. Countries where the virtually incurable strain of tuberculosis was found include India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, and Ivory Coast. \I(India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, Ivory Coast)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, proposes that industrialized countries stabilize emissions from burning \Jfossil\j fuels at 1990 levels between the years 2008 and 2012, a proposal described as a recipe for environmental disaster by the European Union, which wants to stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2000, with a further reduction of 15 per cent by 2010. China has already endorsed the European Union position on behalf of developing countries, and Pacific Island nations are arguing for a 20 per cent reduction by 2005, an argument flatly rejected by \JAustralia\j, which stands firmly against mandatory targets. \JJapan\j, meanwhile, has also drawn strong criticism from the European Union by proposing a only 5 per cent reduction in emissions by 2012. \I(USA, Europe, China, The Pacific, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
China puts pressure on the United States to guarantee an "amiable \Jatmosphere\j" throughout the forthcoming state visit of President Jiang Zemin. Opponents and critics of the Chinese Government are planning to stage demonstrations, which China says could disrupt the development of Sino-US relations. \I(China, USA)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, arrives to a hero's welcome in \JLibya\j, having rejected United States' calls to cancel the visit. Mr. Mandela warmly embraces \JLibya\j's leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, greeting him as his "brother leader". \I(South Africa, \JLibya\j, USA)\i
The Hong Kong stock market closes more than 6 per cent down at a 13-month low, with market analysts expecting further falls. The slump is attributed to soaring interbank lending rates, along with intense pressure on the Hong Kong dollar, the last currency in the Asian region pegged to the US dollar. \I(Hong Kong, Asia, USA)\i
An attempt by Thai Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, to declare a state of emergency triggers fresh selling on the \JBangkok\j stock exchange, sends the baht plummeting to 39.45 against the US dollar offshore, and sharpens demands for his resignation. Mr. Chavalit was forced to abandon the attempt after police and military chiefs rejected his claims that rising anti-Government protests were a threat to national security. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
Two crewmen of a T-38 training jet, one a visiting pilot from Britain's Royal Air Force, are killed in a mid-air collision with an F-16 fighter jet over southern \JCalifornia\j's Edwards Air Force Base. The pilot of the F-16 manages to make an emergency landing on a dry lakebed. \I(USA, UK)\i
In line with federal law, the United States military announces that it is moving to take guns away from troops and civilian employees convicted of domestic violence, a move they say will affect only a small number of troops, and will have little impact on military readiness. \I(USA)\i
Studies by the World Health Organization and other agencies find multi-drug resistant strains of tuberculosis in one-third of 35 countries surveyed. Countries where the virtually incurable strain of tuberculosis was found include India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, and Ivory Coast. \I(India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, Ivory Coast)\i
Astronomers at the Space \JTelescope\j Institute in Baltimore announce that the Hubble \JTelescope\j has photographed a pair of colliding galaxies, producing images that offer new clues about how colliding galaxies evolve, and how dense clusters of stars are born from giant clouds of \Jhydrogen\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, proposes that industrialized countries stabilize emissions from burning \Jfossil\j fuels at 1990 levels between the years 2008 and 2012, a proposal described as a recipe for environmental disaster by the European Union, which wants to stabilize emissions at 1990 levels by 2000, with a further reduction of 15 per cent by 2010. China has already endorsed the European Union position on behalf of developing countries, and Pacific Island nations are arguing for a 20 per cent reduction by 2005, an argument flatly rejected by \JAustralia\j, which stands firmly against mandatory targets. \JJapan\j, meanwhile, has also drawn strong criticism from the European Union by proposing a only 5 per cent reduction in emissions by 2012. \I(USA, Europe, China, The Pacific, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, arrives to a hero's welcome in \JLibya\j, having rejected United States calls to cancel the visit. Mr. Mandela warmly embraces \JLibya\j's leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, greeting him as his "brother leader". \I(South Africa, \JLibya\j, USA)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, sparks a public outcry when private remarks passed to a rabbi are picked up by a radio \Jmicrophone\j and subsequently broadcast to the nation. Mr. Netanyahu's remarks implied that leftist Israelis were not good Jews. \I(Israel)\i
The Algerian Government shrugs off a call by exiled leaders of the banned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) to boycott this week's local elections, saying the FIS has no further role to play in the country. After nearly six years of bloodshed, the Government is promoting the elections, the third in less than two years, as the final step in building a democratic governing system. \I(Algeria)\i
Accused French Nazi collaborator, Maurice Papon, 87, falls ill during his trial for crimes against humanity and is admitted to \Jhospital\j in \JBordeaux\j, necessitating a suspension of the trial until next week. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Two crewmen of a T-38 training jet, one a visiting pilot from Britain's Royal Air Force, are killed in a mid-air collision with an F-16 fighter jet over southern \JCalifornia\j's Edwards Air Force Base. The pilot of the F-16 manages to make an emergency landing on a dry lakebed. \I(USA, UK)\i
Studies by the World Health Organization and other agencies find multi-drug resistant strains of tuberculosis in one-third of 35 countries surveyed. Countries where the virtually incurable strain of tuberculosis was found include India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, and Ivory Coast. \I(India, \JRussia\j, \JLatvia\j, \JEstonia\j, The Dominican Republic, Argentina, Ivory Coast)\i
Monaco's Prince Rainier warns that the International Whaling Commission could disintegrate unless its warring factions can reach a compromise on whale hunting. The commission, of which Prince Rainier is a delegate, is currently considering a proposal to allow the resumption of limited whale hunts in territorial waters. \I(Monaco)\i
A new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is chosen to appear on British coins from next year. The image, designed by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadely, is the fourth of the Queen's reign, and appropriately reflects her advancing years. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 23, 1997",659,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Hong Kong stock market suffers its biggest ever one-\Jday\j fall, with the Hang Seng Index plunging 1,211.47 points, or 10.41 per cent, to close at 10,426.30. The panic selling follows three days of falls already reducing the market's value by 14 per cent, and is attributed to rocketing interest rates, the vulnerability of the currency, and general fears that the Hong Kong economy may be infected by the economic turmoil elsewhere in Asia. Hong Kong financial authorities say that the Government's top priority now is to defend the Hong Kong dollar's 14-year-old peg to the US dollar against foreign currency speculators. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The effects of the Hong Kong stock market crash ricochet throughout the region, with \JTokyo\j's Nikkei Stock Average dropping by 3.03 per cent to a two-year low, and shares taking a further battering in \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j. Share prices also fall in \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j, and European markets likewise experience the aftermath, with London's FTSE-100 Index dropping 4 per cent by early afternoon. In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average sheds 175 points in the first 40 minutes of trading, but the impact is limited by a strengthening of the US dollar, which is perceived as a safe haven. \I(Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Europe, UK, USA)\i
A senior Sri Lankan military official declares that troops have now captured two thirds of a vital highway to the northern Jaffna peninsula. The campaign to secure the 75-kilometer stretch was launched in May, and has claimed heavy casualties among government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. The Government maintains it needs military victories against the rebels to ensure success in its bid to devolve power to regional councils. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Responding to an interview given by former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, \JCambodia\j's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, rejects Pol Pot's assertion that he was not responsible for the genocide during his 1975-79 "killing fields" regime. Hun Sen adds that he hopes to arrest the former guerrilla chief by the end of the year. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Smog from \JIndonesia\j's forest fires reaches a new high over \JSingapore\j, with the Pollutant Standard Index soaring to 175. Poor visibility throughout the area forces authorities to withdraw aerial support for vessels checking the oil spill in the \JSingapore\j Strait, caused when two tankers collided last week. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Tobacco giant, Philip Morris, announces that it has developed a Puff Activated Lighter to meet public concern over the effects of second-hand smoke. The battery-powered device fits on the end of a \Jcigarette\j, and contains a \Jmicrochip\j and eight heating blades that ignite the \Jcigarette\j only when the smoker takes a puff. A miniature catalytic converter then incinerates the smoke and residue. The company says the product will be tested in the United States and \JJapan\j, where it will retail for about $US50. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The effects of the Hong Kong stock market crash ricochet throughout the region, with \JTokyo\j's Nikkei Stock Average dropping by 3.03 per cent to a two-year low, and shares taking a further battering in \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j. Share prices also fall in \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j, and European markets likewise experience the aftermath, with London's FTSE-100 Index dropping 4 per cent by early afternoon. In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average sheds 175 points in the first 40 minutes of trading, but the impact is limited by a strengthening of the US dollar, which is perceived as a safe haven. \I(Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Europe, UK, USA)\i
The United Nations Security Council threatens \JIraq\j with travel sanctions over \JIraq\j's failure to co-operate with UN weapons inspection teams. Britain and the United States were seeking immediate implementation of the curbs, but the vote on a resolution spelling out the preventative measures was divided. \I(\JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
At a United Nations-sponsored global warming conference in \JBonn\j, the United States deflects hostile criticism of its recently announced environmental proposals, arguing that it would be counter-productive to set more ambitious gas emission reduction targets that were unattainable. Traditional allies are accusing the US of doing too little too late to avert a potential climate disaster. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
Two election observers from an Organization of American States (OAS) team are abducted by Marxist rebels in \JColombia\j's northwestern Antioquia province. A rebel communiquΘ says the men will be held prisoner until after the weekend's local elections, which the rebels are vowing to sabotage. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns of a "\Jchain reaction\j of protectionism" if Congress denies President Clinton fast track authority to negotiate new trade deals. Fast track authority would enable President Clinton to conclude trade pacts that Congress can reject but not revise, thereby speeding up the process considerably. \I(USA)\i
Following recent criticism from human rights groups, United States researchers decide to drop segments of AIDS trials in Africa which are treating infected pregnant women with placebos rather than drugs. The aim of the trials is to determine whether drug treatments could prevent mothers passing the \JHIV\j virus to their unborn babies. \I(USA, Africa)\i
The Russian-US crew of the Mir space station succeeds in linking two solar panels on the Spektr module to a new computer guidance system. A Mission Control spokeswoman says the two panels are now tracking the \Jsun\j's rays and soaking up maximum power. Mir has been operating on reduced power since the Spektr module was damaged in a collision with an unmanned cargo ship on June 25. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Despite strong objections from environmental groups and several countries, the International Whaling Commission approves an American request for Washington's Makah Indian tribe to resume hunting gray whales. The tribe is granted a quota of four whales per year. \I(USA)\i
Police and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation are called in to investigate possible sabotage after a massive early-morning power failure causes chaos in \JSan Francisco\j. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company is unable to detect the fault in its equipment. \I(USA)\i
A group of 80 Thai and 70 Latino immigrant workers wins a settlement of more than $US2 million from five United States companies who forced them to work for up to 20 hours a \Jday\j for less than $US1 an hour, while detaining them in walled compounds topped with barbed wire. The workers were freed in August 1995 after raids by state and federal agents. \I(USA)\i
United States House and Senate negotiators reach a land purchase deal aimed at protecting \JYellowstone\j National Park and an ancient redwood forest in \JCalifornia\j. Differences over the planned purchase have stalled a $US13.8 billion fiscal 1998 interior spending bill for some weeks. \I(USA)\i
Tobacco giant, Philip Morris, announces that it has developed a Puff Activated Lighter to meet public concern over the effects of second-hand smoke. The battery-powered device fits on the end of the \Jcigarette\j, and contains a \Jmicrochip\j and eight heating blades that ignite the \Jcigarette\j only when the smoker takes a puff. A miniature catalytic converter then incinerates the smoke and residue. The company says the product will be tested in the United States and \JJapan\j, where it will retail for about $US50. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The effects of the Hong Kong stock market crash ricochet throughout the region, with \JTokyo\j's Nikkei Stock Average dropping by 3.03 per cent to a two-year low, and shares taking a further battering in \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j. Share prices also fall in \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j, and European markets likewise experience the aftermath, with London's FTSE-100 Index dropping 4 per cent by early afternoon. In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average sheds 175 points in the first 40 minutes of trading, but the impact is limited by a strengthening of the US dollar, which is perceived as a safe haven. \I(Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Europe, UK, USA)\i
After months of civil conflict, General Denis Sassou Nguesso, 54, who ruled \JCongo\j from 1979 to 1991, returns in triumph to the capital, \JBrazzaville\j, ready to take up the country's leadership and form a transitional government. Meanwhile, President Pascal Lissouba, who defeated General Sassou in \JCongo\j's first multiparty election in 1992, is said to have gone into exile in Burkina Faso, and has yet to concede defeat. \I(\JCongo\j, Burkina Faso)\i
Voting in \JAlgeria\j's local elections proceeds free of any major security incidents, with 66 per cent of eligible voters casting votes. In the Bainam forest on the outskirts of \JAlgiers\j, however, sporadic clashes are reported as security forces continue a week-long campaign to flush out Muslim rebels believed to be responsible for the recent string of civilian massacres in the area. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council threatens \JIraq\j with travel sanctions over \JIraq\j's failure to co-operate with UN weapons inspection teams. Britain and the United States were seeking immediate implementation of the curbs, but the vote on a resolution spelling out the preventative measures was divided. \I(\JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
Sources including residents, human rights workers, and opposition members report that \JBurundi\j's army recently massacred 70 civilians during an operation against suspected Hutu rebels at the Kabezi commune, 12 miles south of the capital, Bujumbura. Senior military personnel, however, are denying the report, insisting that the area is calm. \I(\JBurundi\j)\i
At a United Nations-sponsored global warming conference in \JBonn\j, the United States deflects hostile criticism of its recently announced environmental proposals, arguing that it would be counter-productive to set more ambitious gas emission reduction targets that were unattainable. Traditional allies are accusing the US of doing too little too late to avert a potential climate disaster. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
Following recent criticism from human rights groups, United States researchers decide to drop segments of AIDS trials in Africa which treat infected pregnant women with placebos rather than drugs. The aim of the trials is to determine whether drug treatments could prevent mothers passing the \JHIV\j virus to their unborn babies. \I(USA, Africa)\i
The Russian-US crew of Mir space station succeeds in linking two solar panels on the Spektr module to a new computer guidance system. A Mission Control spokeswoman says the two panels are now tracking the \Jsun\j's rays and soaking up maximum power. Mir has been operating on reduced power since the Spektr module was damaged in a collision with an unmanned cargo ship on June 25. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Hundreds of police, some in riot gear, are stationed outside the Greek parliament in \JAthens\j and key ministries while thousands of Greek workers, chanting anti-Government slogans, march to parliament to demand better pay. The demands are made as a 24-hour general strike brings transport to a halt, and severely disrupts industry and state services. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
#
"October 24, 1997",660,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's stock market stages a partial recovery after yesterday's dramatic decline of 10.41 per cent, with the Hang Seng Index closing 6.9 per cent higher at 11,144.34, a level still 22 per cent short of what it registered a week ago, however. \I(Hong Kong)\i
In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average closes down 132.36 points from the previous \Jday\j, when it recorded a loss of 187 points. Technology stocks are hit the hardest, and despite a 6.9 per cent rebound on the Hong Kong market, analysts attribute the second \Jday\j's slump to uncertainty over the impact of Asia's financial crisis on United States corporations. \I(USA, Hong Kong, Asia)\i
As the \JBangkok\j stock exchange plunges a further 4 per cent, Thai Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, announces a cabinet reshuffle of key economic ministers. Som Jatusipitak, president of the Siam City Bank, is named to succeed Narongchai Akrasanee as commerce minister, and Kosit Panpiemrat, executive director of the \JBangkok\j Bank, is named as \JThailand\j's seventh finance minister in the past 28 months, replacing Thanong Bidaya who resigned after only four months in office. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Ahead of next week's summit with Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, President Clinton says he intends pursuing a policy of co-operation rather than confrontation, but confirms that human rights issues will be on the agenda. Despite Mr. Clinton's conciliatory policy, Mr. Jiang is expected to encounter public protests over China's human rights record during his visit to the United States. \I(USA, China)\i
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opens in Edinburgh, Scotland, with \JMalaysia\j and African nations resisting a move, spearheaded by Britain, to apply sanctions against \JNigeria\j's military regime. \JNigeria\j was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1995 after it executed the writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other activists, and the current move for sanctions is based on extensive evidence of continuing human rights abuses. \I(Scotland, \JMalaysia\j, Africa, UK, \JNigeria\j)\i
Two people are killed and at least 12 are wounded when a remote-controlled bomb explodes near a passenger bus passing through the Noorbagh area of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian controlled Kashmir. \I(India)\i
The Sri Lankan Government's radical power-sharing plan, aimed at giving Tamil separatists greater autonomy and bringing an end to decades of ethnic bloodshed, is tabled in parliament amid noisy protests. The opposition United National Party later reiterates its reservations about the Government's plan, saying it is against any move that will alter the unitary character of the country, and that it needs more time to consider the reforms. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
David Hawk, chief of the United Nations Center for Human Rights in \JCambodia\j, advises that he will be urging the world body to send a team to \JCambodia\j to investigate crimes against humanity by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime. Commenting on Pol Pot's recent interview, Mr. Hawk says that the unrepentant former leader's claims underline the need to bring him and his henchmen to justice. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
In accordance with the Burnham Truce Declaration signed in \JNew Zealand\j earlier this month, Papua New Guinea lifts all military restrictions on war-torn Bougainville island. People will now be free to travel without special clearance, shipping services will resume, and airline operators will be able to fly into mainland Bougainville, which until now has been cut off by an economic blockade imposed at the height of the crisis in May 1990. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
In the wake of United States proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, delegates to a conference on climate change in \JBonn\j, \JGermany\j, say they now expect talks on the contentious issue of global warming to continue up to the last minute before a draft treaty can be approved at December's climate conference in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average closes down 132.36 points from the previous \Jday\j, when it recorded a loss of 187 points. Technology stocks are hit the hardest, and despite a 6.9 per cent rebound on the Hong Kong market, analysts attribute the second \Jday\j's slump to uncertainty over the impact of Asia's financial crisis on United States corporations. \I(USA, Hong Kong, Asia)\i
Ahead of next week's summit with Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, President Clinton says he intends pursuing a policy of co-operation rather than confrontation, but confirms that human rights issues will be on the agenda. Despite Mr. Clinton's conciliatory policy, Mr. Jiang is expected to encounter public protests over China's human rights record during his visit to the United States. \I(USA, China)\i
United States envoy, Bill Richardson, arrives in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j for talks with President Laurent Kabila. Mr. Richardson hopes to broker an agreement that will allow a stalled United Nations team to start its probe into alleged massacres of Hutu refugees by Tutsi soldiers, who were allied with Mr. Kabila's drive to overthrow the country's former leader, the late Mobutu Sese Seko. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, urges Europe to raise its political profile in the \JMiddle East\j peacemaking process by playing its economic card to a positive effect with Israel. In the past, Israel has kept the European Union at arms length from peace talks, preferring the mediation of the United States. \I(Palestine, Israel, Europe, USA)\i
Reports from Israel indicate that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has unsuccessfully requested a meeting next month with United States President, Bill Clinton. According to one of Mr. Netanyahu's senior advisers, "technical problems" are standing in the way. \I(Israel, USA)\i
In the wake of the United States' proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, delegates to a conference on climate change in \JBonn\j, \JGermany\j, say they now expect talks on the contentious issue of global warming to continue up to the last minute before a draft treaty can be approved at December's climate conference in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Honduran Foreign Minister, Delmer Panting, threatens to expel United States political consultant, Dick Morris, saying Mr. Morris is a mercenary solely intent on \Jdefamation\j. Mr. Morris, a former \JWhite House\j advisor forced to resign over a sex scandal, has been working for the Honduran opposition National Party since June, and recently came under fire for National Party attacks on the wife of Liberal presidential candidate, Carlos Flores. \I(\JHonduras\j, USA)\i
A survivor of a ship that sank in the North Atlantic, 450 nautical miles off the Canadian province of Newfoundland, is rescued after almost 18 hours in the \Jwater\j. Searchers have now recovered a total of 10 survivors and four dead, and are still looking for other crew members of the 4,000-ton \IVanessa\i, which went down after its load of chemical \Jfertilizer\j shifted in stormy seas, throwing the vessel off balance. \I(Canada)\i
The chairman of the United States Senate committee investigating campaign fundraising abuses formally invites President Clinton to testify before the panel. A \JWhite House\j spokesman scoffs at the invitation, saying it is highly unlikely that Mr. Clinton will agree to participate. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States envoy, Bill Richardson, arrives in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j for talks with President Laurent Kabila. Mr. Richardson hopes to broker an agreement that will allow a stalled United Nations team to start its probe into alleged massacres of Hutu refugees by Tutsi soldiers, who were allied with Mr. Kabila's drive to overthrow the country's former leader, the late Mobutu Sese Seko. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, urges Europe to raise its political profile in the \JMiddle East\j peacemaking process by playing its economic card to a positive effect with Israel. In the past, Israel has kept the European Union at arms length from peace talks, preferring the mediation of the United States. \I(Palestine, Israel, Europe, USA)\i
Reports from Israel indicate that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has unsuccessfully requested a meeting next month with United States President, Bill Clinton. According to one of Mr. Netanyahu's senior advisers, "technical problems" are standing in the way. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Leaders of the militant Islamic Hamas movement, including Khaled Meshaal, who last month survived an assassination attempt by Israeli agents, warn of a renewal of suicide bombing attacks in Israel. The warnings are at odds with the temporary truce recently proclaimed by freed Hamas spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and provoke angry censure from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which insists that \Jterrorism\j can play no party in the peace process, and thereby harms the Palestinians first and foremost. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission unveils a \Jreparations\j plan to pay more than $US600 million to thousands of victims of human rights abuses during the \Japartheid\j era. Most of the victims suffered police beatings and torture, but also include those who were shot, maimed, raped, widowed, orphaned, or lost a child. \I(South Africa)\i
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opens in Edinburgh, Scotland, with \JMalaysia\j and African nations resisting a move, spearheaded by Britain, to apply sanctions against \JNigeria\j's military regime. \JNigeria\j was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1995 after it executed the writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other activists, and the current move for sanctions is based on extensive evidence of continuing human rights abuses. \I(Scotland, \JMalaysia\j, Africa, UK, \JNigeria\j)\i
Algeria's Interior ministry declares the National Democratic Rally (RND) the winner of Thursday's local elections, with 50 per cent of the vote. The RND, which is loyal to President Liamine Zeroual, is followed in the polls by the National Liberation Front with 20 per cent of the vote, and the Islamist-oriented Movement of a Peaceful Society with around 10 per cent of the vote. \I(Algeria)\i
Leading Serbian businessman, Zoran Todorovic, 38, is shot dead while leaving his car in \JBelgrade\j. Mr. Todorovic was general manager of the second largest Serbian oil company, and belonged to the leadership of the Yugoslav United Left party, headed by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's wife, Mirjana Markovic. Mr. Todorovic, who was a key player in Mr. Milosevic's assumption to power in 1987, is the third associate of the Yugoslav president's family to be killed this year. \I(Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
A British exclusion order against Mariam Rajavi, leader of \JIran\j's main opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of \JIran\j, is hailed in Tehran as an olive branch. The British Foreign Office, however, declines to acknowledge the move as an \Joverture\j, describing it as a firm stance against \Jterrorism\j, and maintaining that Ms. Rajavi's presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good. \I(UK, \JIran\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, urges parliament to consider laws covering the rights of children, including prevention of neglect and involvement in crime by minors. Mr. Yeltsin laments the fact that tens of thousands of Russian children have become homeless, drug abusers, or criminals, saying the Russian state has become less of a guardian to its children as it progresses toward a market economy. \I(Russia)\i
In the wake of the United States' proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, delegates to a conference on climate change in \JBonn\j, \JGermany\j, say they now expect talks on the contentious issue of global warming to continue up to the last minute before a draft treaty can be approved at December's climate conference in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JJapan\j)\i
A series of 33 love letters written by the late Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, is sold at auction for $US10,000. The letters address the teenage daughter of a Spanish military officer, and were written in 1913, when Franco was a 20-year-old second lieutenant. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
#
"October 25, 1997",661,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority raises interest rates on funds available to banks, a move designed to avoid further attacks on the currency by making it more expensive for speculators to borrow and short-sell Hong Kong dollars. Meanwhile, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, calls for calm on Hong Kong's stock market, saying the declines are temporary fluctuations, and that the economies of both Hong Kong and mainland China remain stable and strong. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
In the biggest sweep since the beginning of \JSri Lanka\j's 14-year-old \Jcivil war\j, a combined force of 8,000 police, air force, and army troops swarms through the streets and buildings of the capital, Colombo, arresting 965 Tamil rebels accused of a truck bombing in the business district earlier this month. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Vietnam's Communist Government warns that it will revoke publication licenses from newspapers and journals if loyalty to party \Jideology\j is not shown. The warning comes only weeks after a former editor, Nguyen Hoang Linh, is charged with disclosing classified information in articles examining a transaction between Vietnam's General Customs Department and the Ukrainian Government. \I(Vietnam, \JUkraine\j)\i
United States officials say that they are close to completing a deal with China to end Chinese nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, adding that they hope to seal the pact in time for the US-China summit next week. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
US Commerce Secretary, William Daley, says the United States' trade deficit with China has put economic issues high on the agenda of next week's US-China summit. US President Clinton is expected to pressure Chinese President Jiang Zemin to implement market-opening reforms. \I(USA, China)\i
House lawmakers announce that the International Relations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on China's human rights record to coincide with President Jiang Zemin's visit to Washington next week. Among those to testify will be human rights activist and dissident, Harry Wu, who spent 19 years in Chinese prison camps. In \JBeijing\j, meanwhile, President Jiang Zemin asserts that he will not release jailed \Jdissidents\j, rejecting the idea of Western-style political freedoms. \I(USA, China)\i
For the second time this year, doubt is cast on the authenticity of Vincent van Gogh's \ISunflowers,\i one of the world's most valuable paintings, selling for $US40.3 million to \JJapan\j's Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Company in 1987. According to British art expert, Geraldine Norman, the painting is the work of the late Claude-Emile Schuffenecker, an embittered Parisian art teacher. \I(\JJapan\j, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States officials say they are close to completing a deal with China to end Chinese nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, adding that they hope to seal the pact in time for the US-China summit next week. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
US Commerce Secretary, William Daley, says the United States' trade deficit with China has put economic issues high on the agenda of next week's US-China summit. US President Clinton is expected to pressure Chinese President Jiang Zemin to implement market-opening reforms. \I(USA, China)\i
House lawmakers announce that the International Relations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on China's human right's record to coincide with President Jiang Zemin's visit to Washington next week. Among those to testify will be human rights activist and dissident, Harry Wu, who spent 19 years in Chinese prison camps. In \JBeijing\j, meanwhile, President Jiang Zemin asserts that he will not release jailed \Jdissidents\j, rejecting the idea of Western-style political freedoms. \I(USA, China)\i
United States envoy, Bill Richardson, clinches a deal with Democratic \JCongo\j's President, Laurent Kabila, ending an impasse of more than a month and clearing the way for a United Nations team to freely investigate allegations that Mr. Kabila's forces, and/or his Rwandan allies, killed thousands of Hutu refugees during the conflict which brought him to power. The mandate of the UN team now covers the period March 1, 1993 to December 31, 1997. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
In an attempt to impede Sunday's elections, \JColombia\j's two main leftist rebel groups call an "armed strike" throughout much of the country. In recent months, at least 53 election candidates have been killed by the rebels, and other candidates have withdrawn after receiving death threats. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
As part of a joint strategy to fight drug trafficking, American and Mexican officials agree on temporary extraditions of criminals between their countries. The amendments to the extradition treaty are yet to be put to their respective congresses for approval. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
A state of emergency is declared in \JColorado\j, east of the Rocky Mountains, when a blizzard drops up to four feet of snow, halting airline operations, closing interstate highways, and stranding hundreds of passengers and vehicles. \I(USA)\i
In the latest in a series of Union Pacific railroad accidents in \JTexas\j this year, two freight trains collide head-on and derail near downtown Houston. The crash injures four crewmen and forces dozens of local residents to evacuate their homes. \I(USA)\i
American first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, joins President Clinton in urging US women to receive regular mammograms to guarantee early detection of breast tumors. In the rare joint radio address, President Clinton also announces new regulations to ensure higher standards for medical insurance and health care providers to cover mammograms. \I(USA)\i
In the largest gathering of black women in United States' history, hundreds of thousands of women convene in Philadelphia for the Million Woman March, a mass rally aimed at building political, economic, and social unity within black communities. \I(USA)\i
Polish \Jtelevision\j reports a reunion in Warsaw of six American \JCIA\j agents with Polish counterparts who smuggled them out of \JIraq\j after the invasion of \JKuwait\j in 1990. \I(USA, \JPoland\j, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli warplanes attack a Palestinian guerrilla base in Naameh, 10 miles south of the Lebanese capital, \JBeirut\j. The jets also target suspected Hezbollah positions in southern \JLebanon\j, retaliating for the wounding of two Israeli soldiers in clashes with the Iranian-backed fighters the previous \Jday\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JLebanon\j)\i
Speaking after talks with Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, condemns Israel's Jewish settlement expansion as a violation of international law, and says Europe aims to step up its \JMiddle East\j diplomacy to help overcome the stalemate in the peace process. \I(Palestine, Israel, \JGermany\j, Europe)\i
The Kurdistan Democratic Party and its rival Kurdish faction, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, engage in heavy fighting in northern \JIraq\j, with the Patriotic Union also accusing Turkish warplanes of bombing its positions and nearby villages. \I(\JIraq\j, Turkey)\i
United States envoy, Bill Richardson, clinches a deal with Democratic \JCongo\j's President, Laurent Kabila, ending an impasse of more than a month and clearing the way for a United Nations team to freely investigate allegations that Mr. Kabila's forces, and/or his Rwandan allies, killed thousands of Hutu refugees during the conflict which brought him to power. The mandate of the UN team now covers the period March 1, 1993 to December 31, 1997. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
General Denis Sassou Nguesso, the victor in \JCongo\j's brief \Jcivil war\j, installs himself as president, pledging national reconciliation and free-market reform. On the Ivory Coast, meanwhile, ousted prime minister, Bernard Kolelas, voices fears of an ethnic cleansing campaign, and appeals to the United Nations to restore democracy in the \JCongo\j. \I(\JCongo\j)\i
Vietnam's Communist Government warns that it will revoke publication licenses from newspapers and journals if loyalty to party \Jideology\j is not shown. The warning comes only weeks after a former editor, Nguyen Hoang Linh, is charged with disclosing classified information in articles examining a transaction between Vietnam's General Customs Department and the Ukrainian Government. \I(Vietnam, \JUkraine\j)\i
United States officials say they are close to completing a deal with China to end Chinese nuclear co-operation with \JIran\j, adding that they hope to seal the pact in time for the US-China summit next week. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
Polish \Jtelevision\j reports a reunion in Warsaw of six American \JCIA\j agents with Polish counterparts who smuggled them out of \JIraq\j after the invasion of \JKuwait\j in 1990. \I(USA, \JPoland\j, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
A team of \JBordeaux\j researchers finds evidence of a link between in vitro \Jfertilization\j (IVF) and breast cancer in women. The team suggests that human menopausal \Jgonadotrophin\j, the drug used to stimulate the ovaries in the IVF program, could be the agent that accelerates the growth of previously undiagnosed cancer cells in the breast, and urges doctors to examine women before giving them the treatment. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
For the second time this year, doubt is cast on the authenticity of Vincent van Gogh's \ISunflowers\i, one of the world's most valuable paintings, selling for $US40.3 million to \JJapan\j's Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Company in 1987. According to British art expert, Geraldine Norman, the painting is the work of the late Claude-Emile Schuffenecker, an embittered Parisian art teacher. \I(\JJapan\j, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"October 26, 1997",662,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chinese President Jiang Zemin receives a red carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute when he arrives in \JHonolulu\j on the first stop of his American visit. In his arrival speech, President Jiang says he hopes this week's talks with President Clinton will repair bilateral relations strained by differences over human rights, trade, \JTaiwan\j, and nuclear proliferation. \I(China, USA)\i
A woman is killed and 30 people are injured when two explosions rip through the crowded Ajmal Road market in New Delhi, India. No one claims responsibility for the blasts. \I(India)\i
Scientists from a nuclear research facility in \JCalifornia\j say they have invented a simple radar device to pinpoint landmines left buried in the ground, and plan to test the instrument in \JCambodia\j, where about 300 civilians are killed or maimed by landmines each month. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j)\i
While uncertainty over the arrival of much-needed monsoon rains increases, meteorologists report a doubling in the number of cities shrouded in smog generated by \JIndonesia\j's raging forest fires. Experts are warning that the unseasonable dry spell could possibly continue for another three months due to the El Nino phenomenon. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Speaking at an international AIDS congress in Manila, Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on \JHIV\j/AIDS, warns of a tragedy of historic proportions if the rapid spread of AIDS in the Asian region is not contained. Dr. Piot estimates that 7 million people in the region are already infected with \JHIV\j, with numbers expected to double by the end of the century. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, Asia)\i
After a seven-hour operation, doctors in Taipei reattach the arms of two men whose limbs were jerked from their bodies during a mass tug-of-war organized by the city Government. Earlier in the \Jday\j, another 45 people were injured when the rope being pulled by 1,600 people snapped. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
Hundreds of bargain-hunters attend a joint sale, organized by a large \JBangkok\j business group, to raise cash for \JThailand\j's once-comfortable middle classes, now hit by the country's worst economic slump since World War II. Among the items for sale are more than 100 Mercedes-Benz and BMW limousines, jewelry, Italian furniture, and plots of land. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Chinese President Jiang Zemin receives a red carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute when he arrives in \JHonolulu\j on the first stop of his American visit. In his arrival speech, President Jiang says he hopes this week's talks with President Clinton will repair bilateral relations strained by differences over human rights, trade, \JTaiwan\j, and nuclear proliferation. \I(China, USA)\i
Early counts in Argentina's mid-term congressional elections record just 35 per cent of the vote for President Carlos Menem's Peronist Party. At this stage, 48 per cent of the vote is being claimed by two opposition parties forming the center-left Alliance: the centrist Civic Radical Union and the left-leaning Frepaso coalition. \I(Argentina)\i
On the second leg of a six-capital African tour, United States special envoy, Bill Richardson, says he has received assurances that could stave off United Nations sanctions against \JAngola\j's former rebel movement, UNITA. Mr. Richardson adds that the Angolan Government has also pledged to set an early date for a summit with UNITA's leader, Jonas Savimbi. \I(Angola, USA)\i
After a 20-month inquiry, a United States Congressional panel reports that the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have mishandled investigations into illnesses of Gulf War veterans, and recommends that they be stripped of their authority on the issue, with an independent agency established to co-ordinate research into the cause of the ailments. \I(USA)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, celebrates her 50th birthday at the \JWhite House\j, where family and friends surprise her with a "state fair" theme party on the lawn. \I(USA)\i
Twenty-three people are killed and another 30 are injured when a bus carrying Roman Catholic pilgrims to a religious ceremony plunges into a gully near the Salvadoran capital, \JSan Salvador\j. Among the dead are children as young as three years of age. \I(El Salvador)\i
Scientists from a nuclear research facility in \JCalifornia\j say they have invented a simple radar device to pinpoint landmines left buried in the ground, and plan to test the instrument in \JCambodia\j, where about 300 civilians are killed or maimed by landmines each month. \I(USA, \JCambodia\j)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve becomes World Formula One Champion with 81 points after surviving a clash with German Michael Schumacher to finish third in the European Grand Prix at Jerez, \JSpain\j. The race is won by \JFinland\j's Mika Hakkinen, earning him 6th place in the drivers' overall standings. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, \JFinland\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel accuses \JRussia\j of helping \JIran\j acquire \Jballistic missile\j technology. \JRussia\j, which is hoping to gain a wider role in the \JMiddle East\j peace process, denies the accusation, but concedes that Russian-Iranian relations are good. \I(Israel, Russia, Iran)\i
On the second leg of a six-capital African tour, United States special envoy, Bill Richardson, says he has received assurances that could stave off United Nations sanctions against \JAngola\j's former rebel movement, UNITA. Mr. Richardson adds that the Angolan Government has also pledged to set an early date for a summit with UNITA's leader, Jonas Savimbi. \I(Angola, USA)\i
Facing an investigation ordered by Defense Minister, Volker Ruehe, the German military denies that the army is a hot-bed of neo-Nazi activity. The claims and counter-claims come after a homemade video shows eight German army officers giving the Hitler salute and talking about killing Jews. Three months ago, a video produced by the same battalion showed soldiers acting out rapes and killings in Bosnia. \I(\JGermany\j, Bosnia)\i
With a push of a button, \JEgypt\j's President Mubarak sends Nile River \Jwater\j surging through four tunnels under the Suez Canal. The project, partly financed by \JKuwait\j, will eventually irrigate 620,000 acres of the arid \JSinai\j desert, allowing 1.5 million crowded Nile Valley residents to settle there. \I(\JEgypt\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve becomes World Formula One Champion with 81 points after surviving a clash with German Michael Schumacher to finish third in the European Grand Prix at Jerez, \JSpain\j. The race is won by \JFinland\j's Mika Hakkinen, earning him 6th place in the drivers' overall standings. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, \JFinland\j)\i
#
"October 27, 1997",663,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amid fears of higher interest rates and uncertainty about the local currency, trading on Hong Kong's stock market wipes out most of Friday's 6.9 per cent revival, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index plummeting 646.14 points, or 5.79 per cent, to close at 10,498.2. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The latest American report on \JMyanmar\j shows its ruling military junta to be increasingly dependent on funds generated by the drug trade, the country's most valuable export, with profits for 1996 estimated at $US1.24 billion. According to the report, drug money has helped offset a foreign currency crisis caused largely by the increase in arms spending by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, leaves Hawaii for the United States mainland, where he will make an overnight stop in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, before heading on to Washington and summit talks with President Clinton. Issues to be discussed during the summit include curbing nuclear proliferation, encouraging military contacts, and co-operation on cleaning up the environment and fighting global crime. \I(China, USA)\i
After \JJapan\j and the United States sign a pact to reform Japanese port practices, Japanese shipping firms agree to pay fines of $US1.5 million to settle a dispute with the US Federal Maritime Commission, which last month imposed fines of $US4 million in retaliation for discriminatory port practices in Japan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, Wall Street suffers its biggest one-\Jday\j points drop on record, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging 554.26 points, or 7.18 per cent, to 7,161.15. Throughout the \Jday\j, emergency mechanisms, introduced after the 1987 "Black Monday" crash, are triggered for the first time ever, with trading automatically suspended when the index drops 350 points, and again when the index is 554.75 points down. \JWhite House\j officials and Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, appeal for calm, assuring investors that the markets are working smoothly and that the economy is vigorous. President Clinton also offers words of reassurance, reminding the American people that the economy is as strong and vibrant today as it has been for a generation. \I(USA)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, leaves Hawaii for the United States mainland, where he will make an overnight stop in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, before heading on to Washington and summit talks with President Clinton. Issues to be discussed during the summit include curbing nuclear proliferation, encouraging military contacts, and co-operation on cleaning up the environment and fighting global crime. \I(China, USA)\i
Argentina's center-left Alliance claims victory over President Carlos Menem's eight-year-old Peronist Government in the mid-term congressional elections. Alliance leaders say voters have punished the Government for its corruption scandals, its arrogance, and its failure to create jobs. \I(Argentina)\i
After \JJapan\j and the United States sign a pact to reform Japanese port practices, Japanese shipping firms agree to pay fines of $US1.5 million to settle a dispute with the US Federal Maritime Commission, which last month imposed fines of $US4 million in retaliation for discriminatory port practices in Japan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The latest American report on \JMyanmar\j shows its ruling military junta to be increasingly dependent on funds generated by the drug trade, the country's most valuable export, with profits for 1996 estimated at $US1.24 billion. According to the report, drug money has helped offset a foreign currency crisis caused largely by the increase in arms spending by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA)\i
\INewsweek International\i magazine publishes allegations by senior United States officials that the front-runner in \JColombia\j's presidential race, Horacio Serpa, has close ties to the drug trade. Mr. Serpa, a former interior minister and ally of \JColombia\j's President Ernesto Samper, is currently under investigation over charges that his 1994 election campaign was partly financed by the \JCali\j drug cartel. \I(USA, \JColombia\j)\i
One of the biggest United States prosecutions against \JColombia\j's \JCali\j drug cartel ends in a near stalemate when the jury returns a not-guilty verdict on a racketeering charge, and fails to reach verdicts on drug trafficking and other charges against two former US prosecutors, now lawyers for the cartel. \I(USA, \JColombia\j)\i
President Clinton announces that the United States budget deficit for fiscal 1997, which ended September 30, dropped to $US22.6 billion, its lowest level in more than two decades. The drop is attributed to stronger-than-expected US economic growth, as well as a surge in US tax revenues. \I(USA)\i
US State Department spokesman, James Rubin, says the United States is investigating how two Russian nuclear weapons laboratories managed to acquire US-made supercomputers in defiance of an export ban. Mr. Rubin's statement follows reports that a federal grand jury is investigating \JIBM\j's role in the affair to determine if the company violated US laws. \I(USA, Russia)\i
American scientists report that failing heart cells have been revived in laboratory experiments by targeting them with human genes which regulate the heartbeat, a breakthrough they say raises the possibility of a new form of gene therapy for victims of heart failure. \I(USA)\i
New York health officials say an \JHIV\j-infected man has knowingly spread the virus to at least 11 people, and that a total of 98 people are now thought to have been either directly or indirectly exposed as well. The infected man, 20-year-old Nushawn Williams, is being held on charges of raping a 13-year-old girl, and could face at least 10 additional assault charges. \I(USA)\i
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) summons German racing driver, Michael Schumacher, to appear at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council. The FIA says it wants a further investigation into Schumacher's controversial collision with championship rival, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, during Sunday's European Formula One Grand Prix in \JSpain\j, the decisive last race of the season. Critics are accusing Schumacher of deliberately turning his Ferrari into Villeneuve's Williams during the race. \I(\JGermany\j, Canada, \JSpain\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In response to the United Nations Security Council's threat of further sanctions, the Iraqi parliament recommends that contact with United Nations weapons inspectors be frozen. The sanctions were threatened after a UN report concluded that Iraq was withholding information and impeding the investigation of its weapons inspectors. \I(Iraq)\i
Despite the Algerian's Government's claim that last Thursday's local elections passed peacefully, newspaper reports indicate that five people died in a bomb blast in Ghira town, in the eastern province of Tebessa. Another seven civilians have been killed in attacks over the past few days. \I(Algeria)\i
Thousands of supporters of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, rally to demand the annulment of \JMontenegro\j's recent presidential runoff, claiming \Jfraud\j on the part of winner and arch Milosevic critic, Prime Minister Milo Djakanovic. \I(Yugoslavia, \JMontenegro\j)\i
The British Government announces plans for government and business to work towards Britain's eventual entry into the European Monetary Union. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, rules out joining the first wave of partners in 1999, and points instead to possible entry early in the next electoral term, promising, however, that the British people will have the final say in a referendum. \I(UK, Europe)\i
After a wage dispute ends in stalemate, French truckers draw up plans to erect a 180 lorry barricade across the country to block key roads, ports, and petrol depots for an unlimited period from next Sunday. In November 1966, a similar 12-day action by truckers paralyzed \JFrance\j, and caused millions of dollars of losses to farmers and haulers across Europe. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, in Scotland for the 1997 Commonwealth summit, receives the Freedom Scroll of the City of Edinburgh, an award offered by the city councillors in recognition of Mr. Mandela's lifelong fight for equality for the people of South Africa. \I(South Africa, Scotland)\i
US State Department spokesman, James Rubin, says the United States is investigating how two Russian nuclear weapons laboratories managed to acquire US-made supercomputers in defiance of an export ban. Mr. Rubin's statement follows reports that a federal grand jury is investigating \JIBM\j's role in the affair to determine if the company violated US laws. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) summons German racing driver, Michael Schumacher, to appear at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council. The FIA says it wants a further investigation into Schumacher's controversial collision with championship rival, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, during Sunday's European Formula One Grand Prix in \JSpain\j, the decisive last race of the season. Critics are accusing Schumacher of deliberately turning his Ferrari into Villeneuve's Williams during the race. \I(\JGermany\j, Canada, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"October 28, 1997",664,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Monday's dramatic drop on New York's Wall Street stock exchange sparks panic selling throughout the world. \JNew Zealand\j's share market plunges 12.46 per cent in the biggest one-day fall since 1987, \JAustralia\j's All Ordinaries Index closes down 7.18 per cent, in \JTokyo\j, the Nikkei falls by 4.26 per cent to its lowest level since July 1995, the \JSingapore\j market is slashed by 7.8 per cent, and Hong Kong's besieged market suffers one of its biggest single-day setbacks when the Hang Seng Index plummets 1438.31 points, or 13.7 per cent, to finish at 9059.89 points. The domino effect continues in Europe, with afternoon trading showing London's FTSE-100 Index down 6.7 per cent, and index levels in both \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j sliding by 8.5 per cent. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, arrives in Washington to hold private talks with US President Clinton before the start of tomorrow's formal summit. Meanwhile, three generations of Chinese \Jdissidents\j join with United States activists in demanding that President Clinton gives a full account of his dialogue with Mr. Jiang on human rights. While calling on Mr. Jiang to lift the ban on their own right to return home, the \Jdissidents\j also call on Mr. Clinton to demand the release of Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan, China's most celebrated political prisoners. \I(USA, China)\i
Cambodia's National Assembly passes a law outlining the formation and registration of political parties, the first of two key laws required before a general election can proceed as scheduled in May. The new law sets out legal framework for parties to register for the polls, and also penalties for violations ranging from fines of around $US1,000 to jail terms of up to five years. \I(Cambodia)\i
A scuffle breaks out when \JRangoon\j riot police prevent Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, from meeting with members of her political party, the National League for Democracy. The incident dampens hopes that tensions between the democrats and \JMyanmar\j's ruling military junta were easing. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In its first meeting, \JThailand\j's newly reshuffled cabinet approves three new laws for ratification by parliament. If ratified, the laws will allow elections originally scheduled for May to be brought forward, relieving some of the interim pressure on embattled Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, and his Government. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Two opposition parties agree to field a joint candidate, Kim Dae Jung, in South Korea's December presidential elections. The National Congress for New Politics and the United Liberal Democrats also agree to campaign on a promise to change the country's governing formula from a presidential system to a cabinet system. \I(South Korea)\i
Singapore's opposition Workers' Party leader, Joshua Jeyaretnam, files an appeal against the verdict in a \Jdefamation\j case brought by Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. Mr. Jeyaretnam was ordered to pay Mr. Goh damages of $S20,000, a judgment which drew strong condemnation from both the International Commission of Jurists and Amnesty International. \I(Singapore)\i
A United Nations official denies reports of cannibalism in North Korea, but confirms that the food crisis is likely to worsen next year when domestically produced rice and \Jmaize\j run out. The country's food shortages have been exacerbated this year by \Jdrought\j and tidal waves, and the UN is currently helping to rehabilitate destroyed farmland, repair damaged irrigation systems, and diversify crops. \I(North Korea)\i
As part of a planned protest against child labor, the South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude says an estimated 100,000 Indian children will boycott fireworks during the Hindu New Year this week. Each year, India spends millions of dollars on fireworks, many of which are made by children in illegal factories. \I(India)\i
At an AIDS congress in Manila, Asian governments come under fire for spending billions of dollars on arms, but outlaying a mere trickle of money to fight the disease which has affected seven million of their people, the disease described by AIDS activists as the enemy of Asian promise. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Monday's dramatic drop on New York's Wall Street stock exchange sparks panic selling throughout the world. \JNew Zealand\j's share market plunges 12.46 per cent in the biggest one-day fall since 1987, \JAustralia\j's All Ordinaries Index closes down 7.18 per cent, in \JTokyo\j, the Nikkei falls by 4.26 per cent to its lowest level since July 1995, the \JSingapore\j market is slashed by 7.8 per cent, and Hong Kong's besieged market suffers one of its biggest single-day setbacks when the Hang Seng Index plummets 1438.31 points, or 13.7 per cent, to finish at 9059.89 points. The domino effect continues in Europe, with afternoon trading showing London's FTSE-100 Index down 6.7 per cent, and index levels in both \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j sliding by 8.5 per cent. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
The New York stock market makes a stunning recovery from the previous \Jday\j's plunge, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 337.17 points, or 4.7 per cent, to end at 7,498.32, setting a new record one-\Jday\j point gain. Major stock indices in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and \JBrazil\j follow the US trend, erasing earlier declines and finishing substantially higher. \I(USA, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, \JBrazil\j)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, arrives in Washington to hold private talks with President Clinton before the start of tomorrow's formal summit. Meanwhile, three generations of Chinese \Jdissidents\j join with United States activists in demanding that President Clinton gives a full account of his dialogue with Mr. Jiang on human rights. While calling on Mr. Jiang to lift the ban on their own right to return home, the \Jdissidents\j also call on Mr. Clinton to demand the release of Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan, China's most celebrated political prisoners. \I(USA, China)\i
The United States warns \JIraq\j of serious consequences if it decides to suspend its dealings with United Nations weapons inspectors -- a move proposed by the Iraqi parliament to counter a UN Security Council threat of further sanctions. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, flatly rejects efforts to try two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing in a country other than Scotland, insisting that the integrity of the Scottish judicial process is beyond dispute. Libya is refusing to extradite the suspects to stand trial for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner, a position supported by South African President, Nelson Mandela, who says justice would not be seen to be done should the trial be held in Scotland. Relatives of the victims of the attack are also supporting the call for a compromise, having concluded that a trial in Scotland or the United States is simply not achievable. \I(UK, Libya, USA, South Africa)\i
Horacio Serpa, the front-running candidate in \JColombia\j's presidential race, challenges Washington to go public with its evidence concerning his alleged links to the drug trade, vowing to resign if anything substantial is produced. Mr. Serpa's statement is prompted by a report in \INewsweek International\i, which cited senior United States officials claiming to have solid proof of Mr. Serpa's involvement with drug traffickers. \I(USA, \JColombia\j)\i
The Monterey County Sheriff's office confirms that \Jtoxicology\j tests found no traces of alcohol, controlled substances, or prescription drugs in the bloodstream of singer-songwriter John \JDenver\j. \JDenver\j was killed earlier this month when the experimental plane he was piloting crashed into the \JPacific Ocean\j about 100 miles south of \JSan Francisco\j. \I(USA)\i
A \JCalifornia\j biotech company, NeoTherapeutics Incorporated, says it has developed a treatment for Alzheimer's disease which has been successful in preliminary tests in rats, and that it hopes to have initial results of the effectiveness of the treatment in humans by next year. The drug, AIT-082, promotes regeneration of damaged nerve cells by stimulating the body to produce growth factor. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Monday's dramatic drop on New York's Wall Street stock exchange sparks panic selling throughout the world. \JNew Zealand\j's share market plunges 12.46 per cent in the biggest one-day fall since 1987, \JAustralia\j's All Ordinaries Index closes down 7.18 per cent, in \JTokyo\j, the Nikkei falls by 4.26 per cent to its lowest level since July 1995, the \JSingapore\j market is slashed by 7.8 per cent, and Hong Kong's besieged market suffers one of its biggest single-day setbacks when the Hang Seng Index plummets 1438.31 points, or 13.7 per cent, to finish at 9059.89 points. The domino effect continues in Europe, with afternoon trading showing London's FTSE-100 Index down 6.7 per cent, and index levels in both \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j sliding by 8.5 per cent. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, \JAustralia\j, \JJapan\j, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Thousands of protesters march through \JAlgiers\j claiming widespread \Jfraud\j in last week's local and regional elections, which yielded President Liamine Zeroual's National Democratic Rally party 50 per cent of the vote, and hence control of about a dozen large cities and more than half of the regional councils. The major opposition parties are demanding an investigation into "confiscation of ballots" and other "dubious maneuvers", and are calling on Mr. Zeroual to scrap the election results. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
The United States warns \JIraq\j of serious consequences if it decides to suspend its dealings with United Nations weapons inspectors, a move proposed by the Iraqi parliament to counter a UN Security Council threat of further sanctions. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Zambian President, Frederick Chiluba, survives a dawn coup attempt by junior military officers, who take over the state-run radio station and announce that the previously unknown National \JRedemption\j Council has seized power. Loyalist troops are quickly on the scene, and one rebel officer is killed and 15 are arrested after a brief exchange of fire. \I(Zambia)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, flatly rejects efforts to try two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing in a country other than Scotland, insisting that the integrity of the Scottish judicial process is beyond dispute. Libya is refusing to extradite the suspects to stand trial for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner, a position supported by South African President, Nelson Mandela, who says justice would not be seen to be done should the trial be held in Scotland. Relatives of the victims of the attack are also supporting the call for a compromise, having concluded that a trial in Scotland or the United States is simply not achievable. \I(UK, Scotland, Libya, USA, South Africa)\i
#
"October 29, 1997",665,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following Wall Street's overnight lead, Asia/Pacific share markets stage a spectacular recovery, regaining a large amount of the losses suffered yesterday. The \JNew Zealand\j market jumps by 9.94 per cent to record its biggest one-day gain, the Australian market finishes up 6.25 per cent, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Index closes 3.34 per cent higher, and Hong Kong's volatile Hang Seng Index soars by a massive 18.6 per cent to more than compensate for the previous day's plunge. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, Australia, \JJapan\j, Hong Kong)\i
After two days of violent swings triggered by the Asian stock market crisis, Wall Street remains stable, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shifting up only 8.35 points to finish at 7,506.67. United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, comments that the recent turmoil on global markets will eventually be viewed as a healthy correction, adding that his main concern regarding Asia's financial troubles is the "contagion" from one market to another. \I(USA, Asia)\i
At a joint news conference following a two-hour \JWhite House\j meeting, United States President, Bill Clinton, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, announce that they have forged an agreement which will allow US nuclear sales to China. The two leaders also spar over China's human rights record, with Mr. Clinton saying that China is "on the wrong side of history", and that the United States will continue to press for reform until Chinese society allows political and religious freedom. Mr. Jiang, however, makes no apology for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, maintaining that he took necessary measures to ensure China's future reform. \I(USA, China)\i
While Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, engages in talks with President Clinton at the \JWhite House\j, hundreds of demonstrators stage a protest in a park across the street, calling on Mr. Jiang to free \JTibet\j, respect human rights, and release political prisoners. Protesters include actor Richard Gere, celebrity Bianca Jagger, as well as politicians, Chinese \Jdissidents\j, and Buddhist monks. \I(USA, China)\i
Former "Brother Number 2" within the Cambodian Khmer Rouge movement, Ieng Sary, who defected last August to head a faction known as the Democratic National Union Movement, returns to Phnom Penh for the first time since the Khmer Rouge was driven from power in 1979. Until now, Mr. Ieng Sary has professed \Jneutrality\j in his country's recent political upheaval, but his arrival in the capital is widely regarded as a show of support for the Hun Sen Government. \I(Cambodia)\i
South Korea's ruling New Korea Party (NKP) sinks into further disarray when 30 members, fearful of losing power for the first time since 1948, demand that its candidate, Lee Hoi Chang, quit December's presidential race. Mr. Lee, whose public approval rating is waning, has publicly criticized President Kim Young Sam and opened a rift within the NKP. \I(South Korea)\i
Speaking in Jakarta, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, says both he and \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto broadly agree on the future membership of Vietnam and \JPeru\j in the Asia-Pacific Economic (APEC) forum. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, \JPeru\j, Vietnam)\i
Japan takes a step towards approving the low-dose contraceptive pill after a Health Ministry committee agrees to put the issue before the Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Council. Japan currently remains the only industrialized country to prohibit prescription of the pill for \Jbirth control\j purposes, with low-dose pills banned completely, and medium and high-dose pills available only for menstrual disorders. \I(Japan)\i
A five-\Jday\j AIDS conference closes in Manila, with delegates from Asia and the Pacific pledging more co-operation between their countries to fight the serious threat of a massive AIDS epidemic. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, Asia, The Pacific)\i
Dr. Herbert Cole "Nugget" Coombs, described as the "ultimate renaissance man" and one of the greatest Australians of the 20th century, dies aged 91 in Sydney. During his lifetime, Dr. Coombs served in a number of portfolios under seven prime ministers, and was a great champion of the interests and needs of indigenous Australians. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Following Wall Street's overnight lead, Asia/Pacific share markets stage a spectacular recovery, regaining a large amount of the losses suffered yesterday. The \JNew Zealand\j market jumps by 9.94 per cent to record its biggest one-day gain, the Australian market finishes up 6.25 per cent, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Index closes 3.34 per cent higher, and Hong Kong's volatile Hang Seng Index soars by a massive 18.6 per cent to more than compensate for the previous day's plunge. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, Australia, \JJapan\j, Hong Kong)\i
Speaking in Jakarta, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, says both he and \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto broadly agree on the future membership of Vietnam and \JPeru\j in the Asia-Pacific Economic (APEC) forum. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, \JPeru\j, Vietnam)\i
After two days of violent swings triggered by the Asian stock market crisis, Wall Street remains stable, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shifting up only 8.35 points to finish at 7,506.67. United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, comments that the recent turmoil on global markets will eventually be viewed as a healthy correction, adding that his main concern regarding Asia's financial troubles is the "contagion" from one market to another. \I(USA, Asia)\i
At a joint news conference following a two-hour \JWhite House\j meeting, United States President, Bill Clinton, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, announce that they have forged an agreement which will allow US nuclear sales to China. The two leaders also spar over China's human rights record, with Mr. Clinton saying that China is "on the wrong side of history", and that the United States will continue to press for reform until Chinese society allows political and religious freedom. Mr. Jiang, however, makes no apology for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, maintaining that he took necessary measures to ensure China's future reform. \I(USA, China)\i
While Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, engages in talks with President Clinton at the \JWhite House\j, hundreds of demonstrators stage a protest in a park across the street, calling on Mr. Jiang to free \JTibet\j, respect human rights, and release political prisoners. Protesters include actor Richard Gere, celebrity Bianca Jagger, as well as politicians, Chinese \Jdissidents\j, and Buddhist monks. \I(USA, China)\i
Iraq decides to ban all Americans working in United Nations weapons inspection teams on its territory, giving the 10 American UN inspectors currently in Iraq one week to leave. The decision is condemned by the United Nations Security Council, which immediately suspends all field operations in Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, visits \JLibya\j for the second time in a week, awarding Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the Order of Good Hope, South Africa's highest honor to foreign figures, while urging him to support the United Nations in its efforts to reduce tension, conflict, and violence. Colonel Gaddafi, however, reiterates his refusal to extradite two Libyans sought by the West for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. \I(South Africa, Libya, Scotland, USA)\i
Britain requests \JBrazil\j to extradite Ronald Biggs, a member of the gang that staged Britain's "Great Train Robbery" in 1963. Biggs has lived as a fugitive in \JRio de Janeiro\j since 1970. \I(UK, \JBrazil\j)\i
The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j), Louis Freeh, warns that criminals are rapidly moving into cyberspace, and that unless computer software manufacturers are required by law to include a feature allowing police to descramble encrypted communications, terrorists, spies, and dealers in drugs and arms will have immunity like no other. \I(USA)\i
A new study refutes theories that industrial chemicals like PCB and DDE are contributing to rising breast cancer rates. The study finds that blood samples from cancer victims contain lower levels of the hormone-like chemicals than samples taken from women without cancer. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq decides to ban all Americans working in United Nations weapons inspection teams on its territory, giving the 10 American UN inspectors currently in Iraq one week to leave. The decision is condemned by the United Nations Security Council, which immediately suspends all field operations in Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
One \Jday\j after crushing an attempted coup by rebel soldiers, Zambian President, Frederick Chiluba, declares a state of emergency, a move interpreted by his political opponent, former president, Kenneth Kaunda, as signaling a wider clampdown. \I(Zambia)\i
Peace talks aimed at ending \JSudan\j's \Jcivil war\j begin at a secret location outside \JNairobi\j, bringing together the Sudanese Government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army for the first time in three years. The conflict began in 1983 and has claimed an estimated 1.3 million lives. \I(Sudan, \JKenya\j)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, visits \JLibya\j for the second time in a week, awarding Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, the Order of Good Hope, South Africa's highest honor to foreign figures, while urging him to support the United Nations in its efforts to reduce tension, conflict, and violence. Colonel Gaddafi, however, reiterates his refusal to extradite two Libyans sought by the West for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. \I(South Africa, \JLibya\j, Scotland, USA)\i
Britain requests \JBrazil\j to extradite Ronald Biggs, a member of the gang that staged Britain's "Great Train Robbery" in 1963. Biggs has lived as a fugitive in \JRio de Janeiro\j since 1970. \I(UK, \JBrazil\j)\i
Under continuing pressure from the World Jewish Congress, Swiss banks publish a second list of nearly 14,000 dormant accounts opened before 1945. About 10,000 of the listed accounts were opened by Swiss nationals, and it is assumed that only a small fraction of the money is likely to belong to \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, announces that the island where Diana is buried will be on view for the first time next year, when Althrop House and its grounds are opened to the public between July 1 and August 30. Visitors will be required to apply in advance for tickets, the price of which is yet to be determined. \I(UK)\i
#
"October 30, 1997",666,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's turbulent stock market suffers a further setback, with the Hang Seng Index tumbling as much as 7.2 per cent before recovering to finish down 3.7 per cent. Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea's declining markets drops another 4.2 per cent, and \JJapan\j's Nikkei Index closes down 2.9 per cent. \I(Hong Kong, South Korea, \JJapan\j)\i
United States stocks take another drop, with Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 125 points, or 1.6 per cent, to close at 7,381.67, and the technology-studded Nasdaq Composite Index sinking 32.34 points, or 2 per cent, to 1,570.41. Meanwhile, stocks in \JBrazil\j lose more than 8 per cent, exacerbating US investors' concerns that the turmoil in Asian markets is having a domino effect on Latin American markets. \I(USA, \JBrazil\j, Latin America, Asia)\i
In a spirited debate with members of the United States Congress, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, asserts the prosperity and openness of Chinese society and rejects criticism of its human rights record, insisting that jailed religious figures are law-breakers, and that the people of \JTibet\j live in happiness and contentment. \I(USA, China, \JTibet\j)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, announces that she is to meet with her Chinese counterpart next month for talks about a variety of matters, including China's co-operation with the US investigation into alleged campaign finance illegalities. A number of people US officials would like to question are believed to have fled to China, but Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, has reportedly assured President Clinton that China made no effort to influence the 1996 US election. \I(USA, China)\i
Former senior Khmer Rouge leader, Ieng Sary, pledges his support for \JCambodia\j's Hun Sen Government, saying he accepts its version of the events which led to the ousting of former co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in early July. However, Mr. Ieng Sary warns that he will fight against the Government if its continuing clashes with royalist troops threaten his territory in the west of the country, which includes the gem-and-timber-rich town of Pailin, where up to 6,000 former Khmer Rouge soldiers are based. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Cambodia and South Korea establish full diplomatic relations, upgrading low-level relations which reopened last year after a 21-year hiatus. \I(Cambodia, South Korea)\i
Myanmar's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) announces that four senior members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy are being held for questioning. The four men were arrested on Tuesday for attempting to conduct a party meeting in defiance of SLORC warnings. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
A police station in Montalban, near the Philippine capital, Manila, is attacked and its commander abducted by about 40 guerrillas of the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Maoist-oriented local communist party. It is the second NPA raid on a police outpost in two months. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States stocks take another drop, with Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 125 points, or 1.6 per cent, to close at 7,381.67, and the technology-studded Nasdaq Composite Index sinking 32.34 points, or 2 per cent, to 1,570.41. Meanwhile, stocks in \JBrazil\j lose more than 8 per cent, exacerbating US investors' concerns that the turmoil in Asian markets is having a domino effect on Latin American markets. \I(USA, \JBrazil\j, Latin America, Asia)\i
Iraq carries out its threat to ban American members of United Nations weapons inspection teams from its territory, refusing entry to two members of a team that flew in from \JBahrain\j. Washington regards the incident as a serious mistake on \JBaghdad\j's part, and says that although no decision has been made on what action the United States will take, it is not ruling out a military response at this time. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In a spirited debate with members of the United States Congress, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, asserts the prosperity and openness of Chinese society and rejects criticism of its human rights record, insisting that jailed religious figures are law-breakers, and that the people of \JTibet\j live in happiness and contentment. \I(USA, China, \JTibet\j)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, announces that she is to meet with her Chinese counterpart next month for talks about a variety of matters, including China's co-operation with the US investigation into alleged campaign finance illegalities. A number of people US officials would like to question are believed to have fled to China, but Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, has reportedly assured President Clinton that China made no effort to influence the 1996 US election. \I(USA, China)\i
Ahead of talks with the Palestinians in Washington next week, Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, says he will offer to halt construction of new Jewish settlements for up to nine months in exchange for Palestinian agreement to delayed withdrawal of Israeli troops from Arab areas. Next week's talks aim to cover old agreements, which the Palestinians say Israel has failed to implement, as well as projections for negotiating so-called "final status" issues. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In the first congressional challenge to the presidential line-item veto, the United States Senate votes by a veto-proof margin of 69-30 to override President Clinton's veto of 34 military construction projects, reinstating $US265 million in funding for the projects in 20 states. \I(USA)\i
After three days of deliberation, a \JMassachusetts\j jury finds a 19-year-old British au pair guilty of second degree murder. Prosecutors charged Louise Woodward of manhandling and violently shaking eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, who was left in her care in the Eappen family's home in the \JBoston\j suburb of Newton on February 4 this year. Lawyers for the defense refused to have the jury consider a lesser charge of \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
A jury of seven women and five men is chosen in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, that of Terry Nichols, who is charged with 11 counts of conspiracy and murder. Nichols could face the death penalty if convicted. \I(USA)\i
After one of the longest standoffs of its kind in United States' history, Illinois police capture a 51-year-old woman who held them at bay for 39 days resisting a court order to undergo a psychiatric examination. In their efforts to flush Shirley Allen out of her house, police have employed diverse tactics such as tear gas, music, and cutting off her supplies of electricity and \Jwater\j. \I(USA)\i
United States federal health officials reveal that cases of diabetes are at record levels, with around 798,000 new cases reported each year. A total of 15.7 million people, or almost six per cent of the population, suffer from the disease. \I(USA)\i
Officials in \JIowa\j announce that a 29-year-old woman is expecting septuplets. The three girls and four boys are at 28 weeks gestation and are gaining weight, but doctors are unable to say when the babies might be born. No complete set of septuplets has ever survived. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two brothers are sentenced to death for the September attack on a tour bus in \JCairo\j, which left nine German tourists and the Egyptian bus driver dead. Both Saber el-Ulla and his brother Mahmoud pleaded guilty to charges of murder, attacking tourists, and damaging the economy through \Jterrorism\j. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Iraq carries out its threat to ban American members of United Nations weapons inspection teams from its territory, refusing entry to two members of a team that flew in from \JBahrain\j. Washington regards the incident as a serious mistake on \JBaghdad\j's part, and says that although no decision has been made on what action the United States will take, it is not ruling out a military response at this time. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Ahead of talks with the Palestinians in Washington next week, Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, says he will offer to halt construction of new Jewish settlements for up to nine months in exchange for Palestinian agreement to delayed withdrawal of Israeli troops from Arab areas. Next week's talks aim to cover old agreements, which the Palestinians say Israel has failed to implement, as well as projections for negotiating so-called "final status" issues. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United Nations Security Council imposes air and travel sanctions against \JAngola\j's opposition UNITA, ordering the group's offices abroad to be closed. The sanctions, postponed once before, are aimed at forcing UNITA to complete a 1994 peace agreement, but UNITA now insists that they are nothing but a new obstacle to the peace process. \I(\JAngola\j)\i
Voting begins in Ireland's presidential election, with opinion polls showing law professor, Mary McAleese, as the clear favorite in the race, although supporters of her nearest rival, Mary Banotti, are not discounting an upset. Four women and one man are seeking to succeed Mary Robinson in the presidential post. \I(Republic of Ireland)\i
After a two-week trial, Francis Temperville, 40, a former scientist at the French Atomic Energy Commission, is sentenced to nine years imprisonment for selling more than 100 top-secret documents to Russian \JKGB\j agents between 1989 and 1990. \I(\JFrance\j, Russia)\i
Western Europe's Ariane-5 rocket program swings back on target when a rocket releases three satellites into \Jorbit\j after a successful test launch from French Guiana. Seventeen months ago, the first test launch of the Ariane-5 rocket failed when a computer problem sent it veering off course, and engineers were forced to destroy it by remote-control just 37 seconds after blast-off. \I(Europe, French Guiana)\i
At a conference in Oslo, about 40 countries endorse the global Agenda for Action, a nine-page document programming urgent measures to eradicate the exploitation of children through labor. The conference was organized by the International Labor Office and the United Nations Children's Fund. \I(\JNorway\j)\i
After three days of deliberation, a \JMassachusetts\j jury finds a 19-year-old British au pair guilty of second degree murder. Prosecutors charged Louise Woodward of manhandling and violently shaking 8-month-old Matthew Eappen, who was left in her care in the Eappen family's home in the \JBoston\j suburb of Newton on February 4 this year. Lawyers for the defense refused to have the jury consider a lesser charge of \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(USA, UK)\i
Swiss archaeologist, Maria Grazia Siliato, claims to have proved beyond all doubt that the Turin Shroud, a fragile linen sheet bearing the apparently blood-stained image of a crucified man, did in fact wrap the dead body of Christ, and was not a medieval \Jforgery\j as carbon-dating tests suggest. Ms. Siliato also cites new research in Paris, which shows that the words "Jesus \JNazareth\j" were apparently written on the cloth shortly after the body was wrapped in it. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"October 31, 1997",667,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hong Kong's stock market finishes an erratic week of trading with the benchmark Hang Seng Index gaining 261 points, or 2.5 per cent, to close at 10,623.78. In other Asian markets, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Index gains 94 points and \JSingapore\j's STI gains 5.14 points, but in Seoul, stocks fall for the sixth time in seven days, with levels down 2.9 per cent to 470.79, the lowest in more than five years. \I(Hong Kong, \JJapan\j, \JSingapore\j, South Korea)\i
After the most hectic week of stock trading in United States' history, with some 3.99 billion shares changing hands, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average closes up 60.41 points at 7442.07. The Dow slid 3.6 per cent for the week and 7.7 per cent for the month of October, but despite the turmoil prompted by the Asian market crisis, it is still up 15.4 per cent, or nearly 1,000 points for the year. \I(USA, Asia)\i
On the New York leg of his state visit, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, engages with the capitalist heart of the United States, ringing the opening bell on Wall Street, examining \JIBM\j's latest technology, visiting a telecommunications research facility, and dining with executives from Boeing, General Electric, General Motors, and Time-Warner. \I(USA, China)\i
The US State Department announces the appointment of Gregory Craig as special United States co-ordinator for \JTibet\j. Mr. Craig's task will be to help preserve \JTibet\j's distinct culture, and to foster dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual and former political leader of \JTibet\j's Buddhists. \I(USA, \JTibet\j, China)\i
Indonesia advises that it has reached agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue package aimed at restoring the health of the country's economy. The package includes reforms which will impact on some businesses controlled by the political elite, including President Soeharto's family. \I(Indonesia)\i
At least two security officers are killed and another 14 people are wounded when a powerful car bomb explodes in a crowded market in Srinagar, the summer capital of India's disputed Jammu and Kashmir state. The attack follows a series of grenade explosions in the region two days ago, which injured at least 17 people, including six paramilitary soldiers. \I(India)\i
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk marks his 75th birthday in \JBeijing\j, where he returned last Saturday for medical treatment after spending two months in the northern Cambodian town of Siem Reap. In the north, forces loyal to the King's son, deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, continue to wage armed conflict against Government troops, but the King's repeated appeals for a cease-fire and peace talks have been rejected by the Hun Sen regime. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
Despite strong resistance from its Defense Force, the Australian Government indicates that it will sign an international treaty banning the use and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. Until now, Australia has declined to endorse the agreement. \I(Australia)\i
In what is hailed as a historic moment for Korean politics, Seoul's rival parties agree to ban mass outdoor campaign rallies, which in the past have been seen to buy crucial votes at the price of political corruption. \I(South Korea)\i
Local officials in Irian Jaya, \JIndonesia\j's easternmost province, estimate that around 500 people have died, and that up to 500,000 more will need food and financial aid to survive \Jfamine\j and outbreaks of \Jdrought\j-related diseases. The \Jdrought\j situation in neighboring Papua New Guinea is also causing concern, with 100,000 people in desperate straits and another 500,000 seriously affected. \JAustralia\j has already contributed $AUD3 million to help ease Papua New Guinea's plight, and has provided three RAAF \Jaircraft\j and three Black Hawk helicopters to deliver emergency supplies. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Papua New Guinea, \JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After the most hectic week of stock trading in United States' history, with some 3.99 billion shares changing hands, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average closes up 60.41 points at 7442.07. The Dow slid 3.6 per cent for the week and 7.7 per cent for the month of October, but despite the turmoil prompted by the Asian market crisis, it is still up 15.4 per cent, or nearly 1,000 points, for the year. \I(USA, Asia)\i
On the New York leg of his state visit, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, engages with the capitalist heart of the United States, ringing the opening bell on Wall Street, examining \JIBM\j's latest technology, visiting a telecommunications research facility, and dining with executives from Boeing, General Electric, General Motors, and Time-Warner. \I(USA, China)\i
The US State Department announces the appointment of Gregory Craig as special United States co-ordinator for \JTibet\j. Mr. Craig's task will be to help preserve \JTibet\j's distinct culture, and to foster dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual and former political leader of \JTibet\j's Buddhists. \I(USA, \JTibet\j, China)\i
Iraq says it does not want a confrontation with the United States, but is preparing itself for the worst. The statement comes amid escalating tensions between the two countries over Iraq's decision to expel American members of the United Nations weapons inspection teams, which have since suspended all field operations. Meanwhile, in a further development, UN weapons chief, Richard Butler, announces that inspections will resume next week, and that all nationalities will take part. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
A ten-\Jday\j United Nations climate conference in \JBonn\j, initially intended to pave the way for a worldwide agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming, ends in a stalemate, with Europe and the United States still divided on the issue of targets. Europe is proposing much stricter cuts than those put forward by Washington. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, announces the launch of a worldwide United States initiative to detect and clear landmines by the end of the next decade. The United States has refused to endorse an international treaty banning landmines after failing to gain special exemptions. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge grants Whitewater special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, a six-month extension in his investigation to determine whether President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton played any part in a series of fraudulent business deals in \JArkansas\j in the mid-1980s. \I(USA)\i
Nineteen-year-old British au pair, Louise Woodward, is sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j by a \JMassachusetts\j court for the second-degree murder of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen, who was left in her care at the Eappen family's \JBoston\j home last February. The judgment shocks the British public, especially Miss Woodward's parents, who say their daughter is an innocent child and that the jurors have made "a horrendous mistake". Defense lawyers indicate that they will use every avenue to appeal the verdict. \I(USA, UK)\i
A \JFlorida\j jury finds R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company not liable in a product liability suit filed by 59-year Joann Karbiwnyk, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1995, 11 years after she gave up smoking. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mary McAleese wins Ireland's eighth presidential race with 59 per cent of the vote, 18 per cent ahead of her closest rival, opposition MP, Mary Banotti. Ms. McAleese, 46, is a \JBelfast\j law professor and a devout Roman Catholic, who earlier caused a sensation when she defeated former prime minister, Albert Reynolds, for the presidential nomination of the strongly nationalist Fianna Fall party. Ms. McAleese, who campaigned on a ticket of "Building Bridges", is Ireland's first head of state to come from the disputed British province of Northern Ireland, and succeeds Ireland's first woman head of state, Mary Robinson, who resigned in September to take up the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Iraq says it does not want a confrontation with the United States, but is preparing itself for the worst. The statement comes amid escalating tensions between the two countries over Iraq's decision to expel American members of United Nations weapons inspection teams, which have since suspended all field operations. Meanwhile, in a further development, UN weapons chief, Richard Butler, announces that inspections will resume next week, and that all nationalities will take part. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
A ten-\Jday\j United Nations climate conference in \JBonn\j, initially intended to pave the way for a worldwide agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming, ends in a stalemate, with Europe and the United States still divided on the issue of targets. Europe is proposing much stricter cuts than those put forward by Washington. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe, USA)\i
The Swiss Government approves a plan to establish a $US5 billion fund for disaster victims, including World War II \JHolocaust\j survivors. The plan must now be approved by parliament, and then win final approval in a national referendum. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Pope John Paul II issues a statement strongly condemning anti-Semitism, and acknowledging that many Christians failed to observe the teachings of their faith when the Nazis tried to exterminate the Jews during World War II. The Pope, however, does not issue a direct apology as demanded by some Jews, and also defends Pope Pius XII, who has been criticized by many historians for not speaking out against the \JHolocaust\j. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Nineteen-year-old British au pair, Louise Woodward, is sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j by a \JMassachusetts\j court for the second-degree murder of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen, who was left in her care at the Eappen family's \JBoston\j home last February. The judgment shocks the British public, especially Miss Woodward's parents, who say their daughter is an innocent child and that the jurors have made "a horrendous mistake". Defense lawyers indicate that they will use every avenue to appeal the verdict. \I(USA, UK)\i
#
"November 1, 1997",668,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces details of an economic rescue package for \JIndonesia\j. In what will be the second largest bailout fund ever, the IMF is to provide loans of $US10 million, together with $US4.5 billion from the World Bank, and $US3.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The United States announces that it will contribute $US3 billion in loans, boosting earlier promises of $US5 billion from both \JSingapore\j and \JJapan\j, and $US1 billion promised by both \JAustralia\j and \JMalaysia\j. China and Hong Kong have also indicated their support, but as yet have set no figures. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, \JSingapore\j, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, \JMalaysia\j, China, Hong Kong)\i
Speaking at \JHarvard University\j in Cambridge, \JMassachusetts\j, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, concedes that the decision to order troops into Tiananmen Square to confront student demonstrators in 1989 may have been a mistake. Mr. Jiang is the first senior Chinese leader to publicly depart from the Communist Party's official statement that the Tiananmen massacre was necessary to suppress a counter-revolutionary rebellion. \I(China, USA)\i
Fresh fighting breaks out near the northern Sri Lankan town of Kilinochchi when troops patrolling the jungle are confronted by a large group of Tamil Tiger rebels. At least 26 rebels and four soldiers are killed in the clash, and another 12 soldiers are wounded. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Three leading Sunni Muslim clerics are killed and another seriously wounded when attackers riding a motorbike throw a grenade at a van carrying the clerics from the Binouri Town Seminary in eastern \JKarachi\j. Shi'ites, who are blamed for the attack, reject the allegations, saying they too have been the victims of such \Jterrorism\j. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces details of an economic rescue package for \JIndonesia\j. In what will be the second largest bailout fund ever, the IMF is to provide loans of $US10 million, together with $US4.5 billion from the World Bank, and $US3.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The United States announces that it will contribute $US3 billion in loans, boosting earlier promises of $US5 billion from both \JSingapore\j and \JJapan\j, and $US1 billion promised by both \JAustralia\j and \JMalaysia\j. China and Hong Kong have also indicated their support, but as yet have set no figures. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, \JSingapore\j, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, \JMalaysia\j, China, Hong Kong)\i
Speaking at \JHarvard University\j in Cambridge, \JMassachusetts\j, Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, concedes that the decision to order troops into Tiananmen Square to confront student demonstrators in 1989 may have been a mistake. Mr. Jiang is the first senior Chinese leader to publicly depart from the Communist Party's official statement that the Tiananmen massacre was necessary to suppress a counter-revolutionary rebellion. \I(China, USA)\i
Iraq rejects pleas by \JRussia\j and \JFrance\j to comply with United Nations resolutions and withdraw its ban on Americans in UN weapons inspection teams. Meanwhile, the United States says Iraq's obstructionist stance is unacceptable, and that the UN Security Council is currently weighing its options over the matter. \I(Iraq, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Documents are published revealing that in a deal approved by the United States Treasury Department in 1951, National City Bank, now Citibank, knowingly accepted looted Nazi gold, which had been laundered in \JSwitzerland\j, as \Jcollateral\j for a loan to \JSpain\j. The documents were found by a Swiss \Jtelevision\j researcher who turned them over to the World Jew Congress, which in turn alerted Citibank and the Federal Reserve Bank. A subsequent search of bank records confirmed that the deal did in fact take place. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the slain \Jcivil rights\j leader, is unanimously elected as the fourth president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization his father founded 40 years ago. Mr. King, who is a former county commissioner in \JAtlanta\j, will replace the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who has been the leader for the past 20 years. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton and wealthy Democratic supporters begin a weekend "Autumn Retreat" at Amelia Island, \JFlorida\j. The retreat costs participants $US50,000 to attend, and is part of an effort to square the Democrats' $US15 million debt from the 1996 elections. \I(USA)\i
Ahead of next week's congressional vote, US Vice President, Al Gore, urges support for President Clinton's push for "fast track" trade negotiating authority, saying that to vote against it would be to "turn our backs against the world". The authority would enable President Clinton to negotiate trade deals that Congress could approve or reject, but not amend. \I(USA)\i
Bidders at an auction in Los Angeles pay a total of $US659,023 for articles from the New York apartment of German screen legend, Marlene Dietrich, who died in 1992. The sale attracts a number of famous names, including actress Jennifer Tilly, who pays $US11,500 for two letters to Dietrich from Ernest Hemingway, and $US4,600 for an ebonized cane which was a gift to Dietrich from Noel Coward. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq rejects pleas by \JRussia\j and \JFrance\j to comply with United Nations resolutions and withdraw its ban on Americans in UN weapons inspection teams. Meanwhile, the United States says Iraq's obstructionist stance is unacceptable, and that the UN Security Council is currently weighing its options over the matter. \I(Iraq, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Documents are published revealing that in a deal approved by the United States Treasury Department in 1951, National City Bank, now Citibank, knowingly accepted looted Nazi gold, which had been laundered in \JSwitzerland\j, as \Jcollateral\j for a loan to \JSpain\j. The documents were found by a Swiss \Jtelevision\j researcher who turned them over to the World Jew Congress, which in turn alerted Citibank and the Federal Reserve Bank. A subsequent search of bank records confirmed that the deal did in fact take place. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Bidders at an auction in Los Angeles pay a total of $US659,023 for articles from the New York apartment of German screen legend, Marlene Dietrich, who died in 1992. The sale attracts a number of famous names, including actress Jennifer Tilly, who pays $US11,500 for two letters to Dietrich from Ernest Hemingway, and $US4,600 for an ebonized cane which was a gift to Dietrich from Noel Coward. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"November 2, 1997",669,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian Government announces the immediate \Jliquidation\j of 16 of the country's private banks, the first step in a program of reforms demanded by contributors to a $US38 billion international economic rescue package. Steps have already been taken to prevent the owners, shareholders, and managers of the banks from leaving the country. \I(Indonesia)\i
While Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, addresses a group of prominent Californian businessmen and politicians in a Beverly Hills hotel, about 1,500 human rights campaigners outside the hotel stage a protest which culminates in the burning of two Chinese flags. \I(China, USA)\i
Emerging from two days of informal talks, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledge to put maximum efforts into resolving the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands and signing a peace treaty by 2000. The dispute over the islands kept the two countries from signing a formal peace accord at the end of World War II. \I(Russia, Japan)\i
Sri Lankan air force jets bomb and destroy a Tamil rebel ship unloading ammunition into small boats off the rebel-held town of Mullaittivu, 275 kilometers northeast of the capital, Colombo. Some 60 rebels involved in unloading the cargo are killed in the attack and resulting fire. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In an unprecedented move, US President Clinton campaigns for Vice President Al Gore's presidency in the year 2000, telling an elite gathering of top Democratic donors in \JFlorida\j how much Mr. Gore has done to improve United States relations with \JRussia\j, South Africa, and China. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, South Africa, China)\i
A report issued by the Center for Science and Environment shows that an estimated 50,000 Indians die annually due to air \Jpollution\j caused by the growing number of diesel-fueled vehicles on the roads. \JCalcutta\j is cited as having the highest \Jpollution\j-related death rate, following by New Delhi, \JBombay\j, \JKanpur\j, and Ahmedabad. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
For the second time in a week, \JIraq\j refuses entry to American members of a United Nations weapons inspection team, a provocative move which spurs Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders in Washington to voice their support for possible US military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
While Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, addresses a group of prominent Californian businessmen and politicians in a Beverly Hills hotel, about 1,500 human rights campaigners outside the hotel stage a protest which culminates in the burning of two Chinese flags. \I(China, USA)\i
In an unprecedented move, US President Clinton campaigns for Vice President Al Gore's presidency in the year 2000, telling an elite gathering of top Democratic donors in \JFlorida\j how much Mr. Gore has done to improve United States relations with \JRussia\j, South Africa, and China. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, South Africa, China)\i
The chairman of the United States Senate committee investigating campaign fund-raising illegalities says the panel will not recommend that specific charges be brought against any individuals, although some referrals could be made to the Justice Department. Senator Fred Thompson suspended public hearings on October 31, and plans to wrap up the inquiry on December 31 as scheduled. \I(USA)\i
A \Jtornado\j sweeps through New \JSmyrna\j Beach on \JFlorida\j's Atlantic coast, injuring dozens of people, tearing away roofs and second floors from about 60 houses, and destroying a 64-unit waterfront condominium. \I(USA)\i
Reports from \JBrazil\j say fires burning in the Amazon rain forest are clouding nearby cities with thick smoke, significantly reducing visibility and causing respiratory ailments for residents. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
A campaign to free British au pair, Louise Woodward, gains momentum, with supporters signing petitions, donating money, and calling for \Jcandle\j-light vigils at United States embassies around the world. The "Louise Woodward Campaign for Justice" has already raised more than $US167,000 to fund travel to the United States for Miss Woodward's parents, and other costs related to an appeal against her conviction and life sentence for the second-degree murder of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. \I(UK, USA)\i
American world number one tennis player, Pete Sampras, claims his second Paris Open Tennis Tournament title when he defeats Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman in four sets. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Sweden)\i
At the Champions Golf Club in Houston, American David Duval tops an elite field to win the $US4 million Tour Championship. \I(USA)\i
In seniors golf, American Gil Morgan successfully defends his title at the Ralphs Senior Classic in Los Angeles. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
For the second time in a week, \JIraq\j refuses entry to American members of a United Nations weapons inspection team, a provocative move which spurs Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders in Washington to voice their support for possible US military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Balkan leaders begin a three-\Jday\j summit to discuss economic cooperation, regional trade, and organized crime, the first meeting of its kind since the break-up of Yugoslavia. Tensions are high, however, due to concurrent military exercises launched by rival neighbors, \JGreece\j and Turkey. \I(The Balkans, Yugoslavia, \JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
Emerging from two days of informal talks, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledge to put maximum efforts into resolving the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands and signing a peace treaty by 2000. The dispute over the islands kept the two countries from signing a formal peace accord at the end of World War II. \I(Russia, Japan)\i
Despite a fortnight of desperate negotiation talks between unions and employers, French truck drivers, demanding higher wages, reject a last-minute appeal by Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, and begin their threatened blockade of frontier posts, petrol depots, wholesale markets, and access roads to motorways. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Russia's Communist-dominated \JDuma\j votes to ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty banning the manufacture and storage of chemical weapons which is endorsed by more than 80 nations, including major world powers. \I(Russia)\i
In an unprecedented move, US President Clinton campaigns for Vice President Al Gore's presidency in the year 2000, telling an elite gathering of top Democratic donors in \JFlorida\j how much Mr. Gore has done to improve United States relations with \JRussia\j, South Africa, and China. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, South Africa, China)\i
A campaign to free British au pair, Louise Woodward, gains momentum, with supporters signing petitions, donating money, and calling for \Jcandle\j-light vigils at United States embassies around the world. The "Louise Woodward Campaign for Justice" has already raised more than $US167,000 to fund travel to the United States for Miss Woodward's parents, and other costs related to an appeal against her conviction and life sentence for the second-degree murder of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. \I(UK, USA)\i
American world number one tennis player, Pete Sampras, claims his second Paris Open Tennis Tournament title when he defeats Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman in four sets. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, Sweden)\i
Britain's Colin Montgomery is crowned Europe's number one golfer for a record fifth successive year. \I(UK, Europe)\i
#
"November 3, 1997",670,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, concludes his nine-\Jday\j visit to the United States, with differences over human rights, trade, and \JTaiwan\j essentially unresolved. However, Mr. Jiang predicts a new era of closer Sino-US relations as a result of the visit, and \JBeijing\j is hailing it as a success, despite the protests that dogged almost every step of Mr. Jiang's itinerary. \I(China, USA)\i
Thailand's Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, announces his intention to resign after only 11 months in power. The announcement comes as the Thai baht plunges to a record low against the US dollar offshore, and hundreds of protesters rally in \JBangkok\j for a second \Jday\j to demand that Mr. Chavalit steps down. \I(Thailand)\i
Despite promised government payouts of up to 20 million rupiah for each small depositor, angry customers and employees converge on branches of the 16 Indonesian banks liquidated in the first reforms under the recently approved multibillion-dollar international rescue package. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Government announces further reforms, which include an end to \Jgarlic\j, wheat, wheat flour, and soybean import monopolies, the abolition of price controls on cement, the reduction of some import tariffs, and the relaxation of foreign investment regulations to allow greater access to the domestic market. \I(Indonesia)\i
Kim Hyun Chul, the son of South Korean President, Kim Young Sam, is released on bail after serving less than a month of his three-year jail sentence for bribery and tax evasion. \I(South Korea)\i
Thousands of fishermen are reported missing at sea after Typhoon Linda hits the southern coast of Vietnam. The storm is described as the biggest in over a century, with driving rain and winds gusting up to 130 kilometers per hour also destroying nearly 50,000 hectares of rice fields and more than 15,000 homes. \I(Vietnam)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, announces that he will retire at the end of the month. Mr. Bolger's announcement follows an ultimatum from Transport Minister, Jenny Shipley, to go quietly or face a leadership challenge. \I(New Zealand)\i
The \JAustralia\j Republican Movement launches a multi-media advertising campaign to coincide with the mailing of 12 million postal ballot papers to elect delegates to a Constitutional Convention in February 1998, which will be the forum for a public discussion of the key issues involved in the republic debate. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, dispatches three envoys to \JBaghdad\j in an effort to persuade \JIraq\j to reverse its ban on American members of UN weapons inspection teams. The UN move coincides with an Iraqi threat to shoot down an American U-2 spy plane used by the teams, a threat that provokes warnings of retaliatory military strikes from Washington, which is opposing President Saddam Hussein's request for dialogue and insisting on immediate Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, concludes his nine-\Jday\j visit to the United States, with differences over human rights, trade, and \JTaiwan\j essentially unresolved. However, Mr. Jiang predicts a new era of closer Sino-US relations as a result of the visit, and \JBeijing\j is hailing it as a success, despite the protests that dogged almost every step of Mr. Jiang's itinerary. \I(China, USA)\i
Formal Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in Washington are prevented from proceeding on schedule when only three members of the Palestinian delegation arrive. The absent Palestinians are experts on the interim issues, steps regarded by Palestine as previously pledged, but as yet unfulfilled by Israel. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The International Court of Justice announces that it expects to rule by early March on a dispute between \JLibya\j, Britain, and the United States over the \Jextradition\j of two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan American Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988, killing 259 on board and 11 on the ground. \I(\JLibya\j, UK, Scotland, USA)\i
The second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial begins, with prosecutors accusing Terry Nichols of being the \Jaccomplice\j of convicted bomber, Timothy McVeigh. Prosecutors are alleging that Nichols bought and hid the bomb ingredients, stole money to fund the plot, and helped stash McVeigh's getaway car. \I(USA)\i
An \JOntario\j judge refuses to grant a government injunction to force 126,000 striking teachers to go back to work. The strike, now in its eighth \Jday\j, aims to prevent approval of controversial legislation to overhaul \JOntario\j's school system, and has resulted in the closure of virtually every public and Catholic school in the province, leaving 2.1 million students effectively barred from the classroom. \I(Canada)\i
A strong tremor brings down buildings and cuts off electricity in the area around the towns of Ovalle, Punitaqui and Rio Hurtado, about 400 kilometers north of Santiago, \JChile\j. So far there are no reports of any injuries. \I(\JChile\j)\i
The United States Senate approves President Clinton's nominee, Charles Rossotti, as the new chief of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The approval comes amid calls for sweeping changes at the IRS, which is currently under political fire for the way it operates and deals with taxpayers. \I(USA)\i
Lawyers for British au pair, Louise Woodward, formally request a \JMassachusetts\j judge to reject her second-degree murder conviction for the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. The lawyers say that if the judge declines to either declare the teenager innocent or order a new trial, he should at least reduce her conviction to \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(UK, USA)\i
The United States Supreme Court rejects a constitutional challenge to Proposition 209, a \JCalifornia\j law that ends affirmative-action programs. While the decision is a blow for \Jcivil rights\j groups, it was foreshadowed in September when the court refused to block enforcement of the law. \I(USA)\i
The Los Angeles mansion of O.J. Simpson is officially listed for sale at $US3.95 million. Simpson currently faces a $US33.5 million civil jury verdict in the deaths of his former wife and her companion. \I(USA)\i
Adding to the string of recent rail accidents in \JTexas\j, two Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains crash about 70 miles northwest of \JDallas\j, derailing 21 cars and locomotives, and injuring two crew members as they jump to safety. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration announces a change in the labeling of Rezulin, a promising new drug for diabetes, due to reports that one person has died, and 34 others have suffered liver damage after taking the drug. Rezulin was approved in January, and has since been prescribed for 500,000 US patients, and 650,000 patients worldwide. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, dispatches three envoys to \JBaghdad\j in an effort to persuade \JIraq\j to reverse its ban on American members of UN weapons inspection teams. The UN move coincides with an Iraqi threat to shoot down an American U-2 spy plane used by the teams, a threat that provokes warnings of retaliatory military strikes from Washington, which is opposing President Saddam Hussein's request for dialogue and insisting on immediate Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Formal Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in Washington are prevented from proceeding on schedule when only three members of the Palestinian delegation arrive. The absent Palestinians are experts on the interim issues, steps regarded by Palestine as previously pledged, but as yet unfulfilled by Israel. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Turkish and Greek leaders fail to reach a breakthrough during private talks on the sidelines of a Balkan summit in \JCrete\j, but agree on the need to deal with disputes calmly in order to ease tensions in the \JAegean Sea\j. \I(Turkey, \JGreece\j, The Balkans)\i
The International Court of Justice announces that it expects to rule by early March on a dispute between \JLibya\j, Britain, and the United States over the \Jextradition\j of two Libyans suspected of bombing Pan American Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988, killing 259 on board and 11 on the ground. \I(\JLibya\j, UK, Scotland, USA)\i
Striking truck drivers bring \JFrance\j to a virtual standstill, with more than 140 roadblocks around the country causing huge traffic jams, and blockades of two-thirds of the country's oil refineries causing panic buying and petrol rationing. Riot police move in to reopen roads at the Spanish and German borders, but the road to the Belgian border remains cut off, along with ports at \JCalais\j and Boulogne. The drivers are striking over the failure of employers to implement wage rises and conditions agreed to a year ago. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JBelgium\j)\i
Italian police begin interrogating 796 illegal immigrants, mostly \JKurds\j fleeing \JIraq\j, who arrived in overcrowded boats just days after \JItaly\j started lifting its frontier controls with other European signatories to the Schengen accord on free movement across borders. Most of the illegal immigrants are heading for \JGermany\j, which has a large Kurdish population. \I(\JItaly\j, \JIraq\j, \JGermany\j)\i
In defiance of relentless intimidation, including death threats, a record 17 women candidates stand against 535 men in Jordan's parliamentary election. \I(Jordan)\i
After more than six years of research, British scientist, Robert Plomin, claims to have isolated the IGF2R gene, or \Jchromosome\j 6, the first of many genes believed to be specifically related to human intelligence and genius. The discovery could offer new insights into how the brain functions, and even settle the debate about the factors that determine human intelligence. \I(UK)\i
Lawyers for British au pair, Louise Woodward, formally request a \JMassachusetts\j judge to reject her second-degree murder conviction for the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. The lawyers say that if the judge declines to either declare the teenager innocent or order a new trial, he should at least reduce her conviction to \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"November 4, 1997",671,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China's Foreign Ministry denies President Jiang Zemin's apparent public admission of government error in relation to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, saying it was a general statement alluding to the \JBeijing\j Government's existing shortcomings and mistakes. Mr. Jiang's remarks were made while addressing an audience at \JHarvard University\j during his recent visit to the United States. \I(China, USA)\i
While \JThailand\j's ruling coalition searches for a new leader, the country's stock and currency markets soar on the news of the imminent resignation of Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, with shares rising nearly 7 per cent and the Thai baht gaining more than 5 per cent. Mr. Chavalit, who has been pressured for months to step down because of his failure to deal decisively with \JThailand\j's economic crisis, is the first political casualty of Southeast Asia's widespread economic and financial turmoil. \I(\JThailand\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Bambang Trihatmodjo, the son of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, threatens to sue the government over the forced \Jliquidation\j of the Andromeda Bank, which is part-owned by his business group. The Andromeda Bank was liquidated, along with 15 other banks, in the first stage of reforms imposed by the International Monetary Fund under a massive economic rescue program. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The youngest of the five candidates in the race for South Korea's presidency, Rhee In Je, 48, launches his New People's Party, challenging voters to choose generational change in order to achieve reforms and bring about new politics. Opinion polls currently show Mr. Rhee lagging 10 points behind veteran opposition front-runner, Kim Dae Jung, 73. \I(South Korea)\i
Following the announcement of Prime Minister Jim Bolger's pending resignation, \JNew Zealand\j's National Party confirms Mrs. Jenny Shipley, 45, as its new leader and Prime Minister designate. However, coalition partner, the \JNew Zealand\j First party, angry that it was not consulted and concerned about the policy shift to the right, is refusing to endorse a Shipley-led coalition government at this time, saying a decision will not be taken for a week. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Myanmar's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and her National League for Democracy (NLD) are forced to cancel a party meeting after police barricade the road leading to the venue outside \JRangoon\j. It is the second foiled NLD meeting in the past week, the first resulting in the arrest of eight senior party members, whose fate is still unsure. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
A convoy of 449 Cambodian refugees return to their homeland from neighboring \JThailand\j. An official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says 2,294 Cambodians, who fled factional fighting during the past few months, have come back in recent weeks. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
The death toll from Typhoon Linda's destructive sweep through the southern tip of Vietnam rises to at least 94, with more than 1,000 people, mostly fishermen, still missing, and about 270 people injured. Material damage is also extensive, with hundreds of thousands of homes flattened, some 1,400 fishing boats sunk, and rice crops flooded over a wide area. In southern \JThailand\j, meanwhile, three people are confirmed dead and 80 fishermen are still missing in the wake of Linda's passage, and Cambodian authorities report at least two dead and many others missing after the \Jtyphoon\j battered cargo and fishing vessels. \I(Vietnam, \JThailand\j, Cambodia)\i
A "super-\Jtyphoon\j" powered by winds of 200 kilometers per hour leaves four fishermen dead in \JJapan\j before heading towards \JGuam\j. Meteorologists in the region are warning of enormous damage should Typhoon Keith strike a populated area. \I(\JJapan\j, \JGuam\j)\i
In the Cook Islands, five people are confirmed dead and 18 are still missing after Cyclone Martin sweeps ashore. Manihiki \Jatoll\j feels the full fury of the storm, with about 90 per cent of property destroyed, and most of the 700 islanders now facing evacuation to Rarotonga. \I(Cook Islands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq agrees to delay the expulsion of American members of United Nations weapons inspection teams by at least 48 hours. Meanwhile, the chief UN arms inspector, Richard Butler, says he is postponing American U-2 surveillance flights over Iraq while United Nations emissaries in \JBaghdad\j seek to overturn President Saddam Hussein's orders. Saddam has threatened to shoot down the planes and Washington has vowed to retaliate should there by any attempt to do so. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United States announces sweeping sanctions against \JSudan\j, imposed for the country's sponsorship of international \Jterrorism\j, its efforts to destabilize neighboring African nations, and its abysmal human rights record. An executive order under the International Emergency Powers Act calls for all Sudanese assets in the United States to be frozen, as well as a ban on bank loans and all exports and imports. \I(USA, \JSudan\j)\i
Middle East peace talks, aimed at ending an eight-month deadlock, proceed in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington. The delegations are led by Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, senior Palestinian official, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, and United States special envoy, Dennis Ross. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
China's Foreign Ministry denies President Jiang Zemin's apparent public admission of government error in relation to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, saying it was a general statement alluding to the \JBeijing\j Government's existing shortcomings and mistakes. Mr. Jiang's remarks were made while addressing an audience at \JHarvard University\j during his recent visit to the United States. \I(China, USA)\i
Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that the United States has purchased 21 advanced Russian-made MiG-29C warplanes from the Republic of Moldova, a purchase intended to keep them away from "rogue states" such as \JIran\j, which had sought to obtain the fighters. \I(USA, Republic of Moldova, \JIran\j)\i
Iran marks the 18th anniversary of the seizure of the United States Embassy in central Tehran, with thousands of chanting demonstrators burning US and Israeli flags, and the official Iranian news agency calling for a "national \Jday\j of campaign against global arrogance". \I(Iran, Israel, USA)\i
United States officials conclude that \JRussia\j did not secretly detonate a nuclear blast on Novaya Zemlya island in the \JArctic\j Circle during August, when seismic data indicated the possibility of an explosion in violation of \JRussia\j's moratorium on nuclear tests. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
NASA officially declares an end to the Mars Pathfinder mission, four months to the \Jday\j since the \Jspacecraft\j landed on the red \Jplanet\j. The mission was originally intended to last a month, but the Pathfinder lander and its Sojourner rover exceeded performance and endurance expectations, with contact lost only five weeks ago. \I(USA)\i
Americans go to the polls to vote in local and state elections. At stake are the governorships of \JNew Jersey\j and Virginia, the key congressional seat for \JStaten Island\j, New York, and 220 city mayorships. Voters in Oregon, Washington, Maine, and Houston are also submitting ballots in referendums on a series of weighty issues, including assisted suicide, guns, drugs, gay rights, environmental concerns, and affirmative action programs. \I(USA)\i
President Clinton's push for "fast track" trade negotiating authority overcomes a key hurdle, with Senators voting 69-31 to proceed with the controversial legislation, clearing the way for a further vote on its merits. If finally approved, the bill would allow Mr. Clinton to negotiate trade agreements that could not be amended by Congress. \I(USA)\i
The leader of the separatist Republic of \JTexas\j militia, Richard McLaren, is sentenced to 99 years imprisonment for ordering his followers to kidnap a married couple at the start of a seven-\Jday\j armed siege at his remote hideout in the Davis Mountains of west \JTexas\j, during which the group held off about 300 police before finally surrendering. McLaren's top aide, Robert "White Eagle" Otto, is sentenced to 50 years imprisonment for his part in the April 27 kidnapping. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq agrees to delay the expulsion of American members of United Nations weapons inspection teams by at least 48 hours. Meanwhile, the chief UN arms inspector, Richard Butler, says he is postponing American U-2 surveillance flights over Iraq while United Nations emissaries in \JBaghdad\j seek to overturn President Saddam Hussein's orders. Saddam has threatened to shoot down the planes and Washington has vowed to retaliate should there by any attempt to do so. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iran marks the 18th anniversary of the seizure of the United States Embassy in central Tehran, with thousands of chanting demonstrators burning US and Israeli flags, and the official Iranian news agency calling for a "national \Jday\j of campaign against global arrogance". \I(Iran, Israel, USA)\i
Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that the United States has purchased 21 advanced Russian-made MiG-29C warplanes from the Republic of Moldova, a purchase intended to keep them away from "rogue states" such as \JIran\j, which had sought to obtain the fighters. \I(USA, Republic of Moldova, \JIran\j)\i
Middle East peace talks, aimed at ending an eight-month deadlock, proceed in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington. The delegations are led by Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, senior Palestinian official, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, and United States special envoy, Dennis Ross. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In \JCrete\j, a summit of Balkan nations concludes with a unanimous pledge to create a framework for economic growth and political co-operation in order to build closer regional ties. \JGreece\j and Turkey, however, fail to make any progress in solving disputes over Cyprus and the \JAegean Sea\j. \I(\JCrete\j, The Balkans, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
The United States announces sweeping sanctions against \JSudan\j, imposed for the country's sponsorship of international \Jterrorism\j, its efforts to destabilize neighboring African nations, and its abysmal human rights record. An executive order under the International Emergency Powers Act calls for all Sudanese assets in the United States to be frozen, as well as a ban on bank loans and all exports and imports. \I(USA, \JSudan\j)\i
United States officials conclude that \JRussia\j did not secretly detonate a nuclear blast on Novaya Zemlya island in the \JArctic\j Circle during August, when seismic data indicated the possibility of an explosion in violation of \JRussia\j's moratorium on nuclear tests. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
The number of illegal blockades in \JFrance\j rises to 160, as striking truck drivers, demanding higher wages and improved conditions, dig in for a long campaign. Despite calls from \JFrance\j's neighbors for direct government action, as well as threats of legal action from the European Transport Commissioner, the French Transport Ministry says that policing transit corridors is virtually impossible, and insists that rekindling dialogue between all parties is the only way to end the crisis. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
German prosecutors accuse four former managers of Havert Industrie of smuggling 85 Scud missile launchers to \JIraq\j, along with various components for Scud B missiles, detonators, explosives, equipment for use in chemical warfare, and devices used to attach bombs to \Jaircraft\j. The alleged offenses violate \JGermany\j's arms exports laws, and the four businessmen face prison sentences of up to three years if convicted. \I(\JGermany\j, \JIraq\j)\i
Russia's Defense Ministry agrees to work with Britain on a project to clear anti-personnel landmines worldwide, endorsing President Boris Yeltsin's impromptu October declaration that Moscow would be a signatory to the \JOttawa\j Process, an international treaty banning the deadly weapons. \I(Russia, UK)\i
Speaking at a formal dinner hosted by South African President Nelson Mandela, Britain's Prince of Wales pays public tribute to the charity work of his former wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, and conveys gratitude on his own behalf and that of his sons for the condolences expressed by South Africans following her untimely death. The keynote speech of the Prince's five-\Jday\j official South African visit is awarded a standing ovation from the audience, which includes the late Princess's brother, Earl Spencer. \I(UK, South Africa)\i
#
"November 5, 1997",672,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In his first public comment on the $US38 billion rescue package put together by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto expresses optimism about his country's ability to overcome its economic crisis, saying the main task now is to revive confidence in the currency. The Indonesian rupiah has already been boosted significantly by the IMF plan and Jakarta's implementation of some of its reforms. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
While rumors circulate about who will replace Chavalit Yongchaiyudh as \JThailand\j's next prime minister, King Bhumibol Adulyadej's personal physician announces that the King has fallen ill due to his concern over the current political turmoil, and calls for an end to the political wrangling which is obstructing the speedy formation of a government. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Prominent Chinese dissident, Bao Ge, 34, leaves for the United States to seek work after being released in June from three years imprisonment in a labor camp. Mr. Bao vows to return to China, saying he has not forsaken his ideals. \I(China, USA)\i
Myanmar's military authorities prevent pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from leaving her \JRangoon\j home to attend a meeting of the youth wing of her National League for Democracy party. Dozens of riot police are also deployed around the party's Tamwe office to block the meeting, which had been forbidden by the country's ruling military junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Japan files a formal protest with China after a Chinese survey ship enters waters around the disputed Diaoyu Islands, midway between \JTaiwan\j and Japan in the East China Sea. The islands, which are controlled by Japan, are uninhabited, but are valued because they straddle rich fishing grounds and strategic sea lanes. \I(Japan, China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister designate, Jenny Shipley, warns the New Zealand First party that she is prepared to form a minority government if it decides to pull out of the 11-month-old coalition. The New Zealand First \Jcaucus\j is concerned that Mrs. Shipley will take the center-right government further to the right. \I(New Zealand)\i
Taiwan's parliament votes to scrap a controversial project to build a fourth nuclear power plant on the northern part of the island, a move unexpected by the ruling Kuomintang, which questions the legitimacy of the vote. Environmental activists, however, are delighted with the outcome, claiming that Taiwan already has sufficient electricity and only needs more efficient consumption. \I(Taiwan)\i
Disaster reports from 13 provinces in southern Vietnam now show at least 200 people dead and nearly 5,000 more missing as a result of Typhoon Linda's devastating surge through the region, with material damage wreaked by wind and rain estimated at $US163 million. Reports from \JIndonesia\j say winds from Linda also fanned forest areas affected by fire and swept health-threatening smog back over neighboring countries. \I(Vietnam, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Australian defense personnel delivering food aid to \Jdrought\j-stricken areas of Papua New Guinea request extra security after desperate villagers, armed with machetes, charge a Black Hawk \Jhelicopter\j bringing rice. More than 110 Australian air force and army personnel are currently assisting with food drops to remote PNG regions. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
A report presented at a United Nations Drug Control Program conference in \JJapan\j cites \JCambodia\j as a burgeoning \Jnarcotics\j trafficking center and exporter, with European port authorities last year seizing more marijuana from \JCambodia\j than from anywhere else except \JColombia\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JCambodia\j, Europe, \JColombia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Talks between \JIraq\j and the United Nations continue with no sign of compromise over \JBaghdad\j's decision to expel American weapons inspectors from the country. Tensions are also increased by allegations that \JIraq\j is not only using the delay to move potential arms-producing equipment out of range of UN surveillance cameras, but is intentionally tampering with cameras in the facilities under surveillance. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
The United Nations General Assembly calls for an end to Washington's three-decade-old economic embargo against \JCuba\j, citing legislation such as the controversial Helms-Burton Act as violating the sovereignty of other nations by subjecting them to United States laws and regulations. The Helms-Burton Act allows pre-Castro Cuban nationals who are US citizens to file law suits against foreign firms or individuals who trade in confiscated Cuban property. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
Prominent Chinese dissident, Bao Ge, 34, leaves for the United States to seek work after being released in June from three years imprisonment in a labor camp. Mr. Bao vows to return to China, saying he has not forsaken his ideals. \I(China, USA)\i
A report presented at a United Nations Drug Control Program conference in \JJapan\j cites \JCambodia\j as a burgeoning \Jnarcotics\j trafficking center and exporter, with European port authorities last year seizing more marijuana from \JCambodia\j than from anywhere else except \JColombia\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JCambodia\j, Europe, \JColombia\j)\i
United States Republicans celebrate victory in the top four races of yesterday's local and state elections. The party retains the governorships of Virginia and \JNew Jersey\j, wins the congressional seat in \JStaten Island\j, and Rudolph Giuliani is returned as mayor of New York City. \I(USA)\i
The United States Congress overwhelmingly approves legislation to reform the Internal Revenue Service. The legislation will reverse the burden of proof to the IRS in tax disputes and itemize 28 new "taxpayers rights", as well as creating an IRS oversight board that will include members from the private sector. \I(USA)\i
Lawyers present closing arguments in the trial of two men charged with the 1993 World Trade Center explosion, which killed six people and injured more than 1,000. Ramzi Yousef, 29, is accused of masterminding the plot, and Eyad Ismoil, 26, is accused of driving the van used in the bombing. \I(USA)\i
The superior court in Cambridge, \JMassachusetts\j, announces that no ruling will be made before next week on post-trial motions to dismiss or reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, in the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Last week, Miss Woodward, 19, was sentenced to a mandatory prison term of 15 years to life. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Talks between \JIraq\j and the United Nations continue with no sign of compromise over \JBaghdad\j's decision to expel American weapons inspectors from the country. Tensions are also increased by allegations that \JIraq\j is not only using the delay to move potential arms-producing equipment out of range of UN surveillance cameras, but is intentionally tampering with cameras in the facilities under surveillance. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
As French trucking firms and unions return to the negotiating table in a bid to end the three-\Jday\j-old nationwide blockade that has crippled \JFrance\j and angered its European trade partners, violence erupts at a barricade near Marseilles when masked men attack the striking drivers with iron bars, injuring three as a result. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
Responding to an \Joverture\j from European Union envoy, Miguel Angel Moratinos, \JSyria\j welcomes an effective European role in pushing the \JMiddle East\j peace process toward its goal. \I(\JSyria\j, \JMiddle East\j, Europe)\i
A report presented at a United Nations Drug Control Program conference in \JJapan\j cites \JCambodia\j as a burgeoning \Jnarcotics\j trafficking center and exporter, with European port authorities last year seizing more marijuana from \JCambodia\j than from anywhere else except \JColombia\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JCambodia\j, Europe, \JColombia\j)\i
The European Commission expresses anger over Britain's decision to exempt Formula One \Jmotor racing\j from a European-wide ban on \Jtobacco\j advertising, which is due to be implemented next month. Britain is arguing that the sport should not be included in the directive because it would move outside the European Union and beam the advertisements back through \Jtelevision\j. \I(UK, Europe)\i
A German court upholds only one of 22 wage claims by Jewish survivors of forced labor during World War II, ordering the government to pay $US8,690 to Rywka Merin, who missed her chance to apply for payment under \JGermany\j's 1953 federal compensation law because she lived in a Soviet-bloc country at the time. The case, which has taken five years to reach conclusion, was regarded by German authorities as a potential precedent for thousands of other survivors of forced labor under Hitler's Nazi regime. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The superior court in Cambridge, \JMassachusetts\j, announces that no ruling will be made before next week on post-trial motions to dismiss or reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, in the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Last week, Miss Woodward, 19, was sentenced to a mandatory prison term of 15 years to life. \I(USA, UK)\i
Sir Isaiah Berlin, one of the foremost liberal political thinkers of the 20th century, dies of a heart attack in Oxford, aged 88. \I(UK)\i
#
"November 6, 1997",673,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Vietnamese army helicopters and an armada of assorted ships rescue more than 900 fishermen feared lost at sea in the wake of Typhoon Linda, while in neighboring \JCambodia\j, another 83 are found alive by rescue teams. Vietnamese authorities confirm that Linda has claimed at least 300 lives, with 800 sailors and fishermen still missing, and 2,248 people on land also unaccounted for. Adding to the region's toll, \JCambodia\j reports at least 23 dead and 100 missing, and Thai authorities say that seven people have died, and at least 100 fishermen are feared lost in the Gulf of \JThailand\j. \I(Vietnam, \JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
Taiwan rules out any foreign policy change in the wake of last week's landmark Sino-US summit in Washington, saying it will continue efforts to raise its international status despite China's opposition. Washington, meanwhile, admits coming under pressure from \JBeijing\j on the sensitive issue of arms sales to the nationalist island, but maintains that a peaceful and prosperous relationship between China and Taiwan is a key to Asia's stability. \I(Taiwan, China, USA)\i
Human rights workers in \JCambodia\j reveal that they are investigating the shooting deaths of eight members of Funcinpec, the political party of deposed First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The workers have already uncovered evidence that 41 of the prince's supporters were killed shortly after he was ousted in July, but say that five of the newly discovered deaths occurred as late as October. The Phnom Penh Government has accepted a United Nations report documenting the killings, but has not yet formally responded. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
At an auction in Hong Kong, a 600-year-old Ming vase sells to an anonymous \Jtelephone\j bidder for a record sum of more than $HK20 million, making it the most expensive Chinese \Jporcelain\j sold in Asia. The auctioneer, Christie's, says the vase is believed to be the last remaining major example from the reign of the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, AD 1368-1398. \I(Hong Kong, China, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In response to the standoff with \JIraq\j over United Nations weapons inspections, the United States says it is delaying a weekend port call in the United Arab Emirates planned for the \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz,\i which carries more than 50 attack planes. \JIraq\j has banned US team members from taking part in inspections, and talks between Iraqi officials and UN envoys have now ended without compromise on either side. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
After three days of talks aimed at ending an eight-month negotiating impasse, Israeli and Palestinian officials agree that progress has been made and confidence improved. The talks, being held just outside Washington, will continue next week under United States auspices. Meanwhile, it is announced that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will hold follow up meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders later in the month. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Sudan cuts banking ties with the United States in retaliation for Washington's imposition of new economic sanctions. The sanctions were imposed largely because of the African nation's alleged sponsorship of \Jterrorism\j, allegations that Sudan has strongly denied. \I(USA, Sudan)\i
Taiwan rules out any foreign policy change in the wake of last week's landmark Sino-US summit in Washington, saying it will continue efforts to raise its international status despite China's opposition. Washington, meanwhile, admits coming under pressure from \JBeijing\j on the sensitive issue of arms sales to the nationalist island, but maintains that a peaceful and prosperous relationship between China and Taiwan is a key to Asia's stability. \I(Taiwan, China, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, and a host of former world leaders attend a dedication ceremony for the George Bush presidential library on the \JTexas\j A&M University campus. The 69,000-square-foot facility houses documents, photographs, and tapes tracing the life and career of the 41st US president, a collection Mr. Bush hopes will allow people to draw their own conclusion on the achievements or failures of his administration. \I(USA)\i
Venezuela's ambassador to \JJamaica\j, Alfredo Enrique Vargas, is shot and killed by an unknown assailant inside his three bedroom apartment in Kingston. Mr. Vargas' wife and two children are also in the apartment at the time. \I(Venezuela, \JJamaica\j)\i
In the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial in \JDenver\j, a witness identifies the accused, Terry Nichols, as the person who rented sheds that prosecutors allege were used to store bomb ingredients, and another witness describes seeing Nichols and Timothy McVeigh together on the \Jday\j prosecutors claim Nichols broke into a quarry to steal explosives. The testimony provides the strongest evidence to date implicating Nichols as the \Jaccomplice\j of McVeigh, who was convicted in the first trial and sentenced to death. \I(USA)\i
After a six-hour session, \JHavana\j's Popular Provincial Court winds up the trial of Walter Van Der Veer, 52, a United States citizen accused of promoting armed action against \JCuba\j. The Cuban prosecutor has now dropped his initial demand for the death penalty and is calling for a 20-year jail sentence. \I(\JCuba\j, USA)\i
In an out-of-court settlement hailed as the death-knell for "recovered memory" therapy in the United States, a woman is awarded a record $US14.6 million damages against two psychiatrists and a \JChicago\j \Jhospital\j. The woman spent more than two years in the \Jhospital\j, during which time she was prompted to "recover" memories of being raped and tortured, of abusing her sons, and of committing acts of murder and cannibalism. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In response to the standoff with \JIraq\j over United Nations weapons inspections, the United States says it is delaying a weekend port call in the United Arab Emirates planned for the \Jaircraft\j carrier \INimitz,\i which carries more than 50 attack planes. \JIraq\j has banned US team members from taking part in inspections, and talks between Iraqi officials and UN envoys have now ended without compromise on either side. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
After three days of talks aimed at ending an eight-month negotiating impasse, Israeli and Palestinian officials agree that progress has been made and confidence improved. The talks, being held just outside Washington, will continue next week under United States auspices. Meanwhile, it is announced that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will hold follow up meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders later in the month. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Twelve Irish Republican Army \Jdissidents\j resign from its political wing, Sinn Fein, in protest over the party's support for the Mitchell Principles, a code of non-violence it adopted in September to gain a place in the Anglo-Irish sponsored peace talks in \JBelfast\j. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Sudan cuts banking ties with the United States in retaliation for Washington's imposition of new economic sanctions. The sanctions were imposed largely because of the African nation's alleged sponsorship of \Jterrorism\j, allegations that Sudan has strongly denied. \I(USA, Sudan)\i
A Swiss judge issues international arrest warrants for seven Israelis in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap 12-year-old Athina Roussel, the sole surviving heir of Greek shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis. Israeli police, however, say they have found no evidence of such a plot after questioning several people. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JGreece\j, Israel)\i
Russian cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov, make a space walk of over six hours to install a new solar panel on the Mir space station. The new panel will soak up twice as much \Jenergy\j as one dismantled by the cosmonauts during a long space walk earlier in the week. \I(Russia)\i
In a gesture of reconciliation on the eve of the 80th anniversary of \JRussia\j's Bolshevik Revolution, President Boris Yeltsin visits the opposition-dominated \JDuma\j for the first time since its formation in 1993, and personally presents a state medal to Gennady Seleznyov, \JDuma\j's relatively moderate Communist speaker. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Violent storms sweep across the Iberian peninsula, causing widespread flooding in \JSpain\j and \JPortugal\j. In the western Spanish city of \JBadajoz\j and nearby towns, 21 people drown when the River Guadiana and a number of tributaries burst their banks, with the death toll expected to rise as emergency services dig through mud and rubble. In the southern Portuguese regions of \JAlgarve\j and \JAlentejo\j, 10 people are killed and another 44 are injured by flash floods, which send waves of \Jwater\j surging to roof levels. \I(\JSpain\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
#
"November 7, 1997",674,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Taiwan rejects an invitation for a senior negotiator to visit China, proposing instead that China accept a mission by the top Taiwanese cross-straits envoy. Should China agree to the counter-initiative, it would set the stage for the highest-level contact between the rivals since 1993. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Thailand's Democrat Party leader, Chuan Leekpai, emerges as the front-runner in the race against veteran politician, Chatichai Choonhavan, to replace Chavalit Yongchaiyudh as the country's new prime minister. At the prospect of a Chuan victory in the prime-ministerial race, share prices rise almost 5 per cent and the Thai baht rises more than 2 per cent, both markets buoyed by the belief that Mr. Chuan will be able to attract a more competent team to deal with Thailand's current economic crisis, the worst in decades. \I(Thailand)\i
South Korean President, Kim Young Sam, quits his own ruling New Korea Party amid an escalating feud with the party's presidential candidate, Lee Hoi Chang. Mr. Lee, who is trailing badly in opinion polls ahead of the December 18 elections, is accusing Mr. Kim of transferring his support to Rhee In Je, a younger presidential contender from the breakaway New People's Party. \I(South Korea)\i
New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, lays down conditions for supporting the country's Prime Minister designate, Jenny Shipley, who toppled Prime Minister Jim Bolger on Monday. Mr. Peters, who heads the New Zealand First party and is the junior partner in the governing coalition, is insisting that there be no revision of the agreement signed between the two parties after last year's elections, and is demanding to know why the National Party changed its leader, and what effect the change will have on future government policy. \I(New Zealand)\i
In Washington, Congress approves legislation re-authorizing the \JCIA\j and the \JFBI\j to report annually on China's economic, political, and military espionage in the United States. The House also votes to deny US visas to Chinese officials involved in persecuting religious minorities, and to deny normal commercial trade status to China's military, which allegedly uses slave labor to make products for export. \I(USA, China)\i
In a bid to reassure \JAustralia\j's Asian neighbors, three former Australian Labor Prime Ministers, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, and Paul Keating, issue a joint statement repudiating the views expressed by maverick Independent MP, Pauline Hanson. The statement describes Ms. Hanson herself as "an accident of the electoral system", and her views on \JAborigines\j and Asians as "bigoted, uninformed, simplistic, and subversive nonsense." \I(\JAustralia\j, Asia)\i
Indonesian officials report scores of new forest fires burning in Java, Irian Jaya, \JSumatra\j, and \JKalimantan\j, thickening the smoke already choking the region. Eighteen people are now reported to have died from respiratory failure, and officials fear that around one million people will become sick if the monsoon rains fail to arrive by next month. \I(Indonesia)\i
Malaysian academics protest against a government order banning them from speaking to the media about the ill-effects of smog generated by \JIndonesia\j's forest fires, arguing that the order impinges on academic freedom and the public's right to know. The Government had previously complained that comments by university scientists and environmentalists were being distorted by foreign media, causing potential damage to the country's multibillion-dollar tourist industry. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
At the end of the week's trading, Asia's volatile stock markets register further falls. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index finishes down 3 per cent, \JTokyo\j's Nikkei drops 4.2 per cent, and in Seoul, share prices plummet by a record 6.9 per cent. \I(Hong Kong, \JTokyo\j, South Korea)\i
In New York, Wall Street's closely watched Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 101.92 points, or 1.3 per cent, to close at 7,581.32, a drop triggered by the selloff in Asian markets and concerns that strong United States employment growth could reignite \Jinflation\j. For the week, however, the index gains 139.25 points, after shedding 273 points a week earlier. \I(USA, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States calls for "incremental pressures" against \JIraq\j for blocking US members of United Nations arms inspection teams, stressing that the first action must be instigated by the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, \JIraq\j repeats its threat to shoot down a US Air Force U-2 surveillance plane used by the UN inspection teams, a potential action that the US has vowed will trigger an immediate military response. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
In Washington, Congress approves legislation re-authorizing the \JCIA\j and the \JFBI\j to report annually on China's economic, political, and military espionage in the United States. The House also votes to deny US visas to Chinese officials involved in persecuting religious minorities, and to deny normal commercial trade status to China's military, which allegedly uses slave labor to make products for export. \I(USA, China)\i
A Brazilian congressional report on human rights says death squads are operating in at least nine Brazilian states, carrying out paid hits against the rivals of politicians and businessmen. According to the report, the most violent area is the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul, where, in the first seven months of the year, 87 people were murdered by contract hitmen, many of whom are police officers. \I(Brazil)\i
In New York, Wall Street's closely watched Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 101.92 points, or 1.3 per cent, to close at 7,581.32, a drop triggered by the selloff in Asian markets and concerns that strong United States employment growth could reignite \Jinflation\j. For the week, however, the index gains 139.25 points, after shedding 273 points a week earlier. \I(USA, Asia)\i
United States Energy Secretary, Federico Pena, orders tighter security at nuclear weapons sites after the Energy Department's Office of Oversight finds shortcomings at four plants: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in \JCalifornia\j, Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, Rocky Flats in \JColorado\j, and the Pantex Plant in \JTexas\j. \I(USA)\i
Three United States Senators begin a push for a larger settlement with the \Jtobacco\j industry, introducing the "Healthy and Smokefree Children Act" that would raise $US650 billion in \Jtobacco\j taxes over 25 years. The draft agreement currently reached between the states and the \Jtobacco\j industry requires payments of $US368.5 billion over the same period. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration announces that it is making more information available on the \JInternet\j's World Wide Web. Previously, it has taken time-consuming paperwork to obtain information about warnings to drug companies, medical device reports, and other documents. \I(USA)\i
Family members reveal that Anton Szandor LaVey, the self-proclaimed head of the Church of Satan, died of a heart attack on October 29, aged 67. According to the family, the death of the "Black Pope" was kept secret so that his followers would not be distracted during Halloween. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States calls for "incremental pressures" against \JIraq\j for blocking US members of United Nations arms inspection teams, stressing that the first action must be instigated by the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, \JIraq\j repeats its threat to shoot down a US Air Force U-2 surveillance plane used by the UN inspection teams, a potential action that the US has vowed will trigger an immediate military response. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Israel launches an artillery strike on suspected guerrilla positions in southern \JLebanon\j, responding to an earlier ambush of an Israeli-backed South \JLebanon\j Army truck, in which two soldiers were injured. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
In an unexpected move, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, demands to know what concessions Palestine would offer in exchange for a temporary freeze on Jewish settlement expansion. Mr. Netanyahu had previously ruled out any halt to settlements on land Israel occupied in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j war. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
After two days of almost round-the-clock negotiations, \JFrance\j's biggest truckers' union and the two major employer groups sign an accord aimed at ending a crippling six-day strike which has also adversely affected most of \JFrance\j's European trading partners. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
Amnesty International alleges that around 34 people, detained after a coup attempt in \JZambia\j last week, are being tortured by state interrogators and also being denied food and \Jwater\j. The organization is calling on President Frederick Chiluba's Government to rectify the situation. \I(\JZambia\j)\i
Thousands of nostalgic Russian Communists take to the streets to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, waving red flags, singing Soviet-era songs, and vowing to fight President Boris Yeltsin's reforms. Earlier, Mr. Yeltsin had called for reconciliation and forgiveness among Russians, who were effectively divided by the 1917 revolution into Reds and Whites. \I(Russia)\i
#
"November 8, 1997",675,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Engineers begin diverting the Yangtze River in readiness for construction of the massive Three Gorges dam near the southwestern city of Chongqing. The $US24 billion dam, which is intended to control frequent flooding and provide electricity for industrial development, has been described as China's most ambitious project since the Great Wall, but also its most controversial project, drawing strong criticism from conservationists, engineers, and government officials alike. \I(China)\i
The United Nations pledges $US225,000 in aid after the Vietnamese Government launches an international appeal for help with the Typhoon Linda aftermath, the material cost of which has been officially set at $US400 million. Described as the worst natural disaster of the century, the \Jtyphoon\j destroyed tens of thousands of homes, damaged crops, and tore down \Jinfrastructure\j. \I(Vietnam)\i
As a result of a diplomatic breakthrough, fifteen Japanese women, who have lived in North Korea for the past five decades, return to Japan for a two-week visit. The women, all married to Korean nationals, had been barred from leaving North Korea until now. \I(Japan, North Korea)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, prepares to depart the United States on a trip that will take her to \JRussia\j and the \JUkraine\j, as well as a number of ex-Soviet Central Asian nations. Throughout her trip, Mrs. Clinton intends to focus on issues such as human rights, education, health care, freedom of the press, and the role of women in society and political life. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, Central Asia)\i
Italian police announce that they have uncovered an international pedophilia ring that sells Chinese children into prostitution in a number of countries, including the United States. Police say they have made two arrests, with a further three people arrested by authorities in \JJapan\j. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
American tennis player, Pete Sampras, ties the record set by Jimmy Connors when he clinches the year-end world number one ranking on the ATP Tour for the fifth consecutive year, a position ensured after Australian Patrick Rafter is defeated by Swede Jonas Bjorkman in the semi-final of the Stockholm Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A three-member United Nations delegation heads for New York from \JIraq\j after talks fail to resolve a crisis stemming from \JBaghdad\j's refusal to allow Americans to participate in UN weapons inspection teams. The group is to meet with UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who will then take up the matter with the Security Council. Meanwhile, as thousands of Iraqis rally in \JBaghdad\j in support of President Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, also heads for New York to put his country's case to the Security Council. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, expresses his despair over the outcome of last week's Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the United States, saying nothing was achieved because the Israeli side did not intend to push the peace process forward. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Spokesman James Rubin announces that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will meet with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in London on November 14, and with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, in \JSwitzerland\j on November 15. Mr. Rubin adds that the United States is not expecting any dramatic breakthroughs as a result of the meetings. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, UK, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, prepares to depart the United States on a trip that will take her to \JRussia\j and the \JUkraine\j, as well as a number of ex-Soviet Central Asian nations. Throughout her trip, Mrs. Clinton intends to focus on issues such as human rights, education, health care, freedom of the press, and the role of women in society and political life. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, Central Asia)\i
Acting on recommendations issued by an advisory commission, US President Clinton announces that he will create an independent panel to review the government's research into the illnesses plaguing Gulf War veterans. Mr. Clinton also announces plans to facilitate health treatment and other benefits for veterans suffering problems as a result of their tour of duty. \I(USA)\i
Mexican officials reveal that three tortured, bound, and burned bodies have been found in an oil drum filled with concrete, with two of the bodies identified as physicians of the late drug lord, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who died this year after undergoing plastic surgery. Earlier, authorities had announced charges of \Jhomicide\j against the two doctors, saying Fuentes' death was not a medical slip-up. \I(Mexico)\i
Ahead of a critical congressional vote, US President Clinton tells the American people that if presidential "fast track" trade authority fails to win approval, it will signal a US retreat from global leadership. Despite intense lobbying, supporters are estimating that Mr. Clinton is still 18 votes short of a victory on the issue. \I(USA)\i
The United States Senate passes legislation which makes children's safety, rather than family reunification, a primary goal. The legislation will make it easier to adopt abused and neglected children, including those in foster care, or to swiftly transfer children at risk into safe environments. \I(USA)\i
President Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting United States president to address a gay rights organization, calling for reconciliation of differences at a Human Rights Campaign dinner attended by 1,500 guests in Washington. Outside the venue, however, conservative groups denounce Mr. Clinton's appearance at the dinner, while AIDS activists blast the president's record on homosexual issues. \I(USA)\i
Italian police announce that they have uncovered an international pedophilia ring that sells Chinese children into prostitution in a number of countries, including the United States. Police say they have made two arrests, with a further three people arrested by authorities in \JJapan\j. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Medical researchers say test results show that Integrilin, a new heart drug manufactured by COR Therapeutics Incorporated, dramatically increases the survival rate of patients suffering from unstable \Jangina\j, the leading cause of admissions to \Jhospital\j coronary units in the United States. Of the 1 million patients admitted each year, the researchers say one in nine will die or suffer a serious heart attack within 30 days. \I(USA)\i
American tennis player, Pete Sampras, ties the record set by Jimmy Connors when he clinches the year-end world number one ranking on the ATP Tour for the fifth consecutive year, a position ensured after Australian Patrick Rafter is defeated by Swede Jonas Bjorkman in the semi-final of the Stockholm Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden)\i
At just over four months since the Mike Tyson ear-biting bout, Evander Holyfield defeats Michael Moorer on a technical knockout when the referee stops the fight at the end of the eighth round of the IBF Heavyweight Title in Las Vegas. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A three-member United Nations delegation heads for New York from \JIraq\j after talks fail to resolve a crisis stemming from \JBaghdad\j's refusal to allow Americans to participate in UN weapons inspection teams. The group is to meet with UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who will then take up the matter with the Security Council. Meanwhile, as thousands of Iraqis rally in \JBaghdad\j in support of President Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, also heads for New York to put his country's case to the Security Council. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, expresses his despair over the outcome of last week's Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the United States, saying nothing was achieved because the Israeli side did not intend to push the peace process forward. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
After a week of ceremonies and vigils, Israelis pack the area in and around Tel Aviv Square to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was gunned down at a peace rally on November 4, 1995 by Yigal Amir, a Jewish extremist bent on stopping the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Spokesman James Rubin announces that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will meet with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in London on November 14, and with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, in \JSwitzerland\j on November 15. Mr. Rubin adds that the United States is not expecting any dramatic breakthroughs as a result of the meetings. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, UK, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Twenty-eight civilians are massacred in two separate attacks in northwestern \JAlgeria\j. In the first attack, 23 people are pulled from their cars between the towns of Slissen and Tajmout, a region that has been controlled by the Armed Islamic Group. In the second attack, five young shepherds are killed by armed assailants near the town of Mascara. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, moves to quell rumors of a major split within his party, saying there could be more walkouts, but insisting that there will not be a mass exodus. At the center of the party row is Adams' adherence to the Mitchell Principles, a code of non-violence he accepted in September before entering Northern Ireland's multi-party peace talks. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
France indicates that it will back a German initiative to reserve a seat for Britain on the six-man executive of the future European Central Bank. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, welcomes the news, saying it will allow the UK time to consider its options without being penalized for not adopting the common European currency at its 1999 introduction. \I(France, \JGermany\j, UK, Europe)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, prepares to depart the United States on a trip that will take her to \JRussia\j and the \JUkraine\j, as well as a number of ex-Soviet Central Asian nations. Throughout her trip, Mrs. Clinton intends to focus on issues such as human rights, education, health care, freedom of the press, and the role of women in society and political life. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, Central Asia)\i
Italian police announce that they have uncovered an international pedophilia ring that sells Chinese children into prostitution in a number of countries, including the United States. Police say they have made two arrests, with a further three people arrested by authorities in \JJapan\j. \I(\JItaly\j, China, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
American tennis player, Pete Sampras, ties the record set by Jimmy Connors when he clinches the year-end world number one ranking on the ATP Tour for the fifth consecutive year, a position ensured after Australian Patrick Rafter is defeated by Swede Jonas Bjorkman in the semi-final of the Stockholm Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden)\i
#
"November 9, 1997",676,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chuan Leekpai, 59, the leader of \JThailand\j's main opposition Democrat Party, is named as the country's new prime minister, replacing Chavalit Yongchaiyudh who officially resigned last Thursday after months of criticism over his handling of \JThailand\j's economic crisis. Mr. Chuan, a former lawyer and a previous prime minister from 1992 to 1995, is generally regarded as \JThailand\j's best chance of solving the crisis, having by far the best team of economists and professionals. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
India's ruling coalition is faced with a crisis after an official inquiry accuses the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state, Muthuvel Karunanidhi, of complicity with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the guerrilla group blamed for the assassination of former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Mr. Gandhi was killed in a suicide bomb attack while campaigning at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, on May 21, 1991. \I(India)\i
Trouble is reported in Vietnam's southern Dong Nai province, where several thousand Roman Catholic demonstrators, protesting against the confiscation of church land, are said to have clashed with riot police. It is the first serious outbreak of trouble in the southern part of the country in recent years, resulting in a number of injuries and damage to vehicles and homes. \I(Vietnam)\i
New ground is broken when \JJapan\j's Ambassador to Britain participates in the annual Remembrance Day service at Coventry Cathedral, laying a wreath in memory of the dead from the two world wars. It is the first time that a Japanese diplomat has played such a role in Britain. \I(\JJapan\j, UK)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, encounters a delay on the departure leg of her five-nation tour of the former \JSoviet Union\j when the United States Air Force Boeing 707 in which she is traveling develops engine trouble about 15 minutes after takeoff, and is forced to dump fuel before returning to the Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Asia)\i
Swedish golfer, Liselotte Neumann, birdies the final hole to capture her second tournament of the season and the tenth of her career at the Toray \JJapan\j Queens Cup in Shiga, \JJapan\j. \I(Sweden, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Clinton urges the United Nations to take strong and unambiguous action to make Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, comply with the UN weapons inspections program. Saddam, however, suggests that a military confrontation with the United States might be inevitable, declaring that his country is being forced to choose between \Jslavery\j or life with dignity and honor. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, encounters a delay on the departure leg of her five-nation tour of the former \JSoviet Union\j when the United States Air Force Boeing 707 in which she is traveling develops engine trouble about 15 minutes after takeoff, and is forced to dump fuel before returning to the Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Asia)\i
The Mexican Government declares a state of alert from Acapulco south to Huatulco, Oaxaca, as Hurricane Rick pounds the country's Pacific coast with intense rain and wind gusts of up to 106 miles per hour, cutting off villages, closing ports, and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States Congress rejects a resolution urging President Clinton to express concern over the discrimination against minority religious groups in \JGermany\j, a measure that has been strongly opposed by the \JBonn\j Government. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
United States scientists report on two projects that successfully used genetic \Jengineering\j in humans for the first time. In one project, gene therapy was used to grow new arteries to bypass blockages; in the other project, gene therapy was used to keep heart bypass grafts from becoming clogged. \I(USA)\i
Studies presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting indicate that two drugs widely prescribed for women with \Josteoporosis\j can also help men whose bones are weakened by \Jarthritis\j medication. The two drugs are Foxamax (alendronate) and Didronel (etidronate). \I(USA)\i
A \JWhite House\j report shows that Americans spent $US57.3 billion on illegal drugs in 1995, a figure down slightly from 1994, and about a third less than 1988. Of the 1995 money spent, $US38 billion was for \Jcocaine\j, $US9.6 billion for heroin, and $US7 billion for marijuana. The report attributes the downward spending trend partly to a decline in the number of drug users, but mostly to a decrease in the street prices of \Jcocaine\j and heroin. \I(USA)\i
American Lindsay Davenport clinches her sixth singles tennis title of the year, scoring a straight sets victory over \JFrance\j's Nathalie Tauziat in the final of the Ameritech Cup in \JChicago\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden defeats Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands in the final of the Men's Open Tennis Tournament in Stockholm. In other men's tennis, Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov beats Petr Korda of the Czech Republic to claim his first \JKremlin\j Cup title, and \JSpain\j's Julian Alonso secures an easy win against \JChile\j's Marcelo Rios to take out the Santiago Open. \I(Sweden, The Netherlands, Russia, Czech Republic, \JSpain\j, \JChile\j)\i
In men's golf, David Love III records a three-stroke victory at the Kapalua International in Maui, Hawaii, and fellow American Mark Calcavecchia finishes three strokes ahead of the field at the Sarazen World Open in Braselton, Georgia. In senior's golf, Gil Morgan cards a two-stroke lead to win the US Senior Tour Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US President Clinton urges the United Nations to take strong and unambiguous action to make Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, comply with the UN weapons inspections program. Saddam, however, suggests that a military confrontation with the United States might be inevitable, declaring that his country is being forced to choose between \Jslavery\j or life with dignity and honor. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Two earthquakes of \Jmagnitude\j 3.7 and 4.4 shake central \JItaly\j, causing further damage to the area's medieval bell towers and churches, including the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. No casualties are reported, but the tremors spark panic among the estimated 40,000 people left homeless by a September quake. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Fierce fighting rages for a second consecutive \Jday\j in northern \JIraq\j, with both the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the rival Kurdistan Democratic party claiming territorial gains. Northern \JIraq\j has been outside \JBaghdad\j's control since the Gulf War, and patrolling jets from Turkey have failed to halt the clashes between the \JKurds\j. \I(\JIraq\j, Turkey)\i
Unicef makes an urgent appeal for helicopters and boats, saying that floods caused by torrential rains in southern \JSomalia\j have submerged villages and left up to 800,000 people homeless, with more and more people drowning as a result, and experts warning of further rain to come. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
New ground is broken when \JJapan\j's Ambassador to Britain participates in the annual Remembrance Day service at Coventry Cathedral, laying a wreath in memory of the dead from the two world wars. It is the first time that a Japanese diplomat has played such a role in Britain. \I(\JJapan\j, UK)\i
America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, encounters a delay on the departure leg of her five-nation tour of the former \JSoviet Union\j when the United States Air Force Boeing 707 in which she is traveling develops engine trouble about 15 minutes after takeoff, and is forced to dump fuel before returning to the Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Asia)\i
The United States Congress rejects a resolution urging President Clinton to express concern over the discrimination against minority religious groups in \JGermany\j, a measure that has been strongly opposed by the \JBonn\j Government. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
British scholars reveal the discovery of a long-lost children's story written by Mary Shelley in 1820, two years after the publication of her novel, \IFrankenstein\i. After lying unread and unnoticed for more than 150 years, the handwritten manuscript of \IMaurice, or the Fisher's Cot\i was found in the private \Jarchives\j of an Italian family descended from a member of the Shelley's Italian circle. \I(UK, \JItaly\j)\i
Israeli archaeologists announce that they have uncovered the rock known as Kathisma, which is revered in early Christian tradition as the place where Mary stopped to rest on her way from \JJerusalem\j to \JBethlehem\j. The rock protrudes from the mosaic floor of a fifth century Byzantine church, which was fully exposed in recent excavations. \I(Israel)\i
Swedish golfer, Liselotte Neumann, birdies the final hole to capture her second tournament of the season and the tenth of her career at the Toray \JJapan\j Queens Cup in Shiga, \JJapan\j. \I(Sweden, \JJapan\j)\i
American Lindsay Davenport clinches her sixth singles tennis title of the year, scoring a straight sets victory over \JFrance\j's Nathalie Tauziat in the final of the Ameritech Cup in \JChicago\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden defeats Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands in the final of the Men's Open Tennis Tournament in Stockholm. In other men's tennis, Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov beats Petr Korda of the Czech Republic to claim his first \JKremlin\j Cup title, and \JSpain\j's Julian Alonso secures an easy win against \JChile\j's Marcelo Rios to take out the Santiago Open. \I(Sweden, The Netherlands, Russia, Czech Republic, \JSpain\j, \JChile\j)\i
#
"November 10, 1997",677,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At the fifth Sino-Russian summit in \JBeijing\j, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, sign a declaration ending wrangles over the implementation of a 1991 accord mapping out the entire 4,300-kilometer border between their two nations. Another significant achievement of the summit is a framework agreement on a $US12 billion pipeline to bring \Jnatural gas\j from \JSiberia\j to China's Pacific coast. \I(China, Russia)\i
Asia's fluctuating share markets finish the \Jday\j's trading with relatively little movement. Contrary to expectations, the Hong Kong stock market also remains stable, with the Hang Seng Index finishing down only 111.66 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 9,992.84. Speaking at a regional meeting, Hong Kong's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, expresses confidence, predicting that the territory will be the first to recover from Asia's current financial crisis. \I(Hong Kong, Asia)\i
Amnesty International releases a report detailing systematic racist abuse and discrimination against foreigners by Japanese \Jimmigration\j and prison authorities. Amnesty calls on the Japanese Government to conduct an independent inquiry, recommending that the officials responsible for the human rights violations be dealt with and the victims compensated. \I(Japan)\i
Tamil Tiger rebels shoot down a Sri Lankan air force Mi-24 \Jhelicopter\j gun ship escorting three Mi-17 troop transport helicopters over the rebel-held district of Mullaitivu, in the country's northeast. Two of the four Mi-24 crew members are killed in the attack. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
With more than 2,000 people still missing or unaccounted for, the death toll from Typhoon Linda's savage sweep across Vietnam's southern provinces last week reaches 546. So far, almost 4,900 fishermen, many of whom clung to buoys or wreckage for days, have been plucked from the sea by patrolling boats or helicopters. \I(Vietnam)\i
Despite Iraqi threats, United States U-2 surveillance planes resume their flights over central Iraq without incident, but also without a solution to the crisis that erupted over \JBaghdad\j's ban on US members of United Nations weapons inspection teams. At a New York meeting with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, fails to gain a repeal of the ban due to Iraq's insistence that the US planted spies among the inspectors. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, postpones a much-publicized trip to China and other Asian states, a move indicative of the seriousness of the situation. \I(USA, Iraq, China, Asia)\i
Having failed to muster sufficient votes to gain the approval of Congress, US President Clinton postpones his bid to obtain "fast track" trade authority until 1998. Fast track authority would allow Mr. Clinton to negotiate new trade deals with emerging markets in Asia and \JLatin America\j, deals that Congress could accept or reject, but not amend. \I(USA, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
A jury in Fairfax County, Virginia, finds Pakistani immigrant, Mir Aimal Kasi, 33, guilty of capital murder in a 1993 shooting rampage that killed two Central Intelligence Agency employees and wounded three other people outside the agency headquarters near Washington. Kasi, who was captured in Pakistan in June after a four-year hunt, could now face the death penalty. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reports that northerly winds have sent smoke from forest fires in \JIndonesia\j and Papua New Guinea drifting over the \JNorthern Territory\j, affecting a land area of 8,000 square kilometers, and cutting back visibility in Darwin to about 1.5 kilometers. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Despite Iraqi threats, United States U-2 surveillance planes resume their flights over central Iraq without incident, but also without a solution to the crisis that erupted over \JBaghdad\j's ban on US members of United Nations weapons inspection teams. At a New York meeting with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, fails to gain a repeal of the ban due to Iraq's insistence that the US planted spies among the inspectors. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, postpones a much-publicized trip to China and other Asian states, a move indicative of the seriousness of the situation. \I(USA, Iraq, China, Asia)\i
In the largest corporate takeover in history, MCI Communications agrees to accept WorldCom's $US37 billion takeover offer, a deal that combines the second-largest and the fourth-largest US long-distance providers, and yields a powerhouse in global telecommunications and \JInternet\j services. After agreeing to the deal, British Telecommunications announces that it is selling its 20 per cent stake in MCI for $US7 billion. \I(USA, UK)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces a plan to slash 28,000 jobs from the military's civilian staff and implement administrative reforms, a plan aimed at saving $US3.2 billion a year for arms modernization. Mr. Cohen is also calling for two new rounds of domestic military base closures to save another $US2.8 billion a year. \I(USA)\i
Having failed to muster sufficient votes to gain the approval of Congress, US President Clinton postpones his bid to obtain "fast track" trade authority until 1998. Fast track authority would allow Mr. Clinton to negotiate new trade deals with emerging markets in Asia and \JLatin America\j, deals that Congress could accept or reject, but not amend. \I(USA, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
Responding to a post-trial motion, a \JMassachusetts\j judge reduces the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, to involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, also reducing her sentence of \Jlife imprisonment\j to 279 days, the time already served since her arrest in February for the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Although Judge Hiller Zobel says he wants to bring the case to a "compassionate conclusion", both the defense and the prosecution indicate that they will appeal the ruling. The prosecution is outraged that Miss Woodward has been freed; the defense, on the other hand, maintains the teenager's innocence and is now seeking an acquittal. \I(UK, USA)\i
A jury in Fairfax County, Virginia, finds Pakistani immigrant, Mir Aimal Kasi, 33, guilty of capital murder in a 1993 shooting rampage that killed two Central Intelligence Agency employees and wounded three other people outside the agency headquarters near Washington. Kasi, who was captured in Pakistan in June after a four-year hunt, could now face the death penalty. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
US President Clinton hosts a \Jday\j-long conference at George Washington University to unveil new measures to crack down on hate crimes. Mr. Clinton pledges his support for legislation to extend the federal law on hate crimes to include violence motivated by \Jethnicity\j, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. \I(USA)\i
US Congress votes to delay for one year new legislation requiring foreigners to register each time they cross a United States land border. The legislation has provoked opposition in Canada, where residents make about 50 million trips to the US each year, including 36 million same-\Jday\j excursions. \I(USA, Canada)\i
Mexican officials report that at least 10 rural areas in the state of Oaxaca have been cut off from communication in the wake of Hurricane Rick, with ports still closed along the Pacific, and hundreds of people evacuated from coastal homes. The hurricane has left a trail of damage and widespread flooding, but there are no reports of deaths as yet. \I(Mexico)\i
Ontario's teachers return to the classrooms, ending the largest teachers' strike in \JNorth America\j. The action was called to protest against proposed legislation giving the government, rather than local school boards, control over such matters as teacher preparation time, class sizes, and the setting of local tax rates for education. \I(Canada)\i
A coveted art collection belonging to the late Victor and Sally Ganz sells at Christie's in New York for $US206.5 million, a record for a single-owner sale. The most expensive painting of the \Jday\j is Picasso's \IThe Dream\i, which Mr. Ganz bought in 1941 for $US7,000, and which sells to an unidentified \Jtelephone\j bidder for $US48.2 million. \I(USA)\i
In the first link of its kind, a University of \JMichigan\j researcher claims that middle-aged men who frequently become angry are twice as likely to suffer a stroke than those who are able to defuse their anger. After a study involving 2,110 men, mostly in their 50s, Dr. Susan Everson says that in reaching her conclusion, she was able to rule out other high risk factors, such as blood pressure, smoking, and body mass index. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite Iraqi threats, United States U-2 surveillance planes resume their flights over central Iraq without incident, but also without a solution to the crisis that erupted over \JBaghdad\j's ban on US members of United Nations weapons inspection teams. At a New York meeting with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, fails to gain a repeal of the ban due to Iraq's insistence that the US planted spies among the inspectors. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, postpones a much-publicized trip to China and other Asian states, a move indicative of the seriousness of the situation. \I(USA, Iraq, China, Asia)\i
At the fifth Sino-Russian summit in \JBeijing\j, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, sign a declaration ending wrangles over the implementation of a 1991 accord mapping out the entire 4,300-kilometer border between their two nations. Another significant achievement of the summit is a framework agreement on a $US12 billion pipeline to bring \Jnatural gas\j from \JSiberia\j to China's Pacific coast. \I(China, Russia)\i
United Nations officials report that heavy fighting between rival Kurdish groups in northern \JIraq\j has made the entire battle zone off limits to UN relief workers, thereby hampering the distribution of relief supplies to Iraqi \JKurds\j. The officials say the latest offensive was mounted by the Kurdistan Democratic Party to regain territory lost over recent weeks to the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, rejects criticism that he is violating the Oslo accord by continuing to build Jewish settlements, arguing that the interim peace deal with the Palestinians made no reference to such expansion. Mr. Netanyahu instead accuses the Palestinians of breaching the accord by reneging on a pledge to remove the part of the Palestine Liberation Organization's covenant calling for Israel's destruction. While he maintains his desire to move beyond the Oslo accord and achieve a lasting peace agreement, Mr. Netanyahu rules out any compromise that would allow a Palestinian state. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In an address to the Confederation of British Industry, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, announces the creation of a body to oversee the country's currency transition from sterling to the new euro, the first practical step towards Britain joining a single European currency. Business leaders are divided on the issue, however, some arguing that Britain's participation in a single currency will cut wages and jobs, and others arguing that to stay out of economic and monetary union will jeopardize future inward investment. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Responding to a post-trial motion, a \JMassachusetts\j judge reduces the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, to involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, also reducing her sentence of \Jlife imprisonment\j to 279 days, the time already served since her arrest in February for the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Although Judge Hiller Zobel says he wants to bring the case to a "compassionate conclusion", both the defense and the prosecution indicate that they will appeal the ruling. The prosecution is outraged that Miss Woodward has been freed; the defense, on the other hand, maintains the teenager's innocence and is now seeking an acquittal. \I(UK, USA)\i
In the largest corporate takeover in history, MCI Communications agrees to accept WorldCom's $US37 billion takeover offer, a deal that combines the second-largest and the fourth-largest US long-distance providers, and yields a powerhouse in global telecommunications and \JInternet\j services. After agreeing to the deal, British Telecommunications announces that it is selling its 20 per cent stake in MCI for $US7 billion. \I(USA, UK)\i
#
"November 11, 1997",678,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
US Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, meets in \JBeijing\j with Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, for talks aimed at continuing a dialogue on security issues raised during the recent Sino-US summit in Washington. The talks come amid charges against the US Congress of "gross interference" in China's internal affairs, charges arising from a series of "anti-China" measures which US President Clinton regards as counter-productive, and believes will not obtain Senate approval. \I(USA, China)\i
The Hong Kong Government commits the reserves in the territory exchange fund to block a run on the International Bank of Asia, a panic response to rumors that the bank had been hurt in the recent stock market slide. Despite expectations that the stock market will slide even further on the news of the bank run, the Hang Seng Index closes a few points up at 10,004. \I(Hong Kong)\i
The half-brother of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto refuses to withdraw a court challenge to the \Jliquidation\j of his Jakarta Bank, one of 16 banks shut down in the first round of reforms under the International Monetary Fund's economic rescue package. Mr. Probosutedgo is the second member of Mr. Soeharto's family to reject bank \Jliquidation\j papers, with the president's son, Bambang Trihatmodjo, also mounting a legal challenge to the closure of the Andromeda Bank, in which he owns a 25 per cent share. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Newly appointed Thai Prime Minister, Chuan Leekpai, says he expects a new cabinet, made up of politicians from eight parties, to be sworn in this week. Mr. Chuan indicates that his crucial economic team will be led by Supachai Panitchpakdi as deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, and Tarrin Nimmanahaeminda as finance minister. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, asserts that the economic fundamentals of his country are sound despite the sharp fall in the ringgit in recent months. Dr. Mahathir reiterates his criticism of foreign currency speculators, saying he plans to mount a drive to shield Malaysia's economy from outside interference. \I(Malaysia)\i
Human Rights Watch/Asia issues a report detailing concerns about increased internal repression on the part of the Vietnamese Government. The report, issued to coincide with an a summit of more than 40 Francophone nations beginning in \JHanoi\j on Friday, says that while the Government pursues its open-door policy and woos foreign investment, it is also moving to stifle political dissent and deny \Jcivil rights\j. Naming 10 religious and political Vietnamese \Jdissidents\j currently being detained for their views, the report calls on delegates to the forthcoming summit to press for the release of the prisoners. \I(Vietnam)\i
The United States Defense Department says \JTaiwan\j is seeking $US420 million in pilot training and support for its F-16 jets, as well as spare parts for its other military \Jaircraft\j. The department is not anticipating any objections from Congress. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The trial of Mir Aimal Kasi, the convicted killer of two United States Central Intelligence Agency workers, enters its penalty phase, with defense lawyers arguing that early childhood seizures suffered by Kasi 33 years ago in \JPakistan\j are evidence of congenital brain damage that may have impaired his judgment. The jury must decide whether to sentence Kasi to death or \Jlife imprisonment\j without parole. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
Gemologists express concerns over batches of semi-precious stones called "cat's eye" that are circulating in Asian markets and appearing in finished jewelry. The stones have been irradiated to change their color from yellow to an unusual chocolate \Jhue\j, and tests are revealing that the radiation levels of the stones are dangerously high. \I(Asia)\i
Hong Kong-based researchers say \Jcigarette\j smoking is a major cause of death in China, and urge \JBeijing\j to introduce tough measures to counter the use of \Jtobacco\j. According to the researchers, China has 300 million smokers, the most in the world, with an estimated 500,000 people dying each year as a result of the habit. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony, US President Clinton criticizes \JIraq\j's defiance of United Nations resolutions as unacceptable, and reiterates his demand that the international community force President Saddam Hussein to rescind his ban on US personnel and allow the UN weapons inspection teams to continue their vital work. The UN Security Council, meanwhile, comes closer to agreeing on a resolution that would condemn \JIraq\j, impose travel restrictions on senior Iraqi officials, and warn of further measures unless co-operation with the UN Special Commission is resumed. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Hopes of a breakthrough are dashed when United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, leaves Cyprus without achieving substantive progress on the dispute dividing the island. After four hours of informal talks with Greek-Cypriot President, Glafcos Clerides, and Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, Mr. Holbrooke points to problems of incompatibility on two or three absolutely central issues, as well as a legacy of distrust based on the events of the previous decades. \I(USA, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
US Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, meets in \JBeijing\j with Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, for talks aimed at continuing a dialogue on security issues raised during the recent Sino-US summit in Washington. The talks come amid charges against the US Congress of "gross interference" in China's internal affairs, charges arising from a series of "anti-China" measures which US President Clinton regards as counter-productive, and believes will not obtain Senate approval. \I(USA, China)\i
The United States Defense Department says \JTaiwan\j is seeking $US420 million in pilot training and support for its F-16 jets, as well as spare parts for its other military \Jaircraft\j. The department is not anticipating any objections from Congress. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The trial of Mir Aimal Kasi, the convicted killer of two United States Central Intelligence Agency workers, enters its penalty phase, with defense lawyers arguing that early childhood seizures suffered by Kasi 33 years ago in \JPakistan\j are evidence of congenital brain damage that may have impaired his judgment. The jury must decide whether to sentence Kasi to death or \Jlife imprisonment\j without parole. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
Police de-activate two grenades at an English-language school, and detonate two explosive devices outside a Cordoba hotel where the British Ambassador to Argentina, William Marsden, is a guest. Right-wing groups, opposed to President Menem's Government's efforts to improve relations with Britain, are believed to be behind the acts. \I(UK, Argentina)\i
After being freed by a \JMassachusetts\j judge yesterday, British au pair, Louise Woodward expresses her sorrow over the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen and also her hopes that further investigations into the scientific evidence will convince the Eappen family of her innocence. British newspapers, meanwhile, applaud Judge Hiller Zobel's decision to reduce the teenager's second-degree murder conviction to involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, and suggest that the British legal system should now learn how to correct apparent errors within days rather than years. \I(USA, UK)\i
US President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore are questioned by investigators from the United States Justice Department and the \JFBI\j in connection with allegations of illegal fundraising calls from the \JWhite House\j. Attorney General, Janet Reno, has until December 2 to decide whether an inquiry by an independent counsel is warranted. \I(USA)\i
Microsoft asks a federal judge to dismiss the United States Government's complaint against it, defending allegations of illegally using monopoly power, and accusing the government of trying to prevent it from improving consumer products. The government is currently trying to win $US1 million a \Jday\j in fines against the software company for alleged violations of a 1995 agreement designed to foster competition. \I(USA)\i
A top labor rights activist accuses United States retailers, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and J.C. Penney, of sub-contracting in a Nicaraguan "sweatshop", alleging that workers as young as 15 are making 15 cents an hour in one clothing factory. The companies say they will investigate the situation. \I(USA, Nicaragua)\i
Five United States companies announce cost-reducing cuts that will result in the loss of more than 15,000 jobs. Eastman Kodak, faced with stiff competition from rival Fuji Film, is cutting 10,000 jobs, the most by any US company this year, with further job cuts coming from Fruit of the Loom, Waste Management, Kemet Corporation, and Donna Karan International. \I(USA)\i
Investigators seize 10 boxes containing 5,200 absentee ballots as part of a probe into possible \Jfraud\j in Miami's mayoral election, a race contested by incumbent mayor, Joe Carollo, and his bitter rival, Xavier Suarez. \I(USA)\i
The council of the International Automobile Federation agrees only to erase German Michael Schumacher's second place in the 1997 World Formula One Championship, deciding that Schumacher's actions during the European Grand Prix in \JSpain\j last month were deliberate but not premeditated. In the incident, Schumacher crashed out of the race after ramming rival Jacques Villeneuve of Canada, who went on to claim third place and become world champion. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Europe, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony, President Clinton criticizes \JIraq\j's defiance of United Nations resolutions as unacceptable, and reiterates his demand that the international community force President Saddam Hussein to rescind his ban on US personnel and allow the UN weapons inspection teams to continue their vital work. The UN Security Council, meanwhile, comes closer to agreeing on a resolution that would condemn \JIraq\j, impose travel restrictions on senior Iraqi officials, and warn of further measures unless co-operation with the UN Special Commission is resumed. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Both \JSyria\j and \JEgypt\j say they are opposed to the possible use of armed force against \JIraq\j, emphasizing that \JIraq\j's new restrictions on United Nations arms inspections do not warrant such an attack. \JIran\j is likewise opposed, as is Jordan, and Saudi \JArabia\j also cautiously echoes the Arab world's general lack of support for a military resolution to the crisis. \I(\JSyria\j, \JEgypt\j, \JIraq\j, \JIran\j, Jordan, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Hopes of a breakthrough are dashed when United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, leaves Cyprus without achieving substantive progress on the dispute dividing the island. After four hours of informal talks with Greek-Cypriot President, Glafcos Clerides, and Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, Mr. Holbrooke points to problems of incompatibility on two or three absolutely central issues, as well as a legacy of distrust based on the events of the previous decades. \I(USA, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
Mary McAleese, 46, is sworn in as President of the Republic of Ireland. Ms. McAleese pledges to work for peace in the divided island, saying she will do all she can to assist those seeking a lasting resolution to the Northern Ireland conflict. The inauguration ceremony is attended by 600 guests, including Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, but members of the Ulster Unionists earlier declined invitations in protest over Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution, which lay territorial claim to Northern Ireland. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Police de-activate two grenades at an English-language school, and detonate two explosive devices outside a Cordoba hotel where the British Ambassador to Argentina, William Marsden, is a guest. Right-wing groups, opposed to President Menem's Government's efforts to improve relations with Britain, are believed to be behind the acts. \I(UK, Argentina)\i
After being freed by a \JMassachusetts\j judge yesterday, British au pair, Louise Woodward expresses her sorrow over the death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen and also her hopes that further investigations into the scientific evidence will convince the Eappen family of her innocence. British newspapers, meanwhile, applaud Judge Hiller Zobel's decision to reduce the teenager's second-degree murder conviction to involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, and suggest that the British legal system should now learn how to correct apparent errors within days rather than years. \I(USA, UK)\i
The council of the International Automobile Federation agrees only to erase German Michael Schumacher's second place in the 1997 World Formula One Championship, deciding that Schumacher's actions during the European Grand Prix in \JSpain\j last month were deliberate but not premeditated. In the incident, Schumacher crashed out of the race after ramming rival Jacques Villeneuve of Canada, who went on to claim third place and become world champion. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Europe, Canada)\i
\B12th\b
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Four American oil company employees and their Pakistani driver are killed instantly when two gunmen, armed with automatic weapons, stage a daylight ambush in a central \JKarachi\j street. While the motive for the attack is unknown, it comes two days after a Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, is convicted in the United States of killing two Central Intelligence Agency workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, says the United States will leave no stone unturned in the search for the killers of four Americans in \JKarachi\j. As a precautionary measure, meanwhile, security is heightened at Fairfax County Court, and the jury considering a possible death sentence for convicted murderer, Mir Aimal Kasi, is ordered sequestered. Kasi was apprehended by \JFBI\j agents in \JPakistan\j in June, and brought to the United States to stand trial over the fatal shooting of two \JCIA\j workers. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
President Soeharto's son, Bambang Trihatmodjo, succumbs to pressure from the Indonesian Government and withdraws his legal challenge to the \Jliquidation\j of the Andromeda Bank, in which he owns a 25 per cent share. Meanwhile, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus, says present strategies to prop up Indonesia's currency, the rupiah, are just the beginning, and that successive waves of tough reforms, including a possible second round of bank closures, are still needed to strengthen the economy and deal with social ills such as the gap between the rich and the poor. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesia's agricultural officials voice concerns for 36 million people who make up the poorest sector of the community, saying the combination of \Jdrought\j and fires has resulted in the destruction of 30 per cent of this year's \Jcoffee\j crop and more than half of the \Jpalm oil\j crop, reducing the nation's productive area from 2.7 million to 1.5 million hectares. The officials also warn of serious shortfalls next year, with rice production having already fallen by 4 per cent in the past four months, and planting now impossible in the harsh, dry conditions. \I(Indonesia)\i
In the latest bid to clear smog caused by \JIndonesia\j's uncontrolled forest fires, \JMalaysia\j reveals that it intends signing an agreement with a Russian agency to introduce artificial \Jcyclone\j technology. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, Russia)\i
While on a six-\Jday\j visit to \JJapan\j, China's Premier, Li Peng, expresses anxiety over the lack of clarity concerning \JTaiwan\j in the recently expanded \JJapan\j-US mutual defense guidelines, and urges Japanese leaders to make a clear statement as to their intent. Japanese leaders, however, sidestep such a statement, saying Japan has established an exclusively defensive position under the terms of the treaty. \I(China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
The Vietnamese Government issues a formal statement about the violence in southern Dong Nai province over the past few days. The government denies that the clashes between thousands of Catholics and riot police are linked to religious issues, pointing to land disputes as the cause, and saying that the situation has now been normalized. Many people living in the province are Catholics who migrated from the Communist north to the West-backed south in 1954. \I(Vietnam)\i
The \JSingapore\j Court of Appeal slashes the record $S8.08 million damages awarded to the country's leaders earlier this year, ruling that the \Jdefamation\j awards against opposition politician, Tang Liang Hong, are highly excessive, and reducing the sum to $S4.53 million. Eleven members of the ruling People's Action Party, including Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, had sued Mr. Tang for libel after he accused them of concocting lies about him. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
The US State Department indicates that stalled four-party Korean peninsula peace talks may take place next month, adding, however, that a specific date for the start of negotiations has not yet been set. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Following the global fallout from Asia's financial upheaval, the United States Federal Reserve decides to leave key interest rates unchanged despite tight labor markets and risks of \Jinflation\j. The move boosts the bond market but US stocks end the \Jday\j down, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 157.41 points to close at 7,401.32, and the Nasquad Composite Index falling 43.14 points to close at 1.541.72. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Russia approves a proposal to sell a \Jkilogram\j of highly enriched uranium to \JIndonesia\j, reportedly for use as target material in the production of radioactive \Jisotopes\j of molybdenum and technetium for medical purposes. \I(Russia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Municipal officials report that at least 23 people died and a further 15 are missing after a gas explosion in a Sichuan province \Jcoal\j mine. The officials say more than 100 police officers have been searching through the rubble since Saturday, when the blast occurred, and hopes of finding anyone else alive are now fading. \I(China)\i
Two studies indicate that \Jcholesterol\j-lowering drugs can save the lives of many people now going untreated. A Cornell University researcher finds that the drug Mevacor reduces the risk of first coronary events, such as heart attacks, by 35 per cent in people with apparently normal \Jcholesterol\j; Australian and \JNew Zealand\j researchers find that the drug Pravachol reduces total deaths by 23 per cent in people who have suffered heart attacks or \Jangina\j, but who are not receiving \Jcholesterol\j-lowering medication. \I(USA, Australia, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council imposes a travel ban on senior Iraqi officials and condemns \JBaghdad\j for barring American members of weapons inspection teams. In what are the first new sanctions against Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, the council also expresses its firm intention to take further measures if Iraq does not comply with its demands. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Baghdad rejects and denounces the newly imposed United Nations travel sanctions against Iraqi officials, accusing the United States of exerting pressure and \Jblackmail\j to prevent Iraq's legitimate rights from being duly considered by the UN Security Council. Baghdad maintains that it has implemented all council resolutions, but the council is not meeting its obligations to Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Four American oil company employees and their Pakistani driver are killed instantly when two gunmen, armed with automatic weapons, stage a daylight ambush in a central \JKarachi\j street. While the motive for the attack is unknown, it comes two days after a Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, is convicted in the United States of killing two Central Intelligence Agency workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, says the United States will leave no stone unturned in the search for the killers of four Americans in \JKarachi\j. As a precautionary measure, meanwhile, security is heightened at Fairfax County Court, and the jury considering a possible death sentence for convicted murderer, Mir Aimal Kasi, is ordered sequestered. Kasi was apprehended by \JFBI\j agents in \JPakistan\j in June, and brought to the United States to stand trial over the fatal shooting of two \JCIA\j workers. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
Ahead of the upcoming trip to the United States by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the \JWhite House\j rules out a meeting between US President Clinton and the Israeli leader, citing scheduling problems. \I(USA, Israel)\i
While on a six-\Jday\j visit to \JJapan\j, China's Premier, Li Peng, expresses anxiety over the lack of clarity concerning \JTaiwan\j in the recently expanded \JJapan\j-US mutual defense guidelines, and urges Japanese leaders to make a clear statement as to their intent. Japanese leaders, however, sidestep such a statement, saying Japan has established an exclusively defensive position under the terms of the treaty. \I(China, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
The US State Department indicates that stalled four-party Korean peninsula peace talks may take place next month, adding, however, that a specific date for the start of negotiations has not yet been set. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
Following the global fallout from Asia's financial upheaval, the United States Federal Reserve decides to leave key interest rates unchanged despite tight labor markets and risks of \Jinflation\j. The move boosts the bond market but US stocks end the \Jday\j down, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 157.41 points to close at 7,401.32, and the Nasquad Composite Index falling 43.14 points to close at 1.541.72. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Brazil's supreme court rejects a British request to extradite Ronald Biggs, who escaped after serving 15 months of a 30-year jail sentence for his role in the 1963 "Great Train Robbery", arriving in \JRio de Janeiro\j in 1970. The \Jextradition\j request is denied on the grounds that it conflicts with Brazil's 20-year statute of limitations. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
A United States federal jury convicts Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and his \Jaccomplice\j, Eyad Ismoil, of carrying out the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, in which six people died and more than 1,000 people were injured. \I(USA)\i
In Sacramento, \JCalifornia\j, jury selection begins in the trial of Theodore Kaczynski, the alleged Unabomber who is charged with killing three people and injuring 23 others during a 17-year bombing campaign. The 1996 arrest of the 55-year-old Harvard-educated academic, who gave up a career as a college professor to become a Montana hermit, ended one of the longest manhunts in \JFBI\j history. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, supports the decision of a \JMassachusetts\j judge to reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, saying that Judge Hiller Zobel was in the best position to make the determinations. \I(USA, UK)\i
Two studies indicate that \Jcholesterol\j-lowering drugs can save the lives of many people now going untreated. A Cornell University researcher finds that the drug Mevacor reduces the risk of first coronary events, such as heart attacks, by 35 per cent in people with apparently normal \Jcholesterol\j; Australian and \JNew Zealand\j researchers find that the drug Pravachol reduces total deaths by 23 per cent in people who have suffered heart attacks or \Jangina\j, but who are not receiving \Jcholesterol\j-lowering medication. \I(USA, Australia, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations Security Council imposes a travel ban on senior Iraqi officials and condemns \JBaghdad\j for barring American members of weapons inspection teams. In what are the first new sanctions against Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, the council also expresses its firm intention to take further measures if Iraq does not comply with its demands. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Baghdad rejects and denounces the newly imposed United Nations travel sanctions against Iraqi officials, accusing the United States of exerting pressure and \Jblackmail\j to prevent Iraq's legitimate rights from being duly considered by the UN Security Council. Baghdad maintains that it has implemented all council resolutions, but the council is not meeting its obligations to Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Bahrain, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates say they will not attend an annual regional economic forum scheduled for next week, joining a boycott previously announced by \JEgypt\j and Saudi \JArabia\j. All cite lack of progress in restarting the stalled Arab-Israeli peace process as the reason for boycotting the \JMiddle East\j and North Africa conference, which was launched four years ago to underpin peace by integrating Israel in the regional economy. \I(\JMiddle East\j, North Africa)\i
Ahead of the upcoming trip to the United States by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the \JWhite House\j rules out a meeting between US President Clinton and the Israeli leader, citing scheduling problems. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Kenya's Electoral Commission announces that presidential and general elections will be held on December 29 this year. The announcement comes two days after President Daniel arap Moi dissolved the parliament. \I(Kenya)\i
Russia approves a proposal to sell a \Jkilogram\j of highly enriched uranium to \JIndonesia\j, reportedly for use as target material in the production of radioactive \Jisotopes\j of molybdenum and technetium for medical purposes. \I(Russia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
Brazil's supreme court rejects a British request to extradite Ronald Biggs, who escaped after serving 15 months of a 30-year jail sentence for his role in the 1963 "Great Train Robbery", arriving in \JRio de Janeiro\j in 1970. The \Jextradition\j request is denied on the grounds that it conflicts with Brazil's 20-year statute of limitations. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, supports the decision of a \JMassachusetts\j judge to reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, saying that Judge Hiller Zobel was in the best position to make the determinations. \I(USA, UK)\i
In the latest bid to clear smog caused by \JIndonesia\j's uncontrolled forest fires, \JMalaysia\j reveals that it intends signing an agreement with a Russian agency to introduce artificial \Jcyclone\j technology. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, Russia)\i
#
"November 12, 1997",679,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Four American oil company employees and their Pakistani driver are killed instantly when two gunmen, armed with automatic weapons, stage a daylight ambush in a central Karachi street. While the motive for the attack is unknown, it comes two days after a Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, is convicted in the United States of killing two Central Intelligence Agency workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, says the United States will leave no stone unturned in the search for the killers of four Americans in Karachi. As a precautionary measure, meanwhile, security is heightened at Fairfax County Court, and the jury considering a possible death sentence for convicted murderer, Mir Aimal Kasi, is ordered sequestered. Kasi was apprehended by FBI agents in Pakistan in June, and brought to the United States to stand trial over the fatal shooting of two CIA workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
President Soeharto's son, Bambang Trihatmodjo, succumbs to pressure from the Indonesian Government and withdraws his legal challenge to the liquidation of the Andromeda Bank, in which he owns a 25 per cent share. Meanwhile, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus, says present strategies to prop up Indonesia's currency, the rupiah, are just the beginning, and that successive waves of tough reforms, including a possible second round of bank closures, are still needed to strengthen the economy and deal with social ills such as the gap between the rich and the poor. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesia's agricultural officials voice concerns for 36 million people who make up the poorest sector of the community, saying the combination of drought and fires has resulted in the destruction of 30 per cent of this year's coffee crop and more than half of the palm oil crop, reducing the nation's productive area from 2.7 million to 1.5 million hectares. The officials also warn of serious shortfalls next year, with rice production having already fallen by 4 per cent in the past four months, and planting now impossible in the harsh, dry conditions. \I(Indonesia)\i
In the latest bid to clear smog caused by Indonesia's uncontrolled forest fires, Malaysia reveals that it intends signing an agreement with a Russian agency to introduce artificial cyclone technology. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia)\i
While on a six-day visit to Japan, China's Premier, Li Peng, expresses anxiety over the lack of clarity concerning Taiwan in the recently expanded Japan-US mutual defense guidelines, and urges Japanese leaders to make a clear statement as to their intent. Japanese leaders, however, sidestep such a statement, saying Japan has established an exclusively defensive position under the terms of the treaty. \I(China, Japan, USA)\i
The Vietnamese Government issues a formal statement about the violence in southern Dong Nai province over the past few days. The government denies that the clashes between thousands of Catholics and riot police are linked to religious issues, pointing to land disputes as the cause, and saying that the situation has now been normalized. Many people living in the province are Catholics who migrated from the Communist north to the West-backed south in 1954. \I(Vietnam)\i
The Singapore Court of Appeal slashes the record $S8.08 million damages awarded to the country's leaders earlier this year, ruling that the defamation awards against opposition politician, Tang Liang Hong, are highly excessive, and reducing the sum to $S4.53 million. Eleven members of the ruling People's Action Party, including Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, had sued Mr. Tang for libel after he accused them of concocting lies about him. \I(Singapore)\i
The US State Department indicates that stalled four-party Korean peninsula peace talks may take place next month, adding, however, that a specific date for the start of negotiations has not yet been set. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Following the global fallout from Asia's financial upheaval, the United States Federal Reserve decides to leave key interest rates unchanged despite tight labor markets and risks of inflation. The move boosts the bond market but US stocks end the day down, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 157.41 points to close at 7,401.32, and the Nasquad Composite Index falling 43.14 points to close at 1.541.72. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Russia approves a proposal to sell a kilogram of highly enriched uranium to Indonesia, reportedly for use as target material in the production of radioactive isotopes of molybdenum and technetium for medical purposes. \I(Russia, Indonesia)\i
Municipal officials report that at least 23 people died and a further 15 are missing after a gas explosion in a Sichuan province coal mine. The officials say more than 100 police officers have been searching through the rubble since Saturday, when the blast occurred, and hopes of finding anyone else alive are now fading. \I(China)\i
Two studies indicate that cholesterol-lowering drugs can save the lives of many people now going untreated. A Cornell University researcher finds that the drug Mevacor reduces the risk of first coronary events, such as heart attacks, by 35 per cent in people with apparently normal cholesterol; Australian and New Zealand researchers find that the drug Pravachol reduces total deaths by 23 per cent in people who have suffered heart attacks or angina, but who are not receiving cholesterol-lowering medication. \I(USA, Australia, New Zealand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council imposes a travel ban on senior Iraqi officials and condemns Baghdad for barring American members of weapons inspection teams. In what are the first new sanctions against Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, the council also expresses its firm intention to take further measures if Iraq does not comply with its demands. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Baghdad rejects and denounces the newly imposed United Nations travel sanctions against Iraqi officials, accusing the United States of exerting pressure and blackmail to prevent Iraq's legitimate rights from being duly considered by the UN Security Council. Baghdad maintains that it has implemented all council resolutions, but the council is not meeting its obligations to Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Four American oil company employees and their Pakistani driver are killed instantly when two gunmen, armed with automatic weapons, stage a daylight ambush in a central Karachi street. While the motive for the attack is unknown, it comes two days after a Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, is convicted in the United States of killing two Central Intelligence Agency workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, says the United States will leave no stone unturned in the search for the killers of four Americans in Karachi. As a precautionary measure, meanwhile, security is heightened at Fairfax County Court, and the jury considering a possible death sentence for convicted murderer, Mir Aimal Kasi, is ordered sequestered. Kasi was apprehended by FBI agents in Pakistan in June, and brought to the United States to stand trial over the fatal shooting of two CIA workers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
Ahead of the upcoming trip to the United States by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House rules out a meeting between US President Clinton and the Israeli leader, citing scheduling problems. \I(USA, Israel)\i
While on a six-day visit to Japan, China's Premier, Li Peng, expresses anxiety over the lack of clarity concerning Taiwan in the recently expanded Japan-US mutual defense guidelines, and urges Japanese leaders to make a clear statement as to their intent. Japanese leaders, however, sidestep such a statement, saying Japan has established an exclusively defensive position under the terms of the treaty. \I(China, Japan, USA)\i
The US State Department indicates that stalled four-party Korean peninsula peace talks may take place next month, adding, however, that a specific date for the start of negotiations has not yet been set. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
Following the global fallout from Asia's financial upheaval, the United States Federal Reserve decides to leave key interest rates unchanged despite tight labor markets and risks of inflation. The move boosts the bond market but US stocks end the day down, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 157.41 points to close at 7,401.32, and the Nasquad Composite Index falling 43.14 points to close at 1.541.72. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Brazil's supreme court rejects a British request to extradite Ronald Biggs, who escaped after serving 15 months of a 30-year jail sentence for his role in the 1963 "Great Train Robbery", arriving in Rio de Janeiro in 1970. The extradition request is denied on the grounds that it conflicts with Brazil's 20-year statute of limitations. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
A United States federal jury convicts Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and his accomplice, Eyad Ismoil, of carrying out the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, in which six people died and more than 1,000 people were injured. \I(USA)\i
In Sacramento, California, jury selection begins in the trial of Theodore Kaczynski, the alleged Unabomber who is charged with killing three people and injuring 23 others during a 17-year bombing campaign. The 1996 arrest of the 55-year-old Harvard-educated academic, who gave up a career as a college professor to become a Montana hermit, ended one of the longest manhunts in FBI history. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, supports the decision of a Massachusetts judge to reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, saying that Judge Hiller Zobel was in the best position to make the determinations. \I(USA, UK)\i
Two studies indicate that cholesterol-lowering drugs can save the lives of many people now going untreated. A Cornell University researcher finds that the drug Mevacor reduces the risk of first coronary events, such as heart attacks, by 35 per cent in people with apparently normal cholesterol; Australian and New Zealand researchers find that the drug Pravachol reduces total deaths by 23 per cent in people who have suffered heart attacks or angina, but who are not receiving cholesterol-lowering medication. \I(USA, Australia, New Zealand)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations Security Council imposes a travel ban on senior Iraqi officials and condemns Baghdad for barring American members of weapons inspection teams. In what are the first new sanctions against Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, the council also expresses its firm intention to take further measures if Iraq does not comply with its demands. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Baghdad rejects and denounces the newly imposed United Nations travel sanctions against Iraqi officials, accusing the United States of exerting pressure and blackmail to prevent Iraq's legitimate rights from being duly considered by the UN Security Council. Baghdad maintains that it has implemented all council resolutions, but the council is not meeting its obligations to Iraq. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Bahrain, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates say they will not attend an annual regional economic forum scheduled for next week, joining a boycott previously announced by Egypt and Saudi Arabia. All cite lack of progress in restarting the stalled Arab-Israeli peace process as the reason for boycotting the Middle East and North Africa conference, which was launched four years ago to underpin peace by integrating Israel in the regional economy. \I(Middle East, North Africa)\i
Ahead of the upcoming trip to the United States by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House rules out a meeting between US President Clinton and the Israeli leader, citing scheduling problems. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Kenya's Electoral Commission announces that presidential and general elections will be held on December 29 this year. The announcement comes two days after President Daniel arap Moi dissolved the parliament. \I(Kenya)\i
Russia approves a proposal to sell a kilogram of highly enriched uranium to Indonesia, reportedly for use as target material in the production of radioactive isotopes of molybdenum and technetium for medical purposes. \I(Russia, Indonesia)\i
Supporters of Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, say they will be presenting a confidence motion in parliament at the earliest possible date. The decision to call the confidence vote comes as a challenge to demands in the United States Congress that Dr. Mahathir either resign, or apologize for his remarks linking Jews with currency speculation. The anticipated affirmation of support for Dr. Mahathir is also intended to express displeasure over Washington's plan to send an official to investigate an investment by Malaysia's national oil company in Iranian oil fields. \I(Malaysia, USA, Iran)\i
Brazil's supreme court rejects a British request to extradite Ronald Biggs, who escaped after serving 15 months of a 30-year jail sentence for his role in the 1963 "Great Train Robbery", arriving in Rio de Janeiro in 1970. The extradition request is denied on the grounds that it conflicts with Brazil's 20-year statute of limitations. \I(Brazil, UK)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, supports the decision of a Massachusetts judge to reduce the second-degree murder conviction of British au pair, Louise Woodward, saying that Judge Hiller Zobel was in the best position to make the determinations. \I(USA, UK)\i
In the latest bid to clear smog caused by Indonesia's uncontrolled forest fires, Malaysia reveals that it intends signing an agreement with a Russian agency to introduce artificial cyclone technology. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia)\i
#
"November 13, 1997",680,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States Embassy in \JMalaysia\j receives two \Jtelephone\j calls threatening to kill US citizens in the country. The threat comes a \Jday\j after the shooting deaths of four Americans in \JKarachi\j, an attack Pakistani officials believe to be an attempt to sabotage next week's visit by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and next year's proposed visit by US President Clinton. The United States is nevertheless warning American travelers of potential retaliation for yesterday's conviction of World Trade Center bomber, Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, who was arrested in Islamabad and returned to the United States to stand trial. Similarly, security remains tight at a court in Fairfax, Virginia, as a jury deliberates the sentence of Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, convicted this week of killing two \JCIA\j employees. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, Pakistan)\i
Despite the standoff on human rights at the recent Sino-US presidential summit, the United States Ambassador to China, James Sasser, says he is optimistic that \JBeijing\j will release jailed political \Jdissidents\j in the next few weeks. Mr. Sasser adds that his optimism is based on intuition rather than specific information. \I(USA, China)\i
During a special congressional hearing, Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, tells the House Banking Committee that the turmoil on Asian stock and currency markets could retard economic growth in the United States and across the world, but says he doubts that it will do much to alleviate potential inflationary pressures. \I(USA, Asia)\i
South Korea's ruling New Korea Party (NKP) announces that it will merge with the minor opposition Democratic Party ahead of next month's presidential elections, with the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, Cho Soon, officially dropping out of the race to support NKP candidate, Lee Hoi Chang. The merger narrows the presidential contest to three main contenders, the other two being Kim Dae Jung, the joint candidate for the two largest opposition parties, and Rhee In Je, who left the NKP in September to form his own breakaway party. \I(South Korea)\i
Myanmar's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is prevented from attending a meeting of her National League for Democracy (NLD) after the ruling military erects barbed wire barricades outside her \JRangoon\j home. The ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council has recently foiled a string of attempted NLD meetings, having issued an order banning party gatherings outside the compound of Ms. Suu Kyi's residence. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, welcomes a newly forged agreement to resume stalled diplomatic normalization talks between \JTokyo\j and \JPyongyang\j. Talks have been stalled since 1992, when \JTokyo\j raised the issue of a missing Japanese woman believed to have been abducted by North Korean agents. \I(Japan, North Korea)\i
The \JNew Zealand\j Government reveals plans to boost military spending by $NZ663 million over the next five years, reversing a 30 per cent fall since 1989. The government is now focusing on a major rebuilding of the country's forces that will allow greater participation in regional security and international peacekeeping. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States members of United Nations arms inspection teams are expelled from \JIraq\j, a move that prompts the UN to pull out most of its remaining inspectors, leaving only a skeleton staff in \JBaghdad\j. The United States, meanwhile, discounts military action at this time, and turns back to the UN Security Council in a renewed effort to force \JIraq\j to reverse the expulsion. According to the Pentagon, another US U-2 plane is scheduled to fly over \JIraq\j on a UN surveillance mission within the next few days, despite \JIraq\j's threats to shoot down any US \Jaircraft\j over its territory. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Following \JIraq\j's expulsion of six American United Nations weapons inspectors from \JBaghdad\j, Britain orders the \Jaircraft\j carrier \IInvincible\i to steam to \JGibraltar\j and prepare to take on board six RAF Harrier GR7s. Britain is the only ally from the 36-nation Gulf War coalition willing to back the United States in a possible military confrontation with \JIraq\j. Several former key allies, such as Saudi \JArabia\j and Turkey, have stipulated that they will not allow their bases to be used by American or British forces in the event of conflict. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK, \JGibraltar\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Turkey)\i
The United States Embassy in \JMalaysia\j receives two \Jtelephone\j calls threatening to kill US citizens in the country. The threat comes a \Jday\j after the shooting deaths of four Americans in \JKarachi\j, an attack Pakistani officials believe to be an attempt to sabotage next week's visit by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and next year's proposed visit by US President Clinton. The United States is nevertheless warning American travelers of potential retaliation for yesterday's conviction of World Trade Center bomber, Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, who was arrested in Islamabad and returned to the United States to stand trial. Similarly, security remains tight at a court in Fairfax, Virginia, as a jury deliberates the sentence of Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, convicted this week of killing two \JCIA\j employees. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, Pakistan)\i
Despite personal pleas from US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, Republican leaders block funding to cover United States past dues to the United Nations, which total approximately $US1 billion. The Republican move comes amid an unrelated dispute with the Clinton administration over \Jabortion\j. \I(USA)\i
Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, expresses \JLatin America\j's regret over US President Clinton's failure to win the "fast track" negotiating authority necessary to honor his 1994 promise to build a hemispheric \Jfree trade\j area by 2005. Mr. Zedillo points to a doubling in Mexican-US trade and an expansion of commerce, employment, and investment in Canada since the North American Free Trade Agreement was created in 1994. \I(Mexico, \JLatin America\j, USA, Canada)\i
The United States and Mexico sign an historic treaty defining the territorial waters of the two countries, a pact aimed at ending disputes over the US-Mexican dividing line in the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico, and the fisheries of the Pacific. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Despite the standoff on human rights at the recent Sino-US presidential summit, the United States Ambassador to China, James Sasser, says he is optimistic that \JBeijing\j will release jailed political \Jdissidents\j in the next few weeks. Mr. Sasser adds that his optimism is based on intuition rather than specific information. \I(USA, China)\i
During a special congressional hearing, Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, tells the House Banking Committee that the turmoil on Asian stock and currency markets could retard economic growth in the United States and across the world, but says he doubts that it will do much to alleviate potential inflationary pressures. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee rejects US President Clinton's choice of Bill Lann Lee for the top United States \Jcivil rights\j position. Democratic senators are now urging Mr. Clinton to re-submit the \Jcivil rights\j lawyer's name to the Senate next year. \I(USA)\i
In Little Rock, \JArkansas\j, Paula Jones completes two days of pre-trial deposition in her sexual harassment lawsuit against US President, Bill Clinton. The trial is scheduled for May 27, 1998. \I(USA)\i
American AIDS researchers confirm that drug combination therapy is highly successful in stalling the onset of symptoms in people infected with \JHIV\j, but say tests show that the dormant virus still lurks in the immune system cells even after years of treatment. The findings mean that people now have an excellent chance of surviving the virus for a long time, but will never be cured, and will need to take the costly medication indefinitely. \I(USA)\i
Clinical trials in the United States find that Propecia, the world's first pill to rectify male pattern \Jbaldness\j, restores hair growth and prevents further loss of hair in 52 per cent of men who take the medication on a daily basis. However, the trials also find that 2 per cent of men suffer reduced libido as a result. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States members of United Nations arms inspection teams are expelled from \JIraq\j, a move that prompts the UN to pull out most of its remaining inspectors, leaving only a skeleton staff in \JBaghdad\j. The United States, meanwhile, discounts military action at this time, and turns back to the UN Security Council in a renewed effort to force \JIraq\j to reverse the expulsion. According to the Pentagon, another US U-2 plane is scheduled to fly over \JIraq\j on a UN surveillance mission within the next few days, despite \JIraq\j's threats to shoot down any US \Jaircraft\j over its territory. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Following \JIraq\j's expulsion of six American United Nations weapons inspectors from \JBaghdad\j, Britain orders the \Jaircraft\j carrier \IInvincible\i to steam to \JGibraltar\j and prepare to take on board six RAF Harrier GR7s. Britain is the only ally from the 36-nation Gulf War coalition willing to back the United States in a possible military confrontation with \JIraq\j. Several former key allies, such as Saudi \JArabia\j and Turkey, have stipulated that they will not allow their bases to be used by American or British forces in the event of conflict. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK, \JGibraltar\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Turkey)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, expresses concerns over Israel's hardline approach to Mideast peace, rebuking Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for not honoring Israel's existing commitments under the Oslo agreement before seeking to move directly to final status talks with the Palestinians. Mr. Blair says practical progress is needed, as well as a halt to all new Jewish settlements. \I(UK, Israel Palestine)\i
Somalia's two main warlords, Hussein Mohammad Aidid, of the United Somali Congress, and Ali \JMahdi\j Mohammad, of the Somali Salvation Alliance, begin reconciliation talks in \JCairo\j aimed at ending the \Jcivil war\j which has left their country without an internationally recognized government. \I(Somalia, \JEgypt\j)\i
After a diplomatic standoff lasting more than six months, \JIran\j and the European Union agree on a compromise that will allow the return of 15 European ambassadors to Tehran. The EU countries withdrew their ambassadors in April after a Berlin judge convicted an Iranian agent and a Lebanese contract killer of murdering four prominent figures of a banned Iranian Kurdish minority party. \I(\JIran\j, \JGermany\j, Europe)\i
The British Labour Party faces its first major scandal when it is revealed that Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone, donated $US1.7 million to the party funds before the last election. The link between the party and big business was forged after the Labour Government breached its campaign promise and exempted Formula One \Jmotor racing\j from a ban on \Jtobacco\j sports sponsorship, an exemption that also drew angry objections from the European Commission. \I(UK)\i
Custodians of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi announce that it will reopen to the public from November 30. The famed 13th century church was damaged in the recent string of earthquakes which shook central \JItaly\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Archaeologists working at Baia, on the west coast of Naples, reveal their discovery of a vast complex they believe to be the seaside villa of Julius Caesar. Built of volcanic rock, the villa dates back to the 3rd century BC, and is situated at the top of cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, an area known to the ancient Romans as the "Golden Shore". \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"November 14, 1997",681,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As security warnings spark an unprecedented American exodus from \JPakistan\j, a Union \JTexas\j oil company spokesman says the bodies of four Americans, killed two days ago in a daylight ambush in \JKarachi\j, will be transported to the United States aboard a chartered flight on Saturday. Meanwhile, US authorities and their Pakistani counterparts are investigating the attack, thought to be perpetrated by terrorists intent on wrecking the scheduled visit of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and the proposed visit of US President Bill Clinton. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
After seven hours of deliberation, a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, recommends that Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, 33, be sentenced to death for capital murder in a 1993 shooting outside the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency near Washington. Two \JCIA\j officers were killed, and three others were wounded in the attack. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, orders a probe into the \JFBI\j's failure to hand over intelligence information, collected as far back as 1991, on alleged Chinese attempts to buy US political influence. Despite China's repeated denials, both the US Justice Department and the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee are currently investigating such allegations. \I(USA, China)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, opens a three-\Jday\j Francophone summit in \JHanoi\j, the first to be held in Asia, telling 2,000 leaders and delegates from 48 French-speaking countries of an ambitious vision to spread French influence around the globe, linguistically, culturally, and politically. Sharing the stage with Mr. Chirac is Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, and the two men later shake hands before engaging in a formal meeting on the sidelines of the conference. \I(\JFrance\j, Vietnam, Cambodia)\i
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej approves the cabinet of new Prime Minister, Chuan Leekpai, who takes the defense minister's portfolio himself, having received the support of the country's powerful military. The new administration now faces the uphill task of resolving Thailand's worst economic problems in decades. \I(Thailand)\i
Japan's Economic Planning Agency announces that the country's economy is at a standstill for the first time since December 1995, an announcement that sends the stock market plunging below the key 15,000-point level before closing down 2.23 per cent at 15,082, well below last month's level of 17,000. \I(Japan)\i
Ahead of next month's climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, the International Energy Agency reports that the United States, China, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j together produce almost half of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. The United States tops the list with 23.7 per cent of emissions, followed by China with 13.6 per cent of total global emissions. \I(USA, China, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Areas of the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, are plunged into darkness following a series of explosions at the nearby Kelanitissa power plant. Fires in two fuel storage tanks are quickly extinguished, and no one is injured in the blasts, believed to be detonated by Tamil Tiger rebels. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Violence breaks out after troops fire warning shots to disperse about 300 university students in East \JTimor\j's provincial capital, Dili, and riot police move in to make arrests. Dozens of windows of the university's buildings are smashed in the clashes, and the university later cancels classes. \I(East \JTimor\j)\i
A military \Jhelicopter\j crashes in the far-eastern Indian state of Arnunachal Pradesh, killing the two pilots, an army major-general, and the country's junior minister for defense. Mr. Somu, who was appointed to the defense portfolio last year, was on his way to address troops. \I(India)\i
Australia confirms that it is likely to host the next round of talks to settle the secessionist conflict on the Papua New Guinean island of Bougainville. Two rounds of talks have already been held this year in \JNew Zealand\j, resulting in the signing of the Burnham Declaration. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \IGeorge Washington\i heads to the Persian Gulf to join the carrier \INimitz,\i \JBaghdad\j calls for "serious dialogue" with the United Nations over the weapons inspection crisis. Although President Clinton is stressing diplomacy as a means of resolving the crisis, the UN Security Council agrees to convene a board of advisory weapons commissioners, a move believed to be aimed at examining further options to avert possible US military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets in Edinburgh with British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, to discuss the Iraqi weapons inspection deadlock. Mrs. Albright then moves on to begin two days of talks with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, a follow-up on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks held last week in Washington. \I(USA, UK, Israel, Palestine)\i
As security warnings spark an unprecedented American exodus from \JPakistan\j, a Union \JTexas\j oil company spokesman says the bodies of four Americans, killed two days ago in a daylight ambush in \JKarachi\j, will be transported to the United States aboard a chartered flight on Saturday. Meanwhile, US authorities and their Pakistani counterparts are investigating the attack, thought to be perpetrated by terrorists intent on wrecking the scheduled visit of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and the proposed visit of President Bill Clinton. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
After seven hours of deliberation, a jury in Fairfax, Virginia, recommends that Pakistani, Mir Aimal Kasi, 33, be sentenced to death for capital murder in a 1993 shooting outside the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency near Washington. Two \JCIA\j officers were killed, and three others were wounded in the attack. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, orders a probe into the \JFBI\j's failure to hand over intelligence information, collected as far back as 1991, on alleged Chinese attempts to buy US political influence. Despite China's repeated denials, both the US Justice Department and the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee are currently investigating such allegations. \I(USA, China)\i
In an escalating war against organized crime, twenty-eight nations of the Americas sign a convention to combat growing traffic in illegal weapons stemming from the \Jnarcotics\j trade. The convention, proposed by Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, is the first of its kind in the world, and requires its signatories to mark guns that are sold, introduce gun export and import licenses, tighten border controls, report smuggled guns, and share information such as serial numbers. \I(Mexico, The Americas)\i
Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, meets at the \JWhite House\j with US President, Bill Clinton, for talks aimed at finding mutually satisfactory ways of stopping drugs and illegal migrants flowing into the United States from Mexico. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Ahead of next month's climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, the International Energy Agency reports that the United States, China, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j together produce almost half of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. The United States tops the list with 23.7 per cent of emissions, followed by China with 13.6 per cent of total global emissions. \I(USA, China, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Xavier Suarez is sworn in as Mayor of Miami just hours after lawyers for opponent, Joe Carollo, request a judge to discard the election results on grounds of ballot tampering. The mayoral election has been dogged by a scandal involving fraudulent postal votes and burglaries of campaign headquarters. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As the United States \Jaircraft\j carrier \IGeorge Washington\i heads to the Persian Gulf to join the carrier \INimitz,\i \JBaghdad\j calls for "serious dialogue" with the United Nations over the weapons inspection crisis. Although President Clinton is stressing diplomacy as a means of resolving the crisis, the UN Security Council agrees to convene a board of advisory weapons commissioners, a move believed to be aimed at examining further options to avert possible US military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets in Edinburgh with British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, to discuss the Iraqi weapons inspection deadlock. Mrs. Albright then moves on to begin two days of talks with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, a follow-up on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks held last week in Washington. \I(USA, UK, Israel, Palestine)\i
The Palestinian Authority decides to boycott the upcoming annual \JMiddle East\j and North Africa economic conference in protest against Israel's refusal to honor its peace agreements. The Palestinians now join a large number of other Arab states who are also boycotting the meeting as a result of the stalemate in the Mideast peace process. \I(Palestine, Israel, North Africa)\i
Reports from southern \JSomalia\j reveal that the death toll from severe floods in the region has risen to more than 1,000, with people clinging to tree branches as torrential rain and waters from the raging Juba River wash away their homes. Aid workers are concerned about outbreaks of \Jmalaria\j and \Jcholera\j, and are appealing for urgent international help, saying crops and food stores have been destroyed, clean water is unavailable, and villagers are now fighting snakes and crocodiles for the sparse areas of dry land. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, opens a three-\Jday\j Francophone summit in \JHanoi\j, the first to be held in Asia, telling 2,000 leaders and delegates from 48 French-speaking countries of an ambitious vision to spread French influence around the globe, linguistically, culturally, and politically. Sharing the stage with Mr. Chirac is Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, and the two men later shake hands before engaging in a formal meeting on the sidelines of the conference. \I(\JFrance\j, Vietnam, Cambodia)\i
An Iranian diplomat in Moscow is arrested and promptly deported to Tehran after being caught attempting to purchase missile blueprints. Lately, \JRussia\j has been under considerable pressure to crack down on sales of missiles or missile technology to Iran. \I(Iran, \JRussia\j)\i
As Moroccans go to the polls to vote in a legislative election the government says will showcase its commitment to an open and inclusive system, opposition groups complain of early ballot irregularities, such as voter lists which include names of nonexistent or deceased people. \I(Morocco)\i
Ahead of next month's climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, the International Energy Agency reports that the United States, China, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j together produce almost half of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. The United States tops the list with 23.7 per cent of emissions, followed by China with 13.6 per cent of total global emissions. \I(USA, China, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
#
"November 15, 1997",682,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Vietnam's Communist Government opens its first consulate in the United States, having chosen \JSan Francisco\j because of its West Coast location. The United States and Vietnam established diplomatic ties in 1995. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
The new United States Ambassador to \JJapan\j, Thomas Foley, arrives in \JTokyo\j to replace former Vice President, Walter Mondale. In his arrival statement, Mr. Foley avoids mentioning \JJapan\j's stalled economy, which is a matter of deep concern in Washington, with US Treasury officials urging \JTokyo\j to take strong action to fend off recession and financial crisis. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
In a major shake-up, \JRangoon\j announces that the 21-member State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which has held power in \JMyanmar\j since September 1988, is to be immediately replaced by a 19-member group called the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The newly formed SPDC retains four former senior SLORC leaders, including chairman, Than Shwe, and Secretary One and intelligence chief, Khin Nyunt, with the other 15 members drawn from high-ranking military commands. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Indonesian police deny allegations that at least one person has died as a result of clashes between officers and students near the University of East \JTimor\j yesterday. A police spokesman says five people are being treated for injuries at the Wirahusada military \Jhospital\j, and eight people are being detained for participating in the beating of soldiers. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, confer by \Jtelephone\j on the showdown with \JIraq\j over United Nations weapons inspections, discussing how to maintain consensus on the UN Security Council in seeking a diplomatic solution to the crisis. President Clinton's lobby for UN support has been compromised, in part, by a last-minute decision from Congress to block legislation required to pay approximately $US1 billion the US owes the UN in back dues. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j)\i
In a bid to gain backing for a possible military attack against \JIraq\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, changes her travel plans to include an unscheduled diplomatic mission to Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKuwait\j, and \JBahrain\j. Meanwhile, as Iraqis volunteer for military training, or to act as human shields, the nation's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, prepares to tour five northern African Arab states to rally support for \JBaghdad\j. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Northern Africa)\i
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, leaves Brussels after talks with Greek and Turkish Cypriot business leaders, optimistic that a mutual desire for economic co-operation has laid the foundations for ties across the divided island. \I(USA, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
Vietnam's Communist Government opens its first consulate in the United States, having chosen \JSan Francisco\j because of its West Coast location. The United States and Vietnam established diplomatic ties in 1995. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
The new United States Ambassador to \JJapan\j, Thomas Foley, arrives in \JTokyo\j to replace former Vice President, Walter Mondale. In his arrival statement, Mr. Foley avoids mentioning \JJapan\j's stalled economy, which is a matter of deep concern in Washington, with US Treasury officials urging \JTokyo\j to take strong action to fend off recession and financial crisis. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, expresses regret when the Senate recesses for the year without confirming openly gay businessman, James Hormel, as US ambassador to Luxembourg. Mr. Hormel, 63, is a well known civil leader and AIDS activist, and if his nomination is confirmed next year, he will become the first openly gay ambassador for the United States. \I(USA, Luxembourg)\i
The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that the number of violent crimes has dropped from 3 million in 1995 to an estimated 2.7 million in 1996, the lowest level since the survey began 24 years ago. Analysts say the figures also show that property crimes, such a household burglaries and motor vehicle thefts, declined by 8 per cent. \I(USA)\i
US President Clinton announces that he is temporarily suspending the import of all modified assault weapons for four months. The announcement comes after the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms accelerated approval of 150,000 permits for the weapons while the \JWhite House\j simultaneously worked on imposing a ban. \I(USA)\i
Riding behind a team of sled dogs, Wendy Smith, a survivor of Hodgkin's lymphoma, sets out from Maine on a 6,000-mile journey across \JNorth America\j, hoping to both inspire cancer victims and raise money for cancer programs in \JNorth America\j and her native Britain. \I(USA, UK)\i
A New York woman, who suffered an \Janeurysm\j and was declared brain dead while pregnant, gives birth by Cesarean section to a healthy nine-week-premature baby girl. The 20-year-old woman dies 20 minutes later, after being taken off the life-support system that sustained her through her \Jpregnancy\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, confer by \Jtelephone\j on the showdown with \JIraq\j over United Nations weapons inspections, discussing how to maintain consensus on the UN Security Council in seeking a diplomatic solution to the crisis. President Clinton's lobby for UN support has been compromised, in part, by a last-minute decision from Congress to block legislation required to pay approximately $US1 billion the US owes the UN in back dues. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j)\i
In a bid to gain backing for a possible military attack against \JIraq\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, changes her travel plans to include an unscheduled diplomatic mission to Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKuwait\j, and \JBahrain\j. Meanwhile, as Iraqis volunteer for military training, or to act as human shields, the nation's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, prepares to tour five northern African Arab states to rally support for \JBaghdad\j. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Northern Africa)\i
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, leaves Brussels after talks with Greek and Turkish Cypriot business leaders, optimistic that a mutual desire for economic co-operation has laid the foundations for ties across the divided island. \I(USA, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
British Government sources confirm that Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, is to meet with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at 10 Downing Street before Christmas. Should the meeting eventuate, Mr. Adams will become the first Irish republican leader to enter the British Prime Minister's official residence since Michael Collins negotiated the partition of Ireland with Lloyd George in 1921. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Conflicting accounts emerge when a seven-year-old Palestinian boy dies after being shot in the head by an Israeli soldier in \JBethlehem\j earlier in the week. Palestinian police say Israeli soldiers opened fire after three or four boys threw stones at them from a distance of about 200 yards; the Israeli Army says the boy got in the line of fire and was hit by a \Jrubber\j bullet when a soldier aimed at an adult stone-thrower. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Heavy fighting is reported in Xudur town in southwestern \JSomalia\j, with at least ten militia fighters killed in clashes between the Rahanweyn Resistance Army and forces of warlord Hussein Aideed. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
After nearly 50 years, the German Government announces that it is cutting off disability pensions to World War II veterans suspected of being Nazi war criminals. The government proposed the amendment after coming under pressure from opposition politicians and Jewish groups. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
German legislators approve a government proposal aimed at increasing the maximum jail penalty for sexual abuse of children. The new legislation also allows judges more freedom in ordering long-term detention of repeat sex offenders, and tightens rules relating to their release. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Amid allegations of high-level corruption, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sacks three senior advisors, but rejects a letter of resignation from Anatoly Chubais, the architect of the country's privatization program. Large sums for a co-authored book on privatization had been advanced to all four government officials by publisher, Sevodnya-Press, which has close ties to Uneximbank, a recent winner of several large privatization sales. \I(Russia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, expresses regret when the Senate recesses for the year without confirming openly gay businessman, James Hormel, as US ambassador to Luxembourg. Mr. Hormel, 63, is a well known civil leader and AIDS activist, and if his nomination is confirmed next year, he will become the first openly gay ambassador for the United States. \I(USA, Luxembourg)\i
Riding behind a team of sled dogs, Wendy Smith, a survivor of Hodgkin's lymphoma, sets out from Maine on a 6,000-mile journey across \JNorth America\j, hoping to both inspire cancer victims and raise money for cancer programs in \JNorth America\j and her native Britain. \I(USA, UK)\i
#
"November 16, 1997",683,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China frees its leading political dissident, Wei Jingsheng, 47, and allows him to fly to the United States to receive medical treatment for heart problems, high blood pressure, and other ailments. Mr. Wei was released from a 14-year jail sentence, which was imposed in 1995 after he had served all but six months of a 15-year sentence for his part in the 1978-79 Democracy Wall movement. The release of Mr. Wei comes less than two weeks after the conclusion of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States, during which the Chinese leader came under considerable pressure to free jailed pro-democracy activists. \I(China, USA)\i
A summit of 48 French-speaking nations concludes in \JHanoi\j with a unanimous decision to form a loose political bloc. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former United Nation's secretary-general, is also elected as the first Francophone secretary-general. \I(\JFrance\j, Vietnam)\i
New Zealand's political leaders strike a deal to keep the center-right coalition Government in power, ensuring National Party leader Jenny Shipley's position as the country's first woman prime minister when Jim Bolger steps down in two weeks. The deal ends a standoff by the junior coalition partner, the New Zealand First party, and is only cemented after its leader, Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, unsuccessfully seeks to form a new government with the Labor opposition. \I(New Zealand)\i
Doctors in \JBombay\j reveal that 20 people died and 20 others became seriously ill after drinking homemade liquor at an illegal bar in the western Indian rural district of Khalapur. Doctors say the home brew was adulterated with toxic methyl alcohol. \I(India)\i
Twenty-eight passengers and crews members are reported missing after a wooden tugboat, carrying about 40 Indonesian workers, sinks in the strait between Indonesia and \JMalaysia\j. Prevailing haze from Indonesia's forest fires is not believed to have contributed to the accident. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j)\i
The countdown gets underway for the launch of the United States \Jspace shuttle\j, Columbia, scheduled to lift off Wednesday on a 16-day research mission. The mission will feature the first spacewalk by a Japanese, and its six-member multi-national crew will also include a Ukrainian, and a NASA \Jastronaut\j who is a native of India. \I(USA, Japan, \JUkraine\j, India)\i
The life of British nurse, Deborah Parry, facing beheading for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, is officially spared when waiver documents, signed by Ms. Gilford's brother, are presented to the High \JSharia\j Court in Al-Khobar, Saudi \JArabia\j. Mr. Gilford's action also removes the threat of 500 lashes from Lucille McLauchlan, already convicted and sentenced for her part in the killing. \I(UK, Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq maintains that it is not seeking a confrontation with the United States and will be happy if a solution is found to the crisis triggered by its expulsion of American inspectors on United Nations disarmament teams. Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, says \JBaghdad\j would allow American arms inspectors back into Iraq if the five permanent UN Security Council members have equal representation on the teams. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In the ongoing search for a diplomatic solution to the arms inspection standoff with \JBaghdad\j, Washington looks to \JRussia\j and \JFrance\j, both of whom have long-term political ties and business interests in \JIraq\j. Meanwhile, the Clinton administration reiterates its belief that \JBaghdad\j is concealing missiles capable of launching weapons of mass destruction, and stands firmly behind its pledge to make an immediate substantial response should \JIraq\j carry out its threat to fire on American U-2 planes on United Nations reconnaissance missions. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
The United States warns Israel to refrain from entering any possible military confrontation with \JIraq\j should diplomacy fail to end the crisis over international weapons inspections. Washington fears Israeli involvement might only serve to win support for \JBaghdad\j from other Arab countries, which have already chorused their lack of support for US military action against \JIraq\j, a position now echoed by \JKuwait\j. \I(USA, Israel, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
A United States-backed \JMiddle East\j economic conference opens in \JQatar\j with Arab leaders voicing strong criticism of Israel. \JQatar\j's Emir, seated alongside US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says Israeli "intransigence" is stalling the peace process, and Jordan's deputy prime minister says tension on the Israel-\JLebanon\j border is reminiscent of war. As a general protest against the Mideast peace stalemate, the majority of Arab League members boycott the annual conference, which was launched in 1993 with the aim of integrating Israel into Arab economies. \I(USA, Israel, \JQatar\j, Jordan, \JLebanon\j)\i
China frees its leading political dissident, Wei Jingsheng, 47, and allows him to fly to the United States to receive medical treatment for heart problems, high blood pressure, and other ailments. Mr. Wei was released from a 14-year jail sentence, which was imposed in 1995 after he had served all but six months of a 15-year sentence for his part in the 1978-79 Democracy Wall movement. The release of Mr. Wei comes less than two weeks after the conclusion of President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States, during which the Chinese leader came under considerable pressure to free jailed pro-democracy activists. \I(China, USA)\i
The countdown gets underway for the launch of the United States \Jspace shuttle\j, Columbia, scheduled to lift off Wednesday on a 16-day research mission. The mission will feature the first spacewalk by a Japanese, and its six-member multi-national crew will also include a Ukrainian, and a NASA \Jastronaut\j who is a native of India. \I(USA, Japan, \JUkraine\j, India)\i
Mexican authorities announce the arrest of Adan Amezcua Contreras, 28, the youngest of three brothers who allegedly control one of the nations most powerful drug cartels. The arrest comes after President Ernesto Zedillo's visit to the \JWhite House\j last week, during which he vowed to step up the fight against the traffic of drugs across the US-Mexican border. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
The mother of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, who died in the care of British au pair, Louise Woodward, tells America's \ITime\i magazine that she feels like Judge Hiller Zobel's victim, and that the judge demonstrated a "total lack of understanding of child abuse" when he reduced Woodward's murder conviction to \Jmanslaughter\j and set her free last week. Mrs. Eappen maintains that Woodward lied when she denied ever hurting Matthew, but adds that Woodward probably believes her own words now. \I(USA, UK)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j defeats American Lindsay Davenport to win the Advanta Championship tennis event in Philadelphia. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
In \JHanover\j, American Pete Sampras takes the season-ending ATP Tour world title crown for the fourth time when he downs Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov in three sets. \I(USA, Russia, \JGermany\j)\i
American duo, Scott McCarron and Bruce Lietzke, pull away in the final three holes to secure a two-shot victory at the Shark Shootout golf event in Thousand Oaks, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq maintains that it is not seeking a confrontation with the United States and will be happy if a solution is found to the crisis triggered by its expulsion of American inspectors on United Nations disarmament teams. Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, says \JBaghdad\j would allow American arms inspectors back into Iraq if the five permanent UN Security Council members have equal representation on the teams. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In the ongoing search for a diplomatic solution to the arms inspection standoff with \JBaghdad\j, Washington looks to \JRussia\j and \JFrance\j, both of whom have long-term political ties and business interests in \JIraq\j. Meanwhile, the Clinton administration reiterates its belief that \JBaghdad\j is concealing missiles capable of launching weapons of mass destruction, and stands firmly behind its pledge to make an immediate substantial response should \JIraq\j carry out its threat to fire on American U-2 planes on United Nations reconnaissance missions. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
The United States warns Israel to refrain from entering any possible military confrontation with \JIraq\j should diplomacy fail to end the crisis over international weapons inspections. Washington fears Israeli involvement might only serve to win support for \JBaghdad\j from other Arab countries, which have already chorused their lack of support for US military action against \JIraq\j, a position now echoed by \JKuwait\j. \I(USA, Israel, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
A United States-backed \JMiddle East\j economic conference opens in \JQatar\j with Arab leaders voicing strong criticism of Israel. \JQatar\j's Emir, seated alongside US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says Israeli "intransigence" is stalling the peace process, and Jordan's deputy prime minister says tension on the Israel-\JLebanon\j border is reminiscent of war. As a general protest against the Mideast peace stalemate, the majority of Arab League members boycott the annual conference, which was launched in 1993 with the aim of integrating Israel into Arab economies. \I(USA, Israel, \JQatar\j, Jordan, \JLebanon\j)\i
A summit of 48 French-speaking nations concludes in \JHanoi\j with a unanimous decision to form a loose political bloc. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former United Nation's secretary-general, is also elected as the first Francophone secretary-general. \I(\JFrance\j, Vietnam)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, publicly addresses the scandal that has erupted over Formula One \Jmotor racing\j's exemption from a government ban on \Jtobacco\j advertising, a scandal heightened by the revelation that Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone, was a major Labour Party campaign donor. Mr. Blair says he regrets the controversy, but insists that he has done nothing wrong or improper, maintaining that he would never change a policy because a person supported or donated to his party. \I(UK)\i
Hungarians vote 85.4 per cent in favor of \JNATO\j membership, a show of support the government hopes will justify the cost of expansion to current alliance members, and President Arpad Goencz believes will now "exclude the possibility of a great war." \I(\JHungary\j)\i
Results in Morocco's parliamentary elections show opposition left-wing parties making big gains, positioning them to win a role in a new coalition Government led by parties on the right, which are again securing a majority of seats. \I(Morocco)\i
The countdown gets underway for the launch of the United States \Jspace shuttle\j, Columbia, scheduled to lift off Wednesday on a 16-day research mission. The mission will feature the first spacewalk by a Japanese, and its six-member multi-national crew will also include a Ukrainian, and a NASA \Jastronaut\j who is a native of India. \I(USA, Japan, \JUkraine\j, India)\i
Georges Marchais, secretary-general of the French Communist Party from 1972 to 1994, dies aged 77 in a Paris \Jhospital\j. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The life of British nurse, Deborah Parry, facing beheading for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, is officially spared when waiver documents, signed by Ms. Gilford's brother, are presented to the High \JSharia\j Court in Al-Khobar, Saudi \JArabia\j. Mr. Gilford's action also removes the threat of 500 lashes from Lucille McLauchlan, already convicted and sentenced for her part in the killing. \I(UK, Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The mother of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, who died in the care of British au pair, Louise Woodward, tells America's \ITime\i magazine that she feels like Judge Hiller Zobel's victim, and that the judge demonstrated a "total lack of understanding of child abuse" when he reduced Woodward's murder conviction to \Jmanslaughter\j and set her free last week. Mrs. Eappen maintains that Woodward lied when she denied ever hurting Matthew, but adds that Woodward probably believes her own words now. \I(USA, UK)\i
Top seed Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j defeats American Lindsay Davenport to win the Advanta Championship tennis event in Philadelphia. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
In \JHanover\j, American Pete Sampras takes the season-ending ATP Tour world title crown for the fourth time when he downs Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov in three sets. \I(USA, Russia, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"November 17, 1997",684,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amid tight security implemented after the slaying of four American oil executives in \JKarachi\j, Madeleine Albright arrives in Islamabad to begin an official visit to \JPakistan\j, the first by a serving US \JSecretary of State\j in 13 years. Mrs. Albright is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, on issues including the war in neighboring \JAfghanistan\j, the dispute with India over Kashmir, and anti-terrorist measures. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
At least 57 tourists and four Egyptians are killed in an assault by suspected Muslim radicals at the \JHatshepsut\j temple in the Valley of the Kings, the deadliest attack to date since the 1992 launch of the Muslim militants' armed struggle against Egypt's secular government. Officials in the sightseeing resort of Luxor say Japanese, Swiss, British, and German nationals are among the dead, with another 26 people of various nationalities wounded. \I(Egypt, Japan, \JSwitzerland\j, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
A statement issued by the Sri Lankan military says troops supported by \Jaircraft\j, tanks, and artillery have resumed the third and final phase of a six-month offensive to capture a key northern highway through territory held by Tamil Tiger rebels. The statement also says that at least seven soldiers and 20 rebels have already been killed, with large numbers on both sides wounded since the campaign began again last Friday. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Twenty graves containing up to 2,000 Taliban militiamen are found in Jozjan province, located in the opposition-held area north of \JAfghanistan\j. The dead are believed to be among the 3,000 militiamen killed or taken prisoner by General Abdul Malik, a factional opposition commander who was briefly in alliance with the Taliban in May this year. Another commander of a northern anti-Taliban alliance, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, offers to allow the Taliban to airlift the bodies for burial, but a Taliban spokesman says they will seek the help of international relief agencies in recovering the dead. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, announces that \JKazakhstan\j has joined Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, and Turkmenistan in endorsing a US proposal to build pipeline routes that will skirt \JIran\j to transport oil and gas from the \JCaspian Sea\j region. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, Turkmenistan)\i
Responding to a request from Papua New Guinea, Australian agrees to deploy unarmed troops to assist in monitoring the truce that ended the nine-year \Jcivil war\j on the island of Bougainville. The truce-monitoring operation is to be led by \JNew Zealand\j, which hosted the two rounds of peace talks leading up to the cease-fire agreement. \JNew Zealand\j will also keep an offshore force at the ready throughout the operation. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia, Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
A senior US State Department official announces that a preparatory working-level meeting will be held on Friday at Columbia University to make arrangements for a senior-level Geneva meeting aimed at bringing a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War. The crucial Geneva talks, likely to begin in the first half of December, will involve the two Koreas, the United States, and China. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, responds to a "show cause" notice issued by the \JChief Justice\j, becoming the country's first serving prime minister summoned to appear in court on charges of showing contempt for the judiciary. The court appearance is the latest development in a continuing confrontation between the government and the courts, which began when Mr. Sharif rejected the appointment of five High Court judges. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Australian Federal Government reaps $AUD14.3 billion from a one-third float of communications giant, Telstra, as the first \Jday\j's strong trading on the stock market delivers shareholders a 37 per cent gain on their initial outlay. The float attracted an estimated 600,000 first-time investors, giving Australia one of the highest levels of share ownership. \I(Australia)\i
The Australian \JAboriginal art\j world is rocked by controversy when Welshman, Ray Beamish, insists that he is the main painter behind many of the works of his former partner, prize-winning Aboriginal artist, Kathleen Petyarre. Mr. Beamish claims to have developed the distinctive "sacred women's dreaming" style that is attributed to Petyarre, a claim refuted in a statement issued by the indigenous artist's lawyers. \I(Australia, Wales)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States rejects \JIraq\j's compromise offer to lift its ban on American weapons inspectors if the United Nations team is balanced by equal representation from all five permanent members of the Security Council. The US says \JIraq\j is not in compliance with UN security resolutions, and cannot dictate the terms of UN inspections. A US counter-proposal to boost the UN oil-for-food deal is likewise rejected by \JIraq\j because it neither lifts the oil embargo entirely, nor resolves the arms inspection issue. The oil-for-food deal allows \JIraq\j to sell $US2 billion worth of oil over six months, and is an exception to the sweeping sanctions imposed when \JIraq\j invaded \JKuwait\j in August 1990. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
Amid tight security implemented after the slaying of four American oil executives in \JKarachi\j, Madeleine Albright arrives in Islamabad to begin an official visit to \JPakistan\j, the first by a serving US \JSecretary of State\j in 13 years. Mrs. Albright is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, on issues including the war in neighboring \JAfghanistan\j, the dispute with India over Kashmir, and anti-terrorist measures. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j)\i
A senior US State Department official announces that a preparatory working-level meeting will be held on Friday at Columbia University to make arrangements for a senior-level Geneva meeting aimed at bringing a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War. The crucial Geneva talks, likely to begin in the first half of December, will involve the two Koreas, the United States, and China. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, announces that \JKazakhstan\j has joined Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, and Turkmenistan in endorsing a US proposal to build pipeline routes that will skirt \JIran\j to transport oil and gas from the \JCaspian Sea\j region. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, Turkmenistan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At least 57 tourists and four Egyptians are killed in an assault by suspected Muslim radicals at the \JHatshepsut\j temple in the Valley of the Kings, the deadliest attack to date since the 1992 launch of the Muslim militants' armed struggle against Egypt's secular government. Officials in the sightseeing resort of Luxor say Japanese, Swiss, British, and German nationals are among the dead, with another 26 people of various nationalities wounded. \I(Egypt, Japan, \JSwitzerland\j, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
The United States rejects \JIraq\j's compromise offer to lift its ban on American weapons inspectors if the United Nations team is balanced by equal representation from all five permanent members of the Security Council. The US says \JIraq\j is not in compliance with UN security resolutions, and cannot dictate the terms of UN inspections. A US counter-proposal to boost the UN oil-for-food deal is likewise rejected by \JIraq\j because it neither lifts the oil embargo entirely, nor resolves the arms inspection issue. The oil-for-food deal allows \JIraq\j to sell $US2 billion worth of oil over six months, and is an exception to the sweeping sanctions imposed when \JIraq\j invaded \JKuwait\j in August 1990. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
Instability deepens in the Kurdish areas of northern \JIraq\j, with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan claiming to have been attacked by the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party, strongly backed by troops, planes, and artillery of the Turkish armed forces. Turkey, however, maintains that its military activity in northern \JIraq\j is aimed at the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is a Turkish-Kurdish guerrilla group. \I(\JIraq\j, Turkey)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, announces that \JKazakhstan\j has joined Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, and Turkmenistan in endorsing a US proposal to build pipeline routes that will skirt \JIran\j to transport oil and gas from the \JCaspian Sea\j region. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, Turkey, \JAzerbaijan\j, Georgia, Turkmenistan)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, 69, publicly denies rumors of ill health, blaming lack of sleep, overwork, and a 1992 plane crash in the Libyan desert for his trembling lips and hands, and his slow and stuttering speech. Israeli neurologists believe Mr. Arafat may be in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, a belief which Palestinian officials have angrily dismissed, accusing Israel of spreading rumors in an attempt to undermine the Palestinian leader. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Rebellious members of Israel's ruling Likud Party unveil a campaign to oust Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as leader. The rebellion, led by the Mayor of Tel Aviv, was sparked by last week's party congress, during which Mr. Netanyahu pushed through proposals to give him greater control of Likud's election candidates. \I(Israel)\i
A \JBordeaux\j court suspends the war crimes trial of Maurice Papon for 10 days after he is hospitalized with an aggravated case of \Jpneumonia\j. Mr. Papon is charged with authorizing the handover of \JBordeaux\j Jews to the occupying Nazis while he was a \JVichy\j Government official during World War II. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Italy's center-left government wins a series of landslide victories in key local elections held Sunday, with the left-wing mayors of \JRome\j, \JVenice\j, and Naples returned to power by majority votes, and a number of government candidates gaining added support in other large towns. The elections are seen as the biggest test of support for the administration of Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, since it came to power in May last year. \I(Italy)\i
Nigeria's military ruler, General Sani Abacha, dissolves his Cabinet, the first wholesale change of ministers since he took power four years ago, and promises to release political detainees who do not pose a risk to national security. Gen. Abacha is preparing to restore civilian rule to the West African nation next year, but has not yet revealed whether he intends to stand for election as a civilian president. \I(Nigeria)\i
The Australian \JAboriginal art\j world is rocked by controversy when Welshman, Ray Beamish, insists that he is the main painter behind many of the works of his former partner, prize-winning Aboriginal artist, Kathleen Petyarre. Mr. Beamish claims to have developed the distinctive "sacred women's dreaming" style that is attributed to Petyarre, a claim refuted in a statement issued by the indigenous artist's lawyers. \I(Australia, Wales)\i
#
"November 18, 1997",685,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As South Korea's currency, the won, crashes to an all-time low, the nation's central Bank of Korea reveals that is pushing for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund, a move that is encountering strong resistance from the country's Ministry of Finance. \I(South Korea)\i
Taiwan's most-wanted fugitive, Chen Chin-hsing, shoots his way into the Taipei residence of a South African diplomat, wounding the diplomat and his daughter, and taking the family hostage. Chen, who is wanted for an April kidnap-murder and a string of subsequent killings, later releases the two wounded, demanding that he be allowed to leave the country and that all of his imprisoned relatives be freed. \I(Taiwan, South Africa)\i
Following Sunday's release and transfer to the United States of pro-democracy activist, Wei Jingsheng, China hints that medical parole might also be possible for jailed dissident, Wang Dan. China has recently come under strong US pressure to free both men, and while Mr. Wei's release has been widely welcomed, it has also stepped up efforts by human rights groups to have all activists released from Chinese jails. \I(China, USA)\i
Speaking in the \JPakistan\j capital, Islamabad, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says the United States is opposed to recognizing the Islamic Taliban militia, which controls two-thirds of neighboring \JAfghanistan\j. Mrs. Albright denounces the Taliban for its approach to human rights, its treatment of women and children, and its general lack of respect for human dignity. Later, Mrs. Albright visits an Afghan refugee village on the Pakistani border, donating classroom equipment to a school for girls, and $US10 million in funding to the International Rescue Committee which sponsors the school. \I(\JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, USA)\i
A school bus skids off a bridge and into the Yamuna River on the outskirts of the Indian capital, New Delhi, killing at least 27 children and injuring 58 others. The bus was carrying 112 children aged between six and 14 at the time. \I(India)\i
Officials in China launch a high-level investigation into a massive gas explosion at the Pansan \Jcoal\j mine near Huainan city last Thursday. Thirty-six miners were rescued alive, but two rescue workers and at least 87 miners died as a result of the blast. \I(China)\i
Malaysia's Department of Environment says now that the seasonal monsoon has arrived, bringing rain and wind changes, the country is finally free of the pall of smog blown in from \JIndonesia\j's raging forest fires. Meteorologists are warning, however, that the haze could return in February if the fires are not controlled by then. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As US President Bill Clinton orders more United States warplanes to the Persian Gulf, Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, turns to Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, seeking help in devising a "balanced political solution" to the weapons inspection standoff with the United Nations. After a meeting in Moscow with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, Russia's Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, says he has come up with a plan to bring the crisis to a peaceful end, but declines to give any details. \I(USA, Iraq, Russia)\i
Egypt's biggest Islamic group, the al-Gama'a-al-Islamiya, claims responsibility for the massacre of 58 foreign tourists at the \JHatshepsut\j temple in Luxor yesterday, saying the attack was part of a plan to free its leader, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, from a United States prison, where he is serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up the United Nations and other New York landmarks. The group, founded in the 1970s, was responsible for the 1981 assassination of Anwar Sadat, and although its framework has been broken in the last few years by a ruthless police and security campaign, it has never been eradicated. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
Following Sunday's release and transfer to the United States of pro-democracy activist, Wei Jingsheng, China hints that medical parole might also be possible for jailed dissident, Wang Dan. China has recently come under strong US pressure to free both men, and while Mr. Wei's release has been widely welcomed, it has also stepped up efforts by human rights groups to have all activists released from Chinese jails. \I(China, USA)\i
Speaking in the \JPakistan\j capital, Islamabad, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says the United States is opposed to recognizing the Islamic Taliban militia, which controls two-thirds of neighboring \JAfghanistan\j. Mrs. Albright denounces the Taliban for its approach to human rights, its treatment of women and children, and its general lack of respect for human dignity. Later, Mrs. Albright visits an Afghan refugee village on the Pakistani border, donating classroom equipment to a school for girls, and $US10 million in funding to the International Rescue Committee which sponsors the school. \I(\JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, USA)\i
In Berlin, two Palestinians, a Libyan, and two Germans, go on trial charged with the 1986 bombing of La Belle disco, with prosecutors alleging that the five accused acted on orders from Libyan intelligence. The Berlin disco was frequented by serving United States soldiers, two of whom were killed in the attack, prompting US President Ronald Reagan to order the bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi in retaliation. \I(\JGermany\j, Palestine, Libya, USA)\i
The United States and \JKazakhstan\j sign an accord to dispose of waste at the central Asian country's only nuclear power station at Aktau, on the \JCaspian Sea\j. The plant, which will be closed down by 2003, contains a breeder reactor that produces \Jplutonium\j-bearing spent fuel, and is of concern to the US because of its close proximity to the Iranian border. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, Iran)\i
Newly declassified documents released by the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board reveal that in 1962, the Pentagon drew up plans to mount a terror campaign in the United States, intending to blame Fidel Castro in order to justify a US invasion of \JCuba\j. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
The Federal Bureau of Investigation issues the official conclusion of its inquiry into the July 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, which exploded minutes after takeoff from New York, killing all 230 aboard. Assistant Director, James Kallstrom, says the inquiry found an "overwhelming absence of evidence indicating a crime", rebutting conspiracy theories such as witness accounts of a missile streaking through the sky, and leaving mechanical failure as the most likely cause of the accident. \I(USA)\i
US first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, concludes an eight-\Jday\j journey through five former Soviet republics: \JKazakhstan\j, \JKyrgyzstan\j, Uzbekistan, \JRussia\j, and \JUkraine\j. United States officials say the main purpose of Mrs. Clinton's trip was to encourage these nations in the development of democratic institutions. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, \JKyrgyzstan\j, Uzbekistan, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j)\i
A decision to award an honorary degree to former United States President, George Bush, sparks threats of a protest from a group of academics at Canada's University of Toronto, who cite Bush's career in the Central Intelligence Agency, the \JIran\j-Contra scandal, and his 1989 invasion of Panama as evidence of his unsuitability for an honorary doctor of laws. \I(USA, Canada)\i
The United States Government discloses plans to allow some vehicle owners to install air bag cut-off switches. The plan is aimed at easing a controversy over the devices, the explosive force of which has killed around 90 children and small women since they became common in cars from the late 1980s. \I(USA)\i
Researchers in \JPittsburgh\j report that women who use a combination of \Jchemotherapy\j and the drug tamoxifen have a better chance of extending their lives after surgery for breast cancer than women who use the drug alone. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As US President Bill Clinton orders more United States warplanes to the Persian Gulf, Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, turns to Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, seeking help in devising a "balanced political solution" to the weapons inspection standoff with the United Nations. After a meeting in Moscow with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, Russia's Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, says he has come up with a plan to bring the crisis to a peaceful end, but declines to give any details. \I(USA, Iraq, Russia)\i
Egypt's biggest Islamic group, the al-Gama'a-al-Islamiya, claims responsibility for the massacre of 58 foreign tourists at the \JHatshepsut\j temple in Luxor yesterday, saying the attack was part of a plan to free its leader, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, from a United States prison, where he is serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up the United Nations and other New York landmarks. The group, founded in the 1970s, was responsible for the 1981 assassination of Anwar Sadat, and although its framework has been broken in the last few years by a ruthless police and security campaign, it has never been eradicated. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
In Berlin, two Palestinians, a Libyan, and two Germans, go on trial charged with the 1986 bombing of La Belle disco, with prosecutors alleging that the five accused acted on orders from Libyan intelligence. The Berlin disco was frequented by serving United States soldiers, two of whom were killed in the attack, prompting US President Ronald Reagan to order the bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi in retaliation. \I(\JGermany\j, Palestine, Libya, USA)\i
The United States and \JKazakhstan\j sign an accord to dispose of waste at the central Asian country's only nuclear power station at Aktau, on the \JCaspian Sea\j. The plant, which will be closed down by 2003, contains a breeder reactor that produces \Jplutonium\j-bearing spent fuel, and is of concern to the US because of its close proximity to the Iranian border. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, Iran)\i
US first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, concludes an eight-\Jday\j journey through five former Soviet republics: \JKazakhstan\j, \JKyrgyzstan\j, Uzbekistan, \JRussia\j, and \JUkraine\j. United States officials say the main purpose of Mrs. Clinton's trip was to encourage these nations in the development of democratic institutions. \I(USA, \JKazakhstan\j, \JKyrgyzstan\j, Uzbekistan, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j)\i
Taiwan's most-wanted fugitive, Chen Chin-hsing, shoots his way into the Taipei residence of a South African diplomat, wounding the diplomat and his daughter, and taking the family hostage. Chen, who is wanted for an April kidnap-murder and a string of subsequent killings, later releases the two wounded, demanding that he be allowed to leave the country and that all of his imprisoned relatives be freed. \I(Taiwan, South Africa)\i
Seven Israelis suspected of plotting to kidnap 12-year-old Onassis heiress, Athina Roussel, have their version of events confirmed by overseers of the Onassis fortune, who admit to hiring investigators to look into Athina's security, and accuse her father, Thierry Roussel, who is feuding with the Onassis Foundation over control of the estimated $US2.4 billion inheritance, of inventing the kidnapping stories. \I(Israel, \JGreece\j)\i
#
"November 19, 1997",686,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Foreign Ministers of \JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j and the United States, as well as an ambassador from China, depart for the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva to attend a meeting, convened by \JRussia\j, aimed at forging a diplomatic settlement to the Iraqi arms inspection standoff. Meanwhile, as stealth fighter jets take off to join the US air and naval force in the Persian Gulf, US President Clinton stipulates that any resolution of the crisis must be based on full Iraqi compliance with UN arms inspectors. \I(\JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j, USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Iraq)\i
The State Department urges United States citizens abroad to beware of possible anti- American violence, instancing recent events such as the conviction of two foreigners in US courts, guerrilla attacks in \JPakistan\j and \JEgypt\j, along with the general situation in the \JMiddle East\j as potential incitement. The public announcement adds that US diplomatic posts around the world are also taking appropriate security precautions. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JEgypt\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, is formally charged with contempt of court by the \JChief Justice\j. The charge arises from Mr. Sharif's remark this month that the court acted illegally when it suspended a constitutional amendment banning members of parliament from switching sides. Seven other members of parliament, three newspapers, and state \Jtelevision\j are also served with similar indictments. \I(Pakistan)\i
Representatives of Pacific Rim nations convene in Vancouver, Canada, ahead of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. APEC was formed with the goal of promoting more liberal regional trade, and the obstacle confronting the 18 member nations this year is the currency and stock market turmoil in Asia that is threatening to retard economic growth worldwide. \I(Canada, Asia/Pacific)\i
As South Korea's currency dives amid a looming foreign debt crisis, the government sacks Finance Minister, Kang Kyung Shik, appointing Lim Chan Yuel as his replacement. Shortly after his appointment, Mr. Lim announces that Seoul may consider seeking rescue loans from the International Monetary Fund, an option favored by the Bank of Korea but previously rejected by the country's Finance Ministry. \I(South Korea)\i
At a meeting with Indian Prime Minister, Kumar Gujral, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, cites non-proliferation as the most troubling issue in US-Indian relations, urging New Delhi to join an international pact banning all nuclear arms tests. Mrs. Albright also expresses her country's desire to see the Kashmir dispute peacefully resolved, stressing, however, that the United States is not looking for any active involvement in the settlement process. \I(India, USA)\i
An editorial in China's official newspaper defends landmines as indispensable to the nation's defense requirements, adding that the international anti-landmine campaign ignores the issue of self-preservation for some countries. The editorial casts doubt on China's readiness by December to sign a global treaty banning the deadly weapons. \I(China)\i
Malaysia's lower house of parliament approves a motion of confidence in Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad. The motion also censures a resolution before the United States Congress demanding that Dr. Mahathir apologize for remarks about Jews, and a US investigation into a gas deal in \JIran\j involving Malaysia's state oil firm, Petronas. \I(Malaysia, USA, \JIran\j)\i
At least 23 people are killed and another 35 are wounded in a car bomb blast outside a film studio in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh state. Police say nobody is claiming responsibility for the attack. \I(India)\i
Taiwan's most wanted fugitive, Chen Chin-hsing, surrenders to police after holding the family of a South African diplomat hostage for a second \Jday\j. Chen had earlier released Colonel Alexander and his 22-year-old daughter, both wounded by gunfire, but was still holding Mrs. Alexander, another daughter aged 12, and a Taiwanese infant in the family's care. During the hostage standoff, Chen gave \Jtelephone\j interviews confessing to a series of murders, while maintaining the innocence of his wife and brother-in-law, and demanding their release from prison. \I(Taiwan, South Africa)\i
Indonesian Government officials announce that the country's 13 regional airports, frequently closed in recent months due to heavy smoke from forest fires, have all re-opened with the arrival of monsoon rains and a corresponding shift in wind direction. \I(Indonesia)\i
A survey by the United States Agency for International Development indicates that nearly 40 million children in countries across Africa, Asia, and \JLatin America\j stand to lose one or both parents to AIDS over the next 13 years, a catastrophe that could also wipe out years of progress in economic and social development. \I(USA, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
South Korean high school students take a crucial one-\Jday\j State-run university entrance examination. In deference to the students, flights over urban areas are banned, motorists are instructed not to use their horns, public and private sector employees are asked to start work an hour later to ease traffic bottlenecks, and extra trains, buses, and taxis are provided to ensure that all students arrive on time at the examination hall. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Foreign Ministers of \JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j and the United States, as well as an ambassador from China, depart for the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva to attend a meeting, convened by \JRussia\j, aimed at forging a diplomatic settlement to the Iraqi arms inspection standoff. Meanwhile, as stealth fighter jets take off to join the US air and naval force in the Persian Gulf, US President Clinton stipulates that any resolution of the crisis must be based on full Iraqi compliance with UN arms inspectors. \I(\JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j, USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Iraq)\i
In New York, the United Nations Security Council is briefed by arms experts who warn that due to the suspension of weapons inspections, \JIraq\j could produce mustard gas within several days, and sufficient weapons-grade \Janthrax\j each week to fill two missile warheads or four aerial bombs. The experts also say that despite UN sanctions against \JIraq\j, the country has continued to work on a surface-to-surface missile with a 94-mile range, testing the device on October 22. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The State Department urges United States citizens abroad to beware of possible anti- American violence, instancing recent events such as the conviction of two foreigners in US courts, guerrilla attacks in \JPakistan\j and \JEgypt\j, along with the general situation in the \JMiddle East\j as potential incitement. The public announcement adds that US diplomatic posts around the world are also taking appropriate security precautions. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JEgypt\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Representatives of Pacific Rim nations convene in Vancouver, Canada, ahead of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. APEC was formed with the goal of promoting more liberal regional trade, and the obstacle confronting the 18 member nations this year is the currency and stock market turmoil in Asia that is threatening to retard economic growth worldwide. \I(Canada, Asia/Pacific)\i
At a meeting with Indian Prime Minister, Kumar Gujral, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, cites non-proliferation as the most troubling issue in US-Indian relations, urging New Delhi to join an international pact banning all nuclear arms tests. Mrs. Albright also expresses her country's desire to see the Kashmir dispute peacefully resolved, stressing, however, that the United States is not looking for any active involvement in the settlement process. \I(India, USA)\i
The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louis Freeh, denies that Russian criminal groups pose a threat to American national security, pointing to Russian effectiveness in solving domestic murders and contract killings, as well as Russian co-operation on a number of high-profile cases in the United States. Russia's crime rate has escalated dramatically since the collapse of the \JSoviet Union\j in 1991. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Malaysia's lower house of parliament approves a motion of confidence in Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad. The motion also censures a resolution before the United States Congress demanding that Dr. Mahathir apologize for remarks about Jews, and a US investigation into a gas deal in \JIran\j involving Malaysia's state oil firm, Petronas. \I(Malaysia, USA, \JIran\j)\i
Space shuttle \JColombia\j lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in \JFlorida\j on a 16-\Jday\j scientific research mission. The shuttle is carrying a free-flying solar observatory, an ozone monitoring instrument, and a suite of \Jmicrogravity\j experiments. \I(USA)\i
American media magnate, Ted Turner, announces that Under \JSecretary of State\j, Tim Wirth, is to leave the Clinton administration in January to head the United Nations Foundation, which is being established to administer Mr. Turner's $US1 billion gift to the United Nations for economic, environmental, social, and humanitarian causes. \I(USA)\i
A survey by the United States Agency for International Development indicates that nearly 40 million children in countries across Africa, Asia, and \JLatin America\j stand to lose one or both parents to AIDS over the next 13 years, a catastrophe that could also wipe out years of progress in economic and social development. \I(USA, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
A preliminary study conducted by the United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences suggests that about eight per cent of Americans have a gene variant which protects them against lung cancer, even if they smoke. Although the findings are as yet unconfirmed by further data, researchers say this would seem to explain why some people are able to smoke with impunity. \I(USA)\i
Septuplets are born to Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey at \JIowa\j Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. The four boys and three girls range in weight from 2 pounds, 5 ounces to 3 pounds, 4 ounces, and are believed to be the only living set of septuplets in the world. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Foreign Ministers of \JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j and the United States, as well as an ambassador from China, depart for the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva to attend a meeting, convened by \JRussia\j, aimed at forging a diplomatic settlement to the Iraqi arms inspection standoff. Meanwhile, as stealth fighter jets take off to join the US air and naval force in the Persian Gulf, President Clinton stipulates that any resolution of the crisis must be based on full Iraqi compliance with UN arms inspectors. \I(\JFrance\j, Britain, \JRussia\j, USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Iraq)\i
In New York, the United Nations Security Council is briefed by arms experts who warn that due to the suspension of weapons inspections, \JIraq\j could produce mustard gas within several days, and sufficient weapons-grade \Janthrax\j each week to fill two missile warheads or four aerial bombs. The experts also say that despite UN sanctions against \JIraq\j, the country has continued to work on a surface-to-surface missile with a 94-mile range, testing the device on October 22. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Egypt's Interior Ministry undergoes a radical shakeup in the wake of Monday's slaughter of 58 foreign tourists by Muslim militants in Luxor, with a new minister appointed and 21 senior security officials demoted. Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, had earlier blamed security lapses for the massacre, and has since promised to tighten security at key tourist sites such as Luxor, \JAswan\j on the Nile, and the \JRed Sea\j resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. The $US3 billion-a-year tourism industry is Egypt's main currency earner, and with Muslim militants warning of further attacks on foreigners, Egypt's economy is also extremely vulnerable. \I(Egypt)\i
The State Department urges United States citizens abroad to beware of possible anti- American violence, instancing recent events such as the conviction of two foreigners in US courts, guerrilla attacks in \JPakistan\j and \JEgypt\j, as well as the general situation in the \JMiddle East\j as potential incitement. The public announcement adds that US diplomatic posts around the world are also taking appropriate security precautions. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JEgypt\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
A private meeting between Jordan's King Hussein and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, results in healing the rift in relations created in September, when Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents attempted to assassinate top Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal, in \JAmman\j. The reconciliation is a political coup for Mr. Netanyahu, who is currently facing a mutinous leadership challenge within his ruling Likud party. \I(Jordan, Israel)\i
The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louis Freeh, denies that Russian criminal groups pose a threat to American national security, pointing to Russian effectiveness in solving domestic murders and contract killings, as well as Russian co-operation on a number of high-profile cases in the United States. Russia's crime rate has escalated dramatically since the collapse of the \JSoviet Union\j in 1991. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Malaysia's lower house of parliament approves a motion of confidence in Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad. The motion also censures a resolution before the United States Congress demanding that Dr. Mahathir apologize for remarks about Jews, and a US investigation into a gas deal in \JIran\j involving Malaysia's state oil firm, Petronas. \I(Malaysia, USA, \JIran\j)\i
Taiwan's most wanted fugitive, Chen Chin-hsing, surrenders to police after holding the family of a South African diplomat hostage for a second \Jday\j. Chen had earlier released Colonel Alexander and his 22-year-old daughter, both wounded by gunfire, but was still holding Mrs. Alexander, another daughter aged 12, and a Taiwanese infant in the family's care. During the hostage standoff, Chen gave \Jtelephone\j interviews confessing to a series of murders, while maintaining the innocence of his wife and brother-in-law, and demanding their release from prison. \I(Taiwan, South Africa)\i
Results of an opinion poll published on the eve the golden wedding anniversary of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip show a steep slump in the monarchy's popularity over the past 14 years. According to the poll, overall support for the royal family in Britain has dropped from 65 per cent to 32 per cent since 1983, with only one in five young people now attributing importance to the monarchy. \I(UK)\i
A survey by the United States Agency for International Development indicates that nearly 40 million children in countries across Africa, Asia, and \JLatin America\j stand to lose one or both parents to AIDS over the next 13 years, a catastrophe that could also wipe out years of progress in economic and social development. \I(USA, Africa, Asia, \JLatin America\j)\i
#
"November 20, 1997",687,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a bid to stave off a financial bailout by the International Monetary Fund, the South Korean Government appeals for regional aid to meet its commitments to overseas lenders and to end a sell-off of its currency. \I(South Korea)\i
A report into the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, is tabled in India's parliament, bringing to a head tensions between the late Mr. Gandhi's Congress Party and the ruling United Front (UF) coalition. The report implicates the southern regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, one of the 15 coalition partners, and the Congress Party is threatening to withdraw its vital support for the UF unless the DMK is expelled. Without the support of the Congress Party, Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's Government will almost certainly fall. \I(India)\i
In an escalating power struggle between the Pakistani Government and the judiciary, the Supreme Court suspends a new law rushed through parliament by Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to defend himself against charges of contempt imposed yesterday. The court also instructs President Farooq Leghari not to approve the new law, a situation which prompts Army Chief of Staff, General Jehangir Karamat, to enter the fray in an attempt to break the deadlock. \I(Pakistan)\i
As \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto arrives in South Africa on an official two-\Jday\j visit, the Congress of South African Trade Unions stages a demonstration in protest against his Government's oppression of trade unionists and East Timorese nationalists. \I(\JIndonesia\j, East Timor, South Africa)\i
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, opens talks in Palm Cove, \JQueensland\j, between the Papua New Guinean Government and representatives from the war-torn rebel island of Bougainville. The talks aim to cover a range of issues, including a possible permanent cease-fire, the operation of the international truce-monitoring group, and the redevelopment of the island. \I(Australia, Papua new Guinea, Bougainville)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq agrees to a deal, worked out with \JRussia\j, that will end a three-week dispute with the United Nations and allow all UN weapons inspectors, including Americans, to return to \JBaghdad\j and resume their duties. Under the deal, \JRussia\j has promised to work towards a speedy lifting of UN sanctions against Iraq. Washington, however, disclaims any part in the agreement, adopting a "wait and see" attitude, an attitude underscored by a Pentagon announcement of a further build-up in United States forces in the Persian Gulf. \I(Iraq, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
Egypt's Islamic militant group, the al-Gama'a-al-Islamiya, issues a statement offering to suspend its terrorist operations if the Egyptian Government releases its prisoners, secures the return of leader, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, from a United States jail, and terminates relations with the "Zionist entity". Gama'a has claimed responsibility for this week's carnage at the temple of \JHatshepsut\j in Luxor, which left 58 foreign tourists dead and another 26 wounded. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
A joint American-Canadian report is released by the United States Justice Department, warning of widespread fraudulent telemarketing operations. The report says telemarketing fraud has become a serious, expanding problem, costing victims in both countries an estimated $US40 billion a year. \I(USA, Canada)\i
The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of babies born in the US with AIDS has decreased from 894 to 509, or 43 per cent, between 1992 and 1996. The center attributes the decline to the drug AZT, which reduces the risk of passing on the virus during \Jpregnancy\j, and predicts possible further declines as the use of new combination therapies becomes more widespread. \I(USA)\i
An advisory committee urges the United States Food and Drug Administration to approve a new \Josteoporosis\j drug, Evista, the first of a new class that fights thinning bones by mimicking the effects of estrogen in some parts of the body, while inhibiting effects such as an increased risk of cancer. The drug is manufactured by Eli Lilly, and it is thought that it might also help protect older women against \Jheart disease\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq agrees to a deal, worked out with \JRussia\j, that will end a three-week dispute with the United Nations and allow all UN weapons inspectors, including Americans, to return to \JBaghdad\j and resume their duties. Under the deal, \JRussia\j has promised to work towards a speedy lifting of UN sanctions against Iraq. Washington, however, disclaims any part in the agreement, adopting a "wait and see" attitude, an attitude underscored by a Pentagon announcement of a further build-up in United States forces in the Persian Gulf. \I(Iraq, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
Egypt's Islamic militant group, the al-Gama'a-al-Islamiya, issues a statement offering to suspend its terrorist operations if the Egyptian Government releases its prisoners, secures the return of leader, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, from a United States jail, and terminates relations with the "Zionist entity". Gama'a has claimed responsibility for this week's carnage at the temple of \JHatshepsut\j in Luxor, which left 58 foreign tourists dead and another 26 wounded. \I(Egypt, USA)\i
More than 300 people are killed when 1,200 Hutu rebels attack a northwest Rwandan jail in an unsuccessful bid to free hundreds of prisoners awaiting trial on charges of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which up to 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died. \I(Rwanda)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, orders security to be stepped up in \JJerusalem\j when an overnight shooting by Palestinian guerrillas kills a Jewish seminary student and wounds another. Mr. Netanyahu says the attack on the students, both members of a Jewish settler movement, only strengthens Israel's resolve to hold on to all of the city. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, announces that a battalion of 500 British paratroops will be withdrawn from the province in the next few days, reducing the total force to 16,500, the first scale-down since the Irish Republican Army cease-fire was declared in July. Ms. Mowlam stresses, however, that the battalion will remain on notice to return to Northern Ireland if needed. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, publishes a list of 1,732 commercial farms, mostly white-owned, that he intends to acquire and redistribute among the black community. Mr. Mugabe has vowed to take back roughly half of the land owned by white farmers. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Under considerable pressure from \JRussia\j's Communist-led \JDuma\j, President Boris Yeltsin sacks top economic reformer, Anatoly Chubais, from his position as finance minister, replacing him with liberal economist, Mikhail Zadornov. Mr. Chubais, who is to be retained as first deputy prime minister, had been targeted in a scandal over payments received for an unpublished book on privatization. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
European Union leaders meet in Luxembourg to determine ways of combating the 15-member bloc's chronic unemployment problem, which affects one in ten of the potential labor force, with the total number of unemployed remaining steady at around 18 million for the past three years. \I(Luxembourg, Europe)\i
As \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto arrives in South Africa on an official two-\Jday\j visit, the Congress of South African Trade Unions stages a demonstration in protest against his government's oppression of trade unionists and East Timorese nationalists. \I(\JIndonesia\j, East Timor, South Africa)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II marks her golden wedding anniversary at a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, where she and Prince Philip were married in 1947. The service is attended by Britain's largest gathering of foreign royalty since the 1952 coronation, and is followed by a government luncheon. Speaking at the luncheon, the Queen concedes that the monarchy must endeavor to interpret public opinion correctly if it is to survive. \I(UK)\i
#
"November 21, 1997",688,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Faced with an overwhelming financial crisis, South Korea announces that it is seeking a loan of some $US20 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The conditions of the bailout, including the exact size and terms of the loan, are yet to be determined by the IMF and participating countries. \I(South Korea)\i
A joint statement issued by diplomats from the United States, China, North Korea, and South Korea says formal negotiations on a permanent peace on the divided Korean peninsula will begin in Geneva on December 9. The statement comes after a \Jday\j of preparatory talks at New York's Columbia University. \I(USA, China, The Koreas, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, gives his first news conference since his release from 18 years imprisonment in China. Speaking from New York, Mr. Wei appeals to "our conscience as human beings" in urging the world to remember the thousands of political prisoners still remaining in his homeland, to which he vows to return. \I(China, USA)\i
Following the intervention of army chief, General Jehangir Karamat, \JPakistan\j's Supreme Court announces an adjournment of one week in the contempt hearing against Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, temporarily defusing the political crisis that has erupted as a result of an ongoing feud between the government and the judiciary. A conviction for contempt of court carries a prison sentence, and Mr. Sharif could be forced to resign if found guilty. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
The Government of Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, refuses to expel the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party from its coalition ranks, saying it will face an election if necessary. India's Congress Party, whose support is critical to the Government, is demanding the expulsion of the DMK, which has been linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the group held responsible for the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister and Congress Party leader, Rajiv Gandhi. \I(India)\i
An \Jearthquake\j of 6.0 \Jmagnitude\j shakes \JChittagong\j in southern \JBangladesh\j, bringing down a five-story building and killing three people. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Following \JIraq\j's reversal of its ban on American participation in United Nations arms monitoring, a team of around 80 UN weapons inspectors, including a small number of Americans, arrives in \JBaghdad\j to resume work. US President Clinton marks the occasion as an important achievement for the international community, noting, however, that vigilance is required to ensure the inspectors are allowed to carry out their mission unimpeded. Officials from both the US and the UN have accused \JIraq\j of lying, obstructing inspections, and concealing its weapons programs. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
A joint statement issued by diplomats from the United States, China, North Korea, and South Korea says formal negotiations on a permanent peace on the divided Korean peninsula will begin in Geneva on December 9. The statement comes after a \Jday\j of preparatory talks at New York's Columbia University. \I(USA, China, The Koreas, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
After negotiations in Paris between members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a landmark accord is adopted to outlaw business bribes to foreign public officials. Hailed as a giant step for international business, the accord is the result of 20 years of pressure from the United States, and more than seven years of discussions among the signatories. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
At a \JWhite House\j ceremony, United States President, Bill Clinton, receives a "Man of Peace" award from foundations established by Leah Rabin, widow of assassinated Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres, who was Rabin's foreign minister. Mr. Clinton takes advantage of the occasion to appeal for renewed resolve in pulling the \JMiddle East\j peace process out of stagnation. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, gives his first news conference since his release from 18 years imprisonment in China. Speaking from New York, Mr. Wei appeals to "our conscience as human beings" in urging the world to remember the thousands of political prisoners still remaining in his homeland, to which he vows to return. \I(China, USA)\i
At a conference in New York, dozens of countries pledge a total of $US37 million in additional funds for the reconstruction of the deteriorating concrete tomb of the \JChernobyl\j nuclear reactor in \JUkraine\j, the site of the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986. The final cost of the reconstruction, which consists of 22 technically complex projects, is estimated at $US760 million, and the additional funds will enable work to begin immediately. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j)\i
NASA reports that the Spartan \Jsatellite\j, deployed from the \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia, appears to be tumbling dead in space, and that attempts by Columbia's crew to recapture it have been unsuccessful. Spartan and another solar observatory \Jsatellite\j were scheduled to study the causes of massive eruptions on the Sun's surface that disrupt the Earth's magnetic field, causing power and communications blackouts. \I(USA)\i
A federal judge in Sacramento, \JCalifornia\j, requests lawyers for the prosecution and defense to allow accused Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski, to undergo neurological tests to determine his mental state. Kaczynski has previously refused to submit to a psychiatric examination, and the judge's request comes in response to a prosecution motion to strike "diminished mental capacity" as a defense strategy. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following \JIraq\j's reversal of its ban on American participation in United Nations arms monitoring, a team of around 80 UN weapons inspectors, including a small number of Americans, arrives in \JBaghdad\j to resume work. US President Clinton marks the occasion as an important achievement for the international community, noting, however, that vigilance is required to ensure the inspectors are allowed to carry out their mission unimpeded. Officials from both the US and the UN have accused \JIraq\j of lying, obstructing inspections, and concealing its weapons programs. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
A joint statement issued by diplomats from the United States, China, North Korea, and South Korea says formal negotiations on a permanent peace on the divided Korean peninsula will begin in Geneva on December 9. The statement comes after a \Jday\j of preparatory talks at New York's Columbia University. \I(USA, China, The Koreas, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
At a \JWhite House\j ceremony, United States President, Bill Clinton, receives a "Man of Peace" award from foundations established by Leah Rabin, widow of assassinated Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and Shimon Peres, who was Rabin's foreign minister. Mr. Clinton takes advantage of the occasion to appeal for renewed resolve in pulling the \JMiddle East\j peace process out of stagnation. \I(USA, Israel)\i
After negotiations in Paris between members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a landmark accord is adopted to outlaw business bribes to foreign public officials. Hailed as a giant step for international business, the accord is the result of 20 years of pressure from the United States, and more than seven years of discussions among the signatories. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
At a conference in New York, dozens of countries pledge a total of $US37 million in additional funds for the reconstruction of the deteriorating concrete tomb of the \JChernobyl\j nuclear reactor in \JUkraine\j, the site of the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986. The final cost of the reconstruction, which consists of 22 technically complex projects, is estimated at $US760 million, and the additional funds will enable work to begin immediately. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j)\i
The 15 states of the European Union agree to a package of "new approach" measures for tackling high unemployment. The measures focus on skills and \Jinfrastructure\j, and include creating more flexible labor markets, offering training programs, lightening the burden of taxation, and promoting business. \I(Europe)\i
#
"November 22, 1997",689,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Before heading off to the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, South Korean President, Kim Young Sam, delivers a nationally televised apology for his government's fiscal negligence. Later, in Vancouver, Mr. Kim confirms that he will be seeking help from fellow APEC members, in conjunction with a massive loan from the International Monetary Fund, to help rebuild South Korea's once-robust economy. \I(South Korea, Asia/Pacific, Canada)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, says that the financial turmoil in the Asian region is a top priority of this year's APEC summit, and urges Asian leaders to act aggressively against the spreading economic crisis. \I(USA, Asia/Pacific)\i
Japan's troubled financial system suffers another setback when it is revealed that Yamaichi Securities, the country's fourth largest brokerage, could be forced to close with liabilities totaling $US24 billion. Yamaichi has been at the center of scandals over its links with Sokaiya racketeers, its illicit share dealings, and its questionable bookkeeping, including $US2 billion in off-book debts. \I(Japan)\i
Australian rock superstar, Michael Hutchence, is found dead in his fifth-floor room at the exclusive Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Sydney suburb of Double Bay. The 37-year-old lead singer of the Australian group, INXS, was found hanging by his belt from a door jamb. \I(Australia)\i
New Zealand rowers, Phil Stubbs and Rob Hamill, cross the Atlantic from Las Palmas to \JBarbados\j in just 41 days, 32 days less than the record time set in 1971 by British oarsmen, Don and Geoff Allum. The New Zealand pair finishes 570 miles ahead of a team from \JFrance\j, in a race which saw nine of the 28 competing teams withdraw along the way. \I(New Zealand, \JSpain\j, \JBarbados\j, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a tense three-week standoff between \JBaghdad\j and the United Nations, UN arms inspectors, including Americans, resume work free of incident, with six groups of monitors, accompanied by Iraqi teams, visiting eight sites. Meanwhile, despite Russian efforts to have sanctions against Iraq eased, a report submitted by an arms panel to the UN Security Council says much more work needs to be done before \JBaghdad\j can be declared free of weapons of mass destruction. The report, however, recommends broadening the multinational nature of the weapons inspection teams, an apparent concession to \JBaghdad\j's request for balanced representation of all five permanent Security Council members. \I(Iraq, Russia, USA)\i
Before heading off to the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, South Korean President, Kim Young Sam, delivers a nationally televised apology for his government's fiscal negligence. Later, in Vancouver, Mr. Kim confirms that he will be seeking help from fellow APEC members, in conjunction with a massive loan from the International Monetary Fund, to help rebuild South Korea's once-robust economy. \I(South Korea, Asia/Pacific, Canada)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, says that the financial turmoil in the Asian region is a top priority of this year's APEC summit, and urges Asian leaders to act aggressively against the spreading economic crisis. \I(USA, Asia/Pacific)\i
Following the results of an \JFBI\j investigation into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, about 40 French families of the victims call for a formal French investigation of Boeing, TWA, and the Federal Aviation Administration, saying they no longer trust United States authorities to reveal the truth about the explosion of the \Jaircraft\j. The \JFBI\j concluded that neither a missile nor a bomb was responsible. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
NASA officials consider ordering a two-man spacewalk to retrieve the $US10 million
Spartan solar observatory, which was left spinning in space after its release from the shuttle Columbia yesterday. \I(USA)\i
Senior officials from the United States Justice Department say a task force will recommend that Attorney General, Janet Reno, rule out appointing an independent counsel to investigate alleged fundraising calls made from the \JWhite House\j by President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. \I(USA)\i
Thirty-four years after the assassination of former United States President, John F. Kennedy, about 500 people gather in \JDallas\j to observe a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. CST, the time Kennedy was shot as he was driven in an open-top limousine through Dealy Plaza, accompanied by his wife Jacqueline. Few of those engaging in the annual ritual say they believe the official version of events, that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. \I(USA)\i
Kenneth Robert McCaughey, the biggest of the world's only living septuplets, takes food other than intravenous fluids for the first time since his birth in Des Moines, \JIowa\j, on Wednesday. Kenneth is also the first of the babies to breathe without mechanical help and doctors have now upgraded his condition to fair, while his smaller siblings, although improving, are still listed as serious. \I(USA)\i
New Zealand rowers, Phil Stubbs and Rob Hamill, cross the Atlantic from Las Palmas to \JBarbados\j in just 41 days, 32 days less than the record time set in 1971 by British oarsmen, Don and Geoff Allum. The New Zealand pair finishes 570 miles ahead of a team from \JFrance\j, in a race which saw nine of the 28 competing teams withdraw along the way. \I(New Zealand, \JSpain\j, \JBarbados\j, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After a tense three-week standoff between \JBaghdad\j and the United Nations, UN arms inspectors, including Americans, resume work free of incident, with six groups of monitors, accompanied by Iraqi teams, visiting eight sites. Meanwhile, despite Russian efforts to have sanctions against Iraq eased, a report submitted by an arms panel to the UN Security Council says much more work needs to be done before \JBaghdad\j can be declared free of weapons of mass destruction. The report, however, recommends broadening the multinational nature of the weapons inspection teams, an apparent concession to \JBaghdad\j's request for balanced representation of all five permanent Security Council members. \I(Iraq, Russia, USA)\i
Aid agencies report that 1,311 people have drowned in southern \JSomalia\j since heavy rains began in early October, with up to 10,000 people stranded in the \JHagar\j area, 280 miles southwest of \JMogadishu\j, where wild hyenas are now attacking villagers marooned on small patches of dry ground. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
Former British Prime Minister, John Major, is appointed special guardian to Princes William and Harry in sensitive legal negotiations over the ú21 million estate of Diana, Princess of Wales. Under the terms of Diana's will, her wealth is to be split evenly between her two sons and held in trust until they are 25, but legal problems are arising because the will estimated Diana's wealth at only ú1 million, having not been altered to include a ú17 million divorce settlement she received from the Prince of Wales. \I(UK)\i
Following the results of an \JFBI\j investigation into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, about 40 French families of the victims call for a formal French investigation of Boeing, TWA, and the Federal Aviation Administration, saying they no longer trust United States authorities to reveal the truth about the explosion of the \Jaircraft\j. The \JFBI\j concluded that neither a missile nor a bomb was responsible. \I(\JFrance\j, USA)\i
New Zealand rowers, Phil Stubbs and Rob Hamill, cross the Atlantic from Las Palmas to \JBarbados\j in just 41 days, 32 days less than the record time set in 1971 by British oarsmen, Don and Geoff Allum. The New Zealand pair finishes 570 miles ahead of a team from \JFrance\j, in a race which saw nine of the 28 competing teams withdraw along the way. \I(New Zealand, \JSpain\j, \JBarbados\j, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
\B23rd\b
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In what is \JJapan\j's biggest financial collapse since World War II, Yamaichi Securities, one of the country's largest brokerages, announces its decision to close, having found no other way out of its massive debt crisis. The announcement follows earlier admissions from Yamaichi's management that a shutdown was being considered. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
On the eve of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vancouver, United States President, Bill Clinton, tries to calm the nervous Asian stock and currency markets, stressing his country's commitment to the future of the region. \I(Asia/Pacific, USA, Canada)\i
North Korea says it has received assurances that four-party peace talks scheduled for December 9 will focus on the withdrawal of United States troops from the South, adding that it has only agreed to participate in the talks on that basis. The issue of US troop withdrawals has been a major stumbling block in previous negotiations between the two Koreas, China, and the US. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
Sri Lankan air force planes attack and destroy a Tamil Tiger guerrilla base north of the rebel-held town of Mankulam, an area where ground troops are conducting a major offensive to open a key road to the northern Jaffna peninsula. The air force action comes a \Jday\j after Tiger rebels bomb a telecommunications center in the northern town of Vavuniya, and carry out another two bombing raids on security forces. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In a major territorial victory, forces loyal to northern Afghan warlord, General Rashid Dostam, take control of Faryab province after a rival anti-Taliban ally, General Abdul Malik, flees the country by \Jhelicopter\j. Meanwhile, General Dostam's soldiers also foil the Taliban militia's attempts to break through the front lines in neighboring Bagdhis province. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Responding to a political crisis triggered by the Congress Party, the Communist allies of India's ruling United Front coalition call for a dissolution of parliament and fresh national elections. Despite Congress Party demands, the government is refusing to expel the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which has been implicated in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister and Congress Party leader, Rajiv Gandhi. \I(India)\i
Five people are killed and four others wounded in a 20-minute shootout with suspected communist guerrillas who ambush a vehicle carrying police officers to a seminar on crime prevention near Legaspi City, about 100 kilometers south of the \JPhilippines\j capital, Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Indonesia's Minister for the Environment blames his country's culture for the forest and ground fires that have destroyed thousands of hectares, and caused serious health and air traffic problems over the past months. Mr. Kusumaatmadja says dryness and \Jdrought\j are merely contributing factors, the main culprits being slack work safety and fire regulations, as demonstrated in traditional slash and burn land clearing methods. \I(Indonesia)\i
British \Jtelevision\j personality, Paula Yates, arrives in \JAustralia\j following the apparent suicide of her partner, INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence. Sydney police, meanwhile, confirm that no suicide note was found in the hotel room where the 37-year-old rock star died yesterday, but say there were no suspicious circumstances, adding that five types of prescription drugs were found in the room, along with empty bottles of alcohol, and that \Jtoxicology\j tests will determine whether Hutchence consumed any drugs and/or alcohol before he died. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a resurgence of the Iraqi weapons monitoring crisis, the United States demands that United Nations inspectors be given unimpeded access to 63 sites \JBaghdad\j has ruled off limits, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. \JBaghdad\j, however, rejects the demand, arguing its right to block access to presidential property and other sensitive sites in the interests of national security and sovereignty. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Frozen relations between \JBaghdad\j and Damascus are thawed when \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, holds "constructive" talks in \JSyria\j with Vice President, Abdul Halim Khaddam, and Foreign Minister, Farouk Shara. \JMiddle East\j experts view the ending of ideological enmity between the two states as a reaction to military pressure exerted on \JIraq\j by Washington. \I(\JIraq\j, \JSyria\j, USA)\i
On the eve of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vancouver, United States President, Bill Clinton, tries to calm the nervous Asian stock and currency markets, stressing his country's commitment to the future of the region. \I(Asia/Pacific, USA, Canada)\i
North Korea says it has received assurances that four-party peace talks scheduled for December 9 will focus on the withdrawal of United States troops from the South, adding that it has only agreed to participate in the talks on that basis. The issue of US troop withdrawals has been a major stumbling block in previous negotiations between the two Koreas, China, and the US. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
The leader of the exile Cuban American National Foundation, Jorge Mas Canosa, dies from lung cancer in Miami aged 58. United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to Mr. Canosa as "a forceful voice for freedom in Cuba" whose "dream lives on." \I(USA, Cuba)\i
Senior NASA officials approve plans for a spacewalk from the shuttle Columbia to recover the Spartan solar observatory, which was left spinning in space after it malfunctioned. The plans call for two astronauts to capture the \Jsatellite\j by hand and berth it in the shuttle's cargo bay. \I(USA)\i
The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirms an overall four per cent decline in the total number of serious crimes in the United States from January through June this year, a continuation of a steady decline in the nation's crime since 1992. \I(USA)\i
United States economists and labor experts predict that the country's prevailing conditions of vigorous growth, declining unemployment, and high wages will not last long, instancing a recent surge in corporate layoffs as the beginning of a downturn in the best labor market American workers have experienced in decades. \I(USA)\i
US first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is given a personal tour of the new J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles ahead of its official opening next month. As the focal point of the new Getty Center, the museum houses the family's art collection, which features works of Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, \JMichelangelo\j and \JLeonardo da Vinci\j. \I(USA)\i
Swedish golfer, Annika Sorenstam, wins a third hole playoff to capture the LPGA Tour Championship at Las Vegas, Nevada. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a resurgence of the \JIraq\j weapons monitoring crisis, the United States demands that United Nations inspectors be given unimpeded access to 63 sites \JBaghdad\j has ruled off limits, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. \JBaghdad\j, however, rejects the demand, arguing its right to block access to presidential property and other sensitive sites in the interests of national security and sovereignty. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Frozen relations between \JBaghdad\j and Damascus are thawed when \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, holds "constructive" talks in \JSyria\j with Vice President, Abdul Halim Khaddam, and Foreign Minister, Farouk Shara. \JMiddle East\j experts view the ending of ideological enmity between the two states as a reaction to military pressure exerted on \JIraq\j by Washington. \I(\JIraq\j, \JSyria\j, USA)\i
The office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announces that its director-general, Avigdor Lieberman, has resigned. Mr. Lieberman is generally regarded as the key engineer of Mr. Neyanyahu's rise to Israel's top post 17 months ago, and the abrupt resignation deprives the prime minister of his closest ally and advisor at a time when mutinous factions of his ruling Likud Party are challenging his leadership. \I(Israel)\i
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of South African President, Nelson Mandela, prepares to face her accusers at a weeklong public hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela is accused of involvement in 13 murders and numerous human rights abuses during the late 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
The Zimbabwe Government seeks to calm a furor triggered by the release of plans to seize more than 1,700 farms, mostly white-owned, for distribution among the country's black majority. The government maintains that no farmer will be left without property, and that reasonable objections from those with only one farm will be considered. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
British \Jtelevision\j personality, Paula Yates, arrives in \JAustralia\j following the apparent suicide of her partner, INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence. Sydney police, meanwhile, confirm that no suicide note was found in the hotel room where the 37-year-old rock star died yesterday, but say there were no suspicious circumstances, adding that five types of prescription drugs were found in the room, along with empty bottles of alcohol, and that \Jtoxicology\j tests will determine whether Hutchence consumed any drugs and/or alcohol before he died. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Swedish golfer, Annika Sorenstam, wins a third hole playoff to capture the LPGA Tour Championship at Las Vegas, Nevada. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
#
"November 23, 1997",690,0,0,0
In what is Japan's biggest financial collapse since World War II, Yamaichi Securities, one of the country's largest brokerages, announces its decision to close, having found no other way out of its massive debt crisis. The announcement follows earlier admissions from Yamaichi's management that a shutdown was being considered. \I(Japan)\i
On the eve of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vancouver, United States President, Bill Clinton, tries to calm the nervous Asian stock and currency markets, stressing his country's commitment to the future of the region. \I(Asia/Pacific, USA, Canada)\i
North Korea says it has received assurances that four-party peace talks scheduled for December 9 will focus on the withdrawal of United States troops from the South, adding that it has only agreed to participate in the talks on that basis. The issue of US troop withdrawals has been a major stumbling block in previous negotiations between the two Koreas, China, and the US. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
Sri Lankan air force planes attack and destroy a Tamil Tiger guerrilla base north of the rebel-held town of Mankulam, an area where ground troops are conducting a major offensive to open a key road to the northern Jaffna peninsula. The air force action comes a day after Tiger rebels bomb a telecommunications center in the northern town of Vavuniya, and carry out another two bombing raids on security forces. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In a major territorial victory, forces loyal to northern Afghan warlord, General Rashid Dostam, take control of Faryab province after a rival anti-Taliban ally, General Abdul Malik, flees the country by helicopter. Meanwhile, General Dostam's soldiers also foil the Taliban militia's attempts to break through the front lines in neighboring Bagdhis province. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Responding to a political crisis triggered by the Congress Party, the Communist allies of India's ruling United Front coalition call for a dissolution of parliament and fresh national elections. Despite Congress Party demands, the government is refusing to expel the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which has been implicated in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister and Congress Party leader, Rajiv Gandhi. \I(India)\i
Five people are killed and four others wounded in a 20-minute shootout with suspected communist guerrillas who ambush a vehicle carrying police officers to a seminar on crime prevention near Legaspi City, about 100 kilometers south of the Philippines capital, Manila. \I(The Philippines)\i
Indonesia's Minister for the Environment blames his country's culture for the forest and ground fires that have destroyed thousands of hectares, and caused serious health and air traffic problems over the past months. Mr. Kusumaatmadja says dryness and drought are merely contributing factors, the main culprits being slack work safety and fire regulations, as demonstrated in traditional slash and burn land clearing methods. \I(Indonesia)\i
British television personality, Paula Yates, arrives in Australia following the apparent suicide of her partner, INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence. Sydney police, meanwhile, confirm that no suicide note was found in the hotel room where the 37-year-old rock star died yesterday, but say there were no suspicious circumstances, adding that five types of prescription drugs were found in the room, along with empty bottles of alcohol, and that toxicology tests will determine whether Hutchence consumed any drugs and/or alcohol before he died. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a resurgence of the Iraqi weapons monitoring crisis, the United States demands that United Nations inspectors be given unimpeded access to 63 sites Baghdad has ruled off limits, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. Baghdad, however, rejects the demand, arguing its right to block access to presidential property and other sensitive sites in the interests of national security and sovereignty. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Frozen relations between Baghdad and Damascus are thawed when Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, holds "constructive" talks in Syria with Vice President, Abdul Halim Khaddam, and Foreign Minister, Farouk Shara. Middle East experts view the ending of ideological enmity between the two states as a reaction to military pressure exerted on Iraq by Washington. \I(Iraq, Syria, USA)\i
On the eve of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vancouver, United States President, Bill Clinton, tries to calm the nervous Asian stock and currency markets, stressing his country's commitment to the future of the region. \I(Asia/Pacific, USA, Canada)\i
North Korea says it has received assurances that four-party peace talks scheduled for December 9 will focus on the withdrawal of United States troops from the South, adding that it has only agreed to participate in the talks on that basis. The issue of US troop withdrawals has been a major stumbling block in previous negotiations between the two Koreas, China, and the US. \I(The Koreas, USA, China)\i
The leader of the exile Cuban American National Foundation, Jorge Mas Canosa, dies from lung cancer in Miami aged 58. United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to Mr. Canosa as "a forceful voice for freedom in Cuba" whose "dream lives on." \I(USA, Cuba)\i
Senior NASA officials approve plans for a spacewalk from the shuttle Columbia to recover the Spartan solar observatory, which was left spinning in space after it malfunctioned. The plans call for two astronauts to capture the satellite by hand and berth it in the shuttle's cargo bay. \I(USA)\i
The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirms an overall four per cent decline in the total number of serious crimes in the United States from January through June this year, a continuation of a steady decline in the nation's crime since 1992. \I(USA)\i
United States economists and labor experts predict that the country's prevailing conditions of vigorous growth, declining unemployment, and high wages will not last long, instancing a recent surge in corporate layoffs as the beginning of a downturn in the best labor market American workers have experienced in decades. \I(USA)\i
US first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is given a personal tour of the new J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles ahead of its official opening next month. As the focal point of the new Getty Center, the museum houses the family's art collection, which features works of Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. \I(USA)\i
Swedish golfer, Annika Sorenstam, wins a third hole playoff to capture the LPGA Tour Championship at Las Vegas, Nevada. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a resurgence of the Iraq weapons monitoring crisis, the United States demands that United Nations inspectors be given unimpeded access to 63 sites Baghdad has ruled off limits, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. Baghdad, however, rejects the demand, arguing its right to block access to presidential property and other sensitive sites in the interests of national security and sovereignty. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Frozen relations between Baghdad and Damascus are thawed when Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, holds "constructive" talks in Syria with Vice President, Abdul Halim Khaddam, and Foreign Minister, Farouk Shara. Middle East experts view the ending of ideological enmity between the two states as a reaction to military pressure exerted on Iraq by Washington. \I(Iraq, Syria, USA)\i
The office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announces that its director-general, Avigdor Lieberman, has resigned. Mr. Lieberman is generally regarded as the key engineer of Mr. Neyanyahu's rise to Israel's top post 17 months ago, and the abrupt resignation deprives the prime minister of his closest ally and advisor at a time when mutinous factions of his ruling Likud Party are challenging his leadership. \I(Israel)\i
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of South African President, Nelson Mandela, prepares to face her accusers at a weeklong public hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela is accused of involvement in 13 murders and numerous human rights abuses during the late 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
The Zimbabwe Government seeks to calm a furor triggered by the release of plans to seize more than 1,700 farms, mostly white-owned, for distribution among the country's black majority. The government maintains that no farmer will be left without property, and that reasonable objections from those with only one farm will be considered. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
British television personality, Paula Yates, arrives in Australia following the apparent suicide of her partner, INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence. Sydney police, meanwhile, confirm that no suicide note was found in the hotel room where the 37-year-old rock star died yesterday, but say there were no suspicious circumstances, adding that five types of prescription drugs were found in the room, along with empty bottles of alcohol, and that toxicology tests will determine whether Hutchence consumed any drugs and/or alcohol before he died. \I(Australia, UK)\i
Swedish golfer, Annika Sorenstam, wins a third hole playoff to capture the LPGA Tour Championship at Las Vegas, Nevada. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
#
"November 24, 1997",691,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Bank of \JJapan\j provides unsecured loans to the failed brokerage, Yamaichi Securities, a move calculated to ensure its orderly closure and avert turmoil on Japanese and world financial markets. In a further bid to stave off a panic reaction, Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledges to take all necessary measures to maintain stability in his country's financial system. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Leaders of the 18-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum open their annual summit in Vancouver, with Asia's financial turbulence dominating the agenda. \JThailand\j, the first of three Asian countries to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund this year, warns that no country in the region is safe. \I(\JThailand\j, Asia/Pacific, Canada)\i
The US State Department announces that senior United States and North Korean officials will meet in Washington this week for the highest-level talks ever held between the two countries. Last week, agreement was reached between the two Koreas, China, and the US to begin negotiations next month on a formal Korean peace accord. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Freed Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, is offered a six-month fellowship by the University of \JCalifornia\j and invited to lecture at the institution's Human Rights Center, an offer similar to those made by several other schools, including Columbia University in New York. Elsewhere, however, a fellow member of the persecuted Democracy Wall movement, Xu Wenli, criticizes Wei for assuming the title of father of China's democracy movement, and for failing to hold the late leader, Deng Xiaoping, accountable for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. \I(China, USA)\i
India's parliament is adjourned indefinitely when members of the Congress Party, expected to table a no-confidence motion after the government's refusal to expel the regional DMK party, create pandemonium to drown out debate. The Congress Party is thought to be stalling for time to consider its options, but the political uncertainty sends the rupee falling to a two-year low against the US dollar, while the \JBombay\j Stock Exchange plunges 3.5 per cent by the end of the \Jday\j. \I(India)\i
The errant Spartan solar observatory is recovered by hand during a space walk by American \Jastronaut\j, Winston Scott, and Japanese \Jastronaut\j, Takao Doi. Spartan has been tumbling in space since it was deployed from the shuttle Columbia last week, evading retrieval by the craft's robot arm. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Officials in the Indonesian province of Sulawesi record a new tribe, the Kadeoha, related to the Mekonggas people from Kolaka on the western coast. The tribe has an estimated 250 members, and officials are now studying its socioeconomic dynamics to help it develop with the rest of the province's 4,480 tribal families. \I(Indonesia)\i
British \Jtelevision\j presenter, Paula Yates, blames the apparent suicide of her partner, Michael Hutchence, on a dispute the INXS lead singer had with her rock star ex-husband, Bob Geldof. Hutchence was found hanging by his belt from the door of a Sydney hotel room on Saturday. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Despite \JBaghdad\j's arguments, United States President, Bill Clinton, remains insistent upon full Iraqi compliance with United Nations arms inspectors, saying that under Iraq's restrictions, the inspectors cannot adequately search for chemical and biological weapons operations. Mr. Clinton maintains that \JBaghdad\j's description of restricted sites as palaces is misleading given that there are 78 palaces in Iraq, many of them huge compounds which encompass more land than Washington, D.C. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
The US State Department announces that senior United States and North Korean officials will meet in Washington this week for the highest-level talks ever held between the two countries. Last week, agreement was reached between the two Koreas, China, and the US to begin negotiations next month on a formal Korean peace accord. \I(USA, The Koreas, China)\i
Partial results in Bosnian Serb parliamentary elections show hardliners losing ground and unlikely to win a majority in the 83-seat national assembly if the current trend holds. The United States had previously led a push for the elections in the hope of ousting the hardliners, who have defied efforts to enforce the Dayton peace accord, and have refused to cut ties with war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Washington reveals that it has called on the 29-member United Nations regional group known as Western European and Other States to grant temporary membership to Israel, the only UN member that does not belong to one of the organization's five regional groups. Membership of the Asian regional group has been blocked by Arab states since 1949, and Israel's lone status leaves it ineligible for election to many UN bodies, including the Security Council. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Leaders of the 18-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum open their annual summit in Vancouver, with Asia's financial turbulence dominating the agenda. \JThailand\j, the first of three Asian countries to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund this year, warns that no country in the region is safe. \I(\JThailand\j, Asia/Pacific, Canada)\i
Freed Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, is offered a six-month fellowship by the University of \JCalifornia\j and invited to lecture at the institution's Human Rights Center, an offer similar to those made by several other schools, including Columbia University in New York. Elsewhere, however, a fellow member of the persecuted Democracy Wall movement, Xu Wenli, criticizes Wei for assuming the title of father of China's democracy movement, and for failing to hold the late leader, Deng Xiaoping, accountable for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. \I(China, USA)\i
A freighter crowded with 417 Haitians is returned to \JPort-au-Prince\j after an attempt to reach Miami is foiled by the United States Coast Guard. Many of those who embarked upon the dangerous 600-mile journey are afraid that anarchy will prevail when US troops leave Haiti at the end of the month. \I(Haiti, USA)\i
The errant Spartan solar observatory is recovered by hand during a space walk by American \Jastronaut\j, Winston Scott, and Japanese \Jastronaut\j, Takao Doi. Spartan has been tumbling in space since it was deployed from the shuttle Columbia last week, evading retrieval by the craft's robot arm. \I(USA, Japan)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves the long-awaited diet drug, Meridia, which suppresses appetite by manipulating brain chemicals known as neuro-transmitters. Manufacturer, Knoll Pharmaceutical, says the drug is for use by the obese and not those just wishing to shed a few pounds. \I(USA)\i
A federal judge in Little Rock allows Paula Jones to drop \Jdefamation\j of character from her lawsuit against US President Bill Clinton, while proceeding with her allegation of sexual harassment. The judge, however, refuses to allow Ms. Jones to add counts to her suit involving alleged sexual trysts between Mr. Clinton and other women. \I(USA)\i
Thousands of exiled Cubans in Miami file past the casket of their leader, Jorge Mas Canosa, the man many hoped would one \Jday\j lead a post-Communist government in their homeland. Mr. Canosa, who died yesterday from lung cancer, is believed to have significantly influenced the uncompromising United States policy on Cuba. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite \JBaghdad\j's arguments, United States President, Bill Clinton, remains insistent upon full Iraqi compliance with United Nations arms inspectors, saying that under Iraq's restrictions, the inspectors cannot adequately search for chemical and biological weapons operations. Mr. Clinton maintains that \JBaghdad\j's description of restricted sites as palaces is misleading given that there are 78 palaces in Iraq, many of them huge compounds which encompass more land than Washington, D.C. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Russia continues its efforts to speed up the relaxation of United Nations sanctions against \JIraq\j, urging the UN Special Commission to devise improved working methods to accelerate the weapons inspection program and bring the investigation to a conclusion. \I(Russia, \JIraq\j)\i
Washington reveals that it has called on the 29-member United Nations regional group known as Western European and Other States to grant temporary membership to Israel, the only UN member that does not belong to one of the organization's five regional groups. Membership of the Asian regional group has been blocked by Arab states since 1949, and Israel's lone status leaves it ineligible for election to many UN bodies, including the Security Council. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Partial results in Bosnian Serb parliamentary elections show hardliners losing ground and unlikely to win a majority in the 83-seat national assembly if the current trend holds. The United States had previously led a push for the elections in the hope of ousting the hardliners, who have defied efforts to enforce the Dayton peace accord, and have refused to cut ties with war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia, USA)\i
Witnesses testifying before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission accuse President Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, of playing a leading role in the abduction and beating of four boys, and the murders of two boys: Stompie Seipei and Lolo Sono. Following the first \Jday\j of hearings, Ms. Madikizela-Mandela proceeds to lay charges of criminal libel against her chief accuser, Katiza Cebekhulu, and two others. \I(South Africa)\i
In Paris, 38 Muslim militants go on trial charged with helping \JAlgeria\j's Armed Islamic Group (GIA) stage a 1995 bombing campaign across \JFrance\j, during which eight people were killed and more than 170 were injured. The GIA claimed responsibility for the bombings at the time, accusing \JFrance\j of supporting the Algerian authorities in their war with Islamic rebels. \I(\JFrance\j, \JAlgeria\j)\i
Scientists at Britain's Medical Research Council post promising results from a small trial of a potential AIDS vaccine developed from a manufactured protein called rgp120. The vaccine was tested on 30 healthy volunteers, and proved to be 10 times more potent than other experimental therapies. \I(UK)\i
The World Health Organization warns of a tuberculosis epidemic in the southern Balkans, saying hundreds of new cases are being reported across the region, one of the worst affected countries being \JAlbania\j, where about 155 deaths have been attributed to the disease in the past six months. \I(\JAlbania\j, The Balkans)\i
British \Jtelevision\j presenter, Paula Yates, blames the apparent suicide of her partner, Michael Hutchence, on a dispute the INXS lead singer had with her rock star ex-husband, Bob Geldof. Hutchence was found hanging by his belt from the door of a Sydney hotel room on Saturday. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
#
"November 25, 1997",692,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In \JJapan\j's first \Jday\j of trading since the collapse of Yamaichi Securities, the Yen slides to a five-year low and the stock market sheds more than 5 per cent, sparking a sell-off in other markets throughout Asia. \JJapan\j's Finance Minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, regards the decline as "a message", and says the government is considering using public funds to pay out Yamaichi's liabilities and boost the economy. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit ends in Vancouver, with leaders resisting calls for a return to protectionist policies, and instead adopting a communiquΘ on accelerated trade and investment liberalization. Despite the turbulence in Asia, leaders of the 18-member nations affirm the strength of the region's economic fundamentals, and urge united action in backing bailout plans to fight its current financial crisis. The leaders also agree to expand the forum next year to include \JRussia\j, Vietnam, and \JPeru\j. \I(Asia/Pacific, Canada, \JRussia\j, Vietnam, \JPeru\j)\i
As part of its bid to join the World Trade Organization, China offers to make its markets more accessible to foreign goods, an offer the United States welcomes as a solid basis for progress. \I(China, USA)\i
Senate debate begins on the Australian Government's controversial Wik legislation, with opponents of the proposed amendments to the native title land bill claiming it is racially discriminatory, and the government rejecting such claims and warning that it is prepared to call an election over the issue. \I(Australia)\i
Vietnam's Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment surrenders documents seized more than two years ago from an official United States scientific team investigating the use of chemical defoliants during the Vietnam War. Research is still being conducted at the State University of New York into the effects of contamination by dioxins, a chemical contained in the defoliant agent orange. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
In a bid to maximize access to medication for tens of thousands of sufferers, \JThailand\j's Ministry of Health announces that a second anti-AIDS drug, didanosine (DDI), will be manufactured domestically from next month to make it more cheaply available. \JThailand\j already manufactures the anti-retroviral drug AZT. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
The World Health Organization reports that a low-cost tuberculosis control program launched in \JBangladesh\j in 1991 is one of the most effective programs in the world. According to the organization, the disease claims three million lives worldwide each year. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States accuses \JIraq\j of "minimal compliance" with the United Nations Special Commission in charge of dismantling its weapons systems, and warns that US military forces will remain in the Persian Gulf until UN arms inspectors are granted access to currently prohibited sites, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. Arguing against \JRussia\j's push for a speedy end to Iraqi disarmament, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, maintains that Iraq could have produced as much as 200 tons of the deadly VX chemical weapon, enough to kill everyone on \Jearth\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit ends in Vancouver, with leaders resisting calls for a return to protectionist policies, and instead adopting a communiquΘ on accelerated trade and investment liberalization. Despite the turbulence in Asia, leaders of the 18-member nations affirm the strength of the region's economic fundamentals, and urge united action in backing bailout plans to fight its current financial crisis. The leaders also agree to expand the forum next year to include \JRussia\j, Vietnam, and \JPeru\j. \I(Asia/Pacific, Canada, \JRussia\j, Vietnam, \JPeru\j)\i
As part of its bid to join the World Trade Organization, China offers to make its markets more accessible to foreign goods, an offer the United States welcomes as a solid basis for progress. \I(China, USA)\i
Vietnam's Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment surrenders documents seized more than two years ago from an official United States scientific team investigating the use of chemical defoliants during the Vietnam War. Research is still being conducted at the State University of New York into the effects of contamination by dioxins, a chemical contained in the defoliant agent orange. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Nineteen people, including alleged members of the Genovese and Bonanno "crime families", brokers from Meyers Pollock Robbins, and the chairman of HealthTech International, Gordon Hall, are indicted on charges of defrauding investors by artificially inflating the price of shares. In the meantime, the stock of HealthTech has been suspended from trading and the license of Meyers Pollock Robbins has been revoked. \I(USA)\i
In an important development in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial in \JDenver\j, a witness gives testimony undermining the \Jalibi\j of defendant Terry Nichols for the morning of April 18, 1995, the period prosecutors claim he and Timothy McVeigh were building the bomb. The defense is maintaining that Nichols was at an army surplus auction on that morning; the witness for the prosecution claims Nichols did not sign in at the auction until the afternoon. \I(USA)\i
Prosecutors appeal to \JMassachusetts\j' highest court, seeking a reversal of a judge's decision to reduce to \Jmanslaughter\j a British au pair's conviction for the second-degree murder of an eight-month-old child in her care. Lawyers for Louise Woodward, meanwhile, say they are planning to oppose prosecution attempts to bypass the normal appeals process. \I(USA, UK)\i
A Canadian geographer pinpoints the location on Mars of the Viking 2 lander, which was lost by NASA shortly after it landed on the \Jplanet\j in 1976. Using advanced techniques, Dr. Phil Stooke from the University of Western \JOntario\j finally found the lander in the southern part of Mars near a crater-topped mountain called Goldstone. \I(Canada, USA)\i
Researchers from the University of Maryland say taking vitamins C and E before eating a large meal prevents the damaging reduction in blood flow caused by the intake of fat, and may ultimately reduce the risk of \Jheart disease\j associated with high-fat diets. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States accuses \JIraq\j of "minimal compliance" with the United Nations Special Commission in charge of dismantling its weapons systems, and warns that US military forces will remain in the Persian Gulf until UN arms inspectors are granted access to currently prohibited sites, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces. Arguing against \JRussia\j's push for a speedy end to Iraqi disarmament, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, maintains that Iraq could have produced as much as 200 tons of the deadly VX chemical weapon, enough to kill everyone on \Jearth\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j)\i
A furor erupts over reports that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes to offer Palestinians up to eight per cent of Israeli-controlled West Bank areas. In the latest political threat to Mr. Netanyahu, ten members of his coalition government are pledging to topple him if a troop withdrawal is ordered. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
After a second \Jday\j of hearings before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the man who claims to have seen Winnie Madikizela-Mandela murder 14-year-old Stompie Seipei hurriedly leaves the country for Britain. Before leaving, Katiza Cebekhulu, a former member of the notorious Mandela United Football Club, says he fears arrest on criminal \Jdefamation\j charges laid by Ms. Madikizela-Mandela over the book, \IKatiza's Journey - Beneath the Surface of South Africa's Shame,\i which contains allegations linking the president's ex-wife with murders and bashings. \I(South Africa, UK)\i
Malawi's former ruler, Kamuza Hastings Banda, dies of respiratory failure aged 99. Mr. Banda led Malawai for three decades after it gained independence from Britain in 1964. \I(Malawi, UK)\i
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit ends in Vancouver, with leaders resisting calls for a return to protectionist policies, and instead adopting a communiquΘ on accelerated trade and investment liberalization. Despite the turbulence in Asia, leaders of the 18-member nations affirm the strength of the region's economic fundamentals, and urge united action in backing bailout plans to fight its current financial crisis. The leaders also agree to expand the forum next year to include \JRussia\j, Vietnam, and \JPeru\j. \I(Asia/Pacific, Canada, \JRussia\j, Vietnam, \JPeru\j)\i
Prosecutors appeal to \JMassachusetts\j' highest court, seeking a reversal of a judge's decision to reduce to \Jmanslaughter\j a British au pair's conviction for the second-degree murder of an eight-month-old child in her care. Lawyers for Louise Woodward, meanwhile, say they are planning to oppose prosecution attempts to bypass the normal appeals process. \I(USA, UK)\i
A rare glass cup known as the Constable-Maxwell Skyphos sells at Christie's in London for ú496,500. The finely ornamented drinking cup dates back to first century \JRome\j, and possibly belonged to the Emperor Nero, reputedly a keen collector of cameo glass. \I(UK, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"November 26, 1997",693,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, promises to protect depositors but not the nation's debt-ridden banks after a second-tier regional bank, Tokuyo City Bank, announces that it is going out of business. It is the fourth shutdown of a financial institution this month, and comes within days of the collapse of Japan's fourth largest securities brokerage, Yamaichi Securities. Despite the turmoil, the Nikkei stock index rises 1 per cent after shedding 5 per cent the previous day. \I(Japan)\i
As part of a bid to boost confidence in the government's economic management, \JThailand\j secures revised terms to the $US17.2 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) rescue package agreed to in August. The new IMF terms lower the country's economic forecasts and ease its foreign reserve requirements. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Six hours of "businesslike" talks are held in Washington between North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan, and US Deputy Assistant \JSecretary of State\j for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Charles Kartman. After the meeting, the State Department says more work is needed on two of the main agenda items: the proposed opening of liaison offices, and a schedule for a new round of talks on missile proliferation. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Representatives of the 11 member states of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) begin a meeting in Jakarta to discuss an increase in oil output limits. The cartel currently accounts for almost 40 per cent of global oil output and two thirds of world reserves. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A secretly recorded videotape is released, allegedly showing Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, directing businessman Mujo Sefa to distribute 27,000 kina in bribes to PNG ministers, parliamentarians, and journalists. The videotape was recorded and released by Mr. Sefa, who was formerly prominent in Port Moresby political circles, and has since returned to \JAustralia\j. \I(Papua New Guinea, \JAustralia\j)\i
Following a seven-\Jday\j political crisis, India's Congress Party announces its desire to reopen talks with the government. Last week, the Congress Party threatened to immediately withdraw its vital support unless the ruling coalition expelled the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, which has been implicated in the 1991 assassination of former Congress Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. \I(India)\i
Pakistan's \JChief Justice\j is suspended by two regional Supreme Court judges and ordered to answer accusations that he was promoted to his position out of turn. The judge's move could mean a reprieve for Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, who has been locked in confrontation with \JChief Justice\j Shah for months, and was due to appear before him later this week on charges of showing contempt for the court. \I(Pakistan)\i
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers begin a five-year program to end opium production, agreeing to allow United Nations personnel to supervise the destruction of poppy plants in \JKandahar\j province. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium, with output increasing 25 per cent last year despite the Taliban's condemnation of drugs. \I(Afghanistan)\i
An \Jearthquake\j of 6.8 \Jmagnitude\j shakes the northern section of \JIndonesia\j's Sulawesi island. There are no reports of injuries or serious damage. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq invites foreign experts to visit President Saddam Hussein's palaces to dispel suspicions that they contain banned weapons or materials. The offer is received with some skepticism by the United States, which says the real test will be whether United Nations arms inspectors gain access to all the sites declared off limits. The United States also expresses confidence that its allies would support serious military action against Iraq if Washington deemed it necessary. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizes as "unbecoming" US President Clinton's refusal to meet with him during a recent visit to the United States. Responding to the criticism, a \JWhite House\j spokesman says no insult was intended, and that a future meeting between the two leaders is currently being considered. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Six hours of "businesslike" talks are held in Washington between North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan, and US Deputy Assistant \JSecretary of State\j for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Charles Kartman. After the meeting, the State Department says more work is needed on two of the main agenda items: the proposed opening of liaison offices, and a schedule for a new round of talks on missile proliferation. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
In light of the probe into the 1996 explosion of TWA Flight 800, the United States Federal Aviation Administration requests airlines to locate and rectify potential ignition sources in or near the center fuel tanks of Boeing 747 \Jaircraft\j to ensure their continued safety. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves Rituxan, a new drug that stimulates the body's immune system to fight non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The drug, developed by Genetech and IDEC Pharmaceuticals, could limit the need for \Jchemotherapy\j, and is thereby regarded as a significant first step towards less toxic cancer drugs. \I(USA)\i
Hospital staff in \JIowa\j report that three more of the world's only living septuplets are now breathing on their own and taking food orally. Kelsey, Brandon, and Joel McCaughey have now had their condition upgraded from serious to fair. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq invites foreign experts to visit President Saddam Hussein's palaces to dispel suspicions that they contain banned weapons or materials. The offer is received with some skepticism by the United States, which says the real test will be whether United Nations arms inspectors gain access to all the sites declared off limits. The United States also expresses confidence that its allies would support serious military action against Iraq if Washington deemed it necessary. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issues warnings of prosecution to prominent critics challenging his authority. Most of the critics are supporters of the Grand Ayatollah Hussein Ali Monazeri, an influential opponent whose arrest on charges of \Jtreason\j is currently being sought by Ayatollah Khamenei. \I(Iran)\i
Accusations mount against South African President Nelson Mandela's former wife, as a Methodist bishop tells South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission that members of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's football club abducted a number of homeless black boys from his house, and that Ms. Madikizela-Mandela publicly branded him as a child abuser. Bishop Paul Verryn weeps as he apologizes for failing to protect Stompie Seipei, who was later beaten and murdered, and denies sexually abusing the boys staying at his house, a statement already confirmed by the boys involved. \I(South Africa)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizes as "unbecoming" US President Clinton's refusal to meet with him during a recent visit to the United States. Responding to the criticism, a \JWhite House\j spokesman says no insult was intended, and that a future meeting between the two leaders is currently being considered. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Drought monitors say ten times the normal rainfall for this time of year has fallen in parts of \JEthiopia\j, \JSomalia\j, \JKenya\j, and \JUganda\j, with the downpour expected to continue for some weeks. Rains that have flooded \JSomalia\j, causing the deaths of more than 1,300 people, have now caused \JKenya\j's largest river, the Tana, to spill over at dozens of points, driving thousands of people from their homes, and thousands of refugees from three separate camps. \I(\JEthiopia\j, \JSomalia\j, \JKenya\j, \JUganda\j)\i
A United Nations report claims that the rates of \JHIV\j infection are grossly underestimated, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where 20.6 million people are infected with \JHIV\j or AIDS. According to the report, 30 million adults and children across the globe now suffer from AIDS, compared with 22.6 million in 1996. \I(Africa)\i
#
"November 27, 1997",694,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's former Finance Minister, Sam Rainsy, returns to Phnom Penh after six months of self-imposed exile, calling for peace and compromise among the country's politicians. Mr. Rainsy is an outspoken critic of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, and the most prominent opposition politician to return to the country since former First Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, was deposed in July. \I(Cambodia)\i
Following the release of a videotape secretly recorded by Australian businessman, Mujo Sefa, government sources say the Papua New Guinean Auditor-General is to investigate bribery allegations against PNG Prime Minister, Bill Skate, and Internal Affairs Minister, Thomas Pelika. Mr. Skate, meanwhile, angrily denies the allegations, and institutes \Jdefamation\j proceedings against ABC Television, the Australia network that screened Mr. Sefa's videotape. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
Pakistan's Supreme Court overturns yesterday's suspension of the \JChief Justice\j by a regional court, ruling that the action was illegal. The Supreme Court ruling creates further legal problems for Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, who is due to appear before \JChief Justice\j Shah tomorrow on charges of showing contempt for the judiciary. \I(Pakistan)\i
Vanuatu's President, Jean-Marie Leye, dissolves the island nation's parliament and calls for fresh elections, saying the government has not kept its promises and Vanuatu needs to find a solution to its problems. \I(Vanuatu)\i
A Japanese freighter, buffeted by high winds and waves, plows into a rock in the Aleutian Island port of Dutch Harbor, \JAlaska\j, killing two crew members and spilling an estimated 12,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil. The 16 surviving crew members are rescued by the coast guard, but the oil cleanup is hampered by \Jweather\j conditions. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The official tourism body of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) declares that \JIndonesia\j and its neighbors are finally rid of the blanket of smog caused by forest fires, and that it is now quite safe for foreigners to travel to the region. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
India begins mobilizing its armed forces, two million health workers, and millions of volunteers for a campaign to administer polio vaccines to at least 97 per cent of children under five, the single biggest \Jimmunization\j program in history. \I(India)\i
At Sydney's St. Andrew's Cathedral, family, friends, and hundreds of fans bid an emotional farewell to INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence, who was found hanging by his belt from the back of a hotel room door last Saturday. After a nationally televised service, attended by the top names in \JAustralia\j's contemporary music industry, the rock star's British partner, Paula Yates, holding the couple's 16-month old daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, sobs openly as the voice of the late Michael Hutchence fills the cathedral singing "Never Tear Us Apart". \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a news conference in \JBaghdad\j, Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, announces that President Saddam Hussein's palaces will remain off limits to United Nations arms inspectors. The announcement runs contrary to an invitation to foreign experts issued the previous \Jday\j, and prompts a repetition of Washington's demand that UN inspectors be allowed complete and unfettered access to all sites. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The US State Department criticizes a new Colombian \Jextradition\j law that lacks retroactive powers, saying the crucial omission could hinder Colombia's certification as a country co-operating in the war against the international drugs trade. The lack of retroactivity will allow drug traffickers currently in Colombian jails to evade prosecution in the United States. \I(USA, Colombia)\i
Jesus Blancornelas, the editor of Tijuana's crusading weekly news magazine, \IZeta,\i is seriously wounded and his bodyguard killed when the car in which they are traveling is sprayed with more than 50 bullets by gunmen. Mr. Blancornelas has won accolades for his investigative journalism on government corruption and drug trafficking, and the attack is the latest in a series leveled against Mexican journalists this year. \I(Mexico)\i
A Japanese freighter, buffeted by high winds and waves, plows into a rock in the Aleutian Island port of Dutch Harbor, \JAlaska\j, killing two crew members and spilling an estimated 12,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil. The 16 surviving crew members are rescued by the coast guard, but the oil cleanup is hampered by \Jweather\j conditions. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Twenty-five American Indian rights activists are arrested when police clash with around 200 protesters at the birthplace of Thanksgiving in Plymouth, \JMassachusetts\j. For almost 30 years, activists have continued to mark Thanksgiving Day with protests over the treatment of Indians after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620. \I(USA)\i
Columbia University researcher, Wallace Broecker, warns that the buildup of greenhouse gases in the \Jatmosphere\j could disrupt the "motor" that drives the circulation of global ocean currents and plunge Europe into a deep freeze within a decade. Mr. Broecker says the dependable pattern of ocean circulation is a key factor in controlling the Earth's \Jweather\j. \I(USA, Europe)\i
Hospital staff in \JIowa\j report that all but one of the septuplets born to Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey are now breathing on their own. Only one baby, Nathaniel Roy, is still on a mechanical \Jrespirator\j and in a serious condition. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a news conference in \JBaghdad\j, Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, announces that President Saddam Hussein's palaces will remain off limits to United Nations arms inspectors. The announcement runs contrary to an invitation to foreign experts issued the previous \Jday\j, and prompts a repetition of Washington's demand that UN inspectors be allowed complete and unfettered access to all sites. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
A prominent member of Israel's ruling Likud party evokes anger in some of his colleagues when he openly concedes that the Mideast peace process will inevitably lead to the formation of a Palestinian state. In voicing the concession, Meir Sheetrit urges that the establishment of such a state be initiated under Likud, rather than the Labor Party, to ensure the best possible conditions for Israel. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
After six years of bloody feuding, rival Somali leaders meeting in \JCairo\j make progress towards creating an interim Government for their splintered nation, with the faction led by Hussein Mohamed Aidid renouncing claims to the presidency and settling for the position of prime minister. \I(\JSomalia\j, \JEgypt\j)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission grants amnesty to 43 people for their actions during the anti-\Japartheid\j struggle. Among those granted amnesty are Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, and five cabinet ministers, none of whom cite specific actions when making the appeal. \I(South Africa)\i
Senior pro-British loyalist, Jackie Mahood, is rushed to \Jhospital\j after he is shot several times by two masked gunmen in north \JBelfast\j. The \Jhospital\j later confirms Mr. Mahood's condition as critical. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
In \JGermany\j's biggest student demonstration in thirty years, around 40,000 university students converge on \JBonn\j to protest against falling standards, diminishing resources, and severe overcrowding in the country's once-revered free tertiary education system. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Columbia University Researcher, Wallace Broecker, warns that the buildup of greenhouse gases in the \Jatmosphere\j could disrupt the "motor" that drives the circulation of global ocean currents and plunge Europe into a deep freeze within a decade. Mr. Broecker says the dependable pattern of ocean circulation is a key factor in controlling the Earth's \Jweather\j. \I(USA, Europe)\i
At Sydney's St. Andrew's Cathedral, family, friends, and hundreds of fans bid an emotional farewell to INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence, who was found hanging by his belt from the back of a hotel room door last Saturday. After a nationally televised service, attended by the top names in \JAustralia\j's contemporary music industry, the rock star's British partner, Paula Yates, holding the couple's 16-month old daughter, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, sobs openly as the voice of the late Michael Hutchence fills the cathedral singing "Never Tear Us Apart". \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
#
"November 28, 1997",695,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After 10 days of political deadlock, India's 17-month-old coalition government collapses when the Congress Party withdraws its crucial support because of the government's refusal to expel the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party from its ranks. President K.R. Narayanan later accepts the resignation of Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, and ministers of his United Front coalition, but requests that they remain as a caretaker administration until a new coalition government is formed or fresh parliamentary elections are held. \I(India)\i
Protesters demanding the resignation of \JPakistan\j's \JChief Justice\j storm the Supreme Court, causing the abrupt adjournment of the contempt-of-court hearing against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The protesters are believed to be supporters of Mr. Sharif's Muslim League Party, which has been locked in a bitter power struggle with \JChief Justice\j Shah and other members of the judiciary for months. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Hopes of ending \JSri Lanka\j's 14-year-old ethnic war are dashed when the leader of the Tamil Tigers flatly rejects the government's controversial power-sharing plan. Vellupillai Prabhakaran condemns the government's constitutional reforms as a political tactic, and vows to continue the struggle for an independent Tamil homeland. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Three weeks ahead of South Korea's presidential election, new opinion polls show the lead held for months by main opposition candidate, Kim Dae Jung, being challenged by the ruling party candidate, Lee Hoi Chang. Both candidates are pledging to save the country from its financial crisis, with Mr. Kim openly blaming the current administration of President Kim Young Sam for the radical downturn in South Korea's fortunes. \I(South Korea)\i
Papua New Guinea's coalition Government is thrown into turmoil following the release of further secretly recorded videotapes showing Prime Minister, Bill Skate, boasting of ordering a killing and claiming to be the "Godfather" of Port Moresby's gangs. The opposition, meanwhile, is calling for Mr. Skate's resignation and demanding a judicial inquiry. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Using its own H-2 rocket, \JJapan\j launches its first foreign \Jsatellite\j from Tanegashima Space Center in the country's south. It is \JJapan\j's fifth successful launch of an H-2 since 1994, and represents a boost in its efforts to develop a lucrative space program. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Egypt's national airline, Egyptair, announces that it is suspending 70 per cent of its flights to Asia and reducing its flights to Europe. The decision is taken as a result of a dramatic decline in tourism following the massacre of 58 foreign tourists at Luxor earlier this month. \I(Egypt, Asia, Europe)\i
A joint Franco-British exploration team discusses its discovery of ancient mud houses with vaulted ceilings in the barren northern plains of \JTibet\j. The structures show Persian influences from prehistoric times, and could be the remains of the pre-Buddhist kingdom of Shang Shung, which adventurers have been seeking for over a century. They might also indicate that \JTibet\j's earliest settlers came from the West, rather than the East, as previously believed. \I(\JFrance\j, UK, \JTibet\j)\i
McDonald's, the world's largest fast-food chain, announces the December 4 opening of its newest and northernmost restaurant in \JRovaniemi\j, \JFinland\j, just south of the \JArctic\j Circle. The southernmost McDonald's restaurant is currently located in Invercargill, \JNew Zealand\j. \I(\JFinland\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, averts a potential rift with the United States and decides against recommending a specific increase in the amount of oil \JIraq\j can sell to buy food and other humanitarian supplies. UN envoys say Mr. Annan had hoped to raise the Iraqi oil-for-food quota from $US2 billion to $US3 billion to ease the crushing effect of UN sanctions on the Iraqi people. Iraq, meanwhile, announces that it is cutting food rations to its people as a result of insufficient supplies under the UN oil deal, specifically blaming the United States for the shortfall. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
US General Wesley Clark, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, advises \JNATO\j ambassadors in Brussels that the Stabilization Force in Bosnia should remain at the current level of around 34,000 troops because the country is still too volatile at the moment. \I(USA, \JBelgium\j, Bosnia)\i
Prosecutors in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial present as key evidence a small piece of wood paneling embedded with crystals of the same type as found in the home of defendant Terry Nichols, and of the same type contained in the \Jfertilizer\j allegedly used in the bomb. The piece of wood paneling was located by a search team in a parking lot across the street from the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. \I(USA)\i
Doctors in Des Moines, \JIowa\j, report that Nathaniel Roy McCaughey has been removed from a ventilator, and that all of the world's only living septuplets are now in a fair condition and breathing without mechanical assistance. The seven babies are expected to leave \Jhospital\j some time in January. \I(USA)\i
World No. 1 tennis player, American Pete Sampras, retires with a pulled calf muscle from the second singles match of the \JDavis Cup\j tennis final against Sweden. At the time of the withdrawal, opponent Magnus Larsson had a 2-1 lead in the third set with the score at one set all. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, averts a potential rift with the United States and decides against recommending a specific increase in the amount of oil \JIraq\j can sell to buy food and other humanitarian supplies. UN envoys say Mr. Annan had hoped to raise the Iraqi oil-for-food quota from $US2 billion to $US3 billion to ease the crushing effect of UN sanctions on the Iraqi people. Iraq, meanwhile, announces that it is cutting food rations to its people as a result of insufficient supplies under the UN oil deal, specifically blaming the United States for the shortfall. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
In the 84th Israeli air raid on \JLebanon\j this year, two warplanes target suspected pro-Iranian Hezbollah positions north of the occupation zone in the south, retaliating for an earlier Muslim guerrilla attack on Israeli positions inside the zone. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
The Palestinian Authority spurns an Israeli plan to fuse three West Bank troop withdrawals to allow the Palestinians a further 6 to 8 per cent control of the area prior to talks on a final settlement. A spokesman for Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, insists that the peace agreement calls for Israeli redeployment in three phases, and that the Palestinians are not going to play a game of percentages. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Two \Japartheid\j-era secret police give testimony before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, supporting assertions by President Nelson Mandela's former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, that she was the victim of a smear campaign designed to discredit her anti-\Japartheid\j activism. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela is claiming that the allegations of torture, assault, and murder leveled against her this week are a legacy of that slanderous campaign. \I(South Africa)\i
Spain's Supreme Court finds 23 Basque politicians guilty of spreading propaganda and acting in defense of \Jterrorism\j. The defendants, all members of Herri Batasuna, the political wing of the outlawed Basque ETA guerrilla group, now face more than two years each in prison. \I(Spain)\i
US General Wesley Clark, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, advises \JNATO\j ambassadors in Brussels that the Stabilization Force in Bosnia should remain at the current level of around 34,000 troops because the country is still too volatile at the moment. \I(USA, \JBelgium\j, Bosnia)\i
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, decides to proceed with a mission probing alleged massacres of Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. Mr. Annan was considering recalling the human rights team due to months of frustrating delays. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Egypt's national airline, Egyptair, announces that it is suspending 70 per cent of its flights to Asia and reducing its flights to Europe. The decision is taken as a result of a dramatic decline in tourism following the massacre of 58 foreign tourists at Luxor earlier this month. \I(Egypt, Asia, Europe)\i
Britain's Defense Ministry launches an investigation into allegations of bribery at Sandhurst, the country's leading military academy. The move comes after seven army instructors are arrested on charges of accepting bribes, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars, from rich Arab cadets seeking higher grades. \I(UK, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Ahead of a meeting of European health ministers to forge a directive against \Jtobacco\j sponsorship, \JBelgium\j's parliament votes in favor of a blanket ban on \Jtobacco\j advertising, at the same time outlawing \Jtobacco\j company sponsorship of sports, and cultural and musical events. While British Government sources say the Belgian development will not affect its decision to exempt Formula One \Jmotor racing\j, the dismayed organizers of the Belgian Grand Prix fear that next year's event could be the last. \I(\JBelgium\j, UK, Europe)\i
Britain's \JHouse of Commons\j votes in favor of banning the traditional country sport of fox hunting. Despite majority support, the bill is not expected to become law in the near future, but anti-hunt campaigners are nevertheless delighted with the result, predicting the end of fox hunting by the year 2000. \I(UK)\i
A joint Franco-British exploration team discusses its discovery of ancient mud houses with vaulted ceilings in the barren northern plains of \JTibet\j. The structures show Persian influences from prehistoric times, and could be the remains of the pre-Buddhist kingdom of Shang Shung, which adventurers have been seeking for over a century. They might also indicate that \JTibet\j's earliest settlers came from the West, rather than the East, as previously believed. \I(\JFrance\j, UK, \JTibet\j)\i
McDonald's, the world's largest fast-food chain, announces the December 4 opening of its newest and northernmost restaurant in \JRovaniemi\j, \JFinland\j, just south of the \JArctic\j Circle. The southernmost McDonald's restaurant is currently located in Invercargill, \JNew Zealand\j. \I(\JFinland\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
World No. 1 tennis player, American Pete Sampras, retires with a pulled calf muscle from the second singles match of the \JDavis Cup\j tennis final against Sweden. At the time of the withdrawal, opponent Magnus Larsson had a 2-1 lead in the third set with the score at one set all. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
#
"November 29, 1997",696,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In surprise election results, \JTaiwan\j's main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) wins 13 of the island's 25 regional government seats, for the first time defeating the ruling Kuomingtang (KMT), which lost seven seats to finish with a total of nine. The results represent a future threat to the KMT's hold on national power, and will be closely scrutinized by China, which claims sovereignty over \JTaiwan\j. Many senior DPP officials, however, dispute China's claim to sovereignty over the island and openly advocate independence. \I(\JTaiwan\j, China)\i
South Korea and the International Monetary Fund are reported to have reached an initial agreement on terms and conditions to rescue loans, with last-minute differences over procedures for liquidating financial institutions standing in the way of a formal announcement. Seoul had earlier said it was seeking loans of $US20 billion to overcome its financial difficulties. \I(South Korea)\i
Indian police say the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam has detonated three explosions along the 850-mile pipeline transporting oil from the Assam field to three major refineries. Although no claim of responsibility has been made, police believe the attacks were in protest against a government crackdown on the rebel movement, which has been fighting Indian soldiers for decades in its struggle for a homeland. \I(India)\i
At year-end talks in Jakarta, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agrees on a ten per cent increase to boost its collective output ceiling to 27.5 million barrels per \Jday\j. The agreement comes in response to demands by Saudi \JArabia\j, OPEC's dominant producer, and is the cartel's first significant increase in supply allocations in four years, one that is expected to bring an initial drop in world oil prices. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Korean \Jevangelist\j, Sun Myung Moon, blesses the arranged marriages of 3.6 million couples who pack the field of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington. The ceremony is linked by \Jsatellite\j with 84 countries around the world, where millions of other members of Moon's Unification Church simultaneously rededicate their marriages. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
Russian legislators begin drafting tighter laws to control the adoption of Russian children by foreigners, a move aimed at ending what they say is a boom in the illegal selling of children, but one that could also leave thousands of children in inadequate orphanages. Recently, Russia surpassed China to become the primary source of foreign children adopted by Americans. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
Iran scores two late goals in a \Jsoccer\j playoff against \JAustralia\j to secure the last slot in next year's World Cup in \JFrance\j. It is the first time Iran has reach the finals since 1978, and only the second time ever. \I(Iran, \JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, announces that he is putting forward new legislation to extend his AmeriCorps \Jnational service\j program for another five years. Since its conception, more than 100,000 have enrolled in the program, which rewards the volunteers with a $US4,700 educational grant. \I(USA)\i
Civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, departs on a visit to \JKenya\j and \JZambia\j where he will promote democracy as the predicate to increased United States trade and investment. As President Clinton's special envoy to Africa, Mr. Jackson speaks of a new era in bilateral trade, one that will represent economic growth and expansion for the US, and vital development for Africa. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JZambia\j, Africa)\i
Russian legislators begin drafting tighter laws to control the adoption of Russian children by foreigners, a move aimed at ending what they say is a boom in the illegal selling of children, but one that could also leave thousands of children in inadequate orphanages. Recently, Russia has surpassed China to become the primary source of foreign children adopted by Americans. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
Korean \Jevangelist\j, Sun Myung Moon, blesses the arranged marriages of 3.6 million couples who pack the field of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington. The ceremony is linked by \Jsatellite\j with 84 countries around the world, where millions of other members of Moon's Unification Church simultaneously rededicate their marriages. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
The US city of \JDetroit\j's first black mayor, Coleman Young, dies of respiratory problems aged 79. Mr. Young served five consecutive mayoral terms from 1974 through the end of 1993, and is credited with bringing \JDetroit\j's majority black population into a position of political power. \I(USA)\i
Sweden clinches its sixth \JDavis Cup\j tennis title when Jonas Bjorkman and Nicklas Kulti score a three-set victory over the United States doubles team, Todd Martin and Jonathan Stark. Sweden had earlier won both singles matches, giving it a 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series, and rendering the reverse singles matches meaningless in terms of altering the outcome. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
While standing firm on its exclusion of United Nations arms inspectors from presidential palaces, \JIraq\j backs down from its all-or-nothing stand on the easing of UN sanctions, clearing the way for an extension to its oil-for-food deal, which \JBaghdad\j says it is regarding as a temporary measure only. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Intense street battles rage from noon to dusk in the West Bank town of \JBethlehem\j, with nearly four dozen people injured as Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli troops exchange a barrage of stones, \Jrubber\j bullets, and tear gas. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In \JGermany\j to rally support to help revive the \JMiddle East\j peace process, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains adamant that he will never agree to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has previously voiced his aim of declaring a Palestinian state in 1999. \I(\JGermany\j, Israel, Palestine)\i
Czech Prime Minister, Vaclav Klaus, comes under intense pressure to resign after a second party pulls out of his center-right coalition because of a party funding scandal. The scandal erupted over a 1995 donation of 7.5 million crowns to Mr. Klaus's Civic Democratic Party, a donation critics have linked to one of the government's privatization decisions. \I(Czech Republic)\i
As a confidence-building move, the British Government announces that it will allow all 21 Irish Republican Army prisoners held in Britain to be transferred to jails in Northern Ireland before Christmas. Eight of those to be transferred have now served more than 20 years for bomb offenses committed in Britain during the 1970s. Meanwhile, in a separate move, it is announced that the life sentences of four IRA terrorists under British Home Office control are to be reviewed. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
At year-end talks in Jakarta, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agrees on a ten per cent increase to boost its collective output ceiling to 27.5 million barrels per \Jday\j. The agreement comes in response to demands by Saudi \JArabia\j, OPEC's dominant producer, and is the cartel's first significant increase in supply allocations in four years, one that is expected to bring an initial drop in world oil prices. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Russian legislators begin drafting tighter laws to control the adoption of Russian children by foreigners, a move aimed at ending what they say is a boom in the illegal selling of children, but one that could also leave thousands of children in inadequate orphanages. Recently, Russia has surpassed China to become the primary source of foreign children adopted by Americans. \I(Russia, China, USA)\i
Civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, departs the USA on a visit to \JKenya\j and \JZambia\j where he will promote democracy as the predicate to increased United States trade and investment. As President Clinton's special envoy to Africa, Mr. Jackson speaks of a new era in bilateral trade, one that will represent economic growth and expansion for the US, and vital development for Africa. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JZambia\j, Africa)\i
Iran scores two late goals in a \Jsoccer\j playoff against \JAustralia\j to secure the last slot in next year's World Cup in \JFrance\j. It is the first time Iran has reach the finals since 1978, and only the second time ever. \I(Iran, \JAustralia\j)\i
Sweden clinches its sixth \JDavis Cup\j tennis title when Jonas Bjorkman and Nicklas Kulti score a three-set victory over the United States doubles team, Todd Martin and Jonathan Stark. Sweden had earlier won both singles matches, giving it a 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series, and rendering the reverse singles match meaningless in terms of altering the outcome. \I(USA, Sweden)\i
#
"November 30, 1997",697,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Central bank officials from the nine-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold closed-door talks to set the agenda for a two-\Jday\j summit of Southeast Asian finance ministers. The aim of the summit is to develop a plan to ease the region's recent financial upheaval. \I(South East Asia)\i
Following the resignation of Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, and the collapse of his coalition government, India's main political parties seek to form new alliances to stave off fresh elections, which would involve some 600 million voters and 4.5 million security staff. The last elections in May 1996 produced the most fractured parliament in the country's history, and no single party now has the numbers to form a government on its own. \I(India)\i
Pakistan's political crisis escalates as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly accuses both President Farooq Ahmed Leghari and \JChief Justice\j Sajjad Ali Shah of conspiring to bring down his 10-month-old Government. \JChief Justice\j Shah, on the other hand, accuses Mr. Sharif of orchestrating a mutiny on the Supreme Court bench, and warns the rebellious justices who challenged his position to fall into line behind him. \I(Pakistan)\i
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, orders the immediate dismissal of coalition ministers, Chris Haiveta, the Pangu Party leader, and Andrew Baing, the People Progress party leader, accusing both ministers of \Jengineering\j bribery allegations against him. The move comes amid a deepening scandal over incriminating video tapes secretly recorded by Australian businessman, Mujo Sefa. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
China reaffirms its objections to an international treaty banning landmines, due to be signed at a conference in \JOttawa\j tomorrow. A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirms that China does not intend to sign on the grounds that the convention fails to take a balanced account of both humanitarian concerns and the legitimate military needs of sovereign states for self-defense. \I(China, Canada)\i
Three people are killed and another 62 are injured when two bombs are detonated in quick succession in the crowded Chandni Chowk market in the Indian capital, New Delhi. Police say they do not have any suspects, and nobody claims responsibility for the blasts. \I(India)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, delivers his first televised address to the nation in a bid to explain and justify his government's stance on controversial amendments to the Native Title Act. Mr. Howard urges a quick end to the bitter debate his 10-point Wik plan has provoked, maintaining that the proposed legislation strikes a fair and decent balance, and preserves in full the principles of native title as set down in the original Mabo decision. \I(Australia)\i
Lucille McLauchlan, 32, one of two British nurses jailed in Saudi \JArabia\j for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, marries her boyfriend, Grant Ferrie, in a courthouse service performed by a Saudi judge. The newlyweds are then allowed a brief private meeting before the bride is returned to the cell she shares with her co-accused, Deborah Parry. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
At Melbourne's Metropolitan Golf Course, Englishman Lee Westwood wins the fourth hole of a play-off against World No. 1 Greg Norman to take out the Australian Open title. \I(UK, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Thousands of angry Iraqis attend a mass funeral for dozens of children, whose deaths from lack of food or medicine they blame on United Nations sanctions. Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Iraq, Denis Halliday, leaves for New York to participate in the UN debate on renewing the oil-for-food program for a third six-month period. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
China reaffirms its objections to an international treaty banning landmines, due to be signed at a conference in \JOttawa\j tomorrow. A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirms that China does not intend to sign on the grounds that the convention fails to take a balanced account of both humanitarian concerns and the legitimate military needs of sovereign states for self-defense. \I(China, Canada)\i
United Nations soldiers conclude a three-year peacekeeping mission in \JHaiti\j, leaving behind around 500 non-combat US troops to construct roads, bridges and wells across a country still struggling with poverty, corruption, and violence. \JHaiti\j has been without a functioning government since Premier Rosny Smarth resigned in June, and the country is currently caught in a power struggle between supporters of Mr. Smarth and those of former President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. \I(\JHaiti\j, USA)\i
A survey conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors finds a growing number of American cities imposing nighttime and daytime youth curfews to reduce crime and truancy, and to force parents to set rules for their teenagers. Of the 347 cities surveyed, 276 are using curfews at night, and 76 are also using curfews at certain times during the day. \I(USA)\i
At the \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial of Terry Nichols, the judge decides against discarding the evidence of two \JFBI\j agents who discussed how they collected it before giving their testimony. The evidence at stake was a tiny piece of a rental truck prosecutors claim contained the only trace of ammonium \Jnitrate\j \Jfertilizer\j left from the 4,000-pound bomb that tore apart the federal building in 1995, killing 168 people. \I(USA)\i
Sweden officially claims a 5-0 victory over the United States in the \JDavis Cup\j tennis final after Jonas Bjorkman defeats Jonathan Stark and Magnus Larsson defeats Michael Chang in the reverse singles matches. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of angry Iraqis attend a mass funeral for dozens of children, whose deaths from lack of food or medicine they blame on United Nations sanctions. Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Iraq, Denis Halliday, leaves for New York to participate in the UN debate on renewing the oil-for-food program for a third six-month period. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Israel's Cabinet approves in principle the conditional withdrawal of troops from rural areas of the West Bank, paving the way for more of the region to come under Palestinian self-rule. As yet, no decision has been reached regarding a timetable or the extent of the troop withdrawal, which was proposed by Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, calls for his people to be granted full membership of the United Nations, a move Mr. Arafat says will allow Palestine to participate in the work of the world body, and demonstrate its sincerity in efforts to establish comprehensive peace in the \JMiddle East\j. At present, the Palestinian Authority only has observer status at the UN. \I(Palestine)\i
Czech Prime Minister, Vaclav Klaus, dogged for months by a party financing scandal, announces that he and his entire Cabinet will resign. Mr. Klaus, who is post-Communist Europe's longest-serving leader with more than five years in power, says he will not be a member of the next government, but will remain as chairman of his Civic Democratic Party until a party congress in called within the next two weeks. \I(Czech Republic)\i
European Commission auditors report that the Bosnian treasury is losing tens of millions of dollars a year to two \Jfraud\j schemes. According to the auditors, one scheme is operated by Bosnian Muslim officials, and the other by Croat and Serb criminal gangs said to be in league with Bosnian Serb leaders. Diplomats are now warning that the level of official \Jfraud\j could threaten foreign aid to the country. \I(Bosnia)\i
British health officials begin an urgent inquiry into transplant procedures after it is revealed that three patients received tissue from the eyes of a woman with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), the human form of "mad cow" disease. The woman died of lung cancer, and was not diagnosed with CJD until a post-mortem examination was held. \I(UK)\i
Lucille McLauchlan, 32, one of two British nurses jailed in Saudi \JArabia\j for the murder of Australian nurse, Yvonne Gilford, marries her boyfriend, Grant Ferrie, in a courthouse service performed by a Saudi judge. The newlyweds are then allowed a brief private meeting before the bride is returned to the cell she shares with her co-accused, Deborah Parry. \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
At Melbourne's Metropolitan Golf Course, Englishman Lee Westwood wins the fourth hole of a play-off against World No. 1 Greg Norman to take out the Australian Open title. \I(UK, Australia)\i
Sweden officially claims a 5-0 victory over the United States in the \JDavis Cup\j tennis final after Jonas Bjorkman defeats Jonathan Stark and Magnus Larsson defeats Michael Chang in the reverse singles matches. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
#
"December 1, 1997",698,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A United Nations climate change conference opens in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, with the United States and the European Union locked in dispute over targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for the rise in global warming. The EU is calling for an agreement on a 15 per cent global reduction in emissions, but the US is arguing for a realistic agreement that will suit the circumstances of all countries, and include the possibility of carefully bounded differentiation. From Washington, President Bill Clinton says he will send Vice President Gore to the talks next week to reiterate the US position, adding that the United States will wage its own war against climate change if it cannot sign a workable deal in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Following the collapse of Indian Prime Minister Gujral's coalition government last Friday, India's two largest parliamentary groups, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and the rival Congress Party, step up efforts to form their own coalition governments in their attempts to avoid fresh national elections. Meanwhile, the upper house is adjourned indefinitely, completing the paralysis of parliament that began when the lower house was suspended earlier last week. \I(India)\i
The three-way power struggle between \JPakistan\j's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, \JChief Justice\j, Sajjad Ali Shah, and President Farooq Leghari brings the country's courts grinding to a halt. A full session of Supreme Court judges, called to rule on petitions challenging \JChief Justice\j Shah's appointment, fails to eventuate, and the resumed hearing of contempt-of-court charges against Mr. Sharif likewise fails to take place. Mr. Sharif has been in dispute with the \JChief Justice\j for months, and in a televised address to the nation, has accused both the \JChief Justice\j and President Leghari of obstructing parliament, suspending legislation, and conspiring to unseat him. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
A nine-member team of supporters of \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, arrives in Phnom Penh from \JBangkok\j. The team, which includes one member of parliament from Prince Ranariddh's Funcipec party, says it is seeking the unconditional return of the Prince to take part in elections scheduled for May next year. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
South Korea and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) resume talks to set terms for rescue loans after initial negotiations end in disagreement over the country's projected growth rate, as well as the IMF's demand that 12 merchant banks be liquidated. Meanwhile, the World Bank says it is willing to join a financial rescue package, and US President, Bill Clinton, announces that he would favor United States involvement if Seoul can reach a substantial agreement with the IMF. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recommends an increase in the world body's oil-for-food deal with \JIraq\j, but \JBaghdad\j maintains that it will not renew the UN deal unless it is revised to stop the United States from blocking contracts for humanitarian supplies. Meanwhile, UN officials who monitor the arrival of supplies in accordance with the deal are pelted with stones by scores of Iraqis angry about cuts in food rations. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
A United Nations climate change conference opens in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, with the United States and the European Union locked in dispute over targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for the rise in global warming. The EU is calling for an agreement on a 15 per cent global reduction in emissions, but the US is arguing for a realistic agreement that will suit the circumstances of all countries, and include the possibility of carefully bounded differentiation. From Washington, President Bill Clinton says he will send Vice President Gore to the talks next week to reiterate the US position, adding that the United States will wage its own war against climate change if it cannot sign a workable deal in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Russia announces that it has detained an American citizen, identified as Richard Bliss, on suspicion of espionage. After being permitted an interview with Mr. Bliss, the US Embassy in Moscow denies that he is a spy, while the State Department in Washington lodges a protest over the delay in granting him consular access. Mr. Bliss is employed by Qualcomm, a US telecommunications company in the southern region of Rostov-on-Don. \I(Russia, USA)\i
South Korea and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) resume talks to set terms for rescue loans after initial negotiations end in disagreement over the country's projected growth rate, as well as the IMF's demand that 12 merchant banks be liquidated. Meanwhile, the World Bank says it is willing to join a financial rescue package, and US President, Bill Clinton, announces that he would favor United States involvement if Seoul can reach a substantial agreement with the IMF. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
World AIDS Day is marked with the focus this year on children. United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, says the impact of the disease on children has received an inadequate response, particularly in developing countries where one million children under the age of 15 are expected to be living with \JHIV\j by the end of the year. US President, Bill Clinton, likewise notes that AIDS is the biggest cause of death among black Americans aged 15 to 24, and urges federal agencies to increase support for sufferers and access to \JHIV\j educational information. \I(USA)\i
FBI Director, Louis Freeh, strongly urges Attorney General, Janet Reno, to name an independent counsel to investigate alleged fundraising \Jtelephone\j calls made from the \JWhite House\j by President Clinton and Vice President Gore. Earlier, a Justice Department task force had recommended against such a move. \I(USA)\i
At a Washington summit meeting, major \JInternet\j companies pledge to provide software tools to allow parents to protect children from inappropriate online material. The voluntary measures are intended to stave off a push for new legislation that could retard the growth of the \JInternet\j or impose broad criminal liability on online service providers. \I(USA)\i
Three high school students in the United States are killed and another five are wounded after a 14-year-old boy opens fire with a \Jpistol\j on a group attending a Kentucky school prayer meeting. The boy then calmly surrenders to the principal, offering no explanation for his actions. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recommends an increase in the world body's oil-for-food deal with \JIraq\j, but \JBaghdad\j maintains that it will not renew the UN deal unless it is revised to stop the United States from blocking contracts for humanitarian supplies. Meanwhile, UN officials who monitor the arrival of supplies in accordance with the deal are pelted with stones by scores of Iraqis angry about cuts in food rations. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
In \JJohannesburg\j, the public hearing into allegations against Winnie Madikizela-Mandela continues amid claims that she is threatening witnesses summoned to give evidence before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The latest in a growing number of allegations leveled against President Mandela's former wife is that she ordered the 1989 murder of Soweto doctor, Abu Baker Asvat. \I(South Africa)\i
A United Nations climate change conference opens in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, with the United States and the European Union locked in dispute over targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for the rise in global warming. The EU is calling for an agreement on a 15 per cent global reduction in emissions, but the US is arguing for a realistic agreement that will suit the circumstances of all countries, and include the possibility of carefully bounded differentiation. From Washington, President Bill Clinton says he will send Vice President Gore to the talks next week to reiterate the US position, adding that the United States will wage its own war against climate change if it cannot sign a workable deal in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
The representatives of 40 countries begin arriving in London for a three-\Jday\j conference aimed at tracing hoards of gold looted by Nazi \JGermany\j from World War II \JHolocaust\j victims. A recently released study has set the value of the gold, in 1945 prices, at $US146 million. One country certain to feel the heat is \JSwitzerland\j, while the Vatican too has been coming under pressure to open its \Jarchives\j to investigation and send a delegate to the conference. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JRome\j)\i
Russia announces that it has detained an American citizen, identified as Richard Bliss, on suspicion of espionage. After being permitted an interview with Mr. Bliss, the US Embassy in Moscow denies that he is a spy, while the State Department in Washington lodges a protest over the delay in granting him consular access. Mr. Bliss is employed by Qualcomm, a US telecommunications company in the southern region of Rostov-on-Don. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli, dies in a Paris clinic aged 89. A self-taught violinist, Grappelli's mixture of swing and lyricism captivated audiences for more than half a century. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"December 2, 1997",699,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As the United States and the European Union continue to lock horns over targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, developing nations at the \JKyoto\j conference adopt a "polluter pays" attitude, arguing that developed nations have already been responsible for significant damage to the environment, and that they must set the lead. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, opens a conference in \JOttawa\j calling for quick approval of an international treaty banning landmines. The latest indication is that 121 nations will sign the pact this week, the major exceptions being the United States, \JRussia\j, China, and most Middle Eastern nations. \I(Canada, USA, \JRussia\j, China, Middle East)\i
Pakistan's President, Farooq Leghari, resigns after refusing to annul the 1994 appointment of \JChief Justice\j Sajjad Ali Shah, who has been locked in a protracted constitutional battle with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. Following President Leghari's resignation, \JChief Justice\j Shah, who had brought contempt-of-court charges against Mr. Sharif, is removed from office by a rival Supreme Court bench. \I(Pakistan)\i
South Korea closes down nine struggling merchant banks for one month, but is reportedly resisting attempts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to force the closure of one or two large banks in exchange for loans to bail out the country's economy. The uncertainty caused by Seoul's delay in reaching agreement with the IMF sends the won falling to an all-time low and the share market tumbling more than 4 per cent. \I(South Korea)\i
A notorious Japanese gangster goes on trial in \JTokyo\j for extorting tens of millions of dollars from the country's major financial firms. Ryuichi Koike pleads guilty to taking payoffs from the Dai-Ichi Kangyo bank, as well as the "Big Four" stockbrokers: Nomura Securities, Nikko Securities, Daiwa Securities, and the failed Yamaichi Securities. \I(Japan)\i
Two firefighters die as more than 200 bush fires rage across the Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j, destroying up to eleven homes, and causing evacuations in ten outer Sydney suburbs and at least three country towns. The city of Sydney is shrouded in haze of smoke as a force of some 5,000 firefighters, many of them volunteers, battle the blazes in searing temperatures and high winds. \I(Australia)\i
The Asian \IWall Street Journal\i begins printing in \JTaiwan\j, the first international newspaper to both print and distribute on the island. The occasion is marked with a ceremony attended by President Lee Teng-hui, who welcomes the prospect of more international publications setting up bases in \JTaiwan\j. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, opens a conference in \JOttawa\j calling for quick approval of an international treaty banning landmines. The latest indication is that 121 nations will sign the pact this week, the major exceptions being the United States, \JRussia\j, China, and most Middle Eastern nations. \I(Canada, USA, \JRussia\j, China, Middle East)\i
As the United States and the European Union continue to lock horns over targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, developing nations at the \JKyoto\j conference adopt a "polluter pays" attitude, arguing that developed nations have already been responsible for significant damage to the environment, and that they must set the lead. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, announces her decision not to appoint an independent counsel to investigate alleged fundraising calls made from the \JWhite House\j by President Clinton and Vice President Gore, stressing that she bowed to neither pressure nor politics in reaching her decision. Republicans strongly disagree, saying Ms. Reno will be called before the House Government Reform Committee to explain her decision, and that \JFBI\j Director, Louis Freeh, who urged an independent probe, will also be asked to appear. \I(USA)\i
Speaking at an \JInternet\j Online Summit for Kids in Washington, United States Vice President, Al Gore, outlines Government initiatives to educate parents to the dangers of \Jpornography\j on the \JInternet\j, which will include issuing a parents' guide, and installing an emergency hotline where suspicious or illegal \JInternet\j activity can be reported. \I(USA)\i
The defense opens its case in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, with lawyers for defendant, Terry Nichols, attempting to discredit evidence for the prosecution by placing previously convicted bomber, Timothy McVeigh, with people other than Nichols at key stages leading up to the bombing. \I(USA)\i
Following recent scares over tainted beef, the United States Food and Drug Administration approve the process of irradiation to kill \Jbacteria\j and parasites in meat. The process, first used by NASA to sterilize food for astronauts, will not be put into practice until regulations are amended by the Agriculture Department, a procedure the agency hopes will be completed by mid-1998. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels adopt a blueprint for the next century, trimming the number of command headquarters from 65 to 20, and integrating \JSpain\j as the newest member. The ministers of the military alliance also set plans in motion to chart a range of options for Bosnia after the current NATO-led peacekeeping mission ends next June. Compromises between \JGreece\j and Turkey over Aegean military arrangements and between Britain and \JSpain\j over military activities at \JGibraltar\j remove disputes threatening the adoption of the organization's new command structure. \I(\JBelgium\j, \JSpain\j, Bosnia, \JGreece\j, Turkey, UK, \JGibraltar\j)\i
On the opening \Jday\j of a three-\Jday\j conference in London, \JSwitzerland\j clashes with Jewish leaders over claims that it still owes up to $US3 billion in stolen gold to victims of Nazi \JGermany\j. The conference is trying to determine the whereabouts of the looted gold, and how best to compensate survivors and descendants of victims of the \JHolocaust\j. \I(UK, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, warns of annexing the Jordan Valley and other strategic areas of the occupied territories if a Palestinian state is declared. However, Mr. Netanyahu's stand is disputed by one of his senior ministers, Ariel Sharon, who regards the formation of a Palestinian state as inevitable, and urges that the necessary steps be taken to minimize the danger to Israel. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Two former members of the Mandela United Football Club appearing before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission contribute to the mounting allegations of murder and assault leveled against Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Jerry Richardson, now serving a life sentence for the 1988 murder of teenage activist, Stompie Seipie, says Ms. Madikizela-Mandela made the decisions about who was to be eliminated. Gift Ntombeni, who fled Ms. Madikizela-Mandela's home in 1988 after being labeled a police spy, also implicates Zindzi Mandela, the 36-year-old daughter of President Nelson Mandela, saying both women ordered victims to be "disciplined". \I(South Africa)\i
As the United States and the European Union continue to lock horns over targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, developing nations at the \JKyoto\j conference adopt a "polluter pays" attitude, arguing that developed nations have already been responsible for significant damage to the environment, and that they must set the lead. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, opens a conference in \JOttawa\j calling for quick approval of an international treaty banning landmines. The latest indication is that 121 nations will sign the pact this week, the major exceptions being the United States, \JRussia\j, China, and most Middle Eastern nations. \I(Canada, USA, \JRussia\j, China, Middle East)\i
Twenty-three leaders of Herri Batasuna, the Basque separatist party, are each jailed for seven years by a Madrid court after being convicted on charges of collaborating with ETA, the party's outlawed paramilitary wing. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
In one of \JRussia\j's biggest mining accidents in decades, at least 63 miners die after a \Jmethane\j gas explosion rips through a \Jcoal\j mine at Novokuznetsk, in western \JSiberia\j. Authorities hold little hope of finding a further four missing miners alive. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
An official report into the 1994 \IEstonia\i ferry sinking off \JFinland\j blames design factors for the disaster, but notes that the crew could have done more to increase the ship's chances of survival and save some of the 852 lives lost. The Swedish-owned car and passenger ferry capsized within minutes after the bow doors broke open in rough seas, trapping most of the passengers inside. \I(\JFinland\j, Sweden)\i
Scientists at Britain's Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratory reveal that they have captured an image of an exploding black hole in Earth's \JMilky Way\j Galaxy. The black hole is reportedly at the center of a micro-\Jquasar\j called GRS1915 in the \Jconstellation\j of Aquila the Eagle, and the image shows two streams of ultra-hot gas being projected in opposite directions with an apparent speed more than double that of light. \I(UK)\i
#
"December 3, 1997",700,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j stall over how many greenhouse gases should be included in any global deal to reduce emissions. \JJapan\j and the European Union are basing their reduction targets on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j, the three main polluting and naturally occurring gases. However, the United States, strongly supported by Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, and \JNorway\j, is insisting on the inclusion of a further three emerging threats to the world's climate: hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JNorway\j)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces that agreement has been reached with South Korea on terms for an economic rescue package totaling at least $US55 billion. Managing Director, Michel Camdessus, says the IMF will provide $US21 billion over three years, the World Bank will contribute up to $US10 billion, and the Asian Development Bank $US4 billion. Another $US20 billion will come from a number of countries, including the United States, Britain, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, and \JAustralia\j. \I(South Korea, USA, UK, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
Indonesia's currency hits a record low after the Soeharto Government announces that it will no longer attempt to prop up the rupiah by intervening in the money market. The government says the turmoil surrounding South Korea's economic problems has rendered intervention ineffective. \I(\JIndonesia\j, South Korea)\i
After weeks of judicial and political disputes, Ajmal Mian is sworn in as \JPakistan\j's new \JChief Justice\j. The disputes ended quite abruptly yesterday, when President Farooq Leghari resigned rather than support the removal of \JChief Justice\j, Sajjad Ali Shah, who has been engaged in a lengthy constitutional power struggle with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Bill Skate, appears on national \Jtelevision\j claiming to be the victim of a foreign and domestic conspiracy to remove him from office because of his plans to expose widespread corruption. Mr. Skate has recently been at the center of a bribery and corruption scandal sparked by the release of incriminating videotapes secretly recorded by Australian businessman, Mujo Sefa. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
South Korea names its Ambassador to Paris, Lee See Young, to head the country's delegation to the Korean peninsula peace talks in Geneva next week. North Korea has already indicated that Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Kim Kye Gwan, is expected to lead \JPyongyang\j's delegation to the four-party talks, while \JBeijing\j will send Deputy Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, and Washington will be represented by Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Stanley Roth. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Firefighters continue to battle huge blazes throughout \JNew South Wales\j, \JAustralia\j, but milder \Jweather\j allows them to contain the outbreaks in Sydney's suburbs. More than 150 bush fires are still burning in dry rural areas throughout the state, with 80 of them as yet uncontrolled. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Officials at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal plans to send a team of epidemiologists to Hong Kong this week to study a flu strain that normally infects birds, but has now infected two humans, one of whom died last May. \I(USA, Hong Kong)\i
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) announces its development of a prototype wristwatch \Jtelephone\j, which weighs 1.6 ounces, and features an ultra-small antenna, a high-density \Jlithium\j-ion battery, and a power-saving memory chip. NTT says it plans to field test the \Jtelephone\j during the Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j next February. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a conference in \JOttawa\j, more than 125 nations begin signing a treaty banning the use, production, sale, and storing of anti-personnel landmines. The first to ratify the historic document is Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, who has vigorously lobbied for the ban during the past twelve months. \I(Canada)\i
The United States defends its opposition to the global pact banning landmines, insisting that the \JOttawa\j treaty would conflict with vital US military interests. Supporters of the pact maintain that the US decision is driven largely by demands from the Pentagon, and say they are planning action in Congress, as well as nationwide initiatives to pressure President Clinton to reverse the decision. \I(USA, Canada)\i
Negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j stall over how many greenhouse gases should be included in any global deal to reduce emissions. \JJapan\j and the European Union are basing their reduction targets on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j, the three main polluting and naturally occurring gases. However, the United States, strongly supported by Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, and \JNorway\j, is insisting on the inclusion of a further three emerging threats to the world's climate: hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JNorway\j)\i
Iraq maintains that all equipment moved for fear of a possible military attack by the United States is now back in position. Iraq also insists that none of the equipment was used during the period when United Nations arms inspectors were absent from the country due to the deadlock over American team members. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces that agreement has been reached with South Korea on terms for an economic rescue package totaling at least $US55 billion. Managing Director, Michel Camdessus, says the IMF will provide $US21 billion over three years, the World Bank will contribute up to $US10 billion, and the Asian Development Bank $US4 billion. Another $US20 billion will come from a number of countries, including the United States, Britain, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, and \JAustralia\j. \I(South Korea, USA, UK, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
South Korea names its Ambassador to Paris, Lee See Young, to head the country's delegation to the Korean peninsula peace talks in Geneva next week. North Korea has already indicated that Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Kim Kye Gwan, is expected to lead \JPyongyang\j's delegation to the four-party talks, while \JBeijing\j will send Deputy Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, and Washington will be represented by Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Stanley Roth. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
The World Jewish Congress tells delegates to an international conference in London that declassified documents in the United States National Archives prove that World War II allied powers used 50 to 60 tons of gold, stolen by Nazi \JGermany\j from \JHolocaust\j victims, to restock European banks. \I(UK, USA, \JGermany\j)\i
At the University of Akron in Ohio, United States President, Bill Clinton, opens the first "town meeting" of his year-long campaign for racial tolerance. Mr. Clinton says the best hope of avoiding ethnic strife and achieving a unified American society lies in honest, open discussion of racial issues. Mr. Clinton also expresses the hope that other communities will hold similar town meetings to examine the issues of race. \I(USA)\i
Officials at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal plans to send a team of epidemiologists to Hong Kong this week to study a flu strain that normally infects birds, but has now infected two humans, one of whom died last May. \I(USA, Hong Kong)\i
Canadian Fisheries and Oceans Minister, David Anderson, in Washington to discuss the contentious salmon-fishing issue with US officials, is optimistic about resolving the dispute over Pacific salmon quotas and the alleged interception of salmon returning to US and Canadian rivers to spawn. \I(Canada, USA)\i
A scientific row erupts over a small \Jmeteor\j fragment from Mars known as AH84001, with the discoverers disputing NASA's assertion that the \Jmeteorite\j contains evidence of past life. According to John Bradley of the Georgia Institute of Technology, what NASA identified as ultra-small \Jbacteria\j fossils are actually fractures in the surfaces of the crystals. NASA researchers, however, remain even more convinced that their own identification is correct. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j stall over how many greenhouse gases should be included in any global deal to reduce emissions. \JJapan\j and the European Union are basing their reduction targets on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j, the three main polluting and naturally occurring gases. However, the United States, strongly supported by Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, and \JNorway\j, is insisting on the inclusion of a further three emerging threats to the world's climate: hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JNorway\j)\i
Iraq maintains that all equipment moved for fear of a possible military attack by the United States is now back in position. Iraq also insists that none of the equipment was used during the period when United Nations arms inspectors were absent from the country due to the deadlock over American team members. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The World Jewish Congress tells delegates to an international conference in London that declassified documents in the United States National Archives prove that World War II allied powers used 50 to 60 tons of gold, stolen by Nazi \JGermany\j from \JHolocaust\j victims, to restock European banks. \I(UK, USA, \JGermany\j)\i
President Nelson Mandela's former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, takes the witness stand before South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer allegations implicating her in atrocities committed during the \Japartheid\j era. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela denies ordering the murders of black youths, Stompie Seipei, Lolo Sono, and Sibusiso Shabalala. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela also denies having direct control over the Mandela United Football Club, adding that the accusations of human rights violations against club members were merely rumors, and that the club was disbanded in 1987 on the orders of Nelson Mandela, who relayed the message from prison where he was serving a political sentence. \I(South Africa)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces that agreement has been reached with South Korea on terms for an economic rescue package totaling at least $US55 billion. Managing Director, Michel Camdessus, says the IMF will provide $US21 billion over three years, the World Bank will contribute up to $US10 billion, and the Asian Development Bank $US4 billion. Another $US20 billion will come from a number of countries, including the United States, Britain, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, and \JAustralia\j. \I(South Korea, USA, UK, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
While on a state visit to Sweden, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, reveals that his country intends to cut its ground and naval forces by at least 40 per cent from 1999. Moscow confirms Mr. Yeltsin's surprise revelation, saying drastic reductions in land and sea forces are indeed planned. \I(Russia, Sweden)\i
Italy begins deporting around 5,000 Albanians who crossed the Adriatic Sea last spring fleeing violence at home. The closure of the Italian refugee camps has been strongly resisted by many immigrants, who have been staging hunger strikes to protest against the order to return to Albania. \I(Italy, Albania)\i
An open-ended nationwide strike launched by some 700,000 Israeli workers shuts down the nation's main airport, as well as shipping ports, railroads, banks, government offices, state-owned industries, and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The strike comes after months of feuding between the Histadrut Labor Federation and Treasury officials over pension rights and privatization. \I(Israel)\i
In another blow to Britain's beef industry, the government announces a ban on the sale of beef on the bone. Agriculture Minister, Jack Cunningham, says the ban is being imposed because there is a very small chance that BSE, or "mad cow" disease, could be spread through bone or bone marrow. BSE has been linked to a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in humans. \I(UK)\i
UNESCO says the ancient Roman city of \JPompeii\j is to be added to its list of 506 sites of outstanding universal value that qualify for extra protection. Archaeologists are now hopeful that the UNESCO spotlight will accelerate financial investment in \JItaly\j's top tourist attraction. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess of Wales, is granted a divorce from his wife of eight years by a South African court. Amid a bitter and public dispute over the divorce settlement, the court has already heard allegations from Lady Spencer's lawyers that Earl Spencer was a domineering bully and a serial adulterer. \I(UK, South Africa)\i
#
"December 4, 1997",701,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Koreans react with shame and anger to the terms of the $US57 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) rescue package, needed to pay off the country's looming foreign debt and restore its ailing economy. Leading presidential candidate, Kim Dae Jung, insists that the projected 3 per cent growth rate is too low and will lead to lay-offs and bankruptcies, while the Confederation of Trade Unions slates the deal as "brutal", and threatens all-out strikes if layoffs result from concessions made to the IMF. \I(South Korea)\i
India's President, K.R. Narayanan, dissolves the country's fragmented Parliament and calls for mid-term elections after the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party both fail to form a new majority coalition government to replace the toppled United Front coalition. The dissolution ends two weeks of political uncertainty, created when the Congress party withdrew its key support from Prime Minister Gujral's government. \I(India)\i
Embattled Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, regains the support of major coalition partner, the People's Progress Party (PPP), after its rebel leader, Andrew Baing, is sacked. Earlier in the week, Mr. Baing announced the withdrawal of his 17-member group from the government over videotapes implicating Mr. Skate in corruption, a withdrawal which threatened to rob the prime minister of his parliamentary majority. Constitutionally, Mr. Skate cannot be removed by a parliamentary no-confidence vote for another 14 months, but the loss of a majority would increase pressure on him to resign. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Having emerged triumphant from a prolonged power struggle with the \JChief Justice\j and the President, \JPakistan\j's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, vows to use his new mandate to reconstruct the economy and meet the nation's expectations. However, there are fears in some circles that Mr. Sharif's victory has disrupted the constitutional balance and paved the way for a dangerous concentration of power. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
A United States court dismisses a suit filed by a Philippine victims' group. The group was seeking hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly deposited into Swiss banks by the late Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council unanimously votes to renew its oil-for-food deal with \JIraq\j, but delays a decision to increase quotas until a report is received in January from Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. Meanwhile, as \JBaghdad\j continues to place at least 60 palaces off-limits to UN weapons inspectors, Britain and the United States warn that they remain ready to exert military force against \JIraq\j to allow the UN teams unrestricted access to all sites. \I(\JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
Contrary to the expectations of the United States, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, heads for Paris and a key meeting with \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, without a defined plan on the scope of a handover of more West Bank land to the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu says such a plan has not been hammered out as yet, but Israeli press reports are claiming a split in the Cabinet over the land concessions. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Delegates to the London conference on Nazi gold conclude proceedings with a general resolve to open any remaining \Jarchives\j. Only the Vatican has yet to respond to calls for it to publish its \Jarchives\j on the issue. At the suggestion of the United States, a follow-up conference will be held in Washington next year to discuss the return of looted art and other property to the rightful owners. In the meantime, five countries agree to contribute to the fund Britain has established in New York to assist the 300,000 remaining elderly victims of Nazi oppression. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, USA)\i
Following the signing of an international treating banning anti-personnel landmines, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, meets with representatives from wealthy countries seeking to extract money to help with the massive task of clearing the mines from the ground. \I(Canada)\i
Having decided against naming an independent counsel to investigate allegations of fundraising illegalities by US President Clinton and Vice President Gore, United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, promises a broad probe into campaign finance abuses, adding that she will not hesitate to seek an independent counsel if specific and credible evidence against an individual emerges. Meanwhile, tensions are heightened between the \JWhite House\j and \JFBI\j Director, Louis Freeh, who publicly challenged Ms. Reno's decision. \I(USA)\i
A United States court dismisses a suit filed by a Philippine victims' group. The group was seeking hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly deposited into Swiss banks by the late Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
White House officials announce that a $178 million advertising campaign is to be launched in January in an effort to stem an alarming increase in drug use by America's youth. The campaign will target nine to 17-year-olds and their parents, as well as seeking support from corporations and the entertainment industry in changing the media's depiction of drug use as normal and acceptable. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations Security Council unanimously votes to renew its oil-for-food deal with \JIraq\j, but delays a decision to increase quotas until a report is received in January from Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. Meanwhile, as \JBaghdad\j continues to place at lease 60 palaces off-limits to UN weapons inspectors, Britain and the United States warn that they remain ready to exert military force against \JIraq\j to allow the UN teams unrestricted access to all sites. \I(\JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
After repeated pleas from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the chairman of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, 63, ends a long \Jday\j in the witness stand with an admission that her struggle against \Japartheid\j had somehow gone wrong, and offers an apology to that effect. Throughout the \Jday\j, however, President Mandela's former wife has doggedly denied the charges of murder and assault that have been brought against her, alleging that the hearing had been timed to sabotage her campaign to be elected deputy president of the ruling African National Congress. \I(South Africa)\i
Contrary to the expectations of the United States, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, heads for Paris and a key meeting with \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, without a defined plan on the scope of a handover of more West Bank land to the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu says such a plan has not been hammered out as yet, but Israeli press reports are claiming a split in the Cabinet over the land concessions. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Delegates to the London conference on Nazi gold conclude proceedings with a general resolve to open any remaining \Jarchives\j. Only the Vatican has yet to respond to calls for it to publish its \Jarchives\j on the issue. At the suggestion of the United States, a follow-up conference will be held in Washington next year to discuss the return of looted art and other property to the rightful owners. In the meantime, five countries agree to contribute to the fund Britain has established in New York to assist the 300,000 remaining elderly victims of Nazi oppression. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, USA)\i
The Rwandan Patriotic Army says it has engaged in heavy fighting with Hutu rebels who attacked a central Rwandan prison. The Hutu attack is the second in a week, and resulted in the deaths of four police guards and six civilians, and the freeing of some 500 Hutu inmates detained on suspicion of involvement in the 1994 genocide, which claimed the lives of at least half a million people. \I(Rwanda)\i
Russian police are reported to have broken up a gang suspected of carrying out almost 90 contract killings and bombings southeast of the capital, Moscow. The gang had allegedly infiltrated the police, the government, and legal practices in the region. Russia currently has an estimated 12,000 criminal groups involving 60,000 active members. \I(Russia)\i
European Union ministers approve a ban on almost all forms of \Jtobacco\j advertising, striking a compromise with Britain that will allow Formula One \Jmotor racing\j up to nine seasons to phase out \Jcigarette\j sponsorship. Elsewhere, sponsorship will be allowed for all sports for a further two years, and direct \Jtobacco\j advertising for a further year, with a three-year additional exemption for events or activities organized at world level. \I(Europe, UK)\i
A United States court dismisses a suit filed by a Philippine victims' group. The group was seeking hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly deposited into Swiss banks by the late Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Sixty-seven years after the death of D.H. Lawrence, an archive of letters relating to his difficulties in publishing his sexually explicit novel, \ILady Chatterley's Lover,\i is to be sold at Christie's in London by the estate of the writer's close friend, the late Juliette Huxley. Lawrence's novel was the subject of an obscenity trial, and was not published in Britain in its unexpurgated form until 1961. \I(UK)\i
#
"December 5, 1997",702,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At the international climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, a bitter standoff between the European Union and non-European states, including the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j, threatens to derail attempts to reach agreement on cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The issue of contention is the EU proposal for a flat 15 per cent global reduction on 1990 levels by 2010, which critics regard as unfair, given that its inherent "bubble" plan, which classifies the European bloc as a single entity, enjoys the flexibility of dividing the burden of reduction between its 15 member states, allowing some states, such as \JPortugal\j and \JSpain\j, to escape binding obligations and raise emissions by up to 40 per cent. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j)\i
Officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) say the bailout package for South Korea, which raises IMF funding pledged to Asian countries to $US35 billion this year, has left the organization with only $US44 billion of uncommitted resources, and that further crises could drive IMF liquidity to "very uncomfortable levels", forcing it to beg for cash itself. \I(South Korea, Asia)\i
The latest battle over a strategic land route in northern \JSri Lanka\j leaves an estimated 300 dead and hundreds more wounded. A defense ministry statement says at least 144 government soldiers have been lost and about 400 wounded, and that the Tamil Tiger rebels have suffered an equal number of casualties in the upsurge of fighting. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
While addressing a rally of supporters, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, asserts that he will not resign over the recent videotape scandal, accusing a "white foreign mafia", including the Australian media, of fabricating bribery and corruption allegations against him, and warning that troublemakers will not be tolerated. \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, rejects as an "emasculation" an altered version of his controversial 10-point Wik plan, which now contains more than 200 amendments produced after 55 hours of Senate debate, the longest in the country's history. Mr. Howard says he will present the original bill again after a three-month break and, if it is again rejected, he will use the trigger to call an election. The Prime Minister's stand is essentially based on the Senate's refusal to allow changes to the Native Title Act removing the right of Aboriginal title holders to negotiate over mining activity on pastoral leases. \I(Australia)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister designate, Jenny Shipley, names a reshuffled Cabinet designed to give the troubled National Party-New Zealand First coalition a revitalized image. The reshuffle involves the promotion of several younger ministers and the demotion of allies of Prime Minister Jim Bolger. Mr Bolger was toppled by Ms. Shipley, and will be retained as Minister of State outside the Cabinet. \I(New Zealand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At the international climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, a bitter standoff between the European Union and non-European states, including the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j, threatens to derail attempts to reach agreement on cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The issue of contention is the EU proposal for a flat 15 per cent global reduction on 1990 levels by 2010, which critics regard as unfair, given that its inherent "bubble" plan, which classifies the European bloc as a single entity, enjoys the flexibility of dividing the burden of reduction between its 15 member states, allowing some states, such as \JPortugal\j and \JSpain\j, to escape binding obligations and raise emissions by up to 40 per cent. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, meets in the \JWhite House\j Oval Office with European Commission President, Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, and European Union Trade Commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan. All parties later confirm that no major breakthroughs are achieved in the talks, which covered a broad range of issues, including the split between the US and Europe over emission targets to control global warming. \I(USA, Luxembourg, Europe)\i
The United States accuses the Iraqi Government of exploiting its peoples' pain and suffering to win support abroad. \JBaghdad\j has rejected an extension of the United Nations oil-for-food program, and is refusing to \Jpump\j oil until a new plan for food distribution is agreed upon. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
After a meeting in Paris with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calls on Israel to come up with a speedier and more credible West Bank withdrawal plan by mid-December. Mr. Netanyahu has proposed a testing period of up to five months for tougher Palestinian anti-terrorist measures. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Following the conclusion of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in \JHaiti\j, US President Clinton says his country favors a gradual withdrawal of its remaining troops on the island. Mr. Clinton concedes that while the presence of US troops contributes to the stability of the region, their presence cannot be indefinite. \I(USA, \JHaiti\j)\i
Washington strongly protests \JRussia\j's decision to press charges of espionage against American telecommunications engineer, 29-year-old Richard Bliss. \JRussia\j's Federal Security Service says Mr. Bliss carried out topographical surveys with illegally imported \Jsatellite\j receivers and gained secret information about restricted buildings. The US Embassy, however, maintains that Mr. Bliss is not a spy, and the State Department is warning that the decision to prosecute him could have negative consequences for outside investment in \JRussia\j's struggling economy. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
New York federal prosecutors issue arrest warrants for an author, his wife, and two TWA airline employees who allegedly stole evidence, in the form of seat fabric, from the wreckage of the TWA Boeing 747 which exploded off Long Island in July 1996, killing all on board. Author James Sanders, who wrote a book on the crash, was allegedly looking for evidence to prove the now discredited missile theory. \I(USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, announces that 57 arrests have been made as part of "Operation Meta", a crackdown on a nationwide crime ring responsible for making and distributing the drug methamphetamine, an illegal stimulant also known as "speed". \I(USA)\i
In compliance with a congressional \Jsubpoena\j, four major United States \Jtobacco\j companies surrender 864 potentially damaging internal documents for review by a House committee considering legislation to settle litigation against them. The four companies, who had ignored a deadline to surrender the documents voluntarily, are Philip Morris, Brown and Williamson, RJR Nabisco, and Lorillard. \I(USA)\i
The 12-foot by 10-foot plywood cabin of Unabomber suspect, Theodore Kaczynski, arrives in Sacramento after being hauled from the Montana wilderness. The cabin will be a major exhibit during Kaczynski's trial, when the prosecution will argue that the former \Jmathematics\j professor used the cabin to manufacture bombs and plot his bloody anti-technology campaign, and the defense will argue that the cabin is evidence of a man mentally deranged, who was unaware of the consequences of his actions. Kaczynski lived in the cabin without electricity or running \Jwater\j, and with only a small wood-burning stove. \I(USA)\i
The United States Labor Department announces that the country's unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 per cent last month, its lowest level since 1973. The decline is attributed to the creation of 404,000 jobs outside the farm sector, which topped the previous month's gain of 287,000 newly created jobs. \I(USA)\i
More than 3,500 people pack the Greater Grace Temple in \JDetroit\j to bid farewell to Coleman Young, the city's former black mayor who died last Saturday aged 79. The four-hour televised service features eulogies by 21 religious, political, and community leaders, as well as performances by gospel choruses and soul singer, Aretha Franklin. \I(USA)\i
As the result of a chance draw, teams from long-time foes, the United States and \JIran\j, are to face each other on the field in the World Cup \Jsoccer\j finals in \JFrance\j next June. State Department spokesman, James Foley, comments that the match could have a positive effect on unofficial relations if the teams can deal with each other in a civilized way. The United States and \JIran\j have no diplomatic relations. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At the international climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, a bitter standoff between the European Union and non-European states, including the United States, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j, threatens to derail attempts to reach agreement on cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The issue of contention is the EU proposal for a flat 15 per cent global reduction on 1990 levels by 2010, which critics regard as unfair, given that its inherent "bubble" plan, which classifies the European bloc as a single entity, enjoys the flexibility of dividing the burden of reduction between its 15 member states, allowing some states, such as \JPortugal\j and \JSpain\j, to escape binding obligations and raise emissions by up to 40 per cent. \I(\JJapan\j, Europe, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, meets in the \JWhite House\j Oval Office with European Commission President, Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, and European Union Trade Commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan. All parties later confirm that no major breakthroughs are achieved in the talks, which covered a broad range of issues, including the split between the US and Europe over emission targets to control global warming. \I(USA, Luxembourg, Europe)\i
The United States accuses the Iraqi Government of exploiting its peoples' pain and suffering to win support abroad. \JBaghdad\j has rejected an extension of the United Nations oil-for-food program, and is refusing to \Jpump\j oil until a new plan for food distribution is agreed upon. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
After a meeting in Paris with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calls on Israel to come up with a speedier and more credible West Bank withdrawal plan by mid-December. Mr. Netanyahu has proposed a testing period of up to five months for tougher Palestinian anti-terrorist measures. \I(USA, Israel)\i
Six Palestinians are shot and wounded when Israeli soldiers try to disperse demonstrators at a contested site near Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Officials at two Gaza hospitals later say three of the Palestinians were shot with live ammunition and three with \Jrubber\j-coated metal bullets, but the Israeli army vehemently denies the use of live ammunition. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A series of explosions just north of the Israeli-occupied zone in south \JLebanon\j kills three Lebanese civilians and seriously wounds another, bringing to 46 the number of civilians killed, and to 122 the number wounded in the area this year. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
The Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, 77, leader of Zimbabwe's only parliamentary opposition party, is convicted of plotting to kill President Mugabe and helping to organize a guerrilla force to overthrow the government. The former Congregational minister, who is credited with starting the war that ended the country's white minority rule, hears the verdict from the same dock where he sat 29 years ago when sentenced to six years jail for conspiring to kill Ian Smith, the former prime minister of what was then Rhodesia. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
For the second time since he came to power, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, makes a unannounced visit to the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j, where he successfully pressures the reluctant deputies to pass the first reading of next year's budget plan, regarded by the reformist government as vital to the country's economic recovery. \I(Russia)\i
Israel's Histadrut Labor Federation announces the suspension of a crippling nationwide strike by some 700,000 workers after the labor court issues back-to-work orders. However, a federation spokesman says the workers are planning to resume a full strike on Sunday morning in their ongoing dispute over pensions and privatization. \I(Israel)\i
Washington strongly protests \JRussia\j's decision to press charges of espionage against American telecommunications engineer, 29-year-old Richard Bliss. \JRussia\j's Federal Security Service says Mr. Bliss carried out topographical surveys with illegally imported \Jsatellite\j receivers and gained secret information about restricted buildings. The US Embassy, however, maintains that Mr. Bliss is not a spy, and the State Department is warning that the decision to prosecute him could have negative consequences for outside investment in \JRussia\j's struggling economy. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
As the result of a chance draw, teams from long-time foes, the United States and \JIran\j, are to face each other on the field in the World Cup \Jsoccer\j finals in \JFrance\j next June. State Department spokesman, James Foley, comments that the match could have a positive effect on unofficial relations if the teams can deal with each other in a civilized way. The United States and \JIran\j have no diplomatic relations. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
#
"December 6, 1997",703,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Delegates to a climate change conference in \JJapan\j float new ideas for breaking the impasse on a global agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Under consideration are plans which would allow countries to adopt different targets and timetables, as well as special exceptions for smaller countries whose circumstances would disallow adherence to set reductions. Poor countries, such as China and India, are becoming increasingly resentful about being asked to take part in efforts to stem global warming, complaining that the United States and some wealthy European countries are not doing enough. \I(\JJapan\j, China, India, USA, Europe)\i
Ahead of next week's historic four-party talks to forge a more durable peace on the divided Korean peninsula, the United States says it is not expecting quick results, but discounts South Korea's current economic and political uncertainties as being major stumbling blocks, adding that it will probably take many meetings over quite some period of time before there is a significant breakthrough. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
At least 10 people are killed and another 72 are injured in three separate passenger train bombings in India. Two of the blasts occur almost simultaneously in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu, with the third blast occurring in the southeastern state of \JKerala\j. Officials are now questioning several people, and say certain clues indicate that the same agency is responsible for all three attacks. \I(India)\i
Thirty poor and elderly Taiwanese women, forced to serve as prostitutes for the Japanese army during World War II, each receive compensation payments of $US15,600 from the Taiwanese Government, which promises to continue seeking \Jrestitution\j and an apology from Japan. An estimated 200,000 women, mostly from Korea and other Asian countries, were forcibly transported to front-line Japanese brothels during the war years. \I(Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds "useful and constructive" talks in Geneva with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, then prepares to depart for Paris for a second, and previously unscheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Ms. Albright says she has arranged another round of meetings with the two leaders after her trip to Africa next week, and predicts that both parties should be able to come to closure soon on the outstanding issues from past agreements. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Delegates to a climate change conference in \JJapan\j float new ideas for breaking the impasse on a global agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Under consideration are plans which would allow countries to adopt different targets and timetables, as well as special exceptions for smaller countries whose circumstances would disallow adherence to set reductions. Poor countries, such as China and India, are becoming increasingly resentful about being asked to take part in efforts to stem global warming, complaining that the United States and some wealthy European countries are not doing enough. \I(\JJapan\j, China, India, USA, Europe)\i
Ahead of next week's historic four-party talks to forge a more durable peace on the divided Korean peninsula, the United States says it is not expecting quick results, but discounts South Korea's current economic and political uncertainties as being major stumbling blocks, adding that it will probably take many meetings over quite some period of time before there is a significant breakthrough. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
American telecommunications technician, Richard Bliss, is released from detention one \Jday\j after being charged with spying by Russian authorities, who say he will still be prosecuted for surveying sensitive sites and that he is not to leave the country. Mr. Bliss has admitted surveying sites, but maintains he is innocent of espionage. \I(USA, Russia)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, attends a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the \JEverglades\j National Park in \JFlorida\j, which was dedicated on December 6, 1947 by President Harry Truman. At a series of events over the weekend, environmentalists, developers, and area residents will debate the future of the 1.5 million-acre watery world. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A huge Russian AN-124 military cargo jet crashes just minutes after takeoff in the Siberian town of \JIrkutsk\j, slamming into a four-story apartment building, and sending flaming wreckage into at least five other buildings. All 23 people aboard the \Jaircraft\j are killed, and as many as 100 people on the ground are feared to have perished beneath the wreckage as rescue teams battle sub-zero temperatures in the search for victims and survivors. Meanwhile, military prosecutors say they are launching a criminal investigation to determine whether rules on flying and flight preparation were violated. \I(Russia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds "useful and constructive" talks in Geneva with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, then prepares to depart for Paris for a second, and previously unscheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Ms. Albright says she has arranged another round of meetings with the two leaders after her trip to Africa next week, and predicts that both parties should be able to come to closure soon on the outstanding issues from past agreements. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Delegates to a climate change conference in \JJapan\j float new ideas for breaking the impasse on a global agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Under consideration are plans which would allow countries to adopt different targets and timetables, as well as special exceptions for smaller countries whose circumstances would disallow adherence to set reductions. Poor countries, such as China and India, are becoming increasingly resentful about being asked to take part in efforts to stem global warming, complaining that the United States and some wealthy European countries are not doing enough. \I(\JJapan\j, China, India, USA, Europe)\i
American telecommunications technician, Richard Bliss, is released one \Jday\j after being charged with spying by Russian authorities, who say he will still be prosecuted for surveying sensitive sites and that he is not to leave the country. Mr. Bliss has admitted surveying sites, but maintains he is innocent of espionage. \I(USA, Russia)\i
A \Jvolcano\j in \JRussia\j's sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula erupts in a five-mile-high blast of ash, forcing airliners to alter their flight paths. It is the second time the 9,412-foot-high Bezymyany \Jvolcano\j has erupted this year. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"December 7, 1997",704,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's leading dissident, Sam Rainsy, recently returned from six months of self-exile, leads more than 4,000 demonstrators in a nine-kilometer march, the country's first opposition-sponsored rally for eight months. The main thrust of the demonstration is an appeal for an end to months of fighting between resistance troops of former co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and those of the Hun Sen Government. \I(Cambodia)\i
The Islamic Defense Force claims responsibility for three train bombings in southern India yesterday, which left 11 people dead and another 54 people injured. The Muslim extremists claim to have carried out the attacks in reprisal for the destruction of an ancient mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya five years ago to the day. \I(India)\i
A seven-party alliance led by the main opposition \JBangladesh\j Nationalist Party calls a nationwide strike to protest against the government's agreement to end a 22-year insurgency in the \JChittagong\j hill districts. The opposition alliance is rejecting the peace deal as a "black treaty" and unconstitutional. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
A human rights group reports that more than 70 people have been arrested in China's Sichuan province after riot police broke up crowds of demonstrating drivers protesting new rules banning three-wheeled passenger vehicles from central Zigong. Chinese officials are denying that the demonstration took place or that anyone has been arrested. \I(China)\i
Three experienced skydivers plunge to their deaths at the South Pole when their parachutes fail to open. The victims, two Americans and an Austrian, were among six divers on a tour organized by a Canadian company, Adventure Network International. \I(Antarctic, USA, Austria, Canada)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United States National Security Council official reveals a new directive, issued by President Clinton, which changes nuclear guidelines for the first time since Ronald Reagan's presidency in 1981. Under the revised guidelines, the \JCold War\j dictum of waging and winning a prolonged nuclear war has been eliminated, with nuclear weapons now to be used primarily to deter the use of nuclear arms against United States forces or allies. \I(USA)\i
On the eve of a week-long public hearing on the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, the United States National Transportation Safety Board releases reports and studies, some of which indicate that wiring problems could have sparked the explosion that downed the Paris-bound Boeing 747 only minutes after takeoff from New York, killing all 230 aboard. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Three experienced skydivers plunge to their deaths at the South Pole when their parachutes fail to open. The victims, two Americans and an Austrian, were among six divers on a tour organized by a Canadian company, Adventure Network International. \I(Antarctic, USA, Austria, Canada)\i
After several trade-mark tirades, American tennis player John McEnroe wins his way to the final and defeats \JFrance\j's Henri Leconte in three sets to take out the ATP Senior Tour of Champions title in London. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Some 700 rescue workers toil in freezing temperatures in a desperate effort to locate survivors of yesterday's crash of a military cargo jet in the Siberian town of \JIrkutsk\j. Emergency officials say 42 bodies have been found so far, as well as the \Jaircraft\j's data-recording equipment, which has been sent to Moscow for analysis. The giant fuel-laden Antonov-124, one of the world's largest planes, was carrying two Sukhoi-27 fighter jets when it crashed only minutes after takeoff, plowing into an apartment block and turning a normally quiet residential area into an inferno. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The African National Congress (ANC) Women's League decides to withdraw its support for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's nomination for the position of ANC deputy president. The decision comes in the wake of an eight-\Jday\j public hearing during which the former wife of President Nelson Mandela was accused of complicity in at least six murders in the late 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
For the third time in as many months, Serbs go to the polls to elect a president to replace Slobodan Milosevic, who now occupies the office of Yugoslav President. The previous Serbian presidential elections have been ruled invalid because less than the required 50 per cent of eligible voters lodged ballots. \I(Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Speaking to his opposition Labor Party, former Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, calls for Israel to accept a Palestinian state, saying the nation cannot be expected to bear the economic and social responsibility of three million \JArabs\j. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly declared his opposition to the formation of a Palestinian state, but his own party remains divided on the issue. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A former Israeli Mossad agent, Yehuda Gil, 63, is charged with damaging state security by passing on fabricated intelligence reports about \JSyria\j's political and military intentions. It is alleged that some of the bogus information supplied by Mr. Gil provoked responses last summer that could have led Israel into a war. \I(Israel, \JSyria\j)\i
Israel's Histadrut Labor Federation reaches an agreement with the Finance Ministry, averting the resumption of a 700,000-strong nationwide strike which last week closed the country's airports, seaports, banks, and the stock exchange. \I(Israel)\i
Three experienced skydivers plunge to their deaths at the South Pole when their parachutes fail to open. The victims, two Americans and an Austrian, were among six divers on a tour organized by a Canadian company, Adventure Network International. \I(Antarctic, USA, Austria, Canada)\i
On the eve of a week-long public hearing on the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, the United States National Transportation Safety Board releases reports and studies, some of which indicate that wiring problems could have sparked the explosion that downed the Paris-bound Boeing 747 only minutes after takeoff from New York, killing all 230 aboard. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Anke Huber of \JGermany\j survives a match point to beat top seed, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, in the final of the Masters of Champions tennis tournament held in Frankfurt. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
After several trade-mark tirades, American tennis player John McEnroe wins his way to the final and defeats \JFrance\j's Henri Leconte in three sets to take out the ATP Senior Tour of Champions title in London. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
#
"December 8, 1997",705,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Vice President, Al Gore, arrives at the climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, where a deadlock in negotiations is hindering efforts to forge a legally binding treaty to reduce the world's greenhouse gas emissions. For the past week, delegates have been unable to reach agreement on key issues such as targets, timetables, whether to include all six gases responsible for global warming, whether planting forests and putting a stop to land clearing should count as "sinks" for carbon dioxide, and what commitments should be expected from developing nations. Mr. Gore repeats that the United States will not ratify an agreement that does not include the participation of key developing nations, and despite hints of flexibility and US concessions, his failure to pledge significant US cuts in greenhouse gases draws renewed criticism from the European Union, which is seeking a global 15 per cent cut from 1990 levels by 2010. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Europe)\i
On the eve of the first formal peace negotiations since the end of the Korean War, the United States and North Korea agree to hold five separate joint search operations next year in an attempt to recover the remains of US military personnel unaccounted for in the three-year conflict. Over the past two years, a series of four joint searches has uncovered the skeletal remains of only seven of more than 8,100 US soldiers missing since 1950. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
The leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the \JMiddle East\j begin arriving in Tehran ahead of the eighth Organization of the Islamic Conference, which will be the biggest international gathering ever held in \JIran\j. \JIraq\j is represented by Deputy President Taha Yassin Ramadan, the most senior Iraqi to visit \JIran\j since the 1980-88 war between the two countries, and strong Arab representation, including the first visit in 15 years by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, suggests that United States efforts to isolate \JIran\j have not succeeded. \I(\JIran\j, \JIraq\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
A fire in the new office tower of \JIndonesia\j's Central Bank kills at least 15 people and injures five others. The \Jsymbolism\j of the bank blaze sends the rupiah, already sliding amid concerns over President Soeharto's health, to its lowest level in more than 25 years. Over the weekend, it was announced that exhaustion had forced the President to cancel his attendance at this week's three-\Jday\j Islamic summit in \JIran\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JIran\j)\i
In defiance of \JBeijing\j's objections, United States President, Bill Clinton, meets privately at the \JWhite House\j with recently released Chinese pro-democracy activist, Wei Jingsheng. At a news conference after the meeting, Mr. Wei says he has warned Mr. Clinton not to be deceived by the Communist authorities in \JBeijing\j. Mr. Wei was released on medical parole in November after spending most of the last 18 years as a political prisoner. \I(China, USA)\i
The Thai Government announces the closure of 56 of 58 suspended finance companies, a condition of receiving further funds from the International Monetary fund under the terms of a $US17.2 billion rescue package agreed upon in August. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Jenny Shipley is sworn in as \JNew Zealand\j's first woman Prime Minister, promising to make social policy her priority in the next two years, and voicing her commitment to reducing the cost of Parliament, an initiative that could include cuts to the number of members. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, announces that he will back his political lieutenant, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., in next May's presidential election. Mr. Ramos is barred by the Constitution from seeking a second term in office, and the announcement ends months of speculation about his intentions. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The Australian Government launches a $AUD1.3 billion "Investing for Growth" business package aimed at boosting exports, foreign investment, research, and development. In launching the package, Prime Minister, John Howard, says his government is adopting a growth target for the next decade of more than 4 per cent, an economic blueprint he intends to take to the next federal election and beyond. \I(Australia)\i
Swiss Bank Corp and Union Bank of \JSwitzerland\j announce their intention to merge, a move that will create the new United Bank of \JSwitzerland\j, the world's second largest bank, with assets totaling around $US592 billion. The world's largest bank is currently Bank of \JTokyo\j-Mitsubishi, which has assets estimated at $US696 billion. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Vice President, Al Gore, arrives at the climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, where a deadlock in negotiations is hindering efforts to forge a legally binding treaty to reduce the world's greenhouse gas emissions. For the past week, delegates have been unable to reach agreement on key issues such as targets, timetables, whether to include all six gases responsible for global warming, whether planting forests and putting a stop to land clearing should count as "sinks" for carbon dioxide, and what commitments should be expected from developing nations. Mr. Gore repeats that the United States will not ratify an agreement that does not include the participation of key developing nations, and despite hints of flexibility and US concessions, his failure to pledge significant US cuts in greenhouse gases draws renewed criticism from the European Union, which is seeking a global 15 per cent cut from 1990 levels by 2010. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Europe)\i
On the eve of the first formal peace negotiations since the end of the Korean War, the United States and North Korea agree to hold five separate joint search operations next year in an attempt to recover the remains of US military personnel unaccounted for in the three-year conflict. Over the past two years, a series of four joint searches has uncovered the skeletal remains of only seven of more than 8,100 US soldiers missing since 1950. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
In defiance of \JBeijing\j's objections, United States President, Bill Clinton, meets privately at the \JWhite House\j with recently released Chinese pro-democracy activist, Wei Jingsheng. At a news conference after the meeting, Mr. Wei says he has warned Mr. Clinton not to be deceived by the Communist authorities in \JBeijing\j. Mr. Wei was released on medical parole in November after spending most of the last 18 years as a political prisoner. \I(China, USA)\i
The leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the \JMiddle East\j begin arriving in Tehran ahead of the eighth Organization of the Islamic Conference, which will be the biggest international gathering ever held in \JIran\j. \JIraq\j is represented by Deputy President Taha Yassin Ramadan, the most senior Iraqi to visit \JIran\j since the 1980-88 war between the two countries, and strong Arab representation, including the first visit in 15 years by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, suggests that United States efforts to isolate \JIran\j have not succeeded. \I(\JIran\j, \JIraq\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
The United States Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation sign an agreement to pay more than $US500 million towards the cost of a European-based particle smasher. The Large Hadron Collider will be based at the European Particle Physics Laboratory on the French-Swiss border, and scientists are hoping that it will reveal some of the most basic secrets of the cosmos. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Ahead of a House Government Reform and Oversight Committee hearing, United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, refuses to comply with a congressional \Jsubpoena\j for a memo from \JFBI\j Director, Louis Freeh, recommending that she name an independent counsel to investigate allegations of \JWhite House\j campaign fundraising illegalities. According to the Justice Department, Mr. Freeh agrees with Ms. Reno's stance. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States Vice President, Al Gore, arrives at the climate change conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, where a deadlock in negotiations is hindering efforts to forge a legally binding treaty to reduce the world's greenhouse gas emissions. For the past week, delegates have been unable to reach agreement on key issues such as targets, timetables, whether to include all six gases responsible for global warming, whether planting forests and putting a stop to land clearing should count as "sinks" for carbon dioxide, and what commitments should be expected from developing nations. Mr. Gore repeats that the United States will not ratify an agreement that does not include the participation of key developing nations, and despite hints of flexibility and US concessions, his failure to pledge significant US cuts in greenhouse gases draws renewed criticism from the European Union, which is seeking a global 15 per cent cut from 1990 levels by 2010. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Europe)\i
The leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the \JMiddle East\j begin arriving in Tehran ahead of the eighth Organization of the Islamic Conference, which will be the biggest international gathering ever held in \JIran\j. \JIraq\j is represented by Deputy President Taha Yassin Ramadan, the most senior Iraqi to visit \JIran\j since the 1980-88 war between the two countries, and strong Arab representation, including the first visit in 15 years by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, suggests that United States efforts to isolate \JIran\j have not succeeded. \I(\JIran\j, \JIraq\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
A fire in the new office tower of \JIndonesia\j's Central Bank kills at least 15 people and injures five others. The \Jsymbolism\j of the bank blaze sends the rupiah, already sliding amid concerns over President Soeharto's health, to its lowest level in more than 25 years. Over the weekend, it was announced that exhaustion had forced the President to cancel his attendance at this week's three-\Jday\j Islamic summit in \JIran\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JIran\j)\i
One of five former South African security policemen seeking amnesty for the 1977 death-in-custody of Black Consciousness leader, Steve Biko, tells the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he disapproved of the methods used by his fellow white interrogators. Rubin Marx, 75, tells the hearing that 31-year-old Biko was prevented from sitting down, pushed around, shackled crucifixion-style to a metal grid, and later denied medical treatment despite obvious signs that he was near death from his injuries. Medical reports presented at the hearing show Biko was brain damaged, and Marx's colleagues have admitted covering up the facts of the interrogation to protect the \Japartheid\j government from international censure. \I(South Africa)\i
A United Nations team assigned to investigate alleged massacres of Rwandan Hutu refugees finally leaves \JKinshasa\j on its first field trip to the interior of the former Zaire. The team arrived in \JKinshasa\j in late August, but its work has been stalled by months of haggling with the government over the terms and scope of the investigation. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
Siberian rescue workers use sniffer dogs in their continued search for victims of Saturday's military cargo \Jaircraft\j crash in \JIrkutsk\j. Officials say 45 bodies and 16 body fragments have now been found in the frozen rubble of a block of apartments destroyed in the crash and the fire that followed, and hopes of finding any survivors have been lost. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Germany's opposition Social Democrats call for the sacking of Defense Minister, Volker Ruehe, after it was revealed that the elite \JHamburg\j Army Leadership Academy invited convicted neo-Nazi, Manfred Roeder, to address its top recruits. The head of the military academy has been suspended pending a full investigation into the incident, which occurred in 1995, five years after Mr. Roeder was released from a jail term for his part in bomb attacks on immigrant hostels, which killed two people and injured several others. \I(Germany)\i
Swiss Bank Corp and Union Bank of \JSwitzerland\j announce their intention to merge, a move that will create the new United Bank of \JSwitzerland\j, the world's second largest bank, with assets totaling around $US592 billion. The world's largest bank is currently Bank of \JTokyo\j-Mitsubishi, which has assets estimated at $US696 billion. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation sign an agreement to pay more than $US500 million towards the cost of a European-based particle smasher. The Large Hadron Collider will be based at the European Particle Physics Laboratory on the French-Swiss border, and scientists are hoping that it will reveal some of the most basic secrets of the cosmos. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
British scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research say they have discovered clear evidence that lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer found in children under one year old, is triggered in the womb, and could thereby be caused by infections or chemicals to which the mother is exposed to during \Jpregnancy\j. \I(UK)\i
#
"December 9, 1997",706,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Raul Estrada, the chairman of a United Nations global warming conference in \JKyoto\j, prepares a draft treaty proposing different greenhouse gas reduction targets for the key nations at the talks. Under the draft, the United States would cut emissions by 5 per cent from 1990 levels, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 4.5 per cent, with rises in emission levels proposed only for \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, and a freeze at 1990 levels set for \JNew Zealand\j. The cuts, which even out at 5 per cent overall, would have to be achieved on average between 2006 and 2010, and involve only the three main polluting gases: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j. The draft proposals must still be debated before any final agreement is reached, but a planned rescue package for countries vulnerable to global warming, such as low-lying islands and \Jcoral\j atolls, is expected to be approved. The rescue package offers outside help with adaptation projects, which include building sea walls or moving buildings and \Jinfrastructure\j further inland. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, \JIceland\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
In Geneva, historic peace talks begin between North and South Korea, and their respective Korean War allies, China and the United States. Technically, a state of war still exists on the Korean peninsula, and the four-way talks represent the first formal peace negotiations involving the key participants since the three-year conflict ended in 1953. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Indonesian officials hasten to deny that President Soeharto is seriously ill after the country's financial markets plummet on rumors that the 76-year-old leader has been hospitalized or has passed away. President Soeharto has held power for 30 years, and having not yet named a successor, it has been generally assumed that he would seek a seventh term in office in the presidential polls next March. \I(Indonesia)\i
Beijing openly condemns yesterday's \JWhite House\j talks between President Bill Clinton and Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, saying it was "totally wrong", and expressing "strong resentment and firm opposition" to the private meeting. \I(China, USA)\i
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, begins an official visit to China to mark the 25th anniversary of established diplomatic relations. Mr. Downer's first gesture is to sign undertakings for a $UAD3 million \Jwater\j supply project in \JTibet\j, and a $AUD5.5 million training project for Chinese foreign trade and economic staff. \I(Australia, China)\i
The continuing deadlock with \JIraq\j over United Nations access to potential weapons sites prompts United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, to postpone a scheduled tour of \JEgypt\j, Jordan, and Israel. Last month, the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis forced Cohen to postpone a major 12-\Jday\j visit to China and five other Asian states. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JEgypt\j, Jordan, Israel, China, Asia)\i
The last Australian survivor of the fateful first \JAnzac\j landing at \JGallipoli\j on April 25, 1915, dies in Sydney aged 101. Ted Matthews was one of nearly 50,000 Australians and around 18,000 New Zealanders who fought against the Turks at \JGallipoli\j in World War I. \I(Australia, New Zealand, Turkey)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Raul Estrada, the chairman of a United Nations global warming conference in \JKyoto\j, prepares a draft treaty proposing different greenhouse gas reduction targets for the key nations at the talks. Under the draft, the United States would cut emissions by 5 per cent from 1990 levels, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 4.5 per cent, with rises in emission levels proposed only for \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, and a freeze at 1990 levels set for \JNew Zealand\j. The cuts, which even out at 5 per cent overall, would have to be achieved on average between 2006 and 2010, and involve only the three main polluting gases: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j. The draft proposals must still be debated before any final agreement is reached, but a planned rescue package for countries vulnerable to global warming, such as low-lying islands and \Jcoral\j atolls, is expected to be approved. The rescue package offers outside help with adaptation projects, which include building sea walls or moving buildings and \Jinfrastructure\j further inland. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, \JIceland\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
In Geneva, historic peace talks begin between North and South Korea, and their respective Korean War allies, China and the United States. Technically, a state of war still exists on the Korean peninsula, and the four-way talks represent the first formal peace negotiations involving the key participants since the three-year conflict ended in 1953. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, The Koreas, China, USA)\i
A range of differing views are presented at the opening of the eighth Islamic summit in Tehran. \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, lashes out at the "global arrogance" of Western powers, particularly targeting the United States for its military presence in the Persian Gulf and its involvement in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \JIran\j's President Mohammad Khatemi, on the other hand, calls for global tolerance and understanding, and urges his fellow Islamic leaders to learn from Western culture and civilization. United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, expresses distress over the increased violence and terror executed by extremist groups in the name of Islam, while Arab League Secretary-General, Esmat Abdel-Meguid, claims that the West is misusing the name of Islam by linking it with \Jterrorism\j. \I(\JIran\j, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The continuing deadlock with \JIraq\j over United Nations access to potential weapons sites prompts United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, to postpone a scheduled tour of \JEgypt\j, Jordan, and Israel. Last month, the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis forced Cohen to postpone a major 12-\Jday\j visit to China and five other Asian states. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JEgypt\j, Jordan, Israel, China, Asia)\i
Beijing openly condemns yesterday's \JWhite House\j talks between President Bill Clinton and Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, saying it was "totally wrong", and expressing "strong resentment and firm opposition" to the private meeting. \I(China, USA)\i
Amid Republican accusations of favoritism, President Clinton orders the exhumation of the remains of former Democratic party donor and United States Ambassador to \JSwitzerland\j, Larry Lawrence, who was buried at the hallowed Arlington National Cemetery in 1996 after a special waiver was granted by the army. Meanwhile, as questions are raised about Mr. Lawrence's military record, the chairman of the House subcommittee on veterans' affairs demands answers as to why the State Department recommended the prime Arlington burial site in the first place. In line with his widow's request, Mr. Lawrence's remains will now be returned to his hometown of \JSan Diego\j. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The American Medical Association approves a resolution recommending free discussion between doctors and patients about the potential benefits of marijuana in treating diseases such as AIDS and multiple sclerosis. The medical body also recommends studies to measure the potential befits of marijuana to patients suffering a range of other ailments, including wasting syndrome, spinal cord injury, and neuropathic pain. \I(USA)\i
Paula Jones amends her sexual harassment lawsuit against US President Bill Clinton to reduce the amount of damages sought from $US700,000 to $US525,000, and to drop \Jdefamation\j charges against an \JArkansas\j state trooper who allegedly told a magazine writer that she had offered to be Clinton's girlfriend. The moves are regarded as an attempt by Ms. Jones to place her own background off-limits in the upcoming sexual harassment trial. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Raul Estrada, the chairman of a United Nations global warming conference in \JKyoto\j, prepares a draft treaty proposing different greenhouse gas reduction targets for the key nations at the talks. Under the draft, the United States would cut emissions by 5 per cent from 1990 levels, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 4.5 per cent, with rises in emission levels proposed only for \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, and a freeze at 1990 levels set for \JNew Zealand\j. The cuts, which even out at 5 per cent overall, would have to be achieved on average between 2006 and 2010, and involve only the three main polluting gases: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and \Jmethane\j. The draft proposals must still be debated before any final agreement is reached, but a planned rescue package for countries vulnerable to global warming, such as low-lying islands and \Jcoral\j atolls, is expected to be approved. The rescue package offers outside help with adaptation projects, which include building sea walls or moving buildings and \Jinfrastructure\j further inland. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, \JIceland\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
A range of differing views are presented at the opening of the eighth Islamic summit in Tehran. \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, lashes out at the "global arrogance" of Western powers, particularly targeting the United States for its military presence in the Persian Gulf and its involvement in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \JIran\j's President Mohammad Khatemi, on the other hand, calls for global tolerance and understanding, and urges his fellow Islamic leaders to learn from Western culture and civilization. United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, expresses distress over the increase of violence and terror by extremist groups in the name of Islam, while Arab League Secretary-General, Esmat Abdel-Meguid, claims that the West is misusing the name of Islam by linking it with \Jterrorism\j. \I(\JIran\j, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The continuing deadlock with \JIraq\j over United Nations access to potential weapons sites prompts United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, to postpone a scheduled tour of \JEgypt\j, Jordan, and Israel. Last month, the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis forced Cohen to postpone a major 12-\Jday\j visit to China and five other Asian states. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JEgypt\j, Jordan, Israel, China, Asia)\i
In \JHarare\j, riot police use tear gas to break up a huge anti-government demonstration called by the Zimbabwe Council of Trade Unions to protest against planned tax increases to fund pensions for the country's 50,000 war veterans. The government of President Robert Mugabe, already under fire from white farmers over its scheme to appropriate private land and distribute it among the landless black majority, is later forced to scrap the controversial veterans' levy. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
The South African Government says it has negotiated the handover of more than 1.25 million acres of land to around 50,000 blacks in an attempt to redress the race imbalances of the country's \Japartheid\j past, when whites represented 13 per cent of the population but controlled over 70 per cent of the land. The government adds that it has also introduced legislation allowing thousands of blacks three years to claim land taken from them under \Japartheid\j. \I(South Africa)\i
In the wake of last week's conference on Nazi gold, the Vatican issues a statement denying allegations that it stored money and gold seized by Nazis from Jews and Serbs in \JCroatia\j. A spokesman says research in the Vatican \Jarchives\j reveals no evidence of any supposed transaction to that effect. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
Madrid softens its stance on \JGibraltar\j and proposes that Britain and \JSpain\j share sovereignty over the rock outpost. \JGibraltar\j was ceded to Britain in the 18th century, but for quite some time, Madrid has viewed British rule of the colony on \JSpain\j's southernmost tip as illegal. \I(\JSpain\j, UK, \JGibraltar\j)\i
Russia's taxation commission orders the seizure of two oil refineries from two \Jpetroleum\j companies that owe billions of roubles in back taxes. The move comes as the International Monetary Fund decides whether to release a $US700 million installment on a $US10 billion loan, withheld because of the country's ineffectual tax collection. \I(Russia)\i
The merger of \JSwitzerland\j's two largest banks to form the new United Bank of \JSwitzerland\j provokes threats of tough action from the country's trade unionists, who warn of a hard fight against the loss of 7,000 jobs which will result from the closure of at least a third of the combined banks' branches. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Germany's unemployment rate rises to 11.8 per cent, bringing the seasonally adjusted figure to 4.5 million people currently out of work, and edging closer to what many economists and politicians predict will be a record postwar peak of five million by the end of winter. \I(Germany)\i
Feminist groups in \JGreece\j unite in opposition to the Socialist Government's plan to introduce compulsory enlistment of women in local militia groups collectively known as the Universal Defense Force. Under the planned legislation, all women aged between 18 and 50 will be obliged to undergo annual arms and ammunition training unless ill, pregnant, or mothers of children under 12 years of age. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
In Geneva, historic peace talks begin between North and South Korea, and their respective Korean War allies, China and the United States. Technically, a state of war still exists on the Korean peninsula, and the four-way talks represent the first formal peace negotiations involving the key participants since the three-year conflict ended in 1953. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Amid Republican accusations of favoritism, President Clinton orders the exhumation of the remains of Larry Lawrence, a Democratic party donor and former United States Ambassador to \JSwitzerland\j who was buried at the nation's hallowed Arlington Nation Cemetery in 1996 after a special waiver was granted by the army. Meanwhile, as questions are raised about Mr. Lawrence's military record, the chairman of the House subcommittee on veterans' affairs demands answers as to why the State Department recommended the prime Arlington burial site in the first place. In line with his widow's request, Mr. Lawrence's remains will now be returned to his hometown of \JSan Diego\j. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The last Australian survivor of the fateful first \JAnzac\j landing at \JGallipoli\j on April 25, 1915, dies in Sydney aged 101. Ted Matthews was one of nearly 50,000 Australians and around 18,000 New Zealanders who fought against the Turks at \JGallipoli\j in World War I. \I(Australia, New Zealand, Turkey)\i
In Morocco, British tycoon Richard Branson's latest bid to circumnavigate the world in a hot air \Jballoon\j is foiled three hours before launch time when the \Jballoon\j breaks from its moorings and sails away without him. The 195-foot \Jballoon\j is later found 250 kilometers away in \JAlgeria\j. \I(Morocco, UK, \JAlgeria\j)\i
#
"December 10, 1997",707,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After tortuous round-the-clock negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j, the proposed global target to cut 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions rises from an average of 5 per cent by 2006-10, to an average of 6 per cent by 2008-12. The amended draft proposal also allows for joint implementation between industrialized nations, "carbon trading", whereby factories with high emissions will be able to buy credits from those with low emissions in other countries, and use "sinks" such as forests to offset emissions. However, this latest proposal does not include a key paragraph relating to voluntary participation options for developing countries, a condition previously demanded by the United States, and one that is expected to trigger a fierce fight in the US Senate, which must subsequently ratify any climate accord forged in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Four-way talks between North and South Korea, China, and the United States conclude in Geneva with a commitment for further peace talks in March, an outcome unanimously hailed as productive. According to US negotiator, Stanley Roth, the talks were an initial meeting to familiarize the teams with each other and with the format of the negotiations, and were not expected to yield visible progress of specific issues. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
As South Korea's currency, the won, falls to an historic low of 1,565.90 to the US dollar, the Finance Ministry suspends the operations of five more merchant banks until January 1 in a further bid to revive the country's paralyzed financial system. Nine merchant banks were closed down last week and issued with similar deadlines. \I(South Korea)\i
Speaking to Indonesian and foreign business leaders, an executive of the World Bank warns that failure to disband monopolies linked to President Soeharto's inner circle of family and friends is sending a mixed signal about Indonesia's commitment to essential reforms, and hampering the country's economic recovery. Dennis de Tray says that while the Asian business model has always relied heavily on political and family connections, these dealings lack transparency, accountability, and competitiveness, factors which have now led to uncertainty and loss of credibility in a global economy. \I(Indonesia, Asia)\i
Ahead of India's upcoming parliamentary polls, the country's oldest political party, the Congress, formally asks Sonia Gandhi, 51, widow of slain former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, to head its election campaign. The Congress has been led by the Gandhi-Nehru family for more than four decades, and many members feel that Mrs. Gandhi's charisma will revive the party's flagging popularity and win much-needed votes. \I(India)\i
Kazakhstan officially proclaims Akmola as its new national capital. According to the government, the former capital Alma Ata is too crowded, too close to the Chinese border, and located in an active \Jearthquake\j zone. \I(Kazakhstan, China)\i
Hong Kong authorities warn children not to play with pets as concerns mount over a deadly "bird flu", not usually found in humans, but which has already killed two people and left another critically ill. Medical experts in Hong Kong and at the United States Centers for Disease Control confirm that the H5N1 virus originates in birds, but are as yet unable to say how it is transmitted to humans. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After tortuous round-the-clock negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j, the proposed global target to cut 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions rises from an average of 5 per cent by 2006-10, to an average of 6 per cent by 2008-12. The amended draft proposal also allows for joint implementation between industrialized nations, "carbon trading", whereby factories with high emissions will be able to buy credits from those with low emissions in other countries, and use "sinks" such as forests to offset emissions. However, this latest proposal does not include a key paragraph relating to voluntary participation options for developing countries, a condition previously demanded by the United States, and one that is expected to trigger a fierce fight in the US Senate, which must subsequently ratify any climate accord forged in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Four-way talks between North and South Korea, China, and the United States conclude in Geneva with a commitment for further peace talks in March, an outcome unanimously hailed as productive. According to US negotiator, Stanley Roth, the talks were an initial meeting to familiarize the teams with each other and with the format of the negotiations, and were not expected to yield visible progress of specific issues. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Muslim leaders are divided over the wording of the Tehran Declaration, drafted by host \JIran\j, and expected to be adopted at the close of the three-\Jday\j Organization of the Islamic Conference in Tehran. Debate centers on issues such as the \JMiddle East\j peace process and Persian Gulf security, with many moderate Arab states expressing dissatisfaction with the hardline anti-American message voiced by \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. \I(\JIran\j, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
After a meeting in \JKampala\j with Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, praises Mr Museveni's country as a "beacon of hope" for other African nations, saying Uganda has shown that respect for political and economic rights is a key to stability and prosperity. \I(Uganda, Africa, USA)\i
In a bid to avert a contempt of Congress citation, United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, and \JFBI\j Director, Louis Freeh, agree to discuss the handover of parts of a confidential memo on the presidential campaign fundraising investigation. Freeh supported the appointment of an individual counsel, but Reno decided against it, and despite a two-\Jday\j probe, the Republican-led House Government Reform Committee has failed to uncover deep disagreements over the handling of the investigation. \I(USA)\i
At the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, Marife Nichols, wife of defendant Terry Nichols, testifies that she demanded her husband end his close friendship with convicted bomber Timothy McVeigh two months before the bombing. Mrs. Nichols also testifies that her husband denied any involvement in the deadly attack. \I(USA)\i
Hong Kong authorities warn children not to play with pets as concerns mount over a deadly "bird flu", not usually found in humans, but which has already killed two people and left another critically ill. Medical experts in Hong Kong and at the United States Centers for Disease Control confirm that the H5N1 virus originates in birds, but are as yet unable to say how it is transmitted to humans. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After tortuous round-the-clock negotiations at the United Nations climate conference in \JKyoto\j, the proposed global target to cut 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions rises from an average of 5 per cent by 2006-10, to an average of 6 per cent by 2008-12. The amended draft proposal also allows for joint implementation between industrialized nations, "carbon trading", whereby factories with high emissions will be able to buy credits from those with low emissions in other countries, and use "sinks" such as forests to offset emissions. However, this latest proposal does not include a key paragraph relating to voluntary participation options for developing countries, a condition previously demanded by the United States, and one that is expected to trigger a fierce fight in the US Senate, which must subsequently ratify any climate accord forged in \JKyoto\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe)\i
Muslim leaders are divided over the wording of the Tehran Declaration, drafted by host \JIran\j, and expected to be adopted at the close of the three-\Jday\j Organization of the Islamic Conference in Tehran. Debate centers on issues such as the \JMiddle East\j peace process and Persian Gulf security, with many moderate Arab states expressing dissatisfaction with the hardline anti-American message voiced by \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. \I(\JIran\j, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
Israel rushes legislation through the \JKnesset\j aimed at preventing attempts by the Palestinian Authority to conduct a \Jcensus\j among the estimated 180,000 \JArabs\j in annexed east \JJerusalem\j. However, a Palestinian spokesman says \Jcensus\j staff are already collecting previously distributed questionnaires throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The \Jcensus\j is the first conducted in the territory for 30 years, and the first carried out by the Palestinians, who regard the exercise as a symbolic step towards statehood. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The \JKremlin\j announces that President Boris Yeltsin has been hospitalized with an acute respiratory viral infection resulting from a cold he caught while on a recent visit to Sweden. The 66-year-old Russian leader, who developed \Jpneumonia\j after heart surgery last year, is expected to recuperate for the next 10 to 12 days. \I(Russia)\i
In Moscow, commandos storm an Ilyushin-62 airliner and arrest a hijacker, armed with a fake bomb, who seized the plane en route from eastern \JRussia\j and demanded $US10 million and passage to \JSwitzerland\j. All 142 passengers are released unharmed and, until that time, were apparently unaware of the drama. \I(\JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
After a meeting in \JKampala\j with Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, praises Mr Museveni's country as a "beacon of hope" for other African nations, saying Uganda has shown that respect for political and economic rights is a key to stability and prosperity. \I(Uganda, Africa, USA)\i
French President Jacques Chirac voices strong criticism when \JFrance\j's Socialist-led Government adopts a bill that will reward companies with cash subsidies if they shorten working hours and recruit more staff. The bill is the first of two aimed at easing the country's 12.5 per cent unemployment by reducing the legal working week from 39 to 35 hours by the year 2000. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Four-way talks between North and South Korea, China, and the United States conclude in Geneva with a commitment for further peace talks in March, an outcome unanimously hailed as productive. According to US negotiator, Stanley Roth, the talks were an initial meeting to familiarize the teams with each other and with the format of the negotiations, and were not expected to yield visible progress of specific issues. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Rock star Elton John presents The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund with a cheque for ú20 million, the first installment of proceeds from the sale of his reworked tribute, "Candle in the Wind". Since its release in September, the song has sold a record 33 million copies worldwide. \I(UK)\i
\B11th\b
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in \JJapan\j endorse the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for \JNew Zealand\j, \JUkraine\j, and \JRussia\j are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic \JKyoto\j Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/\JMiddle East\j)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, says Washington will not be drawn further into South Korea's worsening monetary crisis, stressing that Seoul must accept and fully implement the tough reforms imposed by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $US57 billion rescue package. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-\Jday\j Islamic summit in \JIran\j with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state \Jterrorism\j", but omitting direct reference to the US-led \JMiddle East\j peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(\JIran\j, Israel, USA, \JMiddle East\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Turkey)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with \JAfghanistan\j's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and \JRussia\j. \JPakistan\j currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while \JIran\j flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, \JAfghanistan\j, \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, \JRussia\j)\i
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, survives his first parliamentary no-confidence motion. The motion, proposed by the country's largest opposition group, the New Frontier Party, charged the 22-month-old government with responsibility for Japan's ailing financial sector and current economic slump. \I(Japan)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto appears relaxed and smiling on national \Jtelevision\j, quelling speculation that he is seriously ill or dead. Despite government assurances that the 76-year-old leader has merely been ordered to rest for 10 days, widespread political uncertainty has caused the country's financial markets to suffer, with the rupiah dropping 11 per cent against the US dollar this week. \I(Indonesia)\i
In a further setback to the Sri Lankan Government's attempts to bring normalcy to the Tamil heartland in the north and east, the main opposition United National Party decides not to participate in upcoming local elections in the region, citing security problems stemming from the country's \Jcivil war\j. At stake in the elections, the area's first in 14 years, are seats on 18 town councils, with the outcome expected to indicate whether the majority of Tamils wish to join the national mainstream. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Officials report that the death toll from \Jdrought\j-related ailments in the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya has risen to 657, with some 150,000 people now threatened by severe food shortages. The \Jdrought\j has wiped out this year's local harvest of yam, on which the province is dependent, and resulting \Jmalnutrition\j has left the population extremely vulnerable to disease. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in \JJapan\j endorse the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for \JNew Zealand\j, \JUkraine\j, and \JRussia\j are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic \JKyoto\j Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/\JMiddle East\j)\i
With United States senators, environmental groups, and business leaders already criticizing the terms of the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the \JWhite House\j gears up for the task of selling the proposed climate treaty to the American people. Vice President, Al Gore, says the treaty will not be submitted to the Senate for ratification until key developing nations meet the US pre-condition and agree to join in binding limits on emissions of greenhouse gases. President Clinton, meanwhile, defends the treaty as "environmentally strong and economically sound", and warns against the skepticism of industry representatives, who are forecasting job losses and damage to the US economy. \I(USA)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-\Jday\j Islamic summit in \JIran\j with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state \Jterrorism\j", but omitting direct reference to the US-led \JMiddle East\j peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(\JIran\j, Israel, USA, \JMiddle East\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Turkey)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with \JAfghanistan\j's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and \JRussia\j. \JPakistan\j currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while \JIran\j flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, \JAfghanistan\j, \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, \JRussia\j)\i
Israel says it needs time for Cabinet discussion and cannot promise to meet the mid-December deadline for key decisions on \JMiddle East\j peace imposed by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. Ms. Albright is demanding a credible proposal for an interim troop withdrawal from the West Bank, as well as "time-out" on Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
An attack by Hutu rebels on a camp at Mudende in northwest \JRwanda\j leaves at least 271 Tutsi Congolese refugees dead and an estimated 227 wounded. The attack coincides with the visit of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who reaffirms US support for the Tutsi-controlled Rwandan Government, and says she will request US war crimes envoy, David Scheffer, to assist in investigating the massacre. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j, USA)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, says Washington will not be drawn further into South Korea's worsening monetary crisis, stressing that Seoul must accept and fully implement the tough reforms imposed by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $US57 billion rescue package. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Former United States housing secretary, Henry Cisneros, is charged with 18 counts of conspiracy, obstructing justice, and lying to the \JFBI\j about cash payments to his one-time mistress during background investigations prior to his nomination for the post. If convicted on all counts, Mr. Cisneros faces a maximum penalty of 90 years in prison. \I(USA)\i
A ruling handed down by a United States judge temporarily bars software giant, Microsoft, from requiring PC manufacturers who license its Windows 95 operating software to accept its \JInternet\j Web browser as well. The judge orders that a special judicial officer be appointed to consider issues of facts and law in the case. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves a new monoclonal antibody that works with the body's immune system to prevent rejection of organ transplants. The drug, Zenapax, will be sold by Hoffman-La Roche. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in \JJapan\j endorse the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and \JJapan\j by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are \JAustralia\j, \JNorway\j, and \JIceland\j, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for \JNew Zealand\j, \JUkraine\j, and \JRussia\j are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic \JKyoto\j Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/\JMiddle East\j)\i
Gerry Adams becomes the first Irish republican leader in 76 years to enter No. 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister's official residence. The hour-long meeting between the Sinn Fein chief and Prime Minister Tony Blair is later described by both parties as positive and constructive. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-\Jday\j Islamic summit in \JIran\j with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state \Jterrorism\j", but omitting direct reference to the US-led \JMiddle East\j peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(\JIran\j, Israel, USA, \JMiddle East\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Turkey)\i
Israel says it needs time for Cabinet discussion and cannot promise to meet the mid-December deadline for key decisions on \JMiddle East\j peace imposed by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. Ms. Albright is demanding a credible proposal for an interim troop withdrawal from the West Bank, as well as "time-out" on Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with \JAfghanistan\j's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and \JRussia\j. \JPakistan\j currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while \JIran\j flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, \JAfghanistan\j, \JIran\j, China, \JPakistan\j, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, \JRussia\j)\i
An attack by Hutu rebels on a camp at Mudende in northwest \JRwanda\j leaves at least 271 Tutsi Congolese refugees dead and an estimated 227 wounded. The attack coincides with the visit of US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who reaffirms US support for the Tutsi-controlled Rwandan Government, and says she will request US war crimes envoy, David Scheffer, to assist in investigating the massacre. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j, USA)\i
The largest known outbreak of human monkeypox is reported in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, where five of some 500 infected people have died. The disease is normally acquired from contact with animals, and resembles smallpox, causing fever, swollen \Jlymph\j nodes, respiratory illness, and pus-filled blisters on the skin. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
At a two-\Jday\j summit of European Union leaders, Turkey's bid for EU membership is strongly contested by host, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg's Prime Minister, who points to Turkey's human rights record and its dispute over Cyprus with \JGreece\j, already a member state. In terms of the bloc's eastern expansion, Mr. Juncker maintains that there is no possible comparison between Turkey and the other 11 applicant countries, where, he insists, no one is tortured. \I(Turkey, Luxembourg, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Europe)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, appears on national \Jtelevision\j one \Jday\j after being confined to the Barvikha Sanitorium outside Moscow with an acute viral infection. The official footage, released without sound, shows Mr. Yeltsin unsmiling but moving about quite freely. Earlier, Mr. Yeltsin canceled a planned radio address to the nation, but the \JKremlin\j is insisting the 66-year-old leader's illness is not serious. \I(Russia)\i
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, the once flamboyant international terrorist linked to the deaths of more than 80 people, goes on trial in Paris charged with the 1975 murders of two French \Jsecret service\j agents and a Lebanese \Jaccomplice\j-turned-informer. Sanchez, 48, was abducted from \JSudan\j by French agents in August 1994, and in this re-trial on charges that earned him a life sentence in absentia five years ago, his lawyers plan to argue that he is being held in \JFrance\j illegally. \I(\JFrance\j, \JLebanon\j, \JSudan\j)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II bids an emotional farewell to the royal yacht \IBritannia,\i her floating home for the past 44 years, but now consigned to retirement. The government says the yacht's final berth will either be Edinburgh, where it would host corporate meetings and state visits, or Manchester, where a shopping and leisure center would be built alongside. \I(UK)\i
#
"December 11, 1997",708,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in Japan endorse the Kyoto Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and Japan by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are Australia, Norway, and Iceland, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for New Zealand, Ukraine, and Russia are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic Kyoto Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/Middle East)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, says Washington will not be drawn further into South Korea's worsening monetary crisis, stressing that Seoul must accept and fully implement the tough reforms imposed by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $US57 billion rescue package. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-day Islamic summit in Iran with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state terrorism", but omitting direct reference to the US-led Middle East peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of Afghanistan's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(Iran, Israel, USA, Middle East, Afghanistan, Turkey)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with Afghanistan's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and Russia. Pakistan currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while Iran flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, Afghanistan, Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, Russia)\i
Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, survives his first parliamentary no-confidence motion. The motion, proposed by the country's largest opposition group, the New Frontier Party, charged the 22-month-old government with responsibility for Japan's ailing financial sector and current economic slump. \I(Japan)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto appears relaxed and smiling on national television, quelling speculation that he is seriously ill or dead. Despite government assurances that the 76-year-old leader has merely been ordered to rest for 10 days, widespread political uncertainty has caused the country's financial markets to suffer, with the rupiah dropping 11 per cent against the US dollar this week. \I(Indonesia)\i
In a further setback to the Sri Lankan Government's attempts to bring normalcy to the Tamil heartland in the north and east, the main opposition United National Party decides not to participate in upcoming local elections in the region, citing security problems stemming from the country's civil war. At stake in the elections, the area's first in 14 years, are seats on 18 town councils, with the outcome expected to indicate whether the majority of Tamils wish to join the national mainstream. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Officials report that the death toll from drought-related ailments in the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya has risen to 657, with some 150,000 people now threatened by severe food shortages. The drought has wiped out this year's local harvest of yam, on which the province is dependent, and resulting malnutrition has left the population extremely vulnerable to disease. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in Japan endorse the Kyoto Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and Japan by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are Australia, Norway, and Iceland, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for New Zealand, Ukraine, and Russia are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic Kyoto Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/Middle East)\i
With United States senators, environmental groups, and business leaders already criticizing the terms of the Kyoto Protocol, the White House gears up for the task of selling the proposed climate treaty to the American people. Vice President, Al Gore, says the treaty will not be submitted to the Senate for ratification until key developing nations meet the US pre-condition and agree to join in binding limits on emissions of greenhouse gases. President Clinton, meanwhile, defends the treaty as "environmentally strong and economically sound", and warns against the skepticism of industry representatives, who are forecasting job losses and damage to the US economy. \I(USA)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-day Islamic summit in Iran with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state terrorism", but omitting direct reference to the US-led Middle East peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of Afghanistan's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(Iran, Israel, USA, Middle East, Afghanistan, Turkey)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with Afghanistan's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and Russia. Pakistan currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while Iran flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, Afghanistan, Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, Russia)\i
Israel says it needs time for Cabinet discussion and cannot promise to meet the mid-December deadline for key decisions on Middle East peace imposed by US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Ms. Albright is demanding a credible proposal for an interim troop withdrawal from the West Bank, as well as "time-out" on Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
An attack by Hutu rebels on a camp at Mudende in northwest Rwanda leaves at least 271 Tutsi Congolese refugees dead and an estimated 227 wounded. The attack coincides with the visit of US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who reaffirms US support for the Tutsi-controlled Rwandan Government, and says she will request US war crimes envoy, David Scheffer, to assist in investigating the massacre. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Rwanda, USA)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, says Washington will not be drawn further into South Korea's worsening monetary crisis, stressing that Seoul must accept and fully implement the tough reforms imposed by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $US57 billion rescue package. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
Former United States housing secretary, Henry Cisneros, is charged with 18 counts of conspiracy, obstructing justice, and lying to the FBI about cash payments to his one-time mistress during background investigations prior to his nomination for the post. If convicted on all counts, Mr. Cisneros faces a maximum penalty of 90 years in prison. \I(USA)\i
A ruling handed down by a United States judge temporarily bars software giant, Microsoft, from requiring PC manufacturers who license its Windows 95 operating software to accept its Internet Web browser as well. The judge orders that a special judicial officer be appointed to consider issues of facts and law in the case. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves a new monoclonal antibody that works with the body's immune system to prevent rejection of organ transplants. The drug, Zenapax, will be sold by Hoffman-La Roche. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After 11 days of negotiations, delegates to the United Nations climate conference in Japan endorse the Kyoto Protocol, the world's first comprehensive accord to combat global warming. Under the accord, emissions of all six heat-trapping gases are to be reduced by an average 5 per cent on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, an outcome which includes the potential for gas-absorbing "sinks", and for offshore trading of excess quota between industrialized nations. The accord specifically calls for the United States to limit emissions by 7 per cent, the European Union by 8 per cent, and Japan by 6 per cent, with most other industrialized nations facing cuts ranging between 5 to 8 per cent. Exceptions are Australia, Norway, and Iceland, which will be allowed to increase emissions by 8 per cent, 1 per cent, and 10 per cent respectively, while levels for New Zealand, Ukraine, and Russia are to remain unchanged. Developing nations, including major greenhouse gas emitters such as China and India, are being asked to set voluntary targets. The historic Kyoto Protocol will become binding only after it is ratified by the governments of the individual countries, when a further meeting of the signatories will be required to decide on methods to deal with non-compliance. \I(Asia/Pacific, The Americas, Europe/Africa/Middle East)\i
Gerry Adams becomes the first Irish republican leader in 76 years to enter No. 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister's official residence. The hour-long meeting between the Sinn Fein chief and Prime Minister Tony Blair is later described by both parties as positive and constructive. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Muslim leaders from around the world wind up a three-day Islamic summit in Iran with a joint declaration denouncing Israel for its "expansionist policies" and "state terrorism", but omitting direct reference to the US-led Middle East peace process, over which many of the participants hold strongly differing views. The Tehran Declaration also includes veiled criticism of Afghanistan's Taliban militia and of Turkey's military agreements with Israel, and concludes with outright condemnation of terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam. \I(Iran, Israel, USA, Middle East, Afghanistan, Turkey)\i
Israel says it needs time for Cabinet discussion and cannot promise to meet the mid-December deadline for key decisions on Middle East peace imposed by US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Ms. Albright is demanding a credible proposal for an interim troop withdrawal from the West Bank, as well as "time-out" on Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Sources reveal that Washington has begun group negotiations with Afghanistan's neighbors to halt arms supplies to the Taliban and its opponents, part of a bid to force the warring sides to end the country's civil conflict. The multi-lateral group, known as Six plus Two, involves Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and Russia. Pakistan currently provides the Taliban militia with food and fuel, while Iran flies supplies to the northern anti-Taliban alliance led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum. \I(USA, Afghanistan, Iran, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, Russia)\i
An attack by Hutu rebels on a camp at Mudende in northwest Rwanda leaves at least 271 Tutsi Congolese refugees dead and an estimated 227 wounded. The attack coincides with the visit of US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who reaffirms US support for the Tutsi-controlled Rwandan Government, and says she will request US war crimes envoy, David Scheffer, to assist in investigating the massacre. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Rwanda, USA)\i
The largest known outbreak of human monkeypox is reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where five of some 500 infected people have died. The disease is normally acquired from contact with animals, and resembles smallpox, causing fever, swollen lymph nodes, respiratory illness, and pus-filled blisters on the skin. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire))\i
At a two-day summit of European Union leaders, Turkey's bid for EU membership is strongly contested by host, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg's Prime Minister, who points to Turkey's human rights record and its dispute over Cyprus with Greece, already a member state. In terms of the bloc's eastern expansion, Mr. Juncker maintains that there is no possible comparison between Turkey and the other 11 applicant countries, where, he insists, no one is tortured. \I(Turkey, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Greece, Europe)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, appears on national television one day after being confined to the Barvikha Sanitorium outside Moscow with an acute viral infection. The official footage, released without sound, shows Mr. Yeltsin unsmiling but moving about quite freely. Earlier, Mr. Yeltsin canceled a planned radio address to the nation, but the Kremlin is insisting the 66-year-old leader's illness is not serious. \I(Russia)\i
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, the once flamboyant international terrorist linked to the deaths of more than 80 people, goes on trial in Paris charged with the 1975 murders of two French secret service agents and a Lebanese accomplice-turned-informer. Sanchez, 48, was abducted from Sudan by French agents in August 1994, and in this re-trial on charges that earned him a life sentence in absentia five years ago, his lawyers plan to argue that he is being held in France illegally. \I(France, Lebanon, Sudan)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II bids an emotional farewell to the royal yacht \IBritannia,\i her floating home for the past 44 years, but now consigned to retirement. The government says the yacht's final berth will either be Edinburgh, where it would host corporate meetings and state visits, or Manchester, where a shopping and leisure center would be built alongside. \I(UK)\i
#
"December 12, 1997",709,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the face of a massive loss of offshore investor confidence, two candidates in South Korea's upcoming presidential elections, Kim Dae Jung and Rhee In Je, are forced to back down on pledges to re-negotiate the painful terms of the $US57 billion International Monetary Fund rescue package. Meanwhile, as the government begs for an early injection of funds to prop up its crumbling financial system, the combination of financial and political uncertainty fuels further panic on the stockmarket, which drops more than 6 per cent in the first ten minutes of trading. \I(South Korea)\i
On the advice of his doctors, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto cancels a trip to \JMalaysia\j next week for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. It will be the first time that Mr. Soeharto has not participated in a leaders' meeting of the regional group, and the news exacerbates existing fears of social and political instability should the 76-year-old president be seriously ill, sending Jakarta's stock market plummeting 9 per cent, and the rupiah to a record low of 5,075 to the US dollar. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JMalaysia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Delegates to the World Trade Organization in Geneva seal a long-awaited global accord opening up banking and insurance markets to foreign competition. United States and European banks are now seeking to gain a larger share of the banking business in South Korea and \JThailand\j, while insurance companies are looking for better access to Japanese and Malaysian markets. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Europe, South Korea, \JThailand\j, Japan, Malaysia)\i
China and the United States conclude first-ever formal defense talks with a new agreement aimed at preventing naval clashes and accidents at sea. The two-\Jday\j talks, held between China's Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army and the US Under-Secretary of Defense, reportedly covered a wide range of global and Asia-Pacific issues. \I(China, USA)\i
South Africa announces that it will officially switch diplomatic recognition from \JTaiwan\j to China as of January 1, a move that will reduce to 29 the number of countries which recognize Taipei rather than \JBeijing\j. Meanwhile, South Africa and \JTaiwan\j are discussing their future relations, which \JPretoria\j says it would like to keep on the highest possible level short of official diplomatic ties. \I(South Africa, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
India's oldest political party, the Congress, which last month toppled the country's minority coalition government, suffers a series of setbacks ahead of next year's elections. Over the past week, three prominent leaders have quit the party, and another party veteran, Mamata Banerjee, is defiantly preparing to form an alliance in her home province with Congress' traditional enemy, the Hindu nationalists. \I(India)\i
Laloo Prasad Yadav, the former chief minister of India's eastern state of Bihar, is released from prison after being granted bail. Mr. Yadav, who named his wife as his political successor when forced to resign, was detained on July 30 over an alleged scam involving $US280 million in state farm funds. \I(India)\i
In a landmark ruling, \JSwitzerland\j's Supreme Court ends an 11-year legal battle by ordering Swiss banks to return assets of the late \JPhilippines\j President, Ferdinand Marcos, to Manila, saying it is against \JSwitzerland\j's national interests to become a haven for funds of criminal origin. The court's judgment covers Marcos assets of some $US100 million. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Philippine congressman, Romeo Jalosjos, receives a jail sentence of up to 173 years for raping an 11-year-old girl. The prosecution maintained that each time Mr. Jalosjos took the girl to his apartment for sex last year, he paid her 10,000 pesos and promised to make her a film star. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Chief United Nations weapons inspector, Richard Butler, makes his first visit to \JIraq\j since the crisis over American team members erupted in October. Mr. Butler's mission is to resolve the question of UN access to sensitive sites and get the inspection program back on track. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
At a meeting with Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j President Laurent Kabila, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, pledges between $US35 million and $US40 million toward rebuilding the shattered \Jinfrastructure\j in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, at the same time calling for an end to the ban on political activity in the country. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
China and the United States conclude first-ever formal defense talks with a new agreement aimed at preventing naval clashes and accidents at sea. The two-\Jday\j talks, held between China's Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army and the US Under-Secretary of Defense, reportedly covered a wide range of global and Asia-Pacific issues. \I(China, USA)\i
Delegates to the World Trade Organization in Geneva seal a long-awaited global accord opening up banking and insurance markets to foreign competition. United States and European banks are now seeking to gain a larger share of the banking business in South Korea and \JThailand\j, while insurance companies are looking for better access to Japanese and Malaysian markets. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Europe, South Korea, \JThailand\j, Japan, Malaysia)\i
A week-long public hearing into the July 1996 crash of Paris-bound TWA Flight 800 fails to conclude why the \Jaircraft\j exploded just minutes after takeoff from New York, breaking in two and killing all 230 people on board. National Transportation Safety Board officials suspect that an electrical fault ignited the fuel and air vapors in the center tank, but say the investigation is by no means finished. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
A team led by United States explorer, Johan Reinhard, and Peruvian archeologist, Jose Antonio Chavez, announces its discovery of a virtually undamaged frozen Inca mummy on Mount Ampato, an Andean peak near \JArequipa\j in southern Peru. The discovery comes almost two years after Reinhard uncovered the first so-called "ice-maiden" near another Inca sacrificial site on Ampato. \I(USA, Peru)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves a new vaccine against rotavirus, a common, sometimes fatal childhood infection causing diarrhea and vomiting. The vaccine, named RotaShield, will be given orally to infants at two, four, and six months of age, and it is hoped that it will become one of childhood's routine inoculations. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the biggest single enlargement in its 40-year history, the European Union agrees to admit six new members. Accession negotiations are expected to begin early next year with Cyprus and five former Communist states: \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, the Czech Republic, \JEstonia\j, and \JSlovenia\j. \I(Europe, Cyprus, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, \JEstonia\j, \JSlovenia\j)\i
Chief United Nations weapons inspector, Richard Butler, makes his first visit to \JIraq\j since the crisis over American team members erupted in October. Mr. Butler's mission is to resolve the question of UN access to sensitive sites and get the inspection program back on track. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
At a meeting with Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j President Laurent Kabila, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, pledges between $US35 million and $US40 million toward rebuilding the shattered \Jinfrastructure\j in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, at the same time calling for an end to the ban on political activity in the country. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
Fire sweeps through the main terminal of London's Heathrow international airport, the world's busiest, closing it for more than eight hours, and causing the cancellation or delay of hundreds of flights. No one is injured in the blaze, but the cost of rectifying the damage is expected to run into millions. \I(UK)\i
A week-long public hearing into the July 1996 crash of Paris-bound TWA Flight 800 fails to conclude why the \Jaircraft\j exploded just minutes after takeoff from New York, breaking in two and killing all 230 people on board. National Transportation Safety Board officials suspect that an electrical fault ignited the fuel and air vapors in the center tank, but say the investigation is by no means finished. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Delegates to the World Trade Organization in Geneva seal a long-awaited global accord opening up banking and insurance markets to foreign competition. United States and European banks are now seeking to gain a larger share of the banking business in South Korea and \JThailand\j, while insurance companies are looking for better access to Japanese and Malaysian markets. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Europe, South Korea, \JThailand\j, Japan, Malaysia)\i
South Africa announces that it will officially switch diplomatic recognition from \JTaiwan\j to China as of January 1, a move that will reduce to 29 the number of countries which recognize Taipei rather than \JBeijing\j. Meanwhile, South Africa and \JTaiwan\j are discussing their future relations, which \JPretoria\j says it would like to keep on the highest possible level short of official diplomatic ties. \I(South Africa, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
In a landmark ruling, \JSwitzerland\j's Supreme Court ends an 11-year legal battle by ordering Swiss banks to return assets of the late \JPhilippines\j President, Ferdinand Marcos, to Manila, saying it is against \JSwitzerland\j's national interests to become a haven for funds of criminal origin. The court's judgment covers Marcos assets of some $US100 million. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
#
"December 13, 1997",710,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As South Korea's economic troubles worsen, the United States rules out an emergency injection of funds ahead of schedule, and insists that it will not support any change to the tough terms of a $US57 billion bailout approved last week by the International Monetary Fund. South Korea's currency, the won, has fallen a further 23 per cent since the IMF rescue package was announced. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
Hong Kong authorities report that another three people have been diagnosed with the mysterious "bird flu" which has already claimed the lives of two victims. Local experts have been joined by doctors from the United States in an attempt to isolate the virus, known as H5N1, and to determine how it is transmitted from poultry to people. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
As local polling continues across \JBangladesh\j, at least seven people are killed and nearly 200 injured in election-related violence. According to police, the deaths occurred in three separate incidents. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with South African President, Nelson Mandela, attempting to downplay disagreements between the two nations over Mr. Mandela's recent visits to \JLibya\j, and his warm relations with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. \I(USA, South Africa, \JLibya\j)\i
As South Korea's economic troubles worsen, the United States rules out an emergency injection of funds ahead of schedule, and insists that it will not support any change to the tough terms of a $US57 billion bailout approved last week by the International Monetary Fund. South Korea's currency, the won, has fallen a further 23 per cent since the IMF rescue package was announced. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
Northern Mexico is hit by bitter cold and freak snowstorms which paralyze highways and ports, and leave at least 12 people dead. Snowfalls are reported in cities as far south as \JGuadalajara\j for the first time since 1881. \I(Mexico)\i
Hong Kong authorities report that another three people have been diagnosed with the mysterious "bird flu" which has already claimed the lives of two victims. Local experts have been joined by doctors from the United States in an attempt to isolate the virus, known as H5N1, and to determine how it is transmitted from poultry to people. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
At a ceremony attended by several hundred officials and celebrities, architect Richard Meier presents the $US1 billion Getty Center art museum to the City of Los Angeles. The 110-acre, six-building complex took a total of 14 years to plan, design and construct. \I(USA)\i
Speaking at a $US2,500-a-plate fundraising dinner, US President Bill Clinton says hiring lawyers to fight attacks by critics has drained the Democratic party's budget, leaving little to spend on campaigns. The fundraising event is one of dozens Mr. Clinton has attended this year to help replenish the party's coffers. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge rules that a controversial government program to reintroduce wolves to the Rocky Mountain region is illegal, then puts his ruling on hold so the transplanted animals will not have to be rounded up immediately. The case was brought by ranchers appealing the original decision to proceed with the reintroduction program at \JYellowstone\j National Park and in central \JIdaho\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In \JLondonderry\j, Northern Ireland, nationalist protesters hurl petrol bombs at police and torch hijacked vehicles in an outburst of violence provoked by a march of pro-British Protestants. It is the city's worst flare-up since Sinn Fein's military wing, the Irish Republican Army, declared a new cease-fire in July. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The \JKremlin\j says President Boris Yeltsin is recovering from his viral respiratory infection, and that doctors have described his health as satisfactory. The 66-year-old Russian leader was confined to a sanatorium on Wednesday for at least 10 days, and the \JKremlin\j has insisted that his illness is minor, and unrelated to the heart bypass operation he underwent last year. \I(Russia)\i
Jordan's King Hussein lashes out at \JBaghdad\j for the execution last week of four Jordanians convicted of smuggling car parts worth $US850. King Hussein deplores the suffering of the Iraqi people after seven years of economic sanctions, pointing to the futility Iraq's war with \JIran\j and the subsequent invasion of \JKuwait\j, which he claims, resulted in "pyramids of skulls". \I(Jordan, Iraq, \JIran\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with South African President, Nelson Mandela, attempting to downplay disagreements between the two nations over Mr. Mandela's recent visits to \JLibya\j, and his warm relations with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. \I(USA, South Africa, \JLibya\j)\i
Giovanni Alberto Agnelli, chairman of the Piaggio motor scooter company and heir-apparent to the Fiat empire, dies of a rare form of intestinal cancer aged 33. The untimely death of the young industrialist triggers an outpouring of national grief across \JItaly\j. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"December 14, 1997",711,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Southeast Asian leaders gather in Kuala Lumpur for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is expected to be dominated by the region's financial crisis. Leaders from China, \JJapan\j, and South Korea are also attending the talks. \I(Southeast Asia, China, \JJapan\j, South Korea)\i
In a nationwide \Jtelevision\j address, President Soeharto assures the Indonesian people that he has regained his health since his doctors ordered him to rest. Mr. Soeharto has not named a successor to assume leadership should he become seriously ill, and concerns about his health have had an extremely adverse effect on the country's financial markets over the past week. \I(Indonesia)\i
United Nations human rights investigators report the discovery of thousands of bodies dumped in wells and in shallow graves in northern \JAfghanistan\j. The investigators say there is evidence that the rampant slaughter was committed by both the Taliban militia and troops of the opposition alliance, and that some of the mass killings appear to be ethnically motivated. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The One Nation Party of maverick Australian MP, Pauline Hanson, is plunged into turmoil after rebel members, complaining of right-wing extremism and ruthless suppression of dissent, defect to form the rival Australian One Nation Party. The new party claims to have the support of the leadership of 67 of Ms. Hanson's 220 branches across the country. \I(Australia)\i
In the wake of the videotapes scandal, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, drops the Pangu Party from his coalition government, a move which effectively removes any threat of a leadership challenge from Pangu's head and former deputy prime minister, Chris Haiveta. Two weeks ago, Mr. Skate sacked Mr. Haiveta from office, accusing him of \Jengineering\j the corruption allegations against him. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iran's first popularly elected President, Mohammad Khatami, expresses the desire for dialogue with the United States in the not too distant future. The expression of desire draws a reiteration of existing US policy from a \JWhite House\j spokesman, who states that Iran must first halt its development of weapons of mass destruction, its support for \Jterrorism\j, and its hindrance of the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Iran, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
United States Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, pays a surprise visit to the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and voicing hopes of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel, however, refuses to grant the black leader an official invitation unless he publicly apologizes for past declarations the Jewish state regards as anti-Semitic. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
German authorities clear 26,000 people from the area around the Rhine River town of Ludwigshafen ahead of an operation to defuse a 2.2-ton British bomb left over from World War II. The presence of the bomb was discovered through recently declassified United States reconnaissance photographs. \I(\JGermany\j, UK, USA)\i
In acknowledgment of an upcoming visit by Pope John Paul II, Cuban President Fidel Castro declares this Christmas a national holiday in officially atheist Cuba, carefully noting, however, that the holiday will be celebrated in 1997 only. The country has not observed Christmas as a national holiday since 1969, and this year's decision is warmly welcomed by the Vatican, which requested the concession on behalf of Communist Cuba's Catholics. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iran's first popularly elected President, Mohammad Khatami, expresses the desire for dialogue with the United States in the not too distant future. The expression of desire draws a reiteration of existing US policy from a \JWhite House\j spokesman, who states that Iran must first halt its development of weapons of mass destruction, its support for \Jterrorism\j, and its hindrance of the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Iran, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The chief United Nations weapons inspector, Richard Butler, holds three hours of talks with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, in the latest bid to end the dispute over access to all of the country's potential weapons sites. The United Nations is demanding complete freedom to search for weapons of mass destruction, but \JBaghdad\j is insisting that some sites are too sensitive. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
United States Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, pays a surprise visit to the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and voicing hopes of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel, however, refuses to grant the black leader an official invitation unless he publicly apologizes for past declarations the Jewish state regards as anti-Semitic. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
On the eve of the 50th conference of his ruling African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's President, Nelson Mandela, raises the prospect of a merger between the ANC and long-time political rivals in the Zulu-led Inkatha Freedom Party, saying it would be a very progressive development. Mr. Mandela, 79, will begin his descent from political power at the conference, stepping down as party president, but retaining his hold on the reins of government until the next elections in 1999. \I(South Africa)\i
Speaking from the Barvikha Sanatorium outside Moscow, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, attempts to allay the nation's fears by reassuring \Jtelevision\j viewers that he is in full command of the country despite a viral infection that has kept him confined since last week. \I(Russia)\i
The European Union is accused of discrimination by the Turkish Government after its long-standing request for membership of the bloc is rejected due to concerns over the country's human rights record and its poor relations with other member states. The Turkish Government also declares that it will have no further political dialogue with the Union. \I(Europe, Turkey)\i
German authorities clear 26,000 people from the area around the Rhine River town of Ludwigshafen ahead of an operation to defuse a 2.2-ton British bomb left over from World War II. The presence of the bomb was discovered through recently declassified United States reconnaissance photographs. \I(\JGermany\j, UK, USA)\i
In acknowledgment of an upcoming visit by Pope John Paul II, Cuban President Fidel Castro declares this Christmas a national holiday in officially atheist Cuba, carefully noting, however, that the holiday will be celebrated in 1997 only. The country has not observed Christmas as a national holiday since 1969, and this year's decision is warmly welcomed by the Vatican, which requested the concession on behalf of Communist Cuba's Catholics. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"December 15, 1997",712,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The nine leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations release a joint statement appealing for global efforts to arrest the region's currency slide and restore stability to its financial markets. The statement accepts the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but adds that IMF-led rescue packages have not ended Asia's damaging currency upheaval. \I(Southeast Asia)\i
South Korea's main opposition party accuses the North of trying to sabotage the success of its front-running candidate, Kim Dae Jung, in the upcoming presidential elections. The accusations are made after Mr. Kim receives letters of support from North Korean leaders, a move regarded as a blatant attempt to smear him as a Communist sympathizer. \I(The Koreas)\i
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Bill Skate, is embroiled in further controversy when a defense force judge suggests he could be charged with mutiny. The judge's remarks come as five men are found guilty of mutiny over the armed arrest of the country's military commander in July, an operation of which Mr. Skate allegedly had foreknowledge. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
The former defense secretary of the \JPhilippines\j, Renato de Villa, breaks ranks with President Fidel Ramos to begin his own campaign for the 1998 presidential elections. Last week, Mr. Ramos announced that he was endorsing \JHouse of Representatives\j Speaker, Jose de Venecia, as his Lakas party's presidential candidate. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
While declining to take an active role in politics, Sonia Gandhi, widow of former Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, meets with rebel \JWest Bengal\j Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, in an attempt to prevent another split in the Congress Party's leadership. Ms. Banerjee is defying the currently embattled Congress Party by attempting to form a political alliance in her home province with the rival Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which last year overtook Congress as India's largest parliamentary group. \I(India)\i
The World Health Organization discounts the need to impose travel restrictions or quarantine in Hong Kong, where a new strain of flu, previously seen only in birds and pigs, is affecting humans for the first time. The agency adds that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the flu strain H5N1, otherwise known as "bird flu". \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a 50-minute \JWhite House\j meeting with Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, during which the two leaders review the status of the multi-party Northern Ireland peace talks. Mr. Ahern says the framework for a Northern Ireland agreement could be completed by March, and that Mr. Clinton could be helpful in cementing a settlement. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Yesterday's overtures by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, are welcomed by US President Clinton, who says he would like nothing better than an honest discussion of all the relevant issues with Iran. Yesterday, Mr. Khatami voiced a desire for dialogue with the United States, and Mr. Clinton's response is regarded as a new willingness to end almost two decades of mutual animosity. \I(USA, Iran)\i
US President Clinton reveals that he is planning a two-\Jday\j Christmas visit to United States peacekeeping troops in Bosnia early next week. Mr. Clinton made a similar trip in January 1996. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Acting on the results of a three-year study, the United States military orders that its 2.4 million active and reserve troops be vaccinated against the deadly biological weapon, \Janthrax\j. The vaccine consists of six shots over 18 months followed by an annual booster, and is deemed the safest way to protect a highly mobile military against any potential threat from lethal spores. \I(USA)\i
Circumventing Republican objections, US President Clinton appoints Chinese-American Bill Lann Lee as "acting" head of the United States Justice Department's \Jcivil rights\j division. The Republicans recently rejected Mr. Lee's nomination for the post because of his support for affirmative action, but Mr. Clinton plans to re-submit the 48-year-old lawyer's name next year. \I(USA)\i
United States airlines announce that they will voluntarily introduce advance ground warning systems which provide pilots with earlier visual and aural warnings of dangerous terrain ahead. Government regulations to that effect are expected by the end of next year. \I(USA)\i
Closing arguments are presented in the \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial of Terry Nichols. The prosecution describes Nichols as consumed with anti-government hatred, and a full partner of convicted bomber, Timothy McVeigh, in the plot to blow up the Murrah federal building in April 1995. The defense says the prosecution's case is based on unreliable witnesses and shoddy evidence, and maintains that Nichols was busy building a life rather than a bomb. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A chartered Tajik Air plane carrying 86 people to the United Arab Emirates explodes in mid-air and crashes about 13 kilometers from its destination, killing all on board except one crew member, and leaving a trail of wreckage across an 800 square meter area. It is the third crash of a Tupolev \Jaircraft\j this year. \I(Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates)\i
After further lengthy talks with Iraqi officials, United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, says \JBaghdad\j remains adamant that sensitive sites, which it declines to list, will remain off-limits to weapons inspectors, despite UN demands for unfettered access. \I(Iraq)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a 50-minute \JWhite House\j meeting with Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, during which the two leaders review the status of the multi-party Northern Ireland peace talks. Mr. Ahern says the framework for a Northern Ireland agreement could be completed by March, and that Mr. Clinton could be helpful in cementing a settlement. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Yesterday's overtures by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, are welcomed by US President Clinton, who says he would like nothing better than an honest discussion of all the relevant issues with Iran. Yesterday, Mr. Khatami voiced a desire for dialogue with the United States, and Mr. Clinton's response is regarded as a new willingness to end almost two decades of mutual animosity. \I(USA, Iran)\i
US President Clinton reveals that he is planning a two-\Jday\j Christmas visit to United States peacekeeping troops in Bosnia early next week. Mr. Clinton made a similar trip in January 1996. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
France responds angrily to claims that its forces have failed to act against Bosnian war crimes suspects, describing the allegations as scandalous. The claims were made by the prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, who added that war crimes suspects feel safe in French-monitored territory. \I(France, Bosnia)\i
The British Government opens another "beef war" with the European Union by imposing a unilateral ban on all meat imports which fail to meet British safety standards. The move comes after British Agriculture Minister, Jack Cunningham, is voted down 14 to 1 in Brussels over the introduction of new measures aimed at curbing the spread of mad cow disease. \I(UK, \JBelgium\j, Europe)\i
Russia experiences record cold \Jweather\j, with temperatures outside Moscow falling to minus 32║C, the lowest for December since 1902. Primary schools are closed and at least nine people in the capital die as a result of the freezing conditions, with hospitals reporting floods of casualties, including 50 people suffering frostbite, and hundreds more with hypothermia or fractures received from falls on the icy pavements. \I(Russia)\i
The Paris murder trial of Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, degenerates into \Jfarce\j when his lawyers withdraw over the judge's refusal to reopen the investigation into the 1975 killings of two French secret agents and a Lebanese informer. Sanchez then takes over his own defense, repeatedly disrupting the proceedings with objections, accusing the court of manipulating the jury, and calling the trial "an abuse of power and a judicial scandal". \I(\JFrance\j, \JLebanon\j)\i
#
"December 16, 1997",713,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As Asia's financial crisis deepens, the International Monetary Fund says it is considering asking member states to increase their subscriptions. Members approved a 45 per cent quota increase in September, but the IMF insists that the additional $US55 billion subsequently made available is no longer enough. \I(Asia)\i
United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, discloses plans to send a special envoy to \JMyanmar\j to meet with officials of its ruling junta and opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The disclosure comes after private meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit between Mr. Annan and \JMyanmar\j's military leader, Than Shwe. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
In a surprise decision, \JPakistan\j's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, nominates a virtually unknown Upper House senator, Rafiq Tarar, as his Muslim League party's presidential candidate. The presidential elections, to be held on December 31, were called following the resignation of President Leghari on December 2, and will bring to an end a lengthy constitutional dispute which split the country's Supreme Court bench. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Taiwan's Defense Ministry insists that the army will not support the aim of independence pursued by the increasingly popular opposition Democratic Progressive Party. The ruling Kuomintang, on the other hand, favors reunification with mainland China, but only when there is democracy. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Typhoon Paka sweeps across northern \JGuam\j, with sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour and gusts of more than 280 kilometers per hour causing widespread injuries and damage, and leaving the island without electricity. \I(\JGuam\j)\i
The Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea is re-assessed as a Category 5 \Jdrought\j area, the worst assessment possible. Aid agencies say more than 300,000 highlanders are now living with only \Jfamine\j food and very little \Jwater\j. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations arms inspection chief, Richard Butler, says he sees no way out of the standoff with \JIraq\j over access to banned presidential sites, and that the UN Security Council must decide what to do next. \JBaghdad\j calls for the council to exercise restraint, but United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JIraq\j for failing to meet its obligations, and warns that measures beyond existing sanctions may be needed to open all off-limits sites to inspections. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
NATO foreign ministers reach broad consensus on keeping a reduced peacekeeping force in Bosnia after military commanders warn of a high risk of renewed war should NATO troops withdraw. However, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, insists that European members of the alliance must contribute more in key areas such as policing in order to fairly and effectively share the burden of sustaining the peace process. \I(Bosnia, USA, Europe)\i
After heated debate, the Israeli Cabinet fails to reach a decision on an interim troop pullback in the West Bank, leaving Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, without a plan to present to US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, this week. Around one-third of Mr. Netanyahu's coalition are bitterly opposed to ceding land to the Palestinians, and are threatening to bring down his government if it orders any troop withdrawals. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Partial counting in \JGuyana\j's general election indicates that American-born Janet Jagan is to become the country's next president in her own right, with her leftists People's Progressive Party ahead with 57 per cent of the vote. Ms. Jagan, 77, is the widow of ex-president, Cheddi Jagan, and became the country's interim leader after his death in March. \I(\JGuyana\j)\i
In a move designed to curb sexual harassment of women in the armed forces, a Pentagon panel recommends that young men and women recruits be housed in separate barracks in their first six to ten weeks of training. The United States military services now have 90 days to consider the recommendation. \I(USA)\i
A \JDenver\j jury begins deliberating the fate of Terry Nichols, who is accused of conspiring with convicted bomber, Timothy McVeigh, to blow up the Murrah federal building in \JOklahoma City\j in April 1995. The blast resulted in the deaths of 168 people, and if convicted, Nichols could face the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
Software company Microsoft requests a federal appeals court to allow expedited arguments and then move to a swift decision on whether to overturn a lower court order requiring the company to market a version of its Windows 95 operating system without its \JInternet\j Explorer Web browser. Microsoft is insisting that the lower court order forces it to offer a Windows 95 version that does not currently exist and will not work, and that the decision affects both Windows 95 and its successor, Windows 98. \I(USA)\i
At least 28 people have died as a result of the cold snap gripping northern and central Mexico, where snow has been falling on deserts and temperatures have dropped to record lows. Civil Defense officials report that most of the victims were poor people who either lacked heating or died from breathing fumes from charcoal fires. \I(Mexico)\i
A district court at Imola in northern \JItaly\j acquits Frank Williams and two other senior members of the Williams Formula One management on charges of \Jmanslaughter\j. The charges arose from the death of Brazilian motor-racing champion, Ayrton Senna, who was killed instantly when his car hit a concrete wall during the 1994 Imola Grand Prix. The prosecution argued that modifications to the car's steering wheel prior to the race had caused it to snap. \I(\JItaly\j, Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a ceremony at its Brussels headquarters, \JNATO\j formally signs accession documents with the Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, and \JPoland\j. The western military alliance's first expansion into the former Soviet bloc must now be ratified by the individual legislatures of both the old and new members before it can take effect. \I(\JBelgium\j, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j)\i
NATO foreign ministers reach broad consensus on keeping a reduced peacekeeping force in Bosnia after military commanders warn of a high risk of renewed war should NATO troops withdraw. However, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, insists that European members of the alliance must contribute more in key areas such as policing in order to fairly and effectively share the burden of sustaining the peace process. \I(Bosnia, USA, Europe)\i
South Africa's President, Nelson Mandela, makes his final speech as party president of the ruling African National Congress, attacking the bastions of continued white dominance, and warning that the country's transition from \Japartheid\j to equality has only just begun. After his marathon four-hour speech to the party conference, Mr. Mandela warmly embraces his former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. \I(South Africa)\i
United Nations arms inspection chief, Richard Butler, says he sees no way out of the standoff with \JIraq\j over access to banned presidential sites, and that the UN Security Council must decide what to do next. \JBaghdad\j calls for the council to exercise restraint, but United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JIraq\j for failing to meet its obligations, and warns that measures beyond existing sanctions may be needed to open all sites to inspections. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
After heated debate, the Israeli Cabinet fails to reach a decision on an interim troop pullback in the West Bank, leaving Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, without a plan to present to US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, this week. Around one-third of Mr. Netanyahu's coalition are bitterly opposed to ceding land to the Palestinians, and are threatening to bring down his government if it orders any troop withdrawals. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In London, three members of the Irish Republican Army are jailed for up to 25 years for planning a bombing campaign in the city last year. The convictions follow the largest surveillance operation ever mounted against IRA terrorists on the British mainland, involving hundreds of police and MI5 officers over a period of six weeks. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, names the governor of the Czech National Bank, Josef Tosovsky, 47, as the country's new Prime Minister. Mr. Tosovsky replaces Vaclav Klaus, who resigned from office in November over a campaign finance scandal. \I(Czech Republic)\i
A district court at Imola in northern \JItaly\j acquits Frank Williams and two other senior members of the Williams Formula One management on charges of \Jmanslaughter\j. The charges arose from the death of Brazilian motor-racing champion, Ayrton Senna, who was killed instantly when his car hit a concrete wall during the 1994 Imola Grand Prix. The prosecution argued that modifications to the car's steering wheel prior to the race had caused it to snap. \I(\JItaly\j, Brazil)\i
#
"December 17, 1997",714,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Responding to urgent calls from the United States and other foreign governments, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces a special $US15.7 billion cut in personal income taxes, an emergency measure aimed at reviving the country's stagnating economy by boosting domestic demand. The announcement immediately triggers a surge in Japan's financial markets, with the yen rising 4 per cent against the US dollar, and the Nikkei stock index gaining by 3.5 per cent. \I(Japan, USA)\i
As around 75 political refugees prepare to return to \JCambodia\j, the Hun Sen Government launches a fresh offensive against opposition forces defending the northwestern border town of O'Smach, a stronghold of supporters of ousted co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
India's beleaguered Congress Party suffers another pre-election setback when the rival Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party forms an alliance with a major Tamil party to jointly contest the 40 seats from Tamil Nadu state. The move will force the Congress to contest the seats alone, a prospect it was reluctant to face, since no single political group has a nationwide influence in India and must rely on regional partners to secure votes. \I(India)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces a $US13 million four-year joint project with China, under which Australia will lend its expertise to help China's policy makers implement reforms in the finance and public sectors. \I(Australia, China)\i
Two more suspected cases of the H5N1 virus, or "bird flu", are reported in Hong Kong, bringing to nine the number of confirmed and suspected cases. The two latest victims are cousins of a child already suffering from the virus, raising concerns that it may be spreading through human contact, rather than through contact with poultry as originally believed. \I(Hong Kong)\i
At least 618 Japanese children suffer seizures, vomiting, irritated eyes, and various other symptoms after watching a \Jtelevision\j \Jcartoon\j called \IPocket Monsters.\i Medical specialists describe the phenomenon as "\Jtelevision\j \Jepilepsy\j", and say it was triggered by a scene in which an explosion was followed by five seconds of flashing red lights from the eyes of one of the \Jcartoon\j's characters. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Responding to urgent calls from the United States and other foreign governments, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces a special $US15.7 billion cut in personal income taxes, an emergency measure aimed at reviving the country's stagnating economy by boosting domestic demand. The announcement immediately triggers a surge in Japan's financial markets, with the yen rising 4 per cent against the US dollar, and the Nikkei stock index gaining by 3.5 per cent. \I(Japan, USA)\i
A federal judge in Miami awards the families of three Cuban-American pilots more than $US187 million in damages against the Cuban Government. The Cuban Government, however, is unlikely to pay the amount, having not defended the case on the grounds that the United States court has no authority over \JHavana\j. The pilots were killed when their planes were shot down by a Cuban MiG fighter in February 1996, and at the time, \JHavana\j contested they had entered Cuban air space. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
The United States Justice Department requests that a federal appeals court hold software giant Microsoft in civil contempt for alleged violation of a lower court order barring it from linking Windows 95 to its Web browser. Microsoft is currently appealing the lower court decision, claiming it is unworkable. \I(USA)\i
US President Clinton signs the controversial No Electronic Theft Act, whereby copyright violators who do not profit from their actions can still be subject to criminal prosecution. The law has been opposed by science and academic groups, but strongly supported by software and entertainment groups, being regarded as essential to protect software, music recordings, and other creative products easily pirated over the \JInternet\j. \I(USA)\i
A \JNew Jersey\j judge grants gay and lesbian couples the same status as heterosexual couples in adopting children. Prior to the judge's ruling, gay or lesbian couples wishing to adopt children had to petition separately rather than jointly, a situation which resulted in extensive delays and high legal costs. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Delegates at the national conference of South Africa's ruling African Nation Congress (ANC) unanimously accept the nomination of Thabo Mbeki, 55, to succeed Nelson Mandela as party president. Mr. Mbeki is also widely expected to become the next South African President when Mr. Mandela steps down from the country's top office in 1999. Jacob Zuma, the party's national chairman, subsequently becomes the only candidate to contest Mr. Mbeki's vacated post of ANC deputy president when Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, facing strong opposition from the ANC establishment, declines to accept nomination. Ms. Madikizela-Mandela's bid for the post of deputy president has been significantly undermined by allegations of human rights abuses recently been brought against her. \I(South Africa)\i
A Zimbabwean high court sentences veteran opposition leader, Ndabaningi Sithole, 77, to two years imprisonment for plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe in 1995. Mr. Sithole immediately appeals the sentence, claiming that he was framed by Mr. Mugabe. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
An \JAlbanian\j court sentences ruling Socialist MP, Gafur Mazreku, to 11 years in prison for the attempted murder of opposition MP, Azem Hajdari, who was shot four times at close range inside the parliamentary building. Mr. Hajdari and his opposition Democratic Party have boycotted parliament since the September 18 shooting, accusing President Rexhep Meidani, Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, and House Speaker, Skender Gjinushi, of ordering the attack. \I(Albania)\i
A Ukrainian airliner vanishes from radar screens while descending to land at \JGreece\j's northern airport of Salonika. The Airosweet Airlines Yakovlev 42 was carrying 62 passengers and eight crew. \I(\JUkraine\j, \JGreece\j)\i
The death toll rises as a result of bitterly cold \Jweather\j currently gripping much of Europe, with three people freezing to death overnight in Moscow, and Polish officials reporting the deaths of 15 mostly homeless people. In \JRomania\j, power is cut to some 250 villages in the south and east, and rough seas, low visibility, and high winds also force the closure of \JBlack Sea\j ports. \I(\JRussia\j, \JPoland\j, \JRomania\j)\i
#
"December 18, 1997",715,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto presides over the annual military graduation ceremony in the palace grounds, his first public appearance since his doctors ordered him to cancel his engagements and rest. The country's financial markets are substantially buoyed by the sighting of the 76-year-old leader, with the rupiah surging 7.7 per cent, and the Jakarta stock market gaining 2.6 per cent. \I(Indonesia)\i
White House officials reveal that steps are under way to grant Vietnam exemption from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which restricts economic relations with Communist countries that limit emigration. The exemption is essential if Vietnam is to obtain full trading privileges in the United States, and should Congress approve the move, it will also allow US companies in Vietnam to qualify for US Government-backed financing and other incentive programs. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
South Koreans go to the polls to elect a new president to lead them out of their current economic crisis. Early counting indicates that it will be the closest election in the country's recent history, with opposition candidate, Kim Dae Jung, and governing party candidate, Lee Hoi Chang, both claiming around 38.8 per cent of the votes so far. \I(South Korea)\i
Five Papua New Guinea military officers, convicted of mutiny after holding their commander under armed house arrest, are given jail sentences ranging between five to ten years with hard labor, which the defense force judge says will serve as a deterrent to any other rebellious soldiers. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Pakistan's Election Commission rejects the nomination papers of Rafiq Tarar, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's choice for the office of president. Only six of the 29 candidates whose papers were submitted are accepted for the presidential election, which is scheduled to be held on December 31. \I(Pakistan)\i
The United States Justice Department says teams of \JFBI\j agents and prosecutors will next month begin searching \JFBI\j offices around the country for any undisclosed intelligence information relevant to the campaign fundraising investigation. The search was ordered after it was revealed that the \JFBI\j had failed to hand over intelligence information on alleged Chinese efforts to buy US political influence. \I(USA, China)\i
Sixty-five people are hospitalized after members of a pickpocket gang spray tear gas on passengers and undercover police aboard a \JTokyo\j-bound train. The incident sparks panic among the passengers, who fear a repeat of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on \JTokyo\j's subway, in which 11 people died and thousands became ill. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton announces an indefinite continuation of United States troop presence in Bosnia, an abandonment of an earlier pledge to have the troops out by June, 1998. While the announcement is expected to draw strong criticism from the US Congress, Mr. Clinton adds that there is too much "venom" between Bosnia's factions for the US not to participate in the \JNATO\j contingent which will replace the stabilization force next summer. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
After separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says complicated issues and gaps remain, and proposes that US President Clinton meet separately with the two leaders next month to try to get the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As the United Nations Security Council meets to consider what action to take over \JBaghdad\j's continued refusal to grant UN weapons inspectors access to presidential palaces and other sensitive sites, Iraqi newspapers wage a war of words against the United States, ridiculing President Bill Clinton as an "ugly adolescent" who has turned the \JWhite House\j into a nightclub, and accusing him of "pouring fuel on an already blazing fire" over his insistence that the inspectors be given unfettered access to all sites. The United States has not ruled out military action against Iraq, and Iraq, in turn, is reiterating its determination to defend itself against any US aggression. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Responding to a report by an American envoy assigned to the region, the State Department describes last week's massacre of some 300 Congolese Tutsi refugees in \JRwanda\j as a resurgence reminiscent of the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The State Department believes that the attackers were probably based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and led by former Rwandan army and Hutu militia elements. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j)\i
White House officials reveal that steps are under way to grant Vietnam exemption from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which restricts economic relations with Communist countries that limit emigration. The exemption is essential if Vietnam is to obtain full trading privileges in the United States, and should Congress approve the move, it will also allow US companies in Vietnam to qualify for US Government-backed financing and other incentive programs. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Jamaicans begin voting in parliamentary elections expected to return the People's National Party of Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, for an unprecedented third consecutive term. Although the election process is marred by delays over late arrival of ballots and confusion over electoral rolls, police report only scattered violence, unlike previous balloting on the Caribbean island. \I(Jamaica)\i
A \JTexas\j judge sets February 3, 1998 as the execution date for Karla Faye Tucker, who was convicted of bludgeoning two people to death with a pickax in 1983. The US Supreme Court has refused to consider an appeal, and unless the \JTexas\j Board of Pardons grants a reprieve, Tucker will become the first woman to be executed in \JTexas\j this century, and the second woman to be executed in the US since \Jcapital punishment\j was reinstated in 1976. At the time the crime was committed, Tucker was aged 24 and a heroin addict, but she is now a born-again Christian whose apparent rehabilitation has gained widespread community support. \I(USA)\i
The United States Justice Department says teams of \JFBI\j agents and prosecutors will next month begin searching \JFBI\j offices around the country for any undisclosed intelligence information relevant to the campaign fundraising investigation. The search was ordered after it was revealed that the \JFBI\j had failed to hand over intelligence information on alleged Chinese efforts to buy US political influence. \I(USA, China)\i
A cache of more than 800 documents obtained under \Jsubpoena\j from the American \Jtobacco\j industry is made public on the \JInternet\j. The documents outline 40 years of attempts to counter or suppress damaging health research into \Jcigarette\j smoking. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US President Bill Clinton announces an indefinite continuation of United States troop presence in Bosnia, an abandonment of an earlier pledge to have the troops out by June, 1998. While the announcement is expected to draw strong criticism from the US Congress, Mr. Clinton adds that there is too much "venom" between Bosnia's factions for the US not to participate in the \JNATO\j contingent which will replace the stabilization force next summer. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Dutch troops of the \JNATO\j-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia arrest two Bosnian Croats accused of war crimes. Vlatko Kupreskic, indicted for a 1993 massacre of 102 unarmed Muslims, suffers gunshot wounds when he opens fire to resist capture, while Anto Furundzija is detained without incident in a separate operation. \I(Bosnia)\i
As the United Nations Security Council meets to consider what action to take over \JBaghdad\j's continued refusal to grant UN weapons inspectors access to presidential palaces and other sensitive sites, Iraqi newspapers wage a war of words against the United States, ridiculing President Bill Clinton as an "ugly adolescent" who has turned the \JWhite House\j into a nightclub, and accusing him of "pouring fuel on an already blazing fire" over his insistence that the inspectors be given unfettered access to all sites. The United States has not ruled out military action against Iraq, and Iraq, in turn, is reiterating its determination to defend itself against any US aggression. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
After separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says complicated issues and gaps remain, and proposes that US President Clinton meet separately with the two leaders next month to try to get the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Responding to a report by an American envoy assigned to the region, the State Department describes last week's massacre of some 300 Congolese Tutsi refugees in \JRwanda\j as a resurgence reminiscent of the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The State Department believes that the attackers were probably based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and led by former Rwandan army and Hutu militia elements. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j)\i
The legislation required to create Scotland's first parliament for almost 300 years is published by Scottish Secretary, Donald Dewar, who hails the Scotland Bill as an historic pathway to a new constitutional framework for the United Kingdom. \I(UK)\i
Speaking outside the Barvikha Sanatorium where he has been recovering from a viral illness, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, announces that he is feeling great and will be back at work tomorrow. Mr. Yeltsin says his top priority will be to push the government's 1998 budget through the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j, where it has provoked a hostile reception. \I(Russia)\i
#
"December 19, 1997",716,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a remarkable political comeback, veteran opposition leader, Kim Dae Jung, narrowly wins his fourth bid for South Korea's presidency. Mr. Kim says restoring the country's battered economy will be his first task, and vows to abide by the stringent terms of the International Monetary Fund's massive bailout package, at the same time acknowledging that the recovery will not be easy and warning South Koreans to prepare for more hard times ahead. \I(South Korea)\i
After weeks of discussion, the Cambodian Parliament agrees to delay next year's national election by two months, setting the polling date for July 26. The much-anticipated election will be the first test of the Hun Sen Government's professed democracy since the July ousting of co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
A SilkAir Boeing 737 carrying 97 passengers and seven crew crashes in jungle near Palembang in southern \JSumatra\j while en route from Jakarta to \JSingapore\j. The accident occurs less than three months after the crash of a Garuda \JIndonesia\j Airbus near the North \JSumatra\j city of Medan claimed the lives of 234 people. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
United States Agriculture Secretary, Dan Glickman, says export credit programs will be used to maintain agricultural exports to financially troubled Asian nations, and that a special package of export credit guarantees to help South Korea purchase US farm goods will hopefully be announced in the near future. \I(USA, Asia, South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations arms inspection chief, Richard Butler, says he suspects banned weapons are being concealed in some of the so-called presidential sites \JBaghdad\j has ruled off-limits to UN arms inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. In a bid to discredit Mr. Butler's suspicions, \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, takes Western reporters and \Jtelevision\j crews on a tour of two of the presidential complexes, a move derided by the United States as "rank hypocrisy" and "pure propaganda". \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Under pressure from the United States to come up with a plan for a pullback from the West Bank, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insists that Israel's obligation to withdraw its troops is "intimately coupled" with the Palestinian Authority's obligation to take firm action against \Jterrorism\j by Islamic extremists, and that one is thereby being dependent upon the other. Mr. Netanyahu also declares that Israel will not freeze or limit the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank or \JJerusalem\j, despite US calls for "time-out". \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Following a meeting between United States President, Bill Clinton, and Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, Washington says Turkey is still eager to join the European Union and that the United States supports its future membership. Turkey has threatened to withdraw its long-standing application for membership after being excluded from the bloc's recent expansion. \I(USA, Turkey, Europe)\i
US President Clinton's decision to commit United States troops to the \JNATO\j peacekeeping force in Bosnia in the second half of next year is welcomed by \JRussia\j and Western Europe. Previously, Mr. Clinton had pledged to withdraw US troops by June, but both Britain and \JFrance\j had declared that they too would pull their troops out of Bosnia unless the presence of American forces was extended. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JRussia\j, UK, \JFrance\j, Western Europe)\i
United States Agriculture Secretary, Dan Glickman, says export credit programs will be used to maintain agricultural exports to financially troubled Asian nations, and that a special package of export credit guarantees to help South Korea purchase US farm goods will hopefully be announced in the near future. \I(USA, Asia, South Korea)\i
Janet Jagan, the 77-year-old American-born widow of the late President Cheddi Jagan, is sworn in as the first woman president of \JGuyana\j after winning the former British colony's second ever democratic election. \I(\JGuyana\j, USA, UK)\i
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's People's National Party increases its majority in the Jamaican elections, winning 48 of the parliament's 60 seats. The opposition Jamaica Labor Party takes nine seats, with the remaining three seats as yet undecided. \I(Jamaica)\i
In the continuing legal dispute over alleged anti-competitive practices, Microsoft is asked to explain its position after a federal judge says he easily disabled the company's \JInternet\j Explorer Web browser without breaking its Windows 95 software operating system. Last week, US District Judge, Thomas Penfield Jackson, ordered Microsoft to give computer makers the option of licensing Windows 95 without the browser, but the software company immediately appealed the ruling, maintaining that is was unworkable. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations arms inspection chief, Richard Butler, says he suspects banned weapons are being concealed in some of the so-called presidential sites \JBaghdad\j has ruled off-limits to UN arms inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. In a bid to discredit Mr. Butler's suspicions, \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, takes Western reporters and \Jtelevision\j crews on a tour of two of the presidential complexes, a move derided by the United States as "rank hypocrisy" and "pure propaganda". \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Under pressure from the United States to come up with a plan for a pullback from the West Bank, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, insists that Israel's obligation to withdraw its troops is "intimately coupled" with the Palestinian Authority's obligation to take firm action against \Jterrorism\j by Islamic extremists, and that one is thereby being dependent upon the other. Mr. Netanyahu also declares that Israel will not freeze or limit the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank or \JJerusalem\j, despite US calls for "time-out". \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Following a meeting between United States President, Bill Clinton, and Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, Washington says Turkey is still eager to join the European Union and that the United States supports its future membership. Turkey has threatened to withdraw its long-standing application for membership after being excluded from the bloc's recent expansion. \I(USA, Turkey, Europe)\i
US President Clinton's decision to commit United States troops to the \JNATO\j peacekeeping force in Bosnia in the second half of next year is welcomed by \JRussia\j and Western Europe. Previously, Mr. Clinton had pledged to withdraw US troops by June, but both Britain and \JFrance\j had declared that they too would pull their troops out of Bosnia unless the presence of American forces was extended. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JRussia\j, UK, \JFrance\j, Western Europe)\i
Citing insufficient evidence, prosecutors at the United Nations Bosnia war crimes tribunal recommend that indictments against three Bosnian Croats currently awaiting trial at The Hague be dropped. Marinko Katava, Pero Skopljak, and Ivan Santic were among ten suspects who voluntarily surrendered to the tribunal in October. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
Kremlin doctors announce that Russian President Boris Yeltsin has been advised to spend another five to seven days in the Barvikha Sanatorium to fully recover from a cold and viral infection. Yesterday, the Russian leader said he was feeling well and declared his intention of immediately returning to work. \I(Russia)\i
Trevor Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the Paris car crash which killed Diana, Princess of Wales, is questioned for a third time by an investigating French magistrate. However, Mr. Rees-Jones is still unable to recall events immediately preceding the fatal accident. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
Janet Jagan, the 77-year-old American-born widow of the late President Cheddi Jagan, is sworn in as the first woman president of \JGuyana\j after winning the former British colony's second ever democratic election. \I(\JGuyana\j, USA, UK)\i
#
"December 20, 1997",717,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In its updated October \IWorld Economic Outlook,\i the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reduces its combined 1998 growth forecasts for \JThailand\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JMalaysia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j by 3.7 percentage points to 1.7 per cent, assesses \JJapan\j's 1998 growth at only 1.1 per cent, and predicts that South Korea's growth will fall from 6.0 per cent to 2.5 per cent. In the United States, next year's economic growth is expected to drop from 3.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent, while the European Union's growth is expected to be no higher than 2.7 per cent. According to the IMF outlook, Asia's financial upheaval will leave no country untouched in 1998, with projected growth for the global economy estimated at 3.5 per cent, the slowest rate in five years. \I(Asia, USA, Europe)\i
Indonesian rescue teams employ a crane in their attempts to retrieve the wreckage of a SilkAir Boeing 737 that plunged into the Musi River in southern \JSumatra\j about 50 minutes after taking off from Jakarta for \JSingapore\j yesterday. No survivors have yet been found, and officials fear that all 104 passengers and crew aboard the Singaporean airliner are dead. \I(Indonesia, \JSingapore\j)\i
At the request of president-elect, Kim Dae Jung, South Korea's outgoing President Kim Young Sam agrees to pardon two corrupt former military leaders currently serving long jail terms. The early release of Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo, who governed from 1980 to 1993, breaks South Korea's cycle of political revenge, and is regarded as part of the incoming president's strategy to achieve national unity in rebuilding the country's shattered economy. \I(South Korea)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, names millionaire businessman and former finance minister, Daim Zainuddin, as executive director of the new National Economic Action Council. The task of the council will be to set policies aimed at helping the country fight its way out of the economic crisis currently gripping the region. \I(Malaysia)\i
Japan's most acclaimed modern film director, Juzo Itami, 64, dies in \Jhospital\j shortly after jumping from the roof of the eight-story \JTokyo\j building which housed his office. During his 13 years as a director, Itami, whose real name was Yoshihiro Ikeuchi, released ten films, many of which found wide favor both at home and abroad. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In its updated October \IWorld Economic Outlook,\i the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reduces its combined 1998 growth forecasts for \JThailand\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JMalaysia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j by 3.7 percentage points to 1.7 per cent, assesses \JJapan\j's 1998 growth at only 1.1 per cent, and predicts that South Korea's growth will fall from 6.0 per cent to 2.5 per cent. In the United States, next year's economic growth is expected to drop from 3.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent, while the European Union's growth is expected to be no higher than 2.7 per cent. According to the IMF outlook, Asia's financial upheaval will leave no country untouched in 1998, with projected growth for the global economy estimated at 3.5 per cent, the slowest rate in five years. \I(Asia, USA, Europe)\i
Two \JChicago\j-area banks, the South \JChicago\j Bank and Advance Bank, are indicted by federal prosecutors for stealing thousands of dollars from dormant accounts and other sources to run a slush fund for political contributions. \I(USA)\i
In officially atheist \JCuba\j, the Communist Party newspaper devotes most of its front page to a special Christmas message from Pope John Paul II to the Cuban people. The Pope's media coverage comes a month before his first scheduled visit to the island nation, in honor of which Christmas has been declared a national holiday for the first time since 1969. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Astrophysicist David Schramm, one of the world's leading authorities on the Big Bang theory of how the universe began, dies aged 52 when the twin-engine plane he is piloting crashes outside \JDenver\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In its updated October \IWorld Economic Outlook,\i the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reduces its combined 1998 growth forecasts for \JThailand\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JMalaysia\j, and the \JPhilippines\j by 3.7 percentage points to 1.7 per cent, assesses \JJapan\j's 1998 growth at only 1.1 per cent, and predicts that South Korea's growth will fall from 6.0 per cent to 2.5 per cent. In the United States, next year's economic growth is expected to drop from 3.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent, while the European Union's growth is expected to be no higher than 2.7 per cent. According to the IMF outlook, Asia's financial upheaval will leave no country untouched in 1998, with projected growth for the global economy estimated at 3.5 per cent, the slowest rate in five years. \I(Asia, USA, Europe)\i
Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, strongly criticizes Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for his stated determination to proceed with settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and \JJerusalem\j. Mr. Arafat describes Mr. Netanyahu's statement as "dangerous" and a "gross violation" of the peace process, and vows that the Palestinians will never surrender a grain of soil in Holy \JJerusalem\j. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
South African police are ordered to investigate criminal charges against former president, P.W. Botha who, for the third time, has failed to obey a \Jsubpoena\j to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer questions in connection with human rights abuses while he was head of state from 1984 to 1989. \I(South Africa)\i
All five crew members are killed when a Greek military plane crashes during the search for a Ukrainian airliner carrying 70 people, which disappeared from radar screens while preparing to land at \JGreece\j's northern airport of Salonika last Wednesday. The wreckage of the missing Airosweet Airlines Yakovlev 42 is later located on a remote slope near the Mount Olympus range. \I(\JGreece\j, \JUkraine\j)\i
In officially atheist \JCuba\j, the Communist Party newspaper devotes most of its front page to a special Christmas message from Pope John Paul II to the Cuban people. The Pope's media coverage comes a month before his first scheduled visit to the island nation, in honor of which Christmas has been declared a national holiday for the first time since 1969. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"December 21, 1997",718,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Hong Kong, the mysterious "bird flu" claims its third victim when a 13-year-old girl dies in \Jhospital\j less than a month after being admitted. Of the eight confirmed and two suspected cases of the H5N1 virus so far, three have died, one remains critical, four are in a satisfactory condition, and two have recovered. \I(Hong Kong)\i
India's once-powerful Congress Party suffers another morale-shattering split when a section of the party breaks away to form a rival faction in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where only last week a former Congress ally opted for an alliance with the Hindu nationalists. A total of six key leaders have now quit the Congress Party since it toppled India's minority coalition government last month, necessitating new elections early next year. \I(India)\i
The people of Laos turn out to vote in the country's parliamentary elections. Among the 159 candidates contesting the 99 National Assembly seats, all but four are members of the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party. \I(Laos)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, departs on a brief trip to Bosnia accompanied by his wife Hillary and his daughter Chelsea. As well as visiting US troops in the region, Mr. Clinton will meet privately with the three-man presidency that has been established to ensure the representation of the key factions. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Despite Arab opposition, Israel announces that it will hold twice-postponed joint naval exercises with the United States and Turkey on January 7. \I(Israel, USA, Turkey)\i
Military authorities in Bogota report that Marxist rebels have killed at least 29 soldiers and police in random attacks across \JColombia\j. In the worst strike, around 400 Revolutionary Armed Forces of \JColombia\j rebels stormed a remote mountain-top army base in southwest Narino province, killing at least 22 soldiers and taking another seven as prisoners. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
Twenty-three Planned Parenthood clinics across the United States begin offering a new technique that allows women to abort a fetus as early as eight to ten days after conception. The procedure takes just a few minutes and involves the use of a hand-held syringe, replacing the vacuum \Jpump\j used in abortions undertaken at a more advanced stage of \Jpregnancy\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/\JMiddle East\j/b
United States President, Bill Clinton, departs on a brief trip to Bosnia accompanied by his wife Hillary and his daughter Chelsea. As well as visiting US troops in the region, Mr. Clinton will meet privately with the three-man presidency that has been established to ensure the representation of the key factions. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Despite Arab opposition, Israel announces that it will hold twice-postponed joint naval exercises with the United States and Turkey on January 7. \I(Israel, USA, Turkey)\i
Nigeria's army reveals that is has foiled a plot to overthrow General Sani Abacha, the country's military ruler. The majority of those arrested in connection with the plot are ethnic Yorubas from southwestern Nigeria, and include General Abacha's deputy, Lieutenant-General Oladipo Diya, and two former Government ministers: Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju and Major-General Abdulkarim Adisa. \I(Nigeria)\i
Chechen fighters armed with machine guns and rocket-launchers stage a two-hour assault against a Russian tank battalion in the southern Russian republic of Dagestan, wounding two soldiers and taking at least four police hostage. \I(\JChechnya\j, Russia)\i
The British Government announces that the first election for Scotland's new parliament will be held on May 6, 1999. The parliament will sit for the first time in 2000. \I(UK)\i
Celebrated Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, arrives in Mostar to open a new music center designed to reunite children from Bosnia's three ethnic groups. The opening is also attended by Brian Eno and U2's Bono, and crowns two years of efforts which succeeded in raising several million dollars towards the project. \I(\JItaly\j, Bosnia)\i
A massive traffic jam stretching 56 miles blocks the German autobahn, trapping some drivers for 48 hours. The jam began when icy \Jweather\j slowed truckers traveling east from Berlin to Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, the sole border crossing for trucks to \JPoland\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JPoland\j)\i
#
"December 22, 1997",719,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Two disgraced former South Korean leaders and 23 of their associates are released from prison on a special pardon just days after their old political enemy, Kim Dae Jung, narrowly wins the presidency. Chun Doo Hwan, who once sentenced Mr. Kim to death for \Jtreason\j, and fellow former president, Roh Tae Woo, were both convicted in August 1996 on charges of mutiny, \Jtreason\j, and corruption. \I(South Korea)\i
The outcome of the first referendum ever held in \JJapan\j over a proposed American military base shows voters in \JOkinawa\j adamantly opposed to the plan. Although the negative outcome is not legally binding, it raises doubts about the future of the project, which has been discussed and researched at the highest levels of American and Japanese governments for more than a year. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
A newly declassified document provides further evidence that former US President John F. Kennedy was planning the withdrawal of all United States forces from Vietnam by the end of 1965, adding to controversy among historians over whether the nation might have been spared the loss of 58,000 American lives had Kennedy not been killed. The document in question is dated October 4, 1963, just seven weeks before the President was assassinated in \JDallas\j. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
In the lead-up to general elections early next year, India's longest-serving political party, the Congress, splits yet again, with \JWest Bengal\j Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, announcing that she will campaign as leader of her new breakaway party, the Trinamul Congress. To add to the Congress Party's woes, the rival Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has secured crucial alliances with a key regional group in Tamil Nadu state and with a breakaway faction of the Janata Dal in the state of Orissa, giving the Hindu nationalists much-needed credibility in the south and east. \I(India)\i
Philippines Vice President, Joseph Estrada, a former movie star and one of the country's most popular politicians, is nominated as the opposition coalition's candidate for next May's presidential elections. \I(The Philippines)\i
A spokesman for deposed Cambodian co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, announces that the Prince is planning to return to his homeland on January 15 to prepare for next year's general elections. The announcement prompts a warning from government officials, who say Prince Ranariddh will be arrested on charges of smuggling weapons and colluding with Khmer Rouge guerrillas if he returns. \I(Cambodia)\i
In a bid to halt further outbreaks of the deadly "bird flu", Hong Kong authorities say chickens imported from mainland China will be slaughtered if they fail to meet strict agricultural requirements. Meanwhile, mainland counterparts are working closely with Hong Kong officials to screen out diseased birds by ensuring that imported chickens are tested and issued with certificates. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale strikes Papua New Guinea, but there are no immediate reports of injuries. The epicenter of the quake is located about 510 kilometers west of Rabaul. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
In what is hailed as a holiday miracle, all 89 passengers and crew escape death when a Binman \JBangladesh\j Airlines Fokker F-28 crashes in a paddy field three kilometers from the airport near the north-eastern town of Sylhet. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, is given an enthusiastic welcome by some 8,500 American troops stationed in Bosnia. Speaking in an airplane hangar in the town of Tuzla, Mr. Clinton commends the soldiers for their service as members of the international peacekeeping force in the region. Earlier, the President was cheered by \JSarajevo\j residents responding to his decision to delay the withdrawal of the US peacekeeping contingent. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
In a policy statement read at a formal meeting, the United Nations Security Council demands that \JBaghdad\j allow arms inspection teams unconditional access to all suspected weapons sites, saying failure to do so is unacceptable and a clear violation of the relevant resolutions. At the insistence of \JRussia\j, however, the statement stops short of condemning \JIraq\j for its actions, an inclusion desired by the United States. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
The outcome of the first referendum ever held in \JJapan\j over a proposed American military base shows voters in \JOkinawa\j adamantly opposed to the plan. Although the negative outcome is not legally binding, it raises doubts about the future of the project, which has been discussed and researched at the highest levels of American and Japanese governments for more than a year. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
A newly declassified document provides further evidence that former US President John F. Kennedy was planning the withdrawal of all United States forces from Vietnam by the end of 1965, adding to controversy among historians over whether the nation might have been spared the loss of 58,000 American lives had Kennedy not been killed. The document in question is dated October 4, 1963, just seven weeks before the President was assassinated in \JDallas\j. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
A rabbi and his brother plead guilty to charges of laundering $US3.5 million in Colombian drug money through a Brooklyn \Jsynagogue\j and yeshiva in 1995 and 1996. According to prosecutors, the two men were part of a group of Orthodox Jews who channeled drug money through various Jewish organizations in Brooklyn, before moving it to Swiss bank accounts and then back to the dealers. \I(USA, Colombia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
A T-shirt manufacturer based in Trenton, Georgia, is indicted along with 10 others for allegedly smuggling in thousands of workers from central Mexico, providing them with false documents, and using them for cheap labor. Atlantic Finishing Incorporated is the first United States company to be directly linked to the smuggling of undocumented workers. \I(USA)\i
After a screening process lasting five and a half weeks, a jury is selected for the trial of Unabomber suspect, Theodore Kaczynski, in Sacramento, \JCalifornia\j. The trial judge also grants a request from lawyers on both sides to push back opening statements to January 5, one week later than originally scheduled. \I(USA)\i
Actress Tylo Hunter, fired from the American \Jtelevision\j show \IMelrose Place\i after she became pregnant, is awarded nearly $US5 million in damages against Aaron Spelling's production companies. Lawyers for the Spelling side are planning to appeal the jury's verdict. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/\JMiddle East\j/b
In a policy statement read at a formal meeting, the United Nations Security Council demands that \JBaghdad\j allow arms inspection teams unconditional access to all suspected weapons sites, saying failure to do so is unacceptable and a clear violation of the relevant resolutions. At the insistence of \JRussia\j, however, the statement stops short of condemning \JIraq\j for its actions, an inclusion desired by the United States. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, is given an enthusiastic welcome by some 8,500 American troops stationed in Bosnia. Speaking in an airplane hangar in the town of Tuzla, Mr. Clinton commends the soldiers for their service as members of the international peacekeeping force in the region. Earlier, the President was cheered by \JSarajevo\j residents responding to his decision to delay the withdrawal of the US peacekeeping contingent. \I(USA, Bosnia)\i
Serbia's ruling Socialist Party claims victory for its candidate, Milan Milutinovic, in the country's latest presidential run-off, the third in as many months. However, rival candidate, Vojislav Seselj, accuses the Socialists of widespread \Jfraud\j and intimidation, and claims voter turnout to be less than the legally required 50 per cent. \I(Serbia)\i
Tension flares between Turkey and \JGreece\j when the Turkish Government announces that it is expelling a Greek diplomat on charges of engaging in intelligence-gathering operations. The Greek Government angrily denies the charges and threatens to expel a Turkish diplomat in retaliation, claiming that Turkey is intent on damaging Turkish-Greek relations. \I(Turkey, \JGreece\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is given a hostile reception when he visits the town of Ofaqim, where unemployment runs at 14.3 per cent compared with 8.1 per cent nationwide. Over the past few days, the jobless have been staging rowdy protests, and Mr. Netanyahu's plan to create 270 jobs for the town of 25,000 residents is significantly undermined by news that a textile factory is to move its production to Jordan. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
A rabbi and his brother plead guilty to charges of laundering $US3.5 million in Colombian drug money through a Brooklyn \Jsynagogue\j and yeshiva in 1995 and 1996. According to prosecutors, the two men were part of a group of Orthodox Jews who channeled drug money through various Jewish organizations in Brooklyn, before moving it to Swiss bank accounts and then back to the dealers. \I(USA, Colombia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\B23rd\b
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, says he is "flabbergasted" by the extent of the country's economic troubles, a comment which sends Seoul stocks tumbling 7.5 per cent and the won plunging 14.4 per cent to a record low against the US dollar. In Washington, meanwhile, the World Bank approves a $US3 billion loan for embattled South Korea, part of an economic rescue package organized by the International Monetary Fund. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
South Korean prosecutors announce that two former presidents freed from jail on a pardon yesterday are still liable for millions of dollars in penalties for their crimes. According to the prosecutors, Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo will be sent regular bills until the fines are paid in full. \I(South Korea)\i
In Hong Kong, a 63-year-old woman, one of three suspected and nine confirmed victims of "bird flu", dies of \Jpneumonia\j, raising the death toll to four. The importation of chickens from mainland China is temporarily suspended as Hong Kong authorities step up their battle to locate the source and arrest the spread of the fatal H5N1 virus. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
More than a thousand Tamil candidates rush to enter the race for council seats when \JSri Lanka\j's northern Jaffna peninsula's first local elections in 15 years are announced. The main majority \JSinhalese\j parties, the ruling People's Alliance and the opposition United National Party, are now backing down from contesting seats in the Tamil region. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
As a result of a voluntary national poll, republicans will outnumber monarchists by 2 to 1 as elected delegates to an Australian constitutional convention in February. The convention will debate whether Australia should become a republic and what form a potential republic should take, but the outcome of the discussions will not be binding. \I(Australia)\i
In the highest-level visit by a Chinese official, Foreign Minister Qian Qichen meets in Gaza City with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, signing three agreements pledging more than $US2 million in grants to the Palestinian Authority. \I(China, Palestine)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, condemns a United Nations Security Council statement demanding that \JBaghdad\j allow UN arms inspectors unimpeded access to all potential weapons sites. Mr. Aziz maintains that the statement is the result of United States \Jblackmail\j. The Pentagon, meanwhile, says the Iraqi military is deploying its SA-2 surface-to-air missiles in a way that could mean danger for US U-2 reconnaissance planes flying over central Iraq. Despite Iraqi threats in the past, however, U-2 planes have been proceeding with their flights unchallenged. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, says his country desires better relations with the Western world, but that it is up to the United States to instigate any improvement. Mr. Kharrazi's statement follows the recent move by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who expressed the hope of dialogue with the American people. \I(Iran, USA)\i
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, says he is "flabbergasted" by the extent of the country's economic troubles, a comment which sends Seoul stocks tumbling 7.5 per cent and the won plunging 14.4 per cent to a record low against the US dollar. In Washington, meanwhile, the World Bank approves a $US3 billion loan for embattled South Korea, part of an economic rescue package organized by the International Monetary Fund. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
An American technician charged with espionage by Russian officials last month is allowed to return home to the United States for Christmas. Lawyers for Richard Bliss say the holiday release could be a sign that Russia is prepared to drop the charges. \I(Russia, USA)\i
After deliberating 41 hours over six days, a federal jury in \JDenver\j finds Terry Nichols guilty of conspiracy and involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah government office building in \JOklahoma City\j. The conviction relates only to the deaths of eight federal agents, and the Oklahoma County District Attorney expresses dismay over the verdict, vowing to try Nichols on state murder charges involving up to 160 counts. A total of 168 people died as a result of the blast. \I(USA)\i
Mexican authorities say 45 unarmed Indians, mostly women and children, were massacred by paramilitaries armed with automatic weapons during an attack yesterday on the mountain village of Acteal in the troubled southern state of Chiapas, the scene of an Indian uprising in 1994. Survivors report recognizing some of the assailants as members of local factions of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. \I(Mexico)\i
American filmmaker, Woody Allen, 62, and Soon-Yi Previn, 27, the adopted daughter of Allen's former lover Mia Farrow, are married in \JVenice\j, \JItaly\j. Ms. Farrow ended her decade-long relationship with Allen in 1992 after it was revealed that he was concurrently involved with Soon-Yi. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, condemns a United Nations Security Council statement demanding that \JBaghdad\j allow UN arms inspectors unimpeded access to all potential weapons sites. Mr. Aziz maintains that the statement is the result of United States \Jblackmail\j. The Pentagon, meanwhile, says the Iraqi military is deploying its SA-2 surface-to-air missiles in a way that could mean danger for US U-2 reconnaissance planes flying over central Iraq. Despite Iraqi threats in the past, however, U-2 planes have been proceeding with their flights unchallenged. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, says his country desires better relations with the Western world, but that it is up to the United States to instigate any improvement. Mr. Kharrazi's statement follows the recent move by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who expressed the hope of dialogue with the American people. \I(Iran, USA)\i
In the highest-level visit by a Chinese official, Foreign Minister Qian Qichen meets in Gaza City with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, signing three agreements pledging more than $US2 million in grants to the Palestinian Authority. \I(China, Palestine)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, spends three hours working in the \JKremlin\j before returning to the Barvikha sanatorium outside Moscow, where he has been recuperating from a viral infection for the past two weeks. Meanwhile, the 1998 budget of Mr. Yeltsin's Government suffers a new setback when deputies in the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j fail by one vote to push it through a second reading. \I(Russia)\i
An American technician charged with espionage by Russian officials last month is allowed to return home to the United States for Christmas. Lawyers for Richard Bliss say the holiday release could be a sign that Russia is prepared to drop the charges. \I(Russia, USA)\i
According to a recent opinion poll, the popularity of Britain's Prince Charles has soared since the death of his former wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. The poll shows that 61 per cent of Britons are satisfied with the way the Prince performs his duties, compared with only 42 per cent shortly before Diana's death on August 31, indicating strong public approval of the changed way Prince Charles has handled his public appearances and his relations with his sons since their mother's death. \I(UK)\i
American filmmaker, Woody Allen, 62, and Soon-Yi Previn, 27, the adopted daughter of Allen's former lover Mia Farrow, are married in \JVenice\j, \JItaly\j. Ms. Farrow ended her decade-long relationship with Allen in 1992 after it was revealed that he was concurrently involved with Soon-Yi. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"December 23, 1997",720,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, says he is "flabbergasted" by the extent of the country's economic troubles, a comment which sends Seoul stocks tumbling 7.5 per cent and the won plunging 14.4 per cent to a record low against the US dollar. In Washington, meanwhile, the World Bank approves a $US3 billion loan for embattled South Korea, part of an economic rescue package organized by the International Monetary Fund. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
South Korean prosecutors announce that two former presidents freed from jail on a pardon yesterday are still liable for millions of dollars in penalties for their crimes. According to the prosecutors, Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo will be sent regular bills until the fines are paid in full. \I(South Korea)\i
In Hong Kong, a 63-year-old woman, one of three suspected and nine confirmed victims of "bird flu", dies of pneumonia, raising the death toll to four. The importation of chickens from mainland China is temporarily suspended as Hong Kong authorities step up their battle to locate the source and arrest the spread of the fatal H5N1 virus. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
More than a thousand Tamil candidates rush to enter the race for council seats when Sri Lanka's northern Jaffna peninsula's first local elections in 15 years are announced. The main majority Sinhalese parties, the ruling People's Alliance and the opposition United National Party, are now backing down from contesting seats in the Tamil region. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
As a result of a voluntary national poll, republicans will outnumber monarchists by 2 to 1 as elected delegates to an Australian constitutional convention in February. The convention will debate whether Australia should become a republic and what form a potential republic should take, but the outcome of the discussions will not be binding. \I(Australia)\i
In the highest-level visit by a Chinese official, Foreign Minister Qian Qichen meets in Gaza City with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, signing three agreements pledging more than $US2 million in grants to the Palestinian Authority. \I(China, Palestine)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, condemns a United Nations Security Council statement demanding that Baghdad allow UN arms inspectors unimpeded access to all potential weapons sites. Mr. Aziz maintains that the statement is the result of United States blackmail. The Pentagon, meanwhile, says the Iraqi military is deploying its SA-2 surface-to-air missiles in a way that could mean danger for US U-2 reconnaissance planes flying over central Iraq. Despite Iraqi threats in the past, however, U-2 planes have been proceeding with their flights unchallenged. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, says his country desires better relations with the Western world, but that it is up to the United States to instigate any improvement. Mr. Kharrazi's statement follows the recent move by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who expressed the hope of dialogue with the American people. \I(Iran, USA)\i
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, says he is "flabbergasted" by the extent of the country's economic troubles, a comment which sends Seoul stocks tumbling 7.5 per cent and the won plunging 14.4 per cent to a record low against the US dollar. In Washington, meanwhile, the World Bank approves a $US3 billion loan for embattled South Korea, part of an economic rescue package organized by the International Monetary Fund. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
An American technician charged with espionage by Russian officials last month is allowed to return home to the United States for Christmas. Lawyers for Richard Bliss say the holiday release could be a sign that Russia is prepared to drop the charges. \I(Russia, USA)\i
After deliberating 41 hours over six days, a federal jury in Denver finds Terry Nichols guilty of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah government office building in Oklahoma City. The conviction relates only to the deaths of eight federal agents, and the Oklahoma County District Attorney expresses dismay over the verdict, vowing to try Nichols on state murder charges involving up to 160 counts. A total of 168 people died as a result of the blast. \I(USA)\i
Mexican authorities say 45 unarmed Indians, mostly women and children, were massacred by paramilitaries armed with automatic weapons during an attack yesterday on the mountain village of Acteal in the troubled southern state of Chiapas, the scene of an Indian uprising in 1994. Survivors report recognizing some of the assailants as members of local factions of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. \I(Mexico)\i
American filmmaker, Woody Allen, 62, and Soon-Yi Previn, 27, the adopted daughter of Allen's former lover Mia Farrow, are married in Venice, Italy. Ms. Farrow ended her decade-long relationship with Allen in 1992 after it was revealed that he was concurrently involved with Soon-Yi. \I(USA, Italy)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, condemns a United Nations Security Council statement demanding that Baghdad allow UN arms inspectors unimpeded access to all potential weapons sites. Mr. Aziz maintains that the statement is the result of United States blackmail. The Pentagon, meanwhile, says the Iraqi military is deploying its SA-2 surface-to-air missiles in a way that could mean danger for US U-2 reconnaissance planes flying over central Iraq. Despite Iraqi threats in the past, however, U-2 planes have been proceeding with their flights unchallenged. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, says his country desires better relations with the Western world, but that it is up to the United States to instigate any improvement. Mr. Kharrazi's statement follows the recent move by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who expressed the hope of dialogue with the American people. \I(Iran, USA)\i
In the highest-level visit by a Chinese official, Foreign Minister Qian Qichen meets in Gaza City with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, signing three agreements pledging more than $US2 million in grants to the Palestinian Authority. \I(China, Palestine)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, spends three hours working in the Kremlin before returning to the Barvikha sanatorium outside Moscow, where he has been recuperating from a viral infection for the past two weeks. Meanwhile, the 1998 budget of Mr. Yeltsin's Government suffers a new setback when deputies in the Communist-dominated Duma fail by one vote to push it through a second reading. \I(Russia)\i
An American technician charged with espionage by Russian officials last month is allowed to return home to the United States for Christmas. Lawyers for Richard Bliss say the holiday release could be a sign that Russia is prepared to drop the charges. \I(Russia, USA)\i
According to a recent opinion poll, the popularity of Britain's Prince Charles has soared since the death of his former wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. The poll shows that 61 per cent of Britons are satisfied with the way the Prince performs his duties, compared with only 42 per cent shortly before Diana's death on August 31, indicating strong public approval of the changed way Prince Charles has handled his public appearances and his relations with his sons since their mother's death. \I(UK)\i
American filmmaker, Woody Allen, 62, and Soon-Yi Previn, 27, the adopted daughter of Allen's former lover Mia Farrow, are married in Venice, Italy. Ms. Farrow ended her decade-long relationship with Allen in 1992 after it was revealed that he was concurrently involved with Soon-Yi. \I(USA, Italy)\i
#
"December 24, 1997",721,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As South Korea's stock index falls another 4 per cent, the government agrees to deeper new reforms in exchange for a $US10 billion emergency bailout package to quickly stabilize the country's floundering financial markets and restore confidence. The International Monetary Fund, the United States, and 12 other nations are pledging to fast-track the money to South Korea by early January. US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, justifies the decision to expedite US funds, saying South Korean stability is critically important to US economic and security interests. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
A South Korean Red Cross spokesman says agreement has been reached on the amount of a new food aid shipment to the starving North, but \JPyongyang\j's refusal to allow donors to monitor its distribution could delay or even halt delivery. In the past, it has been alleged that food aid has been directed to North Korea's military forces rather than its civilian population. \I(The Koreas)\i
Hong Kong workers begin the task of scrubbing and sterilizing more than 2,000 poultry stalls, part of the territory's ongoing fight against the deadly H5N1 influenza strain, which until May had not been known to infect humans. Since May, four people have died after contracting the virus, commonly referred to as "bird flu". \I(Hong Kong)\i
Acclaimed Japanese film actor, Toshiro Mifune, dies aged 77 following a long illness. Throughout his career, Mifune won over 60 acting prizes, and more than 70 of his 134 films won Japanese or international awards. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As South Korea's stock index falls another 4 per cent, the government agrees to deeper new reforms in exchange for a $US10 billion emergency bailout package to quickly stabilize the country's floundering financial markets and restore confidence. The International Monetary Fund, the United States, and 12 other nations are pledging to fast-track the money to South Korea by early January. US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, justifies the decision to expedite US funds, saying South Korean stability is critically important to US economic and security interests. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in Bosnia to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with American troops assigned to the United Nations peacekeeping force. Cohen's arrival in the region follows earlier visits this week by US President Bill Clinton and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JGermany\j)\i
After 10 months of negotiations, the United States and Panama agree to create a multinational anti-drug center at Panama's Howard Air Force base. Final details of the development are still to be decided. \I(USA, Panama)\i
Prosecutors in the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial win their bid to seek the death penalty for Terry Nichols when the judge dismisses defense arguments that the punishment does not fit the conspiracy and \Jmanslaughter\j conviction. The jury yesterday acquitted Nichols of taking part in the actual bombing and stopped short of finding him guilty of first-degree or second-degree murder, opting for the lesser, non-capital offense of involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(USA)\i
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, alias Carlos the Jackal, is sentenced by a Paris court to \Jlife imprisonment\j for the 1975 murders of two French secret agents and their Lebanese informer. The 48-year-old Venezuelan-born revolutionary has been linked to the deaths of more than 80 people throughout his pro-Palestine struggle in the 1970s and 1980s. \I(\JFrance\j, Venezuela, Palestine)\i
As troops and police investigate Monday's bloody massacre of 45 Tzotzil Indians near the Mexican village of Acteal, a local church leader accuses the government of ignoring warnings that paramilitary troops associated with President Ernesto Zedillo's Institutional Revolutionary Party were planning attacks in the troubled state of Chiapas. \I(Mexico)\i
Mexico's Popocatepetl \Jvolcano\j erupts in a four-mile-high shower of hot rock and ash, its strongest explosion since June. After an emergency meeting, officials decide against declaring a red alert, which would involve the evacuation of villagers at the foot of the \Jvolcano\j. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Bethlehem celebrates its third Christmas Eve under Palestinian rule, with hundreds of security police outnumbering the few foreigners prepared to make the pilgrimage to the sixth-century Church of the Nativity this year, the majority being deterred by the area's instability. Earlier, Israeli troops had blocked the main \JJerusalem\j-Bethlehem road for two hours while explosives experts defused a simulated bomb of wires attached to a gas tank. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Iraq appeals to Pope John Paul II to exert further efforts to end United Nations sanctions against \JBaghdad\j, imposed after the invasion of \JKuwait\j in 1990. Although the sanctions have been eased to allow Iraq to sell oil to buy food and medicine, the UN has stipulated that they will not be lifted entirely until all weapons of mass destruction have been relinquished. Iraq, however, is refusing to allow UN arms inspectors access to President Saddam Hussein's palaces, a stance criticized by the UN Security Council as unacceptable and a clear violation of UN resolutions. \I(Iraq, \JItaly\j)\i
In \JAlgeria\j's latest wave of violence, Muslim militants slit the throats of 59 civilians in separate attacks in the villages of Sidi Landri and M'Ghila, and the Bainem forest. According to official tolls, more than 100 people have been killed in raids by Islamic extremists over the past three days. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
At a ceremony in the central region of Saratov, \JRussia\j deploys its first regiment armed with new-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles. The single-warhead missiles, known as Topol-M, weigh 45 tons, are much cheaper to produce than their predecessors, and if tested successfully, will eventually form part of the Strategic Nuclear Forces. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The Russian Parliament approves amnesty for 35,000 convicts, who will be released over the next six months in an attempt to ease overcrowding in the country's prisons. The amnesty covers inmates convicted of petty crimes and serving terms of less than three years, with priority being given to military veterans, mothers, pregnant women, invalids, minors, and the elderly. \I(Russia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in Bosnia to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with American troops assigned to the United Nations peacekeeping force. Cohen's arrival in the region follows earlier visits this week by US President Bill Clinton and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JGermany\j)\i
The World Health Organization dispatches a medical team to north-eastern \JKenya\j to investigate an outbreak of a disease with symptoms resembling the deadly Ebola fever. A government doctor in the region has confirmed that three people have already died after suffering several days of high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding from the nose and mouth. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, alias Carlos the Jackal, is sentenced by a Paris court to \Jlife imprisonment\j for the 1975 murders of two French secret agents and their Lebanese informer. The 48-year-old Venezuelan-born revolutionary has been linked to the deaths of more than 80 people throughout his pro-Palestine struggle in the 1970s and 1980s. \I(\JFrance\j, Venezuela, Palestine)\i
#
"December 25, 1997",722,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Pakistani air force is called in to help rescuers cut through twisted wreckage after an express passenger \Jlocomotive\j collides head on with a stationary train in eastern Punjab. At least 32 people are killed as a result of the collision, and dozens more are injured. \I(Pakistan)\i
An AsiaSat 3 \Jsatellite\j launched by \JRussia\j deviates from its planned route and spins out of control. The 5,586 pound \Jsatellite\j, owned by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, was to have provided \Jtelevision\j coverage and telecommunications services across 50 countries. \I(\JRussia\j, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton and his family spend a quiet Christmas Day at the \JWhite House\j, having attended mass at Washington's National Cathedral the previous evening. \I(USA)\i
In honor of Pope John Paul's upcoming visit, Christmas comes to \JCuba\j for the first time in nearly three decades. Cuban cardinal, Jaime Ortega, addresses a packed midnight mass in a \JHavana\j cathedral, welcoming the government's gesture as an important step for society. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
In a solemn Christmas Day ceremony attended by some 400 mourners, the remains of 45 Tzotzil Indians slaughtered during a five-hour attack in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas earlier in the week are buried in bloodstained coffins. Meanwhile, authorities say 41 suspects have been detained for questioning in connection with the massacre, which has brought widespread international condemnation. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Former Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda, 73, is arrested at his home in the capital \JLusaka\j and imprisoned under the country's state of emergency laws. No charges are immediately laid against Dr. Kaunda, who returned to Zambia five days ago after a two-month absence, but his arrest is believed to be linked to an unsuccessful coup attempt carried out by junior army officers in October. Dr. Kaunda's son also believes that the Christmas Day arrest was specifically timed to avoid the attention of the media. \I(Zambia)\i
Greece reacts angrily after twelve Turkish F-16s are intercepted by Greek fighters over the islands of Lesvos and \JChios\j in the \JAegean Sea\j. It is the first violation of Greek airspace on Christmas Day since a 1988 agreement between \JAthens\j and \JAnkara\j banned military moves in the Aegean during the summer months and on major holidays. \I(Greece, Turkey)\i
Hurricane force winds wreak havoc across the \JBritish Isles\j, leaving five people dead, five French fishermen feared drowned in the Irish Sea, scores of roads blocked by fallen trees and masonry, and thousands of people without electricity. The worst hit areas are Northern Ireland, North Wales, and the North West of England. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, Northern Ireland, Wales)\i
After permission is granted by the United Nations, a Russian plane carrying five tons of medical supplies for Iraqi children lands at \JBaghdad\j's Saddam International Airport, the first flight to do so in six years. The medical supplies, donated by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and 21 members of the Russian parliament, are gratefully received by Iraq, which has been badly hit by UN sanctions imposed after the Gulf War. \I(Russia, Iraq)\i
In the longest royal Christmas message since the tradition began in 1932, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II departs from the formal tone of past broadcasts, describing 1997 as a year of "joy and woe" for the royal family, and Westminster Abbey as the scene of two events: one unbearably sad, a reference to the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales; the other tremendously happy, a reference to the 50th anniversary of her marriage to Prince Philip. \I(UK)\i
Pope John Paul II marks his 20th Christmas as leader of the Roman \JCatholic Church\j with an appeal to the more fortunate people in the world to remember the growing multitude of "new poor" and those still yearning for freedom. In a message broadcast across more than 50 countries, the Pontiff says his Christmas wish this year is "peace to humanity". \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In honor of Pope John Paul's upcoming visit, Christmas comes to \JCuba\j for the first time in nearly three decades. Cuban cardinal, Jaime Ortega, addresses a packed midnight mass in a \JHavana\j cathedral, welcoming the government's gesture as an important step for society. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
An AsiaSat 3 \Jsatellite\j launched by \JRussia\j deviates from its planned route and spins out of control. The 5,586 pound \Jsatellite\j, owned by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, was to have provided \Jtelevision\j coverage and telecommunications services across 50 countries. \I(\JRussia\j, Asia)\i
#
"December 26, 1997",723,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, tells the country's trade union leaders that layoffs will be inevitable under the economic reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stressing that the most important task ahead is to restore international confidence. Meanwhile, the Seoul stock market rallies in response to the IMF decision to fast-track financial aid payments to the beleaguered nation, and the won soars 31 per cent on opening. \I(South Korea)\i
A North Korean spy is sentenced to 12 years in prison by a South Korean high court. Chung Su Il masqueraded as an ethnic Filipino while teaching at a Seoul university, successfully deceiving his students and even his South Korean wife. \I(The Koreas, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In Hong Kong, two toddlers become the latest victims to be diagnosed with the deadly H5N1 virus, or "bird flu", bringing to 11 the number of confirmed cases. Since May, three people suffering from the virus have died, and another woman suspected of being infected has died of \Jpneumonia\j. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Four more members of parliament resign from India's 112-year-old Congress Party, blaming party president, Sitaram Kesri, for the country's political instability. The resignations are the latest in a series since Congress toppled the United Front coalition government last month, and add to the party's pre-election woes, with early opinion polls showing it trailing behind the arch-rival Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. \I(India)\i
Archeologists excavating the Chengtoushan ancient city ruins in central China's Hunan province uncover what they believe could be the world's oldest rice field, dating back some 6,500 years. The discovery is regarded as a major breakthrough in the study of China's agricultural history. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j dismisses as ridiculous an Iraqi claim that the United States military is planning air strikes to plant fake evidence of biological or chemical warfare at sites banned to United Nations arms inspectors. According to a \JWhite House\j spokesman, the US military does not even have such weapons in its operational inventory. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Mexico's Attorney General announces the arrest of 16 people in connection with the massacre of 45 unarmed Tzotzil Indians earlier in the week. Survivors of the five-hour slaughter say around 25 masked men opened fire on the defenseless peasants with machine guns, killing 10 men, 21 women, and 14 children. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States Census Bureau says the nation's population has grown by about 2.4 million people, or 0.9 per cent, during 1997, and projects that as of January 1, 1998, the nation's population will have reached 268,921,733. The Bureau also expects America's population to grow by an additional 2.3 million throughout 1998. \I(USA)\i
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffers a major defeat, winning only 44 seats in elections for half of the 252 seats in the Upper House, a tally far short of the party's minimum target of 61 seats. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is now expected to step down, a move that will throw the country's economic recovery efforts into disarray. Mr. Hashimoto came to office in January 1996, but since then, the yen has tumbled to an eight-year low and Japan's worst post-war recession has taken hold. \I(Japan)\i
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
South Korea's armed forces issue a security alert and launch a full-scale manhunt after the body of a heavily armed North Korean infiltrator in a black wetsuit is discovered on an east coast beach about 90 kilometers south of the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas. The urgency of the hunt is fueled by the fact that a propeller-driven device capable of transporting three to five divers is also found quite close to the body, indicating that the suspected Northern spy may not have been alone. \I(The Koreas)\i
The Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China says nine Chinese activists were detained last Friday for trying to register the Chinese Democratic Party. The Group says four of the nine have since been released, and that at least three others could face punishment for mounting the challenge to Communist one-party rule. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
High-level talks fail to end the five-week United Auto Workers' strike against General Motors Corp., with the auto maker rejecting union demands and vowing to achieve its cost-cutting goals. The dispute, which has forced General Motors to shut down virtually its entire North American operations, idling nearly 180,000 workers, centers on union demands that General Motors honor an earlier commitment to invest $US300 million in what the auto maker now insists is a non-competitive business. \I(USA)\i
France becomes the seventh nation to win the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, achieving a 3-0 victory in the final against defending champions and four-time winners, \JBrazil\j. It is the first time in more than three decades that there has been a new name on one of the most coveted trophies in world sport, and the honor finally goes to host France more than 70 years after Frenchmen, Henri Delaunay and Jules Rimet, came up with the idea for the global festival of football. Following France's victory, the whole country engages in a massive street party, with millions of people bursting onto the streets to dance, sing, and wave French flags in what is probably the most spectacular national celebration since Liberation in 1944. \I(France, \JBrazil\j)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite entreaties from politicians and clerics, Northern Irish Protestant Orangemen enter the eighth \Jday\j of a standoff with British troops, and vow to maintain their protest against a ban on the Order marching through Portadown's Catholic Garvaghy Road. However, the ranks of the protesters camped out around Drumcree church have been significantly reduced since news was released of the firebomb deaths of three children from a mixed marriage, with mounting anxiety over the tragic and senseless loss of the three young boys' lives adding to pressure on the Portadown Orangemen to abandon their militant stand. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Nigeria's National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) calls on military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to establish an all-civilian transitional government of national unity by October 1. NADECO recommends that the government serve four to five years, and be assembled from 24 respected Nigerians, four each from the six main regions, who would then meet to elect a chairman. The call for national unity follows the recent deaths of the two rival claimants to Nigeria's presidency: former military leader, General Sani Abacha, who was expected to be elected unopposed in October elections but who died suddenly on June 8, and opposition politician, Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of annulled 1993 elections, who died in detention on July 7. \I(Nigeria)\i
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
France becomes the seventh nation to win the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, achieving a 3-0 victory in the final against defending champions and four-time winners, \JBrazil\j. It is the first time in more than three decades that there has been a new name on one of the most coveted trophies in world sport, and the honor finally goes to host France more than 70 years after Frenchmen, Henri Delaunay and Jules Rimet, came up with the idea for the global festival of football. Following France's victory, the whole country engages in a massive street party, with millions of people bursting onto the streets to dance, sing, and wave French flags in what is probably the most spectacular national celebration since Liberation in 1944. \I(France, \JBrazil\j)\i
Wimbledon champion, Jana Novotna, caps a glorious homecoming when she defeats \JFrance\j's Sandrine Testud in the final of the Czech Women's Open tennis tournament. In men's tennis, \JSpain\j's Alex Corretja beats \JGermany\j's Boris Becker to take the Swiss Open Tournament at Gstaad, and Sweden's Magnus Gustafsson beats \JUkraine\j's Andrei Medvedev to clinch the Swedish Open at Bastad. \I(UK, Czech Republic, \JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Sweden, \JUkraine\j)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher wins the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, England, after stewards cancel the 10-second penalty originally given to him. The controversial win takes the German driver to within two points of world championship leader, Mika Hakkinen of \JFinland\j. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
#
"December 27, 1997",724,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Searchers recover the flight data recorder from a Singaporean SilkAir Boeing 737 that plunged into southern \JSumatra\j's Musi River on December 19, killing all 104 people on board. While some witnesses report hearing an explosion before the plane went down, the cause of the crash as yet remains a mystery. \I(Singapore, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Hong Kong health officials report the discovery of more cases of the H5N1 avian virus which has so far killed four people. The officials say about 30 people have now been infected or been in contact with the influenza strain, commonly called "bird flu", and apparently spread to humans from poultry. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, announces that his former coalition partner, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, will be banned from contesting July's general elections as long as he continues to wage armed resistance against the government. Forces loyal to Prince Ranariddh, whose Funcinpec party won the last ballot in 1993, have been engaged in an ongoing struggle against government troops in the country's north and west since the Prince was deposed in a July coup. \I(Cambodia)\i
Vietnam's Communist Party elects the army's chief political commissar, Lieutenant-General Le Kha Phieu, 66, to replace Do Muoi, 80, as the party's new secretary general, the country's most powerful political post. \I(Vietnam)\i
In what \JItaly\j deems the largest-ever attempt to smuggle people into the country, 825 illegal immigrants are rescued from a Turkish ship after it runs aground off the southern Italian coast. The passengers, who include Pakistanis, Iraqis, and a large number of \JKurds\j, are given temporary shelter, but are expected to be expelled from the country within two weeks. \I(\JItaly\j, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Israel flatly rejects a proposal put forward by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, whereby international troops would be deployed to patrol areas of the West Bank regarded by Israel as vital for its security, allowing Israel to safely withdraw its own forces. Mr. Arafat intends to present the proposal to United States President, Bill Clinton, when the two leaders meet in Washington next month. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The mayor of Chenalho in Mexico's Chiapas state is arrested on charges of supplying the AK-47 assault weapons used in the massacre of 45 unarmed Indians earlier this week. Mayor Jacinto Arias Cruz is a member of President Ernesto Zedillo's Institutional Revolutionary Party. \I(Mexico)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Northern Ireland's fragile peace process comes under threat when the leader of the militant Loyalist Volunteer Force, Billy "King Rat" Wright, 37, is shot dead inside \JBelfast\j's top-security Maze prison by gunmen from the Irish National Liberation Army, a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army. The slaying of the Protestant extremist leader sparks a resurgence of violence in the province, including a retaliatory shooting attack outside a Catholic-owned hotel near Dungannon, in which one man is killed and three others are wounded. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The Zambian Government officially accuses former president, Kenneth Kaunda, of involvement in October's failed coup attempt by junior military officers. Dr. Kaunda was taken from his home on Christmas Day by about 100 armed paramilitary police, and has since been detained in \JLusaka\j's Kamwala holding prison. \I(Zambia)\i
Israel flatly rejects a proposal put forward by Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, whereby international troops would be deployed to patrol areas of the West Bank regarded by Israel as vital for its security, allowing Israel to safely withdraw its own forces. Mr. Arafat intends to present the proposal to United States President, Bill Clinton, when the two leaders meet in Washington next month. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Israeli Air Force is to begin combat training for women, with the first group of 30 recruits to be taught how to operate anti-\Jaircraft\j batteries this summer. Since Israel's Supreme Court ruled earlier in the year that it was illegal to ban women from combat, two have already passed preliminary tests for combat pilot training. \I(Israel)\i
In what \JItaly\j deems the largest-ever attempt to smuggle people into the country, 825 illegal immigrants are rescued from a Turkish ship after it runs aground off the southern Italian coast. The passengers, who include Pakistanis, Iraqis, and a large number of \JKurds\j, are given temporary shelter, but are expected to be expelled from the country within two weeks. \I(\JItaly\j, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq)\i
Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, otherwise known as Carlos the Jackal, appeals his conviction and life sentence for a 1975 triple murder, contending that he did not always have legal representation during his recent Paris trial, that the court failed to include witnesses, and that the rules of arrest procedure were violated when he was abducted by French agents from \JSudan\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSudan\j)\i
#
"December 28, 1997",725,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A United Airlines Boeing 747 en route from \JTokyo\j to \JHonolulu\j encounters freak air turbulence over the \JPacific Ocean\j. A 32-year-old Japanese woman is killed and another 110 people are injured as the \Jaircraft\j plunges 1,000 feet without warning, flinging passengers, flight attendants, and serving carts to the ceiling. The flight, carrying 393 passengers and crew, returns safely to \JTokyo\j's Narita airport, where ambulances are waiting to transport the injured to \Jhospital\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
In a drastic move to prevent the spread of the H5N1 avian virus, the Hong Kong Government announces that an estimated 1.25 million chickens from about 1,000 local markets are to be slaughtered. The move comes after health authorities discover infected chickens at a poultry farm in the New Territories and a market in \JKowloon\j. A ban has already been placed on chicken imports from mainland China, where the deadly "bird flu" is believed to have originated. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, says his government cannot accept an eight-point temporary ceasefire plan that leading opposition figure, Sam Rainsy, has asked the United Nations to propose in a bid to end factional fighting in the country's north and west. Instead, Hun Sen says his government is calling for a complete ceasefire, with forces of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to be disarmed before it takes effect. \I(Cambodia)\i
As the search continues for the cockpit voice recorder from the Singaporean SilkAir jet that crashed into South \JSumatra\j's Musi River on December 19, the \Jaircraft\j's flight data recorder is dispatched to the United States for deciphering. Meanwhile, divers are still unable to recover a single body intact from the 104 passengers and crew who were on board the Boeing 737, and officials are now planning to hold a mass burial of the human remains that have been found. \I(Singapore, \JIndonesia\j)\i
About 50 Islamic Oikkeya Jote activists are injured, some requiring hospitalization, after \JBangladesh\j police use batons and tear gas to prevent a planned march from central Purana Paltan district to southeastern tribal hill districts near \JChittagong\j. The march was to be part of a series of protests against a government-tribal peace treaty. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Thailand's Interior Ministry announces plans to disband the Southern Border Provinces Administration Center and assign the military the task of ending violence and maintaining security in southern provinces near the Malaysian border. Thailand is more than 90 per cent Buddhist, and has experienced long-term problems with minority Muslim separatists concentrated in the south. \I(Thailand, Malaysia)\i
Australian Aboriginal groups make more than 120 claims for rights over thousands of square kilometers of the continent's coastal waters, including prime fishing and holiday resort areas such as the \JGreat Barrier Reef\j. The sea rights issue is expected to add fuel to the current national controversy over Aboriginal land rights. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United Airlines Boeing 747 en route from \JTokyo\j to \JHonolulu\j encounters freak air turbulence over the \JPacific Ocean\j. A 32-year-old Japanese woman is killed and another 110 people are injured as the \Jaircraft\j plunges 1,000 feet without warning, flinging passengers, flight attendants, and serving carts to the ceiling. The flight, carrying 393 passengers and crew, returns safely to \JTokyo\j's Narita airport, where ambulances are waiting to transport the injured to \Jhospital\j. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Following this week's massacre of 45 Tzotzil Indians, up to 3,000 villagers are fleeing their homes in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, fearing fresh attacks by armed paramilitary forces, who human rights workers say are hostile to sympathizers with the Zapatista National Liberation Army, an Indian guerrilla group. \I(Mexico)\i
A \Jtornado\j rips through central \JFlorida\j, causing injury to about 20 people and damage to property estimated at $US6 million. Officials confirm that most of the \Jcitrus\j groves in the area were spared. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a bid to save the peace talks, Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, appeals for an end to the vicious and senseless violence triggered by the fatal shooting of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader, Billy Wright, inside \JBelfast\j's Maze prison yesterday. Since then, militant loyalists have torched dozens of vehicles and opened fire outside a Catholic-owned hotel, killing a former Irish Republican Army terrorist and wounding three other people. Meanwhile, a police investigation is launched at Maze to determine how three Irish National Liberation Army inmates of the high-security jail managed to obtain guns, learn of Wright's movements, and then climb across the prison roof to kill him. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his government is taking determined action against Jewish right-wing extremists trying to offend Muslim religious feelings in order to spark a holy war with the Muslim world. Mr. Netanyahu's statement follows the arrest of two Jewish men who allegedly planned to desecrate one of \JIslam\j's most sacred sites in \JJerusalem\j's Old City during the holy month of Ramadan. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The Zambian Government comes under mounting international pressure to release former president, Kenneth Kaunda, who has been detained in a holding prison since he was taken from his \JLusaka\j home by armed paramilitary police on Christmas Day. Widespread concern is being expressed over reports that Dr. Kaunda's health is deteriorating. \I(Zambia)\i
Assailants raid a village in the Ouled Moussa area, 37 miles south of \JAlgiers\j, hacking to death 21 people, including seven children, and abducting seven other children. Elsewhere in \JAlgeria\j, another seven civilians are killed in bombing attacks and gunbattles, raising the \Jday\j's death toll to at least 28. The violence comes one \Jday\j after President Zeroual names 48 members of the upper house, securing the parliamentary dominance of his supporters. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Medical experts assigned to investigate an outbreak of disease in north-eastern \JKenya\j say they believe the mysterious illness which has caused scores of humans and livestock to bleed to death may be a rare manifestation of intestinal \Janthrax\j. The illness causes \Jstomach\j ulcers and inflames the intestines, and symptoms include high fever, diarrhea, intestinal problems, and vomiting blood. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
After a prolonged battle between Islamic fundamentalists and human rights groups, \JEgypt\j's high court upholds a Health Ministry decision banning doctors and health workers from performing female \Jcircumcision\j. Penalties for violating the ban will be three years imprisonment and the risk of closure for hospitals. \I(\JEgypt\j)\i
#
"December 29, 1997",726,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A mass slaughter of Hong Kong's chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, partridges, and quails gets under way, part of the government's attempt to eradicate the source of the mysterious "bird flu" that has so far killed four people. Farmers and sellers are to be compensated for their losses at the rate of $HK30 per bird, about half the retail value in some cases. In the meantime, new birds will be raised from eggs and screened for the deadly H5N1 virus before being released on the market. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Fighting flares again between \JCambodia\j's two warring factions, sending another wave of refugees pouring into neighboring \JThailand\j. Clashes are reported near the border town of O'Smach, a stronghold of forces loyal to deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and royalist forces also succeed in winning control of a military base near Poipet. Thai border officials expect further outbreaks when troops of \JCambodia\j's Hun Sen Government attempt to recapture the outpost. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
With India's 112-year-old Congress Party in chaos, Sonia Gandhi finally agrees to campaign in the coming general elections, ending the seclusion she has clung to since the 1991 assassination of her husband, former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Since Congress brought down the United Front coalition government last month, the party has been shaken by the defection of a number of key members critical of Sitaram Kesri's leadership, and as the inheritor of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has governed India for all but five of the last 50 years, Mrs. Gandhi's active involvement has been urgently sought to ward off an electoral disaster. \I(India)\i
China and \JRussia\j sign a contract finalizing plans to jointly build a $US3.5 billion nuclear power station in Jiangsu province, near the port city of Lianyungang. The twin 1,000-megawatt pressurized-\Jwater\j reactors are scheduled to being operations in 2004 and 2005 respectively. \I(China, \JRussia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iran and the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan officially open a \Jnatural gas\j pipeline which will carry gas across the 125 miles from the Turkmen Korpedzhe field to the Iranian border town of Kord Kuy. While oil projects in Iran are liable to the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, which imposes sanctions on any company investing more than $US20 million in either country, the United States concedes that the Iran-Turkmenistan pipeline predates the act and is thereby exempt. However, the United States says it plans to closely monitor feasibility studies for a proposed gas pipeline across Iran to Turkey. \I(Iran, Turkmenistan, USA, Turkey)\i
Guatemala celebrates the first anniversary of the peace treaty that ended more then three decades of \Jcivil war\j, with church bells across the country marking the hour when guerrilla leaders and government officials signed the historic document. \I(Guatemala)\i
The penalty phase begins in the trial of convicted \JOklahoma City\j bombing co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, with jurors hearing emotional testimony from survivors and relatives of some of the 168 victims of the 1995 blast. Prosecutors are asking the jury of seven women and five men to return a death verdict against Nichols, who they convicted last week of conspiracy and \Jmanslaughter\j, but acquitted of murder. In an earlier trial, Nichols' co-defendant, Timothy McVeigh, was convicted on both counts and subsequently sentenced to death. \I(USA)\i
Researchers at the University of \JMichigan\j reveal that they have developed a genetically engineered vaccine for animals against the deadly Ebola virus, but say that a human vaccine could still be years away. One of the most virulent viral diseases known, Ebola kills between 50 and 90 per cent of its victims, as evidenced in 1995, when 245 people died in an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
At the prompting of the Food and Drug Administration, the breakthrough non-sedating \Jallergy\j drug, Seldane, is to be removed from the United States market. Introduced in 1985, Seldane has since been found to increase the risk of cardiac complications when used in conjunction with a number of other drugs. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Kenyans begin voting in the country's second multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections, which are marred by opposition allegations of vote-rigging, as well as misdirection of ballot papers, flooding in northeastern areas, and violence leading to three deaths in the southwestern region of Kisii, the scene of frequent clashes in recent weeks. President Daniel arap Moi, the country's leader for 19 years, is facing 13 rivals at the polls, including Charity Ngilu, the first Kenyan woman to run for presidency. \I(Kenya)\i
Iran and the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan officially open a \Jnatural gas\j pipeline which will carry gas across the 125 miles from the Turkmen Korpedzhe field to the Iranian border town of Kord Kuy. While oil projects in Iran are liable to the 1996 Iran-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, which imposes sanctions on any company investing more than $US20 million in either country, the United States concedes that the Iran-Turkmenistan pipeline predates the act and is thereby exempt. However, the United States says it plans to closely monitor feasibility studies for a proposed gas pipeline across Iran to Turkey. \I(Iran, Turkmenistan, USA, Turkey)\i
China and \JRussia\j sign a contract finalizing plans to jointly build a $US3.5 billion nuclear power station in Jiangsu province, near the port city of Lianyungang. The twin 1,000-megawatt pressurized-\Jwater\j reactors are scheduled to being operations in 2004 and 2005 respectively. \I(China, \JRussia\j)\i
Researchers at the University of \JMichigan\j reveal that they have developed a genetically engineered vaccine for animals against the deadly Ebola virus, but say that a human vaccine could still be years away. One of the most virulent viral diseases known, Ebola kills between 50 and 90 per cent of its victims, as evidenced in 1995, when 245 people died in an epidemic in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), USA)\i
#
"December 30, 1997",727,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The South Korean won suffers a 19 per cent plunge against the US dollar after the country's foreign debt is recalculated at $US156.9 billion, nearly $US41 billion higher than previously estimated. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund accelerates its schedule of rescue payments to the troubled nation, handing over an additional $US2 billion originally due to have been paid some time next year. \I(South Korea)\i
After 21 years of official ties with \JTaiwan\j, South Africa signs an accord with China opening full diplomatic relations as of January 1, a move which deprives \JTaiwan\j of its last major diplomatic ally. \JTaiwan\j now has only 29 diplomatic partners, most of which are small under-developed nations in \JSouth America\j and Africa. \I(\JTaiwan\j, South Africa, China, \JSouth America\j, Africa)\i
As Hong Kong health officials continue slaughtering poultry in their bid to eliminate the source of the killer H5N1 avian flu, Buddhist and Taoist priests, who regard the mass slaying of live animals as an unlucky omen, begin performing religious rites to appease the spirits of the culled birds. Meanwhile, authorities are extending the ban on chicken imports from mainland China, and implementing stringent quarantines and inspection procedures before allowing imports to resume. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
A report issued by the Population Institute shows that populations in the world's 51 richest countries are stabilizing, partly as a result of improved educational and employment opportunities for women. However, the report says 74 of the world's less developed countries can expect their populations to double in 30 years or less, with \JNigeria\j and \JPakistan\j facing the steepest population gains in the next generation. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States angrily rejects \JIraq\j's claims that it is deliberately delaying United Nations approval of $US120 million in food contracts, including powdered baby milk, accusing \JBaghdad\j of creating the delay, and denouncing its cutbacks to rations of essential food supplies as appalling and tragic. UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, is expected to approve an Iraqi food and medical distribution plan by the end of the week, opening the way for \JBaghdad\j to resume oil sales earlier suspended to protest delays in receiving humanitarian supplies for its people, who are suffering under UN sanctions imposed in 1990. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The Presidential Legal Expense Trust, established in 1994 to help defray the personal legal expenses of United States President, Bill Clinton, and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is dissolved due to a steady decline in contributions. The decision of the trustees leaves the Clintons still owing nearly $US3 million in legal costs incurred in cases such as the Paula Jones sexual harassment suit and some aspects of Whitewater. \I(USA)\i
Donatella and Santo Versace, siblings of the late Gianni Versace, file a lawsuit seeking to block the release of autopsy photographs and other documents as \JMiami Beach\j police close the investigation into his murder. The celebrated Italian fashion designer was gunned down outside his South Beach home on July 15 by serial killer, Andrew Cunanan, who later committed suicide, leaving the motive for the murder unknown. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
After 21 years of official ties with \JTaiwan\j, South Africa signs an accord with China opening full diplomatic relations as of January 1, a move which deprives \JTaiwan\j of its last major diplomatic ally. \JTaiwan\j now has only 29 diplomatic partners, most of which are small under-developed nations in \JSouth America\j and Africa. \I(\JTaiwan\j, South Africa, China, \JSouth America\j, Africa)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Electoral chaos, including missing ballot boxes and reports of vote-buying and intimidation, forces a second \Jday\j of polling in \JKenya\j's presidential and parliamentary elections. President Daniel arap Moi echoes earlier claims by irate opposition candidates that the electoral commission is conspiring to rig the polls, but with the President already ahead in the vote, his Kenyan African National Union party is declining to join opposition calls for the elections to be scrapped and restaged at a later date. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
The United States angrily rejects \JIraq\j's claims that it is deliberately delaying United Nations approval of $US120 million in food contracts, including powdered baby milk, accusing \JBaghdad\j of creating the delay, and denouncing its cutbacks to rations of essential food supplies as appalling and tragic. UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, is expected to approve an Iraqi food and medical distribution plan by the end of the week, opening the way for \JBaghdad\j to resume oil sales earlier suspended to protest delays in receiving humanitarian supplies for its people, who are suffering under UN sanctions imposed in 1990. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
After 21 years of official ties with \JTaiwan\j, South Africa signs an accord with China opening full diplomatic relations as of January 1, a move which deprives \JTaiwan\j of its last major diplomatic ally. \JTaiwan\j now has only 29 diplomatic partners, most of which are small under-developed nations in \JSouth America\j and Africa. \I(\JTaiwan\j, South Africa, China, \JSouth America\j, Africa)\i
A report issued by the Population Institute shows that populations in the world's 51 richest countries are stabilizing, partly as a result of improved educational and employment opportunities for women. However, the report says 74 of the world's less developed countries can expect their populations to double in 30 years or less, with \JNigeria\j and \JPakistan\j facing the steepest population gains in the next generation. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
Donatella and Santo Versace, siblings of the late Gianni Versace, file a lawsuit seeking to block the release of autopsy photographs and other documents as \JMiami Beach\j police close the investigation into his murder. The celebrated Italian fashion designer was gunned down outside his South Beach home on July 15 by serial killer, Andrew Cunanan, who later committed suicide, leaving the motive for the murder unknown. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"December 31, 1997",728,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan's politicians elect Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's nominee, Senator Rafiq Tarar, as the country's new president, filling the post left vacant when Farooq Leghari was forced to resign on December 2 over a constitutional dispute. Mr. Tarar was permitted to contest the election despite the earlier rejection of his nomination by the Chief Election Commissioner, who has since been replaced, but he must still face a January court hearing to determine the legitimacy of his candidacy. Should the court happen to rule against Mr. Tarar, the government says another presidential election will be held. \I(Pakistan)\i
An Indonesian court blocks the \Jliquidation\j of Bank Jakarta, which is owned by President Soeharto's half-brother. The court ruling overturns the Finance Ministry's order to close down the bank on November 1 as part of the first round of reforms under the International Monetary Fund's $US38 billion rescue package. \I(Indonesia)\i
Health officials report that at least 70 people have died as a result of the worst \Jdrought\j to hit Papua New Guinea in 50 years. Although food aid has helped ease the crisis, the country's main problems are the shortage and contamination of \Jwater\j, with most of the victims dying from \Jwater\j-borne diseases such as diarrhea and \Jdysentery\j. \I(Papua new Guinea)\i
Landcare Research Scientist, John McLennan, says \JNew Zealand\j's national symbol, the North Island brown kiwi, is headed for \Jextinction\j, with all but 5 per cent of chicks born each year being killed by introduced predators or dying through loss of habitat. In the past 15 years, according to Mr. McLennan, the number of kiwis has plummeted from around 70,000 to 30,000, despite the efforts of the country's Department of Conservation. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States expresses displeasure after Israel lays the cornerstone for 130 new Jewish homes in the Beit El settlement near Palestinian-ruled Ramallah. The project's official beginning defies US calls for "time-out" from settlement expansion, and comes only days ahead of the arrival of US Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
On Wall Street, trading ends with the Dow Jones industrial average losing 7.72 points over the \Jday\j, but finishing up 22.6 per cent for the year at 7,908.25, having started 1997 at 6,448.27. It is the first time in the index's 101-year history that it has risen more than 20 per cent in three consecutive years. \I(USA)\i
Brazilian storm troopers take control of a Sao Paulo prison where inmates have been holding around 650 hostages, including 200 children, since Sunday. Most of the hostages were visiting relatives when a group of 20 prisoners took over the compound following a failed escape attempt. \I(Brazil)\i
Ahead of the official scrapping of \JMorse code\j at midnight, the last SOS message is tapped out by the merchant vessel \IOak,\i listing dangerously in the mid-Atlantic en route from Canada to Britain. The first \JMorse code\j distress signal was sent on April 15, 1912 by the ill-fated ocean liner \ITitanic.\i \I(Canada, UK)\i
In a bid to halt the decline of Pacific coast fish numbers, the United States Marine Fisheries Service issues reduced commercial fishing limits for 83 species, including black cod, ling cod, ocean perch, dover sole, and varieties of rockfish. The new fishing limits are to take effect on January 1, 1998. \I(USA)\i
California's smokers enjoy their final cigarettes and cigars in the state's bars, clubs, and casinos. As of January 1, California will become the first American state to ban smoking in such establishments, with owners facing fines ranging from $US100 to $US7,000 if they allow their patrons to violate the new law. \I(USA)\i
Lorillard Tobacco becomes the first United States \Jtobacco\j company to pay compensatory damages as a result of a smoking-related personal injury lawsuit, with an appeals court upholding a jury's decision to award more than $US1.5 million to the family of a Californian smoker, who died of lung cancer in 1996. The case centered on Lorillard's \Jasbestos\j \Jcigarette\j filters, used in the 1950s, and the company is now pointing out that the ruling relates to the harmful effects of \Jasbestos\j rather than \Jtobacco\j. \I(USA)\i
Millionaire adventurer, Steve Fosset, lifts off from St. Louis in his third solo endeavor to become the first person to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j. Four other \Jballoon\j teams from the United States and Europe are also planning to launch round-the-world attempts in the coming weeks. \I(USA, Europe)\i
Michael Kennedy, 39, son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, is killed when he hits a tree while \Jskiing\j with members of his family at Aspen Mountain in \JColorado\j. Mr. Kennedy is survived by his estranged wife and his three children. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda, is released from prison and placed under house arrest at his home in \JLusaka\j. After releasing Dr. Kaunda, President Chiluba acknowledges being forced to bow to international pressure, but stresses that the place of confinement has merely been changed, and that Dr. Kaunda is barred from political activity and media interviews until his case is settled. A host of countries have expressed concern about the welfare of Dr. Kaunda since his detention on Christmas Day, purportedly in connection with a failed coup attempt in October. \I(Zambia)\i
The United Nations receives approximately 1,000 pages of addenda to \JIraq\j's new plan for distributing food and medical supplies purchased under the UN oil-for-food program. Whilst UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, was expected to sign off on the new plan by Friday, a spokesman for the world body now says the extra material will take several days to review, forcing formal approval to be postponed until next week. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
The United States expresses displeasure after Israel lays the cornerstone for 130 new Jewish homes in the Beit El settlement near Palestinian-ruled Ramallah. The project's official beginning defies US calls for "time-out" from settlement expansion, and comes only days ahead of the arrival of US Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A new Paris police report into the August 31 death of Diana, Princess of Wales contains accounts by a couple who saw a Fiat Uno zigzagging out of the Pont de l'Alma underpass, where the fatal crash occurred. Investigators have been attempting to find a white Fiat Uno believed to have been sideswiped by the Mercedes in which Diana was traveling just before it went out of control and crashed into a pillar. \I(\JFrance\j, UK)\i
French anthropologists report the discovery of what they believe may be the world's first dental implant. The tooth, made of wrought iron, appears to have been hammered directly into the jaw of a man who lived about 1,900 years ago in ancient Gaul, and its neat fit suggests it was modeled on the original molar. The man's skull was recently found in a necropolis at Chantambre, just south of Paris. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Millionaire adventurer, Steve Fosset, lifts off from St. Louis in his third solo endeavor to become the first person to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j. Four other \Jballoon\j teams from the United States and Europe are also planning to launch round-the-world attempts in the coming weeks. \I(USA, Europe)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, publishes his first New Year's Honors list, recognizing individual achievements in various fields such as education, sport, literature, and entertainment. Rock star, Elton John, is to receive a knighthood for his contribution to music and charitable causes, becoming the third knight of British pop after Sir Cliff Richard, and former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney. \I(UK)\i
Ahead of the official scrapping of \JMorse code\j at midnight, the last SOS message is tapped out by the merchant vessel \IOak,\i listing dangerously in the mid-Atlantic en route from Canada to Britain. The first \JMorse code\j distress signal was sent on April 15, 1912 by the ill-fated ocean liner \ITitanic.\i \I(Canada, UK)\i
As the \JKremlin\j clock tower tolls midnight, its bells herald both a new year and a new Russian rouble. In a bid to draw a symbolic line under the high \Jinflation\j of the early 1990s, 1 million roubles is to be redesignated as 1,000 roubles from January 1, 1998, with the 1,000-rouble note being replaced by a shiny one-rouble coin, and "trillion" ceasing to be part of the everyday language of the nation's \Jaccountancy\j. \I(Russia)\i
#
"January 1, 1998",729,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Asian leaders mark the start of 1998 with warnings of hardship and sacrifice ahead. In \JThailand\j, where the fall of the baht triggered the region's 1997 financial crisis, King Bhumibol Adulyadej urges Thais to remain strong and courageous in the face of harsh economic realities. In \JMalaysia\j, Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, speaks of the prospect of re-colonization unless the country unites to the defend the currency from speculators, while \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto also calls for national unity to overcome the turbulent economic times. In South Korea, one of Asia's hardest-hit countries, President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, predicts that 1998 will be the most difficult time since the Korean War, with the nation currently poised at a crossroads between catastrophe and rebirth. \I(\JThailand\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, South Korea)\i
Rafiq Tarar, a member of the ruling \JPakistan\j Muslim League, is sworn in as \JPakistan\j's ninth president, despite a legal challenge that could disqualify him if he is found guilty of openly criticizing the judiciary. An Islamic fundamentalist, Mr. Tarar himself has been criticized by human rights groups for his public support of harsh Islamic punishments, and his oppressive views concerning women and non-Muslim minorities. Opposition politicians are also highly critical of Mr. Tarar, maintaining that he is politically inexperienced and merely the puppet of Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Cambodia's opposition forces claim that the notorious former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, has departed the country for China in a move aimed at preventing him from facing an international tribunal for his crimes against humanity. The claims are strongly disputed by \JBeijing\j, and also by the Cambodian Government, which accuses the opposition forces of trying to provoke trouble. Meanwhile, it is announced that Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will arrive in Phnom Penh on January 29 for a four-\Jday\j visit, during which she will familiarize herself with the situation both past and present, including serious allegations of abuses since Prime Minister Hun Sen overthrew his coalition partner, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, last July. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
In Hong Kong, a 14-year-old girl is diagnosed with the H5N1 influenza strain, taking to 15 the number of confirmed cases of the mysterious "bird flu" which has killed four people since last May. \I(Hong Kong)\i
A volunteer firefighter dies, and seven others are badly burnt, three critically, while battling bush fires sweeping across the Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j. The death brings to six the number of people killed in bush fires sparked by soaring temperatures and strong winds throughout Australian states over the last month. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Baghdad denies United States allegations that it has executed large numbers of political prisoners in recent weeks, accusing the US of mounting an organized propaganda campaign to smear \JIraq\j and bolster opposition forces. Earlier, the US State Department claimed to have received credible reports of mass summary executions, and called on \JIraq\j to give United Nations investigators access to its prisons. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
As New York City enters a year of celebrations to mark its \Jevolution\j a century ago today, Rudolph Giuliani is sworn in for a second four-year term as mayor, pledging to cut taxes, hire more police, and crack down of drug sales. The Republican mayor has already been credited with reducing the city's crime, which has dropped to its lowest rates in more than a generation. \I(USA)\i
Following an autopsy, the county \Jcoroner\j announces that Michael Kennedy died as a result of massive trauma to the head and neck suffered when he hit a tree while \Jskiing\j with family members in Aspen, \JColorado\j, yesterday. Mr. Kennedy's body is now being flown to Hyannis, \JMassachusetts\j, where the Kennedy family has an extensive compound. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Northern Ireland's Protestant Loyalist Volunteer Force claims responsibility for a New Year's Eve attack on a \JBelfast\j hotel, in which one Catholic reveler died and five others were wounded. It is the renegade paramilitary group's second fatal attack since its leader, Billy Wright, was assassinated by three republican gunmen inside \JBelfast\j's Maze prison last weekend. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Baghdad denies United States allegations that it has executed large numbers of political prisoners in recent weeks, accusing the US of mounting an organized propaganda campaign to smear \JIraq\j and bolster opposition forces. Earlier, the US State Department claimed to have received credible reports of mass summary executions, and called on \JIraq\j to give United Nations investigators access to its prisons. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, comes under siege when Foreign Minister, David Levy, threatens to resign unless the proposed 1998 budget addresses the growing problems of the country's poor and unemployed, and Finance Minister, Yaakov Ne'eman, threatens to resign if the budget ceiling is breached to satisfy Mr. Levy's demands. The support of Mr. Levy and his five-member Gesher Party are considered vital to the future of both Mr. Netanyahu's coalition government and the \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Some 1,000 Hutu rebels stage a dawn raid on an army base outside Bujumbura, the capital of Tutsi-ruled \JBurundi\j. At least 150 civilians, thirty rebels, and two soldiers are killed in the battle, which embroils nearby villagers caught up in both the rebels' advance and retreat. \I(\JBurundi\j)\i
Britain assumes the rotating leadership of the European Union, with Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, urging all EU members to follow Britain's lead, and adopt an arms export code banning the sale of weapons to countries violating human or democratic rights. \I(UK, Europe)\i
French researchers report their discovery of another gene \Jmutation\j, dubbed m303, which provides resistance to the AIDS virus. Like the previously discovered delta 32 \Jmutation\j, m303 acts on the CCR5 molecule, a receptor used by some strains of \JHIV\j to enter and infect a cell. The researchers warn, however, that most cases of resistance to \JHIV\j are not hereditary, but are acquired through natural \Jimmunization\j. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"January 2, 1998",730,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As the mass slaughter of Hong Kong's poultry continues, health workers begin testing dogs and cats for the H5N1 influenza strain, which has caused the deaths of at least four people in the territory since last May. Meanwhile, a three-year-old boy suspected of having contracted the deadly "bird flu" is admitted to \Jhospital\j, dampening hopes that the spread of the virus had been halted. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Indonesia's Finance Minister and the Governor of the country's Central Bank together lodge an appeal against a court decision allowing an ailing bank, owned by President Soeharto's half-brother, to remain open. The bank was one of 16 ordered liquidated by the Finance Ministry last November in the first round of reforms under the International Monetary Fund's $US38 billion bail-out package, and analysts are warning that the court decision threatens to weaken the processes essential for the country's economic recovery. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Pakistani Government files twelve charges of alleged corruption against former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who served as investment minister in her cabinet, and her mother, Nusrat Bhutto. Ms. Bhutto's government was dismissed in November 1996 by then President Farooq Leghari, and Swiss authorities have since ordered a permanent freeze of the Bhutto family's bank accounts on the basis of information supplied by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Government. \I(Pakistan)\i
The Thai army fires six rounds of heavy mortars into \JCambodia\j when shells stray across the border in renewed factional fighting following a New Year's lull. Meanwhile, the personal representative of ousted co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says that in the interests of security, the Prince will re-schedule his planned return to his homeland to coincide with the visit of two senior United Nations human rights envoys in late January. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
As month-long rural council polls come to an end across \JBangladesh\j, an official of the independent Election Commission estimates that at least 30 people have been killed and 476 injured in sporadic election-related violence. The polls were the first major electoral exercise under the 18-month-old Awami League Government of Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, and in a nationwide drive to ensure their peaceful progress, police had earlier arrested 22,992 suspected terrorists, and seized more than 2,500 mostly unauthorized \Jfirearms\j. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
In a bid to safeguard Malaysians' jobs during the current Asian economic crisis, the country's Home Ministry says plans are under way to expel one million foreign workers, or approximately half the registered foreign work force, with the remainder to be divided among strategic sectors such as plantations and export-oriented factories. Up until now, workers from \JIndonesia\j, \JBangladesh\j, \JThailand\j, and India have routinely sought jobs in Malaysia. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j, \JBangladesh\j, \JThailand\j, India)\i
Authorities in \JTokyo\j report that in the first two days of the new year, eight people have choked to death and 10 other have been hospitalized after the traditional glutinous "mochi" rice cakes they were eating became stuck in their throats. As part of \JNew Year's Day\j celebrations, many Japanese families cook ozouni soup with sticky rice cakes in the belief that the food brings longevity. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Lee Brown is sworn in as Houston's first black mayor, heralding his election to office as a signal of hope to young people, and vowing to continue the fight against drugs. Mr. Brown comes well equipped for the fight, having headed the Office of National Drug Control Policy during President Clinton's first administration, prior to which he served as police chief of \JAtlanta\j, Houston, and New York. \I(USA)\i
In the penalty phase of the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, the defense mounts a brief but emotional campaign to spare the life of convicted co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, calling nine witnesses including Nichols' wife, brother, sister, and former wife. Closing arguments for both sides are still to be presented before the jury retires to consider its verdict. \I(USA)\i
United States military cargo planes drop over 100 tons of food to thousands of starving \Jcattle\j and sheep stranded by fierce snowstorms on the plains of eastern New Mexico, an area which seldom receives heavy snow, but where ranchers have now lost at least 5,000 animals in a series of snowstorms since Christmas Eve. \I(USA)\i
Researchers in the United States report that a lethal poison found in the skin of an Ecuadorian frog contains pain relieving properties that could lead to the development of a new drug which is stronger than \Jmorphine\j, but which lacks \Jmorphine\j's addictive side-effects. The researchers say the new drug could eventually be used to ease the severe pain of traumatic injuries and some cancers. \I(USA, Ecuador)\i
Helen Wills Moody Roark, who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s, dies aged 92 in Carmel, \JCalifornia\j. Throughout her career as Helen Wills, the legendary American player won a total of 31 Grand Slam titles, including eight Wimbledon and seven US Open crowns. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, announces that daytime army patrols, scrapped last November, are to be reinstated in \JBelfast\j, and that she plans to hold an urgent round of talks with leaders of the main political parties ahead of the January 12 resumption of multi-party peace talks. The announcement comes amid fears that cease-fires currently being observed by mainstream republicans and loyalists could collapse in the face of the recent spate of killings sparked by last weekend's assassination of the militant Loyalist Volunteer Force leader, Billy Wright. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Troops in \JBurundi\j continue to comb the outskirts of the capital, Bujumbura, as the death toll from an assault on a military barracks by Hutu rebels rises to at least 284. Among the dead are 180 civilians, both Hutu and Tutsi, 100 rebels, and four soldiers. Officials say the Hutu rebels were trying to seize control of Bujumbura's international airport. \I(\JBurundi\j)\i
Two rocket-propelled grenades are fired during the night on the United Nations headquarters in \JBaghdad\j after dark. There are no casualties reported, and only minor damage is caused by the assault on the complex, which houses the UN humanitarian co-ordinator in \JIraq\j, as well as the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) responsible for monitoring the country's weapons stores. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
As counting continues in \JKenya\j's presidential and parliamentary elections, President Daniel arap Moi appears certain to win another five-year term in office, with early figures suggesting that he has won 39 per cent of the vote, 3 per cent higher than the previous polls. Whilst Mr. Moi's opponents are rejecting the results as fraudulent and demanding fresh elections, the government is warning of tough action if there is any threat to law and order. \I(\JKenya\j)\i
Niger's former prime minister, Hama Amadou, is arrested over an alleged plot to assassinate President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara. Mr. Hama's political party demands his immediate release, claiming the alleged plot to be a fabrication by an authoritarian leadership bent on plunging the impoverished and predominantly Muslim nation into \Jcivil war\j. \I(Niger)\i
Helen Wills Moody Roark, who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s, dies aged 92 in Carmel, \JCalifornia\j. Throughout her career as Helen Wills, the legendary American player won a total of 31 Grand Slam titles, including eight Wimbledon and seven US Open crowns. \I(USA, UK)\i
#
"January 3, 1998",731,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a scheme aimed at easing the nation's economic troubles, \JThailand\j's Finance Ministry asks all Thais to trade their gold jewelry for government bonds, allowing the Treasury to buy US dollars and slacken the pressure on the Thai baht. Since it was the subject of a managed float last July, the Thai baht has lost around 40 per cent of its value. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
With up to two million Indonesians now having lost their jobs as a result of the country's financial crisis, the military warns against a civilian uprising, saying the armed forces are prepared to combat any eruption that could disturb national stability. Analysts are predicting that Indonesians will face increasing unemployment in 1998 as local companies struggle to repay debts in foreign currencies. \I(Indonesia)\i
Police and military forces intervene to disperse thousands of Muslims who stage angry protests in three Indonesian towns, demanding the closure of roadside stalls selling alcohol. In Indonesia, Muslims represent 90 per cent of the population, and like other followers of \JIslam\j around the world, they have just entered Ramadan, the annual fasting month, during which the consumption of alcohol is forbidden. \I(Indonesia)\i
Chau Sakhon, a prominent supporter of \JCambodia\j's ousted co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is arrested by police at Phnom Penh airport as United Nations officials attempt to escort him safely out of the country. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that President Bill Clinton will hold \JMiddle East\j peace talks in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on January 20, to be followed by talks on January 22 with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. The \JWhite House\j discounts the prospect of a joint meeting of the three leaders at this stage. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
US President Clinton discloses plans to increase the number of United States overseas Peace Corps volunteers in the next two years by 50 per cent. Volunteers currently serve in 85 countries, and Mr. Clinton's plans, which must first be ratified by Congress, would raise US Peace Corps numbers to 10,000. \I(USA)\i
Concerns are voiced over the readiness of the United States to combat the so-called millennium bug, the computer problem threatening to wreak havoc in the year 2000. Republic House member, Connie Morella, calls on President Clinton to urge both government agencies and the private sector to give utmost priority to addressing the problem. \I(USA)\i
At Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville, \JMassachusetts\j, politicians and celebrities join with relatives and friends for the funeral of Michael Kennedy, 39, who was killed three days ago in a \Jskiing\j accident in Aspen, \JColorado\j. During the service, eulogies are offered by more than 20 members of the Kennedy family, entertainer Andy Williams sings "Ave Maria", and letters are read from United States President, Bill Clinton, and South African President, Nelson Mandela. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
Kenneth McCaughey, the first of the septuplets born last November to Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey of \JCarlisle\j, \JIowa\j, is allowed to go home from \Jhospital\j. The other six babies remain in fair condition, but no date has yet been set for their release. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a further threat to the future of the Northern Ireland multi-party peace talks, the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) warns of a sustained terrorist offensive against the republic unless the Irish Government drops its constitutional claim over Northern Ireland and withdraws from the Stormont talks. Last weekend, LVF leader, Billy Wright, was shot dead by three republicans inside \JBelfast\j's Maze prison, sparking a wave of retaliatory violence in the province, and security forces are taking the LVF warning seriously, saying the renegade Protestant group has the capacity to launch such a campaign. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Algerian newspapers report that 412 people from four isolated villages in the western Relizane region were slaughtered in an overnight rampage by ruthless assailants last Tuesday, the first fasting day of Ramadan. In what is the worst massacre in the country's six-year-old Muslim insurgency, the victims, many of them women and children, had their throats slashed, were hacked to death with axes, or were decapitated. Security forces, who swept through the villages in the wake of the attack to bury the dead in makeshift graves, are blaming Islamic fundamentalists for the killings. \I(Algeria)\i
Iraq condemns yesterday's rocket attack on the United Nations headquarters in \JBaghdad\j, saying such provocation can only be an act by hostile parties bent on destroying relations between Iraq and the UN Special Commission in charge of inspecting and dismantling the country's weapons of mass destruction. So far, there has been no claim of responsibility for the assault, but security around the complex is being increased and an official investigation is under way. \I(Iraq)\i
The \JWhite House\j announces that President Bill Clinton will hold \JMiddle East\j peace talks in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on January 20, to be followed by talks on January 22 with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. The \JWhite House\j discounts the prospect of a joint meeting of the three leaders at this stage. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Fierce storms lash the \JBritish Isles\j, with heavy rain and winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour flooding rivers, uprooting trees, and cutting power lines, bringing chaos to the roads and disrupting air, sea, and rail transport services. The worst affected areas are Scotland, Northern Ireland, and western England. Across the channel, the western shore of \JFrance\j also takes a battering, with authorities banning motorists and pedestrians from some coastal areas, and the islands of Ushant and Molene cut off from the mainland, leaving at least 600 tourists stranded. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
At Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville, \JMassachusetts\j, politicians and celebrities join with relatives and friends for the funeral of Michael Kennedy, 39, who was killed three days ago in a \Jskiing\j accident in Aspen, \JColorado\j. During the service, eulogies are offered by more than 20 members of the Kennedy family, entertainer Andy Williams sings "Ave Maria", and letters are read from United States President, Bill Clinton, and South African President, Nelson Mandela. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
#
"January 4, 1998",732,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Myanmar, formerly \JBurma\j, celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from British rule, with its military regime urging the people to resist the interference of neo-colonialists trying to destabilize the country, and opponents of the regime calling on the people to help achieve democracy and national reconciliation. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), UK)\i
More than 1,700 people rally in \JSri Lanka\j's capital, Colombo, calling for talks between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels to bring an honorable end to the nation's 14-year-old \Jcivil war\j. According to the National Peace Council of \JSri Lanka\j, which organized the rally, the ethic war is also taking its toll on the country's economy, with the cost of the war effort in 1996 amounting to $US2.7 billion, or 21.3 per cent of the gross domestic product. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Seizing the opportunity provided by \JIndonesia\j's economic problems, exiled East Timorese resistance leader, Jose Ramos Horta, calls on \JIndonesia\j to agree to a cease-fire or face an escalation of violence. Mr. Horta points out that \JIndonesia\j's current economic and financial crisis is without precedent, and that it can no longer continue the military occupation in East Timor on the same scale. \I(\JIndonesia\j, East Timor)\i
Searchers discover the cockpit voice recorder of a SilkAir Boeing 737 more than two weeks after the airliner plunged into southern \JSumatra\j's Musi River while on a flight from Jakarta to \JSingapore\j. Since the time of the accident, recovery operations have been hampered by strong currents and tides sweeping in from the sea, and only about half of the \Jaircraft\j debris and parts of the bodies of the 104 victims of the crash have been found. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
Authorities in \JBangladesh\j report 18 more deaths as a result of bitterly cold \Jweather\j sweeping parts of the country, bringing the toll for the current season to 118. Most deaths have been caused by \Jasthma\j and \Jpneumonia\j, the latest occurring as snow fell on villages 160 miles north of the capital, \JDhaka\j, pushing the mercury six degrees below zero in an area where people are unaccustomed to the cold. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The coalition Government of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is left with only a one-vote majority in the \JKnesset\j after Foreign Minister, David Levy, resigns in protest over the proposed 1998 Budget. The departure of the leading moderate and his five-strong Gesher faction throws doubts on the political survival of Mr. Netanyahu, and also complicates United States efforts to revive the \JMiddle East\j peace process, with the Israeli Cabinet now expected to shift even further to the Right, which is largely opposed to ceding more Israeli occupied land to Palestinian self-rule. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
An extreme avalanche warning is issued in southeastern British Columbia after three separate avalanches leave at least eight people dead and another skier missing. In the United States, separate avalanches in western Montana also claim the lives of an experienced climber and a snowmobiler. \I(Canada, USA)\i
Scotland's Colin Montgomerie holds off American David Love III to take out the $US3.65 million World Championship of Golf, a match-play competition in Scottsdale, \JArizona\j. \I(Scotland, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The coalition Government of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is left with only a one-vote majority in the \JKnesset\j after Foreign Minister, David Levy, resigns in protest over the proposed 1998 Budget. The departure of the leading moderate and his five-strong Gesher faction throws doubts on the political survival of Mr. Netanyahu, and also complicates United States efforts to revive the \JMiddle East\j peace process, with the Israeli Cabinet now expected to shift even further to the Right, which is largely opposed to ceding more Israeli occupied land to Palestinian self-rule. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Myanmar, formerly \JBurma\j, celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from British rule, with its military regime urging the people to resist the interference of neo-colonialists trying to destabilize the country, and opponents of the regime calling on the people to help achieve democracy and national reconciliation. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), UK)\i
Lithuanians go to the polls to vote in a presidential election run-off between Arturas Paulauskas and Valdas Adamkus, the two front-running candidates from the first round held two weeks ago. \I(Lithuania)\i
Scotland's Colin Montgomerie holds off American David Love III to take out the $US3.65 million World Championship of Golf, a match-play competition in Scottsdale, \JArizona\j. \I(Scotland, USA)\i
#
"January 5, 1998",733,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Asia's economic turmoil shows no immediate signs of abating, with the region's currencies sinking to new lows against the US dollar. The Indonesian rupiah drops to 6,300, the Malaysian ringgit to 4.024, the Philippine peso to 41.7, the Thai baht to 49.85, and the Korean won to 1,732. The currency meltdown spills over to Hong Kong, where concerns about the Hong Kong dollar's peg to its US counterpart sends the Hang Seng stock index diving 375.4 points to 10,305.2. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia, The \JPhilippines\j, \JThailand\j, South Korea, Hong Kong)\i
Thailand indicates it is seeking to re-negotiate the terms of a $US17.2 billion bailout package arranged by the International Monetary Fund last August. Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai says the premise on which the terms were based has changed, and it is unlikely that the country can now meet a key condition, which requires it to produce a cash surplus equivalent to 1 per cent of its gross domestic product in the 1997-98 financial year. \I(Thailand)\i
The Hong Kong Government states that it is neither necessary nor practical to screen travelers to or from the territory for signs of the killer "bird flu" virus, arguing that the flu's main mode of transmission is from bird-to-human, rather than human-to-human. The government's statement follows reports that airports in the \JPhilippines\j have started to screen passengers arriving from Hong Kong. \JIndonesia\j, meanwhile, is still allowing Hong Kong visitors to enter the country without screening, but has taken the precaution of banning all poultry imports from the territory. \I(Hong Kong, The \JPhilippines\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Research in Western \JAustralia\j finds that the frequency of brain tumors in men and women has increased by 50 per cent since 1982, a finding that Dr. Andrew Davidson of Fremantle Hospital attributes to the introduction of analogue mobile phones in the late 1980s. According to newly released figures, the incidence of brain tumors per 100,000 people in Western \JAustralia\j is currently 9.6 for men and 6.5 for women. The World Health Organization now plans to conduct a study to further examine a possible link between the use of mobile phones and brain tumors. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
In the latest in a series of accidents on India's huge railway network, at least 52 people and killed and another 62 are injured when two trains collide near Lucknow, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Since last March, there have been 300 railway accidents across the country, resulting in the deaths of 170 passengers. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, optimistically forecasts that the federal Budget may be balanced by 1999, three years earlier than the target date set last year. On a more cautious note, however, Mr. Clinton insists that while the deficit is shrinking more quickly than expected, the government is not yet in surplus, and he will oppose any attempts to spend money that is not yet in its coffers. \I(USA)\i
In a key victory for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the \JKnesset\j votes 58 to 52 in favor of his proposed 1998 Budget, which Foreign Minister, David Levy, resigned in protest over yesterday. However, Mr. Netanyahu has not yet secured Cabinet agreement on the scope of further troop withdrawals from the West Bank, and with the United States adamant that the Mideast peace process must progress despite Israel's political turmoil, the embattled Israeli leader is now expected to face another challenge from right-wingers vehemently opposed to any land-for-peace deals with the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Valdas Adamkus, 71, a Lithuanian-American and former United States Government official, scores a narrow victory over former prosecutor general, Arturas Paulauskas, 44, in Lithuania's presidential election runoff. Mr. Adamkus pledges to keep his country on course for entry to both the European Union and \JNATO\j, at the same time stressing that good relations with \JRussia\j will be a priority. \I(Lithuania, USA, \JRussia\j)\i
The United States Air Force announces plans to modify the engine fuel system of its fleet of 110 British-made T-3 trainer \Jaircraft\j, which has been grounded following the deaths of six fliers in three crashes since 1995. Manufacturer, Slingsby Aviation, near York, has denied that the trainer \Jaircraft\j suffers technical problems, suggesting that operating error caused the crashes. \I(USA, UK)\i
Closing arguments are presented in the penalty phase of the second \JOklahoma City\j bombing trial, with the prosecution asking the jury to return a death verdict to punish Terry Nichols for his crime against the American people, and the defense asking the jury not to base its verdict on a desire for vengeance. Two weeks ago, the jury convicted the 42-year-old Army veteran of conspiracy and \Jmanslaughter\j in the 1995 bombing, which resulted in the deaths of 168 people. \I(USA)\i
In Sacramento, \JCalifornia\j, the opening \Jday\j in the trial of alleged Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski, is thrown into disarray when the former \Jmathematics\j professor demands to read a written statement to the court moments before the prosecution is to begin its case. After a four-hour private meeting with Kaczynski and his lawyers, the judge dismisses the jury for the \Jday\j and sets a hearing for Wednesday. \I(USA)\i
German car manufacturer, Volkswagen, announces that for the first time in two decades, it will begin selling its famous Beetle in the United States this spring. The price of the new model VW Beetle will be $US15,200. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
Millionaire American adventurer, Steve Fossett, fails in his third bid to become the first person to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j when malfunctioning equipment forces him to land the "Solo Spirit" in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar. In this latest attempt, Mr. Fossett was airborne for four days, 12 hours, and 23 minutes. \I(USA, Russia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a colorful ceremony in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, President Daniel arap Moi is sworn in for his fifth and final five-year term in office, vowing to fight corruption, eliminate poverty, and rebuild the country's \Jinfrastructure\j. Mr. Moi also calls on his opponents to accept the results of an election they are claiming to be fraudulent, but his closest rivals are not present to hear his call, having decided to boycott the ceremony. The 73-year-old leader was returned to power with slightly more than 40 per cent of the ballot after the majority of Kenyans spread their vote across a field of 13 opposition contenders. \I(Kenya)\i
Media reports of further bloody civilian massacres emerge from \JAlgeria\j in the wake of last week's slaughter of 412 villagers in western Relizane province. Another 117 people are reported to have died in an attack at Remka, near Relizane, on Saturday night, and all inhabitants of neighboring Had Chekala, estimated at several hundred people, are said to have been burnt alive in their homes when the village was razed on Sunday night. Horrified by the reports, former colonial power, \JFrance\j, calls on the Algerian Government to do more to protect its people, at the same time backs German calls for a European Union emergency meeting to discuss the situation. \I(\JAlgeria\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
In a key victory for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the \JKnesset\j votes 58 to 52 in favor of his proposed 1998 Budget, which Foreign Minister, David Levy, resigned in protest over yesterday. However, Mr. Netanyahu has not yet secured Cabinet agreement on the scope of further troop withdrawals from the West Bank, and with the United States adamant that the Mideast peace process must progress despite Israel's political turmoil, the embattled Israeli leader is now expected to face another challenge from right-wingers vehemently opposed to any land-for-peace deals with the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
After a week of renewed violence in Northern Ireland, the British Government holds a \Jday\j of emergency meetings with Ulster's politicians in a bid to prevent the faltering multi-party peace process from crumbling entirely. At Downing Street, Prime Minister Tony Blair meets with Ulster Unionist Party leader, David Trimble, while at Stormont, Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, meets leaders of the province's other political parties. Although Dr. Mowlam emerges feeling greatly reassured that all desire rapid progress towards a settlement, the continued participation of the loyalist representatives still remains in doubt. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Valdas Adamkus, 71, a Lithuanian-American and former United States Government official, scores a narrow victory over former prosecutor general, Arturas Paulauskas, 44, in Lithuania's presidential election runoff. Mr. Adamkus pledges to keep his country on course for entry to both the European Union and \JNATO\j, at the same time stressing that good relations with \JRussia\j will be a priority. \I(Lithuania, USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Turkey rejects European Union pressure to seek a political solution to its Kurdish problem, insisting that \JKurds\j are leaving Turkey for economic reasons rather than political repression. \JItaly\j's recent implementation of the Schengen accord on open borders has led to an influx of Kurdish refugees, triggering a crisis in countries such as \JGermany\j and \JFrance\j, who are determined to block illegal immigrants. \I(Turkey, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
The United States Air Force announces plans to modify the engine fuel system of its fleet of 110 British-made T-3 trainer \Jaircraft\j, which has been grounded following the deaths of six fliers in three crashes since 1995. Manufacturer, Slingsby Aviation, near York, has denied that the trainer \Jaircraft\j suffers technical problems, suggesting that operating error caused the crashes. \I(USA, UK)\i
German car manufacturer, Volkswagen, announces that for the first time in two decades, it will begin selling its famous Beetle in the United States this spring. The price of the new model VW Beetle will be $US15,200. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
Telephone operators battle to cope with the demand when bookings open for tickets to visit Althorp Park, where Diana, Princess of Wales lies buried on an island lake. The estate will be opened to 2,500 visitors a \Jday\j between July 1, Diana's birthday, and August 30, the eve of the anniversary of her death. \I(UK)\i
Millionaire American adventurer, Steve Fossett, fails in his third bid to become the first person to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j when malfunctioning equipment forces him to land the "Solo Spirit" in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar. In this latest attempt, Mr. Fossett was airborne for four days, 12 hours, and 23 minutes. \I(USA, Russia)\i
#
"January 6, 1998",734,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Asian currencies continue to fall against the US dollar, with the Indonesian rupiah dropping by 8 per cent, the Thai baht by 5 per cent, and both the Malaysian ringgit and the Philippine peso by 4 per cent. Concerns about the Hong Kong dollar are once again reflected on the territory's stock market, which registers another slump of almost 2 per cent. The Asian currency fallout also reaches \JAustralia\j, where the local dollar bottoms at an eleven-year low of US63.35c, and gold prices close at $US281.15 an ounce, the lowest rate in 18 years. \I(Indonesia, \JThailand\j, Malaysia, The \JPhilippines\j, Hong Kong, \JAustralia\j)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto announces a balanced Budget for 1998, ignoring the terms of the International Monetary Fund's $US38 billion bail-out package, which required the country to produce a 1998 Budget in surplus by 1 per cent of GDP. Finance Minister, Mar'ie Muhammad, comments that the government may attempt to meet the IMF surplus requirement later in the year. \I(Indonesia)\i
The US State Department says it will carefully consider a United Nations appeal for $US378 million in food aid for North Korea, the largest donation ever sought by the world body. Last year, the US donated $US50 million in food aid to North Korea, which is struggling to avert a massive \Jfamine\j as a result of floods and widespread crop failure. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Pol Pot, the former leader of \JCambodia\j's internationally reviled Khmer Rouge, is found to be still in the country's north-west, dispelling recent claims that he had fled to China. A senior Khmer Rouge official, responsible for keeping Pol Pot under house arrest, says the rebel group will resist any attempt to bring its former leader before an international tribunal for crimes against humanity. \I(\JCambodia\j, China)\i
China issues new regulations for foreign investors, listing in detail industrial and commercial sectors that are open to overseas investment. However, a complete ban is placed on foreign investment in the country's news industry, which covers the print media, as well as radio, film, and \Jtelevision\j. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, broadcasts an address to the nation to mark the Orthodox Christmas. Despite \JKremlin\j assurances that Mr. Yeltsin is enjoying a winter break in the country's north-west, doubts about his health are renewed when his press service announces that a planned mid-January trip to India has been postponed, and that the Russian leader is receiving no visitors before he returns to work on January 19. \I(Russia, India)\i
For the first time in its history, the \JCatholic Church\j in \JAustralia\j releases a draft document detailing strict national standards of clerical conduct. Standards such as mandatory chastity, the banning of corporal punishment, and guidelines on environments, language, and behavior that could constitute sexual harassment or be construed as sexually provocative are included in the document, the origins of which lie in last April's apology on behalf of the Church to the victims of clerical sexual abuse. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Hong Kong poultry dealers, farm workers, and truck drivers stage a sit-in demonstration outside a government building, protesting against what they claim is an inadequate compensation offer for more than a million birds, slaughtered last week in an effort to contain the deadly H5N1 avian flu, which has killed four people in the territory since last May. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, paving the way for US President Clinton's personal intervention in the peace process later in the month. With Mr. Ross at his side, the politically embattled Israeli leader states his intention of moving ahead on peace as long as the PLO abides by its security commitments, a statement which appeases moderates within his coalition government who are now threatening to topple him if he does not cede more West Bank land to the Palestinians, but which defies the hardline right-wingers who have repeatedly threatened to topple him if he does. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
As terrified villagers flee their homes to seek safe havens in the cities, \JAlgeria\j categorically rejects United States calls for an international inquiry into the recent spate of brutal civilian massacres that have left more than 800 people dead over the past week. Meanwhile, the European Union says it is considering sending a diplomatic mission to \JAlgiers\j to co-ordinate humanitarian aid for victims, and a special representative for the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights is also preparing for a possible visit. \I(\JAlgeria\j, USA, Europe)\i
The US State Department says it will carefully consider a United Nations appeal for $US378 million in food aid for North Korea, the largest donation ever sought by the world body. Last year, the US donated $US50 million in food aid to North Korea, which is struggling to avert a massive \Jfamine\j as a result of floods and widespread crop failure. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
In NASA's first lunar mission in 25 years, the unmanned Lunar Prospector is launched aboard a Lockheed Martin Athena 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j. The \Jspacecraft\j will \Jorbit\j the moon for one year, surveying its surface for minerals and reservoirs of frozen \Jwater\j. \I(USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j expresses strong opposition when \JChicago\j physicist, Dr. G. Richard Seed, announces that he is 90 per cent ready to begin \Jcloning\j humans to create babies for infertile couples. After scientists in Scotland cloned Dolly the sheep last year, US President Clinton banned the use of federal money to conduct human \Jcloning\j experiments, and appealed to privately funded enterprises to adhere to a voluntary ban on moral grounds. In the wake of Dr. Seed's announcement, the World Medical Association is likewise calling for a halt to scientific research in human \Jcloning\j until the ethical and legal issues have been fully considered. \I(USA, Scotland)\i
Sonny Bono, the American entertainer-turned-politician, dies of massive head injuries when he hits a tree while \Jskiing\j at the Heavenly Valley Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe. The 62-year-old Republican Congressman, who gained fame in the 1960's comedy and singing team of "Sonny and Cher", is the second celebrity in less than a week to die on the American ski slopes. On New Year's Eve, Michael Kennedy, son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, was killed in a similar accident in Aspen. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Northern Ireland peace process suffers a fresh blow when leaders of the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party fail to persuade their jailed loyalist paramilitary associates to abide by their three-year-old cease-fire and support the multi-party Stormont talks, due to resume next week. Loyalist prisoners and Unionist politicians have complained for months about concessions by London and Dublin aimed at maintaining the Irish Republican Army cease-fire and keeping its political wing, Sinn Fein, in the negotiations, but there are now hints from London of similar concessions to Protestant groups once the talks are again under way. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Germany's Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, proposes a tougher mandate this year for international peacekeepers in Bosnia to extradite war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. The former Bosnian Serb leader is the most prominent person indicted by the tribunal for alleged crimes during the 1992-95 Bosnian war. \I(Germany, Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
As terrified villagers flee their homes to seek safe havens in the cities, \JAlgeria\j categorically rejects United States calls for an international inquiry into the recent spate of brutal civilian massacres that have left more than 800 people dead over the past week. Meanwhile, the European Union says it is considering sending a diplomatic mission to \JAlgiers\j to co-ordinate humanitarian aid for victims, and a special representative for the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights is also preparing for a possible visit. \I(\JAlgeria\j, USA, Europe)\i
United States Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, paving the way for US President Clinton's personal intervention in the peace process later in the month. With Mr. Ross at his side, the politically embattled Israeli leader states his intention of moving ahead on peace as long as the PLO abides by its security commitments, a statement which appeases moderates within his coalition government who are now threatening to topple him if he does not cede more West Bank land to the Palestinians, but which defies the hardline right-wingers who have repeatedly threatened to topple him if he does. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, broadcasts an address to the nation to mark the Orthodox Christmas. Despite \JKremlin\j assurances that Mr. Yeltsin is enjoying a winter break in the country's north-west, doubts about his health are renewed when his press service announces that a planned mid-January trip to India has been postponed, and that the Russian leader is receiving no visitors before he returns to work on January 19. \I(Russia, India)\i
The \JWhite House\j expresses strong opposition when \JChicago\j physicist, Dr. G. Richard Seed, announces that he is 90 per cent ready to begin \Jcloning\j humans to create babies for infertile couples. After scientists in Scotland cloned Dolly the sheep last year, US President Clinton banned the use of federal money to conduct human \Jcloning\j experiments, and appealed to privately funded enterprises to adhere to a voluntary ban on moral grounds. In the wake of Dr. Seed's announcement, the World Medical Association is likewise calling for a halt to scientific research in human \Jcloning\j until the ethical and legal issues have been fully considered. \I(USA, Scotland)\i
#
"January 7, 1998",735,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia marks the 19th anniversary of the end of the Maoist-inspired Khmer Rouge regime, which seized power in 1975 and was overthrown in 1979 after the Vietnamese invasion. The official celebrations are staged by supporters of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, and his Cambodian People's Party, which ruled the country backed by Vietnamese troops for the decade following the overthrow. \I(Cambodia, Vietnam)\i
With \JIndonesia\j's presidential elections looming, Muslim leader, Amien Rais, calls for President Soeharto to be replaced, proposing an alliance between key Muslim figures and pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of the nation's founding President Sukarno. Mr. Rais's call for political change comes as the market reaction against Mr. Soeharto's 1998 Budget speech the previous \Jday\j sends the rupiah plunging another 12 per cent to a new low of 8,300 against the US dollar. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korea reports that a record 500 companies, mostly small businesses, have already been declared insolvent this year as a result of the country's spiraling economic crisis. Meanwhile, around 130,000 South Koreans have now donated more than 10 tons of gold jewelry, raising nearly $US100 million to help the troubled nation repay its foreign debt. A similar gold collection scheme, dubbed "Thais Help Thais", is operating in \JThailand\j. \I(South Korea, \JThailand\j)\i
United Nations sources reveal that \JAfghanistan\j's opposition alliance has written to UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, accusing retreating forces of the ruling Taliban militia of slaughtering more than 600 civilians in the country's northeast on January 1 and 2. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The Hong Kong Government gives in to protesting farm owners and poultry workers, promising some improvement in compensation payouts for the 1.4 million chickens and other poultry slaughtered last week in a bid to stem the outbreak of the H5N1 virus, or "bird flu", which has so far killed four people. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Health officials in the Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j warn that the debilitating mosquito-transmitted Ross River fever, which originated in \JQueensland\j, is advancing at a rapid rate, with 1,585 cases reported in the state last year, compared with 1,076 cases in 1996, and only 242 cases in 1995. Symptoms of the virus appear within days of being bitten, and include a rash, joint pains, and fatigue followed by a fever which, in some cases, can last for months. \I(Australia)\i
Papua New Guinea's worst \Jdrought\j in 50 years intensifies, with officials reporting the deaths of 75 people, and another 1.2 million people in urgent need of food and \Jwater\j. Residents of the capital, Port Moresby, are now facing \Jwater\j and power rationing, and there are concerns that the city could soon come to a standstill unless there is significant rainfall. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a groundbreaking \Jtelevision\j interview with America's Cable News Network, Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, voices respect for the people of the United States, but says he sees no need for political relations at present, calling instead for cultural exchanges to create a "crack in the wall of mistrust" between the two nations. While at times conciliatory, Mr. Khatami also expresses strong criticism of US foreign policy, condemning past treatment of his country by the US, and reiterating Iran's opposition to the US-led Arab-Israeli peace talks, branding Israel "the racist terrorist regime", and accusing Washington of allowing its \JMiddle East\j policy decisions to be made in Tel Aviv. \I(Iran, USA, Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Israeli, Turkish, and United States warships stage joint search-and-rescue exercises in the eastern Mediterranean to a chorus of outrage from the Arab world, where the joint operation is generally perceived as a US-backed attempt to alter the region's balance of power. \JEgypt\j and \JIran\j angrily denounce the operation, \JIraq\j describes it as provocative, and \JSyria\j accuses Israel and Turkey of forging a military alliance intended to intimidate and encircle it. \I(Israel, Turkey, USA, \JEgypt\j, \JIran\j, \JIraq\j, \JSyria\j)\i
The United States announces that it is reviewing its controversial sanctions policy. The announcement comes as Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering, meets with French officials seeking to avoid penalties under the \JIran\j-\JLibya\j Sanction Acts against French \Jenergy\j giant, Total, which last year signed a $US2 billion gas deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
The Canadian Government formally apologizes to the country's 1.3 million Indians for past abuses that have weakened their identity, suppressed their languages and cultures, and outlawed their spiritual practices. However, the vast majority of Indian leaders reject the apology and the proposed $C350 million "healing" fund, saying it is too little and was devised without consultation. \I(Canada)\i
Convicted \JOklahoma City\j bombing co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, avoids the death penalty when the deadlocked jury asks trial judge, Richard Matsch, to pass sentence. Unlike the jury, the judge does not have the power to impose \Jcapital punishment\j, and lawyers for both sides now have until February 9 to file pre-sentencing motions. In December, the jury found Nichols guilty of conspiracy and involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, but cleared him of murder. Co-defendant, Timothy McVeigh, however, was convicted of murder and conspiracy last June, and subsequently handed down the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
Rescuers battle to save more than 100 dolphins washed up on a beach on Isla la Tortuga, an uninhabited Caribbean island northeast of the Venezuelan capital, \JCaracas\j. Of the 104 creatures dragged back to sea, only 70 return to deep waters, with the remainder swimming back to die on the shore. Marine experts theorize that the deaths could be a case of mass suicide in sympathy with an ailing group member. \I(Venezuela)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In an unprecedented move, Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, agrees to visit convicted loyalist terrorists in \JBelfast\j's Maze prison in an attempt to gain their support for the peace process. Defending her controversial decision, Dr. Mowlam insists that there will be no deals, and that it will be a one-off meeting rather than the beginning of negotiations. Earlier, loyalist inmates of Maze had voted to withdraw their backing for the pro-British Ulster Democratic Party's continued participation in the Stormont multi-party peace talks. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Algeria's state-run radio reports further massacres in the bloodstained western province of Relizane, with another 62 civilians killed and 48 left wounded over the past two days. The ongoing carnage in Algeria has led to mounting pressure for an international inquiry, but the government in \JAlgiers\j is angrily resisting foreign intervention, claiming that media reports of the killings are exaggerated, and that no outside help is required. \I(Algeria)\i
In a groundbreaking \Jtelevision\j interview with America's Cable News Network, Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, voices respect for the people of the United States, but says he sees no need for political relations at present, calling instead for cultural exchanges to create a "crack in the wall of mistrust" between the two nations. While at times conciliatory, Mr. Khatami also expresses strong criticism of US foreign policy, condemning past treatment of his country by the US, and reiterating Iran's opposition to the US-led Arab-Israeli peace talks, branding Israel "the racist terrorist regime", and accusing Washington of allowing its \JMiddle East\j policy decisions to be made in Tel Aviv. \I(Iran, USA, Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Israeli, Turkish, and United States warships stage joint search-and-rescue exercises in the eastern Mediterranean to a chorus of outrage from the Arab world, where the joint operation is generally perceived as a US-backed attempt to alter the region's balance of power. \JEgypt\j and \JIran\j angrily denounce the operation, \JIraq\j describes it as provocative, and \JSyria\j accuses Israel and Turkey of forging a military alliance intended to intimidate and encircle it. \I(Israel, Turkey, USA, \JEgypt\j, \JIran\j, \JIraq\j, \JSyria\j)\i
Iraq announces that it has resumed pumping oil for export purposes and will start sales on the international market early next week, by which time the United Nations Security Council is expected to have approved a pricing formula under the oil-for-food program. The program allows \JBaghdad\j to sell oil to buy food and medicine, easing the effects of UN sanctions implemented in 1990 after Iraq invaded \JKuwait\j. \I(Iraq, \JKuwait\j)\i
The United States announces that it is reviewing its controversial sanctions policy. The announcement comes as Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering, meets with French officials seeking to avoid penalties under the \JIran\j-\JLibya\j Sanction Acts against French \Jenergy\j giant, Total, which last year signed a $US2 billion gas deal with \JIran\j. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
A provincial Attorney General in South Africa declares that the nation's former \Japartheid\j president, P.W. Botha, is to be prosecuted for defying a \Jsubpoena\j to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Mr. Botha, 81, was summoned to testify on the activities of the State Security Council, which imposed a state of emergency in the 1980s in an effort to maintain white rule. \I(South Africa)\i
In what is becoming an increasingly militant "jobless revolt", thousands of unemployed people in cities across \JFrance\j stage street protests to air their grievances. Around 4,000 people march through Paris to the Finance Ministry, and about 3,000 people take to the streets of Marseilles, while in other cities throughout the country, rallies attracting several hundreds of people are reported. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
A plan to stabilize the Leaning Tower of Pisa and prevent it from collapsing is approved by the committee charged with its protection. Although the tower's accelerating tilt has been slowed by steel bands and weights at its base, it has shifted at the rate of a millimeter a year over the past 25 years, and under the newly approved plan, high-tension steel cables will now be secured to the tower at a height of 70 feet, pulling in the opposite direction to correct the lean. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"January 8, 1998",736,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia faces an economic meltdown as share prices on the Jakarta stock exchange plunge 12 per cent, the biggest one-\Jday\j fall in more than eight years, and the currency registers it largest ever one-\Jday\j decline, with the rupiah collapsing by 22 per cent to a new low of 10,000 against the US dollar. The crisis in investor confidence is aggravated by rumors of an impending debt moratorium, as well as political uncertainty fueled by suggestions that President Soeharto should step down from office. \I(Indonesia)\i
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia denies opposition alliance charges that it perpetrated a civilian massacre in a northeast province last week, claiming that its forces were not in the area when 600 people were reportedly killed, and that the alleged slaughter could have been the work of the opposition alliance itself. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Sydney customs officers seize 13 vials suspected of containing illegal growth \Jhormones\j from a Chinese female swimmer arriving in \JAustralia\j to compete in the world championships. A Chinese coach takes responsibility for the substances, claiming he packed them in the swimmer's bag because his own was full. Criminal charges are not expected to be laid, but the world swimming body, FINA, says an investigation will be launched pending laboratory analysis of the contents of the vials. \I(\JAustralia\j, China)\i
Pakistani-born Ramzi Ahmed Yousef is sentenced to life in prison for the 1993 bombing of the New York World Trade Center, in which six people died and more than a thousand others were injured. A Muslim fundamentalist who says he is proud to be a terrorist, Yousef was also convicted of plotting to bomb a dozen United States jetliners. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In response to yesterday's conciliatory comments by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, the United States says it will look seriously at boosting cultural exchanges as an initial step to improving relations between the two countries. However, the State Department adds that it is still seeking a political dialogue at government level with Iran, an option discounted by Mr. Khatami during his groundbreaking \Jtelevision\j interview with the American Cable News Network. \I(Iran, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, makes his first fundraising trip of the year, flying to New York to host two events expected to yield $US850,000. Media coverage of the events is limited, however, with \Jtelevision\j and radio crews banned, and only two print reporters allowed to attend. \I(USA)\i
Pakistani-born Ramzi Ahmed Yousef is sentenced to life in prison for the 1993 bombing of the New York World Trade Center, in which six people died and more than a thousand were injured. A Muslim fundamentalist who says he is proud to be a terrorist, Yousef was also convicted of plotting to bomb a dozen United States jetliners. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
A United States federal judge again postpones opening statements in the trial of Unabomber suspect, Theodore Kaczynski, who has now agreed to submit to mental competency tests designed to determine whether he is fit to conduct his own defense. Kaczynski is demanding the removal of his legal team, who planned to argue that the former \Jmathematics\j professor was mentally ill from 1978 to 1995, when he waged a bombing campaign that killed three people and injured dozens. \I(USA)\i
In what is becoming Quebec's worst ever ice storm, more than one third of the province's residents are now struggling to stay warm without electricity, with \Jweather\j forecasters predicting at least another \Jday\j of freezing rain. The four-\Jday\j-old storm has caused three deaths in Quebec and two in neighboring \JOntario\j, and has also been responsible for massive power blackouts in \JOttawa\j and Montreal. \I(Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following yesterday's decision to meet with loyalist paramilitary inmates of \JBelfast\j's Maze prison, Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, takes another controversial step by offering to meet with the prison's Irish Republican Army inmates. Although Dr. Mowlam's unprecedented approach to saving the fragile Northern Ireland peace process is drawing criticism from some quarters, it has the solid backing of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Cabinet. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
As aid workers rush emergency supplies to \JAlgeria\j's western province of Relizane, where almost 1,000 civilians have been killed in bloody massacres over the past 10 days, the European Union agrees to send a fact-finding delegation to the country in order to gain a clearer assessment of the situation. \I(\JAlgeria\j, Europe)\i
In response to yesterday's conciliatory comments by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, the United States says it will look seriously at boosting cultural exchanges as an initial step to improving relations between the two countries. However, the State Department adds that it is still seeking a political dialogue at government level with Iran, an option discounted by Mr. Khatami during his groundbreaking \Jtelevision\j interview with the American Cable News Network. \I(Iran, USA)\i
Britain's Scottish Secretary, Donald Dewar, confirms that he will stand for election to Scotland's new parliament, a decision that puts him in the running for the top office of Scotland's First Minister and leader of the Edinburgh-based parliament, which opens in January 2000. Mr. Dewar, who led the "Yes" campaign in last year's \Jdevolution\j referendum, says he will retain his post in the British Cabinet at least until the polls in May next year. \I(UK, Scotland)\i
About 1,000 buildings in the southern English town of Selsey are damaged when a \Jtornado\j, preceded by thunderstorms and hailstones, sweeps across a two-mile path before moving out to sea and on to the northern coast of \JFrance\j, where further devastation is reported. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"January 9, 1998",737,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In an emergency move to pull \JIndonesia\j back from the brink of total economic collapse, the United States and the International Monetary Fund announce that senior officials will be dispatched to the Asian country with a view to accelerating its $US38 billion international bail-out and speeding up its reforms. The announcement triggers an immediate surge in the Indonesian rupiah, which recovers from a low of 11,200 to the US dollar to finish trading at 7,730. Jakarta share prices lose another 2 per cent, however, with trading subdued in the absence of any significant initiatives from the Soeharto Government. Meanwhile, consumer fears of price rises or shortages spark an outbreak of panic buying across the country, quickly stripping supermarket shelves of staples such as rice, noodles, cooking oil, and sugar. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
The Indonesian rupiah's dramatic recovery prompts a strengthening of currencies elsewhere in Asia, but share markets around the region fall. The \JSingapore\j market plunges 8 per cent to its lowest level since January 1991, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index sheds 3 per cent, the Philippine market dives 8.3 per cent to its lowest point in five years, \JMalaysia\j's market drops 2.6 per cent to a seven-year low, and signs emerge that India is now being caught up in the turmoil, with its share market losing 2.3 per cent on the \Jday\j's trading. \I(Indonesia, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The \JPhilippines\j, \JMalaysia\j, India)\i
New York's Wall Street stock exchange registers a marked reaction to Asia's deteriorating economic situation, with the Dow Jones industrial average ending down 222.20 points, or 2.8 per cent, at 7,580.42, having accumulated a record weekly loss of 384.62 points. Meanwhile, in its second biggest points loss ever, the Nasdaq Composite index sinks 52.35 points, or 3.37 per cent, to close for the week at 1,503.19. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration reports that inspections of the country's Boeing 737s are under way, and that only minor problems have been detected so far. The inspections were ordered following indications that 26 bolts and screws on horizontal stabilizers may have been missing from a Singaporean SilkAir 737-300, which crashed last month in \JIndonesia\j, killing all 104 people on board. \I(USA, Singapore, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Forty-eight people are injured, four seriously, when a bomb explodes in the midst of a lunch-time crowd just meters from the New Delhi police chief's office. The explosion also shatters windows of nearby skyscrapers and damages parked cars, and is the Indian capital's first this year, following a number of bombings last year which killed nine people and injured 240. \I(India)\i
The Australian Government Analytical Laboratory confirms that the substance in vials seized from a Chinese swimmer's bag yesterday is hGh, a synthetic human growth hormone prohibited under Australian Customs regulations. Meanwhile, the Chinese Swimming Association bans breaststroker Yuan Yuan from competing at the world championships in Perth, and she is ordered to return home with her coach, who claimed to have put the drugs in her bag. \I(Australia, China)\i
In \JTokyo\j, one man dies, hundreds are injured on the roads, and train services and airline flights are canceled as a result of the capital's heaviest snow storm in two years, which dumps 15 centimeters of snow in the city center, and up to 28 centimeters of snow in some outlying areas. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an emergency move to pull \JIndonesia\j back from the brink of total economic collapse, the United States and the International Monetary Fund announce that senior officials will be dispatched to the Asian country with a view to accelerating its $US38 billion international bail-out and speeding up its reforms. The announcement triggers an immediate surge in the Indonesian rupiah, which recovers from a low of 11,200 to the US dollar to finish trading at 7,730. Jakarta share prices lose another 2 per cent, however, with trading subdued in the absence of any significant initiatives from the Soeharto Government. Meanwhile, consumer fears of price rises or shortages spark an outbreak of panic buying across the country, quickly stripping supermarket shelves of staples such as rice, noodles, cooking oil, and sugar. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
New York's Wall Street stock exchange registers a marked reaction to Asia's deteriorating economic situation, with the Dow Jones industrial average ending down 222.20 points, or 2.8 per cent, at 7,580.42, having accumulated a record weekly loss of 384.62 points. Meanwhile, in its second biggest point loss ever, the Nasdaq Composite index sinks 52.35 points, or 3.37 per cent, to close for the week at 1,503.19. \I(USA, Asia)\i
United States envoy, Dennis Ross, winds up a visit to the \JMiddle East\j, which is declared a failure by officials of the Palestinian Authority, who accuse Washington of siding too much with Israel at their expense. The aim of Mr. Ross's visit was to revive deadlock peace talks ahead of key Mideast meetings in Washington later this month with US President Bill Clinton. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Iraq charges the United States with aggressively threatening its security after the US announces that it will keep a major military force, including two \Jaircraft\j carriers, poised near Iraq as long as it refuses to fully comply with United Nations weapons sanctions. The UN, meanwhile, reports that Iraq has been cooperative with arms inspectors since the standoff last November. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration reports that inspections of the country's Boeing 737s are under way, and that only minor problems have been detected so far. The inspections were ordered following indications that 26 bolts and screws on horizontal stabilizers may have been missing from a Singaporean SilkAir 737-300, which crashed last month in \JIndonesia\j, killing all 104 people on board. \I(USA, Singapore, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The severe ice storm causing havoc in Quebec and \JOntario\j enters its fifth \Jday\j, at the same time sweeping across the border to engulf upstate New York and northern New England, where it snaps power lines, brings down trees, and disrupts air, road, and rail traffic. \I(Canada, USA)\i
In Palm Springs, \JCalifornia\j, more than 2,500 people bid an emotional farewell to Sonny Bono, 62, the Republican congressman and former entertainer who died on Monday when he hit a tree while \Jskiing\j in Nevada. Eulogies are delivered by \JCalifornia\j Governor, Pete Wilson, House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, and Bono's ex-wife and former singing partner, Cher. \I(USA)\i
Another attempt to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j ends in chaos when the \Jballoon\j begins to leak \Jhelium\j about 40 minutes after takeoff from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and American adventurers, Dick Rutan and Dave Melton, are forced to parachute to safety. After a 600-mile chase, police finally catch up with the "Global Hilton" when it snags on trees near \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The crisis threatening to derail Northern Ireland peace negotiations is eased when convicted loyalist terrorists in \JBelfast\j's Maze prison agree to restore their backing for the Stormont multi-party peace talks. The reversal of last week's decision comes after Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, pays her controversial visit to the prison and holds three hours of talks with the inmates. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
United States envoy, Dennis Ross, winds up a visit to the \JMiddle East\j, which is declared a failure by officials of the Palestinian Authority, who accuse Washington of siding too much with Israel at their expense. The aim of Mr. Ross's visit was to revive deadlock peace talks ahead of key Mideast meetings in Washington later this month with US President Bill Clinton. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Iraq charges the United States with aggressively threatening its security after the US announces that it will keep a major military force, including two \Jaircraft\j carriers, poised near Iraq as long as it refuses to fully comply with United Nations weapons sanctions. The UN, meanwhile, reports that Iraq has been cooperative with arms inspectors since the standoff last November. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Russian cosmonauts, Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov, complete a record-breaking spacewalk of three hours and eight minutes, during which time they successfully seal a leaking hatch on space station Mir. It is the 16th spacewalk for Solovyov, who has already spent more hours "walking" in outer space than any other person. \I(Russia)\i
#
"January 10, 1998",738,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, declares herself as a possible candidate in the upcoming presidential elections. Ms. Megawati, daughter of Indonesia's founding President Sukarno, is adamant that President Soeharto should not be nominated for a seventh five-year term, and criticizes the ruling political elite for lacking the courage to challenge him. Ms. Megawati also lays the blame for the country's deepening financial crisis on "economic criminals" in business and Government alike, and cites the loss of confidence in Indonesia's currency as indicative of a loss of confidence in its present leadership and government administration. \I(Indonesia)\i
South Korean trade union leaders reject an invitation to participate in a government-sponsored forum to discuss unemployment, which is now expected to double under the austerity measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a massive financial rescue package. The unionist rejection comes in protest against proposed legislation aimed at making it easier for employers to lay off workers at troubled financial institutions ahead of the introduction of industry-wide lay-offs. \I(South Korea)\i
Cambodia's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, lays down official terms for a cease-fire between government forces and those loyal to ousted co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Under the terms of the proposed cease-fire, the Prince must nullify appointments made when the resistance army was established, sever relations with the Khmer Rouge guerrilla group, and order his troops to report both their location and their strength in terms of numbers and weapons. A spokesman for Prince Ranariddh accepts the cease-fire proposal on his behalf, with the proviso that Hun Sen simultaneously orders his troops to stop fighting also. \I(Cambodia)\i
Former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, files three charges of corruption against arch-rival, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, claiming that his administration is trying to destroy her and her family. Earlier this month, the Pakistani Government filed twelve charges of corruption against Ms. Bhutto, her husband, and her mother. \I(Pakistan)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale strikes near the Great Wall of China in Zhangjiakou prefecture, 220 kilometers north-west of \JBeijing\j. At least 47 people are killed, and more than 2,000 are injured, while some 20,000 families are left homeless in bitterly cold temperatures after their houses are destroyed. Other residents in the stricken area are too afraid to stay in their houses, which authorities warn could turn into deadly traps in the event of a major aftershock. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Reports that Israel intends to construct 30,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip draw strong criticism from the European Union, which deplores the development as particularly damaging at a time when the international community is intensifying efforts to achieve a breakthrough in the Mideast peace process. In Washington, meanwhile, the State Department says no progress in the peace process is possible as long as such measures are taken to undermine the trust between parties, and insists that Israel must abide by its earlier agreement, and begin to implement the first of three consecutive troop withdrawals from the West Bank before the middle of the year. \I(Israel, Palestine, Europe, USA)\i
A vaccine produced by Californian biotechnology company, VaxGen Incorporated, becomes the first AIDS vaccine approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to move to "phase III" testing to determine its effectiveness in humans. Testing of the protein-based AIDSVAX will begin this year, and will involve 7,500 healthy volunteers over a period of three years, with the total cost of the project estimated at $US20 million. \I(USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, speaks out against plans by \JChicago\j physicist, Dr. Richard Seed, to set up a clinic to clone human babies. Mr. Clinton condemns the plans, and urges Congress to speed up passage of legislation that would ban human \Jcloning\j for at least five years. \I(USA)\i
While Canada's worst ice storm on record continues to wreak havoc in Quebec, US President Clinton declares a federal state of emergency for a five-county area of northern New York state, where ice-laden trees are still falling, bringing down power lines in their path. The storm has now been blamed for killing 10 people in Canada and one person in Maine, and officials estimate that more than three million people are still without electricity in some of the stricken areas. \I(Canada, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Reports that Israel intends to construct 30,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip draw strong criticism from the European Union, which deplores the development as particularly damaging at a time when the international community is intensifying efforts to achieve a breakthrough in the Mideast peace process. In Washington, meanwhile, the State Department says no progress in the peace process is possible as long as such measures are taken to undermine the trust between parties, and insists that Israel must abide by its earlier agreement, and begin to implement the first of three consecutive troop withdrawals from the West Bank before the middle of the year. \I(Israel, Palestine, Europe, USA)\i
Seven Palestinians are injured by \Jrubber\j bullets when clashes break out between Israeli troops and about 200 stone-throwing Palestinian protesters in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Thousands of Chechen troops are deployed to the state's border with \JRussia\j, where Chechen leaders claim Russian troops have been massing during a recent upsurge of tensions. According to Russia's security chief in the neighboring Dagestan region, however, there have been no additional Russian troops sent to the frontier. \I(\JRussia\j, \JChechnya\j)\i
Police chiefs from seven European countries agree to increase border controls and security, and to exchange more information about illegal immigrants. The new initiatives come in an effort to stem the flow of Kurdish refugees through \JItaly\j, where \JKurds\j fleeing violence in southeastern Turkey or northern \JIraq\j have been able to gain political asylum. \I(Turkey, \JIraq\j, \JItaly\j, Europe)\i
French riot police eject jobless protesters from more than 20 welfare and labor offices across the country, where sit-ins have been staged since last December by activists pressing their demands for higher benefits. The police action comes one \Jday\j after Prime Minister Lionel Jospin pledges emergency funds of $US170 million to alleviate the plight of \JFrance\j's 3.1 million unemployed. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
German psychologist, Heide Fittkau-Garthe, the alleged leader of a doomsday \Jcult\j, is charged with the attempted murder of 32 of her followers in a suspected mass suicide plot, which was foiled earlier in the week when police raided her chalet on the Spanish resort island of \JTenerife\j during what they alleged was a "last supper". \I(\JGermany\j, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"January 11, 1998",739,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A delegation of United States officials, led by Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, arrives in \JSingapore\j for a \Jwhirlwind\j tour to encourage Asian nations to adhere to stringent policies prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The tour will include stopovers in \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, and South Korea, the three recipients of international rescue packages totaling more than $US100 billion. Meanwhile, the IMF's first deputy managing director, Stanley Fischer, meets in Jakarta with senior ministers of Indonesian President Soeharto's administration, seeking assurances that Indonesia's financial sector will be restructured and its system of business monopolies dismantled. \I(USA, \JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, South Korea, Asia)\i
In Washington, the Clinton administration faces a growing revolt in Congress, where a coalition of liberals and conservatives is vowing to block a request for nearly $US19 million to boost the resources of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), drained by multibillion-dollar bailouts for \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, and South Korea. The coalition is also intent upon proposing legislation to alter the way the IMF obtains its funding, and to prevent Mr. Clinton from offering huge overseas loans without Congress approval, which he has been able to do in the past through a special emergency fund. In opposition to the coalition, however, Democrat House leader, Richard Gephardt, is urging fellow Democrats to support the efforts of the IMF and the Clinton administration to stem the Asian economic crisis, arguing that United States markets and workers will also be hurt if Asian countries go bankrupt. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, South Korea, Asia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in Kuala Lumpur on the first leg of a 12-\Jday\j tour of Asia, the stated aim of which is to assure the peoples of the region that the US is a friend and ally in good times and in bad, and to contribute further to the region's security by enhancing military ties. Around 100,000 American troops are currently stationed throughout Asia, and Mr. Cohen's tour will take him to \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, and \JThailand\j, as well as \JJapan\j and South Korea, where most of the troops are deployed. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JThailand\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea)\i
The Thai army joins the battle against the country's economic crisis, staging a festival in downtown \JBangkok\j to encourage people to give what they can to the treasury and trade in hard currency for Thai baht to boost foreign reserves. It is the biggest mass event in support of the "Thais Help Thais" campaign so far, attracting a turnout of as many as 8,000 people. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
In what is condemned as \JPakistan\j's most deadly sectarian violence in recent months, at least 22 Shi'ite Muslims are killed and another 51 are wounded when gunmen open fire on the congregation of a memorial service at the Mominpura cemetery in central \JLahore\j, the capital of the province of Punjab. Police suspect the gunmen are members of a militant Sunni group, but no one is claiming responsibility for the attack. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Sonia Gandhi, widow of slain former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, launches her election campaign on behalf of India's beleaguered Congress Party. Speaking to a crowd of supporters at Sriperumbudur, the site of her husband's death in a suicide bomb attack six years ago, Mrs. Gandhi condemns parties which use religion for political gain, a scarcely veiled allusion to the rival Bharatiya Janata Party, which is campaigning on a promise to build Hindu temples on sites occupied by Muslim mosques, and to abolish the special status of Kashmir, the country's only Muslim majority state. Mrs. Gandhi also assures the crowd that she has entered the election campaign, not in search of high office, but because the unity of the nation is under threat, and only the Congress Party can restore the India of her late husband's dreams. \I(India)\i
Iraq complains about a newly arrived team of United Nations arms inspectors, pointing to the fact that the team's composition is weighted in favor of the United States and Britain. The UN team in question includes nine Americans, five Britons, one Russian, and one Australian, an imbalance not unlike those which last year led to Iraqi accusations of spying and triggered a hostile three-week standoff. In Washington, however, US National Security Advisor, Samuel Berger, dismisses the complaint, saying Iraq is not entitled to dictate the makeup of UN teams assigned to seek out and dismantle the country's weapons of mass destruction. \I(Iraq, USA, UK, Russia, Australia)\i
A state of emergency is declared over the coastal area of \JTownsville\j, in \JAustralia\j's tropical northeast, after freakish \Jweather\j conditions and a four-meter king tide unleash the worst floods in the city's history, which at their peak, sent \Jwater\j three meters deep rushing through the city center. At least one person has been drowned, hundreds have been evacuated from their flooded homes, and more than 20,000 residents are now left without electricity, while the cost of repairing damage to roads and other \Jinfrastructure\j is currently assessed at millions of dollars. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Sixteen-year-old Australian, Lleyton Hewitt becomes the world's second youngest player to win a professional tennis tournament when he defeats countryman Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the Australian Men's Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide. Only World No. 3, American Michael Chang, was younger when he won his first professional tournament in \JSan Francisco\j in 1988, also at the age of 16. With a ranking of 550th in the world, however, Hewitt becomes the game's lowest-ranked winner ever. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq complains about a newly arrived team of United Nations arms inspectors, pointing to the fact that the team's composition is weighted in favor of the United States and Britain. The UN team in question includes nine Americans, five Britons, one Russian, and one Australian, an imbalance not unlike those which last year led to Iraqi accusations of spying and triggered a hostile three-week standoff. In Washington, however, US National Security Advisor, Samuel Berger, dismisses the complaint, saying Iraq is not entitled to dictate the makeup of UN teams assigned to seek out and dismantle the country's weapons of mass destruction. \I(Iraq, USA, UK, Russia, Australia)\i
A delegation of United States officials, led by Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, arrives in \JSingapore\j for a \Jwhirlwind\j tour to encourage Asian nations to adhere to stringent policies prescribed by the International Monetary Fund. The tour will include stopovers in \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, and South Korea, the three recipients of international rescue packages totaling more than $US100 billion. Meanwhile, the IMF's first deputy managing director, Stanley Fischer, meets in Jakarta with senior ministers of Indonesian President Soeharto's administration, seeking assurances that Indonesia's financial sector will be restructured and its system of business monopolies dismantled. \I(USA, \JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, South Korea, Asia)\i
In Washington, the Clinton administration faces a growing revolt in Congress, where a coalition of liberals and conservatives is vowing to block a request for nearly $US19 million to boost the resources of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), drained by multibillion-dollar bailouts for \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, and South Korea. The coalition is also intent upon proposing legislation to alter the way the IMF obtains its funding, and to prevent Mr. Clinton from offering huge overseas loans without Congress approval, which he has been able to do in the past through a special emergency fund. In opposition to the coalition, however, Democrat House leader, Richard Gephardt, is urging fellow Democrats to support the efforts of the IMF and the Clinton administration to stem the Asian economic crisis, arguing that United States markets and workers will also be hurt if Asian countries go bankrupt. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, South Korea, Asia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in Kuala Lumpur on the first leg of a 12-\Jday\j tour of Asia, the stated aim of which is to assure the peoples of the region that the US is a friend and ally in good times and in bad, and to contribute further to the region's security by enhancing military ties. Around 100,000 American troops are currently stationed throughout Asia, and Mr. Cohen's tour will take him to \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, and \JThailand\j, as well as \JJapan\j and South Korea, where most of the troops are deployed. \I(USA, \JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JThailand\j, \JJapan\j, South Korea)\i
Canada's current Deputy Minister of National Defense, Louise FrΘchette, 51, is named as the first Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, marking a milestone in the efforts of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to reform the UN bureaucracy. \I(Canada)\i
Montreal remains shut down for a fourth straight \Jday\j as utility crews work to restore power to more than one million households and businesses in the aftermath of a devastating ice storm, which killed 12 people, and which insurance officials are describing as Canada's costliest natural disaster ever. Across the border in New England and New York state, the storm has now been blamed for five deaths, and has forced hundreds of people into emergency shelters, with repair crews warning that it could be a week before electricity is restored to all 200,000 affected households and businesses. \I(Canada, USA)\i
Sixteen-year-old Australian, Lleyton Hewitt becomes the world's second youngest player to win a professional tennis tournament when he defeats countryman Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the Australian Men's Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide. Only World No. 3, American Michael Chang, was younger when he won his first professional tournament in \JSan Francisco\j in 1988, also at the age of 16. With a ranking of 550th in the world, however, Hewitt becomes the game's lowest-ranked winner ever. \I(Australia, USA)\i
American golfer Phil Mickelson finishes with a 17-under 271 to win the PGA Tour's season-opening Mercedes Championship at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq complains about a newly arrived team of United Nations arm inspectors, pointing to the fact that the team's composition is weighted in favor of the United States and Britain. The UN team in question includes nine Americans, five Britons, one Russian, and one Australian, an imbalance not unlike those which last year led to Iraqi accusations of spying and triggered a hostile three-week standoff. In Washington, however, US National Security Advisor, Samuel Berger, dismisses the complaint, saying Iraq is not entitled to dictate the makeup of UN teams assigned to seek out and dismantle the country's weapons of mass destruction. \I(Iraq, USA, UK, Russia, Australia)\i
In \JAlgeria\j, at least 103 people are killed and another 70 are wounded in a savage overnight attack on the village of Sidi Hamed, about 30 kilometers south of the capital \JAlgiers\j, raising the country's civilian death toll in the first two weeks of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to more than 1,100. While the attack is again blamed on "terrorists", there is growing international confusion over who is primarily responsible for the ongoing carnage, with militant Islamic groups and Algerian security forces each accusing the other. The Algerian Government, meanwhile, has agreed to allow European Union officials to visit the country to discuss the issue of \Jterrorism\j, but is flatly refusing to allow an international investigation into the situation. \I(\JAlgeria\j, Europe)\i
One \Jday\j before Northern Ireland peace talks are due to resume, a Catholic bouncer is shot and killed outside a \JBelfast\j nightclub by gunmen of the Loyalist Volunteer Force, a hardline Protestant paramilitary group vehemently opposed to the peace process. The latest victim of the province's recent upsurge of violence, Terence Enwright, had ties on both sides of the political divide, being married to the niece of Gerry Adams, the leader of the Irish Republican Army's political wing, Sinn Fein, but employed by a relative of David Ervine, a prominent politician in the pro-British Progressive Unionist Party. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The Zambian Government accuses former prime minister, Kenneth Kaunda, and two other politicians of paying junior army officers to attempt a coup last October. Dr. Kaunda has been detained since Christmas Day, but has not yet been formally charged by the government. \I(Zambia)\i
Petr Korda of the Czech Republic defeats Fabrice Santoro of \JFrance\j in the final of the \JQatar\j Tennis Open in Doha. \I(Czech Republic, \JFrance\j, \JQatar\j)\i
#
"January 12, 1998",740,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Besieged Asian markets begin the week's trading with further slides in share prices. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dives 8.7 per cent to close at 773,58 points, leaving it 24 per cent down so far this year. \JSingapore\j's benchmark stock index plunges 8.75 per cent, its biggest one-\Jday\j fall in more than seven years, Thai stocks lose 2 per cent and sink to a new 10-year low, stocks in \JTaiwan\j register a 4.7 per cent slump, while in \JJapan\j, the Nikkei drops 330.7 points to 14,664.4. The deterioration in Asia leads to a sell-off on the Australian share market, where the All Ordinaries index sheds 60.7 points, or 2.3 per cent, to close at 2542.4. \I(Hong Kong, \JSingapore\j, \JThailand\j, \JTaiwan\j, \JJapan\j, Australia)\i
After a meeting with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Stanley Fischer, says Mr. Soeharto has pledged a new round of reforms to stave off the country's threatened economic collapse. Mr. Fischer's statement precedes the arrival of a delegation of senior United States officials led by Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, but while the Jakarta stock market reacts positively to the presence of the overseas crisis teams, gaining more than 3 per cent, the currency fails to rebound from its recent slide, and criticism of Mr. Soeharto and his government continues to mount, with the country's two main Muslim leaders openly supporting a bid by pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, to challenge the presidency. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
With a Congressional alliance set to challenge efforts by the IMF and the Clinton administration to restore economic stability in Asia, United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, endorses the emergency measures taken so far, saying giving financial aid to ailing Asian economies is in the best interests of the American people. US President Clinton, meanwhile, calls on Asian nations to implement the necessary reforms, adding that those countries affected by the region's financial crisis have enormous productive capacity, but must now pursue policies to rebuild investor confidence. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, offers visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, an official apology for Japan's ill-treatment of British prisoners in World War II. Mr. Blair welcomes the gesture as a significant step towards improving bilateral relations, but in London, former prisoners of war complain that the apology does not go far enough to resolve their claims for proper compensation. Japan has maintained that all claims were settled under peace agreements in 1951, when surviving British prisoners of war received around 76 pounds sterling each. \I(Japan, UK)\i
In men's finals at the eighth World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j, Michael Klim of \JAustralia\j wins the 200m freestyle, and Frederik Deburghgraeve of \JBelgium\j wins the 100m breaststroke. In women's finals, Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m freestyle, and Chen Yan of China wins the 400m individual medley. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JBelgium\j, USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a meeting with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Stanley Fischer, says Mr. Soeharto has pledged a new round of reforms to stave off the country's threatened economic collapse. Mr. Fischer's statement precedes the arrival of a delegation of senior United States officials led by Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, but while the Jakarta stock market reacts positively to the presence of the overseas crisis teams, gaining more than 3 per cent, the currency fails to rebound from its recent slide, and criticism of Mr. Soeharto and his government continues to mount, with the country's two main Muslim leaders openly supporting a bid by pro-democracy leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, to challenge the presidency. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
With a Congressional alliance set to challenge efforts by the IMF and the Clinton administration to restore economic stability in Asia, United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, endorses the emergency measures taken so far, saying giving financial aid to ailing Asian economies is in the best interests of the American people. US President Clinton, meanwhile, calls on Asian nations to implement the necessary reforms, adding that those countries affected by the region's financial crisis have enormous productive capacity, but must now pursue policies to rebuild investor confidence. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Iraq orders a halt to a recently arrived United Nations weapons inspection team composed mainly of Britons and Americans, and headed by American Scott Ritter, a former Gulf War Marine Corps captain who \JBaghdad\j claims is acting as a spy. While \JBaghdad\j says it has no plans to expel Mr. Ritter, it is demanding that the composition of the UN team be altered to reflect the balanced participation of the permanent UN Security Council member states. \I(Iraq, UK, USA)\i
Nineteen members of the Council of Europe sign an agreement outlawing human \Jcloning\j, a move prompted by developments in the United States, where \JChicago\j scientist, Dr. Richard Seed, undaunted by presidential opposition to his plan to create cloned human embryos, is vowing to continue his work offshore if necessary. \I(Europe, USA)\i
A study conducted by ReliaStar Financial Corporation finds that \JMinneapolis\j-St. Paul is the best place in the United States to earn and save money, and that El Paso, \JTexas\j is the worst. The study also finds that eight of the top 10 areas for earning and saving are in the Midwest and industrial states, while 19 of the bottom 20 are in \JCalifornia\j and southern states. \I(USA)\i
Lawyers for Paula Jones say their client will accept $US2 million and an apology to settle her sexual harassment lawsuit against United States President, Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton is due to give a sworn deposition in the lawsuit later this week, with the trial scheduled to begin in May. \I(USA)\i
Walter Diemer, the man who invented bubble gum in 1928, dies in \Jhospital\j near his home in \JPennsylvania\j, aged 93. Mr. Diemer was a 23-year-old accountant with the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia when he accidentally stumbled upon the way to make gum with bubbles while testing recipes for a gum base in his free time. The Fleer Company took over his recipe and called it "Dubble Bubble", and Mr. Diemer went on to become the company's senior vice-president. \I(USA)\i
A number of music industry legends are inducted into New York's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among those honored are Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, The Mamas and the Papas, Lloyd Price, Carlos Santana, and Gene Vincent, with Jelly Roll Morton entering as the "early influence", and Allen Toussaint included in the non-performer category. \I(USA)\i
In men's finals at the eighth World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j, Michael Klim of \JAustralia\j wins the 200m freestyle, and Frederik Deburghgraeve of \JBelgium\j wins the 100m breaststroke. In women's finals, Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m freestyle, and Chen Yan of China wins the 400m individual medley. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JBelgium\j, USA, China)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Northern Ireland's Stormont peace talks resume on a positive note after a year-end recess, with the governments of Britain and Ireland presenting newly drafted proposals aimed at reconciling Protestant and Catholic communities in the divided province, and the eight political parties attending the talks accepting the initiative as a basis for negotiation. The settlement proposals to be considered include the formation of a regional assembly elected by proportional representation, which would allow Northern Ireland to recover executive authority for its own affairs, and the establishment of an inter-governmental council, which would include representatives of the British and Irish Governments, the new Northern Ireland Government, as well as the home-rule governments being created in Scotland and Wales. The proposals also include provision for a standing body of British and Irish Government representatives to cover issues of mutual interest. If the new system is accepted by the parties concerned, Britain will make the necessary constitutional changes, while the Republic of Ireland will also abandon its constitutional claim to the six-county northern province. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Iraq orders a halt to a recently arrived United Nations weapons inspection team composed mainly of Britons and Americans, and headed by American Scott Ritter, a former Gulf War Marine Corps captain who \JBaghdad\j claims is acting as a spy. While \JBaghdad\j says it has no plans to expel Mr. Ritter, it is demanding that the composition of the UN team be altered to reflect the balanced participation of the permanent UN Security Council member states. \I(Iraq, UK, USA)\i
In the aftermath of Foreign Minister David Levy's resignation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu survives a no-confidence motion brought by opposition parties, with the \JKnesset\j rejecting the motion by a vote of 54-54 with two abstentions, seven votes short of the majority needed to bring down the government. \I(Israel)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, offers visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, an official apology for Japan's ill-treatment of British prisoners in World War II. Mr. Blair welcomes the gesture as a significant step towards improving bilateral relations, but in London, former prisoners of war complain that the apology does not go far enough to resolve their claims for proper compensation. Japan has maintained that all claims were settled under peace agreements in 1951, when surviving British prisoners of war received around 76 pounds sterling each. \I(Japan, UK)\i
Germany announces that it will establish a $US110 million fund to compensate an estimated 20,000 Jewish victims of the Nazis in the former Communist eastern bloc, who were barred by \JCold War\j politics from receiving earlier compensation. Payments from the fund will be released over a four-year period beginning in 1999. \I(Germany, Eastern Europe)\i
Nineteen members of the Council of Europe sign an agreement outlawing human \Jcloning\j, a move prompted by developments in the United States, where \JChicago\j scientist, Dr. Richard Seed, undaunted by presidential opposition to his plan to create cloned human embryos, is vowing to continue his work offshore if necessary. \I(Europe, USA)\i
In men's finals at the eighth World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j, Michael Klim of \JAustralia\j wins the 200m freestyle, and Frederik Deburghgraeve of \JBelgium\j wins the 100m breaststroke. In women's finals, Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m freestyle, and Chen Yan of China wins the 400m individual medley. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JBelgium\j, USA, China)\i
#
"January 13, 1998",741,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In an all-out international effort to save \JIndonesia\j's crumbling economy, United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, meets with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto in Jakarta, while crisis talks led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are joined by US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and \JSingapore\j's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. \JIndonesia\j's currency and stock markets went into a free fall last week after the announcement of the 1998 Budget, which not only breached the IMF's condition of a 1 per cent surplus, but was widely regarded as being based on unrealistically optimistic economic forecasts. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
A two-week state of emergency is declared by Vanuatu's President, Jean-Marie Leye, after thousands of angry protesters take to the streets demanding reimbursement of their contributions to the Vanuatu National Provident Fund. The demands were sparked by an ombudsman's report accusing Vanuatu's politicians of using the fund to finance the purchase of property. \I(Vanuatu)\i
An Afghan Taliban plane crashes during a snowstorm in Khojak Pass, on the border between \JAfghanistan\j and \JPakistan\j. A spokesman for the Taliban Foreign Ministry says the plane was carrying 51 people, and it is not yet known whether any of them have survived the accident. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies urgently appeals for $US1.2 million to help the victims of a recent \Jearthquake\j in China, which killed 50 people and left thousands of others homeless in sub-zero temperatures. Since Saturday's major quake, there have been nearly 350 aftershocks, and fearful survivors are continuing to swell the ranks of the homeless, preferring to camp outdoors rather than stay inside their cracked and weakened houses. \I(China)\i
In a \Jday\j of upsets at the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, defending title holder and World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, is defeated in her opening match by American Venus Williams, ranked 21, while World No. 4, Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, is likewise downed in his opening match by Lleyton Hewitt, the 16-year-old Australian who, two days ago, soared from a world ranking of 550 to claim his first professional title at the Australian Men's Hardcourt Championship in Adelaide. \I(Australia, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Sweden)\i
In men's events at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, Tom Dolan of the United States wins the 400m individual medley, and the 4x200m relay is won by Australians Michael Klim, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, and Daniel Kowalski. In women's events, Kristy Kowal of the United States wins the 100m breaststroke, and Claudia Poll of Costa Rica wins the 200m freestyle. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, Costa Rica)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq remains firm on its stand against a United Nations weapons inspection team headed by former United States Marine Corp. captain, Scott Ritter, who is accused by \JBaghdad\j of falsifying facts, inventing lies, deliberately prolonging the process, and sending false reports to the UN Security Council. The council, meanwhile, meets to consider its response to Iraq's latest show of defiance, with Washington saying it is prepared to act alone against Iraq if necessary. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In an all-out international effort to save \JIndonesia\j's crumbling economy, United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, meets with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto in Jakarta, while crisis talks led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are joined by US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and \JSingapore\j's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. \JIndonesia\j's currency and stock markets went into a free fall last week after the announcement of the 1998 Budget, which not only breached the IMF's condition of a 1 per cent surplus, but was widely regarded as being based on unrealistically optimistic economic forecasts. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
The Mexican Government faces mounting public outrage when a woman is killed and her three-year-old daughter wounded after police officers open fire on Indians demonstrating over the December massacre of 45 Indian peasants in the southern state of Chiapas. Public outrage is further fueled when government prosecutors charge a police commander with assembling the stockpile of AK-47 automatic assault rifles used in last month's slaughter. \I(Mexico)\i
A \JFlorida\j judge refuses to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by former Miami mayor, Joe Carollo, ruling that Mr. Carollo's allegations of \Jfraud\j in the city's last mayoral election are sufficient grounds to proceed. The election was dogged by accusations of rigged absentee ballots, and while both Mr. Carollo and his opponent, Mayor Xavier Suarez, are denying any wrongdoing, Mr. Carollo is asking for the results to be scrapped. \I(USA)\i
Snow, sleet, and rain return to Canada and the northeastern corner of the United States, hampering the efforts of utility crews to restore electricity to the thousands left without power by last week's prolonged ice storm. The freezing conditions have now claimed 16 lives in Canada and seven in the US, and Canadian Government officials are already estimating that damage to property caused by the storm could reach $US490 million. \I(Canada, USA)\i
Researchers at the University of \JTexas\j reveal that they have discovered how to overcome the mechanism that causes human cells to age and die, a discovery they say raises new hopes for ways to treat diseases such as cancer. According to the researchers, the key to the cellular fountain of youth is telomerase, a natural substance which, when added to normal human cells grown in a laboratory, causes them to retain their youth and divide for 20 additional generations. \I(USA)\i
In a \Jday\j of upsets at the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, defending title holder and World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, is defeated in her opening match by American Venus Williams, ranked 21, while World No. 4, Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, is likewise downed in his opening match by Lleyton Hewitt, the 16-year-old Australian who, two days ago, soared from a world ranking of 550 to claim his first professional title at the Australian Men's Hardcourt Championship in Adelaide. \I(Australia, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Sweden)\i
In men's events at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, Tom Dolan of the United States wins the 400m individual medley, and the 4x200m relay is won by Australians Michael Klim, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, and Daniel Kowalski. In women's events, Kristy Kowal of the United States wins the 100m breaststroke, and Claudia Poll of Costa Rica wins the 200m freestyle. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, Costa Rica)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel's Cabinet decides against further troop withdrawals from the West Bank until the Palestinian Authority meets its commitments to combat \Jterrorism\j and cancel clauses in the Palestinian National Charter calling for Israel's destruction. The decision is angrily denounced by the Palestinians, who claim to have taken the necessary steps, and accuse Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of employing new stalling tactics. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In a major breakthrough in the Northern Ireland peace process, rival political parties agree to proceed promptly to serious negotiations on the real issues facing the divided province. Three-\Jday\j sessions will now be held in London later this month and in Dublin next month, the basis for the negotiations being the fresh Anglo-Irish proposals which were presented yesterday, and received with some reservations by both sides. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
The 103 victims of a brutal massacre at Sidi Hamed, about 30 kilometers south of \JAlgiers\j, are buried in the village cemetery, which has to be extended to accommodate the number of dead. Grieving villagers say about 30 girls, some as young as 12, are still missing, presumably abducted by the assailants, who typically use them for sex before cutting their throats. Former colonial power, \JFrance\j, while horrified by the mounting slaughter of civilians, maintains that there is insufficient reason for an internationalization of the civil conflict in \JAlgeria\j, which over the last six years is estimated to have caused the deaths of more than 65,000 people, with 1,100 of the deaths occurring in the last two weeks. \I(\JAlgeria\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Iraq remains firm on its stand against a United Nations weapons inspection team headed by former United States Marine Corp. captain, Scott Ritter, who is accused by \JBaghdad\j of falsifying facts, inventing lies, deliberately prolonging the process, and sending false reports to the UN Security Council. The council, meanwhile, meets to consider its response to Iraq's latest show of defiance, with Washington saying it is prepared to act alone against Iraq if necessary. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The Italian-based Knights of Malta, a Roman Catholic bastion of male exclusivity with links to the Vatican, decides to allow women into their controlling body for the first time in their 900-year history. The Knights, also know as \JHospitallers\j, were expelled from Malta by Napoleon, but are currently negotiating with the Maltese Government for a small piece of autonomous territory. \I(\JItaly\j, Malta)\i
In a \Jday\j of upsets at the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, defending title holder and World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, is defeated in her opening match by American Venus Williams, ranked 21, while World No. 4, Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, is likewise downed in his opening match by Lleyton Hewitt, the 16-year-old Australian who, two days ago, soared from a world ranking of 550 to claim his first professional title at the Australian Men's Hardcourt Championship in Adelaide. \I(Australia, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Sweden)\i
#
"January 14, 1998",742,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that negotiations have been completed on a legal framework for resuming military ties with the \JPhilippines\j. The agreement, which must first be ratified by the \JPhilippines\j Senate, will set the stage for visits by US naval ships as well as joint US-\JPhilippines\j military exercises and training. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The United States Treasury Department says it is laying the groundwork for a major international meeting of finance ministers to discuss new initiatives to deal with the financial turmoil in Asia. The move comes amid growing opposition in Congress to the US commitment to International Monetary Fund bailout packages for Asian nations. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus, says he hopes to announce a solid agreement after he meets with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto tomorrow. Mr. Camdessus adds that both sides are to sign a new letter of intent, setting out fresh steps \JIndonesia\j must take in terms of reforms designed to pull it back from the brink of economic collapse. Meanwhile, amid growing calls for President Soeharto to step down, his ruling Golkar Party announces that it is still ready to nominate him for a seventh five-year term in office when the electoral assembly convenes in March. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korean trade unions back down from their tough stand and agree to join a special consultative body of employers and politicians set up to discuss industry-wide redundancies, which are a key condition of the International Monetary Fund's $US57 billion package to restore the country's ailing economy. Under current South Korean laws, lay-offs are virtually impossible without the consent of the unions, and Parliament is now considering new legislation to facilitate the emergency measures. \I(South Korea)\i
Taliban fighters and Pakistani rescue workers carry out the grim task of collecting the body parts of 51 people, killed yesterday when an Afghan plane crashed in the Khojak Pass in Pakistan's remote border province of \JBaluchistan\j. The plane apparently slammed into a mountainside while searching for a place to land during a snowstorm. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Pakistan)\i
Health authorities in Hong Kong reveal that a 34-year-old woman, admitted to \Jhospital\j last December, has become the fifth person to die from the H5N1 influenza strain, or "bird flu". However, there have been no new cases of the deadly virus reported since the mass slaughter of the territory's poultry was completed, and with the high risk period coming to an end, authorities are now hopeful that the danger of an epidemic has passed. \I(Hong Kong)\i
At the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j's Alex Popov wins the final of the men's 100m freestyle, and \JUkraine\j's Denys Sylantyev wins the final of the men's 200m butterfly. In women's finals, Chen Yan of China wins the 400m freestyle, Lea Maurer of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the 4x100m freestyle relay is won by the United States team of Lindsey Farella, Amy van Dyken, Barbara Bedford, and Jenny Thompson. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, China, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement deploring \JIraq\j's obstruction of a UN weapons inspection team headed by American, Scott Ritter. The council also gives full backing to weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, who will visit \JIraq\j next week in an attempt to end the latest standoff. The United States, meanwhile, says diplomatic measures are now wearing thin, and that it is not ruling out other options to force \JIraq\j to abide by UN Security Council resolutions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
The United States is displeased and Palestinian leaders are outraged when the Israeli Cabinet votes to retain seven broadly defined zones in the West Bank deemed essential for the Jewish state's long-term survival. It is the second time in as many days that Israel has toughened its approach to peace, and comes less than a week before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet in Washington with US President, Bill Clinton, who is expected to press for further Israeli troop withdrawals from the West Bank as well as "time-out" from Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that negotiations have been completed on a legal framework for resuming military ties with the \JPhilippines\j. The agreement, which must first be ratified by the \JPhilippines\j Senate, will set the stage for visits by US naval ships as well as joint US-\JPhilippines\j military exercises and training. \I(USA, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
The United States Treasury Department says it is laying the groundwork for a major international meeting of finance ministers to discuss new initiatives to deal with the financial turmoil in Asia. The move comes amid growing opposition in Congress to the US commitment to International Monetary Fund bailout packages for Asian nations. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The Swiss Government rejects as insulting and dishonest allegations that it discriminated against Jewish refugees during Work War II by confining them to forced labor camps and subjecting them to a special tax. The allegations surfaced in an American historian's report compiled for the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
In an interview conducted by Whitewater special prosecutor Kenneth Starr, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton swears she knows nothing about 1993 and 1994 \JWhite House\j requests for secret \JFBI\j files on employees of past Republican administrations. President Bill Clinton has previously insisted that the requests were bureaucratic blunders rather than an attempt to dig up dirt on political opponents. \I(USA)\i
A United States congressman releases internal records from \Jcigarette\j company, R.J. Reynolds, which show that the company consistently sought to expand sales of its products among young people, including 14-year-olds. A spokesperson for R.J. Reynolds defends the company's position, saying the documents reflect the social attitudes of the times in which they were created. \I(USA)\i
At the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j's Alex Popov wins the final of the men's 100m freestyle, and \JUkraine\j's Denys Sylantyev wins the final of the men's 200m butterfly. In women's finals, Chen Yan of China wins the 400m freestyle, Lea Maurer of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the 4x100m freestyle relay is won by the United States team of Lindsey Farella, Amy van Dyken, Barbara Bedford, and Jenny Thompson. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, China, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States is displeased and Palestinian leaders are outraged when the Israeli Cabinet votes to retain seven broadly defined zones in the West Bank deemed essential for the Jewish state's long-term survival. It is the second time in as many days that Israel has toughened its approach to peace, and comes less than a week before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet in Washington with US President, Bill Clinton, who is expected to press for further Israeli troop withdrawals from the West Bank as well as "time-out" from Jewish settlement expansion. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Algeria's military-backed government cancels an agreed mission by a team of European Union officials on the grounds that it is too low-level. The EU mission was proposed in response to the rising scale of bloodshed in Algeria, where in the last two weeks alone, 1,100 civilians have been slaughtered in a spate of savage overnight attacks. \I(Algeria, Europe)\i
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement deploring \JIraq\j's obstruction of a UN weapons inspection team headed by American, Scott Ritter. The council also gives full backing to weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, who will visit \JIraq\j next week in an attempt to end the latest standoff. The United States, meanwhile, says diplomatic measures are now wearing thin, and that it is not ruling out other options to force \JIraq\j to abide by UN Security Council resolutions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
A Bosnian Croat convicted of crimes against humanity is invited to enter a new and lesser plea of guilty of war crimes after appeal judges rule that his original plea was not fully informed. Drazen Erdemovic, 26, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the United Nations tribunal in 1996, having admitted taking part in the murder of hundreds of unarmed Muslims in the UN "safe haven" of Srebrenica. \I(Bosnia)\i
The Swiss Government rejects as insulting and dishonest allegations that it discriminated against Jewish refugees during Work War II by confining them to forced labor camps and subjecting them to a special tax. The allegations surfaced in an American historian's report compiled for the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
The directors of Moscow's Bolshoi Theater meet with \JUNESCO\j officials to discuss a drive to raise hundreds of millions of dollars needed to carry out urgent repairs and renovations to the 142-year-old building. Once one of the great world centers for ballet and opera, the Bolshoi is now desperately short of funds, and for the past decade has been losing its best performers abroad. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
At the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j's Alex Popov wins the final of the men's 100m freestyle, and \JUkraine\j's Denys Sylantyev wins the final of the men's 200m butterfly. In women's finals, Chen Yan of China wins the 400m freestyle, Lea Maurer of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the 4x100m freestyle relay is won by the United States team of Lindsey Farella, Amy van Dyken, Barbara Bedford, and Jenny Thompson. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j, China, USA)\i
#
"January 15, 1998",743,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's new economic reform agreement with the International Monetary Fund is unveiled. Under the new agreement, the assumptions underpinning the 1998 Budget will be revised to include new forecasts of zero economic growth, 20 per cent \Jinflation\j, and an exchange rate calculated at 5,000 rupiah to the US dollar. The agreement also calls for a number of subsidies to be cut and monopolies on major commodities to be abolished, moves that will adversely affect President's Soeharto's inner circle of family and friends, as well as tens of millions of Indonesians who now live just above the poverty line. \I(Indonesia)\i
The European Union signs an agreement with the Cambodian Government to provide $US10.5 million to help fund the country's elections in July. The EU is the only international group to pledge assistance so far, with a number of other governments first requiring the return to Cambodia of former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was ousted from power six months ago by Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia, Europe)\i
Singapore and the United States reveal that they have completed an agreement for US \Jaircraft\j carriers, submarines, and other warships to use a planned multi-million-dollar naval base in Singapore for port visits and maintenance beginning in the year 2000. \I(Singapore, USA)\i
Myanmar's Government announces that units of soldiers and police have destroyed about 12,000 hectares of opium poppy plantations in eastern Shan State, part of a renewed campaign to crack down on the \Jnarcotics\j trade and reverse the country's image as one of the world's biggest producers of opium, the key ingredient in heroin. The announcement comes amid reports that soldiers formerly loyal to opium warlord, Khun Sa, are uniting in a 15,000-man army to resume their fight against the government. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Two earthquakes strike \JTaiwan\j and an offshore island within a space of 10 hours, but there are no reports of casualties. The first quake rocks Orchid Island to the southeast and measures 5.1 on the Richter scale; the second quake, measuring 4.4, jolts northeastern \JTaiwan\j. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
For the third time in a week, snowstorms create havoc in and around \JTokyo\j, grounding planes, and causing a spate of traffic accidents which leave about 60 people injured. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j's Ian Thorpe wins the 400m freestyle, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the United States team of Scott Tucker, Neil Walker, Jon Olsen, and Gary Hall wins the 4x100m freestyle relay. In women's finals, Agnes Kovacs of \JHungary\j wins the 200m breaststroke, and Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m butterfly. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, \JHungary\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a bid to ease the crisis sparked by \JBaghdad\j's obstruction of an American-led United Nations weapons inspection team, \JRussia\j's Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, offers Russian-made planes as a replacement for the American U-2 \Jaircraft\j which operate UN reconnaissance missions over \JIraq\j, and which \JBaghdad\j has threatened to shoot down in the past. Meanwhile, all members of the UN team at the center of the current furor are scheduled to depart the country on Friday, and US President Bill Clinton says that any further action against \JIraq\j will depend on the result of next week's visit to \JBaghdad\j by UN arms inspection chief, Richard Butler. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
As Israel stands by its tough new conditions for troop withdrawals from the West Bank, Palestinian leaders invest their hopes in upcoming meetings in Washington, calling on US President Bill Clinton to "stand next to those who stand for peace". Meanwhile, \JMiddle East\j political tensions are underscored in Gaza, where Israeli and Palestinian troops aim rifles at each other during a protest by about 300 Palestinians, angered by the Israeli Government's expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
On a one-\Jday\j visit to Washington marking the start of the British presidency of the European Union, British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, attacks the \JIran\j-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, whereby the United States penalizes worldwide companies that trade with either of the two countries. Mr. Cook argues that the act's extra-territorial impact on legitimate business is unacceptable, and that the United States policy of isolating \JIran\j is futile and even counter-productive, since it threatens to undermine the transatlantic partnership between the US and the EU. \I(USA, UK, Europe, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
US President Clinton decides to renew a waiver postponing a controversial provision in the Helms-Burton law, passed in 1996 to tighten the United States embargo against the Cuban Government. The provision, which would allow US citizens to sue international companies using confiscated property in Cuba, has drawn strong criticism from US allies in Europe, who have charged Washington with seeking to impose its political will on others. \I(USA, Cuba, Europe)\i
Singapore and the United States reveal that they have completed an agreement for US \Jaircraft\j carriers, submarines, and other warships to use a planned multi-million-dollar naval base in Singapore for port visits and maintenance beginning in the year 2000. \I(Singapore, USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton joins \Jcivil rights\j leader, Jesse Jackson, at a three-\Jday\j conference at the World Trade Center, the aim of which is to boost United States growth by expanding economic opportunity to women and minority groups. \I(USA)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j's Ian Thorpe wins the 400m freestyle, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the United States team of Scott Tucker, Neil Walker, Jon Olsen, and Gary Hall wins the 4x100m freestyle relay. In women's finals, Agnes Kovacs of \JHungary\j wins the 200m breaststroke, and Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m butterfly. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, \JHungary\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As Israel stands by its tough new conditions for troop withdrawals from the West Bank, Palestinian leaders invest their hopes in upcoming meetings in Washington, calling on US President Bill Clinton to "stand next to those who stand for peace". Meanwhile, \JMiddle East\j political tensions are underscored in Gaza, where Israeli and Palestinian troops aim rifles at each other during a protest by about 300 Palestinians, angered by the Israeli Government's expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Algeria agrees to accept a European Union ministerial mission next week, having yesterday rejected a proposed visit by EU political directors as too low-level. The EU mission comes in the wake of mounting international concern over massacres that have taken the lives of 1,100 villagers in western Algeria since the start of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan a fortnight ago. \I(Algeria, Europe)\i
In a bid to ease the crisis sparked by \JBaghdad\j's obstruction of an American-led United Nations weapons inspection team, \JRussia\j's Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, offers Russian-made planes as a replacement for the American U-2 \Jaircraft\j which operate UN reconnaissance missions over \JIraq\j, and which \JBaghdad\j has threatened to shoot down in the past. Meanwhile, all members of the UN team at the center of the current furor are scheduled to depart the country on Friday, and US President Bill Clinton says that any further action against \JIraq\j will depend on the result of next week's visit to \JBaghdad\j by UN arms inspection chief, Richard Butler. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
After a night of violent street clashes between police and supporters of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, Milo Djukanovic is sworn in as president of \JMontenegro\j, having narrowly defeated Mr. Milosevic's longtime ally, former President Momir Bulatovic, in last October's election. While overtly critical of Mr. Milosevic, Mr. Djukanovic says he has no intention of pushing \JMontenegro\j to secede from Yugoslavia. \I(Yugoslavia, \JMontenegro\j)\i
On a one-\Jday\j visit to Washington marking the start of the British presidency of the European Union, British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, attacks the \JIran\j-\JLibya\j Sanctions Act, whereby the United States penalizes worldwide companies that trade with either of the two countries. Mr. Cook argues that the act's extra-territorial impact on legitimate business is unacceptable, and that the United States policy of isolating \JIran\j is futile and even counter-productive, since it threatens to undermine the transatlantic partnership between the US and the EU. \I(USA, UK, Europe, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
US President Clinton decides to renew a waiver postponing a controversial provision in the Helms-Burton law, passed in 1996 to tighten the United States embargo against the Cuban Government. The provision, which would allow US citizens to sue international companies using confiscated property in Cuba, has drawn strong criticism from US allies in Europe, who have charged Washington with seeking to impose its political will on others. \I(USA, Cuba, Europe)\i
The European Union signs an agreement with the Cambodian Government to provide $US10.5 million to help fund the country's elections in July. The EU is the only international group to pledge assistance so far, with a number of other governments first requiring the return to Cambodia of former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was ousted from power six months ago by Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. \I(Cambodia, Europe)\i
Romania's coalition government faces the choice of forming a minority administration or calling early elections after one of its junior partners demands that the prime minister resign. The International Monetary Fund, due to assess the government's uncertain record in pushing through market reforms, says it will postpone its mission until the political situation is clarified. \I(Romania)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, launches a campaign to curb and modernize the country's welfare system, saying he is determined to build a new system based on work, but that he will not abandon those people who are truly in need. \I(UK)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, \JAustralia\j's Ian Thorpe wins the 400m freestyle, Lenny Krayzelburg of the United States wins the 100m backstroke, and the United States team of Scott Tucker, Neil Walker, Jon Olsen, and Gary Hall wins the 4x100m freestyle relay. In women's finals, Agnes Kovacs of \JHungary\j wins the 200m breaststroke, and Jenny Thompson of the United States wins the 100m butterfly. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, \JHungary\j)\i
#
"January 16, 1998",744,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following claims in Congress that the Clinton administration is using taxpayer money in its bid to prop up sliding Asian economies, United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, vows that public money will not be spent to bail out investors and bankers hit by Asia's financial turmoil, at the same time defending the \JWhite House\j rescue efforts as necessary to contain the crisis in Asia and prevent it from spreading throughout the world. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Cambodia's opposition politicians condemn the European Union's decision to donate $US10.5 million in election aid without first insisting that deposed prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, be allowed to return to Phnom Penh to contest the polls. Prominent opposition figure and Ranariddh ally, Sam Rainsy, describes the EU move as a setback for democracy in Cambodia. \I(Cambodia, Europe)\i
During an address to an election rally in the southern Indian city of \JBangalore\j, Sonia Gandhi dares the authorities to release the so-called "Bofors papers", claiming they will prove that her slain late husband and former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was not guilty of accepting bribes. The papers detail illegal payments by the Swedish arms company, Bofors, which supplied field guns to the Indian Army in the 1980s, and at the time, the scandal tainted Mr. Gandhi's image, leading to his defeat in the 1989 elections. \I(India)\i
Sri Lanka's war-ravaged northern town of Jaffna is bombarded by a wave of enthusiastic campaigning for the first local government elections in nearly 17 years, a preliminary move aimed at returning civilian administration to the region, which has been under military control since 1996. However, the enthusiasm of the five Tamil parties taking part in the January 29 polls is not wholeheartedly shared by the region's residents, some of whom regard the election as an imposed political ploy, with others warning of further discord among the Tamil people as a result. Meanwhile, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have not publicly declared their stand on the election, and fears persist that the rebel group may launch surprise attacks to disrupt the voting. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The United States contributes generously to the international appeal for victims of China's recent \Jearthquake\j, which left 50 people dead and about 44,000 people homeless in freezing \Jweather\j conditions. Applauding the courage and indomitable spirit of the Chinese people, US Ambassador James Sasser officially hands over $US25,000 in cash and 40 tonnes of relief supplies, which include blankets, warm clothing, sleeping bags, food, and medical provisions. \I(China, USA)\i
Tokyo and neighboring areas are shaken by an \Jearthquake\j with a preliminary \Jmagnitude\j of 4.8, but there are no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The Meteorological Agency indicates that the quake was centered about 35 miles underground in southern \JChiba\j Prefecture, 45 miles southeast of the Japanese capital. \I(Japan)\i
A leading flu expert with the World Health Organization (WHO) says he believes that Hong Kong was the source of the deadly H5N1 avian virus, and not China as originally believed. Dr. Daniel Lavanchy is part of a team of ten WHO experts currently conducting tests in China's Guangdong province, which is on the border with Hong Kong, where the "bird flu" has claimed the lives of five people since last May. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
At the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, the final of the men's 100m butterfly is won by Michael Klim of \JAustralia\j, and the final of the men's 200m breaststroke is won by Kurt Grote of the United States. In women's finals, Wu Yanyan of China wins the 200m individual medley, and the 4x100m medley relay is won by the United States team of Lea Maurer, Kristy Kowal, Jenny Thompson, and Amy van Dyken. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The possibility of ties with the United States is rejected by \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who states that any such initiative would be harmful to his country's independence and to Islamic movements around the world. The statement follows last week's televised address to Americans by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who voiced hopes of cultural exchanges to break down years of animosity between the two nations. \I(\JIran\j, USA)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denies that his government's tough conditions for meeting a West Bank troop withdrawal are a "tactic" or a "trick", and claims that his Cabinet has given him the necessary flexibility to advance peace with the Palestinians. The Arab world remains unpersuaded, however, and looks to United States President, Bill Clinton, to pile pressure on the Israeli leader when the two men meet in Washington on January 20. In the meantime, Mr. Netanyahu has been coming under mounting pressure at home, with about 30,000 Israelis protesting in Tel Aviv earlier in the week against the return of any more occupied land to the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
As he prepares to head for another round of crisis talks in \JBaghdad\j, United Nations chief arms inspector Richard Butler says he is mystified by \JIraq\j's latest obstructionist stance, given that the country has made good progress towards disarmament and the lifting of UN sanctions. Meanwhile, the United States and Britain are maintaining pressure on \JBaghdad\j to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and allow all weapons inspection teams, regardless of their international composition, to carry out their vital work. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Following claims in Congress that the Clinton administration is using taxpayer money in its bid to prop up sliding Asian economies, United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, vows that public money will not be spent to bail out investors and bankers hit by Asia's financial turmoil, at the same time defending the \JWhite House\j rescue efforts as necessary to contain the crisis in Asia and prevent it from spreading throughout the world. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The United States contributes generously to the international appeal for victims of China's recent \Jearthquake\j, which left 50 people dead and about 44,000 people homeless in freezing \Jweather\j conditions. Applauding the courage and indomitable spirit of the Chinese people, US Ambassador James Sasser officially hands over $US25,000 in cash and 40 tonnes of relief supplies, which include blankets, warm clothing, sleeping bags, food, and medical provisions. \I(China, USA)\i
US President Clinton signs a charter with the leaders of \JLatvia\j, \JLithuania\j, and \JEstonia\j, outlining the relationships between the United States and the three Baltic states, and pledging US support for their \JNATO\j membership applications. \I(USA, \JLatvia\j, \JLithuania\j, \JEstonia\j)\i
NASA announces that Senator John Glenn, who became the first American \Jastronaut\j to \Jorbit\j the Earth on February 20, 1962, will return to space on board the shuttle Discovery when it launches in October this year. Glenn will be 77 at the time, and the scientific purpose of his mission will be to help researchers study the effects of weightlessness on the aging human body. \I(USA)\i
The state of \JTexas\j and executives from eight \Jtobacco\j companies agree on a $US15 billion settlement to end the state's Medicaid lawsuit against the industry. The settlement, which must still be accepted by a federal judge, not only promises to be the largest in the war between the states and the \Jtobacco\j industry, but also the largest in United States legal history. \I(USA)\i
Around 800,000 Canadians in Quebec and \JOntario\j remain without electricity for an 11th \Jday\j, the dismal legacy of a fierce ice storm which ravaged the provinces last week. In the northeast of the United States, more than 250,000 people enter their second week without electricity, with fresh storms creating delays and cancellations at airports, and causing additional power outages as far south as Connecticut. \I(Canada, USA)\i
At the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, the final of the men's 100m butterfly is won by Michael Klim of \JAustralia\j, and the final of the men's 200m breaststroke is won by Kurt Grote of the United States. In women's finals, Wu Yanyan of China wins the 200m individual medley, and the 4x100m medley relay is won by the United States team of Lea Maurer, Kristy Kowal, Jenny Thompson, and Amy van Dyken. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, China)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denies that his government's tough conditions for meeting a West Bank troop withdrawal are a "tactic" or a "trick", and claims that his Cabinet has given him the necessary flexibility to advance peace with the Palestinians. The Arab world remains unpersuaded, however, and looks to United States President, Bill Clinton, to pile pressure on the Israeli leader when the two men meet in Washington on January 20. In the meantime, Mr. Netanyahu has been coming under mounting pressure at home, with about 30,000 Israelis protesting in Tel Aviv earlier in the week against the return of any more occupied land to the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
The possibility of ties with the United States is rejected by \JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who states that any such initiative would be harmful to his country's independence and to Islamic movements around the world. The statement follows last week's televised address to Americans by Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, who voiced hopes of cultural exchanges to break down years of animosity between the two nations. \I(\JIran\j, USA)\i
As he prepares to head for another round of crisis talks in \JBaghdad\j, United Nations chief arms inspector Richard Butler says he is mystified by \JIraq\j's latest obstructionist stance, given that the country has made good progress towards disarmament and the lifting of UN sanctions. Meanwhile, the United States and Britain are maintaining pressure on \JBaghdad\j to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and allow all weapons inspection teams, regardless of their international composition, to carry out their vital work. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Bosnian-Serb prime minister-designate, Mladen Ivanic, resigns one \Jday\j before the Parliament is due to convene when his proposal to form a government composed of experts and representatives from all major political parties is rejected by hardline nationalists, who remain loyal to wartime Serb leader and indicted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic. Mr. Ivanic is an economist without party affiliation, and western Governments had unanimously endorsed his plan for a government of national unity in Bosnian-Serb territory. \I(Bosnia)\i
As part of an anti-Islamic crackdown, Turkey's judiciary dissolves the main Islam-based opposition Welfare Party and imposes a five-year political ban on former prime minister, Necmettin Erbakan, who resigned last June under intense pressure from the country's secularist military generals. Mr. Erbakan describes the ruling as "a grave judicial mistake", but urges his supporters to remain calm, saying he intends to appeal against the decision to the European Court of Human Rights. \I(Turkey, Europe)\i
US President Clinton signs a charter with the leaders of \JLatvia\j, \JLithuania\j, and \JEstonia\j, outlining the relationships between the United States and the three Baltic states, and pledging US support for their \JNATO\j membership applications. \I(USA, \JLatvia\j, \JLithuania\j, \JEstonia\j)\i
Cambodia's opposition politicians condemn the European Union's decision to donate $US10.5 million in election aid without first insisting that deposed prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, be allowed to return to Phnom Penh to contest the polls. Prominent opposition figure and Ranariddh ally, Sam Rainsy, describes the EU move as a setback for democracy in Cambodia. \I(Cambodia, Europe)\i
Germany's Parliament narrowly passes a controversial bill giving police the power to use electronic surveillance for the first time since the Nazi era. In the lead-up to the parliamentary vote, police argued that they needed the powers to fight a surge in organized crime, while lawyers, journalists, and doctors vehemently opposed the move, maintaining that it would violate the confidentiality of their clients or contacts. \I(Germany)\i
A 5,300-year-old iceman is transported in a refrigerated truck from Innsbruck, \JAustria\j, to his new home in a specially built museum in the Italian mountain city of \JBolzano\j. The \JBronze Age\j hunter is the best preserved frozen mummy in the world, and was discovered surrounded by his tools in a \Jglacier\j in the Oetztaler Alps in September 1991. \I(\JAustria\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"January 17, 1998",745,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in China for a three-\Jday\j visit, during which time he will meet with President Jiang Zemin and other government leaders. Mr. Cohen says he intends raising questions about China's pledge to stop selling anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and while conceding that military ties between China and the US are improving, he stresses that Washington is not yet ready to sell arms to \JBeijing\j. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
The United States naval base at Guantanamo Bay, \JCuba\j, begins the task of clearing more than 50,000 landmines that have been placed around the complex since 1968. The action comes in response to a presidential order requiring the removal of all US landmines by December 31, 1999, except on the divided Korean peninsula, where the devices are deemed essential to security. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, The Koreas)\i
At the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, Karol Kucero of \JSlovakia\j claims victory over Britain's Tim Henman in the men's singles final, while in the women's singles final, \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeats Venus Williams of the United States. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JSlovakia\j, UK, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, American Bill Pilczuk wins the 50m freestyle, and Dutchman Marcel Wouda wins the 200m individual medley. In women's finals, \JFrance\j's Roxanna Maracineaunu wins the 200m backstroke, America's Brooke Bennett wins the 800m freestyle, and the German team wins the 4x200m freestyle relay. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, The Netherlands, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a speech marking the 7th anniversary of the start of the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, warns of putting an end to United Nations weapons inspections unless sanctions imposed by the world body in 1990 are lifted, and calls on Iraqis to volunteer for training to confront continuing threats from the United States. The United States, on the other hand, remains adamant that UN sanctions will not be lifted unless Saddam Hussein allows inspectors unfettered access to all weapons sites, adding that it has not ruled out the use of military force against Iraq to resolve the standoff. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Ahead of next week's crucial \JWhite House\j meetings, Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, says the fate of the \JMiddle East\j peace process lies in the ability of United States President, Bill Clinton, to pressure Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to honor previously signed peace accords, which require three separate withdrawals of Israeli troops from the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Cabinet, meanwhile, is warning that the region could head toward "harm and destruction" if the 10-month-old Israeli-PLO stalemate is not ended. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, urges Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, to increase efforts to halt the development of \JIran\j's \Jballistic missile\j program. The Iranian issue, now one of the biggest and most difficult challenges in Washington's relations with Moscow, is raised during a review of matters to be discussed by the joint US-Russian commission on economic and technological co-operation, which meets twice a year under the leadership of the two men. \I(USA, Russia, \JIran\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in China for a three-\Jday\j visit, during which time he will meet with President Jiang Zemin and other government leaders. Mr. Cohen says he intends raising questions about China's pledge to stop selling anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and while conceding that military ties between China and the US are improving, he stresses that Washington is not yet ready to sell arms to \JBeijing\j. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton gives almost six hours of sworn testimony in connection with charges of sexual harassment brought against him by Paula Jones, who attends the session held in the office of Mr. Clinton's personal lawyer. The unprecedented interrogation of the United States president is also captured on videotape for possible use in the trial scheduled to begin on May 27. \I(USA)\i
The United States naval base at Guantanamo Bay, \JCuba\j, begins the task of clearing more than 50,000 landmines that have been placed around the complex since 1968. The action comes in response to a presidential order requiring the removal of all US landmines by December 31, 1999, except on the divided Korean peninsula, where the devices are deemed essential to security. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, The Koreas)\i
Cuban President, Fidel Castro, urges citizens to turn out in force to welcome Pope John Paul II during his January 21-25 tour of the Communist island nation, where churches are currently experiencing a revival in anticipation of the pontiff's historic visit. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
At the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, Karol Kucero of \JSlovakia\j claims victory over Britain's Tim Henman in the men's singles final, while in the women's singles final, \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeats Venus Williams of the United States. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JSlovakia\j, UK, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, American Bill Pilczuk wins the 50m freestyle, and Dutchman Marcel Wouda wins the 200m individual medley. In women's finals, \JFrance\j's Roxanna Maracineaunu wins the 200m backstroke, America's Brooke Bennett wins the 800m freestyle, and the German team wins the 4x200m freestyle relay. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, Netherlands, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a speech marking the 7th anniversary of the start of the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, warns of putting an end to United Nations weapons inspections unless sanctions imposed by the world body in 1990 are lifted, and calls on Iraqis to volunteer for training to confront continuing threats from the United States. The United States, on the other hand, remains adamant that UN sanctions will not be lifted unless Saddam Hussein allows inspectors unfettered access to all weapons sites, adding that it has not ruled out the use of military force against Iraq to resolve the standoff. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Ahead of next week's crucial \JWhite House\j meetings, Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, says the fate of the \JMiddle East\j peace process lies in the ability of United States President, Bill Clinton, to pressure Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to honor previously signed peace accords, which require three separate withdrawals of Israeli troops from the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Cabinet, meanwhile, is warning that the region could head toward "harm and destruction" if the 10-month-old Israeli-PLO stalemate is not ended. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, publicly rejects the Anglo-Irish proposals for Northern Ireland peace which were unveiled with the resumption of the Stormont multi-party talks last week. While Sinn Fein says it will remain at the negotiating table, it is bitterly opposed to the proposed power-sharing arrangement between Catholics and Protestants, insisting that the province of Northern Ireland should be dismantled rather than reformed. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, urges Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, to increase efforts to halt the development of \JIran\j's \Jballistic missile\j program. The Iranian issue, now one of the biggest and most difficult challenges in Washington's relations with Moscow, is raised during a review of matters to be discussed by the joint US-Russian commission on economic and technological co-operation, which meets twice a year under the leadership of the two men. \I(USA, Russia, \JIran\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in China for a three-\Jday\j visit, during which time he will meet with President Jiang Zemin and other government leaders. Mr. Cohen says he intends raising questions about China's pledge to stop selling anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and while conceding that military ties between China and the US are improving, he stresses that Washington is not yet ready to sell arms to \JBeijing\j. \I(USA, China, \JIran\j)\i
Thousands of people march through Paris and other French cities, capping three days of nationwide protests over the government's failure to honor election promises to ease unemployment, which currently runs at a record 12.4 per cent. The protests are continuing despite recent concessions by Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, who has agreed to cut the costs of mortgages for poor families and raise minimum unemployment benefits beginning 1999. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Cuban President, Fidel Castro, urges citizens to turn out in force to welcome Pope John Paul II during his January 21-25 tour of the Communist island nation, where churches are currently experiencing a revival in anticipation of the pontiff's historic visit. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
At the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, Karol Kucero of \JSlovakia\j claims victory over Britain's Tim Henman in the men's singles final, while in the women's singles final, \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeats Venus Williams of the United States. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JSlovakia\j, UK, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
In men's finals at the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, American Bill Pilczuk wins the 50m freestyle, and Dutchman Marcel Wouda wins the 200m individual medley. In women's finals, \JFrance\j's Roxanna Maracineaunu wins the 200m backstroke, America's Brooke Bennett wins the 800m freestyle, and the German team wins the 4x200m freestyle relay. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, Netherlands, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"January 18, 1998",746,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, due to begin his term of office on February 25, reaches out to the people in a two-hour nationally televised dialogue, which is dominated by the country' economic troubles. Speaking frankly, Mr. Kim warns of inevitable retrenchments and other hardships, saying the worst is yet to come in South Korea's battle to overcome the current crisis. \I(South Korea)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, maintains that the country's economic outlook is strong and positive despite Asia's financial meltdown, and that there is no need to revise official forecasts of growth. However, Australia's second-largest trading partner is South Korea, and Mr. Howard's Cabinet is currently considering ways to assist Australian exporters who are suffering from the Asian currency fallout. \I(Australia, South Korea)\i
Singapore starts to feel the effects of Asia's economic woes, with its second-largest employer, Seagate Technology, a United States computer disk-drive maker, laying off 1,800 employees and several hundred contract workers. Earlier, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Tony Tan, had warned of a possible regional recession and temporary pains. \I(Singapore, USA)\i
Thomas Hammarberg, the United Nations envoy on human rights in \JCambodia\j, expresses concern that the country's general elections in July will be neither free nor fair, and recommends that there should be large numbers of international monitors to oversee the polls. In the meantime, Mr. Hammarberg calls for media access for all political parties, independent status for the newly-created election commission, and a government investigation into the executions of royalist followers prior to last July's ousting of co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
About 50 armed \JMyanmar\j troops seize a disputed island in the Moei River on the border with \JThailand\j's Mae Sot district. The action is aimed at preventing a Thai military-led team from carrying out a survey to build an embankment to stop erosion on the island, which has been the source of a demarcation row since the river, recognized as the frontier line, changed course after a 1994 flood. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
The \JPhilippines\j' leading opposition party launches its presidential candidate, Joseph Estrada, 61, the former film star and current vice president who is continuing to top opinion polls despite reservations expressed by the business community. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
On the final \Jday\j of the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, America's Lenny Krayzelburg wins the men's 200m backstroke, \JAustralia\j's Grant Hackett wins the men's 1500m freestyle, and the men's 4x100m medley relay is won by the Australian team of Matt Welsh, Phil Rogers, Michael Klim, and Chris Fydler. In women's events, the 200m butterfly is won by Australia's Susie O'Neill, and America's Amy van Dyken wins the 50m freestyle. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Israeli Cabinet delays a decision on how much occupied land to return to the Palestinians, leaving Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, without a plan to present to United States President, Bill Clinton, during upcoming \JWhite House\j talks aimed at reviving the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, is enraged by the Israeli Cabinet's stance, citing it as proof that Israel has no intention of proceeding with the promised withdrawal. Mr. Arafat declares that there will be a Palestinian state in the West Bank nonetheless, warning that Palestinians are ready to sacrifice their souls and their blood to achieve that end. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Former United States Ambassador to Britain, Raymond Seitz, charges the Clinton administration with leaking British intelligence secrets on Northern Ireland to the Irish Republican Army in 1994, a time of crisis over the granting of a US visa to Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Tory ministers in London admit to harboring similar suspicions at the time, but maintain that nothing threatening national security was compromised. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Singapore starts to feel the effects of Asia's economic woes, with its second-largest employer, Seagate Technology, a United States computer disk-drive maker, laying off 1,800 employees and several hundred contract workers. Earlier, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Tony Tan, had warned of a possible regional recession and temporary pains. \I(Singapore, USA)\i
American golfer Kelly Robbins finishes with a two-stroke lead to win the LPGA Inaugural Women's Tournament at Orlando, \JFlorida\j. Meanwhile, at \JBermuda\j Dunes, \JCalifornia\j, American Fred Couples wins the Chrysler Classic by one stroke, and in senior's golf, American Gil Morgan finishes six strokes ahead of the field to take out the Mastercard Championship at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. \I(USA)\i
On the final \Jday\j of the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Western \JAustralia\j, America's Lenny Krayzelburg wins the men's 200m backstroke, \JAustralia\j's Grant Hackett wins the men's 1500m freestyle, and the men's 4x100m medley relay is won by the Australian team of Matt Welsh, Phil Rogers, Michael Klim, and Chris Fydler. In women's events, the 200m butterfly is won by Australia's Susie O'Neill, and America's Amy van Dyken wins the 50m freestyle. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Israeli Cabinet delays a decision on how much occupied land to return to the Palestinians, leaving Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, without a plan to present to United States President, Bill Clinton, during upcoming \JWhite House\j talks aimed at reviving the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, is enraged by the Israeli Cabinet's stance, citing it as proof that Israel has no intention of proceeding with the promised withdrawal. Mr. Arafat declares that there will be a Palestinian state in the West Bank nonetheless, warning that Palestinians are ready to sacrifice their souls and their blood to achieve that end. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
NATO-led troops increase their presence in Pale and Bijeljina to ensure the peaceful transition between the old caretaker Bosnian Serb government and the newly elected government, which includes 18 Muslims, and is to be led by new Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, 39, a moderate Serb and ally of western-backed Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Northern Ireland's renegade Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) claims responsibility after a 28-year-old Catholic man is shot dead in Maghera, the fourth death in the troubled province since LVF leader, Billy Wright, was assassinated by republicans inside Maze prison last December. The latest killing is condemned by loyalist and republican politicians alike, who view it as a further attempt to derail the peace process by provoking the Irish Republican Army to break its cease-fire and retaliate. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Former United States Ambassador to Britain, Raymond Seitz, charges the Clinton administration with leaking British intelligence secrets on Northern Ireland to the Irish Republican Army in 1994, a time of crisis over the granting of a US visa to Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Tory ministers in London admit to harboring similar suspicions at the time, but maintain that nothing threatening national security was compromised. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Jordan condemns the brutal murder of seven Iraqis, including a senior embassy official, at a dinner party in \JAmman\j on the weekend, but denies that the attack was in retaliation for Iraq's December execution of four Jordanians convicted of smuggling, suggesting instead that the motive for the killings was personal and related to financial disputes. The Iraqi Government, meanwhile, has sent senior diplomats and security officials to the Jordanian capital to investigate the matter, at the same time attempting to smooth troubled relations with \JAmman\j by announcing that it is releasing all Jordanian prisoners and halting all legal proceedings against Jordanians in its courts. \I(Jordan, Iraq)\i
In exchange for rescue loans from the European Union and the World Bank, Zimbabwe's Government agrees to carry out land reform in accordance with the rule of law and in terms of the Constitution. The agreement effectively ends President Mugabe's November campaign to confiscate 1,480 mostly white-owned farms and re-distribute the land among the country's black majority. \I(Zimbabwe, Europe)\i
Pope John Paul II names 22 new Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world, bringing to 136 the number of prelates he has nominated in his 19-year pontificate, and to 123 the number eligible to vote for his successor. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
After 18 months of restoration, the 4,300-year-old statue of Pharaoh Pepi I, the most ancient metal sculpture in the world, goes on display for the first time in the Egyptian Museum in \JCairo\j. Pepi ruled from 2289 to 2255 BC, and his statue was discovered inside another life-sized version in a temple near Edfu, Southern Egypt, in 1899. \I(Egypt)\i
#
"January 19, 1998",747,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and Chinese Defense Minister, Chi Haotian, sign a military maritime co-operation pact aimed at averting clashes or accidents at sea between the warships of their respective countries. In a further sign of thawing Sino-US relations, Mr. Cohen also tours a secret Chinese air defense center in \JBeijing\j, becoming the first foreigner ever to do so. \I(USA, China)\i
During talks in \JBeijing\j with British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, says his country's leadership is willing to accept a visit from Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. The Chinese decision is welcomed as a positive step by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who stresses, however, that further movement is still required. \I(China, UK, USA)\i
Troops of Cambodian Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, launch a fresh round of attacks against the last major royalist stronghold of O'Smach, where defense is reinforced by the arrival of as many as 600 guerrillas from a hardline Khmer Rouge faction. Hun Sen has been trying to take the northern border town for months, but there has been little change in the positions of the front lines, and reports of cease-fire agreements have proved premature. \I(Cambodia)\i
Followers of Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of \JIndonesia\j's founding President Sukarno, stage a peaceful protest outside Parliament, urging legislators to oppose the nomination of President Soeharto for a seventh consecutive five-year term, and pledging their support for Ms. Megawati, who is calling for democratic reform. Despite \JIndonesia\j's deepening financial problems, however, most analysts believe that Ms. Megawati's candidacy has little chance under the country's tightly controlled political system. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Heeding calls from banks and mining companies, the Australian Cabinet agrees to provide $AUD300 million to underwrite the country's $AUD7 billion trade with South Korea, where a currency crisis is threatening to stall Australian export contracts. However, Cabinet rules out an immediate assistance package for the Australian tourism industry, which is warning that a dramatic drop in South Korean tourists could cost the economy $AUD634 million this year. \I(Australia, South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, takes delivery of the first two of 25 F151 long-range strike \Jaircraft\j purchased from the United States, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, arrives in Washington to a cool reception from \JWhite House\j officials exasperated by his hardline stance on \JMiddle East\j peace. Mr. Netanyahu is to meet tomorrow with US President, Bill Clinton, but the Israeli leader has already indicated that he will not bow to outside pressure on the issue of West Bank withdrawals. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, arrives in \JBaghdad\j to a hostile reception from around 5,000 anti-American demonstrators. Mr. Butler later holds three hours of talks with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, in an attempt to end the dispute over UN access to weapons sites and also squash an Iraqi-imposed deadline for the inspections to be completed, which Mr. Butler earlier dismissed as quite impractical. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, and Chinese Defense Minister, Chi Haotian, sign a military maritime co-operation pact aimed at averting clashes or accidents at sea between the warships of their respective countries. In a further sign of thawing Sino-US relations, Mr. Cohen also tours a secret Chinese air defense center in \JBeijing\j, becoming the first foreigner ever to do so. \I(USA, China)\i
During talks in \JBeijing\j with British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, says his country's leadership is willing to accept a visit from Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. The Chinese decision is welcomed as a positive step by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who stresses, however, that further movement is still required. \I(China, UK, USA)\i
Looking relaxed and well, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, makes his first public appearance in nearly a month when he formally accepts the credentials of Washington's new ambassador to Moscow, James Collins, and eight other new envoys. Mr. Yeltsin's disappearance from public view after recovering from a viral infection last December had sparked concerns that he was seriously ill. \I(Russia, USA)\i
To mark the national holiday honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Junior, who was killed in Memphis on April 4, 1968, US President Bill Clinton pitches in to help renovate a Washington high school, insisting that the day should be one of service rather than a day off. Meanwhile, speaking from the \JAtlanta\j church where the slain \Jcivil rights\j leader preached his last sermon, Vice President, Al Gore, unveils a \JWhite House\j initiative that will increase by 16 per cent the amount of funding for \Jcivil rights\j enforcement agencies and offices across the country. The day of commemoration is marred, however, when a man is killed and three children are wounded in a shooting during a parade in honor of the late leader in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. According to police, the killing was not racially motivated, as both the victim and his assailant were black. \I(USA)\i
Carl Perkins, writer of the Elvis Presley hit, "Blue Suede Shoes", dies in \JTennessee\j aged 65 after suffering a series of strokes. The legendary singer-guitarist was regarded as one of the key figures in the birth of rock music in the 1950s. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, arrives in \JBaghdad\j to a hostile reception from around 5,000 anti-American demonstrators. Mr. Butler later holds three hours of talks with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, in an attempt to end the dispute over UN access to weapons sites and also squash an Iraqi-imposed deadline for the inspections to be completed, which Mr. Butler earlier dismissed as quite impractical. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
As Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, takes delivery of the first two of 25 F151 long-range strike \Jaircraft\j purchased from the United States, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, arrives in Washington to a cool reception from \JWhite House\j officials exasperated by his hardline stance on \JMiddle East\j peace. Mr. Netanyahu is to meet tomorrow with US President, Bill Clinton, but the Israeli leader has already indicated that he will not bow to outside pressure on the issue of West Bank withdrawals. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
A mission of three European Union ministers arrives in \JAlgeria\j to reports of further civilian killings in the strife-torn country. According to villagers in the eastern province of Bouira, 16 people were gunned down earlier in the \Jday\j at a fake roadblock, while another ten people, including a pregnant woman, were slaughtered in weekend assaults. Despite the violence that has claimed the lives of more than 1,100 civilians since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the EU delegation is given a mixed reception on the streets of the capital, \JAlgiers\j, with some residents urgently calling for European assistance, and others rejecting the European presence as interference. \I(\JAlgeria\j, Europe)\i
A Sinn Fein delegation, led by party president, Gerry Adams, meets with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at No. 10 Downing Street to discuss the newly proposed Anglo-Irish peace settlement for Northern Ireland, which Sinn Fein maintains is doomed to fail. The meeting comes as further violence erupts in the province. A Protestant shopkeeper is murdered in Dunmurry by gunmen of the Irish National Liberation Army, a splinter group of the Sinn Fein-allied Irish Republican Army, and in south \JBelfast\j, unknown gunmen fatally wound the Catholic manager of a taxi company. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
The first war crimes suspect arrested by international troops in former Yugoslavia goes on trial in The Hague. Croatian Serb, Slavko Dokmanovic, 48, pleads not guilty to six charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from his alleged participation in a 1991 massacre of more than 200 non-Serb civilians in the besieged town of Vukovar, as well as further murders after the fall of the town. \I(\JSerbia\j, The Netherlands)\i
Police in \JHarare\j use tear gas in their attempts to control about 4,000 angry demonstrators protesting over steep price increases for basic foodstuffs. Zimbabwe's Government is blaming the increases on the white business community, but economists say the price rises stem from the collapse of the country's currency. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
During talks in \JBeijing\j with British Foreign Minister, Robin Cook, Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, says his country's leadership is willing to accept a visit from Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. The Chinese decision is welcomed as a positive step by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who stresses, however, that further movement is still required. \I(China, UK, USA)\i
Looking relaxed and well, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, makes his first public appearance in nearly a month when he formally accepts the credentials of Washington's new ambassador to Moscow, James Collins, and eight other new envoys. Mr. Yeltsin's disappearance from public view following his recovery from a viral infection last December had sparked concerns that he was seriously ill. \I(Russia, USA)\i
#
"January 20, 1998",748,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto agrees to accept his party's nomination for a seventh five-year term in office. Mr. Soeharto's decision comes as money markets continue to register uncertainty over the country's ability to claw its way out of the current economic crisis, with the rupiah diving 8.4 per cent to hover between 10,600 and 10,400 to the US dollar. \I(Indonesia)\i
After a meeting in \JBeijing\j with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says he has received assurances that China has halted all transfers of anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and that China will not assist \JIran\j in upgrading its present stockpile. US officials believe that over the past four to seven years, \JIran\j has obtained between 100 and 200 Chinese missiles, and Washington is concerned that the weapons could be used against US warships in the Persian Gulf. \I(China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
Following through on an earlier decision, China formally announces that Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is invited to visit the country. The United Nations confirms that the visit will proceed, saying an official invitation was extended to Ms. Robinson during a meeting with China's ambassador in Geneva. \I(China, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The United Nations Undersecretary of Asian Affairs, Alvaro De Soto, arrives in \JMyanmar\j for three days of top-level talks aimed at ending the stalemate between the ruling military and the political opposition headed by National League for Democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. While the UN has been highly critical of \JMyanmar\j's human rights record in the past, a spokesman says the issue will not be on the agenda. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Fijian authorities announce that a decision has been taken to devalue the country's currency by 20 per cent. According to Fiji's Reserve Bank, the economy has suffered because of the local dollar's appreciation against the currencies of \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j, two of its major trading partners, as well as its appreciation against the currencies of many Southeast Asian nations, with which Fiji competes for tourism. \I(Fiji, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Amid tight security, the Vanuatu National Provident Fund begins reimbursing contributors in a bid to end civil discontent, which last week degenerated into rioting and looting after an ombudsman's report accused the country's senior politicians of using the fund to finance private real estate deals. \I(Vanuatu)\i
Nearly 53 years after the World War II battle for \JOkinawa\j, retired United States Marine, General James Day, who fought off Japanese soldiers for three days and helped secure a victory, receives the Congressional Medal of Honor at a \JWhite House\j ceremony. The delay in bestowing the award was apparently due to lost paperwork and Day's refusal to join a veteran's campaign on his behalf. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a \JWhite House\j meeting, United States President, Bill Clinton, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, discuss terms for the long-overdue withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank, with Mr. Clinton reportedly putting forward fresh ideas to revive the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. While no agreement is formulated, Mr. Netanyahu later describes the session as a serious effort at finding common ground, and says he felt no undue pressure to make concessions. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
After a meeting in \JBeijing\j with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says he has received assurances that China has halted all transfers of anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and that China will not assist \JIran\j in upgrading its present stockpile. US officials believe that over the past four to seven years, \JIran\j has obtained between 100 and 200 Chinese missiles, and Washington is concerned that the weapons could be used against US warships in the Persian Gulf. \I(China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
United States researchers announce the birth of three cloned calves which they herald as the first step towards the eventual production of cow's milk containing medicines for humans. Meanwhile, in a further move against human \Jcloning\j, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has the authority to regulate the controversial procedure, and is prepared to assert that authority, a move that would make human \Jcloning\j illegal without formal FDA approval. In Britain, however, some scientists are cautioning against a precipitate ban, arguing that the \Jcloning\j of human organs and tissues, rather than whole people, could have immense clinical value. \I(USA, UK)\i
Nearly 53 years after the World War II battle for \JOkinawa\j, retired United States Marine, General James Day, who fought off Japanese soldiers for three days and helped secure a victory, receives the Congressional Medal of Honor at a \JWhite House\j ceremony. The delay in bestowing the award was apparently due to lost paperwork and Day's refusal to join a veteran's campaign on his behalf. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations disarmament chief, Richard Butler, departs \JBaghdad\j after meeting with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, for two days of "blunt" talks. Mr. Butler reports that \JIraq\j has imposed a freeze on the issue of access to presidential sites, linking it to the lifting of UN sanctions, but says the two sides have agreed on a mechanism to assess what stage has been reached in ridding \JIraq\j of the nerve gas VX and warheads capable of carrying biological weapons. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, vows to stand firm against the wave of sectarian violence that has left seven people dead in the province since Christmas, saying the splinter groups behind the killings are deliberately attempting to derail multi-party negotiations built on recent cease-fires by the main guerrilla forces. Dr. Mowlam's call for stoic calm is echoed by family members of one of the latest victims, who plead for peace and urge Catholic factions not to retaliate in their slain brother's name. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
At a \JWhite House\j meeting, United States President, Bill Clinton, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, discuss terms for the long-overdue withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank, with Mr. Clinton reportedly putting forward fresh ideas to revive the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. While no agreement is formulated, Mr. Netanyahu later describes the session as a serious effort at finding common ground, and says he felt no undue pressure to make concessions. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
A European Union ministerial delegation leaves \JAlgiers\j after a two-\Jday\j visit which included talks with Algerian Prime Minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, opposition leaders, and newspaper editors, and resulted in an agreement for continuing dialogue concerning the country's bloody six-year civil conflict. However, the EU mission was hampered in its attempts to verify a spate of recently reported atrocities, having been refused permission to speak with survivors or visit nearby Sidi Hamed, where 103 people were slaughtered in an attack just over a week ago. \I(Algeria, Europe)\i
The Zimbabwean Government deploys armed troops in townships around the capital, \JHarare\j, where two days of mass protests against spiraling food prices have degenerated into riots. As President Mugabe calls an emergency session of Cabinet, Home Affairs Minister, Dumiso Dabengwa, says the army will not hesitate to shoot anyone found engaging in looting or burning. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
After a meeting in \JBeijing\j with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says he has received assurances that China has halted all transfers of anti-ship cruise missiles to \JIran\j, and that China will not assist \JIran\j in upgrading its present stockpile. US officials believe that over the past four to seven years, \JIran\j has obtained between 100 and 200 Chinese missiles, and Washington is concerned that the weapons could be used against US warships in the Persian Gulf. \I(China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
After two rounds of voting by Parliament, Czech President, Vaclav Havel, narrowly wins re-election to a new five-year term in office. Under the Constitution, the Czech president has little power, but Mr. Havel is regarded as the conscience of the nation, having led the 1989 democratic revolution which overthrew Communist rule. \I(Czech Republic)\i
Following through on an earlier decision, China formally announces that Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is invited to visit the country. The United Nations confirms that the visit will proceed, saying an official invitation was extended to Ms. Robinson during a meeting with China's ambassador in Geneva. \I(China, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
At least 160 people are feared dead after a massive landslide triggered by heavy rain plunges down Tumbine mountain onto Chizongue settlement, in \JMozambique\j's central province of Zambezia, damaging roads and bridges in its path. Heavy rain has also caused flooding and damage to roads in other areas of the southeast African nation recently. \I(\JMozambique\j)\i
United States researchers announce the birth of three cloned calves which they herald as the first step towards the eventual production of cow's milk containing medicines for humans. Meanwhile, in a further move against human \Jcloning\j, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has the authority to regulate the controversial procedure, and is prepared to assert that authority, a move that would make human \Jcloning\j illegal without formal FDA approval. In Britain, however, some scientists are cautioning against a precipitate ban, arguing that the \Jcloning\j of human organs and tissues, rather than whole people, could have immense clinical value. \I(USA, UK)\i
Scientists report that Rama the cama, the first cross between a camel and a \Jllama\j, has been born in the United Arab Emirates. Rama has the short ears and long tail of a camel, but has no hump, and scientists hope that by combining the benefits of the two animals, such as the ability to withstand extreme heat or extreme cold, the economic life in developing countries will be transformed. \I(United Arab Emirates)\i
#
"January 21, 1998",749,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian rupiah falls as much as 15 per cent to a new low of 12,000 to the US dollar, a slide analysts attribute to President Soeharto's announcement that he will stand for re-election in March, and rumors that he intends appointing Research and Technology Minister, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, as his next vice president. Given the 76-year-old president's age and recent ill health, there are fears that his vice president may be required to take over mid-term, and Mr. Habibie has been associated with many of the economic policies challenged by the International Monetary Fund as grandiose and unrealistic. \I(Indonesia)\i
Faced with mounting criticism, the Clinton administration launches a strong defense of its role in bailing out floundering Asian economies. Both US President Clinton and Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, point out the necessity of the move and warn against complacency, saying the United States economy could be adversely affected unless Asia's spiraling financial crisis is contained. \I(USA, Asia)\i
For the first time in years, Thai police use force to disperse a wage protest staged by hundreds of disgruntled car parts workers on the outskirts of the capital, \JBangkok\j. Fifty-eight people are arrested, and the government later warns that it will not tolerate violent mob rule, signaling a tougher stand against labor unrest as the country goes through its worst economic crisis in decades. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
India's Central Bureau of Investigation rejects calls from Congress Party campaigner, Sonia Gandhi, to release documents on a 1987 $US1.3 billion artillery deal with the Swedish company Bofors, the subject of a bribes scandal at the time. The police insist that such a move would violate conditions set by \JSwitzerland\j when handing the documents over to Indian authorities. \I(India, Sweden, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, proposes an amnesty for all parties involved in the secessionist war on the island of Bougainville. The amnesty will allow the return of thousands of displaced Bougainvilleans, and extends to all exiled rebel leaders, including Martin Miriori and Moses Havini, both of whom have taken up residence overseas. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
American sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, meet face-to-face in the second round of the 1998 Australian Tennis Open in Melbourne. It is the seventh time two sisters have played each other in a grand slam tournament and, as in past encounters, the older sister wins, with 17-year-old Venus this year defeating 16-year-old Serena in two sets. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a legal development that could have serious ramifications for United States President, Bill Clinton, Whitewater special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, is authorized to widen his investigation to include allegations that Mr. Clinton obstructed justice and incited a witness to commit \Jperjury\j in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. The allegations involve former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, now 24, who on January 7 this year signed a sworn declaration that she has never had a sexual relationship with Mr. Clinton. According to newly released reports, however, a female \JWhite House\j co-worker secretly taped conversations during which Ms. Lewinsky allegedly spoke of her 18-month affair with Mr. Clinton and the pressure she was under to deny the affair in her testimony. Should evidence prove that Mr. Clinton was instrumental in instructing a witness to commit \Jperjury\j, Congress could vote to begin \Jimpeachment\j proceedings. \I(USA)\i
During a live \Jtelevision\j broadcast, US President Bill Clinton denies allegations that he had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. Mr. Clinton also denies that he counseled Ms. Lewinsky to lie under oath, or that he employed his close friend and advisor, Vernon Jordan, to pressure Ms. Lewinsky to commit \Jperjury\j when giving testimony in connection with the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. While expressing outrage over the allegations, Mr. Clinton says he intends to co-operate fully with prosecutor Kenneth Starr's inquiries. \I(USA)\i
As Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, arrives in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, prepares to leave after two rounds of talks yesterday with United States President, Bill Clinton. Mr. Netanyahu says he is cautiously optimistic about Mr. Clinton's newly proposed formula to re-start the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the details of which have not yet been made public. Mr. Arafat, meanwhile, is scheduled to meet with Mr. Clinton tomorrow. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
The United States and Britain reject an Iraqi proposal to freeze United Nations attempts to gain access to several sites declared off-limits to weapons inspectors, grimly describing the proposal as quite unacceptable, and this latest setback to Iraq's disarmament as very serious. \I(USA, UK, Iraq)\i
Pope John Paul II arrives in \JCuba\j on an unprecedented five-\Jday\j tour, calling for the Communist island to open itself up to the world and, indirectly, for Washington to ease its 35-year economic embargo on \JHavana\j. President Fidel Castro welcomes the pontiff with an impassioned speech defending the 1959 Revolution which brought him to power, and declaring that Cubans would choose death rather than abdicate their convictions. The United States, however, remains unmoved, saying it will continue with its economic embargo until the Castro Government undertakes democratic reforms. \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Faced with mounting criticism, the Clinton administration launches a strong defense of its role in bailing out floundering Asian economies. Both US President Clinton and Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, point out the necessity of the move and warn against complacency, saying the United States economy could be adversely affected unless Asia's spiraling financial crisis is contained. \I(USA, Asia)\i
New York authorities arrest a total of 40 people on racketeering and extortion charges, including John "Junior" Gotti, the son and successor of the Gambino crime family boss, John J. Gotti, who was sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j in 1992 for murder and racketeering. Jubilant prosecutors say the mass arrest constitutes a major step toward removing the grip of the Gambinos in New York. \I(USA)\i
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Roe, the landmark United States Supreme Court ruling recognizing the constitutional right to \Jabortion\j, the woman dubbed "Jane Roe" in the Roe versus Wade decision says she regrets her pivotal role in the case. Speaking before a Senate sub-committee, Norma McCorvey, now a 50-year-old grandmother and a staunch anti-\Jabortion\j campaigner, vows to dedicate the rest of her life to overturning the 1973 law that bears her legal pseudonym. \I(USA)\i
Before an Amarillo courtroom packed with spectators, \JTexas\j cattlemen open a lawsuit against American talk show hostess, Oprah Winfrey, charging that her 1996 program about "mad cow" disease sent cattle futures prices plunging more than 10 per cent, causing them to lose millions of dollars. During the April 15 "mad cow" program, Ms. Winfrey apparently also swore off hamburgers. \I(USA)\i
American sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, meet face-to-face in the second round of the 1998 Australian Tennis Open in Melbourne. It is the seventh time two sisters have played each other in a grand slam tournament and, as in past encounters, the older sister wins, with 17-year-old Venus this year defeating 16-year-old Serena in two sets. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In another blow to the faltering Northern Ireland peace process, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) follows its political wing, Sinn Fein, in rejecting the new Anglo-Irish settlement proposal as a basis for lasting peace, slating the proposal as a pro-Unionist document, and accusing British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, of succumbing to the Orange card. The IRA statement comes as one man dies and two others are injured in a continuation of sectarian shootings in \JBelfast\j. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
One \Jday\j after a European Union ministerial delegation leaves \JAlgiers\j, two separate bomb blasts rock the center of the capital, leaving at least two people dead and many others injured. Elsewhere in \JAlgeria\j, a total of 43 people are reported to have died in the latest surge of bloodshed, including seven members of one family and 21 fundamentalist rebels. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
As Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, arrives in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, prepares to leave after two rounds of talks yesterday with United States President, Bill Clinton. Mr. Netanyahu says he is cautiously optimistic about Mr. Clinton's newly proposed formula to re-start the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the details of which have not yet been made public. Mr. Arafat, meanwhile, is scheduled to meet with Mr. Clinton tomorrow. \I(USA, Palestine, Israel)\i
The United States and Britain reject an Iraqi proposal to freeze United Nations attempts to gain access to several sites declared off-limits to weapons inspectors, grimly describing the proposal as quite unacceptable, and this latest setback to Iraq's disarmament as very serious. \I(USA, UK, Iraq)\i
Fifty Jordanian convicts, released under a general amnesty decreed by Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, leave \JBaghdad\j in a convoy led by Jordanian Islamist dissident, Leith Shubeilat. Mr. Shubeilat himself was released from a Jordanian jail less than 18 months ago after being convicted of slandering King Hussein, and some Jordanians are now questioning Iraq's decision to hand over the prisoners to a prominent critic of their king. \I(Jordan, Iraq)\i
Thousands of Zimbabwean soldiers using armored vehicles, helicopters, and tear gas swell the ranks of troops and police, as a third \Jday\j of rioting and looting around \JHarare\j spreads to the eastern city of Mutare. About 300 people have now been arrested and reports of injuries have mounted since the beginning of the protests, triggered when the price of \Jmaize\j meal was increased by 21 per cent following a 24 per cent increase two weeks ago. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Pope John Paul II arrives in \JCuba\j on an unprecedented five-\Jday\j tour, calling for the Communist island to open itself up to the world and, indirectly, for Washington to ease its 35-year economic embargo on \JHavana\j. President Fidel Castro welcomes the pontiff with an impassioned speech defending the 1959 Revolution which brought him to power, and declaring that Cubans would choose death rather than abdicate their convictions. The United States, however, remains unmoved, saying it will continue with its economic embargo until the Castro Government undertakes democratic reforms. \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
India's Central Bureau of Investigation rejects calls from Congress Party campaigner, Sonia Gandhi, to release documents on a 1987 $US1.3 billion artillery deal with the Swedish company Bofors, the subject of a bribes scandal at the time. The police insist that such a move would violate conditions set by \JSwitzerland\j when handing the documents over to Indian authorities. \I(India, Sweden, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"January 22, 1998",750,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's battered currency dives a massive 30 per cent, hitting an alarming low of less than 16,000 to the US dollar before the country's central bank intervenes to bring it back to around 12,600. The Indonesian rupiah has lost more than three-quarters of its value in the last six months, when it was trading at 2,450 to the US dollar, and although new economic reforms are being undertaken by the government, financial analysts attribute the currency's continuing decline to lingering political uncertainty and concerns about the country's ability to meet maturing foreign debt obligations of $US65 billion. \I(Indonesia)\i
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, arrives in \JCambodia\j. After a meeting with First Prime Minister, Ung Huot, Ms. Robinson says she has received assurances that investigations will continue into the alleged murders last year of more than 40 supporters of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The problem of apparent impunity for human rights abusers in \JCambodia\j is regarded by UN officials as a major obstacle to free and fair elections in July. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Australia bans Japanese \Jtuna\j boats from fishing its waters after negotiations about lowering quotas for southern bluefin \Jtuna\j end in deadlock. A report released in December warned that the species was overfished and stocks were unsustainable, and Australia says Japan's refusal to agree to lower quotas is completely unacceptable. \I(Australia, Japan)\i
Hong Kong's Hospital Authority triggers a panic when it announces that 108 patients have been injected with a scanning test fluid that might have contained the virus causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), the human form of "mad cow" disease. The announcement follows a manufacturer's recall of the test fluid, known as Amerscan Pulmonate reagent II, after the death from CJD of one of the 50,000 donors who provided a blood protein used in the product. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two days after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds talks at the \JWhite House\j with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, who later describes the session as warm, constructive, and very important. While reports of a newly devised Mideast peace formula continue to circulate, US officials decline to release details, saying instead that Mr. Clinton used this week's meetings to specify some of the elements that he believes must be part of the deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In a bid to contain an escalating scandal that could lead to his \Jimpeachment\j, US President Bill Clinton once again publicly denies that he had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, or that he asked her to lie when submitting a written affidavit in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. Presidential advisor, Vernon Jordan, also publicly defends his position, maintaining that he helped Ms. Lewinsky find a lawyer and a private-sector job, but did not seek to obstruct justice by encouraging her to lie under oath. \I(USA)\i
Whitewater special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, who has been authorized to investigate the sex and \Jperjury\j allegations enveloping US President Clinton, deflects criticism of his decision to use secretly recorded conversations between Monica Lewinsky and her former \JWhite House\j co-worker, Linda Tripp, insisting that he is employing traditional law enforcement techniques. The tapes allegedly contain details concerning Ms. Lewinsky's affair with Mr. Clinton and the pressure to deny it under oath. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Little Rock says he has agreed to postpone indefinitely a further deposition Ms. Lewinsky was due to give tomorrow to lawyers for Paula Jones, who have been raking Mr. Clinton's past to find women to support her sexual harassment lawsuit against him. \I(USA)\i
A crowd of about 50,000 gathers in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara to attend an outdoor Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. In a clear criticism of Communist rule, the 77-year-old pontiff asserts that no \Jideology\j can replace \JChristianity\j, and also slates cultural and economic systems which promote an anti-birth mentality under the guise of freedom and progress. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
Under a last-minute deal that spares him the death penalty, accused Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski, pleads guilty to 13 counts stemming from bomb attacks in \JCalifornia\j and \JNew Jersey\j that resulted in the deaths of three people. The plea bargain essentially winds up the federal case against the man charged with waging a 17-year campaign of terror across the United States, and comes after the trial judge barred the former \Jmathematics\j professor from acting as his own lawyer. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge approves a $US15.3 billion settlement in the state of \JTexas\j' Medicaid lawsuit against the \Jtobacco\j industry, the largest in the history of US litigation. The agreement calls for the industry to give \JTexas\j an initial amount of $US1.25 billion, with the balance to paid in annual installments over the next 25 years. \I(USA)\i
A partial settlement is reached in the United States Justice Department's anti-trust case against computer software giant, Microsoft, with the company agreeing that computer makers who license its Windows 95 operating system can delete the icon for its \JInternet\j Explorer browser. However, the agreement does not resolve the larger charge that Microsoft violated a consent decree banning it from forcing computer makers who license Windows 95 to use other Microsoft products as well. \I(USA)\i
In an annual event known as the March for Life, thousands of anti-\Jabortion\j activists march through the streets of Washington to the Supreme Court, where 25 years ago to the \Jday\j, the landmark ruling in Roe versus Wade recognized \Jabortion\j as a constitutionally protected right for American women. \I(USA)\i
A study conducted by a group of United States researchers suggests that by checking levels of a single hormone, doctors may be able to forecast which men are most at risk of developing prostate cancer. According to the results of the study, men with levels of \Jinsulin\j growth factor-I in the top 25 per cent are 4.5 times more likely to develop the disease. \I(USA)\i
Mary Bono, widow of the late congressman Sonny Bono, announces that she intends to run in the April 7 special election to fill his seat in the \JHouse of Representatives\j. Sonny Bono, a former entertainer, was killed earlier this month in a \Jskiing\j accident in Nevada. \I(USA)\i
A new law takes effect in \JBrazil\j, imposing tough penalties for drivers who ignore seatbelts, red lights, and pedestrian crossings. Officials say the law is a long overdue measure to stem the carnage on the country's roads, which has been compared to an airplane carrying 200 people crashing every two days. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two days after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds talks at the \JWhite House\j with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, who later describes the session as warm, constructive, and very important. While reports of a newly devised Mideast peace formula continue to circulate, US officials decline to release details, saying instead that Mr. Clinton used this week's meetings to specify some of the elements that he believes must be part of the deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
NATO-led forces in Bosnia arrest Goran Jelisic, 29, indicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal for alleged genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the Geneva conventions. Jelisic, who called himself the "Serb Adolf" during the Bosnian war, was reported to have bragged about the number of Muslims he butchered while running a \Jconcentration camp\j near the town of Brcko in 1992. \I(Bosnia)\i
A crowd of about 50,000 gathers in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara to attend an outdoor Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. In a clear criticism of Communist rule, the 77-year-old pontiff asserts that no \Jideology\j can replace \JChristianity\j, and also slates cultural and economic systems which promote an anti-birth mentality under the guise of freedom and progress. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"January 23, 1998",751,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesian Finance Minister, Mar'ie Muhammad, delivers the revised 1998 Budget, which is now based on assumptions of zero growth, 20 per cent \Jinflation\j, and an exchange rate of 5,000 rupiah to the US dollar. However, the new assumptions still appear unrealistically optimistic as the rupiah suffers an early morning setback, plunging to 15,250 against the US dollar before starting to claw its way back to the 12,000 mark it closed on yesterday. \I(Indonesia)\i
South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, takes a tough line with the country's massive conglomerates, warning that the trade unions will not accept lay-offs unless the corporate elite channel some of their vast wealth into reforms to revive the ailing economy. Mr. Kim sets a deadline of February 24, the \Jday\j before his inauguration, for detailed reform plans from South Korea's top five conglomerates, which include the Samsung, Hyundai, and Daewoo groups. \I(South Korea)\i
Japan strongly rejects mounting international criticism that its economic difficulties are fueling Asia's monetary crisis. Japan has been under pressure from a list of critics, including the United States, \JSingapore\j, and the International Monetary Fund, who claim that \JTokyo\j is not doing enough to promote Asia's recovery by opening its markets and taking further measures to boost domestic demand. \I(Japan, \JSingapore\j, Asia, USA)\i
After five days of talks in \JChristchurch\j, \JNew Zealand\j, the Papua New Guinean Government and Bougainville rebels sign an agreement to end the nine-year secession war on Bougainville island. Under the agreement, a formal cease-fire will come into effect at midnight on April 30, free elections for a reconciliation government will be held before the end of the year, and talks on the island's future political status will be held within six months. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Hundreds of heavily armed \JPathan\j tribesmen block the strategic road through the Khyber Pass for a tenth \Jday\j, threatening to launch a holy war against \JPakistan\j's power and \Jwater\j authority, which is demanding that they pay electricity bills for the first time in 50 years. Until now, the tribesmen have been charged a flat fee which is only five per cent of a normal Pakistani household bill, but the World Bank has issued an ultimatum to Islamabad for the bankrupt authority to raise electricity prices and cut losses to reduce its massive deficit. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
After a five-\Jday\j armed standoff, \JMyanmar\j agrees to withdraw its troops from a disputed island in the Moei River, which represents the frontier between \JMyanmar\j and \JThailand\j. Army officers from both sides have now pledged not to deploy troops or workers on the river island until the \JThailand\j-\JMyanmar\j Technical Border Committee surveys the area and draws up a formal demarcation to settle the dispute, which erupted in 1994 when the river changed direction after a flood, leaving the two countries bickering as to whether its old or new course marked the dividing line. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
In the wake of his mission to \JIraq\j, United Nations disarmament chief, Richard Butler, tells the Security Council that \JBaghdad\j appears determined to withhold any new information about its weapons programs, and that its obstruction of inspection teams is threatening the world body's entire program for dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction. The reaction of the Security Council is divided, however, with representatives from Britain and the United States voicing toughly worded statements that do not discount the use of force, and \JRussia\j and China stressing the need to pursue diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Members of the council are now expected to spend several days formulating an official response to Mr. Butler's conclusions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK, \JRussia\j, China)\i
Pakistani citizen, Mir Aimal Kasi, is sentenced to death by a United States judge for killing two Central Intelligence Agency employees outside the agency's headquarters near Washington on January 25, 1993. Kasi, 33, concedes that he is not proud of the shooting spree, but says it was in retaliation for US policies that hurt Islamic nations. The State Department responds accordingly, issuing a warning to US citizens abroad of a potential backlash on the part of Kasi sympathizers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lifts off from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on a mission to rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. On board Endeavour is Australian-born Andy Thomas, 46, who will become the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to be delivered by shuttle for a tour of duty on Mir. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
The Hong Kong Government announces that it will lift its ban on the import of fresh chickens in early February now that the "bird flu" outbreak appears to have been contained. The government says it believes the high risk period for the H5N1 avian virus has passed, with no new cases reported since the territory's mass slaughter of poultry was completed at the beginning of the year. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the wake of his mission to \JIraq\j, United Nations disarmament chief, Richard Butler, tells the Security Council that \JBaghdad\j appears determined to withhold any new information about its weapons programs, and that its obstruction of inspection teams is threatening the world body's entire program for dismantling the country's weapons of mass destruction. The reaction of the Security Council is divided, however, with representatives from Britain and the United States voicing toughly worded statements that do not discount the use of force, and \JRussia\j and China stressing the need to pursue diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Members of the council are now expected to spend several days formulating an official response to Mr. Butler's conclusions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK, \JRussia\j, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calls on the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to reflect on a \JMiddle East\j peace initiative put forward during this week's meetings with United States President, Bill Clinton. Ms. Albright confirms that the US proposal is based on "parallel steps", whereby successive small Israeli troop withdrawals from the occupied West Bank would be matched by Palestinian moves on various security issues. \I(USA, Israeli, Palestine)\i
In Washington, senior Democrats, including Vice President, Al Gore, and \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, rally to the defense of President Bill Clinton, saying they believe Mr. Clinton's denials of allegations that he had a sexual affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then urged her to lie under oath about it. Ms. Lewinsky's attorney, meanwhile, declares that his client is being mistreated, claiming that 24-year-old Ms. Lewinsky was not allowed legal representation when she was questioned for nine hours last week by lawyers of Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who is in charge of investigating the alleged cover-up. Mr. Starr later rebuffs attorney William Ginsburg's complaint, insisting that Ms. Lewinsky not only consented to meet his lawyers and \JFBI\j agents, but was free to leave at any time. \I(USA)\i
Japan strongly rejects mounting international criticism that its economic difficulties are fueling Asia's monetary crisis. Japan has been under pressure from a list of critics, including the United States, \JSingapore\j, and the International Monetary Fund, who claim that Japan is not doing enough to promote Asia's recovery by opening its markets and taking further measures to boost domestic demand. \I(Japan, \JSingapore\j, Asia, USA)\i
As he continues his historic tour of \JCuba\j, Pope John Paul II voices double-edged criticism of the Communist island and its arch ideological enemy, deploring the 35-year United States embargo against \JHavana\j, but insisting that \JCuba\j needs more justice, freedom, humanity, and above all, \JChristianity\j. \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lifts off from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on a mission to rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. On board Endeavour is Australian-born Andy Thomas, 46, who will become the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to be delivered by shuttle for a tour of duty on Mir. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Pakistani citizen, Mir Aimal Kasi, is sentenced to death by a United States judge for killing two Central Intelligence Agency employees outside the agency's headquarters near Washington on January 25, 1993. Kasi, 33, concedes that he is not proud of the shooting spree, but says it was in retaliation for US policies that hurt Islamic nations. The State Department responds accordingly, issuing a warning to US citizens abroad of a potential backlash on the part of Kasi sympathizers. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the wake of his mission to \JIraq\j, United Nations disarmament chief, Richard Butler, tells the Security Council that \JBaghdad\j appears determined to withhold any new information about its weapons programs, and that its obstruction of inspection teams is threatening the world body's entire program for dismantling the country's weapons of mass destruction. The reaction of the Security Council is divided, however, with representatives from Britain and the United States voicing toughly worded statements that do not discount the use of force, and \JRussia\j and China stressing the need to pursue diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Members of the council are now expected to spend several days formulating an official response to Mr. Butler's conclusions. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK, \JRussia\j, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, calls on the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to reflect on a \JMiddle East\j peace initiative put forward during this week's meetings with United States President, Bill Clinton. Ms. Albright confirms that the US proposal is based on "parallel steps", whereby successive small Israeli troop withdrawals from the occupied West Bank would be matched by Palestinian moves on various security issues. \I(USA, Israeli, Palestine)\i
The Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), Northern Ireland's biggest loyalist paramilitary organization, announces that it is ending what it calls "a measured military response" against republican aggression. The announcement, however, is not echoed by the Loyalist Volunteer Force, a renegade loyalist paramilitary group, and comes only hours before another Catholic is shot dead in \JBelfast\j. It also remains unclear whether the UFF's political wing, the Ulster Democratic Party, will be allowed to remain in the Stormont multi-party peace talks, given that the UFF was yesterday accused by police of murdering three Catholics since New Year's Eve. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Three bombs explode in and around the Algerian capital, killing two alleged bombers and a civilian, and wounding 10 other people. The city's casualty toll has risen to 13 dead and 70 wounded in the eight explosions which have occurred since a European Union mission wound up a 24-hour visit to \JAlgiers\j four days ago. The EU mission was an emergency response to escalating bloodshed in Algeria, where more than 1,200 people now reported to have died in massacres and other attacks during the last three weeks. \I(Algeria, Europe)\i
As a condition for a sizable loan to restore the country's economic stability, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) insists that the Zimbabwean Government issues an unequivocal statement pledging to compensate white farmers fully and fairly for land acquired compulsorily. The IMF's conditions match those set down earlier by the European Union and the World Bank, and hark back to last November, when President Mugabe sparked panic among landholders by making public a list of 1,480 mostly white-owned farms he intended to confiscate without adequate compensation and without recourse to legal appeal. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
South Africa's last \Japartheid\j president, P.W. Botha, 82, appears in court on charges of defying a summons issued by the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. After he is ordered to return to court in February to enter his plea, Mr. Botha accuses the commission officials of trying to humiliate him, and categorically states that he is not prepared to apologize before them for his past deeds. \I(South Africa)\i
A spokesman for President Boris Yeltsin declares that \JRussia\j has not transferred missile technology to \JIran\j in the past, and will not participate in \JIran\j's missile program in the future because it conflicts with national interests. Mr. Yeltsin's spokesman concedes, however, that \JIran\j has approached several Russian companies in a bid to gain access to the technology. \I(\JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
In \JFrance\j's worst avalanche disaster in years, 11 members of a high school trekking group are killed, 15 are injured, and five are still missing after being hit by a fast-moving, 300-meter wall of snow, triggered by skiers using unauthorized runs further up the mountain. The disaster occurs 3 kilometers from the ski resort at Les Orres, which is located near the Italian border. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lifts off from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on a mission to rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. On board Endeavour is Australian-born Andy Thomas, 46, who will become the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to be delivered by shuttle for a tour of duty on Mir. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
As he continues his historic tour of \JCuba\j, Pope John Paul II voices double-edged criticism of the Communist island and its arch ideological enemy, deploring the 35-year United States embargo against \JHavana\j, but insisting that \JCuba\j needs more justice, freedom, humanity, and above all, \JChristianity\j. \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"January 24, 1998",752,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India's once-mighty Congress Party, now divided and fighting to boost its sagging political image, rejects the candidacy of controversial former prime minister, P.V. Narasimaha Rao, in the February-March national elections. Party president, Sitaram Kesri, say the refusal to back Mr. Rao stems from his failure to stop Hindu zealots from razing the Ayodhya mosque when he was parliamentary leader in 1992. The party is also refusing to field the candidacy of two former ministers linked to the anti-Sikh riots that followed the 1984 assassination of Congress Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. \I(India)\i
In a bid to hasten the country's economic recovery, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, calls on Malaysian women to sell their jewelry abroad and invest the proceeds in local banks. Dr. Mahathir says the money could be used to finance bank loans for traders, or could be invested in unit trusts to buy shares to prop up the market. \I(Malaysia)\i
NASA's Endeavour \Jspace shuttle\j docks with \JRussia\j's Mir space station as both teams prepare to transfer supplies and swap crew members. United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, who has lived on Mir since last September, will return to Earth aboard Endeavour after being replaced by Australian-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, meets with Vice President Al Gore and other top foreign policy advisers to review \JIraq\j's latest intransigence over the United Nations weapons inspection program, and discuss an official US response to the deadlock. While no final decision is made on the use of military force against \JIraq\j, senior advisers say that the US considers the current situation to be unacceptable and will not allow it to continue indefinitely. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Special Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, who is heading the inquiry into the sex, lies, and audio tapes scandal engulfing US President Bill Clinton, issues subpoenas for Mr. Clinton's friend and advisor, Vernan Jordan, Mr. Clinton's personal secretary, Bette Currie, and several former \JWhite House\j interns who worked with Monica Lewinsky, the 24-year-old former intern at the center of the scandal. Meanwhile, as the lurid yet unsubstantiated details of the alleged sexual relationship between Mr. Clinton and Ms. Lewinsky continue to dominate the American media, Ms. Lewinsky's lawyer negotiates with Mr. Starr on a possible immunity agreement for his client. The outcome of Mr. Starr's inquiry hinges largely on whether Ms. Lewinsky says she lied under oath when she denied the alleged sexual affair in a written affidavit, and whether Ms. Lewinsky says that Mr. Clinton encouraged her to lie under oath, statements that could leave both parties open to a number of criminal charges, including \Jperjury\j, subornation of \Jperjury\j, and obstruction of justice. \I(USA)\i
The United States Treasury Department posts a budget surplus of $US13.6 billion for December 1997, which is down from an $US18.5 billion surplus 12 months ago, but is a sharp reversal from November's $US17.4 billion deficit. Treasury officials say the December 1997 surplus would have been bigger had the government not moved up some payments from January 1998, among which were salaries to members of the military. \I(USA)\i
Pope John Paul II delivers his clearest political message to date on his historic Cuban tour, maintaining that the Cuban people have the duty and the right to participate in public debate, and calling for the release of "prisoners of conscience" from the Communist nation's jails. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
A group of United States congressmen in \JCuba\j for the papal visit hold a rare meeting with President Fidel Castro. Speaking later on behalf of the group, Jim McGovern concurs with the pontiff in reiterating opposition to Washington's 35-year economic embargo on \JHavana\j, suggesting that the first step in easing it might be to lift the ban on food and medical imports. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
In a bid to make peace with Zapatista rebels, Mexican officials release around 300 prisoners in the troubled southern state of Chiapas, where 45 Indian villagers were massacred in a brutal raid last month. The government's plan is to eventually release approximately 1,000 mostly petty criminals. \I(Mexico)\i
NASA's Endeavour \Jspace shuttle\j docks with \JRussia\j's Mir space station as both teams prepare to transfer supplies and swap crew members. United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, who has lived on Mir since last September, will return to Earth aboard Endeavour after being replaced by Australian-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Residents of the American state of Maine are besieged by the second major ice storm in three weeks, with freezing rain, snow, and sleet cutting electricity supplies to nearly 172,000 people, some of whom have only just had power restored to their homes since the last storm. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, meets with Vice President Al Gore and other top foreign policy advisers to review \JIraq\j's latest intransigence over the United Nations weapons inspection program and discuss an official US response to the problem. While no final decision is made on the use of military force against \JIraq\j, senior advisers say that the US considers the current situation to be unacceptable and will not allow it to continue indefinitely. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A brawl breaks out between hundreds of leftists and neo-Nazis on a train bound for the German city of Dresden. The brawl is triggered by an anti-Nazi exhibit in the city, which shows that Hitler's regular World War II soldiers committed atrocities alongside notorious units such as the SS. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
NASA's Endeavour \Jspace shuttle\j docks with \JRussia\j's Mir space station as both teams prepare to transfer supplies and swap crew members. United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, who has lived on Mir since last September, will return to Earth aboard Endeavour after being replaced by Australian-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Foreign travelers are warned to protect themselves against haemorrhagic fever, which has broken out in remote parts of southern \JSomalia\j and north-eastern \JKenya\j following heavy rain. Health officials report that the disease has killed at least 300 people so far. \I(\JSomalia\j, \JKenya\j)\i
Pope John Paul II delivers his clearest political message to date on his historic Cuban tour, maintaining that the Cuban people have the duty and the right to participate in public debate, and calling for the release of "prisoners of conscience" from the Communist nation's jails. \I(Cuba, \JItaly\j)\i
A group of United States congressmen in \JCuba\j for the papal visit hold a rare meeting with President Fidel Castro. Speaking later on behalf of the group, Jim McGovern concurs with the pontiff in reiterating opposition to Washington's 35-year economic embargo on \JHavana\j, suggesting that the first step in easing it might be to lift the ban on food and medical imports. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"January 25, 1998",753,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a co-ordinated opposition movement, \JIndonesia\j's pro-democracy figurehead, Megawati Sukarnoputri, and Muslim leader, Amien Rais, address around 1,500 university students in the central \JJavanese\j city of Yogyakarta, rejecting the re-election of President Soeharto, and denouncing the collusion, corruption, and nepotism in his government. Meanwhile, security forces report further food riots in the east of the province, with around 1,000 people demanding that shopkeepers hand over supplies of staples such as rice, sugar, and cooking oil, which have been hit by a wave of panic buying since the dramatic \Jdevaluation\j of the Indonesian currency. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Twelve people are killed and another 23 are wounded when a Tamil Tiger suicide squad smashes through roadblocks to detonate a truck bomb outside the famous Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, in the historic Sri Lankan city of \JKandy\j. The temple sustains damage to the entrance and roof, but no harm is done to the inner chamber housing the tooth relic said to have belonged to \JBuddha\j. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In a nationwide broadcast on the eve of annual Republic Day celebrations, Indian President, Kocheril Raman Narayanan, warns of an uncontrolled growth of communalism and casteism threatening the country's secular fabric. Mr. Narayanan's warning comes ahead of elections from which Hindu nationalists, accused of sectarianism by their political rivals, are expected to emerge as the largest parliamentary group. \I(India)\i
Michel Camdessus, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, commends \JThailand\j's "impressive progress" in reforming its economy amid the turmoil created by Asia's financial woes, and says changes to the conditions of a $US17.2 billion bail-out program will now be made to adjust to the shifting economic environment of the country. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Malaysian police arrest a fourth man believed to be one of the leaders of the outlawed Pattani United Liberation Organization, a Muslim separatist group which last year claimed responsibility for nine attacks on police and public facilities in \JThailand\j's Muslim-dominated southern provinces. In the past, \JThailand\j has charged Malaysia with turning a blind eye to the rebels, and took corresponding action in December, disbanding the Southern Border Provinces Administration Center, and assigning the Thai military the task of curbing violence and maintaining security in the region. \I(Malaysia, \JThailand\j)\i
NASA astronauts confront a dilemma when the space suit essential to Andy Thomas's four-month stay on \JRussia\j's Mir space station fails to fit. Unless a solution is found, Australian-born Thomas will have to return to Earth, leaving behind David Wolf, who has been on Mir since September, and was scheduled to be transported home on Thursday aboard the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As United States President, Bill Clinton, faces the most potentially damaging crisis of his political career, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton steps up efforts to defend her husband, dismissing as absolutely false allegations that he had a sexual affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and subsequently urged Ms. Lewinsky to lie about the affair in a sworn deposition. Meanwhile, fiercely loyal former presidential advisers, Mickey Kantor and Harold Ickes, are recalled to join the burgeoning \JWhite House\j war to clear Mr. Clinton's name. \I(USA)\i
An Iraqi newspaper suggests that United States President, Bill Clinton, may order a US military strike against Iraq in order to deflect attention from the sex scandal in which he is currently embroiled. While \JWhite House\j officials are excruciatingly conscious of such implications, they nonetheless brush them aside, saying Mr. Clinton was weighing political and military options to resolve the Iraqi weapons inspection deadlock weeks before the Monica Lewinsky scandal erupted, and that given \JBaghdad\j's continued defiance of United Nations resolutions, the inevitable drift of events is now in the direction of possible military action. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In the final Mass of his five-\Jday\j visit to \JCuba\j, Pope John Paul II challenges the Cuban Government with the powerful declaration that real liberation comes through exercising the freedom of conscience, the "basis and foundation of all human rights". As he later prepares to depart the Communist island nation, the pontiff also expresses further condemnation of the 35-year United States embargo on \JHavana\j, labeling it an "oppressive" measure that is "unjust and ethically unacceptable". \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Cuban exiles in Miami applaud the calls for freedom and justice voiced by Pope John Paul II during his historic visit to their homeland. Yesterday, as the Pope celebrated Mass with the Cuban people, a boatload of some 40 Miami-based exiles held a peaceful prayer service in international waters off the \JHavana\j coast in memory of "the thousands of victims" of Cuba's Communist Government. \I(Cuba, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Two of Canada's biggest banks, Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal, announce plans to merge in an all-share deal they value at $C38 billion. The proposed merger encounters swift resistance from Finance Minister, Paul Martin, who labels it premature, and states that he will not consider approving the move until a government task force completes a report on the future of the banking industry. \I(Canada)\i
NASA astronauts confront a dilemma when the space suit essential to Andy Thomas's four-month stay on \JRussia\j's Mir space station fails to fit. Unless a solution is found, Australian-born Thomas will have to return to Earth, leaving behind David Wolf, who has been on Mir since September, and was scheduled to be transported home on Thursday aboard the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik scores his first victory on the PGA Tour when he cards a 15-under 269 in the Phoenix Open at the TPC of Scottsdale in \JArizona\j. Sweden also emerges victorious in women's golf, when Helen Alfredsson takes out the LPGA Office Depot Tournament in West Palm Beach, \JFlorida\j, with a final score of 11-under 277. At the South Course at the Mauna Lani Resort in Hawaii, meanwhile, America's Ray Floyd wins the first hole of a playoff to claim his fifth straight Senior Skins Game title. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
An Iraqi newspaper suggests that United States President, Bill Clinton, may order a US military strike against Iraq in order to deflect attention from the sex scandal in which he is currently embroiled. While \JWhite House\j officials are excruciatingly conscious of such implications, they nonetheless brush them aside, saying Mr. Clinton was weighing political and military options to resolve the Iraqi weapons inspection deadlock weeks before the Monica Lewinsky scandal erupted, and that given \JBaghdad\j's continued defiance of United Nations resolutions, the inevitable drift of events is now in the direction of possible military action. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
In the final Mass of his five-\Jday\j visit to \JCuba\j, Pope John Paul II challenges the Cuban Government with the powerful declaration that real liberation comes through exercising the freedom of conscience, the "basis and foundation of all human rights". As he later prepares to depart the Communist island nation, the pontiff also expresses further condemnation of the 35-year United States embargo on \JHavana\j, labeling it an "oppressive" measure that is "unjust and ethically unacceptable". \I(\JCuba\j, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Cuban exiles in Miami applaud the calls for freedom and justice voiced by Pope John Paul II during his historic visit to their homeland. Yesterday, as the Pope celebrated Mass with the Cuban people, a boatload of some 40 Miami-based exiles held a peaceful prayer service in international waters off the \JHavana\j coast in memory of "the thousands of victims" of Cuba's Communist Government. \I(Cuba, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
NASA astronauts confront a dilemma when the space suit essential to Andy Thomas's four-month stay on \JRussia\j's Mir space station fails to fit. Unless a solution is found, Australian-born Thomas will have to return to Earth, leaving behind David Wolf, who has been on Mir since September, and was scheduled to be transported home on Thursday aboard the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Britain's Queen Mother breaks her left hip in a fall at the royal family's Sandringham estate in eastern England. The 97-year-old mother of Queen Elizabeth II is taken to \Jhospital\j in nearby King's Lynn before being transferred to London's King Edward VII Hospital, where she underwent a total hip replacement in 1995. \I(UK)\i
Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik scores his first victory on the PGA Tour when he cards a 15-under 269 in the Phoenix Open at the TPC of Scottsdale in \JArizona\j. Sweden also emerges victorious in women's golf, when Helen Alfredsson takes out the LPGA Office Depot Tournament in West Palm Beach, \JFlorida\j, with a final score of 11-under 277. At the South Course at the Mauna Lani Resort in Hawaii, meanwhile, America's Ray Floyd wins the first hole of a playoff to claim his fifth straight Senior Skins Game title. \I(Sweden, USA)\i
#
"January 26, 1998",754,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As trading opens for the week, the Indonesian rupiah registers another early slump of around 15,000 to the US dollar, 15 per cent down on Friday's close. During the day, however, the currency stabilizes to around 13,500, buoyed by reports that \JJapan\j is willing to lead some kind of roll-over for Indonesia's corporate foreign debt. According to financial analysts, Japanese banks are owed some $US22 billion, or about one-third of Indonesia's total private debt. Meanwhile, Indonesia's already sluggish automotive industry, now faced with soaring production costs and reduced consumer purchasing power, announces that it intends to halt production for at least three months. \I(Indonesia, \JJapan\j)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto and visiting Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, discuss a possible Australian Government credit guarantee to cover any payment defaults by ailing Indonesian companies to Australian exporters. Such a guarantee would also help avert the suspension of shipments of key raw materials from Australia, and would be similar to the $AUD300 million facility already approved to underwrite our trade with South Korea. \I(Australia, Indonesia, South Korea)\i
In an unusually outspoken move, \JSingapore\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tony Tan, publicly chides \JIndonesia\j, saying unless it resolves issues of political succession and stability, investor confidence will remain low and financial markets will continue their volatility, hampering any significant recovery in the economies of Asian nations. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The Hong Kong Government takes steps to shore up confidence in the territory's financial sector, pledging $HK1 billion to compensate victims of collapsed financial houses. The government's pledge follows a street demonstration by hundreds of angry investors, many of whom lost their savings when the CA Pacific Group collapsed last week with debts of $HK500 million. \I(Hong Kong)\i
India engages in a traditional display of pageantry and military strength to mark the 48th anniversary of Republic Day, the \Jday\j it gave itself a new Constitution to make the government more democratic. However, the celebrations are clouded by reports of one of the worst massacres of Hindus in the Muslim-majority state of \JJammu-Kashmir\j, where on the eve of Republic Day, unidentified assailants raided a village and killed 23 men, women, and children. \I(India)\i
Thousands of Sri Lankan police officers and troops guard Tamil neighborhoods in major cities and towns, fearing a backlash as the death toll from yesterday's truck bomb attack on \JKandy\j's famed Buddhist Temple of the Tooth rises to 15. While religion has not been a central issue in Sri Lanka's 15-year ethnic war, the attack has been blamed on Hindu Tamil separatists who accuse the Buddhist \JSinhalese\j majority of discriminating against them. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
As a two-week state of emergency comes to an end in Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, armed police stage a 24-hour operation, raiding homes and arresting 241 people in connection with riots which broke out earlier this month. Many of those arrested are first-time offenders, who are now being urged to help restore order and return goods looted in the riots, sparked by an ombudsman's report that the National Provident Fund, a retirement investment body, had given senior politicians and their supporters millions of dollars in housing loans. \I(Vanuatu)\i
Australians celebrate \JAustralia Day\j, the anniversary of the 1788 British settlement on the shores of Sydney Cove. In a testament to the nation's increasing cultural diversity, Vietnamese Australian, Tan Le, who arrived as a refugee 16 years ago, is named Young Australian of the Year, and Aboriginal athlete, Cathy Freeman, is named Australian of the Year, while elsewhere across the country, around 8,000 people from a host of cultural backgrounds take out Australian citizenship in special \JAustralia Day\j ceremonies. \I(Australia, UK, Vietnam)\i
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, pioneer of the world-renowned Suzuki method by which young children learn to play musical instruments, dies aged 99 of acute heart failure at his home in Matsumoto city, central \JJapan\j. Dr. Suzuki developed the method in 1945, but it remained unknown outside \JJapan\j until 1964. Today, however, there are an estimated 8,100 Suzuki music teachers with over 200,000 students in more than 40 countries. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
After some makeshift outer-space alterations, NASA \Jastronaut\j Andy Thomas's space suit is tailored to fit, ensuring that the Australian will remain on \JRussia\j's space station Mir for his four-month tour of duty, and that David Wolf will return to Earth as planned on board the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, Australia, \JRussia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, orders his special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister, Viktor Posuvalyuk, to proceed immediately to \JBaghdad\j and attempt to end the latest crisis which has erupted over \JIraq\j's resistance to the United Nations weapons inspection program. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry issues a statement rejecting the use of military force as unacceptable and counterproductive, and urging all concerned to act in a responsible and balanced manner to normalize the situation in the Gulf. The US State Department, however, reiterates that the diplomatic string is rapidly running out, and says \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is expected to consult allies soon about possible military action against \JIraq\j. \I(Russia, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, instructs the people to listen to him as he faces the \Jtelevision\j cameras to issue a brief but forceful denial of the sex and \Jperjury\j allegations currently surrounding him. With first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, standing nearby, Mr. Clinton vehemently states that he did not have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, that he never told anybody to lie, and that the allegations are false. Mr. Clinton concludes his statement by saying that he needs to go back to work for the American people. \I(USA)\i
As Fidel Castro's Government considers a papal request for the release of "conscience" prisoners, a spokesman for \JCuba\j's Roman \JCatholic Church\j says a list containing more than 200 names has already been submitted to the authorities, and that the church will continue to press for the release of the prisoners. Cuban political \Jdissidents\j estimate that about 500 prisoners of "conscience" are currently held in the country's jails. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
From New York, Compaq Computer announces that it plans to buy Digital Equipment for $US9.6 billion. The deal is touted as the largest acquisition in the history of the computer industry, and one that will make Compaq the second largest computer company in the world, after \JIBM\j. \I(USA)\i
A newly released survey prepared from \Jsatellite\j images shows that \JBrazil\j's Amazon \Jrainforest\j continues to be ravaged at the alarming rate of about 7,500 square miles a year. Slashing, burning, and clearing of \Jrainforest\j areas escalated dramatically in 1995, when the introduction of an economic stabilization plan the previous year sparked an expansion of farming in the Brazilian outback. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
After some makeshift outer-space alterations, NASA \Jastronaut\j Andy Thomas's space suit is tailored to fit, ensuring that the Australian will remain on \JRussia\j's space station Mir for his four-month tour of duty, and that David Wolf will return to Earth as planned on board the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, Australia, \JRussia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, orders his special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister, Viktor Posuvalyuk, to proceed immediately to \JBaghdad\j and attempt to end the latest crisis which has erupted over \JIraq\j's resistance to the United Nations weapons inspection program. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry issues a statement rejecting the use of military force as unacceptable and counterproductive, and urging all concerned to act in a responsible and balanced manner to normalize the situation in the Gulf. The US State Department, however, reiterates that the diplomatic string is rapidly running out, and says \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is expected to consult allies soon about possible military action against \JIraq\j. \I(Russia, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
The fragile Northern Ireland peace process suffers another setback when the pro-British Ulster Democratic Party is expelled from the multi-party talks after its paramilitary wing, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, admits responsibility for the deaths of three Catholics in the province over the past few weeks. Under the Mitchell principles governing eligibility to participate in the peace talks, the political parties and their associates must adhere to a strict code of non-violence. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
After hearing a report on the limited results of last week's European Union ministerial mission to \JAlgeria\j, the body's Foreign Policy Council calls on \JAlgiers\j to reconsider its refusal to allow a United Nations investigation into the country's continuing bloodshed. The call comes as Algerian newspapers report the deaths of another 47 civilians in the past few days, raising the toll for this year to over 1,200, and the estimated toll for the six-year civil conflict to more than 65,000. \I(\JAlgeria\j, Europe)\i
Israeli troops arrest two Palestinian suspects overnight after authorities receive information that a terrorist suicide attack in \JJerusalem\j is imminent. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, later lashes out at Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, accusing him of not doing enough to thwart such acts. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A gas explosion on a nuclear submarine in \JRussia\j's far north kills a naval captain and injures at least four sailors. The Northern Fleet's press office confirms that there is no widespread danger, with the nuclear reactor unaffected by the blast. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The newly elected Bosnian Serb Government, led by moderate Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, announces sweeping replacements of officials and directors in government and state companies. The purge targets hardline nationalists overseeing the sale of the republic's most profitable commodities, which include petrol, electricity, alcohol, and cigarettes. \I(Bosnia)\i
Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Goran Jelisic, 29, arrested last week by \JNATO\j-led forces in Bosnia, appears before the United Nations criminal tribunal in The Hague. The self-named "Serb Adolf" pleads not guilty to charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and breaches of the Geneva Convention, saying they are all lies and fabrications. The charges relate to a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" in 1992, when Jelisic was allegedly in command of the Serb-run Luka prison camp, near Brcko in northern Bosnia. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
German authorities reveal the discovery of what they believe to be the wartime bunker of Nazi propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels. The bunker was discovered beneath the Potsdamer Platz in central Berlin, a site currently being cleared to accommodate \JGermany\j's planned memorial to Jewish victims of the \JHolocaust\j. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
As Fidel Castro's Government considers a papal request for the release of "conscience" prisoners, a spokesman for \JCuba\j's Roman \JCatholic Church\j says a list containing more than 200 names has already been submitted to the authorities, and that the church will continue to press for the release of the prisoners. Cuban political \Jdissidents\j estimate that about 500 prisoners of "conscience" are currently held in the country's jails. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
In Britain, a total ban on hand guns comes into effect carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. The new legislation arose from the 1996 Dunblane massacre, when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 schoolchildren and their teacher before turning the gun on himself. \I(UK)\i
Romania's embattled Prime Minister, Victor Ciorbea, defies demands for his resignation from within his own government, vowing to stay in office to pursue reforms. Almost two weeks ago, the Social Democrats, one of four coalition government parties, accused Mr. Ciorbea of being slipshod in applying the reforms and insisted that he step down. \I(Romania)\i
Australians celebrate \JAustralia Day\j, the anniversary of the 1788 British settlement on the shores of Sydney Cove. In a testament to the nation's increasing cultural diversity, Vietnamese Australian, Tan Le, who arrived as a refugee 16 years ago, is named Young Australian of the Year, and Aboriginal athlete, Cathy Freeman, is named Australian of the Year, while elsewhere across the country, around 8,000 people from a host of cultural backgrounds take out Australian citizenship in special \JAustralia Day\j ceremonies. \I(Australia, UK, Vietnam)\i
After some makeshift outer-space alterations, NASA \Jastronaut\j Andy Thomas's space suit is tailored to fit, ensuring that the Australian will remain on \JRussia\j's space station Mir for his four-month tour of duty, and that David Wolf will return to Earth as planned on board the \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour. \I(USA, Australia, \JRussia\j)\i
Britain's 97-year-old Queen Mother undergoes a successful hip replacement operation in a London \Jhospital\j after a fall yesterday at the royal family's Sandringham estate in eastern England. \I(UK)\i
Researchers at Britain's \JOxford University\j report that they have discovered convincing evidence of the existence of a gene which controls human speech. The discovery was made while investigating a family with a history of language disorders, and researchers are hopeful that if they can understand the gene, they will learn more about the process on which language is built. \I(UK)\i
#
"January 27, 1998",755,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia announces a temporary freeze in its crippling foreign debt repayments, a move aimed at allowing lenders and borrowers to seek a burden-sharing solution to the crisis, exacerbated in recent weeks by the plunging value of the Indonesian rupiah, which has left most Indonesian companies technically bankrupt. At the same time, the Finance Ministry sets the stage for reforms to Indonesia's ailing banking sector, saying it will guarantee all obligations to depositors and creditors within the country's commercial banks, as well as opening them up to foreign ownership. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japan's Finance Minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, announces his resignation following the revelation of a corruption scandal within his ministry. Yesterday, two senior ministry officials were arrested on charges of taking bribes from two major banks in exchange for cover-ups and tip-offs about impending inspections. \I(Japan)\i
Sri Lankan opposition leaders voice criticism of the government's decision to outlaw the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, saying the move narrows the options for resolving the country's prolonged ethnic conflict. The government imposed the formal ban on the Tamil Tigers following the recent truck bomb attack on \JKandy\j's historic Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, which resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
A state of emergency is declared around the Australian \JNorthern Territory\j town of Katherine, where record floodwaters, the legacy of torrential rains in the wake of Cyclone Les, have turned the main street into a river, cut power supplies, washed away parts of the highway linking the town to Darwin, and forced more than 1,000 residents to abandon their homes and seek refuge on higher ground. \I(Australia)\i
Researchers from the Community Pediatric Unit at \JChristchurch\j, \JNew Zealand\j, say the results of an extensive study indicate that the danger of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is significantly increased by exposing a fetus to high levels of \Jcaffeine\j. While conceding that more research is needed to confirm their findings, the doctors point to other studies where \Jcaffeine\j intake has been associated with low birth weight and spontaneous \Jabortion\j. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Former Norwegian Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland, is elected as the new head of the World Health Organization. A qualified medical doctor, Mr. Brundtland will take over the post from \JJapan\j's Hiroshi Nakajima. \I(\JNorway\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Slovakian Karol Kucera, winner of the men's title in the recent Sydney International Tennis Tournament, causes the major upset of the Australian Open in Melbourne when he defeats World No. 1, American Pete Sampras, in their quarter-final match. \I(Australia, Slovakia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, delivers a strong and eloquent annual State of the Union Address, outlining his agenda and vision for the coming year. Mr. Clinton calls for the projected Budget surplus to be used to rescue the Social Security system, and proposes that the minimum wage be increased, and 1,000 new public school teachers employed. Mr. Clinton also urges lawmakers to pass legislation that would raise the price of cigarettes by $US1.50 a packet over 10 years. \I(USA)\i
During his annual State of the Union address, United States President, Bill Clinton, intensifies pressure on Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, warning him to stop obstructing the work of United Nations weapons inspectors or face the consequences. In issuing the warning, Mr. Clinton unequivocally states: "You have used weapons of mass destruction before. We are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again." \I(USA, Iraq)\i
As \JRussia\j's special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister, Viktor Posuvalyuk, holds emergency talks in \JBaghdad\j with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, prepares to journey to Europe to discuss the Iraqi situation with America's allies. Meanwhile, the Pentagon announces that United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, is considering a trip to the Persian Gulf to consult with states in the region on potential military action against Iraq. The Pentagon adds that Washington still favors a diplomatic solution to the weapons inspection standoff between Iraq and the United Nations, but Iraq's President, Saddam Hussein, seems to be leaving Washington little choice in the matter. \I(\JRussia\j, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
After conferring with his Cabinet, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, rejects a United States proposal for a phased Israeli pullback from the West Bank in exchange for corresponding Palestinian steps to improve security. The Palestinians are demanding a minimum 30 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank, but Israel has spurned a US demand that it vacate more than ten per cent, although it says it has not ruled out the possibility of a staggered pullback if the Palestinians fulfill their security commitments. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Three members of the Norwegian parliament nominate United States President, Bill Clinton, for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, commending his foreign policy which has helped bolster democracy, human rights, and peace in countries such as Bosnia. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, Bosnia)\i
During a scheduled appearance on the NBC network's \IToday\i show, America's first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton accuses a "vast right-wing conspiracy" of pursuing allegations of sexual misconduct against her husband. Among those specifically accused by Mrs. Clinton are two \JNorth Carolina\j Republican senators, Baptist preacher Jerry Falwell, and Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who is currently investigating the allegations that President Bill Clinton had an affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then encouraged her to lie about it under oath. Mr. Starr later dismisses Mrs. Clinton's accusations as nonsense, asserting that the investigation began only after credible evidence of serious crimes had been received. \I(USA)\i
While Kenneth Starr dismisses American first lady Hillary Clinton's accusations of a "right-wing conspiracy" as nonsense, they are not entirely dismissed as nonsense by the American media. The media points to the conservative forces fanning the scandal, including New York literary agent, Lucianne Goldberg, who urged Linda Tripp to secretly record conversations with Monica Lewinsky, and who is on the fringes of the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit that not only triggered the Lewinsky uproar, but is financed by the Rutherford Institute, a conservative legal foundation with links to the Reverend Jerry Falwell, the Baptist preacher cited by Mrs. Clinton. The media also points to prosecutor Kenneth Starr himself, a lifelong Republican who since 1994 has been investigating the Clintons' role in the failed Whitewater land deal, and whose chief client in private practice had been the Tobacco companies at the center of President Clinton's war against smoking. On the other hand, the media itself is also coming under fire over the number of factual errors in its coverage of the presidential scandal, and the "mega-frenzy" such reports have generated, with \Jtelevision\j crews from around the world descending on Washington to cover both the story and the media circus that has evolved as too many reporters chase too few facts. \I(USA)\i
Carlos Flores Facusse, a 47-year-old industrial engineer educated in the United States, is sworn is as the President of \JHonduras\j, pledging to confront the problem of the nation's deep poverty. \I(\JHonduras\j)\i
Slovakian Karol Kucera, winner of the men's title in the recent Sydney International Tennis Tournament, causes the major upset of the Australian Open in Melbourne when he defeats World No. 1, American Pete Sampras, in their quarter-final match. \I(Australia, Slovakia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
During his annual State of the Union address, United States President, Bill Clinton, intensifies pressure on Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, warning him to stop obstructing the work of United Nations weapons inspectors or face the consequences. In issuing the warning, Mr. Clinton unequivocally states: "You have used weapons of mass destruction before. We are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again." \I(USA, Iraq)\i
As \JRussia\j's special \JMiddle East\j envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister, Viktor Posuvalyuk, holds emergency talks in \JBaghdad\j with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, prepares to journey to Europe to discuss the Iraqi situation with America's allies. Meanwhile, the Pentagon announces that United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, is considering a trip to the Persian Gulf to consult with states in the region on potential military action against Iraq. The Pentagon adds that Washington still favors diplomatic solution to the weapons inspection standoff between Iraq and the United Nations, but Iraq's President, Saddam Hussein, seems to be leaving Washington little choice in the matter. \I(\JRussia\j, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
After conferring with his Cabinet, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, rejects a United States proposal for a phased Israeli pullback from the West Bank in exchange for corresponding Palestinian steps to improve security. The Palestinians are demanding a minimum 30 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank, but Israel has spurned a US demand that it vacate more than ten per cent, although it says it has not ruled out the possibility of a staggered pullback if the Palestinians fulfill their security commitments. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Three members of the Norwegian parliament nominate United States President, Bill Clinton, for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, commending his foreign policy which has helped bolster democracy, human rights, and peace in countries such as Bosnia. \I(\JNorway\j, USA, Bosnia)\i
The \JRussian Orthodox Church\j declares that Pope John Paul II, who has just visited Communist \JCuba\j, is still not welcome in post-Soviet Russia, despite an invitation issued by President Boris Yeltsin. A church official cites the disagreement with the Vatican over western \JUkraine\j, where Ukrainian Catholics began claiming Orthodox property after the collapse of \JCommunism\j. \I(Russia, \JUkraine\j, \JItaly\j)\i
The \JCatholic Church\j in \JGermany\j states that it will continue to advise women seeking to end their pregnancies, but will not comply with the 1995 law which requires advice centers to fill out certificates clearing the way for \Jabortion\j. The church statement comes in response to a letter from Pope John Paul II pressing German bishops to stop issuing \Jabortion\j counseling certificates, regarded by some as a license to kill. \I(\JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
As around 10,000 jobless protesters demonstrate in the streets of Paris, the French Government's proposed bill to impose a 35-hour working week from 2000 receives a barrage of criticism from the center-right opposition when debate opens in the National Assembly. While the government presents the plan as a resolute step towards reducing the country's 12.4 per cent unemployment rate, the opposition dismisses the plan as incomprehensible. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Former Norwegian Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland, is elected as the new head of the World Health Organization. A qualified medical doctor, Mr. Brundtland will take over the post from \JJapan\j's Hiroshi Nakajima. \I(\JNorway\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Slovakian Karol Kucera, winner of the men's title in the recent Sydney International Tennis Tournament, causes the major upset of the Australian Open in Melbourne when he defeats World No. 1, American Pete Sampras, in their quarter-final match. \I(Australia, Slovakia, USA)\i
#
"January 28, 1998",756,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As the Lunar New Year begins, residents of \JBeijing\j welcome the Year of the Tiger. Outside the Hall for the God of Wealth in the White \JCloud\j temple, the mood of those praying for more money is optimistic, with most people confident that China will remain relatively unscathed by the economic problems ravaging its Asian neighbors. \I(China, Asia)\i
Despite strong objections from China, Washington announces plans to sell refurbished United States Navy frigates and their associated weapons to \JTaiwan\j, maintaining that the $US300 million deal will not upset the military balance in the western Pacific. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
After a seven-year inquiry, an Indian judge finds 26 people guilty of involvement in the 1991 suicide-bombing assassination of former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, at an election rally in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Among those convicted and sentenced to death is the leader of \JSri Lanka\j's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist guerrilla group outlawed in \JSri Lanka\j and India alike. Last November, a regional Indian Tamil coalition partner, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party, was also linked to the Gandhi assassination plot, leading to the collapse of the New Delhi Government and forcing India to announce fresh general elections next month. \I(India, \JSri Lanka\j)\i
In the wake of the Tamil Tiger bomb attack on \JKandy\j's Temple of the Tooth, the Sri Lankan Government abandons plans to celebrate the island nation's 50th anniversary of independence in the historic city next week. The decision is prompted partly by fears for the safety of Britain's Prince of Wales, who will be the principal guest at the festivities. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
The corruption scandal engulfing \JJapan\j's Ministry of Finance claims its second victim when an official from the ministry's bank bureau hangs himself in his \JTokyo\j home. Yesterday, Finance Minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, resigned under pressure from outraged opposition parties after two senior officials were arrested on bribery charges. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has not yet agreed on Mr. Mitsuzuka's replacement. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Japan's seaside town of Ito suffers the latest in a four-\Jday\j series of attacks by a pack of wild \Jmacaque\j monkeys. Experts are puzzled by the fact that the monkeys' daily raids are only targeting women, 31 of whom have been injured so far. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
France joins \JRussia\j in opposing the use of military power to force \JIraq\j to co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors, saying armed action is not a solution, and that everything must be done to keep the situation stable. Britain, however, is strongly supporting the United States stand for tougher measures against \JIraq\j, a stand intensified yet again in Washington, when \JCIA\j director, George Tenet, delivers a national security assessment before a Senate committee, warning that \JIraq\j is still concealing critical arms production capabilities from the UN. \I(France, \JRussia\j, \JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
Despite the sex scandal which is threatening to diminish his standing, United States President, Bill Clinton, receives a tumultuous welcome from a huge crowd during an appearance in Illinois to promote his activist agenda. Vice President, Al Gore, who is accompanying Mr. Clinton on his trip through the Midwest, abandons his usual reserve to vigorously support the president, delivering a resounding speech hailing Mr. Clinton's achievements and calling for the continued support of the American people. According to the latest opinion poll, the American public's confidence in President Clinton's ability to carry out his duties has risen from 66 per cent to 78 per cent following his State of the Union address earlier this week. \I(USA)
Appearing on the ABC network's \IGood Morning America\i, America's first lady Hillary Clinton puts a clamp on the presidential scandal, saying the current investigation into the alleged sexual affair between her husband and former intern, Monica Lewinsky, disallows a detailed public explanation from the president at this time. Meanwhile, a federal grand jury examining the allegations questions former \JWhite House\j chief of staff, Leon Panetta, who emerges after several hours of interrogation to reiterate his support for Mr. Clinton, maintaining that he is unaware of any improper relationship between the president and a \JWhite House\j intern. \I(USA)\i
The National Organization for Women in the United States adopts a circumspect stance regarding the unfolding \JWhite House\j sex scandal, saying the situation is frustrating because it is a distraction from key issues such as questions of public policy and foreign policy. Feminists in the US have always supported President Clinton because of his policies on \Jabortion\j, child care, and workplace issues, including sexual harassment. \I(USA)\i
Pope John Paul II draws an analogy between his recent visit to \JCuba\j and his first papal visit to \JPoland\j in 1979, saying he hopes the fruits of the latest pilgrimage will be similar to the fruits of the pilgrimage to his homeland. Most historians credit the pontiff's 1979 visit to \JPoland\j with helping to influence events that led to the eventual fall of \Jcommunism\j in Eastern Europe. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j, \JPoland\j)\i
Despite strong objections from China, Washington announces plans to sell refurbished United States Navy frigates and their associated weapons to \JTaiwan\j, maintaining that the $US300 million deal will not upset the military balance in the western Pacific. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The highest appeal court in \JTexas\j rejects a request for clemency from lawyers representing condemned murderer, Karla Faye Tucker, who was sentenced to death for the 1983 pickax slaying of two Houston people. Lawyers for Ms. Tucker say they will now ask the United States Supreme Court to stay the execution, which is scheduled for February 3. \I(USA)\i
National Guard troopers are dispatched to rescue hundreds of people stranded by major snowstorms which have swept across the mountains in Virginia and western \JNorth Carolina\j over the past two days, trapping motorists and leaving around 77,000 homes without power supplies. \I(USA)\i
A team of Cleveland researchers claims a breakthrough in the understanding of multiple sclerosis, the neurological disease that afflicts millions worldwide. The researchers say the disease not only strips away the nerve cells' \Jinsulation\j, but severs the long fibers that transmit vital electrical signals, a finding that may give doctors new targets when treating sufferers. \I(USA)\i
The reputed medicinal benefits of \Jgarlic\j are boosted after an Ohio medical study finds that the \Jaorta\j, the main artery to the heart, remains much more soft and supple in people who take \Jgarlic\j pills. Garlic is already reputed to lower \Jcholesterol\j and fight off colds. \I(USA)\i
A black \Jchalk\j drawing by Italian master, \JMichelangelo\j, sells at Sotheby's auction house in New York for a record $US7.4 million. The study, \IChrist and the Woman of \JSamaria\j,\i is acquired by a private \Jtelephone\j bidder who wishes to remain anonymous. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
France joins \JRussia\j in opposing the use of military power to force \JIraq\j to co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors, saying armed action is not a solution, and that everything must be done to keep the situation stable. Britain, however, is strongly supporting the United States stand for tougher measures against \JIraq\j, a stand intensified yet again in Washington, when \JCIA\j director, George Tenet, delivers a national security assessment before a Senate committee, warning that \JIraq\j is still concealing critical arms production capabilities from the UN. \I(France, \JRussia\j, \JIraq\j, UK, USA)\i
United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, suggests that the Iraqi Government is harboring enough biological material to "blow away Tel Aviv", a remark that sparks an immediate response from Israel, with a senior prime ministerial aide warning that an Iraqi attack will provoke strong Israeli retaliation. Meanwhile, Mr. Butler's remark draws the censure of a number of countries, including Iraq, which submits a letter of protest to the UN Security Council, accusing Mr. Butler of overstepping his international mandate, and urging that he be punished. \I(Iraq, Israel)\i
Burundi's Defense Minister, Colonel Firmin Sinzoyiheba, is one of four people killed when the \Jhelicopter\j in which they are traveling loses visibility and crashes in the Gihanga Hills, about 50 miles southeast of the capital, Bujumbura. Colonel Sinzoyiheba was en route to Gitega, where he was due to meet informally with opposition leaders to discuss Burundi's smoldering \Jcivil war\j. \I(Burundi)\i
Romanian President, Emil Constantinescu, intervenes in the coalition government's dispute over the role of Prime Minister, Victor Ciorbeau, setting tomorrow as the deadline to settle the issue. Government business in Romania has been at a virtual standstill since the Social Democrats charged Mr. Ciorbea with delaying reforms, and threatened to leave the Cabinet unless he resigned. \I(Romania)\i
In the wake of the Tamil Tiger bomb attack on \JKandy\j's Temple of the Tooth, the Sri Lankan Government abandons plans to celebrate the island nation's 50th anniversary of independence in the historic city next week. The decision is prompted partly by fears for the safety of Britain's Prince of Wales, who will be the principal guest at the festivities. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
Pope John Paul II draws an analogy between his recent visit to \JCuba\j and his first papal visit to \JPoland\j in 1979, saying he hopes the fruits of the latest pilgrimage will be similar to the fruits of the pilgrimage to his homeland. Most historians credit the pontiff's 1979 visit to \JPoland\j with helping to influence events that led to the eventual fall of \Jcommunism\j in Eastern Europe. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j, \JPoland\j)\i
Former South African President, F.W. de Klerk, who oversaw the dismantling of \Japartheid\j before ceding power to President Nelson Mandela in 1994, admits that he has been having an affair with a married woman for a number of years, but denies that it influenced his decision to resign last year as Second Deputy President and leader of the National Party. Mr. de Klerk, 61, says both he and the woman, whose identity he declines to reveal, are now discussing the future of the relationship with their respective spouses and families. \I(South Africa)\i
A black \Jchalk\j drawing by Italian master, \JMichelangelo\j, sells at Sotheby's auction house in New York for a record $US7.4 million. The study, \IChrist and the Woman of \JSamaria\j,\i is acquired by a private \Jtelephone\j bidder who wishes to remain anonymous. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The latest attempt to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j gets under way when a European team, led by Swiss psychiatrist Bertrand Piccard, lifts off with some 5,000 spectators from the western Swiss village of Chateau d'Oex cheering them on. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"January 29, 1998",757,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's predominantly Muslim population begins the Eid al-Fitr celebrations marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, with President Soeharto calling on all religious leaders to join together in defusing the increasing threat of violence as the country suffers the effects of its worst economic crisis in decades. Already, there are mounting reports of food riots and looting in eastern Java, the main targets of the attacks being ethnic Chinese, who comprise only 3 per cent of the population but control more than 70 per cent of the nation's commerce, and who the rioters are blaming for shortages and rising prices. \I(Indonesia)\i
South Korean officials reach an agreement with global bankers to exchange a $US24 billion short-term debt for government-backed loans with maturities ranging between one and three years. The roll over covers money owed by South Korea's embattled commercial banks, and amounts to about a quarter of the country's total foreign debt due this year. \I(South Korea)\i
Japan's Finance Ministry corruption scandal continues to escalate, with Vice Finance Minister, Takeshi Komura, accepting his share of the blame and submitting his resignation to Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto. The scandal has already forced the resignation of Finance Minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, and led to the suicide of the ministry's former head of bank inspections, Yoichi Otsuki. \I(Japan)\i
In his first appearance on Capitol Hill this year, United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, forecasts that the Asian financial crisis will hit the seven-year-old US expansion before spring is over. Dr. Greenspan says he anticipates that exports will slow and competition from imports will increase, moderating the recent brisk pace of US economic growth. \I(USA, Asia)\i
In a bid to cleanse its tainted image ahead of next month's elections, India's once-dominant Congress Party publicly voices regret for its past mistakes in government. The party apologizes to Sikhs for riots which caused about 5,000 deaths in the days following the 1984 assassination of Congress Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The party also apologizes to Muslims over its failure to prevent the 1992 destruction of the Ayodhya mosque, and the ensuing religious riots in which about 2,000 people died. \I(India)\i
As troops stand guard while residents of the Tamil heartland of Jaffna vote in their first local elections in years, the Sri Lankan Government's political reform package aimed at ending the protracted Tamil separatist war is totally rejected by the main opposition United National Party (UNP), dashing hopes of a new Constitution early this year. The UNP says it will be making its own proposals to end the ethnic conflict, proposals which will include not only \Jdevolution\j of power, but also sharing of power. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The United States grand jury investigating alleged fundraising abuses in President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign returns its first \Jindictment\j, charging Yah Link "Charlie" Trie with obstruction of justice, mail \Jfraud\j, and election law violations. Mr. Trie is currently believed to be in China. \I(USA, China)\i
The Philippine's Supreme Court upholds a trial court's decision to jail Imelda Marcos, widow of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, for up to 12 years on corruption charges. Mrs. Marcos, now an elected member of Congress, has been free on bail since the sentence was handed down in 1993. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking with top United States military commanders gathered in Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, repeats his warning to Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, stating that the US will not allow him to use weapons of mass destruction again. Mr. Clinton's warning comes as US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in Europe on what could be a last-ditch shuttle mission to find a diplomatic solution to the arms inspection crisis, with Saddam Hussein still defying United Nations demands for unfettered access to all potential weapons sites, and declaring that Iraq will resist any US attack with all its might. Meanwhile, in a bid to rescue the deteriorating situation, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he will propose improvements in Iraq's oil-for-food deal to the Security Council. Under UN sanctions, Iraq is currently allowed to sell $US2 billion worth of oil every six months to buy food and other humanitarian supplies. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
At Trinity College in \JHartford\j, Connecticut, America's first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton leads a panel discussion on the $US22 billion childcare initiative outlined in President Bill Clinton's State of the Union address earlier in the week. However, while Mrs. Clinton promotes the administration's legislative agenda and evades the intrusive questions of the media, Whitewater special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, continues to probe allegations that Mr. Clinton had an affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, 24, and then encouraged her to deny the affair when submitting a written affidavit in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. \I(USA)\i
A federal judge in Little Rock, \JArkansas\j, rules that evidence concerning US President Bill Clinton's alleged sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky cannot be used in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit, and orders that lawyers for Ms. Jones cease gathering information about the former \JWhite House\j intern's activities. The ruling, denounced by Jones's lawyers as "an abuse of discretion", comes in response to a request from prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who claims that evidence-gathering for the civil case is jeopardizing his criminal investigation. Meanwhile, Monica Lewinsky's lawyer, William Ginsburg, says he is preparing a legal defense for any criminal charges that might be pursued against his client by Mr. Starr, a statement suggesting that Mr. Ginsburg has not yet succeeded in his efforts to win full immunity from prosecution for Ms. Lewinsky, who is reported to have said in secretly recorded conversations that she began an 18-month affair with President Bill Clinton three years ago. \I(USA)\i
The United States grand jury investigating alleged fundraising abuses in President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign returns its first \Jindictment\j, charging Yah Link "Charlie" Trie with obstruction of justice, mail \Jfraud\j, and election law violations. Mr. Trie is currently believed to be in China. \I(USA, China)\i
In his first appearance on Capitol Hill this year, United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, forecasts that the Asian financial crisis will hit the seven-year-old US expansion before spring is over. Dr. Greenspan says he anticipates that exports will slow and competition from imports will increase, moderating the recent brisk pace of US economic growth. \I(USA, Asia)\i
An off-duty police officer is killed and a nurse critically wounded when a homemade bomb explodes without warning outside an \Jabortion\j clinic in Birmingham, \JAlabama\j. US President Bill Clinton later condemns the bombing as an "unforgivable act that strikes at the heart of the constitutional freedoms and individual liberties all Americans hold dear." \I(USA)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, announces a dramatic rise in health spending, including a $US4.7 billion increase for cancer research which will be funded by \Jtobacco\j legislation now starting to make its way through Congress. \I(USA)\i
As NASA's Endeavour \Jspace shuttle\j undocks from space station Mir and begins its return to Earth, a Russian mission to Mir blasts off from the cosmodrome at Baikonur in \JKazakhstan\j. On board the Russian Soyuz \Jspacecraft\j are cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Nikolai Budarin, who will replace Mir's present Russian crew of Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov. \I(USA, Russia, \JKazakhstan\j)\i
A United States federal judge orders the Navy to reinstate a 17-year-old sailor dismissed for listing himself as gay on America Online, an action regarded by the Navy as a violation of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy prohibiting military personnel from declaring themselves to be homosexual. According to a spokesman, the Navy plans to appeal the judge's ruling. \I(USA)\i
New York researchers report the discovery of a gene they believe governs \Jbaldness\j, a discovery they say could lead to a genetic therapy for hair loss within the next five years. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Speaking with top United States military commanders gathered in Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, repeats his warning to Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, stating that the US will not allow him to use weapons of mass destruction again. Mr. Clinton's warning comes as US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, arrives in Europe on what could be a last-ditch shuttle mission to find a diplomatic solution to the arms inspection crisis, with Saddam Hussein still defying United Nations demands for unfettered access to all potential weapons sites, and declaring that Iraq will resist any US attack with all its might. Meanwhile, in a bid to rescue the deteriorating situation, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he will propose improvements in Iraq's oil-for-food deal to the Security Council. Under UN sanctions, Iraq is currently allowed to sell $US2 billion worth of oil every six months to buy food and other humanitarian supplies. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, announces that a new inquiry will be held into the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in \JLondonderry\j, Northern Ireland, where British paratroopers shot dead 14 unarmed Roman Catholic demonstrators. Bloody Sunday, and the subsequent inquiry which supported the army story that the soldiers were fired on first, alienated Catholic opinion from the British Government, which was previously regarded by some as an honest broker. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
South Africa's most notorious \Japartheid\j-era assassin tells the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission that in 1989, Soweto security police asked him to kill Themba Johannes Mabotha, a former lover of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, President Nelson Mandela's ex-wife. Yesterday, past members of the security police told the commission that Mabotha had been apprehended carrying a note from Ms. Madikizela-Mandela, ordering him to lay a false trail to cover the 1988 murder of youth activist, Stompie Seipei. The police also said their \Jtelephone\j taps undermined Ms. Madikizela-Mandela's assertion that she was not in Soweto at the time of Stompie's murder, but that none of this evidence was used when Ms. Madikizela-Mandela stood trial accused of Stompie's abduction and torture. \I(South Africa)\i
As NASA's Endeavour \Jspace shuttle\j undocks from space station Mir and begins its return to Earth, a Russian mission to Mir blasts off from the cosmodrome at Baikonur in \JKazakhstan\j. On board the Russian Soyuz \Jspacecraft\j are cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Nikolai Budarin, who will replace Mir's present Russian crew of Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov. \I(USA, Russia, \JKazakhstan\j)\i
Spain's royal family announces that Princess Elena, second in line to the throne, is expecting her first child in August, an eagerly awaited event that will provide King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia with their first grandchild. \I(Spain)\i
#
"January 30, 1998",758,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, calls on Congress to support increased funding for the International Monetary Fund to cope with Asia's financial crisis, arguing that the region's volatile financial markets are bordering on panic, and that substantial investments are needed to quell the turmoil and stop it spreading to other parts of the world. Dr. Greenspan's call is echoed by a number of senior administration officials, including Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Following yesterday's announcement of a foreign debt-restructuring package, which will allow South Korea to roll over $US24 billion in short-term commercial bank debts, the nation's embattled financial markets receive a welcome boost, with the stock index rising 7.6 per cent, and the won rising 6.2 per cent to 1,560 against the US dollar. Meanwhile, in a move to reform the financial system, the Seoul Government orders the \Jliquidation\j of 10 of the 14 ailing merchant banks whose operations were suspended early last December under the terms of a $US57 billion International Monetary Fund bail-out. \I(South Korea)\i
As \JJapan\j's Finance Ministry continues to reel from a damaging corruption scandal, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto names Hikaru Matsunaga, a former trade and education minister, as the new Minister of Finance. Earlier this week, the previous minister, Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, was forced to resign from the post following the arrest of two ministry officials on charges of accepting bribes from banks. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says it is very important that the United Nations Security Council remains solid and unified in its statements about \JIraq\j's obstruction of the UN weapons inspection program, stressing that a united council front against \JIraq\j could help avoid armed conflict. Since the crisis erupted, \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, all three permanent council members with veto rights, have been more conciliatory to \JIraq\j than Britain or the US. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j)\i
The US State Department releases its annual report on the observance of human rights around the world. This year's report finds that human rights have been significantly curtailed by authoritarian governments in countries such as \JMyanmar\j, \JCambodia\j, and North Korea, but points to an improvement in the human rights situation in several countries, including Bosnia and China. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JCambodia\j, North Korea, Bosnia, China)\i
In an outcome widely viewed as a vote for peace, the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) wins yesterday's Jaffna Municipal council election after more than half the people in the battle-scarred northern Sri Lankan town turn out to vote, despite threats from the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The TULF was driven out of the area by the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels over a decade ago, and since then, the people of the region have effectively been living under the rule of the gun. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
To mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, joins several other broom-wielding politicians in sweeping a New Delhi street. Throughout his life, Gandhi exhorted all people to engage in work such as cleaning roads, condemning the traditional Hindu caste system which assigned menial tasks to lower-caste "untouchables". \I(India)\i
After a five-week investigation, Papua New Guinea's Commissioner of Police, Peter Aigilo, announces that Prime Minister Bill Skate has been cleared of bribery allegations arising from videotapes secretly recorded by Australian businessman, Mujo Sefa. Following the announcement, Mr. Sefa unveils further tapes, which he claims support his earlier allegations, but which he has refused to turn over to the Papua New Guinean authorities in case they fall into the "wrong hands". \I(Papua New Guinea, Australia)\i
Reports emerge from China that 77 miners were killed and another eight injured last Saturday in a major gas explosion in the Wangjiaying \Jcoal\j mine in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Last year, a total of 2,028 people were killed in mine accidents, and although the Ministry of Coal Industry has launched a campaign to keep the soaring death toll under control, last Saturday's accident was the fourth fatal gas explosion in a mine this year. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a two-and-a-half hour meeting, \JRussia\j and the United States fail to reach agreement over the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, saying Moscow's diplomacy has not resolved the deadlock and that the time is fast approaching for fundamental decisions, and Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, conceding that the situation is serious, but remaining adamantly opposed to a US air strike against Iraq, insisting that diplomatic means need to be applied more effectively. \JFrance\j, however, is now less optimistic about the ability of diplomacy to settle the matter and averts the use of military force, while in Washington, US President, Bill Clinton, once again warns Iraq that time is "quickly running out". \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Iraq, \JFrance\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says it is very important that the United Nations Security Council remains solid and unified in its statements about \JIraq\j's obstruction of the UN weapons inspection program, stressing that a united council front against \JIraq\j could help avoid armed conflict. Since the crisis erupted, \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, all three permanent council members with veto rights, have been more conciliatory to \JIraq\j than Britain or the US. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j)\i
Iraq instructs around 150 international workers in the United Nations oil-for-food program to vacate their private housing in \JBaghdad\j and move into designated hotels. While citing "security reasons" for the move, Iraq denies that it has anything to do with a possible United States air strike in the escalating row over UN weapons inspections. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, calls on Congress to support increased funding for the International Monetary Fund to cope with Asia's financial crisis, arguing that the region's volatile financial markets are bordering on panic, and that substantial investments are needed to quell the turmoil and stop it spreading to other parts of the world. Dr. Greenspan's call is echoed by a number of senior administration officials, including Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The US State Department releases its annual report on the observance of human rights around the world. This year's report finds that human rights have been significantly curtailed by authoritarian governments in countries such as \JMyanmar\j, \JCambodia\j, and North Korea, but points to an improvement in the human rights situation in several countries, including Bosnia and China. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JCambodia\j, North Korea, Bosnia, China)\i
US President Bill Clinton unveils his proposed "community empowerment fund" before a \JWhite House\j gathering of United States mayors. The $US400 million project is designed to attract investment to impoverished inner city neighborhoods, and is included in the Budget for fiscal 1999, due to be released next week. Elsewhere, Vice President Al Gore announces that the Budget will also include a $US100 million plan to install new bomb detection and safety equipment in the nation's airports. \I(USA)\i
Making her first public comment on the presidential sex scandal, former \JWhite House\j employee, Linda Tripp, who secretly taped conversations in which Monica Lewinsky discusses an alleged affair with Bill Clinton, denies she has any political agenda, and decries "vicious personal attacks" against her by an administration she claims is also trying to discredit Ms. Lewinsky. Meanwhile, former \JWhite House\j deputy chief of staff, Evelyn Lieberman, appears before the grand jury investigating charges that Mr. Clinton encouraged Ms. Lewinsky to lie under oath about the alleged affair. Ms. Lieberman later informs the waiting media that she knows of no improper relationship between the President and the 24-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern. \I(USA)\i
As the \JWhite House\j sex scandal enters its second week, two potential Republican presidential candidates for the 2000 election launch strong attacks on the morals of President Bill Clinton. Senator John Ashcroft asserts that Mr. Clinton should resign if the allegations against him prove to be true, while Steve Forbes scathingly remarks that Mr. Clinton's silence on the issue is "deafening". \I(USA)\i
A new glue designed to replace surgical stitches wins the vote of an advisory panel to the United States Food and Drug Administration. The glue, called Dermabond, can seal off wounds quickly and painlessly, keeping them sterile while gradually wearing off over time. Doctors foresee that Dermabond could be particularly effective in treating children. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After a two-and-a-half hour meeting, \JRussia\j and the United States fail to reach agreement over the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, with US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, saying Moscow's diplomacy has not resolved the deadlock and that the time is fast approaching for fundamental decisions, and Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, conceding that the situation is serious, but remaining adamantly opposed to a US air strike against Iraq, insisting that diplomatic means need to be applied more effectively. \JFrance\j, however, is now less optimistic about the ability of diplomacy to settle the matter and averts the use of military force, while in Washington, US President, Bill Clinton, once again warns Iraq that time is "quickly running out". \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Iraq, \JFrance\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says it is very important that the United Nations Security Council remains solid and unified in its statements about \JIraq\j's obstruction of the UN weapons inspection program, stressing that a united council front against \JIraq\j could help avoid armed conflict. Since the crisis erupted, \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, all three permanent council members with veto rights, have been more conciliatory to \JIraq\j than Britain or the US. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j)\i
Iraq instructs around 150 international workers in the United Nations oil-for-food program to vacate their private housing in \JBaghdad\j and move into designated hotels. While citing "security reasons" for the move, Iraq denies that it has anything to do with a possible United States air strike in the escalating row over UN weapons inspections. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Israeli troops clash with stone-throwing Palestinians in the West Bank following the funeral of an eighteen-year-old \JBethlehem\j man who reportedly killed himself in an Israeli jail. The protesters charge Israeli jailers with torturing to death Nidel Abu Srur, who was arrested on suspicion of auto theft and possession of burglar's tools. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Around three thousand people gather in the center of the Northern Ireland city of \JBelfast\j to protest against the recent wave of sectarian murders threatening the multi-party peace talks on the troubled region's future. The dominant message to emerge from Protestants and Catholics alike is that ordinary people in the province want an end to the killings. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The US State Department releases its annual report on the observance of human rights around the world. This year's report finds that human rights have been significantly curtailed by authoritarian governments in countries such as \JMyanmar\j, \JCambodia\j, and North Korea, but points to an improvement in the human rights situation in several countries, including Bosnia and China. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JCambodia\j, North Korea, Bosnia, China)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, announces that he does not plan to run in the next presidential election, due in 2000. Mr. Yeltsin adds that he has chosen his successor, but has not yet decided when to announce his choice. \I(Russia)\i
#
"January 31, 1998",759,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, announces a $US6 billion five-year plan to combat global warming, which includes tax breaks for \Jenergy\j-efficient cars and buildings, as well as increased spending on research to further reduce heat-trapping industrial emissions. The president's plan comes in the wake of December's climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, when industrialized nations agreed to cut emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Nauru, the world's smallest republic, announces its intention to seek United Nations membership. In a speech celebrating 30 years of independence, President Kinza Clodumar says the \JPacific Ocean\j island, devastated by a century of strip-mining, desires a voice on environmental issues. \I(Republic of Nauru)\i
About 650 Indian air traffic controllers begin industrial action to support their claims for higher pay. The action comes amid reports of a near miss between airliners in the country's airspace earlier this week. \I(India)\i
A Russian Soyuz \Jspacecraft\j successfully docks with the Mir space station, bringing two cosmonauts to replace the Russian crew members aboard the orbiting outpost. Meanwhile, NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center, ending a ten-\Jday\j mission which left \JAustralia\j-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas, on Mir, and brought back United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, from his four-month tour of duty. \I(Russia, USA, \JAustralia\j)\i
World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, successfully defends her title at the 1998 Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, defeating \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez in straight sets. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States receives a guarantee of support from Britain after Prime Minister Tony Blair secures Cabinet backing for the use of British military force against \JIraq\j if President Saddam Hussein refuses to back down in the confrontation over United Nations weapons inspections. At the same time, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, emerge from two hours of talks with diminishing hopes for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, stressing, however, that their quarrel is with Saddam Hussein, and not the Iraqi people, and that they are willing to endorse a proposed expansion of the UN program allowing \JBaghdad\j to sell oil for food and medical supplies. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j)\i
While diplomatic efforts to avert a sustained air strike against \JIraq\j continue, the Pentagon steps up plans to strengthen the United States force in the Persian Gulf. The US currently has a total of 15 ships and 279 \Jaircraft\j in the region, with another \Jaircraft\j carrier, a cruiser, two destroyers, and a submarine already en route. The US force is backed up by the British contingent of four ships and a total of 28 \Jaircraft\j. US Defense Secretary William Cohen confirms that any military attack on \JIraq\j will be "significant", but will not aim to destroy the country or topple President Saddam Hussein from power. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
United States President Bill Clinton announces a $US6 billion five-year plan to combat global warming, which includes tax breaks for \Jenergy\j-efficient cars and buildings, as well as increased spending on research to further reduce heat-trapping industrial emissions. The president's plan comes in the wake of December's climate conference in \JKyoto\j, \JJapan\j, when industrialized nations agreed to cut emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Increasing numbers of Republicans speak out against US President Bill Clinton as the latest opinion polls show that Mr. Clinton's approval ratings have actually escalated since the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal erupted on January 21. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee says it has set up a special operation to counter negative publicity arising from the allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky and then encouraged her to lie under oath about it. Democrats are also voicing criticism of the broad grant of authority given to special Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, who recently expanded his scope to investigate the sex and \Jperjury\j charges against Mr. Clinton. The criticism coincides with the release of an opinion poll indicating that more than 50 per cent of Americans now think the investigation into the charges against the president should be stopped. \I(USA)\i
While attending a children's parliament at the start of a four-\Jday\j official visit to \JSwitzerland\j, America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks of the pressures of public life, saying her time in the \JWhite House\j has been exciting, but she is also looking forward to becoming a private citizen again. The first lady later drives to the University of Zurich to address a joint meeting of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss National Council of Women. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
A Russian Soyuz \Jspacecraft\j successfully docks with the Mir space station, bringing two cosmonauts to replace the Russian crew members aboard the orbiting outpost. Meanwhile, NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center, ending a ten-\Jday\j mission which left \JAustralia\j-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas, on Mir, and brought back United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, from his four-month tour of duty. \I(Russia, USA, \JAustralia\j)\i
Experts at the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology report that rivets recovered from the wreck of the ill-fated \ITitanic\i were made from flawed metal, a factor which possibly explains why the "unsinkable" ship went down in little more than two hours after colliding with an \Jiceberg\j during its maiden transatlantic voyage in 1912. The experts say if better quality metal had been used in the rivets holding the hull together, just one of the six ruptured \Jwater\j-tight compartments might have held, allowing the \ITitanic\i to stay afloat long enough for the \ICarpathia,\i the nearest rescue vessel, to reach the scene in time. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States receives a guarantee of support from Britain after Prime Minister Tony Blair secures Cabinet backing for the use of British military force against \JIraq\j if President Saddam Hussein refuses to back down in the confrontation over United Nations weapons inspections. At the same time, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, emerge from two hours of talks with diminishing hopes for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, stressing, however, that their quarrel is with Saddam Hussein, and not the Iraqi people, and that they are willing to endorse a proposed expansion of the UN program allowing \JBaghdad\j to sell oil for food and medical supplies. \I(USA, UK, \JIraq\j)\i
While diplomatic efforts to avert a sustained air strike against \JIraq\j continue, the Pentagon steps up plans to strengthen the United States force in the Persian Gulf. The US currently has a total of 15 ships and 279 \Jaircraft\j in the region, with another \Jaircraft\j carrier, a cruiser, two destroyers, and a submarine already en route. The US force is backed up by the British contingent of four ships and a total of 28 \Jaircraft\j. US Defense Secretary William Cohen, confirms that any military attack on \JIraq\j will be "significant", but will not aim to destroy the country or topple President Saddam Hussein from power. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A Russian Soyuz \Jspacecraft\j successfully docks with the Mir space station, bringing two cosmonauts to replace the Russian crew members aboard the orbiting outpost. Meanwhile, NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center, ending a ten-\Jday\j mission which left \JAustralia\j-born \Jastronaut\j, Andy Thomas, on Mir, and brought back United States \Jastronaut\j, David Wolf, from his four-month tour of duty. \I(Russia, USA, \JAustralia\j)\i
While attending a children's parliament at the start of a four-\Jday\j official visit to \JSwitzerland\j, America's first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks of the pressures of public life, saying her time in the \JWhite House\j has been exciting, but she is also looking forward to becoming a private citizen again. The first lady later drives to the University of Zurich to address a joint meeting of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss National Council of Women. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Experts at the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology report that rivets recovered from the wreck of the ill-fated \ITitanic\i were made from flawed metal, a factor which possibly explains why the "unsinkable" ship went down in little more than two hours after colliding with an \Jiceberg\j during its maiden transatlantic voyage in 1912. The experts say if better quality metal had been used in the rivets holding the hull together, just one of the six ruptured \Jwater\j-tight compartments might have held, allowing the \ITitanic\i to stay afloat long enough for the \ICarpathia,\i the nearest rescue vessel, to reach the scene in time. \I(USA, UK)\i
World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, successfully defends her title at the 1998 Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne, defeating \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez in straight sets. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"February 1, 1998",760,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Parliamentary support is significantly weakened for \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, when two senior members of his royalist Funcinpec party form breakaway factions to contest the July elections, taking at least 11 MPs with them. Foreign Minister, Ung Huot, who replaced Prince Ranariddh as first prime minister, launches the Populism Party, and National Assembly vice president, Loy Sim Chheang, launches the New Society Party. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
As a fierce battle rages between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in \JSri Lanka\j's north, thousands of extra police and troops pour into the capital, Colombo, ahead of the country's upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations. As an added security measure, all unauthorized trucks have been banned from the city, and plans to use decorated trucks as floats have also been canceled in the wake of last week's suicide truck bombing of the Temple of the Tooth in \JKandy\j, where the anniversary celebrations were originally scheduled to be held. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
A Hong Kong-based human rights organization reports that four anti-establishment poets have been arrested in south-west China. According to the organization, the four poets were arrested as they prepared to launch a review aimed at hastening the cultural revival and increasing literary freedom in China. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
Imelda Marcos, widow of former Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, addresses a rally of thousands of her supporters, accusing the Government of persecuting her, and insisting that she is innocent of the corruption charge recently upheld by the Philippine Supreme Court. The 68-year-old former first lady can appeal against the ruling once more, during which time she will continue to remain free on bail. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Injury-plagued Petr Korda of the Czech Republic wins his first grand slam tournament when he defeats \JChile\j's Marcelo Rios in the men's final of the 1998 Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne. \I(Australia, Czech Republic, \JChile\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, and Turkey spearhead an urgent diplomatic drive to end the impasse between \JBaghdad\j and United Nations weapons inspectors, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reports that \JKuwait\j is prepared to back US military action against \JIraq\j if it is deemed necessary, agreeing in principle to host US troop reinforcements to join the force of 1,500 ground troops currently stationed in \JKuwait\j. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, releases details of a report to the Security Council recommending that the oil-for-food program be increased from $US2 billion to $US5.2 billion over the next six months to prevent further deterioration in humanitarian conditions in \JIraq\j. \I(\JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, Turkey, \JIraq\j, USA, \JKuwait\j)\i
Speaking at an international conference in \JSwitzerland\j, United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, condemns Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, in the strongest terms, and raises the prospect of going beyond air strikes against Iraq if Saddam continues to obstruct United Nations access to suspected weapons sites. Back in Washington, however, House Majority Leader, Richard Armey, treads more cautiously, saying Congress would carefully scrutinize any plan to attack Iraq before giving its unqualified support. Mr. Armey specifies that any plan for eliminating the threat of Iraq using weapons of mass destruction would need to be well-conceived, well-coordinated, and clearly-defined. \I(USA, Iraq, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
After separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, expresses her frustration at the failure of both leaders to take the "hard steps" necessary to put the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track. Ms. Albright says both sides have agreed to send envoys to Washington next week for more talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Pope John Paul II urges \JTexas\j Governor, George W. Bush, to show clemency toward condemned killer, Karla Faye Tucker, 38, who is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on February 3. Tucker has requested a stay from the United States Supreme Court, and has also appealed to the \JTexas\j Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute her sentence to life in prison. The former prostitute and drug addict admits to the pickax murders of two people during a burglary in Houston in 1983, but is seeking clemency on grounds that she has accepted religion and is no longer a threat to society. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The longest running labor strike in the United States ends after the new owner of the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas signs contracts with the five unions involved. On September 21, 1991, around 550 union members employed by the hotel walked off the job over a wages and benefits dispute. \I(USA)\i
Injury-plagued Petr Korda of the Czech Republic wins his first grand slam tournament when he defeats \JChile\j's Marcelo Rios in the men's final of the 1998 Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne. \I(Australia, Czech Republic, \JChile\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, and Turkey spearhead an urgent diplomatic drive to end the impasse between \JBaghdad\j and United Nations weapons inspectors, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reports that \JKuwait\j is prepared to back US military action against \JIraq\j if it is deemed necessary, agreeing in principle to host US troop reinforcements to join the force of 1,500 ground troops currently stationed in \JKuwait\j. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, releases details of a report to the Security Council recommending that the oil-for-food program be increased from $US2 billion to $US5.2 billion over the next six months to prevent further deterioration in humanitarian conditions in \JIraq\j. \I(\JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, Turkey, \JIraq\j, USA, \JKuwait\j)\i
Speaking at an international conference in \JSwitzerland\j, United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, condemns Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, in the strongest terms, and raises the prospect of going beyond air strikes against Iraq if Saddam continues to obstruct United Nations access to suspected weapons sites. Back in Washington, however, House Majority Leader, Richard Armey, treads more cautiously, saying Congress would carefully scrutinize any plan to attack Iraq before giving its unqualified support. Mr. Armey specifies that any plan for eliminating the threat of Iraq using weapons of mass destruction would need to be well-conceived, well-coordinated, and clearly-defined. \I(USA, Iraq, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
After separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, expresses her frustration at the failure of both leaders to take the "hard steps" necessary to put the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track. Ms. Albright says both sides have agreed to send envoys to Washington next week for more talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In \JLondonderry\j, Northern Ireland, around 40,000 people join a peaceful march to mark the 26th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when British paratroopers shot dead 14 unarmed Catholic demonstrators. Addressing the crowd after the march, Sinn Fein leaders commend the recent decision of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to open a new inquiry into the incident. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The new Bosnian Serb Parliament votes to move its capital to Banja Luka, a move that will sever links with Pale, the headquarters of the hardline regime of war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic. \I(Bosnia)\i
Pope John Paul II urges \JTexas\j Governor, George W. Bush, to show clemency toward condemned killer, Karla Faye Tucker, 38, who is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on February 3. Tucker has requested a stay from the United States Supreme Court, and has also appealed to the \JTexas\j Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute her sentence to life in prison. The former prostitute and drug addict admits to the pickax murders of two people during a burglary in Houston in 1983, but is seeking clemency on grounds that she has accepted religion and is no longer a threat to society. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Injury-plagued Petr Korda of the Czech Republic wins his first grand slam tournament when he defeats \JChile\j's Marcelo Rios in the men's final of the 1998 Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne. \I(Australia, Czech Republic, \JChile\j)\i
#
"February 2, 1998",761,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Reports of casualties mount in the latest upsurge of fierce fighting between Sri Lankan Government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists in the country's north. Authorities say a total of 362 rebels have been killed over the past two days, while 35 soldiers have died and around 200 have been injured, 45 of them seriously. The latest wave of violence comes as Sri Lanka prepares to host Britain's Prince Charles at ceremonies to celebrate 50 years of independence from British colonial rule. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
A two-week Constitutional Convention opens in \JCanberra\j, during which time delegates will debate whether \JAustralia\j should sever its constitutional ties with the British monarchy and become a republic, what form a possible republic should take, and when any new arrangements should be implemented. Opinion polls currently show majority support nationally for an Australian republic, and if the convention likewise yields majority support and reaches consensus on a republican model, the issue is expected to be put to a referendum next year. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
South Korea's powerful Federation of Korean Trade Unions decides to boycott a special tripartite commission, established to oversee mass retrenchments deemed necessary by the International Monetary Fund to held rebuild the economy. The unionists complain that the government is not doing enough to enforce corporate reform, and threaten an all-out strike if President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, tries to push through legislation legalizing industry layoffs without union consent. \I(South Korea)\i
China takes decisive action to help ease the Asian economic crisis, declaring that it will not devalue its currency, the yuan, in line with the huge devaluations elsewhere in the region, and that it is prepared to accept damage to its own export industries to give other countries the chance to recover. To ensure that its own economy continues to grow strongly in the meantime, China pledges to implement a $US750 billion spending program on new \Jinfrastructure\j. The decisions are applauded by the United States, which calls on \JJapan\j to follow China's lead. \JJapan\j has the world's second-largest economy, and has been widely criticized for not meeting its obligations to take the leading role in helping to solve Asia's crippling economic problems. \I(China, \JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
A domestic DC-9 plane en route from Manila disappears shortly after its pilot radios ground control that he is preparing to land at Cagayan de Oro airport on the island of Mindanao. The Cebu Pacific Airways DC-9 was carrying 99 passengers and five crew. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Security is tightened around the New \JTokyo\j International Airport at Narita after three homemade rockets are fired into a cargo plane area, injuring one worker. The attack comes as foreign athletes, officials, and spectators begin arriving in \JJapan\j for the Nagano Winter Olympics, which start on Saturday. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Smoldering fires in the Indonesian province of East \JKalimantan\j rekindle after two months without rain, creating a thick smoke haze which forces delays and cancellations of flights in and out of the city of Balikpapan. Last year, choking smog from Indonesia's forest fires reached hazardous levels and wreaked havoc throughout much of Southeast Asia. \I(Indonesia, Southeast Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, sends Congress an historic $US1.73 trillion fiscal 1999 Budget proposal that forecasts a $US9.5 billion surplus. In addition to holding out the prospect of the first Budget surplus in 30 years, Mr. Clinton's plan calls for increased spending over five years for a host of initiatives, including $US21.7 billion for child care, more than $US13 billion for education, as well as substantial sums for medical research and the environment. The Budget, which starts October 1, also calls for tax law changes that would cut individual income taxes while raising corporate income taxes, and proposes closing an array of corporate loopholes and extending certain excise taxes. However, the bulk of the increased tax revenue is to come from \Jtobacco\j legislation which has yet to be approved by Congress. Mr. Clinton is proposing that the price of a pack of cigarettes rises by $US1.50 over 10 years, and that the industry makes lump sum payments totaling $US65 billion over five years. \I(USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss possible US military action against \JIraq\j should President Saddam Hussein continue to obstruct United Nations inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. While Ms. Albright later claims that Saudi \JArabia\j supports a tough stand against \JIraq\j, a US request to use Saudi bases in the event of conflict is left unresolved. However, analysts suggest that the US will have sufficient firepower afloat, with two \Jaircraft\j carriers already in the Gulf, a third about to enter, and a British carrier also in attendance. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
A statement calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons is endorsed by 117 past and present leaders from 46 nations around the world, including former United States President, Jimmy Carter, and former Russian President, Mikhail Gorbachev. The statement echoes a similar call in late 1996, and points to a growing campaign for nuclear abolition among those who have been directly responsible for the introduction of the weapons. \I(USA, Russia)\i
China takes decisive action to help ease the Asian economic crisis, declaring that it will not devalue its currency, the yuan, in line with the huge devaluations elsewhere in the region, and that it is prepared to accept damage to its own export industries to give other countries the chance to recover. To ensure that its own economy continues to grow strongly in the meantime, China pledges to implement a $US750 billion spending program on new \Jinfrastructure\j. The decisions are applauded by the United States, which calls on \JJapan\j to follow China's lead. \JJapan\j has the world's second-largest economy, and has been widely criticized for not meeting its obligations to take the leading role in helping to solve Asia's crippling economic problems. \I(China, \JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
The \JTexas\j Board of Pardons and Paroles rejects a plea for clemency from condemned killer, Karla Faye Tucker, 38, who is scheduled to die by lethal injection tomorrow for the 1983 pickax murders of two Houston people. Since her conviction in 1984, the former prostitute and drug addict has become a born-again Christian, and has attracted a flock of sympathetic supporters worldwide. \I(USA)\i
Former two-term \JArizona\j Governor, Fife Symington, is sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $US60,000 for defrauding lenders when he was one of the state's prominent real estate developers. The former Republican governor was convicted in September 1997 on seven counts of bank and wire fraud. \I(USA)\i
A group calling itself the "Army of God" claims responsibility for last week's bombing of an \Jabortion\j clinic in Birmingham, \JAlabama\j, which left an off-duty police officer dead and a nurse critically injured. The group has also claimed responsibility for bombings at an \Jabortion\j clinic and a gay nightclub in \JAtlanta\j last year. \I(USA)\i
Four people are killed as fierce storms lash the Cuban capital, \JHavana\j, damaging more than 100 homes, causing extensive electricity cuts, and halting \Jwater\j supplies to much of the city. \I(Cuba)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss possible US military action against \JIraq\j should President Saddam Hussein continue to obstruct United Nations inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. While Ms. Albright later claims that Saudi \JArabia\j supports a tough stand against \JIraq\j, a US request to use Saudi bases in the event of conflict is left unresolved. However, analysts suggest that the US will have sufficient firepower afloat, with two \Jaircraft\j carriers already in the Gulf, a third about to enter, and a British carrier also in attendance. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), a Protestant paramilitary splinter group, warns that it will wage a "holy war" against Northern Ireland's Roman Catholics unless republicans lift their threats against the family of slain LVF leader, Billy Wright. Since Wright was assassinated by republicans inside \JBelfast\j's Maze prison last December, LVF gunmen have already killed at least four Catholics in the province. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Thousands of war-weary Somalis take to the streets of \JMogadishu\j to celebrate a weekend peace agreement by the country's main rival warlords: Ali \JMahdi\j Mohamed, Hussein Mohamed Aideed, and Osman Ali Atto. \JSomalia\j has been without a central government since the 1991 overthrow of military dictator, Mohamed Siad Barre, and tens of thousands of people have since been killed as clan-based factions vied for control of the country. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
International mediators in Bosnia unveil new car registration plates, which unlike those currently in use, carry no national or religious symbols to betray a driver's \Jethnicity\j and home town. Officials are hoping that the plate's neutral design will now enable free movement across the de facto ethnic boundaries left over from the Bosnian war. \I(Bosnia)\i
A statement calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons is endorsed by 117 past and present leaders from 46 nations around the world, including former United States President, Jimmy Carter, and former Russian President, Mikhail Gorbachev. The statement echoes a similar call in late 1996, and points to a growing campaign for nuclear abolition among those who have been directly responsible for the introduction of the weapons. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Reports of casualties mount in the latest upsurge of fierce fighting between Sri Lankan Government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists in the country's north. Authorities say a total of 362 rebels have been killed over the past two days, while 35 soldiers have died and around 200 have been injured, 45 of them seriously. The latest wave of violence comes as Sri Lanka prepares to host Britain's Prince Charles at ceremonies to celebrate 50 years of independence from British colonial rule. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
A two-week Constitutional Convention opens in \JCanberra\j, during which time delegates will debate whether \JAustralia\j should sever its constitutional ties with the British monarchy and become a republic, what form a possible republic should take, and when any new arrangements should be implemented. Opinion polls currently show majority support nationally for an Australian republic, and if the convention likewise yields majority support and reaches consensus on a republican model, the issue is expected to be put to a referendum next year. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
#
"February 3, 1998",762,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, visits Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the world's first atomic bombs, as he begins another drive to gain Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons testing. The treaty has been signed by 156 countries, including nuclear powers Britain, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j, and the US, but has been ratified by only 10 countries so far. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
The Indonesian Government announces that it will attempt to control rising prices of basic foods and other necessities after the military is called in to help police quell a string of riots on the island of Sulawesi. Riots are also continuing to break out on Java's east coast, with Indonesia's ethnic Chinese fast becoming the scapegoats of the country's economic crisis due to their dominant position in trade and commerce. Because of the escalating violence, many Chinese shopkeepers are now boarding up their windows and are too afraid to open their doors. \I(Indonesia)\i
Democratic Party fundraiser, Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie, is arrested by the \JFBI\j at Washington's Dulles airport. Last week, a grand jury brought 15 charges against Mr. Trie and a business associate, Taiwanese national Antonio Pan, accusing them of channeling illegal foreign contributions to Democratic Party committees during the 1996 presidential campaign. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
India's right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is predicted to lead the country's next government, releases its "India first" manifesto two weeks ahead of the parliamentary elections. The party manifesto not only advocates a return to a protectionist economic policy, but defies international censure by vowing to accelerate India's nuclear weapons program. \I(India)\i
Thousands of Sri Lankan troops and police, some armed with heavy machine-guns, are placed on maximum alert as Britain's Prince of Wales arrives to participate in the country's 50th independence \Jday\j celebrations. Rumors that Tamil Tiger rebels have infiltrated Colombo with up to eight suicide bomb squads have led to a massive security operation that has disrupted daily life in the capital, and prompted the cancellation of a civic reception in the Prince's honor due to fears of an attack. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
Air force pilots locate the wreckage of a missing Cebu Pacific Air plane just below the summit of Mount Sumagaya, about 40 miles northeast of Cagayan de Oro airport, where the DC-9 was due to land yesterday. Officials report that the \Jaircraft\j appears to have disintegrated on impact, and hold out little hope of finding any of the 104 passengers and crew alive. The country's last major air crash was in 1987, when 50 people aboard a Philippine Airlines jet lost their lives. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Union officials report that \JFiji\j's vital tourism industry is starting to feel the impact of the Asian economic crisis, with average occupancy levels at most hotels now down to 40 per cent or less, and hotel workers being laid off or forced to work reduced hours. \I(\JFiji\j, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After talks in \JCairo\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, claims to have secured Arab support for US military action against \JIraq\j if diplomacy fails to resolve the United Nations weapons inspection deadlock. On the diplomatic front, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, reports that he has held "constructive" talks with \JBaghdad\j; French special envoy, Bertrand Dufourcq, arrives in the Iraqi capital for talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz; and \JRussia\j maintains that the mission of special envoy, Viktor Posuvalyuk, is producing results. Meanwhile, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, publicly opposes a US military strike against Iraq, saying such aggression could lead to another world war. \I(\JEgypt\j, USA, \JIraq\j, \JFrance\j, Russia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seeks to reassure a jittery public that the chance of an Iraqi chemical or biological attack against Israel is extremely small. As tension mounts over \JBaghdad\j's standoff with United Nations weapons inspectors and the threat of United States military action increases, panic-stricken Israelis have been besieging gas mask distribution centers, fearing a repetition of the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraq launched 39 Scud missiles against Israel. In Washington, however, Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says any US attack on Iraq will deal a serious blow to its capacity to threaten its neighbors. \I(Israel, Iraq, USA)\i
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, confirms that the US fully supports a new proposal to increase \JIraq\j's oil-for-food deal with the UN from $US2 billion to $US5.2 billion every six months. Running with the \Jmetaphor\j, Mr. Richardson also remarks that efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi crisis over UN arms inspections are "running out of gas". \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, visits Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the world's first atomic bombs, as he begins another drive to gain Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons testing. The treaty has been signed by 156 countries, including nuclear powers Britain, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j, and the US, but has been ratified by only 10 countries so far. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
Twenty people plunge to their deaths after a United States military \Jaircraft\j slices through a steel wire supporting a cable car traveling from the ski resort of Cermis in the Italian Dolomites. The Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler jet, part of a \JNATO\j force patrolling the skies over Bosnia, manages to return to base at Aviano sixty miles away. President Bill Clinton later telephones Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, to offer his deepest sympathy. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Democratic Party fundraiser, Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie, is arrested by the \JFBI\j at Washington's Dulles airport. Last week, a grand jury brought 15 charges against Mr. Trie and a business associate, Taiwanese national Antonio Pan, accusing them of channeling illegal foreign contributions to Democratic Party committees during the 1996 presidential campaign. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
Condemned killer Karla Faye Tucker, 38, is put to death by lethal injection, becoming the first woman to be executed in the state of \JTexas\j since 1863, and the second woman to be executed in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Convicted for the 1983 pickax murders of two Houston people, Tucker admitted committing the grisly crimes, but during her 14 years on death row she became a born-again Christian. When fighting to have her death sentence commuted to life in prison, Tucker's supporters had argued that the important distinction in her case lay not in her sex, but in the depth of her spiritual conversion. \I(USA)\i
Hundreds of people across parts of northern \JCalifornia\j are evacuated as a fierce winter storm causes swollen rivers to burst their banks, and emergency workers battle to shore up collapsing hillsides. Wild \Jweather\j also hits southern \JFlorida\j, killing one person in the \JFlorida\j Keys, and uprooting trees, damaging buildings, flooding streets, and leaving around 220,000 people without power. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After talks in \JCairo\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, claims to have secured Arab support for US military action against \JIraq\j if diplomacy fails to resolve the United Nations weapons inspection deadlock. On the diplomatic front, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, reports that he has held "constructive" talks with \JBaghdad\j; French special envoy, Bertrand Dufourcq, arrives in the Iraqi capital for talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz; and \JRussia\j maintains that the mission of special envoy, Viktor Posuvalyuk, is producing results. Meanwhile, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, publicly opposes a US military strike against Iraq, saying such aggression could lead to another world war. \I(\JEgypt\j, USA, \JIraq\j, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seeks to reassure a jittery public that the chance of an Iraqi chemical or biological attack against Israel is extremely small. As tension mounts over \JBaghdad\j's standoff with United Nations weapons inspectors and the threat of United States military action increases, panic-stricken Israelis have been besieging gas mask distribution centers, fearing a repetition of the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraq launched 39 Scud missiles against Israel. In Washington, however, Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says any US attack on Iraq will deal a serious blow to its capacity to threaten its neighbors. \I(Israel, Iraq, USA)\i
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, confirms that the US fully supports a new proposal to increase \JIraq\j's oil-for-food deal with the UN from $US2 billion to $US5.2 billion every six months. Running with the \Jmetaphor\j, Mr. Richardson also remarks that efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi crisis over UN arms inspections are "running out of gas". \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Twenty people plunge to their deaths after a United States military \Jaircraft\j slices through a steel wire supporting a cable car traveling from the ski resort of Cermis in the Italian Dolomites. The Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler jet, part of a \JNATO\j force patrolling the skies over Bosnia, manages to return to base at Aviano sixty miles away. President Bill Clinton later telephones Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, to offer his deepest sympathy. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, visits Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the world's first atomic bombs, as he begins another drive to gain Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons testing. The treaty has been signed by 156 countries, including nuclear powers Britain, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j, and the US, but has been ratified by only 10 countries so far. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
Armenian President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who has led the country since the collapse of the \JSoviet Union\j in 1991, announces that he has resigned under pressure from political opponents. Mr. Ter-Petrosyan has been engaged in a bitter debate with Prime Minister, Robert Kocharyan, over policy toward Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed Armenian-populated enclave in neighboring \JAzerbaijan\j. Mr. Ter-Petrosyan has favored making concessions in the dispute with \JAzerbaijan\j, arguing that they could help Armenia repair its devastated economy. \I(Armenia, \JAzerbaijan\j)\i
Thousands of Sri Lankan troops and police, some armed with heavy machine-guns, are placed on maximum alert as Britain's Prince of Wales arrives to participate in the country's 50th independence \Jday\j celebrations. Rumors that Tamil Tiger rebels have infiltrated Colombo with up to eight suicide bomb squads have led to a massive security operation that has disrupted daily life in the capital, and prompted the cancellation of a civic reception in the Prince's honor due to fears of an attack. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
An international team of researchers claims to have traced the very first case of \JHIV\j infection to a Bantu man, who in 1959 was living in what is now the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. The team says the next step will be to determine how \JHIV\j subsequently spread across Africa. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Africa)\i
#
"February 4, 1998",763,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China warns the United States that it will not support a military attack to force \JIraq\j to comply with the United Nations weapons inspection program, insisting that armed force will only create more turmoil and possibly new conflicts in the region. In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, emphasizes that the US prefers a genuine diplomatic solution to the crisis, but is determined to rid \JIraq\j of weapons of mass destruction one way or the other. As Mr. Clinton categorically states: "That is our bottom line." \I(China, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
In a speech marking \JSri Lanka\j's 50th anniversary of independence, President Chandrika Kumaratunga lauds the country's achievements in terms of economic growth, education, and health care, but acknowledges its failure to build a strong and united nation, and makes an emotional appeal for harmony between the Sinhala majority and Tamil minority. The president's speech is delivered in the presence of Britain's Prince of Wales, the visiting representative of the former colonial power, and comes amid reports of fresh attacks by Tamil Tiger rebels in Batticaloa, 230 kilometers east of the capital, Colombo. \I(\JSri Lanka\j, UK)\i
While on a visit to \JIndonesia\j, the president of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn, admits that the bank "got it wrong" when it failed to predict \JIndonesia\j's economic collapse and suppress the growth of monopolies and unfair practices. Meanwhile, one of the country's top Muslim leaders, Amien Rais, publicly cites monopolies granted to President Soeharto's children and associates as major contributing factors to \JIndonesia\j's current crisis. Mr. Rais strongly suggests that President Soeharto is the problem rather than the solution, and offers himself as an alternative in the nation's upcoming presidential elections. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A United States Treasury Department spokesman says finance ministers and central bankers from 21 countries have been invited to Washington for a special meeting on how to deal with financial crises, such as those presently swamping much of Asia. Some US allies have responded coolly to the invitation, pointing out that the Asian problem will be a key issue at a G7 meeting in London later this month. \I(USA, Asia, UK)\i
As anticipated, officials from the United States Federal Reserve convening for a two-\Jday\j session agree to make no changes in interest rates. Officials believe the impact of the Asian financial crisis will hit the booming US economy, and policy is remaining on hold until the effects become clear. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces an uncapped government credit scheme to underwrite Australian exports to \JIndonesia\j. The initiative follows a $AUD300 million export insurance package for South Korea, and is prompted in part by what Mr. Howard describes as "actively avaricious" United States trade moves in the financially troubled region. The US has offered Asian nations trade credits worth $US2 billion to purchase US farm produce, particularly cotton, which \JIndonesia\j largely buys from Australia. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, South Korea, Asia, USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j of \Jmagnitude\j 6.1 hits a remote mountainous region of northern \JAfghanistan\j, setting off landslides that bury hillside villages. Relief agencies report a preliminary and provisional death toll of at least 2,150, with thousands more injured or left homeless in bitter winter \Jweather\j. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
A North Korean diplomat seeks political asylum at South Korea's Embassy in \JRome\j. The defecting diplomat, identified as Kim Dong Su, 38, is a third secretary at North Korea's delegation to the \JRome\j-based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. \I(The Koreas, \JItaly\j)\i
Japan and China agree to negotiate warship visits to each other's ports. The agreement marks a significant warming in relations between the two nations, and comes during a visit to Japan by Chinese Defense Minister, Chi Haotian. \I(Japan, China)\i
Two teams of paleontologists simultaneously report their discoveries of perfectly preserved microscopic fossils which show that sponges and other simple animals existed 570 million years ago, pushing the origin of animals back at least 30 million years. The fossils were discovered in a phosphate mine in central Guizhou province, in southern China. \I(China)\i
A European team's attempt to become the first to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j is foiled when the "Breitling Orbiter 2" is refused entry into Chinese airspace. However the team has the consolation of breaking the record for the longest uninterrupted \Jballoon\j flight, having lifted off from the Swiss Alps on January 28, and is now staying aloft to challenge the longest non-refueled, non-stop flight record of 216 hours and 12 minutes. \I(Europe, \JSwitzerland\j, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As United States plans for a heavy military strike against \JIraq\j proceed, \JBaghdad\j offers to allow United Nations weapons inspectors access for one month to eight presidential palaces previously declared off limits. The offer is dismissed as inadequate by the United Nations and the United States alike, who note that the proposal appears to be a one-time offer and does not meet the criteria of full Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
China warns the United States that it will not support a military attack to force \JIraq\j to comply with the United Nations weapons inspection program, insisting that armed force will only create more turmoil and possibly new conflicts in the region. In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, emphasizes that the US prefers a genuine diplomatic solution to the crisis, but is determined to rid \JIraq\j of weapons of mass destruction one way or the other. As Mr. Clinton categorically states: "That is our bottom line." \I(China, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A special United States Marine Corps team heads for \JItaly\j to investigate yesterday's cable-car accident near Cavalese in the Italian Dolomites, in which 20 skiers died after a low-flying US warplane clipped the overhead cables, sending the car crashing 200 meters down the mountain. Outraged Italians are demanding to know why the plane was cruising so close to the ground, condemning the act as one of tragic recklessness, their anger heightened by the refusal of the four-man US crew to answer the questions of Italian prosecutors leading a \Jmanslaughter\j inquiry. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
A United States Treasury Department spokesman says finance ministers and central bankers from 21 countries have been invited to Washington for a special meeting on how to deal with financial crises, such as those presently swamping much of Asia. Some US allies have responded coolly to the invitation, pointing out that the Asian problem will be a key issue at a G7 meeting in London later this month. \I(USA, Asia, UK)\i
As anticipated, officials from the United States Federal Reserve convening for a two-\Jday\j session agree to make no changes in interest rates. Officials believe the impact of the Asian financial crisis will hit the booming US economy, and policy is remaining on hold until the effects become clear. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces an uncapped government credit scheme to underwrite Australian exports to \JIndonesia\j. The initiative follows a $AUD300 million export insurance package for South Korea, and is prompted in part by what Mr. Howard describes as "actively avaricious" United States trade moves in the financially troubled region. The US has offered Asian nations trade credits worth $US2 billion to purchase US farm produce, particularly cotton, which \JIndonesia\j largely buys from Australia. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, South Korea, Asia, USA)\i
Special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's grand jury continues its probe into the nature of President Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, questioning Bayani Nelvis, a \JWhite House\j steward, and Kris Engskov, a presidential assistant responsible for much of Mr. Clinton's preparation for daily events. Yesterday, the jury questioned former presidential adviser, George Stephanopolous, who later told reporters he had no knowledge at all about the nature of the relationship, if any, between Mr. Clinton and the 24-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern. \I(USA)\i
The United States Congress approves a bill to rename Washington's National Airport after former president, Ronald Reagan. The vote to officially change the name to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport comes two days ahead of Mr. Reagan's 87th birthday. \I(USA)\i
The United States Army's former top enlisted soldier, Gene McKinney, pleads not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting and harassing women soldiers as his court martial begins at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It is the highest-profile sexual misconduct case ever taken to court in the US military, with McKinney accused on 19 counts, including indecent assault, adultery, and obstruction of justice. \I(USA)\i
A riot in \JColombia\j's Modelo penitentiary leaves at least six people dead and nearly 40 injured. The trouble erupted when 60 hardened criminals from a maximum security wing tried to break into the prison's main yard, and other inmates defended their territory, forcing the invaders back into the restricted area. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As United States plans for a heavy military strike against \JIraq\j proceed, \JBaghdad\j offers to allow United Nations weapons inspectors access for one month to eight presidential palaces previously declared off limits. The offer is dismissed as inadequate by the United Nations and the United States alike, who note that the proposal appears to be a one-time offer and does not meet the criteria of full Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
China warns the United States that it will not support a military attack to force \JIraq\j to comply with the United Nations weapons inspection program, insisting that armed force will only create more turmoil and possibly new conflicts in the region. In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, emphasizes that the US prefers a genuine diplomatic solution to the crisis, but is determined to rid \JIraq\j of weapons of mass destruction one way or the other. As Mr. Clinton categorically states: "That is our bottom line." \I(China, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A special United States Marine Corps team heads for \JItaly\j to investigate yesterday's cable-car accident near Cavalese in the Italian Dolomites, in which 20 skiers died after a low-flying US warplane clipped the overhead cables, sending the car crashing 200 meters down the mountain. Outraged Italians are demanding to know why the plane was cruising so close to the ground, condemning the act as one of tragic recklessness, their anger heightened by the refusal of the four-man US crew to answer the questions of Italian prosecutors leading a \Jmanslaughter\j inquiry. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Following the failure of the Bosnian parliament to agree on a design, the international High Representative to Bosnia, Carlos Westendorp, chooses the nation's new flag. The flag is devoid of national or religious symbols, featuring a central golden triangle against a blue background with a line of white stars, a bland design that prompts an open letter of protest from \JSarajevo\j's intellectuals, who demand that Bosnians be allowed a referendum to decide on their new national flag. \I(Bosnia)\i
The political situation in Armenia deteriorates following the resignation of President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, with his parliamentary supporters lining up to turn in their resignations in a mounting feud over policy toward Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed area of neighboring \JAzerbaijan\j populated by Armenians. Tens of thousands have already been killed in fighting between Armenia and \JAzerbaijan\j from 1988 to 1994, and Mr. Ter-Petrosyan was calling for concessions in the territorial dispute. \I(Armenia, \JAzerbaijan\j)\i
A United States Treasury Department spokesman says finance ministers and central bankers from 21 countries have been invited to Washington for a special meeting on how to deal with financial crises, such as those presently swamping much of Asia. Some US allies have responded coolly to the invitation, pointing out that the Asian problem will be a key issue at a G7 meeting in London later this month. \I(USA, Asia, UK)\i
Almost 30 years after the event, the Supreme Court in Madrid rules that the state must pay compensation to Spaniards who lost their livelihoods when \JSpain\j's dictator, General Francisco Franco, closed the country's border with \JGibraltar\j. At the time, General Franco promised compensation but failed to deliver it, and successive governments have not responded to demands to make amends. \I(\JSpain\j, \JGibraltar\j)\i
A North Korean diplomat seeks political asylum at South Korea's Embassy in \JRome\j. The defecting diplomat, identified as Kim Dong Su, 38, is a third secretary at North Korea's delegation to the \JRome\j-based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. \I(The Koreas, \JItaly\j)\i
In a speech marking \JSri Lanka\j's 50th anniversary of independence, President Chandrika Kumaratunga lauds the country's achievements in terms of economic growth, education, and health care, but acknowledges its failure to build a strong and united nation, and makes an emotional appeal for harmony between the Sinhala majority and Tamil minority. The president's speech is delivered in the presence of Britain's Prince of Wales, the visiting representative of the former colonial power, and comes amid reports of fresh attacks by Tamil Tiger rebels in Batticaloa, 230 kilometers east of the capital Colombo. \I(\JSri Lanka\j, UK)\i
A European team's attempt to become the first to circumnavigate the world in a \Jballoon\j is foiled when the "Breitling Orbiter 2" is refused entry into Chinese airspace. However the team has the consolation of breaking the record for the longest uninterrupted \Jballoon\j flight, having lifted off from the Swiss Alps on January 28, and is now staying aloft to challenge the longest non-refueled, non-stop flight record of 216 hours and 12 minutes. \I(Europe, \JSwitzerland\j, China)\i
#
"February 5, 1998",764,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese Government calls on the United States and \JIraq\j to observe a United Nations-backed "Olympic Truce" during the Nagano Winter Olympics, which are to be held from February 7-22. The \JWhite House\j acknowledged an earlier call to that effect from UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, but said the US Government must make its own decisions. \I(Japan, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
An extreme left-wing group claims responsibility for Monday's missile attack on \JJapan\j's Narita Airport, boasting that it overcame tight security now in place for the Nagano Winter Olympics, due to open on Saturday. \JTokyo\j police believe that the main target of the group known as Kakumeigen, or revolutionary army, was the airport itself and not the Winter Olympics. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
The chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urges the United States to resist business opposition and ratify the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. Chairman Robert Watson says unless the US is a full player, there is no way that Europe and \JJapan\j will ratify the treaty, which was finally forged by the participating nations in December, 1997. \I(USA, Europe, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States pledges 200,000 tonnes of food aid for North Korea, which is now in the grip of extreme \Jfamine\j after a three-year series of crop disasters. The US pledge covers 30 per cent of the amount requested by the United Nations World Food Program in its January 6 appeal, the largest appeal ever launched by the UN agency. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
Pakistan's business centers, factories, and schools close down for the \Jday\j in a show of solidarity with the state of Kashmir's struggle for self-determination. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif praises the Kashmiris' fight for freedom, saying their sacrifices shall not be in vain. Pakistan holds the northern third of the Kashmir, but the Indian-ruled part of the state has been engaged since 1989 in a separatist campaign that has claimed more than 20,000 lives. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Indonesia's Manpower Minister, Abdul Latief, reveals that the number of unemployed has almost doubled in line with the country's growing economic problems in the last twelve months, swelling to more than 8 million. Mr. Latief's revelation comes amid fears that widespread social unrest could escalate ahead of next month's presidential election. Rioting over rising food and fuel prices has extended to 10 towns in Java and Sulawesi over the past week, with smaller protests staged almost daily before the Parliament building in the capital, Jakarta. \I(Indonesia)\i
A \JBangladesh\j court charges an editor and four executives of a popular newspaper with \Jtreason\j following publication of a report stating that the government had decided to reduce its army and make the country's defense dependent on India. The court was acting on a Defense Ministry petition, which claimed that the report in the January 12 edition of \IInqelab\i was fabricated, provocative, and harmful. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
China grants permission for a team of European balloonists to enter Chinese airspace, one \Jday\j after refusing the request for security reasons. However, the turn-around comes too late for the three crew members of "Breitling Orbiter 2", who yesterday abandoned their attempt to circumnavigate the world after the delay caused them to miss the fast-speed jet stream. \I(China, Europe)\i
In Washington, Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie pleads not guilty to 15 criminal charges arising from the alleged channeling of illegal foreign contributions to Democratic Party committees during the 1996 United States presidential campaign. A Taiwanese-born naturalized US citizen, Trie was arraigned after voluntarily surrendering to the \JFBI\j earlier in the week. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
Special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, subpoenas \Jtelevision\j video footage of President Bill Clinton's March 1997 visit to \JFlorida\j to determine if former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, was with him at any time. It was during this trip that Mr. Clinton seriously injured his knee in a fall at golfer Greg Norman's house. Meanwhile, at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney, where Norman is currently competing in his own Greg Norman International Tournament, the golfer categorically denies that Ms. Lewinsky was ever in his house, that he ever saw her, or that Mr. Clinton ever discussed her. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As a third United States \Jaircraft\j carrier arrives in the Persian Gulf region, US President, Bill Clinton, prepares to send 2,200 US Marines to join what is already the biggest US military presence in striking distance of \JIraq\j since the end of the 1991 Gulf War. Although the likelihood of armed conflict is increasing, Mr. Clinton says Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, can still avert an attack by allowing United Nations inspectors unrestricted access to suspected weapons sites, a statement strongly supported by visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
In \JBaghdad\j, special envoys from \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, the Arab League, and Turkey continue efforts to negotiate concessions from \JIraq\j to resolve the weapons inspection crisis. Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, declares that the worst of the crisis is over, and French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine, also says \JIraq\j has shown the first signs of flexibility in the conflict, and is now being urged to build on it to reach agreement paving the way for a resumption of United Nations arms inspections. Mr. Yeltsin repeats his warning that a United States military strike against \JIraq\j could trigger World War III, while Mr. Vedrine adamantly states that \JFrance\j will not join any military action, and that Britain and the US are isolated in favoring the use of force. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, Turkey, \JMiddle East\j, USA, UK)\i
The Japanese Government calls on the United States and \JIraq\j to observe a United Nations-backed "Olympic Truce" during the Nagano Winter Olympics, which are to be held from February 7-22. The \JWhite House\j acknowledged an earlier call to that effect from UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, but said the US Government must make its own decisions. \I(Japan, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urges the United States to resist business opposition and ratify the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. Chairman Robert Watson says unless the US is a full player, there is no way that Europe and \JJapan\j will ratify the treaty, which was finally forged by the participating nations in December, 1997. \I(USA, Europe, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States pledges 200,000 tonnes of food aid for North Korea, which is now in the grip of extreme \Jfamine\j after a three-year series of crop disasters. The US pledge covers 30 per cent of the amount requested by the United Nations World Food Program in its January 6 appeal, the largest appeal ever launched by the UN agency. \I(USA, North Korea)\i
While posing for pictures with visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, US President Bill Clinton repeats his denial of allegations that he had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then urged her to lie about it under oath. Elsewhere, prosecutor Kenneth Starr's grand jury continues its inquiry into the matter, questioning \JWhite House\j Deputy Chief of Staff, John Podesta, who later tells reporters that his testimony supported Mr. Clinton's denials of the sex and \Jperjury\j allegations. \I(USA, UK)\i
Special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, subpoenas \Jtelevision\j video footage of President Bill Clinton's March 1997 visit to \JFlorida\j to determine if former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, was with him at any time. It was during this trip that Mr. Clinton seriously injured his knee in a fall at golfer Greg Norman's house. Meanwhile, at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney, where Norman is currently competing in his own Greg Norman International Tournament, the golfer categorically denies that Ms. Lewinsky was ever in his house, that he ever saw her, or that Mr. Clinton ever discussed her. \I(USA, Australia)\i
In Washington, Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie pleads not guilty to 15 criminal charges arising from the alleged channeling of illegal foreign contributions to Democratic Party committees during the 1996 United States presidential campaign. A Taiwanese-born naturalized US citizen, Trie was arraigned after voluntarily surrendering to the \JFBI\j earlier in the week. \I(USA, Taiwan)\i
In a report based on year-end 1997 fundraising figures submitted to the United States Federal Election Committee, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says the Republican Party is way ahead of the Democrats in terms of fundraising, scoring a financial lead of $US37 million over their rivals last year, despite a $US100,000 big-name donation to the Democratic National Committee from comedian Robin Williams and his wife. \I(USA)\i
Northern \JCalifornia\j is ravaged by the second El-Ni±o-spawned storm this week, with forecasters warning of more storms forming over the Pacific. At least four deaths have been attributed to this week's wild \Jweather\j, and fears about the powerful new front are centered on the heart of the Californian wine country, where the swollen Russian and Napa rivers are beginning to breaks their banks. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As a third United States \Jaircraft\j carrier arrives in the Persian Gulf region, US President, Bill Clinton, prepares to send 2,200 US Marines to join what is already the biggest US military presence in striking distance of \JIraq\j since the end of the 1991 Gulf War. Although the likelihood of armed conflict is increasing, Mr. Clinton says Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, can still avert an attack by allowing United Nations inspectors unrestricted access to suspected weapons sites, a statement strongly supported by visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
In \JBaghdad\j, special envoys from \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, the Arab League, and Turkey continue efforts to negotiate concessions from \JIraq\j to resolve the weapons inspection crisis. Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, declares that the worst of the crisis is over, and French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine, also says \JIraq\j has shown the first signs of flexibility in the conflict, and is now being urged to build on it to reach agreement paving the way for a resumption of United Nations arms inspections. Mr. Yeltsin repeats his warning that a United States military strike against \JIraq\j could trigger World War III, while Mr. Vedrine adamantly states that \JFrance\j will not join any military action, and that Britain and the US are isolated in favoring the use of force. \I(\JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, Turkey, \JMiddle East\j, USA, UK)\i
The Japanese Government calls on the United States and \JIraq\j to observe a United Nations-backed "Olympic Truce" during the Nagano Winter Olympics, which are to be held from February 7-22. The \JWhite House\j acknowledged an earlier call to that effect from UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, but said the US Government must make its own decisions. \I(Japan, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urges the United States to resist business opposition and ratify the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming. Chairman Robert Watson says unless the US is a full player, there is no way that Europe and \JJapan\j will ratify the treaty, which was finally forged by the participating nations in December, 1997. \I(USA, Europe, \JJapan\j)\i
About 2,000 angry unemployed Germans march to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate demanding the removal from power of German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, and his Government. The protest march comes as nationwide unemployment rises to 4.82 million, up from 4.52 million in December, with the number of jobless predicted to keep rising. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
While posing for pictures with visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, US President Bill Clinton repeats his denial of allegations that he had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then urged her to lie about it under oath. Elsewhere, prosecutor Kenneth Starr's grand jury continues its inquiry into the matter, questioning \JWhite House\j Deputy Chief of Staff, John Podesta, who later tells reporters that his testimony supported Mr. Clinton's denials of the sex and \Jperjury\j allegations. \I(USA, UK)\i
A Swedish study involving 7,000 women finds no evidence to support claims that silicone gel used in breast implants increases the risk of developing rheumatoid \Jarthritis\j or other related diseases. \I(Sweden)\i
China grants permission for a team of European balloonists to enter Chinese airspace, one \Jday\j after refusing the request for security reasons. However, the turn-around comes too late for the three crew members of "Breitling Orbiter 2", who yesterday abandoned their attempt to circumnavigate the world after the delay caused them to miss the fast-speed jet stream. \I(China, Europe)\i
#
"February 6, 1998",765,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At a joint news conference in Washington, visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, stands firmly beside United States President, Bill Clinton, on a range of issues. During their two days of talks, Mr. Blair says he and Mr. Clinton have found common ground on Northern Ireland, the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the Asian financial crisis, and the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. However, while the two leaders stand united, they also stand alone in their current determination to use military force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations inspectors unfettered access to all potential weapons sites. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland, \JMiddle East\j, Asia)\i
At least nine people die and several others are injured when a female suicide bomber detonates explosives strapped to her body while her vehicle is being inspected at a military checkpoint in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo. The dead woman is believed to be a member of the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the explosion occurs only hours after Britain's Prince Charles concludes a four-\Jday\j official visit to mark the island's 50th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
Japan's southernmost prefecture of \JOkinawa\j rejects \JTokyo\j's proposal to build an offshore United States heliport to replace the Futenma US air station located in urban Ginowan. The project was intended to defuse opposition to US military bases in the area, and \JOkinawa\j's rejection is sparking anger among \JTokyo\j's top officials, who are now threatening to halt funding for the prefecture. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Bad \Jweather\j and dangerous conditions hamper the efforts of rescue teams attempting to recover the bodies of 104 people from the wreckage of a Cebu Pacific Air plane, which crashed into a mountain on Mindanao Island earlier this week. Yesterday, the Philippine Government grounded all seven remaining DC-9s operated by the domestic airline until experts determine the cause of the crash. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Six Vietnamese children are killed and another six are wounded when a bomb with which they are playing explodes. Each year, provincial officials in Vietnam report dozens of people killed by leftover wartime explosives. \I(Vietnam)\i
The \JNew South Wales\j Coroner finds that Australian rock star, Michael Hutchence, deliberately took his own life while in a depressed state exacerbated by alcohol and a quantity of drugs, including \Jcocaine\j and Prozac. The 37-year-old INXS lead singer was found hanging by his own belt behind the door of a Sydney hotel on November 22 last year. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a joint news conference in Washington, visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, stands firmly beside United States President, Bill Clinton, on a range of issues. During their two days of talks, Mr. Blair says he and Mr. Clinton have found common ground on Northern Ireland, the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the Asian financial crisis, and the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. However, while the two leaders stand united, they also stand alone in their current determination to use military force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations inspectors unfettered access to all potential weapons sites. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland, \JMiddle East\j, Asia)\i
One pilot dies after two United States Marine Corps F-18 fighter jets collide in mid-air and crash in the Persian Gulf. The two single-seat jets, which had just completed routine training flights, were based on the \Jaircraft\j carrier \IGeorge Washington\i as part of the major US military force now gathered near \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States military acknowledges that the Marine Corps jet which this week brought down a cable car full of skiers in the Italian Dolomites was flying well below the approved altitude. The military adds that it has handed over a flight recorder to the Italian prosecutors investigating the accident, which killed 20 people. Meanwhile, a Marine Corps colonel who allegedly told the crew to destroy any evidence that they may have flown too low on training flights is relieved of command. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Japan's southernmost prefecture of \JOkinawa\j rejects \JTokyo\j's proposal to build an offshore United States heliport to replace the Futenma US air station located in urban Ginowan. The project was intended to defuse opposition to US military bases in the area, and \JOkinawa\j's rejection is sparking anger among \JTokyo\j's top officials, who are now threatening to halt funding for the prefecture. \I(Japan, USA)\i
During a joint press conference with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, US President Bill Clinton flatly denies media reports that he attempted to influence the recollection of his personal secretary, Betty Currie, about visits to the \JWhite House\j by Monica Lewinsky, the former intern at the center of prosecutor Kenneth Starr's sex and \Jperjury\j investigation. Mr. Blair likewise engages beyond foreign policy to offer his support for Mr. Clinton in the face of the allegations, praising the US President as someone trustworthy and reliable who is not just a colleague but a friend. \I(USA, UK)\i
US President Clinton's private attorney, David Kendall, accuses prosecutor Kenneth Starr's office of leaking secret grand jury testimony in the presidential sex and \Jperjury\j investigation. Prosecutor Starr reacts by accusing Mr. Kendall of smear tactics, suggesting that there is an orchestrated plan to derail his inquiry into the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a joint news conference in Washington, visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, stands firmly beside United States President, Bill Clinton, on a range of issues. During their two days of talks, Mr. Blair says he and Mr. Clinton have found common ground on Northern Ireland, the \JMiddle East\j peace process, the Asian financial crisis, and the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. However, while the two leaders stand united, they also stand alone in their current determination to use military force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations inspectors unfettered access to all potential weapons sites. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland, \JMiddle East\j, Asia)\i
One pilot dies after two United States Marine Corps F-18 fighter jets collide in mid-air and crash in the Persian Gulf. The two single-seat jets, which had just completed routine training flights, were based on the \Jaircraft\j carrier \IGeorge Washington\i as part of the major US military force now gathered near \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States military acknowledges that the Marine Corps jet which this week brought down a cable car full of skiers in the Italian Dolomites was flying well below the approved altitude. The military adds that it has handed over a flight recorder to the Italian prosecutors investigating the accident, which killed 20 people. Meanwhile, a Marine Corps colonel who allegedly told the crew to destroy any evidence that they may have flown too low on training flights is relieved of command. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Renewed fighting erupts between Nigerian-led West African troops and forces of the Sierra Leone junta on the outskirts of the capital, \JFreetown\j. The West African peacekeeping force, known as ECOMOG, is spearheading efforts to reinstate Sierra Leone's elected President, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who was toppled by a military coup last May. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
Corsica's most senior government official, Claude Erignac, 60, dies instantly when he is shot by two youths in the streets of Ajaccio. The killing is the first assassination of a senior French official on the island, which has been racked by 20 years of violence between warring separatist factions pushing for increased autonomy from Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, Corsica)\i
During a joint press conference with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, US President Bill Clinton flatly denies media reports that he attempted to influence the recollection of his personal secretary, Betty Currie, about visits to the \JWhite House\j by Monica Lewinsky, the former intern at the center of prosecutor Kenneth Starr's sex and \Jperjury\j investigation. Mr. Blair likewise engages beyond foreign policy to offer his support for Mr. Clinton in the face of the allegations, praising the US President as someone trustworthy and reliable who is not just a colleague but a friend. \I(USA, UK)\i
At least nine people die and several others are injured when a female suicide bomber detonates explosives strapped to her body while her vehicle is being inspected at a military checkpoint in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo. The dead woman is believed to be a member of the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the explosion occurs only hours after Britain's Prince Charles concludes a four-\Jday\j official visit to mark the island's 50th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule. \I(Sri Lanka, UK)\i
#
"February 7, 1998",766,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Fresh tremors rock the remote and mountainous area of northeastern \JAfghanistan\j, killing another 150 people and splitting mountain roads, adding to the access problems of rescue workers. Aid agencies now estimate that between 2,150 and 4,450 people died in Wednesday's major quake, which centered on the city of Rustaq, and left as many as 15,000 families homeless in freezing \Jweather\j conditions. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
In Jakarta, some 25,000 Indonesian military and police personnel take part in an impressive display of force, which includes helicopters, light \Jaircraft\j, tanks and other armored vehicles, dog units, riot squads, and mounted police. Military commanders warn the gathered security personnel of potential mass unrest due to the country's deepening economic crisis, but say they are confident that their show of strength will deter anyone contemplating demonstrations or riots in the lead-up to next month's meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly, during which the president and vice president for the 1998-2003 term will be chosen. \I(Indonesia)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reveals that his Labour Party and President Bill Clinton's Democrats will hold a conference in London in May, the forerunner of an international conference to include center-left parties from western and eastern Europe, north and south America, and \JAustralia\j. Mr. Blair says that he and Mr. Clinton hope to forge a global center-left movement to adopt a common approach to political and economic problems. \I(Europe, The Americas, \JAustralia\j)\i
Britain's Prince Charles arrives in Katmandu on the start of a four-\Jday\j official visit to \JNepal\j. The Prince is greeted at Tribhuvan International Airport by \JNepal\j's Crown Prince Dipendra and Prime Minister \JSurya\j Bahadur Thapa. \I(\JNepal\j, UK)\i
Hong Kong's six-week ban on live chicken imports from China ends, with no new cases of the deadly H5N1 avian virus reported since the mass slaughter of the Territory's poultry. Nevertheless, strict precautions are still being observed at border checkpoints, where blood samples are taken from 13 birds in every truckload. Similar test are also being conducted before the birds leave China. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
After 10 days afloat, a European \Jballoon\j team makes a perfect landing in \JMyanmar\j, north of the capital, \JRangoon\j. The three crew members of the "Breitling Orbiter 2" have now established a new \Jballoon\j endurance mark, as well as a record for the longest nonstop unrefueled flight by any \Jaircraft\j. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe)\i
\BThe Americas\b
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, offers the United States the use of \JGermany\j's air bases in the event of a military strike against \JIraq\j. It is Mr. Kohl's strongest endorsement to date for the tough US line on the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, and one that is welcomed by visiting US Defense Secretary, William Cohen. Meanwhile, the US orders another 19 combat planes and 23 support \Jaircraft\j to the Persian Gulf, boosting to almost 370 the number of US military \Jaircraft\j poised for an aerial bombardment of \JIraq\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reveals that his Labour Party and President Bill Clinton's Democrats will hold a conference in London in May, the forerunner of an international conference to include center-left parties from western and eastern Europe, north and south America, and \JAustralia\j. Mr. Blair says that he and Mr. Clinton hope to forge a global center-left movement to adopt a common approach to political and economic problems. \I(Europe, The Americas, \JAustralia\j)\i
Six police helicopters are subjected to gunfire while taking top United States and Colombian officials on an aerial inspection of a drug crop eradication program. Members of the leftists Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia are believed to be responsible for the incident, which occurred over opium poppy field in southwest Huila province. \I(USA, Colombia)\i
Northern \JCalifornia\j is lashed by the third storm in less than a week, with high winds and torrential rain triggering flash floods, uprooting trees, cutting power, and causing waterlogged hillsides to collapse in torrents of mud. \I(USA)\i
Carl Wilson, one of the founding members of the \JCalifornia\j pop group, The Beach Boys, dies aged 51 of complications from lung cancer. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, offers the United States the use of \JGermany\j's air bases in the event of a military strike against \JIraq\j. It is Mr. Kohl's strongest endorsement to date for the tough US line on the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, and one that is welcomed by visiting US Defense Secretary, William Cohen. Meanwhile, the US orders another 19 combat planes and 23 support \Jaircraft\j to the Persian Gulf, boosting to almost 370 the number of US military \Jaircraft\j poised for an aerial bombardment of \JIraq\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
As the deadlock continues over access to \JIraq\j's presidential sites, teams from the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) carry out investigations at 15 other sites with full Iraqi co-operation. UN arms experts are also granted permission to begin excavating sites where \JBaghdad\j claims to have buried chemical weapons and missile warheads. The excavations may help evaluation teams clarify discrepancies between the number of weapons Iraq insists have been destroyed, and the number accounted for by the UN. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, reveals that his Labour Party and President Bill Clinton's Democrats will hold a conference in London in May, the forerunner of an international conference to include center-left parties from western and eastern Europe, north and south America, and \JAustralia\j. Mr. Blair says that he and Mr. Clinton hope to forge a global center-left movement to adopt a common approach to political and economic problems. \I(Europe, The Americas, \JAustralia\j)\i
Britain's Prince Charles arrives in Katmandu on the start of a four-\Jday\j official visit to \JNepal\j. The Prince is greeted at Tribhuvan International Airport by \JNepal\j's Crown Prince Dipendra and Prime Minister \JSurya\j Bahadur Thapa. \I(\JNepal\j, UK)\i
The first audit of the collection of works of art held by Britain's Queen Elizabeth is completed, revealing a total of 9,000 paintings. \JBuckingham Palace\j officials now plan to establish a computerized on-line gallery to allow art historians and academics to view the works at the touch of a button. \I(UK)\i
After 10 days afloat, a European \Jballoon\j team makes a perfect landing in \JMyanmar\j, north of the capital, \JRangoon\j. The three crew members of the "Breitling Orbiter 2" have now established a new \Jballoon\j endurance mark, as well as a record for the longest nonstop unrefueled flight by any \Jaircraft\j. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Europe)\i
#
"February 8, 1998",767,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least 250 people are killed when an aftershock destroys more villages in \JAfghanistan\j's mountainous Takher province, where a major quake last Wednesday caused devastating loss of life. Aid workers are still having difficulty reaching the area, but a Red Cross plane loaded with emergency medical supplies manages to land near the site after bad \Jweather\j forced an earlier plane to return to the capital, Kabul. Takher province is in the northeast of the country, and is controlled by the anti-Taliban alliance. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, seeking backup for a military strike against \JIraq\j should President Saddam Hussein continue to defy United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning weapons inspections. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, leaves \JGermany\j to face the tougher task of winning support for military action from the Gulf states. Mr. Cohen confirms that \JKuwait\j and \JBahrain\j are willing to allow the US to launch air strikes from their soil, but says he will not request permission to launch strikes against \JIraq\j from Saudi \JArabia\j, which has already expressed its opposition to military confrontation. \I(USA, Australia, Canada, \JIraq\j, \JGermany\j, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Imelda Marcos, widow of the late Philippine dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, announces that she will run for the presidency in the May 11 national election. The announcement comes one week after the Supreme Court upheld a 1993 corruption conviction sentencing the former first lady to up to 12 years in prison. Mrs. Marcos can appeal the ruling one more time. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Russia's Olga Danilova claims the first gold medal of the Nagano Winter Olympics when she wins the women's 15km crosscountry \Jskiing\j event. In other events, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 5,000m speed skating, and Canada's Ross Rebagliati captures the first ever Olympic snowboarding gold medal when he wins the men's giant slalom. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, The Netherlands, Canada)\i
Greg Norman wins his own trophy after surging to a two-stroke overall lead in the final round of the Greg Norman International Tournament at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, seeking backup for a military strike against \JIraq\j should President Saddam Hussein continue to defy United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning weapons inspections. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, leaves \JGermany\j to face the tougher task of winning support for military action from the Gulf states. Mr. Cohen confirms that \JKuwait\j and \JBahrain\j are willing to allow the US to launch air strikes from their soil, but says he will not request permission to launch strikes against \JIraq\j from Saudi \JArabia\j, which has already expressed its opposition to military confrontation. \I(USA, Australia, Canada, \JIraq\j, \JGermany\j, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Israel charges the Palestinian Authority with whipping up riots in support of \JIraq\j after 15 people are injured during a pro-Iraqi demonstration by around 1,000 Palestinians in \JBethlehem\j. The PLO previously voiced criticism of the "double standard" being applied by the United States, whereby Iraq is punished for defying United Nations resolutions, while no action is taken against Israel, which, the PLO maintains, has been flouting UN resolutions concerning the occupied territories for 30 years. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, says the threatened US military attack on Iraq puts the Arab world in a very difficult situation. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JIraq\j, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, reiterates that he is strongly opposed to the use of military force against \JIraq\j, and denounces United States attempts to impose a "unipolar model on the world" as both unrealistic and dangerous. Mr. Yeltsin adds that history always shows such attempts at world hegemony to be short-lived. Last week, Mr. Yeltsin also warned that heavy-handed US action against \JIraq\j could trigger a third world war. \I(Russia, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
According to the results of the latest poll, US President Bill Clinton's approval rating has soared to 79 per cent, despite allegations that he had a sexual affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and subsequently urged her to lie under oath about it. Sixty-five per cent of Americans polled said the president should not be impeached even if the allegations prove to be true, while only 29 per cent said he should leave office. \I(USA)\i
Storms that have recently lashed northern \JCalifornia\j wreak havoc in Tijuana, Mexico, causing flash floods that claim the lives of at least 14 people and force thousands of others from their homes. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Russia's Olga Danilova claims the first gold medal of the Nagano Winter Olympics when she wins the women's 15km crosscountry \Jskiing\j event. In other events, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 5,000m speed skating, and Canada's Ross Rebagliati captures the first ever Olympic snowboarding gold medal when he wins the men's giant slalom. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, The Netherlands, Canada)\i
American golfer Scott Simpson wins the first hole of a playoff to take out the Buick International at \JSan Diego\j, \JCalifornia\j. In senior's golf, American Gil Morgan rallies in the final five holes to score a two-stroke victory in the LG Championship in Naples, \JFlorida\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, seeking backup for a military strike against \JIraq\j should President Saddam Hussein continue to defy United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning weapons inspections. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, leaves \JGermany\j to face the tougher task of winning support for military action from the Gulf states. Mr. Cohen confirms that \JKuwait\j and \JBahrain\j are willing to allow the US to launch air strikes from their soil, but says he will not request permission to launch strikes against \JIraq\j from Saudi \JArabia\j, which has already expressed its opposition to military confrontation. \I(USA, Australia, Canada, \JIraq\j, \JGermany\j, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Israel charges the Palestinian Authority with whipping up riots in support of \JIraq\j after 15 people are injured during a pro-Iraqi demonstration by around 1,000 Palestinians in \JBethlehem\j. The PLO previously voiced criticism of the "double standard" being applied by the United States, whereby Iraq is punished for defying United Nations resolutions, while no action is taken against Israel, which, the PLO maintains, has been flouting UN resolutions concerning the occupied territories for 30 years. Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, says the threatened US military attack against Iraq puts the Arab world in a very difficult situation. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JIraq\j, USA, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, reiterates that he is strongly opposed to the use of military force against \JIraq\j, and denounces United States attempts to impose a "unipolar model on the world" as both unrealistic and dangerous. Mr. Yeltsin adds that history always shows such attempts at world hegemony to be short-lived. Last week, Mr. Yeltsin also warned that heavy-handed US action against \JIraq\j could trigger a third world war. \I(Russia, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, joins President Jacques Chirac in \JCorsica\j to pay national homage to Claude Erignac, the island's Paris-appointed Prefect, who was shot dead on a street in Ajaccio on Friday night. Three suspects are now reported to be in police custody, and the murder weapon has been recovered. \I(\JFrance\j, \JCorsica\j)\i
In the east German town of \JMagdeburg\j, police arrest 154 people after 30 officers were injured while trying to control violence at a mass rally of young leftists. The rally was called to mark the first anniversary of the death of a 17-year-old leftist who was killed after straying into a neo-Nazi neighborhood. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Helicopters, \Jhovercraft\j, and an armada of boats rescue more than 640 Russian ice fishermen after a Baltic ice floe breaks loose from shore and drifts 3 kilometers out to sea. Although many die in similar circumstances each year, fishing through holes hacked or drilled through ice is extremely popular with millions of Russians. \I(Russia)\i
Russia's Olga Danilova claims the first gold medal of the Nagano Winter Olympics when she wins the women's 15km crosscountry \Jskiing\j event. In other events, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 5,000m speed skating, and Canada's Ross Rebagliati captures the first ever Olympic snowboarding gold medal when he wins the men's giant slalom. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, The Netherlands, Canada)\i
Enoch Powell, one of the most influential but controversial British politicians of his generation, dies aged 85 in London after a long illness. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 9, 1998",768,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States gains ground in its efforts to rally material support for possible military action against \JIraq\j, with Canada promising to dispatch a \Jfrigate\j, two transport \Jaircraft\j, and several hundred troops, and \JAustralia\j pledging 110 Special Air Service soldiers, two air-to-air refueling \Jaircraft\j, and a team of specialists, including intelligence officers and medical personnel. Analysts expect the massive military build-up in the Gulf region to be complete within 10 days, and anticipate that the US will take action shortly after unless Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, backs down from his obstructionist stand on United Nations weapons inspections. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
Undaunted after the weekend's show of strength by \JIndonesia\j's armed forces, hundreds of demonstrators march through the main business district of the capital, Jakarta, protesting against rising prices and unemployment. In parts of the country's outer islands, riots rage for a second \Jday\j, with mobs destroying scores of shops owned by ethnic Chinese, who are being blamed for price increases and shortages as \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis deepens. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A proposal to trade regional goods in regional currencies gathers support in Southeast Asian nations such as \JThailand\j, the \JPhilippines\j, and \JSingapore\j. The main idea behind the plan, put forward by Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, is to reduce the region's reliance on the US dollar, and help create demand for local currencies, many of which have plunged to record lows in the last six months. \I(\JThailand\j, The \JPhilippines\j, \JSingapore\j, Malaysia, Southeast Asia)\i
Prosecutors arrest a former executive of the Industrial Bank of \JJapan\j as the country's central bank prepares to answer allegations that its inspectors accepted bribes from banks they supervised. The moves are the latest in a corruption scandal which has resulted in the arrests of two senior Finance Ministry officials, and forced the resignations of the Finance Minister and Vice Minister. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
The Prince of Wales becomes the first member of the British royal family to visit \JBhutan\j, a tiny Himalayan kingdom bordered by India, China, and \JTibet\j, and now beginning to open up to the outside world after centuries of self-imposed isolation. The kingdom is ruled by British-educated King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who has four wives living in separate homes. \I(UK, \JBhutan\j, India, China, \JTibet\j)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JBulgaria\j's Ekaterina Dafovska wins the women's 15km \Jbiathlon\j, \JFinland\j's Mika Myllyllae wins the men's 30km crosscountry \Jskiing\j, and \JGermany\j's Goerg Hackl wins the men's singles luge. \I(\JJapan\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JFinland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States gains ground in its efforts to rally material support for possible military action against \JIraq\j, with Canada promising to dispatch a \Jfrigate\j, two transport \Jaircraft\j, and several hundred troops, and \JAustralia\j pledging 110 Special Air Service soldiers, two air-to-air refueling \Jaircraft\j, and a team of specialists, including intelligence officers and medical personnel. Analysts expect the massive military build-up in the Gulf region to be complete within 10 days, and anticipate that the US will take action shortly after unless Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, backs down from his obstructionist stand on United Nations weapons inspections. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
The United States orders another 3,000 ground troops to \JKuwait\j to bolster the force of 1,500 US soldiers already stationed there. The Pentagon insists that it is merely a defensive measure to protect \JKuwait\j from a possible attack across the border, and that the troops will not take part in any ground action against \JIraq\j. \JKuwait\j is now strategically crucial to the US because of Saudi \JArabia\j's refusal to allow its airbases to be used to launch strikes against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Turkey deploys thousands of troops across its border with \JIraq\j, a move aimed at establishing a buffer zone in the event of military conflict between Washington and \JBaghdad\j over United Nations weapons inspections. After the 1991 Gulf War, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi \JKurds\j fled to Turkey, and \JAnkara\j is determined to prevent a similar influx of refugees should the threatened conflict eventuate. \I(Turkey, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, subpoenas former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, to appear before the grand jury investigating allegations that Ms. Lewinsky had a sexual relationship with US President Bill Clinton, and was pressured to deny it in a written affidavit submitted in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. Counsel for Ms. Lewinsky, Alan Ginsburg, says he will attempt to quash the subpoena. Mr. Ginsburg has been seeking immunity from prosecution for his client in exchange for her testimony. \I(USA)\i
Demographers say the birth rate in the United States has fallen to an historic low of 14.6 births per 1,000 people, equaling a record set in the mid-1970s. Demographers also point to growing US diversity, with 34 of every 100 new residents arriving as legal immigrants. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States gains ground in its efforts to rally material support for possible military action against \JIraq\j, with Canada promising to dispatch a \Jfrigate\j, two transport \Jaircraft\j, and several hundred troops, and \JAustralia\j pledging 110 Special Air Service soldiers, two air-to-air refueling \Jaircraft\j, and a team of specialists, including intelligence officers and medical personnel. Analysts expect the massive military build-up in the Gulf region to be complete within 10 days, and anticipate that the US will take action shortly after unless Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, backs down from his obstructionist stand on United Nations weapons inspections. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Canada, \JAustralia\j)\i
The Arab League, which has been working with \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j to find a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi arms inspection standoff, reveals details of a new plan to be put to the United Nations Security Council, under which Iraq would allow weapons experts access to nearly 70 sites for up to two months. The Arab League believes that the use of force to end the standoff would be a catastrophe not only for Iraq, but for the entire region. \I(\JMiddle East\j, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, Iraq)\i
The United States orders another 3,000 ground troops to \JKuwait\j to bolster the force of 1,500 US soldiers already stationed there. The Pentagon insists that it is merely a defensive measure to protect \JKuwait\j from a possible attack across the border, and that the troops will not take part in any ground action against \JIraq\j. \JKuwait\j is now strategically crucial to the US because of Saudi \JArabia\j's refusal to allow its airbases to be used to launch strikes against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Turkey deploys thousands of troops across its border with \JIraq\j, a move aimed at establishing a buffer zone in the event of military conflict between Washington and \JBaghdad\j over United Nations weapons inspections. After the 1991 Gulf War, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi \JKurds\j fled to Turkey, and \JAnkara\j is determined to prevent a similar influx of refugees should the threatened conflict eventuate. \I(Turkey, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Corsican nationalists claim responsibility for Friday's killing of Claude Erignac, the island's Paris-appointed Prefect, who was shot four times in the back of the head as he walked along a road in Ajaccio. It is separatist-troubled Corsica's worst act of political violence in more than two decades, and security has now been heightened at ports and airports, with elite sharpshooters guarding government buildings. \I(Corsica, \JFrance\j)\i
Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze, survives an assassination attempt in which attackers armed with grenades and automatic weapons ambush his motorcade in the center of the capital, Tbilisi. All seven cars are hit, a bodyguard and an attacker are killed, and two other guards are wounded. Mr. Shevardnadze also survived an assassination attempt in 1995, after which the German Foreign Minister gave him the armored Mercedes-Benz which helped to save his life this time. \I(Georgia, \JGermany\j)\i
Military authorities report that Hutu rebels armed with farming tools have hacked to death 58 people in the Gisenyi region in northwestern \JRwanda\j. It is the second attack in a week, with 33 people slaughtered days earlier in neighboring Ruhengeri region by Hutu assailants wielding machetes and hoes. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
A group of 155 economists releases a manifesto warning that the new European single currency system will damage the German economy and increase unemployment, already at a record postwar level. The group is also strongly backing a challenge to the legality of \JGermany\j's participation in the single currency, but despite calls for a postponement of the euro, Chancellor Helmut Kohl is adamant that it will come on time. The single currency system is due to begin from January 1 next year, when member states will hand over a large part of the management of their economies to a new European Central Bank, with national currencies to be phased out and replaced by new euro notes and coins two years later. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe)\i
The Prince of Wales becomes the first member of the British royal family to visit \JBhutan\j, a tiny Himalayan kingdom bordered by India, China, and \JTibet\j, and now beginning to open up to the outside world after centuries of self-imposed isolation. The kingdom is ruled by British-educated King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who has four wives living in separate homes. \I(UK, \JBhutan\j, India, China, \JTibet\j)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JBulgaria\j's Ekaterina Dafovska wins the women's 15km \Jbiathlon\j, \JFinland\j's Mika Myllyllae wins the men's 30km crosscountry \Jskiing\j, and \JGermany\j's Goerg Hackl wins the men's singles luge. \I(\JJapan\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JFinland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"February 10, 1998",769,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses gratitude for the pledges of assistance from Canada and \JAustralia\j in the event of a military strike against \JIraq\j. The pledges bolster Mr. Clinton's efforts to demonstrate to the international community that the US and Britain are not isolated in their determination to use force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations weapons inspectors unconditional access to all sites. \I(USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Another aftershock hits \Jearthquake\j-ravaged northeastern \JAfghanistan\j, destroying more villages and killing at least another 11 people. Fog, snow, and continued fighting between the Taliban militia and the opposition alliance are severely hampering the efforts of relief agencies to reach the remote mountainous region, where up to 4,000 people are feared to have died in last Wednesday's major quake. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Tribal Shanti Bahini guerrillas, who have been fighting for autonomy in \JBangladesh\j's \JChittagong\j Hill Tracts, formally surrender to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a colorful ceremony attended by some 25,000 spectators, putting an end to a 25-year insurgency that has claimed more than 8,500 lives. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
As it wrestles with the country's most acute economic crisis in decades, the Indonesian Government says it is actively considering implementing a currency board, which would fix the rupiah's value to the US dollar and enable more accurate financial planning. The dramatic fall of the rupiah last month has led to soaring prices and the prospect of massive unemployment, resulting in widespread social unrest. The latest trouble spot is Ende on the eastern island of Flores, where night curfews have now been imposed after mobs looted and destroyed around 90 stores. \I(Indonesia)\i
Despite the threat of strikes, South Korea's President-elect, Kim Dae Jung, rejects demands from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions to re-negotiate the tripartite agreement on restructuring the labor market, a crucial element of the country's reforms under the International Monetary Fund's $US57 billion rescue package. The agreement reached last week between business, union, and government representatives is intended to make it easier for employers to dismiss workers and move to more flexible employment arrangements, and will pass into law later this month. \I(South Korea)\i
Wang Bingzhang, a previously exiled Chinese dissident, is deported from China to the United States. Mr. Wang was arrested after slipping back into China under an alias in an effort to boost political opposition to the \JBeijing\j Government. \I(China, USA)\i
Host \JJapan\j claims its first gold medal at the Nagano Winter Olympics when Hiroyasu Shimizu wins the men's 500m speed skating. In other events, \JRussia\j's Larissa Lazutina wins the women's 5km classical style crosscountry \Jskiing\j, and \JFrance\j's Karine Ruby wins the women's snowboarding giant slalom. \I(\JJapan\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses gratitude for the pledges of assistance from Canada and \JAustralia\j in the event of a military strike against \JIraq\j. The pledges bolster Mr. Clinton's efforts to demonstrate to the international community that the US and Britain are not isolated in their determination to use force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations weapons inspectors unconditional access to all sites. \I(USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Rifts appear in the European Union as it declines to adopt a joint policy on the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. Britain's willingness to join the United States military task force is being criticized as an abandonment of the EU presidency, and while \JGermany\j's promise to make its airfields available in the event of an attack is welcomed by Britain, it is strongly condemned by the German media and by \JFrance\j, which is staunchly opposed to any military confrontation. \JItaly\j has indicated that it will not allow Gulf operations from bases on its territory, but the 11 remaining EU members are maintaining a tight silence. The German media, meanwhile, declares Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, the winner of the first round in the weapons inspection dispute, suggesting that "the Gulf allies are wrestling more with each other than with him". \I(Iraq, UK, USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Ministers from \JNATO\j applicants \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic call on the United States Senate to approve the expansion and not postpone a vote unnecessarily, saying a delay could send the wrong signal to other nations wanting to join the alliance. The call comes in the wake of a proposal to link admission to \JNATO\j with admission to the European Union as a way of emphasizing the connection between security and economics. \I(\JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, USA)\i
Wang Bingzhang, a previously exiled Chinese dissident, is deported from China to the United States. Mr. Wang was arrested after slipping back into China under an alias in an effort to boost political opposition to the \JBeijing\j Government. \I(China, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses gratitude for the pledges of assistance from Canada and \JAustralia\j in the event of a military strike against \JIraq\j. The pledges bolster Mr. Clinton's efforts to demonstrate to the international community that the US and Britain are not isolated in their determination to use force should Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, fail to back down and allow United Nations weapons inspectors unconditional access to all sites. \I(USA, Canada, \JAustralia\j, UK)\i
Rifts appear in the European Union as it declines to adopt a joint policy on the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. Britain's willingness to join the United States military task force is being criticized as an abandonment of the EU presidency, and while \JGermany\j's promise to make its airfields available in the event of an attack is welcomed by Britain, it is strongly condemned by the German media and by \JFrance\j, which is staunchly opposed to any military confrontation. \JItaly\j has indicated that it will not allow Gulf operations from bases on its territory, but the 11 remaining EU members are maintaining a tight silence. The German media, meanwhile, declares Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, the winner of the first round in the weapons inspection dispute, suggesting that "the Gulf allies are wrestling more with each other than with him". \I(Iraq, UK, USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j)\i
The Iraqi National Congress, a London-based umbrella grouping of 19 opposition factions, insists that a military strike against Iraq will only leave President Saddam Hussein stronger and more vengeful, and that the West should be implementing policies that will lead to his overthrow. The president of the group's executive council, Ahmed Chalibi, thereby calls on the West to focus the opposition to Saddam by declaring him a war criminal and withdrawing recognition of his Government. \I(Iraq, UK)\i
Northern Ireland's pro-British Unionist leaders move to have Sinn Fein expelled from the multi-party peace talks after suspected Irish Republican Army (IRA) gunmen kill two Protestants in \JBelfast\j within 12 hours. Last month, the loyalist Ulster Democratic Party was ejected from the talks when its paramilitary wing admitted killing three Catholics. However, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, has denied any party link to the latest killings. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Thousands of civilians flee to the center of Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, as the outskirts of the city continue to be bombarded by Nigerian-led West African forces, fighting to dislodge the military junta which ousted Sierra Leone's elected government last May. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
Four customs officers are shot dead in two separate incidents on \JGermany\j's borders with \JPoland\j and \JSwitzerland\j. Despite Europe's move toward open borders, \JGermany\j has tightened controls along its frontiers in recent months due to an influx of illegal immigrants, primarily \JKurds\j and Turks from the south. \I(\JGermany\j, \JPoland\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Turkey)\i
Ministers from \JNATO\j applicants \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic call on the United States Senate to approve the expansion and not postpone a vote unnecessarily, saying a delay could send the wrong signal to other nations wanting to join the alliance. The call comes in the wake of a proposal to link admission to \JNATO\j with admission to the European Union as a way of emphasizing the connection between security and economics. \I(\JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, USA)\i
Despite strained relations between the Vatican and the \JRussian Orthodox Church\j, President Boris Yeltsin holds cordial talks with Pope John Paul II while on an official visit to \JItaly\j. Earlier, Mr. Yeltsin and Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, signed a number of bilateral deals in areas from the economy to culture. \I(Russia, \JItaly\j)\i
Host \JJapan\j claims its first gold medal at the Nagano Winter Olympics when Hiroyasu Shimizu wins the men's 500m speed skating. In other events, \JRussia\j's Larissa Lazutina wins the women's 5km classical style crosscountry \Jskiing\j, and \JFrance\j's Karine Ruby wins the women's snowboarding giant slalom. \I(\JJapan\j, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"February 11, 1998",770,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian rupiah jumps 32 per cent to around 7,400 to the US dollar following news that the government is considering regulations to fix the rupiah at a more favorable rate of 5,000 to the dollar. The news does little to quell growing social unrest, however, with riot police arresting more than 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Jakarta office of the Attorney-General to vent their anger over job losses and rising prices. In a separate rally, around 100 people march to the Parliament building to express their opposition to President Soeharto, who is expected to win a seventh five-year term when a special assembly votes next month, and who is now blaming foreign plotters for Indonesia's economic crisis. \I(Indonesia)\i
Tokyo bankers propose the creation of an internationally financed exchange-stabilization fund to funnel as much as $US15 billion to Indonesian companies to keep them from defaulting on loan payments. The proposal comes amid calls for \JJapan\j, the world's second-largest economy, to play a more active role in addressing Asia's financial predicament. \I(\JJapan\j, Indonesia, Asia)\i
Hundreds of riot police are deployed in central Seoul to prevent leaders of the 600,000-strong Korean Confederation of Trade Unions from gathering outside Myongdong Cathedral to shave their heads in a ritual protest against new laws facilitating mass retrenchments. The unions have reneged on a tripartite accord reach last week with representatives from business and government, and are now warning of an all-out strike unless their demands for a re-negotiation of the agreement are met. \I(South Korea)\i
One week after an \Jearthquake\j of 6.1 \Jmagnitude\j devastated the northeastern \JAfghanistan\j province of Takher, killing an estimated 4,000 people, the first \Jhelicopter\j carrying aid for the victims manages to land in the valley town of Rustaq. Heavy mists and fresh snowfalls continue to frustrate the efforts of humanitarian organizations to reach the stricken villages, many of which lie on steep mountain slopes, and rescue workers fear that thousands of survivors left with little shelter or food may now die from exposure or starvation. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The latest polls conducted throughout India show that Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Party's star campaigner, has significantly reduced the pre-election lead of the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The swing thwarts the BJP's hopes of winning a clear majority and indicates that India is heading for another hung parliament. The previous elections in mid-1996 also led to a hung parliament. \I(India)\i
An 80-gram chunk of \Jplutonium\j, left in Vietnam by a botched United States wartime retrieval mission, is recovered by a group of nuclear watchdogs and placed under international safeguard. The \Jplutonium\j was originally used in a US-built nuclear reactor in the southern Vietnamese city of Dalat. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Papua New Guinean police reveal that five women accused of being witches have been strangled and hacked to death by villagers in the Eastern Highlands. The women were charged with practicing sanguma, or sorcery, after a number of people and pigs died mysteriously. The police confirm that sanguma is still widely practiced throughout the Papua New Guinea Highlands. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics, \JNorway\j's Halvard Hanevold wins the men's 20km \Jbiathlon\j; America's Jonny Moseley wins the men's moguls freestyle \Jskiing\j while \JJapan\j's Tae Satoya wins the women's event; \JGermany\j's Silke Kraushaar wins the women's luge singles; American Picabo Street wins the women's super giant slalom; \JFinland\j's Jani Soininen wins the men's K90 ski jump; \JGermany\j's Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann wins the women's 3,000m speed skating; and \JRussia\j's Oskan Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev win the after free program pairs figure skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, USA, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Canadian snowboarder, Ross Rebagliati, the first winner of the new Winter Olympic event in Nagano, is stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for marijuana. An official from \JJapan\j's drug squad says investigators now wish to interview the Canadian athlete. \I(Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, flies to Moscow for talks on the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, stressing, however, that the United States will not be dissuaded or delayed by \JRussia\j's opposition to the use of force against Iraq. Britain and the US have dismissed as a "gimmick" Iraq's latest offer to open certain disputed sites for 60 days, insisting that \JBaghdad\j can set no new conditions for inspections imposed at the end of the 1991 Gulf War. Meanwhile, preparations for a military strike against Iraq are gaining momentum, with the US Gulf commander, Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, saying everything will be in place in about a week. The vast US-led military attack being prepared is named Operation Desert Thunder, a clear allusion to the Operation Desert Storm of the 1991 Gulf War. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iraq)\i
An 80-gram chunk of \Jplutonium\j, left in Vietnam by a botched United States wartime retrieval mission, is recovered by a group of nuclear watchdogs and placed under international safeguard. The \Jplutonium\j was originally used in a US-built nuclear reactor in the southern Vietnamese city of Dalat. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Six political prisoners, who have been on a protest fast for more than four months, are released from jail by the Cuban Government on condition that they leave the country. The State Department in Washington acknowledges \JHavana\j's gesture as "woefully inadequate". \I(Cuba, USA)\i
In Washington, the grand jury probing sex and \Jperjury\j allegations against US President Bill Clinton questions Marcia Lewis, mother of Monica Lewinsky, the former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of the scandal. It is the second straight \Jday\j that Mrs. Lewis has been forced to give evidence against her will about her daughter's ties with Mr. Clinton. \I(USA)\i
More than 200 inmates armed with AK-47 rifles escape from a jail in the northern Honduran port city of La Ceibain. The mass escape follows a riot in which guards were overwhelmed and several people were injured. \I(\JHonduras\j)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics, \JNorway\j's Halvard Hanevold wins the men's 20km \Jbiathlon\j; America's Jonny Moseley wins the men's moguls freestyle \Jskiing\j while \JJapan\j's Tae Satoya wins the women's event; \JGermany\j's Silke Kraushaar wins the women's luge singles; American Picabo Street wins the women's super giant slalom; \JFinland\j's Jani Soininen wins the men's K90 ski jump; \JGermany\j's Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann wins the women's 3,000m speed skating; and \JRussia\j's Oskan Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev win the after free program pairs figure skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, USA, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Canadian snowboarder, Ross Rebagliati, the first winner of the new Winter Olympic event in Nagano, is stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for marijuana. An official from \JJapan\j's drug squad says investigators now wish to interview the Canadian athlete. \I(Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, flies to Moscow for talks on the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, stressing, however, that the United States will not be dissuaded or delayed by \JRussia\j's opposition to the use of force against Iraq. Britain and the US have dismissed as a "gimmick" Iraq's latest offer to open certain disputed sites for 60 days, insisting that \JBaghdad\j can set no new conditions for inspections imposed at the end of the 1991 Gulf War. Meanwhile, preparations for a military strike against Iraq are gaining momentum, with the US Gulf commander, Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, saying everything will be in place in about a week. The vast US-led military attack being prepared is named Operation Desert Thunder, a clear allusion to the Operation Desert Storm of the 1991 Gulf War. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iraq)\i
The Governments of Britain and Ireland confirm that Sinn Fein faces expulsion from multi-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland should police establish a link between this week's murders of two \JBelfast\j men and the Sinn Fein-allied Irish Republic Army (IRA). While there are fears that the party's expulsion could provoke the IRA to abandon its truce and return to full-scale violence, it would not necessarily spell the end of the peace talks. Sinn Fein's vote is not required under the "sufficient consensus" rule, since the Social Democratic and Labour Party would still speak for most nationalists. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Tens of thousands of Corsicans march through the island's two main cities protesting against last week's assassination of Paris-appointed Prefect, Claude Erignac, and calling for an end to separatist violence. The march follows opinion polls indicating that 92 per cent of islanders oppose independence, with only 6 per cent in favor of cutting Corsica's ties with Paris. \I(Corsica, \JFrance\j)\i
Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze, who narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Monday, accuses opponents at home and abroad of trying to create unrest in the former Soviet republic. Police, meanwhile, recover automatic weapons and camouflage gear they believe may have been used by the assailants, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, pledges help to track down those responsible for the attack. \I(Georgia, Russia)\i
At least 50 refugees fleeing fighting in Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, drown when an overloaded boat capsizes off the West African coast while heading for Guinea. According to the United Nations refugee agency, up to 1,400 refugees have already arrived in the Guinean capital, Conakry. Meanwhile, Nigerian-led intervention forces, fighting to reinstate Sierra Leone's President, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, are reported to be only about three kilometers from the center of \JFreetown\j. President Kabbah was toppled last May in an army coup led by Lieutenant-Colonel Johnny Paul Koroma. \I(Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
Rejecting this week's calls from German economists to delay monetary union, the European Commission says none of the group's arguments are new, and that any postponement of the planned euro launch on January 1, 1999 would undermine the credibility of European Governments and the European Union as a whole. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics, \JNorway\j's Halvard Hanevold wins the men's 20km \Jbiathlon\j; America's Jonny Moseley wins the men's moguls freestyle \Jskiing\j while \JJapan\j's Tae Satoya wins the women's event; \JGermany\j's Silke Kraushaar wins the women's luge singles; American Picabo Street wins the women's super giant slalom; \JFinland\j's Jani Soininen wins the men's K90 ski jump; \JGermany\j's Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann wins the women's 3,000m speed skating; and \JRussia\j's Oskan Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev win the after free program pairs figure skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, USA, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j, \JRussia\j)\i
#
"February 12, 1998",771,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto orders the armed forces to crack down on \Jdissenters\j he accuses of trying to trigger national disintegration ahead of next month's presidential election. The order comes as a major military reshuffle brings loyalist officers into key command positions, and the latest in a widespread series of riots breaks out in a West Java town, where a mob burns 13 Chinese-owned stores and damages at least 30 others. Police arrest 16 people, while in Jakarta, around 140 people remain in custody after being arrested yesterday during a protest against job losses and rising prices. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesia's proposal to establish a currency board to peg the rupiah to the US dollar provokes quiet opposition from the United States. US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, warns that Indonesia should focus on regaining credibility in the financial markets before trying to set a fixed exchange rate. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Separatist rebels in the eastern Indian state of Tripura shoot dead 12 people, burn down homes, and leave a number of other people injured. The violence comes ahead of national elections, which begin next week and carry though into March to allow polling officials time to reach the country's 600 million voters. \I(India)\i
The first food convoy arrives in Rustaq, in the \Jearthquake\j-devastated area of northern \JAfghanistan\j, after traveling for five days on mountainous roads from northeastern Badakhshan province. Meanwhile, thousands of desperate survivors begin to pour into Rustaq from their destroyed mountain villages, but those too old or weak to make the journey have been left behind, mostly without help or supplies. Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by snowstorms, \Jfog\j, and the treacherous terrain, with relief workers reaching only 8 of the 30 stricken villages so far. At least 4,000 people are estimated to have died in last week's major quake, and there are fears that the toll will rise considerably unless the bad \Jweather\j eases. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Australia approves a visa for controversial United States Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, who is planning a two-\Jday\j visit to Sydney and \JAlice Springs\j. However, the granting of a visa is accompanied by a warning that Mr. Farrakhan will be deported if he violates Australia's anti-\Jracism\j laws. \I(Australia, USA)\i
New Zealand police launch an investigation after fears are raised that a 63-year-old woman was still alive while being embalmed. The woman was pronounced dead at Hutt Hospital last week, but bled excessively during the embalming process at a funeral parlor, suggesting that her heart may still have been pumping. \I(New Zealand)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JNorway\j's Aadne Sondral wins the men's 1500m speed skating and Bjorn Daehlie wins the men's Nordic 10km crosscountry \Jskiing\j; \JRussia\j's Larissa Lazutina wins the women's Nordic 10km pursuit free style; while in half pipe snowboarding, \JSwitzerland\j's Gian Simmen wins the men's events and \JGermany\j's Nicola Thost wins the women's event. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, \JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a joint news briefing with United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, \JRussia\j's Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, warns of the danger of Washington's "rigid and uncompromising stance" on the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, and expresses deep concerns over prospects for military co-operation between \JRussia\j and the US should Washington carry out its threatened military strike against Iraq. Mr. Cohen minimizes the significance of the warning, saying the remarks were expected, and that while \JRussia\j and the US continue to disagree on the method, the goal of achieving Iraqi compliance with United Nations resolutions is shared. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iraq)\i
Jordan's Prime Minister, Abdul Salam al-Majali, meets with the country's Islamist-led opposition in a bid to halt a planned demonstration in support of \JIraq\j. Earlier in the week, the government banned all pro-Iraqi meetings in a move to avert the threat of internal instability. Jordanian Government officials are also concerned about a possible wave of refugees in the event of United States military action against Iraq, and have dispatched troops to the border to prevent an influx. During the 1991 Gulf War, more than 1.5 million Iraqis fled across the border to Jordan. \I(Jordan, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Indonesia's proposal to establish a currency board to peg the rupiah to the US dollar provokes quiet opposition from the United States. US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, warns that Indonesia should focus on regaining credibility in the financial markets before trying to set a fixed exchange rate. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Australia approves a visa for controversial United States Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, who is planning a two-\Jday\j visit to Sydney and \JAlice Springs\j. However, the granting of a visa is accompanied by a warning that Mr. Farrakhan will be deported if he violates Australia's anti-\Jracism\j laws. \I(Australia, USA)\i
The Vatican announces that the Cuban Government has agreed to release several dozen prisoners whose names were included on a list presented to authorities during Pope John Paul II's January visit to the Communist island. As yet, however, there is no indication of when the prisoners will be released, or whether prominent \Jdissidents\j will be among those set free. \I(\JItaly\j, Cuba)\i
The Bolivian gold mining town of Mokotoro is swamped by a massive mudslide triggered by heavy El Ni±o rains. Civil Defense officials estimate that at least 60 people are dead, with many of the town's 300 surviving residents left homeless. \I(Bolivia)\i
An \JIowa\j jury awards $US80.7 million to a former United Parcel Service manager who accused the company of retaliating against her after she complained of sexual harassment. UPS is planning to appeal the verdict. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a joint news briefing with United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, \JRussia\j's Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, warns of the danger of Washington's "rigid and uncompromising stance" on the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, and expresses deep concerns over prospects for military co-operation between \JRussia\j and the US should Washington carry out its threatened military strike against Iraq. Mr. Cohen minimizes the significance of the warning, saying the remarks were expected, and that while \JRussia\j and the US continue to disagree on the method, the goal of achieving Iraqi compliance with United Nations resolutions is shared. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Iraq)\i
Jordan's Prime Minister, Abdul Salam al-Majali, meets with the country's Islamist-led opposition in a bid to halt a planned demonstration in support of \JIraq\j. Earlier in the week, the government banned all pro-Iraqi meetings in a move to avert the threat of internal instability. Jordanian Government officials are also concerned about a possible wave of refugees in the event of United States military action against Iraq, and have dispatched troops to the border to prevent an influx. During the 1991 Gulf War, more than 1.5 million Iraqis fled across the border to Jordan. \I(Jordan, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
A plane carrying Sudanese military and political leaders crashes in the country's south, killing eight people, including First Vice President, Al Zubair Mohammed Saleh. The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army, which is locked in civil conflict with the government, claims to have shot down the plane, but the government says the \Jaircraft\j was forced to crash-land due to bad \Jweather\j. \I(Sudan)\i
Anarchy reigns in Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, as the Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, edges closer to the city's center, and the control of the country's unrecognized military junta begins to break down. ECOMOG has a mandate to reinstate elected President, Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who was overthrown in an army coup on May 25 last year. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
The Vatican announces that the Cuban Government has agreed to release several dozen prisoners whose names were included on a list presented to authorities during Pope John Paul II's January visit to the Communist island. As yet, however, there is no indication of when the prisoners will be released, or whether prominent \Jdissidents\j will be among those set free. \I(\JItaly\j, Cuba)\i
The European Parliament's new Brussels seat is inaugurated in a ceremony attended by \JBelgium\j's King Albert and Queen Paola. While the lavishly appointed eight-acre complex has attracted a welter of negative publicity, its extravagant scale has been defended as necessary to accommodate all 700 MEPs who will join the Parliament when the European Union expands to the East in the next few years. \I(\JBelgium\j, Europe)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JNorway\j's Aadne Sondral wins the men's 1500m speed skating and Bjorn Daehlie wins the men's Nordic 10km crosscountry \Jskiing\j; \JRussia\j's Larissa Lazutina wins the women's Nordic 10km pursuit free style; while in half pipe snowboarding, \JSwitzerland\j's Gian Simmen wins the men's events and \JGermany\j's Nicola Thost wins the women's event. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, \JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"February 13, 1998",772,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones \JNew Zealand\j's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, to rally further support for possible armed confrontation should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff. So far, the US has received assurances of support from Britain, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, and Oman. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, Iraq, UK, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Oman)\i
In the latest bid to avert United States military action against \JIraq\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces a decision to send a UN team to \JBaghdad\j to map eight sites the Iraqis have placed off-limits to inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Annan is also under pressure from \JRussia\j, China, and Arab countries to go to \JBaghdad\j himself and negotiate with the Iraqis, but says he has no plans to do so at this stage. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The Indonesian rupiah plummets to 9,400 to the US dollar after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) joins the United States in voicing opposition to a plan to establish a currency board pegging the rupiah at 5,000 to the dollar. The plan, put forward by Johns Hopkins University economist, Steve Hanke, is strongly backed by President Soeharto, but the IMF is concerned that Indonesia does not have enough money in reserve to guarantee all the rupiah in circulation, as well as honor its recent pledge to guarantee all bank deposits and loans. Meanwhile, social unrest continues to spread in the face of mounting hardship caused by the country's economic problems, with overnight riots breaking out in West Java following a daylong protest by drivers over a 100 per cent increase in the price of tires. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, confirms that a referendum will be held in 1999 to determine whether the country should cut its constitutional ties with the British monarchy and become a republic by January 1, 2001. Mr. Howard's confirmation comes after the majority of delegates to a 10-\Jday\j Constitutional Convention vote in favor of a republic over the existing constitutional monarchy, endorsing a republican model which retains the current system of an elected government led by a prime minister, but replaces the monarchy's representative with an Australian president selected by the prime minister from a short-list of popularly nominated candidates, and ratified by both the opposition leader and a two-thirds majority of Federal Parliament. \I(Australia, UK)\i
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions concedes that an industrial shutdown could jeopardize South Korea's recovery from its crippling debt and foreign exchange crisis, and agrees to cancel a general strike called to protest against new legislation allowing mass retrenchments. The country's financial markets surge on the news, having slumped throughout the week on fears of labor unrest. The unions nevertheless say they will pursue other means to oppose the mass layoffs, which are a crucial element of South Korea's economic reform program under the International Monetary Fund's $US57 billion rescue package. \I(South Korea)\i
The Sri Lankan Government reveals that more than 500 army deserters have responded to an appeal to return and take up arms against the outlawed separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. The appeal was made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to mark the island's 50th year of independence. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
A witness in the two-year-old trial of Japanese doomsday \Jcult\j leader, Shoko Asahara, becomes the first to testify that the guru himself ordered the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on \JTokyo\j's subway, which caused the deaths of 12 people and made another 6,000 people ill. Asahara, 42, whose trial has gone through 66 court hearings since it began in 1996, is also accused of masterminding a 1994 sarin gas attack in Matsumoto, which resulted in the deaths of seven people. \I(Japan)\i
A last-minute appeal to the Swiss supreme court by Marcos family foundations again delays the return to the \JPhilippines\j of hundreds of millions of US dollars belonging to former president, Ferdinand Marcos, and his widow, Imelda Marcos. Once the money is returned, it will be placed in an escrow account while Mrs. Marcos faces trial on charges that her family plundered around $US10 billion from the national treasury during her late husband's 20-year rule. Should Mrs. Marcos be convicted, the money will then be handed over to the Philippine Government. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research says almost 700 Bangladeshis die of acute \Jmalnutrition\j every \Jday\j, most of the victims being children under five years of age. The center estimates that of the 16 million Bangladeshi children under the age of five, some 14 million are malnourished. \I(Bangladesh)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JFrance\j's Jean-Luc Cretier wins the men's downhill, \JNorway\j's Bjarte Vik wins the Nordic combined ski jumping, and \JGermany\j's Stefan Krausse and Jan Behrendt win the men's doubles luge. \I(\JJapan\j, \JFrance\j, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones \JNew Zealand\j's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, to rally further support for possible armed confrontation should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff. So far, the US has received assurances of support from Britain, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, and Oman. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, Iraq, UK, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Oman)\i
In the latest bid to avert United States military action against \JIraq\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces a decision to send a UN team to \JBaghdad\j to map eight sites the Iraqis have placed off-limits to inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Annan is also under pressure from \JRussia\j, China, and Arab countries to go to \JBaghdad\j himself and negotiate with the Iraqis, but says he has no plans to do so at this stage. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The Indonesian rupiah plummets to 9,400 to the US dollar after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) joins the United States in voicing opposition to a plan to establish a currency board pegging the rupiah at 5,000 to the dollar. The plan, put forward by Johns Hopkins University economist, Steve Hanke, is strongly backed by President Soeharto, but the IMF is concerned that Indonesia does not have enough money in reserve to guarantee all the rupiah in circulation, as well as honor its recent pledge to guarantee all bank deposits and loans. Meanwhile, social unrest continues to spread in the face of mounting hardship caused by the country's economic problems, with overnight riots breaking out in West Java following a daylong protest by drivers over a 100 per cent increase in the price of tires. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Canadian Mounties launch a full-scale criminal investigation into events which led to thousands of recipients of blood and blood products being infected with the AIDS virus and hepatitis between 1980 and 1985. Last year, a judicial inquiry faulted various blood agencies and officials, concluding that a significant number of infections could have been prevented. During the period in question, around 2,00 people were infected with the AIDS virus, while another 60,000 contracted hepatitis C. \I(Canada)\i
Fire destroys the four-story passenger terminal of \JRio de Janeiro\j's domestic airport, one of \JBrazil\j's five busiest, stopping all 291 flights for the \Jday\j. The cause of the blaze is unknown, and occurs just one week before Carnival, a four-\Jday\j celebration that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, telephones \JNew Zealand\j's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, to rally further support for possible armed confrontation should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff. So far, the US has received assurances of support from Britain, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, and Oman. \I(USA, \JNew Zealand\j, Iraq, UK, Canada, \JAustralia\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JPortugal\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JKuwait\j, \JBahrain\j, Oman)\i
In the latest bid to avert United States military action against \JIraq\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces a decision to send a UN team to \JBaghdad\j to map eight sites the Iraqis have placed off-limits to inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Annan is also under pressure from \JRussia\j, China, and Arab countries to go to \JBaghdad\j himself and negotiate with the Iraqis, but says he has no plans to do so at this stage. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JRussia\j, China, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The chief prosecutor of \JIran\j renews the death sentence against author Salman Rushdie, who has lived under the protection of the British Government since February 14, 1989, when the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini decreed that Rushdie should be killed for insulting the Prophet Mohammed in his book, \IThe Satanic Verses.\i Khomeini died of cancer four months after issuing his Islamic decree, or fatwa, and despite London's call for negotiation on the issue, Iranian leaders insist it cannot be revoked. \I(\JIran\j, UK)\i
Nigerian-led West African forces consolidate control over more than 80 per cent of Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, where thousands of terrified civilians have been trapped in crossfire all week. Meanwhile, twenty-five senior members of the military junta that seized power in Sierra Leone nine months ago are arrested after landing by \Jhelicopter\j in \JMonrovia\j, the capital of neighboring \JLiberia\j. Coup leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Johnny Paul Koroma, is not among those taken into custody, however. Earlier, a spokesman for Colonel Koroma denied that the fall of \JFreetown\j signaled defeat for the junta, and maintained that the war would continue to be waged in the interior of the country. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, \JLiberia\j, West Africa)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, confirms that a referendum will be held in 1999 to determine whether the country should cut its constitutional ties with the British monarchy and become a republic by January 1, 2001. Mr. Howard's confirmation comes after the majority of delegates to a 10-\Jday\j Constitutional Convention vote in favor of a republic over the existing constitutional monarchy, endorsing a republican model which retains the current system of an elected government led by a prime minister, but replaces the monarchy's representative with an Australian president selected by the prime minister from a short-list of popularly nominated candidates, and ratified by both the opposition leader and a two-thirds majority of Federal Parliament. \I(Australia, UK)\i
A last-minute appeal to the Swiss supreme court by Marcos family foundations again delays the return to the \JPhilippines\j of hundreds of millions of US dollars belonging to former president, Ferdinand Marcos, and his widow, Imelda Marcos. Once the money is returned, it will be placed in an escrow account while Mrs. Marcos faces trial on charges that her family plundered around $US10 billion from the national treasury during her late husband's 20-year rule. Should Mrs. Marcos be convicted, the money will then be handed over to the Philippine Government. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JFrance\j's Jean-Luc Cretier wins the men's downhill, \JNorway\j's Bjarte Vik wins the Nordic combined ski jumping, and \JGermany\j's Stefan Krausse and Jan Behrendt win the men's doubles luge. \I(\JJapan\j, \JFrance\j, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"February 14, 1998",773,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After talks in \JBeijing\j with the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, rejects a renewed US drive to gain backing for a military strike against \JIraq\j, warning that the use of armed force could have serious consequences and will do nothing to resolve the weapons inspection problem. Mr. Qian says China supports the inspection program and desires \JIraq\j's compliance with UN resolutions, but advocates a peaceful settlement of the crisis. \I(USA, China, \JIraq\j)\i
Speaking at a Sydney mosque on the first \Jday\j of his Australian visit, controversial black American Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, slams the United States for its aggression against \JIraq\j, and appeals to the Australian Government to withdraw its pledge of assistance in the looming Gulf conflict. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Indonesian troops shoot dead at least three people and arrest another 154 as riots over rising prices flare throughout much of Indonesia. The worst-hit area is the coastal town of Pamanukan on the heavily populated island of Java, where Chinese-owned shops are looted and dozens of buildings, including shops, places of worship, and medical clinics, are torched or vandalized. \I(Indonesia)\i
At least 52 people die when a series of explosions rock the city of Coimbatore, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The blasts also spark clashes between the city's Hindus and Muslims, and come shortly before the president of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is due to address a rally on the last \Jday\j of campaigning before the first phase of India's national elections. \I(India)\i
Sixteen people are killed instantly and another 30 are injured when an explosion rips apart a bus in Wuhan city in China's Hubei province. Police believe the blast was caused by a time-bomb, but give no indication of who they suspect to be responsible. \I(China)\i
After weeks of deliberation, South Korea's National Assembly passes key legislation for labor and corporate reform ordered by the International Monetary Fund in exchange for a $US57 billion bailout. The aim of the legislation is to end decades of dynastic business practices and help encourage foreign investment. \I(South Korea)\i
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appoints a working group to establish clear rules against the use of marijuana by athletes. The move comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturns the IOC's decision to strip Canadian snowboarder, Ross Rebagliati, of his gold medal. Rebagliati tested positive for the drug following his win in the giant slalom snowboarding event at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j. \I(Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
In a dramatic finish, \JNorway\j's Thomas Alsgaard pulls away to win gold ahead of his countryman, neighbor, and friend, Bjorn Daehlie, in the 15km cross-country pursuit freestyle at \JJapan\j's Nagano Winter Olympics. In other events, \JRussia\j's Ilia Kulik wins the men's figure skating, and Canada's Catriona Lemay-Doan wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, \JRussia\j, Canada)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After talks in \JBeijing\j with the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, rejects a renewed US drive to gain backing for a military strike against \JIraq\j, warning that the use of armed force could have serious consequences and will do nothing to resolve the weapons inspection problem. Mr. Qian says China supports the inspection program and desires \JIraq\j's compliance with UN resolutions, but advocates a peaceful settlement of the crisis. \I(USA, China, \JIraq\j)\i
Jordan's King Hussein calls on \JBaghdad\j to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to proceed with their work and spare the \JMiddle East\j from a conflict which will increase the suffering of the Iraqi people and bring disaster to the region. King Hussein's call follows a pro-Iraqi demonstration in central \JAmman\j, where riot police arrested 60 people before dispersing thousands of protesters demanding a more determined Arab stand against the United States push for military action against Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. \I(Jordan, Iraq, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
Speaking at a Sydney mosque on the first \Jday\j of his Australian visit, controversial black American Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, slams the United States for its aggression against \JIraq\j, and appeals to the Australian Government to withdraw its pledge of assistance in the looming Gulf conflict. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, unveils a new $US17 billion anti-drug plan which aims to cut illicit drug use in half over the next decade. The plan includes a $US195 million national youth anti-drug media campaign, $US50 million for school drug prevention coordinators, and $US163 million for more border patrol agents using the latest technologies to keep illegal drugs from entering the country. \I(USA)\i
American actress, Sharon Stone, famous for her role in the 1992 film \IBasic Instinct\i, marries newspaper executive, Phil Bronstein, in a private Valentine's Day ceremony at her home in Beverly Hills, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appoints a working group to establish clear rules against the use of marijuana by athletes. The move comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturns the IOC's decision to strip Canadian snowboarder, Ross Rebagliati, of his gold medal. Rebagliati tested positive for the drug following his win in the giant slalom snowboarding event at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j. \I(Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
In a dramatic finish, \JNorway\j's Thomas Alsgaard pulls away to win gold ahead of his countryman, neighbor, and friend, Bjorn Daehlie, in the 15km cross-country pursuit freestyle at \JJapan\j's Nagano Winter Olympics. In other events, \JRussia\j's Ilia Kulik wins the men's figure skating, and Canada's Catriona Lemay-Doan wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, \JRussia\j, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After talks in \JBeijing\j with the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, rejects a renewed US drive to gain backing for a military strike against \JIraq\j, warning that the use of armed force could have serious consequences and will do nothing to resolve the weapons inspection problem. Mr. Qian says China supports the inspection program and desires \JIraq\j's compliance with UN resolutions, but advocates a peaceful settlement of the crisis. \I(USA, China, \JIraq\j)\i
Jordan's King Hussein calls on \JBaghdad\j to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to proceed with their work and spare the \JMiddle East\j from a conflict which will increase the suffering of the Iraqi people and bring disaster to the region. King Hussein's call follows a pro-Iraqi demonstration in central \JAmman\j, where riot police arrested 60 people before dispersing thousands of protesters demanding a more determined Arab stand against the United States push for military action against Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. \I(Jordan, Iraq, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
Speaking at a Sydney mosque on the first \Jday\j of his Australian visit, controversial black American Nation of \JIslam\j leader, Louis Farrakhan, slams the United States for its aggression against \JIraq\j, and appeals to the Australian Government to withdraw its pledge of assistance in the looming Gulf conflict. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A further blow is dealt to Sinn Fein's hopes of staying in Northern Ireland's multi-party peace talks when four men from republican areas of west \JBelfast\j are arrested for the murder of a leading Protestant paramilitary. The Sinn Fein-allied Irish Republican Army denies involvement in the recent \JBelfast\j killings, and Sinn Fein is warning of a legal challenge to any expulsion, accusing the Protestant Ulster Unionists of pressuring London and Dublin in an attempt to bring it about. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Fighting subsides in Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, with the Nigerian-led intervention force now in control of the city and moving to curb additional bloodshed by lynch mobs bent on revenge against members of the country's former military junta. Aid workers estimate that hundreds of people have died since the fighting erupted around \JFreetown\j last week, shattering a four-month cease-fire, and sending thousands of desperate civilian refugees fleeing across the \Jwater\j to neighboring Guinea. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Guinea)\i
As many as 100 people are killed when a train hauling oil tanker cars explodes into flames after derailing and colliding with an oncoming train on the outskirts of \JCameroon\j's capital, Yaounde. Officials say many of the victims were bystanders who rushed in with pails to scoop up oil gushing from the ruptured tankers. The accident is one of the worst disasters since the country's oil industry began to develop in the 1970s. \I(\JCameroon\j)\i
Two Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects voluntarily surrender to \JNATO\j-led peacekeeping troops, declaring their innocence and the desire to clear their names. Miroslav Tadic, 60, and Milan Simic, 37, are accused of taking part in a 1992 campaign of terror aimed at driving Muslims and Croats away from their homes in the Bosnian town of Bosanski Samac. \I(Bosnia)\i
Up to 200,000 French hunters stage a huge march through Paris to protest against European Union rules shortening the season for shooting ducks, geese and other migrating birds. This year, the season ended on January 31, a month earlier than usual, and will resume in September rather than July, a ruling aimed at protecting the birds during breeding periods. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
In a dramatic finish, \JNorway\j's Thomas Alsgaard pulls away to win gold ahead of his countryman, neighbor, and friend, Bjorn Daehlie, in the 15km cross-country pursuit freestyle at \JJapan\j's Nagano Winter Olympics. In other events, \JRussia\j's Ilia Kulik wins the men's figure skating, and Canada's Catriona Lemay-Doan wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, \JRussia\j, Canada)\i
#
"February 15, 1998",774,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India is rocked by further violence on the eve of the first phase of national elections. In the northeastern states of Assam and \JManipur\j, four separate incidents claim the lives of 17 people, including seven guerrillas and seven paramilitary soldiers, while in southern Andhra Pradesh state, two people are killed accidentally when making crude bombs. The violence follows yesterday's bombings and riots in the city of Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu state, where at least 52 people died in a chain of explosions. \I(India)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns \JIndonesia\j that the massive IMF bailout loan to the financially-embattled country could be jeopardized if a currency board proposal is adopted. President Soeharto has indicated that he favors a currency board plan that would fix the exchange rate at around 5,000 rupiah to the US dollar, but the IMF, backed by the United States Treasury and economic officials in other major countries, believes that \JIndonesia\j would be unable to credibly sustain any such fixed exchange rate. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Sri Lankan military officials report that at least 10 soldiers were killed and more than 50 others wounded after separatist Tamil Tiger rebels attacked advancing troops in the country's northern Wanni region. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In a rare dead heat in the bobsleigh, the pairs from Canada and \JItaly\j both win gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JRussia\j's Galina Koukleva wins the women's 7.5km sprint \Jbiathlon\j, Ids Postma of the Netherlands wins the men's 1,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j's Kazuyoshi Funaki wins the ski jumping, and in the new Olympic sport of \Jcurling\j, Canada wins the women's final and \JSwitzerland\j wins the men's final. \I(\JJapan\j, Canada, \JItaly\j, \JRussia\j, The Netherlands, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A United Nations team sent to \JIraq\j to map eight disputed presidential sites meets with Iraqi officials in \JBaghdad\j. Iraq says it wants a peaceful end to the crisis over access to the sites, and repeats that it is prepared to open them to UN inspections under certain conditions for a 60-\Jday\j period. In the United States, meanwhile, another six F-117A stealth bombers leave to join the vast military build-up in the Gulf region, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen, appears on \Jtelevision\j interview programs to reiterate Washington's position on the Iraqi weapons inspection stalemate. Mr. Cohen states that the US will mount a military assault against Iraq unless it grants UN inspectors full access to suspected weapons production sites. Mr. Cohen also states that the objectives of US-led military action will be to significantly diminish and delay President Saddam Hussein's capacity to produce chemical and biological weapons, and to reduce his ability to threaten his neighbors. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns \JIndonesia\j that the massive IMF bailout loan to the financially-embattled country could be jeopardized if a currency board proposal is adopted. President Soeharto has indicated that he favors a currency board plan that would fix the exchange rate at around 5,000 rupiah to the US dollar, but the IMF, backed by the United States Treasury and economic officials in other major countries, believes that \JIndonesia\j would be unable to credibly sustain any such fixed exchange rate. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
The Chief Minister of Montserrat, David Brandt, chastises the British Government, saying the residents of the tiny dependency will not accept any further delays or excuses in resolving the housing crisis stemming from last year's volcanic eruptions. Mr. Brandt's statement is issued one \Jday\j after a visit by Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who reaffirms Britain's commitment to develop the island's northern safe zone, and denies that \JWhitehall\j had a secret agenda to depopulate Montserrat. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
Former World No. 1, Andre Agassi, scores a straight-sets victory over reigning World No. 1, Pete Sampras, in the final of the ATP Tour Tournament at San Jose, \JCalifornia\j. It is Agassi's first professional tennis title in 18 months. \I(USA)\i
American golfer, John Huston, breaks a US PGA Tour scoring record when he finishes seven strokes ahead to card a 28-under-par win in the Hawaiian Open. Huston betters by one stroke the 1945 record set by Ben Hogan. \I(USA)\i
In a rare dead heat in the bobsleigh, the pairs from Canada and \JItaly\j both win gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JRussia\j's Galina Koukleva wins the women's 7.5km sprint \Jbiathlon\j, Ids Postma of the Netherlands wins the men's 1,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j's Kazuyoshi Funaki wins the ski jumping, and in the new Olympic sport of \Jcurling\j, Canada wins the women's final and \JSwitzerland\j wins the men's final. \I(\JJapan\j, Canada, \JItaly\j, \JRussia\j, The Netherlands, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A United Nations team sent to \JIraq\j to map eight disputed presidential sites meets with Iraqi officials in \JBaghdad\j. Iraq says it wants a peaceful end to the crisis over access to the sites, and repeats that it is prepared to open them to UN inspections under certain conditions for a 60-\Jday\j period. In the United States, meanwhile, another six F-117A stealth bombers leave to join the vast military build-up in the Gulf region, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen, appears on \Jtelevision\j interview programs to reiterate Washington's position on the Iraqi weapons inspection stalemate. Mr. Cohen states that the US will mount a military assault against Iraq unless it grants UN inspectors full access to suspected weapons production sites. Mr. Cohen also states that the objectives of US-led military action will be to significantly diminish and delay President Saddam Hussein's capacity to produce chemical and biological weapons, and to reduce his ability to threaten his neighbors. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Georgian security forces disclose that they have arrested a number of people suspected of taking part in last week's attempt to assassinate President Eduard Shevardnadze. A spokesman says most of the suspects are local people trained outside Georgia, and include supporters of the country's first post-Soviet president, Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Mr. Gamsakhurdia was toppled in a January 1992 coup, and died at the end of 1993 in mysterious circumstances. \I(Georgia)\i
Greek Cypriots head for the polls to vote in a presidential election run-off between the incumbent conservative, Glafcos Clerides, and George Iakovou, who is backed by the Communist and center-right parties. \I(Cyprus)\i
Romania's mutinous Social Democrats announce that they have established a watchdog body to monitor the ruling coalition's performance and press for reform. Two week ago, five ministers from the Social Democrats staged a Cabinet walkout after an unsuccessful bid to force the resignation of Prime Minister, Victor Ciorbea, who they accused of slowing down the country's economic reform program. \I(Romania)\i
The Chief Minister of Montserrat, David Brandt, chastises the British Government, saying the residents of the tiny dependency will not accept any further delays or excuses in resolving the housing crisis stemming from last year's volcanic eruptions. Mr. Brandt's statement is issued one \Jday\j after a visit by Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who reaffirms Britain's commitment to develop the island's northern safe zone, and denies that \JWhitehall\j had a secret agenda to depopulate Montserrat. \I(Montserrat, UK)\i
South Africa's former president, F.W. de Klerk, 61, reveals that he is to divorce his wife of nearly 39 years. The revelation follows an earlier admission that he had been having a long-standing affair with the wife of a Greek shipping magnate. \I(South Africa, \JGreece\j)\i
Zimbabwean golfer Tony Johnstone cards a two-stroke overall lead to win the Alfred Dunhill PGA at \JJohannesburg\j, South Africa. \I(Zimbabwe, South Africa)\i
In a rare dead heat in the bobsleigh, the pairs from Canada and \JItaly\j both win gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JRussia\j's Galina Koukleva wins the women's 7.5km sprint \Jbiathlon\j, Ids Postma of the Netherlands wins the men's 1,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j's Kazuyoshi Funaki wins the ski jumping, and in the new Olympic sport of \Jcurling\j, Canada wins the women's final and \JSwitzerland\j wins the men's final. \I(\JJapan\j, Canada, \JItaly\j, \JRussia\j, The Netherlands, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"February 16, 1998",775,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, announces that her country stands ready to participate in military action if \JIraq\j fails to comply with United Nations demands for full access to suspected weapons production sites. Mrs. Shipley says New Zealand will send two Orion surveillance \Jaircraft\j and a unit of 20 Special Air Service commandos to join the US-led military force gathered in the Gulf region. In Washington, meanwhile, Defense Secretary, William Cohen, reveals plans to send up to 6,000 more United States troops to \JKuwait\j, a deployment that will bring the number of US ground troops massed there to around 10,000. \I(New Zealand, \JIraq\j, USA, \JKuwait\j)\i
While expressing hopes for a diplomatic solution, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledges Japan's co-operation with the United States over the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. Later, Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, invokes the memory of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the \JTokyo\j subway when calling on Iraq to forego its "stubborn stance" and comply immediately and unconditionally with United Nations resolutions. Despite international concerns, Iraq has repeatedly denied that it possesses any weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical or biological agents. \I(Japan, USA, Iraq)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he is seeking to travel to \JBaghdad\j in an attempt to end the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, but needs further consultation with the five permanent Security Council members to arrive at common proposals to defuse the showdown between \JBaghdad\j and Washington. Mr. Annan's efforts come despite British and United States reluctance to allow Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, any concessions or room to maneuver. However, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, the other three permanent Security Council members, stand opposed to the use of military force and strongly back Mr. Annan's proposed diplomatic visit. \I(Iraq, UK, USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
A China Airlines jet carrying 197 passengers and crew on a flight from Bali crashes in flames while attempting to land after dark at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. The Airbus 300 also hits at least three residential buildings near the airport, injuring several people and killing at least two. Disaster teams work feverishly, but officials say those on board the plane, including \JTaiwan\j's central bank governor and several other senior bank officials, will have had little chance of surviving the impact of the crash. \I(China, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j)\i
Following India's weekend spate of pre-election violence, in which at least 69 people died and about 200 were arrested, security is heightened as polling in the world's largest democracy begins. Police check vehicles entering the capital, New Delhi, and the army stages a show of strength in the northeastern state of Assam, where separatist militants have called for a boycott of the polls, while in the state of \JManipur\j, the army transports voters deterred by threats of disruptions from extremists. In an effort to prevent multiple voting in the nation's general elections, indelible ink is being used to mark the fingers of those casting ballots. \I(India)\i
Indonesia's ruling Golkar Party announces that its vice-presidential candidate in next month's elections will be controversial Technology Minister, Jusuf Habibie, a choice analysts believe will further undermine international business confidence, with rural unrest escalating and the rupiah weakening, having dived 24 per cent in the wake of the International Monetary Fund's opposition to the Soeharto Government's proposal to introduce a currency board. \I(Indonesia)\i
The plunging Indonesian rupiah drags down other Southeast Asian currencies, sending the Malaysian ringgit toppling 5.7 per cent, the Thai baht 3.5 per cent, the \JSingapore\j dollar 2.3 per cent, and the Philippine peso 2 per cent. The region's stock markets are also pulled down, with indexes in Hong Kong, \JSingapore\j, Malaysia, \JThailand\j, and the \JPhilippines\j among those badly affected. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia, \JThailand\j, \JSingapore\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Hong Kong)\i
Following a review in late 1997, the International Monetary Fund warns that Asia's financial crisis significantly clouds the short-term prospects for Hong Kong and exposes it to some vulnerability. The fund says Hong Kong's outlook will also be shaped by developments in mainland China, where growth is expected to slow in 1998. However, Hong Kong's oversight of its financial sector is commended, as is its commitment to maintaining a linked exchange rate system. \I(Hong Kong, China, Asia)\i
Evidence mounts to show that the first Americans migrated from Asia as long as 40,000 years ago, much earlier than originally believed. One of the strongest pieces of evidence is the discovery of a site at Monte Verde in \JChile\j, which is about 16,000 kilometers from the one-time land bridge between Asia and \JAlaska\j, and which contains human artifacts dating back 12,500 years. Archaeologists are arguing that if people had reached \JChile\j then, they must have been in \JNorth America\j much sooner. \I(\JChile\j, The Americas, Asia)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j's Katja Seizinger wins the women's downhill, \JAustria\j's Hermann Maier wins the men's super giant slalom, Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands wins the women's 1,500m speed skating, and the Russian team wins the women's 4x5km Nordic combined cross-country relay. \I(\JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JAustria\j, The Netherlands, Russia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, announces that her country stands ready to participate in military action if \JIraq\j fails to comply with United Nations demands for full access to suspected weapons production sites. Mrs. Shipley says New Zealand will send two Orion surveillance \Jaircraft\j and a unit of 20 Special Air Service commandos to join the US-led military force gathered in the Gulf region. In Washington, meanwhile, Defense Secretary, William Cohen, reveals plans to send up to 6,000 more United States troops to \JKuwait\j, a deployment that will bring the number of US ground troops massed there to around 10,000. \I(New Zealand, \JIraq\j, USA, \JKuwait\j)\i
While expressing hopes for a diplomatic solution, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledges Japan's co-operation with the United States over the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. Later, Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, invokes the memory of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the \JTokyo\j subway when calling on Iraq to forego its "stubborn stance" and comply immediately and unconditionally with United Nations resolutions. Despite international concerns, Iraq has repeatedly denied that it possesses any weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical or biological agents. \I(Japan, USA, Iraq)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he is seeking to travel to \JBaghdad\j in an attempt to end the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, but needs further consultation with the five permanent Security Council members to arrive at common proposals to defuse the showdown between \JBaghdad\j and Washington. Mr. Annan's efforts come despite British and United States reluctance to allow Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, any concessions or room to maneuver. However, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, the other three permanent Security Council members, stand opposed to the use of military force and strongly back Mr. Annan's proposed diplomatic visit. \I(Iraq, UK, USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
Around 1,500 Quebec separatists stage a noisy demonstration as Canada's Supreme Court opens hearings on the contentious issue of whether the mainly French-speaking province has the right to secede unilaterally. Canada's Federal Government is challenging any unilateral \Jdeclaration of independence\j by Quebec. \I(Canada)\i
Evidence mounts to show that the first Americans migrated from Asia as long as 40,000 years ago, much earlier than originally believed. One of the strongest pieces of evidence is the discovery of a site at Monte Verde in \JChile\j, which is about 16,000 kilometers from the one-time land bridge between Asia and \JAlaska\j, and which contains human artifacts dating back 12,500 years. Archaeologists are arguing that if people had reached \JChile\j then, they must have been in \JNorth America\j much sooner. \I(\JChile\j, The Americas, Asia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, announces that her country stands ready to participate in military action if \JIraq\j fails to comply with United Nations demands for full access to suspected weapons production sites. Mrs. Shipley says New Zealand will send two Orion surveillance \Jaircraft\j and a unit of 20 Special Air Service commandos to join the US-led military force gathered in the Gulf region. In Washington, meanwhile, Defense Secretary, William Cohen, reveals plans to send up to 6,000 more United States troops to \JKuwait\j, a deployment that will bring the number of US ground troops massed there to around 10,000. \I(New Zealand, \JIraq\j, USA, \JKuwait\j)\i
While expressing hopes for a diplomatic solution, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, pledges Japan's co-operation with the United States over the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis. Later, Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, invokes the memory of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the \JTokyo\j subway when calling on Iraq to forego its "stubborn stance" and comply immediately and unconditionally with United Nations resolutions. Despite international concerns, Iraq has repeatedly denied that it possesses any weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical or biological agents. \I(Japan, USA, Iraq)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says he is seeking to travel to \JBaghdad\j in an attempt to end the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, but needs further consultation with the five permanent Security Council members to arrive at common proposals to defuse the showdown between \JBaghdad\j and Washington. Mr. Annan's efforts come despite British and United States reluctance to allow Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, any concessions or room to maneuver. However, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, the other three permanent Security Council members, stand opposed to the use of military force and strongly back Mr. Annan's proposed diplomatic visit. \I(Iraq, UK, USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
In Cyprus, President Glafcos Clerides is narrowly elected for another five-year term after winning 50.8 per cent of the vote in yesterday's second-round contest against George Iakovou, who polled 49.2 per cent of the vote. In his victory speech, Mr. Clerides promises his supporters that entry into the European Union will strengthen the Greek Cypriot position in talks to re-unite the divided island. Cyprus has literally been divided by barbed wire since Turkey invaded in 1974 and established an internationally unrecognized Turkish Cypriot state in the north. \I(Cyprus, Turkey)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is exonerated by an official inquiry into last September's bungled attempt to assassinate Hamas official, Khaled Meshaal, in the Jordanian capital, \JAmman\j. At the time, the incident threw Israel's relations with Jordan into crisis, and forced Israel to free some 70 prisoners, including Hamas founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in order to secure the release from Jordan of the two Israeli \Jsecret service\j agents involved in the assassination attempt. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
At the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j's Katja Seizinger wins the women's downhill, \JAustria\j's Hermann Maier wins the men's super giant slalom, Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands wins the women's 1,500m speed skating, and the Russian team wins the women's 4x5km Nordic combined cross-country relay. \I(\JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, \JAustria\j, The Netherlands, Russia)\i
#
"February 17, 1998",776,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and visiting Chinese Premier, Li Peng, issue a joint statement rejecting the use of force to ensure Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. The statement strongly endorses continued efforts to find a political solution to the weapons inspection deadlock which would pave the way for sanctions against Iraq to be lifted, and also supports a visit to Iraq by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as being of paramount importance to the drive to end the crisis peacefully. \I(Russia, China, Iraq)\i
In a rare show of solidarity, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and opposition leader, Kim Beazley, fly across the continent to Perth to farewell 110 troops of the Special Air Service Regiment, part of the Australian contingent heading for the Persian Gulf region to join the United States-led force in a possible military attack on \JIraq\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Taiwan's civil \Javiation\j authorities order China Airlines to ground its nine remaining Airbus A300 jets following yesterday's explosive airport crash in Taipei. All 196 passengers and crew were killed, along with at least seven people on the ground whose homes near the airport were destroyed by flaming debris. Searchers have already recovered the black box flight data and cockpit voice recorders, which may provide the key as to why the flight from Bali crashed after aborting its first attempt to land. \I(Taiwan, \JIndonesia\j)\i
President Soeharto sacks the governor of \JIndonesia\j's central bank, who is reportedly opposed to the government's proposal to create a fixed exchange rate system for the rupiah through a currency board. The United States, the European Union, and \JAustralia\j are also opposed to such a board, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is threatening to cut off bailout funds if the proposal goes ahead. President Soeharto, however, is claiming that the IMF rescue package has failed to stem the country's financial crisis, and that other alternatives now need to be implemented. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j)\i
In further election-related violence, a bomb blast kills at least four children in the Muslim area of the southern Indian city of Coimbatore, which only days ago was rocked by a string of explosions that killed 54 people and injured 193. Authorities are blaming the bombings on two Islamic organizations, both of which have been declared illegal. \I(India)\i
Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, says he accepts a Japanese proposal which would open the way for the return of ousted co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The Japanese Government has proposed that the prince be tried in absentia for security-related crimes and then receive a royal pardon, an outcome that would allow him to contest the July polls. Mr. Hun Sen is stipulating, however, that Prince Ranariddh must first sever ties with Khmer Rouge guerrillas and order his forces to end their fight against government troops in the country's north. \I(Cambodia, Japan)\i
Thailand's Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare says it has repatriated around 30,000 illegal foreign workers in the past three months, about 85 per cent of whom had come from \JMyanmar\j. Demand for cheap but illegal foreign workers has declined as unemployment in Thailand threatens to double to over 2 million in the face of the country's economic problems. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Russia's Pasha Grishuk and Evgeny Platov become the first pair to receive consecutive Olympic gold medals in ice dancing when they win the event at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JGermany\j's Katja Seizinger wins the women's downhill, South Korea's Kim Dong-sung wins the men's 1,000m short track, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 10,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j wins the team K120 skijumping, and the United States defeats Canada in the final of the women's ice \Jhockey\j. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, \JGermany\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, USA, Canada)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces that he will undertake an eleventh-hour diplomatic mission to \JBaghdad\j in an effort to avert a United States-led military strike against \JIraq\j. It is believed that Mr. Annan will propose that diplomats from UN Security Council member nations accompany UN weapons inspectors on their visits to the eight sites at the heart of the dispute. \JIraq\j, however, would have to drop demands for a 60-\Jday\j time limit on the inspections. While Mr. Annan has the backing of all five permanent Security Council members, the United States nevertheless serves notice that it reserves the right of dissent if the result of the mission is not consistent with UN resolutions and US national interests. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Speaking to generals and top foreign policy advisers at the Pentagon, United States President, Bill Clinton, says there is still a chance to find a diplomatic resolution to the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, but repeats that the US is prepared to act unless Iraq gives unimpeded access to United Nations weapons inspectors. Mr. Clinton grimly states: "Force can never be the first answer, but sometimes it is the only answer". \I(USA, Iraq)\i
In a rare show of solidarity, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and opposition leader, Kim Beazley, fly across the continent to Perth to farewell 110 troops of the Special Air Service Regiment, part of the Australian contingent heading for the Persian Gulf region to join the United States-led force in a possible military attack on \JIraq\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The militant Islamic group Hamas, which violently opposes peace deals between Palestine and Israel, threatens to carry out attacks against Israel if the United States takes military action against \JIraq\j. The threat comes as hundreds of Palestinian students defy a Palestinian Authority ban to protest in the West Bank town of \JBethlehem\j, burning US and Israeli flags, and loudly voicing their support for \JIraq\j. While adamantly opposed to a US strike against \JIraq\j, President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Authority officials have urged \JIraq\j to comply with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections. \I(Palestine, Israel, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto sacks the governor of Indonesia's central bank, who is reportedly opposed to the government's proposal to create a fixed exchange rate system for the rupiah through a currency board. The United States, the European Union, and \JAustralia\j are also opposed to such a board, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is threatening to cut off bailout funds if the proposal goes ahead. President Soeharto, however, is claiming that the IMF rescue package has failed to stem the country's financial crisis, and that other alternatives now need to be implemented. \I(Indonesia, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton's personal lawyers file a motion seeking to have the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit dismissed, arguing that Jones has no case but is pursuing the suit to humiliate and damage the president. At the same time, Stephen Goodin, a former personal aide to Mr. Clinton, testifies for more than two hours before the grand jury currently probing allegations that the president had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then urged to lie about it when submitting a written affidavit in the Paula Jones case. \I(USA)\i
A former computer programmer at a high-tech manufacturer in \JNew Jersey\j is arraigned for allegedly detonating a programming "bomb" that permanently deleted all of the company's design and production programs, an act that resulted in lost sales and contracts worth at least $US10 million. Timothy Lloyd, 30, who was fired from Omega Engineering Corp. three weeks before the alleged sabotage, is also charged with stealing some $US50,000 worth of the company's computer equipment. If convicted of what is believed to be one of the most expensive computer sabotages in history, Lloyd faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and fines ranging from $US500,000 to twice the loss resulting from the crime. \I(USA)\i
A volume of 34 distress signals from the doomed ocean liner \ITitanic\i sells at a Christie's auction in New York for $US123,500. Buyers also pay a total of $US180,310 for four other lots of \ITitanic\i documents, including a letter written by a crew member weeks before the April 14, 1912 disaster. The liner was more than halfway on its maiden voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York when it sank in the North Atlantic within three hours of striking an \Jiceberg\j, taking 1,523 passengers and crew to their deaths. \I(USA, UK)\i
Following a study involving first-grade students, an American psychologist finds that children aged six and seven showed improved reading and math skills when they also received regular training in music and art. According to the psychologist, not only does learning from the arts help build emotional skills, but what is learned in one area can be applied to another. In particular, the psychologist points to the logical link between music and math, where both involve traversing scales: notes in music and numbers in math. \I(USA)\i
Russia's Pasha Grishuk and Evgeny Platov become the first pair to receive consecutive Olympic gold medals in ice dancing when they win the event at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JGermany\j's Katja Seizinger wins the women's downhill, South Korea's Kim Dong-sung wins the men's 1,000m short track, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 10,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j wins the team K120 skijumping, and the United States defeats Canada in the final of the women's ice \Jhockey\j. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, \JGermany\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, USA, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces that he will undertake an eleventh-hour diplomatic mission to \JBaghdad\j in an effort to avert a United States-led military strike against \JIraq\j. It is believed that Mr. Annan will propose that diplomats from UN Security Council member nations accompany UN weapons inspectors on their visits to the eight sites at the heart of the dispute. \JIraq\j, however, would have to drop demands for a 60-\Jday\j time limit on the inspections. While Mr. Annan has the backing of all five permanent Security Council members, the United States nevertheless serves notice that it reserves the right of dissent if the result of the mission is not consistent with UN resolutions and US national interests. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Speaking to generals and top foreign policy advisers at the Pentagon, United States President, Bill Clinton, says there is still a chance to find a diplomatic resolution to the Iraqi weapons inspection standoff, but repeats that the US is prepared to act unless Iraq gives unimpeded access to United Nations weapons inspectors. Mr. Clinton grimly states: "Force can never be the first answer, but sometimes it is the only answer". \I(USA, Iraq)\i
In a rare show of solidarity, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and opposition leader, Kim Beazley, fly across the continent to Perth to farewell 110 troops of the Special Air Service Regiment, part of the Australian contingent heading for the Persian Gulf region to join the United States-led force in a possible military attack on \JIraq\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and visiting Chinese Premier, Li Peng, issue a joint statement rejecting the use of force to ensure Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. The statement strongly endorses continued efforts to find a political solution to the weapons inspection deadlock which would pave the way for sanctions against Iraq to be lifted, and also supports a visit to Iraq by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as being of paramount importance to the drive to end the crisis peacefully. \I(Russia, China, Iraq)\i
The militant Islamic group Hamas, which violently opposes peace deals between Palestine and Israel, threatens to carry out attacks against Israel if the United States takes military action against \JIraq\j. The threat comes as hundreds of Palestinian students defy a Palestinian Authority ban to protest in the West Bank town of \JBethlehem\j, burning US and Israeli flags, and loudly voicing their support for \JIraq\j. While adamantly opposed to a US strike against \JIraq\j, President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Authority officials have urged \JIraq\j to comply with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections. \I(Palestine, Israel, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Iraq announces that a United Nations technical team sent to the country by Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has now mapped seven of the eight presidential sites at the center of the weapons inspection dispute. The UN team is led by Staffan de Mistura of Sweden, and includes two Austrian surveyors. \I(Iraq, Sweden, Austria)\i
Sinn Fein initiates legal action in a bid to halt a move to expel it from the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future, seeking an injunction on the grounds that the British Government's \Jindictment\j is inadequate and too vague to be challenged. The move to expel Sinn Fein stems from evidence that its military wing, the Irish Republican Army, was responsible for two murders in \JBelfast\j last week. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
While calm begins to return to battle-ravaged \JFreetown\j, reports emerge that forces of Sierra Leone's ousted military junta have captured the country's second-largest city of Bo, which lies about 170 kilometers east of the capital. The rebels are also said to be holding five abducted European missionaries. Since the Nigerian-led peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, took control of \JFreetown\j, junta officials, including leader, Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Paul Koroma, have refused to concede defeat, vowing to continue their fight in the country's interior. \I(Sierra Leone)\i
A videotape of last week's assassination attempt on President Eduard Shevardnadze, allegedly filmed by the assailants, is release by Georgian police, who say the six suspects arrested have confessed to being part of a planned and well-financed crime carried out by an 18-member international team. Earlier, Mr. Shevardnadze linked the attack to his support for the construction of an oil export pipeline from \JAzerbaijan\j to the Georgian port of Supsa. The pipeline would bypass \JRussia\j. \I(Georgia, \JAzerbaijan\j, \JRussia\j)\i
After an 18-month inquiry, the Belgian Parliament finds no evidence that a man charged with paedophile crimes benefited from the protection of the police, judiciary, government, or political world. The inquiry nevertheless finds that Marc Dutroux, who is charged with abducting six girls and murdering four, managed to escape detection because of the gross incompetence and corruption of \JBelgium\j's criminal justice system. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto sacks the governor of Indonesia's central bank, who is reportedly opposed to the government's proposal to create a fixed exchange rate system for the rupiah through a currency board. The United States, the European Union, and \JAustralia\j are also opposed to such a board, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is threatening to cut off bailout funds if the proposal goes ahead. President Soeharto, however, is claiming that the IMF rescue package has failed to stem the country's financial crisis, and that other alternatives now need to be implemented. \I(Indonesia, USA, Europe, \JAustralia\j)\i
A volume of 34 distress signals from the doomed ocean liner \ITitanic\i sells at a Christie's auction in New York for $US123,500. Buyers also pay a total of $US180,310 for four other lots of \ITitanic\i documents, including a letter written by a crew member weeks before the April 14, 1912 disaster. The liner was more than halfway on its maiden voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York when it sank in the North Atlantic within three hours of striking an \Jiceberg\j, taking 1,523 passengers and crew to their deaths. \I(USA, UK)\i
Controversial German novelist and essayist, Ernst Jⁿnger, dies aged 102 at his lakeside Bavarian home. The death is deeply mourned by German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, who recalls the friendship between himself, Junger, and the late French president, Francois Mitterrand. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Russia's Pasha Grishuk and Evgeny Platov become the first pair to receive consecutive Olympic gold medals in ice dancing when they win the event at the Nagano Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j. Elsewhere at the games, \JGermany\j's Katja Seizinger wins the women's downhill, South Korea's Kim Dong-sung wins the men's 1,000m short track, Gianni Romme of the Netherlands wins the men's 10,000m speed skating, \JJapan\j wins the team K120 skijumping, and the United States defeats Canada in the final of the women's ice \Jhockey\j. \I(\JJapan\j, Russia, \JGermany\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, USA, Canada)\i
#
"February 18, 1998",777,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India's Election Commission comes under heavy criticism following the deaths of at least 30 people in poll-related violence on Monday, and the announcement that stolen ballot boxes and voting irregularities have forced fresh polls to be held in about 600 areas across nine states. Meanwhile, more than 500 areas in the eastern state of Bihar, the country's most lawless region, are still being investigated for possible vote-rigging. \I(India)\i
Indonesia's powerful military voices its support for the re-election of President Soeharto, and firmly backs the bid of controversial Research and Technology Minister, Jusuf Habibie, to serve as Mr. Soeharto's vice president for the 1998-2003 term. Last month, the rupiah dived to a record low when Mr. Habibe's name came to the election forefront, but the military dismisses the impact the choice may have on the country's financial markets. Meanwhile, the newly appointed governor of Indonesia's central bank says he intends pressing ahead with plans to introduce a currency board to fix the rupiah to the US dollar. The plan has met with widespread international opposition, with the International Monetary Fund threatening to halt further payments under its bailout for Indonesia's crumbling economy. \I(Indonesia)\i
Hong Kong's Financial Secretary, Donald Tsang, delivers his first post-colonial Budget, which includes an unexpected package of salary tax cuts worth $HK13.6 billion, as well as wide cuts in the business tax structure in the coming financial year. Mr. Tsang says he is able to justify the cuts because they will neither harm revenue nor increase expenditure. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Results from a trial in \JThailand\j show that short courses of the drug AZT reduce mother-to-baby transmission of the \JHIV\j virus by 51 per cent. The results are hailed as crucial to prevent \JHIV\j transmission in developing countries, where pregnant women typically arrive at clinics too late to start the standard AZT regimen. In developed countries, treatment begins during the sixth month of \Jpregnancy\j, yielding a higher prevention rate of 70 per cent. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
At the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, the United States dominates the aerial freestyle \Jskiing\j, with Eric Bergoust winning the men's event and Nikki Stone winning the women's event. Elsewhere, \JNorway\j collects more gold medals when the men's team wins the 4x10km cross-country Nordic combined relay, and Ole Bjoerndalen wins the men's 10km \Jbiathlon\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the eve of a crucial mission to \JBaghdad\j by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, welcomes the move, saying he is ready to discuss access for UN weapons inspectors to disputed sites in a responsible, civilized way providing Mr. Annan does not simply parrot the United States line. While Mr. Annan is encouraged by the news that Iraqi officials are prepared to engage constructively in the search for a peaceful solution to the standoff, Washington remains far from optimistic about the outcome, but concedes that it is important to make this final effort. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
As the military build-up continues in preparation for a possible United States-led strike against \JIraq\j, anti-war demonstrators drown out a top foreign policy team attempting to justify the tough US stand at a rally at Ohio State University. \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen, not only face anti-war outbursts, but a barrage of penetrating questions from a largely unconvinced audience. The rally, attended by 6,000 people, is televised live to countries around the world, including \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Hundreds of people gather outside No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to protest against the looming US-led military assault against \JIraq\j. Protesters include several left-wing MPs and playwright Harold Pinter, who voices the crowd's shared anger and disgust at the plan to attack the Iraqis. \I(UK, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
A United States Air Force B-1B bomber crashes and explodes in rural western Kentucky moments after the four crew members parachute to safety. The crash is the sixth involving a B-1B, and the second in five months. The accidents in all have claimed the lives of 11 crew members. \I(USA)\i
Los Angeles \Jimmigration\j consultant, Maria Hsia, 47, is indicted on charges of illegally channeling money to Democratic Party fundraising committees during the 1996 United States presidential campaign. One count in the \Jindictment\j cites a controversial event at the Los Angeles' Hsi Lai Temple attended by Vice President Al Gore. \I(USA)\i
In Washington, Deputy \JWhite House\j Counsel, Bruce Lindsey, one of President Bill Clinton's closest friends and advisors, testifies for more than four hours before the grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr to investigate allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual affair with former intern, Monica Lewinsky, and pressured her to lie about it in a sworn statement. For the first time in nearly four weeks of hearings, attorney Jackie Bennett is present. Mr. Bennett is one of Mr. Starr's three top deputies, and is reputed to be an aggressive questioner. \I(USA)\i
Supporters of US President Bill Clinton announce the formation of the Clinton Legal Expense Trust, which will replace the now defunct fund established in 1994 to help the Clintons pay legal fees arising from the Whitewater probe, the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit, and other legal difficulties. The new trust will accept donations of up to $US10,000, and unlike the old fund, will be able to solicit contributions, being effectively insulated from the president and his wife, Hillary. Even before the Monica Lewinsky scandal erupted, the Clintons owed their lawyers around $US3.2 million, with costs continuing to escalate. \I(USA)\i
In one of \JColombia\j's biggest counter-\Jnarcotics\j operations this year, police seize 1,604 pounds of pure \Jcocaine\j and destroy 21 clandestine drug laboratories along the country's southern border with \JEcuador\j. \JColombia\j is the world's leading producer of \Jcocaine\j, and has recently become a major source for heroin sold in the United States. \I(\JColombia\j, \JEcuador\j, USA)\i
The British Government announces that it will outlay ú4.8 million on an extra 100 pre-fabricated houses for Montserrat islanders whose homes were destroyed by last year's volcanic eruptions. In announcing the decision, the government says it hopes to put an end to speculation that it is trying to depopulate Montserrat. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
As the latest film version of the \ITitanic\i tragedy breaks box office records around the globe, the first of the world's eight feature films about the ill-fated ocean liner is discovered on the shelf of a German film collector. The historic 30-minute silent film, \IIn Nacht und Eis,\i was made in Berlin in 1912, just two months after the liner sank on its maiden voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York. \I(\JGermany\j, UK, USA)\i
At the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, the United States dominates the aerial freestyle \Jskiing\j, with Eric Bergoust winning the men's event and Nikki Stone winning the women's event. Elsewhere, \JNorway\j collects more gold medals when the men's team wins the 4x10km cross-country Nordic combined relay, and Ole Bjoerndalen wins the men's 10km \Jbiathlon\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the eve of a crucial mission to \JBaghdad\j by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, welcomes the move, saying he is ready to discuss access for UN weapons inspectors to disputed sites in a responsible, civilized way providing Mr. Annan does not simply parrot the United States line. While Mr. Annan is encouraged by the news that Iraqi officials are prepared to engage constructively in the search for a peaceful solution to the standoff, Washington remains far from optimistic about the outcome, but concedes that it is important to make this final effort. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
As the military build-up continues in preparation for a possible United States-led strike against \JIraq\j, anti-war demonstrators drown out a top foreign policy team attempting to justify the tough US stand at a rally at Ohio State University. \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, and Defense Secretary, William Cohen, not only face anti-war outbursts, but a barrage of penetrating questions from a largely unconvinced audience. The rally, attended by 6,000 people, is televised live to countries around the world, including \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Hundreds of people gather outside No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to protest against the looming US-led military assault against \JIraq\j. Protesters include several left-wing MPs and playwright Harold Pinter, who voices the crowd's shared anger and disgust at the plan to attack the Iraqis. \I(UK, USA, \JIraq\j)\i
With eleventh-hour talks to avert military action against \JIraq\j just days away, the United Nations announces that it is taking the precautionary measure of withdrawing 31 humanitarian staff from \JBaghdad\j. The humanitarian workers mainly oversee the distribution of food and medicine under \JIraq\j's oil-for-food deal with the UN, and operate independently of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) weapons inspectors at the center of \JBaghdad\j's dispute with the world body. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
The \JNATO\j Council agrees that peacekeeping troops will stay on in Bosnia after their current mandate expires in June. The alliance says the size of the force will remain at around 35,000 troops, but will be reviewed after Bosnia's presidential and parliamentary elections in September. The decision commits \JNATO\j to a third phase of peacekeeping in the region, with the new Dissuasion Force (DFOR) to replace the Stabilization Force (SFOR), which in turn replaced the Implementation Force (IFOR). \I(Bosnia)\i
Former Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda, 73, is charged in court with concealing knowledge of a treasonable act. Mr. Kaunda was arrested on Christmas Day, and is among 92 people being detained under emergency laws invoked last October after an attempt by junior army officers to overthrow President Frederick Chiluba's Government. Mr. Kaunda was out of the country at the time, and has consistently maintained that he had no knowledge of the coup plot. \I(Zambia)\i
The British Government announces that it will outlay ú4.8 million on an extra 100 pre-fabricated houses for Montserrat islanders whose homes were destroyed by last year's volcanic eruptions. In announcing the decision, the government says it hopes to put an end to speculation that it is trying to depopulate Montserrat. \I(UK, Montserrat)\i
As the latest film version of the \ITitanic\i tragedy breaks box office records around the globe, the first of the world's eight feature films about the ill-fated ocean liner is discovered on the shelf of a German film collector. The historic 30-minute silent film, \IIn Nacht und Eis,\i was made in Berlin in 1912, just two months after the liner sank on its maiden voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York. \I(\JGermany\j, UK, USA)\i
At the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, the United States dominates the aerial freestyle \Jskiing\j, with Eric Bergoust winning the men's event and Nikki Stone winning the women's event. Elsewhere, \JNorway\j collects more gold medals when the men's team wins the 4x10km cross-country Nordic combined relay, and Ole Bjoerndalen wins the men's 10km \Jbiathlon\j. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j)\i
#
"February 19, 1998",778,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The first planeload of United States troop reinforcements arrives in \JKuwait\j to boost the massive military force already gathered in the Gulf. Yesterday also saw the arrival of some of the 250 Australian military personnel sent to \JKuwait\j as part of the US-led effort to secure \JIraq\j's compliance with United Nations weapons inspections. In \JBaghdad\j, meanwhile, embassies begin to withdraw non-essential staff and their dependents to remove them from the danger of military strikes should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi crisis. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Australia, \JIraq\j)\i
Regulations come into force banning gatherings of more than 30 people in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, where 25,000 troops are on standby to quell mounting social unrest as the country's economic crisis deepens. At the same time, troops are deployed to Sulawesi province, about 1,800 kilometers northeast of Jakarta, where riots over escalating prices flare for a second \Jday\j, with thousands of protesters torching 12 Chinese-owned shops and damaging dozens more. Prices have jumped so sharply this week that many families are complaining that they can no longer afford to buy milk for their children. \I(Indonesia)\i
India's Election Commission announces that it is postponing polls in the southern city of Coimbatore due to concerns that the situation there is still unstable. Last Saturday, two days before the first phase of polling began, a chain of explosions killed 58 people and injured almost 200 others. Since then, some 260 people have been arrested in connection with looting and rioting in the wake of the blasts, which authorities have blamed on Islamic extremists. \I(India)\i
Taiwan's new chief negotiator with China declares that his top priority will be to reopen the long-stalled negotiating channel between Taipei and \JBeijing\j, but says Taipei will not rush to hold political reconciliation talks, despite mounting international pressure to do so. Shi Hwei-yow, who was appointed secretary-general of the Straits Exchange Foundation on February 7, maintains that to enter full political talks would be to depart from reality, and that trust must first be built by resuming technical talks broken off by \JBeijing\j in mid-1995. \I(Taiwan, China)\i
Cambodia's ailing King Norodom Sihanouk declares that he will come back to his homeland if he can live "in the shade of justice". Earlier this week, Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, appealed to King Sihanouk to return from \JBeijing\j, where he has been receiving medical treatment, saying his presence was needed for the country's July elections. \I(Cambodia, China)\i
An MP from \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party hangs himself in a \JTokyo\j hotel room just hours before Parliament votes to allow prosecutors to arrest him. Yesterday, prosecutors raided the office of Shokei Arai, 50, to seize evidence relating to charges that he extorted illicit profits from Nikko Securities. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Former Philippine first lady, Imelda Marcos, appeals to the Supreme Court to overturn its decision to uphold her conviction on graft charges. In 1993, Mrs. Marcos was sentenced to up to 12 years in jail after being found guilty of leasing state property on terms unfavorable to the government. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
At the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, \JAustria\j's Hermann Maier wins the men's giant slalom, \JGermany\j's Hilde Gerg wins the women's slalom, Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands wins the women's 1,000m speed skating, and the German team wins the women's 4x5km \Jbiathlon\j relay. \I(\JJapan\j, \JAustria\j, \JGermany\j, The Netherlands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, arrives in Paris for talks with French leaders ahead of his critical mission to \JBaghdad\j, where he will try to bring a peaceful end to the showdown between \JIraq\j and the United States over UN weapons inspections. Emerging from the talks, French President, Jacques Chirac, says he hopes wisdom and reason will prevail, and calls on \JIraq\j to accept the internationally-endorsed proposals to be put forward by Mr. Annan when he reaches \JBaghdad\j tomorrow. \I(\JFrance\j, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses hopes that the last-minute United Nations mission to \JIraq\j will succeed in averting military action, but warns that the choice lies with Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and that Saddam will bear the blame if US-led strikes against Iraq are ordered. Repeating the hard US line, Mr. Clinton insists that UN arms inspectors must be allowed unrestricted and unconditional access to any Iraqi site suspected of harboring chemical or biological weapons. Mr. Clinton adds that he has requested Vice President Al Gore to cancel a planned trip to South Africa to be on hand for whatever may develop from Kofi Annan's eleventh-hour mission. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, South Africa)\i
The first planeload of United States troop reinforcements arrives in \JKuwait\j to boost the massive military force already gathered in the Gulf. Yesterday also saw the arrival of some of the 250 Australian military personnel sent to \JKuwait\j as part of the US-led effort to secure \JIraq\j's compliance with United Nations weapons inspections. In \JBaghdad\j, meanwhile, embassies begin to withdraw non-essential staff and their dependents to remove them from the danger of military strikes should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi crisis. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Australia, \JIraq\j)\i
Iran expresses deep concern about the consequences of a possible United States-led military attack on \JIraq\j, and calls on \JBaghdad\j to fully implement United Nations resolutions to deprive the US of pretexts for any action. Iran's blunt statement comes as Americans compete at an international wrestling tournament in Tehran, the first visit to Iran by a US sports team since the 1979 Islamic revolution. While the visit was opposed by hardliners, the American wrestlers have been warmly received by Iranian sports fans. \I(Iran, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
The Commerce Department says the United States goods and services trade deficit rose to $US113.75 billion last year, up 2.4 per cent from $US111.04 billion in 1996. It is the highest US trade imbalance since 1988, when a deficit of $US115.9 billion was posted. \I(USA)\i
In Las Vegas, two men are charged with possessing \Janthrax\j \Jbacteria\j, an animal disease that is fatal to humans even in tiny amounts. A lawyer for one of the men, laboratory owner William Leavitt, 40, says no \Janthrax\j attack was planned. The other man, microbiologist Wayne Harris, 44, is currently on probation after pleading guilty to illegally buying bubonic plague virus through the United States mail. \I(USA)\i
Northern \JCalifornia\j is pounded by yet another El Ni±o-fueled storm driven in from the Pacific. Since the wild \Jweather\j began, flooding and landslides have caused an estimated $US300 million worth of damage, with officials predicting that the bill will rise as more storms gather on the horizon. While rainfall in most parts of the state has exceeded averages for the full season, \JSan Francisco\j has already experienced its wettest February since records began in 1849. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, arrives in Paris for talks with French leaders ahead of his critical mission to \JBaghdad\j, where he will try to bring a peaceful end to the showdown between \JIraq\j and the United States over UN weapons inspections. Emerging from the talks, French President, Jacques Chirac, says he hopes wisdom and reason will prevail, and calls on \JIraq\j to accept the internationally-endorsed proposals to be put forward by Mr. Annan when he reaches \JBaghdad\j tomorrow. \I(\JFrance\j, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses hopes that the last-minute United Nations mission to \JIraq\j will succeed in averting military action, but warns that the choice lies with Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and that Saddam will bear the blame if US-led strikes against Iraq are ordered. Repeating the hard US line, Mr. Clinton insists that UN arms inspectors must be allowed unrestricted and unconditional access to any Iraqi site suspected of harboring chemical or biological weapons. Mr. Clinton adds that he has requested Vice President Al Gore to cancel a planned trip to South Africa to be on hand for whatever may develop from Kofi Annan's eleventh-hour mission. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, South Africa)\i
The first planeload of United States troop reinforcements arrives in \JKuwait\j to boost the massive military force already gathered in the Gulf. Yesterday also saw the arrival of some of the 250 Australian military personnel sent to \JKuwait\j as part of the US-led effort to secure \JIraq\j's compliance with United Nations weapons inspections. In \JBaghdad\j, meanwhile, embassies begin to withdraw non-essential staff and their dependents to remove them from the danger of military strikes should diplomacy fail to resolve the Iraqi crisis. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Australia, \JIraq\j)\i
Iran expresses deep concern about the consequences of a possible United States-led military attack on \JIraq\j, and calls on \JBaghdad\j to fully implement United Nations resolutions to deprive the US of pretexts for any action. Iran's blunt statement comes as Americans compete at an international wrestling tournament in Tehran, the first visit to Iran by a US sports team since the 1979 Islamic revolution. While the visit was opposed by hardliners, the American wrestlers have been warmly received by Iranian sports fans. \I(Iran, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Four United Nations observers are kidnapped by a group of armed Georgians demanding the release of suspects being detained in connection with last week's failed assassination attempt on Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze. The four UN personnel are part of a 100-strong team monitoring events in the breakaway region of Abkhazia, on Georgia's \JBlack Sea\j coast. \I(Georgia, Abkhazia)\i
As Sinn Fein continues its efforts to win an injunction preventing its expulsion from Northern Ireland's multi-party peace talks, its military wing, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), is accused of another murder, that of a 30-year-old man whose body was found yesterday in a derelict farmhouse in County Anti. While a local Sinn Fein councilor charges loyalist paramilitaries with the killing, security officials say it is much more likely that the man was shot by the IRA. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
At the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, \JAustria\j's Hermann Maier wins the men's giant slalom, \JGermany\j's Hilde Gerg wins the women's slalom, Marianne Timmer of the Netherlands wins the women's 1,000m speed skating, and the German team wins the women's 4x5km \Jbiathlon\j relay. \I(\JJapan\j, \JAustria\j, \JGermany\j, The Netherlands)\i
#
"February 20, 1998",779,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a humble farewell address, South Korea's outgoing President, Kim Young Sam, apologizes for falling short of the nation's expectations, and urges all citizens to support his successor and longtime rival, Kim Dae Jung, who will be inaugurated next week. Kim Young Sam had approval ratings of 90 per cent when he came into office in 1993 as South Korea's first civilian president, but his policies failed to halt the cronyism and economic distortions that finally left the country under International Monetary Fund receivership last November. \I(South Korea)\i
As violent food riots continue to break out across rural \JIndonesia\j, the Attorney-General introduces new emergency laws under which hoarding of basic goods will be considered an economic crime. While hoarding is being blamed for the riots, the targets are ethnic Chinese, and the New York-based Human Rights Watch is also blaming anti-Chinese sentiment fueled by senior officials to deflect attention from the part the Soeharto Government has played in exacerbating \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party approves a mild economic reform package, the fourth such package in six months. In the latest measures, Japan allocates 300 billion yen for assistance to Asia's sagging economies, and takes some small steps to revive its own stock and property markets, but ignores United States pressure to boost domestic growth with a new round of permanent income tax cuts. Japan's economy fell into a deep slump last year following a rise in consumption taxes and the abolition of income tax rebates. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Sri Lankan military officials report that they sent reinforcements to the country's eastern Amapara district following an attack by separatist Tamil Tiger guerrillas, which left a least seven soldiers and one civilian dead. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The Taiwanese Government pledges to set up an \Javiation\j safety committee to supervise flight safety and conduct independent investigations on air accidents. The move comes as the nation continues to reel from this week's crash of a China Airlines Airbus, in which 203 people lost their lives. \I(Taiwan)\i
Former Papua New Guinean deputy prime minister, Chris Haiveta, denies receiving a payment of $US500,000 from the British mercenary company, Sandline International, in February last year. Mr. Haiveta's denial comes during the second inquiry into the PNG Government's controversial $US36 million contract with Sandline. \I(Papua New Guinea, UK)\i
Germany collects its tenth gold medal at the Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j when Claudia Pechstein wins the women's 5,000m speed skating in the world record time of 6:59.61. In other events, \JRussia\j's Yulia Chepalova wins the women's 30km cross-country freestyle, \JItaly\j's Deborah Compagnoni wins the women's giant slalom, and Canada's Annie Perreault wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, Germany, \JRussia\j, \JItaly\j, Canada)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, begins his crucial peace mission to \JBaghdad\j, meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, and agreeing to extend his stay by 24 hours. Meanwhile, as anti-United States protests flare in Jordan, \JIran\j, Turkey, and the West Bank, US President, Bill Clinton, seeks to defuse criticism at home and abroad. In a televised message beamed to Arab nations, Mr. Clinton says the US has no quarrel with the Iraqi people, and that everything will be done to prevent innocent people from being hurt if military force is needed to ensure \JBaghdad\j's compliance with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections. Mr. Clinton maintains that unless Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is made to keep his commitment to the international community, none of the region's children will be safe. \I(Iraq, Jordan, \JIran\j, Turkey, Palestine, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, authorizes the voluntary departure of dependents and non-emergency staff from Washington's embassies in \JKuwait\j and Israel, at the same time warning private US citizens against non-essential travel to these regions. In announcing the authorization, the State Department stresses that the decision is a precautionary measure, and not based on any intelligence of an imminent threat by \JIraq\j against \JKuwait\j or Israel. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Israel, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, attempts to debate with anti-war demonstrators while addressing a foreign policy forum at the University of \JMinnesota\j. Mr. Richardson finally salutes the protesters for expressing their opposition to the Clinton administration's stance on \JIraq\j, but insists that their opinions are wrong. Two days ago, a top foreign policy team encountered similar audience opposition during a rally at Ohio State University. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party approves a mild economic reform package, the fourth such package in six months. In the latest measures, Japan allocates 300 billion yen for assistance to Asia's sagging economies, and takes some small steps to revive its own stock and property markets, but ignores United States pressure to boost domestic growth with a new round of permanent income tax cuts. Japan's economy fell into a deep slump last year following a rise in consumption taxes and the abolition of income tax rebates. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Prosecutor Kenneth Starr defends his aggressiveness in probing allegations that US President Bill Clinton had an affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and induced her to lie about it under oath. Mr. Starr's comments follow those of Ms. Lewinsky's father, who likened the grand jury inquiry into his daughter's affairs to a "Hitler era" inquest. Since the scandal erupted a month ago, at least 17 witnesses have been subpoenaed to give testimony, including past and present \JWhite House\j aides, and Ms. Lewinsky's mother, Marcia Lewis, who emerged visibly distressed by the experience. \I(USA)\i
Colombian officials announce that four security force members have been arrested for alleged links with the country's dreaded right-wing death squads. It is believed to be the first time in the history of Colombia's prolonged war with leftist guerrillas that active security force members have been charged with supporting right-wing paramilitaries, who have been killing with impunity across the country for years. \I(Colombia)\i
As violent food riots continue to break out across rural \JIndonesia\j, the Attorney-General introduces new emergency laws under which hoarding of basic goods will be considered an economic crime. While hoarding is being blamed for the riots, the targets are ethnic Chinese, and the New York-based Human Rights Watch is also blaming anti-Chinese sentiment fueled by senior officials to deflect attention from the part the Soeharto Government has played in exacerbating \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Germany collects its tenth gold medal at the Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j when Claudia Pechstein wins the women's 5,000m speed skating in the world record time of 6:59.61. In other events, \JRussia\j's Yulia Chepalova wins the women's 30km cross-country freestyle, \JItaly\j's Deborah Compagnoni wins the women's giant slalom, and Canada's Annie Perreault wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, Germany, \JRussia\j, \JItaly\j, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, begins his crucial peace mission to \JBaghdad\j, meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, and agreeing to extend his stay by 24 hours. Meanwhile, as anti-United States protests flare in Jordan, \JIran\j, Turkey, and the West Bank, US President, Bill Clinton, seeks to defuse criticism at home and abroad. In a televised message beamed to Arab nations, Mr. Clinton says the US has no quarrel with the Iraqi people, and that everything will be done to prevent innocent people from being hurt if military force is needed to ensure \JBaghdad\j's compliance with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections. Mr. Clinton maintains that unless Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is made to keep his commitment to the international community, none of the region's children will be safe. \I(Iraq, Jordan, \JIran\j, Turkey, Palestine, USA)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, authorizes the voluntary departure of dependents and non-emergency staff from Washington's embassies in \JKuwait\j and Israel, at the same time warning private US citizens against non-essential travel to these regions. In announcing the authorization, the State Department stresses that the decision is a precautionary measure, and not based on any intelligence of an imminent threat by \JIraq\j against \JKuwait\j or Israel. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Israel, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, attempts to debate with anti-war demonstrators while addressing a foreign policy forum at the University of \JMinnesota\j. Mr. Richardson finally salutes the protesters for expressing their opposition to the Clinton administration's stance on \JIraq\j, but insists that their opinions are wrong. Two days ago, a top foreign policy team encountered similar audience opposition during a rally at Ohio State University. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The Governments of Britain and Ireland suspend Sinn Fein from talks on Northern Ireland's future until March 9. The suspension arises from recent killings in \JBelfast\j linked to Sinn Fein's paramilitary wing, the Irish Republican Army. Meanwhile, the Ulster Democratic Party, which was suspended from the talks after the Ulster Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility for the murders of three Catholics, is due to be re-admitted to the multi-party talks within days. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Troops are placed on a state of alert as Georgian officials negotiate with gunmen holding four United Nations observers hostage in a farmhouse near Dzhikhashkari, in the west of the former Soviet republic. The gunmen, who are avowed supporters of the late president, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, are demanding the release of suspects arrested after last week's assassination attempt on President Eduard Shevardnadze, as well as the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Georgian soil, including peacekeepers serving in the breakaway province of Abkhazia. A senior aide to Mr. Shevardnadze has suggested that Russian peacekeepers were behind the hostage-taking, but Russia is denying any connection. \I(Georgia, Abkhazia, Russia)\i
Former Papua New Guinean deputy prime minister, Chris Haiveta, denies receiving a payment of $US500,000 from the British mercenary company, Sandline International, in February last year. Mr. Haiveta's denial comes during the second inquiry into the PNG Government's controversial $US36 million contract with Sandline. \I(Papua New Guinea, UK)\i
Germany collects its tenth gold medal at the Winter Olympics in \JJapan\j when Claudia Pechstein wins the women's 5,000m speed skating in the world record time of 6:59.61. In other events, \JRussia\j's Yulia Chepalova wins the women's 30km cross-country freestyle, \JItaly\j's Deborah Compagnoni wins the women's giant slalom, and Canada's Annie Perreault wins the women's 500m speed skating. \I(\JJapan\j, Germany, \JRussia\j, \JItaly\j, Canada)\i
#
"February 21, 1998",780,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At a meeting in London, the Group of Seven (G7) pledges a program of expanded export credit loans to Asia, and agrees that diligent pursuit of reforms in the region should ensure that the effects of its financial crisis on world growth will be manageable this year. \JJapan\j's fellow G7 members - Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, and the United States - also say there is a strong case for \JJapan\j to enact fiscal stimulus so that it can lead in reviving the rest of Asia. \I(Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
The Indonesian town of Kendari, in southeast Sulawesi province, enters a fourth \Jday\j of violent unrest, with a mob of more than 500 storming a warehouse and stripping it of stocks of essential food items such as noodles, cooking oil, and milk. Throughout the last few days, troops carrying automatic rifles and tear-gas canisters have been battling rioters, who have damaged shops and businesses mostly owned by the ethnic Chinese community, which is being blamed for shortages and spiraling prices as Indonesia experiences its worst economic crisis in decades. \I(Indonesia)\i
A delegation of United States religious leaders, appointed by President Bill Clinton, expresses confidence that Chinese authorities will soon provide them with information about citizens allegedly persecuted for their religious beliefs. Last week, the clerics gave their Chinese hosts a list of 30 people believed to have been jailed in China, requesting details of the prisoners' welfare and the charges against them. \I(USA, China)\i
The central business district of Auckland, \JNew Zealand\j's largest city, effectively shuts down following the failure yesterday of the last of four major power cables servicing the city. Shops and businesses are forced to close and around 5,000 residents of inner city apartment blocks are advised to move out as authorities warn of a breakdown in \Jwater\j and sewerage services. With burglar alarms also inoperative, police mount intensive patrols to prevent possible looting in retail and financial districts. The blackout has been blamed on over-stress of the cables due to a heatwave. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
A strong \Jearthquake\j hits northeast \JPakistan\j and neighboring \JAfghanistan\j, which is still reeling from a major quake and a series of aftershocks that left an estimated 5,000 people dead earlier this month. The \JPakistan\j \Jearthquake\j center puts the \Jmagnitude\j of this latest quake at 6.1, but says there are no immediate reports of casualties. \I(\JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
A moderate \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shakes the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, for about 10 seconds, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. The \Jday\j's gold medalists also come through unscathed, with Tara Lipinski of the United States winning the women's figure skating, Hans-Petter Buraas of \JNorway\j winning the men's \Jalpine\j slalom, and the German team winning the four-man bobsleigh. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the second \Jday\j of his vital peace mission to \JBaghdad\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, holds another round of lengthy talks with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz. Although some progress is reported, Mr. Annan nevertheless admits that his task is "not easy". In his bid to avert United States-led military action against \JIraq\j, Mr. Annan is seeking to obtain a written agreement pledging unfettered access for UN arms inspectors to any Iraqi site suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. On a more ominous note, meanwhile, preparations for a sustained air strike on Iraq continue, with Washington also advising all US citizens to leave the country as soon as possible. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
At a meeting in London, the Group of Seven (G7) pledges a program of expanded export credit loans to Asia, and agrees that diligent pursuit of reforms in the region should ensure that the effects of its financial crisis on world growth will be manageable this year. \JJapan\j's fellow G7 members - Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, and the United States - also say there is a strong case for \JJapan\j to enact fiscal stimulus so that it can lead in reviving the rest of Asia. \I(Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
A delegation of United States religious leaders, appointed by President Bill Clinton, expresses confidence that Chinese authorities will soon provide them with information about citizens allegedly persecuted for their religious beliefs. Last week, the clerics gave their Chinese hosts a list of 30 people believed to have been jailed in China, requesting details of the prisoners' welfare and the charges against them. \I(USA, China)\i
The United States Justice Department concludes that Secret Service agents are covered by a legal privilege that shields them from telling prosecutors in the Monica Lewinsky inquiry everything they saw or heard while protecting President Bill Clinton. However, the department is still negotiating with prosecutor Kenneth Starr on whether Secret Service personnel might give limited testimony in the case. Mr. Starr is currently investigating allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky and urged her to lie about it under oath. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton outlines a $US400 million initiative to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the health of Americans by 2010. The money, to be spent over five years, will be used to assess current programs, improve data collection, and work with localities. \I(USA)\i
The \JFBI\j says laboratory tests have determined that a substance seized from two men arrested in Las Vegas this week was not deadly \Janthrax\j \Jbacteria\j, but a harmless veterinary vaccine used to prevent the disease. The two men have already been charged with possession of \Janthrax\j for use as a weapon, and are due to appear in court again next week. \I(USA)\i
At Sotheby's in New York, the table at which Britain's King Edward VIII signed his \Jabdication\j papers on December 10, 1936 sells to an anonymous \Jtelephone\j bidder for $US415,000. More than 40,000 items from the Paris home of the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor are being sold by businessman Mohammed al-Fayed, who purchased the residence after the death of the Duchess in 1986. Mr. Fayed is the father of Dodi al-Fayed, who died last year in a car crash with Diana, Princess of Wales, and proceeds from the nine-\Jday\j auction will benefit charities supported by Dodi and Diana. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
A moderate \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shakes the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, for about 10 seconds, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. The \Jday\j's gold medalists also come through unscathed, with Tara Lipinski of the United States winning the women's figure skating, Hans-Petter Buraas of \JNorway\j winning the men's \Jalpine\j slalom, and the German team winning the four-man bobsleigh. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the second \Jday\j of his vital peace mission to \JBaghdad\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, holds another round of lengthy talks with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz. Although some progress is reported, Mr. Annan nevertheless admits that his task is "not easy". In his bid to avert United States-led military action against \JIraq\j, Mr. Annan is seeking to obtain a written agreement pledging unfettered access for UN arms inspectors to any Iraqi site suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. On a more ominous note, meanwhile, preparations for a sustained air strike on Iraq continue, with Washington also advising all US citizens to leave the country as soon as possible. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
The United Nations humanitarian co-ordinator for \JIraq\j, Dennis Halliday, says the expanded oil-for food deal approved yesterday by the UN Security Council will hopefully demonstrate that the member states are aware of the needs of the Iraqi people and are eager to respond. The Iraqi Government previously refused to provide formal input for the report on which the expanded deal was based, saying it was a poor substitute for lifting UN sanctions entirely. The new deal, which has yet to be accepted by \JBaghdad\j, will allow Iraq to sell up to $US5.3 billion worth of oil every six months to buy food and medicine. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) denies responsibility for a bomb attack that rocked the mainly Protestant town of Moira, in County Down, just hours after the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein, was suspended from the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. Sinn Fein also maintains that the IRA cease-fire is intact, and says it is planning a series of marches to protest against its expulsion from the talks. Meanwhile, it is demanding a meeting with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, but the prime minister's office says that Mr. Blair is unlikely to meet party representatives while Sinn Fein is excluded from the talks. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
At a meeting in London, the Group of Seven (G7) pledges a program of expanded export credit loans to Asia, and agrees that diligent pursuit of reforms in the region should ensure that the effects of its financial crisis on world growth will be manageable this year. \JJapan\j's fellow G7 members - Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, and the United States - also say there is a strong case for \JJapan\j to enact fiscal stimulus so that it can lead in reviving the rest of Asia. \I(Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
At Sotheby's in New York, the table at which Britain's King Edward VIII signed his \Jabdication\j papers on December 10, 1936 sells to an anonymous \Jtelephone\j bidder for $US415,000. More than 40,000 items from the Paris home of the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor are being sold by businessman Mohammed al-Fayed, who purchased the residence after the death of the Duchess in 1986. Mr. Fayed is the father of Dodi al-Fayed, who died last year in a car crash with Diana, Princess of Wales, and proceeds from the nine-\Jday\j auction will benefit charities supported by Dodi and Diana. \I(USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
A moderate \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shakes the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, for about 10 seconds, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. The \Jday\j's gold medalists also come through unscathed, with Tara Lipinski of the United States winning the women's figure skating, Hans-Petter Buraas of \JNorway\j winning the men's \Jalpine\j slalom, and the German team winning the four-man bobsleigh. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, \JNorway\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"February 22, 1998",781,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto says he is rethinking a controversial scheme to peg the rupiah to the US dollar through a currency board. The scheme has met with widespread international opposition, and has led to urgent calls for the Indonesian Government to show commitment to reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund as part of a $US43 billion bailout. Meanwhile, as the country's economic crisis deepens, Indonesian rights activists report that during the recent food riots, at least five people were killed by security forces, 10 suffered bullet wounds, more than 900 were arrested, and 14 people, mostly activists, academics and students, went missing. \I(Indonesia)\i
Following the first round of voting in India's general elections, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) loses control of Uttar Pradesh, the country's largest state, after its coalition partners withdraw support, accusing the BJP of sectarianism and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities. The BJP has been tipped to emerge from the national elections as the largest parliamentary group, but events in Uttar Pradesh underline a new determination among India's secular forces to block the Hindu nationalists from coming to power. \I(India)\i
A senior aide of \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, says the prince has declared a unilateral cease-fire in his conflict with government troops in the nation's north. However, an advisor to \JCambodia\j's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who toppled Prince Ranariddh last July, says no notification of the truce has yet been received. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Tamil Tiger suicide boats attack and sink two Sri Lankan naval landing ships off the country's northern Jaffna peninsula. Military officials say at least 62 soldiers and sailors are missing, feared dead, as a result of the action. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Mark Philippoussis scores a straight sets victory over America's Michael Chang at the St Jude Tournament in Memphis, \JTennessee\j, and Britain's Greg Rusedski beats defending champion Marc Rosset of \JSwitzerland\j at the European Community Tournament in Antwerp, \JBelgium\j. Meanwhile, on the WTA Tour in \JHanover\j, \JGermany\j, Patty Schnyder of \JSwitzerland\j defeats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, UK, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelgium\j, \JGermany\j, Czech Republic)\i
On the final \Jday\j of the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, \JNorway\j collects another two gold medals when Bjorn Daehlie wins the men's 50km cross-country Nordic \Jskiing\j and Hans-Petter Buraas wins the men's slalom. In speed skating, \JJapan\j's Takafumi Nishitani wins the men's 500m short-track event, South Korea's Chun Lee-kyung wins the women's 1,000m event, and the Canadian team wins the men's 5,000m relay. In the final of men's ice \Jhockey\j, meanwhile, the Czech Republic scores a 1-0 victory over \JRussia\j. In the overall medal tally at the end of the games, \JGermany\j emerges on top with a total of 29, followed by \JNorway\j with 25, and \JRussia\j with 18. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, South Korea, Canada, Czech Republic, \JGermany\j, \JRussia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a three-hour meeting with Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, succeeds in negotiating a breakthrough deal which appears to have resolved the standoff between Iraq and the UN over weapons inspections, thereby defusing the threat of a United States-led military assault against Iraq. The agreement will be signed tomorrow, and while no details are yet available, a spokesman for Mr. Annan says he believes it will be acceptable to all 15 UN Security Council members. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United States responds cautiously to news of a deal to end the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, insisting that it will first need to examine the details of the accord before making any formal comment. While confirming that the US has not yet ordered any relaxation of military readiness in the Gulf, a \JWhite House\j spokesman says it will welcome any agreement with Iraq that maintains the integrity of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) teams, and allows them full, unfettered access to all sites suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Abraham A. Ribicoff, a former Democratic senator and governor of Connecticut, dies of heart failure in New York aged 87. Mr. Ribicoff, whose public service career spanned more than four decades, also served in President John F. Kennedy's Cabinet. \I(USA)\i
Four days into a nine-day auction, Sotheby's in New York says it is likely to triple its pre-auction estimate of $US7 million for the sale of memorabilia once belonging to the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Total sales to date have already reached $US8.96 million, with an altar cloth used at the couple's June 1937 wedding becoming one of the latest items to fetch much more than expected, selling for a staggering $US24,150. \I(USA, UK)\i
Paramount Pictures says \ITitanic\i has now earned around $US402.5 million, surpassing \IE.T.\i as the second-biggest grossing film of all time at the North American box office. Only \IStar Wars\i has earned more, pulling in a total of about $US461 million since its original 1977 release. \I(USA)\i
In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Mark Philippoussis scores a straight sets victory over America's Michael Chang at the St Jude Tournament in Memphis, \JTennessee\j, and Britain's Greg Rusedski beats defending champion Marc Rosset of \JSwitzerland\j at the European Community Tournament in Antwerp, \JBelgium\j. Meanwhile, on the WTA Tour in \JHanover\j, \JGermany\j, Patty Schnyder of \JSwitzerland\j defeats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, UK, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelgium\j, \JGermany\j, Czech Republic)\i
On the final \Jday\j of the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, \JNorway\j collects another two gold medals when Bjorn Daehlie wins the men's 50km cross-country Nordic \Jskiing\j and Hans-Petter Buraas wins the men's slalom. In speed skating, \JJapan\j's Takafumi Nishitani wins the men's 500m short-track event, South Korea's Chun Lee-kyung wins the women's 1,000m event, and the Canadian team wins the men's 5,000m relay. In the final of men's ice \Jhockey\j, meanwhile, the Czech Republic scores a 1-0 victory over \JRussia\j. In the overall medal tally at the end of the games, \JGermany\j emerges on top with a total of 29, followed by \JNorway\j with 25, and \JRussia\j with 18. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, South Korea, Canada, Czech Republic, \JGermany\j, \JRussia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After a three-hour meeting with Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, succeeds in negotiating a breakthrough deal which appears to have resolved the standoff between Iraq and the UN over weapons inspections, thereby defusing the threat of a United States-led military assault against Iraq. The agreement will be signed tomorrow, and while no details are yet available, a spokesman for Mr. Annan says he believes it will be acceptable to all 15 UN Security Council members. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United States responds cautiously to news of a deal to end the Iraqi weapons inspection crisis, insisting that it will first need to examine the details of the accord before making any formal comment. While confirming that the US has not yet ordered any relaxation of military readiness in the Gulf, a \JWhite House\j spokesman says it will welcome any agreement with Iraq that maintains the integrity of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) teams, and allows them full, unfettered access to all sites suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Israeli air force fighter planes launch 16 raids on a number of Hezbollah strongholds in southern \JLebanon\j. A total of 39 rockets are fired, Israel's heaviest air strike in more than a year, prompted by an attempt by pro-Iranian guerrillas the previous \Jday\j to overrun the outpost of Soujoud, inside Israel's buffer zone. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Turkey's \JIslam\j-based Welfare Party ceases to exists after a constitutional court ruling is given legal force, signaling victory for the secular establishment in a bitter fight over the role of religion in public life. The ruling also imposes heavy restrictions on Necmettin Erbakan, 71, Welfare's leader and the country's former prime minister. \I(Turkey)\i
Four days into a nine-day auction, Sotheby's in New York says it is likely to triple its pre-auction estimate of $US7 million for the sale of memorabilia once belonging to the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Total sales to date have already reached $US8.96 million, with an altar cloth used at the couple's June 1937 wedding becoming one of the latest items to fetch much more than expected, selling for a staggering $US24,150. \I(USA, UK)\i
In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Mark Philippoussis scores a straight sets victory over America's Michael Chang at the St Jude Tournament in Memphis, \JTennessee\j, and Britain's Greg Rusedski beats defending champion Marc Rosset of \JSwitzerland\j at the European Community Tournament in Antwerp, \JBelgium\j. Meanwhile, on the WTA Tour in \JHanover\j, \JGermany\j, Patty Schnyder of \JSwitzerland\j defeats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA, UK, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelgium\j, \JGermany\j, Czech Republic)\i
On the final \Jday\j of the Winter Olympics in Nagano, \JJapan\j, \JNorway\j collects another two gold medals when Bjorn Daehlie wins the men's 50km cross-country Nordic \Jskiing\j and Hans-Petter Buraas wins the men's slalom. In speed skating, \JJapan\j's Takafumi Nishitani wins the men's 500m short-track event, South Korea's Chun Lee-kyung wins the women's 1,000m event, and the Canadian team wins the men's 5,000m relay. In the final of men's ice \Jhockey\j, meanwhile, the Czech Republic scores a 1-0 victory over \JRussia\j. In the overall medal tally at the end of the games, \JGermany\j emerges on top with a total of 29, followed by \JNorway\j with 25, and \JRussia\j with 18. \I(\JJapan\j, \JNorway\j, South Korea, Canada, Czech Republic, \JGermany\j, \JRussia\j)\i
#
"February 23, 1998",782,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A spokesman for \JJapan\j's Ministry of International Trade and Industry says the government will consider taking fresh measures to promote economic growth once the Budget comes into force in April. The ministry's statement comes in response to a call from G7 finance ministers urging \JJapan\j to take more decisive action in leading Asia's economic recovery. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia)\i
The resumption of illegal slash-and-burn land clearing methods sparks fresh forest fires in \Jdrought\j-plagued eastern \JBorneo\j, bringing more suffering to the Indonesian people as the country's economic troubles worsen. The fires are also raising fears of a repeat of last year's choking smog which blanketed much of Southeast Asia, and have prompted a meeting of regional environmental ministers in \JMalaysia\j to discuss ways to combat the problem. \I(\JBorneo\j, Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Brunei celebrates 14 years of independence, giving thanks for the oil wealth that has largely protected the sultanate from Asia's economic crisis. However, the celebrations are clouded by a resurgence of smoke from fires that have flared in neighboring \JBorneo\j, forcing authorities to move National Day events from an outdoor parade ground to a new indoor stadium outside the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. \I(Brunei, \JBorneo\j, \JIndonesia\j, Asia)\i
South Korea's incoming President, Kim Dae Jung, names Kim Jong Pil as the country's next prime minister. The new appointment will be subject to the approval of the National Assembly. \I(South Korea)\i
The top security advisor of \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is tried in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of \Jfraud\j and theft. Serey Kosal fled to the royalist stronghold on the country's border with \JThailand\j after Prince Ranariddh was overthrown last July. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
The \JNew Zealand\j Government announces that it will hold a formal inquiry into the power crisis that has left the city of Auckland in darkness for a fourth \Jday\j. There are mounting fears of a major threat to public health and safety, with health inspectors, alarmed at the prospect of food poisoning, visiting food outlets to check refrigerators and freezers for spoilt food, and civil defense authorities warning that no building without power should open its doors until further notice. The city's downtown shopping and financial center is currently receiving only 10 per cent of its normal power requirements. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, gives preliminary endorsement to an agreement brokered by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, which will allow the resumption of weapons inspections in \JIraq\j. Mr. Clinton adds, however, that the US will maintain its military forces in the Gulf region until it is convinced that \JIraq\j is meeting its commitments. The president's decision to endorse the deal with \JIraq\j comes after \Jtelephone\j consultations with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, French President, Jacques Chirac, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, whose respective governments have warmly applauded Mr. Annan's last-minute diplomatic coup. Mr. Annan, meanwhile, says he is reasonably confident that the accord will be accepted when he presents it to the five permanent members of the Security Council in New York tomorrow. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK, \JFrance\j, Russia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, suggests that he and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, should directly negotiate an Arab-Israeli peace agreement under United States auspices in Washington. The Palestinian Authority says it will agree to such a summit if Israel agrees to implement the peace agreement it has already signed. Under this accord, Israel promised a three-stage troop withdrawal from the West Bank to allow most of the territory to come under Palestinian self-rule, but has failed to carry out the withdrawal, instead accusing the Palestinians of reneging on security commitments. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United States Senate opens debate on proposed changes to election campaign finance laws. The move to overhaul the system comes in the wake of last year's hearings into fundraising abuses during the 1996 US presidential campaign. \I(USA)\i
The United States Supreme Court lets stand a \JNew Jersey\j law that allows publication of the names and addresses of sex offenders. However, while the court finds the nation's first "Megan's Law" constitutional, it rules that an offender must be able to challenge the classification and notification plan. \I(USA)\i
Tornadoes cut a devastating swathe across four \JFlorida\j counties, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, injuring scores of people, and killing at least 38, including an 18-month-old girl who was tragically sucked from her father's arms. It is \JFlorida\j's most deadly natural disaster since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, gives preliminary endorsement to an agreement brokered by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, which will allow the resumption of weapons inspections in \JIraq\j. Mr. Clinton adds, however, that the US will maintain its military forces in the Gulf region until it is convinced that \JIraq\j is meeting its commitments. The president's decision to endorse the deal with \JIraq\j comes after \Jtelephone\j consultations with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, French President, Jacques Chirac, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, whose respective governments have warmly applauded Mr. Annan's last-minute diplomatic coup. Mr. Annan, meanwhile, says he is reasonably confident that the accord will be accepted when he presents it to the five permanent members of the Security Council in New York tomorrow. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK, \JFrance\j, Russia)\i
A bomb destroys buildings in the center of the mainly Protestant Northern Ireland town of Portadown, but warnings are telephoned in advance and no-one is hurt. Although the caller uses an Irish Republican Army (IRA) codeword, the IRA denies responsibility for the blast, insisting that its cease-fire is intact. Police believe the bombing may have been carried out by a former IRA member, providing further evidence of a split in the IRA ranks. Meanwhile, police manage to defuse a car-bomb planted by the renegade Protestant Loyalist Volunteer Force just across the border in the Irish Republic. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, suggests that he and Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, should directly negotiate an Arab-Israeli peace agreement under United States auspices in Washington. The Palestinian Authority says it will agree to such a summit if Israel agrees to implement the peace agreement it has already signed. Under this accord, Israel promised a three-stage troop withdrawal from the West Bank to allow most of the territory to come under Palestinian self-rule, but has failed to carry out the withdrawal, instead accusing the Palestinians of reneging on security commitments. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze moves to resolve a four-\Jday\j hostage standoff, offering to meet with representatives of gunmen still holding three United Nations military observers and several local people in a farmhouse outside the village of Dzhikhashkari. One of the four UN hostages initially captured by the gunmen was released yesterday. \I(Georgia)\i
Order is restored in the northern \JAlbanian\j town of Shkoder after Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, authorizes the deployment of 600 commandos and two \Jhelicopter\j gunships to the area. The previous \Jday\j, rioters and rebel police units seized control of the town, looting banks and torching a number of civic buildings. \I(Albania)\i
The Czech Republic's Olympic gold medal winning ice \Jhockey\j team returns home to a tumultuous welcome from more than 100,000 people. The homecoming celebrations bring central \JPrague\j to a standstill, and are televised live on Czech \Jtelevision\j and shown on huge screens in Old Town Square. \JHockey\j is the national passion in the Czech Republic. \I(Czech Republic)\i
#
"February 24, 1998",783,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China hails its 40-year rule over \JTibet\j as a victory over feudalism, saying its has respected Tibetan spiritual beliefs and political autonomy while bringing substantial material benefits to the impoverished region. In claiming new progress in Tibetan human rights, China accuses the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, of having perpetuated a cruel and savage system of politics merged with religion and serfdom. In India, however, the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile rejects China's White Paper on improved human rights in Tibet, saying it conveniently ignores the destruction of 6,000 monasteries and nunneries since the time of "liberation". \I(China, \JTibet\j, India)\i
Laos's National Assembly elects General Khamtay Siphandone, 74, as the country's new president, with Sisavath Keobounphanh to replace him as prime minister. Once a guerrilla fighter against the French, General Khamtay later rose to the top of the nation's ruling Communist party. \I(Laos, \JFrance\j)\i
China staunchly denies having a program to market the organs of executed prisoners. The denial comes after two Chinese nationals are arrested in the United States for allegedly offering to sell human corneas, \Jkidneys\j, skin, and lungs for use in transplants. One of those arrested by the \JFBI\j is a former Chinese prosecutor who was closely involved in the execution of prisoners. \I(China, USA)\i
In its newly released annual report, the International Narcotics Control Board estimates the world's illicit drugs industry at around $US400 billion a year, an industry larger than the international trade in iron, steel, and motor vehicles. The report cites Asia as the world's biggest market for opiates, with Asian heroin-users accounting for one third of the global drug-user population. \I(Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is given a hero's welcome when he returns to UN headquarters in New York following his three-\Jday\j peace mission to \JBaghdad\j. Under a new accord brokered by Mr. Annan in \JBaghdad\j, \JIraq\j accepts all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and agrees to cooperate fully with the UN Special Commission charged with the country's disarmament. Mr. Annan, in turn, agrees to allow diplomats to accompany UN inspectors to certain suspected weapons sites deemed "sensitive" by the Iraqis. While Mr. Annan hails the accord as unique, stressing that none of the world body's previous arrangements with Iraq have been negotiated and approved by President Saddam Hussein, the United States acknowledges that it is a step in the right direction, but says questions and ambiguities with respect to some of the procedures still need to be clarified. The US and Britain are also seeking swift passage of a UN Security Council resolution specifying the consequences of retaliation if Iraq fails to comply with the terms of the accord. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Despite the freshly forged deal between \JBaghdad\j and the United Nations, which has succeeded in averting the immediate threat of United States-led military action against \JIraq\j, US intelligence officials express continued concern about purported Islamic religious edicts advocating attacks on US citizens and allied interests worldwide. The officials point out that the recently published edicts are tied to US \JMiddle East\j policy overall, and not just US policy concerning \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, in Brussels for a United Nations-sponsored conference on the plight of the Palestinians, welcomes the latest pact between \JIraq\j and the UN, and urges all countries who pressured \JIraq\j to implement UN resolutions to pressure Israel to do the same. Britain, meanwhile, fends off European criticism over its role in the United States military build-up against \JIraq\j by agreeing to push a much firmer European Union line against Israel, promising that there will be no double standards on the issue of compliance with UN resolutions. \I(Palestine, \JBelgium\j, \JIraq\j, Israel, UK, Europe, USA)\i
China staunchly denies having a program to market the organs of executed prisoners. The denial comes after two Chinese nationals are arrested in the United States for allegedly offering to sell human corneas, \Jkidneys\j, skin, and lungs for use in transplants. One of those arrested by the \JFBI\j is a former Chinese prosecutor who was closely involved in the execution of prisoners. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States Labor Department reports zero movement in the consumer price index in January. It is the first time in two years that there has not been a monthly increase, an outcome helped by the 2.4 per cent drop in \Jenergy\j prices, the biggest since a 2.6 per cent drop in 1991. Overall, the department's figures show a US \Jinflation\j rate of just 1.6 per cent for the last 12 months. \I(USA)\i
Rescue workers in central \JFlorida\j continue the grim task of searching for nine people still missing in the wake of yesterday's deadly tornadoes. At least 39 people were killed and scores more injured by the twisters, which ripped roofs off the houses of entire residential areas, left wrecked cars piled in heaps, and completely destroyed mobile home parks. \I(USA)\i
In \JNorth Carolina\j, a seven-year-old girl bitten by a fox becomes the latest victim of America's worst \Jrabies\j epidemic in four decades. Last year, there were 839 confirmed cases of \Jrabies\j in \JNorth Carolina\j, compared with only ten in 1990, a statistic that has prompted officials to offer free vaccinations. \I(USA)\i
Britain's Princess Margaret is hospitalized in \JBarbados\j after suffering a mild stroke while holidaying on the Caribbean island of Mustique. \JBuckingham Palace\j confirms that the 67-year-old sister of Queen Elizabeth is in a stable condition and has not been affected in a major way. \I(UK, \JBarbados\j, Mustique)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is given a hero's welcome when he returns to UN headquarters in New York following his three-\Jday\j peace mission to \JBaghdad\j. Under a new accord brokered by Mr. Annan in \JBaghdad\j, \JIraq\j accepts all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and agrees to cooperate fully with the UN Special Commission charged with the country's disarmament. Mr. Annan, in turn, agrees to allow diplomats to accompany UN inspectors to certain suspected weapons sites deemed "sensitive" by the Iraqis. While Mr. Annan hails the accord as unique, stressing that none of the world body's previous arrangements with Iraq have been negotiated and approved by President Saddam Hussein, the United States acknowledges that it is a step in the right direction, but says questions and ambiguities with respect to some of the procedures still need to be clarified. The US and Britain are also seeking swift passage of a UN Security Council resolution specifying the consequences of retaliation if Iraq fails to comply with the terms of the accord. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Despite the freshly forged deal between \JBaghdad\j and the United Nations, which has succeeded in averting the immediate threat of United States-led military action against \JIraq\j, US intelligence officials express continued concern about purported Islamic religious edicts advocating attacks on US citizens and allied interests worldwide. The officials point out that the recently published edicts are tied to US \JMiddle East\j policy overall, and not just US policy concerning \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, in Brussels for a United Nations-sponsored conference on the plight of the Palestinians, welcomes the latest pact between \JIraq\j and the UN, and urges all countries who pressured \JIraq\j to implement UN resolutions to pressure Israel to do the same. Britain, meanwhile, fends off European criticism over its role in the United States military build-up against \JIraq\j by agreeing to push a much firmer European Union line against Israel, promising that there will be no double standards on the issue of compliance with UN resolutions. \I(Palestine, \JBelgium\j, \JIraq\j, Israel, UK, Europe, USA)\i
The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, Danny Yatom, announces his resignation after only 18 months in the post. Mr. Yatom's resignation follows the results of an official inquiry, which found him heavily responsible for Mossad's botched attempt last year to assassinate Khaled Meshaal, an \JAmman\j-based leader of the militant Islamic group Hamas. The incident plunged Israel's relations with Jordan into crisis at the time. \I(Israel, Jordan)\i
Another Bosnian Serb indicted for war crimes voluntarily surrenders to the region's \JNATO\j-led peacekeeping troops. Simo Zaric, a former police chief and state security service agent from the northern town of Bosanski Samac, is charged with taking part in the expulsion of hundreds of Muslims and Croats from their homes during the 1992-95 Bosnian war. Earlier this month, two other suspects from Bosanski Samac turned themselves in to \JNATO\j forces. \I(Bosnia)\i
France's National Assembly votes unanimously to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a global pact outlawing nuclear weapons testing. The treaty was adopted by the United Nations in 1996, and has been signed by 156 nations, but ratified by only 10 so far. \I(France)\i
World Vision reports that around 300,000 children orphaned or abandoned in \JRwanda\j's 1994 genocide are still fending for themselves without access to health care or education. The international relief agency estimates the number of child-headed households at 60,000, and claims that the problem has barely been acknowledged by Rwandan society. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
The Italian Government announces its decision to return a fourth-century granite \Jobelisk\j looted from the Ethiopian holy city of Axum by troops of Benito Mussolini in 1937. The return of the 60-ft-high monument has been delayed by political opposition from the extreme Right, as well as technical doubts about whether it could survive transportation without damage. \I(\JItaly\j, Ethiopia)\i
Laos's National Assembly elects General Khamtay Siphandone, 74, as the country's new president, with Sisavath Keobounphanh to replace him as prime minister. Once a guerrilla fighter against the French, General Khamtay later rose to the top of the nation's ruling Communist party. \I(Laos, \JFrance\j)\i
Britain's Princess Margaret is hospitalized in \JBarbados\j after suffering a mild stroke while holidaying on the Caribbean island of Mustique. \JBuckingham Palace\j confirms that the 67-year-old sister of Queen Elizabeth is in a stable condition and has not been affected in a major way. \I(UK, \JBarbados\j, Mustique)\i
In a ceremony at \JBuckingham Palace\j, rock star, Elton John, is knighted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth for his services to British pop music and his work in raising money for AIDS charities. Sir Elton, soberly dressed for the occasion in full gray morning suit, later expresses great pride in receiving his country's highest honor. \I(UK)\i
#
"February 25, 1998",784,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States gives stronger backing to the newly-brokered United Nations deal with \JIraq\j, conceding that clarification of key points has been received, but insisting that the real ability of UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) weapons inspectors to carry out their work unimpeded can only be tested on the ground in \JIraq\j. The issue of maintaining the absolute authority of UNSCOM and its chief, Richard Butler, is of particular concern to the US under the new arrangements, which include a new group of diplomats to accompany the inspectors to sensitive sites, and also a new commissioner, already named as Jayantha Dhanapala, a retired Sri Lankan diplomat who currently heads the UN disarmament department. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Sri Lanka)\i
South Korea's veteran pro-democracy campaigner, Kim Dae Jung, 74, is sworn in as the nation's 15th president, pledging to act as the bridge to economic prosperity and eventual reunification with the communist North. After months of economic gloom, the mood in Seoul is optimistic, a mood later marred when the main opposition party boycotts a National Assembly session convened to approve the appointment of Mr. Kim's nominee, Kim Jong Pil, as prime minister. \I(South Korea)\i
Mr Bob A. Santamaria, anti-communist and one of the most influential figures in post-WWII Australian politics, dies at the age of 82 in the Australian State of Melbourne. Prime Minister John Howard cancelled his schedule to fly to Melbourne to be by his bedside just hours before his death, which was linked to surgery he had for a brain tumor last October. \I(Australia)\i
A new team of International Monetary Fund officials arrives in Jakarta to help complete a review of the economic reforms \JIndonesia\j agreed to implement as part of a $US43 billion bail-out, a review critical to the disbursement of further installments of the funds package. Meanwhile, despite a government ban on gatherings of more than 30 people, around 500 students stage a rally in the central Jakarta campus of the University of \JIndonesia\j to voice concerns about the country's shattered economy. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
At a meeting in \JMalaysia\j, environment ministers from the nine-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), concerned by the outbreak of new forest fires in \JIndonesia\j, appeal for international assistance to prevent a recurrence of last year's smog, which choked much of the region and caused more than $US1.3 billion in damage. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
The Thai Army denies allegations that senior military officers are involved in an illegal logging scandal that has caused massive environmental damage to the Salween National Park in the country's far northwest. While park rangers have complained of being disadvantaged when it comes to apprehending heavily armed gangs of illegal loggers, allegations of bribery and collusion have also been aimed at rangers and senior \Jforestry\j officials. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States gives stronger backing to the newly-brokered United Nations deal with \JIraq\j, conceding that clarification of key points has been received, but insisting that the real ability of UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) weapons inspectors to carry out their work unimpeded can only be tested on the ground in \JIraq\j. The issue of maintaining the absolute authority of UNSCOM and its chief, Richard Butler, is of particular concern to the US under the revised arrangements, which include a new group of diplomats to accompany the inspectors to sensitive sites, and also a new commissioner, already named as Jayantha Dhanapala, a retired Sri Lankan diplomat who currently heads the UN disarmament department. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Sri Lanka)\i
The United States Congress calls for international pressure on \JIran\j to end the practice of execution by stoning, which has continued despite President Mohammad Khatami's stated commitment to reform. Congress also urges the Clinton Administration to bear such human rights abuses in mind when dealing with Mr. Khatami, who has recently expressed a desire for dialogue with the American people. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
Valdas Adamkus, a Lithuanian-American and former United States Government official who was elected president of Lithuania in January, gives up his US citizenship one \Jday\j before he is due to be sworn into office. \I(Lithuania, USA)\i
As US President Bill Clinton tours areas of central \JFlorida\j devastated by a string of tornadoes that killed at least 39 people, experts predict that the El Ni±o \Jweather\j phenomenon responsible for the havoc created across \JCalifornia\j and \JFlorida\j will continue to rage through late spring. Yesterday, the latest El Ni±o-driven storm to hit \JCalifornia\j left seven people dead, as well as destroying homes, eroding beaches, and closing roads. Already this year, El Ni±o has been blamed for 90 deaths across the United States and around $US500 million worth of property damage in \JCalifornia\j alone. \I(USA)\i
The United States Supreme Court upholds a ruling limiting the expansion of credit unions to include groups beyond the traditional membership base. Under current law, credit union members must have a common bond, such as a place of employment. The high court ruling is vehemently opposed by broad sections of Congress and also the Senate, where support is mounting for new legislation allowing more diversity of financial services and greater consumer choice. \I(USA)\i
Colombia's chief prosecutor's department announces that a team of forty armed agents has captured billionaire "emerald czar", Victor Carranza, who is wanted on charges of organizing a right-wing death squad. During the raid on Mr. Carranza's house, the agents also seized two of his bodyguards and confiscated unlicensed weapons. \I(Colombia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States gives stronger backing to the newly-brokered United Nations deal with \JIraq\j, conceding that clarification of key points has been received, but insisting that the real ability of UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) weapons inspectors to carry out their work unimpeded can only be tested on the ground in \JIraq\j. The issue of maintaining the absolute authority of UNSCOM and its chief, Richard Butler, is of particular concern to the US under the revised arrangements, which include a new group of diplomats to accompany the inspectors to sensitive sites, and also a new commissioner, already named as Jayantha Dhanapala, a retired Sri Lankan diplomat who currently heads the UN disarmament department. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Sri Lanka)\i
Hundreds of Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces in a West Bank refugee camp following the overnight arrests of six \JArabs\j suspected of participating in "violent actions" against Israeli police and civilians. The clashes coincide with the fourth anniversary of the \JHebron\j massacre, in which ranks of Muslims kneeling at prayer were gunned down by Jewish settler, Baruch Goldstein, before he was seized and beaten to death. The event is marked by about 20 members of Israel's Peace Now movement who demonstrate at Goldstein's gravesite, trading barbs with Jewish settlers declaring their support for the 1994 massacre. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Relations between Israel and \JSwitzerland\j cool after an Israeli Mossad secret agent is arrested for allegedly attempting to bug a private house in \JBern\j, and Swiss police reveal that they are searching for at least four other agents in connection with the operation. \JSwitzerland\j accuses Israel of violating its sovereignty, and demands an apology over the incident, the disclosure of which comes one \Jday\j after the resignation of Mossad chief, Danny Yatom. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Israel)\i
The United States Congress calls for international pressure on \JIran\j to end the practice of execution by stoning, which has continued despite President Mohammad Khatami's stated commitment to reform. Congress also urges the Clinton Administration to bear such human rights abuses in mind when dealing with Mr. Khatami, who has recently expressed a desire for dialogue with the American people. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
In \JNiger\j, an army mutiny spreads from the remote east of the nation to the heartland of its uranium mining industry in the north. The mutineers say their action is in solidarity with troops in Diffa, who launched their rebellion last Saturday over late payment of salaries. The government, meanwhile, affirms that it is trying to resolve the problem of pays in arrears. \JNiger\j is currently in the throes of severe economic hardship caused by a slump in the world market for uranium. \I(\JNiger\j)\i
A special German police commando unit established to combat neo-Nazi extremism reports 23 arrests in its first week of operations, as well as the disbandment of a training camp outside Berlin. The unit was set up by the State of Brandenburg, which has the highest concentration of neo-Nazis in the country. Under German law, it is illegal to possess paraphernalia of the former Nazis, to engage in neo-Nazi activity, or to possess neo-Nazi literature. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Valdas Adamkus, a Lithuanian-American and former United States Government official who was elected president of Lithuania in January, gives up his US citizenship one \Jday\j before he is due to be sworn into office. \I(Lithuania, USA)\i
#
"February 26, 1998",785,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
For a second consecutive \Jday\j, students from Jakarta's University of \JIndonesia\j face armed riot troops, this time urging the troops to join them as they call for political and economic reform. The 3,000-strong demonstration follows a recent university survey, which found that 90 per cent of respondents believe the country's present Parliament does not represent the aspirations of the people, with 72 per cent also having no faith in the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential elections. Just over three decades ago, student activists from the same university played a key role in bringing down the Sukarno Government and propelling President Soeharto to power. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korea's newly inaugurated President, Kim Dae Jung, faces his first political setback when the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) again refuses to endorse his choice of Kim Jong Pil as prime minister. Yesterday, the GNP expressed its objection to the controversial nomination by boycotting a vote in the National Assembly, where it holds 161 of the 299 seats. Kim Jong Pil, once an arch enemy of the new president, founded South Korea's Central Intelligence Agency in the 1960s, and was prime minister in 1973 when Kim Dae Jung, then a dissident, was kidnapped by \JCIA\j agents from a \JTokyo\j hotel room. \I(South Korea, \JJapan\j)\i
In an annual assessment of the world's leading drug producing and transit countries, United States President, Bill Clinton, rules that after two years of decertification, \JColombia\j can be certified as co-operating against drugs because it is in US national interests to do so. \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, and \JParaguay\j also receive the "national interests" waiver that will allow them to receive US financial aid, but \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j, \JIran\j, and \JNigeria\j are decertified in this year's assessment. Meanwhile, Mexico becomes one of 22 countries to receive full certification, the highest of the three ratings. \I(USA, \JColombia\j, \JParaguay\j, \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JIran\j, \JNigeria\j, Mexico)\i
Thailand's Narcotics Suppression Bureau says drug syndicates are now recruiting foreign chemists to manufacture a new and more potent generation of amphetamines and methamphetamines in mobile jungle laboratories in northern Thailand, \JMyanmar\j, and Laos. The bureau also maintains that southern China is now the major link in supply routes to the West and to the cities of Asia itself. \I(Thailand, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Laos)\i
India's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reclaims control of the state of Uttar Pradesh just days after being dismissed by the state governor, who wrongly accepted the word of the BJP's former allies that they held a legislative majority. The turnaround is assured when the BJP wins confirmation of its court-ordered reinstatement by a vote of 225-196, and comes amid federal parliamentary elections, in which the BJP is expected to win the largest number of seats. \I(India)\i
Representatives from 35 small island states in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and \JPacific Ocean\j meet in Suva for talks aimed at forging joint strategies to resist the dominance of big powers at trade forums and other international gatherings such as the United Nations. \I(Suva, The Americas, Asia/Pacific)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Richard Butler, head of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction, voices his acceptance of the new accord between \JBaghdad\j and the UN, disagreeing that it undermines the authority of UNSCOM, and maintaining that the arrangements are entirely satisfactory. Mr. Butler's endorsement comes amid mounting skepticism in the United States Senate, where the deal is viewed by some as an agreement that cannot be enforced, while being scathingly indicted by others as "appeasement". Under the accord negotiated by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, \JIraq\j agrees to give UN inspectors full access to all suspected weapons sites, but calls for the formation of a new group of inspectors and senior UN diplomats to conduct inspections at the eight presidential sites previously declared off-limits. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States Deputy Defense Secretary, John Hamre, says the US military build-up near \JIraq\j has cost the Pentagon more than $US600 million so far, with the price tag continuing to rise as more troops travel to \JKuwait\j. Since the weapons inspection dispute between \JIraq\j and the United Nations erupted last October, the US has been substantially strengthening its forces in the Gulf region. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
In an annual assessment of the world's leading drug producing and transit countries, United States President, Bill Clinton, rules that after two years of decertification, \JColombia\j can be certified as co-operating against drugs because it is in US national interests to do so. \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, and \JParaguay\j also receive the "national interests" waiver that will allow them to receive US financial aid, but \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j, \JIran\j, and \JNigeria\j are decertified in this year's assessment. Meanwhile, Mexico becomes one of 22 countries to receive full certification, the highest of the three ratings. \I(USA, \JColombia\j, \JParaguay\j, \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JIran\j, \JNigeria\j, Mexico)\i
US President Bill Clinton backs pending United States legislation to impose a moratorium on taxes that discriminate against business transactions on the \JInternet\j, adding that he will ask Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, to seek a similar ban internationally. Mr. Clinton argues that economic prosperity depends on full development of the \JInternet\j, and the community cannot allow unfair taxation to weigh it down and stunt its potential. \I(USA)\i
After days of debate in the United States Senate, a proposal to rewrite political campaign finance laws fails to attract sufficient support for a direct vote on the issue. Proponents of reform nevertheless maintain that they will continue to push for a change in a system they claim is corrupt, saying there will be more indictments and more scandals unless it is overhauled. \I(USA)\i
Five New York police officers are indicted on charges of violating the \Jcivil rights\j of Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, who was beaten and sexually tortured in a Brooklyn precinct house last August. Four of the officers have already pleaded not guilty to assault charges filed by New York State. \I(USA, Haiti)\i
After two days of deliberation, a jury in Amarillo, \JTexas\j, returns a verdict in favor of American \Jtelevision\j talk-show hostess, Oprah Winfrey, ending a six-week trial in which a group of \JTexas\j cattlemen sought more than $US11 million in civil damages, claiming comments by Ms. Winfrey in a 1996 show about mad cow disease had caused beef prices to plummet. \I(USA)\i
The Western Hemisphere's last total solar \Jeclipse\j this century casts a 93-mile-wide shadow over northern \JSouth America\j. Along the arc of sudden darkness, tropical temperatures drop as the moon blots out the \Jsun\j for about four minutes. The phenomenon is best viewed in \JMaracaibo\j, northern \JColombia\j, where more than 300 scientists from around the world had gathered in anticipation of the event, which will not be visible again in the hemisphere until 2017. \I(\JColombia\j, \JSouth America\j)\i
Representatives from 35 small island states in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and \JPacific Ocean\j meet in Suva for talks aimed at forging joint strategies to resist the dominance of big powers at trade forums and other international gatherings such as the United Nations. \I(Suva, The Americas, Asia/Pacific)\i
At the recording industry's 40th annual \JGrammy\j awards in New York, veteran rocker Bob Dylan, 56, is honored with three awards: best album of the year, best male rock vocal performance, and best contemporary folk album. Other winners include Shawn Colvin, whose "Sunny Came Home" is named both best record and best song of the year, Elton John, who takes the award for best male pop vocal performance with "Candle in the Wind 1997," his tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah McLachlan, who collects the award for best female pop vocal performance with "Building a Mystery;" while the award for best female rock performance goes to Fiona Apple for "Criminal." The \JGrammy\j for best new artist is awarded to Paula Cole; James Taylor's "Hourglass" wins best pop album, and the award for best pop vocal performance by a duo or group goes to Jamiroquai for "Virtual Insanity." \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Richard Butler, head of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction, voices his acceptance of the new accord between \JBaghdad\j and the UN, disagreeing that it undermines the authority of UNSCOM, and maintaining that the arrangements are entirely satisfactory. Mr. Butler's endorsement comes amid mounting skepticism in the United States Senate, where the deal is viewed by some as an agreement that cannot be enforced, while being scathingly indicted by others as "appeasement". Under the accord negotiated by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, \JIraq\j agrees to give UN inspectors full access to all suspected weapons sites, but calls for the formation of a new group of inspectors and senior UN diplomats to conduct inspections at the eight presidential sites previously declared off-limits. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States Deputy Defense Secretary, John Hamre, says the US military build-up near \JIraq\j has cost the Pentagon more than $US600 million so far, with the price tag continuing to rise as more troops travel to \JKuwait\j. Since the weapons inspection dispute between \JIraq\j and the United Nations erupted last October, the US has been substantially strengthening its forces in the Gulf region. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
In defiance of growing violence aimed at destroying the Northern Ireland peace process, the British and Irish Governments agree on a loose timetable to ensure forward movement toward a settlement. The most optimistic scenario is to achieve full agreement on a settlement proposal by Easter, with a referendum on the proposal to be held both north and south of the border in early May. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
The three remaining United Nations military observers taken hostage in Georgia last week are set free by their kidnappers as promised talks begin with Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze. The kidnappers initially demanded the simultaneous release of comrades jailed in connection with the recent assassination attempt on Mr. Shevardnadze. \I(Georgia)\i
As Sierra Leone's capital, \JFreetown\j, returns to normal life following the rout of the country's military junta, Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping forces report that they have captured the second largest city, Bo, and will now strike north where junta leader, Johnny Paul Koroma, and other key officials are still holding out. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone's President, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who was driven into exile by last May's military coup, announces that he will return to \JFreetown\j next month. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Simo Zaric, 49, who earlier this week surrendered to \JNATO\j-led peacekeepers, pleads not guilty when he appears before the International Criminal Tribunal on charges of taking part in a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" against Croats and Muslims in the town of Bosanski Samac at the onset of the 1992-95 Bosnian war. According to the \Jindictment\j, Bosnian Croats and Muslims represented more than half the town's population of 33,000 in 1991, but by May 1995, fewer than 300 Croats and Muslims remained. \I(Bosnia)\i
Opening a Cabinet meeting called to review \JRussia\j's economic performance, President Boris Yeltsin warns that three government ministers will be dismissed by the end of the \Jday\j-long session. When Mr. Yeltsin walks out of the meeting 90 minutes later, leaving any Cabinet changes in abeyance, the country's anxious financial markets shed most of their early gains, despite \JKremlin\j assurances that there is nothing sensational about Mr. Yeltsin's abrupt departure. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Valdas Adamkus is sworn in as \JLithuania\j's president, vowing to strive for morality and responsibility at all levels of government, and to work tirelessly for the country's speedy entry into the European Union and \JNATO\j. \JLithuania\j was one of five eastern European nations rejected for the first wave of European Union entry. \I(\JLithuania\j, \JRussia\j, Europe)\i
In an annual assessment of the world's leading drug producing and transit countries, United States President, Bill Clinton, rules that after two years of decertification, \JColombia\j can be certified as co-operating against drugs because it is in US national interests to do so. \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, and \JParaguay\j also receive the "national interests" waiver that will allow them to receive US financial aid, but \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j, \JIran\j, and \JNigeria\j are decertified in this year's assessment. Meanwhile, Mexico becomes one of 22 countries to receive full certification, the highest of the three ratings. \I(USA, \JColombia\j, \JParaguay\j, \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JIran\j, \JNigeria\j, Mexico)\i
At the recording industry's 40th annual \JGrammy\j awards in New York, veteran rocker Bob Dylan, 56, is honored with three awards: best album of the year, best male rock vocal performance, and best contemporary folk album. Other winners include Shawn Colvin, whose "Sunny Came Home" is named both best record and best song of the year; Elton John, who takes the award for best male pop vocal performance with "Candle in the Wind 1997," his tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales; Sarah McLachlan, who collects the award for best female pop vocal performance with "Building a Mystery;" while the award for best female rock performance goes to Fiona Apple for "Criminal." The \JGrammy\j for best new artist is awarded to Paula Cole; James Taylor's "Hourglass" wins best pop album, and the award for best pop vocal performance by a duo or group goes to Jamiroquai for "Virtual Insanity". \I(USA)\i
Bishops of the Church of Wales vote to lift a ban on divorcees remarrying in church, with new guidelines soon to be issued allowing the \Jclergy\j freedom to conduct remarriage services if their consciences permit them to do so. \I(Wales)\i
#
"February 27, 1998",786,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After more than seven months of civil conflict, Cambodian Government forces and opposition troops loyal to deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, are officially ordered to stop fighting as of midnight. However, the Hun Sen Government's cease-fire order only applies to fighting against Prince Ranariddh's forces, not against the notorious Khmer Rouge guerrillas who have been supporting the royalist struggle. The government cease-fire also orders opposition forces to stay in their position and declare their troops' strength and weapons supplies in preparation for their re-\Jintegration\j into the government army. \I(Cambodia)\i
International efforts to address \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis are effectively placed on hold as members of the country's People's Consultative Assembly begin arriving in Jakarta ahead of an eleven-\Jday\j meeting that will almost certainly re-elect President Soeharto for a record seventh consecutive five-year term. Despite mounting pressure for President Soeharto to step down, the assembly is stacked with his supporters, a situation that virtually eliminates the chances of any rival contenders for the presidency. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Official figures released in \JJapan\j show the country's economic slump to be worsening, with unemployment running at its highest level in 40 years, and retail sales falling for the 10th consecutive month. The grimmest indication of the country's economic decline is the number of executive suicides, which the figures show have risen by 16 per cent to a total of 478 over the past twelve months. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
An agreement is reached between South Korea's new President, Kim Dae Jung, and the leader of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), Cho Soon, which will allow a vote in Parliament next week on the president's choice of prime minister. The GNP has been boycotting the National Assembly in an attempt to reject the controversial appointment of Kim Jong Pil to the office. \I(South Korea)\i
Four people are killed and at least 14 more wounded when three bombs rip through the Indian city of \JBombay\j ahead of the final phase of general election voting. Meanwhile, in Srinagar, the capital of volatile Kashmir state, separatist Muslim groups urging an election boycott also call an anti-election strike. Srinagar is the center of a nine-year insurgency by Muslim militants fighting for independence from India. \I(India)\i
A bomb destroys a passenger bus in \JPakistan\j's eastern Punjab province, killing five people and wounding 22 others. The blast follows two the previous \Jday\j, which killed three people and injured 26, and comes amid a wave of renewed ethnic and religiously motivated violence in \JPakistan\j, particularly in the southern port city of \JKarachi\j, where 15 people have been killed in shootouts and bombings in the last two weeks. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Mercury Energy, the power supplier to the \JNew Zealand\j city of Auckland which has been shrouded in darkness for a week, says it will be at least another three weeks before full power is restored to the city's business district, where 60,000 people work and another 5,000 live. Mercury Energy also donates $NZ1 million to a hardship fund for city retailers, who estimate that they are losing up to $NZ10 million a \Jday\j because of power shortages, which have now spread to the suburbs outside the city center, with \Jwater\j heating also being cut to ease the load on the remaining network. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Malaysian authorities appeal for public co-operation to halt an influx of illegal immigrants. Already this month, more than 3,000 illegal immigrants, mostly from \JIndonesia\j, have been apprehended, but authorities say they lack the manpower to patrol the entire coastal area. In 1997, a total of 8,833 illegal immigrants were arrested, and February's figure is thereby regarded as "alarming". \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
China reveals plans to phase out about half of the eight million official positions in Communist Party and state bodies, a move aimed at reducing the vast bureaucracy that has become a barrier to economic reform. As an immediate measure, it is announced that the number of ministries and cabinet-level commissions will be cut by about one-third, leaving 29 out of the present 41. \I(China)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, says he is widening the search for assets of late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, assets Manila claims were looted from the national treasury during Marcos's 20-year rule, and which are believed to be held in banks in \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, and the United States. Last month, the Swiss Supreme Court ordered the transfer to the \JPhilippines\j of $US414 million from Marcos's accounts, but Marcos's heirs are appealing against the decision. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, USA)\i
After ten years of research, scientists at Mahidol University, \JBangkok\j, announce that they have developed the first successful \Jdengue\j fever vaccine. The new vaccine builds up a natural immunity to the fever, a potentially deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
The owners of Muju, South Korea's most famous ski resort, reveal that American pop star Michael Jackson has agreed to build a theme park on the site. According to the owners, Ssangbang Wool Development Ltd., the park in North Cholla province is to be called Neverland Asia. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
Chinese authorities report what is believed to be one of the world's biggest traffic accidents, involving about 140 vehicles in a "chain collision". Three people were killed in the accident, which occurred on a freeway near \JBeijing\j. \I(China)\i
Scientists on Ross Island, 1,287 kilometers from the South Pole, say they have uncovered a sophisticated prostitution racket, whereby female penguins entice male birds to have sex paid for with stones. The stones are needed by the females to build nest platforms to keep their eggs out of the icy waters, and can become extremely scarce, being difficult to extract from frozen mud. \I(Ross Island, South Pole)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, defends the United Nations-brokered deal with \JIraq\j, saying she feels cautiously optimistic that \JBaghdad\j will abide by its public commitment to allow UN arms inspectors access to all Iraqi sites suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. Ms. Albright adds that critics of the deal fail to appreciate the difficulty of convincing the world to accept a military solution, and points out that the existence of the signed accord will make it easier to muster support for US-led military action against Iraq if it obstructs the inspection program again. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The International Court of Justice rules that is has \Jjurisdiction\j to hear \JLibya\j's complaints against Britain and the United States in relation to their 10-year pursuit of the suspected Libyan bombers of Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 on board and 11 people on the ground. Both Britain and the US are demanding that the two suspects be handed over for trial, but Libya is contesting their demands, proposing instead that the trial be held in a third country. \I(\JLibya\j, UK, USA)\i
A rupture in \JEcuador\j's largest oil pipeline sends a flood of blazing oil down the Tiaone River and over its surrounds, burning houses and forcing the evacuation of around 600 people. Seven people die after being engulfed by the burning oil, 30 are reported missing, and at least 35 are left with second or third degree burns. \I(\JEcuador\j)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, says he is widening the search for assets of late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, assets Manila claims were looted from the national treasury during Marcos's 20-year rule, and which are believed to be held in banks in \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, and the United States. Last month, the Swiss Supreme Court ordered the transfer to the \JPhilippines\j of $US414 million from Marcos's accounts, but Marcos's heirs are appealing against the decision. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, USA)\i
House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, says the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office forecasts that the United States Government will post a Budget surplus of between $US5 billion and $US10 billion in the current fiscal year. Earlier this month, the \JWhite House\j also predicted a surplus this year, but did not give an estimated amount. \I(USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, unveils a new national center near \JSan Francisco\j that will co-ordinate efforts against cyber-sabotage. At the same time, \JFBI\j agents question two \JCalifornia\j teenagers suspected of "hacker" attacks on eleven US military computers this month. Although no classified networks were penetrated, the electronic break-ins sparked considerable alarm in the Pentagon. \I(USA)\i
Chelsea Clinton, daughter of US President Bill Clinton, celebrates her 18th birthday with her parents at an exclusive ski resort high in the Rocky Mountains in \JUtah\j. An avid outdoorswoman, the choice of venue was Chelsea's. \I(USA)\i
The owners of Muju, South Korea's most famous ski resort, reveal that American pop star Michael Jackson has agreed to build a theme park on the site. According to the owners, Ssangbang Wool Development Ltd., the park in North Cholla province is to be called Neverland Asia. \I(South Korea, USA)\i
The assisted suicide of a 21-year-old student paralyzed for the past 13 months is ruled a \Jhomicide\j by the County Medical Examiner's Office in Oakland, \JMichigan\j. The student died by lethal injection with the help of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who claims to have helped at least 80 people to end their lives since he began his crusade for doctor-assisted suicide in 1990. Since then, the 69-year-old retired pathologist has been acquitted on assisted suicide charges by three juries, with a fourth trial last year ending in a mistrial. \I(USA)\i
In Tavares, \JFlorida\j, the 17-year-old leader of a \Jcult\j of self-professed teen vampires is sentenced to die in the electric chair for bludgeoning to death the parents of the group's latest 15-year-old recruit. Rod Ferrell, who pleaded guilty to two charges of first-degree murder, headed a clan of would-be vampires who drank each other's blood, and engaged in sex rites and animal-mutilation rituals. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, defends the United Nations-brokered deal with \JIraq\j, saying she feels cautiously optimistic that \JBaghdad\j will abide by its public commitment to allow UN arms inspectors access to all Iraqi sites suspected of harboring weapons of mass destruction. Ms. Albright adds that critics of the deal fail to appreciate the difficulty of convincing the world to accept a military solution, and points out that the existence of the signed accord will make it easier to muster support for US-led military action against Iraq if it obstructs the inspection program again. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The International Court of Justice rules that is has \Jjurisdiction\j to hear \JLibya\j's complaints against Britain and the United States in relation to their 10-year pursuit of the suspected Libyan bombers of Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 on board and 11 people on the ground. Both Britain and the US are demanding that the two suspects be handed over for trial, but Libya is contesting their demands, proposing instead that the trial be held in a third country. \I(\JLibya\j, UK, USA)\i
In a bid to salvage bilateral relations, Israel sends a letter of apology to Swiss President, Flavio Cotti, expressing regret over the recent incident which resulted in the arrest of an Israeli Mossad secret agent who allegedly tried to bug the \JBern\j house of an unidentified foreign national. Mr. Cotti acknowledges the letter as a positive step, but adds that the act of espionage remains a severe and unacceptable violation of Swiss sovereignty. \I(Israel, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
France, \JGermany\j, and \JItaly\j join eight other European Union member states in meeting the key budget test, set in 1992, for the right to dissolve their currencies into the euro, a move planned for January 1, 1999. However, in the less rigid criterion of national debt, only France, \JFinland\j, and Luxembourg manage to reach the target. \JGreece\j, which aspires to qualify for monetary union before euro notes and coins are issued in 2002, fails to meet any of the targets. \I(France, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JFinland\j, Luxembourg, \JGreece\j)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, says he is widening the search for assets of late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, assets Manila claims were looted from the national treasury during Marcos's 20-year rule, and which are believed to be held in banks in \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, and the United States. Last month, the Swiss Supreme Court ordered the transfer to the \JPhilippines\j of $US414 million from Marcos's accounts, but Marcos's heirs are appealing against the decision. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Hong Kong, USA)\i
At the Abu Sir pyramids, about 12 miles west of the Egyptian capital, \JCairo\j, Czech archaeologists open the \Jbasalt\j sarcophagus of a Pharonic priest who has remained undisturbed since his burial over 2,500 years ago. The archaeologists say the priest Iufaa probably practiced under 26th dynasty Pharaoh Ankhkaenre Psmatik, who was dethroned by Persian ruler, Cambyses. \I(Egypt, Czech Republic)\i
#
"February 28, 1998",787,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Former United States vice president, Walter Mondale, departs for Jakarta accompanied by officials from the US Treasury and State departments. Mr. Mondale will be President Bill Clinton's personal representative during talks about \JIndonesia\j's financial crisis with President Soeharto and other government officials. The \JWhite House\j says Mr. Mondale is carrying the blunt message that it is imperative for Jakarta to implement reforms promised in exchange for an International Monetary Fund bailout package. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, says the Sultan of \JBrunei\j is planning some strategic investments to help Asian economies recover from the current economic crisis. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is reputed to be one of the world's richest men, and the oil-rich sultanate itself has been largely protected from the region's troubles, with \JBrunei\j's currency pegged to that of \JSingapore\j, which has weathered the Asian crisis better than most of its neighbors. \I(Malaysia, \JBrunei\j, \JSingapore\j, Asia)\i
Pakistan is racked by further ethnic violence, with two bomb blasts and gunbattles between rival factions killing at least eight people and wounding another 29. The latest violence occurs in the troubled city of \JKarachi\j, in the southern province of Sindh, and follows this week's bomb attacks in the central province of Punjab, where eight people were killed and 48 people were wounded. \I(Pakistan)\i
Exit polls taken just after the final round of voting in India's general elections indicate that the country is heading towards another hung parliament. One exit poll puts the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) well ahead, but predicts that it is unlikely to secure the majority needed to form a government on its own. Another exit poll gives the BJP fewer seats, and suggests that the once-powerful Congress Party has a chance of forming a government if it can secure the support of both the left and the centrist United Front. \I(India)\i
A record crowd of more than 700,000 people line the streets of Sydney to watch 270 floats and marching groups take part in the Australian city's 20th Gay and Lesbian \JMardi Gras\j parade, one of the world's biggest processions, attracting participants and spectators from around the globe. One of the biggest ovations of the night is saved for 27 uniformed police officers, marching as newcomers to the parade under the banner, "Because We Care". \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Britain formally submits a draft United Nations Security Council resolution warning \JIraq\j of "very severe consequences" if it reneges on the new weapons inspection deal brokered by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. No vote on the resolution has been scheduled, with council members still to consult with their respective capitals. In the meantime, United States Congressional House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, calls for the Clinton administration to veto any resolution that fails to include an automatic trigger for military action against \JIraq\j if \JBaghdad\j refuses to comply with the terms of the accord. \I(UK, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Iraq dismisses as unnecessary a United Nations draft resolution setting out severe consequences if \JBaghdad\j fails to comply with an agreement to open up all sites to UN weapons inspectors, saying the deal itself is a cast-iron accord, and the resolution thereby redundant. However, Iraq warns of problems unless the inspectors themselves behave according to UN standards. In the past, Iraq has complained that inspectors were aggressive and rude, and has also accused some of spying for the United States. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Former United States vice president, Walter Mondale, departs for Jakarta accompanied by officials from the US Treasury and State departments. Mr. Mondale will be President Bill Clinton's personal representative during talks about \JIndonesia\j's financial crisis with President Soeharto and other government officials. The \JWhite House\j says Mr. Mondale is carrying the blunt message that it is imperative for Jakarta to implement reforms promised in exchange for an International Monetary Fund bailout package. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The Cuban Government enlists the aid of a Canadian company, Visa Gold Resource, to recover billions of dollars worth of Spanish treasure from galleons which have being lying undisturbed for centuries among the reefs of Cuba's coastline. Cuba's state-owned Carisub corporation has spent 16 years trying to reach the galleons, but its efforts have been frustrated by the lack of sophisticated equipment. \I(Cuba, Canada, \JSpain\j)\i
Dr. Jack Kevorkian admits helping a 21-year-old \JMichigan\j college student to die and challenges prosecutors to charge him. The challenge comes after the Oakland County Medical Examiner ruled that the death of Roosevelt Dawson was \Jhomicide\j, as it has done in previous cases of assisted suicide. Dawson was paralyzed 13 months ago following a viral infection in his spinal cord, and could only breathe with the aid of a ventilator. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain formally submits a draft United Nations Security Council resolution warning \JIraq\j of "very severe consequences" if it reneges on the new weapons inspection deal brokered by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. No vote on the resolution has been scheduled, with council members still to consult with their respective capitals. In the meantime, United States Congressional House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, calls for the Clinton administration to veto any resolution that fails to include an automatic trigger for military action against \JIraq\j if \JBaghdad\j refuses to comply with the terms of the accord. \I(UK, \JIraq\j, USA)\i
Iraq dismisses as unnecessary a United Nations draft resolution setting out severe consequences if \JBaghdad\j fails to comply with an agreement to open up all sites to UN weapons inspectors, saying the deal itself is a cast-iron accord, and the resolution thereby redundant. However, Iraq warns of problems unless the inspectors themselves behave according to UN standards. In the past, Iraq has complained that inspectors were aggressive and rude, and has also accused some of spying for the United States. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Israel announces that its troops have intercepted a substantial weapons shipment being smuggled across the Dead Sea from Jordan. Israel claims that the weapons were bound for the Palestinian Authority, but Palestinian officials have denied any knowledge of the weapons or their seizure. \I(Israel, Jordan, Palestine)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, lives up to his recent warnings and dismisses three Government ministers, but rules out dropping key reformers such as Boris Nemstov and Anatoly Chubais. Those relieved of their posts are the deputy prime minister in charge of relations with former Soviet republics, Valery Serov, Transport Minister, Nikolai Tsakh, and Education Minister, Vladimir Kinelyov. \I(Russia)\i
The Cuban Government enlists the aid of a Canadian company, Visa Gold Resource, to recover billions of dollars worth of Spanish treasure from galleons which have being lying undisturbed for centuries among the reefs of Cuba's coastline. Cuba's state-owned Carisub corporation has spent 16 years trying to reach the galleons, but its efforts have been frustrated by the lack of sophisticated equipment. \I(Cuba, Canada, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"March 1, 1998",788,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Addressing the inaugural 1998 session of the People's Consultative Assembly, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto makes his strongest comments to date on the country's crippling economic crisis, insisting that the reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have not led to any improvement, and calling for an IMF-plus solution to \JIndonesia\j's problems. During the next 11 days, the 1,000-strong assembly is expected to determine state policy until 2003, as well as return Mr. Soeharto for another five-year term as president. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Myanmar's military junta arrests 40 people on suspicion of conspiring to launch bomb attacks and instigate public unrest in co-operation with underground agents. A spokesman for the ruling State Peace and Development Council says those arrested have links with the opposition National League of Democracy Party, led by Nobel peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Cambodia's Khmer Rouge guerrillas reject the recently declared cease-fire between troops of the Hun Sen Government and forces loyal to deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The Khmer Rouge denounces the truce as an attempt on the part of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, to destroy the resistance forces, in which the guerrillas have allegedly played an active role. \I(Cambodia)\i
Chinese \Jdissidents\j announce the formation of a new opposition China Democracy and Justice Party, whose manifesto calls for a revolution to overthrow the Communist Party, which has crushed any political challenge since it seized power in 1949. The new opposition party has around 100 members, and will be forced to remain underground until it gathers greater support. \I(China)\i
The Chinese Government announces a plan to issue $US33 billion in special bonds to prop up the four main state-owned banks, a move aimed at strengthening public confidence and boosting the banks' ability to compete in international financial markets. \I(China)\i
Golfer Karrie Webb scores her first major tournament victory on home soil when she wins the Australian Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort on \JQueensland\j's Gold Coast. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two United States military freighter planes join an international operation to feed an estimated 515,000 people still stranded by floods in northeastern \JKenya\j, where torrential El Ni±o-driven rains over the past four months have destroyed roads and bridges, making it impossible to access the area by road. \I(USA, \JKenya\j)\i
A number of United States Republicans join Democrats in criticizing the methods of prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who is investigating allegations that President Bill Clinton had a sexual affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and urged her to lie about it under oath. In the past week, Mr. Starr has extended his investigation to the president's aides, including \JWhite House\j communications director Sidney Blumenthal, who was subpoenaed in connection with allegedly spreading malicious lies in an attempt to sabotage Mr. Starr's inquiry. Supporters of Mr. Clinton are now accusing Mr. Starr of being out of control, and calling for him to stand down. \I(USA)\i
The death toll from tornadoes that cut a deadly swathe across central \JFlorida\j last week rises to 40, with rescuers suspending the search for one remaining missing person. The tornadoes also seriously injured 265 people in four counties and caused an estimated $US67 million in property damage. \I(USA)\i
A team of scientists working at Philadelphia's Wistar Institute announces the discovery of a new gene linked with both breast and lung cancer. In its normal form, the gene, identified as BAP1, controls production of enzymes that suppress tumor development. \I(USA)\i
The last of the septuplets born to Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey three months ago are released from \Jhospital\j to join their five brothers and sisters at home in \JCarlisle\j, \JIowa\j. The babies are the world's first septuplets known to have survived for more than a few days. \I(USA)\i
In men's tennis, World No. 1, American Pete Sampras, defeats Sweden's Thomas Enqvist in the final of the ATP Tournament at Philadelphia, and \JRussia\j's Yevgeny Kafelnikov defeats \JFrance\j's Cedric Pioline in the final of the Indoor Tournament at London. Meanwhile, in the Austrian Women's Open at Linz, Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic scores a convincing win over Dominique van Roost of \JBelgium\j, \I(USA, Sweden, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, UK, Austria, Czech Republic, \JBelgium\j)\i
At Valencia, \JCalifornia\j, American golfer Billy Mayfair wins the first hole of a playoff against countryman Tiger Woods to capture the Los Angeles Open, while in the United Arab Emirates, \JSpain\j's Jose Maria Olazabal finishes three strokes ahead with a score of 269 to take out the Dubai Desert Classic. \I(USA, United Arab Emirates, \JSpain\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Signaling a change of attitude, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is willing to negotiate a phased withdrawal of his troops from south \JLebanon\j, in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, if the Lebanese Government ensures its control over the militant Islamic group Hezbollah. The 1978 resolution calls for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from the self-declared security zone, and for the deployment of the Lebanese Army and UN forces to ensure security along the Israeli-Lebanese border. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Serbia's Interior Ministry reports that 16 ethnic Albanians and four Serb police were killed yesterday during weapons raids in the troubled southern province of \JKosovo\j, which has been ruled by \JBelgrade\j since 1989, and where pro-independence ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs by nine to one. \I(Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Social Democrat, Gerhard Schroeder, scores a triumphant victory over German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democratic Union in Lower \JSaxony\j's state election, retaining the office of prime minister and increasing his share of the vote by more than four percentage points. Mr. Schroeder's win seals his bid to challenge the chancellor as the Social Democrat candidate in \JGermany\j's national ballot in September. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Two United States military freighter planes join an international operation to feed an estimated 515,000 people still stranded by floods in northeastern \JKenya\j, where torrential El Ni±o-driven rains over the past four months have destroyed roads and bridges, making it impossible to access the area by road. \I(USA, \JKenya\j)\i
More than 250,000 people from the countryside take to the streets of London to protest against a bill, now before Parliament, which will outlaw fox-hunting, as well as all other forms of hunting animals with dogs. The countrysiders are particularly angry about the way they claim to have been marginalized by the decisions of city people. \I(UK)\i
In men's tennis, World No. 1, American Pete Sampras, defeats Sweden's Thomas Enqvist in the final of the ATP Tournament at Philadelphia, and \JRussia\j's Yevgeny Kafelnikov defeats \JFrance\j's Cedric Pioline in the final of the Indoor Tournament at London. Meanwhile, in the Austrian Women's Open at Linz, Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic scores a convincing win over Dominique van Roost of \JBelgium\j. \I(USA, Sweden, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, UK, Austria, Czech Republic, \JBelgium\j)\i
At Valencia, \JCalifornia\j, American golfer Billy Mayfair wins the first hole of a playoff against countryman Tiger Woods to capture the Los Angeles Open, while in the United Arab Emirates, \JSpain\j's Jose Maria Olazabal finishes three strokes ahead with a score of 269 to take out the Dubai Desert Classic. \I(USA, United Arab Emirates, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"March 2, 1998",789,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Addressing the nation on the 97th anniversary of the Korean independence movement against Japanese colonial rule, South Korea's President, Kim Dae Jung, calls on North Korea to once again exchange special envoys, saying that while it is still too early to seek reunification, peaceful coexistence is possible if both sides make the effort. \I(The Koreas, Japan)\i
North Korea's flood damage rehabilitation committee reports that despite cuts to grain rations in January and February, stocks are rapidly diminishing and will run out in two weeks. The committee says the daily average of 300 grams of grain per person distributed in January was cut back to 200 grams last month. \I(North Korea)\i
According to a spokesman, \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, plans to offer no defense when the Phnom Penh Government tries him in absentia this week on charges of illegally importing weapons in May last year. This week's proceeding, in addition to a March 17 trial for allegedly colluding with the outlawed Khmer Rouge, is part of a Japanese-sponsored peace plan aimed at allowing Prince Ranariddh to return from exile and participate in \JCambodia\j's July elections. \I(\JCambodia\j, Japan)\i
Following a corruption scandal that threatened to unseat him, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister, Bill Skate, proposes constitutional changes to abolish parliamentary no-confidence motions aimed at removing a prime minister from office after an 18-month period of grace. While Mr. Skate defends the proposal as necessary for stable government and investor confidence, an angry opposition accuses him of trying to create a dictatorship. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Indonesia's Environment Minister blames large logging companies for the forest fires that have broken out in East \JKalimantan\j province on \JBorneo\j, and warns that the country could face international trade sanctions unless serious action is taken to bring the blazes under control. Since January, more than 14,000 hectares of \Jrainforest\j and bushland have been destroyed in the province, and neighboring \JMalaysia\j and \JSingapore\j fear a repeat of last year's fire and smog crisis, which left much of the Southeast Asian region under a pall of toxic haze for months. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j)\i
Japanese prosecutors recommend \Jlife imprisonment\j for one of five doomsday cultists accused of involvement in the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the \JTokyo\j subway system, which killed 12 people and made thousands ill. Ikuo Hayashi pleaded guilty to charges of murder and violation of anti-\Jterrorism\j laws, both of which can carry the death penalty. The prosecutors' recommendation is the first against any of the 14 main defendants in the case, and a panel of judges will now determine the sentence. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council endorses the accord brokered last week by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, which gives UN weapons inspectors access to \JIraq\j's so-called "presidential sites" under special procedures. The council also unanimously votes to warn \JIraq\j of "severest consequences" should it again obstruct UN access to any suspected arms site. However, the resolution does not specify what the consequences will be, thereby excluding any automatic option involving the use of force, an outcome suggesting that the United States and Britain will still have little international support for a military strike against \JIraq\j if the new agreement is broken. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Iraqi dissident, Ahmad Chalibi, leader of the exiled Iraqi National Congress, tells the United States Senate Armed Services Committee that Washington should openly support an opposition drive to topple Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and bring him to trial on war crimes charges. A growing number of US senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have recently called for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, arguing that the US policy of containment has been a failure. US Government officials have rejected the calls due to concerns that a more aggressive effort to remove the Iraqi president could trigger a backlash in the region. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Hundreds of Serb riot police use \Jwater\j cannons, tear gas, and clubs to disperse about 50,000 ethnic Albanians marching through the streets of \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, to protest against the weekend killings of 16 compatriots by Serb police. The crackdown on \JKosovo\j's Albanian community sparks an official United States protest to authorities in \JSerbia\j and Yugoslavia, and prompts the European Union to call for increased international pressure to push Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, into negotiating a peaceful end to the tensions. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA, Europe)\i
US President Bill Clinton attacks a Republican proposal to terminate the United States tax code by the end of 2001, condemning the proposal as an irresponsible scheme that would generate uncertainty and jeopardize the country's economic strength. The idea behind the Republican scheme is to use deadline pressure to create momentum for a new tax system, but Mr. Clinton insists that an alternative should be chosen before dismantling the old code, which has come under intense criticism, with many Americans believing that it favors the rich. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations Security Council endorses the accord brokered last week by Secretary General, Kofi Annan, which gives UN weapons inspectors access to \JIraq\j's so-called "presidential sites" under special procedures. The council also unanimously votes to warn \JIraq\j of "severest consequences" should it again obstruct UN access to any suspected arms site. However, the resolution does not specify what the consequences will be, thereby excluding any automatic option involving the use of force, an outcome suggesting that the United States and Britain will still have little international support for a military strike against \JIraq\j if the new agreement is broken. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
Iraqi dissident, Ahmad Chalibi, of the exiled Iraqi National Congress, tells the United States Senate Armed Services Committee that Washington should openly support an opposition drive to topple Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and bring him to trial on war crimes charges. A growing number of US senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have recently called for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, arguing that the US policy of containment has been a failure. US Government officials have rejected the calls due to concerns that a more aggressive effort to remove the Iraqi president could trigger a backlash in the region. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
Hundreds of Serb riot police use \Jwater\j cannons, tear gas, and clubs to disperse about 50,000 ethnic Albanians marching through the streets of \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, to protest against the weekend killings of 16 compatriots by Serb police. The crackdown on \JKosovo\j's Albanian community sparks an official United States protest to authorities in \JSerbia\j and Yugoslavia, and prompts the European Union to call for increased international pressure to push Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, into negotiating a peaceful end to the tensions. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA, Europe)\i
Both \JSyria\j and \JLebanon\j dismiss an Israeli offer to negotiate terms for a withdrawal from southern \JLebanon\j, saying the Israeli proposal contradicts United Nations Resolution 425, which calls for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal from lands Israel has occupied in \JLebanon\j since 1978. Yesterday, Israel indicated a willingness to pull out its troops, but only if the Lebanese Government promises to disarm the pro-Iranian Hezbollah guerrillas and remove the threat to Israel's northern communities. \I(\JSyria\j, \JLebanon\j, Israel, Iran)\i
Commercial flights between Yugoslavia and Bosnia resume for the first time since the Bosnian war erupted in 1992. Bosnia also signs an agreement with the European Union agency overseeing civilian \Javiation\j, whereby Bosnia will now receive fees collected by the EU agency from air companies using the Balkan state's airspace. \I(Bosnia, Yugoslavia)\i
In the wake of his recent Cabinet reshuffle, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, issues a directive depriving 12 senior members of his administration of their bodyguards. Among those targeted in the directive are leading reformers, Anatoli Chubais and Boris Nemtsov, who are regarded as the most powerful figures in Russia after Mr. Yeltsin himself. \I(Russia)\i
Details of the will of Diana, Princess of Wales are made public. The Princess's gross estate is valued at ú21.4 million, but an \Jinheritance tax\j of ú8.5 million reduces the net legacy to ú12.9 million. The bulk of the capital, to be shared equally between Diana's sons, Prince William, 15, and Prince Harry, 13, will be held in trust until each of the two boys turn 30. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 3, 1998",790,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, warns Congress that Asia's financial problems could have large negative effects on \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, and eastern and central Europe that in turn could have repercussions in the United States. Dr. Greenspan's warning is reiterated by Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, and comes during another call for Congress to approve an administration request for $US18 billion in additional funding for the International Monetary Fund, whose resources have been drained by last year's massive bailout loans to \JThailand\j, South Korea, and \JIndonesia\j. \I(USA, Asia, \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, Europe, \JThailand\j, South Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
During talks with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, United States special envoy, Walter Mondale, insists that there is no "quick fix" for \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis, and that the key to economic recovery lies in the implementation of reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Two days ago, President Soeharto declared that the IMF reform package had failed, and called for further measures under a so-called "IMF-plus" plan, the most controversial measure being a currency board to peg the rupiah to the US dollar. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Returning from a 10-\Jday\j trip to Asia, United States Commerce Secretary, William Daley, says actions taken by \JJapan\j to revive its ailing economy and help ease the financial crisis of its neighbors have fallen well short of what is required. Echoing the criticism of a string of international officials, Mr. Daley stresses that without stronger leadership from \JJapan\j, the other Asian nations will be unable to turn the situation around. \I(Asia, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, moves to break the six-\Jday\j deadlock that has stalled his new government, naming Kim Jong Pil as acting prime minister and appointing a 17-member Cabinet. The most crucial appointment as South Korea struggles to rise above its economic troubles is that of Finance Minister, Lee Kyu Sung, a former economics professor. However, the appointments are made without the consent of the National Assembly, where the majority opposition Grand National Party has stalled the vote on Mr. Kim's controversial choice of prime minister, insisting that Kim Jong Pil is ill-suited to the position. \I(South Korea)\i
With no clear winner emerging from India's general election, rival political parties begin jostling for new allies to support competing bids for power. The latest count shows the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading with a tally of 250 seats in the 545-seat parliament, but set to fall short of the 272 majority required to form a government. On the other hand, the centrist Congress Party is assured of 166 seats, while the ruling United Front coalition of Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral is likely to win at least 96. The two former allies are now negotiating to join forces again in an attempt to block the BJP. \I(India)\i
In an unusual move, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, appoints former National Party leader, Ian Sinclair, as the new Speaker of the \JHouse of Representatives\j following the abrupt resignation of Bob Halverson. Although the Speaker's Chair is traditionally held by a Liberal under a Coalition Government, Mr. Sinclair won wide praise for his chairmanship of last month's Constitutional Convention. \I(Australia)\i
As a result of a landmark pact last October, a Korean Air cargo jet, en route from New York to Seoul, becomes the first commercial South Korean plane to cross North Korean controlled airspace since the 1950-53 Korean War. The arrangement will save South Korea some 20 minutes of flight time and about $US14 million in annual \Javiation\j fuel costs, while the North will receive at least $US2 million each year in air traffic control fees. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
In \JHanoi\j, Vietnam's most notorious drug dealer, former police captain Vu Xuan Truong, and six other people convicted of trafficking more than 400 kilograms of heroin, are shot by a firing squad at a public execution witnessed by a crowd of more than 1,000 people. \I(Vietnam)\i
More than 25,000 officials set off across \JCambodia\j to conduct the country's first population \Jcensus\j in more than 35 years. The \Jcensus\j comes after a five-month media campaign to assure the public that all information will be confidential. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Authorities in the northern \JPhilippines\j report that a plague of rats, blamed on an El Ni±o-induced \Jdrought\j, is ravaging rice crops. However, the rats themselves are providing an abundant new source of protein, and are hailed as a delicacy and even a powerful aphrodisiac by some local residents. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises a United Nations Security Council resolution warning \JIraq\j of "severest consequences" should it fail to honor a UN-brokered agreement on weapons inspections. Adding a blunt warning of his own, Mr. Clinton interprets "severest consequences" as providing him with the authority to act if \JIraq\j does not turn its commitment into compliance. However, Mr. Clinton's interpretation is not validated by the majority of council members, who refused to authorize an automatic military response when the resolution was drafted, insisting that the use of force against \JIraq\j must require prior council approval. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Although the threat of military confrontation with \JIraq\j has been defused for the moment, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that as a routine protection measure, more than 35,000 American troops currently based in the Persian Gulf region will be vaccinated against the deadly \Janthrax\j biological agent. The United States maintains that \JIraq\j has developed \Janthrax\j into a lethal weapon. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
United States Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, warns Congress that Asia's financial problems could have large negative effects on \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, and eastern and central Europe that in turn could have repercussions in the United States. Dr. Greenspan's warning is reiterated by Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, and comes during another call for Congress to approve an administration request for $US18 billion in additional funding for the International Monetary Fund, whose resources have been drained by last year's massive bailout loans to \JThailand\j, South Korea, and \JIndonesia\j. \I(USA, Asia, \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, Europe, \JThailand\j, South Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
During talks with \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto, United States special envoy, Walter Mondale, insists that there is no "quick fix" for \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis, and that the key to economic recovery lies in the implementation of reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Two days ago, President Soeharto declared that the IMF reform package had failed, and called for further measures under a so-called "IMF-plus" plan, the most controversial measure being a currency board to peg the rupiah to the US dollar. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Returning from a 10-\Jday\j trip to Asia, United States Commerce Secretary, William Daley, says actions taken by \JJapan\j to revive its ailing economy and help ease the financial crisis of its neighbors have fallen well short of what is required. Echoing the criticism of a string of international officials, Mr. Daley stresses that without stronger leadership from \JJapan\j, the other Asian nations will be unable to turn the situation around. \I(Asia, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
As a result of a landmark pact last October, a Korean Air cargo jet, en route from New York to Seoul, becomes the first commercial South Korean plane to cross North Korean controlled airspace since the 1950-53 Korean War. The arrangement will save South Korea some 20 minutes of flight time and about $US14 million in annual \Javiation\j fuel costs, while the North will receive at least $US2 million each year in air traffic control fees. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton calls on Congress to endorse legislation setting a nationwide 0.08 per cent blood-alcohol content threshold for drivers. Although 15 states have already adopted the 0.08 per cent limit, the remaining states still have blood-alcohol thresholds of 0.10 per cent. \I(USA)\i
Washington Lawyer, Vernon Jordan, testifies for more than five hours before the grand jury investigating allegations that US President Bill Clinton had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and conspired with Mr. Jordan to cover it up by urging Ms. Lewinsky to lie under oath. Mr. Jordan's testimony is considered critical to both sides, and his appearance before the grand jury, under \Jsubpoena\j from special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, marks a turning point in the six-week probe. \I(USA)\i
Microsoft chief executive, Bill Gates, appears before a Senate committee hearing in Washington, insisting that his company is an innovator rather than a monopolist predator, and comparing its situation to that once enjoyed by \JIBM\j. Critics accuse Microsoft of trying to use its Windows operating system to gain control of the \JInternet\j, with the United States Justice Department also targeting the company over its insistence that computer makers install its \JInternet\j browser with the Windows program. \I(USA)\i
A new study conducted at the University of South Carolina finds that even moderate physical activity, such as walking, climbing stairs, and gardening, helps the body improve the use of its own \Jinsulin\j, thereby warding off possible diabetes. The results of the study have wider health implications, given that people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop \Jheart disease\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises a United Nations Security Council resolution warning \JIraq\j of "severest consequences" should it fail to honor a UN-brokered agreement on weapons inspections. Adding a blunt warning of his own, Mr. Clinton interprets "severest consequences" as providing him with the authority to act if \JIraq\j does not turn its commitment into compliance. However, Mr. Clinton's interpretation is not validated by the majority of council members, who refused to authorize an automatic military response when the resolution was drafted, insisting that the use of force against \JIraq\j must require prior council approval. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Although the threat of military confrontation with \JIraq\j has been defused for the moment, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that as a routine protection measure, more than 35,000 American troops currently based in the Persian Gulf region will be vaccinated against the deadly \Janthrax\j biological agent. The United States maintains that \JIraq\j has developed \Janthrax\j into a lethal weapon. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Masked gunmen shoot dead two friends, a Catholic and a Protestant, as they share a drink at a Catholic-owned hotel in Poyntzpass, Northern Ireland. No group immediately claims responsibility for the attack, which injured another two men, but police believe Protestant paramilitaries to be responsible. Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, condemns the violence as cowardly, regarding it as a determined assault against the entire peace process. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Continuing a shake-up in which three ministers have already been fired, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, abruptly dismisses Atomic Energy Minister, Viktor Mikhailov, one of the most influential figures in the country's military and civilian nuclear establishment. Mr. Yeltsin also appoints civilian Andrei Kokoshin as secretary of the advisory Security Council, at the same time issuing a decree that opens the way for the council to oversee military reforms. \I(Russia)\i
Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, launches a formal inquiry into leaks to the media about Mossad's bungled intelligence operation in \JSwitzerland\j last month, which left one Israeli \Jsecret service\j agent in detention and forced the resignation of Mossad chief, Danny Yatom. Last year, Mr. Yatom presided over another espionage fiasco in Jordan, and dissatisfaction with his performance is suspected to be the motivation of those guilty of passing information to journalists. \I(Israel)\i
A 78-year-old suspected Nazi war criminal is arrested by State prosecutors in the southern German city of \JStuttgart\j. The unnamed former \JGestapo\j officer is accused of involvement in the deaths of more than 70,000 people, mostly Jews in \JUkraine\j and \JPoland\j, between 1942 and 1943. Prosecutors claim that in 1943, the man personally shot dead 500 people, including women and children, during a two-\Jday\j "Operation Harvest Festival" at Majdanek \Jconcentration camp\j in \JPoland\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JUkraine\j, \JPoland\j)\i
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions goes ahead with a two-\Jday\j national strike in defiance of President Robert Mugabe, who earlier declared the action illegal and deployed police in a bid to stop it. The strike was called to pressure Mr. Mugabe to scrap a recent 2.5 percentage point increase in sales tax, and to review a five per cent development levy and a 15 per cent tax on pension profits. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
United States Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, warns Congress that Asia's financial problems could have large negative effects on \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, and eastern and central Europe that in turn could have repercussions in the United States. Dr. Greenspan's warning is reiterated by Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, and comes during another call for Congress to approve an administration request for $US18 billion in additional funding for the International Monetary Fund, whose resources have been drained by last year's massive bailout loans to \JThailand\j, South Korea, and \JIndonesia\j. \I(USA, Asia, \JJapan\j, \JLatin America\j, Europe, \JThailand\j, South Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
#
"March 4, 1998",791,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves a disbursement of $US270 million from its $US3.9 billion loan to \JThailand\j, commending Thai authorities for resolutely implementing the prescribed economic reforms under difficult circumstances. In a further move to reinforce the positive developments in \JThailand\j, the IMF offers \JBangkok\j access to a special lending scheme known as the Supplemental Reserve Facility, which allows countries to borrow more than is available under normal IMF programs. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
The United States indicates that it is considering withholding support for the next installment of International Monetary Fund assistance to \JIndonesia\j unless President Soeharto demonstrates a commitment to the reforms necessary to make a stable currency possible. The US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Larry Summers, says President Soeharto will need to abandon the concept of a currency board, and show progress on issues such as breaking up monopolies, curbing subsidies on food and other basics, providing full accounting of government spending, and reforming the financial system. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Cambodia's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is convicted on a charge of weapons smuggling and sentenced to five years in prison by a Phnom Penh military court. The guilty verdict against Prince Ranariddh, who was tried in absentia, was widely expected, being part of a complex Japanese-sponsored peace plan aimed at allowing him to return to his homeland to take part in the July elections. \I(Cambodia)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, drops Qiao Shi from the post of chairman of the National People's Congress, a move that follows Mr. Qiao's dismissal from the Communist Party's \Jpolitburo\j late last year. Less than six months ago, Mr. Qiao was ranked third in the party hierarchy, and was widely tipped as a rival to Mr. Jiang. \I(China)\i
At least 3,000 houses are devastated and around 500 people feared dead after scores of villages in \JPakistan\j's southwestern \JBaluchistan\j province are submerged by floodwaters from the swollen Kechh River, which has reached its highest levels in 200 years following two days of torrential rain. Army troops are deployed to assist with the rescue effort, which is being severely hampered by the remoteness of the area and the continuing bad \Jweather\j. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Any hope of a return to normal power for \JNew Zealand\j's largest city, Auckland, is dashed when two recently repaired main cables fail during testing. Auckland's business district was plunged into darkness on February 20 after the last of four main cables failed, and Mercury Energy now estimates that full supplies will not be restored to the city until late April. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Both the United States and the European Union warn Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, of harsher economic sanctions if he chooses repression rather than dialogue to resolve tensions in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where four Serbian policemen and at least 24 ethnic Albanians have been killed in a recent upsurge of nationalist violence. Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office announces that a meeting of the six-nation Contact Group, which co-ordinates the peace process in former Yugoslavia, will be held in London early next week to discuss the situation. The group, which includes the United States, \JRussia\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JItaly\j, has not convened an emergency ministerial meeting since the end of the Bosnian war. \I(UK, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
The United States indicates that it is considering withholding support for the next installment of International Monetary Fund assistance to \JIndonesia\j unless President Soeharto demonstrates a commitment to the reforms necessary to make a stable currency possible. The US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Larry Summers, says President Soeharto will need to abandon the concept of a currency board, and show progress on issues such as breaking up monopolies, curbing subsidies on food and other basics, providing full accounting of government spending, and reforming the financial system. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The United States Congress begins debating a proposal that would grant Puerto Rico the right to self-determination. The bill calls for a \Jplebiscite\j by year-end to allow Puerto Ricans to decide whether they want to become the 51st US state, an independent nation, or retain their current status as a US commonwealth, whereby they are US citizens but cannot vote in US elections. The former Spanish colony was taken over by the US after the 1898 Spanish-American War. \I(USA, Puerto Rico, \JSpain\j)\i
Following a two-week trial, a \JFlorida\j judge throws out the results of Miami's November mayoral election, ruling that it was tainted by a massive absentee ballot \Jfraud\j scheme. The ruling forces a rematch at the polls between Mayor Xavier Suarez and his longtime rival, former Mayor Joe Carollo. \I(USA)\i
The United States Supreme Court rules that same-sex harassment lawsuits can be brought under a 1964 \Jcivil rights\j law barring discrimination in the workplace. The ruling overturns a previously successful appeal against a lawsuit brought by an oil rig worker, who was allegedly sexually assaulted, battered, touched and threatened with rape by his direct supervisor and another supervisor. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Both the United States and the European Union warn Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, of harsher economic sanctions if he chooses repression rather than dialogue to resolve tensions in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where four Serbian policemen and at least 24 ethnic Albanians have been killed in a recent upsurge of nationalist violence. Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office announces that a meeting of the six-nation Contact Group, which co-ordinates the peace process in former Yugoslavia, will be held in London early next week to discuss the situation. The group, which includes the United States, \JRussia\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JItaly\j, has not convened an emergency ministerial meeting since the end of the Bosnian war. \I(UK, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Israel's President Ezer Weizman wins a second five-year term in office after defeating challenger, Shaul Amor, a Likud Party backbencher endorsed by Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Weizman and Mr. Netanyahu have crossed swords in the past over the course of \JMiddle East\j peacemaking, but in a \Jtelevision\j link-up after the vote, both pledge to stand together in the future. \I(Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Efraim Halevy is named as the new chief of Mossad, Israel's Secret Service, replacing Danny Yatom who resigned in the wake of botched espionage operations in Jordan and \JSwitzerland\j. Mr. Halevy is Israel's ambassador to the European Union and a former Mossad official known for his close relations with Jordanian leaders. \I(Israel, Europe, Jordan)\i
After five months of wrangling, \JRussia\j's opposition-dominated \JDuma\j approves the government's crucial 1998 Budget, which it billed as an indispensable instrument for growth. The Budget approval is welcomed by Russian financial markets, with shares rising three per cent by mid-afternoon. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, names experienced nuclear scientist, Yevgeny Adamov, as the new Minister of Atomic Energy to replace Viktor Mikhailov, who was abruptly dismissed yesterday. Mr. Adamov played a key role in cleaning up after the 1986 \JChernobyl\j nuclear plant disaster in \JUkraine\j. \I(Russia, \JUkraine\j)\i
The French Government announces a plan to implement a universal health insurance system by next year, part of a proposed Fr50 billion program to reduce social exclusion by improving housing, employment, and healthcare. At the moment, an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 French people have no right to health coverage, while 26 per cent of healthcare costs are not reimbursed. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The United States Congress begins debating a proposal that would grant Puerto Rico the right to self-determination. The bill calls for a \Jplebiscite\j by year-end, allowing Puerto Ricans to decide whether they want to become the 51st US state, an independent nation, or continue their current status as a US commonwealth, whereby they are US citizens but cannot vote in US elections. The former Spanish colony was taken over by the US after the 1898 Spanish-American War. \I(USA, Puerto Rico, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"March 5, 1998",792,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, officially names Indian diplomat, Prakash Shah, as his special representative in \JIraq\j. Mr. Shah, a former Indian ambassador to the UN, will be based in \JBaghdad\j, and will monitor all developments relevant to the United Nations with regard to \JIraq\j. Mr. Annan says he created the post to improve the lines of communication between his office and the Iraqi Government, and help head off difficulties before they develop into fully fledged crises. \I(\JIraq\j, India)\i
Despite the continuing ban on public protests, thousands of Indonesian university students stage rallies on campuses in cities on the main island of Java, demanding political reform at all levels of government, including a change of president. The rallies come as the People's Consultative Assembly enters the fifth \Jday\j of its 11-\Jday\j 1998 meeting, during which President Soeharto will be re-elected unopposed for a record seventh five-year term. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japanese prosecutors arrest two top Ministry of Finance officials on charges of accepting bribes from financial institutions. One of those arrested is Takashi Sakakibara, who is a deputy section chief at the Ministry of Finance Securities Bureau, and the highest-ranking official incriminated to date in the ministry's widening corruption scandal. \I(Japan)\i
Thirty-two people are killed and 257 wounded when a mini-bus packed with explosives is detonated at a busy intersection in \JSri Lanka\j's capital, Colombo. Authorities blame a suicide killer of the Tamil Tiger rebels for the blast, one of the deadliest in two years, and the sixth to rock the Indian Ocean island in as many months. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
American Scott Ritter, the United Nations arms inspector branded by \JBaghdad\j as a spy, arrives in \JIraq\j to continue the mission he began in January. It was \JBaghdad\j's refusal to co-operate with Mr. Ritter's team that helped trigger the recent confrontation, and his return is regarded as an early test of President Saddam Hussein's pledge to allow unconditional access for the UN inspectors charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's biological, chemical, and ballistic weapons. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Reports emerge of heavy fighting between government troops and Marxist rebels in \JColombia\j's southern jungle, about 420 kilometers south of the capital, Bogota. At least 70 soldiers are believed to have died in what is one of the army's worst defeats in more than three decades of guerrilla war. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
The appointment of the first woman to ever command a NASA \Jspace shuttle\j mission is announced at a \JWhite House\j ceremony by United States first lady, Hillary Clinton. Eileen Collins, 41, an Air Force lieutenant colonel and veteran of two shuttle flights, will lead a December mission of the shuttle Columbia to launch a massive X-ray \Jtelescope\j into \Jorbit\j. \I(USA)\i
NASA reveals that its \Jspacecraft\j Lunar Prospector has discovered \Jwater\j on the moon in the form of tiny crystals, which were probably deposited by colliding \Jwater\j-bearing comets billions of years ago. NASA says analysis of the preliminary data indicates that the moon could hold enough \Jwater\j to sustain a human colony for generations. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton's personal lawyer says he will take legal action after the \IWashington Post\i publishes an alleged account of Mr. Clinton's January 17 deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Meanwhile, Monica Lewinsky's lawyer, Alan Ginsburg, makes his first appearance at the courthouse where a grand jury is investigating allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual affair with the 24-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern, and persuaded her to lie about it when submitting a written affidavit in the Paula Jones case. \I(USA)\i
Johnnie Chung, a key figure in alleged Democrat fundraising abuses, is charged with exceeding federal limits in contributions to both US President Bill Clinton's 1996 reelection campaign and \JMassachusetts\j Senator John Kerry's 1996 reelection campaign. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, 20 ethnic Albanians and two Serb policemen are killed during a police assault on \JKosovo\j Liberation Army bastions in the villages of Prekaz and Lausha. The violence erupts amid European Union efforts to convince Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to heed the \JKosovo\j Albanians' reasonable and legitimate demands for a return to the autonomy removed by \JBelgrade\j in 1989. In defiance of the West's fears of another flare-up in the Balkans, however, Mr. Milosevic insists that he is determined to wipe out "\Jterrorism\j" in the southern Serbian province. \I(Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, Europe)\i
The United Nations war crimes tribunal rules that convicted Bosnian Croat war criminal, Drazen Erdemovic, 26, should spend five years in prison rather than ten. In January, tribunal appeals judges overturned a conviction on the more serious charge of crimes against humanity, and Erdemovic then pleaded guilty to killing at least 70 unarmed Bosnian Muslims after the UN "safe haven" of Srebrenica fell to Bosnian Serbs in mid-1995. \I(Bosnia)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, officially names Indian diplomat, Prakash Shah, as his special representative in \JIraq\j. Mr. Shah, a former Indian ambassador to the UN, will be based in \JBaghdad\j, and will monitor all developments relevant to the United Nations with regard to \JIraq\j. Mr. Annan says he created the post to improve the lines of communication between his office and the Iraqi Government, and help head off difficulties before they develop into fully fledged crises. \I(\JIraq\j, India)\i
American Scott Ritter, the United Nations arms inspector branded by \JBaghdad\j as a spy, arrives in \JIraq\j to continue the mission he began in January. It was \JBaghdad\j's refusal to co-operate with Mr. Ritter's team that helped trigger the recent confrontation, and his return is regarded as an early test of President Saddam Hussein's pledge to allow unconditional access for the UN inspectors charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's biological, chemical, and ballistic weapons. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, indicates his intention to get Sinn Fein back into the Northern Ireland multi-party talks, saying he is optimistic about the chances of peace in the province. Although Sinn Fein is due to be re-admitted next Monday, it has stated that it will not return to the negotiating table until Mr. Blair grants its leaders a face-to-face meeting. Sinn Fein was temporarily evicted from the talks after its military wing, the Irish Republican Army, was blamed for two murders in \JBelfast\j. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Rwandan army officials report the deaths of 120 Hutu rebels and eight soldiers following five days of fighting in the country's northwest, where according to the Tutsi-dominated government, the rebels received support from local Hutu residents. The rebel group comprises mostly former soldiers and extremist Hutu who fled to what was then Zaire following Rwanda's 1994 ethnic genocide against the Tutsi. \I(Rwanda, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Israel says it is negotiating with Swiss prosecutors for the release of a Mossad secret agent arrested after an alleged bugging operation in \JBern\j last month. Neither Swiss nor Israeli officials have identified the target of the botched operation, but the incident has severely embarrassed the once-celebrated Mossad spy service, which is known in particular for its 1960 kidnapping of Nazi fugitive, Adolf Eichmann. \I(Israel, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Slovakia's Parliament again fails to agree on a new president, leaving the presidential palace empty following this week's departure of Michal Kovac at the completion of his five-year term. Meanwhile, most presidential powers have been taken over by Prime Minister, Vladimir Meciar, a situation that has triggered street protests and opposition fears of a looming dictatorship. \I(Slovakia)\i
Thousands of angry demonstrators march through the streets of key German cities to protest against Chancellor Helmut Kohl's economic policies and the country's persistently high levels of unemployment. The latest seasonally adjusted figures reveal that 4.8 million Germans are still without jobs, figures that yield a national unemployment rate of 12.6 per cent. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
In the first gesture of its kind since Bolshevik revolutionaries confiscated the estates of \JRussia\j's landed gentry 80 years ago, a local authority outside St Petersburg offers to return lands belonging to the family of the late novelist, Vladimir Nabokov. Aside from religious sites, there has been no \Jrestitution\j of confiscated land to date, and the offer will be watched closely by Moscow, where Communists and reformers are still engaged in an ideological battle over the issue of private land ownership. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
A Saudi Arabian \Jhospital\j agrees to temporarily care for seven-week-old septuplets born to a couple who already have six other children at home. The babies, four boys and three girls, are only the third set of septuplets known to have been born alive. \I(Saudi Arabia)\i
#
"March 6, 1998",793,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian rupiah drops to 11,500 to the US dollar, registering a fall of 21 per cent for the week. The slide is attributed to fears that the International Monetary Fund will suspend the next $US3 billion payment from the $US43 billion bail-out package in an effort to pressure President Soeharto to implement the tough economic reforms the package demands. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japan's financial scandals escalate as more than 100 prosecutors raid the Ministry of Finance for the second time this year. The raid is related to yesterday's arrest of two bureaucrats on corruption charges, as well as a scandal involving the now-defunct Yamaichi Securities. Earlier in the week, three former top executives at Yamaichi were also arrested on charges of allegedly covering up huge losses in the week before the brokerage collapsed. \I(Japan)\i
The death toll from yesterday's mini-bus bomb attack in \JSri Lanka\j's capital, Colombo, rises to 37 after five of the 257 people wounded die in \Jhospital\j. Meanwhile, police say they are interrogating three people in connection with the deadly suicide mission, including the owner of the vehicle. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
More than 110,000 islanders go to the polls throughout Vanuatu to vote in general elections triggered when President Jean-Marie Leye dissolved the 50-seat parliament last November. A record number of independent candidates are mounting a challenge to the old guard amid widespread distrust of party politics. In January, a two-week state of emergency was declared following riots over reports that a number of senior politicians were using public retirement funds to finance private property deals. \I(Vanuatu)\i
As swollen rivers recede in \JPakistan\j's flood-ravaged \JBaluchistan\j province, rescue workers report the recovery of 200 bodies, but say that the 1,500 people still missing will be presumed dead unless found within the next 24 hours. Floods earlier this week damaged or destroyed 3,700 houses, uprooting about 8,000 families and affecting some 300,000 people in all. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Around 300 businesses sent to the brink of \Jbankruptcy\j by the power blackout in \JNew Zealand\j's largest city announce their intention of suing the supplier, Mercury Energy, for hundred of millions of dollars. Auckland has been without full power since February 20, when the last of four main cables supplying the city failed, and Mercury Energy has estimated that it will be at least late April before the situation is completely returned to normal. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Serb police announce that they "destroyed the core" of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army in yesterday's assault on bastions west of the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, during which guerrilla leader, Adem Jasari, was killed and 30 of his fighters were captured. It is estimated that at least 50 people have been killed since the violence erupted in \JKosovo\j a week ago, sparking widespread fears of further Balkan instability and United States threats of military intervention or further sanctions against \JBelgrade\j. The Democratic League of \JKosovo\j, meanwhile, is accusing \JSerbia\j of launching the police attacks to "ethnically cleanse" \JKosovo\j of its majority \JAlbanian\j population. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
Iraq passes the first test of its pledge to grant United Nations arms inspectors unconditional access to suspected weapons sites when a team led by American, Scott Ritter, resumes its operations unimpeded. In January, Iraq sparked a crisis by withdrawing permission for Ritter's team to work, saying it was dominated by members from the United States and Britain, and accusing Ritter himself of being a spy. \I(Iraq, USA, UK)\i
A lawyer acting for a United States Marine involved in last month's cable car tragedy in the Italian Dolomites is bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Italian police are as yet unable to determine whether the brutal attack on Francesca Trombino is related to the February 3 accident, in which 20 people died when a US Marine \Jaircraft\j sliced through cable wires, sending the car plunging down the mountainside. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Despite objections from the United States and Israel, \JRussia\j agrees in principle with \JIran\j on the construction of two more reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power station. Work on the first reactor in \JIran\j began more than a year ago. \I(USA, Israel, \JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serb police announce that they "destroyed the core" of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army in yesterday's assault on bastions west of the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, during which guerrilla leader, Adem Jasari, was killed and 30 of his fighters were captured. It is estimated that at least 50 people have been killed since the violence erupted in \JKosovo\j a week ago, sparking widespread fears of further Balkan instability and United States threats of military intervention or further sanctions against \JBelgrade\j. The Democratic League of \JKosovo\j, meanwhile, is accusing \JSerbia\j of launching the police attacks to "ethnically cleanse" \JKosovo\j of its majority \JAlbanian\j population. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
The Israeli air force attacks suspected Hezbollah guerrilla targets in the area of the Jezzine enclave, north of a self-declared security zone Israel occupies in south \JLebanon\j. It is the 30th Israeli air strike on \JLebanon\j this year, and comes in response to anti-tank fire against several posts of the South \JLebanon\j Army militia, Israel's local allies. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Iraq passes the first test of its pledge to grant United Nations arms inspectors unconditional access to suspected weapons sites when a team led by American, Scott Ritter, resumes its operations unimpeded. In January, Iraq sparked a crisis by withdrawing permission for Ritter's team to work, saying it was dominated by members from the United States and Britain, and accusing Ritter himself of being a spy. \I(Iraq, USA, UK)\i
Angola's former rebel movement, UNITA, declares its complete demilitarization, meeting a key condition set by the United Nations for completing the African country's oft-delayed final peace settlement. However, the declaration comes one \Jday\j after the UN-imposed deadline, and specifies that it will take until March 19 for full demobilization to be completed, three days later than the UN had required. \I(Angola)\i
A lawyer acting for a United States Marine involved in last month's cable car tragedy in the Italian Dolomites is bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Italian police are as yet unable to determine whether the brutal attack on Francesca Trombino is related to the February 3 accident, in which 20 people died when a US Marine \Jaircraft\j sliced through cable wires, sending the car plunging down the mountainside. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Despite objections from the United States and Israel, \JRussia\j agrees in principle with \JIran\j on the construction of two more reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power station. Work on the first reactor in \JIran\j began more than a year ago. \I(USA, Israel, \JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
A crowded passenger train derails while approaching a station in the town of Jyvaskyla, in central \JFinland\j, killing 10 people and injuring another 39. The crash is one of the worst in \JFinland\j's history, and police and state railway officials are now investigating the cause. \I(\JFinland\j)\i
#
"March 7, 1998",794,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India's general elections come closer to completion as voters go to the polls under heavy security in the restive Jammu and Kashmir State. In Himalayan State's Anantnag and Baramulla constituencies, however, many voters are deterred by bomb blasts and a boycott called by Kashmir's leading separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. Meanwhile, with voting finished in all but a few constituencies, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formally names Atal Behari Vajpayee as its choice of prime minister should the party succeed in forming a government. While the BJP has emerged with the largest number of seats in India's parliament, it is 20 seats short of a majority, and much still hinges on its ability to win new allies. \I(India)\i
Unofficial results in Vanuatu's general elections show voter turnout of less than 50 per cent, with most veteran MPs re-elected despite last year's reports by the country's ombudsman alleging corruption and misuse of public funds. Reports that senior politicians and their supporters were using the Vanuatu National Provident Fund to finance the purchase of property sparked widespread rioting at the time, prompting President Jean-Marie Leye to declare a state of emergency on January 13. \I(Vanuatu)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, launches a campaign to press Congress to swiftly approve \Jtobacco\j legislation that will raise the price of cigarettes and penalize \Jtobacco\j companies for targeting teenagers. The public campaign follows the failure of \JWhite House\j efforts to achieve a breakthrough on the issue during behind-the-scene negotiations with Capitol Hill. \I(USA)\i
A \JMinnesota\j judge orders \Jtobacco\j companies to make available 39,000 documents for use in the State's three-and-a-half-year-old lawsuit against the \Jtobacco\j industry. The ruling is hailed as one of the most monumental public health decisions in American history by \JMinnesota\j Attorney General, Hubert Humphrey, who says both Congress and the public will demand action to protect children from addiction and disease once the contents of the documents are revealed. \I(USA)\i
All five crew members are feared dead when a United States Navy Seahawk \Jhelicopter\j crashes in the San Bernardino mountains some 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The anti-submarine \Jhelicopter\j disappeared from radar screens during a routine training mission from \JSan Diego\j's North Island Naval Air Station to Nellis Air Force base near Las Vegas. \I(USA)\i
Italian police confirm that the murder of a lawyer bludgeoned to death with a hammer was not related to her defense of a United States Marine linked to last month's cable car disaster near Cavalese in the Italian Dolomites. Police say they have detained a man aggrieved that Francesca Trombino, 43, was acting for his estranged wife in divorce proceedings. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Six weeks after prosecutor Kenneth Starr launched his investigation into US President Bill Clinton's relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, the divergence of attitudes within the Republican ranks increases. While House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, staunchly defends the integrity of Mr. Starr's inquiry, Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, says it is time for Mr. Starr to "wrap it up" and "show his cards". Since the inquiry began, there has been a growing backlash of public opinion against Mr. Starr and his methods, while Mr. Clinton's popularity ratings have soared. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Terrified villagers flee to the woods as Serb anti-terrorist police intensify their onslaught against ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatist guerrillas in the mountains of the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. The police offensive continues despite international warnings that the conflict could spill over into neighboring Albania and Macedonia, and sends waves of refugees flooding into other European countries. However, hopes of a united international front have been blunted by \JRussia\j's support for the stand adopted by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, who is insisting that the crisis in \JKosovo\j is strictly an internal affair. \I(Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Albania, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, \JRussia\j)\i
An Italian military appeals court upholds the conviction of former SS captain, Erich Priebke, 84, and sentences him to \Jlife imprisonment\j for his role in the 1944 Ardeatine Caves massacre, in which 335 men and boys died. Former Nazi major, Karl Hass, is also sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j in connection with the massacre, which was in reprisal for the killing of 33 German soldiers by Italian partisans. Neither man is expected to go to jail, however, due to ill health and other mitigating circumstances. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Italian police confirm that the murder of a lawyer bludgeoned to death with a hammer was not related to her defense of a United States Marine linked to last month's cable car disaster near Cavalese in the Italian Dolomites. Police say they have detained a man aggrieved that Francesca Trombino, 43, was acting for his estranged wife in divorce proceedings. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
The Body Shop chain reveals its decision to become the first major retailer in Britain to sell a range of soaps and skin creams made from cannabis plants. A spokesperson for the chain defends the controversial decision, saying the plant extract is an excellent moisturizer. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 8, 1998",795,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Thirty years after the My Lai massacre, three Americans are awarded the Soldier's Medal, the highest award for bravery not involving conflict with an enemy, for turning their guns on fellow soldiers in order to save the lives of Vietnamese civilians. On March 16, 1968, about 450 women, children, and old men died in a frenzy of rape and mass slaughter as American troops invaded the hamlet of My Lai. Charlie Company commander, Lieutenant William Calley, was later found guilty of murder, but his life sentence was reduced to 20 years and the United States Army allowed him to serve only three days in prison followed by three years of house arrest. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, orders an inquiry into allegations of a conspiracy against him by the Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP), formerly the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA). Mr. Kim was constantly harassed by the KCIA during his 30-year campaign against political repression in South Korea, surviving two assassination attempts, as well as later attempts to slander him as a Communist and sabotage his presidential bid. \I(South Korea)\i
A Pakistani Hindu is shot dead and another wounded when paramilitaries open fire on protesters attacking \Jcensus\j staff in the port of \JKarachi\j. Residents say the protest was sparked when \Jcensus\j staff demanded bribes to help the predominantly illiterate people complete the forms. Pakistan is currently conducting its first \Jcensus\j in 17 years. \I(Pakistan)\i
A hostage drama in the Davao penal colony in the southern \JPhilippines\j ends with all eight hostage-takers and one of the captives dead. The prisoners, seven of whom were former Muslim rebels, were demanding to be transferred to a prison in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Camp Abubakar. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
American Andre Agassi defeats Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the Men's Classic Tennis Tournament at Scottsdale, \JArizona\j. \I(USA, Australia)\i
Finland's Mika Hakkinen wins the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, after McLaren teammate, Englishman David Coulthard, voluntarily surrenders the lead with two laps to go. Prior to the race, the teammates made a controversial deal that whoever won the dash to the first corner would also take the checkered flag. \I(Australia, Finland, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with foreign ministers in \JGermany\j and \JFrance\j, calling for stiff allied measures against \JBelgrade\j to stop this week's violence in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j from spiraling out of control and spreading across the whole region. Meanwhile, in \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, a demonstration by ethnic \JAlbanian\j women proceeds without incident, but another in the town of Pec is broken up by Serb police. Further demonstrations, under the banner, "For peace, and against violence, war and Serbian terror", are planned for tomorrow to protest against the police crackdown against ethnic Albanians, who make up 90 per cent of \JKosovo\j's population. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Thirty years after the My Lai massacre, three Americans are awarded the Soldier's Medal, the highest award for bravery not involving conflict with an enemy, for turning their guns on fellow soldiers in order to save the lives of Vietnamese civilians. On March 16, 1968, about 450 women, children, and old men died in a frenzy of rape and mass slaughter as American troops invaded the hamlet of My Lai. Charlie Company commander, Lieutenant William Calley, was later found guilty of murder, but his life sentence was reduced to 20 years and the United States Army allowed him to serve only three days in prison followed by three years of house arrest. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
James McDougal, 57, the former Whitewater business partner of US President Bill Clinton, dies of a heart attack in the \Jhospital\j at Fort Worth Prison, where he was serving a three-year sentence for \Jfraud\j and conspiracy. Mr. McDougal won a lighter sentence after he agreed to help prosecutor Kenneth Starr investigate the involvement of Mr. Clinton and his wife Hillary in the Whitewater affair. \I(USA)\i
American golfer Michael Bradley cards a one-stroke overall lead of 278 to win the Doral Open at Miami, \JFlorida\j. \I(USA)\i
American Andre Agassi defeats Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the Men's Classic Tennis Tournament at Scottsdale, \JArizona\j. \I(USA, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets with foreign ministers in \JGermany\j and \JFrance\j, calling for stiff allied measures against \JBelgrade\j to stop this week's violence in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j from spiraling out of control and spreading across the whole region. Meanwhile, in \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, a demonstration by ethnic \JAlbanian\j women proceeds without incident, but another in the town of Pec is broken up by Serb police. Further demonstrations, under the banner, "For peace, and against violence, war and Serbian terror", are planned for tomorrow to protest against the police crackdown against ethnic Albanians, who make up 90 per cent of \JKosovo\j's population. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
In London, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meets with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who urges a speedy redeployment of Israeli troops from the occupied territories, and pledges a more active European Union role to bolster peace in the \JMiddle East\j region. In Tel Aviv, meanwhile, more than 1,500 reserve officers from Israel's army and police force publish a letter calling on Mr. Netanyahu to choose peace with his neighbors, and abandon the policy of expanding Jewish settlements in Palestinian areas. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Gerry Adams, president of Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein party, sets out "minimum requirements" for a deal that could lead to Irish unity and independence. The requirements not only include immediate measures such as the release of all "political" prisoners, the disbandment of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the Army's withdrawal to barracks, but also new all-Ireland proposals that are collectively dismissed by pro-British Ulster Unionists as a "republican wish-list". \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Finland's Mika Hakkinen wins the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, after McLaren teammate, Englishman David Coulthard, voluntarily surrenders the lead with two laps to go. Prior to the race, the teammates made a controversial deal that whoever won the dash to the first corner would also take the checkered flag. \I(Australia, Finland, UK)\i
#
"March 9, 1998",796,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian rupiah plunges as much as 25 per cent to 12,500 to the US dollar after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announces that it is delaying the next $US3 billion installment of its $US43 billion economic rescue package. The IMF says it is aiming for a speedy renewal of discussions with Indonesia once basic conditions are met and the required changes in a few macro-economic assumptions can be made. Jakarta's resistance to IMF pressure shows no sign of weakening, however, with a spokesman for President Soeharto bluntly stating that the fund's conditions are not in line with Indonesia's Constitution. \I(Indonesia)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces a $US380 million export guarantee principally aimed at protecting Australian wheat sales to \JIndonesia\j, but also providing benefits to the ordinary people of \JIndonesia\j. Mr. Howard expresses concern over some aspects of the International Monetary Fund's demands, particularly its insistence on the removal of food subsidies in \JIndonesia\j, which Mr. Howard believes could have a negative impact on the country's social stability and cohesion. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
South Korea pledges 50,000 tonnes of grain through the World Food Program to help feed the starving North Koreans. Unification Minister, Kang In Duk, says Seoul is also studying ways of offering direct aid once dialogue resumes between the two countries. \JPyongyang\j makes no comment regarding the pledge of food aid, choosing instead to condemn the Seoul Government's choice of Mr. Kang as the North's dialogue partner. A conservative rightist, Mr. Kang is known for his hardline stand towards \JPyongyang\j, and his appointment as Unification Minister is also drawing widespread criticism in the South. \I(The Koreas)\i
As the hopes of India's once-mighty Congress Party fade following its disappointing showing in the recent general elections, Sitaram Kesri, 82, offers to resign from the post of party president. Meanwhile, having emerged from the elections with the largest share of the vote, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says it is ready to compromise on some of its more radical policies in order to achieve consensus and attract support for a coalition government. In its controversial pre-election manifesto, the BJP pledged to build a Hindu temple on the site of a mosque destroyed by Hindu fanatics, to draft uniform civil laws concerning marriage, divorce, and inheritance, to integrate Muslim-majority Kashmir state more closely into India, and to arm the country with nuclear weapons. \I(India)\i
The Philippine Government says it is working out a formula for sharing the wealth of late president, Ferdinand Marcos, with the thousands of victims of human rights abuses during his regime. A federal judge in Hawaii, where Marcos died in 1989, has ordered the Marcos estate to pay the victims around $US2 billion, but the Marcos family is contesting the judgement, along with last year's Swiss Supreme Court order for the transfer of Marcos's millions to an escrow account in Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
France's former Socialist Foreign Minister, Roland Dumas, denies receiving commission from the 1991 sale of six Lafayette-class frigates to \JTaiwan\j, but claims that around $US500 million was paid to others as part of the deal. Mr. Dumas has been summoned to appear before magistrates next week to answer questions in connection with the affair. \I(France, \JTaiwan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a meeting in London, members of the six-nation Contact Group, apart from \JRussia\j, agree to block government credits to \JSerbia\j, warning that they will also freeze \JSerbia\j's assets abroad unless it halts violence against ethnic Albanians in \JKosovo\j and initiates talks on restoring the province's autonomy. Following the group's decision, special United States envoy, Robert Gelbard, flies to \JBelgrade\j where he briefs Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, on the outcome of the London meeting, stressing the urgent need to find a political solution to the future of \JKosovo\j. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, USA, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Early counting in \JColombia\j's congressional election shows President Ernesto Samper's Liberal Party heading for a landslide victory, with the main opposition Conservative Party well behind in second place. The election comes after one of the bloodiest guerrilla offensives in \JColombia\j's \Jcivil war\j, and is marked on the \Jday\j by low voter turnout as Marxist rebels continue their attacks in around half the country's 32 provinces, taking the lives of at least 19 people. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
After a two-and-a-half-week expulsion, Sinn Fein becomes eligible to rejoin the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. However, party leader, Gerry Adams, declares that he will not attend the talks until he returns from a planned trip to the United States, and also holds a requested meeting with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, USA)\i
The Philippine Government says it is working out a formula for sharing the wealth of late president, Ferdinand Marcos, with the thousands of victims of human rights abuses during his regime. A federal judge in Hawaii, where Marcos died in 1989, has ordered the Marcos estate to pay the victims around $US2 billion, but the Marcos family is contesting the judgement, along with last year's Swiss Supreme Court order for the transfer of Marcos's millions to an escrow account in Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
An American journalist, whose 1993 magazine article led to the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against US President Bill Clinton, apologizes to Mr. Clinton in an open letter in \IEsquire\i magazine. In his letter, journalist David Brock says the "gothic world of anti-Clintonism" was partly behind the 1993 story of the president's alleged philandering, and that publishing the article was a misjudgment that has helped debase United States politics. \I(USA)\i
Deadly thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards cause chaos in wide swathes of the United States. At least seven people die when storms send a deluge of floodwater from Louisiana to Georgia, turning streets into rivers, while central \JFlorida\j suffers further damage to property from another round of twisters. In the Midwest, four people die in \Jweather\j-related traffic accidents when a cold front dumps heavy snow and freezes road surfaces. \I(USA)\i
The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declares the first two months of 1998 to be the warmest and wettest on record for the nation's lower 48 states. The administration says the record-breaking statistics are generally consistent with a strong El Ni±o, as well as the trend toward global warming. \I(USA)\i
The fate of British au-pair, Louise Woodward, again hangs in the balance as lawyers make their final appeals to the \JMassachusetts\j Supreme Judicial Court. Lawyers for Ms. Woodward are seeking to have her conviction for the \Jmanslaughter\j of baby Matthew Eappen overturned, while prosecutors are seeking to have her earlier conviction for second-degree murder reinstated, arguing that trial judge Hiller Zobel abused his authority when he reduced the jury's October verdict to \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a meeting in London, members of the six-nation Contact Group, apart from \JRussia\j, agree to block government credits to \JSerbia\j, warning that they will also freeze \JSerbia\j's assets abroad unless it halts violence against ethnic Albanians in \JKosovo\j and initiates talks on restoring the province's autonomy. Following the group's decision, special United States envoy, Robert Gelbard, flies to \JBelgrade\j where he briefs Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, on the outcome of the London meeting, stressing the urgent need to find a political solution to the future of \JKosovo\j. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, USA, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia)\i
A Bosnian Serb appears before the United Nations war crimes tribunal on charges of raping and torturing Muslim women during the 1992-95 Bosnian war, the first time an international court has treated wartime sexual crimes against women as crimes against humanity. Dragoljub Kunarac, 37, a former commander of a Serb militia unit controlling the Bosnian town of Foca in 1992, pleads guilty to rape, but not guilty to three counts of torture. \I(Bosnia)\i
United Nations officials announce that weapons inspectors will make their first visits to all of \JIraq\j's eight presidential compounds in about two weeks. The inspection team will be led by diplomat, Jayantha Dhanapala, and will conduct "baseline" surveys to set the groundwork for future inspections of the sites, which \JBaghdad\j had previously declared off-limits, but has now agreed to open under the recent accord brokered by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
After a two-and-a-half-week expulsion, Sinn Fein becomes eligible to rejoin the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future. However, party leader, Gerry Adams, declares that he will not attend the talks until he returns from a planned trip to the United States, and also holds a requested meeting with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, USA)\i
Heavily armed Zimbabwean riot police forcibly break up demonstrations by hundreds of university and technical college students in the capital, \JHarare\j, and in the western city of Bulawayo. The student demonstrations were called to protest against the drop in government maintenance grants due to the country's economic crisis. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
France's former Socialist Foreign Minister, Roland Dumas, denies receiving commission from the 1991 sale of six Lafayette-class frigates to \JTaiwan\j, but claims that around $US500 million was paid to others as part of the deal. Mr. Dumas has been summoned to appear before magistrates next week to answer questions in connection with the affair. \I(France, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The British Government launches an 18-month inquiry that will attempt to identify the causes of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, and its deadly human equivalent, Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease. The inquiry is expected to call hundreds of ministers, former ministers, civil servants, scientists, and farmers in its efforts to establish why the authorities were to slow to understand the risks of mad cow disease and equally slow to take action. \I(UK)\i
The Philippine Government says it is working out a formula for sharing the wealth of late president, Ferdinand Marcos, with the thousands of victims of human rights abuses during his regime. A federal judge in Hawaii, where Marcos died in 1989, has ordered the Marcos estate to pay the victims around $US2 billion, but the Marcos family is contesting the judgement, along with last year's Swiss Supreme Court order for the transfer of Marcos's millions to an escrow account in Manila. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The fate of British au-pair, Louise Woodward, again hangs in the balance as lawyers make their final appeals to the \JMassachusetts\j Supreme Judicial Court. Lawyers for Ms. Woodward are seeking to have her conviction for the \Jmanslaughter\j of baby Matthew Eappen overturned, while prosecutors are seeking to have her earlier conviction for second-degree murder reinstated, arguing that trial judge Hiller Zobel abused his authority when he reduced the jury's October verdict to \Jmanslaughter\j. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"March 10, 1998",797,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto is re-elected unopposed for a seventh consecutive five-year term in office, being the sole candidate to stand before the People's Consultative Assembly. However, as the assembly unanimously affirms the re-election of Mr. Soeharto, nine people are arrested during pro-democracy demonstrations staged by thousands of university students in Jakarta. \I(Indonesia)\i
The chief executive of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Michel Camdessus, says \JIndonesia\j is one of the most difficult cases the IMF has faced in recent years, and warns that the management of the entire Asian financial crisis could be jeopardized unless the fund's differences with Jakarta are resolved soon. While the fund is prepared to compromise over subsidies on food and fuel, Mr. Camdessus condemns as "surrealistic" an Indonesian plan for a currency board to peg the rupiah to the US dollar, insisting that it diverts attention from important measures such as bank restructuring and handling corporate debt. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Australian Treasurer, Peter Costello, offers a frank assessment of the impact of the Asian economic crisis on Australia, saying the country is facing an external challenge of dimensions not faced before. Mr. Costello's comments follow recently released surveys predicting subdued profits and lower levels of business confidence due to a marked slump in Australia's tourism industry, as well as dramatic declines in exports of live \Jcattle\j and manufactured goods. \I(Australia, Asia)\i
South Korea's opposition Grand National Party (GNP) petitions the Constitutional Court to strike down President Kim Dae Jung's controversial appointment of Kim Jong Pil as Acting Prime Minister. The move allowed the president to name a Cabinet after the GNP stalled a formal vote to ratify the appointment, claiming that Kim John Pil's background as founder of South Korea's notorious spy agency, the KCIA, makes him unfit for the office of prime minister. \I(South Korea)\i
Ending a week of speculation following inconclusive general elections, India's President Kocheril Narayanan asks Atal Behari Vajpayee, leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to furnish documents in support of his claim that he is in a position to form a stable coalition government. The BJP emerged from the elections 20 seats short of a majority, and if the party can muster the necessary backing, it will be the second time in two years that Mr. Vajpayee has assumed India's top political post. In May 1996, the BJP formed a government but was forced to resign after 13 days when it failed to win a parliamentary vote of confidence. \I(India)\i
China's National People's Congress votes overwhelmingly to slash 15 government ministries, a move that will also eliminate the jobs of millions of bureaucrats. The restructuring scheme to downsize the civil service and cut the state's 33 million-strong payroll aims to match free-market changes of the past two decades, and is the centerpiece of the annual parliamentary session. \I(China)\i
A bomb rips through a crowded commuter train in the Pakistani city of \JLahore\j, killing ten people and injuring more than 80. The attack follows yesterday's bombings of a courthouse and another train, which together left another eight people dead and over 40 injured. Police are blaming extremist Muslim groups for the violence. \I(Pakistan)\i
Auckland's central business district returns to life when 90 per cent of its power is restored. The February 20 failure of the four main cables supplying \JNew Zealand\j's largest city crippled shops and other businesses, and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents. Supplier Mercury Energy is now considering compensation claims from more than 400 businesses pushed to the brink of \Jbankruptcy\j by the crisis. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Government of \JSerbia\j, the dominant republic in federal Yugoslavia, maintains that last week's police action against ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j was defensive and targeted only separatist guerrillas. After talks with \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders, however, United States special envoy, Robert Gelbard, accuses \JSerbia\j of using disproportionate and overwhelming force in the police crackdown, which claimed the lives of some 80 people. Mr. Gelbard is now actively seeking to open a dialogue between \JBelgrade\j, which regards \JKosovo\j as the cradle of Serbian history and culture, and ethnic Albanians, who constitute 90 per cent of the province's population, and are striving for independence. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United Nations weapons inspector, American Scott Ritter, branded a spy by \JBaghdad\j and barred from working in \JIraq\j in January, completes his mission and leaves \JIraq\j for \JBahrain\j. According to the UN, Ritter and his team inspected a total of eight sensitive sites, including \JIraq\j's defense ministry, without any problem. The UN adds, however, that Ritter will not inspect any of the presidential sites, with joint teams of inspectors and diplomats yet to be announced for the task. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, retires as army commander-in-chief after 24 years in the post, handing over the baton of command to General Ricardo Izurieta. Three hours after the ceremony, 48 people are arrested as a result of violent protests in Santiago over General Pinochet's decision to take up a position as senator for life. \I(Chile)\i
After a failed bid to contact the Mars Pathfinder, NASA scientists declare the \Jspacecraft\j officially "dead". The Pathfinder mission ended on November 4, four months to the \Jday\j after the craft made its historic landing on Mars. \I(USA)\i
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) warns that child sexual predators are far more pervasive on the \JInternet\j than most parents suspect. Last year, Congress gave the \JFBI\j $US10 million to establish the "Innocent Images" program to combat the problem, and law enforcement agents are now trying to train more people in federal and local agencies. \I(USA)\i
Closing arguments are presented in the court-martial of Gene McKinney, the first black to serve as Sergeant Major of the United States Army. McKinney is accused on 19 counts involving sexual misconduct. None of McKinney's accusers is black. \I(USA)\i
Veteran American actor, Lloyd Bridges, dies aged 85 at his home in Los Angeles. Bridges starred in the pioneering \Jtelevision\j series, \ISea Hunt,\i as well as scores of movies, and is the father of actors Beau and Jeff Bridges. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Government of \JSerbia\j, the dominant republic in federal Yugoslavia, maintains that last week's police action against ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j was defensive and targeted only separatist guerrillas. After talks with \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders, however, United States special envoy, Robert Gelbard, accuses \JSerbia\j of using disproportionate and overwhelming force in the police crackdown, which claimed the lives of some 80 people. Mr. Gelbard is now actively seeking to open a dialogue between \JBelgrade\j, which regards \JKosovo\j as the cradle of Serbian history and culture, and ethnic Albanians, who constitute 90 per cent of the province's population, and are striving for independence. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Riots break out around the West Bank town of \JHebron\j after Israeli troops shoot dead three Palestinian laborers they claim were trying to run a military checkpoint. Another four Palestinians were wounded in the shooting, which is denounced by the Palestinian Authority as "a massacre in cold blood". In an effort to calm the situation, Israel says it is investigating the incident. Meanwhile, Israeli troops are placed on high alert amid fears of retaliatory action. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Sierre Leone's elected president, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, receives a tumultuous welcome from thousands of jubilant residents when he returns to the capital, \JFreetown\j, after spending almost 10 months in exile. President Kabbah was overthrown by a military coup on May 25, an event which triggered sanctions from both the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States. The military junta was ousted in February by the Nigerian-led ECOMOG West African force. \I(Sierra Leone, Nigeria, West Africa)\i
United Nations weapons inspector, American Scott Ritter, branded a spy by \JBaghdad\j and barred from working in \JIraq\j in January, completes his mission and leaves \JIraq\j for \JBahrain\j. According to the UN, Ritter and his team inspected a total of eight sensitive sites, including \JIraq\j's defense ministry, without any problem. The UN adds, however, that Ritter will not inspect any of the presidential sites, with joint teams of inspectors and diplomats yet to be announced for the task. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
#
"March 11, 1998",798,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
President Soeharto is sworn in for a seventh five-year term, issuing a somber warning that \JIndonesia\j's three decades of economic prosperity are over, and calling for all Indonesian people to help steer their country out of its current crisis. Meanwhile, in a massive show of defiance, some 10,000 students stage a protest march in Mr. Soeharto's hometown of Yogyakarta, condemning his unopposed reelection by the People's Consultative Assembly, and demanding that he step down from office. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Responding to criticism of its tough approach to \JIndonesia\j, the International Monetary Fund signals its willingness to be more flexible in negotiating changes to the country's economic reform program. Deputy managing director, Stanley Fischer, says the organization is deeply mindful of events occurring in \JIndonesia\j, and could be open to proposals such as a currency board as long as Jakarta first makes the necessary economic decisions to meet preconditions. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Japan's corruption scandal takes another turn when the chief of the Bank of Japan's capital markets division is arrested on bribery charges. The arrest of Yasuyuki Yoshizawa is the first such incident in the 116-year history of the bank, and comes just hours after scores of prosecutors raid the premises to seize incriminating documents. \I(Japan)\i
Armed marauders from \JMyanmar\j torch a Karen refugee camp six kilometers inside \JThailand\j, killing two people, wounding 25, and leaving nearly 9,000 others without shelter. Camps in \JThailand\j are home to more than 100,000 ethnic Karen refugees who have fled offensives and human rights abuses by \JMyanmar\j's military junta, and the Karen National Union's leadership, who is fighting for a separate state, regard the cross-border attack as an attempt to pressure them to agree to a cease-fire. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets in Washington with United States President, Bill Clinton, to discuss the recently forged weapons inspection deal between \JIraq\j and the UN. Mr. Clinton expresses satisfaction with the implementation of the new agreement so far, and assures Mr. Annan that should \JIraq\j spark another crisis, the US will consult the UN Security Council regarding any plans to launch a military strike. Mr. Clinton also registers a formal US protest over Moscow's request to add a Russian deputy chairman to the UN inspection team in \JIraq\j. American Charles Duelfer is currently the sole deputy chairman of the team. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Russia)\i
In a bid to head off the potential spread of nationalist violence, \JNATO\j approves a plan to help \JAlbania\j block the flow of arms, drugs, and guerrilla fighters into the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where ethnic Albanians have been subjected to brutal police repression over the past week. Meanwhile, western powers led by the United States have threatened Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, with tightened economic sanctions unless immediate progress is made toward a compromise with \JKosovo\j's Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova. \I(\JAlbania\j, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
A United States judge orders \JIran\j to pay $US247 million to the family of an American student killed in the 1995 bombing of an Israeli bus by Islamic Jihad, a terrorist faction allegedly supported by Tehran. Lawyers for the family say they expect to collect a substantial amount of the money from blocked assets which originally belonged to the Iranian Government, but are now available for forfeiture. Tehran did not respond to the suit, which was brought under a 1996 anti-\Jterrorism\j law allowing US citizens to sue for state-sponsored terrorist acts. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
The \JWhite House\j threatens a presidential veto after Republican leaders in Congress vow to link anti-\Jabortion\j provisions to a $US19 billion package for the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, a \Jlinkage\j the State Department is denouncing as "undemocratic". House Appropriations Committee Chairman, Bob Livingston, earlier stated that the package will include bans on US funding to private or multilateral institutions that lobby to change foreign laws prohibiting \Jabortion\j. \I(USA)\i
A \JFlorida\j appeals court throws out 5,000 absentee ballots and reinstates Joe Carollo as mayor of Miami, a ruling that strips Mayor Xavier Suarez of his November election victory. Last week, a trial court judge found the mayoral election to be tainted by a massive absentee ballot \Jfraud\j, but ordered a new election rather than throw out the absentee ballots, saying it would disenfranchise honest voters. \I(USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j of \Jmagnitude\j 4.5 on the Richter scale shakes Southern \JCalifornia\j but there are no immediate report of injuries or damage. The center of the quake is located 4 miles west-southwest of the San Bernardino community of Redlands, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a bid to head off the potential spread of nationalist violence, \JNATO\j approves a plan to help \JAlbania\j block the flow of arms, drugs, and guerrilla fighters into the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where ethnic Albanians have been subjected to brutal police repression over the past week. Meanwhile, western powers led by the United States have threatened Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, with tightened economic sanctions unless immediate progress is made toward a compromise with \JKosovo\j's Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova. \I(\JAlbania\j, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia, USA)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets in Washington with United States President, Bill Clinton, to discuss the recently forged weapons inspection deal between \JIraq\j and the UN. Mr. Clinton expresses satisfaction with the implementation of the new agreement so far, and assures Mr. Annan that should \JIraq\j spark another crisis, the US will consult the UN Security Council regarding any plans to launch a military strike. Mr. Clinton also registers a formal US protest over Moscow's request to add a Russian deputy chairman to the UN inspection team in \JIraq\j. American Charles Duelfer is currently the sole deputy chairman of the team. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Russia)\i
In the worst \Jday\j of West Bank violence this year, Israeli troops firing \Jrubber\j bullets injure at least 44 enraged Palestinians protesting over the shooting deaths of three unarmed Palestinian laborers at a roadblock near \JHebron\j yesterday. Meanwhile, the funeral procession for the three dead men is joined by more than 10,000 mourners, including masked activists brandishing banners and shouting warnings to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A United States judge orders \JIran\j to pay $US247 million to the family of an American student killed in the 1995 bombing of an Israeli bus by Islamic Jihad, a terrorist faction allegedly supported by Tehran. Lawyers for the family say they expect to collect a substantial amount of the money from blocked assets which originally belonged to the Iranian Government, but are now available for forfeiture. Tehran did not respond to the suit, which was brought under a 1996 anti-\Jterrorism\j law allowing US citizens to sue for state-sponsored terrorist acts. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
Denmark's Social Democrat-led coalition government fends off a challenge by the Liberal-Conservative opposition to win reelection with a one-seat parliamentary majority. Prime Minister, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, at the helm since 1993, is expected to continue in the position and maintain the coalition with the Radical Party. \I(Denmark)\i
#
"March 12, 1998",799,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a second \Jday\j of anti-government protests, thousands of Indonesian students clash with baton-wielding police at the gates of Airlangga University, in the East Java city of \JSurabaya\j. The clashes occur as the International Monetary Fund prepares to send a senior delegation to Jakarta for further talks on reforms necessary to pull Indonesia out of its economic crisis. \I(Indonesia)\i
The former head of South Korea's Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP) is ordered not to leave the country amid allegations that the intelligence agency last year launched a "red-scare" campaign in an attempt to sabotage the successful presidential bid of Kim Dae Jung. Yesterday, three senior ANSP officials were arrested, bringing to five the number implicated in "Operation North Wind", the agency's alleged smear campaign to link Mr. Kim with the North Korean communist regime. \I(The Koreas)\i
China's Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen, announces that the \JBeijing\j Government is preparing to endorse the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The announcement precedes the annual session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on March 16, when China's human rights record is expected to come under renewed fire following a report that thousands of people could be forcibly shifted from their homes in the area of the controversial Three Gorges Dam. \I(China)\i
The governor of the Bank of \JJapan\j tenders his resignation following yesterday's arrest of a high-ranking bank official on charges of graft. Elsewhere, \JJapan\j's widening financial scandal claims another victim when a Ministry of Finance official, dealing with small banks, hangs himself. The official, identified as Yoshio Sugiyama, 46, had been questioned last month by prosecutors probing allegations of corruption within the ministry. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Indonesia's East \JKalimantan\j environmental impact management agency reports that fires burning in the province since January have razed more than 65,000 hectares of forest and ground, causing losses estimated at $US19 million. The agency also reports that much of the province is still covered with smoke haze. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States says it is weighing the option of expanding a 700-strong United Nations peacekeeping force in Macedonia because of concerns that the crisis in neighboring \JKosovo\j could spiral out of control. The US also announces that Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, will travel to the Balkans next week to outline measures the states in the region can adopt in order to demonstrate their resolve against Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j community. \I(USA, Macedonia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia)\i
The United States military releases a report citing "air crew error" as the cause of February's cable car tragedy in the Italian Dolomites, which claimed the lives of 20 people. The report finds that the crew of the EA-6B Prowler surveillance plane "aggressively maneuvered their \Jaircraft\j, exceeded the maximum airspeed, and flew well below 1,000 feet" while on a training mission. A pre-trial inquiry will now consider whether charges including negligent \Jhomicide\j and dereliction of duty should be referred to a general court-martial if the US succeeds in retaining \Jjurisdiction\j over the four crewmen. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Federal authorities in the United States arrest 33 people on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for helping aliens obtain residence and the freedom to travel in and out of the country. Among those arrested are seven employees of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the largest number from the department ever charged at one time for such offenses. \I(USA)\i
Colombian President, Ernesto Samper, announces the formation of a new 5,000-strong military unit to combat leftist guerrillas in southern Caqueta province, where at least 62 soldiers were killed last week during an attack by hundreds of rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Military experts say the attack indicates that the FARC has progressed from hit-and-run clashes, and is seeking to establish a stronghold in the area, which is the source of 85 per cent of Colombia's \Jcoca\j, the raw material for \Jcocaine\j. \I(Colombia)\i
Throughout \JChile\j, a total of 579 people are arrested and dozens are injured as a result of violent protests against the lifetime Senate seat claimed by former dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, following his retirement this week from the post of army commander-in-chief. As a Senator, General Pinochet retains immunity from prosecution, and the protesters are demanding that he be held accountable for the deaths and disappearances of more than 3,000 people during his 1973-90 military rule. \I(\JChile\j)\i
Police in Boulder County, \JColorado\j, request that the district attorney convene a grand jury investigation into the December 1996 murder of six-year-old beauty pageant winner, JonBenet Ramsey. No arrests have been made in the case, and police say they need a grand jury to assist in gathering additional admissible evidence otherwise unavailable to them. \I(USA)\i
Experts report that the incidence of cancer in the United States is declining for the first time since the 1930s. The report identifies 1992 as the turning point, with an annual decrease of 2.7 per cent thereafter, and cites healthier lifestyles and more aggressive treatments of pre-cancerous conditions as reasons for the decline. \I(USA)\i
Medical researchers in the United States warn that contrary to common belief, low salt diets could be hazardous to health. The warning follows a study which found that people consuming more salt were less likely to die from cardiovascular or other diseases. The research team advises people to cancel current recommendations to reduce salt intake and wait for more data. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States says it is weighing the option of expanding a 700-strong United Nations peacekeeping force in Macedonia because of concerns that the crisis in neighboring \JKosovo\j could spiral out of control. The US also announces that Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, will travel to the Balkans next week to outline measures the states in the region can adopt in order to demonstrate their resolve against Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j community. \I(USA, Macedonia, \JKosovo\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, meets with the newly appointed United Nations arms commissioner, Jayantha Dhanapala, to discuss procedures for inspection of the eight presidential sites at the core of the recent standoff between \JBaghdad\j and the UN. Under February's breakthrough accord with \JBaghdad\j, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, agreed to establish a special group of inspectors and diplomats, headed by a new commissioner, to search the disputed sites for weapons of mass destruction. \I(Iraq)\i
In the volatile West Bank, up to 28 stone-throwing Palestinians suffer \Jrubber\j bullet wounds in clashes with Israeli troops as protests continue to rage over this week's shooting deaths of three Palestinians at an Israeli military checkpoint near \JHebron\j. In a bid to defuse the violence, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delivers a special address on Israeli Television's Arabic news service, lamenting the killings as a "tragic mistake", and appealing for calm and restraint. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
After an hour-long meeting with Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, declares that he is "stubbornly optimistic" about an early settlement on the future of Northern Ireland. The meeting was demanded by Sinn Fein as a pre-condition for returning to the multi-party peace talks following a 17-\Jday\j suspension imposed for Irish Republican Army (IRA) involvement in two \JBelfast\j killings. Within hours of the Downing Street meeting, however, Ulster Unionists demand that Sinn Fein be expelled permanently from the talks when evidence emerges of IRA involvement in another killing in February. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
In London, the inaugural meeting of the 26-nation European Conference is marred by tensions over Cyprus and Turkey. \JFrance\j insists that Cyprus should be kept out of European Union (EU) entry talks if Turkish Cypriots refuse to join the Greek Cypriot negotiating team. The EU is committed to including Cyprus in the first wave of enlargement, and \JGreece\j responds to \JFrance\j's stand by threatening to freeze the whole expansion to the east if Turkey is given a veto over the accession of Cyprus. \I(UK, Cyprus, Turkey, \JGreece\j, \JFrance\j, Europe)\i
Turkish riot police are placed on alert as thousands of pro-Kurdish protesters march through the Gazi neighborhood of \JIstanbul\j to mark the third anniversary of riots in which 17 people were killed by police. The 1995 riots were triggered after unknown gunmen shot dead two people in attacks on Alevi \Jcoffee\j houses in Gazi. \I(Turkey)\i
Oslo advises that it is expelling five Russian diplomats for attempting to recruit Norwegians to work as spies for the Russian \Jsecret service\j. Oslo also states that it is postponing a planned March visit to Moscow by Prime Minister, Kjell Magne Bondevik. \I(\JNorway\j, Russia)\i
The United States military releases a report citing "air crew error" as the cause of February's cable car tragedy in the Italian Dolomites, which claimed the lives of 20 people. The report finds that the crew of the EA-6B Prowler surveillance plane "aggressively maneuvered their \Jaircraft\j, exceeded the maximum airspeed, and flew well below 1,000 feet" while on a training mission. A pre-trial inquiry will now consider whether charges including negligent \Jhomicide\j and dereliction of duty should be referred to a general court-martial if the US succeeds in retaining \Jjurisdiction\j over the four crewmen. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"March 13, 1998",800,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a gesture aimed at fostering national harmony, South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, grants amnesty to more than 5 million prison inmates, including 74 political prisoners, some of whom have spent decades in jail. Not included in the amnesty, however, is Woo Yong Gak, thought to be the world's longest-serving political prisoner, having spent 40 year in solitary confinement for refusing to recant his communist beliefs. President Kim himself was a former political prisoner, spending a number of years in jail for opposing previous military rulers. \I(South Korea)\i
India's political uncertainty continues when the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to form a stable coalition government end in a stalemate, and President Kocheril Narayanan opens talks with other major politic groups, including the Congress Party. The Hindu nationalist BJP won the largest number of parliamentary seats in the country's recent election, but its hopes of installing a government this week were dashed when a key southern ally imposed tough conditions for committing its support. \I(India)\i
A federal grand jury convicts six men, most of them Vietnamese nationals, on charges of smuggling 280 illegal Chinese immigrants into the United States in June, 1993. The six men are the last of a total of 23 people indicted after a major probe uncovered a wide conspiracy that US officials linked to Asian organized crime. \I(USA, Vietnam, China)\i
Three Vietnamese-Australians are arrested for the murder of \JNew South Wales\j State Labor MP, John Newman, 47, who was gunned down outside his home in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta on September 5, 1994. One of those accused of involvement in the first ever assassination of a serving Australian politician is local government politician, Phuong Ngo, 39, a member of the Labor Party and Australia's first Vietnamese-born public official. \I(Australia, Vietnam)\i
A senior Tibetan delegate to the annual session of China's National People's Congress insists that the people of Tibet enjoy good government and harmonious relations, and are better off than ever under \JBeijing\j's rule. The affirmation follows a renewed call for Tibetan self rule from the country's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. \I(Tibet, China)\i
North Korean authorities declare a period of wartime mobilization which includes a ban on foreigners entering the country, and which applies not only to the regular armed forces, but also to the national economy and overall social life. Foreign diplomats say they are unsure whether \JPyongyang\j is imposing martial law, or whether the mobilization is related to recent warnings concerning the country's rapidly diminishing food supplies. \I(North Korea)\i
After a four-\Jday\j deadlock, Japanese nuclear experts unload 30 tonnes of high-level radioactive waste from a ship docked at Mutsu Ogawara port in northern Aomori prefecture. The governor of Aomori had blocked entry of the ship returning the reprocessed waste from \JFrance\j, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, to discuss the nation's nuclear policy. \I(Japan, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Following an unimpeded mission led by American Scott Ritter, Richard Butler, the head of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with \JIraq\j's disarmament, comments on the new spirit of cooperation since the crisis over UN weapons inspection was defused last month. In terms of progress, Mr. Butler says the inspection teams have come a long way on missiles and a reasonably long way in chemistry, but still have quite a long way to go in \Jbiology\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States Senate endorses a non-binding resolution branding Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, a war criminal, and calling on the United Nations to establish an international tribunal to indict, prosecute, and imprison him. The \JWhite House\j says it will study the resolution carefully, but doubts that the UN Security Council will approve such a measure. Iraq's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, condemns the US Senate resolution and its recommendations as shameful "trash". \I(USA, Iraq)\i
A federal grand jury convicts six men, most of them Vietnamese nationals, on charges of smuggling 280 illegal Chinese immigrants into the United States in June, 1993. The six men are the last of a total of 23 people indicted after a major probe uncovered a wide conspiracy that US officials linked to Asian organized crime. \I(USA, Vietnam, China)\i
Lawyers for Paula Jones release a 700-page legal filing to support Ms. Jones's sexual harassment suit against US President Bill Clinton, stepping up their efforts to persuade United States District Judge, Susan Webber Wright, to reject Mr. Clinton's bid to have the case dismissed. The material contains allegations that Mr. Clinton made sexual advances to at least four other women, including former \JWhite House\j volunteer Kathleen Willey, who is scheduled to go public with her accusations in a CBS \Jtelevision\j interview. Also included in the material is a deposition from Mr. Clinton himself, in which he admits having had sexual relations with former cabaret singer, Gennifer Flowers, in 1977. Ms. Flowers almost destroyed Mr. Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign by publicly claiming that they had enjoyed a 12-year affair. \I(USA)\i
United States Democrat Congressman, Joseph P. Kennedy II, announces that he will not seek reelection to Congress in November this year. Mr. Kennedy says he plans to direct his attention to his family, immediate and extended, as well as to Citizens Energy, a non-profit organization formerly headed by his late brother, Michael Kennedy, who died in a \Jskiing\j accident last December. \I(USA)\i
A court-martial acquits Sergeant Major Gene McKinney, once the United States Army's highest-ranking enlisted soldier, of all charges of sexual misconduct, but convicts him on one charge of obstruction of justice. A panel of eight jurors has yet to determine McKinney's punishment. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian leaders in \JKosovo\j boycott talks called by Serbian Government negotiators, accusing \JBelgrade\j of giving them no warning and setting preconditions that rule out the option of full independence for the province. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians hold their second mass rally in four days to protest against last week's police crackdown, which claimed the lives of at least 80 people. The Serbian Government insists that the police action was aimed at separatist guerrillas, but Albanian leaders say the victims included women and children. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Thirteen Palestinians, nine of them journalists, are wounded when Israeli troops intervene in violent scuffles between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in the West Bank town of \JHebron\j. An Israeli army spokesman says the trouble flared when dozens of settlers ignored army orders and crossed into Palestinian-controlled \JHebron\j for a protest march after evening prayers. Tensions have been high in \JHebron\j and other parts of the West Bank since Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinian laborers at a checkpoint earlier this week. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Following an unimpeded mission led by American Scott Ritter, Richard Butler, the head of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with \JIraq\j's disarmament, comments on the new spirit of cooperation since the crisis over UN weapons inspection was defused last month. In terms of progress, Mr. Butler says the inspection teams have come a long way on missiles and a reasonably long way in chemistry, but still have quite a long way to go in \Jbiology\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
The United States Senate endorses a non-binding resolution branding Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, a war criminal, and calling on the United Nations to establish an international tribunal to indict, prosecute, and imprison him. The \JWhite House\j says it will study the resolution carefully, but doubts that the UN Security Council will approve such a measure. Iraq's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, condemns the US Senate resolution and its recommendations as shameful "trash". \I(USA, Iraq)\i
The \JKremlin\j announces that Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, is suffering from an acute respiratory infection and has canceled all his engagements. While Mr. Yeltsin's health is a constant concern for domestic and foreign investors, the news of his latest illness triggers only fleeting nervousness on the country's financial markets. \I(Russia)\i
After a four-\Jday\j deadlock, Japanese nuclear experts unload 30 tonnes of high-level radioactive waste from a ship docked at Mutsu Ogawara port in northern Aomori prefecture. The governor of Aomori had blocked entry of the ship returning the reprocessed waste from \JFrance\j, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, to discuss the nation's nuclear policy. \I(Japan, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"March 14, 1998",801,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The two Koreas, China, and the United States hold a preliminary four-hour meeting in Geneva to finalize an agenda for five days of formal negotiations beginning Monday. The upcoming negotiations follow on from an historic first round of talks held last December, and are aimed at replacing the 1953 armistice between North and South Korea with a more permanent peace agreement. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Thai Prime Minister, Chuan Leekpai, concludes a four-\Jday\j visit to the United States, where he secured pledges of $US1.7 billion in trade finance and funding aid, as well as Washington's promise to excuse \JBangkok\j from costly obligations to buy eight US military jets. \JThailand\j effectively unleashed Asia's economic crisis when it abandoned the baht's peg against the US dollar last July, but has recently earned widespread international praise for its commitment to prescribed reforms. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
The United States declares that it will not sponsor an anti-China resolution at this year's United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Along with the European Union, the US has supported all previous resolutions at the annual commission since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, but says its revised stance is based on positive steps taken by China, including a recently announced decision to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. \I(USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Europe)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto unveils a new Cabinet, which his critics say puts family and friends to the fore, and which economists say will cause further dismay among international investors. The new line-up includes Mr. Soeharto's daughter, Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti, as Minister for Social Affairs, his "first friend" Mohammad Hasan as Minister for Trade and Industry, as well as several ministers linked to recent corruption scandals. Controversial Vice President, B.J. Habibie, dubbed Mr. Soeharto's seventh child, is also given a special portfolio to deal with international organizations, raising his profile well above that of his predecessors in the job. \I(Indonesia)\i
Sonia Gandhi, widow of former Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, becomes the fifth member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to head the 113-year-old Congress Party. Mrs. Gandhi replaces former party president, Sitaram Kesri, who offered to formally resign following the country's recent general elections, but was unceremoniously ousted in a party-room coup. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, publicly warns Congress against adding controversial anti-\Jabortion\j provisions to an emergency funding bill for the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations. Mr. Clinton condemns the move, insisting that Congress should not demand ransom to maintain America's responsibility to national and international security, and indicates that any attempt to do so may lead to a veto. \I(USA)\i
The United States declares that it will not sponsor an anti-China resolution at this year's United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Along with the European Union, the US has supported all previous resolutions at the annual commission since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, but says its revised stance is based on positive steps taken by China, including a recently announced decision to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. \I(USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Europe)\i
The two Koreas, China, and the United States hold a preliminary four-hour meeting in Geneva to finalize an agenda for five days of formal negotiations beginning Monday. The upcoming negotiations follow on from an historic first round of talks held last December, and are aimed at replacing the 1953 armistice between North and South Korea with a more permanent peace agreement. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Thai Prime Minister, Chuan Leekpai, concludes a four-\Jday\j visit to the United States, where he secured pledges of $US1.7 billion in trade finance and funding aid, as well as Washington's promise to excuse \JBangkok\j from costly obligations to buy eight US military jets. \JThailand\j effectively unleashed Asia's economic crisis when it abandoned the baht's peg against the US dollar last July, but has recently earned widespread international praise for its commitment to prescribed reforms. \I(\JThailand\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As violence continues to flare in the West Bank, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, accuses Israel of escalating aggression and calls for international protection for his people. Over the past four days, scores of Palestinians have suffered \Jrubber\j bullet wounds in confrontations with Israeli troops, sparked by the shooting deaths of three Palestinian laborers at an Israeli roadblock. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale rocks the Iranian town of Golbaf, about 500 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, killing at least five people and injuring another 50. Golbaf was rebuilt after a quake of 6.8 \Jmagnitude\j destroyed the town and killed about 1,000 people in 1981. Iran is frequently hit by earthquakes, the worst recorded being in 1990, when a quake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale killed 35,000 people in the northern Gilan and Zanjan provinces. \I(Iran)\i
The United States declares that it will not sponsor an anti-China resolution at this year's United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Along with the European Union, the US has supported all previous resolutions at the annual commission since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, but says its revised stance is based on positive steps taken by China, including a recently announced decision to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. \I(USA, China, \JSwitzerland\j, Europe)\i
After meeting for nearly seven hours, European monetary officials devalue the Greek drachma by 14 per cent, a move necessary to admit the currency to the Exchange Rate Mechanism, and one that clears the way for a smooth launch of economic and monetary union (EMU) next year. \JGreece\j is keen to enter the euro zone in 2001, but recently failed to meet the EMU's qualification criteria. \I(\JGreece\j, Europe)\i
The two Koreas, China, and the United States hold a preliminary four-hour meeting in Geneva to finalize an agenda for five days of formal negotiations beginning Monday. The upcoming negotiations follow on from an historic first round of talks held last December, and are aimed at replacing the 1953 armistice between North and South Korea with a more permanent peace agreement. \I(The Koreas, China, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"March 15, 1998",802,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North Korea reiterates its long-standing demand that the United States withdraws its troops from South Korea, indicating that the matter will be of prime importance during the second round of four-nation talks scheduled to begin tomorrow. Washington has previously rejected \JPyongyang\j's demands to pull its 37,000 troops out of the South, and the issue was also a major source of contention at the first round of formal talks last December. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Launching efforts to prevent an economic disaster in \JIndonesia\j, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, holds more than two hours of talks with President Soeharto, urging him to make "courageous decisions" to undertake reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, the most significant criticism of President Soeharto's newly announced Cabinet comes from Indonesian Muslim leader, Amien Rais, who condemns the ministerial appointment of the President's daughter as a "clear symptom of nepotism". \I(\JIndonesia\j, Japan)\i
Figures released by \JJapan\j's Economic Planning Agency (EPA) indicate the country's economy is in a deep recession that shows few signs of easing. According to the EPA, the gross domestic product shrank 0.2 per cent in the December quarter and is expected to continue contracting for a full fiscal year. The EPA figures point to a fall of 0.8 per cent in domestic demand, while exports slowed, increasing by just 0.6 per cent. Exports are expected to slump in the March quarter as the full impact of Asia's financial crisis hits car and \Jelectronics\j makers. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia)\i
Indian President, Kocheril Narayanan, invites the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Atal Behari Vajpayee, to be sworn in as Prime Minister this week and submit his coalition government to a parliamentary confidence motion within 10 days. The invitation comes after the BJP secures a declaration of \Jneutrality\j from the southern regional \JTelugu\j Desam Party, and the new leader of the Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi, concedes that she lacks the numbers to mount a challenge. \I(India)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces that the Federal Government is to sell its remaining two-thirds stake in communications giant, Telstra, a sale that will reap the government $AUD45 billion. The one-third float of Telstra shares last November yielded the government $AUD14.3 billion and rewarded investors with an immediate 37 per cent gain on their initial outlay. \I(Australia)\i
Hong Kong health authorities report that the territory has been hit by its worst outbreak of \Jcholera\j in years, with 18 confirmed cases and another 16 awaiting the results of tests. The source of contamination is believed to be seafood tank \Jwater\j, with most of the confirmed sufferers contracting the disease in local seafood and "hotpot" restaurants. The new outbreak is a blow for health authorities, who have just succeeded in halting the spread of deadly avian flu by insisting on a mass slaughter of poultry and a clean-up of chicken markets and farms. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, voices his satisfaction with the new accord granting United Nations weapons inspectors access to Iraqi presidential compounds, but says Washington will require proof positive that all of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have been eradicated before 7-year-old sanctions can be lifted. Commenting on a US Senate resolution branding Iraqi President Saddam Hussein a war criminal, Mr. Cohen signals his support should sufficient evidence lead to an \Jindictment\j by a UN international tribunal. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
North Korea reiterates its long-standing demand that the United States withdraws its troops from South Korea, indicating that the issue will be of prime importance during the second round of four-nation talks scheduled to begin tomorrow. Washington has previously rejected \JPyongyang\j's demands to pull its 37,000 troops out of the South, and the issue was also a major source of contention at the first round of formal talks last December. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
Brazilian officials appeal for more men and \Jwater\j-carrying \Jaircraft\j as fires that have raged for two months in the northern Amazon advance out of control. The officials say 2.2 million acres of farmland have already been destroyed, with the flames now eating into \Jrainforest\j areas normally too wet to burn, sending monkeys, snakes, and other creatures deeper into the forest to escape the blaze. \I(Brazil)\i
In a prime time interview on the American CBS \I60 Minutes\i program, former \JWhite House\j volunteer, Kathleen Willey, alleges that President Bill Clinton made improper sexual advances to her outside the Oval Office in November, 1993. The \JWhite House\j later refutes Ms. Willey's public allegation, reaffirming Mr. Clinton's emphatic denial of such accusations when giving pre-trial testimony in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. \I(USA)\i
Dr. Benjamin Spock, the pediatrician whose relaxed approach to child care has helped guide parents around the world during the past 50 years, dies aged 94 at his home in \JSan Diego\j. In 1946, Dr. Spock challenged the traditional theory of rigid discipline, and since then, \IBaby and Child Care\i has become the world's best-selling non-fiction book apart from the \JBible\j. \I(USA)\i
A spokesman for Paramount Pictures says that after its 13th weekend, \ITitanic\i has earned around $US471.4 million in total, passing the $US461 million lifetime total of \IStar Wars\i to become the biggest film in North American box office history. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite international pressure for compromise on both sides, \JKosovo\j's \JAlbanian\j leaders reject further offers of talks with the Serbian Government, saying they are only prepared to discuss independence for the province, where ethnic Albanians make up 90 per cent of the population. In \JBelgrade\j, however, Serbian political parties unite in ruling out independence for \JKosovo\j, which has been regarded by Serbs as the cradle of their culture, religion, and statehood since the 13th century. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, voices his satisfaction with the new accord granting United Nations weapons inspectors access to Iraqi presidential compounds, but says Washington will require proof positive that all of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have been eradicated before seven-year-old sanctions can be lifted. Commenting on a US Senate resolution branding Iraqi President Saddam Hussein a war criminal, Mr. Cohen signals his support should sufficient evidence lead to an \Jindictment\j by a UN international tribunal. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Israel threatens to exclude the European Union from playing a role in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking if British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, proceeds with a planned visit to Har Homa, a disputed Jewish settlement in Arab East \JJerusalem\j. Britain currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency. \I(Israel, UK, Europe)\i
The coalition government of \JFrance\j's Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, reaffirms its parliamentary election success nine months ago, winning control of more than half of the country's 22 regional assemblies in local elections. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
France loses its bid to stop European Union entry talks for Cyprus when the other EU states, led by Britain, vote to start talks while maintaining pressure on the Greek Cypriot Government to bring the Turkish Cypriot north to the negotiating table. France had argued that by beginning entry talks without Turkish Cypriot participation, the EU would surrender a vital lever in its efforts to promote a settlement to the 24-year division of Cyprus. \I(France, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Europe)\i
#
"March 16, 1998",803,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A new round of Korean peace talks gets off to an inauspicious start when a dispute over seating arrangements delays formal discussion for over five hours. China is chairing the four-nation talks, which are aimed at forging a more durable peace on the divided Korean peninsula, and which follow an inconclusive first round in December 1997. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
China's outgoing premier, Li Peng, the leader most closely linked to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, is elected as the new chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC), but suffers serious embarrassment when more than 10 per cent of delegates to its annual session either oppose his nomination or abstain from the vote. The NPC also reelects President Jiang Zemin for another five-year term as head of state and returns him for a second term as Chairman of the Central Military Commission. The position of Hu Jintao, 55, as heir apparent to China's leadership, is likewise confirmed when he is elected to the position of vice president. \I(China)\i
China welcomes a United States decision not to sponsor a resolution condemning \JBeijing\j's human rights record at the upcoming annual meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. However, despite hopes that the US decision might lead to the release of Chinese political prisoners, including former student leader, Wang Dan, China remains evasive on the issue. Wang, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstration, was sentenced in 1996 to 11 years in prison for subversion. \I(China, USA)\i
Vietnamese and Americans stand side by side at a memorial ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the My Lai massacre, a wartime tragedy in which about 450 women, children, and old men were slaughtered by invading United States troops. The main speakers at the ceremony are Americans Hugh Thompson and Lawrence Colburn, who were recently honored with the Soldier's Medal for intervening to save the lives of some of the Vietnamese civilians. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
As the controversial new Cabinet of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto is sworn in, riot police baton-charge protesting students at the gates of the National University campus in Jakarta. Thousands of students also stage a rally in the city of \JSurabaya\j, accusing Mr. Soeharto of nepotism in choosing the Cabinet, which includes many of his family and friends. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
India's prime minister-designate, Atal Behari Vajpayee, assures the world that his Hindu nationalist-led coalition government will steer the country into a new era of "cooperation, conciliation, and consensus". Mr. Vajpayee's assurance comes as leaders of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 13 allied parties continue negotiations aimed at finalizing an agenda and allocating ministerial posts. The BJP now has the support of 264 members of the lower house, eight seats short of an outright majority, but enough to rule if the 12-member \JTelugu\j Desam Party adheres to its declared \Jneutrality\j. \I(India)\i
Calm returns to the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif following two days of street battles between rival factions of the anti-Taliban alliance. The fight for control of the city left at least 100 people dead and more than 300 injured, and came just ten days after an alliance meeting to discuss the formation of a Mazar-based coalition government as an alternative to the Taliban administration controlling the capital, Kabul. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Myanmar's opposition figurehead, Aung San Suu Kyi, launches a one-week meeting at her Yangon home to discuss democracy, human rights, and the country's delayed constitution. The meeting is attended by 77 prominent members of her National League for Democracy Party, and is closely monitored by military authorities. Ms. Suu Kyi and her party won Myanmar's last general election in 1990, but the results were ignored by the ruling military junta. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Australia's Federal Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley, declares that the Labor Party is implacably opposed to any further privatization of communications giant, Telstra, and that the party will repeal legislation for the sale of the company if it wins the next election. Mr. Beazley's declaration comes one \Jday\j after Prime Minister, John Howard, announced the government's decision to sell its remaining two-thirds stake in Telstra. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Launching two days of St. Patrick's Day meetings with all parties to the Northern Ireland peace talks, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds \JWhite House\j talks with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army. Following the talks, Mr. Adams expresses strong hopes for a Northern Ireland settlement, stressing that all parties must remain on guard against any resumption of violence aimed at sabotaging efforts to reach an agreement. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
The United States announces that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will next week chair a meeting of ministers from \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, and \JRussia\j to discuss the latest crisis in the Balkans. Western countries are accusing Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, of insincere offers to negotiate differences with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders in the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, and have set a March 25 deadline for Mr. Milosevic to make progress towards a settlement or face tightened economic sanctions. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, UK, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JRussia\j, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
The United States begins compulsory vaccinations of its troops in \JKuwait\j against the deadly biological agent \Janthrax\j. Last week, doctors began vaccinating about 400 Canadians in the region, while 3,500 British troops underwent voluntary vaccination earlier in March. The mass \Jimmunization\j was ordered to safeguard the allied forces in the event of an attack by \JIraq\j, who the United States suspects of having developed \Janthrax\j \Jcattle\j disease into a biological weapon that could be used in artillery shells or sprayed from \Jaircraft\j. \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JKuwait\j, \JIraq\j)\i
A new round of Korean peace talks gets off to an inauspicious start when a dispute over seating arrangements delays formal discussion for over five hours. China is chairing the four-nation talks, which are aimed at forging a more durable peace on the divided Korean peninsula, and which follow an inconclusive first round in December 1997. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
China welcomes a United States decision not to sponsor a resolution condemning \JBeijing\j's human rights record at the upcoming annual meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. However, despite hopes that the US decision might lead to the release of Chinese political prisoners, including former student leader, Wang Dan, China remains evasive on the issue. Wang, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstration, was sentenced in 1996 to 11 years in prison for subversion. \I(China, USA)\i
Vietnamese and Americans stand side by side at a memorial ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the My Lai massacre, a wartime tragedy in which about 450 women, children, and old men were slaughtered by invading United States troops. The main speakers at the ceremony are Americans Hugh Thompson and Lawrence Colburn, who were recently honored with the Soldier's Medal for intervening to save the lives of some of the Vietnamese civilians. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j strikes back over the latest development in the presidential scandal, releasing copies of 15 letters to US President Bill Clinton from former aide, Kathleen Willey, who has publicly accused Mr. Clinton of making crude sexual advances toward her. The letters, all written after the alleged 1993 incident, express fondness and esteem for Mr. Clinton, as well as a desire for permanent employment within his administration. Meanwhile, the president himself says he is "mystified and disappointed" by Ms. Willey's allegations against him, and reiterates previously sworn testimony that their \JWhite House\j encounter was innocent. \I(USA)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders the Army to house male and female recruits separately during basic training, to use more female recruiters and trainers, and to establish better guidelines for relations between men and women in uniform. In issuing the orders, Mr. Cohen accepts most of the recommendations of a Pentagon panel appointed during last year's scandal over sexual badgering of female recruits by male drill sergeants. \I(USA)\i
A United States military jury orders that Sergeant Major Gene McKinney, formerly the Army's top enlisted soldier, be sentenced to a reduction in rank and a reprimand for his conviction on one count of obstruction of justice in a sexual misconduct court-martial. McKinney's civilian lawyer later announces a $US1.5 million libel suit against retired Sergeant Major Brenda Hoster, the first of McKinney's six female accusers, whose public allegation that McKinney tried to pressure her into sex accounted for just one of the 19 charges against him. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States announces that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will next week chair a meeting of ministers from \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, and \JRussia\j to discuss the latest crisis in the Balkans. Western countries are accusing Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, of insincere offers to negotiate differences with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders in the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, and have set a March 25 deadline for Mr. Milosevic to make progress towards a settlement or face tightened economic sanctions. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, UK, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JRussia\j, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Launching two days of St. Patrick's Day meetings with all parties to the Northern Ireland peace talks, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds \JWhite House\j talks with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army. Following the talks, Mr. Adams expresses strong hopes for a Northern Ireland settlement, stressing that all parties must remain on guard against any resumption of violence aimed at sabotaging efforts to reach an agreement. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
The United States begins compulsory vaccinations of its troops in \JKuwait\j against the deadly biological agent \Janthrax\j. Last week, doctors began vaccinating about 400 Canadians in the region, while 3,500 British troops underwent voluntary vaccination earlier in March. The mass \Jimmunization\j was ordered to safeguard the allied forces in the event of an attack by \JIraq\j, who the United States suspects of having developed \Janthrax\j \Jcattle\j disease into a biological weapon that could be used in artillery shells or sprayed from \Jaircraft\j. \I(USA, Canada, UK, \JKuwait\j, \JIraq\j)\i
Britain's Armed Forces Minister, John Reid, announces that 150 randomly selected Gulf War veterans are to undergo special neurological tests, part of a new drive to discover the cause of the illnesses affecting hundreds who fought in the 1991 conflict against \JIraq\j. The tests will examine the interaction between the \Jnervous system\j and muscles, and focus on the possibility that the combination of vaccines or wide-scale organophosphate \Jpesticide\j spraying could have damaged the \Jnervous system\j. \I(UK, \JIraq\j)\i
A Chechen commando and a terrorist are killed during a bloody but abortive battle to free two British charity workers who have been held hostage for eight months in a town outside Grozny, the capital of the separatist Russian region. The British Government insists that it will not pay ransom money, and the fate of the two Britons was at the center of talks in London last week with Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov, who pledged to help win their release. \I(\JChechnya\j, Russia, UK)\i
The Vatican issues a document prepared by the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, which expresses deep regret for the "errors and failures" of Roman Catholics during the \JHolocaust\j, but which stops short of apologizing for any failures of church leaders, particularly wartime Pope Pius XII, whose "shameful attitude" has been denounced by Jewish \JHolocaust\j survivors. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Armenians turn out to vote in the ex-Soviet republic's presidential election. Of the 12 candidates contesting the presidential race, the frontrunners are Karen Demirchyan, Armenia's Soviet-era communist leader, and Robert Kocharyan, the current Prime Minister and acting president. \I(Armenia)\i
Severe sandstorms sweep across \JEgypt\j, \JSyria\j, \JLebanon\j, and Cyprus, causing the deaths of at least three people and injury to hundreds more. Shipping is halted between Port Said and the Suez Canal, and incoming flights are diverted from \JCairo\j, \JSinai\j and Damascus airports. \I(\JEgypt\j, \JSyria\j, \JLebanon\j, Cyprus)\i
#
"March 17, 1998",804,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China's National People's Congress elects Zhu Rongji, 69, as the nation's new premier. With China facing daunting economic and political challenges, the election of Mr. Zhu, regarded as the Communist Party's top economic reformer, is not only welcomed by party members, but also by foreign investors and Western governments. \I(China)\i
As students continue to stage anti-government protests in Jakarta, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto moves to quell charges of corruption and nepotism, ordering his new Cabinet to declare all their personal assets and business interests. Mr. Soeharto also asks his ministers and senior officials to donate part of their salaries over the next year to help \JIndonesia\j's poor survive the country's worst economic crisis in decades. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, takes steps to restore confidence in the scandal-tainted Bank of Japan, bypassing tradition and appointing outsider, Masaru Hayami, 72, as the new governor. Mr. Hayami replaces Yasuo Matsushita, who resigned last Thursday following the arrest of a senior central bank official on charges of accepting bribes and leaking confidential information to commercial banks. \I(Japan)\i
Australia's Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, announces that company laws will be overhauled and a new task force of leading financial experts established to advance the country as a major business and financial center in the Asian region. The moves come at a time of widespread instability in Asia, and are expected to benefit the state of \JNew South Wales\j, with its coastal capital, Sydney, already installed as Australia's international city. \I(Australia)\i
Cambodia's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is tried in absentia by a Phnom Penh military court for the second time in two weeks. Prince Ranariddh is accused by military prosecutors of negotiating with outlawed Khmer Rouge rebels and plotting to overthrow the legal government by force. \I(Cambodia)\i
Philippine President, Fidel Ramos, orders an inquiry into allegations that his assassination had been plotted by Vice President, Joseph Estrada. Mr. Estrada, a former film star who is leading opinion polls ahead of May's presidential election, earlier dismissed the allegations as "black propaganda". \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
At least seven guerrillas are killed when the Thai Army fires 33 artillery shells into the jungle of eastern \JMyanmar\j following a mortar bomb attack on a Karen refugee camp nine kilometers inside \JThailand\j. More than 100,000 Karen refugees have fled to \JThailand\j from \JMyanmar\j, and the attack on the camp was launched by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, a splinter group affiliated with \JMyanmar\j's military government. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
Warning shots are fired before Malaysian police apprehend and detain two overcrowded Indonesian trawlers ferrying some 230 immigrants. Malaysian authorities report that around 17,000 Indonesians have already entered the country illegally this year. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Robert McBride, a senior South African foreign affairs official, is suspended from his post pending the outcome of a criminal investigation by Mozambican authorities. Mr. McBride, the director of the Southeast Asia desk of the Department of Foreign Affairs, was arrested in a Mozambican border town last week on suspicion of arms trafficking, and is currently being held in a maximum-security prison on the outskirts of the capital, \JMaputo\j. \I(South Africa, \JMozambique\j, Southeast Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US State Department says major powers have agreed on the text of a United Nations resolution imposing an arms embargo on Yugoslavia because of its crackdown on ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j. Meanwhile, \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders are coming under intensified pressure to accept offers of talks with a Serbian Government delegation, or risk \JBelgrade\j's censure for creating an impasse. The Albanians are refusing to meet the delegation until it agrees to discuss independence for \JKosovo\j, an option ruled out by both Serbia and the international community, which is instead pressing for restoration of the province's autonomy. Serbia suspended \JKosovo\j's autonomy in 1989, claiming that its majority Albanian community was stepping up efforts to secede. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds meetings with Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, and a string of leaders from Catholic and Protestant parties to the Northern Ireland settlement talks, urging all to seize the chance of a lifetime for peace in the troubled British-ruled province. The \Jday\j of meetings culminates with all parties attending the annual St. Patrick's Day reception at the \JWhite House\j. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces plans to form 10 special National Guard teams that will be dedicated to assisting local civilian authorities in the event of a chemical or biological attack. Mr. Cohen heralds the military's first-ever rapid assessment teams as part of preparations for the increasing worldwide threat from unconventional warfare or terrorist attacks. \I(USA)\i
Authorities from the United States Justice and Treasury Departments announce the formation of the Southeast Bombing Task Force to investigate a series of bombings in \JAtlanta\j and Birmingham over the past two years. The task force will combine two similar units already in place, and will pool the resources of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms with state and local law enforcement agencies in Georgia, \JAlabama\j, and \JNorth Carolina\j. \I(USA)\i
Public opinion polls show US President Bill Clinton's job approval rating has remained at more than 60 per cent despite fresh allegations of sexual misconduct unleashed during a weekend \Jtelevision\j appearance by former \JWhite House\j volunteer, Kathleen Willey. The latest polls reflect a view that has prevailed since the \JWhite House\j sex scandal erupted over nine weeks ago, with the American public troubled by the allegations, but nevertheless supporting Mr. Clinton's presidency as one that has brought peace and prosperity to the nation. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The US State Department says major powers have agreed on the text of a United Nations resolution imposing an arms embargo on Yugoslavia because of its crackdown on ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j. Meanwhile, \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders are coming under intensified pressure to accept offers of talks with a Serbian Government delegation, or risk \JBelgrade\j's censure for creating an impasse. The Albanians are refusing to meet the delegation until it agrees to discuss independence for \JKosovo\j, an option ruled out by both Serbia and the international community, which is instead pressing for restoration of the province's autonomy. Serbia suspended \JKosovo\j's autonomy in 1989, claiming that its majority Albanian community was stepping up efforts to secede. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, holds meetings with Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, and a string of leaders from Catholic and Protestant parties to the Northern Ireland settlement talks, urging all to seize the chance of a lifetime for peace in the troubled British-ruled province. The \Jday\j of meetings culminates with all parties attending the annual St. Patrick's Day reception at the \JWhite House\j. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, cancels a dinner in honor of British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, and lodges a formal protest over Mr. Cook's behavior during his tour of Har Homa in \JJerusalem\j, where construction of a controversial Jewish neighborhood is underway. According to Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Cook broke an agreement not to come into contact with Palestinian officials during the tour. \I(Israel, UK, Palestine)\i
Robert McBride, a senior South African foreign affairs official, is suspended from his post pending the outcome of a criminal investigation by Mozambican authorities. Mr. McBride, the director of the Southeast Asia desk of the Department of Foreign Affairs, was arrested in a Mozambican border town last week on suspicion of arms trafficking, and is currently being held in a maximum-security prison on the outskirts of the capital, \JMaputo\j. \I(South Africa, \JMozambique\j, Southeast Asia)\i
The Greek Government orders its entire 45,000-strong police force onto the streets in a bid to combat a record rise in violent robberies. This year, the number of armed robberies in \JAthens\j alone has more than tripled, and much of the nationwide surge in crime is being blamed on an influx of hardened criminals from \JAlbania\j and \JRomania\j. \I(\JGreece\j, \JAlbania\j, \JRomania\j)\i
Britain's Labour Party unveils its first full Budget, which moves to streamline the welfare system, eliminate poverty traps, and help people on social security benefits to get back to work. The centerpiece of the Budget is a tax credit aimed at ensuring that work is more financially rewarding than receiving the dole. \I(UK)\i
In the latest move in a spy dispute between the neighbors, two Norwegian diplomats are expelled from \JRussia\j on charges of engaging in activities incompatible with their official status. Last week, Oslo expelled five Russian diplomats on charges of attempting to recruit Norwegians to work as agents for the Russian \Jsecret service\j. \I(\JNorway\j, \JRussia\j)\i
#
"March 18, 1998",805,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia deports Jakarta-based American human rights activist, Allan Nairn, who has accused the United States Defense Department of continuing to train the Indonesian military despite a ban imposed by Congress after the November 1991 Dili massacre, when 270 East Timorese civilians were shot by Indonesian troops. Mr. Nairn has produced Pentagon documents detailing a number of current training operations in Indonesia, including urban combat, psychological warfare, individual close-contact combat, and target-shooting. The Pentagon, however, is insisting that its training program does not conflict with the US ban on military aid to Indonesia, and could even contribute to the development of the nation's human rights. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
The New York-based National Labor Committee (NLC) calls for a national campaign to expose working conditions in factories used worldwide by United States manufacturers, saying efforts by individual companies to enforce codes of conduct in their manufacturing outlets have failed. The call follows a recent NLC investigation in China, which revealed that a growing number of Chinese factories are subjecting workers to "sweatshop" conditions to make garments and shoes for major label US manufacturers, including Wal-Mart, Ann Taylor, Liz Claiborne, Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Adidas. \I(USA, China)\i
India's new Hindu nationalist-led coalition government unveils an agenda retaining the option of building nuclear weapons to protect the country's security and sovereignty. In the past, India has refused to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the comprehensive test ban treaty, arguing that both are discriminatory. Neighbor and arch-rival, \JPakistan\j, has also stayed out of the non-proliferation regimes, citing Indian intransigence as the reason. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Cambodia's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is sentenced to 30 years in jail when a Phnom Penh military court convicts him of conspiring with Khmer Rouge rebels to overthrow the government. The court also announces that it is seizing Prince Ranariddh's assets in order to pay over $US50 million in compensation for damages to property and lives during fierce fighting last July. Two weeks ago, Prince Ranariddh was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of arms smuggling, both proceedings being part of a complex Japanese-sponsored plan that should eventually see him pardoned by his father, King Norodom Sihanouk, and returned to Cambodia to participate in July elections. \I(Cambodia, Japan)\i
China's National People's Congress elects career diplomat, Tang Jiaxuan, 60, as Foreign Minister, and retains Chi Haotian as Defense Minister in the new cabinet. Political analysts say the moves indicate that \JBeijing\j is not contemplating any major changes in foreign or defense policies. \I(China)\i
Rescue workers fail to find any survivors after a Formosa Airlines Saab 360 carrying eight passengers and five crew on a domestic flight plunges into the sea shortly after take-off from \JTaiwan\j's northern town of Hsinchu. The incident is the fifth involving Formosa Airlines in five years, and follows \JTaiwan\j's worst air disaster on February 16, when a China Airlines Airbus crashed while landing at Taipei airport, killing 202 people. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
A notebook containing a first-hand account of the 1788 arrival of the first English convict ships in \JBotany Bay\j, \JAustralia\j, emerges for sale at Christie's in London, along with an Aboriginal spearhead pulled from the shoulder of the colony's first governor, Arthur Philip. Together, the items are expected to fetch up to ú10,000 when they go to auction next month. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
International hopes of constructive dialogue in the latest Balkans crisis suffer a setback when Serb police shoot dead an ethnic \JAlbanian\j protester and seriously wound five others during an anti-Serb demonstration in the western \JKosovo\j town of Pec. The violence erupts as United States special envoy, Robert Gelbard, meets in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, with \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leaders, who are demanding independence from \JSerbia\j. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, confirms that the US contingent of \JNATO\j-led peacekeepers in Bosnia will be reduced from an authorized level of 8,500 to 6,900 under the follow-on force, down from a high of 20,000 troops. The US Congress has insisted that Europe bears more of the burden, voicing concerns about the mounting cost of the Bosnian operation, which has totaled $US7 billion to date. \I(USA, Bosnia, Europe)\i
Indonesia deports Jakarta-based American human rights activist, Allan Nairn, who has accused the United States Defense Department of continuing to train the Indonesian military despite a ban imposed by Congress after the November 1991 Dili massacre, when 270 East Timorese civilians were shot by Indonesian troops. Mr. Nairn has produced Pentagon documents detailing a number of current training operations in Indonesia, including urban combat, psychological warfare, individual close-contact combat, and target-shooting. The Pentagon, however, is insisting that its training program does not conflict with the US ban on military aid to Indonesia, and could even contribute to the development of the nation's human rights. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
The New York-based National Labor Committee (NLC) calls for a national campaign to expose working conditions in factories used worldwide by United States manufacturers, saying efforts by individual companies to enforce codes of conduct in their manufacturing outlets have failed. The call follows a recent NLC investigation in China, which revealed that a growing number of Chinese factories are subjecting workers to "sweatshop" conditions to make garments and shoes for major label US manufacturers, including Wal-Mart, Ann Taylor, Liz Claiborne, Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Adidas. \I(USA, China)\i
Lawyers for US President Bill Clinton receive a sworn statement in which a friend of former \JWhite House\j volunteer, Kathleen Willey, admits lying at Ms. Willey's request about an alleged encounter with Mr. Clinton in 1993. Julie Hiatt Steele says she was asked to falsely tell a \INewsweek\i magazine reporter that Ms. Willey complained to her of unwanted sexual advances made by Mr. Clinton during the encounter. In August 1997, \INewsweek\i published Ms. Willey's allegations, which she repeated last weekend in a nationally televised interview. \I(USA)\i
New York City's Police Commissioner reveals that between March 8 and March 15, Brooklyn recorded its first murder-free week since the end of the Second World War. In 1992, the 75th precinct in East New York recorded 2,262 murders, the highest rate of any precinct in the United States, but last year the figure dropped to 747, a transformation attributed to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's "zero tolerance" strategy. \I(USA)\i
An auction of John F. Kennedy memorabilia opens in New York with several of the highest priced items failing to sell. The auction has been dogged by disputes with the National Archives and the former president's children, Caroline and John, who sought the return of some items. \I(USA)\i
In what is billed as the first of its kind, a Web site survey is launched by a Californian sex therapist to investigate how people are using the \JInternet\j to fulfill their sexual needs and answer their sexual questions. The cybersex survey is anonymous, and contains 46 questions. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
International hopes of constructive dialogue in the latest Balkans crisis suffer a setback when Serb police shoot dead an ethnic \JAlbanian\j protester and seriously wound five others during an anti-Serb demonstration in the western \JKosovo\j town of Pec. The violence erupts as United States special envoy, Robert Gelbard, meets in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, with \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leaders, who are demanding independence from \JSerbia\j. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
While on a visit to \JBeirut\j, British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, calls for an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from \JLebanon\j in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425. Mr. Cook's call comes in the wake of a stormy trip to Israel, where he was accused of breaking an agreement not to meet with Palestinian officials at the controversial Har Homa settlement site outside \JJerusalem\j. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has since defended his foreign minister's handling of the situation, saying Mr. Cook was entirely justified in his actions. \I(UK, \JLebanon\j, Israel)\i
Armenia's Election Commission announces that voting in this week's presidential election has been inconclusive, and that Prime Minister, Robert Kocharyan, and his rival, Karen Demirchyan, will now contest the presidency in a run-off vote on March 30. In this week's polls, Mr. Kocharyan secured 38.83 per cent of the vote ahead of Mr. Demirchyan's 30.62 per cent. \I(Armenia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, confirms that the US contingent of \JNATO\j-led peacekeepers in Bosnia will be reduced from an authorized level of 8,500 to 6,900 under the follow-on force, down from a high of 20,000 troops. The US Congress has insisted that Europe bears more of the burden, voicing concerns about the mounting cost of the Bosnian operation, which has totaled $US7 billion to date. \I(USA, Bosnia, Europe)\i
South Africa's Ministry for Health warns that the country is facing one of the world's fastest-growing \JHIV\j epidemics, with recent tests indicating that 16 per cent of pregnant women are infected with the virus, a 12.99 per cent increase in prevalence since 1996 and more than double the figure for 1994. The ministry estimates that 2.4 million of South Africa's 38 million people are already carrying the \JHIV\j virus, with another 1,500 a \Jday\j now becoming infected. \I(South Africa)\i
Six former East German sports officials go on trial in Berlin, accused of administering anabolic steroids to young swimmers between 1974 and 1989. All six defendants worked for the Dynamo Berlin swimming club, and the prosecution claims that the swimmers were told they were being given harmless vitamin pills. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
A notebook containing a first-hand account of the 1788 arrival of the first English convict ships in \JBotany Bay\j, \JAustralia\j, emerges for sale at Christie's in London, along with an Aboriginal spearhead pulled from the shoulder of the colony's first governor, Arthur Philip. Together, the items are expected to fetch up to ú10,000 when they go to auction next month. \I(\JAustralia\j, UK)\i
#
"March 19, 1998",806,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speaking at his first news conference as head of the Cabinet, China's new Premier, Zhu Rongji, pledges to lead a three-year campaign to solve his country's economic difficulties. Mr. Zhu renews his promise not to devalue the Chinese yuan in line with dramatic currency devaluations throughout much of the Southeast Asian region, and vows to defend the Hong Kong dollar's link to the US dollar at any cost. \I(China, Southeast Asia)\i
The United States Commerce Department reports that the US deficit in the trade of goods and services surged to $US12 billion in January, the highest level in a decade. Officials attribute the expanding deficit to the ongoing financial crisis in Asia, which is depressing demand for American goods. \I(USA, Asia)\i
South Korea's new government launches an intensified drive to combat growing anti-import sentiment throughout the nation, stressing the importance of foreign investment to economic recovery, and warning that the campaign against foreign products could result in a boycott of Korean products overseas. \I(South Korea)\i
Atal Behari Vajpayee, leader of India's Bharatiya Janata Party, is sworn in as the nation's 16th prime minister in 50 years of independence. Mr. Vajpayee shares the traditional nationalist view that India is essentially a Hindu nation that should enshrine Hindu culture at its core, but has repeatedly said that this does not entail suppression of Muslims. Mr. Vajpayee also desires to see India take its place as a great nation, with a nuclear weapons arsenal commensurate to its size. \I(India)\i
Pakistan speaks out against the agenda of India's new Hindu nationalist-led government, castigating its decision to leave open the nuclear option, and warning that there could be a deadly nuclear arms race on the sub-continent as a result. Pakistan calls for the world to exert pressure on India to show restraint and refrain from endangering regional and global peace. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Doubts are cast on the return to \JCambodia\j of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, when the Justice Minister rules that a royal pardon will not apply to a court-imposed fine of more than $US50 million, and that the prince will receive additional jail time if he is unable to pay the amount. Prince Ranariddh has already been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for conspiring with the Khmer Rouge to overthrow the government, as well as 5 years imprisonment for arms smuggling. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Indonesia's new Education Minister warns university students that a law banning political activities on campus, dating from the late 1970s, is still in effect, adding that university heads will be asked to submit reports on campus behavior of a political nature. The minister's warning comes as riot police in two Java cities fight to contain student anti-government protests, and keep them from spilling out onto the streets. \I(Indonesia)\i
China's Academy of Space Technology announces that it is striving to launch a manned space flight and a small lunar probe by early next century. China put its first \Jsatellite\j into \Jorbit\j in 1970. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a private \JWhite House\j meeting with King Hussein of Jordan, part of a broad-ranging US effort to break a deadlock that has all but derailed the \JMiddle East\j peace process. During separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders earlier in the year, Mr. Clinton proposed a deal for an Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank in exchange for firm Palestinian measures against \Jterrorism\j, but the proposal only generated further disputes between the two sides. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
Russia voices opposition to any United Nations Security Council action against Yugoslavia for its treatment of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, dismissing United States-led claims that the situation is a threat to international peace and security. \JBelgrade\j likewise insists that the status of the province of \JKosovo\j within \JSerbia\j and Yugoslavia is an internal matter, that there is no problem with human and minority rights, and that the crux of the issue is separatism which has more recently taken the form of \Jterrorism\j. \JBelgrade\j has accordingly rejected calls by \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders for an outside mediator to attend any talks held with the Serbian Government. \I(Russia, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
The United States Commerce Department reports that the US deficit in the trade of goods and services surged to $US12 billion in January, the highest level in a decade. Officials attribute the expanding deficit to the ongoing financial crisis in Asia, which is depressing demand for American goods. \I(USA, Asia)\i
House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Henry Hyde, meet to discuss forming a small group of congressmen to review evidence gathered in Kenneth's Starr's investigation into the \JWhite House\j sex scandal, and to determine if there is any basis to consider \Jimpeachment\j charges against US President Bill Clinton. A grand jury convened by Mr. Starr is still probing allegations that Mr. Clinton had an affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and encouraged her to lie about it in a written affidavit submitted in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit. Mr. Clinton has repeatedly denied the allegations. \I(USA)\i
A United States Court of Appeals appoints Washington lawyer, Carol Bruce, to investigate whether Interior Secretary, Bruce Babbitt, lied in sworn testimony to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee about a decision to reject an Indian casino license. Ms. Bruce is the sixth independent counsel appointed since President Bill Clinton took office in 1993. Along with Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, who is also probing President Clinton's relations with Monica Lewinsky, other independent counsels have investigated former Agriculture Secretary, Mike Espy, former Housing Secretary, Henry Cisneros, former Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown, and longtime Clinton associate, Eli Segal. \I(USA)\i
An American supermarket tabloid editor discloses that former \JWhite House\j volunteer, Kathleen Willey, offered to sell her story for $US300,000 before she appeared on \Jtelevision\j alleging that US President Bill Clinton made unwanted sexual advances to her. The disclosure of the offer follows a Los Angeles publisher's claim that he rejected a book proposal by Ms. Willey. Meanwhile, the \Jtelevision\j network that recorded the interview with Ms. Willey denies that she was paid any money for her appearance, and denies any knowledge of earlier attempts on her part to sell the story. \I(USA)\i
United States federal authorities allege that three \JMichigan\j militiamen arrested on weapons charges had drafted plans to kill judges, blow up highways and government buildings, and capture \Jtelevision\j and radio stations. According to the authorities, the plans constituted the first stage of a rebellion against the government, after which the militia anticipated that the rest of the country would join them. \I(USA)\i
United States astronomers report that the \JHubble Space Telescope\j has captured images of a turning point in the death of a Sun-like star known as NGC7027. The new pictures show the brief period, which actually lasts about 1,000 Earth years, when the \Jhydrogen\j and \Jhelium\j at the star's core are flung into interstellar space to create more heavenly bodies. \I(USA)\i
Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History report the discovery of a new species, named \IRahona ostromi,\i which supports the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs. \IRahona,\i believed to be a bird that lived more than 65 million years ago, had a sickle-shaped slashing foot and a long bony tail, two features found in many dinosaurs. \I(USA)\i
A study presented at the American Heart Associations 38th Epidemiology Conference finds that cigar smokers face double the risk of dying from all forms of cancer combined, as well as from cardiovascular diseases such as hypertensive \Jheart disease\j and aortic \Janeurysm\j. It is estimated that 10 to 12 million Americans have taken up cigar smoking as an alternative to cigarettes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russia voices opposition to any United Nations Security Council action against Yugoslavia for its treatment of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, dismissing United States-led claims that the situation is a threat to international peace and security. \JBelgrade\j likewise insists that the status of the province of \JKosovo\j within \JSerbia\j and Yugoslavia is an internal matter, that there is no problem with human and minority rights, and that the crux of the issue is separatism which has more recently taken the form of \Jterrorism\j. \JBelgrade\j has accordingly rejected calls by \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders for an outside mediator to attend any talks held with the Serbian Government. \I(Russia, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
Clashes break out between Serbs and ethnic Albanians when rival street marches bring an estimated 50,000 people onto the streets of \JPristina\j, the capital of \JKosovo\j. \JKosovo\j's majority ethnic Albanian population have staged almost daily protests and marches since trouble flared in the province, but it is the first mass demonstration by \JKosovo\j's minority Serb population in support of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and his Serbian nationalist policies. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a private \JWhite House\j meeting with King Hussein of Jordan, part of a broad-ranging US effort to break a deadlock that has all but derailed the \JMiddle East\j peace process. During separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders earlier in the year, Mr. Clinton proposed a deal for an Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank in exchange for firm Palestinian measures against \Jterrorism\j, but the proposal only generated further disputes between the two sides. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
The United Nations announces that a special group of twelve Arabic-speaking diplomats has been selected to accompany UN weapons inspectors into eight disputed Iraqi presidential sites. The UN envoy in charge of the group, Jayantha Dhanapala, says at least two diplomats will accompany each team during the inspections, which will take place without warning and according to the inspectors' own judgment. The special group of diplomats is expected to arrive in \JBaghdad\j early next week. \I(Iraq)\i
A British researcher publishes the results of a study finding that babies subjected to long airline flights may be at risk of cot death. The study, prompted by anecdotal evidence that babies had died within two days of air travel, concluded that a small proportion of babies suffer ill-effects if they breathe air with low oxygen levels, such as in long-range jet \Jaircraft\j or in locations at high altitude. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 20, 1998",807,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The former director of South Korea's Agency for National Security Planning is arrested on charges of leading a smear campaign against President Kim Dae Jung during the run-up to last year's presidential election. Kwon Young Hae is accused of masterminding "Operation North Wind," the intelligence agency's alleged plot to link Mr. Kim with North Korea's communist regime. \I(The Koreas)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, threatens to impose a huge sales tax on weapons that are not bought in conformity with the 1996 uniform gun law agreement. Mr. Howard's threat comes in response to moves by the states of Victoria, \JQueensland\j, and South Australia to weaken tight national laws controlling the sale of semi-automatic weapons. \I(Australia)\i
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, names Philip Flood, 62, to replace Dr. Neal Blewett as Australia's High Commissioner to London. Mr. Flood is currently the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has been Australia's Ambassador to \JIndonesia\j as well as High Commissioner to \JBangladesh\j. \I(Australia, UK, \JIndonesia\j, \JBangladesh\j)\i
The Indonesian Navy reveals plans to repatriate around 17,000 Indonesian immigrants in neighboring \JMalaysia\j. \JMalaysia\j has been rounding up illegal Indonesian workers, claiming they take jobs away from the local population, and has called on Indonesia to help ship them home and prevent them from streaming back. \I(Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j)\i
Forty-five people are killed when an Afghan Boeing 727 crashes on Sharki Baratayi mountain near the town of Charasyab, 15 kilometers south of the capital, Kabul. Ariana Afghan Airlines cites bad \Jweather\j, rather than technical problems, as the cause of the accident. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work with the United States to revive stalled \JMiddle East\j peace talks, saying the deadlock in the peace process must be broken. Mr. Annan also calls for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 425, which was passed 20 years ago to the \Jday\j, and which orders an unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern \JLebanon\j. Mr. Annan adds, however, that he wants to hear exactly what Israel is proposing in its recently announced offer to negotiate the withdrawal with \JBeirut\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JLebanon\j, USA)\i
The United States voices dissatisfaction over the deferral of a decision to impose tougher sanctions against Yugoslavia for its treatment of ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j, insisting that the situation remains tense and much needs to be done on an urgent basis. The decision to defer follows meetings between Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and the French and German foreign ministers, both of whom agree that \JBelgrade\j is demonstrating a willingness to comply with the main conditions set by the six-member Contact Group. \JRussia\j, meanwhile, is adamantly opposing a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose an arms embargo on Yugoslavia, the text of which was agreed upon earlier this week. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JRussia\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, prematurely celebrates the US Senate's anticipated vote approving the admission of \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic into \JNATO\j, the military alliance formed nearly half a century ago to deal with \JCold War\j threats. Mr. Clinton urges the Senate to reject attempts to constrain further \JNATO\j expansion beyond the three former Warsaw Pact nations, warning that such a mandate would fracture the alliance's open door consensus and threaten the stability of Europe. \I(USA, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, Europe)\i
US President Bill Clinton announces an easing of United States policy toward \JCuba\j, triggered in part by Pope John Paul II's recent historic visit to the communist-ruled island. While leaving in place a 36-year-old economic embargo against \JCuba\j, Mr. Clinton says he will allow a resumption of direct humanitarian charter flights, permit Cuban-Americans to send $US1,200 per year to relatives, and expedite sales of medicine and medical supplies to the island. Cuban President, Fidel Castro, cautiously welcomes the announcement, adding that he will need to examine the details to make a complete analysis. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Lawyers for US President Bill Clinton file 200 pages of legal papers in support of a move to dismiss the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit, which is set for trial on May 27. Lawyer Robert Bennett says the suit is politically motivated and without legal merit, scoffing at Ms. Jones's new damage claim of sexual aversion arising from the alleged 1991 meeting with Mr. Clinton at a Little Rock hotel room. Evidence gathered in Ms. Jones's lawsuit against Mr. Clinton has led to allegations of presidential misconduct with other women, including Monica Lewinsky and Kathleen Willey, and prosecutor Kenneth Starr is now investigating whether Mr. Clinton tried to cover up the alleged indiscretions by tampering with witnesses. \I(USA)\i
Boeing announces plans to eliminate 8,200 jobs, mostly in southern \JCalifornia\j, by the turn of the century. The latest \Jstreamlining\j program augments a previously announced decision to cut 12,000 commercial airplane jobs beginning later this year, and stems largely from last year's acquisition of McDonnell Douglas Corp., which transformed Boeing into the world's largest military and civilian aerospace company. \I(USA)\i
A state of emergency is declared after a dawn \Jtornado\j cuts a ten-mile trail of devastation through northern Georgia, killing at least 14 people and injuring scores more. Officials are estimating the cost of damage to homes and property at $US2.2 million. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work with the United States to revive stalled \JMiddle East\j peace talks, saying the deadlock in the peace process must be broken. Mr. Annan also calls for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 425, which was passed 20 years ago to the \Jday\j, and which orders an unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern \JLebanon\j. Mr. Annan adds, however, that he wants to hear exactly what Israel is proposing in its recently announced offer to negotiate the withdrawal with \JBeirut\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JLebanon\j, USA)\i
The United States voices dissatisfaction over the deferral of a decision to impose tougher sanctions against Yugoslavia for its treatment of ethnic Albanians in the province of \JKosovo\j, insisting that the situation remains tense and much needs to be done on an urgent basis. The decision to defer follows meetings between Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and the French and German foreign ministers, both of whom agree that \JBelgrade\j is demonstrating a willingness to comply with the main conditions set by the six-member Contact Group. \JRussia\j, meanwhile, is adamantly opposing a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose an arms embargo on Yugoslavia, the text of which was agreed upon earlier this week. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JRussia\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, prematurely celebrates the US Senate's anticipated vote approving the admission of \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic into \JNATO\j, the military alliance formed nearly half a century ago to deal with \JCold War\j threats. Mr. Clinton urges the Senate to reject attempts to constrain further \JNATO\j expansion beyond the three former Warsaw Pact nations, warning that such a mandate would fracture the alliance's open door consensus and threaten the stability of Europe. \I(USA, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, Europe)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, returns to work in the \JKremlin\j after spending a week in a residence outside Moscow recovering from an acute respiratory infection. Mr. Yeltsin's health was the subject of some concern when he was away from his \JKremlin\j office for four weeks after contracting a viral infection in December. \I(Russia)\i
In the largest deployment since World War II, ten thousand German riot police use \Jwater\j cannons to disperse hundreds of protesters attempting to prevent a train carrying nuclear waste from the south reaching a disposal center at Ahaus, in the country's north. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, names Philip Flood, 62, to replace Dr. Neal Blewett as Australia's High Commissioner to London. Mr. Flood is currently the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has been Australia's Ambassador to \JIndonesia\j as well as High Commissioner to \JBangladesh\j. \I(Australia, UK, \JIndonesia\j, \JBangladesh\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton announces an easing of United States policy toward \JCuba\j, triggered in part by Pope John Paul II's recent historic visit to the communist-ruled island. While leaving in place a 36-year-old economic embargo against \JCuba\j, Mr. Clinton says will allow a resumption of direct humanitarian charter flights, permit Cuban-Americans to send $US1,200 per year to relatives, and expedite sales of medicine and medical supplies to the island. Cuban President, Fidel Castro, cautiously welcomes the announcement, adding that he will need to examine the details to make a complete analysis. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"March 21, 1998",808,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The second round of Korean peace talks ends without any agreement between the four parties or any date set for a future round of negotiations. China, who was chairing the talks, blames all delegations for the lack of progress, saying the gaps between the two Koreas were too wide to be bridged by diplomacy, and that the refusal of the United States to discuss a troop withdrawal from the South had antagonized the North, which is now threatening to quit the process entirely. The aim of the talks is to replace a fraying armistice with a permanent peace accord between North and South Korea and their respective Korean War allies, China and the United States. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
A senior Egyptian security source claims that members of an Iranian revolutionary group have joined forces with Saudi millionaire, Osama Bin Laden, to support the \JAlbanian\j underground movement in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. Bin Laden, described by the United States as one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities, has links with \JAfghanistan\j's fundamentalist Taliban militia, and is also said to have backed the struggles of Muslims in Bosnia. \I(Egypt, Iran, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Bosnia)\i
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk grants a full royal pardon for his son, deposed co-prime minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was recently sentenced by a Phnom Penh military court to 35 year imprisonment for arms smuggling and colluding with the outlawed Khmer Rouge. The pardon covers both the criminal convictions and the demand for more than $US50 million in damages, and is part of a Japanese-sponsored peace plan which should allow Prince Ranariddh to return home from exile in \JThailand\j and take part in national elections scheduled for July 26. \I(Cambodia, Japan, \JThailand\j)\i
The former head of South Korea's Agency for National Security Planning attempts suicide while in custody for questioning over "Operation North Wind", the intelligence agency's alleged smear campaign launched ahead of last year's president election to link President Kim Dae Jung to North Korea's communist regime. According to Seoul's district prosecutor's office, Kwon Young Hae slashed his \Jstomach\j with a paper cutter which was hidden inside a \JBible\j. \I(The Koreas)\i
The World Bank agrees to an Australian request to coordinate humanitarian relief for \JIndonesia\j, which has been hit by prolonged \Jdrought\j as well as escalating food prices sparked by the country's worst economic crisis in decades. Australia has also appealed to the International Monetary Fund to recognize the social impact of \JIndonesia\j's economic turmoil, and adopt a softer approach in its negotiations for widespread reform. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The second round of Korean peace talks ends without any agreement between the four parties or any date set for a future round of negotiations. China, who was chairing the talks, blames all delegations for the lack of progress, saying the gaps between the two Koreas were too wide to be bridged by diplomacy, and that the refusal of the United States to discuss a troop withdrawal from the South had antagonized the North, which is now threatening to quit the process entirely. The aim of the talks is to replace a fraying armistice with a permanent peace accord between North and South Korea and their respective Korean War allies, China and the United States. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
A senior Egyptian security source claims that members of an Iranian revolutionary group have joined forces with Saudi millionaire, Osama Bin Laden, to support the \JAlbanian\j underground movement in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. Bin Laden, described by the United States as one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities, has links with \JAfghanistan\j's fundamentalist Taliban militia, and is also said to have supported the struggles of Muslims in Bosnia. \I(Egypt, Iran, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Bosnia)\i
President Bill Clinton calls for swift and responsible action to reform the United States Social Security system, which provides benefits to retirees and the disabled, insisting that if no action is taken to shore up the program, its "trust fund" of accumulated savings will disappear by 2029. Economic advisers forecast that the solvency of Social Security will be threatened when the baby boom generation quits the workforce, leaving behind a working-age population smaller in proportion to the number of retirees. \I(USA)\i
United States presidential advisor, John Koskinen, warns that the country's military defenses could cease to function unless action is taken the remedy the Y2K bug, the problem arising from the inability of computers to recognize the year 2000. Mr. Koskinen also warns that \Jaircraft\j could be grounded and financial systems could collapse if the problem is not resolved before the start of the millennium. \I(USA)\i
Prosecutor Kenneth Starr mounts a legal challenge after President Bill Clinton invokes executive privilege to prevent two of his top aides from having to testify fully before the grand jury probing the nature of Mr. Clinton's relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. Mr. Clinton's move is also questioned by the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Henry Hyde, who suggests that executive privilege applies only to matters of national security, and should not be used to suppress personally embarrassing information. Executive privilege is a stratagem to place certain documents or testimony above the reach of the law on the grounds that the president is entitled to privacy in certain sensitive communications, and was last invoked by President Richard Nixon during the \JWatergate\j investigation in the early 1970s. \I(USA)\i
Venezuelan and Argentine firefighters join Brazilian crews in continued efforts to contain rapidly advancing blazes ravaging Brazil's northern Amazon. During the past two months, the flames have swept across more than 1.5 million acres of savanna and \Jrainforest\j, and are now threatening Indian tribes and burning even deeper into fragile \Jrainforest\j, displacing or killing the area's animals and birds. \I(Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, announces that it will resume its place at multi-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland next week. The announcement comes as delegates from eight nationalist and Unionist parties prepare to meet with British and Irish ministers for what is hoped will be the final decision-making phase of the negotiations, putting an end to decades of strife which have cost more than 3,200 lives. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
A senior Egyptian security source claims that members of an Iranian revolutionary group have joined forces with Saudi millionaire, Osama Bin Laden, to support the \JAlbanian\j underground movement in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. Bin Laden, described by the United States as one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities, has links with \JAfghanistan\j's fundamentalist Taliban militia, and is also said to have backed the struggles of Muslims in Bosnia. \I(Egypt, Iran, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Bosnia)\i
Pope John Paul II arrives in \JNigeria\j for a three-\Jday\j visit, calling on the country's military rulers to show clemency to political prisoners and guarantee respect for human rights. The pontiff later hands over a list of 60 detainees to the Nigerian Foreign Minister, urging that they be released on humanitarian grounds. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Interpol reveals the discovery of a plot by Islamic extremists to mount a bombing campaign against the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament in \JFrance\j this summer. Interpol says World Cup brochures and liquid explosives were uncovered in houses in Brussels during police raids, which culminated in the arrest of seven suspected members of an Algerian terrorist group. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, Algeria)\i
Galina Ulanova, one of the great ballerinas of the 20th century, dies aged 88 following a long illness. Her death is announced by \JRussia\j's Bolshoi Theatre, where she was the soloist from 1944 to 1960, and where she remained active and influential long after her years on stage. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"March 22, 1998",809,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A senior official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) says the group plans to discuss the possibility of \JMyanmar\j's attendance at the upcoming Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) in London, despite European opposition. According to the ASEAN official, \JThailand\j is taking the lead on the issue. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j, Southeast Asia, UK, Europe)\i
Faced with an influx of illegal immigrants from neighboring \JIndonesia\j, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, says Asia's economic crisis has led to a serious human rights problem, and warns of a new wave of boat-people with international implications similar to those in the mid-1970s following an exodus of refugees from Vietnam. As regional economies deteriorate, \JSingapore\j has also been forced to intensify efforts to combat illegal aliens, last week arresting almost 800 people on \Jimmigration\j offences. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Malaysia, Vietnam, \JSingapore\j, Asia)\i
After a meeting with leaders and members of the Indonesian private universities' consultative body, the country's Education Minister forbids students to use hunger strikes as a form of protest. Hunger strikes have now become part of a series of almost daily demonstrations in universities on Java and \JSumatra\j, as students continue to push for comprehensive reforms in Indonesia's economic, political, and legal systems. \I(Indonesia)\i
Hong Kong refuses entry to exiled Chinese dissident, Wang Bingzhang, who was recently deported from China after slipping back into the country to help form the Chinese Democracy and Justice Party, the first to publicly challenge China's Communist Party. Members of the fledgling opposition group say they hope to use Hong Kong and nearby Macau for training party recruits in organization and democracy. \I(Hong Kong, China, Macau)\i
A Philippine Airlines Airbus 320 carrying 127 passengers and crew on a flight from Manila overshoots the runway at Bacolod Airport, and plows into a disco and dozens of squatter shacks. Three people on the ground are killed, and more than 100 others are injured, including two passengers and the plane's captain. It is the country's second fatal \Javiation\j accident in seven weeks, with 104 people losing their lives when a Cebu Pacific Airways DC-9 slammed into a mountain in the southern \JPhilippines\j on February 2. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
More than 1,000 residents around Port Vila, the capital of the small South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, are evacuated by police as \Jcyclone\j Yali approaches to within 15 kilometers of the region. High winds and heavy rain accompanying the category three \Jcyclone\j have already blown away small local-styles residences, and caused flooding in low-lying areas and along rivers. \I(Vanuatu)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, departs on a 12-\Jday\j, six-nation tour of Africa, the longest foreign trip of his presidency. Mr. Clinton is accompanied by his wife Hillary, as well as a large contingent of distinguished African-Americans, including his special envoy to Africa, Jesse Jackson, Labor Secretary, Alexis Herman, and Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater. The stated goal of the extensive presidential trip is to "help Americans rethink Africa, and help Africans rethink America". \I(USA, Africa)\i
Israel adopts a defiant stance ahead of an upcoming visit by United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, warning that Washington cannot dictate terms for breaking the stalemate in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Concerned that Washington is poised to begin a public push for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Israel declares that any more than a 9 per cent withdrawal would pose a threat to its national security. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Officials at \JBrazil\j's Amazonian Research Institute say the country's northern highlands will take more than a century to recover from the fires devastating the area. Uncontrolled savanna fires burning since January have now sent flames moving rapidly into ecological reserves and the reservation of the primitive Yanomami Indian tribe. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
Sweden's Liselotte Neumann wins the third hole of a playoff against America's Rose Jones to capture the LPGA Tour's Tournament at Phoenix, \JArizona\j. In men's professional golf, South African Ernie Els takes out the Bay Hill Tournament at Orlando, \JFlorida\j, while Briton Peter Mitchell finishes one stroke ahead to win the Portuguese Open, at Penina. \I(Sweden, USA, South Africa, UK, \JPortugal\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Ethnic Albanians in the rebel Serbian province of \JKosovo\j vote in unofficial polls to elect a president and a parliament of the non-existent Republic of \JKosovo\j. The elections are rejected by both Yugoslavia and the international community, and proceed despite a boycott called by some of the more radical ethnic Albanian parties in opposition to the Democratic League of \JKosovo\j, whose leader, Ibrahim Rugova, is the sole candidate for the presidency, and whose policy of passive resistance to Serbian rule is coming under local attack. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Israel adopts a defiant stance ahead of an upcoming visit by United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, warning that Washington cannot dictate terms for breaking the stalemate in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Concerned that Washington is poised to begin a public push for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Israel declares that any more than a 9 per cent withdrawal would pose a threat to its national security. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In \JSyria\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets with President Assad to explore the possibility of a long-delayed Israeli pullout from southern \JLebanon\j in accordance with Security Council Resolution 425. The response is guarded, however, with \JSyria\j objecting to a separate Israeli peace deal with \JLebanon\j, insisting that any withdrawal from \JLebanon\j must also be linked to Israel's withdrawal from the Golan Heights. \I(Israel, \JSyria\j, \JLebanon\j)\i
Richard Butler, the chairman of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction, arrives in \JBaghdad\j on his first visit since the crisis over arms inspections was defused last month. Mr. Butler is scheduled to meet with \JIraq\j's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, for discussions aimed at paving the way for forthcoming inspections of the eight president sites at the core of the recent dispute. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, departs on a 12-\Jday\j, six-nation tour of Africa, the longest foreign trip of his presidency. Mr. Clinton is accompanied by his wife Hillary, as well as a large contingent of distinguished African-Americans, including his special envoy to Africa, Jesse Jackson, Labor Secretary, Alexis Herman, and Transportation Secretary, Rodney Slater. The stated goal of the extensive presidential trip is to "help Americans rethink Africa, and help Africans rethink America". \I(USA, Africa)\i
On the second \Jday\j of his three-\Jday\j visit to \JNigeria\j, Pope John Paul II meets with the nation's Muslim leaders. The pontiff draws comparisons between \JIslam\j and \JChristianity\j, suggesting that while the two religions differ in how they understand their one God, both uphold the value of human life at all its stages, and should strive to cooperate, and to ensure that religion is never used to create conflict, particularly in countries where Muslims and Christians live side by side. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JItaly\j)\i
A senior official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) says the group plans to discuss the possibility of \JMyanmar\j's attendance at the upcoming Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) in London, despite European opposition. According to the ASEAN official, \JThailand\j is taking the lead on the issue. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j, Southeast Asia, UK, Europe)\i
Sweden's Liselotte Neumann wins the third hole of a playoff against America's Rose Jones to capture the LPGA Tour's Tournament at Phoenix, \JArizona\j. In men's professional golf, South African Ernie Els takes out the Bay Hill Tournament at Orlando, \JFlorida\j, while Briton Peter Mitchell finishes one stroke ahead to win the Portuguese Open, at Penina. \I(Sweden, USA, South Africa, UK, \JPortugal\j)\i
#
"March 23, 1998",810,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North Korea publicly blames the United States for the lack of progress in the recent four-nation Korean peace talks, and calls for separate talks with the US to negotiate a bilateral peace treaty and the withdrawal of US troops from the Korean peninsula. The issues are non-negotiable as far as Washington is concerned, and have been a major source of contention in both rounds of formal talks so far. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
A report by the United States National Transportation Safety Board says two navigational aids, which were out of operation in \JGuam\j, could have helped prevent the crash of Korean Air Lines jet that killed 228 people on August 6, 1997. According to the report, information received from the plane's Flight Data Recorder showed that it was flying several hundred feet below the recommended altitude while approaching the airport to land. The report also states that the absence of the Minimum Safe Altitude Warning system, which would have alerted \JGuam\j's air traffic controllers, will be an important issue at this week's public hearing into the crash. \I(USA, \JGuam\j, South Korea)\i
Supporters of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, \JCambodia\j's deposed co-prime minister, say the prince plans to end nine months of exile and return to his homeland once the way has been cleared by an advance team, who will meet with the United Nations representative and the co-ministers of the interior to discuss his security. On Saturday, King Norodom Sihanouk granted full amnesty to his son, who earlier this month was convicted in absentia of arms smuggling and colluding with the outlawed Khmer Rouge. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
India's regional Teluga Desam Party (TDP) announces that it has broken its affiliations with the United Front coalition, a bloc of more than a dozen parties opposing the rise to power of the Hindu nationalists. The announcement is welcomed by the new Hindu nationalist-led coalition government, which is relying on the support of the 12-member TDP to win a crucial parliamentary confidence vote later this week. \I(India)\i
According to the results of the latest opinion poll, national support for the administration of Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, has plunged to a record low of 30 per cent, a drop of 4 percentage points from a similar poll in February. The number of respondents expressing disapproval of the government's handling of the weak economy has now risen to 47 per cent, the worst figure since Mr. Hashimoto took office in January 1996. \I(Japan)\i
Eastman Kodak announces plans to invest $US1 billion in China, one of the biggest investments to date by a United States company. Kodak chairman, George Fisher, predicts that China could become the world's largest photographic market some \Jday\j, with fewer than one Chinese household in 10 currently owning a camera. \I(USA, China)\i
Two young men convicted of sodomy are publicly executed by \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia in the western town of Herat. The men, aged 18 and 22, are buried alive when a wall is bulldozed over them. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, is overwhelmed by surging crowds clamoring to shake his hand as he begins his six-nation tour of Africa in \JGhana\j's capital. Thousands pour into Accra's Independence Square to hear Mr. Clinton's speech, during which he maps out the themes of his 12-\Jday\j tour, promoting the benefits of democracy, education, trade, peace, and justice. \I(USA, \JGhana\j, Africa)\i
North Korea publicly blames the United States for the lack of progress in the recent four-nation Korean peace talks, and calls for separate talks with the US to negotiate a bilateral peace treaty and the withdrawal of US troops from the Korean peninsula. The issues are non-negotiable as far as Washington is concerned, and have been a major source of contention in both rounds of formal talks so far. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
As dry winds fan fires deeper into the rainforests of \JBrazil\j's northern Amazon, desperate authorities deploy more manpower and equipment in a bid to halt the advance. The fires are the worst in recent memory, and rain is now considered the only effective solution to the crisis. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
A report by the United States National Transportation Safety Board says two navigational aids which were out of operation in \JGuam\j could have helped prevent the crash of Korean Air Lines jet that killed 228 people on August 6, 1997. According to the report, information received from the plane's Flight Data Recorder showed that it was flying several hundred feet below the recommended altitude while approaching the airport to land. The report also states that the absence of the Minimum Safe Altitude Warning system, which would have alerted \JGuam\j's air traffic controllers, will be an important issue at this week's public hearing into the crash. \I(USA, \JGuam\j, South Korea)\i
Abortion rights advocates win a key victory when the United States Supreme Court leaves standing an appeals court ruling that struck down a 1995 Ohio state law banning partial-birth abortions. The procedure, also known as intact dilation and extraction, is used in the later months of \Jpregnancy\j, and last November, the appeals court found the law banning its use to be fatally flawed because it made no exceptions for women who might suffer severe psychological or emotion injury without such surgery. \I(USA)\i
In a pair of unanimous rulings, \JCalifornia\j's Supreme Court decides that the Boy Scouts of America can exclude homosexuals and atheists, saying scout groups are voluntary clubs not covered by state \Jcivil rights\j laws. The Boy Scouts organization lost a similar case in \JNew Jersey\j earlier this month, after a state appeals court found that an assistant scoutmaster had been discriminated against when he was ousted for being gay. \I(USA)\i
A killer who confessed to murdering 41 women becomes the 237th person to die in \JFlorida\j's 75-year-old electric chair, the first use of the controversial device since it set fire to the head of a prisoner put to death on March 25, 1997. The death of Gerald Stano, 46, leaves 366 men and six women still awaiting execution on \JFlorida\j's Death Row, with three scheduled to die in the next few days. \I(USA)\i
Eastman Kodak announces plans to invest $US1 billion in China, one of the biggest investments to date by a United States company. Kodak chairman, George Fisher, predicts that China could become the world's largest photographic market some \Jday\j, with fewer than one Chinese household in 10 currently owning a camera. \I(USA, China)\i
At the 70th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, \ITitanic\i sails away with 11 Oscars, including best picture, equaling the record set by \IBen Hur\i in 1959. The acting awards are dominated by \IAs Good as it Gets\i, with its co-stars Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt taking out best actor and actress. Meanwhile, best supporting actor goes to Robin Williams for his role in \IGood Will Hunting\i, and Kim Basinger wins best supporting actress for her part in \IL.A. Confidential\i. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In an unexpected and unprecedented move, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, dismisses his entire government, appointing Fuel and Energy Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, as acting prime minister to replace Viktor Chernomyrdin. Under the Constitution, Mr. Yeltsin now has two weeks to name a prime minister, whose appointment must be approved by the opposition-dominated \JDuma\j. \I(Russia)\i
Serb and \JAlbanian\j leaders agree on a deal to get ethnic Albanians back into \JKosovo\j's state schools and universities, the first compromise between the two sides since Serb police launched a bloody crackdown on the province's Albanian separatists earlier this month. However, while the deal is welcomed by Western powers, it is rejected by hardline Serb university lecturers and students, who regard it as the start of \JSerbia\j's betrayal of \JKosovo\j. Ethnic Albanian students left the state education system in 1991 and established their own parallel system, accusing Serb authorities of excluding them. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
The final three-week push for a new political settlement in Northern Ireland gets underway in \JBelfast\j as Sinn Fein returns to the negotiating table after its suspension four weeks ago. The British and Irish Governments are hoping for an agreement by Easter, to be followed by referendums on both sides of the border in late May or early June. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, is overwhelmed by surging crowds clamoring to shake his hand as he begins his six-nation tour of Africa in \JGhana\j's capital. Thousands pour into Accra's Independence Square to hear Mr. Clinton's speech, during which he maps out the themes of his 12-\Jday\j tour, promoting the benefits of democracy, education, trade, peace, and justice. \I(USA, \JGhana\j, Africa)\i
Pope John Paul II concludes his three-\Jday\j visit to \JNigeria\j with an appeal to the multi-ethnic nation to replace its divisions with unity, solidarity, and peace. During his visit, the pontiff delivered the message that human dignity and rights are the inspiration and guiding principles in strengthening democracy, calling on Catholic bishops to speak out for justice and freedom. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Rwandan Hutu rebels kidnap seven Catholic nuns and kill 20 civilians in two attacks in the Gisenyi area. The attacks are at least the fourth by Hutu rebels in the area this year. \I(Rwanda)\i
In the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, police and university students fight pitched battles, with police firing bullets and tear gas shells at hundreds of students protesting against the diminishing buying power of their education loans. \I(Kenya)\i
#
"March 24, 1998",811,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opens a three-\Jday\j public hearing into the August 1997 crash of a Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 in \JGuam\j, which claimed 228 mostly South Korean lives. The NTSB says the crash may be another example of what is called "controlled flight into terrain", when a pilot flies a perfectly functioning \Jaircraft\j into the ground. One of the major aims of the NTSB inquiry is to find ways to eliminate accidents of this nature, which account for most of the deaths in commercial \Javiation\j worldwide. \I(USA, South Korea, \JGuam\j)\i
Two days of armed clashes between rival political groups in \JPakistan\j's port city of \JKarachi\j leave at least 20 people dead, bringing to more than 80 the number of people killed in political and sectarian violence in the city this year. Police say the latest outbreak is part of a continuing feud between the mainstream Mutahida National Movement (MQM), which represents the \JUrdu\j-speaking people who migrated from India at partition in 1947, and a breakaway faction, the Mohajir National Movement (Haqiqi). \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
At least 66 people are killed and 270 injured when a \Jcyclone\j packing winds of 160-180 kilometers per hour sweeps through a string of villages in India's \JWest Bengal\j state. An official at the meteorological office in New Delhi says further bad \Jweather\j is expected to hit the region soon. \I(India)\i
The \JBangkok\j office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees sends two officials to \JThailand\j's northern border with \JMyanmar\j to investigate the fourth attack on Karen refugees in recent weeks. Camps in \JThailand\j house more than 100,000 ethnic Karen refugees who have fled offensives by \JMyanmar\j's military regime. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
Authorities in Kuala Lumpur report that hundreds of Indonesians trying to cross the Straits of Malacca to enter \JMalaysia\j illegally have been turned back by a recently launched 24-hour air and sea operation. The operation involves more than 500 security personnel, four navy ships, 209 police boats, and four air force and police \Jaircraft\j, and is \JMalaysia\j's most comprehensive effort so far to check the influx of illegal immigrants fleeing Indonesia's economic turmoil. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the second leg of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, offers contrition for "past sins" in US relations with Africa, including participation by American forefathers in \Jslavery\j, and \JCold War\j support for repressive regimes. Speaking at a village school outside the Ugandan capital, \JKampala\j, Mr. Clinton also announces proposals for $US182 million in aid programs for education, health, and food security in Africa. \I(USA, Uganda, Africa)\i
Fresh fighting erupts between Serb security forces and \JAlbanian\j separatists near the town of Pec in the troubled southern province of \JKosovo\j. Government officials in \JBelgrade\j accuse armed members of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army of provoking the conflict, which comes on the eve of a Contact Group meeting called to discuss the Balkans crisis. En route to chair the six-nation meeting in \JBonn\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, insists that \JBelgrade\j is still ignoring the group's key demands, with Serb security forces digging in rather than pulling out of the region. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
The United States House Appropriations Committee approves legislation to pay $US19 billion to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and $US505 million to the United Nations, at the same time warning that the bill's future is clouded by Republican plans to add controversial anti-\Jabortion\j measures to the funding package when it advances to the full House. Even as it stands, the legislation is problematic, imposing tough reform conditions on the IMF, some of which have drawn strong criticism from US Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin. \I(USA)\i
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opens a three-\Jday\j public hearing into the August 1997 crash of a Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 in \JGuam\j, which claimed 228 mostly South Korean lives. The NTSB says the crash may be another example of what is called "controlled flight into terrain", when a pilot flies a perfectly functioning \Jaircraft\j into the ground. One of the major aims of the NTSB inquiry is to find ways to eliminate accidents of this nature, which account for most of the deaths in commercial \Javiation\j worldwide. \I(USA, South Korea, \JGuam\j)\i
In Washington, four top members of the \JWhite House\j legal team gather for a closed hearing before Chief US District Judge, Norma Holloway. It is the second such hearing in less than a week, as lawyers continue to wrangle over President Bill Clinton's controversial claim of executive privilege to limit the testimony of two senior aides before a grand jury, convened nine weeks ago by prosecutor Kenneth Starr to probe allegations that Mr. Clinton engaged in a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, then urged her to lie about it under oath. \I(USA)\i
Florida executes its second Death Row inmate in as many days. The execution of Leo Jones, 47, convicted of killing a Jacksonville police officer, has been delayed for nearly a year as he filed unsuccessful challenges to the state's use of the aging electric chair as cruel and unusual punishment. Florida is one of only six states that uses \Jelectrocution\j to carry out death sentences, and while a series of constitutional challenges has failed to dislodge the device known as "Old Sparky", the state's lawmakers have now been urged to introduce an alternative method of execution. \I(USA)\i
Four young girls and a teacher are killed when two boys, aged 11 and 13, open fire with handguns and rifles as pupils and teachers of a school in Jonesboro, \JArkansas\j, are lured outside by a false fire alarm. Another teacher and 10 more pupils between the ages of 11 and 14 are wounded in the attack, which is the nation's third school shooting rampage in five months. Last October, a 16-year-old boy in Pearl, Mississippi, shot nine high-school students, two of whom died, while two months later, three students were killed and five were injured when a youth opened fire on a prayer group in a school in West Paducah, Kentucky. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fresh fighting erupts between Serb security forces and \JAlbanian\j separatists near the town of Pec in the troubled southern province of \JKosovo\j. Government officials in \JBelgrade\j accuse armed members of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army of provoking the conflict, which comes on the eve of a Contact Group meeting called to discuss the Balkans crisis. En route to chair the six-nation meeting in \JBonn\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, insists that \JBelgrade\j is still ignoring the group's key demands, with Serb security forces digging in rather than pulling out of the region. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Speaking at a news conference on the first \Jday\j of a visit to Israel, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, welcomes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to implement Security Council Resolution 425, which calls for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from southern \JLebanon\j. At the same time, however, Arab foreign ministers meeting in \JCairo\j angrily reject Mr. Netanyahu's proposal as imposing specific conditions and being contradictory to the spirit of peace. Mr. Netanyahu has said he will accept the 1978 resolution if the Lebanese Government agrees to deploy troops in the border area to prevent Islamic guerrillas from attacking Israel. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, \JEgypt\j)\i
As Northern Ireland's political parties enter the second \Jday\j of resumed negotiations to end decades of conflict in the province, the British and Irish Governments once again declare that they will not allow ruthless paramilitary violence to sabotage the peace talks. The renewed declaration follows a mortar bomb attack on a joint army-police base at Forkhill, near the border with the Irish Republic, the latest in a spate of bombings and shootings by paramilitary factions opposed to the peace process. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
On the second leg of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, offers contrition for "past sins" in US relations with Africa, including participation by American forefathers in \Jslavery\j, and \JCold War\j support for repressive regimes. Speaking at a village school outside the Ugandan capital, \JKampala\j, Mr. Clinton also announces proposals for $US182 million in aid programs for education, health, and food security in Africa. \I(USA, Uganda, Africa)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, delivers an address to \JFrance\j's National Assembly, voicing approval of European \Jintegration\j while warning against a Europe of conformity. Speaking in near-flawless French, Mr. Blair stresses that the European Union must also embrace diversity, particularly in matters affecting the national culture and identity of its member-states. However, Mr. Blair's views are not shared by his hosts, who remain adamant that despite Britain's current presidency of the EU, it cannot be in the front rank of the bloc's nations while it elects to stay outside monetary union. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, Europe)\i
French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, pledges to enact quick reforms of voting procedures after five members of the center-right Union for French Democracy (UDF) accept support from the far-right National Front to win control of five of the country's 22 regional councils. The power dealing of the five UDF politicians has created an uproar, breaking a longstanding political \Jtaboo\j against working with the fascist party of xenophobic firebrand, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is popular with nationalists, old colonialists, and \JVichy\j collaborators, and routinely attracts around 15 per cent of the vote in national elections. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
At a symposium to mark World Tuberculosis Day, a Romanian health official cites figures showing that his country had one of the highest registered rates of TB in Europe last year, with 104 reported cases per 100,000 people, mostly aged 20 to 50, and the total number of reported cases standing at 23,636. \I(Romania, Europe)\i
South Africa announces plans to shoot all pigeons in its northwest diamond producing region. The announcement comes after authorities discover that the birds are being used to smuggle gems strapped to their bodies out of the country. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"March 25, 1998",812,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The European Union approves a plan to fund village democracy, women's groups, and ethnic minority organizations in China, part of a larger bid to engage China as a world partner alongside the United States, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j. China has already signaled its willingness to help launch Europe's single currency next year, and the EU is hoping that \JBeijing\j will also convert some of its $US320 billion in foreign reserves to the new euro. \I(Europe, China, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States says it is organizing a $US56 million package of humanitarian aid for \JIndonesia\j, including $US25 million in food for the rural poor, $US25 million in credits for public-sector purchases of US food, and $US6 million in medical supplies. The US clarifies that the package is aimed at countering the social effects of \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis, and is not dependent on the implementation of International Monetary Fund reforms. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
At least 10 security personnel and 39 protesters are injured in the most violent clash to date in a month-long series of student demonstrations against the government of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto. The injuries occur when 300 police and troops use sticks and clubs to beat back some 1,000 rock-throwing students trying to stage an illegal street march from the state-run university in Solo, 400 kilometers from Jakarta. Meanwhile, opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, challenges United States President, Bill Clinton, to explain why the Pentagon is training \JIndonesia\j's military in lethal methods of social control at a time when the Indonesian people are striving to build a more democratic system. Despite a 1992 ban imposed by the US Congress, the Pentagon's Joint Combined Exchange and Training program continues to instruct Indonesian soldiers in skills such as psychological warfare and urban combat techniques. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Violence continues in \JPakistan\j's main commercial city of \JKarachi\j as two rival ethnic parties call strikes and demonstrations to protest against the killings of at least 20 of their members in this week's inter-party feud. While both draw their supporters from \JUrdu\j speakers, the Mutahida National Movement (MQM) and a splinter group, the Mohajir National Movement (Haqiqi), have for years engaged in a conflict which has left hundreds of people dead. The MQM is an ally of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's \JPakistan\j Muslim League Party both in the federal government and in the southern province of Sindh, of which \JKarachi\j is the capital. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
The death toll from yesterday's \Jcyclone\j in eastern India rises to at least 125 people, including 35 children who were crushed to death when their school collapsed. Meanwhile, hundreds of people are still missing in the wake of the \Jcyclone\j, which left a trail of destruction across coastal areas of \JWest Bengal\j and Orissa states. Prime Minister Atal Behair Vajpayee has since announced that he will release 218 million rupees in disaster relief and send government officials to the area to assess the damage. \I(India)\i
Thailand lodges a protest with \JMyanmar\j's ambassador over the recent spate of cross-border attacks on Karen refugee camps. Thailand also says it is considering handing over the Karen refugees from \JMyanmar\j to the United Nations. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Thailand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the third \Jday\j of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, meets in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, with survivors of the country's 1994 genocide, acknowledging that the international community must share the blame for failing to stop the slaughter of more than 800,000 Tutsis by extremist Hutus. Later, at a meeting in \JUganda\j, Mr. Clinton joins leaders from East and Central Africa in pledging efforts to banish genocide from the region. \I(USA, Rwanda, \JUganda\j, Africa)\i
At a meeting in \JBonn\j, foreign ministers from the six-nation Contact Group resolve to give Yugoslavia four weeks to end bloodshed in the predominantly \JAlbanian\j province of \JKosovo\j or face economic sanctions. While the United States, backed by Britain, was pushing for more immediate measures, \JRussia\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, and \JItaly\j favored a softer line. However, the US succeeds in persuading \JRussia\j to drop its opposition to a United Nations arms embargo, which will now be imposed next week unless Yugoslavia begins moves to settle the \JKosovo\j crisis. In the meantime, the Contact Group is pressuring \JKosovo\j's \JAlbanian\j leader, Ibrahim Rugova, to condemn the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army's use of terror tactics against police and other Serb targets. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, UK, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
The European Union approves a plan to fund village democracy, women's groups, and ethnic minority organizations in China, part of a larger bid to engage China as a world partner alongside the United States, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j. China has already signaled its willingness to help launch Europe's single currency next year, and the EU is hoping that \JBeijing\j will also convert some of its $US320 billion in foreign reserves to the new euro. \I(Europe, China, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States says it is organizing a $US56 million package of humanitarian aid for \JIndonesia\j, including $US25 million in food for the rural poor, $US25 million in credits for public-sector purchases of US food, and $US6 million in medical supplies. The US clarifies that the package is aimed at countering the social effects of \JIndonesia\j's economic crisis, and is not dependent on the implementation of International Monetary Fund reforms. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
At least 10 security personnel and 39 protesters are injured in the most violent clash to date in a month-long series of student demonstrations against the government of \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto. The injuries occur when 300 police and troops use sticks and clubs to beat back some 1,000 rock-throwing students trying to stage an illegal street march from the state-run university in Solo, 400 kilometers from Jakarta. Meanwhile, opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, challenges United States President, Bill Clinton, to explain why the Pentagon is training \JIndonesia\j's military in lethal methods of social control at a time when the Indonesian people are striving to build a more democratic system. Despite a 1992 ban imposed by the US Congress, the Pentagon's Joint Combined Exchange and Training program continues to instruct Indonesian soldiers in skills such as psychological warfare and urban combat techniques. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA)\i
Two boys, aged 11 and 13, are ordered by a Juvenile Court Judge to be held without bail to face five counts of capital murder and 10 counts of battery following yesterday's shooting rampage at an \JArkansas\j school, during which 27 shots were fired from high-powered rifles and pistols, striking 13 pupils and two teachers. The boys will be tried as juveniles, which means that the proceedings will focus on whether they are delinquent, rather than whether they are innocent or guilty. Under \JArkansas\j law, convicted delinquent juveniles are normally held in jail only until they turn 18. \I(USA)\i
An advocacy group announces that an elderly woman suffering from breast cancer has become the first person known to die under Oregon's 1994 physician-assisted suicide law, the only one of its kind in the United States. The law had not gone into effect due to legal challenges, but last November Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to retain it. The law requires certification from two doctors that a patient is terminally ill, and a 15-\Jday\j waiting period before a lethal dose of \Jbarbiturates\j can be prescribed. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a meeting in \JBonn\j, foreign ministers from the six-nation Contact Group resolve to give Yugoslavia four weeks to end bloodshed in the predominantly \JAlbanian\j province of \JKosovo\j or face economic sanctions. While the United States, backed by Britain, was pushing for more immediate measures, \JRussia\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, and \JItaly\j favored a softer line. However, the US succeeds in persuading \JRussia\j to drop its opposition to a United Nations arms embargo, which will now be imposed next week unless Yugoslavia begins moves to settle the \JKosovo\j crisis. In the meantime, the Contact Group is pressuring \JKosovo\j's \JAlbanian\j leader, Ibrahim Rugova, to condemn the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army's use of terror tactics against police and other Serb targets. \I(\JGermany\j, USA, UK, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, informs Israel that the majority of UN member-states hold it responsible for undermining the peace process with the Palestinian Authority. Mr. Annan says that in the view of most member-states, Israel has not abided by Security Council resolution, has not fulfilled its obligations under the Oslo accord, and has made implementation conditional in a way that the accord did not intend. More specifically, Mr. Annan cites the building of Jewish settlements, the demolition of Palestinian houses, and land confiscation as provocative acts that rob the Palestinians of their dignity and spark hostilities. Mr. Annan thereby urges the government of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to commit itself to the Oslo interim peace accords, and to progress towards a comprehensive settlement based on the principle of land for peace. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, are greeted by \JRussia\j's new acting Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, when they arrive in Moscow for a "troika" summit with President Boris Yeltsin. After Mr. Yeltsin sacked his entire government two days ago, Mr. Kiriyenko, 35, was propelled to the foreground and assigned the task of forming a new and more dynamic Cabinet. Already, however, the \JDuma\j is voicing concerns about the suitability of the president's choice of Mr. Kiriyenko, who is not widely known, having had only one year of government experience. \I(\JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
On the third \Jday\j of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, meets in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, with survivors of the country's 1994 genocide, acknowledging that the international community must share the blame for failing to stop the slaughter of more than 800,000 Tutsis by extremist Hutus. Later, at a meeting in \JUganda\j, Mr. Clinton joins leaders from East and Central Africa in pledging efforts to banish genocide from the region. \I(USA, Rwanda, \JUganda\j, Africa)\i
The European Commission proclaims 11 eleven member-states of the European Union qualified for participation in the new single European currency. On January 1, 1999, the new currency, the euro, will be launched among \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JAustria\j, \JPortugal\j, \JFinland\j, Ireland, \JBelgium\j, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and \JItaly\j. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JAustria\j, \JPortugal\j, \JFinland\j, Republic of Ireland, \JBelgium\j, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, \JItaly\j)\i
The European Union approves a plan to fund village democracy, women's groups, and ethnic minority organizations in China, part of a larger bid to engage China as a world partner alongside the United States, \JRussia\j, and \JJapan\j. China has already signaled its willingness to help launch Europe's single currency next year, and the EU is hoping that \JBeijing\j will also convert some of its $US320 billion in foreign reserves to the new euro. \I(Europe, China, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Geologists report the discovery of a new species of \Jdinosaur\j, which is also the first to be found in \JItaly\j. The creature is a flesh-eater that died 113 million years ago when little more than a hatchling, and has been given the name of Scipionyx samniticus. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"March 26, 1998",813,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Responding to international criticism that it is not doing enough to boost its stagnant economy, \JJapan\j's ruling Democratic Party approves the biggest economic stimulus in the nation's history. Along with selected company tax cuts, the 16 trillion yen package includes plans for accelerated spending on public works to generate jobs and consumer spending, new \Jinfrastructure\j projects in information and telecommunications industries, and measures to free up \JJapan\j's massive pool of post office savings so that they can be diverted to the share markets. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
The World Bank approves a new loan of $US2 billion for South Korea , a signal of confidence in the country's determination and drive to resolve the problems caused by the collapse of its currency last year. The loan brings World Bank funding for South Korea to $US5 billion since December, and will be used to help strengthen the banking sector and lay the foundation for strong and sustained economic growth. \I(South Korea)\i
Violent confrontations between Malaysian police and hundreds of illegal Indonesian immigrants leave a policeman and eight immigrants dead, and another 38 officers and several immigrants injured. The worst of the violence erupts at the Semenyih detention camp, 40 kilometers southeast of Kuala Lumpur, when police tried to move out the inmates as part of a broader deportation operation. In a second camp in Lenggeng, more than 100 inmates escape during a similar operation, while at a third camp in Malacca on the western coast, police use \Jwater\j cannon and tear gas against inmates who set fire to their barracks. A total of 1,495 Indonesians, mostly from North \JSumatra\j's Aceh region, are deported by the end of the \Jday\j. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
A senior Cambodian army officer reports that five Khmer Rouge divisions, comprising more than 4,000 soldiers, have mutinied against their leaders, seizing control of the guerrilla group's Anlong Veng headquarters and defecting to the government. According to the officer, the aging Khmer Rouge leaders, including notorious former chief, Pol Pot, have now retreated north to the Phnom Dangrek escarpment which divides Cambodia and \JThailand\j. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
At least 50 people are killed when Karen National Union (KNU) rebels launch a surprise attack on the \JMyanmar\j-based camp of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), a breakaway faction of the predominantly Christian KNU. Since it broke with the KNU and joined forces with \JMyanmar\j's military in 1994, the DKBA has been attacking camps housing 100,000 ethnic Karen refugees in \JThailand\j, and the KNU raid is regarded as revenge for a series of strikes on camps this month. KNU rebels operate near the Thai border, and are \JMyanmar\j's last remaining armed insurgents. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
A Japanese court imposes an eight year jail sentence on Yasuo Hamanaka, the world's former top copper trader who lost his company, Sumitomo Corp, $US2.6 billion in one of the biggest financial frauds in history. Hamanaka, known as "Mr. Five Per cent" for his reputed stake in the global copper trade, pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and \Jforgery\j in carrying out unauthorized trading over an 11-year period beginning in 1985. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in South Africa at the start of a four-\Jday\j visit, the first ever by a serving US head of state. In a historic speech to parliament, Mr. Clinton hails the post-\Japartheid\j nation as a moral beacon for the world, deeming it a privilege to have provided aid and assistance in support of South Africa's transition to freedom and democracy. Mr. Clinton acknowledges that differences over foreign policy exist from time to time, but says US-South African relations are growing stronger, and that the US is now seeking a genuine partnership based on mutual respect and mutual reward. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in Israel where he is scheduled to hold meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and later with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Mr. Ross's mission is to brief the two leaders on a US proposal to break the year-long deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Israel, however, has already signaled that it will not bow to US pressure to cede any more than 9 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. The United States is reportedly demanding a 13.1 per cent Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank in return for Palestinian steps to combat \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
United Nations weapons inspectors enter \JBaghdad\j's Radwaniyah presidential site, their first inspection of a presidential site in \JIraq\j since the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) began its disarmament work seven years ago. Accompanied by diplomats and Iraqi officials, the UN team carries out a "baseline" visit, surveying the site in detail for possible future inspections. Last year, Iraq placed all presidential sites off-limits to the inspectors, provoking a crisis and threats of United States military strikes, which receded only when UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, succeeded in brokering a deal with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
1997 Nobel Peace prize laureate, American Jody Williams, urges Eastern European countries to endorse a global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, saying of the 19 states represented at last year's conference, only ten have signed the pact. Central and Eastern Europe is considered to be a "make or break' region for the ban, having one of the world's largest stockpiles of the deadly weapons. \I(USA, Eastern Europe)\i
Switzerland's three biggest banks agree to negotiate a global settlement on billions of dollars in claims from \JHolocaust\j survivors, who have sued the banks over denied access to their deposits after the war. The banks' decision averts threatened sanctions by several American states and cities. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
In a major victory for the \JWhite House\j, the United States Senate approves legislation to provide $US18 billion for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and more than $US5 billion for domestic disaster relief and military operations in Bosnia and \JIraq\j. However, the legislation still faces an uphill battle in Congress, with Republicans planning to add controversial anti-\Jabortion\j measures to the IMF package. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JIraq\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations weapons inspectors enter \JBaghdad\j's Radwaniyah presidential site, their first inspection of a presidential site in \JIraq\j since the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) began its disarmament work seven years ago. Accompanied by diplomats and Iraqi officials, the UN team carries out a "baseline" visit, surveying the site in detail for possible future inspections. Last year, Iraq placed all presidential sites off-limits to the inspectors, provoking a crisis and threats of United States military strikes, which receded only when UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, succeeded in brokering a deal with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Parties participating in the Northern Ireland peace talks agree to strive to meet an April 9 deadline for a settlement to end decades of bloodshed in the province. Britain, meanwhile, concedes that the province's economy will play a vital party in the process, and says it will offer options for a packet of measures to give Northern Ireland's economy a boost and assist in the drive for a settlement. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in South Africa at the start of a four-\Jday\j visit, the first ever by a serving US head of state. In a historic speech to parliament, Mr. Clinton hails the post-\Japartheid\j nation as a moral beacon for the world, deeming it a privilege to have provided aid and assistance in support of South Africa's transition to freedom and democracy. Mr. Clinton acknowledges that differences over foreign policy exist from time to time, but says US-South African relations are growing stronger, and that the US is now seeking a genuine partnership based on mutual respect and mutual reward. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in Israel where he is scheduled to hold meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and later with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Mr. Ross's mission is to brief the two leaders on a US proposal to break the year-long deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Israel, however, has already signaled that it will not bow to US pressure to cede any more than 9 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. The United States is reportedly demanding a 13.1 per cent Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank in return for Palestinian steps to combat \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
1997 Nobel Peace prize laureate, American Jody Williams, urges Eastern European countries to endorse a global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, saying of the 19 states represented at last year's conference, only ten have signed the pact. Central and Eastern Europe is considered to be a "make or break' region for the ban, having one of the world's largest stockpiles of the deadly weapons. \I(USA, Eastern Europe)\i
Switzerland's three biggest banks agree to negotiate a global settlement on billions of dollars in claims from \JHolocaust\j survivors, who have sued the banks over denied access to their deposits after the war. The banks' decision averts threatened sanctions by several American states and cities. \I(Switzerland, USA)\i
In a major victory for the \JWhite House\j, the United States Senate approves legislation to provide $US18 billion for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and more than $US5 billion for domestic disaster relief and military operations in Bosnia and \JIraq\j. However, the legislation still faces an uphill battle in Congress, with Republicans planning to add controversial anti-\Jabortion\j measures to the IMF package. \I(USA, Bosnia, \JIraq\j)\i
#
"March 27, 1998",814,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Myanmar's ruling junta marks its 53rd Armed Forces Day with a massive display of military might. Elsewhere in \JRangoon\j, the leading opposition National League for Democracy, led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, quietly commemorates the 53rd anniversary of "resistance \Jday\j", when the people of what was then \JBurma\j rose up against Japanese Second World War forces. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), Japan)\i
Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, opens a two-\Jday\j parliamentary debate on a motion of confidence in his newly formed Hindu nationalist-led coalition government. Although the coalition looks set to survive the vote, Mr. Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes under withering attack from the opposition Congress and Communist parties, who argue that the BJP's claimed mandate to rule is fractured by a lack of commonality with its new-found partners and supporters. \I(India)\i
Fending off international criticism, Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, says police were acting in self-defense when they killed eight Indonesian immigrants in a detention center yesterday, and that mass deportations will continue despite the incident. Most of the illegal immigrants involved in yesterday's riots are from Aceh province, in the north of Indonesia's \JSumatra\j island, which was the scene of a separatist rebellion in the early 1990s. Many of the Acehnese migrants to Malaysia have claimed that they are political rather than economic refugees, and will face persecution if they are repratriated. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Thai military officers monitoring the border with \JCambodia\j dismiss Phnom Penh's claims that the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng has fallen into government hands following a full-scale armed rebellion by five renegade Khmer Rouge divisions. Clandestine Khmer Rouge radio also rejects the claims of a government takeover of Anlong Veng as "abject propaganda". \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
A military spokesman reports that Sri Lankan bombers have attacked a flotilla of Tamil Tiger rebel boats in the northern seas, killing 60 of those on board. The spokesman adds that in two other ground attacks in the country's north, troops have killed a further 16 Tamil Tiger guerrillas. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Mining companies and businesses react cautiously when the Papua New Guinean Government reveals that it is considering a plan to peg the currency, the kina, at a rate higher than its current record low of around US50 cents. The aim of the plan is to restore confidence by improving foreign reserves, which were hard hit when prolonged \Jdrought\j closed the Ok Tedi copper mine and the Porgera gold mine, two of the country's main revenue earners. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Blackouts strike the central business district of Auckland, \JNew Zealand\j's largest city, just hours after Mercury Energy declares that the crippling five-week power crisis is finally over. Mercury blames the latest cuts on teething problems encountered while shifting power onto a new nine-kilometer overhead link, which was hastily constructed to ensure secure supply to the city center until late 1999, when a cable-carrying tunnel should be completed. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
During a joint news conference with visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, South African President, Nelson Mandela, states that he will not be bullied by a US campaign to isolate \JCuba\j, \JLibya\j, and \JIran\j, all of whom supported South Africa's struggle against \Japartheid\j. Mr. Mandela also rebuffs a trade initiative for Africa that Mr. Clinton is trying to push through the US Congress, saying it would undermine his country's freedom to set its own trade policies. Despite their differences over trade and diplomacy, however, the two leaders proceed to spend the \Jday\j together, visiting the infamous prison cell on Robben Island where Mr. Mandela spent two-thirds of his 27 years in captivity for leading the fight against the \Japartheid\j racial policies of South Africa's previous white-minority government. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
The United States indicates that it might be open to a modified proposal in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking, whereby Israel would offer the Palestinians "quality" rather than "quantity" when ceding West Bank land. Elaborating on the proposal, the State Department defines "quality" as continuous land, rather than larger but disconnected areas of the West Bank. Israel's proposal, however, is less agreeable to Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, who says his people want both "quality and quantity". \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Former United States Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) director, James Woolsey, becomes the lawyer for six Iraqis who face deportation after a series of secret court hearings determined that they represent a security risk. The six defendants previously worked for a \JCIA\j-backed resistance group that failed in an attempt to topple Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and were among 600 people evacuated from northern Iraq in 1996. The six men say they will be executed as traitors if they are returned to Iraq. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Four United States Marines are charged with involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j and negligent \Jhomicide\j in connection with February's cable car disaster in the Italian Dolomites, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people. A Marine Corps spokesman says the four crewmen of the EA-6B Prowler, which severed the cables while flying too low and too fast, also face charges stemming from damage to military property, damage to private property, and dereliction of duty. Despite the request of an Italian prosecutor, the US military succeeded in retaining \Jjurisdiction\j over the four men, maintaining that they were on official duty when the mishap occurred. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Algeria's official media reports that 58 civilians were killed yesterday in two separate massacres by suspected Muslim rebels. According to the report, 47 people died in Djelfa area in the south, and 11 died in Saida province in the country's west. Earlier this week, Bill Richardson, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, expressed outrage over the continued slaughter in Algeria, once again urging it to open its door to human rights investigators. The Algerian Government has repeatedly dismissed suggestions that UN experts should look into the killings, insisting that it does not have a human rights problem. \I(Algeria, USA)\i
David Powers, former special assistant to the late President John F. Kennedy and first curator of the John F. Kennedy Library, dies aged 85 in Arlington, \JMassachusetts\j. Mr. Powers signed on to help with Mr. Kennedy's first political foray, and campaigned with the late leader in every political contest thereafter. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
During a joint news conference with visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, South African President, Nelson Mandela, states that he will not be bullied by a US campaign to isolate \JCuba\j, \JLibya\j, and \JIran\j, all of whom supported South Africa's struggle against \Japartheid\j. Mr. Mandela also rebuffs a trade initiative for Africa that Mr. Clinton is trying to push through the US Congress, saying it would undermine his country's freedom to set its own trade policies. Despite their differences over trade and diplomacy, however, the two leaders proceed to spend the \Jday\j together, visiting the infamous prison cell on Robben Island where Mr. Mandela spent two-thirds of his 27 years in captivity for leading the fight against the \Japartheid\j racial policies of South Africa's previous white-minority government. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, formally nominates Sergei Kiriyenko, as his candidate for new prime minister, warning the State \JDuma\j lower chamber to back his choice or face an early parliamentary election. Mr. Kiriyenko, a 35-year-old unknown, was named acting prime minister on Monday after Mr. Yeltsin sacked his entire Cabinet. \I(Russia)\i
The United States indicates that it might be open to a modified proposal in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking, whereby Israel would offer the Palestinians "quality" rather than "quantity" when ceding West Bank land. Elaborating on the proposal, the State Department defines "quality" as continuous land, rather than larger but disconnected areas of the West Bank. Israel's proposal, however, is less agreeable to Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, who says his people want both "quality and quantity". \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Algeria's official media reports that 58 civilians were killed yesterday in two separate massacres by suspected Muslim rebels. According to the report, 47 people died in Djelfa area in the south, and 11 died in Saida province in the country's west. Earlier this week, Bill Richardson, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, expressed outrage over the continued slaughter in Algeria, once again urging it to open its door to human rights investigators. The Algerian Government has repeatedly dismissed suggestions that UN experts should look into the killings, insisting that it does not have a human rights problem. \I(Algeria, USA)\i
Former United States Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) director, James Woolsey, becomes the lawyer for six Iraqis who face deportation after a series of secret court hearings determined that they represent a security risk. The six defendants previously worked for a \JCIA\j-backed resistance group that failed in an attempt to topple Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, and were among 600 people evacuated from northern Iraq in 1996. The six men say they will be executed as traitors if they are returned to Iraq. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
Four United States Marines are charged with involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j and negligent \Jhomicide\j in connection with February's cable car disaster in the Italian Dolomites, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people. A Marine Corps spokesman says the four crewmen of the EA-6B Prowler, which severed the cables while flying too low and too fast, also face charges stemming from damage to military property, damage to private property, and dereliction of duty. Despite the request of an Italian prosecutor, the US military succeeded in retaining \Jjurisdiction\j over the four men, maintaining that they were on official duty when the mishap occurred. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, offers only lukewarm support for the launch of the European single currency next year, casting serious doubts on the decision to admit \JBelgium\j and \JItaly\j. The Bundesbank says both countries have failed to meet aspects of the convergence criteria, pointing in particular to unsatisfactory levels of government debt. \I(Germany, \JBelgium\j, \JItaly\j, Europe)\i
Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, founder of Porsche AG and one of Europe's last independent car markers, dies aged 88 while holidaying in his native \JAustria\j. Born in Vienna, Ferdinand Porsche moved with his family to \JStuttgart\j in the 1920's, and there helped his father develop the Volkswagen Beetle before coming up with a plan to build a low-slung "fun" sportscar in 1948. \I(\JAustria\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"March 28, 1998",815,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Another 1,133 illegal immigrants depart \JMalaysia\j's main commercial harbor, Port Klang, on two Indonesian trading boats. Malaysian authorities say they are not planning to communicate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees over the deaths of eight Indonesians at the Semenyih detention camp last Thursday, and also rule out allowing independent monitors access to such camps. The authorities dismiss the possibility of granting asylum-seekers from Aceh the status of political refugees, insisting that it would interfere in the domestic affairs of Indonesia. The province of Aceh lies in the north of Indonesia's \JSumatra\j island, and was the scene of a separatist rebellion crushed by troops in the early 1990s. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Indonesia)\i
After three days of talks, Red Cross officials from rival North and South Korea agree on a compromise plan to monitor distribution of food aid in the starving North, clearing the way for a 50,000-ton shipment from the South. When South Korea pledged the food aid last December, it insisted that the operation be supervised, concerned that the aid intended for malnourished families might be diverted to North Korea's military. \I(The Koreas)\i
Archaeologists working in China's eastern Shandong province reveal their discovery of 3,500-year-old sheep bones carved with Chinese characters, a discovery they say offers a glimpse of the primitive origins of the world's oldest written language. Characters found on the bones were deciphered as the Chinese word for "six" and a symbol representing "\Jdivination\j". \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, pays homage to the South African children who led the first sustained black uprising against white rule, visiting the Soweto memorial to 13-year-old Hector Peterson, who was shot dead by police on June 16, 1976, the first \Jday\j of the official crackdown on student dissent. Earlier, Mr. Clinton stopped at the school in \JJohannesburg\j's Thokoza township, where hundreds of black people died in the final year of white rule. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
The US State Department confirms that four Americans have been abducted by Colombian leftist rebels, who are threatening to kill them if they prove to have links with US military intelligence. The State Department maintains that the four hostages were on a bird-watching trip, and accordingly warns US citizens against any unnecessary travel to Colombia. \I(USA, Colombia)\i
A \JDallas\j jury convicts suspended priest, Rudolph Kos, on three counts of aggravated sexual assault and one charge of indecency with a child. Kos, 52, was at the center of a civil lawsuit last July, in which the Roman Catholic Diocese of \JDallas\j was ordered to pay nearly $US120 million in damages to 10 former altar boys, the largest penalty ever levied against the \JCatholic Church\j in a sexual abuse case. \I(USA)\i
Doctors announce that an eight-year-old English boy, starved of oxygen at birth and left unable to speak, has spoken his first words after a few days at the Human Dolphin Therapy Center in Miami, \JFlorida\j, where dolphins are trained to focus their ultrasound on patients' brains. Pop stars, including the Spice Girls, have helped raise the money to pay for the boy's controversial three-week treatment. \I(UK, USA)\i
Venus Williams of the United States defeats \JRussia\j's Anna Kournikova in the final of the Lipton Tennis Championships at Key Biscayne, \JFlorida\j, becoming the first American-born winner of the event since Chris Evert in 1986. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, pays homage to the South African children who led the first sustained black uprising against white rule, visiting the Soweto memorial to 13-year-old Hector Peterson, who was shot dead by police on June 16, 1976, the first \Jday\j of the official crackdown on student dissent. Earlier, Mr. Clinton stopped at the school in \JJohannesburg\j's Thokoza township, where hundreds of black people died in the final year of white rule. \I(USA, South Africa)\i
The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) claims responsibility for Ulster's latest killing, that of a retired policeman who was shot several times at close range while out shopping with his wife yesterday. Sixteen people have now been murdered in the province since late December, when the INLA sparked a new round of \Jterrorism\j with the murder of Maze prison inmate, Billy Wright, the leader of the Loyalist Volunteer Force. Although the INLA has vowed to disrupt the Northern Ireland peace talks, the British and Irish Governments reaffirm their determination to seek a settlement, condemning the latest killing as cowardly and contemptible. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Viktor Chernomyrdin, 59, the former Russian prime minister who was sacked with the rest of the Cabinet on Monday, announces that he will run for the presidency in 2000. Mr. Chernomyrdin's move comes as a surprise to most political observers, and is one that could put him on a collision course with President Boris Yeltsin should Mr. Yeltsin attempt to seek a third term in office. \I(Russia)\i
Tens of thousands of people take to the streets of French cities to protest against regional power-sharing deals between conservative parties and the far-right National Front. Demonstrations by around 20,000 protesters in Paris and 14,000 in Lyons are headed by church leaders, left-wing parties, and unions. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Doctors announce that an eight-year-old English boy, starved of oxygen at birth and left unable to speak, has spoken his first words after a few days at the Human Dolphin Therapy Center in Miami, \JFlorida\j, where dolphins are trained to focus their ultrasound on patients' brains. Pop stars, including the Spice Girls, have helped raise the money to pay for the boy's controversial three-week treatment. \I(UK, USA)\i
Venus Williams of the United States defeats \JRussia\j's Anna Kournikova in the final of the Lipton Tennis Championships at Key Biscayne, \JFlorida\j, becoming the first American-born winner of the event since Chris Evert in 1986. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
#
"March 29, 1998",816,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After a two-\Jday\j debate, Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and his new Hindu nationalist-led coalition government win a parliamentary confidence vote by 274 to 261. However, political commentators warn of further trouble ahead for Mr. Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pointing out that it has more than a dozen coalition partners to keep happy, and that the coalition itself lacks the numbers and is dependent on outside support for its survival. India has had five governments within two years, the last collapsing four months ago and forcing elections which resulted in the most fragmented parliament in 50 years, with more than 40 parties sharing 545 seats. \I(India)\i
Malaysia suspends its mass deportation of Indonesian illegal immigrants as Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, discusses the mounting problem with visiting Indonesian Vice President, Bacharuddin Habibie. After the discussion, Dr. Mahathir says he has Indonesia's consent to continue to deport illegal immigrants, and that Indonesia has also pledged to share the cost of the operation. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Conflicting reports continue to emerge concerning the status of the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng in northern \JCambodia\j. Despite Phnom Penh's claims that the stronghold has fallen following the defection of five Khmer Rouge divisions to the government, Thai officials report that thousands of Cambodian civilians have massed on the border fleeing heavy fighting for control of the base. Meanwhile, a senior Khmer Rouge spokesman insists that the hardline leadership of the guerrilla force, alleged to have fled towards the border, has regained full command of the entire area. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the final \Jday\j of his South African visit, United States President, Bill Clinton, attends a service in Soweto's Catholic Regina Mundi church, which once served as a refuge for black victims of \Japartheid\j and as a focus of opposition to white rule. Mr. Clinton later flies to neighboring \JBotswana\j, one of Africa's oldest democracies, where he holds a brief meeting in the capital, \JGaborone\j, with retiring President, Ketumile Masire, before moving on to the Mowana Safari Lodge, an oasis of luxury overlooking the Chobe River separating \JBotswana\j from \JNamibia\j. Mr. Clinton and his entourage will now spend two nights at the lodge and engage in some sightseeing, including a sunrise safari into Chobe National Park, one of the last unspoiled wilderness areas in Africa. \I(USA, South Africa, \JBotswana\j, \JNamibia\j)\i
The United States Senate Commerce Committee unveils an eight-page outline of a \Jtobacco\j bill that will raise \Jcigarette\j prices by $US1.10 a pack over five years, and will serve as a starting point for Congress this year. Already, however, leading public health advocates are criticizing the bill for being too modest and too weak. \I(USA)\i
Twenty-eight civilian passengers are killed when a Peruvian air force plane crashes into a drainage canal only meters from hundreds of homes outside the town of Piura. The Anatov An-32 was ferrying over 50 people from towns in northern Peru, which have been hit by floods and mudslides triggered by violent El Nino-driven storms. \I(Peru)\i
Tornadoes strike areas of southern \JMinnesota\j, cutting power, felling trees, and causing widespread damage to buildings and farm property. Hospitals report treating at least 38 injured people, while in the town of St. Peter, a six-year-old boy is killed when he is sucked from a van by the force of the storm. \I(USA)\i
The \JFlorida\j Supreme Court rejects an appeal by Judy Buenoano, 54, for a stay of her execution tomorrow. Dubbed the "Black Widow", Buenoano was convicted in 1985 of drowning her 19-year-old handicapped son, poisoning her husband, and trying to blow up a boyfriend. Buenoano collected at least $US210,000 in insurance money as a result of the crimes, and barring a last-minute intervention by \JFlorida\j's Governor, she will become the first women executed in the state since 1848, when a slave named Celia was hanged for smashing the skull of her master with a woodworking tool. \I(USA)\i
Chilean left-hander, Marcelo Rios, scores a straight-sets victory over American Andre Agassi in the final of the Lipton Tennis Championships in Key Biscayne, \JFlorida\j. The victory pushes Rios to No. 1 ranking in the world for the first time, displacing American Pete Sampras who had held the top spot for 102 consecutive weeks. \I(Chile, USA)\i
American golfer, Justin Leonard, comes from five strokes behind in the final round to claim the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, \JFlorida\j. At Rancho Mirage, \JCalifornia\j, meanwhile, American Pat Hurst clinches her first major women's title when she finishes with a seven-under 281 in the LPGA Dinah Shore Tournament. \I(USA)\i
McLaren-Mercedes teammates, Mika Hakkiken of \JFinland\j and David Coulthard of Britain, take out first and second places respectively in the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at San Paulo. \I(Brazil, \JFinland\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the final \Jday\j of his South African visit, United States President, Bill Clinton, attends a service in Soweto's Catholic Regina Mundi church, which once served as a refuge for black victims of \Japartheid\j and as a focus of opposition to white rule. Mr. Clinton later flies to neighboring \JBotswana\j, one of Africa's oldest democracies, where he holds a brief meeting in the capital, \JGaborone\j, with retiring President, Ketumile Masire, before moving on to the Mowana Safari Lodge, an oasis of luxury overlooking the Chobe River separating \JBotswana\j from \JNamibia\j. Mr. Clinton and his entourage will now spend two nights at the lodge and engage in some sightseeing, including a sunrise safari into Chobe National Park, one of the last unspoiled wilderness areas in Africa. \I(USA, South Africa, \JBotswana\j, \JNamibia\j)\i
Up to 100 Hutu rebel militiamen attack a camp for both Hutu and Tutsi displaced people in \JRwanda\j's troubled northwest province of Ruhengeri, slaughtering 20 people and wounding 42 others. As well as looting \Jcattle\j and belongings, the rebels also storm the local prison, freeing 29 inmates. Since December, Hutu rebels have stepped up their assaults in Ruhengeri and neighboring Gisenyi province, targeting both civilians and the military in their campaign against the Tutsi-dominated government. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
Russia's Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, rejects President Boris Yeltsin's choice of Sergei Kiriyenko as new prime minister, denouncing as \Jblackmail\j Mr. Yeltsin's threat to dissolve the \JDuma\j if his nominee is not confirmed. Mr. Zyuganov insists that it would be the height of irresponsibility to hand the country's second most important post to an unknown and immature figure such as Mr. Kiriyenko, and says he will instruct his 138 deputies to vote against the confirmation, scheduled for later this week. \I(Russia)\i
Ukrainians begin voting in parliamentary elections in which the Communist Party is expected to emerge ahead of centrist and conservative parties. The government owes $US3.25 billion in unpaid wages and pensions to state workers and the elderly, and it is anticipated that most of \JUkraine\j's 37 million registered voters will cast their ballots on material hardships rather than \Jideology\j. \I(\JUkraine\j)\i
The Christian Brothers, the Catholic order that once played a key role in Ireland's education system, takes out half-page advertisements in Irish newspapers to apologize for abuse inflicted on students in its schools and institutions. The advertisements also provide \Jtelephone\j numbers where confidential help can be obtained for pupils who experienced abuse, including sexual abuse, at the hands of members of the order. The Christian Brothers have traditionally been associated with boys' schools and orphanages in Ireland. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
Israeli archaeologists claim to have uncovered the world's oldest known \Jsynagogue\j, located within the complex of a Hasmonean winter palace built between 75BC and 50BC during the reign of Queen Salome or one of her sons. The palace itself was discovered 25 years ago at a site that is now an Israeli-occupied area of the West Bank near the Palestinian self-rule town of Jericho. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
After a seven-year custody battle between \JItaly\j and \JAustria\j, the 5,300-year-old Ice Man, discovered by hikers during a thaw in the Similaun \Jglacier\j in the Dolomites, goes on public display in the archaeological museum in \JBolzano\j, in the Italian Tyrol. Visitors to the museum can see the hunter as he was when he died, his head resting on his left arm and his legs slightly twisted, a pose suggesting that he fell asleep from exhaustion and died of exposure. \I(\JItaly\j, \JAustria\j)\i
McLaren-Mercedes teammates, Mika Hakkiken of \JFinland\j and David Coulthard of Britain, take out first and second places respectively in the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at San Paulo. \I(Brazil, \JFinland\j, UK)\i
#
"March 30, 1998",817,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodia's former first prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, receives a hero's welcome from loyalists of his Funcinpec party when he returns to Phnom Penh after eight months of self-imposed exile in \JThailand\j. Prince Ranariddh pledges to work with established Cambodian institutions and all political parties, including the Cambodian People's Party of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who toppled the prince in coup last July. Prince Ranariddh won a 1993 election but agreed to a power sharing coalition when Hun Sen objected to the result, and the international community views the prince's return as offering the best prospect for fair and democratic elections on July 26 this year. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
The South Korean Government announces that people over 65 will be allowed to visit relatives in North Korea, stipulating, however, that they must have an invitation from \JPyongyang\j and a letter guaranteeing their safety. The South Korean Government and the Red Cross are also planning to set up an information center with a \Jdatabase\j for families to locate relatives from whom they have been separated since the 1950-53 Korean War. \I(The Koreas)\i
Recent Hong Kong opinion polls indicate that pro-democracy candidates could win between eight and 13 of the 20 Legislative Council seats that will be directly elected on May 24, regaining a voice in local politics for the first time since the territory was handed over to China on July 1, 1997. However, new election rules have tilted the contest in favor of pro-\JBeijing\j groups, which means that pro-democracy politicians will still be heavily outnumbered in the 60-seat Legislative Council. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
The \JPhilippines\j says it is seeking foreign assistance in its battle against forest fires that have been raging for two weeks on southwestern \JPalawan\j island. \JCloud\j-seeding operations in the region have had little effect on the fires, which have already damaged 15,000 hectares of forest areas where several \Jendangered species\j and rare plants are found. The blazes are thought to have been caused by slash-and-burn farming aggravated by the El Nino dry spell. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, winds up a diplomatic mission to the \JMiddle East\j, reporting a lack of progress in breaking the stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians, and conceding that hopes for peace in the region are fast diminishing. During meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Mr. Ross tried to promote a US initiative to restart peace talks based on an Israeli West Bank troop redeployment matched by Palestinian steps against Muslim militants. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Former United States Senator, George Mitchell, who is chairing the Northern Ireland multi-party peace talks, signals a new urgency in the quest for an accord by announcing that he intends to hold intensive one-to-one meetings with negotiating teams. Mr. Mitchell acknowledges that serious issues still divide the rival parties, but says he is confident that they can meet a deadline for an agreement in 10 days. British officials, meanwhile, confirm that Prime Minister Tony Blair is also prepared to become more closely involved if it is thought that his efforts will help seal a pact between the parties. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), meeting at a special session in Vienna, agree to cut output by 1.245 million barrels a \Jday\j under an accord to reduce global supply and raise prices, which have slumped by 40 per cent since last October. The cuts are approved as part of a pact with non-OPEC producers, including major exporters \JNorway\j and Mexico. \I(\JAustria\j, \JNorway\j, Mexico)\i
The United States Supreme Court considers its first AIDS-related case, hearing arguments on whether the law barring discrimination based on disability applies to people who have \JHIV\j, but who have no symptoms of AIDS. At the center of the issue is whether a Maine dentist discriminated when he told an \JHIV\j-position patient that he would fill her cavity in a \Jhospital\j, but not in his office. \I(USA)\i
The state of \JFlorida\j executes convicted killer Judy Buenoano, 54, dubbed the "Black Widow" for poisoning her husband, drowning her son, and trying to blow up her boyfriend. Buenoano is the country's first woman to die in an electric chair, and only the third woman put to death in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, winds up a diplomatic mission to the \JMiddle East\j, reporting a lack of progress in breaking the stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians, and conceding that hopes for peace in the region are fast diminishing. During meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Mr. Ross tried to promote a US initiative to restart peace talks based on an Israeli West Bank troop redeployment matched by Palestinian steps against Muslim militants. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Diplomats announce that United Nations arms inspectors have now investigated six of the eight Iraqi presidential sites at the center of the recent dispute with \JBaghdad\j. The diplomats say no major problems were encountered during the inspections, and that Iraqi officials were amicable and non-confrontational. Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, also attended the inspections to deal with any disagreements arising over the perimeter of the sites. \I(Iraq)\i
Former United States Senator, George Mitchell, who is chairing the Northern Ireland multi-party peace talks, signals a new urgency in the quest for an accord by announcing that he intends to hold intensive one-to-one meetings with negotiating teams. Mr. Mitchell acknowledges that serious issues still divide the rival parties, but says he is confident that they can meet a deadline for an agreement in 10 days. British officials, meanwhile, confirm that Prime Minister Tony Blair is also prepared to become more closely involved if it is thought that his efforts will help seal a pact between the parties. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, offers his first comments on the weekend announcement that former prime minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, plans to run in the 2000 presidential election. Mr. Yeltsin confirms that he will not seek reelection, and says Mr. Chernomyrdin's move fits into the \JKremlin\j's scheme of thinking. However, Mr. Yeltsin stops short of anointing the former prime minister as his successor, maintaining that the people must choose their head of state. \I(Russia)\i
Preliminary results in \JUkraine\j's parliamentary election show that while the Communist Party is ahead with 25.8 per cent of the votes, a surprise surge by independent candidates will dilute the legislative supremacy of the Left. Further results, in which 30 parties and blocs competed on a party list for the remaining 225 places in the 450-seat single-chamber parliament, have yet to be released. \I(\JUkraine\j)\i
Champagne flows in Brussels as the 15-member European Union formally launches a milestone project to build a 26-nation bloc by early next century. The EU has grown gradually for a core of six states since the 1957 Treaty of \JRome\j, but the current plan to extend membership to 10 former communist states and Cyprus constitutes its most ambitious enlargement. With the enlargement, the EU expects to grow into a market of more than 500 million people, producing over a fifth of the world's goods and services. \I(\JBelgium\j, Cyprus, Europe)\i
Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), meeting at a special session in Vienna, agree to cut output by 1.245 million barrels a \Jday\j under an accord to reduce global supply and raise prices, which have slumped by 40 per cent since last October. The cuts are approved as part of a pact with non-OPEC producers, including major exporters \JNorway\j and Mexico. \I(\JAustria\j, \JNorway\j, Mexico)\i
The British pound soars to 108.9 against a number of world currencies, its highest level for a decade. Against the German mark, sterling hits a peak of DM3.0966, the highest level since August 1, 1989. Capital markets economists estimate that the rise in the pound since the beginning of last year could wipe 10 per cent off British exports over the next two to three years, condemning manufacturing to a recession and creating a crisis in the nation's balance of payments. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
A progress report by Britain's Agriculture Ministry predicts that the epidemic of mad cow disease, known to scientists as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), will dwindle to an insignificant level by the year 2001. The report puts the number of confirmed cases in the first 11 months of 1997 at 3,410, compared with 8,016 in the whole of 1996. In 1992, the peak year of BSE, there were 36,682 confirmed cases. Exports of British beef have been banned by the European Union for the past two years after scientists found that the disease could be transmitted to humans who consumed infected meat. \I(UK, Europe)\i
Vickers, the owner of \JRolls-Royce\j Motor Cars, announces that the luxury British car maker will be sold to BMW, \JGermany\j's second largest car company, for $US550 million. BMW successfully fought off bids by German rival Volkswagen and groups of \JRolls-Royce\j enthusiasts. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
An engraved silver dance trophy won by the late Diana, Princess of Wales when she was a teenager sells for ú7,000 during an auction conducted at her old school, West Heath, in Sevenoaks, southeastern England. The trophy, which originally cost just ú20, takes only 30 seconds to sell. \I(UK)\i
#
"March 31, 1998",818,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets in \JBeijing\j with Chinese Vice Premier, Qian Qichen, discussing a range of issues including the Asian financial crisis, the Korean peace negotiations, the \JMiddle East\j peace process, and the weapons inspection program in \JIraq\j. After the meeting, Mr. Annan says he welcomes \JBeijing\j's pledge to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and also its offer to host a visit from Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(China)\i
The United Nations Security Council approves an arms embargo against Yugoslavia, intensifying international pressure on President Slobodan Milosevic to employ dialogue rather than force in resolving tensions with ethnic Albanians in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. \JRussia\j agrees to vote in favor of the resolution after violence and \Jterrorism\j on the Albanian side is denounced in stronger terms, but China abstains from the vote, maintaining that the trouble in \JKosovo\j is an internal matter for the Yugoslav Government. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
Cambodia's former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, spends the second \Jday\j of his return from exile locked in discussions with Japanese and Southeast Asian peace brokers. Issues yet to be resolved include the fate of two of the prince's generals convicted on conspiracy and weapons charges, and the status of his armed forces, which incorporate Khmer Rouge guerrillas and are still holed up in northwest Cambodia. Meanwhile, as fighting continues around the northern Khmer Rouge base of Anlong Veng amid conflicting claims of victory, \JThailand\j says it is preparing to take in around 7,000 Cambodian civilians who have fled to the border. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
The East Timorese armed resistance movement, Falintil, names Taur Matan Ruak as the successor to its leader, Nino Konis Santana, who is reported to have died in an accidental fall. Mr. Santana assumed the leadership of the armed wing of the Fretilin party in 1993 after the arrest of Xanana Gusmao, now serving a 20-year sentence in a Jakarta prison. Mr. Gusmao's spokesman abroad, Nobel peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta, is said to have confirmed Mr. Santana's death through resistance sources. \I(East Timor, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Indonesia's Manpower Minister announces that the minimum wage will not be increased this year despite workers' claims that it no longer covers their most basic needs. As food prices spiral due to the country's economic crisis, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that there are 10 million new poor in Indonesia, pushing the number in poverty up to 32.5 million. Figures released recently also show that unemployment has doubled to 8.7 million as a result of the crisis, with another 18.4 million people underemployed. Overall, the ILO says 30 per cent of the Indonesian workforce does not have adequate employment. \I(Indonesia)\i
At a seminar attended by representatives of 21 countries, \JMyanmar\j calls on transit and consumer nations to help in its war against the production and trafficking of drugs. \JMyanmar\j, which forms one corner of the notorious Golden Triangle poppy growing area, is the world's largest opium producer, and has been targeted for not doing enough to stamp out the trade. In calling for help, however, \JMyanmar\j insists that one country cannot fight the battle alone. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In response to the spiraling crime rate, the \JBangladesh\j Cabinet approves a tough new law imposing the death penalty for men involved in the abduction, trafficking, or sexual abuse of women. Until now, ten years in jail has been the maximum penalty for men convicted of trafficking in, raping, or murdering women. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Legislation is presented before \JNew Zealand\j's Parliament giving the \JMaori\j Ngai Tahu tribe a multi-million-dollar compensation package including cash, assets, and around 930 hectares of South Island land, the most substantial settlement yet for traditional land grievances. The tribe will also receive an official apology from the Crown acknowledging breaches of the principles of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
1995 Nobel Prize winner, Sherwood Rowland, of the University of \JCalifornia\j, Irvine, reveals that remote regions of the South Pacific show levels of unhealthy smog-forming ozone resembling those found in Los Angeles. Mr. Rowland cites the main cause of the ozone \Jpollution\j as smoke from agricultural burning on distant continents, and says his findings indicate the widespread effects of fires on areas of the \Jatmosphere\j otherwise thought to be pristine. \I(USA, South Pacific)\i
The World Wide Fund for Nature expresses concern over the survival of the \Jorang-utan\j population in \JIndonesia\j's \JKalimantan\j province, where forest fires, \Jdrought\j, and poachers are taking a deadly toll. The fund says the animals, forced from their natural habitat in search of food and \Jwater\j, have become extremely vulnerable, and estimates that only 2,500 orang-utans remain in \JKalimantan\j, with vital foods such as fruits and leaves not expected to grow back in fire-ravaged areas for two to three years. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After spending two nights at a safari hideaway in the \JBotswana\j elephant country, United States President, Bill Clinton, heads back to the capital, \JGaborone\j, where he delivers a speech at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve, stressing the need for vigilance against poaching of elephants for their ivory, and pledging new efforts to protect the environment in Africa and elsewhere around the world. Mr. Clinton later embarks upon the last leg of his six-nation African tour, flying to the former French West African colony of \JSenegal\j, where he is greeted on his arrival by President Abdou Diouf. \I(USA, \JBotswana\j, \JSenegal\j, \JFrance\j)\i
After a four-hour session of its policy-making Federal Open Market Committee, the United States Federal Reserve decides to leave key interest rates unchanged, a widely expected decision which creates no more than a fleeting ripple on the nation's financial markets. \I(USA)\i
United States District Judge, Susan Webber Wright, warns lawyers in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against violating disclosure strictures. The warning comes after lawyers for Ms. Jones make public a motion disclosing the identity of a "Jane Doe" witness who was allegedly sexually assaulted by President Bill Clinton two decades ago. Meanwhile, Mr. Clinton's attorney, Robert Bennett, denounces the filing as a salacious publicity stunt, pointing out that the "Jane Doe" witness has previously denied the allegation under oath. \I(USA)\i
The state of \JFlorida\j executes its fourth convicted killer in nine days. Daniel Remeta, 40, who was found by the court to have a mental age of approximately 13 years, was sentenced to die in the electric chair for the 1985 murder of a store clerk during a robbery that netted $US50. Remeta was also linked to four other murders in a crime spree across \JFlorida\j, \JTexas\j, Kansas, and \JArkansas\j. During an interview, Remeta said he "just liked to kill people". \I(USA)\i
1995 Nobel Prize winner, Sherwood Rowland, of the University of \JCalifornia\j, Irvine, reveals that remote regions of the South Pacific show levels of unhealthy smog-forming ozone resembling those found in Los Angeles. Mr. Rowland cites the main cause of the ozone \Jpollution\j as smoke from agricultural burning on distant continents, and says his findings indicate the widespread effects of fires on areas of the \Jatmosphere\j otherwise thought to be pristine. \I(USA, South Pacific)\i
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health identify another gene \Jmutation\j that influences a women's chances of developing breast cancer. The gene, known as GST, controls production of an \Jenzyme\j which can detoxify cancer-causing agents. Researchers already attribute between five and 10 per cent of female breast cancers to mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. \I(USA)\i
Bella Abzug, lawyer, pioneer feminist, and former political representative, dies aged 77 from complications arising from heart surgery. Ms. Abzug, noted for her distinctive Bronx accent and trademark large-brimmed hats, first ran for the United States Congress under the slogan: "A woman's place is in the house - the \JHouse of Representatives\j". As well as serving in Congress from 1971 to 1977, Ms. Abzug was a passionate anti-war campaigner and a leading advocate for women's health care and breast cancer research. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As the push for a Northern Ireland settlement intensifies, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, cites an imminent United Nations report as furthering the argument for the disbandment of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The report, due to be released tomorrow, will call for independent inquiries into the RUC's alleged intimidation of lawyers representing paramilitary suspects, and the 1989 murder of republican lawyer, Pat Finucane, shot by loyalists allegedly colluding with British security forces. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Robert Kocharyan, 43, Armenia's prime minister and acting president, wins a landslide victory in the presidential run-off against Karen Demirchyan, polling more than 60 per cent of the vote. Mr. Kocharyan, a hardliner in Armenia's conflict with \JAzerbaijan\j over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, was instrumental in forcing last month's resignation of former president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who favored compromise in regional peace negotiations. \I(Armenia, \JAzerbaijan\j)\i
The European Union opens membership talks with \JPoland\j, the Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JEstonia\j, and Cyprus. In \JAnkara\j, meanwhile, Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders hold the first meeting of a new joint Association Council, branding the EU negotiations with the Greek Cypriot Government as a "historic mistake", and pledging to merge into a single Turkish state if the existence of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is threatened. Turkey's bid to be included in this stage of EU enlargement was rejected, and Turkish Cypriots have refused to join the Greek Cypriot team in its negotiations with the European bloc. \I(\JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JSlovenia\j, \JEstonia\j, Cyprus, Turkey, Europe)\i
The United Nations Security Council approves an arms embargo against Yugoslavia, intensifying international pressure on President Slobodan Milosevic to employ dialogue rather than force in resolving tensions with ethnic Albanians in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. \JRussia\j agrees to vote in favor of the resolution after violence and \Jterrorism\j on the Albanian side is denounced in stronger terms, but China abstains from the vote, maintaining that the trouble in \JKosovo\j is an internal matter for the Yugoslav Government. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
After spending two nights at a safari hideaway in the \JBotswana\j elephant country, United States President, Bill Clinton, heads back to the capital, \JGaborone\j, where he delivers a speech at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve, stressing the need for vigilance against poaching of elephants for their ivory, and pledging new efforts to protect the environment in Africa and elsewhere around the world. Mr. Clinton later embarks upon the last leg of his six-nation African tour, flying to the former French West African colony of \JSenegal\j, where he is greeted on his arrival by President Abdou Diouf. \I(USA, \JBotswana\j, \JSenegal\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"April 1, 1998",819,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, riot police break up brawls between supporters of former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and a group of opponents demanding compensation from the prince for damages suffered during fighting in the capital last July. Meanwhile, as battles continue to rage in the country's northern jungles, Western diplomats confirm that the outlawed Khmer Rouge guerrilla movement, weakened by large numbers of defections to the Government side, finally appears to be disintegrating as an effective fighting force. \I(Cambodia)\i
Following a three-week assessment of \JIndonesia\j's crops and food supply, the United Nations says up to 8 million poor rural families are already existing on less than two meals a \Jday\j, and that up to 7.5 million people in 15 provinces risk experiencing food insecurity until early next year because of continuing \Jdrought\j and deepening economic problems. The UN statement comes as representatives from more than 20 donor countries meet to set up a humanitarian relief program to help Indonesians through the crisis. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
International human rights groups call on \JMalaysia\j to suspend its deportation of illegal Indonesian immigrants until the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Kuala Lumpur has a chance to interview Acehnese asylum-seekers. The rights groups say many Acehnese have a valid claim to refugee status because of their links to Aceh Merdeka, the armed Acehnese separatist movement in \JSumatra\j, which has been waging a low-level insurgency against the Indonesian Government since the mid-1970s. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Indonesia)\i
The Australian High Court rules that a Federal law banning an Aboriginal challenge to the construction of a South Australian bridge is valid. In a long-running dispute, Aboriginal women have sought to use the indigenous heritage protection law to block the proposed Hindmarsh Island Bridge, at the mouth of the \JMurray River\j, claiming that the site is used for secret women's business. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an unexpected move, United States District Court Judge, Susan Webber, dismisses the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton. In her ruling, Judge Webber says the case fails to reveal a basis for a claim of criminal sexual assault or sexual harassment, providing no evidence that Ms. Jones had suffered in her job or her working environment, or that she had suffered severe emotional distress. Ms. Jones alleged that Mr. Clinton exposed himself to her and asked for oral sex inside a Little Rock hotel room in May 1991, when he was Governor of \JArkansas\j and she was a government employee. Since the lawsuit was filed in 1994, lawyers for Ms. Jones have unleashed a flood of allegations of womanizing by Mr. Clinton, sparking the current criminal investigation into his relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. \I(USA)\i
Special Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, says the dismissal of the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit will not affect his authority to continue his expanded criminal investigation into presidential wrongdoing. In August 1994, Mr. Starr was appointed to probe the Clintons' role in the failed Whitewater land development in \JArkansas\j, but this year he expanded his inquiry to cover allegations arising from the Paula Jones case, convening a grand jury to investigate whether President Bill Clinton had a sexual relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and urged her to lie about it when submitting a written affidavit to Ms. Jones's lawyers. \I(USA)\i
Suspended Roman Catholic priest, Rudolph Kos, 52, is sentenced by a \JDallas\j jury to life in prison on three charges of aggravated sexual assault, and to 20 years in prison on four lesser charges of sexual assault and indecency with a child. The criminal charges against Kos led to record civil damages against the Roman Catholic diocese of \JDallas\j last July, when jurors ruled that senior church officials were guilty of gross negligence, malice, conspiracy, and \Jfraud\j for ignoring all warnings about Kos, and covering up evidence when at least 10 altar boys complained. \I(USA)\i
The United States Senate Commerce Committee votes 19-1 for a comprehensive \Jtobacco\j bill raising \Jcigarette\j prices by $US1.10 over five years, and limiting the legal liability of \Jtobacco\j companies to $US6.5 billion a year. However, as Commerce chairman John McCain points out, it is only a first round and there are many other rounds to fight before the bill becomes law. \I(USA)\i
Brazil's Environment Institute announces that rainfall over the past two days has extinguished more than 95 per cent of the fires that have been raging since January in the savanna and jungles of the northern Amazon. The region's rainy season is not expected to begin fully until the end of April, and the institute warns that it is still too early to declare the crisis over, due to the risk of re-ignition. The Amazon fires are the worst on record, having advanced into the more fragile \Jrainforest\j and threatened the huge reservation of the primitive Yanomami Indians. \I(Brazil)\i
Two people die and 1,100 are forced from their homes as the worst spring floods in 20 years sweep through Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec. The flooding comes as southern areas of the province still struggle to recover from widespread damage and power failures caused by severe ice storms in January. \I(Canada)\i
Researchers in Maine and \JMassachusetts\j report a new blood screening test that can detect Down syndrome in a fetus between nine and 14 weeks of \Jpregnancy\j, nearly two months earlier than previously possible. Most fetuses diagnosed with the disorder are aborted, and the researchers say earlier detection will reduce the physical and psychological trauma more commonly experienced by women in the second trimester of \Jpregnancy\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As Northern Ireland peace talks turn fractious, Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, holds hastily-called talks with Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, before flying to London to meet with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. At the center of contention are articles in the Irish Constitution claiming Northern Irish territory. Ulster Unionists want the claims rescinded before negotiations move to other issues, but Sinn Fein is calling on Mr. Blair to force the unionists to compromise. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Israel's Inner Cabinet adopts United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, which calls for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from southern \JLebanon\j. Despite Israel's public commitment, however, it makes the pullback conditional on guarantees that \JLebanon\j will deploy its army southward to prevent cross-border guerrilla attacks, a condition \JLebanon\j has previously dismissed as falling short of acceptance of the 1978 resolution. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Palestinian police reveal that a suspected master bomb-maker from the Islamic group Hamas was fatally shot before his body was placed beside a car blown up by remote control in the West Bank town of Ramallah last Sunday. Israel, meanwhile, is denying involvement in the death of Muhyideen al-Sharif, who topped its list of militants wanted in connection with suicide bomb attacks that have killed scores of Israelis. Israeli security services believe Sharif took over from Hamas bomb-maker, Yahya Ayash, who was blown up in Gaza in 1996 by a booby-trapped mobile \Jtelephone\j. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) inspectors enter the last two Iraqi presidential sites previously ruled off-limits, including the Republican Palace in \JBaghdad\j, which is the seat of the Government and considered the most important. Diplomats accompanying the inspectors estimate that the task will take some days, and once again praise Iraq's cooperation during the visits, the first inspections of the eight presidential sites in UNSCOM's seven years of disarmament work in Iraq. \I(Iraq)\i
Confrontation is averted when \JRussia\j's Communist-dominated \JDuma\j decides to drop its demand that President Boris Yeltsin suspend his nomination of Sergei Kiriyenko as the nation's new prime minister. The decision comes after Mr. Yeltsin invites the heads of the \JDuma\j and the Federation Council to hold talks at his Rus residence outside Moscow, a venue normally reserved for meetings with foreign leaders. The president is empowered to dissolve the \JDuma\j if it rejects his prime-ministerial candidate in three separate votes, a power Mr. Yeltsin has threatened to wield. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The \JKremlin\j announces that a trove of classified Stalin-era documents are to be released from the Communist Party \JPolitburo\j's archive and handed over to the commission for the rehabilitation of victims of Soviet repression. A \JKremlin\j spokesman says many of the documents include resolutions and short notes made personally by the former Soviet dictator, as well as transcripts of interrogations and trials, and letters of the arrested and convicted. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The Bosnian Serb Government declares the German mark an official temporary currency, announcing that all public salaries and pension will be paid in marks this month. The introduction of a double monetary system follows the sudden 45 per cent \Jdevaluation\j of the Yugoslav dinar, a plunge that is threatening to cause financial chaos in the region. \I(Bosnia, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Scientists report that an ancient alignment of megaliths discovered several years ago in \JEgypt\j's \JSahara Desert\j are between 6,000 and 6,500 years old, the oldest yet discovered, being 1,000 years older than \JStonehenge\j in Wiltshire, England. The site, known as Nabta, was used by nomads until about 4,800 years ago, when annual monsoon rains moved southwest and the area became too dry to inhabit. \I(\JEgypt\j, UK)\i
A Stradivarius violin, dated 1727, becomes the world's most valuable musical instrument when it sells for ú947,500 at Christie's in London, eclipsing the record held by the Mendelssohn Stradivarius, which fetched ú902,000 in November 1990. It is believed that the violin was once owned by the French violinist Rudolphe Kreutzer (1766-1831), to whom Beethoven dedicated his Kreutzer Sonata. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 2, 1998",820,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Riot police cordon off the Phnom Penh hotel of former Cambodian co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, recently returned from months of exile in \JThailand\j. The security clampdown follows violent clashes between the prince's supporters and those of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who ousted Prince Ranariddh in a bloody coup last July. The international community has insisted on the prince's return to Cambodia in order to ensure that polls scheduled for July 26 are free and fair. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
At least 40 students are injured when Indonesian police use tear gas and stones to break up a 1,000-strong anti-Government protest in the Central Java university town of Yogyakarta. In the capital, Jakarta, hundreds of students demonstrating for political and economic reforms are blocked by police from entering the street outside the campus, but there are no reports of violence. Meanwhile, Indonesia's national airline, Garuda, hard hit by the country's economic crisis, announces that it is suspending six international services. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesian military authorities in East \JTimor\j stage a dawn raid against alleged members of the Fretilin resistance movement in the village of Comoro, located in the western region of the capital, Dili. The authorities seize documents and arrest seven separatist members on charges of disrupting security in East \JTimor\j, including one member who is shot and wounded while trying to escape. In announcing the arrests, the chief of the East \JTimor\j military command, Colonel Slamat Sidabutar, also strongly denies recent reports of the death of Nino Konis Santana, the leader of the armed wing of the Fretilin movement. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
In Hong Kong, preliminary voting begins in the first elections under Chinese rule, with a limited pool of voters casting ballots to fill 588 of the 800 seats on a special election committee, which in turn will choose 10 of the 60 members elected to the Legislative Council in the full poll scheduled for May 24. Only 20 members of the council will be elected directly by popular vote, with the remaining 30 members to be elected by blocks of professional and special-interest groups, a system Hong Kong's pro-democracy leaders have condemned as fraudulent. \I(Hong Kong)\i
A United Nations-sponsored study finds that half of South Asia's 800 million adults are illiterate, with barely one in three women able to read or write. A report on the study says South Asian countries, such as \JPakistan\j, \JBangladesh\j, and \JNepal\j, lead the world in neglecting the education of their girls and women, with girls spending just a third as much time in schools as boys. The report specifically cites \JNepal\j as an example, where 90 per cent of female candidates failed a recent school leaving certificate examination. \I(\JNepal\j, South Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the final speech of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to African-Americans and the continent their ancestors left as slaves. At a monument to the horrors of the trans-Atlantic \Jslave trade\j at Goree Island, \JSenegal\j, Mr. Clinton acknowledges the historic bond between Africa and America, and says the long journey of African-Americans proves that the spirit can never be enslaved. As expected, Mr. Clinton offers no formal US apology for the trade in which at least 20 million Africans were shipped into bondage in the Americas. \I(USA, \JSenegal\j, Africa)\i
Citing new evidence, Coretta Scott King, widow of slain United States \Jcivil rights\j leader Martin Luther King Jr., says she does not believe that James Earl Ray killed her husband and will appeal to President Bill Clinton to initiate a full investigation into the April 4, 1968 assassination. Prior to his conviction, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the killing, but has since recanted his confession. \I(USA)\i
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic say they have developed a new ultrasound technique that can detect early signs of \Jheart disease\j and breast cancer, eliminating the need for X-rays and other expensive medical procedures. The technique, called Ultrasound-Stimulated Vibro-Acoustic Spectorgraphy, uses two low frequency beams to target specific areas of tissue that tests and scans might otherwise overlook. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli security forces are placed on high alert as thousands of Palestinian mourners bury suspected Hamas master bomb-maker, Muhyideen al-Sharif, who was found shot dead in Ramallah beside the shell of an explosives-packed car last Sunday. The Islamic group Hamas accuses Israel of assassinating Sharif and is vowing to avenge his death, but Israel denies any involvement, and has appealed to the Palestinian Authority not to create an \Jatmosphere\j that will lead to violence. Meanwhile, Palestinian police report that they have rounded up several Hamas activists in connection with a special investigation ordered by President Yasser Arafat. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
As the push for a Northern Ireland settlement enters its crucial final stage, Irish police discover a huge home-made bomb hidden in a car bound for Britain. The bomb, set up with timers and Semtex explosive boosters, is one of the biggest ever found, and police believe it to be the work of the new 32 County Sovereignty Group, a dissident republican faction that views the Northern Ireland multi-party peace talks as a political sell-out of pro-united Ireland republican ideals. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, calls for a referendum to determine whether Serbs want foreign mediation to help resolve the \JKosovo\j crisis. Mr. Milosevic's move is perceived by the West as a manoeuvre to gain popular support for his \JKosovo\j policy and counter pressure for outside mediation, which he has flatly rejected to date. The West, meanwhile, has rejected ethnic \JAlbanian\j demands for \JKosovo\j's independence, but has given Mr. Milosevic until later this month to open talks on autonomy for the province, where Albanians make up 90 per cent of the population, and where at least 80 were killed last month in a crackdown by Serb police on village strongholds of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
A train carrying 620 tonnes of wheat from the Croatian Adriatic port of Ploce arrives in the Bosnian Serb town of Brcko, the first train to use the line since the start of the 1991-1995 Yugoslav conflict. The re-opening of the rail link comes as a result of a memorandum of understanding, signed in February by Bosnia's two autonomous territories: the Muslim-Croat federation and the Serb republic. \I(Croatia, Bosnia, Yugoslavia)\i
In one of the largest exchanges in recent years, \JIran\j announces that it is releasing nearly 5,600 Iraqi prisoners in return for the release of 380 Iranians captured by Iraq during the 1980-1988 war. The prisoner-of-war issue is still a matter of contention between the former foes, along with charges that each country backs armed rebels from the other side. \I(\JIran\j, Iraq)\i
At special meetings with \JDuma\j and Federation Council leaders, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, defuses a looming political crisis over his choice of Sergei Kiriyenko as new prime minister, agreeing to "round table" talks next week, and also agreeing to listen to alternative proposals on who should fill the post. The battle lines are still in place, however, with the Communist Party determined to vote against the appointment of Mr. Kiriyenko, and prepared to fight early elections if a stalemate over the issue provokes Mr. Yeltsin to dissolve the \JDuma\j. \I(Russia)\i
In the final speech of his six-nation African tour, United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to African-Americans and the continent their ancestors left as slaves. At a monument to the horrors of the trans-Atlantic \Jslave trade\j at Goree Island, \JSenegal\j, Mr. Clinton acknowledges the historic bond between Africa and America, and says the long journey of African-Americans proves that the spirit can never be enslaved. As expected, Mr. Clinton offers no formal US apology for the trade in which at least 20 million Africans were shipped into bondage in the Americas. \I(USA, \JSenegal\j, Africa)\i
A French court sentences Maurice Papon, 87, a former senior official in the collaborationist \JVichy\j Government, to ten years in prison on war crimes charges. The jury found Papon guilty of complicity in organizing the round-up and deportation of Jews from \JBordeaux\j during World War II, but acquitted him on charges of complicity in the deaths of the Jews, most of whom perished at \JAuschwitz\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
At least 30 Iranians on the annual Muslim haj pilgrimage to Mecca are killed when their bus catches fire following a collision with a fuel tanker in southern Turkey. The haj pilgrimage in Saudi \JArabia\j has frequently been marred by disaster, with 343 people killed last year when a fire swept through a tent camp. \I(Iran, Saudi \JArabia\j, Turkey)\i
#
"April 3, 1998",821,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese yen plunges to a seven-year low against the US dollar after ratings agency, Moody's Investors Service, lowers Japan's currency outlook rating from stable to negative, and criticizes the Japanese Government's ability to boost growth. Fears that Japan's flagging economy is heading for deeper trouble soon, send stock and currency markets tumbling throughout the Asian region. This occurs most noticeably in Hong Kong, where the currency comes under speculative pressure, slipping to the key level of $HK7.75 to the US dollar, the intervention point for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to defend the peg of around $HK7.8 to the US dollar. \I(Japan, Hong Kong, Asia)\i
At the opening of the second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in London, \JJapan\j faces sustained pressure to revive its staggering economy and stimulate domestic consumer demand to help Asia overcome its financial turmoil. Despite the pressure, however, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, insists that the worst of the crisis is over, and that the current trials will serve as a launch pad to carry Asia forward to the next stage. \I(\JJapan\j, UK, Asia, Europe)\i
Prince Norodom Ranariddh ends his first visit to \JCambodia\j since he was deposed as co-prime minister in July 1997, calling for improved security to enable him to run a credible campaign to contest elections scheduled for July 26. During his five-\Jday\j stay in Phnom Penh, Prince Ranariddh was seldom able to leave his hotel, which became the site of clashes between hundreds of his supporters and those of arch-rival Hun Sen, \JCambodia\j's second prime minister. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The Karen National Union (KNU), which has been fighting \JMyanmar\j's Government for 50 years, claims to have carried out six simultaneous attacks against the pro-\JMyanmar\j splinter group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), killing 30 of its members and seizing a large quantity of ammunition and supplies. Over the past month, the DKBA has launched cross-border raids on camps sheltering 100,000 ethnic Karen refugees inside \JThailand\j, and the reported attacks are the latest in a series of tit-for-tat strikes by the rival forces. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average breaks through the 9,000-point milestone before settling back to close at 8983.4, a boost attributed to news that the United States economy may be slowing at a pace that will keep the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates. It has taken the blue-chip stock index less than nine months to reach 9,000 after breaking through the 8,000-point milestone on July 16, 1997. \I(USA)\i
The US State Department says it has received information that extremist groups may be planning terrorist attacks against US interests in \JEgypt\j, and warns citizens traveling to or residing in \JCairo\j to exercise greater caution than usual. For some years now, the United States Government has followed a policy of making public such threats when they are received. \I(USA, \JEgypt\j)\i
A former United States Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) officer is arrested on charges of handing over classified information to two unidentified foreign governments. Douglas Groat, 50, is also charged with trying to extort more than $US500,000 from the \JCIA\j in return for not disclosing the classified information, which related to the penetration of the cryptographic systems of the two foreign governments concerned. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge sentences the driver of a van used in the World Trade Center bombing to 240 years in prison without parole. Eyad Ismoil, 26, was convicted in November 1997 along with Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the February 26, 1993 explosion, which killed six people and injured more than 1,000. \I(USA)\i
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development reaches a $US2.1 billion settlement with AccuBank Mortgage Corp., a \JTexas\j bank accused of discriminating against minorities. The settlement is the largest in US history for alleged mortgage lending discrimination, and requires AccuBank to set aside the stated amount to provide loans to low and moderate income families. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Kosovo \JAlbanian\j separatist leader, Ibrahim Rugova, rejects a controversial plan to hold a referendum on the participation of foreign representatives in the resolution of the Kosovo crisis, insisting that any negotiations on the future of the rebel Serb province should and must take place under third-party mediation. The plan, put forward by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, who is vehemently opposed to outside mediation, has also been condemned by the international community as a ploy to gain time, and one that could increase the risk of serious conflict in the region. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, Kosovo)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, meet for talks on the fringes of the Asia-Europe summit in London, pledging to maintain close contact over the weekend with parties involved in the intensifying Northern Ireland peace process, still deeply divided on a number of issues. The main sticking points are the powers of a new Northern Ireland parliament under continued British rule, the role of a cross-border council, and promised constitutional changes by Ireland in its claims over the province. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
At the opening of the second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in London, \JJapan\j faces sustained pressure to revive its staggering economy and stimulate domestic consumer demand to help Asia overcome its financial turmoil. Despite the pressure, however, Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, insists that the worst of the crisis is over, and that the current trials will serve as a launch pad to carry Asia forward to the next stage. \I(\JJapan\j, UK, Asia, Europe)\i
The US State Department says it has received information that extremist groups may be planning terrorist attacks against US interests in \JEgypt\j, and warns citizens traveling to or residing in \JCairo\j to exercise greater caution than usual. For some years now, the United States Government has followed a policy of making public such threats when they are received. \I(USA, \JEgypt\j)\i
Britain apologizes for its insensitive treatment of Nazi victims who lost assets frozen in British banks during World War II. The apology paves the way for at least 25,000 people or their heirs to make claims against Britain, claims that could amount to as much as ú60 million. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the controversial leader of \JFrance\j's extreme right-wing National Front, is found guilty of assaulting a Socialist candidate in last year's legislative elections, and stripped of his right to hold public office for two years. An angry Mr. Le Pen says he intends to appeal the ruling. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
An \Jearthquake\j of \Jmagnitude\j 4.7 shakes \JItaly\j's central Umbria and Marche regions, targeting the same area as last September's powerful quakes, which killed 11 people, destroyed thousands of homes, and damaged several medieval buildings and art treasures. This time, fortunately, there are no reports of injuries, and the quake causes only minor damage to a few buildings. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"April 4, 1998",822,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Applications from \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, India, and \JPakistan\j to be brought into the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) are held over until the next summit in 2000 following a lack of consensus on the issue at this year's gathering in London. Britain had hoped to win backing for all four candidate countries, but encountered resistance from \JMalaysia\j, which is particularly opposed to the entry of \JAustralia\j. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, India, \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, UK, Europe, Asia)\i
The second ASEM summit, attended by 15 European and 10 Asian leaders, ends with a communiquΘ declaring the uppermost principle in ties between Europe and Asia as "equal partnership, mutual respect, and mutual benefit". The European Union also pledges to help Asia recover from its financial chaos, stressing, however, that recovery will not be possible unless sweeping reforms of the region's financial systems are implemented, and unless \JJapan\j takes bold action to revive its stagnant economy. \I(Europe, Asia, \JJapan\j)\i
A Hong Kong-based human rights group reports that outspoken Chinese dissident, Shen Liangqing, has been sentenced to two years in a labor camp for meeting with reporters and human rights representatives. Shen is the second pro-democracy activist to be banished to a labor camp in a week, with dissident Yang Qinheng reportedly sentenced to three years because of a letter he wrote to parliament about unemployment. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
A team of American climbers depart on a mission to clean up Mount Everest, the latest in a series of efforts to remove some of the hundreds of oxygen canisters, fuel containers, and batteries left behind by other groups. Although the Nepalese Government encourages climbers to clean up after themselves and fines those who fail to do so, Everest has become increasing littered as more and more groups attempt to scale the world's highest peak. \I(USA, Nepal)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, visits the Caribbean nation of \JHaiti\j for the second time in six months, meeting with President Reve Preval to discuss a long-standing political impasse that is holding up badly needed international aid. The impasse stems from an electoral dispute last April, which has left \JHaiti\j without a prime minister and a normally functioning government. \I(USA, \JHaiti\j)\i
Former United States senator, George Mitchell, who is chairing Northern Ireland's peace talks, fails to meet his own deadline to complete a draft settlement between the parties, but both British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, say they are determined to strike a deal by next week. One of the main stumbling blocks to a draft settlement is the disagreement over the scope of a North-South body with executive powers. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Thousands of marchers form a procession stretching for blocks through the streets of Memphis, \JTennessee\j, to mark the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., who was killed by a single rifle shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Although James Earl Ray was convicted of the crime the following year, persistent accusations of a wider conspiracy and cover-up have been revived in recent days, with King's widow, Coretta Scott King, calling for a federal investigation to review credible new evidence. \I(USA)\i
Opinion polls conducted following this week's dismissal of the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton show that the majority of Americans support the judge's ruling, and that the majority of Americans also believe prosecutor Kenneth Starr's sex and \Jperjury\j investigation should be dropped as well. Mr. Starr is probing allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky, and then encouraged her to lie about it in a sworn statement submitted in the Paula Jones case. \I(USA)\i
A team of American climbers depart on a mission to clean up Mount Everest, the latest in a series of efforts to remove some of the hundreds of oxygen canisters, fuel containers, and batteries left behind by other groups. Although the Nepalese Government encourages climbers to clean up after themselves and fines those who fail to do so, Everest has become increasing littered as more and more groups attempt to scale the world's highest peak. \I(USA, Nepal)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli troops shoot and wound six Palestinians when clashes break out following a rally on the outskirts of Arab East \JJerusalem\j to mourn the death of Hamas master bomb-maker, Muhyideen al-Sharif, who was found shot dead beside the wreckage of an explosives-packed car last week. Meanwhile, an official of the militant Islamic movement renews its threat to launch attacks against Israel, saying the killing of Sharif can only be avenged by spilling blood. Hamas has accused Israel of assassinating Sharif, but Israel has repeatedly denied any involvement. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Former United States senator, George Mitchell, who is chairing Northern Ireland's peace talks, fails to meet his own deadline to complete a draft settlement between the parties, but both British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, say they are determined to strike a deal by next week. One of the main stumbling blocks to a draft settlement is the disagreement over the scope of a North-South body with executive powers. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Fifty United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) inspectors depart \JBaghdad\j following the completion of "baseline" inspections of \JIraq\j's eight presidential sites, previously ruled off-limits to the UN weapons teams. Senior UN inspector, Charles Duelfer, says the "baseline" inspections will help UNSCOM focus on future work both in terms of inspections and the continuing monitoring activities. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Applications from \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, India, and \JPakistan\j to be brought into the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) are held over until the next summit in 2000 following a lack of consensus on the issue at this year's gathering in London. Britain had hoped to win backing for all four candidate countries, but encountered resistance from \JMalaysia\j, which is particularly opposed to the entry of \JAustralia\j. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, India, \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, UK, Europe, Asia)\i
The second ASEM summit, attended by 15 European and 10 Asian leaders, ends with a communiquΘ declaring the uppermost principle in ties between Europe and Asia as "equal partnership, mutual respect, and mutual benefit". The European Union also pledges to help Asia recover from its financial chaos, stressing, however, that recovery will not be possible unless sweeping reforms of the region's financial systems are implemented, and unless \JJapan\j takes bold action to revive its stagnant economy. \I(Europe, Asia, \JJapan\j)\i
Thirty coalminers are killed in a gas explosion at the state-owned Skochinsky mine on the outskirts of \JDonetsk\j, \JUkraine\j. Another 43 miners are hospitalized, but little hope is held for 31 miners still trapped below the ground. Deputy Prime Minister, Nikolai Beloblotsky, declares the accident a national tragedy, and says the Government will do all it can to help the victims' families. \I(\JUkraine\j)\i
#
"April 5, 1998",823,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
South Korea accepts a surprise North Korean proposal to hold a vice-ministerial level meeting in \JBeijing\j to discuss \Jfertilizer\j aid and other issues of mutual interest. The high-level talks will be the first since official contact between the two Koreas was cut off in July 1994, and are hailed as a welcome change in relations by South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung. \I(The Koreas)\i
Under international pressure to shore up the sagging Japanese economy, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto indicates that he would support implementation of special income tax cuts from next January. At the same time, however, Mr. Hashimoto plays down his country's ability to pull other Asian nations out of their difficulties, maintaining that Japan's influence on the Asian economy has been overestimated. \I(Japan, Asia)\i
Indonesia announces that it has closed seven insolvent banks, and that another seven banks with major problems will remain open under a Government-appointed restructuring agency. The announcement signals a welcome commitment to economic reform, and comes as Indonesia and the International Monetary Fund negotiate new terms for a massive bail-out package. \I(Indonesia)\i
Thousands of Australians parade through the streets of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane to protest against the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine in the \JNorthern Territory\j's \JKakadu\j National Park. The protests follow a Senate resolution last month calling for the mine to be stopped and for the Aboriginal Mirrar people to be recognized as traditional owners of the land. \I(Australia)\i
The world's longest suspension bridge is officially opened in \JJapan\j during a ceremony attended by Government officials, imperial family members, and a contingent of Buddhist priests. The 3,911-meter Akashi Kaikyo Bridge cost around 500 billion yen, and links Shikoku, the smallest of \JJapan\j's four main islands, with the largest main island of \JHonshu\j. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Riding a Honda, \JItaly\j's Max Biaggi leads from pole to finish to win the season-opening Japanese 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Suzuka. \I(\JItaly\j, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
General Electric Co., whose profits rose 13 per cent to $US8.2 billion in 1997, takes the top spot in the Forbes Super 100, the magazine's annual list of the most powerful United States companies in terms of sales, profits, assets, and market value. Second on the Super 100 list is Exxon Corp., followed by General Motors Corp., International Business Machines Corp., and Ford Motor Co. \I(USA)\i
Hollywood actors and producers reach tentative agreement on a new contract, averting the first actors' strike in 18 years, which could have crippled the American film and \Jtelevision\j industry. The actors requested an 8 per cent annual pay rise, a doubling of residual payments for episodes in foreign markets, and an extension of "network" \Jtelevision\j to include Fox Broadcasting, United Paramount, and the WB Network. While the parties failed to settle on a formula for basic cable and foreign residual, they have now agreed to establish a joint study on the issue. \I(USA)\i
Results of a United States Justice Department survey show alcohol to be a factor in nearly 40 per cent of violent crime. The survey tracked murders, rapes, sex assaults, robberies, and assaults, and found that the majority of offenders were men. The results come at a time when statistics indicate alcohol consumption rates and offenses usually tied to alcohol use are declining across the nation. \I(USA)\i
Trial studies conducted since 1992 at the United States National Cancer Institute indicate that the drug tamoxifen can halve breast cancer rates among healthy women who are at increased risk of contracting the disease. Tamoxifen has been used to treat breast cancer for the past 20 years, but its potential use in prevention is regarded as one of the most significant advances in breast cancer research. On the down side, tamoxifen is associated with increased risks for cancer of the uterine lining and for dangerous clots that can lodge in the lungs, but for women with a family history of breast cancer, researchers believe that the benefits may outweigh the risks. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At the Vatican, tens of thousands of people wave palm and olive branches as Pope John Paul II leads the world's Roman Catholics in colorful \JPalm Sunday\j celebrations, presiding at a Mass commemorating Christ's triumphant entry into \JJerusalem\j a week before he was crucified. In \JJerusalem\j, meanwhile, thousands of worshipers singing hymns in a dozen different languages wave olive branches as they descend the \JMount of Olives\j in the annual \JPalm Sunday\j procession. \I(\JItaly\j, Israel)\i
A stream of more than two million white-robed Muslims embark on the annual trek to Saudi \JArabia\j's Mina valley in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammad. Later, the pilgrims spend the night under tents in Mina, a 10-kilometer walk from the holy city of Mecca, where the main parts of the haj are performed, and where thousands of security officers have been deployed to direct traffic and provide first aid. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Muslim rebels slit the throats of 35 Algerian villagers in two separate massacres, one in Boukrina hamlet in the western town of Aarzew, and the other in the Sidi Hadjeres area, 125 miles southeast of the capital, \JAlgiers\j. The latest attacks coincide with the annual Muslim haj pilgrimage in Saudi \JArabia\j, following the pattern of increased violence around religious landmark events. During the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which ended late in January, more than 1,100 Algerians were killed in a spate of bloody civilian massacres. \I(Algeria, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The death toll from \JUkraine\j's worst mining disaster in recent memory rises to 63, with another 13 miners still in a critical condition. Yesterday, a lethal mixture of \Jmethane\j gas and \Jcoal\j dust exploded more than a kilometer below the eastern city of \JDonetsk\j, catching two groups of face workers as they changed shifts in a section of the state-owned Skochinsky pit. \I(\JUkraine\j)\i
Tehran's Mayor, Gholamhossein Karbaschi, 47, is arrested on corruption charges. The arrest of Mr. Karbaschi, a key ally of \JIran\j's President Khatami, is denounced by the country's leading moderates and reformers as politically motivated. \I(\JIran\j)\i
Riding a Honda, \JItaly\j's Max Biaggi leads from pole to finish to win the season-opening Japanese 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Suzuka. \I(\JItaly\j, Japan)\i
#
"April 6, 1998",824,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amid the rising clamor for \JJapan\j to take bold steps to boost its ailing economy, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto admits in parliament that the economy faces its toughest problems since World War II, and promises to convene a special panel which could open the way for large-scale tax cuts. Earlier, the new governor of the Bank of \JJapan\j publicly stated that wide-ranging tax cuts were urgently needed to stimulate domestic demand, while last week, the chairman of Sony Corp. shocked the international community by declaring that \JJapan\j's economy was on the verge of collapsing. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
United Nations investigators in \JCambodia\j say they now believe that almost 100 supporters of the country's former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, were murdered after he was ousted in a coup last July. A UN report submitted to the Phnom Penh Government last August detailed the executions of 41 of the prince's supporters, but despite repeated promises to investigate the cases, the Government has made little effort to do so. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, says he is not prepared to compromise in his battle with the Senate over the Government's controversial amendments to the Aboriginal land rights bill. The Wik legislation was rejected by the Senate late last year, and if it is rejected a second time, it will give the Government a constitutional trigger to dissolve both houses of parliament and call fresh federal elections. \I(Australia)\i
Pakistan announces that it has successfully test-fired its "Ghauri" surface-to-surface missile, which has a range of 1,500 kilometers and is capable of carrying a load of 700 kilograms. The announcement follows Pakistan's recently voiced concerns about the pro-nuclear policy of the new Indian Government of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Vietnamese Prime Minister, Phan Van Khai, orders the first nationwide survey of people affected by toxic chemicals used by United States forces during the Vietnam War. In 1994, a Government Ministry estimated that some 2 million Vietnamese people were suffering from the after-effects. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
Marking the 50th anniversary of the World Health Organization, the director of the Western Pacific region applauds the success of modern medicine in combating a battery of diseases in the past, but warns that poor health in the future will arise from life-style related and behavioral patterns, such as smoking, substance abuse, and unsafe sexual behavior. The Western Pacific region stretches from \JMongolia\j and China to French \JPolynesia\j, and is home to 1.6 billion people. \I(Western Pacific)\i
Authorities recover 23 bodies after an overcrowded riverboat capsizes in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. The boat is believed to have been carrying about 80 people returning from a Hindu Ram-naomi festival in Sivajinagar, and the search operation is continuing. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, engage in a 30-minute \Jtelephone\j conversation, during which they touch on a number of issues expected to be raised when they meet next month in Birmingham, England, for a Group of Seven summit. In the wake of Mr. Clinton's six-nation African tour, the two leaders also discuss ways in which their countries might cooperate on Africa, which was once the venue for \JCold War\j superpower rivalry. \I(USA, Russia, UK, Africa)\i
Speaking to foreign ministers attending a meeting of Caricom, the 15-nation regional common market, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, reiterates Washington's commitment to securing improved trade privileges for Caribbean countries, but says the administration cannot force the hand of Congress. Despite promises made by President Clinton at a summit last May, the necessary legislation is currently stalled in Congress. \I(USA, Caribbean)\i
Financial services superpowers, Citicorp and Travelers Group, announce a merger worth more than $US80 billion, the largest corporate marriage ever. Citigroup, the giant to be created by the mega-merger, will have a record $US698 billion in assets, 100 million customers in 100 countries, and about 162,000 employees. The new company plans to adopt a "one-stop shopping" approach, selling banking services, insurance, and trading stock and bonds. \I(USA)\i
For the first time in history, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 9,000 points at 9,033.23, up 49.82 points, or 0.55 per cent from the previous \Jday\j's trading. The surge comes in response to news of the merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group, which ignites a buying frenzy in financial services stocks. \I(USA)\i
The United States bans the import of 58 types of assault weapons, a move aimed at preventing foreign companies from skirting the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban by making minor modifications to allow the import of the weapons for "sporting" purposes. The decision makes permanent a temporary prohibition on such weapons announced by President Bill Clinton in November, and will block the entry of 1.5 million semiautomatic weapons such as Uzi and AK-47 rifles. \I(USA)\i
Vietnamese Prime Minister, Phan Van Khai, orders the first nationwide survey of people affected by toxic chemicals used by United States forces during the Vietnam War. In 1994, a Government Ministry estimated that some 2 million Vietnamese people were suffering from the after-effects. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
American country western music star, Tammy Wynette, dies aged 55 from a blood clot in her lungs, the culmination of years of ill health. Ms. Wynette rose from poverty in the \JAlabama\j cotton fields to become "the first lady of country music", achieving stardom in 1968 with her signature song, "Stand By Your Man", which sold more than a million copies. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The deadline for a Northern Ireland peace agreement approaches with rival delegations holding a succession of talks in an attempt to bridge remaining differences. The two major areas of disagreement are the structure of the proposed Northern Ireland assembly, and the nature of the North-South Council, the cross-border body which is to be set up to handle issues of common concern between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The council is a central demand of Sinn Fein, but Unionists fear it is an attempt to introduce a de facto all-Ireland parliament. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
An inquiry ordered by Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, finds that Hamas master-bomber, Muhyideen al-Sharif, was killed as a result of an internal Hamas power struggle. Palestinian officials report that five members of the Hamas military wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades, have been placed under arrest in connection with the murder of Sharif, who was found shot dead beside the shell of a detonated car more than a week ago. Although Israel is now cleared of responsibility, Hamas rejects as "lies" the inquiry's finding that their own members were involved in Sharif's death, and renews its vow to avenge his murder with the shedding of blood. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Britain and \JFrance\j ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, becoming the first nuclear powers to take the historic step towards global nuclear disarmament. The treaty has been signed by 149 countries but ratified by only 13, and will not come into force until it is ratified by the 44 "named" countries which have a civilian nuclear power industry. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, and Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, engage in a 30-minute \Jtelephone\j conversation, during which they touch on a number of issues expected to be raised when they meet next month in Birmingham, England, for a Group of Seven summit. In the wake of Mr. Clinton's six-nation African tour, the two leaders also discuss ways in which their countries might cooperate on Africa, which was once the venue for \JCold War\j superpower rivalry. \I(USA, Russia, UK, Africa)\i
The head of South Africa's defence forces resigns following a month-long saga involving allegations that black commanders were plotting a coup against the Government. General George Meiring, one of many \Japartheid\j-era officers who were retained after the regime's demise in 1994, had bypassed normal national security channels to present President Nelson Mandela with an intelligence report now discredited by the Government as an attempt to smear high-ranking black leaders. \I(South Africa)\i
The United Nations-headed Operation Lifeline \JSudan\j (OLF) says thousands of south Sudanese will face one of the worst famines in their history unless they receive vital crop seed and farm tools in the next few weeks. The south Sudanese are already heavily reliant on food aid due to decades of \Jcivil war\j between the \JKhartoum\j-based National Islamic Front Government and the mainly Christian Sudan People's Liberation Army from the south, and the OLS last month appealed to the international community for $US109 million to help finance this year's relief operation. \I(\JSudan\j)\i
In Saudi \JArabia\j, two million Muslims performing haj mark the climax of the sacred Islamic pilgrimage with a \Jday\j of prayer at Mount Arafat, where Prophet Mohammad gave his last sermon 14 centuries ago. Haj pilgrims have come to Saudi \JArabia\j from about 100 countries around the globe. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
#
"April 7, 1998",825,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following the successful test of \JPakistan\j's Ghauri missile, India warns that its Prithvi missile is capable of reaching any target in \JPakistan\j. India publicly blames China for supplying its arch-rival with missile technology, and calls on the United States to investigate the issue. China, however, denies India's charge, insisting that a US investigation is unreasonable and groundless. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, China, USA)\i
In a dramatic move aimed at breaking the monopoly of the powerful Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j, Patrick Stevedores sacks its 1,400 waterfront workers nationwide, announcing that they are to be replaced with contract employees, and that a Government-guaranteed redundancy package totaling $AUD250 million will be made available to the dismissed workers. Patrick's unprecedented action follows nearly two decades of pressure for reform on the nation's docks, and is hailed by Prime Minister John Howard as "a defining moment in \JAustralia\j's industrial relations history". \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Five Pakistani's are killed and 20 are injured when a bomb explodes in a bus parked at a petrol station. The bombing in Sukran, 170 kilometers north of \JKarachi\j, comes only hours after an explosion 130 kilometers away in Khairpur, which left one person dead and another 11 people injured. \I(Pakistan)\i
The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the 1997-98 El Nino ranks as one of the major climatic events of this century, toppling records across the country and around the world. In the US, the El Nino \Jweather\j pattern produced the nation's warmest, wettest January and February on record, a preview, according to the report, of what climate conditions may be like as global warming increases. El Nino \Jweather\j patterns are caused by rising surface \Jwater\j \Jtemperature\j in the tropical \JPacific Ocean\j, while global warming is caused by the build-up of heat-trapping industrial emissions in the \Jatmosphere\j. \I(USA, Pacific)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States National Transportation Safety Board recommends mandatory checks of wiring in most Boeing 747 fuel tanks to reduce the risk of another explosion like that which destroyed TWA Flight 800 in July 1996. All 230 people on board were killed when TWA 800 plunged into the sea off New York after being ripped apart by an explosion of fuel and air fumes in its center fuel tank. \I(USA)\i
Following the successful test of \JPakistan\j's Ghauri missile, India warns that its Prithvi missile is capable of reaching any target in \JPakistan\j. India publicly blames China for supplying its arch-rival with missile technology, and calls on the United States to investigate the issue. China, however, denies India's charge, insisting that a US investigation is unreasonable and groundless. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, China, USA)\i
Xerox Corp. announces a number of moves aimed at saving the office equipment giant $US1 billion a year. From the second half of 1998, Xerox says it plans to phase out 9,000 jobs, centralize its parts plants, and close one of four offices that handle customer administration in the United States. In Europe, Xerox says it will move from country-based operations to a "pan-European" structure in order to improve customer service and support. \I(USA, Europe)\i
The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the 1997-98 El Nino ranks as one of the major climatic events of this century, toppling records across the country and around the world. In the US, the El Nino \Jweather\j pattern produced the nation's warmest, wettest January and February on record, a preview, according to the report, of what climate conditions may be like as global warming increases. El Nino \Jweather\j patterns are caused by rising surface \Jwater\j \Jtemperature\j in the tropical \JPacific Ocean\j, while global warming is caused by the build-up of heat-trapping industrial emissions in the \Jatmosphere\j. \I(USA, Pacific)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, flies to \JBelfast\j for immediate talks with Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, following the Unionists' rejection of a draft Northern Ireland peace settlement put forward by talks chairman, George Mitchell. The issue of contention is the proposed North-South Council, a cross-border body which the pro-British Unionists believe could fuel nationalist aspirations for a single Irish State. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Kosovo's \JAlbanian\j separatist leaders boycott talks in \JPristina\j with Serbian President, Milan Milutinovic, a snub denounced as "irresponsible" by Mr. Milutinovic. The \JAlbanian\j leaders say they will discuss their demand for independence only with federal Yugoslavia, only with international mediation, and only after special Serbian police units have been withdrawn from Kosovo. Meanwhile, the Serbian parliament votes in favor of a national referendum to back \JBelgrade\j's rejection of international mediation, a move that now leaves all sides in the dispute entrenched behind irreconcilable conditions. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, Kosovo)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, holds a round-table meeting with his Communist opponents, rejecting their demands for a coalition government, and urging them to back his prime-ministerial nominee, Sergei Kiriyenko. The Communist-dominated \JDuma\j is expected to vote on the controversial nomination after Mr. Kiriyenko delivers a report on his plans for the new Cabinet's policies later this week. Should the Communists vote against Mr. Kiriyenko three times, Mr. Yeltsin has threatened to dissolve the \JDuma\j and call early parliamentary elections. \I(Russia)\i
In Saudi \JArabia\j, around 2 million Muslims from 100 countries engage in the final rituals of the annual haj pilgrimage, slaughtering sheep, cows, and camels, and hurling pebbles at stone pillars symbolizing Satan. The observances mark the start of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Xerox Corp. announces a number of moves aimed at saving the office equipment giant $US1 billion a year. From the second half of 1998, Xerox says it plans to phase out 9,000 jobs, centralize its parts plants, and close one of four offices that handle customer administration in the United States. In Europe, Xerox says it will move from country-based operations to a "pan-European" structure in order to improve customer service and support. \I(USA, Europe)\i
#
"April 8, 1998",826,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Pickering, arrives in Seoul on the first leg of a North Asian trip that will later take him to \JTokyo\j and \JBeijing\j. During talks with top members of South Korea's new Government, Mr. Pickering pledges Washington's full support for an upcoming high-level meeting between the two hostile Koreas, the first meeting of its kind in almost four years. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j, China)\i
After more than three weeks of negotiations, the Indonesian Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reach a compromise agreement that will delay the removal of politically sensitive food and fuel subsidies, and revise the national Budget to reflect the bleaker economic reality of a 3.2 per cent trade deficit, 17 per cent \Jinflation\j, and minus 4 per cent projected growth. The new agreement follows the failure of two previous reform packages, and is described by the IMF as Indonesia's last chance at an economic turnaround. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japan clears a major hurdle in terms of rousing its sinking economy when the Upper House approves the 1998-99 Budget, paving the way for tax cuts demanded by both domestic and international critics. The Budget approval comes as the International Monetary Fund adds its voice to the clamor for decisive action, pointing to the strong case for tax reductions to spur growth, and urging Japan to waste no time in rectifying its economy and banking system. In Washington, meanwhile, \JWhite House\j chief economic adviser, Janet Yellen, describes the situation in Japan as "very worrisome", and says only a substantial fiscal stimulus will help the Japanese economy regain momentum and contribute to a recovery in the rest of Asia. \I(Japan, Asia, USA)\i
The United Nations accepts an invitation to coordinate observers for \JCambodia\j's July 26 elections, providing a stamp of legitimacy to polls critics fear are stacked in favor of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen. The UN move follows the five-\Jday\j visit to Phnom Penh of former co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, whose participation in the elections is also regarded as a key test of whether the polls can be considered free and fair. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
India's new Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, requests the resignation of the country's Surface Transport Minister following his arraignment in court on corruption charges just 20 days after being sworn in. Sedapatti Muthiah is charged with illegally earning about 4.7 million rupees during his 1991-94 term as speaker of the state legislature in Tamil Nadu, and his \Jindictment\j is a severe embarrassment to Mr. Vajpayee, who promised voters that he would provide a clean administration. \I(India)\i
In cities around \JAustralia\j, thousands of unionists walk off work sites to march in support of 1,400 dock workers, who were dismissed yesterday by Patrick Stevedores in a Government-backed move to purge its operations of the powerful Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j. Meanwhile, the battle for the Australian waterfront seems set to escalate as the president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Jennie George, calls a special meeting to finalize plans to fight the Government and Patrick. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
A Sri Lankan Tamil political party requests that the National Human Right Commission intervene to stop indiscriminate arrests and harassment of Colombo's Tamil residents. According to the Tamil United Liberation Front, police have arrested around 6,000 Tamil residents during the past week, and have so far released only about 4,000. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Pickering, arrives in Seoul on the first leg of a North Asian trip that will later take him to \JTokyo\j and \JBeijing\j. During talks with top members of South Korea's new Government, Mr. Pickering pledges Washington's full support for an upcoming high-level meeting between the two hostile Koreas, the first meeting of its kind in almost four years. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j, China)\i
Japan clears a major hurdle in terms of rousing its sinking economy when the Upper House approves the 1998-99 Budget, paving the way for tax cuts demanded by both domestic and international critics. The Budget approval comes as the International Monetary Fund adds its voice to the clamor for decisive action, pointing to the strong case for tax reductions to spur growth, and urging Japan to waste no time in rectifying its economy and banking system. In Washington, meanwhile, \JWhite House\j chief economic adviser, Janet Yellen, describes the situation in Japan as "very worrisome", and says only a substantial fiscal stimulus will help the Japanese economy regain momentum and contribute to a recovery in the rest of Asia. \I(Japan, Asia, USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, pledges to review a request for a new investigation into the 1968 assassination of \Jcivil rights\j leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Ms. Reno's pledge follows a lengthy meeting with King's widow, Coretta Scott King, her son, Dexter, and former United Nations Ambassador, Andrew Young, who claim that new evidence casts doubt on whether convicted killer, James Earl Ray, acted alone or even fired the single bullet that struck and killed King. A number of previous investigations have found no evidence of a plot and have concluded that Ray was the killer. \I(USA)\i
Major American \Jcigarette\j companies announce their decision to oppose the Senate's proposed $US500 billion \Jtobacco\j legislation, saying the bill is far tougher on the industry than the $US368.5 billion deal they agreed to with 40 states in June last year, and that there is now no hope for a comprehensive \Jtobacco\j settlement this year. President Bill Clinton is undeterred, however, and vows to push for laws to combat teen smoking with or without industry cooperation. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At \JBelfast\j's Stormont Castle, pressure mounts on Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, now the key figure in determining whether a new Northern Ireland peace agreement can be reached by the April 9 deadline set by talks chairman, George Mitchell. The Unionists' main objections are to the structure of the proposed Northern Ireland assembly and the cross-border council, objections that have spurred British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, to engage in three-way discussions with Mr. Trimble in an attempt to find a compromise. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Two Bosnian Serb war crimes suspects are arrested by \JNATO\j-led forces in the country's British controled sector. Miroslav Kvocka, 41, and Mladen Radic, 45, are now awaiting transfer to The Hague, where they will appear before the United Nations war crimes tribunal on charges relating to atrocities committed against Muslim and Croat prisoners at the Serb-run Omarska detention camp in 1992. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, calls for "targeted economic measures" against neighboring \JLatvia\j, which has been the scene of nationwide protests by its minority ethnic Russian population, who claim they are discriminated against. Mr. Yeltsin specifically calls for oil exports to be diverted from the port of Ventspils, a move that triggers a sharp reaction in \JLatvia\j, where five of 18 Cabinet ministers resign, accusing Prime Minister Guntars Krasts of provoking Moscow. \I(Russia, \JLatvia\j)\i
The leader of the \JGreek Orthodox Church\j in Cyprus embarks upon a bitter public tirade after the Council of Europe gives the country one more month to decriminalize \Jhomosexuality\j. Archbishop Chrysostomos, who has frequently portrayed gays as depraved, insists that only the nation's enemies would endorse legalizing such unnatural acts. The Archbishop's outburst dismays the Greek Cypriot Government, which last month began accession talks with the European Union. \I(Cyprus)\i
The French Government launches an urgent scientific investigation into so-called "mad bee disease", a phenomenon which is causing honeybees in the country's west to become disoriented and die in their millions, reducing production of the region's famed honey by some 60 per cent. Only those insects collecting nectar from sunflowers seem to be affected, and environmentalists suspect that the problem lies with Gaucho, a German \Jinsecticide\j used to protect sunflowers from parasites. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"April 9, 1998",827,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Bowing to mounting pressure at home and abroad, \JJapan\j's embattled Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces income tax cuts of four trillion yen over the next two years to halt the nation's slide into recession. Mr. Hashimoto's announcement is welcomed by United States Ambassador, Thomas Foley, who says Washington now expects \JJapan\j to take further steps to deregulate its markets to allow imports from struggling Asian economies. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
The Cambodian Government welcomes a United States-led proposal to arrest notorious former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, and bring him to trial in an international court for crimes against humanity. While US President, Bill Clinton, is reported to have issued an order to organize logistics for Pol Pot's capture and trial, US officials have also cautioned that there is no guarantee that the ailing former leader will be apprehended. During Pol Pot's 1975-79 "killing fields" rule in Cambodia, more than a million people died of starvation, hard labor, or were executed. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, acknowledges the likelihood of a double-dissolution election this year after the Senate formally rejects his ten-point native title reform bill. The controversial amendments to the Wik legislation seek to limit the ability of \JAborigines\j to stake land claims on vast tracts leased by the Government to ranchers, farmers, and miners, and should the Senate continue to block some of the key points, it will be the first time in the nation's history that an Aboriginal issue has triggered a federal election. Mr. Howard, however, has repeatedly rejected suggestions that any election fought on the Wik bill will attempt to exploit issues of race. \I(Australia)\i
Human rights lawyers working with the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation report another two university students missing from central Java, bringing to 11 the number of anti-Government activists who have disappeared following this year's food riots and student demonstrations. While Indonesia's armed forces have denied any involvement in the disappearances, the foundation's lawyers say they intend to take the issue to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Israeli officials produce documents to support a claim that \JIran\j obtained four nuclear warheads from the former Soviet republic of \JKazakhstan\j in the early 1990s. The documents also indicate that \JIran\j has maintained the warheads in operational condition with the help of Russian technicians. Visiting United States presidential envoy, Robert Gallucci, says he will press Russian authorities about the matter when he stops over in Moscow next week. \I(Israel, \JIran\j, Russia, USA)\i
The whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, becomes the subject of debate when French intelligence sources say Karadzic left his mountain retreat in Pale last November, and has since been hiding out in \JBelarus\j while negotiating terms for his surrender with international prosecutors. Officials in Washington and London dispute the French claim, maintaining that Karadzic is still in the Pale area but has gone to ground as the pressure from \JNATO\j-led peacekeepers intensifies. Karadzic has been roaming freely since being indicted on war crimes charges in 1995, with \JNATO\j commanders fearing a violent public backlash should they attempt to seize him. \I(Bosnia, \JFrance\j, \JBelarus\j, USA, UK)\i
Bowing to mounting pressure at home and abroad, \JJapan\j's embattled Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, announces income tax cuts of four trillion yen over the next two years to halt the nation's slide into recession. Mr. Hashimoto's announcement is welcomed by United States Ambassador, Thomas Foley, who says Washington now expects \JJapan\j to take further steps to deregulate its markets to allow imports from struggling Asian economies. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
The Cambodian Government welcomes a United States-led proposal to arrest notorious former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, and bring him to trial in an international court for crimes against humanity. While US President, Bill Clinton, is reported to have issued an order to organize logistics for Pol Pot's capture and trial, US officials have also cautioned that there is no guarantee that the ailing former leader will be apprehended. During Pol Pot's 1975-79 "killing fields" rule in Cambodia, more than a million people died of starvation, hard labor, or were executed. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, travels to northern Kentucky in a bid to reassure \Jtobacco\j farmers that congressional plans for legislation against the country's major \Jcigarette\j manufacturers will not bankrupt them. Despite encountering a wall of skepticism, Mr. Clinton insists that his aim is not to put \Jtobacco\j companies out of business, but to put them out of the business of selling cigarettes to teenagers. Mr. Clinton also argues that the legislation will help farmers by buying out the farms of those who wish to leave the business, while maintaining price supports for those who wish to remain \Jtobacco\j growers. \I(USA)\i
At least 42 people are killed when tornadoes rip a path of destruction through the southwest of the United States. The storms are the latest in what has become the deadliest US tornado season in 14 years, with the worst hit states being \JAlabama\j, where 32 people die, and Georgia, where authorities report a death toll of at least eight and possibly as many as 12. \I(USA)\i
Nashville bids farewell to country western star, Tammy Wynette, who died aged 55 earlier this week. Shortly after a private funeral and burial, some 1,500 fans attend a memorial service during which country performers such as Dolly Parton and Lorrie Morgan pay tribute to Ms. Wynette in song. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Hopes for an end to three decades of violence in Northern Ireland ebb and flow as the midnight deadline for a peace agreement approaches, and delegates from a range of pro-British and Pro-Irish groups try to iron out the final sticking points. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, are still deeply involved in the negotiations, seeking to forge a compromise between Northern Ireland's Protestant leaders, who want to maintain the province's links with Britain, and Catholic leaders, who want any deal to be a stepping stone to a united Irish state. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Israeli officials produce documents to support a claim that \JIran\j obtained four nuclear warheads from the former Soviet republic of \JKazakhstan\j in the early 1990s. The documents also indicate that \JIran\j has maintained the warheads in operational condition with the help of Russian technicians. Visiting United States presidential envoy, Robert Gallucci, says he will press Russian authorities about the matter when he stops over in Moscow next week. \I(Israel, \JIran\j, Russia, USA)\i
The whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, becomes the subject of debate when French intelligence sources say Karadzic left his mountain retreat in Pale last November, and has since been hiding out in \JBelarus\j while negotiating terms for his surrender with international prosecutors. Officials in Washington and London dispute the French claim, maintaining that Karadzic is still in the Pale area but has gone to ground as the pressure from \JNATO\j-led peacekeepers intensifies. Karadzic has been roaming freely since being indicted on war crimes charges in 1995, with \JNATO\j commanders fearing a violent public backlash should they attempt to seize him. \I(Bosnia, \JFrance\j, \JBelarus\j, USA, UK)\i
Tragedy strikes the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi \JArabia\j when 118 people are killed in a crowd stampede on a bridge near Mena, outside Mecca. Saudi authorities say hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims had gathered on the bridge to perform the last ritual of symbolically stoning the devil. \I(Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The independent Rwandan News Agency reports that 26 civilians, mostly women and children, have been killed in a pre-dawn raid by a large group of Hutu rebels armed with guns, machetes, and clubs. The agency says the attack occurred near the town of Gitaram, in central Rwanda. \I(Rwanda)\i
The leader of \JItaly\j's "post-Fascist" Alleanza Nazionale, Gianfranco Fini, is accused of reverting to a Mussolini-style mentality when he declares that homosexuals think of pedophilia as a form of love and should be banned from teaching, especially in primary schools. Mr. Fini forged Alleanza Nazionale from the remnants of the neo-Fascist movement, and only one month ago, he sought to distance the party from the discriminations of the past, when homosexuals risked internment if discovered. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"April 10, 1998",828,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pressure mounts within \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party to force Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to accept responsibility for the nation's economic malaise and step down from office. Despite Mr. Hashimoto's pledge to implement tax cuts, the Nikkei stock average registers a \Jday\j of turmoil, diving 55.54 points to close at 16,481, a fall accelerated by the release of a New York report claiming that \JJapan\j's banking debt has ballooned to 100 trillion yen. The United States is currently leading an urgent international drive for \JJapan\j to radically alter its policy and initiate a wide-reaching stimulus package to pull its economy out of recession. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
Indonesia unveils a timetable for a new 117-point reform program, the third such agreement under the International Monetary Fund's $US43 billion bail-out package. The latest reform program includes target dates for the removal of subsidies, pledges a new anti-monopoly law by the end of the year, as well as moves to set up a \Jbankruptcy\j law and a special \Jbankruptcy\j court by April 22. It also provides a framework for the settlement of some $US74 billion in private sector foreign debt. \I(Indonesia)\i
At least 35 illegal immigrants from the Indonesian province of Aceh burst into four foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur in a desperate bid to avoid deportation. Malaysian police remove 12 Indonesians from the Swiss embassy, seven from the \JBrunei\j embassy, and eight from the French embassy, but the eight who scale the wall of the United States compound are held by embassy security staff pending consultation with Washington. Aceh separatists have been fighting a low-level insurgency for independence from Indonesia since the mid-1970s, and the immigrants are seeking political asylum in Malaysia, claiming that they will face reprisals if they are repatriated. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBrunei\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
After one of the hottest, driest summers in years, thunderstorms drop 189.2 millimeters of torrential rain on the Australian city of Sydney, a downpour that exceeds the entire April average rainfall of 125 millimeters. The deluge creates chaos across the city, with houses evacuated, train services disrupted, streets flooded and impassable, and parked cars swept away in torrents of \Jwater\j. In the suburb of North Rocks, an eleven-year-old boy is drowned when he and his brother are washed into a flood-swollen creek. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a frantic burst of all-night meetings, an agreement between Northern Ireland's Roman Catholic and Protestant politicians is announced in \JBelfast\j by peace talks chairman, former United States senator George Mitchell. Under the terms of the agreement, Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom unless majorities both north and south of the Irish border choose unity. There will be a new Northern Ireland Assembly, a North-South Council to deal with issues of common interest to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and a Council of the Isles, which will represent all regions of Britain and Ireland. The agreement signals the biggest change in the province's political status since Ireland was partitioned in 1921, and party leaders from both sides now have six weeks to rally support for the new arrangement before it is put to a referendum on May 22. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK, USA)\i
World leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Jacques Chirac, applaud the new Northern Ireland accord aimed at ending three decades of sectarian bloodshed in the province. In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, hails the peace deal as a victory for hope over hate, and urges all parties to stand firm against any attempts to undermine the historic accord with violence. Mr. Clinton played a key role in the last-minute negotiations, spending a sleepless night engaged in transatlantic \Jtelephone\j diplomacy with the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland, and party leaders from both sides of the conflict. \I(South Africa, \JFrance\j, Northern Ireland, USA, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Pressure mounts within \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party to force Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to accept responsibility for the nation's economic malaise and step down from office. Despite Mr. Hashimoto's pledge to implement tax cuts, the Nikkei stock average registers a \Jday\j of turmoil, diving 55.54 points to close at 16,481, a fall accelerated by the release of a New York report claiming that \JJapan\j's banking debt has ballooned to 100 trillion yen. The United States is currently leading an urgent international drive for \JJapan\j to radically alter its policy and initiate a wide-reaching stimulus package to pull its economy out of recession. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
At least 35 illegal immigrants from the Indonesian province of Aceh burst into four foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur in a desperate bid to avoid deportation. Malaysian police remove 12 Indonesians from the Swiss embassy, seven from the \JBrunei\j embassy, and eight from the French embassy, but the eight who scale the wall of the United States compound are held by embassy security staff pending consultation with Washington. Aceh separatists have been fighting a low-level insurgency for independence from Indonesia since the mid-1970s, and the immigrants are seeking political asylum in Malaysia, claiming that they will face reprisals if they are repatriated. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBrunei\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, tours towns in \JAlabama\j devastated yesterday by one of the most powerful tornadoes ever to hit the area. Thirty-three people died as a result of the tornado, which was ranked in the most violent F-5 category, with winds at times exceeding 300 miles per hour. Local officials currently estimate that at least 1,000 homes were destroyed and hundreds more were damaged. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After a frantic burst of all-night meetings, an agreement between Northern Ireland's Roman Catholic and Protestant politicians is announced in \JBelfast\j by peace talks chairman, former United States senator George Mitchell. Under the terms of the agreement, Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom unless majorities both north and south of the Irish border choose unity. There will be a new Northern Ireland Assembly, a North-South Council to deal with issues of common interest to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and a Council of the Isles, which will represent all regions of Britain and Ireland. The agreement signals the biggest change in the province's political status since Ireland was partitioned in 1921, and party leaders from both sides now have six weeks to rally support for the new arrangement before it is put to a referendum on May 22. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK, USA)\i
World leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Jacques Chirac, applaud the new Northern Ireland accord aimed at ending three decades of sectarian bloodshed in the province. In Washington, United States President, Bill Clinton, hails the peace deal as a victory for hope over hate, and urges all parties to stand firm against any attempts to undermine the historic accord with violence. Mr. Clinton played a key role in the last-minute negotiations, spending a sleepless night engaged in transatlantic \Jtelephone\j diplomacy with the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland, and party leaders from both sides of the conflict. \I(South Africa, \JFrance\j, Northern Ireland, USA, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Russia's opposition-dominated \JDuma\j votes 186-143 against the nomination of Sergei Kiriyenko as prime minister, a narrower margin of defeat than political observers had expected. A determined President Boris Yeltsin re-nominates Kiriyenko just 40 minutes after the vote, a move derided as "petty tyranny" by Communist leader, Gennady Zyuganov, who says his party will boycott any further debate on the issue. Under the Russian Constitution, Mr. Yeltsin can dissolve the \JDuma\j and call fresh elections if his prime-ministerial candidate is rejected three times. \I(Russia)\i
At least 35 illegal immigrants from the Indonesian province of Aceh burst into four foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur in a desperate bid to avoid deportation. Malaysian police remove 12 Indonesians from the Swiss embassy, seven from the \JBrunei\j embassy, and eight from the French embassy, but the eight who scale the wall of the United States compound are held by embassy security pending consultation with Washington. Aceh separatists have been fighting a low-level insurgency for independence from Indonesia since the mid-1970s, and the immigrants are seeking political asylum in Malaysia, claiming that they will face reprisals if they are repatriated. \I(Indonesia, Malaysia, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBrunei\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Israeli soldiers are placed on high alert as thousands of people flock to \JJerusalem\j in a convergence of three religious holidays. As Christian pilgrims mark \JGood Friday\j with a procession along the Via Dolorosa following Jesus' route to the site of the crucifixion, Muslims chant Eid al-Adha prayers in the al-Aqsa mosque, \JIslam\j's third holiest site, while at sunset, Jews begin the eight-day Passover holiday marking the biblical exodus from ancient \JEgypt\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j)\i
During a \JGood Friday\j service led by Pope John Paul II, the Roman \JCatholic Church\j expresses regret over its past relations with Jews, admitting that it has crucified Jews for a long time, and positing the notion that all people were responsible for Christ's death. While the notion of collective Jewish guilt for Christ's crucifixion was officially repudiated by the Vatican in 1965, it is believed to be the first time that it has been repudiated in a \JGood Friday\j service attended by the Pope. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"April 11, 1998",829,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Vice ministers from North and South Korea meet in \JBeijing\j for the first high-level government talks since official contact between the rivals was broken in 1994. The main focus of the talks will be the delivery of \Jfertilizer\j desperately needed by the starving North for the spring crop planting. \I(The Koreas)\i
Japanese Government sources reveal that Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is considering moving forward plans to cut the nation's corporate tax rate from 46 per cent to 41 per cent. The initiative follows the failure of financial markets to respond to economic stimulus measures already announced, which include 10 trillion yen worth of new public works spending and 4 trillion in income tax cuts, and which analysts believe will stop the economy sinking further, but will do little to promote recovery. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The new Northern Ireland peace agreement clears a key hurdle when the executive council of the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party votes to accept it, a decision derided by the Reverend Ian Paisley, however, who says the agreement strikes at the heart of the union and that he will campaign against it. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, moves to enlist support for a "yes" vote in next month's referendum, seeking the backing of Conservative leader, William Hague, and former prime minister, John Major. Mr. Blair is also hoping that United States President, Bill Clinton, who took an active interest in the peace negotiations, will visit Northern Ireland in early May when he arrives in Britain for a G7 summit. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK, USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a set of draft guidelines identifying human and animal feces as the major source of contamination for fruit and vegetables, and listing a number of procedures and controls to increase the safety of fresh produce. More than 9,000 Americans die each year from food-borne disease, and health officials are now linking an increasing number of illnesses to produce such as raspberries, \Jalfalfa\j sprouts, and cantaloupes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The new Northern Ireland peace agreement clears a key hurdle when the executive council of the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party votes to accept it, a decision derided by the Reverend Ian Paisley, however, who says the agreement strikes at the heart of the union and that he will campaign against it. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, moves to enlist support for a "yes" vote in next month's referendum, seeking the backing of Conservative leader, William Hague, and former prime minister, John Major. Mr. Blair is also hoping that United States President, Bill Clinton, who took an active interest in the peace negotiations, will visit Northern Ireland in early May when he arrives in Britain for a G7 summit. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK, USA)\i
Twenty-four people from two families are stabbed to death by suspected Hutu rebels in the central Rwandan town of Musambira. According to officials in Rwanda, the latest act of violence brings the civilian death toll for the week to more than 100 people. \I(Rwanda)\i
An \Jearthquake\j registering 5.9 on the Richter scale shakes \JIran\j's northeastern province of Khorassan. Authorities in the area report that 10 people are killed and another 10 people are injured. \I(\JIran\j)\i
#
"April 12, 1998",830,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The executive director of the World Food Program (WFP), Catherine Bertini, says the agency has warned \JPyongyang\j that it will cut levels of desperately needed grain aid unless all North Korean counties are opened up to monitors trying to ensure that the food reaches the most needy. \JPyongyang\j has previously allowed WFP monitors access to only 210 counties, insisting that the remaining 50 counties house sensitive military installations. \I(North Korea)\i
Taliban soldiers and opposition fighters trade heavy artillery fire on frontlines north of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The exchanges come amid reports that both sides are reinforcing the frontlines for possible spring offensives after the winter thaw, sparking fears among the international community that the country is on the verge of another bout of large-scale fighting. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Malaysia reports that it has cancelled holiday leave for its force of 8,000 fire fighters as it steps up efforts to cope with \Jpeat\j and forest fires burning in at least six of the country's 13 states. Malaysia, normally one of Southeast Asia's wettest regions, has been plagued by prolonged \Jdrought\j, which has not only led to the outbreak of fires, but created severe \Jwater\j shortages in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. \I(Malaysia)\i
In women's tennis, Mary Pierce of \JFrance\j defeats Conchita Martinez of \JSpain\j in the final of the WTA Tour Tournament at Amelia Island, \JFlorida\j. In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter defeats Sweden's Mikael Tillstrom to win the Open Tournament at Madras, India, Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black to win the Salem Open at Hong Kong, \JSpain\j's Alberto Berasategui defeats \JAustria\j's Thomas Muster to win the Estoril Men's Open at \JLisbon\j, \JPortugal\j, while America's John McEnroe defeats Sweden's Bjorn Borg in the final of the ATP Senior Tour at Doha, \JQatar\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden, India, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, \JSpain\j, \JAustria\j, \JPortugal\j, \JQatar\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Northern Ireland peace talks chairman, former United States senator George Mitchell, voice concerns that extremist elements opposed to the peace process will escalate violent activities in an attempt to sabotage a May referendum on Friday's historic agreement, which is basically a power-sharing arrangement retaining the province's links with Britain while building closer ties with the Republic of Ireland. Separate referendums are to be conducted simultaneously in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and a "no" vote on either side of the border will shatter the fragile peace pact, and send the British and Irish Governments back to the drawing board. \I(UK, USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
During a Midnight Mass to celebrate Easter Sunday, the head of \JCuba\j's Roman \JCatholic Church\j, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, leads several hundred worshipers into a nearby square in \JHavana\j for a brief ceremony to light a \Jcandle\j symbolizing the resurrected Christ. It is the first time the \Jresurrection\j ceremony has been held in public since Fidel Castro's 1959 Marxist revolution, when religious activities were ordered confined to church premises, and its emergence this year is attributed to a softening of the Government's stance on religion in the wake of Pope John Paul's January visit to the Communist island. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Some 500 Mexican troops swarm through a farming co-operative in the troubled southern state of Chiapas after Indian residents supporting Zapatista rebels declare independence. Twenty people are arrested in the raid, including 11 foreigners, some of whom are human rights workers. The state of Chiapas was the scene of an Indian uprising in 1994, and more recently, of a massacre of 45 unarmed Indians by local paramilitaries affiliated with President Ernesto Zedillo's Institutional Revolutionary Party. \I(Mexico)\i
A United States Government study indicates that there has been a slight rise in levels of violence and drug availability in schools between 1989 and 1995. The study, based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 10,000 students aged 12 to 19, found that over 65 per cent of respondents reported the availability of drugs in their schools, 28 per cent reported the presence of street gangs, and 5 per cent reported the presence of guns at school. \I(USA)\i
In a spectacular finish, American golfer Mark O'Meara birdies the last two holes to win the 62nd US Masters at Augusta, Georgia, beating fellow Americans, Fred Couples and David Duval, by one shot. The win gives O'Meara the first major professional championship title of his 19-year career, and escalates him to the rank of No. 9 in the world. \I(USA)\i
In women's tennis, Mary Pierce of \JFrance\j defeats Conchita Martinez of \JSpain\j in the final of the WTA Tour Tournament at Amelia Island, \JFlorida\j. In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter defeats Sweden's Mikael Tillstrom to win the Open Tournament at Madras, India, Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black to win the Salem Open at Hong Kong, \JSpain\j's Alberto Berasategui defeats \JAustria\j's Thomas Muster to win the Estoril Men's Open at \JLisbon\j, \JPortugal\j, while America's John McEnroe defeats Sweden's Bjorn Borg in the final of the ATP Senior Tour at Doha, \JQatar\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden, India, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, \JSpain\j, \JAustria\j, \JPortugal\j, \JQatar\j)\i
Germany's Michael Schumacher hands Ferrari its first win of the season when he surges clear of his McLaren rivals to take the checkered flag in the Argentina Formula One Grand Prix at Buenos Aires. \I(Germany, Argentina)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Northern Ireland peace talks chairman, former United States senator George Mitchell, voice concerns that extremists elements opposed to the peace process will escalate violent activities in an attempt to sabotage a May referendum on Friday's historic agreement, which is basically a power-sharing arrangement retaining the province's links with Britain while building closer ties with the Republic of Ireland. Separate referendums are to be conducted simultaneously in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and a "no" vote on either side of the border will shatter the fragile peace pact, and send the British and Irish Governments back to the drawing board. \I(UK, USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Israeli warplanes attack suspected pro-Iranian Hizbollah targets in southern \JLebanon\j, firing a total of 16 rockets into the hills of Sojoud, in the Iqlim al-Toufah region. The raid is unprovoked, according to a spokesman for Hizbollah, who insists that the group did not launch any attacks against Israeli troops or their local militia allies inside the Jewish state's south \JLebanon\j occupation zone. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
The leader of \JRussia\j's Communists, Gennady Zyuganov, whose party is the largest in the State \JDuma\j, says he will seek parliamentary approval for an appeal to the Constitutional Court on President Boris Yeltsin's re-nomination of Sergei Kiriyenko, who was rejected as prime-ministerial candidate in a first vote by the \JDuma\j last Friday. Mr. Yeltsin has told deputies that Mr. Kiriyenko is his only choice for the post, and has threatened to dissolve the \JDuma\j and call fresh elections if his nominee is rejected three times. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
On the most important \Jday\j in the Christian liturgical calendar, Pope John Paul II celebrates the 20th Easter Sunday of his pontificate with a 90-minute Mass in St. Peter's Square. In his Easter message to the city and the world, the pontiff urges humanity not to repeat the tragic errors of the 20th century as it nears the year 2000. Instancing Africa and the \JMiddle East\j, the pontiff says such errors have reopened the wounds of ethnic rivalries and are sowing the seeds for a sad tomorrow. \I(\JItaly\j, Africa, \JMiddle East\j)\i
As Christian pilgrims from around the world celebrate Easter Sunday in \JJerusalem\j's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the city's Roman Catholic leader, Michel Sabbah, a Palestinian, appeals for an end to violence in the region, citing the coinciding Jewish Passover and Muslim Eid al-Adha as an invitation to raise a common prayer for freedom and abundant life for all inhabitants of the Holy Land. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
During a Midnight Mass to celebrate Easter Sunday, the head of \JCuba\j's Roman \JCatholic Church\j, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, leads several hundred worshipers into a nearby square in \JHavana\j for a brief ceremony to light a \Jcandle\j symbolizing the resurrected Christ. It is the first time the \Jresurrection\j ceremony has been held in public since Fidel Castro's 1959 Marxist revolution, when religious activities were ordered confined to church premises, and its emergence this year is attributed to a softening of the Government's stance on religion in the wake of Pope John Paul's January visit to the Communist island. \I(\JCuba\j, \JItaly\j)\i
The city of \JVenice\j is jolted by an \Jearthquake\j that is also felt throughout north-east \JItaly\j and much of \JAustria\j. There are no reports of injuries or major damage as a result of the quake, which measures 5.5 on the Richter scale, and has its epicenter in \JSlovenia\j, about 15 kilometers from the Italian border. \I(\JItaly\j, \JAustria\j, \JSlovenia\j)\i
In women's tennis, Mary Pierce of \JFrance\j defeats Conchita Martinez of \JSpain\j in the final of the WTA Tour Tournament at Amelia Island, \JFlorida\j. In men's tennis, \JAustralia\j's Patrick Rafter defeats Sweden's Mikael Tillstrom to win the Open Tournament at Madras, India, Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black to win the Salem Open at Hong Kong, \JSpain\j's Alberto Berasategui defeats \JAustria\j's Thomas Muster to win the Estoril Men's Open at \JLisbon\j, \JPortugal\j, while America's John McEnroe defeats Sweden's Bjorn Borg in the final of the ATP Senior Tour at Doha, \JQatar\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden, India, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, \JSpain\j, \JAustria\j, \JPortugal\j, \JQatar\j)\i
Germany's Michael Schumacher hands Ferrari its first win of the season when he surges clear of his McLaren rivals to take the checkered flag in the Argentina Formula One Grand Prix at Buenos Aires. \I(Germany, Argentina)\i
#
"April 13, 1998",831,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Malaysian office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says before it decides whether 22 Indonesian illegal immigrants should be granted asylum, it will seek permission from the Indonesian Government to visit Aceh province, in the north of \JSumatra\j island, to assess the situation of hundreds of illegal immigrants deported from Malaysia last month. Two weeks ago, 14 Acehnese immigrants seeking asylum stormed into the UN compound in Kuala Lumpur, while just days ago, another eight forced their way into the United States Embassy, fearing reprisals should they be forced to return home. Acehnese have been seeking independence from Jakarta since the mid-1970s, and the province was the scene of a crushed separatist revolt in the late 1980s and early 1990s. \I(Malaysia, Indonesia)\i
Authorities in Phnom Penh claim that more than 3,000 Khmer Rouge guerrillas have now defected to the government, and that the imminent collapse of the rebel group is assured. However, the authorities are unable to confirm the exact whereabouts of Pol Pot, the infamous former leader of the outlawed group, who was purged by his comrades in an internal power struggle and sentenced to life under house arrest last year. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it intends keeping a closer watch to ensure that the Indonesian Government fulfils the terms of an economic bailout package, recently revised for the third time since the $US43 billion deal was arranged last October. Instead of releasing $US3 billion in quarterly loans, the IMF plans to release monthly installments of about $US1 billion subject to corresponding reviews of Jakarta's compliance with the provisions of the package. \I(Indonesia)\i
Prosecutors in \JTokyo\j arrest five senior officials from three Japanese electrical equipment makers, bringing to 13 the number of arrests in a widening bribery scandal at the Japan Highway Public Corp, a government-affiliated agency that maintains a vast network of expressways and issues bonds to pay for new roads. The scandal at the highway agency rivals that at Japan's Ministry of Finance, where a number of officials and former officials have also been arrested recently on charges of accepting bribes. \I(Japan)\i
Five of Hong Kong's popular south side beaches are declared unsafe for swimmers due to a "red tide", a build-up of toxic \Jalgae\j that creates a reddish tinge in the \Jwater\j, and can cause skin irritations and \Jstomach\j upsets. The "red tide" has already killed half the territory's fish stocks, and is blamed on rising \Jpollution\j, with environmentalists citing the illegal dumping of sewage and industrial waste into rivers in the southern Chinese Guangdong province. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a special \JWhite House\j meeting with George Mitchell, the former US senator who chaired the 21-month negotiations that culminated in \JGood Friday\j's Northern Ireland peace agreement. Mr. Clinton says that while he would be happy to promote the new accord with a visit to the region prior to the May referendum, he will be guided by the judgement of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern. Mr. Clinton has taken an active interest in the Northern Ireland peace process, becoming the first serving US president to visit the province in December 1995, and engaging in transatlantic \Jtelephone\j diplomacy as the negotiations neared their historic conclusion. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
At Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, the countdown begins for the launch of NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia on a mission to probe the effects of space travel on the human brain and \Jnervous system\j. Columbia will carry a laboratory module housing 26 experiments, many of which will use the shuttle's astronauts as human guinea pigs. Other test subjects will include rats, mice, swordfish, crickets, and snail eggs. \I(USA)\i
As financial markets still reel from last week's news of the planned mega-merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group Inc., two further mergers within the United States banking industry are announced. In what is the second-biggest corporate union ever, BankAmerica Corp. and NationsBank are combining to form the nation's largest coast-to-coast banking company, while Banc One Corp. is combining with First \JChicago\j NBD to form what will become the nation's fifth-largest bank. \I(USA)\i
Researchers from the Harvard Medical School and Purdue University claim to have moved a step closer to finding a cure for the common cold. Using a technique known as x-ray \Jcrystallography\j, the researchers say they have made an atomic map of the receptor used by the cold virus to infect cells, a breakthrough that will enable chemists to design better drug molecules to bind to the virus and block its ability to bind to the receptor, called ICAM-1, standing for intracellular adhesion molecule one. \I(USA)\i
Samuel Huang, a professor of chemistry at the University of Connecticut, unveils his invention of an artificial \Jtendon\j that acts like a scaffold upon which a damaged \Jtendon\j can regenerate itself, gradually breaking down as the natural \Jtendon\j grows back. Previous artificial tendons have been designed to permanently replace damaged tendons, a situation that Professor Huang maintains has prevented proper healing. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, holds a special \JWhite House\j meeting with George Mitchell, the former US senator who chaired the 21-month negotiations that culminated in \JGood Friday\j's Northern Ireland peace agreement. Mr. Clinton says that while he would be happy to promote the new accord with a visit to the region prior to the May referendum, he will be guided by the judgement of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern. Mr. Clinton has taken an active interest in the Northern Ireland peace process, becoming the first serving US president to visit the province in December 1995, and engaging in transatlantic \Jtelephone\j diplomacy as the negotiations neared their historic conclusion. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
As international pressure mounts for the arrest of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic, a Serb Democratic Party MP, Bozidar Vucurevic, says 23,000 soldiers will rally to Karadzic's defense if \JNATO\j forces attempt to apprehend him. Mr. Vucurevic's statement indicates that Karadzic is still in Bosnia, despite French intelligence claims that he has fled to \JBelarus\j. \I(Bosnia, \JFrance\j, \JBelarus\j)\i
Algerian newspapers report that several local government officials and pro-government militia leaders have been arrested on charges of involvement in "extra-judicial executions of civilians". Muslim rebels have been largely blamed for civilian massacres in Algeria, which this year alone have cost in excess of 1,200 lives, sparking widespread calls for an international investigation. \I(Algeria)\i
Moscow is thrown into turmoil when it experiences its heaviest April snowfall for 20 years, with 30 centimeters of unexpected snow falling on the city in a space of 48 hours. Road accidents triple, power lines are cut for hours, dozens of flights are canceled, and 6,000 snow-clearing vehicles are mobilized by city authorities. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"April 14, 1998",832,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that the Japanese economy will experience negative growth for at least the first half of this year, conceding, however, that the fiscal stimulus package recently announced by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto offers some hope of a resumption of positive growth in the second half of the year. While the IMF's pessimistic assessment is angrily rejected by Japan's Finance Ministry, it mirrors international concerns that Japan's weakness will exacerbate damage to global and regional economies caused by the Asian currency crisis. \I(Japan, Asia)\i
The first high-level meeting in four years between the opposing Koreas breaks down in a stalemate, with each side blaming the other for the impasse. At the outset of the talks on Saturday, Seoul linked urgently-needed \Jfertilizer\j aid for the North to the issue of reuniting families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War, a condition rejected by \JPyongyang\j as political rather than humanitarian. \I(The Koreas)\i
In the escalating battle for the Australian waterfront, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) lodges a claim in the Federal Court, seeking an extension of an interim injunction to prevent the formal dismissal of 1,400 dock workers, and alleging an unlawful conspiracy between the Minister for Workplace Relations, Peter Reith, the National Farmers Federation, and Patrick Stevedores to sack the Patrick workforce nationwide. The move comes after it is revealed that a restructuring of the Patrick group of companies has left the companies employing the workers insolvent, thereby terminating the contracts of employment between those companies and the main stevedoring company, and rendering the MUA's interim injunction largely ineffective. \I(Australia)\i
Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, pledges to work with experts from the mainland and overseas to devise an early warning system alerting authorities to the spread of red tides. Meanwhile, red warning flags remain hoisted at five Hong Kong beaches, and hospitals are working closely with the Department of Health to monitor cases of poisoning. Around 40 government boats have been deployed to clear tens of thousands of dead fish from the ocean, and local fishermen who have suffered huge losses as a result of the toxic \Jalgae\j crisis are demanding financial assistance, \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A Paraguayan citizen is executed by the state of Virginia despite appeals from the Paraguayan Government, the International Court of Justice, and US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright. Ms. Albright was urging a stay of execution to allow the World Court to review the case after the International Court of Justice found that arresting officers had not acted in accordance with the Vienna Convention, having failed to advise Angel Francisco Breard of his right to confer with Paraguayan consular officials. Breard, 32, had lived in the United States since 1986, and was convicted of murdering a woman during an attempted rape in 1992. \I(USA, Paraguay)\i
Former Venezuelan president, Carlos Andres Perez, is charged in \JCaracas\j with illegal enrichment following the discovery of a million-dollar New York bank account held in the name of his mistress, Cecilia Matos. Ms. Matos is also arrested on conspiracy charges. \I(Venezuela, USA)\i
Watergate figure, Maurice Stans, dies aged 90 after suffering a heart attack. Mr. Stans, who was President Richard Nixon's Commerce Secretary as well as finance chairman of the Committee for Reelection of the President in 1972, pleaded guilty to minor offenses in connection with the Watergate scandal, and later moved to Pasadena where he established a financial consulting firm and wrote two books about his years at the \JWhite House\j. \I(USA)\i
A study conducted at \JMount Sinai\j Medical Center in Miami finds that for most patients, expensive dual-chamber pacemakers that stimulate the heart in two places are no more effective than older single-chamber devices. The findings are important not only because of the increased cost of the dual-chamber pacemakers, but because they are harder to implant and tend to fail six months earlier than the single-chamber models. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a move designed to boost backing for the new Northern Ireland peace accord, nine members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) are granted early release from Portlaoise prison, west of Dublin. Freedom for IRA inmates is a major issue for the paramilitary group's political wing, Sinn Fein, whose leader Gerry Adams must now defend his support for the \JGood Friday\j pact in the face of strong internal opposition. Meanwhile, the Reverend Ian Paisley, head of the hardline Protestant Democratic Unionist Party which boycotted the Stormont peace talks, launches his campaign for a "no" vote at next month's referendum, publicly adopting a stand contrary to that of the executive council of the Ulster Unionist Party, which voted to accept the historic accord. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
A report is presented to the United Nations Human Rights Commission claiming that 1,500 political prisoners were executed in \JIraq\j last year under a "prison-cleansing campaign" ordered by President Saddam Hussein's younger son, Qusay, who directs the country's Special Security Organization. The report, compiled by former Netherlands' foreign minister, Max van der Stoel, is vehemently rejected as false by the Iraqi UN delegation. \I(\JIraq\j, The Netherlands)\i
Turkey warns that it will strike at Russian-made S300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles if the Greek Cypriot Government proceeds with plans to install them on the southern two-thirds of Cyprus. Turkey regards the planned deployment of the missiles as a threat to the security of the northern Turkish Cypriot people, which it has guaranteed to defend. \I(Turkey, Cyprus, Russia)\i
Turkish military forces sweep 70 kilometers into \JIraq\j to seize Semdin Sakik, who for years has been the chief field commander in the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Sakik is the highest-ranking rebel captured in 13 years of conflict, a feat that is hailed by the Turkish media as a turning point in the country's bitter fight against armed separatism. \I(Turkey, \JIraq\j)\i
The French Interior Minister replaces three high-ranking civil servants on \JCorsica\j, part of a radical change of policy by French authorities, who are now pledging to crack down on corruption and organized crime on the island. The policy change follows the February assassination of the Corsican Prefect, Claude Erignac, whose successor, Bernard Bonnet, has already received death threats. \I(\JFrance\j, \JCorsica\j)\i
South Africa's former \Japartheid\j president, P.W. Botha, goes on trial for refusing to appear before the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to explain the role of his State Security Council, an inner Cabinet which directed security operations during the anti-\Japartheid\j struggle in the 1980s. The former white ruler maintains that he does not have to explain his actions as president to the commission because he was fighting a legitimate battle against \Jcommunism\j at the time. \I(South Africa)\i
Italian police apprehend Mafia "crown prince", Vito Vitale, 39, said to be the chosen successor of jailed Corleone family Godfather, Salvatore "Toto" Riina. Vitale, who has been on the run for some time, is unarmed and alone when taken by surprise in a farmhouse near the town of Borghetto. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, is reported to be tired but out of danger after undergoing emergency bowel surgery in an Austrian \Jhospital\j. Mr. Havel was suddenly taken ill with a high fever while on holiday in the Tyrol. \I(Czech Republic, Austria)\i
#
"April 15, 1998",833,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches 9100 to post a record high, gaining 52.07 points to close at 9,162.27. Despite earlier warnings about the impact of Asia's slowdown, the market is boosted by a slew of strong company profit reports. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Figures are released by the \JJapan\j Department Stores Association showing that consumer spending fell in all sectors by volume and price during the month of March, resulting in a 21.4 per cent plunge in overall retail sales. The fall is the biggest on record, and exacerbates existing fears both at home and abroad that the Japanese economy is headed into a recessionary spiral. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Thailand comes under increasing pressure to seal off its border with \JCambodia\j as the Cambodian military steps up its efforts to eradicate pockets of resistance by remnants of the outlawed Khmer Rouge, now disintegrating as increasing numbers of its members defect to the government. Based on information provided by recent defectors, the Cambodian military believes that the guerrilla group's despised former leader, Pol Pot, is already inside Thai territory, but Western diplomats say the situation is still unclear. \I(\JCambodia\j, Thailand)\i
Mahmood Akbar, a ruling party MP and ally of Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, is shot dead along with four others by hooded gunmen in central Punjab province. Officials in the province say they suspect the motive for the killings to be old enmities within Mr. Akbar's clan. \I(Pakistan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Commerce Secretary, William Daley, reports that growth in information technology industries, such as computers and communications, has accounted for more than 25 per cent of the US economy's growth for the past five years, helping to keep \Jinflation\j at bay and creating 7.4 million high-paying jobs. Mr. Daley also projects that commerce among businesses on the \JInternet\j could grow to more than $US300 billion by 2002. \I(USA)\i
In New York, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches 9100 to post a record high, gaining 52.07 points to close at 9,162.27. Despite earlier warnings about the impact of Asia's slowdown, the market is boosted by a slew of strong company profit reports. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Researchers at the University of Washington say women who get regular mammograms to check for breast cancer face a 49 per cent chance of receiving a false-positive result in one of every 10 tests. While the researchers uphold the value of regular mammography, they recommend that women should be educated about the risks of an unwarranted scare, and that health care providers should be trained to deal immediately with positive results when they occur. \I(USA)\i
Legislators in Kentucky pass an amendment to local gun licensing laws that will allow clergymen to carry concealed weapons in church. While the amendment comes in the wake of a string of armed robberies in rural churches, it enrages many among the clergy who feel that arming preachers sends the wrong message to the community. \I(USA)\i
Katherine Graham, 80, the pioneer publisher of \IThe Washington Post,\i is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. \IPersonal History,\i a chronicle of Mrs. Graham's life that is as much history as \Jbiography\j, became a bestseller last year, totaling 230,000 sales in hardback copies alone. \I(USA)\i
A six-year-old British girl flies to the United States where she will undergo the world's first operation to grow a new ear. The girl was born with First Arch Syndrome, a rare bone disorder, and surgeons in \JBoston\j will attempt to grow the new ear using cells from her existing left ear. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The campaign to win popular approval for the new Northern Ireland peace agreement suffers a setback when the ruling body of the 60,000-strong Orange Order, a bastion of Protestant Unionism, refuses to back the deal in its current form. Rather than reject the deal outright, however, the body is seeking clarification from the British Government on three issues: the proposed shake-up of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the early release of paramilitary prisoners, and the lack of a specific timetable for the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Israel's right-wing National Infrastructure Minister, Ariel Sharon, vows to continue the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, promising settlement leaders that they will receive government assistance to increase their population and territory. Mr. Sharon's pledge is a blow to upcoming international efforts to restart the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The mayor of the Iranian capital, Tehran, is released from prison on bail after being arrested on corruption charges earlier this month. The arrest of Gholamhossein Karabaschi, a close ally of President Mohammad Khatami, has caused an uproar in Iranian politics, and his release follows days of meetings between leaders of rival factions. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, is now urging the country's politicians to find common ground in the case against the 44-year-old mayor, a man admired by moderates but reviled by conservatives. \I(Iran)\i
Nine foreigners on a humanitarian assessment mission for the International Red Cross are abducted by Somali gunmen, who immediately demand a ransom of $US900,000. The kidnappers are believed to have links with the Abgal clan of Ali \JMahdi\j Mohamed, who is currently in \JKenya\j for peace talks. \I(\JSomalia\j, \JKenya\j)\i
French customs officials reveal a record haul of 358,000 ecstasy tablets and ten kilograms of \Jcocaine\j, which was seized late last month from a Belgian-registered truck about to enter the Channel Tunnel near \JCalais\j. While police took the Belgian driver into custody, the seizure was kept secret in an attempt to trace the drugs syndicate behind the cache, which was destined for the British market. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, UK)\i
Three World War I British soldiers, who have lain in a shallow grave since they fell during the Battle of Arras in April 1917, are buried with full military honors in the war cemetery at Monchy-le-Preux, northern \JFrance\j. The makeshift grave, which was discovered in 1996, contained 27 bodies, 24 of which were completely unidentifiable and were quietly buried in the Monchy cemetery last December. The Battle of Arras began on April 9, 1917, and claimed 159,000 British and Empire casualties, and between 150,000 and 200,000 German casualties. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
A six-year-old British girl flies to the United States where she will undergo the world's first operation to grow a new ear. The girl was born with First Arch Syndrome, a rare bone disorder, and surgeons in \JBoston\j will attempt to grow the new ear using cells from her existing left ear. \I(UK, USA)\i
#
"April 16, 1998",834,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tokyo stocks dive below the 16,000-point barrier and the Japanese yen suffers another slide following the failure of Finance Minister, Hikaru Matsunaga, to provide specifics of the Japanese Government's economic stimulus package to financial leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations, meeting in Washington. With recently released data confirming that the Japanese economy is sinking into recession, Mr. Matsunaga's refusal to outline details to G7 nations fuels fears that the implementation of the 16 trillion yen package may be delayed by bureaucratic disputes over how the money should be spent. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Cambodia's outlawed Khmer Rouge reports that former leader Pol Pot, 75, died late last night after suffering a heart attack. The news comes amid intensifying efforts to extradite the architect of Cambodia's "killing fields" regime to appear before an international tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity, and the world is now awaiting conclusive proof that he is indeed dead. Thai officials at the border with Cambodia say they are at least 70 per cent sure, but are still trying to verify the report. There have been numerous reports of Pol Pot's demise in the past, but all have proved false. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Three members of a Los Angeles gang are convicted of first-degree murder for the 1996 shooting of Haing Ngor, the Cambodian activist who was awarded the Oscar for best supporting actor in the 1984 film, \IThe Killing Fields,\i which portrays the years of Pol Pot's brutal rule. Ngor arrived in the United States in 1980, prior to which he spent four years as a prisoner of the Khmer Rouge before escaping to \JThailand\j. Having survived Cambodia's "killing fields", Ngor fell prey to Los Angeles street crime when he refused to give up a gold locket containing a photograph of his late wife, who died in childbirth while also a captive of the Khmer Rouge. \I(USA, Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Student protests escalate across \JIndonesia\j despite new moves by the government to hold dialogue with campus representatives. In the city of \JBandung\j, scuffles break out when police prevent around 5,000 Institute of Technology students from staging a march. In \JSurabaya\j, the country's second-largest city, several thousand students hold a peaceful rally at the August 17 University, while in the capital, Jakarta, hundreds of students march through the streets demanding that President Soeharto step down from office. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Two Indonesian soldiers and one East Timorese separatist are killed during a gun battle in Baucau, about 100 kilometers east of Dili. An Indonesian military leader says the group of around 30 East Timorese rebels involved in the fighting later escaped with the body of their dead comrade. \I(Indonesia, East Timor)\i
The dispute on the Australian waterfront, now in its second week, begins to take its toll on businesses, with Maritime Union pickets preventing the collection of more than 7,000 imported containers from Patrick Stevedores' docks in Sydney and Melbourne alone. Car manufacturer Toyota says it will be forced to stop production at its Melbourne plant next week and is asking its entire 2,500 workforce to take annual leave, while General Motors reports that it has been forced to airlift vital car parts into the country. Millions of dollars worth of Australian exports, including fish, wine, wool and dairy products, are also under threat because of the dispute. Meanwhile, as Patrick Stevedores seeks a court injunction against the pickets, the Maritime Union continues its legal fight to overturn last week's sacking of 1,400 dock workers by Patrick. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, begins a state visit to \JChile\j, paying homage to the nation's return to democracy after 17 years of repressive military rule under General Augusto Pinochet. General Pinochet relinquished the Chilean presidency in 1990, but remained commander in chief of the army until last month, when he took up a lifelong seat in the Senate despite widespread public protests. \I(USA, \JChile\j)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, an American-educated Ghanaian and the first black African to head the world organization, presents a manifesto for African reform requested by the UN Security Council, part of a United States drive to overhaul international policy toward the continent. Mr. Annan targets the dangerous nature of political power and the command economy in many African states, and recommends that the governments of all nations embrace economic liberalization, stamp out corruption, and show respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Mr. Annan also calls on the rest of the world to help revive the struggling continent by reducing its foreign debt, restructuring development aid, and allowing market access for African goods. \I(Ghana, Africa, USA)\i
Tokyo stocks dive below the 16,000-point barrier and the Japanese yen suffers another slide following the failure of Finance Minister, Hikaru Matsunaga, to provide specifics of the Japanese Government's economic stimulus package to financial leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations, meeting in Washington. With recently released data confirming that the Japanese economy is sinking into recession, Mr. Matsunaga's refusal to outline details to G7 nations fuels fears that the implementation of the 16 trillion yen package may be delayed by bureaucratic disputes over how the money should be spent. \I(Japan, USA)\i
At a news conference in \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j, Paula Jones announces that she intends to appeal the April 1dismissal of her sexual harassment lawsuit against US President Bill Clinton. Lawyers for Ms. Jones say the appeals process will probably take six to 12 months, and will be funded by the Rutherford Institute, the conservative legal foundation that has financed the Jones case since last September. \I(USA)\i
Prosecutor Kenneth Starr says that he has given up plans to accept a law school deanship at \JCalifornia\j's Pepperdine University in order to continue his criminal probe of President Bill Clinton, which has already lasted nearly four years at a cost of more than $US30 million, and which has attracted strong public criticism since its focus was diverted to Mr. Clinton's relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. Mr. Starr has also come under criticism because the university post he planned to accept was funded by Richard Mellon Scaife, one of the President's fiercest conservative enemies. \I(USA)\i
Three members of a Los Angeles gang are convicted of first-degree murder for the 1996 shooting of Haing Ngor, the Cambodian activist who was awarded the Oscar for best supporting actor in the 1984 film, \IThe Killing Fields,\i which portrays the years of Pol Pot's brutal rule. Ngor arrived in the United States in 1980, prior to which he spent four years as a prisoner of the Khmer Rouge before escaping to \JThailand\j. Having survived Cambodia's "killing fields", Ngor fell prey to Los Angeles street crime when he refused to give up a gold locket containing a photograph of his late wife, who died in childbirth while also a captive of the Khmer Rouge. \I(USA, Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Pre-dawn tornadoes rip through the southern states of \JArkansas\j, Kentucky, and \JTennessee\j, causing ten deaths and millions of dollars worth of damage. Thunderstorms accompanying the severe \Jweather\j system spark 2,000 sky-to-ground \Jlightning\j strikes in less than two hours. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Tensions escalate in \JSerbia\j's troubled southern province of \JKosovo\j when Serb residents near the \JAlbanian\j border are forced to flee their homes following threats by gunmen of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, an ethnic \JAlbanian\j paramilitary group that has been waging a terrorist campaign for the province's independence, and which has recently been targeted in a bloody crackdown by Serb security forces. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, an American-educated Ghanaian and the first black African to head the world organization, presents a manifesto for African reform requested by the UN Security Council, part of a United States drive to overhaul international policy toward the continent. Mr. Annan targets the dangerous nature of political power and the command economy in many African states, and recommends that the governments of all nations embrace economic liberalization, stamp out corruption, and show respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Mr. Annan also calls on the rest of the world to help revive the struggling continent by reducing its foreign debt, restructuring development aid, and allowing market access for African goods. \I(Ghana, Africa, USA)\i
The contempt case against former South African President, P.W. Botha, is adjourned for six weeks, leaving unchallenged allegations that he created a climate conducive to gross human rights violations from 1978 to 1989 when he was the country's leader. Mr. Botha was brought to court for ignoring a \Jsubpoena\j to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to answer questions about his role as chairman of the State Security Council, which directed undercover operations in the 1980s. \I(South Africa)\i
A senior Russian general is killed and another seriously wounded when an armed convoy is ambushed in the North Caucasus. The ambush is blamed on rogue fighters from \JChechnya\j, who have refused to accept the peace treaty with Russia, and comes as the Russian and Chechen interior ministers meet in an effort to increase mutual co-operation and stabilize relations. \I(Russia, \JChechnya\j)\i
#
"April 17, 1998",835,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Thai military confirms that the notorious former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, is dead. According to a senior officer, the military sent a team to examine the corpse and interview people in the area, the first independent check conducted so far. Earlier evidence consisted only of images presented by journalists who were allowed access to the remote Khmer Rouge hamlet on the Thai-\JCambodia\j border, where Pol Pot reportedly died of a heart attack on Wednesday night. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
Following \JPakistan\j's successful test of its new Ghauri long-range missile last week, arch-enemy India says it is planning to launch a low-Earth-\Jorbit\j spy \Jsatellite\j next year. Meanwhile, amid international fears that India and \JPakistan\j are moving towards a nuclear arms race, Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, tells visiting United States envoy, Bill Richardson, that his country has been forced to develop its own missiles because of India's nuclear and \Jballistic missile\j arsenal. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA)\i
The first high-level talks in four years between North and South Korea end without agreement, and without any indication when the next meeting might take place. The North proposed the talks to discuss desperately needed \Jfertilizer\j aid, but the proceedings broke down after the South linked the aid to other issues, including the reunion of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War, an exchange of envoys between Seoul and \JPyongyang\j, and the reopening of a liaison office on the Korean border. \I(The Koreas)\i
Around 5,000 workers from Kia Motors, South Korea's third largest car-maker, take to the streets of Seoul for a second \Jday\j to protest against government moves to privatize the debt-ridden company. The protest represents the largest incidence of labor unrest since President Kim Dae Jung came to power in February, and coincides with a threatened walk-out by workers at Hyundai's car plant over management's plans to cut almost 10,000 jobs by offering early retirement. \I(South Korea)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, confirms that his government has lodged a protest with \JIndonesia\j over its failure to support Australia's bid to join the Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM). Despite an official commitment of support, \JIndonesia\j's Vice President, Bacharuddin Habibe, backed Malaysian opposition to Australia's application at an ASEM summit in London earlier this month, stalling the issue of Australian membership until the next summit in 2000. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, Malaysia, UK, Europe)\i
During a meeting at Pakia village in Bougainville's central region, hardline secessionist rebels under the leadership of Francis Ona reject a permanent cease-fire proposed for later this month to bring an end to civil conflict on the Papua New Guinea-governed island. Bougainville has been racked by fighting between rebels, loyalists, and PNG troops for nine years, and a temporary cease-fire came into force last October under the terms of the Burnham Truce Declaration, signed in \JNew Zealand\j. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Former Philippine first lady, Imelda Marcos, files a 1 million peso lawsuit against the Presidential Commission on Good Government over the auction of shares she maintains may be part of her late husband's estate. A 10.2 per cent holding in Eastern Telecommunications \JPhilippines\j Inc., worth 827 million peso, was surrendered to the commission in 1996 by a Marcos associate, who was then granted immunity from prosecution on charges of having provided a front for illegally acquired Marcos assets. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
International researchers confirm the loss of another 200-square-kilometer mass of ice from the Larsen Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula. Around two-thirds of the 12,000-square kilometer shelf is now threatening to break off as a result of a warming trend over the past five decades. \I(\JAntarctica\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in \JAnkara\j for talks with President Suleyman Demirel and other Turkish Government leaders. Mr. Cohen will also visit Jordan, \JEgypt\j, Israel, and \JGreece\j, holding talks with government leaders on issues including bilateral military ties with Washington, relations between Turkey and \JGreece\j, the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, and \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Turkey, Jordan, \JEgypt\j, Israel, \JGreece\j, \JMiddle East\j, \JIraq\j)\i
Following \JPakistan\j's successful test of its new Ghauri long-range missile last week, arch-enemy India says it is planning to launch a low-Earth-\Jorbit\j spy \Jsatellite\j next year. Meanwhile, amid international fears that India and \JPakistan\j are moving towards a nuclear arms race, Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, tells visiting United States envoy, Bill Richardson, that his country has been forced to develop its own missiles because of India's nuclear and \Jballistic missile\j arsenal. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA)\i
Columbia, the oldest of NASA's four space shuttles, lifts off from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on a mission called Neurolab, a $US99 million research program to understand the effects of space travel on the \Jnervous system\j. It is Columbia's 25th flight into space, coming a \Jday\j later than planned due to the failure of a signal processor in the final hours of the countdown, the first time in 17 missions that a hardware problem has grounded a shuttle on launch \Jday\j. \I(USA)\i
The death toll in the \Jtornado\j-ravaged states of \JTennessee\j, Kentucky, and \JArkansas\j rises to 12 as torrential rains continue to lash the region, causing flash floods and hampering clean-up operations. Seven of the deaths occurred in rural areas of \JTennessee\j, while at least 150 people were injured when two twisters ripped through the country music capital, Nashville, causing an estimated $US100 million in damage and leaving about 30,000 people without power. Last week, a series of deadly tornadoes killed a total of 43 people in the states of Georgia and \JAlabama\j. \I(USA)\i
A team of scientists in \JMassachusetts\j identifies the component of breast milk that protects babies from rotavirus, a major cause of severe diarrhea that kills a million infants every year worldwide. The identification of lactadherin, located in the membrane of fat globules in breast milk, not only provides more evidence in favor of breastfeeding, but could be a step towards the development of a treatment to fight diarrhea in children. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a status report to the United Nations Security Council, UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) chairman, Richard Butler, says that due to a series of crises, weapons inspectors have made virtually no progress over the past six months in verifying that \JIraq\j has destroyed any remaining weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Butler must certify that \JIraq\j has no more ballistic, chemical, or biological weapons before the council can consider lifting sanctions imposed in 1990 after \JIraq\j invaded \JKuwait\j. \I(\JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, flies into \JCairo\j on the start of a five-\Jday\j \JMiddle East\j peace mission to be conducted as part of Britain's presidency of the European Union. Mr. Blair cites the recent breakthrough in the Northern Ireland peace process as an inspiration across the world, and confirms that throughout talks in \JEgypt\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Jordan, and Israel, he will be seeking to assign the EU an official role in \JMiddle East\j peace negotiations. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, \JEgypt\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Jordan, Israel, Europe)\i
A Rwandan court sentences two Roman Catholic priests to death after finding them guilty of killing 2,000 Tutsis who sought refuge in the church during the 1994 massacres. The two men are the first priests to be convicted under Rwanda's genocide trials, which began in December 1996, with another 10 priests, four nuns, and an unspecified number of brothers among the 130,000 genocide suspects current awaiting trial in Rwandan prisons. \I(Rwanda)\i
Russia's opposition-dominated \JDuma\j votes against President Boris Yeltsin's choice of Sergei Kiriyenko as prime minister for a second time. Undeterred, Mr. Yeltsin promptly orders the \JKremlin\j to submit Mr. Kiriyenko's name for a third round vote. Mr. Yeltsin has repeatedly said that he has no alternative candidate for the post, and that he is prepared to dissolve the \JDuma\j and call fresh elections if his nominee is rejected three times. \I(Russia)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, arrives in \JAnkara\j for talks with President Suleyman Demirel and other Turkish Government leaders. Mr. Cohen will also visit Jordan, \JEgypt\j, Israel, and \JGreece\j, holding talks with government leaders on issues including bilateral military ties with Washington, relations between Turkey and \JGreece\j, the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, and \JIraq\j. \I(USA, Turkey, Jordan, \JEgypt\j, Israel, \JGreece\j, \JMiddle East\j, \JIraq\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, confirms that his government has lodged a protest with \JIndonesia\j over its failure to support Australia's bid to join the Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM). Despite an official commitment of support, \JIndonesia\j's Vice President, Bacharuddin Habibie, backed Malaysian opposition to Australia's application at an ASEM summit in London earlier this month, stalling the issue of Australian membership until the next summit in 2000. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j, Malaysia, UK, Europe)\i
The white-run South African Rugby Football Union wins a High Court action preventing the government of President Nelson Mandela from establishing a commission of inquiry into allegations of \Jracism\j, corruption, and mismanagement in the administration of the sport. With reaction to the ruling sharply divided along racial lines, Mr. Mandela's legal team vows to appeal the decision. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"April 18, 1998",836,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The body of reviled former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, is cremated by his comrades in a short ceremony at Chong Sangam, a small village in northern \JCambodia\j. The ceremony is attended by about 20 people, and there are no eulogies or speeches. Instead, a coffin sprinkled with pink and white bougainvillea flowers is placed on a pyre of logs and old tires, splashed with \Jgasoline\j, and set ablaze. The Khmer Rouge says Pol Pot died of a heart attack last Wednesday, but in the absence of an autopsy, the international community will never be sure whether he died of natural causes, or was murdered before he could be brought before an international tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
After meeting with leaders from both sides of \JAfghanistan\j's protracted civil conflict, United States envoy, Bill Richardson, announces that the Islamic Taliban militia and the northern-based opposition have agreed to call a truce until later this month, when face-to-face talks will be held in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, under the auspices of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Mr. Richardson is the US ambassador to the United Nations, and the most senior US official to visit \JAfghanistan\j in two decades. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, USA, Pakistan)\i
Japan mobilizes a 5,000-strong security force in the seaside resort of Kawana, about 120 kilometers south of \JTokyo\j, where Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is to hold a weekend summit with Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. It is Japan's biggest security operation since a 1996 visit to \JTokyo\j by United States President Bill Clinton, involving riot police, offshore patrol boats, coastal divers, and \Jhelicopter\j surveillance. \I(Japan, Russia, USA)\i
Indonesia's Defense Minister, General Wiranto, together with 14 of his Cabinet colleagues and a number of senior generals, holds a "dialogue" with representatives of the nation's increasingly restive student movement, which is demanding economic and political reform as the worst economic crisis in decades engulfs the nation. The meeting, however, is boycotted by students from two of the largest and most prestigious universities: the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, and Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. Responding to claims that the "dialogue" is a maneuver to silence the student voice, General Wiranto says positive criticism from the students is welcome, but the Armed Forces will oppose any criticism that threatens national stability. \I(Indonesia)\i
A fragile peace in the troubled Himalayan province of Kashmir is shattered when 26 people are shot dead in a raid by suspected Muslim separatist guerrillas. The dead are Hindus from the village of Barankot, in the Udhampur region, and include two women and four children. Indian authorities in the area are accusing \JPakistan\j of being behind the attack. \JPakistan\j administers the northern part of Kashmir and has fought two wars with India over the province. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
In a serious development in the Australian waterfront dispute, labor leaders in the United States, Britain, and \JJapan\j order boycotts of Australian products, part of a global move to support 1,400 Maritime Union dock workers sacked by Patrick Stevedores earlier this month. The boycotts come as a further blow to Australian exporters, and follow on from of an international waterfront campaign to black ban any ship or shipping line dealing with Patrick Stevedores, which is Australia's second-biggest port operator. \I(Australia, USA, UK, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a Summit of the Americas in Santiago, \JChile\j, 34 national leaders pledge to forge ahead with plans to create the world's largest \Jfree trade\j zone by 2005, an idea floated by the United States in 1990, and strongly promoted in 1994 at the first Summit of the Americas in Miami. Summit participants also agree on a three-year $US6 billion education program, and an anti-drug alliance that will create a body under the Organization of American States (OAS) to evaluate each country's anti-drug efforts. \I(USA, \JChile\j, The Americas)\i
On the second \Jday\j of his tour of southern Europe and the \JMiddle East\j, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, visits US fliers policing a "no-fly" zone over northern \JIraq\j, warning that despite new concessions by \JBaghdad\j, the world must keep up the pressure to ensure that all \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction are accounted for. Mr. Cohen's remarks follow a six-monthly report to the UN Security Council by arms chief, Richard Butler, who said virtually no progress has been made in verifying \JIraq\j's disarmament, a major consequence, he asserted, of the recently ended four-month crisis authored by \JBaghdad\j. \JIraq\j's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, is angrily denouncing Mr. Butler's report as drawing groundless, false, and erroneous conclusions dictated by political motives. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Europe, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Japan mobilizes a 5,000-strong security force in the seaside resort of Kawana, about 120 kilometers south of \JTokyo\j, where Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is to hold a weekend summit with Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. It is Japan's biggest security operation since a 1996 visit to \JTokyo\j by United States President Bill Clinton, involving riot police, offshore patrol boats, coastal divers, and \Jhelicopter\j surveillance. \I(Japan, Russia, USA)\i
After meeting with leaders from both sides of \JAfghanistan\j's protracted civil conflict, United States envoy, Bill Richardson, announces that the Islamic Taliban militia and the northern-based opposition have agreed to call a truce until later this month, when face-to-face talks will be held in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, under the auspices of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Mr. Richardson is the US ambassador to the United Nations, and the most senior US official to visit \JAfghanistan\j in two decades. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, USA, Pakistan)\i
In a serious development in the Australian waterfront dispute, labor leaders in the United States, Britain, and \JJapan\j order boycotts of Australian products, part of a global move to support 1,400 Maritime Union dock workers sacked by Patrick Stevedores earlier this month. The boycotts come as a further blow to Australian exporters, and follow on from of an international waterfront campaign to black ban any ship or shipping line dealing with Patrick Stevedores, which is Australia's second-biggest port operator. \I(Australia, USA, UK, \JJapan\j)\i
A Columbia University paleontologist says ancient \Jreptile\j remains that he discovered in eastern \JPennsylvania\j may hold clues to the mysterious disappearance of more than half the \Jearth\j's land animals 200 million years ago. Among the remains are three skulls belonging to animals of the \Jgenus\j \IHypsognathus,\i a welcome contribution to the scarce \Jfossil\j record of the late Triassic and early Jurassic periods when dinosaurs first began to dominate the \Jplanet\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The council of the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) votes to support the new Northern Ireland peace accord at the referendum in May. The UUP is the province's biggest Protestant Party, and leader, David Trimble, says his next task is to ease the fears of those unionists still opposed to the pact, including some of the party's 10 legislators in the British parliament. Meanwhile, Gerry Adams, leader of the UUP's long-time enemy, Sinn Fein, has yet to convince his Catholic supporters to back the historic agreement, but nevertheless wins applause at a party conference when he congratulates Mr. Trimble on securing the crucial UUP vote. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Tensions are raised on the West Bank when Palestinians shoot and kill a Jewish settler at a small farm near \JHebron\j. Another Israeli and a Palestinian are wounded in the shooting, which comes ahead of a visit to Israel by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. \I(Israel, Palestine, UK)\i
On the second \Jday\j of his tour of southern Europe and the \JMiddle East\j, United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, visits US fliers policing a "no-fly" zone over northern \JIraq\j, warning that despite new concessions by \JBaghdad\j, the world must keep up the pressure to ensure that all \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction are accounted for. Mr. Cohen's remarks follow a six-monthly report to the UN Security Council by arms chief, Richard Butler, who said virtually no progress has been made in verifying \JIraq\j's disarmament, a major consequence, he asserted, of the recently ended four-month crisis authored by \JBaghdad\j. \JIraq\j's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, is angrily denouncing Mr. Butler's report as drawing groundless, false, and erroneous conclusions dictated by political motives. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Europe, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Citing a total absence of government co-operation, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, withdraws a UN team investigating alleged massacres of thousands of Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j during 1995 and early 1996. The UN team has been systematically delayed and blocked since it arrived in the capital, \JKinshasa\j, last August. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Japan mobilizes a 5,000-strong security force in the seaside resort of Kawana, about 120 kilometers south of \JTokyo\j, where Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is to hold a weekend summit with Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. It is Japan's biggest security operation since a 1996 visit to \JTokyo\j by United States President Bill Clinton, involving riot police, offshore patrol boats, coastal divers, and \Jhelicopter\j surveillance. \I(Japan, Russia, USA)\i
In a serious development in the Australian waterfront dispute, labor leaders in the United States, Britain, and \JJapan\j order boycotts of Australian products, part of a global move to support 1,400 Maritime Union dock workers sacked by Patrick Stevedores earlier this month. The boycotts come as a further blow to Australian exporters, and follow on from of an international waterfront campaign to black ban any ship or shipping line dealing with Patrick Stevedores, which is Australia's second-biggest port operator. \I(Australia, USA, UK, \JJapan\j)\i
The Turin Shroud, a yellowing sheet revered by some as Christ's burial cloth, goes on display in an artificially ventilated showcase in \JItaly\j's Turin cathedral for the first time since 1978. It is only the fourth time this century that the Shroud has been on show to the public, and church officials are expecting 50,000 people a \Jday\j to view what has become one of \JChristianity\j's most controversial relics. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In the Zimbabwean capital, \JHarare\j, four people die and 10 are seriously injured during a stampede of fans trying to gain entry to a 60,000-capacity stadium for a free Independence Day \Jsoccer\j match between the Dynamos and the Highlanders, the nation's two most popular teams. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
#
"April 19, 1998",837,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At least 100 people require medical treatment after Indonesian security forces use tear gas to force demonstrating university students off the streets and back on to their campus in the central Java town of Solo. The trouble comes as President Soeharto warns that university campuses are not to be used for political activities, and that security forces are prepared to take repressive measures if demonstrations get out of control. Yesterday, as student representatives vented their anger before a gathering of senior government and military officials, the US Under-\JSecretary of State\j for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Stanley Roth, urged Jakarta to remain restrained in its dealings with the student protesters, whose demands for reform have escalated since President Soeharto was returned for a seventh five-year term in office. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Following the death this week of former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, the United States says it is stepping up efforts to find a way to bring other key Khmer Rouge figures before an international tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, at an international gathering in \JBangkok\j to review Cambodian developments, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, concedes that Pol Pot's death raises hopes for peace in Cambodia, but says Washington is still concerned about a number of issues, including the safe participation in July elections of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j, USA)\i
High-profile Chinese dissident, Wang Dan, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, arrives in the United States after being released from prison in China. Mr. Wang had been serving an 11-year sentence for subversion, and his release on medical parole is regarded by international human rights groups as a goodwill gesture ahead of US President Bill Clinton's scheduled visit to China for a bilateral summit in late June. \I(China, USA)\i
At a summit with visiting Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto puts forward a new initiative for resolving territorial claims over four Russian-held islands, known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. A peace treaty formally concluding World War II hostilities between Japan and Russia has been held up for more than 50 years by Japan's demand that Russia return the islands, which were captured by Soviet forces at the end of the war. \I(Japan, Russia)\i
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Don McKinnon, a key peace-broker between the Papua New Guinean Government and secessionist rebels on Bougainville island, predicts that hardline rebel resistance to the Bougainville peace process will not prevent the April 30 cease-fire from proceeding. Although rebels led by Bougainville Interim Government president, Francis Ona, opposed the cease-fire at a meeting on Friday, Mr. McKinnon questions the extent of Mr. Ona's influence, maintaining that the majority of islanders are in favor of peace. \I(New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
India's fledgling coalition government is thrown into upheaval when a vital ally demands that three ministers involved in an alleged graft should be sacked immediately. Last week, the Surface Transport Minister was forced to resign following his arraignment in court on corruption charges, and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee now stands accused by his ally of adopting double standards. \I(India)\i
Pakistani police raid a private jail in Nawabshah, in southern Sindh province, releasing 60 slave laborers, including women and children, who until now have been forced to work in the fields of a local feudal lord. \I(Pakistan)\i
On the United States professional golf circuit, Australian Karrie Webb cards a three-shot victory in the LPGA Classic at Myrtle Beach, \JCalifornia\j, while at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, American David Love wins the Heritage Classic for a record fourth time, and at Palm Beach Gardens, \JFlorida\j, American David Hale wins his third consecutive PGA Seniors Championship by seven shots. In \JCannes\j, meanwhile, Frenchman Thomas Levet sinks a 3 meter putt on the last hole to score a one-shot victory in the \JCannes\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, \JFrance\j)\i
At the \JJapan\j Tennis Open in \JTokyo\j, \JRomania\j's Andrei Pavel defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black in the men's final, and \JJapan\j's Ai Sugiyama defeats Corina Morariu of the United States in the women's final. In the men's final of the \JBarcelona\j Open, meanwhile, Todd Martin of the United States defeats Alberto Berasategui of \JSpain\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JRomania\j, Zimbabwe, USA, \JSpain\j)\i
Australian Michael Doohan gets back on track in his bid for a fifth consecutive world 500cc \Jmotorcycle\j road-racing title, winning the Malaysian Grand Prix at Pasir Gudang, the second event of the season. \I(Australia, Malaysia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
High-profile Chinese dissident, Wang Dan, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement, arrives in the United States after being released from prison in China. Mr. Wang had been serving an 11-year sentence for subversion, and his release on medical parole is regarded by international human rights groups as a goodwill gesture ahead of US President Bill Clinton's scheduled visit to China for a bilateral summit in late June. \I(China, USA)\i
Following talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is prepared to travel to London within the next month in an effort to break the deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mr. Blair, who is touring the \JMiddle East\j on behalf of the European Union, later indicates that any London-based conference would be based on peace proposals drawn up by the United States. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
A weekend Summit of the Americas closes in Santiago, \JChile\j, with Latin American nations chafing at the long-standing United States trade embargo against \JCuba\j, and urging President Fidel Castro to bring the Communist-run island back to the democratic fold. \JCuba\j was not invited to participate in the summit, but Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, says he wants \JCuba\j to attend the next Canadian-hosted Summit of the Americas, and will press for democratic change when he visits \JHavana\j later this month to meet with President Castro. \I(\JChile\j, USA, \JCuba\j, Canada, The Americas)\i
Following the death this week of former Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, the United States says it is stepping up efforts to find a way to bring other key Khmer Rouge figures before an international tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, at an international gathering in \JBangkok\j to review Cambodian developments, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, concedes that Pol Pot's death raises hopes for peace in Cambodia, but says Washington is still concerned about a number of issues, including the safe participation in July elections of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j, USA)\i
At least 100 people require medical treatment after Indonesian security forces use tear gas to force demonstrating university students off the streets and back on to their campus in the central Java town of Solo. The trouble comes as President Soeharto warns that university campuses are not to be used for political activities, and that security forces are prepared to take repressive measures if demonstrations get out of control. Yesterday, as student representatives vented their anger before a gathering of senior government and military officials, the US Under-\JSecretary of State\j for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Stanley Roth, urged Jakarta to remain restrained in its dealings with the student protesters, whose demands for reform have escalated since President Soeharto was returned for a seventh five-year term in office. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
At a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the \JOklahoma City\j bombing, more than 400 people shake small brass bells to break 168 seconds of silence, one second for each person killed when a massive truck bomb blew up the Alfred P. Murrah federal building on April 19, 1995. Meanwhile, in Waco, \JTexas\j, a replica of the \JLiberty Bell\j is rung at a ceremony attended by about 200 people to commemorate the 80 who died on April 19, 1993, when the Branch Davidian compound went up in flames as a result of a botched \JFBI\j raid. \I(USA)\i
The London office of Sir Paul McCartney announces that Linda McCartney died on Friday, April 17 while on vacation with her husband in Santa Barbara, \JCalifornia\j. Linda McCartney was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995, and in March this year the cancer was found to have spread to her liver. A mother of four, and the ex-Beatle's partner for three decades, Linda McCartney was a passionate vegetarian, and a lover of animals, photography, and music. She was 56. \I(UK, USA)\i
Colombia's leading human rights lawyer, Eduardo Umana \JMendoza\j, 50, is shot dead in his Bogota office by gunmen posing as journalists. Mr. \JMendoza\j was a crusading defender of the poor, with clients ranging from trade unionists, guerillas, and Indians, to the families of those who have mysteriously "disappeared". \I(Colombia)\i
On the United States professional golf circuit, Australian Karrie Webb cards a three-shot victory in the LPGA Classic at Myrtle Beach, \JCalifornia\j, while at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, American David Love wins the Heritage Classic for a record fourth time, and at Palm Beach Gardens, \JFlorida\j, American David Hale wins his third consecutive PGA Seniors Championship by seven shots. In \JCannes\j, meanwhile, Frenchman Thomas Levet sinks a 3 meter putt on the last hole to score a one-shot victory in the \JCannes\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, \JFrance\j)\i
At the \JJapan\j Tennis Open in \JTokyo\j, \JRomania\j's Andrei Pavel defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black in the men's final, and \JJapan\j's Ai Sugiyama defeats Corina Morariu of the United States in the women's final. In the men's final of the \JBarcelona\j Open, meanwhile, Todd Martin of the United States defeats Alberto Berasategui of \JSpain\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JRomania\j, Zimbabwe, USA, \JSpain\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, delays a vote on Northern Ireland's \JGood Friday\j peace agreement until a special party conference, which is to be held at least three weeks ahead of the May 22 referendum. Although pro-British Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, has overcome internal opposition to win 72 per cent backing for the accord, the support of Sinn Fein republicans is equally crucial if the new arrangements for Northern Ireland are to have practical effect. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Following talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is prepared to travel to London within the next month in an effort to break the deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mr. Blair, who is touring the \JMiddle East\j on behalf of the European Union, later indicates that any London-based conference would be based on peace proposals drawn up by the United States. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j, USA)\i
At a summit with visiting Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto puts forward a new initiative for resolving territorial claims over four Russian-held islands, known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. A peace treaty formally concluding World War II hostilities between Japan and Russia has been held up for more than 50 years by Japan's demand that Russia return the islands, which were captured by Soviet forces at the end of the war. \I(Japan, Russia)\i
The London office of Sir Paul McCartney announces that Linda McCartney died on Friday, April 17 while on vacation with her husband in Santa Barbara, \JCalifornia\j. Linda McCartney was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995, and in March this year the cancer was found to have spread to her liver. A mother of four, and the ex-Beatle's partner for three decades, Linda McCartney was a passionate vegetarian, and a lover of animals, photography, and music. She was 56. \I(UK, USA)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, is reported to be in a serious but stable condition after undergoing endoscopic surgery to relieve breathing difficulties. Mr. Havel, 61, is in an Austrian \Jhospital\j recovering from an emergency bowel operation performed earlier in the week. \I(Czech Republic, Austria)\i
At the \JJapan\j Tennis Open in \JTokyo\j, \JRomania\j's Andrei Pavel defeats Zimbabwe's Byron Black in the men's final, and \JJapan\j's Ai Sugiyama defeats Corina Morariu of the United States in the women's final. In the men's final of the \JBarcelona\j Open, meanwhile, Todd Martin of the United States defeats Alberto Berasategui of \JSpain\j. \I(\JJapan\j, \JRomania\j, Zimbabwe, USA, \JSpain\j)\i
On the United States professional golf circuit, Australian Karrie Webb cards a three-shot victory in the LPGA Classic at Myrtle Beach, \JCalifornia\j, while at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, American David Love wins the Heritage Classic for a record fourth time, and at Palm Beach Gardens, \JFlorida\j, American David Hale wins his third consecutive PGA Seniors Championship by seven shots. In \JCannes\j, meanwhile, Frenchman Thomas Levet sinks a 3 meter putt on the last hole to score a one-shot victory in the \JCannes\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"April 20, 1998",838,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North Korea publicly criticizes South Korea over the breakdown of last week's high-level talks between the two sides, saying there has been no sign of affirmative change since the South's change of regime, and that President Kim Dae Jung's Government is pursuing the anti-North policies of previous administrations. The talks represented the first official contact between the two Koreas in four years, but collapsed when the South refused to proceed with promised \Jfertilizer\j aid unless the North agreed to a specific timetable to help reunite families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. \I(The Koreas)\i
China's foreign ministry issues a statement denying any deal with the United States over yesterday's release on medical parole of prominent dissident, Wang Dan, at the same time implying that Mr. Wang faces possible arrest if he attempts to come back to China. In \JDetroit\j, meanwhile, Mr. Wang is given a clean bill of health after being checked for possible brain tumors and other ailments. A former student leader in the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, Mr. Wang says it pains him to be in exile and that he hopes to return to his homeland soon. \I(China, USA)\i
A group of Californian lawyers files a lawsuit in \JSan Francisco\j Superior Court accusing Nike, the world's biggest sports shoemaker, of willfully misleading the American public about working conditions in the Asian factories producing the footwear. Nike has repeatedly rejected allegations that it implicitly condones any type of abuse or maltreatment of the workers in its foreign factories. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Official statistics reveal that Hong Kong's unemployment rate rose 0.6 per cent in the last quarter to reach a level of 3.5 per cent, the highest in three years. In the past, unemployment has been a minor issue in the territory, but Asia's financial crisis has recently led to widespread job cuts, with hotels, department stores, and airlines shedding hundreds of staff as a result of the slowest six months in a decade. The government is now establishing a special commission to seek solutions to what many fear may be the start of a major unemployment problem for Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong, Asia)\i
As the confrontation between Patrick Stevedores and the Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) intensifies, a public opinion poll shows that although 74 per cent of respondents are in favor of waterfront reform, 52 per cent disapprove of the Australian Government's role in the dispute. The government has worked closely with Patrick in developing the company's strategy to dismiss its entire 1,400 MUA workforce and replace it with non-union labor, and has also guaranteed up to $AUD250 million in loans to fund redundancy packages for the sacked dock workers. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Under pressure from a key ally, Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, sends a letter to President Narayanan recommending the removal from Cabinet of Communications Minister, Buta Singh, who is facing charges of bribing opposition MPs during a 1993 confidence vote. Mr. Singh, along with two other Cabinet ministers, earlier rejected an ultimatum to resign over the corruption allegations. \I(India)\i
Around 1.2 million residents in and around the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, prepare for severe \Jwater\j cuts as the four dams feeding the city's \Jwater\j pipes continue to hover at critical levels due to a regional \Jdrought\j. For weeks now, residents have had their taps turned on and off, with only hospitals and fire departments exempt from \Jwater\j rationing. \I(Malaysia)\i
Philippine health officials warn of a \Jcholera\j outbreak in the \Jdrought\j-ravaged southern mountain town of Upi, in Maguindanao province, about 910 kilometers southeast of the capital, Manila. Health officials say nine out of 32 \Jcholera\j-afflicted tribesmen have now died after drinking contaminated \Jwater\j. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In the Indian capital, New Delhi, six Tibetans who have been staging a public hunger strike since March 10 are reported to be close to death. The hunger-strikers are demanding that the United Nations agrees to debate Tibet in the General Assembly, to investigate human rights violations in Tibet, and to name a special envoy to monitor Tibetan affairs. Tibet has been under Chinese rule for the past 40 years. \I(India, Tibet, China)\i
Twelve people are reported missing after gale-force winds sweep through 10 cities and prefectures in northwest China. Accompanied by dust storms in some areas, the winds cause widespread damage to property, and cut electricity and \Jwater\j supplies. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States accuses \JIraq\j of non-compliance with United Nations resolutions, insisting that while \JBaghdad\j has granted weapons inspectors access to the country's presidential compounds, it has continued to withhold information needed to declare \JIraq\j free of weapons of mass destruction. The US statement follows a pessimistic six-monthly progress report by UN weapons chief, Richard Butler, who believes that material was moved from the presidential compounds during the recent standoff between \JIraq\j and the UN, and that \JIraq\j is lying when it denies the existence of any ballistic, chemical, and biological weapons. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, welcomes a plan put forward by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to hold talks in London next month in an effort to revive the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. Mr. Arafat says he has always desired a key role in the peace process for the European Union, which is a major financier of the Palestinian-governed territories. Israel, on the other hand, has been less enthusiastic about EU intervention in the past, preferring the mediation of the United States. \I(Palestine, Israel, UK, USA)\i
The United States and Britain begin a classified operation to remove nuclear material stored at a research reactor outside the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, and transport it to a remote plant in Scotland. The supply of highly enriched uranium and spent nuclear fuel has been a matter of mounting concern for US officials, who fear that it could fall into the hands of Chechen rebels or an aspiring nuclear power such as \JIran\j. \I(USA, UK, Scotland, Georgia, \JIran\j)\i
China's foreign ministry issues a statement denying any deal with the United States over yesterday's release on medical parole of prominent dissident, Wang Dan, at the same time implying that Mr. Wang faces possible arrest if he attempts to come back to China. In \JDetroit\j, meanwhile, Mr. Wang is given a clean bill of health after being checked for possible brain tumors and other ailments. A former student leader in the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, Mr. Wang says it pains him to be in exile and that he hopes to return to his homeland soon. \I(China, USA)\i
A Boeing 727 jet crashes into a mountain just three minutes after takeoff from Bogoto's El Dorado airport, killing all 53 people on board. The jet belonged to \JEcuador\j's military-run TAME airline, but had been contracted by Air \JFrance\j to take passengers en route from Paris to \JQuito\j, \JEcuador\j, after a stop in Bogota. It is \JColombia\j's worst air disaster since December 20, 1995, when an American Airlines Boeing 757 ploughed into mountains near the southwest city of \JCali\j, killing 159 people. \I(\JColombia\j, \JEcuador\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
In an annual study ranking 10 major United States airlines, Southwest Airlines once again takes first place, followed in descending order by \JAlaska\j, Continental, American, United, Delta, Northwest, America West, TWA, and US Airways. The quality index is based on 19 factors, including punctuality, age and number of \Jaircraft\j, and mishandled baggage and fares. \I(USA)\i
The Clinton administration endorses needle exchange programs for drug users, saying meticulous research has proven that such programs can reduce the transmission of \JHIV\j without compromising the battle against illegal drugs. However, the ban on federal funding for exchange programs is to remain intact, with local communities to use their own funds to tailor programs to their needs. Government figures to date show that nearly 40 per cent of AIDS cases in the United States are linked with taking illegal drugs by injection. \I(USA)\i
In a landmark verdict, a United States jury finds that anti-\Jabortion\j groups violated federal racketeering laws by staging protests at \Jabortion\j clinics over a 10-year period. The lawsuit was filed 12 years ago by the National Organization for Women (NOW) under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, normally used in organized crime cases, and was finally allowed to proceed after NOW argued that the anti-\Jabortion\j activists hatched an extortion conspiracy to deprive women of their right to receive abortions and other medical services. \I(USA)\i
A group of Californian lawyers files a lawsuit in \JSan Francisco\j Superior Court accusing Nike, the world's biggest sports shoemaker, of willfully misleading the American public about working conditions in the Asian factories producing the footwear. Nike has repeatedly rejected allegations that it implicitly condones any type of abuse or maltreatment of the workers in its foreign factories. \I(USA, Asia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States accuses \JIraq\j of non-compliance with United Nations resolutions, insisting that while \JBaghdad\j has granted weapons inspectors access to the country's presidential compounds, it has continued to withhold information needed to declare \JIraq\j free of weapons of mass destruction. The US statement follows a pessimistic six-monthly progress report by UN weapons chief, Richard Butler, who believes that material was moved from the presidential compounds during the recent standoff between \JIraq\j and the UN, and that \JIraq\j is lying when it denies the existence of any ballistic, chemical, and biological weapons. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Speaking at a conference in London, Emma Bonino, the European Union Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner, says international sanctions imposed on \JIraq\j almost eight years ago have caused unbearable hardship, and that it is time to reconsider the way such measures are drawn up, decided, and applied. Ms. Bonino goes on to criticize the United Nations oil-for-food deal with \JIraq\j, pointing out that the aid it brings is taking too long to reach the people most in need. \JBaghdad\j maintains that around 1.5 million people have died due to shortages of food and medical supplies since sanctions were imposed after the 1990 invasion of \JKuwait\j. \I(\JIraq\j, \JKuwait\j, UK, Europe)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, welcomes a plan put forward by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to hold talks in London next month in an effort to revive the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process. Mr. Arafat says he has always desired a key role in the peace process for the European Union, which is a major financier of the Palestinian-governed territories. Israel, on the other hand, has been less enthusiastic about EU intervention in the past, preferring the mediation of the United States. \I(Palestine, Israel, UK, USA)\i
Nigeria's Grassroots Democratic Movement becomes the fifth political party to endorse military ruler, General Sani Abacha, as its presidential candidate in elections planned for August 1. The latest endorsement means that General Abacha will be unopposed in the poll designed to restore civilian rule to the African nation, a political "fait accompli" that is already provoking calls for an election boycott from Nigeria's main opposition group, the United Action for Democracy. \I(Nigeria)\i
The United States and Britain begin a classified operation to remove nuclear material stored at a research reactor outside the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, and transport it to a remote plant in Scotland. The supply of highly enriched uranium and spent nuclear fuel has been a matter of mounting concern for US officials, who fear that it could fall into the hands of Chechen rebels or an aspiring nuclear power such as \JIran\j. \I(USA, UK, Scotland, Georgia, \JIran\j)\i
A Boeing 727 jet crashes into a mountain just three minutes after takeoff from Bogoto's El Dorado airport, killing all 53 people on board. The jet belonged to \JEcuador\j's military-run TAME airline, but had been contracted by Air \JFrance\j to take passengers en route from Paris to \JQuito\j, \JEcuador\j, after a stop in Bogota. It is \JColombia\j's worst air disaster since December 20, 1995, when an American Airlines Boeing 757 ploughed into mountains near the southwest city of \JCali\j, killing 159 people. \I(\JColombia\j, \JEcuador\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, undergoes further abdominal surgery in an Austrian \Jhospital\j, his third operation in the space of a week. However, doctors at the \Jhospital\j say the condition of the 61-year-old president is not life-threatening. \I(Czech Republic, Austria)\i
#
"April 21, 1998",839,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In its annual study of 46 countries, the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development ranks the United States economy as the world's most competitive ahead of \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, and \JFinland\j. This year, \JJapan\j's troubled economy drops in the rankings to 18th place, having already slipped from 2nd place in 1996 to 9th place in 1997. The institute's study is based on indicators including growth, trade, investment, taxes, and jobs. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, \JFinland\j, \JJapan\j)\i
United Nations environment officials meet with fire-fighting experts in Geneva to plan an international strategy to combat \JIndonesia\j's forest fires. According to a UN assessment, more than 200,000 hectares in \JIndonesia\j's \JBorneo\j province of East \JKalimantan\j have already been razed this year, destroying the habitat of endangered wildlife, and generating a toxic smog that has spread as far as \JSingapore\j. The fires rank only fifth on the Indonesian Government's list of priorities, however, as it battles a host of problems caused by prolonged \Jdrought\j and the country's worst economic crisis in decades. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Sri Lanka's defense ministry announces that government troops yesterday captured the Tamil Tiger base of Olumadu during a renewed offensive to clear a vital land route to the north. The ministry statement says 40 soldiers were killed and more than 200 were wounded in the battle, with around 60 rebels killed and a large number wounded. The government troops are now consolidating in Olumadu, which lies close to Mankulam, the last major town held by the outlawed Tamil Tigers. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) declares a major victory in its war with Patrick Stevedores after the Federal Court finds an arguable case that the company engaged in an unlawful conspiracy to dismiss its entire workforce, and orders Patrick to reinstate the 1,400 MUA dock workers sacked on April 7. However, Patrick later wins a 24-hour suspension of the order pending an appeal, and the administrator of the reportedly insolvent subsidiary companies employing the sacked workers indicates that they may be unable to trade. Meanwhile, the Australian Stock Exchange suspends share trading in Lang Corp., owner of Patrick Stevedores, until it is determined whether the exchange's continuous disclosure rules were breached by the complex corporate restructuring which preceded the mass dismissal. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
The South Korean Government drops claims for compensation from \JJapan\j for women forced to serve in Japanese brothels during World War II, saying Seoul has decided to compensate the women from its own resources. The move is a turn-around from the stance of previous South Korean governments, and is perceived as part of President Kim Dae Jung's resolve to improve relations with the country's former colonial ruler. However, the organization supporting the former sex slaves is protesting against the move, insisting that the matter is one of principle rather than money. \I(South Korea, \JJapan\j)\i
In \JMyanmar\j, democracy advocate and former parliamentarian, San San, is sentenced to 25 years in prison. A student group maintains that San San was convicted and sentenced for giving an interview to foreign journalists, but the country's ruling State Peace and Development Council insists that San San was re-sentenced to 25 years after her amnesty for subversion was revoked. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking after a second round of talks with visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is willing to bury his differences with Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, and sit around the same negotiating table at a conference planned for May 4 in London. Mr. Netanyahu also confirms that in the interests of facilitating a final settlement with the Palestinians, he is willing to confront United States proposals for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. \I(UK, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
United States officials release details of one of the Pentagon's most ambitious counter-drug initiatives ever in \JLatin America\j. According to the officials, a group of 30 specialized US military instructors is training and equipping 63 Peruvians to form new forces that will operate on \Jwater\j and land to help halt the flow of \Jcoca\j paste to \JColombia\j, where it is turned into \Jcocaine\j. The training program, estimated to cost $US60 million over the next five years, underscores the growing US role in Peru, which is due to receive around $US110 million in US aid this year. \I(USA, Peru, \JColombia\j, \JLatin America\j)\i
In its annual study of 46 countries, the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development ranks the United States economy as the world's most competitive ahead of \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, and \JFinland\j. This year, \JJapan\j's troubled economy drops in the rankings to 18th place, having already slipped from 2nd place in 1996 to 9th place in 1997. The institute's study is based on indicators including growth, trade, investment, taxes, and jobs. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, \JFinland\j, \JJapan\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton signs into law the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998, approved by Congress last month. The United States currently has no reliable regional or nationwide system for collecting information on babies born with birth defects, and the new act will provide $US70 million for surveillance, research, and services aimed at prevention. \I(USA)\i
A controversial $US1.6 billion Republican-backed education plan is attacked by US President Clinton as favoring the nation's highest income taxpayers. Under the plan, people would be allowed to set up education savings accounts that earn tax-free interest, and Mr. Clinton is favoring an amendment that would replace the savings account provision with a $US22 billion measure to help local governments build and modernize 5,000 public schools. \I(USA)\i
Three United States Court of Appeals judges sharply question the timing and rationale of the US Government's antitrust case against software giant, Microsoft Corp., which is now appealing against a lower court's preliminary injunction requiring that it sell computer makers a version of Windows 95 without its \JInternet\j Explorer Web browser. The appeals judges note that while Microsoft is barred from tying the sale of one product to another, it is permitted to integrate products. The appeals judges also suggest the once Windows 98 is released next month, the US Government's case could be irrelevant. \I(USA)\i
NASA scientists say a photograph of a young star just starting its planetary "family" provides the best evidence to date that planets like Earth may be forming elsewhere in the universe. The star, known as HR 4796, is about 1,320 trillion miles from Earth in the \Jconstellation\j \JCentaurus\j, and is surrounded by a vast disk of dust in which the scientists believe baby planets may already have evolved. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A Catholic man is shot and killed in the largely Protestant Northern Ireland town of Portadown, the province's second murder since the landmark April 10 peace agreement. Last Friday, a Catholic taxi driver was gunned down in west \JBelfast\j in what police believe to be a settling of scores within the nationalist paramilitary community. The two shootings underline the fact that paramilitary groups have not begun disarming, with factions from both sides still openly hostile to the peace process. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Ethnic Albanians in the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j report that two people died and several houses were damaged during recent attacks by units of the Yugoslav army and Serb security forces on villages in the Drenica region. \JBelgrade\j, meanwhile, reports that the ethnic Albanian \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (UCK) has mobilized thousands of armed rebels, and has opened fire on Serb police at Babaloc, home to 123 Serb families who fled persecution in Albania in the early 1990s. According to authorities in \JBelgrade\j, the refugee camp in Babaloc has been attacked three times in two weeks by suspected UCK supporters armed with grenade launchers and automatic weapons. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
Speaking after a second round of talks with visiting British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is willing to bury his differences with Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, and sit around the same negotiating table at a conference planned for May 4 in London. Mr. Netanyahu also confirms that in the interests of facilitating a final settlement with the Palestinians, he is willing to confront United States proposals for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. \I(UK, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Mayor of \JIstanbul\j, a leading figure in Turkey's Islamic movement, is found guilty of inciting hatred and sentenced to ten months in prison by three judges of a security court. The trial arose from a speech delivered by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his Muslim supporters, and his conviction is the biggest setback for the Islamic movement since January, when the movement's political wing, the Welfare Party, was outlawed for violating Turkey's secular Constitution. \I(Turkey)\i
In its annual study of 46 countries, the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development ranks the United States economy as the world's most competitive ahead of \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, and \JFinland\j. This year, \JJapan\j's troubled economy drops in the rankings to 18th place, having already slipped from 2nd place in 1996 to 9th place in 1997. The institute's study is based on indicators including growth, trade, investment, taxes, and jobs. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, \JSingapore\j, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, \JFinland\j, \JJapan\j)\i
United Nations environment officials meet with fire-fighting experts in Geneva to plan an international strategy to combat \JIndonesia\j's forest fires. According to a UN assessment, more than 200,000 hectares in \JIndonesia\j's \JBorneo\j province of East \JKalimantan\j have already been razed this year, destroying the habitat of endangered wildlife, and generating a toxic smog that has spread as far as \JSingapore\j. The fires rank only fifth on the Indonesian Government's list of priorities, however, as it battles a host of problems caused by prolonged \Jdrought\j and the country's worst economic crisis in decades. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JSingapore\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The French magistrate investigating the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, decides to hold a mass testimony session involving all witnesses in a final attempt to arrive at a definitive version of events on August 31 last year, the night of the fatal car accident. The mass testimony, known as a confrontation under French law, is to be held in Paris on June 5, and will allow the individual witnesses to hear and possibly challenge one another's evidence. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"April 22, 1998",840,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After two months of bargaining, \JFrance\j signs an historic pact with New Caledonia allowing for the colony's step-by-step \Jdevolution\j ahead of a referendum on independence early next century. Under the \JNoumea\j Accords, the 200,000 inhabitants of the South Pacific archipelago will vote by the year's end on whether New Caledonia should have its own government, and if the electorate agrees, internal powers will be transferred from \JFrance\j over a period of 15 years, with international relations to be shared until full nationhood. The gradual transfer of powers is designed to meet the demands of both the European settlers and the pro-independence Kanaks, who currently form 44 per cent of New Caledonia's population. \I(\JFrance\j, New Caledonia)\i
A delegation from \JTaiwan\j's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation arrives in \JBeijing\j for the first talks between the two ideological adversaries in 33 months. The objective of the talks is to exchange views and make detailed arrangements concerning future communication and visits. China has regarded \JTaiwan\j as a renegade province since a 1949 \Jcivil war\j split, and has threatened to invade the island if it declares independence. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
Indian authorities report a mass exodus of Hindu families from the region of Udhampur, in strife-torn Kashmir, following last weekend's slaughter of 26 villagers by armed guerrillas. According to a survivor of the massacre, the villagers were killed because they refused to embrace \JIslam\j. Since 1989, Muslim separatists have been fighting for Kashmir's secession from India, a struggle that has claimed more than 20,000 lives. \I(India)\i
The fate of 1,400 sacked Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) dock workers remains on hold when the Full Bench of the Federal Court extends a stay on their reinstatement pending a complete hearing of an appeal by Patrick Stevedores, accused by the MUA of illegally conspiring to dismiss its workforce nationwide. Prime Minister John Howard, meanwhile, demands that State police enforce court injunctions against picketers blocking cargo on the Sydney and Melbourne wharves. Mr. Howard, whose government supported Patrick's controversial move, says even the most adverse court decision for Patrick will not blunt his determination to reform \JAustralia\j's waterfront. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As the six-nation Contact Group's deadline for further sanctions against Yugoslavia approaches, the United States responds to the urging of \JRussia\j and Western Europe and softens its policy on \JKosovo\j, seeking to balance incentives with punishments, and to apply equal pressure on both \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leadership to enter negotiations on autonomy for the troubled Serb province. \JNATO\j diplomats say Washington is now prepared to offer \JBelgrade\j the possibility of rejoining the 53-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe if it moves to defuse the potentially violent confrontation through dialogue. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, Western Europe)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, defends his government's secret agreement with the United States to reprocess nuclear material from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, saying the deal is justified by Britain's international obligations, and that security necessitated keeping the operation undercover until it had been completed. Mr. Blair's statement comes amid a mounting row exacerbated by claims that the Scottish nuclear plant due to receive the material is incapable of handling the most dangerous part of the consignment. \I(UK, USA, Scotland, Georgia)\i
The United States suffers a diplomatic blow when the United Nations Commission on Human Rights defeats a US resolution criticizing \JCuba\j's human rights record. The defeat comes after a report finds that the US blockade of the Communist island has brought extreme hardship to the population and is partly to blame for the situation. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
In Washington, House Republican leaders bow to pressure and agree to schedule an open debate and vote on a campaign finance reform bill. Last month, Republican leaders used a procedural move to scuttle major changes to campaign financing, one of which is a proposed ban on the unlimited and unregulated "soft money" donations that go to political parties rather than directly to candidates. \I(USA)\i
An international group of computer hackers, which calls itself the Masters of Downloading or MOD, claims to have stolen key software programs from NASA and stripped the space agency of its chief defense against computer intrusion. MOD, which successfully infiltrated the Pentagon's Defense Information Systems Network in an earlier attack, says it might consider selling the stolen information to international terrorist groups or foreign governments. \I(USA)\i
The United States House Commerce Committee releases a batch of nearly 39,000 \Jcigarette\j company documents charting decades of what anti-smoking activists refer to as the industry's "war with the truth". Cigarette companies earlier failed in their attempts to convince the courts that the documents were protected by attorney-client privilege. \I(USA)\i
America's largest feminist group, the National Organization for Women (NOW), announces that it will not support Paula Jones in her appeal to revive her sexual harassment lawsuit against US President Bill Clinton. NOW, which had been considering filing an amicus brief in the case, says it has decided not to work with the right-wing organizations and individuals advancing Ms. Jones' cause due to their long-standing political interest in undermining NOW's movement to strengthen women's rights. \I(USA)\i
Despite a personal plea from Pope John Paul II, \JTexas\j executes Joseph Cannon, 38, who was sentenced to death for murdering a woman when he was 17 years old. Cannon, whose case sparked an international outcry because of his age at the time the crime was committed, is the fourth person executed in \JTexas\j this year, and the 148th person executed in the state since \Jcapital punishment\j was reinstated in 1982. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Police launch an inquiry into the recent death of Linda McCartney after the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department finds no record of a death certificate or requisite for \Jcremation\j. Sir Paul McCartney's London office, which announced the death of the ex-Beatle's wife two days after her remains were privately cremated, strongly denies that the death was an assisted suicide, and hints that it may not have occurred in Santa Barbara as earlier stated. Linda McCartney, 56, was suffering from breast cancer, which in March was found to have spread to her liver. She is reported to have died in the early hours of April 17. \I(USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel begins its annual remembrance of the Nazi \JHolocaust\j with a ceremony at \JJerusalem\j's Yad Vashem \JHolocaust\j memorial, where six survivors light torches for the six million Jews exterminated by the Nazis during World War II. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pays tribute to the 250,000 \JHolocaust\j survivors who helped build Israel, saying they represent "the triumph of life over death" and "the victory of the Jewish people who rose out of the ashes" to return to their biblical homeland. \I(Israel, \JGermany\j)\i
As the six-nation Contact Group's deadline for further sanctions against Yugoslavia approaches, the United States responds to the urging of \JRussia\j and Western Europe and softens its policy on \JKosovo\j, seeking to balance incentives with punishments, and to apply equal pressure on both \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leadership to enter negotiations on autonomy for the troubled Serb province. \JNATO\j diplomats say Washington is now prepared to offer \JBelgrade\j the possibility of rejoining the 53-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe if it moves to defuse the potentially violent confrontation through dialogue. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, Western Europe)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, defends his government's secret agreement with the United States to reprocess nuclear material from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, saying the deal is justified by Britain's international obligations, and that security necessitated keeping the operation undercover until it had been completed. Mr. Blair's statement comes amid a mounting row exacerbated by claims that the Scottish nuclear plant due to receive the material is incapable of handling the most dangerous part of the consignment. \I(UK, USA, Scotland, Georgia)\i
Exhumation work resumes at the site of a mass grave near Srebrenica, in northeastern Bosnia, which was declared a safe haven by the United Nations during the country's three-and-a-half year war, but was overrun by Serb forces in July 1995. At least 8,000 people from the town are still unaccounted for, and UN officials say work at the suspected execution site has already yielded skull fragments, clothing, and about 1,500 spent bullets. \I(Bosnia)\i
Rwanda's Justice Ministry announces that more than 20 prisoners convicted for the genocide of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994 will be publicly executed by a firing squad on Friday. The executions will be the first since the trials of 130,000 jailed suspects began in December 1996, and are intended to send a message of determination on the part of the government to pursue and punish all those behind the 1994 atrocities. \I(Rwanda)\i
Hutu rebels armed with hoes and machetes stage a dawn raid east of \JBurundi\j's capital, Bujumbura, killing 29 civilians, wounding at least 12 others, and burning a large number of houses to the ground. Forty-seven rebels are killed in clashes with the army during the attack, which is the second-most serious this year, with nearly 300 people killed in January when Hutu rebels briefly captured \JBurundi\j's main airport. \I(\JBurundi\j)\i
After two months of bargaining, \JFrance\j signs an historic pact with New Caledonia allowing for the colony's step-by-step \Jdevolution\j ahead of a referendum on independence early next century. Under the \JNoumea\j Accords, the 200,000 inhabitants of the South Pacific archipelago will vote by the year's end on whether New Caledonia should have its own government, and if the electorate agrees, internal powers will be transferred from \JFrance\j over a period of 15 years, with international relations to be shared until full nationhood. The gradual transfer of powers is designed to meet the demands of both the European settlers and the pro-independence Kanaks, who currently form 44 per cent of New Caledonia's population. \I(\JFrance\j, New Caledonia)\i
The United Nations AIDS prevention body (UNAIDS) says Eastern Europe and the former \JSoviet Union\j are on the threshold of an AIDS epidemic that can still be contained if speedy action is taken. In the last three years, the estimated number of \JHIV\j cases in the region has escalated from 30,000 to 190,000, with about 110,000 of the cases in \JUkraine\j, a surge UNAIDS attributes to an increase in the use of injected drugs. \I(\JUkraine\j, Eastern Europe)\i
Police launch an inquiry into the recent death of Linda McCartney after the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department finds no record of a death certificate or requisite for \Jcremation\j. Sir Paul McCartney's London office, which announced the death of the ex-Beatle's wife two days after her remains were privately cremated, strongly denies that the death was an assisted suicide, and hints that it may not have occurred in Santa Barbara as earlier stated. Linda McCartney, 56, was suffering from breast cancer, which in March was found to have spread to her liver. She is reported to have died in the early hours of April 17. \I(USA, UK)\i
Despite a personal plea from Pope John Paul II, \JTexas\j executes Joseph Cannon, 38, who was sentenced to death for murdering a woman when he was 17 years old. Cannon, whose case sparked an international outcry because of his age at the time the crime was committed, is the fourth person executed in \JTexas\j this year, and the 148th person executed in the state since \Jcapital punishment\j was reinstated in 1982. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
France draws universal condemnation after its attempts to sell the last 110,000 World Cup Soccer tickets degenerate into chaos. With 30 Paris operators taking calls from football fans in France, and only 60 operators taking calls from fans in 16 other countries, no more than 15,000 tickets are sold at the end of the \Jday\j, despite 15 million calls from Britain, two million from \JBelgium\j, and the collapse of the Dutch international system under the pressure. The French organizers have already attracted criticism for their preferential treatment of French \Jsoccer\j fans during earlier allocations of tickets for the competition, which begins on June 10. \I(France, UK, \JBelgium\j, The Netherlands)\i
#
"April 23, 1998",841,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chinese dissident, Wang Dan, 29, holds his first news conference since he was released from prison on medical parole and sent into exile in the United States. Mr. Wang says his priorities are to work for political change and human rights in China while he finishes the education interrupted by the Tiananmen Square demonstration. Mr. Wang, a student leader of the doomed 1989 pro-democracy protest, expresses moral guilt over the tragedy, admitting to the mistakes of youth and naivetΘ, but nonetheless placing the main responsibility with the Chinese Government. Hundreds of people were killed on June 3 and 4, 1989, when the Army moved in to crush the protest with guns and tanks. \I(China, USA)\i
Talks in \JBeijing\j between ideological foes, \JTaiwan\j and China, conclude with an agreement that the chairman of the semi-official \JTaiwan\j Straits Exchange Foundation will visit the mainland later this year. The talks were the first meetings between the two sides in nearly three years, and although not wide-ranging, achieved the stated goal of paving the way for future high-level exchanges. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) launches an $US88 million appeal for emergency aid to prevent the current food shortage in \JIndonesia\j from developing into a major food crisis. \JIndonesia\j's crops have suffered as a result of one of the worst droughts this century, and the country's ability to buy imported goods has been dramatically reduced by its deepening financial crisis, which has seen the rupiah plunge by more than 70 per cent since last July. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Indonesia's wave of student unrest spreads to the resort island of Bali, where thousands of protesters rally at the Udayana University in Denpasar to demand that President Soeharto step down. At least 12 people are injured when riot police use tear gas and canes to bar the students from moving the demonstration outside the campus. Large student protests are also held in the capital, Jakarta, and in \JSurabaya\j, Yogyakarta, and \JBandung\j, all major cities on Java island. \I(Indonesia)\i
An independent panel advises NASA that the space agency's contribution to a planned international space station will probably be $US24.7 billion, rather than $US17.4 billion as originally estimated. The United States has already paid more than $US17 billion, with European, Japanese, Canadian, and Italian space agencies also contributing, but for more than a year now, Russian funding problems have been posing a major threat to the program's budget and timetable. \I(USA, Europe, Japan, Canada, \JItaly\j, Russia)\i
Fiji is hit by a one-\Jday\j nationwide strike as more than 40,000 workers from public and private sectors join a protest to demand that the Government put an end to a 3 per cent limit on wage increases. \I(Fiji)\i
Nearly 30 years after \Jmalaria\j was officially declared eradicated from Europe, tests confirm that a woman in Tuscany has contracted the tropical disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Doctors believe the source to be an Indian neighbor recently returned from a visit to Punjab, and offer alternative explanations: either an Italian mosquito bit the infected neighbor and transmitted \Jmalaria\j to the woman, or the woman was bitten by an Indian mosquito introduced via the neighbor's luggage. \I(\JItaly\j, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Chinese dissident, Wang Dan, 29, holds his first news conference since he was released from prison on medical parole and sent into exile in the United States. Mr. Wang says his priorities are to work for political change and human rights in China while he finishes the education interrupted by the Tiananmen Square demonstration. Mr. Wang, a student leader of the doomed 1989 pro-democracy protest, expresses moral guilt over the tragedy, admitting to the mistakes of youth and naivetΘ, but nonetheless placing the main responsibility with the Chinese Government. Hundreds of people were killed on June 3 and 4, 1989, when the Army moved in to crush the protest with guns and tanks. \I(China, USA)\i
An independent panel advises NASA that the space agency's contribution to a planned international space station will probably be $US24.7 billion, rather than $US17.4 billion as originally estimated. The United States has already paid more than $US17 billion, with European, Japanese, Canadian, and Italian space agencies also contributing, but for more than a year now, Russian funding problems have been posing a major threat to the program's budget and timetable. \I(USA, Europe, Japan, Canada, \JItaly\j, Russia)\i
Susan McDougal, a former partner of US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary in the failed Whitewater real estate venture, refuses to testify before a grand jury investigating Mr. Clinton's past business dealings, despite warnings that she could be charged with criminal contempt. Ms. McDougal recently completed an 18-month jail sentence ordered by prosecutor Kenneth Starr when she refused to testify in a 1996 session with the grand jury. She is still serving two years on a \Jfraud\j conviction tied to the Whitewater case. \I(USA)\i
James Earl Ray, the confessed killer of Martin Luther King Jr., dies aged 70 from liver failure caused by a chronic hepatitis infection. The death of Ray is declared a tragedy by King's widow, Coretta Scott King, who renews her call for US President Clinton to order a "truth commission" to investigate new evidence in connection with the April 4, 1968 assassination. During the past two years, Coretta King has backed Ray's quest for the trial that his guilty plea forestalled, endorsing Ray's claim that he was a pawn in a larger conspiracy to silence the black \Jcivil rights\j leader. \I(USA)\i
The Santa Barbara Sheriff's office announces that Linda McCartney, wife of Sir Paul McCartney, did not die in \JCalifornia\j as stated by the former Beatle's London office. Earlier, the Sheriff's department began an inquiry when it found no record of a death certificate, and the latest announcement lends weight to rumors that Linda McCartney died at the family ranch outside Tucson, \JArizona\j, where death certificates are not public record. Linda McCartney, 56, was suffering from breast cancer, which had recently advanced to her liver. She died on April 17. \I(USA, UK)\i
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says homicides have now surpassed machine-related injuries to become the nation's second-leading cause of work-related deaths. According to the CDC, murders accounted for 13.5 per cent of the deaths between 1980 and 1994, while motor vehicle accidents remained the leading cause, accounting for 23.1 per cent of job-related fatalities in the same period. \I(USA)\i
Health officials report that the number of Americans suffering from \Jasthma\j has risen to more than 15 million, a 75 per cent increase since 1980, partly due to \Jpollution\j and other environmental factors. The officials say \Jasthma\j is one of the most common and costly diseases in the United States, with associated costs estimated at $US6.2 billion in 1990, and expected to spiral to $US14.5 billion in the year 2000. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Thousands of Serbs vote in a referendum to thwart what they regard as Western interference in the affairs of the troubled province of \JKosovo\j. \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, who are refusing to negotiate with the Serb and Yugoslav governments unless Western mediators are present, mostly boycott the referendum. Meanwhile, violence in the province increases as the underground Albanian \JKosovo\j Liberation Army steps up its paramilitary campaign for independence, and Yugoslav army troops and Serb security forces raid suspected separatist village strongholds, and seek to stem the infiltration of separatist supporters from neighboring Albania. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
The wail of memorial sirens brings Israel to a standstill for two minutes in silent tribute to the six million Jews killed in the Nazi \JHolocaust\j. In \JPoland\j, meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, leads the annual "March of the Living" to the former \JAuschwitz\j death camp, where German invaders exterminated up to 1.5 million mostly Jewish people during World War II. \I(Israel, \JPoland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Belgium's most notorious criminal stages a dramatic escape during a brief visit to court, sparking an international alert before he is recaptured three hours later. Marc Dutroux's short-lived bid for freedom also sparks a political crisis, with two cabinet ministers offering to resign, and Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene promising a swift inquiry into the incident. Marc Dutroux, 40, was arrested in August 1996, and is awaiting trial in connection with the murder of at least four girls in a macabre child sex scandal that has horrified the nation and provoked accusations of a high-level cover-up. \I(Belgium)\i
Germany holds its final, decisive parliamentary debate about next year's introduction of the single European currency, with deputies approving the move to the euro by 575 votes to 35. Although the parliamentary vote is a victory for Chancellor Helmut Kohl, it does not reflect the public's distrust of the euro, with a current opinion poll showing that 62 per cent of Germans are opposed to monetary union. \I(Germany, Europe)\i
An independent panel advises NASA that the space agency's contribution to a planned international space station will probably be $US24.7 billion, rather than $US17.4 billion as originally estimated. The United States has already paid more than $US17 billion, with European, Japanese, Canadian, and Italian space agencies also contributing, but for more than a year now, Russian funding problems have been posing a major threat to the program's budget and timetable. \I(USA, Europe, Japan, Canada, \JItaly\j, Russia)\i
The Santa Barbara Sheriff's office announces that Linda McCartney, wife of Sir Paul McCartney, did not die in \JCalifornia\j as stated by the former Beatle's London office. Earlier, the Sheriff's department began an inquiry when it found no record of a death certificate, and the latest announcement lends weight to rumors that Linda McCartney died at the family ranch outside Tucson, \JArizona\j, where death certificates are not public record. Linda McCartney, 56, was suffering from breast cancer, which had recently advanced to her liver. She died on April 17. \I(USA, UK)\i
Konstantinos Karamanlis, who marked five decades of Greek post-war history, including leading his country into democracy and European Union membership, dies in \JAthens\j aged 91. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
Scotland's Roslin Institute and its commercial partners, PPL Therapeutics, reveal that Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned animal, gave normal birth to a lamb, Bonnie, on April 13, and that mother and daughter are doing well. Dolly, who was cloned from an adult cell in July 1996, was naturally mated with a Welsh Mountain ram at the end of last year, and scientists are delighted that she is able to breed and produce healthy offspring. \I(Scotland)\i
Nearly 30 years after \Jmalaria\j was officially declared eradicated from Europe, tests confirm that a woman in Tuscany has contracted the tropical disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Doctors believe the source to be an Indian neighbor recently returned from a visit to Punjab, and offer alternative explanations: either an Italian mosquito bit the infected neighbor and transmitted \Jmalaria\j to the woman, or the woman was bitten by an Indian mosquito introduced via the neighbor's luggage. \I(\JItaly\j, India)\i
#
"April 24, 1998",842,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan adopts its largest-ever economic stimulus package, the outline of which was previously announced by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto as international pressure mounted for his government to take drastic action to rescue the country's beleaguered economy. Boosted at the last minute from 16 trillion yen to 20 trillion yen, the package includes 4.5 trillion yen for tax cuts over two years, and 7.7 trillion yen for public works, about one-third of which will be high-tech projects, such as the laying of fiber-optic cable to facilitate telecommunications. \I(Japan)\i
During a meeting of United Nations Security Council representatives, the United States raises the issue of establishing an international tribunal to prosecute senior Khmer Rouge officials. The Khmer Rouge has been blamed for the deaths of up to two million Cambodians in the "killing fields" of 1975 to 1979, and Washington has insisted that the recent death of former leader, Pol Pot, will not deter its pursuit of others responsible for the Cambodian genocide. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
The two-week-old battle for the Australian waterfront takes another legal turn when the High Court freezes an earlier order by the Full Bench of the Federal Court that Patrick Stevedores reinstates its 1,400 sacked Maritime Union of Australia workers. The Full Bench of the Federal Court rejected Patrick's argument that the original order was unworkable due to the insolvency of the subsidiaries employing the dock workers, and Patrick is now seeking leave to appeal to the High Court. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Yugoslav authorities report that almost 95 per cent of participants in yesterday's referendum supported President Slobodan Milosevic's rejection of international mediation in talks with \JKosovo\j's separatist ethnic Albanians. The Yugoslav army, meanwhile, reports that it yesterday ambushed about 200 Albanian infiltrators en route from the border to reinforce the clandestine \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, killing at least 19. Both reports are condemned by US State Department spokesman, James Rubin, who describes the situation in the southern Serb province as extremely dangerous, and says the United States is working with its allies to pursue additional measures against \JBelgrade\j. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania, USA)\i
After a 13-month stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Washington offers a pessimistic assessment of prospects for a breakthrough at talks scheduled for May 4 in London, saying there is no reason to believe that the meeting will yield anything other than refusals to make hard decisions, as in the past. Washington's comments come on the eve of a new \JMiddle East\j peace mission by US special envoy, Dennis Ross, who is hoping to prepare the ground for the London talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, UK)\i
During a meeting of United Nations Security Council representatives, the United States raises the issue of establishing an international tribunal to prosecute senior Khmer Rouge officials. The Khmer Rouge has been blamed for the deaths of up to two million Cambodians in the "killing fields" of 1975 to 1979, and Washington has insisted that the recent death of former leader, Pol Pot, will not deter its pursuit of others responsible for the Cambodian genocide. \I(USA, Cambodia)\i
Negotiations for a domestic marketing alliance between America's first and third biggest carriers, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, are suspended. The breakdown in talks comes one \Jday\j after American Airlines and US Airways sign a deal to combine frequent flier plans that could lead to joint marketing of flights, a pact similar to that announced in January by Northwest Airlines Corp. and Continental Airlines Inc. \I(USA)\i
A 14-year-old boy opens fire on fellow students and teachers during a school dance in Edinboro, northwestern \JPennsylvania\j, killing a teacher and wounding two youths. Under \JPennsylvania\j state law, the boy is later charged as an adult with one count of criminal \Jhomicide\j. The incident is the latest in a number of school shootings in recent months, with similar tragedies occurring in the states of Kentucky, Mississippi, and \JArkansas\j. \I(USA)\i
In \JSan Diego\j, an ethical row erupts over a 55-year-old single woman who yesterday gave birth to quadruplets conceived by in vitro \Jfertilization\j. Experts not directly involved in the births are speaking out against the situation and calling for some sort of technological control. Meanwhile, the woman, thought to be the oldest American ever to have quads, has signed a legal document barring the \Jhospital\j from releasing information on her \Jpregnancy\j. \I(USA)\i
Health officials in \JRio de Janeiro\j call for an all-out effort to combat an outbreak of \Jdengue\j fever, which has been rapidly spreading through the city and its famed beach resorts. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Yugoslav authorities report that almost 95 per cent of participants in yesterday's referendum supported President Slobodan Milosevic's rejection of international mediation in talks with \JKosovo\j's separatist ethnic Albanians. The Yugoslav army, meanwhile, reports that it yesterday ambushed about 200 Albanian infiltrators en route from the border to reinforce the clandestine \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, killing at least 19. Both reports are condemned by US State Department spokesman, James Rubin, who describes the situation in the southern Serb province as extremely dangerous, and says the United States is working with its allies to pursue additional measures against \JBelgrade\j. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania, USA)\i
After a 13-month stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Washington offers a pessimistic assessment of prospects for a breakthrough at talks scheduled for May 4 in London, saying there is no reason to believe that the meeting will yield anything other than refusals to make hard decisions, as in the past. Washington's comments come on the eve of a new \JMiddle East\j peace mission by US special envoy, Dennis Ross, who is hoping to prepare the ground for the London talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, UK)\i
The new Northern Ireland peace agreement is given a further boost when it is endorsed by two pro-British Protestant paramilitary groups: the outlawed Ulster Defense Association and Ulster Freedom Fighters. In a joint statement, the loyalist guerrilla groups say they regard the agreement as an instrument which may further the search for an eventual resolution of the conflict in Northern Ireland, and urge voters to support it at a referendum on May 22. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
After a month-long battle, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, emerges the victor when the opposition-controlled \JDuma\j approves his prime-ministerial candidate, Sergei Kiriyenko, in a secret final-round ballot. The \JDuma\j has twice rejected the 35-year-old relatively unknown technocrat, but faced dissolution and an early election if it rejected him a third time. \I(Russia)\i
Despite international appeals for clemency, firing squads in \JRwanda\j execute the first 22 people convicted for their roles in the country's 1994 genocide, which claimed the lives of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Since the genocide trials began in December 1996, 20 people have been acquitted, and 116 of the 310 people convicted have been sentenced to death. Another 130,000 suspects are currently awaiting trial in Rwandan prisons. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
Five people are killed and 16 are seriously wounded in an explosion in southwest \JNigeria\j, a heartland of opposition to military rule. The bomb blast comes on the eve of national assembly elections, and barely 24 hours after a similar explosion kills three people in the commercial capital, Lagos. \I(\JNigeria\j)\i
The European Union's \JSomalia\j office reports that Somali gunmen have released nine international Red Cross workers captured and held to ransom shortly after they arrived in north \JMogadishu\j on April 15. \I(\JSomalia\j)\i
#
"April 25, 1998",843,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australia commemorates its 83rd \JAnzac\j Day, a \Jday\j when the nation holds ceremonies and parades to remember its losses in all wars. At a dawn ceremony in Darwin, the visiting Duke of Edinburgh acknowledges Britain's culpability for the deaths of thousands of young Australian and \JNew Zealand\j soldiers in the doomed landing at \JGallipoli\j during World War I. At Hellfire Pass, deep in the heart of \JThailand\j, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, pays a moving tribute to the thousands of Australians who died while slaving on the Thai-\JBurma\j railway as prisoners of the Japanese during World War II. \I(Australia, UK, Turkey, \JThailand\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Japan)\i
Violence erupts in three Indonesian cities as police use \Jrubber\j bullets and tear gas to suppress escalating student agitation. In the western city of Jambi, one student suffers a bullet wound when police prevent 1,500 students from marching on the regional parliament, while in the central city of Mataram, at least eight students are injured by \Jrubber\j bullets. For the third consecutive \Jday\j, clashes occur in the North \JSumatra\j provincial capital, Medan, when police raid the university campus to disperse protesters, wounding one student and arresting four others. Indonesia's influential Muslim leader, Amien Rais, is now voicing open support for the students, whose protests against President Soeharto have steadily increased as Indonesia's economic crisis deepens. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, begins a new mission to attempt to break the deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process, holding more than three hours of talks in \JJerusalem\j with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, insists that Mr. Ross's mission will not include negotiations with the Palestinian leadership, saying the Palestinians have endorsed the US proposals in principle, and that Mr. Ross has come to pressure the Israelis to accept the initiative. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The \JWhite House\j welcomes the appointment of Sergei Kiriyenko as \JRussia\j's new prime minister following his approval in a third-round vote by the \JDuma\j yesterday. \JWhite House\j spokesman, Mike McCurry, says the United States hopes the joint commission that US Vice President Al Gore chaired with former Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, will continue under Mr. Kiriyenko, and that the \JDuma\j will now proceed to other issues, particularly further arms reductions and ratification of the START 2 arms control treaty. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
United States first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is questioned under oath by prosecutor Kenneth Starr about her legal work while her husband President Clinton was governor of \JArkansas\j. The five-hour \JWhite House\j session, which is videotaped for presentation to a grand jury in Little Rock, represents the sixth occasion that Mrs. Clinton has been called to give sworn testimony in the Whitewater inquiry. It is likely to be the last occasion, however, with the Whitewater grand jury due to be dismissed on May 7. \I(USA)\i
Revolutionary Armed Forces of \JColombia\j rebels free the last two of four United States bird-watchers kidnapped a month ago and held hostage in a war zone near Bogota. Yesterday, the Marxist rebels released the ailing former US nun who was taken hostage along with the three men. \I(\JColombia\j, USA)\i
Astronauts on board NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia repair a faulty life support system which was threatening to curtail the shuttle's neurological research mission. Although the astronauts were not in any immediate danger, NASA says the backup air cleansing system would have run out of carbon dioxide-absorbing chemicals two to four days before the planned end of the mission. \I(USA)\i
Paula Jones is given a hostile reception by many of her fellow guests when she arrives at the 84th annual dinner of the \JWhite House\j Correspondents Association, a black-tie event also attended by US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary. Ms. Jones, who is currently seeking to revive her dismissed sexual harassment lawsuit against Mr. Clinton, was invited by the staff of \IInsight\i magazine, which is affiliated with the conservative \IWashington Times\i newspaper. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, begins a new mission to attempt to break the deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process, holding more than three hours of talks in \JJerusalem\j with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, insists that Mr. Ross's mission will not include negotiations with the Palestinian leadership, saying the Palestinians have endorsed the US proposals in principle, and that Mr. Ross has come to pressure the Israelis to accept the initiative. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Justice officials in \JRwanda\j say Friday's public execution of 22 people for their role in the 1994 massacres has led to a rush of confessions from genocide suspects hoping to avoid the death sentence. The executions were the first public punishment for the slaughter of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus over a three-month period in 1994, and evidently conveyed a grim message to 130,000 people awaiting trial in Rwandan jails. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
The \JWhite House\j welcomes the appointment of Sergei Kiriyenko as \JRussia\j's new prime minister following his approval in a third-round vote by the \JDuma\j yesterday. \JWhite House\j spokesman, Mike McCurry, says the United States hopes the joint commission that Vice President Al Gore chaired with former Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, will continue under Mr. Kiriyenko, and that the \JDuma\j will now proceed to other issues, particularly further arms reductions and ratification of the START 2 arms control treaty. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Australia commemorates its 83rd \JAnzac\j Day, a \Jday\j when the nation holds ceremonies and parades to remember its losses in all wars. At a dawn ceremony in Darwin, the visiting Duke of Edinburgh acknowledges Britain's culpability for the deaths of thousands of young Australian and \JNew Zealand\j soldiers in the doomed landing at \JGallipoli\j during World War I. At Hellfire Pass, deep in the heart of \JThailand\j, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, pays a moving tribute to the thousands of Australians who died while slaving on the Thai-\JBurma\j railway as prisoners of the Japanese during World War II. \I(Australia, UK, Turkey, \JThailand\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Japan)\i
Earl Spencer, brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, calls on the trustees of her memorial fund to close it down, condemning its more recent enterprises as tasteless and degrading. While the fund is receiving donations at the rate of $US1.7 million a week, and is set to distribute money to causes supported by Diana, it has recently entered into merchandising deals which lend her signature and official logo to products such as \Jmargarine\j in exchange for donations or a share of profits. \I(UK)\i
#
"April 26, 1998",844,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, leaders of \JAfghanistan\j's warring factions open their first face-to-face peace talks under the auspices of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Meanwhile, north of the Afghan capital, Kabul, the frontlines of battle between the fundamentalist Taliban militia and their northern opponents remain calm. The Taliban militia currently control two-thirds of \JAfghanistan\j after seizing Kabul in September 1996 and imposing a strict brand of Islamic rule. \I(Pakistan, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Indian police move to forcibly halt a lengthy public hunger strike by six Tibetan exiles who are demanding intervention by the United Nations to free their homeland from Chinese oppression. Due to large numbers of protesting Buddhist supporters, however, only three of the hunger-strikers are removed from a tent pitched on a pavement in New Delhi and taken to \Jhospital\j. Tibetan leaders, meanwhile, condemn the police action, accusing the Indian Government of seeking to placate China. India is currently home to more than 100,000 Tibetans in exile, including spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, whose "middle way" policy of peaceful negotiation has become a source of frustration for the protesters. \I(India, Tibet, China)\i
Authorities in Vietnam's central highland province of Gia Lai say nearly 40,000 people living in remote areas are facing \Jfamine\j, with many already reduced to eating roots and seeds. Although no deaths have been reported so far, provincial authorities fear that the situation will worsen because of continuing \Jdrought\j, the worst to hit the region in 100 years. \I(Vietnam)\i
Eight people are killed and 30 are injured when Tropical Cyclone Alan sweeps through the French Polynesian islands of Tahaa, Huahin, and Raiatea. Torrential rain and winds of up to 400 kilometers per hour cause massive mudslides, flatten trees, and destroy more than 750 buildings, including schools, churches, clinics, and homes. \I(French Polynesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iraq's foreign ministry accuses the United States and Britain of "jungle law" in perpetuating sanctions against \JBaghdad\j and treating the nation's presidential compounds as if they housed a "missile factory". The ministry's accusation comes ahead of a United Nations Security Council review of the sweeping sanctions imposed in August 1990 after Iraq's invasion of \JKuwait\j. Although no member will ask for the immediate lifting of the embargoes, \JRussia\j is proposing a step in this direction, having circulated a draft resolution stating that Iraq has fulfilled its requirement on nuclear arms. \I(Iraq, USA, UK, \JRussia\j)\i
After two rounds of talks with United States special envoy Dennis Ross, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again urges Washington not to pressure Israel to broaden the scope of its long-delayed troop withdrawal from the West Bank, insisting that Israel alone must determine its security and its redeployment. Mr. Ross is visiting the region to prepare the ground for meetings in London on May 4, a visit clearly resented by hundreds of Israelis who later stage an evening demonstration in \JJerusalem\j, protesting against US mediation in the \JMiddle East\j and calling on Mr. Ross to go home. \I(USA, Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, begins a two-\Jday\j visit to \JCuba\j, the first by a Canadian prime minister since Pierre Trudeau made a trip to the Caribbean island in 1976. Mr. Chretien's visit underscores his nation's opposition to the United States embargo against \JCuba\j, which President Fidel Castro attacks in his welcoming speech as "the most brutal violation of human rights perpetrated in the world today". Canada was one of only two nations in the western hemisphere that did not sever relations with \JCuba\j after Fidel Castro came to power in his 1959 revolution, opting instead for "constructive engagement" with the island's Communist regime. \I(Canada, \JCuba\j, USA)\i
Guatemalan Bishop, Juan Gerardi, 75, an outspoken human rights activist, is savagely beaten to death with a cement block while getting out of his car in his garage in Guatemala City. Bishop Gerardi survived an assassination attempt in 1980, and was forced into exile from 1982 to 1984 by death threats. The bishop's assailants are as yet unknown, but the fatal attack comes just 48 hours after he released a report detailing atrocities committed during the country's 36-year \Jcivil war\j, which ended in 1996. \I(Guatemala)\i
In tennis, \JSpain\j's Carlos Moya scores the biggest win of his career when he defeats Frenchman Cedric Pioline in the final of the Monte Carlo Open. \JSpain\j also triumphs at \JJohannesburg\j, when Conchita Martinez scores a two-set victory over Chanda Rubin of the United States in the final of the MTN Women's Classic. At Orlando, \JFlorida\j, meanwhile, Jim Courier beats fellow American Michael Chang in the final of the Men's Clay Court Championships. \I(\JSpain\j, \JFrance\j, South Africa, USA)\i
In professional golf, Dane Thomas Bjorn finishes with a 21-under score of 267 to take out the Spanish Open at \JBarcelona\j by one stroke. After a play-off at Greensboro, \JNorth Carolina\j, Trevor Dodds captures the Greater Greensboro Classic, becoming the first player from \JNamibia\j to win on the United States tour. In the LPGA Tour Event at Stockbridge, Georgia, Sweden's Liselotte Neumann finishes with a three-stroke lead to score her second win on the circuit this year, while at The Canyons, in Las Vegas, American Hale Irwin comes in one stroke ahead of the field to claim the Seniors Classic. \I(Denmark, \JSpain\j, USA, \JNamibia\j, Sweden)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq's foreign ministry accuses the United States and Britain of "jungle law" in perpetuating sanctions against \JBaghdad\j and treating the nation's presidential compounds as if they housed a "missile factory". The ministry's accusation comes ahead of a United Nations Security Council review of the sweeping sanctions imposed in August 1990 after Iraq's invasion of \JKuwait\j. Although no member will ask for the immediate lifting of the embargoes, \JRussia\j is proposing a step in this direction, having circulated a draft resolution stating that Iraq has fulfilled its requirement on nuclear arms. \I(Iraq, USA, UK, \JRussia\j)\i
Despite the peace agreement signed earlier this month, random sectarian violence continues in Northern Ireland, with police arresting two men in connection with the shooting death of a Catholic student in a village north of \JBelfast\j yesterday. Police are also investigating a bomb blast at the rear of a restaurant near Armagh. There are no casualties as a result of the explosion, but nearby houses are evacuated and the area sealed off. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
After two rounds of talks with United States special envoy Dennis Ross, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again urges Washington not to pressure Israel to broaden the scope of its long-delayed troop withdrawal from the West Bank, insisting that Israel alone must determine its security and its redeployment. Mr. Ross is visiting the region to prepare the ground for meetings in London on May 4, a visit clearly resented by hundreds of Israelis who later stage an evening demonstration in \JJerusalem\j, protesting against US mediation in the \JMiddle East\j and calling on Mr. Ross to go home. \I(USA, Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
Germany's parliament votes to apologize for the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish \Jcivil war\j, the world's first large-scale air bombardment of an unarmed civilian population in which more than 1,000 people are thought to have died. To this \Jday\j, however, responsibility for the attack has been disputed by historians, and it is unclear whether the Germans acted on their own initiative or at the suggestion of the late Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco. \I(Germany, \JSpain\j)\i
About 200 Ukrainians attend an early morning service in remembrance of fellow workers who died immediately from massive doses of radiation when the \JChernobyl\j nuclear power station exploded on April 26, 1986, sending a lethal radioactive \Jcloud\j across Europe. \JUkraine\j's Health Ministry estimates that more than 3,500 people died as a result of the world's worst nuclear disaster, with radiation-related diseases now 3.9 times more prevalent, and the rates of thyroid cancer among children 10 times higher. \I(\JUkraine\j, Europe)\i
Newspapers in Tehran report that a British national has been arrested in \JIran\j's Kurdistan region on charges of espionage. According to the newspapers, Robert Gavin was apprehended while filming army installations, and has since confessed to working for M16, the British \Jsecret service\j. \I(\JIran\j, UK)\i
Eight people are killed and 30 are injured when Tropical Cyclone Alan sweeps through the French Polynesian islands of Tahaa, Huahin, and Raiatea. Torrential rain and winds of up to 400 kilometers per hour cause massive mudslides, flatten trees, and destroy more than 750 buildings, including schools, churches, clinics, and homes. \I(French Polynesia)\i
In tennis, \JSpain\j's Carlos Moya scores the biggest win of his career when he defeats Frenchman Cedric Pioline in the final of the Monte Carlo Open. \JSpain\j also triumphs at \JJohannesburg\j, when Conchita Martinez scores a two-set victory over Chanda Rubin of the United States in the final of the MTN Women's Classic. At Orlando, \JFlorida\j, meanwhile, Jim Courier beats fellow American Michael Chang in the final of the Men's Clay Court Championships. \I(\JSpain\j, \JFrance\j, South Africa, USA)\i
In professional golf, Dane Thomas Bjorn finishes with a 21-under score of 267 to take out the Spanish Open at \JBarcelona\j by one stroke. After a play-off at Greensboro, \JNorth Carolina\j, Trevor Dodds captures the Greater Greensboro Classic, becoming the first player from \JNamibia\j to win on the United States tour. In the LPGA Tour Event at Stockbridge, Georgia, Sweden's Liselotte Neumann finishes with a three-stroke lead to score her second win on the circuit this year, while at The Canyons, in Las Vegas, American Hale Irwin comes in one stroke ahead of the field to claim the Seniors Classic. \I(Denmark, \JSpain\j, USA, \JNamibia\j, Sweden)\i
McLaren's David Coulthard leads from start to finish to take the checkered flag in the San Marino Formula One Grand Prix at Imola, \JItaly\j. The Briton's win moves him to second spot in the drivers' championship. \I(\JItaly\j, UK)\i
#
"April 27, 1998",845,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After a \Jday\j-long meeting, the United Nations Security Council agrees to retain sanctions against \JIraq\j, with China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j also pushing for movement toward the lifting of embargoes in the near future. Although the United States for the first time acknowledges that \JBaghdad\j has made progress on nuclear weapons compliance, both the US and Britain insist that questions remain and that it would be premature to close the nuclear file. Compliance on weapons demands is a key UN requirement for lifting the ban on exports from \JIraq\j, imposed in 1990 following the invasion of \JKuwait\j. \I(\JIraq\j, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, USA, Britain, \JKuwait\j)\i
Official figures show that unemployment in \JJapan\j has soared to a post-war record of 3.9 per cent, or 2.77 million. A breakdown of the figures reveals that unemployment for middle-aged men is running at 6.1 per cent, and that 10 per cent of school-leavers and university graduates are unable to find work. The bleak news coincides with the release of a public opinion poll indicating that only 24 per cent of respondents now approve of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and his Cabinet. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
At least 21 people are killed and three others are wounded when gunmen armed with automatic assault rifles open fire on two houses in the remote Kashmir village of Bindala, located on the Pakistani side of the imaginary line that divides the disputed Himalayan region. The motive for the attack is unclear, but police say \Jterrorism\j cannot be ruled out. Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir, two-thirds of which is held by New Delhi. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
Officials from \JThailand\j, \JCambodia\j, and the United Nations open their first consultative meeting to discuss the repatriation of 64,000 refugees who fled to \JThailand\j after fighting broke out in \JCambodia\j last July. While the officials agree that the process must be both voluntary and safe, they are also seeking the speedy return of the refugees to vote in July elections, regarded by the international community as a vital step toward restoring peace to the strife-torn nation. \I(\JCambodia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
A Tibetan exile is reported to be in a critical condition after setting himself on fire in the Indian capital, New Delhi. The self-immolation attempt occurred as hundreds of police moved in to seize the last three Tibetan hunger-strikers and take them to \Jhospital\j. On March 10, six Tibetan exiles began a public hunger strike to protest against the lack of tangible United Nations support for the plight of Tibet, which has been ruled by China for the past 40 years. \I(Tibet, India, China)\i
Human rights victims in the \JPhilippines\j reject an offer of $US150 million from Imelda Marcos, saying it is a bribe for them to step aside so that she and the Government can split the remainder of her late husband's money. The rights victims are claiming the $US540 million in Marcos' Swiss bank accounts, about $US300 million of which was transferred last week into an escrow account in the Philippine National Bank in Manila. The Philippine Government claims that the Swiss deposits, frozen since 1986, are part of billions of dollars taken by Ferdinand Marcos and his business associates while he was in power. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The French Government announces plans to honor up to 1,800 men from the 14 nations who sent troops to defend \JFrance\j during the 1914-18 war. Under the plan, which is widely welcomed as a wonderful gesture, surviving World War I veterans from nations as far away as \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j will be awarded \JFrance\j's highest decoration, the Legion of Honor. \I(\JFrance\j, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
The World Trade Organization (WTO) overturns a two-year United States ban on imports of shrimp caught by Indian, Pakistani, Malaysian, and Thai fleets. The ban was imposed because the shrimp are caught in nets that endanger turtles, and the WTO ruling angers environmentalists, who regard more responsible trade as the key to protecting threatened habitats and species. \I(USA, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, \JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a \Jday\j-long meeting, the United Nations Security Council agrees to retain sanctions against \JIraq\j, with China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j also pushing for movement toward the lifting of embargoes in the near future. Although the United States for the first time acknowledges that \JBaghdad\j has made progress on nuclear weapons compliance, both the US and Britain insist that questions remain and that it would be premature to close the nuclear file. Compliance on weapons demands is a key UN requirement for lifting the ban on exports from \JIraq\j, imposed in 1990 following the invasion of \JKuwait\j. \I(\JIraq\j, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, USA, Britain, \JKuwait\j)\i
European Union foreign ministers back away from a trade pact with the United States based on the controversial New Transatlantic Marketplace proposals, which are criticized as not being consistent with multilateral trade liberalization efforts. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says the ministers agree that there should be a substantial new stimulus to the EU-US relationship, but insist that European concerns over prohibitive US laws targeting investors in \JCuba\j, \JIran\j, and \JLibya\j must be part of the overall trade expansion package. \I(Europe, UK, USA, \JCuba\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
Iran complains that the United States still holds billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen after the 1979 Islamic revolution, saying there has been no major progress at the Iran-US Claims Tribunal over military equipment paid for but never received by Tehran. The Hague tribunal was established with the aim of settling reciprocal financial claims following the severing of Iran-US diplomatic relations in the wake of the Iranian revolution. \I(Iran, USA, The Netherlands)\i
Under pressure from the United States to justify his policy of "constructive engagement" with \JCuba\j, visiting Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, appeals to President Fidel Castro to free four leading \Jdissidents\j imprisoned for nine months without trial. While stressing \JOttawa\j's opposition to Washington's isolation of \JHavana\j, Mr. Chretien, the only leader of the Group of Seven industrialized nations ever to visit Communist \JCuba\j, insists that there must be movement on both sides if the 36-year US embargo against the island is to be lifted. \I(Canada, \JCuba\j, USA)\i
The United States Senate announces that it intends to form a special committee to handle issues related to the so called Y2K bug, the problem arising from the failure of some computers to recognize the year 2000. In February, the Clinton administration established a council to oversee efforts to correct the problem in government agencies, but concern still exists that many critical computers may not be cured of the bug before December 31, 1999. \I(USA)\i
Scientists in the United States report that the brain cells of cloned \Jcattle\j may be a possible new source for treating sufferers of Parkinson's disease, a common brain disorder that causes tremors before progressing to total muscle failure and death. Previous research has shown that victims of Parkinson's disease have a shortage of \Jdopamine\j, a brain chemical that plays a role in muscular movement, and the scientists' current approach to rectifying the deficiency combines three new and controversial technologies: \Jcloning\j, genetic \Jengineering\j, and the use of fetal brain cells. \I(USA)\i
The World Trade Organization (WTO) overturns a two-year United States ban on imports of shrimp caught by Indian, Pakistani, Malaysian, and Thai fleets. The ban was imposed because the shrimp are caught in nets that endanger turtles, and the WTO ruling angers environmentalists, who regard more responsible trade as the key to protecting threatened habitats and species. \I(USA, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, \JThailand\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In the restive Serb province of \JKosovo\j, Yugoslav army troops engage in a border skirmish with suspected \JAlbanian\j separatist gunmen, killing three and wounding four others. The remaining gunmen flee back across the border to Albania, leaving behind more than 120 cases of mines and explosives, as well as other military equipment. The clash comes just days after the Yugoslav army claimed to have stopped 200 heavily armed \JAlbanian\j guerrillas from entering the province to reinforce the outlawed \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, an ethnic \JAlbanian\j movement that has been waging a paramilitary campaign for independence. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
After a \Jday\j-long meeting, the United Nations Security Council agrees to retain sanctions against \JIraq\j, with China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j also pushing for movement toward the lifting of embargoes in the near future. Although the United States for the first time acknowledges that \JBaghdad\j has made progress on nuclear weapons compliance, both the US and Britain insist that questions remain and that it would be premature to close the nuclear file. Compliance on weapons demands is a key UN requirement for lifting the ban on exports from \JIraq\j, imposed in 1990 following the invasion of \JKuwait\j. \I(\JIraq\j, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, USA, Britain, \JKuwait\j)\i
In a surprise move, Israel's President, Ezer Weizman, holds talks with top Palestinian negotiators in an attempt to set the derailed peace process back on track. While Mr. Weizman's post is largely ceremonial, he voices veiled criticism of the course currently being steered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the wrong route to the destination will inevitably result in accidents along the way. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democrat party suffers a demoralizing drop in support when voters in the state of \JSaxony\j-Anhalt unexpectedly swing to candidates of the extreme right-wing People's Union, which campaigned on an ultra-nationalist platform that blamed foreigners for rising crime and unemployment. While the results deal another blow to Dr. Kohl's hopes of re-election in September, they give a further boost to those of Gerhard Schroeder, who won the Social Democratic candidacy for chancellor last month, and has since surged to the lead in public opinion polls. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Former Russian national security chief, Alexander Lebed, wins more than 45 per cent of the votes in the race for the governorship of the vast central Siberian region of \JKrasnoyarsk\j. Should Mr. Lebed win the upcoming run-off with incumbent Valery Zubov, he intends to use the post as a platform to run for the Russian presidency in 2000. \I(Russia)\i
European Union foreign ministers back away from a trade pact with the United States based on the controversial New Transatlantic Marketplace proposals, which are criticized as not being consistent with multilateral trade liberalization efforts. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, says the ministers agree that there should be a substantial new stimulus to the EU-US relationship, but insist that European concerns over prohibitive US laws targeting investors in \JCuba\j, \JIran\j, and \JLibya\j must be part of the overall trade expansion package. \I(Europe, UK, USA, \JCuba\j, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j)\i
Iran complains that the United States still holds billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen after the 1979 Islamic revolution, saying there has been no major progress at the Iran-US Claims Tribunal over military equipment paid for but never received by Tehran. The Hague tribunal was established with the aim of settling reciprocal financial claims following the severing of Iran-US diplomatic relations in the wake of the Iranian revolution. \I(Iran, USA, The Netherlands)\i
The French Government announces plans to honor up to 1,800 men from the 14 nations who sent troops to defend \JFrance\j during the 1914-18 war. Under the plan, which is widely welcomed as a wonderful gesture, surviving World War I veterans from nations as far away as \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j will be awarded \JFrance\j's highest decoration, the Legion of Honor. \I(\JFrance\j, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
Human rights victims in the \JPhilippines\j reject an offer of $US150 million from Imelda Marcos, saying it is a bribe for them to step aside so that she and the government can split the remainder of her late husband's money. The rights victims are claiming the $US540 million in Marcos' Swiss bank accounts, about $US300 million of which was transferred last week into an escrow account in the Philippine National Bank in Manila. The Philippine Government claims that the Swiss deposits, frozen since 1986, are part of billions of dollars taken by Ferdinand Marcos and his business associates while he was in power. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Spanish engineers work feverishly to reinforce makeshift dikes protecting the Donana National Park, a World Heritage Site and one of Europe's most prized nature reserves, from a massive toxic waste spill, which has already cut a path of destruction along the banks of the Guadiamar River, causing major ecological and agricultural damage. The crisis began three days ago, with the rupture of a giant holding pool at the Aznalcollar mine in southwest \JSpain\j. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
#
"April 28, 1998",846,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Arriving in \JTokyo\j on the first leg on an Asian trip, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, tones down Washington's criticism of \JJapan\j's economic recovery effort, praising the government's recently announced stimulus package as a bold and important step forward. Ms. Albright also stresses that the improvement in US relations with China will not jeopardize \JJapan\j's role as a key US ally, at the same time calling on \JJapan\j to join the United States in pressing China for change, particularly in the area of human rights. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, China)\i
As the legal battle for control of the Australian waterfront continues before the Full Bench of the High Court, 2,800 farmers from across \JNew South Wales\j converge on the city of Sydney, staging the country's first major demonstration by primary producers to protest against the State Government's refusal to remove Maritime Union pickets, which are blocking the removal of $AUD2 billion worth of farm products from wharves operated by Patrick Stevedores, the company at the center of the controversial three-week-old dock dispute. \I(Australia)\i
Indonesian troops lift a blockade of the University of North \JSumatra\j, imposed yesterday after soldiers and riot police used \Jrubber\j bullets, tear gas, and \Jwater\j cannon to quell a massive anti-government student protest. The authorities also release 13 students detained during the demonstration, but say they are still holding another 20 to 25 people who are not students. \I(Indonesia)\i
Despite the misgivings of international aid workers, the Cambodian Government insists on access to border camps in \JThailand\j to screen out hardline Khmer Rouge rebels from among the 64,000 refugees who are due to travel back to Cambodia under a United Nations-sponsored repatriation plan. The government says its fears that Khmer Rouge guerrillas have infiltrated the camp populations, and that they could return to intimidate voters during campaigning for the July 26 national elections. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
In the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, talks aimed at ending two decades of civil conflict in \JAfghanistan\j stall when the rival factions fail to agree on a precise definition for "ulema", an Arab word meaning scholar. The definition is critical, as both the Taliban militia and the opposition alliance have loosely endorsed a peace proposal that would allow a commission to ulema to rule their war-torn homeland. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, is appointed chairman of the commission charged with making recommendations for the future of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland, a commission demanded by Sinn Fein as part of the Anglo-Irish peace settlement. Mr. Patten comes well qualified for the post, being both a Catholic and a former junior Northern Ireland minister in a Conservative British government. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong)\i
As church services are held across \JAustralia\j, around 200 locals gather before a memorial cross at historic Port Arthur, in the island-state of \JTasmania\j, to mark the second anniversary of the massacre in which 35 people lost their lives. The mass slaughter by lone gunmen, Martin Bryant, left the entire nation in shock, and led to tighter gun control laws as Australians took a hard, new stance against violence. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
In Ho Chi Minh City's Reunification Palace, thousands of Vietnamese pay tribute to former general-secretary of the Communist Party, Ngu-yen Van Linh, on the first \Jday\j of national mourning following his death yesterday at the age of 83. Mr. Linh will lie in state for two days before being buried at Lac Canh cemetery, an honor reserved for senior party members. \I(Vietnam)\i
Australian Aboriginal human rights activist, Shirley Smith, affectionately known as Mum Shirl, dies at the age of 76. Named earlier this year as one of Australia's living national treasures, Mum Shirl helped found both the Aboriginal Medical Service and Aboriginal Legal Service in \JNew South Wales\j, and was an adviser on Aboriginal affairs to the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney. Her lifelong dedication to the Aboriginal community was officially recognized with an MBE in 1975, and with the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Adopting a tough stand ahead of talks in London next week, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is prepared to face world condemnation rather than risk the security of the Jewish state, and that it will be up to Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to break the 13-month peacemaking deadlock. Mr. Netanyahu has just returned from talks in \JCairo\j with Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, who is urging Israel to accept the United States proposal of a 13 per cent West Bank withdrawal in exchange for a Palestinian crackdown on \Jterrorism\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, Egypt, USA)\i
Former United States senator, George Mitchell, is named 1998 winner of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal for his 22-month chairmanship of the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, which culminated in the historic \JGood Friday\j agreement. Mr. Mitchell, 64, will receive the 10th annual Liberty Medal and its accompanying $US100,000 cash prize during a July 4 ceremony at Independence Hall, where the \JDeclaration of Independence\j and the US Constitution were both adopted in the late 18th century. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Arriving in \JTokyo\j on the first leg on an Asian trip, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, tones down Washington's criticism of \JJapan\j's economic recovery effort, praising the government's recently announced stimulus package as a bold and important step forward. Ms. Albright also stresses that the improvement in US relations with China will not jeopardize \JJapan\j's role as a key US ally, at the same time calling on \JJapan\j to join the United States in pressing China for change, particularly in the area of human rights. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, China)\i
Cuban President Fidel Castro bids farewell to visiting Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, making it clear that he will not bow to pressure for political change from either friends like Canada or foes like the United States. President Castro insists that Cuba's biggest change was the 1959 revolution which brought him to power, and that the nation will continue to defend its \Jsocialism\j, which he describes as the system of the future. \I(Cuba, Canada, USA)\i
The United States Justice Department reveals that the nation's fifth biggest \Jcigarette\j maker, Liggett Group, has agreed to cooperate in the government's criminal inquiry into the \Jtobacco\j industry. Liggett was the first \Jcigarette\j company to break with the rest of the industry and settle state civil lawsuits, and will now become the first to provide inside information about the industry's knowledge of the health consequences of \Jcigarette\j smoking and the addictive nature of \Jnicotine\j. \I(USA)\i
Lawyers for convicted \JOklahoma City\j bomber, Timothy McVeigh, mount a legal challenge to his conviction and death sentence, arguing in the United States Court of Appeals that serious errors, including juror misconduct, were made at his trial. In June 1997, the 30-year-old Gulf War veteran was convicted and sentenced to death for the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building, which killed 168 people and injured 500 others. \I(USA)\i
In a 29-page sentencing memorandum, United States Justice Department prosecutors describe convicted Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski, as a methodical killer motivated by revenge and hatred to carry out his mail-bombing campaign, rejecting the former \Jmathematics\j professor's claims that the bombings were intended to warn the public against modern technology. Last year, Kaczynski confessed to 16 bombings that killed three people between 1978 and 1995, part of a plea agreement that spared him the death penalty and called for \Jlife imprisonment\j. Prosecutors are now urging the judge to impose that punishment at the scheduled May 4 sentencing. \I(USA)\i
A team of United States researchers expounds the thesis that distant ancestors of modern man, and even the Neanderthals, were capable of speech 400,000 years ago, about 360,000 years earlier than previously argued. The latest thesis is based on studies that found the hypoglossal canals in 400,000-year-old skeletons to be comparable in size to those of modern man. The hypoglossal canal is a perforation at the bottom of the skull housing the nerves through which the brain controls the tongue. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The European Union increases pressure on the Yugoslav Government for a peaceful resolution of the \JKosovo\j crisis, endorsing the United Nations Security Council's arms embargo, and agreeing to impose bans on visas for senior Serb ministers, and on European investment in \JSerbia\j. The EU is demanding that \JBelgrade\j withdraws its special police to barracks and initiates talks on an enhanced status for \JKosovo\j, whose majority ethnic \JAlbanian\j population is demanding independence. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
Adopting a tough stand ahead of talks in London next week, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is prepared to face world condemnation rather than risk the security of the Jewish state, and that it will be up to Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to break the 13-month peacemaking deadlock. Mr. Netanyahu has just returned from talks in \JCairo\j with Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, who is urging Israel to accept the United States proposal of a 13 per cent West Bank withdrawal in exchange for a Palestinian crackdown on \Jterrorism\j. \I(Israel, Palestine, Egypt, USA)\i
Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, is appointed chairman of the commission charged with making recommendations for the future of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland, a commission demanded by Sinn Fein as part of the Anglo-Irish peace settlement. Mr. Patten comes well qualified for the post, being both a Catholic and a former junior Northern Ireland minister in a Conservative British government. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong)\i
Former United States senator, George Mitchell, is named 1998 winner of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal for his 22-month chairmanship of the Northern Ireland peace negotiations, which culminated in the historic \JGood Friday\j agreement. Mr. Mitchell, 64, will receive the 10th annual Liberty Medal and its accompanying $US100,000 cash prize during a July 4 ceremony at Independence Hall, where the \JDeclaration of Independence\j and the US Constitution were both adopted in the late 18th century. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
The South African Government proposes positive discrimination legislation that will threaten the jobs of white workers who rose through the public sector into managerial posts reserved for them under \Japartheid\j. The proposal comes in the wake of an Employment Equity Bill, expected to be passed in June, which will force the private sector into amending the composition of its work force to reflect that of society: 70 per cent black, 50 per cent female, and 2 per cent disabled. \I(South Africa)\i
The former deputy leader of \JNigeria\j's military regime, General Oladipo Diya, is sentenced to death along with five other defendants for plotting the overthrow of military ruler, General Sani Abacha. The sentences, handed down by a secret seven-man military tribunal, must be ratified by the ruling military council before they can be carried out. \I(\JNigeria\j)\i
An ex-commander of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), captured earlier this month by the Turkish military, claims that his guerrillas were behind the 1986 assassination of Swedish prime minister, Olof Palme. According to ex-rebel chief, Semdin Sakik, Mr. Palme was killed because he expelled PKK members from Sweden. \I(Turkey, Sweden)\i
Greenpeace says the huge tide of toxic mine waste from last weekend's spill in southern \JSpain\j is killing everything in its path as it moves from the Guadiamar River through man-made channels to the larger Guadalquivir River, and then out to the Gulf of Cadiz. The government, meanwhile, has declared the prized Donana National Park out of danger following the emergency construction of dikes to divert the waters of the Guadiamar, now polluted with heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and zinc. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
Scientists in Britain announce that they have developed a safe, effective, and painless vaccine to prevent harmful \Jbacteria\j from sticking to the teeth and causing cavities. The vaccine is painted on the teeth, and is produced by genetically modifying \Jtobacco\j plants to carry \Jantibodies\j to \IStreptococcus mutans,\i responsible for 95 per cent of decay. \I(UK)\i
A militant French lorry drivers' union, whose barricades created \Jmayhem\j across the country in 1996 and 1997, threatens to cause traffic chaos during the upcoming World Cup \Jsoccer\j competition in \JFrance\j unless haulage bosses agree to demands for higher pay and shorter hours. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"April 29, 1998",847,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a surprise move, North Korea's reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, calls for reunification with the South, the first such \Joverture\j of peace since he was elected secretary-general of \JPyongyang\j's ruling Workers Party last October. In a letter published by the official Korean Central News Agency, Mr. Kim indicates that the North is willing to return to four-way peace talks among the two Koreas, China, and the United States, saying bilateral and multilateral dialogues and negotiations must be promoted. However, Mr. Kim also restates a number of conditions that Seoul has already rejected, including the complete withdrawal of US forces and the disbandment of South Korea's intelligence agency. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
At a mass rally in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, describes the nation's July 26 election as one of hope and victory over politics, and pledges to cede power without a fight if his Cambodian People's Party loses. Mr. Hun Sen also hails the peaceful defection of thousand of Khmer Rouge guerrillas over the past month as part of the same "win-win" policy against violence, injustice, and unfairness. \I(Cambodia)\i
Former Philippine first lady, Imelda Marcos, withdraws from the country's presidential race just 13 days ahead of the election. Ms. Marcos maintains she is pulling out in protest against injustices inflicted on her by the government, a reference, amongst others, to a court decision earlier this year to uphold her prison sentence on graft charges. Ms. Marcos currently remains free on bail while she lodges her final appeal against the judgment. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
India braces for further trouble as a second wave of hunger strikes begins following the death of a Tibetan monk, who set himself alight in a New Delhi street on Monday to protest against Indian police intervention to end a seven-week fast by six Tibetan exiles. The hunger-strikers are protesting against China's rule in Tibet, but their methods are at odds with those of spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who reiterated his opposition to violence following a visit to the dying monk in \Jhospital\j. The Dalai Lama, however, has not directed the activists to call off the hunger strike. \I(India, Tibet, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Concerned that tensions in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j are escalating, all members of the Contact Group, except \JRussia\j, agree to impose fresh sanctions on Yugoslavia, including the immediate freezing of assets abroad. The group, comprised of the United States, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, and \JItaly\j, is pushing for the beginning of dialogue between \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders, and is firmly supporting the latter's calls for an international mediator to be involved in the negotiation process. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, UK, \JItaly\j)\i
In a surprise move, North Korea's reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, calls for reunification with the South, the first such \Joverture\j of peace since he was elected secretary-general of \JPyongyang\j's ruling Workers Party last October. In a letter published by the official Korean Central News Agency, Mr. Kim indicates that the North is willing to return to four-way peace talks among the two Koreas, China, and the United States, saying bilateral and multilateral dialogues and negotiations must be promoted. However, Mr. Kim also restates a number of conditions that Seoul has already rejected, including the complete withdrawal of US forces and the disbandment of South Korea's intelligence agency. \I(The Koreas, China, USA)\i
A federal United States judge upholds a District Court ruling that there is no immunity agreement between prosecutor Kenneth Starr and Monica Lewinsky, the key figure in the \JWhite House\j sex and \Jperjury\j scandal. The judge's ruling will now allow Mr. Starr to enforce his \Jsubpoena\j demanding that the 24-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern testify before a grand jury about her alleged relationship with President Bill Clinton, and whether she was ever urged to lie under oath. \I(USA)\i
Under their first deal since an alliance was forged last June, the World Bank and the World Wide Fund for Nature jointly announce that another 25 million hectares of Brazilian Amazon \Jrainforest\j will be declared a protected area, trebling the area under national park-style coverage. The alliance is aiming to conserve 10 per cent of the world's forests by 2000, and get 50 million hectares of forests into new protected areas by 2005. \I(Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a floodlit ceremony in \JJerusalem\j, a triumphal blast of ram horns marks the end of 24 hours of remembrance for the estimated 19,000 soldiers killed in five wars with Israel's Arab neighbors, and heralds the start of Independence Day and Israel's 50th anniversary celebrations. The ceremony is broadcast live throughout Israel, and abroad from Mount Herzl, the resting place of soldiers, statesmen, and Theodor Herzl, the 19th century European Jew whose dream of a Jewish homeland inspired Israel's birth. \I(Israel)\i
Concerned that tensions in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j are escalating, all members of the Contact Group, except \JRussia\j, agree to impose fresh sanctions on Yugoslavia, including the immediate freezing of assets abroad. The group, comprised of the United States, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, and \JItaly\j, is pushing for the beginning of dialogue between \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders, and is firmly supporting the latter's calls for an international mediator to be involved in the negotiation process. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, UK, \JItaly\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, begins naming a new Cabinet five weeks after he created political turmoil by sacking the entire government. While the team includes some young new faces, it leaves key posts in the Finance, Foreign, Defense, and Interior ministries unchanged. The most significant outcome of the political hiatus is the removal of Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister, and the appointment of 35-year-old Sergei Kiriyenko in his place. \I(Russia)\i
A former leader in the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress is appointed as the first black leader of the South African armed forces. Anti-\Japartheid\j hero, Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Nyanda, will take over from General George Meiring, who resigned earlier this month after a series of procedural blunders led him to report false allegations that black military leaders, including General Nyanda, were plotting to overthrow President Nelson Mandela's Government. \I(South Africa)\i
The Government of \JGibraltar\j accepts a Spanish offer to begin direct talks on the future of the British territory, but flatly rejects Madrid's plan for a period of shared sovereignty that will lead \JGibraltar\j to the status of an autonomous Spanish region. In 1967, 99 per cent of the Rock's inhabitants voted to remain under British rule, but many now fear that Britain is now keen to resolve the long-standing sovereignty dispute, which continues to strain relations with \JSpain\j and disrupt the business of the European Union. \I(\JGibraltar\j, \JSpain\j, UK, Europe)\i
#
"April 30, 1998",848,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After two days of talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other Chinese leaders, visiting US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says there are still obstacles to overcome for a fully comprehensive partnership between the two nations. Ms. Albright says Washington would be willing to ease sanctions imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre if \JBeijing\j acts on issues of United States concern, such as improving political and human rights, increasing religious freedom, and curbing missile technology exports. \I(USA, China)\i
According to an annual US State Department report, \JIran\j remains the world's most active state sponsor of \Jterrorism\j, carrying out terrorist acts both through its own agents and through surrogates such as the Hezbollah organization in \JLebanon\j. \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, and \JSyria\j are the other countries designated as state sponsors of \Jterrorism\j, also making them subject to US sanctions. The report cites 304 acts of international \Jterrorism\j in 1997, with a combined death toll of 221 people. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JLebanon\j, \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, \JSyria\j)\i
At a colorful ceremony in Arawa, representatives of warring factions sign an historic cease-fire agreement and declare an end to Bougainville's 10-year secessionist conflict. An estimated 15,000 people lost their lives in the conflict, which began with landowner disputes over the Panguna copper mine in 1988, and escalated into a war for independence from Papua New Guinea when the mine closed in 1989. The only \Jcloud\j over the ceremony is the absence of rebel leader, Francis Ona, who refused to support the peace process. \I(Bougainville, Papua New Guinea)\i
An overloaded boat capsizes after being trapped in a whirlpool in the eastern Indian Bagmati River, near the city of \JPatna\j, capital of Bihar State. The boat was carrying about 90 people, and 55 of those, mostly women and children, are now feared drowned. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Despite a pessimistic report by United Nations weapons chief, Richard Butler, United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses satisfaction concerning the level of Iraqi compliance with UN weapons inspectors and the progress that has been made on the nuclear side. Mr. Clinton confirms, however, that sanctions will remain in place until \JBaghdad\j has complied fully with all UN resolutions, and says that he will wait for a Pentagon recommendation before removing any of the vast US military force from the Gulf region. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
After a night of fireworks and dancing in the streets, Israel continues to celebrate half a century of statehood with parties, picnics, and a show of military prowess. At a ceremony in \JJerusalem\j's university stadium, visiting United States Vice President, Al Gore, wins the hearts of the crowd when he briefly addresses them all in \JHebrew\j, noting also that the US was the first country to recognize Israel at its founding in 1948. Tensions remain high despite the festivities, however, with security forces deploying additional police and soldiers, and barring Palestinians from entering the country from the West Bank and Gaza. At the site of controversial new Jewish settlement constructions, meanwhile, right-wing and left-wing Israelis stage rival anniversary protests. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United States Congress approves a $US5.6 billion emergency funding bill for domestic disaster relief and overseas military operations, including the continuing US military presence in Bosnia and the buildup of US forces in the Gulf during the recent weapons inspection confrontation with \JIraq\j. However, the bill fails to include funding for US arrears to the United Nations and $US18 billion to replenish the reserves of the International Monetary Fund. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Bosnia)\i
Following four days of debate, the United States Senate votes 80-19 in favor of extending \JNATO\j membership to the Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, and \JPoland\j. The United States is the fifth of the 16 alliance members to approve the historic eastward expansion, which was agreed upon at a \JNATO\j summit in Madrid last July. \I(USA, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, \JSpain\j)\i
According to an annual US State Department report, \JIran\j remains the world's most active state sponsor of \Jterrorism\j, carrying out terrorist acts both through its own agents and through surrogates such as the Hezbollah organization in \JLebanon\j. \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, and \JSyria\j are the other countries designated as state sponsors of \Jterrorism\j, also making them subject to US sanctions. The report cites 304 acts of international \Jterrorism\j in 1997, with a combined death toll of 221 people. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JLebanon\j, \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, \JSyria\j)\i
After two days of talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other Chinese leaders, visiting US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, says there are still obstacles to overcome for a fully comprehensive partnership between the two nations. Ms. Albright says Washington would be willing to ease sanctions imposed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre if \JBeijing\j acts on issues of United States concern, such as improving political and human rights, increasing religious freedom, and curbing missile technology exports. \I(USA, China)\i
As thousands of mourners attend the funeral of slain Guatemalan Catholic Bishop, Juan Gerardi, the interior ministry announces that a 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the killing. While the ministry refuses to speculate on the motives for the bishop's murder, human rights activists are describing it as political retaliation. Forty-eight hours before he was beaten to death with a concrete block, Bishop Gerardi presented a landmark human rights report on atrocities committed during Guatemala's 26-year \Jcivil war\j. The United States \JFBI\j is assisting the Guatemalan Government with the investigation. \I(Guatemala, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) announces that it will not lay down its arms as a result of the April 10 Northern Ireland peace accord, saying that the new agreement is a significant development, but falls short of being a solid basis for a lasting settlement. While the IRA statement sparks outrage in London and among pro-British politicians, it avoids taking a position on the May 22 referendum, urging supporters to be guided by their political parties when casting their vote. Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, will decide on the official party response to the peace pact at a conference on May 10. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Despite a pessimistic report by United Nations weapons chief, Richard Butler, United States President, Bill Clinton, expresses satisfaction concerning the level of Iraqi compliance with UN weapons inspectors and the progress that has been made on the nuclear side. Mr. Clinton confirms, however, that sanctions will remain in place until \JBaghdad\j has complied fully with all UN resolutions, and says that he will wait for a Pentagon recommendation before removing any of the vast US military force from the Gulf region. \I(USA, Iraq)\i
After a night of fireworks and dancing in the streets, Israel continues to celebrate half a century of statehood with parties, picnics, and a show of military prowess. At a ceremony in \JJerusalem\j's university stadium, visiting United States Vice President, Al Gore, wins the hearts of the crowd when he briefly addresses them all in \JHebrew\j, noting also that the US was the first country to recognize Israel at its founding in 1948. Tensions remain high despite the festivities, however, with security forces deploying additional police and soldiers, and barring Palestinians from entering the country from the West Bank and Gaza. At the site of controversial new Jewish settlement constructions, meanwhile, right-wing and left-wing Israelis stage rival anniversary protests. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Hundreds of Serb riot police block ethnic \JAlbanian\j students trying to enter \JKosovo\j's main university in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j. The students are turned away despite a Serb-\JAlbanian\j agreement last month to allow the gradual return of Albanians to the state education system following their nine-year boycott to protest against Serb rule. \I(\JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j)\i
According to an annual US State Department report, \JIran\j remains the world's most active state sponsor of \Jterrorism\j, carrying out terrorist acts both through its own agents and through surrogates such as the Hezbollah organization in \JLebanon\j. \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, and \JSyria\j are the other countries designated as state sponsors of \Jterrorism\j, also making them subject to US sanctions. The report cites 304 acts of international \Jterrorism\j in 1997, with a combined death toll of 221 people. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JLebanon\j, \JCuba\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, North Korea, \JSudan\j, \JSyria\j)\i
Following four days of debate, the United States Senate votes 80-19 in favor of extending \JNATO\j membership to the Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, and \JPoland\j. The United States is the fifth of the 16 alliance members to approve the historic eastward expansion, which was agreed upon at a \JNATO\j summit in Madrid last July. \I(USA, Czech Republic, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, \JSpain\j)\i
Turkish military officials reveal that up to 40,000 troops, along with fighter planes and attack helicopters, are currently engaged in one of the country's biggest offensives against the separatist Kurdish Workers Party in the rugged mountains of the southeast. The operation was launched last weekend, and has so far claimed the lives of 74 rebels and three soldiers. More than 28,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in 1984. \I(Turkey)\i
The United States Congress approves a $US5.6 billion emergency funding bill for domestic disaster relief and overseas military operations, including the continuing US military presence in Bosnia and the buildup of US forces in the Gulf during the recent weapons inspection confrontation with \JIraq\j. However, the bill fails to include funding for US arrears to the United Nations and $US18 billion to replenish the reserves of the International Monetary Fund. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, Bosnia)\i
Former French foreign minister, Roland Dumas, is placed under investigation for alleged influence peddling and accepting bribes. Mr. Dumas currently heads \JFrance\j's highest legal body, the Constitutional Council. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"May 1, 1998",849,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds talks in Seoul with South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, warning that North Korea may resume its nuclear weapons program if a pledge to provide \JPyongyang\j with fuel oil and nuclear power technology is not honored. In 1994, amid fears that the North had produced a nuclear weapon, Seoul agreed to contribute about 70 per cent of the cost of two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors and interim fuel deliveries if \JPyongyang\j consented to halt its nuclear program. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
South Korean riot police use tear gas and batons to beat back around 20,000 May Day marchers protesting against spiraling unemployment due to drastic industrial reforms and mass layoffs under the International Monetary Fund economic bailout package. It is the first violent expression of public dissent since the election last December of President Kim Dae Jung's reformist government, and follows the release of figures showing that national unemployment has risen to a record high of 6.5 per cent, or 1.4 million people, 720,000 of whom have lost their jobs this year. \I(South Korea)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto insists that there will be no political reform before the year 2003, and indicates that his government will not tolerate activists who threaten national stability. Mr. Soeharto's statement comes as Indonesian security forces face another \Jday\j of student demonstrations in cities on the island of Java, and violence flares again in the North Sumatran city of Medan, where riot police and troops use tear gas and \Jrubber\j bullets to battle rock-throwing students demanding political and economic reform. \I(Indonesia)\i
Cambodia's Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, rules out United Nations-sponsored talks with his former coalition partner, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, unless the prince publicly renounces his claim to be first prime minister. Prince Ranariddh won Cambodia's last election in 1993, but agreed to a power-sharing deal after Hun Sen opposed the results. Hun Sen then ousted the prince in July 1997, and Foreign Minister Ung Huot was appointed as Hun Sen's new co-prime minister. \I(Cambodia)\i
Railways across \JJapan\j are placed on alert for saboteurs after 25 bolts are found to have been unscrewed from parts of the Tokaido Line bullet train track in central Gifu Prefecture, and stationmasters in \JTokyo\j and seven other cities receive letters threatening mass murder by derailment. The railway alert coincides with \JJapan\j's Golden Week holidays, a peak period for train travel throughout the nation. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Argentine police arrest Croatian World War II \Jconcentration camp\j commander, Dinko Sakic, whose \Jextradition\j to stand trial for war crimes during Croatia's Utashe Nazi regime has long been sought by the international community. From 1942 to 1944, Sakic, 76, ran the Jasenovac camp, where thousands of Serbs, Gypsies, and Jews perished. He has been living openly in Argentina for the past 50 years. \I(Argentina, Croatia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds talks in Seoul with South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, warning that North Korea may resume its nuclear weapons program if a pledge to provide \JPyongyang\j with fuel oil and nuclear power technology is not honored. In 1994, amid fears that the North had produced a nuclear weapon, Seoul agreed to contribute about 70 per cent of the cost of two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors and interim fuel deliveries if \JPyongyang\j consented to halt its nuclear program. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
A grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr indicts Webster Hubbell, a long-time confidant of President Bill Clinton, on 10 counts of conspiracy, tax evasion, and mail \Jfraud\j. Mr. Hubbell, who also worked with Hillary Rodham Clinton in the \JArkansas\j law firm handling some of the real estate transactions that triggered the Whitewater inquiry, has already spent 21 months in jail after being convicted of defrauding his former law clients. The latest \Jindictment\j centers on the handling of more than $US500,000 in consulting fees that Mr. Hubbell received largely from Mr. Clinton's political supporters. \I(USA)\i
Eldridge Cleaver, the former minister of information for the radical 1960s Black \JPanther\j party, dies in Los Angeles aged 62. Throughout his life, Cleaver underwent a series of transformations from convict to writer to revolutionary to exile to crack addict. In his final years, he worked as a diversity consultant at the University of La Verne, preaching nonviolence and the brotherhood of man. \I(USA)\i
Los Angeles \Jtelevision\j stations spark public outrage when they interrupt afternoon talk shows and children's programs to broadcast live footage of a freeway chase that ends in a suicide. While crossing to live coverage of a car chase is not unusual, cameras were kept rolling close-up for the 11 seconds it took the half-naked man to pull a shotgun from the open bed of his burning pick-up truck, prop it against his head, and pull the trigger. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, launches his campaign to persuade voters to back the Northern Ireland peace deal in a referendum on May 22, a campaign that necessarily negates the Constitutional claim to the province initiated by his own Fianna Fail party. Mr. Ahern's push for a "yes" vote begins amid a furor over decommissioning, sparked after the Irish Republican Army announced it would not lay down its arms. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has since reiterated that the peace accord is a package which must be accepted in its entirety, and that all people who serve in the government of Northern Ireland will have to renounce violence. \I(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Former Rwandan Prime Minister, Jean Kambanda, pleads guilty to six charges of genocide before an International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, northern \JTanzania\j. The tribunal was established in November 1966, and Mr. Kambanda is the first of 25 people in custody to plead guilty to any offense arising from the 1994 massacre of more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The maximum penalty the tribunal can impose is \Jlife imprisonment\j. Courts within Rwanda, on the other hand, have imposed and carried out the death sentence for those convicted of genocide. \I(Rwanda, \JTanzania\j)\i
Ahead of a weekend summit to approve Europe's single currency, European Union leaders engage in last-minute attempts to end a dispute over the presidency of the European Central Bank, which will run monetary policy after the euro's launch next year. Most EU states support the appointment of Dutchman Wim Duisenberg, but \JFrance\j wants the head of its central bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, to take up the position, and the issue is opening a rift that leaders fear could undermine financial market confidence in the entire project. \I(Europe, The Netherlands, \JFrance\j)\i
German police turn \Jwater\j cannons on several thousand left-wing demonstrators heading for the site of a right-wing May Day rally on the outskirts of the city of \JLeipzig\j. In a bid to avert the inevitable violence, city authorities earlier tried to ban the neo-Nazi rally, but a court overruled the attempt. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Dozens of protesters are injured and more than 100 detained after Turkish "Robocops" use batons and \Jwater\j cannons to disperse stone-throwing leftists at a 70,000-strong May Day rally in \JIstanbul\j. May Day in Turkey has a history of confrontation, with 37 workers shot by suspected rightists gunmen in 1977, and three demonstrators killed in fighting with riot police in 1996. \I(Turkey)\i
Seven people are killed when Nigerian police open fire on thousands of protesters in the city of Ibadan. During the protests, called by opponents of continued military rule in Nigeria, rioters set fire to at least five buildings belonging to suspected supporters of military ruler, General Sani Abacha. \I(Nigeria)\i
Argentine police arrest Croatian World War II \Jconcentration camp\j commander, Dinko Sakic, whose \Jextradition\j to stand trial for war crimes during Croatia's Utashe Nazi regime has long been sought by the international community. From 1942 to 1944, Sakic, 76, ran the Jasenovac camp, where thousands of Serbs, Gypsies, and Jews perished. He has been living openly in Argentina for the past 50 years. \I(Argentina, Croatia)\i
Spanish authorities announce that a massive clear-up operation around the Donana National Park will start this weekend, one week after a mining waste reservoir split its banks and sent a tide of toxic \Jwater\j into the Guadiamar River, the nature reserve's main \Jwater\j source. Although emergency dikes were hastily erected to protect the area, scientists have warned of an even greater ecological disaster should the contaminated mud on the river's valley floor be allowed to flow into the park during autumn rain. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
As Europe awaits the birth of the euro, \JFrance\j declares that the new single currency is a boy. After several months of debate, a government language panel officially rules that the gender of the new word will be masculine, with the correct term in French to be "l'euro" or "un euro". \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
#
"May 2, 1998",850,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In one of the largest shows of force in Jakarta to date, thousands of Indonesian students mark National Education Day with fiery speeches denouncing corruption, nepotism, and media restrictions, and demanding political and economic reform. At a finance and banking academy, four student protesters are injured in a clash with anti-riot police bearing shields and sticks, while at a teacher's training institute, at least six students are wounded when police open fire with \Jrubber\j bullets. Tensions have been mounting among the nation's student population following the recent announcement by President Soeharto that there will be no political reform in Indonesia until 2003, when his term of office expires. \I(Indonesia)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, threatens to punish those responsible for the violent May Day protest march in central Seoul, which has so far resulted in the arrests of 17 people. President Kim warns of a crackdown on the country's notoriously militant workers, insisting that illegal protests will deter the foreign investment needed to overcome South Korea's current financial crisis. \I(South Korea)\i
An executive director of the scandal-plagued Bank of \JJapan\j hangs himself at his \JTokyo\j home. Takayuki Kamoshida, 58, who was responsible for investigating corruption at the country's central bank, becomes the latest casualty of the scandal that has also engulfed the Finance Ministry and some of \JJapan\j's top private banks over the past few months. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
A thousand guests attend a glittering opening party for Rupert Murdoch's film and \Jtelevision\j production center, Fox Studios \JAustralia\j, at Moore Park, Sydney. During the course of the star-studded evening, Australian director, Baz Luhrmann, announces a multi-million dollar joint venture with Fox Studios to make three motion pictures in the next five years. The new studio is expected to provide 1,600 quality jobs for Australians. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a silent protest against gun deaths in the United States, hundreds of demonstrators place 5,285 pairs of empty shoes outside the \JMassachusetts\j headquarters of the Smith & Wesson company, the world's largest maker of handguns. The shoes represent the number of children and teenagers killed by gunfire throughout the nation in 1995, the latest year for which statistics are available, and the aim of the protest is to force gun companies to make weapons childproof and ensure that they bear prominent warning labels. According to the statistics, more than 36,000 people were killed by guns in the United States in 1995. \I(USA)\i
Mexico's interior ministry reveals that plans to combat the country's soaring crime rate are in the final stages and will be announced shortly. In \JMexico City\j alone, 700 incidents are reported each \Jday\j, including an average of three murders, and the ministry statement comes as the US State Department renews a safety warning to the 20 million American tourists who visit Mexico each year. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
Divers begin a search in waters off the \JNorth Carolina\j coast for a French merchant ship known by historians as the "sugar ship", which is believed to be the last vessel captured and sunk by the legendary English pirate, Blackbeard, in 1718. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Jordanians mark the 45th year of the reign of King Hussein, the \JMiddle East\j's longest-serving ruler. A public holiday is declared, streets are decked with Jordanian flags, and a procession of cars decked in flowers streams through the capital, \JAmman\j. A popular leader, King Hussein is still actively seeking a \JMiddle East\j peace "between people" to secure the future of his Hashemite dynasty, which traces its descent from the Prophet Mohammad. \I(Jordan)\i
Conflict breaks out in the Drenica region of the troubled southern province of \JKosovo\j when Serb security forces move in on strongholds of the outlawed \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. Three separatist ethnic \JAlbanian\j guerrillas are killed and three are wounded in the fighting. Ethnic Albanians constitute 90 per cent of the population of \JKosovo\j and most want independence, which \JSerbia\j is refusing to consider. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, celebrates the first anniversary of his Labour Party's landslide election victory, with a coinciding opinion poll showing his personal popularity at a record 72 per cent, the highest for any leader after a year in office since regular opinion polls were introduced in the aftermath of World War II. \I(UK)\i
Divers begin a search in waters off the \JNorth Carolina\j coast for a French merchant ship known by historians as the "sugar ship", which is believed to be the last vessel captured and sunk by the legendary English pirate, Blackbeard, in 1718. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
Actor Kevin Lloyd, who played the role of "Tosh" Lines in the popular British \Jtelevision\j police drama, \IThe Bill,\i dies suddenly after a long battle with alcohol, and only days after being sacked from the program. \I(UK)\i
#
"May 3, 1998",851,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Thai officials report a new wave of Cambodian refugees as the families and followers of the disintegrating Khmer Rouge start to pour over the border. The Khmer Rouge guerrilla forces have been badly depleted by recent mass defections to the government, and Cambodian troops are now said to be closing in on the remnants of the once-feared rebel group, having last month captured the former northern stronghold of Anlong Veng. At this stage, however, the whereabouts of the guerrillas' one-legged leader, Ta Mok, remains unknown. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
Australia announces that it will contribute $AUD30 million to the United Nations World Food Program's emergency operations in eastern \JIndonesia\j. In addition to providing up to 40,000 tonnes of Australian grain to help feed malnourished and vulnerable groups, Australia will also contribute to medical supplies and agricultural rehabilitation. UN assessments indicate that as many as 40 million Indonesians are currently living under marginal circumstances due to severe \Jdrought\j and the impact of the country's economic crisis. \I(Australia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
On the ATP tour, American Pete Sampras breaks his four-year title \Jdrought\j on clay when he defeats Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the AT&T Challenge at \JAtlanta\j, Georgia. Meanwhile, Swede Thomas Enqvist wins a close battle against American Andre Agassi to take the Munich Open claycourt title, and Brazilian Fernando Meligeni defeats Czech Slava Dosedel in the final of the Czech Open at \JPrague\j. In women's tennis, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j captures her third title this year when she beats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic in the final of the \JHamburg\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden, \JGermany\j, Brazil, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Before departing Israel for \JCairo\j, United States Vice President, Al Gore, holds an unexpected last-minute meeting at Ben-Gurion airport with Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier, Mr. Gore stressed that \JMiddle East\j peacemaking had reached a critical juncture, and urged both Mr. Netanyahu and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, not to squander the opportunity to put it back on track during upcoming talks in London. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, UK)\i
According to a report in \IThe New Yorker\i magazine, a warning of impending genocide in \JRwanda\j was essentially ignored in January 1994 by a United Nations office then headed by current Secretary General, Kofi Annan. The magazine reports that the UN peacekeeping commander in \JRwanda\j, who passed on the warning, was ordered by headquarters not to proceed with his proposed operation to raid Hutu militia weapons caches. The Rwandan genocide erupted on April 6, 1994, and within three months, at least 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus had been slaughtered by Hutu extremists. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Columbia touches down at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after a 16-\Jday\j science mission, which the agency says could lead to new treatments for earthbound ailments such as \Jinsomnia\j, blood pressure problems, and motion sickness. Despite the acclaimed success of the mission, however, NASA has drawn fire from animal rights groups following the unexpected deaths of 52 of the 96 rats aboard the shuttle. Half the baby rats died after being unable to get milk from their mothers, while other rats died when their heads became stuck in faulty \Jwater\j dispensers. \I(USA)\i
On the ATP tour, American Pete Sampras breaks his four-year title \Jdrought\j on clay when he defeats Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the AT&T Challenge at \JAtlanta\j, Georgia. Meanwhile, Swede Thomas Enqvist wins a close battle against American Andre Agassi to take the Munich Open claycourt title, and Brazilian Fernando Meligeni defeats Czech Slava Dosedel in the final of the Czech Open at \JPrague\j. In women's tennis, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j captures her third title this year when she beats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic in the final of the \JHamburg\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden, \JGermany\j, Brazil, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In the Houston Open at The Woodlands, \JTexas\j, American golfer David Duval clinches his fifth victory in 12 events, boosting him to fifth place in the world rankings, while on the LPGA Tour at Daytona Beach, \JFlorida\j, American Danielle Ammaccapane wins the event by one stroke. On the European Tour, Sweden's Patrik Sjoland fires a three-round total of 21-under 195 to win the rain-shortened Italian Open at Milan by three strokes. \I(USA, Sweden, \JItaly\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The dispute between \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j over the presidency of the new European Central Bank is resolved when the widely favored candidate, Dutchman Wim Duisenberg, says he will stand down once euro banknotes and coins replace national currencies in 2002, enabling Frenchman Jean-Claude Trichet to succeed him in the post. While the arrangement satisfies European Union leaders, the President of the European Parliament, Jose-Maria Gil Robles, maintains that it breaches the spirit of the Maastricht treaty, which requires the first head of the central bank to serve for eight years. The new European Central Bank will manage the monetary policy of the European Union, and set interest rates and broad economic policy for all member countries. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, The Netherlands, Europe)\i
According to a report in \IThe New Yorker\i magazine, a warning of impending genocide in \JRwanda\j was essentially ignored in January 1994 by a United Nations office then headed by current Secretary General, Kofi Annan. The magazine reports that the UN peacekeeping commander in \JRwanda\j, who passed on the warning, was ordered by headquarters not to proceed with his proposed operation to raid Hutu militia weapons caches. The Rwandan genocide erupted on April 6, 1994, and within three months, at least 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus had been slaughtered by Hutu extremists. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j)\i
Fighting rages around the village of Ponosevac in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j after ethnic \JAlbanian\j guerrillas attack the police station, badly wounding five Serb officers. Intermittent gunfire, heard across the border in neighboring Albania, is later replaced by the sound of heavy artillery as Serb forces mount a counter-offensive against guerrilla positions in the hills. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
Before departing Israel for \JCairo\j, United States Vice President, Al Gore, holds an unexpected last-minute meeting at Ben-Gurion airport with Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier, Mr. Gore stressed that \JMiddle East\j peacemaking had reached a critical juncture, and urged both Mr. Netanyahu and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, not to squander the opportunity to put it back on track during upcoming talks in London. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, UK)\i
One man is shot dead and five others are arrested when a splinter group of the Irish Republican Army attempts to hold up a security van in Wicklow, south of Dublin. Police say they believe the group aimed to fund a terrorist bid to sabotage the Northern Ireland peace process. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Amid claims of high-level British involvement, the mercenary group, Sandline International, comes under investigation by the British Customs service over the alleged smuggling of arms to forces fighting Sierra Leone's military junta, which was overthrown in March. Last October, the United Nations banned the sale of arms to either side in the conflict, and the British Government, severely embarrassed by claims that Foreign Office diplomats were involved in an illegal weapons shipment to the African nation, promises to appoint an outside official to launch a separate inquiry into the affair. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, denies that any ministerial approval was given for the activities of Sandline, or that any arms export license was issued. \I(UK, Sierra Leone)\i
Hopes are raised of averting a threatened \Jfamine\j in southern \JSudan\j when the \JKhartoum\j Government approves a United Nations request for four extra \Jaircraft\j to fly food to the area, which has been stricken by years of civil conflict aggravated by \Jdrought\j. For more than a decade, the Muslim Arabized north has been battling black Christian rebels in the south, and UN access to the area is finally granted on the eve of a new round of peace talks in \JNairobi\j between the government and rebels of the \JSudan\j People's Liberation Army. \I(\JSudan\j, \JKenya\j)\i
Police lock the gates to the Louvre in Paris and conduct body searches of all visitors and staff after a painting by the French master, Camille Corot, is discovered to have been cut from its frame. The Louvre gives no valuation for the Corot landscape, \ILe Chemin de Sevres,\i which has been in its collection since 1902. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
On the ATP tour, American Pete Sampras breaks his four-year title \Jdrought\j on clay when he defeats Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the AT&T Challenge at \JAtlanta\j, Georgia. Meanwhile, Swede Thomas Enqvist wins a close battle against American Andre Agassi to take the Munich Open claycourt title, and Brazilian Fernando Meligeni defeats Czech Slava Dosedel in the final of the Czech Open at \JPrague\j. In women's tennis, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j captures her third title this year when she beats Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic in the final of the \JHamburg\j Open. \I(USA, Australia, Sweden, \JGermany\j, Brazil, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In the Houston Open at The Woodlands, \JTexas\j, American golfer David Duval clinches his fifth victory in 12 events, boosting him to fifth place in the world rankings, while on the LPGA Tour at Daytona Beach, \JFlorida\j, American Danielle Ammaccapane wins the event by one stroke. On the European Tour, Sweden's Patrik Sjoland fires a three-round total of 21-under 195 to win the rain-shortened Italian Open at Milan by three strokes. \I(USA, Sweden, \JItaly\j)\i
Spain's Alex Criville thrills the home crowd when he rides his Honda to victory for a second straight year in the Spanish 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Jerez. Criville's victory also moves him up to second place in the world championship standings. \I(Spain)\i
#
"May 4, 1998",852,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Indonesian Government announces sharp price rises in fuel, electricity, and public transport in line with the conditions of the International Monetary Fund's $US43 billion bailout package. Coming on top of escalating food prices and unemployment, however, the increases will further burden tens of millions of Indonesians at a time of growing opposition to the Soeharto regime. Student demonstrations in the country's main cities are now an almost daily occurrence, and casualties are mounting as a result of fierce clashes between the protesters and riot police. \I(Indonesia)\i
The head of South Korea's Financial Supervisory Commission moves to dispel market fears of another crisis in June due to mounting corporate debt. The outstanding amount of commercial paper is estimated at about $US44.5 billion, most of it at three-month maturity, but commission chairman, Lee Hun Jai, says efforts will be made by financial companies to extend to longer terms. \I(South Korea)\i
Australia posts its fourth consecutive monthly trade deficit since the onset of Asia's economic turmoil, a turnaround from the consistent string of trade surpluses in 1997. The March figures show a 5 per cent slump in exports, with farmers taking the biggest hit, and a 4 per cent rise in imports fueled by strong domestic demand. The release of the trade figures prompts a slide in the Australian dollar, which closes the \Jday\j US0.71c lower at US64.66c. \I(Australia, Asia)\i
Deposed Cambodian co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, returns to Phnom Penh for the second time since he was ousted by Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, last July. Prince Ranariddh confirms that he is back in Cambodia to stay after months of exile in \JThailand\j, and that his immediate concern is to prepare for the July 26 general elections. The prince also reiterates his desire for talks with his former coalition partner, but Hun Sen has refused a meeting unless the prince renounces his claim to be first prime minister. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
The Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j claims immediate victory in the battle for the country's waterfront when the High Court orders the reinstatement of 1,400 dock workers dismissed by Patrick Stevedores on April 7. However, the High Court also confirms that the administrators of Patrick's insolvent labor hire companies have the right to operate on a commercial basis, a judgment that could allow them to significantly reduce the union workforce. In the meantime, Patrick has agreed to provide $AUD3.6 million in loans to re-start the subsidiary companies. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
Japan's Meteorological Agency issues a warning for tidal waves as high as two meters following an under-sea \Jearthquake\j of 7.7 \Jmagnitude\j along the coastline of the southern islands of \JOkinawa\j. Authorities in the \JOkinawa\j capital, Naha, immediately order a precautionary evacuation of residents living in coastal areas of the city, but the sea surges that later reach the islands are only minor and there are no reports of injuries. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After a \Jday\j of intensive talks in London, US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright gives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a night to come to a decision on the future of the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Whereas Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has accepted a United States plan to revive the stalled peace negotiations, Mr. Netanyahu continues to reject the proposal for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, which the US is seeking before the resumption of negotiations on the final status of the territories Israel captured in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j war. \I(UK, USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Following three days of shuttle diplomacy between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, says he has been unable to persuade the two community leaders to meet on neutral ground, and blames the Turkish Cypriots for the failure of the talks to halt the slide towards conflict on the divided island. Mr. Holbrooke, who brokered the Bosnian settlement three years ago, adds that he has no immediate plans to meet with the Cypriot leaders again. \I(Cyprus, USA)\i
The United States ambassador at large for war crimes, David Scheffer, arrives in \JKuwait\j on a three-\Jday\j visit to document war crimes carried out by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime. In March, the US Senate approved a non-binding resolution branding Saddam Hussein a war criminal and calling for his \Jindictment\j by an international tribunal to be established by the United Nations. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Iraq)\i
Key Whitewater figure, Susan McDougal, is indicted by a federal grand jury in Little Rock on two counts of criminal contempt and one count of obstruction of justice for refusing to cooperate with prosecutor Kenneth Starr's investigation of US President Bill Clinton's finances. Ms. McDougal, a former business partner of the president and first lady, has already served an 18-month sentence for refusing to testify before the grand jury. Ms. McDougal claims that Mr. Starr is trying to force her to lie about the Clintons' alleged links to a string of illegal business deals in \JArkansas\j in the mid-1980s. \I(USA)\i
Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski is sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison for his 17-year bombing campaign which killed three people and injured more than 20 others. When invited to speak, the 55-year-old Harvard-trained mathematician-turned hermit says the case against him was political and filled with error, and he makes no apologies for what he maintains was a war against modern technology. Instead, apologies to the victims and their relatives are offered by Kaczynski's brother David, who helped halt the Unabomber's assaults by leading the \JFBI\j to his brother's remote Montana shack in 1996. \I(USA)\i
Doctors in the United States say they are excited by the new two-drug approach to beat cancer, but warn against euphoria, saying that while the drugs have cured mice, it will be at least a year before the combination is tested on humans. Angiostatin and endostatin are both naturally occurring agents, and work to stop the growth of blood vessels that tumors need to grow and flourish. Their combined use as a treatment for cancer was developed by Dr. Judah Folkman, of Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in \JBoston\j, \JMassachusetts\j. \I(USA)\i
Scientists at Munich University's Institute for Forensic Medicine announce that DNA testing has supported previous evidence that a scull and other human remains found on a Berlin building site in 1972 are those of Adolf Hitler's secretary and confidant, Martin Bormann. The announcement quashes theories that Bormann, wanted on murder charges in \JGermany\j, fled to \JSouth America\j after the collapse of the Third \JReich\j in 1945. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSouth America\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
French President, Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, come in for heavy criticism following the political row over the presidency of the European Central Bank, which will run the new single currency. Mr. Chirac's victory in securing the appointment of a French banker in the second half of the first eight-year term is condemned as "nationalist folly", while Dr. Kohl is under attack for allowing Mr. Chirac to force through a deal that is widely regarded as being in breach of the treaty that established the euro. The deal, by which Dutchman Wim Duisenberg will step aside after four years for Frenchman Jean-Claude Trichet, is also regarded in \JGermany\j as a serious blow to Dr. Kohl's reelection prospects. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Europe)\i
After a \Jday\j of intensive talks in London, US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright gives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a night to come to a decision on the future of the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Whereas Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has accepted a United States plan to revive the stalled peace negotiations, Mr. Netanyahu continues to reject the proposal for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, which the US is seeking before the resumption of negotiations on the final status of the territories Israel captured in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j war. \I(UK, USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Albanian Foreign Minister, Paskal Milo, says Tirana's relations with \JBelgrade\j are at their lowest point in 50 years, and that given the border tensions with \JSerbia\j, war could easily break out over \JKosovo\j, where ethnic Albanians are engaged in a bitter campaign for independence. Last week, Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, urged \JNATO\j to send forces to prevent the \JKosovo\j conflict from spilling over the border, but \JNATO\j says it has made no decision on the deployment of troops to the area. \JNATO\j is currently supplying small teams of experts on a rotating basis to help improve Albania's military. \I(Albania, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission begins its first major hearing into the African National Congress (ANC) guerrilla campaign against \Japartheid\j. Ten former operatives from the ANC's military wing are currently seeking amnesty for a spate of bombing attacks between 1980 and 1988, in which at least 23 people were killed and more than 350 were injured. \I(South Africa)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, appeals to donor governments and populations of the world to respond urgently to the food crisis in southern \JSudan\j, saying now that the problem of access has been resolved, the remaining problem is resources. Mr. Annan adds that only 20 per cent has been pledged of the $US109 million requested earlier this year by Operation Lifeline \JSudan\j, the UN-led group operating the relief program to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the rebel-controlled areas of the country, where the effects of prolonged conflict have been exacerbated by severe \Jdrought\j. \I(\JSudan\j)\i
Following three days of shuttle diplomacy between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, says he has been unable to persuade the two community leaders to meet on neutral ground, and blames the Turkish Cypriots for the failure of the talks to halt the slide towards conflict on the divided island. Mr. Holbrooke, who brokered the Bosnian settlement three years ago, adds that he has no immediate plans to meet with the Cypriot leaders again. \I(Cyprus, USA)\i
The United States ambassador at large for war crimes, David Scheffer, arrives in \JKuwait\j on a three-\Jday\j visit to document war crimes carried out by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime. In March, the US Senate approved a non-binding resolution branding Saddam Hussein a war criminal and calling for his \Jindictment\j by an international tribunal to be established by the United Nations. \I(USA, \JKuwait\j, Iraq)\i
In the first violent killings in the Vatican in living memory, the new commander of the papal Swiss Guard, his wife, and a 23-year-old Swiss Guard are shot dead in the guards' quarters. The shootings occur just hours after Captain Commandant Alois Estermann is appointed to the top post by Pope John Paul II, and are believed to be acts of double murder and suicide committed by the younger guard, Vice-Corporal Cedric Tornay. \I(\JItaly\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Scientists at Munich University's Institute for Forensic Medicine announce that DNA testing has supported previous evidence that a scull and other human remains found on a Berlin building site in 1972 are those of Adolf Hitler's secretary and confidant, Martin Bormann. The announcement quashes theories that Bormann, wanted on murder charges in \JGermany\j, fled to \JSouth America\j after the collapse of the Third \JReich\j in 1945. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSouth America\j)\i
A 52-year quest ends when a major Swiss bank, Credit Suisse Group in Zurich, announces that it has settled a \JHolocaust\j survivor's claim that it hoarded her father's wealth when she could not produce a death certificate. The settlement calls for the bank to pay an unspecified sum of money to 80-year-old Estelle Sapir, whose father died in 1943 in \JPoland\j. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JPoland\j)\i
#
"May 5, 1998",853,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Violence erupts in key cities across \JIndonesia\j as riot police battle student demonstrators joined by workers and jobless laborers enraged by steep price increases in fuel, electricity, and public transport. The worst of the violence occurs in Medan, an industrial port city on the island of \JSumatra\j, where security forces use live ammunition to disperse angry mobs of rioters and looters who torch vehicles and ransack shops mostly owned by \JIndonesia\j's minority ethnic Chinese. Already this week, more than 100 students and police have been injured in anti-government demonstrations throughout \JIndonesia\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Michel Camdessus, expresses deep concern over the rioting in \JIndonesia\j, but insists that the real cause of unrest is not price rises, but the underlying economic management problems which caused the crisis to develop. Mr. Camdessus defends the 71 per cent increase in fuel prices as part of the IMF's agreement with \JIndonesia\j, describing IMF programs as medicine which create greater pain initially, but lead to a more balanced economy. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A young woman sailor and three male crewmen perish after a fireball engulfs the engine room of the Australian Navy's biggest ship, the fuel supply tanker HMAS \IWestralia,\i during a training exercise off the coast of Perth. Faced with the prospect of the fire igniting 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel on board, Commander Stuart Dietrich is forced to abandon rescue attempts and seal the engine room, which is then drenched with carbon dioxide. Another five sailors are injured in the accident, the Australian Navy's worst since 1964, when the \Jaircraft\j carrier HMAS \IMelbourne\i sliced through the destroyer HMAS \IVoyager,\i killing 82 men. \I(Australia)\i
China expresses regret and resentment over remarks made by India's Defense Minister, George Fernandes, who said the threat to Indian security posed by \JPakistan\j was equal to that posed by China. Mr. Fernandes, whose Samata Party is a key partner in India's Hindu nationalist-led ruling coalition, has also accused China of providing \JPakistan\j with missile technology, an accusation that \JBeijing\j has denied. \I(China, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry says compulsory military service for those aged between 18 and 30 years will be introduced if a five-\Jday\j amnesty, declared yesterday, fails to bring back some 15,000 army deserters. The army is currently preparing a recruitment drive to bolster its ranks in the fight against Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the country's north and east, a fight that has claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers since the rebels' drive for a separate Tamil homeland began in 1983. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
The ASEAN National Tourism Organization reports that rain over the past week has removed many of the fire "hotspots" in the Indonesian province of East \JKalimantan\j, where fires began to spread again in February at the end of the monsoon season. The organization says the week's rain has also improved Southeast Asia's air quality, with skies over \JBrunei\j, Indonesia, \JMalaysia\j, and \JSingapore\j now relatively free of smoke haze. \I(Indonesia, \JBrunei\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, Southeast Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a second \Jday\j of talks in London, attempts to salvage the \JMiddle East\j peace process fail to produce a breakthrough. However, Israeli and Palestinian leaders are invited to hold talks in Washington on a final peace accord if Israel first accepts United States proposals to cede more West Bank land to the Palestinians. When Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he will put the proposals to his Cabinet, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, gives him an end-of-week deadline to reach a decision, warning that if he fails to back the plan, the US will have to reexamine its approach to the peace process in the \JMiddle East\j. \I(UK, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) updates projected United States budget surpluses for this year and next, forecasting a surplus for fiscal 1998 of $US43 billion to $US63 billion, and a surplus for fiscal 1999 of $US29 billion to $US39 billion. The revised CBO estimates are now closer to what Wall Street economists have been predicting for months. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge rules that President Bill Clinton cannot invoke executive privilege to limit the testimony of two key aides before the grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr to probe Mr. Clinton's relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. The ruling is a setback in Mr. Clinton's legal efforts to prevent \JWhite House\j advisers, Bruce Lindsey and Sidney Blumenthal, from being questioned about certain conversations. \I(USA)\i
Washington's elite turn out for the dedication of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, a giant $US816 million building second in size only to the Pentagon, boasting five main entrances, 85 elevators, eight escalators, and ten monumental granite stairs. The former president, who at age 87 suffers from Alzheimer's disease, is unable to attend the ceremony, but he is represented by his wife Nancy, who addresses the gathering in the building's 10-storey, glass-capped \Jatrium\j. \I(USA)\i
One \Jday\j after being officially sentenced, Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski is transferred to the federal penitentiary in Florence, \JColorado\j, a high-tech stronghold nicknamed "the Big One" and hailed as almost escape-proof. Opened in 1994, Florence was designed with the help of computers that were fed various escape scenarios, and combines strict prisoner management with tight external security, including watchtowers, silent pressure pads, \Jlaser\j beams, and dogs that attack without barking. Contact with the outside world is kept to a minimum. Prisoners spend 23 hours a \Jday\j in lock-up, and are only allowed outside of cells with leg irons and handcuffs. Given its rigid security arrangements, many human rights groups in the United States have protested that the facility is inhumane. \I(USA)\i
A Peruvian air force Boeing 737, chartered by the United States-based Occidental Petroleum Corp., crashes in the Amazon jungle while preparing to land at Andoas, near the border with \JEcuador\j in northern Peru. Rescue crews find thirteen survivors, some unhurt and on their feet, but the remaining 74 people on board the \Jaircraft\j are feared to have died in the accident. \I(Peru, USA, \JEcuador\j)\i
Colombia's national police force report that a total of 31,808 people were murdered throughout the country in 1997, an average of 87 a \Jday\j. The total represents a 19 per cent increase on figures for 1996, when 26,642 killings were reported in the country of nearly 40 million people. \I(Colombia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a speech to bankers in Frankfurt, Bundesbank President, Hans Tietmeyer, remarks that the wrangling between \JFrance\j and \JGermany\j over the presidency of Europe's Central Bank has not enhanced the expectation that the euro will be a really supranational and de-politicized currency. Commenting on the future policy of the European Central Bank, Mr. Tietmeyer says it must endeavor from the start to build up confidence in the sustained stability orientation of its policies, and must demonstrate its independence of political influences. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, Europe)\i
In a second \Jday\j of talks in London, attempts to salvage the \JMiddle East\j peace process fail to produce a breakthrough. However, Israeli and Palestinian leaders are invited to hold talks in Washington on a final peace accord if Israel first accepts United States proposals to cede more West Bank land to the Palestinians. When Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he will put the proposals to his Cabinet, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, gives him an end-of-week deadline to reach a decision, warning that if he fails to back the plan, the US will have to reexamine its approach to the peace process in the \JMiddle East\j. \I(UK, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
After more than two years of public hearings and painstaking research, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission announces the first decision on \Jreparations\j to the thousands of victims of gross human rights violations under \Japartheid\j. The commission says the first batch of 700 people has been advised that it can claim interim damages of up to 2,000 \Jrand\j, with the full level of \Jreparations\j to be decided after the commission's final report, due to be handed to President Nelson Mandela by the end of July. \I(South Africa)\i
Security systems are reinforced and armed riot police with dogs are deployed to guard a small airport in central \JFrance\j, where 2.5 million much-coveted World Cup \Jsoccer\j tickets have been locked in a hangar following a strike by mail sorters at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"May 6, 1998",854,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Riots rage in the Indonesian city of Medan for a third consecutive \Jday\j, with at least two people shot as security forces battle to control mobs looting and burning shops and vehicles, and ethnic Chinese, the main targets of the violence, evacuate their homes to seek refuge outside the city. Riot police also face huge anti-government student demonstrations in the capital Jakarta, and in the cities of \JBandung\j, Yogyakarta, and \JSurabaya\j. The escalating unrest follows Monday's announcement of a steep increase in fuel, electricity, and transport prices, and fears that the violence might spread throughout the nation send the financial markets sliding, with the rupiah suffering an 11 per cent drop after weeks of relative stability. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) says it will apply to the Federal Court after a dispute with Patrick Stevedores over the retention of security guards stalls the return to work of 1,400 dock workers, who were dismissed by the company on April 7, but who yesterday won a High Court decision ordering their reinstatement. In the Victorian city of Melbourne, meanwhile, more than 55,000 workers stage one of the biggest rallies in decades to protest against the Federal Government's controversial role in the waterfront dispute. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration says it has alerted airports and airlines and implemented new security measures to detect a tiny \Jpistol\j that looks like a key chain but is capable of firing .32 caliber bullets. The \Jpistol\j is designed and manufactured in \JBulgaria\j, and has already turned up at airports in \JAthens\j, London, and Sydney. \I(USA, \JBulgaria\j, \JGreece\j, UK, \JAustralia\j)\i
Former Thai prime minister, Chatichai Choonhavan, dies aged 78 in London where he was being treated for cancer. The leader of the Chart Pattana party, Mr. Choonhavan was prime minister of \JThailand\j from 1988 to 1991. \I(\JThailand\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a joint news conference in Washington, United States President Bill Clinton, and visiting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, admit that they have not ruled out the use of troops to prevent an ethnic war in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. At the same time, however, both men stress that they are making every effort to arrive at a peaceful solution to the crisis, which they say will involve granting greater autonomy for \JKosovo\j's majority ethnic \JAlbanian\j population while honoring Serbian desires not to surrender a big part of their country, which forms the bulk of the Yugoslav federation. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reveals that he is considering turning down a conditional invitation to attend \JMiddle East\j peace talks in Washington next week, saying Israel is a sovereign country that does not accept dictates. US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, issued the invitation after two days of talks in London, indicating that US President Bill Clinton was prepared to host the two sides for final peace negotiations, but only if interim issues were resolved in advance, a reference to the US demand that Israel hand over 13 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, UK)\i
NASA releases news of a gamma ray burst as bright as at least a billion \JMilky Way\j galaxies, and second only to the Big Bang in \Jenergy\j. NASA says the explosion came from a faint galaxy know as GRB 971214, and was first seen on December 14. Gamma ray bursts are seen on Earth about twice a \Jday\j, every \Jday\j, but until the launch of the Italian/Dutch \Jsatellite\j BeppoSAX in 1996, astronomers had no way to track where they were. So far, however, astronomers have not caught an actual burst, but only its effect, a situation that has led to much speculation about the cause. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, The Netherlands)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration says it has alerted airports and airlines and implemented new security measures to detect a tiny \Jpistol\j that looks like a key chain but is capable of firing .32 caliber bullets. The \Jpistol\j is designed and manufactured in \JBulgaria\j, and has already turned up at airports in \JAthens\j, London, and Sydney. \I(USA, \JBulgaria\j, \JGreece\j, UK, \JAustralia\j)\i
In what is hailed as the biggest "delisting" since the \JEndangered Species\j Act was adopted 25 years ago, the US Clinton administration announces that 17 animals and 12 plants have made a comeback from near-\Jextinction\j and will be removed from the endangered list over the next two years. One of the candidates for delisting is the \Jbald eagle\j, the United States national symbol, which in the 1960s had been reduced to only 400 nesting pairs, but whose numbers had risen to 4,452 by 1994, with the population now increasing at a rate of about 10 per cent a year. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Conservative predecessor, John Major, forgo political differences to jointly campaign for a "yes" vote in a May 22 referendum on Northern Ireland's peace agreement, sharing a platform in \JBelfast\j to field questions from local university students. Mr. Major played a key role in initiating the peace process in 1993, but his efforts to secure an end to the conflict were hampered by his thin majority in Parliament, which left him heavily dependent on the unionist parties who wished to retain British rule in the province. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
At a joint news conference in Washington, United States President Bill Clinton, and visiting Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, admit that they have not ruled out the use of troops to prevent an ethnic war in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. At the same time, however, both men stress that they are making every effort to arrive at a peaceful solution to the crisis, which they say will involve granting greater autonomy for \JKosovo\j's majority ethnic \JAlbanian\j population while honoring Serbian desires not to surrender a big part of their country, which forms the bulk of the Yugoslav federation. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reveals that he is considering turning down a conditional invitation to attend \JMiddle East\j peace talks in Washington next week, saying Israel is a sovereign country that does not accept dictates. US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, issued the invitation after two days of talks in London, indicating that US President Bill Clinton was prepared to host the two sides for final peace negotiations, but only if interim issues were resolved in advance, a reference to the US demand that Israel hand over 13 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA, UK)\i
At least 33 people die and 70 are still missing after rivers of mud set off by heavy rain pour through several low-lying towns in the Campania region in southern \JItaly\j, flattening houses, sweeping away cars, and leaving some 2,000 people homeless. The hardest hit towns are Sarno, Quindici, and Siano, all south of Naples in the Salerno and Avellino provinces. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
With almost 60 per cent of the vote counted in the Dutch general election, the Labour Party claims a comfortable victory, having won 45 of the 150 Lower House seats, an increase of eight. The right-leaning Liberals, Labour's coalition partner, also celebrate a resounding win, gaining another seven seats to give them a total of 38 seats in the House. \I(The Netherlands)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration says it has alerted airports and airlines and implemented new security measures to detect a tiny \Jpistol\j that looks like a key chain but is capable of firing .32 caliber bullets. The \Jpistol\j is designed and manufactured in \JBulgaria\j, and has already turned up at airports in \JAthens\j, London, and Sydney. \I(USA, \JGreece\j, UK, \JAustralia\j)\i
NASA releases news of a gamma ray burst as bright as at least a billion \JMilky Way\j galaxies, and second only to the Big Bang in \Jenergy\j. NASA says the explosion came from a faint galaxy know as GRB 971214, and was first seen on December 14. Gamma ray bursts are seen on Earth about twice a \Jday\j, every \Jday\j, but until the launch of the Italian/Dutch \Jsatellite\j BeppoSAX in 1996, astronomers had no way to track where they were. So far, however, astronomers have not caught an actual burst, but only its effect, a situation that has led to much speculation about the cause. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, The Netherlands)\i
Former Thai prime minister, Chatichai Choonhavan, dies aged 78 in London where he was being treated for cancer. The leader of the Chart Pattana party, Mr. Choonhavan was prime minister of \JThailand\j from 1988 to 1991. \I(\JThailand\j, UK)\i
#
"May 7, 1998",855,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Army reinforcements pour into the Indonesian city of Medan, where an uneasy calm has descended following three days of rioting, but fears of further violence again unsettle financial markets, sending the beleaguered rupiah plunging as much as 14 per cent. Elsewhere across the country, student unrest continues, and armed forces chief, General Wiranto, calls for an end to the anti-government protests, saying the military supports political, economic, and legal reform in Indonesia, but that change must be gradual and constitutional, and that students must channel their energies into more productive activities. \I(Indonesia)\i
Tensions increase in the lead-up to national elections in the \JPhilippines\j following claims of massive voter registration \Jfraud\j, and allegations that candidates' telephones are being tapped. At least 20 killings have been linked to the election run-up and more violence is expected, particularly on the island of Mindanao, where the Muslim governor has asked the Commission on Elections to suspend voting in 18 towns because of shootings and unrest. According to the latest opinion poll, former film star and current Vice President, Joseph Estrada, has widened his lead over the other nine presidential candidates, with his support now at about 33 per cent, compared with 15 per cent for his nearest rival, Jose de Venecia, the Speaker of the \JHouse of Representatives\j. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders the mystery remains of a serviceman from the Vietnam War to be removed from the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery and tested for possible identification using modern DNA gene and bone technology. The unprecedented order to disturb the sanctity of the tomb follows a plea from the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, shot down in South Vietnam on May 11, 1972. The family believes Lt. Blassie's remains were buried in the tomb in 1984. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Some of the 1,400 Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) dock workers sacked by Patrick Stevedores a month ago resume work in Melbourne and Sydney after the MUA drops demands that Patrick remove its security guards. Meanwhile, allegations of a conspiracy to drive the unions out of Australian ports gain momentum with the release of documents implicating the Federal Government in a scheme to train non-union waterfront workers in Dubai last year. The government, however, reiterates its denial of any prior knowledge of the scheme, which was abandoned in December after Dubai authorities, under pressure from international transport unions, canceled the visas of the Australians. \I(\JAustralia\j, United Arab Emirates)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, heads for Israel with hopes of persuading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to settle issues outstanding from the Oslo accords and clear the way for a proposed Washington summit to finalize peace with the Palestinians. Under the US proposal, Israel must withdraw from 13 per cent of the West Bank in return for increased Palestinian measures to combat \Jterrorism\j, but while Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has accepted the US initiative, Mr. Netanyahu is still voicing doubts. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The United States Senate unanimously approves legislation to reform the much-criticized Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The legislation follows Senate hearings which exposed abusive practices on the part of the IRS, and aims to strengthen the rights of taxpayers by shifting the burden of proof onto the IRS in some cases. It will also make "innocent spouses" responsible only for taxes on their individual income, and not taxes owed because of the undisclosed activities of their partners. \I(USA)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues an emergency order for wiring inspections of older Boeing 737s after Continental Airlines finds one of its 737s leaking fuel through a wire conduit showing signs of spark damage. The FAA directive will affect an estimated 152 US-registered planes, with a further 196 planes elsewhere in the world also expected to undergo the inspection. \I(USA)\i
German and American car giants, Daimler-Benz AG and Chrysler Corp., announce approval of a $US40 billion stock deal, the largest automotive merger ever. The new company, to be called DaimlerChrysler, will be positioned as a leading player in the global car market, with holdings in cars and light trucks, heavy trucks, aerospace, railway trains, automation technology, and \Jelectronics\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders the mystery remains of a serviceman from the Vietnam War to be removed from the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery and tested for possible identification using modern DNA gene and bone technology. The unprecedented order to disturb the sanctity of the tomb follows a plea from the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, shot down in South Vietnam on May 11, 1972. The family believes Lt. Blassie's remains were buried in the tomb in 1984. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Singer-composer Eddie Rabbitt dies of lung cancer aged 56. Throughout his career, Rabbitt scored 26 No. 1 country music hits and eight Top 40 pop hits, was nominated for three \JGrammy\j Awards in country music categories, and won the Best Pop Male Vocalist at the 1981 American Music Awards. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a speech to the Rwandan Parliament, visiting United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, apologizes for not preventing the country's 1994 genocide, acknowledging that the UN and the international community could not muster the political will to confront it, and that the UN thereby failed to meet its own fundamental ideals. The apology follows revelations that Mr. Annan was warned months in advance of the Hutu-dominated Government's plans to exterminate Tutsis, and that his office ordered UN peacekeepers not to intervene. Mr. Annan was the head of UN peacekeeping operations at the time. \I(Rwanda)\i
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, heads for Israel with hopes of persuading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to settle issues outstanding from the Oslo accords and clear the way for a proposed Washington summit to finalize peace with the Palestinians. Under the US proposal, Israel must withdraw from 13 per cent of the West Bank in return for increased Palestinian measures to combat \Jterrorism\j, but while Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has accepted the US initiative, Mr. Netanyahu is still voicing doubts. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The death toll from yesterday's mudslides in southern \JItaly\j rises to at least 55 as thousands of rescue workers and a fleet of helicopters battle against time to find 125 people now believed to be missing. The disaster was triggered when days of torrential rain swept mud and topsoil off mountains in the Campania region south of Naples, creating fast-moving rivers of mud which engulfed houses and carried off cars and other vehicles. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
A government meeting chaired by new Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, maps out an optimistic budget plan for the next three years. Under the plan, annual economic growth will rise to five per cent and \Jinflation\j will drop to between 3.7 and 4.5 per cent. The Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow 2.5 to 3.0 per cent next year, having risen 4.0 per cent in 1997, the first year of officially recorded growth since 1989 due to the transition from communist central planning to the free market. \I(Russia)\i
Some of the 1,400 Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j (MUA) dock workers sacked by Patrick Stevedores a month ago resume work in Melbourne and Sydney after the MUA drops demands that Patrick remove its security guards. Meanwhile, allegations of a conspiracy to drive the unions out of Australian ports gain momentum with the release of documents implicating the Federal Government in a scheme to train non-union waterfront workers in Dubai last year. The government, however, reiterates its denial of any prior knowledge of the scheme, which was abandoned in December after Dubai authorities, under pressure from international transport unions, canceled the visas of the Australians. \I(\JAustralia\j, United Arab Emirates)\i
German and American car giants, Daimler-Benz AG and Chrysler Corp., announce approval of a $US40 billion stock deal, the largest automotive merger ever. The new company, to be called DaimlerChrysler, will be positioned as a leading player in the global car market, with holdings in cars and light trucks, heavy trucks, aerospace, railway trains, automation technology, and \Jelectronics\j. \I(\JGermany\j, USA)\i
Britain's Vickers plc accepts a $US710 million offer from Volkswagen for \JRolls-Royce\j Motor Cars, having earlier accepted a lower offer from BMW. The new deal seems far from final, however, with BMW likely to challenge the offer, and British enthusiasts still trying to put together a bid, determined to prevent any foreign takeover of their national icon. \I(UK, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"May 8, 1998",856,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North Korea warns of "unpredictably grave" consequences if a United States-led undertaking to build two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors and provide interim supplies of fuel oil is not honored. Under a 1994 accord, \JPyongyang\j agreed to dismantle nuclear reactors capable of producing weapons-grade \Jplutonium\j in exchange for two replacement facilities to meet the North's \Jenergy\j needs. At the time, South Korea pledged to meet about 70 per cent of the cost of the program. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
Ignoring a call from the country's military chief, thousands of Indonesian students stage another \Jday\j of rowdy protests in the cities of Jakarta, Medan, \JPadang\j, \JSurabaya\j, Yogyakarta, and Ujang Pandang, blaming President Soeharto for Indonesia's economic woes, and demanding that he step down from office. Despite continued clashes between protesters and riot police, the rupiah rebounds from days of buffeting, rising from 9,620 to 8,750 to the US dollar. Before rioting erupted at the beginning of the week, the rupiah was relatively stable at around 8,000 to the US dollar. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japanese giant, Sumitomo Corp., says it will set aside $US150 million to settle charges of illegal copper trading. Sumitomo came under investigation by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 1996 after the company disclosed that its top trader, Yasuo Hamanaka, conducted unauthorized copper trades that eventually chalked up $US2.6 billion in losses. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Hopes fade for a United States-proposed \JMiddle East\j peace summit in Washington next week following talks in \JJerusalem\j between US special envoy Dennis Ross, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesman for Mr. Netanyahu says there is now insufficient time for Israel to close gaps with Washington over a US peace plan, which includes a controversial 13 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank. Under deals signed with the Palestinians since 1993, Israel agreed to hand over most of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule in a three-phase redeployment, but has since reneged on the agreement, arguing that Israel's security is at risk. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
North Korea warns of "unpredictably grave" consequences if a United States-led undertaking to build two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors and provide interim supplies of fuel oil is not honored. Under a 1994 accord, \JPyongyang\j agreed to dismantle nuclear reactors capable of producing weapons-grade \Jplutonium\j in exchange for two replacement facilities to meet the North's \Jenergy\j needs. At the time, South Korea pledged to meet about 70 per cent of the cost of the program. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
The United States Labor Department announces that the US unemployment rate fell in April to 4.3 per cent, down from 4.7 per cent in March to the lowest level in nearly 30 years. The department's figures show that employers added more than a quarter of a million jobs to payrolls during April, with the biggest surge of hiring in finance, insurance, real estate, and computer services. \I(USA)\i
American \Jtobacco\j companies settle with the state of \JMinnesota\j as the damages case is about to go to a jury after 16 weeks of trial. The settlement requires the \Jtobacco\j industry to pay more than $US6 billion to reimburse \JMinnesota\j for health damage to its citizens over the years, and to submit to \Jcigarette\j marketing and advertising curbs. \I(USA)\i
Pepsi Co files a Federal lawsuit accusing Coca-Cola Co of monopolistic tactics in fountain sales in the United States. At stake is Coca-Cola's two-thirds share of the $US15 billion a year fountain soft-drink market, the fastest-growing segment of the industry in the 1990s, currently accounting for 22 per cent of US soft-drink consumption. \I(USA)\i
Japanese giant, Sumitomo Corp., says it will set aside $US150 million to settle charges of illegal copper trading. Sumitomo came under investigation by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 1996 after the company disclosed that its top trader, Yasuo Hamanaka, conducted unauthorized copper trades that eventually chalked up $US2.6 billion in losses. \I(Japan, USA)\i
New York State's Court of Appeals rejects a lower court's decision that a 40-year-old woman can use her frozen embryos to impregnate herself without the consent of her former husband. The case is the first of its kind to reach New York's highest court, and comes at a time when the ethics of new fertility technologies are under close scrutiny. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Yugoslavia reiterates that it will not accept foreign mediation to resolve the \JKosovo\j crisis, maintaining that it is an internal affair and that the solution to the situation can only be found in \JSerbia\j. Yugoslavia's stand comes on the eve of fresh sanctions, and in defiance of a last-minute mission by former Spanish Prime Minister, Felipe Gonzalez, nominated as \JKosovo\j mediator by the European Union and the six-nation Contact Group. Yugoslavia says it intends to mount a diplomatic counter-offensive to call for the lifting of sanctions, as well as condemnation of \JAlbanian\j "\Jterrorism\j" by the international community and a halt to guerrilla incursions into \JKosovo\j from neighboring Albania. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania, \JSpain\j, Europe)\i
The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia withdraws charges against 14 Bosnian Serbs indicted in connection with offenses committed at the Serb-run Keraterm and Omarska prison camps in northwestern Bosnia. The tribunal's chief prosecutor says the withdrawal of charges is not due to lack of evidence, but the need to balance the resources of the tribunal to prosecute those holding higher levels of responsibility, or those personally responsible for exceptionally brutal or serious offenses. \I(Bosnia)\i
Hopes fade for a United States-proposed \JMiddle East\j peace summit in Washington next week following talks in \JJerusalem\j between US special envoy Dennis Ross, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesman for Mr. Netanyahu says there is now insufficient time for Israel to close gaps with Washington over a US peace plan, which includes a controversial 13 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank. Under deals signed with the Palestinians since 1993, Israel agreed to hand over most of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule in a three-phase redeployment, but has since reneged on the agreement, arguing that Israel's security is at risk. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, leaves \JRwanda\j after a disastrous two-\Jday\j visit, during which he was publicly upbraided by \JRwanda\j's foreign minister, boycotted by the country's rulers, and snubbed by survivors of the 1994 genocide. The perception in \JRwanda\j is that Mr. Annan, as head of the UN department charged with international peacekeeping in 1994, did little to prevent the massacre of over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu extremists. Rwandans were further irked by Mr. Annan's failure to apologize personally for his alleged inaction, and regarded his apology on behalf of the world body and the international community as "arrogant". \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
South Africa's High Court overturns a block amnesty granted last November by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's independent amnesty committee to 37 leaders of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. The amnesties were granted without public hearings and without revealing what human rights abuses had been committed during the \Japartheid\j era, and the court now recommends that the applications of the 37 ANC leaders be considered afresh. \I(South Africa)\i
The official death toll from the mudslides in southern \JItaly\j climbs to 101 as prospects of finding any more survivors begin to fade. However, a number of people initially assumed missing have since returned to their homes, and the civil protection department says it will not issue numbers of missing until the situation becomes clearer. In the meantime, the government is coming under heavy fire over the disaster, with critics saying it failed to stop illegal construction or take steps to reverse environmental imbalance in the stricken region of Campania. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
The Vatican strongly denies a German newspaper report that murdered papal Swiss Guard commandant, Alois Estermann, had been a spy for East \JGermany\j's Stasi secret police from 1979 onwards. Earlier this week, the Vatican said Estermann and his wife were shot dead by 23-year-old Vice Corporal Cedric Tornay "in a fit of madness" because he had been passed over for a military decoration. Tornay then turned the gun on himself. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"May 9, 1998",857,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's President Soeharto departs for a week-long visit to \JEgypt\j, leaving his country in the throes of its worst social turmoil in decades, with student anti-government protests a daily occurrence in major cities, and the North Sumatran capital of Medan still smoldering after three days of deadly rioting. Prior to his departure, President Soeharto called for restraint and at the same time warned that the armed forces, police, and courts will take firm action against people violating the law. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, meets with exiled Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, before addressing an audience of more than 8,000 people at Brandeis University near \JBoston\j, \JMassachusetts\j. The Dalai Lama claims spiritual solidarity with the veteran pro-democracy activist, stressing that he is seeking autonomy rather than independence for his homeland, which he was forced to flee in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. \I(Tibet, China, USA)\i
China frees prominent religious prisoner, Roman Catholic Bishop Zeng Jingmu, 78, six months before the end of his three-year sentence for holding unauthorized services in a private home. Since the 1950s, Zeng has spent more than 20 years in prison for openly proclaiming his allegiance to the Vatican, and his early release follows appeals on his behalf by three United States clerics during a visit to China in February. \I(China, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
During a speech on religious tolerance at \JCairo\j's Al-Azhar University, visiting Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, accuses the Israeli Government and Jewish religious parties of intolerance, saying they forget their own oppression when they oppress \JArabs\j of Muslim and Christian faiths, confining them to ghettos as Adolf Hitler did with European Jews. \I(\JEgypt\j, Malaysia, Israel)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j officially rules out a proposed \JMiddle East\j peace summit in Washington early next week, but says it has not given up hopes of scheduling talks for later in the month. The \JWhite House\j also announces that special Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, will now return to Washington to brief US President Bill Clinton and \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, on his unsuccessful efforts to convince Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to attend the peace summit. Mr. Netanyahu would not accept the United States condition for the Washington meeting, arguing that to surrender 13 per cent of the West Bank territory to the Palestinians would pose a security risk to Israel. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
As the West steps up sanctions against \JBelgrade\j, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, emerges as a go-between in the \JKosovo\j crisis, conferring with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, on ways to end the deadlock before fighting between Serb security forces and the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army develops into a full-blown war. \JKosovo\j Albanians are demanding independence from \JSerbia\j, but have refused to engage in talks without foreign mediation, which Mr. Milosevic has rejected as unwarranted interference. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, meets with exiled Chinese dissident, Wei Jingsheng, before addressing an audience of more than 8,000 people at Brandeis University near \JBoston\j, \JMassachusetts\j. The Dalai Lama claims spiritual solidarity with the veteran pro-democracy activist, stressing that he is seeking autonomy rather than independence for his homeland, which he was forced to flee in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. \I(Tibet, China, USA)\i
China frees prominent religious prisoner, Roman Catholic Bishop Zeng Jingmu, 78, six months before the end of his three-year sentence for holding unauthorized services in a private home. Since the 1950s, Zeng has spent more than 20 years in prison for openly proclaiming his allegiance to the Vatican, and his early release follows appeals on his behalf by three United States clerics during a visit to China in February. \I(China, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The United States Department of Education issues its first comprehensive report since expulsion for one year became mandatory under the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. The figures show that 6,093 children were expelled in 1996-97 for bringing guns and other weapons to school, with handguns accounting for 58 per cent of the expulsions, and rifles or shotguns accounting for seven per cent. \I(USA)\i
Alice Faye, one of \JHollywood\j's top stars in the 1930s and 1940s, dies of cancer aged 86 in Rancho Mirage, \JCalifornia\j. A singer and dancer, Ms. Faye broke into show business at the age of 14, and later went on to star in movie musicals such as \IAlexander's \JRagtime\j Band,\i \ISing Baby Sing,\i and \IPoor Little Rich Girl.\i \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The \JWhite House\j officially rules out a proposed \JMiddle East\j peace summit in Washington early next week, but says it has not given up hopes of scheduling talks for later in the month. The \JWhite House\j also announces that special Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, will now return to Washington to brief US President Bill Clinton and \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, on his unsuccessful efforts to convince Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to attend the peace summit. Mr. Netanyahu would not accept the United States condition for the Washington meeting, arguing that to surrender 13 per cent of the West Bank territory to the Palestinians would pose a security risk to Israel. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
During a speech on religious tolerance at \JCairo\j's Al-Azhar University, visiting Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, accuses the Israeli Government and Jewish religious parties of intolerance, saying they forget their own oppression when they oppress \JArabs\j of Muslim and Christian faiths, confining them to ghettos as Adolf Hitler did with European Jews. \I(\JEgypt\j, Malaysia, Israel)\i
As the West steps up sanctions against \JBelgrade\j, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, emerges as a go-between in the \JKosovo\j crisis, conferring with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, on ways to end the deadlock before fighting between Serb security forces and the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army develops into a full-blown war. \JKosovo\j Albanians are demanding independence from \JSerbia\j, but have refused to engage in talks without foreign mediation, which Mr. Milosevic has rejected as unwarranted interference. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Russia marks the 53rd anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe with a military parade across \JRed Square\j reviewed by Supreme Commander, President Boris Yeltsin, and a host of top military officers. In a brief speech before the march-past, Mr. Yeltsin stresses the significance of the surrender of Nazi \JGermany\j 53 years ago, saying it shows that there is no force which can make Russia yield. \I(Russia, \JGermany\j)\i
Indonesia's President Soeharto departs for a week-long visit to \JEgypt\j, leaving his country in the throes of its worst social turmoil in decades, with student anti-government protests a daily occurrence in major cities, and the North Sumatran capital of Medan still smoldering after three days of deadly rioting. Prior to his departure, President Soeharto called for restraint and at the same time warned that the armed forces, police, and courts will take firm action against people violating the law. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
China frees prominent religious prisoner, Roman Catholic Bishop Zeng Jingmu, 78, six months before the end of his three-year sentence for holding unauthorized services in a private home. Since the 1950s, Zeng has spent more than 20 years in prison for openly proclaiming his allegiance to the Vatican, and his early release follows appeals on his behalf by three United States clerics during a visit to China in February. \I(China, USA, \JItaly\j)\i
Israeli transsexual, Dana International, wins the Eurovision Song Contest, held this year in Birmingham and contested by 25 nations. Earlier, ultra-orthodox Israeli politicians campaigned in vain to prevent the singer, born Yaron Cohen, from representing the country during its 50th anniversary, and Dana now hails her win as a victory for liberation and equality. \I(Israel, UK)\i
The threat of Springbok rugby union again being plunged into international isolation is averted when leader, Louis Luyt, finally agrees to resign from the South African Rugby Football Union. Mr. Luyt's resignation was demanded by the National Sports Council following President Nelson Mandela's appointment of a judicial commission to investigate allegations of \Jracism\j, nepotism, and mismanagement in South African Rugby. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"May 10, 1998",858,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The death toll from continuing clashes between Indonesian protesters and riot police rises to at least four after a security officer is killed by a flying rock in Bogor, West Java. Meanwhile, as hundreds of mourners attend the funeral of a Yogyakarta man allegedly beaten to death by security forces, President Soeharto arrives in \JEgypt\j for a conference of developing countries, signaling his belief that his country is still under control. Despite the president's earlier appeal for calm, students have vowed to keep up their protests until Indonesia has a new leader, and total political and economic reform has been implemented. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
The United States announces that it has canceled its joint military training exercise with \JIndonesia\j due to the current circumstances prevailing in the country. The State Department also urges an end to the violence in \JIndonesia\j, calling on President Soeharto's Government to allow peaceful demonstrations. The United States is nonetheless praising the Soeharto Government for the economic reforms it has instituted, including the 70 per cent rise in fuel prices which sparked this week's riots. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
India's Hindu nationalist-led government begins a push for a switch to a presidential system of governance, calling for a national debate on the merits of the present Westminster parliamentary model, which many believe is responsible for the country's political instability. However, the push for a presidential system, initiated by Home Minister, Lal Krishna Advani, sparks furious protests from the opposition, who regard it as an attempt to subvert parliamentary democracy and as being against the ethos of India's struggle for freedom. \I(India)\i
Thousands of Muslim extremists burn houses and shops in the Christian neighborhood of the Pakistani city of Faisalabad as mourners gather to bury Catholic Bishop, John Joseph, who shot himself in protest after a Christian accused of insulting \JIslam\j was sentenced to death. Meanwhile, in the southern port city of \JKarachi\j, some 1,500 Christians set buildings ablaze and shout protests against Pakistan's harsh blasphemy law. Pakistan has about 2 million Christians, but most of the country's 140 million people are Muslim, and to insult \JIslam\j is a crime punishable by death. \I(Pakistan)\i
A new battlefront looms on the Australian waterfront as P&O Ports, the country's largest stevedore, prepares to meet with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) to negotiate key reforms, which include a significant reduction of its 1,300-strong MUA workforce, the introduction of an average salary to limit overtime pay, and more management control over the allocation of shifts. Meanwhile, P&O's rival, Patrick Stevedores, says there is no work available for 600 of the 1,400 sacked MUA dock workers reinstated by last week's High Court decision, and that \Jliquidation\j of the subsidiary companies employing the workers remains a possibility. \I(Australia)\i
The World Heath Organization says cancer caused 12 per cent of the 52 million deaths worldwide in 1997, and was the third highest killer after infectious and parasitic diseases, and coronary and heart diseases. The organization pinpoints lung cancer as the main cause of deaths from the disease, having overtaken breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, and being one of the top three causes of premature deaths in Asia. According to the organization, China alone accounts for at least 750,000 deaths attributable to smoking each year. \I(USA, China, Asia)\i
A burst \Jwater\j pipe leaves another 1 million people without \Jwater\j in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, where about 2 million people have had limited \Jwater\j supplies for two months due to prolonged \Jdrought\j. As more than 300 tanker trucks are mobilized to rush emergency \Jwater\j supplies to hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and homes in the area, hundreds of residents take to the streets to protest against continued \Jwater\j shortages, accusing the company responsible for \Jwater\j treatment of incompetence and inexperience. \I(Malaysia)\i
Unseeded Spaniard, Albert Costa, clinches the biggest win of his career after countryman Alex Corretja retires from exhaustion in the third set of the final of the German Open Tennis Tournament in \JHamburg\j. In \JRome\j, World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, defeats American Venus Williams in the final of the Italian Tennis Open, while at Coral Springs, \JFlorida\j, Australian Andrew Ilie wins his first ATP Tour singles title when he beats Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the final of the American Red Clay Championship. \I(\JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After meeting with \JAlbanian\j Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, concedes that a deadlock exists between \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j's ethnic Albanians, and Tirana over the \JKosovo\j crisis. Mr. Holbrooke says that while all three parties agree that the situation is dangerous, there is no agreement on what to do next. Despite the impasse, Mr. Holbrooke pledges to renew his attempts to inject some fresh impetus into the search for peace in the volatile province. The Albanian Government, meanwhile, reiterates its support for a political solution, and urges the international community not to forgo its efforts to bring \JBelgrade\j to the negotiating table. \I(Albania, USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
The United States announces that it has canceled its joint military training exercise with \JIndonesia\j due to the current circumstances prevailing in the country. The State Department also urges an end to the violence in \JIndonesia\j, calling on President Soeharto's Government to allow peaceful demonstrations. The United States is nonetheless praising the Soeharto Government for the economic reforms it has instituted, including the 70 per cent rise in fuel prices which sparked this week's riots. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Forensic scientists in \JChile\j begin excavating a site in the northern Atacama desert, believed to be a mass grave housing up to 150 \Jdissidents\j killed during General Augusto Pinochet's 17-year regime. Last week, two bullet-riddled bodies were unearthed from the sand dune after a former soldier confessed to witnessing killings at the site. The soldier's confession came as part of a program promising anonymity to those who assist in an investigation, launched this month, into the disappearance of more than 1,000 people between 1973 and 1990. \I(\JChile\j)\i
The World Heath Organization says cancer caused 12 per cent of the 52 million deaths worldwide in 1997, and was the third highest killer after infectious and parasitic diseases, and coronary and heart diseases. The organization pinpoints lung cancer as the main cause of deaths from the disease, having overtaken breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, and being one of the top three causes of premature deaths in Asia. According to the organization, China alone accounts for at least 750,000 deaths attributable to smoking each year. \I(USA, China, Asia)\i
In men's professional golf, American Tiger Woods claims a one-stroke victory in the \JAtlanta\j Classic in Georgia, and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez finishes with a three-stroke lead in the Balearic Open at Parma, \JMajorca\j. On the LPGA Tour at Old Hickory, \JTennessee\j, American Barb Mucha wins a second playoff involving countrywomen, Donna Andrews and Nancy Lopez, and Peruvian Jenny Lidback. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, Peru)\i
Unseeded Spaniard, Albert Costa, clinches the biggest win of his career after countryman Alex Corretja retires from exhaustion in the third set of the final of the German Open Tennis Tournament in \JHamburg\j. In \JRome\j, World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, defeats American Venus Williams in the final of the Italian Tennis Open, while at Coral Springs, \JFlorida\j, Australian Andrew Ilie wins his first ATP Tour singles title when he beats Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the final of the American Red Clay Championship. \I(\JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, votes to drop its constitutional ban on involvement in the formal politics of Northern Ireland and allow its representatives to take seats in the proposed Northern Ireland assembly. The historic decision to remove Sinn Fein's dependence on military strategy as its sole constitutional source of leverage in the province is supported by all but 19 of 350 delegates to a special conference in Dublin. The conference also votes to support the \JGood Friday\j peace agreement and to call for a "yes" vote at referendums in the north and south of Ireland on May 22. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
After meeting with \JAlbanian\j Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, concedes that a deadlock exists between \JBelgrade\j, \JSerbia\j's ethnic Albanians, and Tirana over the \JKosovo\j crisis. Mr. Holbrooke says that while all three parties agree that the situation is dangerous, there is no agreement on what to do next. Despite the impasse, Mr. Holbrooke pledges to renew his attempts to inject some fresh impetus into the search for peace in the volatile province. The Albanian Government, meanwhile, reiterates its support for a political solution, and urges the international community not to forgo its efforts to bring \JBelgrade\j to the negotiating table. \I(Albania, USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
In the southern Italian town of Sarno, 95 victims of the Campania region's mudslide disaster are buried in a mass funeral attended by some 15,000 mourners, including Prime Minister Romano Prodi and President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. The town of 35,000 was the worst hit when torrential rain brought thick mud pouring down the hillside last week, devastating homes and buildings, and engulfing whole streets. At least 124 people are known to have died in the disaster, with dozens remaining unaccounted for, and more than 1,000 still left homeless. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
The death toll from continuing clashes between Indonesian protesters and riot police rises to at least four after a security officer is killed by a flying rock in Bogor, West Java. Meanwhile, as hundreds of mourners attend the funeral of a Yogyakarta man allegedly beaten to death by security forces, President Soeharto arrives in \JEgypt\j for a conference of developing countries, signaling his belief that his country is still under control. Despite the president's earlier appeal for calm, students have vowed to keep up their protests until Indonesia has a new leader, and total political and economic reform has been implemented. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
Speaking at the annual meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, \JRussia\j's First Deputy Finance Minister releases details of a planned $US11 billion cutback to this year's budget. Under the plan, led by new Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, \JRussia\j will shut down part of its bloated government, slashing at least 200,000 federal budget-funded jobs as the new government attempts to put reforms on track. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Pope John Paul II beatifies 12 people, including 10 Spanish nuns killed by leftist forces during the 1936-39 Spanish \JCivil War\j, a Spanish nun who survived the \Jcivil war\j, and a 19th-century Lebanese holy man, who the pontiff says should serve as a model of peace in the country still emerging from its own \Jcivil war\j. \I(\JItaly\j, \JSpain\j, \JLebanon\j)\i
In men's professional golf, American Tiger Woods claims a one-stroke victory in the \JAtlanta\j Classic in Georgia, and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez finishes with a three-stroke lead in the Balearic Open at Parma, \JMajorca\j. On the LPGA Tour at Old Hickory, \JTennessee\j, American Barb Mucha wins a second playoff involving countrywomen, Donna Andrews and Nancy Lopez, and Peruvian Jenny Lidback. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, Peru)\i
Unseeded Spaniard, Albert Costa, clinches the biggest win of his career after countryman Alex Corretja retires from exhaustion in the third set of the final of the German Open Tennis Tournament in \JHamburg\j. In \JRome\j, World No. 1, Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j, defeats American Venus Williams in the final of the Italian Tennis Open, while at Coral Springs, \JFlorida\j, Australian Andrew Ilie wins his first ATP Tour singles title when he beats Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the final of the American Red Clay Championship. \I(\JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA, Australia)\i
World championship leader, Mika Hakkinen of \JFinland\j, scores another victory for McLaren-Mercedes with a winning performance in the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at \JBarcelona\j. \I(\JFinland\j, \JSpain\j)\i
#
"May 11, 1998",859,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India conducts a successful triple underground nuclear test in the Thar desert in the state of \JRajasthan\j, close to the border with \JPakistan\j. At a hastily convened news conference, Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, says the three tests were carried out with a fission device, a low-yield device, and a much bigger thermonuclear device. In other words, Mr. Vajpayee acknowledges that India has tested a \Jhydrogen\j bomb. While the news wins sweeping domestic support, even from members of the parliamentary opposition, it provokes immediate condemnation from arch-rival \JPakistan\j, which says it now reserves the right to take all appropriate measures for its security. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
The United States is caught off guard by India's surprise triple nuclear test, which \JWhite House\j spokesman Mike McCurry says flies in the face of international efforts for a global ban on nuclear testing, and will cast doubts on a proposed visit to India by President Bill Clinton later this year. Mr. McCurry confirms that the US intends to lodge a formal protest with New Delhi over the tests. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, describes India's move as a major regressive step which could have very dire consequences, and calls on the Group of Fifteen developing nations meeting in \JCairo\j to condemn the underground blasts, which seismologists recorded at 4.7 on the Richter scale. Mr. Axworthy adds that Canada will now review the amount of aid it gives to India each year. \I(USA, India, Canada, \JEgypt\j)\i
Indonesia's prominent Muslim leader, Amien Rais, throws his support behind the nation's students, who are demanding total economic and political reform, including the resignation of President Soeharto. Mr. Rais, who leads the 28 million-strong Muhammadiyah organization, describes the Soeharto Government as "the most corrupt regime in the universe", and calls on the country's powerful armed forces to choose between protecting the First Family or protecting the interests of the Indonesian people. Earlier, the leaders of Christian churches representing about 10 million people also expressed support for the students' demands for reform. \I(Indonesia)\i
Tens of thousands of soldiers and police are deployed across the \JPhilippines\j as voting begins in the country's presidential election. Despite the heavy security arrangements, there are early reports that at least five people have died in election violence, and that fake how-to-vote cards and pamphlets containing false information have been widely distributed. Exit polling indicates that former movie star, Vice President Joseph Estrada, will win the presidency in a landslide. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
An inquiry into last week's fatal fire on board the Australian Navy's HMAS \IWestralia\i hears that the four crew members who perished in the blaze had already died of severe smoke inhalation before the engine room was flooded with a carbon dioxide drench. The inquiry also hears that the fatal fire erupted after one of the ship's new fuel lines split while crew members were repairing an earlier leak. Two weeks before the fire, a sub-contractor engaged by Australian Defence Industries had fitted 56 new fuel lines to the ship's two engines, but had been forced to return within a matter of days when it was discovered that the fuel lines leaked because washers had not been fitted. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, reaffirms Washington's commitment to reviving the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, announcing that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will meet this week with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to determine whether a basis exists for a summit with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. Mr. Netanyahu, who has thus far rejected US conditions for a summit, is scheduled to travel to Washington on Wednesday to attend a pro-Israel lobby conference. Mr. Netanyahu is also planning a series of meetings with Mr. Clinton's conservative opponents and several appearances on US \Jtelevision\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Israel's Government officially recognizes Jonathan Pollard, an American Jew serving a life sentence in a \JNorth Carolina\j prison, as an Israeli spy, saying it hopes the move will make it easier to negotiate the early release of the former United States Navy intelligence analyst. In 1985, the Israeli Embassy in Washington denied sanctuary to Pollard, and he was subsequently arrested by the \JFBI\j on charges of passing classified information to the Jewish state. United States presidents have three times denied clemency for Pollard. \I(Israel, USA)\i
After a second meeting with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, confirms that the difference between the two sides in the \JKosovo\j conflict is very great, but that he will return to the \JKosovo\j capital, \JPristina\j, for further talks with \JAlbanian\j leader, Ibrahim Rugova. The separatist struggle in the southern Serb province has claimed at least 150 lives this year, and international efforts to start direct dialogue between the two sides have been thwarted by Mr. Milosevic's rejection of foreign mediation, and the refusal of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians to negotiate without it. Even economic sanctions, including a freeze on Yugoslavia's assets abroad and a ban of foreign investment in \JSerbia\j, have failed to change Mr. Milosevic's stance on the matter. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
The United States is caught off guard by India's surprise triple nuclear test, which \JWhite House\j spokesman Mike McCurry says flies in the face of international efforts for a global ban on nuclear testing, and will cast doubts on a proposed visit to India by President Bill Clinton later this year. Mr. McCurry confirms that the US intends to lodge a formal protest with New Delhi over the tests. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, describes India's move as a major regressive step which could have very dire consequences, and calls on the Group of Fifteen developing nations meeting in \JCairo\j to condemn the underground blasts, which seismologists recorded at 4.7 on the Richter scale. Mr. Axworthy adds that Canada will now review the amount of aid it gives to India each year. \I(USA, India, Canada, \JEgypt\j)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that emergency inspections of older Boeing 737s reveal that many have been flying with potentially dangerous wire damage. Yesterday, the FAA ordered the immediate grounding of all US-registered 737s with more than 50,000 flight hours after a United Airlines plane showed signs of wire damage. The move followed last Thursday's directive for carriers to make checks on their oldest 737s, which was prompted in turn by the discovery of wire damage in a Continental Airlines plane. The higher than expected number of problems has now led the FAA to order the same inspections over a 14-day period for US-registered 737 \Jaircraft\j with more than 40,000 flight hours. Meanwhile, the FAA has alerted its foreign counterparts and Boeing has sent advisories to all operators. \I(USA)\i
SBC Communications Inc. agrees to purchase Ameritech Corp. for around $US61 billion in a stock-swap deal that will be the second-largest merger in corporate history, and will create the largest local phone company in the United States. Already, however, the proposed deal is being opposed by consumers, lawmakers, and business rivals, who argue that it will extend local monopolies without encouraging competition. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The British Government unveils a ú315 million economic development package for Northern Ireland, which is aimed at winning community support for the proposed Anglo-Irish peace settlement to be put to the voters of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic in referendums on May 22. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, welcomes Sinn Fein's endorsement of the new peace agreement, but once again warns that its members could be barred from taking office in the new Northern Ireland assembly if its paramilitary wing, the Irish Republican Army, fails to disarm as required. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, reaffirms Washington's commitment to reviving the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process, announcing that \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, will meet this week with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to determine whether a basis exists for a summit with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. Mr. Netanyahu, who has thus far rejected US conditions for a summit, is scheduled to travel to Washington on Wednesday to attend a pro-Israel lobby conference. Mr. Netanyahu is also planning a series of meetings with Mr. Clinton's conservative opponents and several appearances on US \Jtelevision\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Israel's Government officially recognizes Jonathan Pollard, an American Jew serving a life sentence in a \JNorth Carolina\j prison, as an Israeli spy, saying it hopes the move will make it easier to negotiate the early release of the former United States Navy intelligence analyst. In 1985, the Israeli Embassy in Washington denied sanctuary to Pollard, and he was subsequently arrested by the \JFBI\j on charges of passing classified information to the Jewish state. United States presidents have three times denied clemency for Pollard. \I(Israel, USA)\i
After a second meeting with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, confirms that the difference between the two sides in the \JKosovo\j conflict is very great, but that he will return to the \JKosovo\j capital, \JPristina\j, for further talks with \JAlbanian\j leader, Ibrahim Rugova. The separatist struggle in the southern Serb province has claimed at least 150 lives this year, and international efforts to start direct dialogue between the two sides have been thwarted by Mr. Milosevic's rejection of foreign mediation, and the refusal of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians to negotiate without it. Even economic sanctions, including a freeze on Yugoslavia's assets abroad and a ban of foreign investment in \JSerbia\j, have failed to change Mr. Milosevic's stance on the matter. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, takes steps to emphasize the positive outcome of his government's alleged involvement in Sandline International's sale of arms to forces fighting Sierra Leone's military junta, which was overthrown in March. An inquiry is currently underway into claims that British Foreign Office diplomats breached a United Nations arms embargo by supporting the sale, but Mr. Blair points out that despite the controversy, the UN and the UK had the same aim: to help Sierra Leone's legal government restore its position following last May's illegal military coup. \I(UK, Sierra Leone)\i
The United States is caught off guard by India's surprise triple nuclear test, which \JWhite House\j spokesman Mike McCurry says flies in the face of international efforts for a global ban on nuclear testing, and will cast doubts on a proposed visit to India by President Bill Clinton later this year. Mr. McCurry confirms that the US intends to lodge a formal protest with New Delhi over the tests. Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister, Lloyd Axworthy, describes India's move as a major regressive step which could have very dire consequences, and calls on the Group of Fifteen developing nations meeting in \JCairo\j to condemn the underground blasts, which seismologists recorded at 4.7 on the Richter scale. Mr. Axworthy adds that Canada will now review the amount of aid it gives to India each year. \I(USA, India, Canada, \JEgypt\j)\i
#
"May 12, 1998",860,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India faces a mounting storm of international condemnation following Monday's three underground nuclear tests. In denouncing the tests as a threat to regional stability, the United States, India's largest trading partner, warns that it is prepared to implement a full set of retaliatory economic sanctions against New Delhi in protest. \JJapan\j, India's largest aid donor, also says it is considering sanctions, which would include a freeze on yen loans and aid grants. The World Bank, meanwhile, is waiting for guidance from the major powers before making a decision concerning plans to approve new loans to India totaling $US1.9 billion. Having already received more than $US44 billion in loans, India is the world's biggest borrower from the World Bank, and any decision to withdraw the funds would have extremely detrimental effects. \I(India, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Asian countries including \JMalaysia\j, South Korea, and \JThailand\j voice condemnation of India's action in violating its self-imposed 24-year moratorium on nuclear explosions. Strong protests are also lodged by India's fellow Commonwealth members, \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j. Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, calls India's move "ill-judged" and one that could have damaging consequences for security in South Asia, while \JNew Zealand\j joins Australia in recalling its High Commissioner to India. Meanwhile, former colonial master, Britain, echoes the general distress and disappointment being expressed across Europe, adding that an official European Union response and the possible suspension of EU aid will be considered on May 25. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JThailand\j, India, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, UK, Europe)\i
In Washington, the Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) announces that it will hold an inquiry into its failure to detect preparations for India's underground nuclear test blasts in time to alert United States policymakers. One of the \JCIA\j's main tasks is to provide advance warning of potentially destabilizing events, and the fact that it was caught off guard by the three Indian tests has been criticized by the head of the US Senate committee overseeing the espionage agency as its greatest failure in more than a decade. \I(USA, India)\i
At least four students are killed and another 18 are injured when Indonesian riot police open fire on thousands of anti-government protesters from Jakarta's prestigious Trisakti University. The students later regroup and fresh clashes break out along the major artery linking the capital to the international airport. Elsewhere in Indonesia, at least 15 students are hurt when riot police stop about 2,000 protesting students and local residents from leaving the \JBandung\j Institute of Technology campus. While Indonesia's security forces have tolerated demonstrations confined to university campuses, they have been ordered to crack down hard on street protests. \I(Indonesia)\i
Responding to charges that it exploits its Asian employees, United States-based athletic clothing and footwear giant, Nike Inc., announces improved working conditions for the 500,000 people who make its products. Nike says it will raise the minimum age of footwear and clothing workers to 18 and 16 respectively, adopt US indoor air quality laws for all its footwear factories, and increase support of its current micro-enterprise loan program to 1,000 families each in Vietnam, \JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, and \JThailand\j. \I(USA, Vietnam, \JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JThailand\j)\i
About 100 Chinese women enter a fourth \Jday\j of protest in the western Fijian town of Lautoka, where they have locked themselves in a house and are refusing food delivered by their employers. The women are all workers at a Chinese-owned garment factory on the Pacific island, and are protesting against an overcharge in fees levied by their agents in China, where they were recruited. \I(Fiji, China)\i
Australian Treasurer, Peter Costello, unveils his third Federal Budget, which he describes as a "hard yards" strategy built primarily on the Howard Government's goal of restoring the Budget to surplus for the first time since 1990-91. The tough cuts of the past are largely avoided, with new spending directed to business, farmers, the aged, and the sick, but as a pre-election Budget, it relies on the expected surplus of $AUD2.7 billion as its main selling point. \I(Australia)\i
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launches an initiative to boost cooperation in the fight against regional \Jpollution\j from forest fires. Backed by $US1 million from the Asian Development Bank, the one-year project will entail two phases: firstly, it will develop ways of implementing a regional haze action plan, and secondly, it will focus on measures to increase understanding of haze and smoke \Jpollution\j. ASEAN will also investigate the causes of forest and land fires in \JIndonesia\j, and assess fire-fighting capabilities. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
India faces a mounting storm of international condemnation following Monday's three underground nuclear tests. In denouncing the tests as a threat to regional stability, the United States, India's largest trading partner, warns that it is prepared to implement a full set of retaliatory economic sanctions against New Delhi in protest. \JJapan\j, India's largest aid donor, also says it is considering sanctions, which would include a freeze on yen loans and aid grants. The World Bank, meanwhile, is waiting for guidance from the major powers before making a decision concerning plans to approve new loans to India totaling $US1.9 billion. Having already received more than $US44 billion in loans, India is the world's biggest borrower from the World Bank, and any decision to withdraw the funds would have extremely detrimental effects. \I(India, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
In Washington, the Central Intelligence Agency (\JCIA\j) announces that it will hold an inquiry into its failure to detect preparations for India's underground nuclear test blasts in time to alert United States policymakers. One of the \JCIA\j's main tasks is to provide advance warning of potentially destabilizing events, and the fact that it was caught off guard by the three Indian tests has been criticized by the head of the US Senate committee overseeing the espionage agency as its greatest failure in more than a decade. \I(USA, India)\i
On the eve of another meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright, denies that Washington is issuing ultimatums or threatening any nation's security, describing recent efforts to restart the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process as attempts to issue "a wake-up call", primarily to Israel, which has been arguing with Washington for months over the scale of a proposed troop withdrawal from the West Bank. Ms. Albright rather bluntly points out that in a neighborhood as tough as the \JMiddle East\j, there is no security from hard choices, and no lasting security without hard choices. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, continues efforts to end the diplomatic stalemate in the \JKosovo\j crisis, fighting erupts in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j. At least one ethnic \JAlbanian\j is killed and a Serb policeman is wounded in what is the first gun battle in the capital throughout the recent months of unrest. Elsewhere in the troubled south Serbian province, another policeman and two more ethnic Albanians are killed in clashes between the two sides, while at least six people are reported to have been wounded. \I(USA, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
The United States military's troubled THAAD anti-missile system suffers a fifth successive misfire when the weapon loses control shortly after launch and fails to climb anywhere near the previously launched Hera target missile. The Pentagon says the five unsuccessful tests of the Theater High-Altitude Area Defense system, being developed by Lockheed to collide with attacking ballistic missiles, have failed for different reasons, and that tests will continue until the program is made to work. \I(USA)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that urgent inspections of older Boeing 737s ordered last weekend have now uncovered eight cases of exposed fuel tank wires and another 24 cases where the 115 volt wires going to fuel pumps in the wings have lost at least 50 per cent of the \Jinsulation\j. The FAA says it is neither alarmed nor unnecessarily surprised by these results, explaining that it ordered the inspections on suspicions that bare wires would be found. \I(USA)\i
Responding to charges that it exploits its Asian employees, United States-based athletic clothing and footwear giant, Nike Inc., announces improved working conditions for the 500,000 people who make its products. Nike says it will raise the minimum age of footwear and clothing workers to 18 and 16 respectively, adopt US indoor air quality laws for all its footwear factories, and increase support of its current micro-enterprise loan program to 1,000 families each in Vietnam, \JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, and \JThailand\j. \I(USA, Vietnam, \JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JThailand\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On the eve of another meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright, denies that Washington is issuing ultimatums or threatening any nation's security, describing recent efforts to restart the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process as attempts to issue "a wake-up call", primarily to Israel, which has been arguing with Washington for months over the scale of a proposed troop withdrawal from the West Bank. Ms. Albright rather bluntly points out that in a neighborhood as tough as the \JMiddle East\j, there is no security from hard choices, and no lasting security without hard choices. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, continues efforts to end the diplomatic stalemate in the \JKosovo\j crisis, fighting erupts in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j. At least one ethnic \JAlbanian\j is killed and a Serb policeman is wounded in what is the first gun battle in the capital throughout the recent months of unrest. Elsewhere in the troubled south Serbian province, another policeman and two more ethnic Albanians are killed in clashes between the two sides, while at least six people are reported to have been wounded. \I(USA, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Asian countries including \JMalaysia\j, South Korea, and \JThailand\j voice condemnation of India's action in violating its self-imposed 24-year moratorium on nuclear explosions. Strong protests are also lodged by India's fellow Commonwealth members, \JAustralia\j and \JNew Zealand\j. Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, calls India's move "ill-judged" and one that could have damaging consequences for security in South Asia, while \JNew Zealand\j joins Australia in recalling its High Commissioner to India. Meanwhile, former colonial master, Britain, echoes the general distress and disappointment being expressed across Europe, adding that an official European Union response and the possible suspension of EU aid will be considered on May 25. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JThailand\j, India, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, UK, Europe)\i
The European Parliament approves a European Union-wide biotechnology invention law that will allow patents based on the genes of human, animals, and plants. Under the provisions of the law, which will come into effect within two years, human \Jcloning\j and genetic manipulation is outlawed, with patents to be granted only to inventions with potential application and not to pure scientific discoveries. The first attempt at a EU biotechnology law was halted by fierce resistance from the Parliament in 1995. \I(Europe)\i
#
"May 13, 1998",861,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In defiance of the deep concerns already voiced by the international community, India carries out two more underground nuclear tests. The two "sub-\Jkiloton\j" tests, as with Monday's three detonations, are conducted in the Pokharan range in the western desert state of \JRajasthan\j, and according to New Delhi, complete the planned series of experimental explosions. India's arch-enemy \JPakistan\j condemns the latest tests as a further threat to its security, and vows that such provocation will not go unanswered. \JPakistan\j is regarded as a threshold nuclear power that has not yet exploded a nuclear device. Should it do so now, the international community fears that the arms race between the neighbors will escalate to a new and dangerous level. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
In what US President Bill Clinton terms "an unambiguous response" to India's nuclear tests, the United States recalls its ambassador and hits India with more than $US20 billion in sanctions which will immediately end all non-humanitarian economic and military assistance to the South Asian nation. Imposed under the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act, which has never before been exercised, the sanctions also require the US to oppose loans to India by international lending agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, \JJapan\j suspends its 3.5 billion yen annual grant aid to India, but says it will decide what to do about loans to India totaling 133 billion yen after gauging New Delhi's response to the world outrage over the tests, the second round of which proceeded despite President Clinton's request that India halt its nuclear program and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. \I(USA, India, \JJapan\j)\i
The specter of yet another nuclear crisis is raised when North Korea's ambassador to China accuses the United States of stalling on a promise to deliver two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors, and repeats threats to reopen the communist country's \Jgraphite\j reactors, which are capable of producing weapons-grade material. Under a 1994 accord, \JPyongyang\j agreed to dismantle its nuclear program in exchange for two safer reactors and interim fuel deliveries. \I(North Korea, China, USA)\i
The situation in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, deteriorates as rioting spreads to new areas of the city and at least another ten people are reported to have died. Special forces troops, dropped by \Jhelicopter\j, seal a major toll road to the airport which was earlier cut off by students protesting over the deaths of four of their colleagues yesterday, while the main road through the central banking district is blocked after shops and cars are set alight. The spiraling violence unsettles the country's financial markets, with the rupiah plunging as much as 13 per cent, and shares related to the family of President Soeharto suffering a sharp drop. In \JCairo\j, meanwhile, President Soeharto, whose 32-year rule has been the chief focus of student protests over the past months, decides to cut short an official visit to \JEgypt\j and fly back to the strife-torn capital. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in Berlin on a two-\Jday\j visit, the first stop of a European trip that will also take him to Britain for the Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations, and to Geneva to honor the World Trade Organization. While in \JGermany\j, Mr. Clinton is scheduled to hold talks with Chancellor Helmut Kohl on matters including the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, and the rift between Turkey and the European Union. Mr. Clinton's stay in \JGermany\j will also coincide with celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, UK, Geneva, Turkey, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, scores a diplomatic breakthrough when he persuades Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and \JKosovo\j \JAlbanian\j separatist leader, Ibrahim Rugova, to meet in \JBelgrade\j on Friday, and to accept weekly sessions between their negotiating teams in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j. However, the promise of negotiations fails to allay international concerns about the threat to Balkan peace posed by the underground \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, which has been waging a campaign for independence of the province, a status ruled out by both the West and President Milosevic, who has offered only to restore \JKosovo\j's autonomy within \JSerbia\j. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Talks between US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fail to bridge the gaps on a US plan to advance the deadlocked \JMiddle East\j peace process, but further talks are scheduled for tomorrow. The US State Department once again denies charges of trying to pressure Israel into a risky agreement, saying everything is being done to accommodate the needs of the Jewish state. Mr. Netanyahu is balking on a US demand that Israel cede 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule, and is currently in Washington meeting with Jewish and conservative groups sympathetic to Israel's position. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
In what US President Bill Clinton terms "an unambiguous response" to India's nuclear tests, the United States recalls its ambassador and hits India with more than $US20 billion in sanctions which will immediately end all non-humanitarian economic and military assistance to the South Asian nation. Imposed under the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act, which has never before been exercised, the sanctions also require the US to oppose loans to India by international lending agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, \JJapan\j suspends its 3.5 billion yen annual grant aid to India, but says it will decide what to do about loans to India totaling 133 billion yen after gauging New Delhi's response to the world outrage over the tests, the second round of which proceeded despite President Clinton's request that India halt its nuclear program and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. \I(USA, India, \JJapan\j)\i
The specter of yet another nuclear crisis is raised when North Korea's ambassador to China accuses the United States of stalling on a promise to deliver two light \Jwater\j nuclear reactors, and repeats threats to reopen the communist country's \Jgraphite\j reactors, which are capable of producing weapons-grade material. Under a 1994 accord, \JPyongyang\j agreed to dismantle its nuclear program in exchange for two safer reactors and interim fuel deliveries. \I(North Korea, China, USA)\i
The United States Congress narrowly passes controversial legislation to disband depression-era banking laws and allow financial services companies to conduct a wide range of activities under the regulation of the Federal Reserve Board. For the past 20 years, Congress has failed to approve the reforms, which have been criticized as anti-competitive by banking industry leaders, but recently announced mergers, including the planned deal between Citicorp and Travelers Group Inc., have forced financial services reforms back on the congressional agenda. \I(USA)\i
A United States Government report indicates that abuse of alcohol and other drugs costs the country more than $US246 billion a year, or $US965 for every man, woman, and child. The report, based on figures from 1992, apportions 60 per cent of the cost to alcohol abuse, but also shows a progressive increase in costs associated with drug use and dependence since figures were last available in 1985. According to the report, more than half these costs are due to drug-related crime. \I(USA)\i
A stream of gray smoke from wildfires burning in Mexico and \JCentral America\j blows a thousand miles across the Gulf of Mexico to enshroud most of \JTexas\j and parts of Oklahoma, \JArkansas\j, and Louisiana. Visibility in some areas drops to 1.5 miles, outdoor events are canceled, and health officials warn residents to stay indoors as much as possible. Mexican officials say agriculture-related fires have burned out of control because of unseasonably hot, dry \Jweather\j, and that they are only likely to end when the annual rainy season begins. \I(Mexico, \JCentral America\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in Berlin on a two-\Jday\j visit, the first stop of a European trip that will also take him to Britain for the Group of Eight summit of industrialized nations, and to Geneva to honor the World Trade Organization. While in \JGermany\j, Mr. Clinton is scheduled to hold talks with Chancellor Helmut Kohl on matters including the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, and the rift between Turkey and the European Union. Mr. Clinton's stay in \JGermany\j will also coincide with celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, UK, Geneva, Turkey, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, scores a diplomatic breakthrough when he persuades Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and \JKosovo\j \JAlbanian\j separatist leader, Ibrahim Rugova, to meet in \JBelgrade\j on Friday, and to accept weekly sessions between their negotiating teams in the provincial capital, \JPristina\j. However, the promise of negotiations fails to allay international concerns about the threat to Balkan peace posed by the underground \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, which has been waging a campaign for independence of the province, a status ruled out by both the West and President Milosevic, who has offered only to restore \JKosovo\j's autonomy within \JSerbia\j. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Talks between US \JSecretary of State\j Madeleine Albright, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fail to bridge the gaps on a US plan to advance the deadlocked \JMiddle East\j peace process, but further talks are scheduled for tomorrow. The US State Department once again denies charges of trying to pressure Israel into a risky agreement, saying everything is being done to accommodate the needs of the Jewish state. Mr. Netanyahu is balking on a US demand that Israel cede 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule, and is currently in Washington meeting with Jewish and conservative groups sympathetic to Israel's position. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Israeli Air Force planes attack bases of the radical Palestinian group, \JFatah\j Uprising, in \JLebanon\j's eastern Bekaa Valley, near the Syrian border, killing at least 10 people and wounding 22 others. The \JFatah\j Uprising is led by Colonel Abu Moussa and opposes the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The last major Israeli raid on its bases was in July 1996. \I(Israel, Palestine, \JLebanon\j, Syria)\i
The situation in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, deteriorates as rioting spreads to new areas of the city and at least another ten people are reported to have died. Special forces troops, dropped by \Jhelicopter\j, seal a major toll road to the airport which was earlier cut off by students protesting over the deaths of four of their colleagues yesterday, while the main road through the central banking district is blocked after shops and cars are set alight. The spiraling violence unsettles the country's financial markets, with the rupiah plunging as much as 13 per cent, and shares related to the family of President Soeharto suffering a sharp drop. In \JCairo\j, meanwhile, President Soeharto, whose 32-year rule has been the chief focus of student protests over the past months, decides to cut short an official visit to \JEgypt\j and fly back to the strife-torn capital. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
The European Parliament endorses a Europe-wide ban on \Jtobacco\j advertising and sponsorship previously passed by European Union ministers after nine years of wrangling. Once the law takes effect, billboard advertisements must be phased out within three years, press advertisements must end within four years, and \Jtobacco\j sponsorship of most sports and arts events must end within six years. Major international events, such as Formula One, will be compelled to end \Jtobacco\j sponsorship by October 2006. \I(Europe)\i
Experts say that a medieval \Jfresco\j, discovered a year ago in a chapel deep in the Vosges forest of eastern \JFrance\j, may be the only true portrait of Joan of Arc, the nation's patron saint. The painting was found by workmen unblocking a walled-up window, and portrays a pretty teenager with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"May 14, 1998",862,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Alarmed that \JPakistan\j intends to match the steps of arch-rival India, the United States urges Islamabad not to succumb to domestic pressure and test nuclear weapons, saying to do so would not only contribute to the further destabilization of the region, but could harm \JPakistan\j's own security. Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry issues a statement strongly condemning India's detonation of five nuclear devices this week, and the Australian Government announces that it has halted all but essential humanitarian aid to India and suspended all military relations, including planned exercises, \Jaircraft\j visits, and exchanges. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA, China, Australia)\i
Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and 15,000 troops swarm through the streets of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, which is rocked by a third consecutive \Jday\j of violent protests and rioting. Throughout the \Jday\j, the death toll rises to at least 24 and the central business district shuts down as mobs loot shops, and set fire to vehicles and buildings. Defense Minister and military chief, General Wiranto, reports that three soldiers have been killed as a result of the strife, but warns that the armed forces will continue to do whatever is necessary to restore order to the capital. President Soeharto, meanwhile, is on his way back from \JEgypt\j and due to arrive in Jakarta tomorrow. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a colorful ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to the "Candy Bomber" pilots who made nearly 277,000 flights to break the Soviet blockade of the war-weary city. In his speech, Mr. Clinton also praises the reunification of \JGermany\j and the leadership of its politically embattled chancellor, Helmut Kohl. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
Israeli troops kill at least nine Palestinians and wound hundreds more during a violent West Bank protest marking the 50th anniversary of Palestinian exile and dispossession at Israel's birth in 1948. In Washington, meanwhile, a second round of talks between US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and visiting Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, fails to break the deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Ms. Albright was hoping to persuade Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a 13 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank as part of a US plan to launch negotiations on a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Alarmed that \JPakistan\j intends to match the steps of arch-rival India, the United States urges Islamabad not to succumb to domestic pressure and test nuclear weapons, saying to do so would not only contribute to the further destabilization of the region, but could harm \JPakistan\j's own security. Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry issues a statement strongly condemning India's detonation of five nuclear devices this week, and the Australian Government announces that it has halted all but essential humanitarian aid to India and suspended all military relations, including planned exercises, \Jaircraft\j visits, and exchanges. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA, China, Australia)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expands compulsory inspections of fuel tank wires in Boeing 737 \Jaircraft\j to include those with over 30,000 flight hours, more than doubling the number of US-registered planes covered by the previous inspection orders. Having analyzed the results of the 195 inspections carried out so far, the FAA also asks carriers to examine so-called center \Jpump\j wires closest to the fuselage. Last Sunday, the FAA effectively grounded older 737s after a United Airlines plane was found to have a fuel leak caused by sparks punching two holes through the metal conduit. \I(USA)\i
Software giant Microsoft Corp. agrees to delay release of its upcoming Windows 98 program for a few days, winning a reprieve just one hour before federal and state officials are due to announce one of the biggest antitrust lawsuits in United States history. Microsoft will now continue face-to-face discussions with the US Justice Department and 20 US states, who are accusing the company of abusing its dominant position and trying to drive other software makers from the market. \I(USA)\i
Singing and acting legend, Frank Sinatra, dies aged 82 from a heart attack at Cedars-\JSinai\j Medical Center in Los Angeles. Affectionately known as "Ol' Blue Eyes" and "The Chairman of the Board", Sinatra had been hospitalized several times since early 1997 when he suffered an "uncomplicated" heart attack. Throughout his extraordinary 60-year career, Sinatra starred in a swag of films and recorded hundreds of songs, becoming the most recognized and imitated \Jballad\j singer of the century, one whose influence spread from the Big Band era far beyond his own musical style. He gave his last concert in November 1994 in \JAtlantic City\j. Summing up the feelings of Sinatra's millions of fans, US President Bill Clinton says of the sometimes controversial entertainer: "He really did do it his way." \I(USA)\i
Environmentalist and writer, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, dies in \JFlorida\j at the age of 108. Ms. Douglas was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, when she was 103, and her 1947 publication, \IThe \JEverglades\j: River of Grass,\i is still considered the definitive work on the World Heritage Site, which she tenaciously campaigned to save. \I(USA)\i
Amid a blaze of media hype, the 169th and final episode of the hit series \ISeinfeld\i goes to air on NBC \Jtelevision\j across the United States. Its star, Jerry Seinfeld, says he is amazed by how many people have been touched by his "show about nothing", which revolved around the pettiness and self-absorption of four New Yorkers: Seinfeld and his friends George, Kramer, and Elaine. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israeli troops kill at least nine Palestinians and wound hundreds more during a violent West Bank protest marking the 50th anniversary of Palestinian exile and dispossession at Israel's birth in 1948. In Washington, meanwhile, a second round of talks between US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, and visiting Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, fails to break the deadlock in the \JMiddle East\j peace process. Ms. Albright was hoping to persuade Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a 13 per cent withdrawal from the West Bank as part of a US plan to launch negotiations on a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and 15,000 troops swarm through the streets of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, which is rocked by a third consecutive \Jday\j of violent protests and rioting. Throughout the \Jday\j, the death toll rises to at least 24 and the central business district shuts down as mobs loot shops, and set fire to vehicles and buildings. Defense Minister and military chief, General Wiranto, reports that three soldiers have been killed as a result of the strife, but warns that the armed forces will continue to do whatever is necessary to restore order to the capital. President Soeharto, meanwhile, is on his way back from \JEgypt\j and due to arrive in Jakarta tomorrow. \I(Indonesia, \JEgypt\j)\i
At a colorful ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, pays tribute to the "Candy Bomber" pilots who made nearly 277,000 flights to break the Soviet blockade of the war-weary city. In his speech, Mr. Clinton also praises the reunification of \JGermany\j and the leadership of its politically embattled chancellor, Helmut Kohl. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
The international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague gains a third trial chamber and three more judges in a move unanimously approved by the United Nations Security Council. \I(The Netherlands, Bosnia)\i
#
"May 15, 1998",863,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
US Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, holds talks in Islamabad with Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, trying to secure a commitment that Pakistan will not follow India's lead and conduct nuclear tests. While the United States is threatening seriously negative consequences if Pakistan matches India's move, Islamabad is nonetheless determined to keep its options open. The chief of Naval staff, Admiral Bokhair, is currently Pakistan's only high ranking official to publicly oppose such a step, insisting that the political and economic implications of exploding a nuclear device should first be weighed. Although India's nuclear tests this week attracted a groundswell of domestic support, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is now coming under attack from opposition politicians for pushing the country into a dangerous situation. \I(USA, Pakistan, India)\i
The death toll from yesterday's rioting in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, soars following the discovery of hundreds of charred bodies, believed to be those of looters, in the smoldering ruins of two shopping malls. Meanwhile, the business district remains paralyzed, with most office buildings empty, banks closed, and trading in the plunging currency halted. As tanks, backed by thousands of troops and police, stand guard across the riot-scarred city, President Soeharto returns from abroad to deal with the crisis, his first decision being to revoke fuel price rises imposed in compliance with the International Monetary Fund's billion dollar bail-out package. Despite the outbreak of public wrath, the veteran leader shows no sign of relinquishing his hold on power as demanded by student protesters and opposition leaders. However, the security of Mr. Soeharto's position is now also threatened from within his own ranks, with a major faction of his Golkar party requesting that he return the presidential mandate bestowed on him by the People's Consultative Assembly. \I(Indonesia)\i
As bloodshed and \Jmayhem\j engulf Jakarta, a number of countries advise their nationals to leave \JIndonesia\j as soon as possible. The Taiwanese foreign ministry orders the immediate evacuation of its business people and tourists, and other countries such as the United States, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JFinland\j, charter special flights to cope with the mass exodus. Also among those jamming the city's airport seeking to flee \JIndonesia\j are many of its terrified ethnic Chinese, who have become the prime target of rioters and looters as the country's economic and political crisis deepens. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, Taiwan, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
World leaders at the annual summit of the Group of Eight industrial powers in Birmingham, England, issue a call for political reform in \JIndonesia\j, at the same time urging the country's security forces to show restraint after days of rioting and mob violence. The G8 leaders also urge \JPakistan\j to exercise maximum restraint in the wake of India's five nuclear tests this week. The tests are unanimously condemned by the group, and India is called upon to adhere to agreements controlling nuclear weapons. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, India, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, joins British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in issuing an appeal for a "yes" vote in the May 22 referendum on the Northern Ireland peace agreement. Mr. Clinton, who is attending a Group of Eight summit hosted by Mr. Blair in Birmingham, central England, reiterates his decision not to visit the province during the run up to the vote, saying no matter how friendly an outsider he is, he is still an outsider. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
US Assistant \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, holds talks in Islamabad with Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, trying to secure a commitment that Pakistan will not follow India's lead and conduct nuclear tests. While the United States is threatening seriously negative consequences if Pakistan matches India's move, Islamabad is nonetheless determined to keep its options open. The chief of Naval staff, Admiral Bokhair, is currently Pakistan's only high ranking official to publicly oppose such a step, insisting that the political and economic implications of exploding a nuclear device should first be weighed. Although India's nuclear tests this week attracted a groundswell of domestic support, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is now coming under attack from opposition politicians for pushing the country into a dangerous situation. \I(USA, Pakistan, India)\i
After failing to resolve differences with Washington, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, travels to New York to meet with United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan. During the meeting, Mr. Netanyahu offers a strong affirmation of the Israeli Cabinet decision to accept Resolution 425, which calls for Israel's withdrawal from its south \JLebanon\j security cordon. However, despite a discussion of "new ideas", there is still no breakthrough on the issue of Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank. In Geneva, meanwhile, the UN's chief human rights official, Mary Robinson, voices deep regret over the deaths of nine Palestinians during yesterday's West Bank violence, and calls on Israel to avoid excessive force and to respect the right of peaceful assembly. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
As bloodshed and \Jmayhem\j engulf Jakarta, a number of countries advise their nationals to leave \JIndonesia\j as soon as possible. The Taiwanese foreign ministry orders the immediate evacuation of its business people and tourists, and other countries such as the United States, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JFinland\j, charter special flights to cope with the mass exodus. Also among those jamming the city's airport seeking to flee \JIndonesia\j are many of its terrified ethnic Chinese, who have become the prime target of rioters and looters as the country's economic and political crisis deepens. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, Taiwan, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
Mexico accepts help from the United States to fight about 180 brush and forest fires that have sent a pall of smoke haze over parts of both countries. The US aid includes tanker airplanes, \Jhelicopter\j, and communications equipment, as well as advice from fire-fighting experts. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and ethnic \JAlbanian\j leader Ibrahim Rugova, take the first tentative steps towards possible peace in the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, meeting for the first time in a decade in what Mr. Rugova later describes as "an \Jatmosphere\j of tolerance and understanding". However, Mr. Rugova's agreement to hold the meeting without international mediation damages his standing among his own people, particularly among young ethnic Albanians, who are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the political process for settling the separatist conflict. Many are now choosing to join the outlawed \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, which the West suspects is receiving support from Muslim fundamentalists in \JIran\j. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JIran\j)\i
After failing to resolve differences with Washington, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, travels to New York to meet with United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan. During the meeting, Mr. Netanyahu offers a strong affirmation of the Israeli Cabinet decision to accept Resolution 425, which calls for Israel's withdrawal from its south \JLebanon\j security cordon. However, despite a discussion of "new ideas", there is still no breakthrough on the issue of Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank. In Geneva, meanwhile, the UN's chief human rights official, Mary Robinson, voices deep regret over the deaths of nine Palestinians during yesterday's West Bank violence, and calls on Israel to avoid excessive force and to respect the right of peaceful assembly. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, joins British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in issuing an appeal for a "yes" vote in the May 22 referendum on the Northern Ireland peace agreement. Mr. Clinton, who is attending a Group of Eight summit hosted by Mr. Blair in Birmingham, central England, reiterates his decision not to visit the province during the run up to the vote, saying no matter how friendly an outsider he is, he is still an outsider. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
World leaders at the annual summit of the Group of Eight industrial powers in Birmingham, England, issue a call for political reform in \JIndonesia\j, at the same time urging the country's security forces to show restraint after days of rioting and mob violence. The G8 leaders also urge \JPakistan\j to exercise maximum restraint in the wake of India's five nuclear tests this week. The tests are unanimously condemned by the group, and India is called upon to adhere to agreements controlling nuclear weapons. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JPakistan\j, India, UK)\i
As bloodshed and \Jmayhem\j engulf Jakarta, a number of countries advise their nationals to leave \JIndonesia\j as soon as possible. The Taiwanese foreign ministry orders the immediate evacuation of its business people and tourists, and other countries such as the United States, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JFinland\j, charter special flights to cope with the mass exodus. Also among those jamming the city's airport seeking to flee \JIndonesia\j are many of its terrified ethnic Chinese, who have become the prime target of rioters and looters as the country's economic and political crisis deepens. \I(\JIndonesia\j, USA, Taiwan, \JJapan\j, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
#
"May 16, 1998",864,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, renews calls for the US Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which has been stalled by key Republican opposition since it was submitted in September 1997. Mr. Clinton makes the point that the US must practice what it is preaching to India, and also be in a position to increase the pressure on any other nation that may be considering nuclear test explosions. \I(USA, India)\i
The United States offers an incentive for \JPakistan\j to refrain from testing a nuclear device in response to India's five nuclear tests this week. National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, says a decision not to test could facilitate resolution of a dispute over 28 F-16 jets which \JPakistan\j paid $US658 million for but did not receive. The so-called Pressler amendment passed in 1990 blocked sales of US military equipment and technology to \JPakistan\j because of its nuclear development program. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
North Korea blames the unreasonable behavior of the United States for its absence from a scheduled ceremony yesterday to hand over the remains of two US soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea says it failed to show up in protest against United Nations participation in the repatriation of remains, which it says was not called for in the agreement with Washington last December, and which it maintains is prompted by an ulterior political purpose. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
As columns of armored personnel carriers patrol the streets, an uneasy calm returns to the riot-scarred Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The army says 499 people were killed and more than 1,000 arrested during the capital's three days of near-anarchy, while city authorities report than more than 3,000 buildings, 950 cars, and 500 motorcycles were destroyed or damaged. President Soeharto is now promising a Cabinet reshuffle in response to demands for political reform, but the gesture is dismissed as too little too late by his opponents, and does nothing to ease the fears of foreign residents, who continue to crowd into Jakarta's international airport for emergency airlifts provided by their home countries. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, renews calls for the US Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which has been stalled by key Republican opposition since it was submitted in September 1997. Mr. Clinton makes the point that the US must practice what it is preaching to India, and also be in a position to increase the pressure on any other nation that may be considering nuclear test explosions. \I(USA, India)\i
The United States offers an incentive for \JPakistan\j to refrain from testing a nuclear device in response to India's five nuclear tests this week. National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, says a decision not to test could facilitate resolution of a dispute over 28 F-16 jets which \JPakistan\j paid $US658 million for but did not receive. The so-called Pressler amendment passed in 1990 blocked sales of US military equipment and technology to \JPakistan\j because of its nuclear development program. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Jordan's King Hussein criticizes the "contradictory" attitudes to peace espoused by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and suggests that Israel is slipping into a fortress mentality. King Hussein adds that he cannot understand what relations Mr. Netanyahu wants with his neighbors. The Jordanian leader's comments come as 10 Palestinians are wounded by Israeli soldiers during a third straight \Jday\j of Arab-Israeli clashes in the West Bank and Arab East \JJerusalem\j, clashes which underscore the growing Palestinian frustration over the 14-month stalemate in the \JMiddle East\j peace process, and Mr. Netanyahu's rejection of a United States initiative to break the impasse. \I(Jordan, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Iran declares that it is preparing retaliatory sanctions after the Argentine Government arrests eight Iranian residents and expels seven of Iran's eight embassy employees. The action of the Argentine Government follows an investigation which found that Tehran played a direct role in the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association. Iran is denying any involvement in the attacks, which killed a total of 114 people. \I(Iran, Argentina)\i
North Korea blames the unreasonable behavior of the United States for its absence from a scheduled ceremony yesterday to hand over the remains of two US soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea says it failed to show up in protest against United Nations participation in the repatriation of remains, which it says was not called for in the agreement with Washington last December, and which it maintains is prompted by an ulterior political purpose. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
A massive anti-trust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. seems set to proceed following the collapse of the software giant's two-\Jday\j negotiations with the United States Justice Department and the attorneys-general from 20 states. Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates, accuses the federal and state governments of making non-negotiable demands, insists that his company is innocent of any of the charges against it, and declares that the June 25 public release of the updated version of Windows 98 will go ahead as planned. \I(USA)\i
The show business world continues to pay tribute to legendary entertainer, Frank Sinatra, who died aged 82 last Thursday evening after suffering a heart attack. On the famous Las Vegas Strip, where Sinatra spent much of his prime making movies and singing with "Rat Pack" stars Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford, the lights are extinguished for one minute in his honor. In \JHollywood\j, the top of the Capitol Records tower is draped with black bunting, a first for the landmark building. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
World leaders attending the Group of Eight summit in Birmingham, England, agree on proposals to combat high-tech cross-border crime, drug trafficking, offshore tax shelters, and excessive banking secrecy, declaring that there must be no safe havens either for criminals or for their money. After an informal half-\Jday\j of unscripted talks at a nearby country house, the leaders and their wives go on to enjoy a taste of Prime Minister Tony Blair's "Cool Britannia" at a rock concert featuring stars such as Mick Hucknall and the all female band, All Saints. \I(UK)\i
Jordan's King Hussein criticizes the "contradictory" attitudes to peace espoused by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and suggests that Israel is slipping into a fortress mentality. King Hussein adds that he cannot understand what relations Mr. Netanyahu wants with his neighbors. The Jordanian leader's comments come as 10 Palestinians are wounded by Israeli soldiers during a third straight \Jday\j of Arab-Israeli clashes in the West Bank and Arab East \JJerusalem\j, clashes which underscore the growing Palestinian frustration over the 14-month stalemate in the \JMiddle East\j peace process, and Mr. Netanyahu's rejection of a United States initiative to break the impasse. \I(Jordan, Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Iran declares that it is preparing retaliatory sanctions after the Argentine Government arrests eight Iranian residents and expels seven of Iran's eight embassy employees. The action of the Argentine Government follows an investigation which found that Tehran played a direct role in the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association. Iran is denying any involvement in the attacks, which killed a total of 114 people. \I(Iran, Argentina)\i
#
"May 17, 1998",865,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Reports that \JPakistan\j has carried out a nuclear test create a nervous flurry at a Group of Eight summit in Britain, prompting United States President, Bill Clinton, to warn of the destabilizing effects of \JCold War\j-style conflicts in South Asia. \JPakistan\j later denies that it has carried out a nuclear test to respond in kind to the five underground tests conducted by India last week. Of less reassurance, however, is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's insistence that he is not worried by India's nuclear capability because \JPakistan\j has the same potential, and could prepare a nuclear test within 12 to 24 hours. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA, UK)\i
India seeks to assure its critics that no more nuclear tests are planned and that its nuclear arsenal will never be used in aggression. India says last week's five widely condemned tests have enhanced its capability to design nuclear weapons of different yields for different applications and different delivery systems. But although the tests have also enhanced the country's capability to perfect its arms with non-explosive techniques such as computer simulation, India remains silent on whether it is now ready to comply with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. \I(India)\i
The Group of Eight summit in Britain concludes with an agreement in principle to ease the debt burden on some of the world's poorest countries, an agreement that falls far short of the complete cancellation of Third World debt demanded by some 50,000 protesters who earlier linked hands to form a human chain around the conference center. The leaders of the United States, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j and Canada also voice confidence in Asia's economic recovery, provided the International Monetary Fund reform plans are fully implemented, at the same time pledging to avoid a damaging protectionist backlash by keeping their markets open. While the leaders condemn India's five nuclear tests last week, they fail to agree on any form of collective action against New Delhi. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, Asia)\i
Signs of normalcy return to the Indonesian capital Jakarta as markets reopen and public transport resumes after days of mob violence, and shell-shocked residents venture out under the wary eye of thousands of troops drafted onto the streets to restore order. Behind the scenes, President Soeharto is reported to be preparing a Cabinet reshuffle as a show of willingness to reform, but pressure for him to step down is now growing within his own political elite. Plans are also underway for a massive protest march by students and opposition groups on May 20, symbolically known throughout the country as the National Day of Awakening. \I(Indonesia)\i
The mayor of \JSri Lanka\j's war-ravaged northern town of Jaffna is shot dead after only two months in office. The assassination of Sarojini Yogeswaran, a widow in her 60s, is blamed on the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who opposed January's council elections to restore self-rule in the Tamil-majority region, which had been run by the military since 1995. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
At least 31 people die and 43 are injured when \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia bomb the opposition-held town of Taloqan. The attack is one of the most serious since the breakdown of last month's peace talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Pakistan)\i
Former Philippine first lady, Imelda Marcos, hails the victories of two of her children in the country's recent national election as signaling a political comeback for the Marcos name. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was elected governor of Ilocos Norte, his late father's northern stronghold, and daughter Imee won a seat in Congress, also representing Ilocos Norte. Mrs. Marcos herself withdrew from the presidential race, which has been all but won by Joseph Estrada, although ruling party candidate, Jose de Venecia, is still refusing to concede defeat. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In men's golf, American John Cook wins the Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, \JTexas\j, and Briton, Darren Clarke, wins the Benson and Hedges International Open at Thame, England. In women's golf, South Korea's Se Ri Pak regains her earlier lead to finish three strokes ahead in the LPGA Championship at \JWilmington\j, \JDelaware\j. \I(USA, UK, South Korea)\i
Australian Michael Doohan wins his sixth successive 500cc Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Mugello. It is the second victory of the season for the four-times world champion. \I(Australia, \JItaly\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Reports that \JPakistan\j has carried out a nuclear test create a nervous flurry at a Group of Eight summit in Britain, prompting United States President, Bill Clinton, to warn of the destabilizing effects of \JCold War\j-style conflicts in South Asia. \JPakistan\j later denies that it has carried out a nuclear test to respond in kind to the five underground tests conducted by India last week. Of less reassurance, however, is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's insistence that he is not worried by India's nuclear capability because \JPakistan\j has the same potential, and could prepare a nuclear test within 12 to 24 hours. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA, UK)\i
The Group of Eight summit in Britain concludes with an agreement in principle to ease the debt burden on some of the world's poorest countries, an agreement that falls far short of the complete cancellation of Third World debt demanded by some 50,000 protesters who earlier linked hands to form a human chain around the conference center. The leaders of the United States, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j and Canada also voice confidence in Asia's economic recovery, provided the International Monetary Fund reform plans are fully implemented, at the same time pledging to avoid a damaging protectionist backlash by keeping their markets open. While the leaders condemn India's five nuclear tests last week, they fail to agree on any form of collective action against New Delhi. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, Asia)\i
During a meeting after the Group of Eight summit, United States President Bill Clinton, and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, agree to speed up ratification of the 1993 START-2 arms control accord and complete a START-3 accord as soon as possible. START-2 will reduce US and Russian nuclear arsenals to 3,500 deployed warheads per side by the year 2003, compared to a target of 6,000 under the first START accord now in force, and a START-3 accord will cut nuclear arsenals even further. However, while the US has already ratified START-2, Russia's State \JDuma\j, dominated by Mr. Yeltsin's opponents, has thus far refused to do so. \I(USA, Russia)\i
In its twice-yearly report, the \JFBI\j says the United States crime rate fell in 1997 for the sixth consecutive year. The steepest drop occurred for murders and robberies, each down 9 per cent from the previous year and lower in all regions of the country. Overall, the number of violent crimes dropped 5 per cent from 1996, with the number of assaults decreasing by 2 per cent, and the number of rapes by 1 per cent. \I(USA)\i
Doctors in the United States say human trials of the drug Herceptin show that it can prevent the spread of metastatic breast cancer by up to three months. About 25 to 30 per cent of women with breast cancer produce too much HER2/neu protein due to a genetic defect, and Herceptin is the first treatment to target this genetic alteration without destroying healthy cells. A cancer is metastatic when it has spread from the original tumor to other parts of the body. \I(USA)\i
Chilean Marcelo Rios claims an easy victory in the Men's Italian Open Tennis Tournament in \JRome\j when Spaniard Albert Costa pulls out of the final with a badly sprained right wrist. In Berlin, \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez clinches her first title in 18 months with a straight sets win over \JFrance\j's Amalie Mauresmo in the final of the Women's German Open. \I(Chile, \JItaly\j \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
In men's golf, American John Cook wins the Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, \JTexas\j, and Briton, Darren Clarke, wins the Benson and Hedges International Open at Thame, England. In women's golf, South Korea's Se Ri Pak regains her earlier lead to finish three strokes ahead in the LPGA Championship at \JWilmington\j, \JDelaware\j. \I(USA, UK, South Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Reports that \JPakistan\j has carried out a nuclear test create a nervous flurry at a Group of Eight summit in Britain, prompting United States President, Bill Clinton, to warn of the destabilizing effects of \JCold War\j-style conflicts in South Asia. \JPakistan\j later denies that it has carried out a nuclear test to respond in kind to the five underground tests conducted by India last week. Of less reassurance, however, is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's insistence that he is not worried by India's nuclear capability because \JPakistan\j has the same potential, and could prepare a nuclear test within 12 to 24 hours. \I(\JPakistan\j, India, USA, UK)\i
The Group of Eight summit in Britain concludes with an agreement in principle to ease the debt burden on some of the world's poorest countries, an agreement that falls far short of the complete cancellation of Third World debt demanded by some 50,000 protesters who earlier linked hands to form a human chain around the conference center. The leaders of the United States, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j and Canada also voice confidence in Asia's economic recovery, provided the International Monetary Fund reform plans are fully implemented, at the same time pledging to avoid a damaging protectionist backlash by keeping their markets open. While the leaders condemn India's five nuclear tests last week, they fail to agree on any form of collective action against New Delhi. \I(UK, USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, Canada, Asia)\i
During a meeting after the Group of Eight summit, United States President Bill Clinton, and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, agree to speed up ratification of the 1993 START-2 arms control accord and complete a START-3 accord as soon as possible. START-2 will reduce US and Russian nuclear arsenals to 3,500 deployed warheads per side by the year 2003, compared to a target of 6,000 under the first START accord now in force, and a START-3 accord will cut nuclear arsenals even further. However, while the US has already ratified START-2, Russia's State \JDuma\j, dominated by Mr. Yeltsin's opponents, has thus far refused to do so. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Alexander Lebed, 48, is elected Governor of the sprawling \JKrasnoyarsk\j region in \JSiberia\j with 57 per cent of the vote, easily defeating Moscow's candidate, incumbent Valery Zubov, who received 38 per cent support in the run-off. Mr. Lebed is widely expected to use his control of the mineral-rich region to launch a presidential campaign when the term of current Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, expires in 2000. \I(Russia)\i
Eight Palestinians are wounded by \Jrubber\j bullets during a fourth consecutive \Jday\j of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian stone-throwers in the volatile West Bank city of \JHebron\j, which is divided between Israeli and Palestinian rule. The trouble erupted last Thursday when thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to mark the anniversary of what they call the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe", when Palestinians were uprooted and dispossessed by Israel's creation in 1948. \I(Palestine, Israel)\i
Chilean Marcelo Rios claims an easy victory in the Men's Italian Open Tennis Tournament in \JRome\j when Spaniard Albert Costa pulls out of the final with a badly sprained right wrist. In Berlin, \JSpain\j's Conchita Martinez clinches her first title in 18 months with a straight sets win over \JFrance\j's Amalie Mauresmo in the final of the Women's German Open. \I(Chile, \JItaly\j \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
In men's golf, American John Cook wins the Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, \JTexas\j, and Briton, Darren Clarke, wins the Benson and Hedges International Open at Thame, England. In women's golf, South Korea's Se Ri Pak regains her earlier lead to finish three strokes ahead in the LPGA Championship at \JWilmington\j, \JDelaware\j. \I(USA, UK, South Korea)\i
Australian Michael Doohan wins his sixth successive 500cc Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Mugello. It is the second victory of the season for the four-times world champion. \I(Australia, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"May 18, 1998",866,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Support for \JIndonesia\j's embattled President Soeharto is further weakened when the Parliamentary Speaker issues a statement calling on the veteran leader to resign in order to maintain the unity of the nation. However, \JIndonesia\j's powerful military leadership declines to back the resignation call, with Defense Minister and Armed Forces commander, General Wiranto, dismissing it as an individual statement with no legal power. General Wiranto also warns students and anti-government groups against proceeding with their planned May 20 mass protest march, indicating that the armed forces will crack down on demonstrators or rioters. The political uncertainty and the threat of more civil unrest send tremors through regional financial markets, with currency and share prices falling in most Southeast Asian countries. The World Bank, meanwhile, announces that it is postponing $US1.2 billion in desperately needed new loans to \JIndonesia\j until the situation settles. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Pakistan expresses "deep disappointment" over the failure of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial powers to apply across-the-board sanctions against India for conducting five nuclear tests last week, maintaining that the lack of collective punitive action sends the wrong signals to New Delhi and could even act as an encouragement. Pakistan says that under the circumstances, the G8 call for Islamabad to exercise restraint is misdirected since it demonstrates insensitivity to a critical situation that threatens Pakistan's very existence. At a summit in Birmingham, England, over the weekend, the G8 leaders failed to agree on anything stronger than a verbal condemnation of India's move. \I(Pakistan, India, UK)\i
United States Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, announces that he will seek an investigation into whether political donations influenced President Bill Clinton's decision to allow exports of \Jsatellite\j technology to China. Senator Lott's announcement follows reports that a large part of the $US100,000 given to the Democrats by Johnny Chung in 1996 was from China's People's Liberation Army. The \JWhite House\j, however, has denied any connection between the reported contributions and its decision to allow US companies to launch their satellites on Chinese rockets. \I(USA, China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, make a second joint appeal for voters to back the new Northern Ireland peace accord when it goes to a referendum on May 22. Declaring himself an "Irish Protestant", Mr. Clinton urges voters to think about their children's future when making the crucial decision. Both Mr. Blair and Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, are hoping to rally majority Protestant support in order to prevent \Jdissidents\j, such as the Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, from wrecking the peace deal. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds hastily convened talks in London with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to brief him on the negative outcome of last week's meetings in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. In Paris, meanwhile, Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, and French President, Jacques Chirac, propose a \JMiddle East\j peace conference to inject the deadlocked peace process with new hope and \Jenergy\j. The two leaders also call on Mr. Netanyahu to accept standing US proposals for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories. \I(USA, UK, Palestine, Israel, \JFrance\j, Egypt)\i
At a European Union-United States summit in London, a major irritant to transatlantic ties is removed when the US agrees to waive its sanctions against trade with \JIran\j, \JLibya\j, and \JCuba\j in return for an EU commitment to halt the spread of sensitive technology, co-operate against \Jterrorism\j, and deter investment in expropriated property in \JCuba\j. Under the new Transatlantic Economic Partnership, which ends the most bitter transatlantic trade row for years, the EU and the US will also launch an initiative to lower trade barriers in a dozen sectors ranging from tourism to telephones. \I(Europe, USA, UK, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j, \JCuba\j)\i
The United States charges officials from 12 of Mexico's 19 biggest banks with involvement in laundering US drug profits reaped by Colombian and Mexican drug lords. The indictments stem from a three-year undercover investigation dubbed Operation \JCasablanca\j, which also resulted in the seizure of $US35 million in drug money, as well as two tons of \Jcocaine\j and four tons of marijuana. \I(USA, Mexico, Colombia)\i
United States Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, announces that he will seek an investigation into whether political donations influenced President Bill Clinton's decision to allow exports of \Jsatellite\j technology to China. Senator Lott's announcement follows reports that a large part of the $US100,000 given to the Democrats by Johnny Chung in 1996 was from China's People's Liberation Army. The \JWhite House\j, however, has denied any connection between the reported contributions and its decision to allow US companies to launch their satellites on Chinese rockets. \I(USA, China)\i
In one of the strongest attacks on big business this century, the United States Justice Department and 20 states formally launch anti-trust actions against Microsoft Corp., accusing the software giant of using its monopoly power to stifle competition. News that the lawsuits have been filed leads to a sell-off in Microsoft stock on Wall Street, with the shares falling $US3.38 throughout the \Jday\j to close at $US86.06. \I(USA)\i
Researchers in the United States say they are planning a comparison trial of two drugs to determine which is more effective in preventing breast cancer. In earlier separate trials, the \Josteoporosis\j drug, raloxifene, yielded the bonus benefit of reducing the incidence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women by 68 per cent, while the cancer treatment drug, tamoxifen, was found to almost halve the development of breast cancer in healthy women at high risk of the disease. Both drugs are selective estrogen receptor modulators, which block the negative actions of estrogen in some tissues, such as the breast, and mimic estrogen's benefits in other tissues, such as bones. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, holds hastily convened talks in London with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to brief him on the negative outcome of last week's meetings in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. In Paris, meanwhile, Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, and French President, Jacques Chirac, propose a \JMiddle East\j peace conference to inject the deadlocked peace process with new hope and \Jenergy\j. The two leaders also call on Mr. Netanyahu to accept standing US proposals for a 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories. \I(USA, UK, Palestine, Israel, \JFrance\j, Egypt)\i
The six-nation Contact Group, charged with implementing peace in the Balkans, announces that a proposed measure to ban new investment in \JSerbia\j, which forms the bulk of the Yugoslav federation, will not be put into effect. The move to ease sanctions against Yugoslavia follows the beginning of talks between President Slobodan Milosevic and ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders on a political settlement to the crisis in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j, the scene of escalating unrest between the outlawed \JKosovo\j Liberation Army and Serb security forces. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United States President Bill Clinton, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, make a second joint appeal for voters to back the new Northern Ireland peace accord when it goes to a referendum on May 22. Declaring himself an "Irish Protestant", Mr. Clinton urges voters to think about their children's future when making the crucial decision. Both Mr. Blair and Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, are hoping to rally majority Protestant support in order to prevent \Jdissidents\j, such as the Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, from wrecking the peace deal. \I(USA, UK, Northern Ireland)\i
At a European Union-United States summit in London, a major irritant to transatlantic ties is removed when the US agrees to waive its sanctions against trade with \JIran\j, \JLibya\j, and \JCuba\j in return for an EU commitment to halt the spread of sensitive technology, co-operate against \Jterrorism\j, and deter investment in expropriated property in \JCuba\j. Under the new Transatlantic Economic Partnership, which ends the most bitter transatlantic trade row for years, the EU and the US will also launch an initiative to lower trade barriers in a dozen sectors ranging from tourism to telephones. \I(Europe, USA, UK, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j, \JCuba\j)\i
After a week of talks, \JRussia\j and \JIran\j say they are seeking increased cooperation in the field of nuclear technology for nonmilitary purposes, stressing that their nuclear cooperation will not violate any international agreements on the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Russian companies are currently building a nuclear power plant in \JIran\j at a cost of $US850 million, which \JIran\j insists is needed to help meet its \Jenergy\j needs and cannot be used for military purposes. \I(\JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
Pakistan expresses "deep disappointment" over the failure of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial powers to apply across-the-board sanctions against India for conducting five nuclear tests last week, maintaining that the lack of collective punitive action sends the wrong signals to New Delhi and could even act as an encouragement. Pakistan says that under the circumstances, the G8 call for Islamabad to exercise restraint is misdirected since it demonstrates insensitivity to a critical situation that threatens Pakistan's very existence. At a summit in Birmingham, England, over the weekend, the G8 leaders failed to agree on anything stronger than a verbal condemnation of India's move. \I(Pakistan, India, UK)\i
At a Christian Democratic Union congress in Bremen, German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, launches a bid to rejuvenate his campaign for a fifth term in office, warning that the defeat of his conservative coalition in the September general elections would plunge \JGermany\j into a period of uncertainty and extremism. Dr. Kohl and his party have been trailing in the polls for more than a year, a gap which has consolidated since his challenger, Gerhard Schroeder, was elected leader of the Opposition Social Democrats. The Social Democrats have just concluded an agreement with the former East German Communists to get support for a minority government in the state of \JSaxony\j-Anhalt, where a recent election gave the far right its biggest vote since the Hitler era. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Thousands of angry \Jcoal\j miners stage another \Jday\j of protest across \JRussia\j, demanding up to four months of delayed wages and warning that their protests will not stop until they receive hard cash in place of promises. In addition to their economic demands, many miners are also calling for the resignation of both President Boris Yeltsin and the government. The situation is a stark contrast to that of 1989, when miners helped propel Mr. Yeltsin into the Russian presidency by backing his struggle against Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
British Customs and Excise officials announce that Sandline International will not be prosecuted for alleged breaches of the United Nations arms embargo on Sierra Leone. While the officials acknowledge that the breaches may well have occurred, they say they doubt the existence of sufficient evidence to secure convictions, and that to prosecute would not be in the public interest. British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, will now launch a two-man independent inquiry into the handling of the controversial affair by the Foreign Office and other departments. \I(UK, Sierra Leone)\i
European Union internal market ministers agree on a new regulation that will allow them to request a member state to take necessary and proportionate measures to end blockades and other obstacles to the free movement of goods within the single market. In the wake of recent actions by French lorry drivers, the European Commission had sought legal authority to order governments to take emergency action against stoppages, but the proposal was deemed too strong by most member states. \I(Europe)\i
#
"May 19, 1998",867,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a nationally televised address, President Soeharto attempts to appease the Indonesian people, announcing that he will reshuffle his Cabinet and revise political laws through a new reform council. Responding to calls for his immediate resignation, the aging leader promises that he will not seek to remain in power once fresh elections are held under a new election law, but gives no indication of exactly when that is likely to occur. The president's compromise offer is flatly rejected by Muslim leader, Amien Rais, who pledges to proceed with a massive street protest planned for tomorrow, despite warnings from the Indonesian military. Mr. Rais's pledge is resoundingly backed by thousands of students who have been converging on the House of Assembly to support the Speaker's request that President Soeharto step aside in the interest of national unity. \I(Indonesia)\i
India's ambassador to the United States says his country wants to engage as soon as possible with the international community in order to reach a position where it might assume substantive undertakings contained in the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which it has previously refused to sign. Ambassador Naresh Chandra quite clearly signals, however, that certain aspects of the pact are unacceptable and that India would expect changes to be made. India provoked international outrage last week when it broke a 25-year moratorium to conduct five underground nuclear tests. \I(India, USA)\i
China dismisses as "sheer fabrication" reports that it contributed campaign funds to the Democratic Party of United States President, Bill Clinton, in 1996. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhu Bangzao, strongly denies that China tried to influence political affairs in the US, claiming that the allegations are an attempt to obstruct and damage future improvements in Sino-US relations. The \JWhite House\j has also denied any connection between the reported contributions and its subsequent decision to allow US companies to launch their satellites on Chinese rockets. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States Federal Reserve again decides to leave key interest rates unchanged, a decision widely expected by financial markets, which register little reaction to the news. The rate announcement comes against a backdrop of strong growth, subdued \Jinflation\j, and falling unemployment, with policy-makers still prepared to wait for clearer evidence of economic overheating and any impact from Asia's financial crisis. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The British Foreign Office confirms that two British nurses jailed in Saudi \JArabia\j for the murder of an Australian colleague in 1996 have been granted a pardon by King Fahd, and are expected to return home within days. Lucille McLauchlan was charged as an \Jaccomplice\j, and sentenced to eight years in jail and 500 lashes, but Deborah Parry was sentenced to death for her alleged role in the murder of Yvonne Gilford, a sentence only lifted after Ms. Gilford's brother Frank was persuaded to accept "blood money". \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
According to a sugar industry \Jdrought\j assistance and crop rehabilitation report, \JFiji\j's cane growers could lose $F72 million this year as a result of a four-month \Jdrought\j. The report estimates that the State-owned \JFiji\j Sugar Corporation also stands to lose as much as $F31.2 million, a loss which would seriously affect its financial results for 1998. \I(\JFiji\j)\i
The \JBangladesh\j Government orders the evacuation of millions of residents of coastal towns and villages in the path of a huge \Jcyclone\j. Some 35,000 volunteers are mobilized to get people out of the affected southeastern areas, which include a number of offshore islands. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Former Japanese prime minister, Sosuke Uno, dies of lung cancer at the age of 75. Mr. Uno held Japan's top office for only 69 days, stepping down in 1989 amid allegations that he engaged in sexual relationships with geisha girls. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a ceremony in Geneva to mark the 50th anniversary of the World Trade Organization, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, launches the "millennium challenge" for global \Jfree trade\j with an appeal for the needs and fears of developing countries to be taken into account. Mr. Blair also announces that Britain will contribute ú10 million for technical assistance to help poor countries prepare for liberalization, at the same time urging other member countries to agree to zero tariffs on exports from the least-developed nations. The British leader's call to keep markets open and fair provides a stark contrast to the goals earlier expressed by United States President, Bill Clinton, who called for a huge acceleration in worldwide \Jfree trade\j but failed to address the concerns of the Third World. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, UK, USA)\i
India's ambassador to the United States says his country wants to engage as soon as possible with the international community in order to reach a position where it might assume substantive undertakings contained in the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which it has previously refused to sign. Ambassador Naresh Chandra quite clearly signals, however, that certain aspects of the pact are unacceptable and that India would expect changes to be made. India provoked international outrage last week when it broke a 25-year moratorium to conduct five underground nuclear tests. \I(India, USA)\i
China dismisses as "sheer fabrication" reports that it contributed campaign funds to the Democratic Party of United States President, Bill Clinton, in 1996. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhu Bangzao, strongly denies that China tried to influence political affairs in the US, claiming that the allegations are an attempt to obstruct and damage future improvements in Sino-US relations. The \JWhite House\j has also denied any connection between the reported contributions and its subsequent decision to allow US companies to launch their satellites on Chinese rockets. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States Federal Reserve again decides to leave key interest rates unchanged, a decision widely expected by financial markets, which register little reaction to the news. The rate announcement comes against a backdrop of strong growth, subdued \Jinflation\j, and falling unemployment, with policy-makers still prepared to wait for clearer evidence of economic overheating and any impact from Asia's financial crisis. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Interpol launches a manhunt for one of the world's most powerful drug cartel bosses, who was "accidentally" released by the Italian authorities on May 6 and vanished without trace before a new arrest warrant could be served. Pasquale Cuntrera, 63, was arrested in Venezuela in 1992 and extradited to \JItaly\j, where he received a 21-year prison sentence for heading what was described as the most important holding company of Cosa Nostra, including control of lucrative transatlantic heroin and \Jcocaine\j smuggling. \I(\JItaly\j, Venezuela)\i
A study sponsored by the World Health Organization finds that smoking may significantly reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women who have a rare genetic \Jmutation\j that can lead to the disease. After surveying more than 300 women in the United States and Canada with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, researchers were forced to concede that the most striking factor linking high-risk women who have not developed breast cancer was smoking, considered to be one of the major causes of lung cancer and \Jheart disease\j. \I(USA, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At a ceremony in Geneva to mark the 50th anniversary of the World Trade Organization, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, launches the "millennium challenge" for global \Jfree trade\j with an appeal for the needs and fears of developing countries to be taken into account. Mr. Blair also announces that Britain will contribute ú10 million for technical assistance to help poor countries prepare for liberalization, at the same time urging other member countries to agree to zero tariffs on exports from the least-developed nations. The British leader's call to keep markets open and fair provides a stark contrast to the goals earlier expressed by United States President, Bill Clinton, who called for a huge acceleration in worldwide \Jfree trade\j but failed to address the concerns of the Third World. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, UK, USA)\i
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, fails to persuade Turkey to attend a meeting with the European Union next week, dealing a blow to hopes for a new start after \JAnkara\j suspended relations last December. Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, insists that \JAnkara\j has no intention of resuming a political dialogue with the EU, citing the bloc's discrimination in relegating Turkey to the back of the queue of EU applicants. \I(UK, Turkey, Europe)\i
Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, chooses Montenegrin opposition leader, Momir Bulatovic, as new federal prime minister, a move fiercely denounced by the Montenegrin republican parliament. Of particular concern to \JMontenegro\j's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists is the unfair advantage that will be given to Mr. Bulatovic in the republic's parliamentary elections in May, when his Socialist People's Party will be the main challenger to President Milo Djukanovic, a sworn foe of President Milosevic. Yugoslavia is composed only of \JSerbia\j and \JMontenegro\j, and under the Yugoslav system, \JSerbia\j and \JMontenegro\j each have republican governments and parliaments which are subordinate to federal authorities in \JBelgrade\j. \I(Yugoslavia, \JMontenegro\j, \JSerbia\j)\i
The French National Assembly passes a controversial bill that will reduce the working week from 39 hours to 35 hours, a move designed to ease the country's crippling unemployment, which currently hovers at around 12 per cent. Under the terms of the legislation, all firms with more than 20 employees must introduce the 35-hour week by 2000, while firms with fewer than 20 workers will be allowed until 2002 to implement the measure. Subsidies will be received by all companies who reduce hours and hire more staff ahead of the stated deadlines. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission receives an extension of three months to report on its inquiry into the murky secrets of the country's \Japartheid\j past. To date, the commission, headed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has heard from some 21,000 people alleging gross human rights violations during the \Japartheid\j era. \I(South Africa)\i
Thieves penetrate the armory of a South African military base, escaping with nearly 100 assault rifles, 60mm mortars, and light machine guns. Defense Minister, Joe Modise, describes the theft as extremely serious, adding that large quantities of arms have been disappearing from military bases throughout the country, sparking concerns that they are being stockpiled by a "third force" plotting to destabilize next year's general election. \I(South Africa)\i
Zimbabwe's 5,300 \Jtobacco\j growers withhold their leaf as part of a week-long protest over low prices, which have slumped 45 per cent in the past year, leaving the industry on the brink of collapse. As Zimbabwe's largest export commodity, \Jtobacco\j is acknowledged as the cornerstone of its economy, but growers are currently receiving only $US1.27 a kilo for their leaf, far less than the $US1.90 they say they need to break even, a situation that will force many \Jtobacco\j growers out of business. \I(Zimbabwe)\i
Interpol launches a manhunt for one of the world's most powerful drug cartel bosses, who was "accidentally" released by the Italian authorities on May 6 and vanished without trace before a new arrest warrant could be served. Pasquale Cuntera, 63, was arrested in Venezuela in 1992 and extradited to \JItaly\j, where he received a 21-year prison sentence for heading what was described as the most important holding company of Cosa Nostra, including control of lucrative transatlantic heroin and \Jcocaine\j smuggling. \I(\JItaly\j, Venezuela)\i
The British Foreign Office confirms that two British nurses jailed in Saudi \JArabia\j for the murder of an Australian colleague in 1996 have been granted a pardon by King Fahd, and are expected to return home within days. Lucille McLauchlan was charged as an \Jaccomplice\j, and sentenced to eight years in jail and 500 lashes, but Deborah Parry was sentenced to death for her alleged role in the murder of Yvonne Gilford, a sentence only lifted after Ms. Gilford's brother Frank was persuaded to accept "blood money". \I(UK, Saudi \JArabia\j, Australia)\i
#
"May 20, 1998",868,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Nearly half a million Indonesians take to the streets of Yogyakarta in the city's largest ever protest against President Soeharto's rule, but opposition leaders are forced to call off a massive "people power" rally in Jakarta when 40,000 troops and police, backed by tanks, seal off the city center. Tens of thousands of students nevertheless bypass the military roadblocks and converge on the Parliament building to continue their demands that President Soeharto step down. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Parliament and the leaders of its four factions issue an ultimatum to President Soeharto, saying that if he fails to resign by tomorrow, they will demand a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly to withdraw his mandate. \I(Indonesia)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says a $US1 billion disbursement to \JIndonesia\j planned for June 4 will be delayed due to the country's political and social turmoil. The disbursement is part of a $US10.1 billion IMF package to rescue \JIndonesia\j from the effects of a collapsing currency and economic chaos, but an IMF mission to assess the country's compliance with the prescribed economic reform program has had to be canceled in the face of escalating violence. Earlier, the World Bank likewise revealed that it is postponing $US1.2 billion in loans to \JIndonesia\j until the political situation is clarified. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
India's Hindu nationalist-led government steps up its \Jrhetoric\j over the disputed territory of Kashmir, reminding \JPakistan\j of India's military superiority, and warning that the time has come for \JPakistan\j to stop sending mercenaries into the divided state to back the Muslim insurgency. \JPakistan\j, in turn, accuses India of becoming intoxicated by its display of might in last week's nuclear tests, interpreting New Delhi's statement as a threat to invade the Pakistani side of Kashmir and declaring Pakistan's ability to defend itself. The war of words comes as the world waits to see if Pakistan will conduct a nuclear test of its own, an act that could further destabilize the volatile region. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
India's ambassador to China is called back for consultations over the cooling of bilateral relations following India's five underground nuclear tests last week. Since then, China has taken issue with a number of Indian claims, refuting reported remarks that China is as great a threat to Indian security as \JPakistan\j, and engaging in arguments and counter-arguments as to whether China or India was the aggressor in their 1962 war. \I(India, China, \JPakistan\j)\i
An expedition led by oceanographer Robert Ballard, who discovered the \ITitanic\i in 1985, locates the wreck of the American carrier \IYorktown\i at a depth of 16,650 feet in the \JPacific Ocean\j about 1,250 miles west-northwest of \JHonolulu\j. The \IYorktown,\i which weighed 19,800 tonnes and carried 75 \Jaircraft\j, sank after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Midway in 1942. There were 2,270 survivors. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Fans give entertainer Frank Sinatra a final standing ovation as his \Jgardenia\j-draped coffin is carried from the Good Shepherd \JCatholic Church\j in Beverly Hills following an emotional two-hour funeral service. Among the 400 mourners at the invitation-only service were former first lady Nancy Reagan, singers Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Dionne Warwick, Liza Minnelli, and Wayne Newton, and actors such as Gregory Peck, Jack Lemon, Kirk Douglas, Sidney Poitier, Jack Nicholson, Robert Wagner, Sophia Loren, Angie Dickinson, and Sinatra's third wife, Mia Farrow. Later, in a private ceremony attended only by family members, including Sinatra's fourth wife and widow, Barbara, the legendary singer and actor is buried near his parents in the family plot at a cemetery outside Palm Springs. Frank Sinatra died of a heart attack on May 14 after two years of failing health. He was 82. \I(USA)\i
The United States suffers its worst communication breakdown in recent history after the five-year-old Galaxy IV \Jsatellite\j tilts away from Earth, cutting off transmission to \Jtelevision\j networks, radio, and news picture outlets, and causing a national paging outage affecting up to 45 million users across the country. Paging has become a mainstay of life in the United States, with one in every five Americans, including stockbrokers, doctors, police officers, homemakers, and teenagers, now carrying a pager or wireless phone. \I(USA)\i
The United States House Budget Committee approves a fiscal 1999 budget plan to cut spending by $US101 billion over five years to pay for the elimination of the so-called marriage penalty, under which some couples pay higher taxes than if they were single. The plan must now go before the full House for a vote. \I(USA)\i
The United States-owned Amerada Hess company discovers oil in the waters off the Falklands Islands after only two week of drilling. The speed of the discovery not only raises the prospect of an oil bonanza in the South Atlantic, but raises the question of how much of the potential profits would remain in the British dependent territory, and how much would be sent to London. \I(USA, Falklands Islands, UK)\i
An expedition led by oceanographer Robert Ballard, who discovered the \ITitanic\i in 1985, locates the wreck of the American carrier \IYorktown\i at a depth of 16,650 feet in the \JPacific Ocean\j about 1,250 miles west-northwest of \JHonolulu\j. The \IYorktown,\i which weighed 19,800 tonnes and carried 75 \Jaircraft\j, sank after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Midway in 1942. There were 2,270 survivors. \I(USA, Japan)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
On his third visit to Northern Ireland in two weeks, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, engages in a last-ditch effort to secure Protestant support at the upcoming referendum on the Anglo-Irish peace agreement, personally reaffirming pledges he has made covering the Unionist's main concerns. The latest opinion poll shows the "no" vote slightly ahead among Unionists, with the "yes" vote just starting to recover from a collapse last week after \Jtelevision\j news programs showed four Irish Republican Army prisoners being hailed as heroes at the Sinn Fein conference which endorsed the peace settlement. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
Russia's Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, calls on the State \JDuma\j to impeach President Boris Yeltsin, saying his party has 177 signatures from MPs, more than enough to begin \Jimpeachment\j proceedings. Mr. Zyuganov's call comes amid growing protests by unpaid \Jcoal\j miners, who are blockading the Trans-Siberian railway in the Kuzbass region, cutting the country in two and trapping about 100 trains. Many of the protesting miners are putting a demand for Mr. Yeltsin to resign ahead of their demand to be paid. \I(Russia)\i
The United States-owned Amerada Hess company discovers oil in the waters off the Falklands Islands after only two week of drilling. The speed of the discovery not only raises the prospect of an oil bonanza in the South Atlantic, but raises the question of how much of the potential profits would remain in the British dependent territory, and how much would be sent to London. \I(USA, Falklands Islands, UK)\i
Two paintings by Vincent Van Gogh and one by Paul Cezanne are stolen from the National Gallery of Modern Art in \JRome\j. Museum officials report that three masked gunmen bound and gagged three female guards and locked them in a toilet before making off with the three works, which the officials say are beyond price. The Italian news agency ADN Kronos later receives an anonymous call suggesting a political motive for the theft. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"May 21, 1998",869,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Under intense pressure from both the people and his own political regime, \JIndonesia\j's President Soeharto appears on state \Jtelevision\j to announce that he is resigning from office immediately, dramatically ending 32 years as leader of the world's fourth most-populous nation. Mr. Soeharto officially hands over the presidency to his long-time friend and ally, Vice President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, 61, who is later sworn in at a brief ceremony. Following the ceremony, armed forces commander, General Wiranto, endorses the transfer of power, calls for national calm, and vows to continue to protect the safety and the honor of Mr. Soeharto and his family. The resignation of Mr. Soeharto is a stunning victory for \JIndonesia\j's student population, who initiated the push to force the veteran leader from office. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises Indonesian President Soeharto's resignation as a "wise decision", and expresses the hope that the country's leaders will now move swiftly toward the comprehensive political and economic reforms demanded by the people of Indonesia. Mr. Clinton, however, makes no immediate comment on the accession of former Vice President, Jusuf Habibie, whose political survival and commitment to reform have yet to be tested. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
The United States Congress votes to ban exports of satellites and missile technology to China. The move comes amid claims that the \JWhite House\j relaxed standards for satellite exports to China in exchange for a 1996 $US100,000 campaign donation alleged to have come from China's People's Liberation Army via Democratic Party fundraiser, Johnny Chung. The \JWhite House\j has denied the claims, and dismisses the latest action of Congress as a "knee-jerk reaction" to headlines rather than a thoughtful assessment of foreign policy. \I(USA, China)\i
South Korea's biggest car-maker, Hyundai Motors, announces plans to cut its 30,000-strong workforce by 8,200, saying that falling sales have left it with a surplus of 15,000 workers, and while the company can carry 6,800 of these by reducing hours and wages, the remainder will have to leave. The announcement triggers a sit-down protest by workers at Hyundai's headquarters in Ulsan, as well as warnings from the car union that it will fight the lay-offs, which are required under the International Monetary Fund's $US58 billion bail-out package for South Korea. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The final \Jday\j of campaigning before the referendum on the future of Northern Ireland sees a flurry of activity on both sides. Most of the attention is focused on Northern Ireland, where Protestant Unionists are deeply split over the \JGood Friday\j peace agreement, and strong majority support is essential to ensure that the new deal works. In a televised message, United States President, Bill Clinton, adds his weight to the "yes" campaign, urging voters to "turn tragedy into triumph", and pledging US investment and trade if they succeed. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises Indonesian President Soeharto's resignation as a "wise decision", and expresses the hope that the country's leaders will now move swiftly toward the comprehensive political and economic reforms demanded by the people of Indonesia. Mr. Clinton, however, makes no immediate comment on the accession of former Vice President, Jusuf Habibie, whose political survival and commitment to reform have yet to be tested. \I(USA, Indonesia)\i
The United States Congress votes to ban exports of satellites and missile technology to China. The move comes amid claims that the \JWhite House\j relaxed standards for satellite exports to China in exchange for a 1996 $US100,000 campaign donation alleged to have come from China's People's Liberation Army via Democratic Party fundraiser, Johnny Chung. The \JWhite House\j has denied the claims, and dismisses the latest action of Congress as a "knee-jerk reaction" to headlines rather than a thoughtful assessment of foreign policy. \I(USA, China)\i
A 15-year-old boy, suspended only yesterday for bringing a gun to school, opens fire with a rifle in a school cafeteria in Springfield, Oregon, killing at least one student and injuring 23 before being wrestled to the ground by classmates and taken into custody. Later, two bodies believed to be those of the boy's parents are found in his home. Authorities say Kipland Kinkel will be tried as an adult under Oregon law, but will be spared a possible death sentence because of his age. The attack is the seventh in a spate of campus shootings throughout the United States since last October. At least 16 students have died in the attacks and more than 40 have been wounded. \I(USA)\i
Three people are hospitalized with respiratory problems after five Miami area \Jabortion\j clinics are sprayed with corrosive acid in the second wave of such attacks within a week. No group has claimed responsibility for the assaults, the latest of which comes one \Jday\j after \JFlorida\j Governor Lawton Chiles vetoed legislation that would have allowed the state to sell an anti-\Jabortion\j license plate bearing the motto: "Choose Life." \I(USA)\i
A Continental Airlines DC-10 on a flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii hits clear air turbulence over the \JPacific Ocean\j, an experience described by one of the 285 passengers as "an \Jearthquake\j at 35,000 feet". Two passengers and a male flight attendant are seriously injured during the turbulence, while two flight attendants and another two passengers suffer slight injuries. \I(USA)\i
Guatemala City is showered with gray grit when the nearby Pacaya \Jvolcano\j spews ash and sand more than 1,800 meters into the air. Authorities declare an alert for towns around the 2,552-meter \Jvolcano\j and also prepare for possible evacuations. \I(Guatemala)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The final \Jday\j of campaigning before the referendum on the future of Northern Ireland sees a flurry of activity on both sides. Most of the attention is focused on Northern Ireland, where Protestant Unionists are deeply split over the \JGood Friday\j peace agreement, and strong majority support is essential to ensure that the new deal works. In a televised message, United States President, Bill Clinton, adds his weight to the "yes" campaign, urging voters to "turn tragedy into triumph", and pledging US investment and trade if they succeed. \I(Northern Ireland, USA)\i
Israeli Air Force warplanes attack Hezbollah targets near eastern \JLebanon\j's Bekaa Valley, raising to 43 the number of Israeli air raids into \JLebanon\j this year. The Israeli army also reports that it killed one Hezbollah guerrilla and wounded several others in south \JLebanon\j overnight. Hezbollah, which is said to be funded and backed by \JIran\j, has been waging a campaign to oust Israeli troops and the local militia allies from a self-declared security zone in south \JLebanon\j. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, \JIran\j)\i
Israel's Foreign Ministry issues a statement strongly objecting to a \JMiddle East\j peace conference proposed by \JEgypt\j and \JFrance\j, saying Israel must negotiate directly with the Palestinians, \JSyria\j, and \JLebanon\j. Israel also warns the European Union that it will be denied a role in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking if it heeds a recent call by the European Commission to boycott imports from Jewish settlements in occupied territories. EU ministers are set to discuss the matter for the first time later this month. \I(Israel, \JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j, Palestine, \JSyria\j, \JLebanon\j, Europe)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, pledges to tackle the complaints of miners, whose week-long protests over unpaid wages have paralyzed vital rail routes across the country and are starting to damage the already ailing economy, costing one Siberian aluminum smelter alone at least $US5 million a \Jday\j. Union bosses, meanwhile, deny that they are calling on people to block the rail lines, but say they are urging the miners not to return to work until they are paid. Many of the striking miners are also demanding that President Yeltsin step down. \I(Russia)\i
The \JKremlin\j is shocked when the main government building in Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, is seized and briefly occupied by a force of up to 2,000 armed supporters of Nadirshah Khachilayev, head of the Russian Union of Muslims, and his brother Magomed, who is a leader of the Lak community in the mainly Muslim republic. \I(Russia, Republic of Dagestan)\i
In Britain, the old school of the late Princess of Wales is bought for ú2.5 million by Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose son Dodi was killed with Diana in the August 1997 car crash in Paris. West Heath School closed last year due to falling enrollments, and Mr. Al-Fayed now has plans to convert it into a specialized school for traumatized children. \I(UK, \JFrance\j)\i
More than 20 people are injured when police in the Spanish capital use \Jrubber\j bullets and tear gas to battle thousands of \Jsoccer\j fans after all-night celebrations degenerate into violence. The fans were celebrating the victory of Real Madrid, which yesterday defeated \JItaly\j's Juventus 1-0 to win the European Cup for the first time in 32 years. \I(\JSpain\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"May 22, 1998",870,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's new President, Jusuf Habibie, announces his "Reform and Development Cabinet" in a nationally televised address. While retaining many of the old faces, the new Cabinet drops obvious Soeharto "cronies" and brings in several respected technocrats, but fails to meet public demands to include prominent members of the pro-reform movement, raising fears in some quarters of a new round of street protests. Students still massed at Parliament House are already voicing their opposition to the new Habibie Government, saying it represents a shift from "Soeharto senior to Soeharto junior". Meanwhile, Muslim leader Amien Rais warns President Habibie of his obligation to prepare for a new democratic general election in six to twelve months time. Mr. Habibie has so far made no reference to a timetable for elections. \I(Indonesia)\i
Officials in China's northwestern province of Gansu report that 19 people have been killed and 24 injured in floods caused by torrential rain, bringing the death toll from floods this year to 50. According to the officials, \Jwater\j has inundated five cities in the province, toppling 1, 257 houses and damaging 5,520 hectares of spring wheat and other cash crops. In neighboring Xinjiang region, meanwhile, the death toll has risen to 11, with flood waters devastating at least 2,409 hectares of land under grain, causing huge property losses, and washing away more than 400 head of \Jcattle\j. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, signs a directive to establish a special office to combat \Jterrorism\j, which will be headed by Richard Clarke of the National Security Council staff. Mr. Clinton says vaccines and \Jantibiotics\j for use against biological weapons will be stockpiled and local authorities will be trained and equipped to handle any emergency. Mr. Clinton also takes steps to shield the nation's \Jinfrastructure\j and computer systems from attack, ordering a federal review of security risks in such areas as telecommunication, banking and finance, \Jenergy\j, transportation, and government services. \I(USA)\i
In a move directed at \JRussia\j, the United States Senate overwhelming approves a tough sanctions bill on firms that sell missile technology to \JIran\j, ignoring the strong objections of President Clinton's foreign policy advisors, who say they will recommend that the bill be vetoed. In one concession to the \JWhite House\j, however, the Senate agrees that the sanctions will apply only after January 22, 1998, the date when \JRussia\j imposed new rules to control its exports of technology. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
United States District Judge, Norma Holloway Johnson, rules against the Secret Service's claim that it should be exempt from having to testify before a grand jury investigating President Bill Clinton's relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinksy. In her ruling, Judge Johnson rejects the broader argument that if Secret Service agents are compelled to give evidence received in confidence, presidents will put dangerous distance between themselves and their bodyguards, increasing the risk of assassination. \I(USA)\i
The United States Congress passes the newly-named Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, the nation's most costly highway and mass transit bill, which calls for $US167 billion to be spent on highways and $US36 billion on subways and bus programs over a period of six years. It is estimated that the program will create thousands of construction jobs, and President Clinton is expected to sign the bill into law, despite administration protests that it does not force states to lower driver blood alcohol limits from .10 per cent to a level of .08 per cent. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge sets September 8 as the trial date for the government's antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp., which is accused of using its monopoly in the operating system for personal computers to compete unfairly. While the trial date is much earlier than the software giant had sought, the judge does grant Microsoft's motion to have the actions of the Justice Department and 20 states combined into one lawsuit. Meanwhile, no attempt has been made to delay the scheduled June 25 launch of Microsoft's revised Windows 98 operating system. \I(USA)\i
Just hours after a second teenage boy dies from his injuries, 15-year-old Kipland Kinkel, who yesterday went on a shooting rampage in the crowded cafeteria of Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, attends court to face four charges of aggravated murder, including the gunshot deaths of his parents, whose bodies were found at their home. Also found at the home were two relatively sophisticated explosives equipped with timers, two pipe bombs, a hand grenade, Howitzer shell casings, and sufficient supplies of chemicals to make more explosives. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is investigating the causes of the deaths of six men who were taking the blockbuster male impotence pill, Viagra. Since it was released on the US market in April, the widely-hailed drug has been prescribed for more than a million men, mostly middle-aged, and the FDA and the maker, Pfizer, say they continue to believe that Viagra is safe and effective when used appropriately. \I(USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale strikes \JBolivia\j's central Cochabamba province, killing at least 47 people and injuring 140. Another 100 people are missing, feared buried beneath the rubble of their collapsed homes. The worst hit communities are Aiquile and Totora, two colonial towns where housing is mostly made from traditional abode (mud) bricks. The quake is the strongest to shake \JBolivia\j in a century, with tremors felt as far away as the capital, La Paz, causing alarmed residents to flee their homes. \I(\JBolivia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The people of Ireland go to the polls to vote in a crucial referendum which will determine the future of Northern Ireland and the future relations between north and south. Northern Ireland's 1.18 million eligible voters must answer "yes" or "no" as to whether they approve the historic \JGood Friday\j peace agreement, which promises an elected assembly of both Catholics and Protestants for the British-ruled province as well as cooperation with the government of the Irish Republic based in Dublin. In the Irish Republic, 2.75 million voters must decide whether they agree to change the country's 1937 constitution and drop their claim to sovereignty over Northern Ireland, a condition demanded by the province's majority Protestant Unionists. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
A three-month political deadlock ends when talks open between \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians and Serb negotiators, who finally wind up the four-hour session with an agreement to hold regular meetings to discuss security issues, confidence-building measures, and the political status of the troubled southern province. Despite the breakthrough, however, the outlawed \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, which has expanded rapidly since the crisis began, warns that it will not recognize any settlement short of independence for \JKosovo\j, where ethnic Albanians make up 90 per cent of the 1.8 million population. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
In a national radio address, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, criticizes the country's striking unpaid \Jcoal\j miners, saying their week-long protests have gone beyond a reasonable limit, and that by paralyzing the operation of the railways, they are inflicting huge losses on the economy and bringing suffering to thousands of innocent people. Mr. Yeltsin's words only harden the resolve of mining union leaders, who vow to take a tougher stand and be more uncompromising. As one leader states: "We made him president and we will topple him," a reference to union protests in the late 1980s and early 1990s that helped bring Mr. Yeltsin to power. \I(Russia)\i
In a move directed at \JRussia\j, the United States Senate overwhelming approves a tough sanctions bill on firms that sell missile technology to \JIran\j, ignoring the strong objections of President Clinton's foreign policy advisors, who say they will recommend that the bill be vetoed. In one concession to the \JWhite House\j, however, the Senate agrees that the sanctions will apply only after January 22, 1998, the date when \JRussia\j imposed new rules to control its exports of technology. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JIran\j)\i
At least 14 people are killed and 33 are wounded when a home-made bomb explodes in a crowded open-air market in a suburb of the Algerian capital. It is the second bombing in the district in 48 hours, and officials in \JAlgiers\j are blaming Muslim fundamentalists for both attacks. \I(Algeria)\i
Turkish naval commando teams board boats to rescue residents of the \JBlack Sea\j town of Bartin, 80 per cent of which is covered by flood waters reaching depths of more than three feet in many places. At least 14 people have now died, and there has been widespread damage to \Jinfrastructure\j and agriculture in nationwide floods brought about by the heaviest seasonal rains for 60 years. \I(Turkey)\i
#
"May 23, 1998",871,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's fragile economic and political situation heads the agenda at the fifth annual meeting of finance ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Alberta, Canada. While the ministers signal cautious support for the new Jakarta administration, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Michel Camdessus, warns against any hasty moves, saying key parts of the fund's economic reform program will need to be renegotiated with the new Government of President Jusuf Habibie. United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, strongly supports the IMF's approach, maintaining that it would be premature to resume economic aid to the troubled nation. \I(Indonesia, Canada, USA, Asia-Pacific)\i
In a peaceful pre-dawn operation, Indonesian troops evict about 5,000 student protesters who have been massed for days at the parliament building in the capital, Jakarta. As they are escorted to waiting buses, the students sing the national anthem and shout slogans against the country's new President, Jusuf Habibie. Troops later seal off the parliament building, ready to stop any further demonstrations against Mr. Habibie and his government. \I(Indonesia)\i
The chairman of the United States Senate Governmental Affairs Committee calls on President Bill Clinton to reconsider his scheduled June 24 trip to China. The committee is currently investigating whether Mr. Clinton's decision to allow Loral Space and Communications Ltd. to launch satellites in China was related to campaign donations from Loral Chairman, Bernard Schwartz. At the time of the decision, Loral was under investigation by the US Justice Department over a possible technology transfer to China. Mr. Clinton is also facing allegations that he relaxed export controls on the transfer of satellite technology to \JBeijing\j in return for illegal Chinese contributions to his 1996 reelection campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, accuses India's Hindu nationalist leadership of trying to impose a military solution to the dispute over Kashmir, two-thirds of which is ruled by India and the remainder by Pakistan. Mr. Sharif has previously vowed to improve relations with India and seek a settlement of the Kashmir issue, the cause of two wars between the neighbors, but now says New Delhi has spurned his peace initiative and responded with atomic tests. In an ominous \Jlinkage\j between friction over Kashmir and nuclear testing, Mr. Sharif insists that any misadventure will be met with a resolute Pakistani response. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Indonesia's fragile economic and political situation heads the agenda at the fifth annual meeting of finance ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Alberta, Canada. While the ministers signal cautious support for the new Jakarta administration, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Michel Camdessus, warns against any hasty moves, saying key parts of the fund's economic reform program will need to be renegotiated with the new Government of President Jusuf Habibie. United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, strongly supports the IMF's approach, maintaining that it would be premature to resume economic aid to the troubled nation. \I(Indonesia, Canada, USA, Asia-Pacific)\i
The chairman of the United States Senate Governmental Affairs Committee calls on President Bill Clinton to reconsider his scheduled June 24 trip to China. The committee is currently investigating whether Mr. Clinton's decision to allow Loral Space and Communications Ltd. to launch satellites in China was related to campaign donations from Loral Chairman, Bernard Schwartz. At the time of the decision, Loral was under investigation by the US Justice Department over a possible technology transfer to China. Mr. Clinton is also facing allegations that he relaxed export controls on the transfer of satellite technology to \JBeijing\j in return for illegal Chinese contributions to his 1996 reelection campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
At a meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentine President Carlos Menem, and United States Defense Secretary William Cohen, agree that their countries will share intelligence information and work more closely in the future to combat the "scourge" of international \Jterrorism\j. This month, a major diplomatic row erupted between Buenos Aires and Tehran over two deadly anti-Jewish bombings in 1992 and 1994, which Argentine authorities have blamed on Iranian-backed extremists. \I(Argentina, USA, Iran)\i
The death toll from yesterday's \Jearthquake\j in central \JBolivia\j rises to 67 as rescue workers continue their painstaking search for survivors. Rescue operations have been hampered by biting overnight temperatures of 0 degrees \JCelsius\j as well as a number of aftershocks, including one measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale. Meanwhile, President Hugo Banzer declares Aiquile and Totora disaster zones, and says the government will provide an initial $US6 million in aid money from a fund originally earmarked for problems related to the El Ni±o \Jweather\j phenomenon. \I(\JBolivia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The people of Ireland celebrate an overwhelming vote for peace across the whole island in yesterday's referendum. In Northern Ireland, a majority of 71.12 per cent backed the \JGood Friday\j peace accord, while results from a parallel vote in the Irish Republic showed 95 per cent in favor. Politicians in Northern Ireland must now begin another campaign, this time for election on June 25 to a new Northern Ireland Assembly, whose members will gradually take over responsibilities from the British Government in all areas except security and prison policies. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, sparks an outcry when he tells a group of diplomats that the \JMiddle East\j peace process collapsed two months before he came to power in May 1996, and that he has since been doing his utmost to revive it. Among those to voice their outrage are former Israeli prime minister and leading architect of the peace accord, Shimon Peres, Opposition Labour Party leader, Ehud Barak, and Tel Aviv Mayor, Roni Milo, who accuse Mr. Netanyahu of destroying the negotiations with the Palestinians and thereby endangering Israel's future. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
At a meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentine President, Carlos Menem, and United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, agree that their countries will share intelligence information and work more closely in the future to combat the "scourge" of international \Jterrorism\j. This month, a major diplomatic row erupted between Buenos Aires and Tehran over two deadly anti-Jewish bombings in 1992 and 1994, which Argentine authorities have blamed on Iranian-backed extremists. \I(Argentina, USA, Iran)\i
#
"May 24, 1998",872,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Divisions appear within the new Indonesian Government when Economics Minister, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, warns that the recovery of the devastated economy depends on political reforms and calls for new elections as soon as possible, and Interior Minister, Syarwan Hamid, expresses the hope that the new Cabinet will serve out the term of former President Soeharto, which runs until 2003. Student protesters, meanwhile, are already beginning their push for fresh general elections, as well as a repeal of laws that give the armed forces a political role and restrict political participation. The uprising of the past two weeks has greatly raised public expectations for change, and President Habibie's Cabinet is regarded by opposition groups as merely a transition administration whose task is to deliver the reforms necessary to open up the political system. \I(Indonesia)\i
White House National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, refutes claims that a presidential waiver allowing Loral Space and Communications to launch a \Jsatellite\j on a Chinese rocket compromised United States security, pointing out that Loral has received 16 previous waivers from Republican and Democratic administrations. Mr. Berger says the request was regarded as routine, and its approval quite unrelated to Democratic Party campaign contributions by Loral Chairman, Bernard Schwartz. Mr. Berger's statement comes amid a rising clamor for President Bill Clinton to postpone his planned trip to China next month. Mr. Clinton is also facing allegations that the Chinese military funneled illegal donations to his 1996 reelection campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
Voters brave torrential rain and complex electoral rules to turn out in record numbers for the first elections in Hong Kong since the handover to China on July 1, 1997. However, only 20 of the 60 seats in the territory's Legislative Council are to be directly elected, with 30 seats to be elected by small blocs of voters drawn from industrial and professional groups, and the remaining ten seats to be allocated by a special 800-member pro-\JBeijing\j election committee. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
In the Indian capital, New Delhi, fifteen people die as a result of a heatwave that has already killed 134 people nationwide since May 12, with temperatures hovering around 48 degrees \JCelsius\j in many parts of the country. In the capital, the mercury hits 46 degrees \JCelsius\j, the hottest May \Jday\j for four years. \I(India)\i
Recently retired sumo wrestler, Salevaa Atisanoe, 34, known to the public as Konishiki, announces plans to trim 223 pounds from his 43-stone bulk to improve his chances of a long retirement. The average life-span for sumo wrestlers who eat to win is 56 years, and at his peak fighting weight, Konishiki carried 100 pounds more than his heaviest rival. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
White House National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, refutes claims that a presidential waiver allowing Loral Space and Communications to launch a \Jsatellite\j on a Chinese rocket compromised United States security, pointing out that Loral has received 16 previous waivers from Republican and Democratic administrations. Mr. Berger says the request was regarded as routine, and its approval quite unrelated to Democratic Party campaign contributions by Loral Chairman, Bernard Schwartz. Mr. Berger's statement comes amid a rising clamor for President Bill Clinton to postpone his planned trip to China next month. Mr. Clinton is also facing allegations that the Chinese military funneled illegal donations to his 1996 reelection campaign. \I(USA, China)\i
Troops are placed on high alert as Israel marks the annexation of Arab East \JJerusalem\j, captured from Jordan in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j war. At a "\JJerusalem\j Day" ceremony attended by United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, and other US lawmakers, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declares: "\JJerusalem\j will remain ours forever." Israel regards East \JJerusalem\j as part of the Jewish state's "eternal and united" capital; Palestinians, on the other hand, have never recognized Israel's annexation of East \JJerusalem\j, and view the city as the capital of their own future state. \I(Israel, Jordan, Palestine, USA)\i
Argentine President, Carlos Menem, declares that he will assert his country's claim of sovereignty over the Falklands Islands when he visits Britain in November, the first visit by an Argentine President since the 1982 Falklands conflict. President Menem adds that he will also seek $US600 million a year in taxes levied from oil and gas companies exploring the waters around the islands, which Buenos Aires calls the Malvinas. Britain does not accept Argentina's claims of sovereignty, nor its right to taxes. \I(Argentina, UK, Falklands Islands)\i
An explosion rips through the First Assembly of God Church in Danville, Illinois, where some 300 people are gathered for a midmorning service. No-one is killed, but 33 people, many of them teenagers, are injured in the blast, which authorities say was caused by an explosive device placed against the outside of the church wall. \I(USA)\i
At Fort Worth, \JTexas\j, American golfer Tom Watson closes with a two-stroke lead to claim his first win since 1996, and only his second US PGA Tour victory since 1987. In women's golf, American Tammie Green cards a 72-hole total of 20-under 268 to take the Corning Classic in New York and smash the tournament record by four strokes, while in Frisco, \JTexas\j, Britain's Laura Davies emerges as the big winner of the US LPGA Skins Game, collecting a total of $US270,000 for the two-\Jday\j event. Davies is the all-time leading money winner in the Skin's Game with $US890,000. \I(USA, UK)\i
American Eddie Cheever wins the 82nd \JIndianapolis\j 500 by 3.1 seconds, his second major triumph after ten winless years in Formula One and nine IndyCar seasons. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Troops are placed on high alert as Israel marks the annexation of Arab East \JJerusalem\j, captured from Jordan in the 1967 \JMiddle East\j war. At a "\JJerusalem\j Day" ceremony attended by United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, and other US lawmakers, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declares: "\JJerusalem\j will remain ours forever." Israel regards East \JJerusalem\j as part of the Jewish state's "eternal and united" capital; Palestinians, on the other hand, have never recognized Israel's annexation of East \JJerusalem\j, and view the city as the capital of their own future state. \I(Israel, Jordan, Palestine, USA)\i
Voters go to the polls amid tight security in phase one of \JLebanon\j's first local elections in 35 years. The elections come amid lingering animosities from the 1975-90 \Jcivil war\j, which pitted mostly Muslims against Christians, and it is expected that there could be increased political tensions between the country's sects. \I(\JLebanon\j)\i
A dramatic swing to the Right by Hungarian voters leaves 35-year-old Viktor Orban poised to become the country's youngest prime minister this century. Final unofficial results give Mr. Orban's Fidesz party 148 seats in the 386-seat parliament, short of the 194 needed for a governing majority, but comfortably ahead of the 134 seats for Prime Minister Gyula Horn's ex-communist Socialists, who have run \JHungary\j for the past four years. Fidesz has not yet divulged its intentions for coalition partners. \I(\JHungary\j)\i
Striking Russian \Jcoal\j miners agree to end their blockades of the vital Trans-Siberian railway when the government promises to pay their wage arrears and help find new jobs. The miners have been striking for two weeks, during which time more than 600 trains have been stranded. \I(Russia)\i
Spanish and Italian authorities capture a convicted Sicilian Mafia boss whose disappearance last week after his "accidental" release from an Italian prison sparked outrage. Pasquale Cuntrera, 63, is apprehended near Malaga, in \JSpain\j. \I(\JSpain\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Egypt executes two brothers who pleaded guilty to killing nine German tourists and an Egyptian bus driver in an attack in \JCairo\j on September 18, 1997. Saber el-Ulla and his brother Mahmoud are hanged at dawn in the capital's Istinaf prison. \I(Egypt, \JGermany\j)\i
Argentine President, Carlos Menem, declares that he will assert his country's claim of sovereignty over the Falklands Islands when he visits Britain in November, the first visit by an Argentine President since the 1982 Falklands conflict. President Menem adds that he will also seek $US600 million a year in taxes levied from oil and gas companies exploring the waters around the islands, which Buenos Aires calls the Malvinas. Britain does not accept Argentina's claims of sovereignty, nor its right to taxes. \I(Argentina, UK, Falklands Islands)\i
At the 51st \JCannes\j film festival, the Golden Palm for best film is awarded to Greek director Theo Angelopoulos' \IEternity and a Day.\i Britain's Peter Mullan is voted best actor for his performance in \IMy Name is Joe,\i while the award for best actress is shared by \JFrance\j's Elodie Bouchez and \JBelgium\j's Natacha Regnier for their roles in \IThe Dreamed Life of Angels.\i \I(\JFrance\j, \JGreece\j, UK, \JBelgium\j)\i
At Fort Worth, \JTexas\j, American golfer Tom Watson closes with a two-stroke lead to claim his first win since 1996, and only his second US PGA Tour victory since 1987. In women's golf, American Tammie Green cards a 72-hole total of 20-under 268 to take the Corning Classic in New York and smash the tournament record by four strokes, while in Frisco, \JTexas\j, Britain's Laura Davies emerges as the big winner of the US LPGA Skins Game, collecting a total of $US270,000 for the two-\Jday\j event. Davies is the all-time leading money winner in the Skin's Game with $US890,000. \I(USA, UK)\i
McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen of \JFinland\j achieves an all-the-way win in the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at Monte Carlo, a victory that takes him to 46 points on the drivers' championship table, 17 points clear of his nearest rival and teammate, Briton, David Coulthard. \I(\JFrance\j, \JFinland\j, UK)\i
#
"May 25, 1998",873,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Early counting in Hong Kong's first elections under Chinese rule indicates that the territory's top pro-democracy politicians, ousted from the Legislative Council by \JBeijing\j last July, will win back 14 of the 20 directly elected seats. Democratic Party chairman, Martin Lee, takes more than 50 per cent of the vote in his electorate, while his party looks set to regain nine of the 11 seats it won in the 1995 elections. Other prominent democracy advocates who are poised to resume their old seats are Emily Lau of the Frontier group and Christine Loh of the Citizens party. Although the pro-democracy camp will be a minority in the 60-seat legislature, it has vowed to raise a strong opposition voice. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
The United States marks Memorial Day, the annual \Jday\j of remembrance for the nation's war dead. During the traditional Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, President Bill Clinton lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, whose stone represents the many unknown soldiers missing in action. To this \Jday\j, some 2,100 US soldiers from the Vietnam War and 8,000 from the Korean War remain unaccounted for. \I(USA, Vietnam, The Koreas)\i
North Korea returns the remains of what are believed to be two United States soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. The repatriation ceremony had been scheduled for May 15, but it was boycotted by North Korean officials who accused the US of trying to politicize the event. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
The European Union adds its collective voice to the outrage over India's five nuclear tests, issuing a statement strongly condemning the underground nuclear tests on May 11 and May 13, and threatening to hinder loans and stop trade privileges unless New Delhi signs international treaties outlawing nuclear explosions. \I(Europe, India)\i
Three armed hijackers, who nine hours earlier seized a \JPakistan\j International Airlines plane carrying 33 passengers and crew, are captured after a brief shootout at the Hyderabad airport in the southern province of Sindh. The three Pakistani hijackers, who were opposing possible nuclear tests in their native province of \JBaluchistan\j, were demanding to be flown to India, but India refused permission for the plane to enter its airspace. In contrast to pro-nuclear rallies by religious and political parties elsewhere in Pakistan, Baluch nationalist groups have been staging protests against any nuclear explosions in response to India's tests two weeks ago. \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
In a gesture of reconciliation, new Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, grants amnesty to two prominent political prisoners: former MP Sri Bingtang Pamungkas, and labor activist Muchtar Pakpahan. Dr. Habibie also moves to pare back the business empires of former president Soeharto's family and friends, with several lucrative contracts already under review. As demanded by the student population and opposition groups, Dr. Habibie promises to revise restrictive political laws to pave the way for new elections as soon as possible. Under the Soeharto Government, only three political parties were allowed to contest elections after first having their candidates vetted by the government, including the 425 candidates permitted to join the 1,000-member People's Consultative Assembly responsible for choosing the president and vice president every five years. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesia's Defense Minister and military commander, General Wiranto, says eight soldiers are suspected of involvement in the shooting deaths of four students during the May 12 demonstrations in Jakarta, and that six officers are suspected of encouraging the incident through unprocedural and undisciplined actions. General Wiranto vows that when the final results of the extensive investigation into the Trisakti University killings are obtained, the culprits will be immediately processed according to the law. \I(Indonesia)\i
Opposition sources in \JMyanmar\j say the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has detained at least 16 National League for Democracy (NLD) party members in an attempt to thwart a planned gathering to commemorate the party's 1990 polls victory, which was not recognized by the military at the time. Last year, the ruling junta detained hundreds of party members nationwide when the NLD, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, tried to hold a similar gathering. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
\BThe Americas\b
Responding to United States plans to reduce its forces in the Persian Gulf, \JIraq\j insists that there is no justification for the US military presence in the region and that all forces should be removed. Yesterday, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announced plans to reduce US personnel in the Gulf region by around 50 per cent, a decision prompted by the lessening of tensions following \JBaghdad\j's agreement to allow United Nations arms inspectors to resume unhindered searches for biological and chemical weapons. Despite the US decision, Britain says it has no plans to reduce its military presence in the area. During the standoff over weapons inspections earlier this year, Britain staunchly backed US threats to take military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, concedes that Israel will eventually have no choice but to agree to a "double-digit" handover of West Bank land to the Palestinians. While it is the first time that Mr. Mordechai has publicly envisaged a handover beyond the 9 per cent already offered by Israel, he stops short of accepting the 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal proposed by the United States and accepted in principle by the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United States marks Memorial Day, the annual \Jday\j of remembrance for the nation's war dead. During the traditional Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, President Bill Clinton lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, whose stone represents the many unknown soldiers missing in action. To this \Jday\j, some 2,100 US soldiers from the Vietnam War and 8,000 from the Korean War remain unaccounted for. \I(USA, Vietnam, The Koreas)\i
North Korea returns the remains of what are believed to be two United States soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. The repatriation ceremony had been scheduled for May 15, but it was boycotted by North Korean officials who accused the US of trying to politicize the event. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Responding to United States plans to reduce its forces in the Persian Gulf, \JIraq\j insists that there is no justification for the US military presence in the region and that all forces should be removed. Yesterday, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announced plans to reduce US personnel in the Gulf region by around 50 per cent, a decision prompted by the lessening of tensions following \JBaghdad\j's agreement to allow United Nations arms inspectors to resume unhindered searches for biological and chemical weapons. Despite the US decision, Britain says it has no plans to reduce its military presence in the area. During the standoff over weapons inspections earlier this year, Britain staunchly backed US threats to take military action against \JIraq\j. \I(USA, \JIraq\j, UK)\i
Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, concedes that Israel will eventually have no choice but to agree to a "double-digit" handover of West Bank land to the Palestinians. While it is the first time that Mr. Mordechai has publicly envisaged a handover beyond the 9 per cent already offered by Israel, he stops short of accepting the 13 per cent Israeli withdrawal proposed by the United States and accepted in principle by the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The European Union adds its collective voice to the outrage over India's five nuclear tests, issuing a statement strongly condemning the underground nuclear tests on May 11 and May 13, and threatening to hinder loans and stop trade privileges unless New Delhi signs international treaties outlawing nuclear explosions. \I(Europe, India)\i
A sweeping study sanctioned by the Swiss Government finds that \JSwitzerland\j's central bank knew much of the gold it bought from Nazi \JGermany\j was stolen from the central banks of occupied nations. The study confirms earlier findings that \JSwitzerland\j was the leading center of German gold transactions abroad during World War II, and that the Swiss National Bank (SNB) was the biggest client, buying gold worth more than $US2.5 billion at today's prices. Although the study says SNB managers were aware by 1941 that Jews and other persecuted groups were being robbed, and were aware by 1943 of the systematic extermination of these groups, it finds no direct evidence that SNB managers knew the gold they bought included loot from \JHolocaust\j victims. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Amid reports of heavy armor on the move in the separatist region of Abkhazia, Georgia cancels a military parade to mark National Day in the capital, Tbilisi. The cancellation of the parade raises fears that recent clashes between the Abkhazians and Georgian loyalists will spread into a wider conflict, dragging Georgian forces and Russian troops into a repeat of the 1992-93 \Jcivil war\j, in which some 10,000 people lost their lives. \I(Georgia, Abkhazia, Russia)\i
A leading environmental group calls on the French Government to ban the incineration of rubbish after laboratory tests find high levels of \Jdioxin\j contamination in meat bought from five Paris supermarkets. Earlier this year, health inspectors ordered the closure of three incinerators in northern \JFrance\j when high levels of \Jdioxin\j were found in dairy cows. However, \JFrance\j still has some 300 rubbish-burning plants, the highest concentration in Europe. \I(\JFrance\j, Europe)\i
Egypt's newly-restored Sphinx is formally reopened in a lavish two-hour ceremony replete with a sound and light show. Egyptian archaeologist and architects have spent almost ten years and $US3 million repairing the ravages of erosion and rising damp to the 4,600-year-old man-lion structure. \I(Egypt)\i
#
"May 26, 1998",874,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States intelligence officials report that \JPakistan\j has accelerated preparations for an underground nuclear test at a site called Raskoh in the \JBaluchistan\j desert, and is almost ready to test should a political decision be made to do so. While Washington has been pressing Islamabad to forgo nuclear testing and warning of sweeping retaliatory sanctions such as those imposed against India, US intelligence has stepped up its overhead surveillance of potential Pakistani test sites after being caught off-guard by the Indian tests two weeks ago. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
A defiant Indian Government dismisses yesterday's European Union statement condemning India's recent nuclear test blasts and threatening sanctions. A foreign ministry statement says India's policy will be determined by its national leadership in India's interests alone, and that India cannot accept suggestions which contain warnings or the suggestion of an ultimatum. \I(India, Europe)\i
Despite pressure from Republicans and some Democrats, United States President, Bill Clinton, maintains it would be a mistake to postpone his planned visit to China next month, saying there is sufficient evidence to justify pursuing a policy of close ties with \JBeijing\j. The US Justice Department is currently investigating allegations that the Chinese military tried to channel money into Democratic Party coffers during the 1996 election campaign. A US Senate panel, meanwhile, is probing Mr. Clinton's decision to allow Loral Space and Communications Ltd. to use a Chinese rocket to launch one of its satellites. \I(USA, China)\i
In a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji adds his voice to the call for peace in the \JMiddle East\j, comparing the Palestinian struggle for a homeland to Israel's drive for statehood 50 years ago, and expressing \JBeijing\j's sympathy and support for the "just cause" and "reasonable demands" of the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu's official visit to China is his first as Prime Minister, and comes at a time of growing international concern over the crumbling \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, China, Palestine)\i
Indonesia's stock and currency markets decline sharply despite efforts by the new President, Jusuf Habibie, to introduce more political freedoms, including the release of two prominent political prisoners and the legal reinstatement of the previously banned Indonesian Prosperity Labor Union. Throughout the \Jday\j, the rupiah dips as much as 3.2 per cent to 11,100 to the US dollar, while depositors rush to withdraw their savings from branches of Indonesia's largest bank, Bank Central Asia, alarmed by reports that it is on the brink of collapse. \I(Indonesia)\i
Five activists at the University of \JIndonesia\j begin a hunger strike to push for the release of around 200 political prisoners who remain in the country's jails. The new Habibie Government is also coming under increased international pressure to produce new initiatives on the troubled provinces of East \JTimor\j and Irian Jaya, and to release prisoners involved in armed separatist movements, including the former leader of the East Timorese Fretilin forces, Xanana Gusman. \I(\JIndonesia\j, East \JTimor\j, Irian Jaya)\i
On the streets of London, hundreds of British former prisoners of war turn their backs on \JJapan\j's Emperor Akihito as he is driven past with Queen Elizabeth II on the formal start of a four-\Jday\j state visit. Despite an earlier appeal by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the old soldiers and former civilian internees proceed to deliver their snub as part of a campaign demanding a full apology and compensation for their treatment at the hands of the Japanese during World War II. \I(UK, \JJapan\j)\i
With just two months left before \JCambodia\j's general elections, Funcinpec party officials announce that deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, will resume his public schedule this week with a round of appearances in Kandal province, which surrounds the capital, Phnom Penh. Since Prince Ranariddh's return from exile earlier this month, he has kept a relatively low profile, meeting aides and diplomats in private and rarely venturing out in public. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Some 300 events are held throughout \JAustralia\j to mark "Sorry Day", the first anniversary of the Human Rights Commission report, \IBringing Them Home,\i which detailed the plight of an estimated 100,000 Aboriginal children removed from their families under past government policies. While Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, refuses to issue a formal government apology, the national "Sorry Day" sees more than 1,000 Sorry Books, containing around 300,000 signatures, handed to the "stolen generation" \JAborigines\j. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
At \JTokyo\j District Court, one of five \Jcult\j members who released sarin nerve gas on the \JTokyo\j subway on March 20, 1995 is sentenced to \Jlife imprisonment\j. Twelve people were killed in the attack and thousands made ill, but Ikuo Hayashi is spared the death sentence because he confessed and helped prosecutors. Hayashi is the first of the 14 main defendants in the case to be sentenced. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton officially unveils the \JWhite House\j Budget Office projections for fiscal 1998, which rebound from three decades of deficits to show a surplus of $US39 billion, potentially the largest dollar surplus in United States history, and the largest surplus as a share of the economy in more than 40 years. Earlier this month, the Congressional Budget Office projected a 1998 surplus of $US43 billion to $US63 billion. \I(USA)\i
In an address to Israel's \JKnesset\j, visiting United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, declares \JJerusalem\j "the united and eternal capital of Israel", defying US foreign policy, which refuses to recognize the contested city as Israel's capital until its final status is settled in peace talks. Mr. Gingrich proceeds to accuse the Palestinian Authority of inciting violence, further angering Palestinian authorities, who also lay claim to \JJerusalem\j as the capital of their future state. In Washington, meanwhile, the State Department condemns as "appalling and outrageous" accusations by Mr. Gingrich that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is "an agent of the Palestinians." \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
United States intelligence officials report that \JPakistan\j has accelerated preparations for an underground nuclear test at a site called Raskoh in the \JBaluchistan\j desert, and is almost ready to test should a political decision be made to do so. While Washington has been pressing Islamabad to forgo nuclear testing and warning of sweeping retaliatory sanctions such as those imposed against India, US intelligence has stepped up its overhead surveillance of potential Pakistani test sites after being caught off guard by the Indian tests two weeks ago. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Despite pressure from Republicans and some Democrats, United States President, Bill Clinton, maintains it would be a mistake to postpone his planned visit to China next month, saying there is sufficient evidence to justify pursuing a policy of close ties with \JBeijing\j. The US Justice Department is currently investigating allegations that the Chinese military tried to channel money into Democratic Party coffers during the 1996 election campaign. A US Senate panel, meanwhile, is probing Mr. Clinton's decision to allow Loral Space and Communications Ltd. to use a Chinese rocket to launch one of its satellites. \I(USA, China)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory committee recommends approval of the first vaccine against tick-borne Lyme disease, which causes a rash, flu-like fatigue and chills, and can lead to \Jarthritis\j and \Jnervous system\j problems. The SmithKline Beecham vaccine stimulates the body to make \Jantibodies\j against the outer surface protein of the \IBorelia burgdorferi,\i the bacterium that transmits Lyme disease from ticks to humans, and would be used to protect hikers, campers, and other people who are outdoors during the summer. Last year, 10,536 cases of Lyme disease were reported in the US. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji adds his voice to the call for peace in the \JMiddle East\j, comparing the Palestinian struggle for a homeland to Israel's drive for statehood 50 years ago, and expressing \JBeijing\j's sympathy and support for the "just cause" and "reasonable demands" of the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu's official visit to China is his first as Prime Minister, and comes at a time of growing international concern over the crumbling \JMiddle East\j peace process. \I(Israel, China, Palestine)\i
In an address to Israel's \JKnesset\j, visiting United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, declares \JJerusalem\j "the united and eternal capital of Israel", defying US foreign policy, which refuses to recognize the contested city as Israel's capital until its final status is settled in peace talks. Mr. Gingrich proceeds to accuse the Palestinian Authority of inciting violence, further angering Palestinian authorities, who also lay claim to \JJerusalem\j as the capital of their future state. In Washington, meanwhile, the State Department condemns as "appalling and outrageous" accusations by Mr. Gingrich that US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, is "an agent of the Palestinians." \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Scuffles break out between Israeli troops and Palestinian and Israeli protesters demonstrating against a makeshift Jewish neighborhood secretly erected overnight in Arab East \JJerusalem\j. The attempt by the ultra-nationalist Ateret Cohanim settler group to make new inroads into the historic Old City is ultimately foiled by \JJerusalem\j's Mayor Ehud Olmert, who orders the destruction of the tin shack compound and gives the settlers 24 hours to evacuate the site. The Ateret Cohanim movement runs a Jewish seminary in the Old City and has already moved settlers into several homes in the area. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Russia reveals that it has been negotiating with both the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank about the possibility of new, cheap loans to prop up its shaky finances. The revelation comes as the nation's stock market declines, interest rates soar, and President Boris Yeltsin signs a decree slashing the government's Budget this year by the equivalent of $US6.5 billion. The decree will also raise some $US2.2 billion in new revenues by implementing measures to improve tax collection and increase revenue from alcohol sales. \I(Russia)\i
A defiant Indian Government dismisses yesterday's European Union statement condemning India's recent nuclear test blasts and threatening sanctions. A foreign ministry statement says India's policy will be determined by its national leadership in India's interests alone, and that India cannot accept suggestions which contain warnings or the suggestion of an ultimatum. \I(India, Europe)\i
On the streets of London, hundreds of British former prisoners of war turn their backs on \JJapan\j's Emperor Akihito as he is driven past with Queen Elizabeth II on the formal start of a four-\Jday\j state visit. Despite an earlier appeal by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the old soldiers and former civilian internees proceed to deliver their snub as part of a campaign demanding a full apology and compensation for their treatment at the hands of the Japanese during World War II. \I(UK, \JJapan\j)\i
Police detain more than 60 people following raids on suspected Muslim fundamentalist guerrilla locations in cities across \JBelgium\j, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, and \JSwitzerland\j. The Paris-coordinated operation aimed to head off possible terrorist attacks during the World Cup \Jsoccer\j championships, due to begin in \JFrance\j on June 10. Meanwhile, the World Cup host comes under pressure from its transport workers, with a pilots' strike disrupting air traffic, and militant truckers blocking traffic in 17 separate protests nationwide while threatening more disruptive protests ahead of the international event unless their demands for more pay and better conditions are met. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and visiting King Harald V of \JNorway\j sign an agreement on environmental protection in the Barents Sea region. President Yeltsin also offers to scrap all Russia's old nuclear submarines moored near the northern port of \JMurmansk\j if \JNorway\j provides loans to finance the operation. About 100 decommissioned submarines from the Soviet Northern Fleet, many with nuclear reactors on board, are still awaiting dismantling and disposal, and \JNorway\j has long been concerned about the environmental threat they pose. \I(Russia, \JNorway\j)\i
#
"May 27, 1998",875,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations, Ahmad Kamal, says he has informed Secretary General, Kofi Annan, of the imminent threat of an Indian attack on Pakistan's nuclear facilities. Mr. Kamal adds that should such an attack eventuate, it would be in violation of a 1988 agreement between the two countries, and that the response from Pakistan would be massive and swift. India later dismisses Pakistan's fear as "absurd", and insists that it is abiding by the 1988 pact prohibiting attacks on nuclear installations. Despite international pressure not to respond in kind to India's nuclear tests on May 11 and May 13, Pakistan's Government is under heavy domestic pressure to match its arch-rival, and is reported to be poised to do so. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
India's Hindu nationalist-led Government faces a strong attack in Parliament from Opposition MPs, with the Congress and Communist parties accusing it of failing to consult before conducting underground nuclear tests two weeks ago, and fundamentally changing the nation's foreign policy without informing Parliament or completing its strategic defense review. The Opposition members demand that the government makes a nuclear no-first-use commitment and asks other countries to follow suit. \I(India)\i
International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials arrive in the capital of \JIndonesia\j, Jakarta, for talks on resuming aid to the stricken country. For the first time since negotiations for the economic rescue package began last year, the IMF officials will not only meet with representatives of the new Habibie Government, but with prominent Indonesian opposition figures, including Megawati Sukarnoputri and Muslim leader, Amien Rais. The IMF has already made it clear that it will not support any resumption of economic aid until there is real progress on political reform in Indonesia. Nevertheless, Chief Economics Minister, Ginandjar Kartasasmita, says it would be speculative to give a timetable for political reform, and that promised national elections could be more than a year away given the legislation and organization involved. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
As part of the new Indonesian Government's anti-corruption drive, the Minister for Investment announces a review of tax exemptions granted to firms owned by the family and friends of former President Soeharto, while the Governor of East Java says all projects awarded to Soeharto-linked firms will likewise be reviewed. Since Mr. Soeharto's resignation last week, the businesses of his family and friends have come under increased scrutiny, with the State oil company ordered to examine contracts with affiliates majority-owned by two of Mr. Soeharto's sons, and the Jakarta city council scrapping tap \Jwater\j deals with Mr. Soeharto's eldest son and the son of a close business ally. Meanwhile, in a bid to avoid charges of nepotism, both President Habibie and armed forces chief, General Wiranto, order their relatives to resign from government posts, and the ruling Golkar party urges members of parliament appointed through family connections to step down or be forced out. \I(Indonesia)\i
Thousands of riot police are mobilized as about 120,000 South Korean workers stage the first nationwide strike in more than a year. The strike follows unsuccessful talks between the government and the unions, who want an end to mass dismissals demanded by the International Monetary Fund under an economic bail-out package negotiated last year. Unemployment was virtually unknown in South Korea until a year ago, when it leapt to a 12-year high of 1.4 million. \I(South Korea)\i
As the effects of Asia's economic crisis begin to make an impact, Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, warns that the territory is facing a painful recession as a result of the bubble economy created by years of high property prices, high \Jinflation\j, and negative interest rates. Mr. Tung's warning sends the Hang Seng stock index plunging 498.78 points to close at 8,983.43, it lowest level since late January. Mr. Tung's warning is also bad news for \JBeijing\j, which was relying on its newly recovered territory to boost the sagging mainland economy. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
The Nepalese tourism ministry announces that an American climber who lost his leg in a car accident has become the first disabled person to reach the peak of Mount Everest. It is the third attempt for 49-year-old Tom Whittaker, who finally reached the top of the world's tallest mountain via the south-east route. \I(Nepal, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, meets in \JAmman\j with Jordan's King Hussein, who stresses that Israel must respect previously signed accords if the \JMiddle East\j is to achieve a just and durable peace. Mr. Gingrich's recent strong pro-Israeli comments have not only enraged the Palestinians, but have gone beyond the bounds of US foreign policy. For some months now, the US Government has been trying without success to persuade Israel to withdraw from 13 per cent of the West Bank as a prelude to final Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
Fifteen people are killed during further clashes between Serb police and ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatists in the restive province of \JKosovo\j. Most of the fighting occurs around the town of Decani, 60 kilometers west of the provincial capital of \JPristina\j, and comes as the political leader of the province's ethnic Albanians, Ibrahim Rugova, heads for talks in Washington at the invitation of Richard Holbrooke, the United States envoy for the Balkans. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
The \JWhite House\j suffers another legal defeat when United States District Judge, Norma Holloway Johnson, rules that two top advisers to President Bill Clinton are not protected by executive privilege and must testify before a grand jury about conversations regarding an alleged affair between Mr. Clinton and former intern, Monica Lewinsky. Both Bruce Lindsey and Sidney Blumenthal have been before the grand jury in the past but have refused to answer certain key questions. Meanwhile, prosecutor Kenneth Starr steps up the pressure on his central witness in the investigation, demanding samples of handwriting, fingerprints, and voice recordings from Ms. Lewinsky. \I(USA)\i
Scientists gathered in \JBoston\j for a meeting of the American Geophysical Union say that throughout the current El Ni±o period the Earth's rotation has slowed by an average of 300 to 400 microseconds, making the days a little longer. The scientists add that the 1982-83 El Ni±o also slowed the Earth's rotation, but not by such a large amount. While the average person is largely unaffected by such a small shift in the Earth's rotation, it is a critical factor in inter-planetary navigation, as well as in the functioning of the Global Position System used by ships, planes, and the military. \I(USA)\i
Researchers in the United States report that they have developed a new technique whereby \Jantibodies\j carrying tumor-killing radioactive chemicals are injected straight into the brain to target the stubborn and lethal form of brain tumor known as glioblastoma multiforme. The method is the first to be developed in 20 years for this form of cancer, which afflicts about 12,000 adults every year in the US. \I(USA)\i
The Nepalese tourism ministry announces that an American climber who lost his leg in a car accident has become the first disabled person to reach the peak of Mount Everest. It is the third attempt for 49-year-old Tom Whittaker, who finally reached the top of the world's tallest mountain via the south-east route. \I(Nepal, USA)\i
In America's richest one-off lottery pay-out ever, Powerball lottery organizers hand an oversized ceremonial check for $US104.3 million to a retired Illinois electrician. After federal and state taxes are deducted, the actual prize from the eighty-million-to-one winning ticket, for which 67-year-old Frank Capaci paid $US5, will amount to about $US68 million. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iraq insists that it is not hiding any prohibited weapons and accuses United Nations arms inspection chief, Richard Butler, of making baseless statements aimed at misleading public opinion. Earlier, Mr. Butler said he would brief the UN Security Council on June 3 about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that have been located and those that have yet to be identified and destroyed. Iraq is now demanding that Mr. Butler provide all the alleged evidence concerning concealed weapons so that \JBaghdad\j can respond and clarify matters. \I(Iraq)\i
Fifteen people are killed during further clashes between Serb police and ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatists in the restive province of \JKosovo\j. Most of the fighting occurs around the town of Decani, 60 kilometers west of the provincial capital of \JPristina\j, and comes as the political leader of the province's ethnic Albanians, Ibrahim Rugova, heads for talks in Washington at the invitation of Richard Holbrooke, the United States envoy for the Balkans. \I(\JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
United States House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, meets in \JAmman\j with Jordan's King Hussein, who stresses that Israel must respect previously signed accords if the \JMiddle East\j is to achieve a just and durable peace. Mr. Gingrich's recent strong pro-Israeli comments have not only enraged the Palestinians, but have gone beyond the bounds of US foreign policy. For some months now, the US Government has been trying without success to persuade Israel to withdraw from 13 per cent of the West Bank as a prelude to final Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. \I(USA, Jordan, Israel, Palestine)\i
Two Israeli soldiers are killed and two others are wounded in a bomb ambush deep in the buffer zone Israel maintains in southern \JLebanon\j, raising to six the number of Israelis killed in the area this year. The Hezbollah guerrilla movement quickly claims responsibility for the remote-controlled blast, which follows the death of a Lebanese shepherd in an explosion blamed by locals on Israeli agents. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
Russia's central bank triples interest rates to 150 per cent in a desperate bid to protect the currency and stem an exodus of capital from the country's financial markets. The move comes on the eve of an International Monetary Fund mission to Moscow to discuss the release of a $US670 million installment of a $US9.2 billion loan to Russia, an installment delayed until the government took steps to cut spending and improve tax collection. Investors have become increasingly alarmed by the government's continuing inability to collect taxes, with confidence further undermined this month when thousands of striking \Jcoal\j miners blocked railway lines across the country, stifling supplies to other industrial sectors. \I(Russia)\i
The French Government comes under more pressure ahead of the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament when two Air \JFrance\j unions announce their backing for a strike against the national airline in the days leading up to the international event, which will be played in 10 different sites across the country. Some seven unions representing pilots, flight engineers, and ground crew workers have now urged their members to join the strike action, hoping to wring concessions from employers and a government nervous about its image during the world event. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"May 28, 1998",876,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan detonates five underground nuclear explosions in response to arch-rival India's five tests on May 11 and May 13. The tests take place in the Chagai region of south-western \JBaluchistan\j, barely 50 kilometers from Pakistan's border with \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif defends the action as inevitable for the security of Pakistan, at the same time insisting that if it comes to aggression, Pakistanis will not compromise. In a further statement, Pakistan says it is preparing to cap its newly tested Ghauri missile with nuclear warheads to give a befitting reply to any misadventure by the enemy. The long-range Ghauri missile is capable of hitting most targets in India. \I(Pakistan, India, \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JPakistan\j's nuclear tests, which proceeded despite his repeated personal appeals to Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. In announcing the immediate imposition of broad economic sanctions, Mr. Clinton says Pakistan has lost a truly priceless opportunity to receive US economic and security assistance, and to improve its political standing in the eyes of the world. Mr. Clinton adds that it is now even more urgent that both Pakistan and India renounce further tests, sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and take decisive steps to reverse the dangerous nuclear arms race in South Asia. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Canada recalls its ambassador to \JPakistan\j and announces its decision to cut off non-humanitarian development assistance to the country. Canada gave \JPakistan\j $C54.7 million in development aid in 1996-97. Canada also joins the United States in urging the World Bank to delay loans to \JPakistan\j, as it did earlier this week on loans to India. \JPakistan\j is heavily dependent on the World Bank, and more recently on the International Monetary Fund, to prop up a failing banking system and a debt-ridden economy. \I(Canada, \JPakistan\j, India, USA)\i
Pandemonium breaks out in the Indian Parliament as news of \JPakistan\j's five nuclear tests interrupts a heated debate on India's nuclear blasts earlier this month, which have since drawn considerable fire from Opposition MPs. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee nevertheless stands by his decision to conduct the tests, insisting that \JPakistan\j's action only proves that India's nuclear policy is correct. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
The new Indonesian Government announces that a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly will be convened by the end of this year or early next year to draft political laws ahead of general elections. The announcement comes amid a resurgence of civil unrest, with student demonstrations reported in the cities of \JSurabaya\j and Yogyakarta, and several hundred student protesters converging outside the gates of Parliament in Jakarta to call for President Habibie's resignation and an immediate meeting of the assembly so that a new president can be selected. On the volatile island of \JSumatra\j, meanwhile, mobs burn cars and shops after a 300-strong anti-government protest spirals out of control. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Sri Lankan Defense Ministry reports that soldiers have killed at least 19 Tamil Tiger guerrillas in a wave of fresh fighting in the country's north and east. The Tamil Tigers are fighting for independence for the north and east, where Sri Lanka's two million Tamil minority is concentrated. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JPakistan\j's nuclear tests, which proceeded despite his repeated personal appeals to Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. In announcing the immediate imposition of broad economic sanctions, Mr. Clinton says Pakistan has lost a truly priceless opportunity to receive US economic and security assistance, and to improve its political standing in the eyes of the world. Mr. Clinton adds that it is now even more urgent that both Pakistan and India renounce further tests, sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and take decisive steps to reverse the dangerous nuclear arms race in South Asia. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Canada recalls its ambassador to \JPakistan\j and announces its decision to cut off non-humanitarian development assistance to the country. Canada gave \JPakistan\j $C54.7 million in development aid in 1996-97. Canada also joins the United States in urging the World Bank to delay loans to \JPakistan\j, as it did earlier this week on loans to India. \JPakistan\j is heavily dependent on the World Bank, and more recently on the International Monetary Fund, to prop up a failing banking system and a debt-ridden economy. \I(Canada, \JPakistan\j, India, USA)\i
NASA releases an image captured by the \JHubble Space Telescope\j of a possible \Jplanet\j formed outside the Earth's \Jsolar system\j. The image shows a small white dot at the end of a long arm of light located just above the bull's eye in the \Jconstellation\j \JTaurus\j, about 450 light-years from Earth. A light year is the equivalent of about 6 trillion miles. \I(USA)\i
Canadian-born actor Phil Hartman, 49, is shot to death in his Los Angeles home in what appears to be a murder-suicide committed by his third wife, former model Brynn Ohdahl, 40. The couple's two children, aged 9 and 6, are shaken but otherwise unhurt. Phil Hartman was renowned for his impersonations of President Bill Clinton on \ISaturday Night Live\i before going on to star in the NBC sitcom, \INewsRadio.\i He also supplied the voices for several characters on the \Jcartoon\j series, \IThe Simpsons.\i \I(USA, Canada)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
NATO foreign ministers order military exercises in \JAlbania\j and Macedonia, warning Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, that the alliance is prepared to deploy more troops to help the two countries secure their borders and prevent the crisis in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j from expanding into a wider conflict. The ministers also warn that the alliance will even consider direct intervention in \JKosovo\j if a political solution to the crisis fails to emerge. NATO agrees that the political integrity of the Yugoslav federal republic should be preserved, and that \JKosovo\j should have enhanced status rather than independence. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JAlbania\j, Macedonia)\i
A former shift commander at the infamous Omarska prison camp in Bosnia is apprehended in Banja Luka by \JNATO\j-led stabilization force troops. Milojica Kos is unarmed and offers no resistance. He is later transported to The Hague where he will appear before the International Criminal Tribunal. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
Pakistan detonates five underground nuclear explosions in response to arch-rival India's five tests on May 11 and May 13. The tests take place in the Chagai region of south-western \JBaluchistan\j, barely 50 kilometers from Pakistan's border with \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif defends the action as inevitable for the security of Pakistan, at the same time insisting that if it comes to aggression, Pakistanis will not compromise. In a further statement, Pakistan says it is preparing to cap its newly tested Ghauri missile with nuclear warheads to give a befitting reply to any misadventure by the enemy. The long-range Ghauri missile is capable of hitting most targets in India. \I(Pakistan, India, \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
In a referendum predicted to be much tighter, 55.1 per cent of Danish voters approve the \JAmsterdam\j Treaty, paving the way for the European Union's ambitious eastern expansion. Denmark is the only one of the EU's 15 member countries where ratification of the treaty is not a formality, and the outcome of the referendum is also regarded as confirmation of a national desire to remain in the union, which has been the focus of much criticism in Denmark. \I(Denmark, Europe)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, moves to restore confidence in the struggling economy following yesterday's tripling of interest rates, repeating assurances that there will be no \Jdevaluation\j of the ruble, and vowing to take tough measures against tax evaders, including the seizure of property. Market reaction to Mr. Yeltsin's statement appears favorable, with the ruble strengthening to 6.1490 to the US dollar, and leading shares rising after plummeting nearly 11 per cent the previous day. \I(Russia)\i
A German court sentences a former executive of the international online service provider, CompuServe, to a two-year suspended jail term for complicity in 13 cases of spreading banned \Jpornography\j on the \JInternet\j. The landmark conviction is regarded by \JInternet\j groups as a disturbing precedent and a great setback for a decentralized, open communications medium. It also sparks calls for an international agreement to limit the liability of \JInternet\j access providers, and for appropriate software to empower users to filter out objectionable content. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
#
"May 29, 1998",877,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
After United States intelligence reports that \JPakistan\j is preparing for a second nuclear test at a second desert site, Washington protests anew to both India and \JPakistan\j over their recent nuclear blasts, and calls on \JPakistan\j not to follow India's lead in taking additional action. While imposing harsh sanctions on both countries, Washington signals that it is tempering its retribution with a desire for reconciliation, saying it is sending its ambassador back to New Delhi and will not recall its ambassador in Islamabad. Washington also reveals that plans are underway for an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the United Nations Security Council's five permanent members. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
The 15-member United Nations Security Council issues a statement strongly deploring the five underground nuclear tests conducted yesterday by \JPakistan\j, and appealing to both \JPakistan\j and India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The statement also urges the two rival nations to resume a dialogue on all outstanding issues, especially matters concerning peace and security. \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
Britain recalls its High Commissioner to \JPakistan\j for consultations and says new trade limitations agreed this week against India will likewise be applied to \JPakistan\j. In the face of Pakistani plans to begin production of nuclear warheads, Britain reveals that it is holding urgent talks with its European Union partners to consider sanctions against Islamabad. Britain also proposes a meeting in London of ministers from the Group of Eight countries to seek ways of easing the threat of a nuclear buildup in the volatile South Asian region. \I(UK, Europe, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Japan, \JPakistan\j's largest aid donor and trading partner, announces that it is recalling its ambassador and imposing economic sanctions on Islamabad, including the suspension of fresh untied loans and aid grants, the same measures as those imposed on India after it carried out five nuclear tests on May 11 and May 13. Unlike India, however, \JPakistan\j receives little foreign investment and aid is extremely important. \I(Japan, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Australia condemns \JPakistan\j's five nuclear tests as being in flagrant defiance of international non-proliferation standards, and retaliates by recalling its High Commissioner, suspending defense relations, and scrapping a decision to double financial aid to Islamabad. Meanwhile, the Australian Cricket Board says it will consult with the Federal Government about the Australian team's planned tour of \JPakistan\j in September. \I(Australia, \JPakistan\j)\i
At a joint session of the Philippine Congress, Joseph Estrada is declared the nation's 13th president, winning 10.7 million votes in the May 11 elections, well ahead of his main rival, Jose de Venecia, who finished a distant second with 4.3 million votes. In the vice-presidential race, administration candidate, Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is declared the winner with 12.6 million votes. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
In a sign of \JIndonesia\j's changing times, former president Soeharto's son, Bambang Trihatmodjo, resigns as president-director of the Bimantara Citra conglomerate, one of the nation's largest and wealthiest business groups. The resignations of both Mr. Trihatmodjo and his brother-in-law come amid mounting calls for an inquiry into the Soeharto family's assets, and coincide with a government order to review past contracts signed with the Soeharto family by foreign companies. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Emboldened by Indonesian student power, Zimbabwean students stage a massive street protest in the capital, \JHarare\j, demanding an end to alleged corruption in President Robert Mugabe's 18-year-old Government, and warning that he might be forced from office like Indonesia's ex-president Soeharto. Riot police later disperse the protesters with tear gas and clubs, claiming that the students were looking violent and threatening peace in the city. \I(Zimbabwe, Indonesia)\i
Official figures show a 4.1 per cent unemployment rate in \JJapan\j at the end of April, with the number of Japanese out of work jumping to a postwar record 2.9 million as companies restructure their operations and slash staff in a bid to survive Japan's most severe economic recession in 23 years. Worst hit by the sudden collapse of the labor market are middle-aged employees and those under 24 years of age. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
After United States intelligence reports that \JPakistan\j is preparing for a second nuclear test at a second desert site, Washington protests anew to both India and \JPakistan\j over their recent nuclear blasts, and calls on \JPakistan\j not to follow India's lead in taking additional action. While imposing harsh sanctions on both countries, Washington signals that it is tempering its retribution with a desire for reconciliation, saying it is sending its ambassador back to New Delhi and will not recall its ambassador in Islamabad. Washington also reveals that plans are underway for an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the United Nations Security Council's five permanent members. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Kosovo's \JAlbanian\j leaders hold talks in Washington with US President Bill Clinton, who pledges not to allow a repeat of Bosnia's bloody conflict in their troubled homeland, where more than 200 people have already been killed this year. Following the talks, \JAlbanian\j leader Ibrahim Rugova says he is encouraged by the commitment of the United States, and that he has requested an increased US presence in the region as well as help in protecting his people. Mr. Rugova reiterates that the best solution for Kosovo's ethnic \JAlbanian\j majority is independence, but Washington disagrees, instead favoring autonomy for the Serb province. \I(USA, Kosovo, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia)\i
The United States says it is sending a diplomatic mission to \JNigeria\j within two weeks to help iron out flaws in the transition process to a democratic civilian government. Heading the US delegation will be Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Pickering. Political tension has heightened in \JNigeria\j since five officially approved political parties chose military ruler, Sani Abacha, to run unopposed for the presidency. \I(USA, \JNigeria\j)\i
Former longtime \JArizona\j Senator and Republican presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater, dies aged 89 of natural causes after suffering a stroke two years ago. Respected as an elder statesman of American politics, Barry Goldwater's death inspires tributes from political friends and foes alike, with President Bill Clinton describing him as "truly an American original", and ordering flags on United States government buildings to be flown at half-staff on June 3, when a funeral service for Mr. Goldwater will be held on the campus of \JArizona\j State University. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain recalls its High Commissioner to \JPakistan\j for consultations and says new trade limitations agreed this week against India will likewise be applied to \JPakistan\j. In the face of Pakistani plans to begin production of nuclear warheads, Britain reveals that it is holding urgent talks with its European Union partners to consider sanctions against Islamabad. Britain also proposes a meeting in London of ministers from the Group of Eight countries to seek ways of easing the threat of a nuclear buildup in the volatile South Asian region. \I(UK, Europe, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Kosovo's \JAlbanian\j leaders hold talks in Washington with US President Bill Clinton, who pledges not to allow a repeat of Bosnia's bloody conflict in their troubled homeland, where more than 200 people have already been killed this year. Following the talks, \JAlbanian\j leader Ibrahim Rugova says he is encouraged by the commitment of the United States, and that he has requested an increased US presence in the region as well as help in protecting his people. Mr. Rugova reiterates that the best solution for Kosovo's ethnic \JAlbanian\j majority is independence, but Washington disagrees, instead favoring autonomy for the Serb province. \I(USA, Kosovo, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Emboldened by Indonesian student power, Zimbabwean students stage a massive street protest in the capital, \JHarare\j, demanding an end to alleged corruption in President Robert Mugabe's 18-year-old Government, and warning that he might be forced from office like Indonesia's ex-president Soeharto. Riot police later disperse the protesters with tear gas and clubs, claiming that the students were looking violent and threatening peace in the city. \I(Zimbabwe, Indonesia)\i
The United States says it is sending a diplomatic mission to \JNigeria\j within two weeks to help iron out flaws in the transition process to a democratic civilian government. Heading the US delegation will be Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Pickering. Political tension has heightened in \JNigeria\j since five officially approved political parties chose military ruler, Sani Abacha, to run unopposed for the presidency. \I(USA, \JNigeria\j)\i
As credit agency Moody's downgrades \JRussia\j's sovereign debt rating, President Boris Yeltsin takes tough action to deal with the country's financial crisis, sacking tax service chief, Alexander Pochinok, as well as the head of the state-run Transneft pipeline company, Valery Chernyayev. While the benchmark RTS share index closes down 3.75 per cent in response to the Moody's move, the ruble gains slightly for a second \Jday\j in response to the government's handling of the crisis. In a further boost, the International Monetary Fund announces that it will recommend the release of the next $US670 million installment of its existing $US9.2 billion loan to \JRussia\j, praising the government's emergency plans to cut spending and increase Budget revenues. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"May 30, 1998",878,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan announces that it has detonated another nuclear device, bringing to six the number of tests it has carried out in response to India's five underground blasts on May 11 and May 13. In defense of its actions, which defied repeated international appeals, Pakistan says the tests were necessary to achieve strategic stability in South Asia. Meanwhile, arch-rival India reacts calmly to the announcement, saying the latest Pakistani test has not changed the status quo, and that India stands by a self-declared moratorium on further tests of its own. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JPakistan\j for conducting a new underground nuclear test, saying the recent blasts can only serve to increase tensions in an already volatile region, and that both India and \JPakistan\j are contributing to a self-defeating cycle of escalation. Mr. Clinton calls on the arch-foes to renounce further nuclear and missile testing immediately, and take decisive steps to reverse their dangerous arms race. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Japan calls an emergency session of the 15-member United Nations Security Council to present a draft resolution aimed at preventing the nuclear arms race on the Indian subcontinent from spiraling out of control. Security Council President, Njuguna Mahugu of \JKenya\j, later says the council members deeply deplore \JPakistan\j's latest test, and are urging Islamabad to issue a public declaration announcing a moratorium on future tests and experimentation on delivery systems. In a separate statement, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, denounces \JPakistan\j's latest test as a further dangerous and senseless escalation of tension, appeals to the prime ministers of both India and \JPakistan\j to demonstrate sound leadership, and reiterates an earlier offer to help mediate on the disputed region of Kashmir. \I(Japan, \JPakistan\j, India, \JKenya\j)\i
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, announces that he will host a London meeting of his Group of Eight counterparts on June 12 to coordinate a joint response to \JPakistan\j and India in the light of their nuclear tests. While Mr. Cook is swift to condemn the latest underground explosion, rebuking \JPakistan\j for acting in flagrant disregard of international opinion, he says the G8 meeting will consider how India and \JPakistan\j can be encouraged to join the global nonproliferation regime and to address the roots of the tension between them, especially the territory of Kashmir. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
After four days of talks in Jakarta, the head of the International Monetary Fund's Asia office, Hubert Neiss, gives a bleak assessment of the Indonesian economy, saying it has further deteriorated and that halting the downward slide will be an enormous task. Mr. Neiss emphasizes that political stability will be crucial to the country's economic recovery, a priority underscored during his visit, when he met with a variety of public figures, including prominent opposition leaders. \I(Indonesia)\i
A massive \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale strikes the anti-Taliban stronghold of northeast \JAfghanistan\j, destroying at least 50 villages and leaving thousands of people missing. The epicenter is believed to be around the towns of the remote and mountainous Rostaq region, in the north of Takhar province, where a February quake caused enormous loss of life. Humanitarian organizations, which have remained in the region since then, immediately launch a huge rescue effort and provide food and shelter for the survivors. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
The attitude control computer fails on \JRussia\j's space station Mir, forcing the crew to activate back-up control jets and conserve electrical power. Despite the aging station's latest problem, NASA says pre-flight preparations for the \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery's mission to Mir are continuing normally at Kennedy Space Center. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to live and work on the Russian space outpost. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns \JPakistan\j for conducting a new underground nuclear test, saying the recent blasts can only serve to increase tensions in an already volatile region, and that both India and \JPakistan\j are contributing to a self-defeating cycle of escalation. Mr. Clinton calls on the arch-foes to renounce further nuclear and missile testing immediately, and take decisive steps to reverse their dangerous arms race. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Addressing the Irish Northern Aid Committee on the final \Jday\j of a four-\Jday\j visit to the United States, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, says the Northern Ireland peace agreement leaves many issues undecided and will not be easy to implement. In particular, Mr. Adams refers to the republican goal of Irish unity, which pro-British Unionists oppose, and urges the British Government to clarify its long-term plans for the province. On one hand, the British Government has pledged to uphold the union as long as the majority wants it, and on the other hand, the British Government has pledged to legislate for a united Ireland as soon as the majority wants it. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
The attitude control computer fails on \JRussia\j's space station Mir, forcing the crew to activate back-up control jets and conserve electrical power. Despite the aging station's latest problem, NASA says pre-flight preparations for the \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery's mission to Mir are continuing normally at Kennedy Space Center. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to live and work on the Russian space outpost. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Australia)\i
Five people are killed and another 150 are injured when a \Jtornado\j rips through the South Dakota town of Spencer, 50 miles west of Sioux Falls. Most of the town is flattened by the onslaught. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, announces that he will host a London meeting of his Group of Eight counterparts on June 12 to coordinate a joint response to \JPakistan\j and India in the light of their nuclear tests. While Mr. Cook is swift to condemn the latest underground explosion, rebuking \JPakistan\j for acting in flagrant disregard of international opinion, he says the G8 meeting will consider how India and \JPakistan\j can be encouraged to join the global nonproliferation regime and to address the roots of the tension between them, especially the territory of Kashmir. \I(UK, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
Japan calls an emergency session of the 15-member United Nations Security Council to present a draft resolution aimed at preventing the nuclear arms race on the Indian subcontinent from spiraling out of control. Security Council President, Njuguna Mahugu of \JKenya\j, later says the council members deeply deplore \JPakistan\j's latest test, and are urging Islamabad to issue a public declaration announcing a moratorium on future tests and experimentation on delivery systems. In a separate statement, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, denounces \JPakistan\j's latest test as a further dangerous and senseless escalation of tension, appeals to the prime ministers of both India and \JPakistan\j to demonstrate sound leadership, and reiterates an earlier offer to help mediate on the disputed region of Kashmir. \I(Japan, \JPakistan\j, India, \JKenya\j)\i
Addressing the Irish Northern Aid Committee on the final \Jday\j of a four-\Jday\j visit to the United States, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, says the Northern Ireland peace agreement leaves many issues undecided and will not be easy to implement. In particular, Mr. Adams refers to the republican goal of Irish unity, which pro-British Unionists oppose, and urges the British Government to clarify its long-term plans for the province. On one hand, the British Government has pledged to uphold the union as long as the majority wants it, and on the other hand, the British Government has pledged to legislate for a united Ireland as soon as the majority wants it. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
In the worst street violence since the signing of the April 10 Northern Ireland peace accord, three civilians and up to 12 police officers are injured after Protestant marchers and Catholic protesters turn on police trying to keep them apart. The trouble erupted on Garvaghy Road in Portadown when around 400 Catholics objected to a march through their area by members of the youth wing of the Orange Order, Northern Ireland's main Protestant lodge organization. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Britain confirms that the Ministry of Defense and the Foreign Office are working together on contingency planning for the evacuation of an estimated 250,000 holiday-makers and expatriates from the island of Cyprus should the situation there degenerate. The Turkish Government has warned of a war in Cyprus if the Greek Cypriots take delivery of several batteries of Russian-made S300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles, due in July. \I(UK, Cyprus, Turkey)\i
The attitude control computer fails on \JRussia\j's space station Mir, forcing the crew to activate back-up control jets and conserve electrical power. Despite the aging station's latest problem, NASA says pre-flight preparations for the \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery's mission to Mir are continuing normally at Kennedy Space Center. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to live and work on the Russian space outpost. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Australia)\i
#
"May 31, 1998",879,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan stands defiant in the face of a new wave of international condemnation over its sixth underground nuclear explosion yesterday. In announcing that Pakistan has now completed its series of nuclear tests, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif blames the Group of Eight's lukewarm response to India's nuclear tests for his country's actions, which he says were an expression of self defense and independence. India, meanwhile, takes issue with a United Nations Security Council statement calling for an end to the arms race on the subcontinent, insisting that New Delhi has already vowed to observe a voluntary moratorium and refrain from conducting more tests. India also repeats its call for a no-first-use weapons pact with arch-foe Pakistan. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
In the wake of \JPakistan\j's six nuclear blasts, China warns that the rising tension in South Asia is a threat to both regional peace and global stability. China describes \JPakistan\j's tests as "regrettable", but says Islamabad was provoked by India's five tests as well as threats over the disputed territory of Kashmir. While clearly blaming New Delhi for the troubling turn of events, China nevertheless appeals to both sides to exercise utmost restraint, to abandon all nuclear weapons development programs, and to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as soon as possible. \I(China, \JPakistan\j, India)\i
A group of 18 retired Indonesian generals, many of whom helped build the regime of former President Soeharto, issues a statement calling for an immediate special session of the People's Consultative Assembly to revoke the mandate of the country's new leader, Jusuf Habibie, and elect a caretaker president. In rejecting the government's proposal to hold the special assembly at the end of the year, the generals insist that Mr. Soeharto was wrong to simply hand over his mandate to Mr. Habibie on May 21. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Indonesian's gather outside the East Java military headquarters in \JSurabaya\j to demand that reforms continue, insisting that reform involves more than just a transfer of power. \I(Indonesia)\i
Incoming \JPhilippines\j President, Joseph Estrada, creates a storm by agreeing to allow the body of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Heroes Cemetery in Manila, where war veterans and two former presidents lie. Equally provocative is Mr. Estrada's resolve to scrap the "pork barrel", a pool of state funds amounting to more than 38.5 billion pesos that members of the Philippine Congress draw from to finance projects in home districts. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the "pork barrel" is lost to corruption, and past attempts to scrap it have failed. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Attempts to replace the troublesome motion control computer aboard Russian space station Mir fail, casting doubts on the planned June 2 launch of NASA's shuttle Discovery on its last visit to the space outpost. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born \Jastronaut\j Andrew Thomas, but NASA's flight rules require Mir to have a functioning control system before the \Jspace shuttle\j can safely dock. \I(Russia, USA, Australia)\i
An American team returns to Katmandu after completing the Everest '98 Environmental Expedition to collect rubbish left on the world's highest mountain by numerous climbers over the years. The rubbish was collected between the base camp and South Col camp at 7,906 meters on the normal south east ridge route, and included 1,484 kilograms of general trash, 243 kilograms of human waste, 157 empty oxygen bottles, 211 fuel canisters, and 546 used batteries. Since 1953, more than 750 people have climbed Everest and more than 150 people have been killed on it. \I(USA, \JNepal\j)\i
Australia's Hockeyroos carry off their sixth major world title and their second World Cup gold when they defeat the host team 3-2 in the women's final of the World Cup \Jhockey\j championship at \JUtrecht\j, The Netherlands. \I(Australia, The Netherlands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Bill Clinton announces the United States will endorse additional financial aid through the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank if \JRussia\j is unable to meet its short-term debts. Mr. Clinton's announcement follows a tumultuous week in which panicky investors shed the Russian ruble, and interest rates were tripled to 150 per cent to defend it and stem a hemorrhage of capital from the country's financial markets. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
The people of \JColombia\j defy threats of violence to cast their ballots in presidential elections. With more than 95 per cent of the ballots counted by the end of the \Jday\j, official returns give President Ernesto Samper's handpicked successor, Liberal Horacio Serpa, 34.5 per cent of the vote, slightly ahead of Conservative Party-backed Andres Pastrana with 34.3 per cent, an outcome that will force a runoff between the two contenders on June 21. The returns show \JColombia\j's first woman presidential candidate, independent Noemi Sanin, in third place with 27 per cent of the votes tallied so far. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
Exit polls show centrist Popular Democrat Party candidate, Jamil Mahuad, ahead in \JEcuador\j's presidential election but falling short of majority support. Mr. Mahuad is now certain to face a runoff in July against his main rival, Alvaro Noboa, a business magnate backed by the populist Roldosista Party. \I(\JEcuador\j)\i
Attempts to replace the troublesome motion control computer aboard Russian space station Mir fail, casting doubts on the planned June 2 launch of NASA's shuttle Discovery on its last visit to the space outpost. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born \Jastronaut\j Andrew Thomas, but NASA's flight rules require Mir to have a functioning control system before the \Jspace shuttle\j can safely dock. \I(Russia, USA, Australia)\i
A \Jtornado\j ravages the upstate New York town of Mechanicville, in rural Saratoga County, destroying about 30 homes, causing major power outages, and blocking all roads into the area. Officials say the twister is part of the same storm system that devastated the South Dakota village of Spencer yesterday. \I(USA)\i
An American team returns to Katmandu after completing the Everest '98 Environmental Expedition to collect rubbish left on the world's highest mountain by numerous climbers over the years. The rubbish was collected between the base camp and South Col camp at 7,906 meters on the normal south east ridge route, and included 1,484 kilograms of general trash, 243 kilograms of human waste, 157 empty oxygen bottles, 211 fuel canisters, and 546 used batteries. Since 1953, more than 750 people have climbed Everest and more than 150 people have been killed on it. \I(USA, \JNepal\j)\i
Geri Halliwell, otherwise known as Ginger Spice of Britain's pop phenomenon, the Spice Girls, announces that she is quitting the chart-topping group. The remaining members of the "Fab Five" express regret but say they will continue as a foursome, pledging to proceed with their upcoming 40-date tour of the United States. \I(UK, USA)\i
American golfer Fred Couples shoots a 17-under par 271 to win the Memorial Tournament at Dublin, Ohio, becoming the United States PGA tour's leading money-winner this season, having pooled more than $US1.4 million. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
With 72 per cent of the votes counted, \JMontenegro\j's reformist President, Milo Djukanovic, claims victory in the republic's parliamentary elections, with his Coalition for a Better Life polling 50.4 per cent of the votes cast, and possibly securing 42 of the 78 seats. Second in the polling with 34.3 per cent of the votes is Mr. Djukanovic's Socialist rival, Momir Bulatovic, who last month was appointed Yugoslavian Prime Minister by President Slobodan Milosevic in an attempt to shore up his weakening political base. \JMontenegro\j has equal status with \JSerbia\j in the Yugoslav federation, and both send an equal number of legislators to the Upper House of the Federal Parliament, which elected Mr. Milosevic and can vote him out of office. \I(\JMontenegro\j, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia)\i
President Bill Clinton announces the United States will endorse additional financial aid through the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank if \JRussia\j is unable to meet its short-term debts. Mr. Clinton's announcement follows a tumultuous week in which panicky investors shed the Russian ruble, and interest rates were tripled to 150 per cent to defend it and stem a hemorrhage of capital from the country's financial markets. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Attempts to replace the troublesome motion control computer aboard Russian space station Mir fail, casting doubts on the planned June 2 launch of NASA's shuttle Discovery on its last visit to the space outpost. Discovery is scheduled to pick up Australian-born \Jastronaut\j Andrew Thomas, but NASA's flight rules require Mir to have a functioning control system before the \Jspace shuttle\j can safely dock. \I(Russia, USA, Australia)\i
Norwegian scientists report the discovery of four \Jpolar bear\j cubs with both male and female sex organs, deformities they believe to be linked to increasing \Jpollution\j in the Norwegian \JArctic\j territory of Svalbard, where the cubs were found. Research scientists have been discovering polar bears with both male and female characteristics for three years, but this year's tally is the highest, leading them to suspect that nearly 4 per cent of the region's bear population is now affected. \I(\JNorway\j)\i
Geri Halliwell, otherwise known as Ginger Spice of Britain's pop phenomenon, the Spice Girls, announces that she is quitting the chart-topping group. The remaining members of the "Fab Five" express regret but say they will continue as a foursome, pledging to proceed with their upcoming 40-date tour of the United States. \I(UK, USA)\i
Australia's Hockeyroos carry off their sixth major world title and their second World Cup gold when they defeat the host team 3-2 in the women's final of the World Cup \Jhockey\j championship at \JUtrecht\j, The Netherlands. \I(Australia, The Netherlands)\i
Spain's Alex Criville scores his second victory of the season when he takes the checkered flag in the French 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Le Castellet. \I(Spain, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 1, 1998",880,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Pakistani Cabinet meets to consider austerity measures to compensate for an estimated $US1.5 billion shortfall in foreign aid and loans as a result of retaliatory sanctions imposed after the country's six nuclear tests last week. The government, meanwhile, has declared a national state of emergency, curtailing fundamental \Jcivil rights\j and banning withdrawals from foreign exchange accounts. Press freedom has also been curbed. \I(Pakistan)\i
The new Indonesian Government bows to public demands and announces that it will conduct an investigation into the wealth amassed by the family and friends of ex-president Soeharto during his 32 years in power. The announcement also coincides with a call from Muslim leader Amien Rais for the Soeharto family to return 95 per cent of its holdings to Indonesia. \I(Indonesia)\i
Japan's left-leaning Socialist Democratic Party formally ends four years in coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The two parties have frequently fallen out over key issues such as defense and political reform bills, and the termination of the alliance will leave the LDP eight seats short of a simple majority in the 252-seat Upper House. In the Lower House of Parliament, however, the LDP holds 261 of the 500 seats. \I(Japan)\i
Aftershocks shudder through northeastern \JAfghanistan\j as a major relief effort gets under way for survivors of a massive \Jearthquake\j believed to have killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed up to 60 villages. The 7.1 \Jmagnitude\j quake struck last Saturday, centering in an area north of the Hindu \JKush\j mountain range, a region home to around 60,000 people. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Australian marathon swimmer, Susie Maroney, sets a new world ocean swimming record when she becomes the first person to swim from Mexico to \JCuba\j. The 23-year-old braved sharks, \Jjellyfish\j, and choppy seas for 38 hours and 33 minutes to make the 197-kilometer crossing, surpassing the record 179-kilometer crossing she made between \JCuba\j and \JFlorida\j in May last year. \I(Australia, Mexico, \JCuba\j, USA)\i
A Japanese travel agency says it is receiving an average of 10 queries a \Jday\j about its organized tours to Hawaii for men who wish to buy the acclaimed impotency drug Viagra, which has yet to be approved by Japan's health officials. The Flight More travel agency has already flown 25 mostly middle-aged men to Hawaii, where doctors will prescribe Viagra on receipt of the patient's blood tests from a doctor in Japan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Lawyers for President Bill Clinton decide not to appeal a United States District Court ruling against Mr. Clinton's claim of executive privilege to shield the testimony of two top aides before a grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr. Instead, the lawyers say they will pursue a claim of lawyer-client privilege to protect the testimony of \JWhite House\j deputy counsel, Bruce Lindsey. Sidney Blumenthal, however, is now obliged to testify fully and completely before the grand jury, which is investigating allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky and then urged her to lie about it under oath in the now-dismissed Paula Jones sexual harassment case. \I(USA)\i
Despite strong objections from the United States, the possibility of welcoming \JCuba\j back into the fold of the Organization of American States (OAS) dominates the agenda when delegates from 34 nations gather for their 28th assembly in \JCaracas\j. Most OAS member states disagree with Washington's policy of confrontation with the Communist island, which was excluded from the OAS in 1962 at the insistence of the US. \I(USA, \JCuba\j, Venezuela, The Americas)\i
The Russian space station Mir's troublesome motion control system is finally reactivated, clearing the way for tomorrow's planned launch of NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery on its final visit to the orbiting outpost. The problem with the crucial computer system was found to lie in some of the peripheral units, including a rate sensor, a device that records the station's movement. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Nine letters to be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York in June reveal that Albert Einstein had a love affair during World War II with purported Soviet spy, Margarita Konenkova, wife of Russian sculptor Sergei Konenkova, with whom she lived as an ΘmigrΘ in the United States for more than 20 years before they were recalled to the \JSoviet Union\j in 1945. Einstein wrote the letters to Konenkova between November 1945 and July 1946, when he was 66 and she was 51, but research by Sotheby's has discovered that Einstein knew her as early as 1935, when her husband was commissioned to prepare a bronze bust of the world-renowned scientist, a bust which now resides in the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. \I(USA, Russia)\i
The American Heart Association officially adds \Jobesity\j to the list of major risk factors for \Jheart disease\j, a list headed by smoking and also including high blood \Jcholesterol\j and lack of exercise. The association says \Jobesity\j itself has become a lifelong disease rather than a cosmetic issue, and is fast becoming a dangerous epidemic. While \Jobesity\j is defined as having too much body fat, the association claims that for most purposes, being overweight and being obese are the same thing. \I(USA)\i
A Japanese travel agency says it is receiving an average of 10 queries a \Jday\j about its organized tours to Hawaii for men who wish to buy the acclaimed impotency drug Viagra, which has yet to be approved by Japan's health officials. The Flight More travel agency has already flown 25 mostly middle-aged men to Hawaii, where doctors will prescribe Viagra on receipt of the patient's blood tests from a doctor in Japan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Australian marathon swimmer, Susie Maroney, sets a new world ocean swimming record when she becomes the first person to swim from Mexico to \JCuba\j. The 23-year-old braved sharks, \Jjellyfish\j, and choppy seas for 38 hours and 33 minutes to make the 197-kilometer crossing, surpassing the record 179-kilometer crossing she made between \JCuba\j and \JFlorida\j in May last year. \I(Australia, Mexico, \JCuba\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The \JAlbanian\j Government calls on the world to intervene "powerfully and immediately" to prevent a bloody war in neighboring \JKosovo\j, claiming that around 2,000 refugees have now spilled over the border fleeing a renewal of violence in the volatile Serb province, a direct result, Tirana insists, of a policy of ethnic cleansing pursued by the authorities in \JBelgrade\j against \JKosovo\j's majority ethnic \JAlbanian\j population. International agencies in the area, however, assess the number of refugees in hundreds rather than thousands, but concede that the number is rising as clashes increase between Serb forces and the underground \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, which is fighting for independence from \JSerbia\j. \I(Albania, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Plans to convene an emergency Arab summit on the deadlocked Israeli-Palestinian peace process are discussed during talks in \JAmman\j between King Hussein and Saudi \JArabia\j's Crown Prince Abdullah. Shared concern for a just and durable peace in the \JMiddle East\j has seen a gradual rapprochement between the two Arab kingdoms, which fell out when Jordan refused to join the Saudi-based international coalition to oust Iraqi troops from \JKuwait\j in 1991. \I(Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi \JArabia\j, Iraq, \JKuwait\j)\i
The Zambian Government withdraws all charges against former president, Kenneth Kaunda, who was arrested on Christmas Day and subsequently accused of concealing knowledge of a coup plot to overthrow President Frederick Chiluba. Dr. Kaunda, who was out of the country during the attempted coup by junior military officers in October 1997, denied the charges against him. His release was apparently brokered by South African President, Nelson Mandela, but about 80 people are still in jail facing charges over the botched coup attempt. \I(Zambia)\i
Following a two-month break, former South African president, P.W. Botha, 82, returns to court on charges of defying three subpoenas to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission about his government's suppression of black anti-\Japartheid\j activism. Mr. Botha's accusers are using the contempt case as a platform to air a number of allegations against him, the latest being that he sanctioned the 1988 bombing of the South African Council of Churches headquarters, in which 21 people were injured. \I(South Africa)\i
As Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, meets with Western bankers to discuss last week's market turmoil, the start of a new week's trading sees the slide continuing, with the benchmark RTS shares index closing down more than 10 per cent, and the ruble hitting 6.18 to the dollar from 6.17 on Friday. In a potentially serious development, the main stock futures exchange in Moscow suspends trading, citing problems settling brokers' orders. The Rossiiskaya Birzha exchange trades futures on shares in a number of leading Russian companies, and is smaller in trading volume than the electronic Russian Trading System. \I(Russia)\i
The Russian space station Mir's troublesome motion control system is finally reactivated, clearing the way for tomorrow's planned launch of NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery on its final visit to the orbiting outpost. The problem with the crucial computer system was found to lie in some of the peripheral units, including a rate sensor, a device that records the station's movement. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Nine letters to be auctioned by Sotheby's in New York in June reveal that Albert Einstein had a love affair during World War II with purported Soviet spy, Margarita Konenkova, wife of Russian sculptor Sergei Konenkova, with whom she lived as an ΘmigrΘ in the United States for more than 20 years before they were recalled to the \JSoviet Union\j in 1945. Einstein wrote the letters to Konenkova between November 1945 and July 1946, when he was 66 and she was 51, but research by Sotheby's has discovered that Einstein knew her as early as 1935, when her husband was commissioned to prepare a bronze bust of the world-renowned scientist, a bust which now resides in the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. \I(USA, Russia)\i
On the European Professional Golf Tour, Briton Lee Westwood finishes two strokes clear of the field to win the TPC at \JHamburg\j, \JGermany\j. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, Europe)\i
#
"June 2, 1998",881,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Declaring that there can be "no compromise on defense preparedness", India's Hindu nationalist-led Government unveils its first Budget, which increases military spending by 14 per cent, the largest rise ever approved in peacetime. Dwarfing the military increases, however, are rises of 68 per cent for the Atomic Energy Commission, which is in charge of civilian and military nuclear programs, and 62 per cent for the Department of Space, which assists with rocket development. Together, proposed spending on nuclear and missile research amounts to $US665 million, up $US262 million from the previous Budget, but to the dismay of many financial analysts, no provision is made to offset the suspension of international aid and loans as a result of sanctions imposed last month in the wake of the country's five nuclear tests. \I(India)\i
Pakistan accuses Israel of cooperating with India on a planned air strike against its nuclear installations just hours before Pakistan detonated the first of six underground nuclear tests last week. The accusations arise from the sighting of an F16 \Jaircraft\j on a reconnaissance mission over the country, which Pakistan assumes was Israeli, given that India does not have any F16s. Despite Israel's concern about the first Islamic bomb, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later refutes Pakistan's accusation as totally baseless. \I(Pakistan, Israel, India)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, says he will urge the United States to end economic sanctions against North Korea during his upcoming visit to Washington. Mr. Kim suggests a policy of increasing political engagement and growing economic ties as a more effective way to moderate the behavior of the reclusive North and reduce the risk of conflict between the two Koreas. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
A leading Indonesian human rights official warns that a government investigation into the Soeharto regime's accumulation of wealth will not satisfy public demands, and urges President Habibie to quickly establish a credible independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption, collusion, and nepotism over the past 32 years. Marzuki Darasman, vice president of the Indonesian Human Rights Commission, cites several recent cases involving mobs seeking retribution, and says the government needs to act immediately to prevent the Indonesian people from seeking their own revenge. \I(Indonesia)\i
Despite \JIndonesia\j's ongoing social and political uncertainties, the World Bank announces that it is resuming lending to Jakarta with a $US225 million rural development loan, part of the bank's multibillion-dollar aid package put on hold on May 18 amid escalating social turmoil. The latest loan will help finance a $US273 million project expected to benefit up to 10 million people living in the eastern island districts of \JIndonesia\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery blasts off from its \JFlorida\j launch pad for a final rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. During the 81/2-minute climb to \Jorbit\j, the shuttle sucks fuel from a new light-weight aluminum \Jlithium\j alloy strap-on tank, used for the first time. Discovery's mission is to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve aboard the orbiting outpost. Discovery is also carrying an experiment to detect anti-matter than may have been formed at the very start of time, a potential discovery that could force cosmologists to rethink their theories about the creation of the universe. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Three men described as agents for the family of former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, are indicted for alleged money-laundering by a Swiss magistrate. The indictments follow a six-month investigation during which 13 Bhutto family bank accounts were frozen at the request of the Pakistani Government. The Pakistani Government is also pursuing Ms. Bhutto through the British courts. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j, UK)\i
The United Nations issues an urgent appeal for additional helicopters and fuel to assist the aid operation in northeastern \JAfghanistan\j, which was hit by a massive \Jearthquake\j last Saturday. The UN estimates that the quake zone covers some 700 square miles and up to 70,000 people have been affected. \I(\JAfghanistan\j)\i
Hundreds of children pour into the Geneva headquarters of the International Labor Organization, the culmination of a six-month Global March arranged by campaigners against child labor. The children, who are as young as 10, and come from 50 countries in Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j, are given a standing ovation by delegates gathered for the start of a ten-\Jday\j session to draw up a new convention to protect children worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States officials release a final report on the fate of gold plundered by Nazi \JGermany\j during World War II. While the report cites \JSwitzerland\j's key role in turning gold looted from \JHolocaust\j victims and Nazi-occupied countries into Swiss francs, it also targets the neutral countries of \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, and Turkey as playing an equally critical role in sustaining the war effort by providing Nazi \JGermany\j with minerals essential for making weapons. According to the report, the looted gold was essentially used by the Nazis to pay these countries for their raw materials. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, Turkey)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, says he will urge the United States to end economic sanctions against North Korea during his upcoming visit to Washington. Mr. Kim suggests a policy of increasing political engagement and growing economic ties as a more effective way to moderate the behavior of the reclusive North and reduce the risk of conflict between the two Koreas. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery blasts off from its \JFlorida\j launch pad for a final rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. During the 81/2-minute climb to \Jorbit\j, the shuttle sucks fuel from a new light-weight aluminum \Jlithium\j alloy strap-on tank, used for the first time. Discovery's mission is to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve aboard the orbiting outpost. Discovery is also carrying an experiment to detect anti-matter than may have been formed at the very start of time, a potential discovery that could force cosmologists to rethink their theories about the creation of the universe. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Monica Lewinsky, the former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of prosecutor Kenneth Starr's presidential sex-and-\Jperjury\j investigation, fires lawyer William Ginsburg and hires seasoned criminal attorneys, \JPlato\j Cacheris and Jacob Stein. Ms. Lewinsky's move comes as Mr. Starr urges the United States Supreme Court to speed up appeals on lower court rulings relating to the testimony of \JWhite House\j aide, Bruce Lindsey, and President Clinton's Secret Service guards. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal judge rules that the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 occurred on \Jwater\j controlled by the US and not on what is known as the "open seas", a ruling that clears the way for families of the victims to claim for non-monetary losses. TWA and Boeing are currently facing 145 lawsuits, and if the plaintiffs are successful in their litigation, claims related to stress and emotional loss could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The TWA Boeing 747 crashed into the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off Long Island on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 passengers and crew on board. \I(USA)\i
Hundreds of children pour into the Geneva headquarters of the International Labor Organization, the culmination of a six-month Global March arranged by campaigners against child labor. The children, who are as young as 10 and come from 50 countries in Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j, are given a standing ovation by delegates gathered for the start of a ten-\Jday\j session to draw up a new convention to protect children worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russia's benchmark RTS shares index rises 4.23 per cent to regain some of the previous \Jday\j's 10 per cent losses, but traders view the upward move as a correction rather than a return of investor confidence. President Boris Yeltsin, meanwhile, holds emergency talks with Russia's influential bankers and industrialists, ordering them to set the example and invest in their country to halt the flight of foreign money. Following the meeting, the \JKremlin\j announces that Mr. Yeltsin will present an anti-crisis plan at the end of the month to shore up the country's ailing economy. \I(Russia)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery blasts off from its \JFlorida\j launch pad for a final rendezvous with \JRussia\j's space station Mir. During the 81/2-minute climb to \Jorbit\j, the shuttle sucks fuel from a new light-weight aluminum \Jlithium\j alloy strap-on tank, used for the first time. Discovery's mission is to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve aboard the orbiting outpost. Discovery is also carrying an experiment to detect anti-matter than may have been formed at the very start of time, a potential discovery that could force cosmologists to rethink their theories about the creation of the universe. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Pakistan accuses Israel of cooperating with India on a planned air strike against its nuclear installations just hours before Pakistan detonated the first of six underground nuclear tests last week. The accusations arise from the sighting of an F16 \Jaircraft\j on a reconnaissance mission over the country, which Pakistan assumes was Israeli, given that India does not have any F16s. Despite Israel's concern about the first Islamic bomb, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later refutes Pakistan's accusation as totally baseless. \I(Pakistan, Israel, India)\i
Three men described as agents for the family of former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, are indicted for alleged money-laundering by a Swiss magistrate. The indictments follow a six-month investigation during which 13 Bhutto family bank accounts were frozen at the request of the Pakistani Government. The Pakistani Government is also pursuing Ms. Bhutto through the British courts. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j, UK)\i
United States officials release a final report on the fate of gold plundered by Nazi \JGermany\j during World War II. While the report cites \JSwitzerland\j's key role in turning gold looted from \JHolocaust\j victims and Nazi-occupied countries into Swiss francs, it also targets the neutral countries of \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, and Turkey as playing an equally critical role in sustaining the war effort by providing Nazi \JGermany\j with minerals essential for making weapons. According to the report, the looted gold was essentially used by the Nazis to pay these countries for their raw materials. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSpain\j, Sweden, Turkey)\i
Hundreds of children pour into the Geneva headquarters of the International Labor Organization, the culmination of a six-month Global March arranged by campaigners against child labor. The children, who are as young as 10 and come from 50 countries in Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j, are given a standing ovation by delegates gathered for the start of a ten-\Jday\j session to draw up a new convention to protect children worldwide. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
The management of French flag carrier Air \JFrance\j meets with representatives of the pilots' unions in a bid to end a strike that has grounded most of its \Jaircraft\j over the past two days and is threatening to cause severe disruption to the World Cup \Jsoccer\j finals, due to begin on June 10. Meanwhile, Transport Minister, Jean-Claude Gayssot, issues a plea for cooperation on all sides, at the same time warning the striking pilots that the airline, the World Cup, and \JFrance\j, must not be held hostage. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 3, 1998",882,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, decides to renew China's Most Favored Nation status for another year, insisting that trade relations with China are crucial for the US economy and national interests. Although Mr. Clinton's decision is strongly supported by business groups, it is destined to face a tough fight in Congress, which is currently probing allegations of US rocket technology transfers to China and illegal Chinese donations to Democratic Party coffers. \I(USA, China)\i
The United States suggests that India and \JPakistan\j be given some form of security assurance as an inducement to curb their nuclear programs. The suggestion comes as \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, heads to Geneva to discuss a response to the South Asian nuclear arms race at a hastily-arranged meeting of the world's five recognized nuclear states: Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the US. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
India flatly rejects the prospect of outside mediation to help resolve the issue of Kashmir, maintaining that there is no place for any third party in India-\JPakistan\j relations. India's statement follows a Japanese proposal to arrange talks in \JTokyo\j to discuss the prolonged territorial dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, a proposal immediately accepted by \JPakistan\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, Japan)\i
Around 3,000 protesters converge outside the gates of the Indonesian Parliament in the capital, Jakarta, calling for the resignation of President Jusuf Habibie and demanding that ex-president Soeharto face trial on charges of corruption. Earlier, Defense Minister and armed forces chief, General Wiranto, renewed his pledge to protect Mr. Soeharto and his family, warning that the wave of reform sweeping the country since the presidential change has its limits. \I(Indonesia)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives approval for Phase III clinical trials of a vaccine against the AIDS virus, the first of more than 40 vaccines to advance to this stage. The human trials of AIDSVAX, which uses a surface protein on the coat of the \JHIV\j virus known as gp120, will involve 5,000 volunteers in 40 cities across \JNorth America\j. VaxGen Inc., the \JCalifornia\j-based company which developed the vaccine, is also preparing Phase III clinical trials in \JThailand\j. Phase III trials are usually the final step before the FDA considers whether to allow a drug or vaccine to be marketed. \I(USA, \JThailand\j)\i
In what it hails as the most significant "on-the-ground development" in the current peace process, Papua New Guinea (PNG) agrees to withdraw its troops from Arawa, in central Bougainville, if local rebels give an assurance that their forces will be withdrawn as well. Under the April 30 cease-fire agreement to end 10 years of strife on the island, it was agreed that a civilian police force would gradually replace PNG troops in Arawa, which is near the Panguna copper mine blamed for triggering the secessionist conflict. \I(Papua New Guinea, Bougainville)\i
The Philippine Government recommends that the Supreme Court overturn a 12-year jail sentence against former first lady, Imelda Marcos, and acquit her of corruption charges. While the recommendation is a turnaround for the government, which prosecuted the 1993 case, the Solicitor-General says it will not affect the outcome of scores of other graft cases against Mrs. Marcos that are still before other courts. The government has accused the Marcos family and associates of stealing up to $US5 billion from the economy during the 20-year rule of the late Ferdinand Marcos. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States seeks to delay for at least a week any announcement of an Arab summit on the paralyzed \JMiddle East\j peace process, saying Washington first needs time to declare its proposals for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate. While the US has been pressing Israel to hand over a further 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian control, the proposal itself has not been publicly released as yet. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The United States suggests that India and \JPakistan\j be given some form of security assurance as an inducement to curb their nuclear programs. The suggestion comes as \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, heads to Geneva to discuss a response to the South Asian nuclear arms race at a hastily-arranged meeting of the world's five recognized nuclear states: Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the US. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, decides to renew China's Most Favored Nation status for another year, insisting that trade relations with China are crucial for the US economy and national interests. Although Mr. Clinton's decision is strongly supported by business groups, it is destined to face a tough fight in Congress, which is currently probing allegations of US rocket technology transfers to China and illegal Chinese donations to Democratic Party coffers. \I(USA, China)\i
A former Palestine Liberation Organization officer appears at the United States District Court in Washington to answer charges relating to the 1982 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Hawaii, in which one passenger was killed and another 15 were wounded. Mohammed Rashid pleads not guilty and protests that he has already been tried on the charges. In 1992, Rashid was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to 19 years in prison by a Greek court, but he was released on good behavior at the end of 1996, a move that deeply angered the US. \I(Palestine, USA, \JGreece\j)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives approval for Phase III clinical trials of a vaccine against the AIDS virus, the first of more than 40 vaccines to advance to this stage. The human trials of AIDSVAX, which uses a surface protein on the coat of the \JHIV\j virus known as gp120, will involve 5,000 volunteers in 40 cities across \JNorth America\j. VaxGen Inc., the \JCalifornia\j-based company which developed the vaccine, is also preparing Phase III clinical trials in \JThailand\j. Phase III trials are usually the final step before the FDA considers whether to allow a drug or vaccine to be marketed. \I(USA, \JThailand\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States seeks to delay for at least a week any announcement of an Arab summit on the paralyzed \JMiddle East\j peace process, saying Washington first needs time to declare its proposals for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate. While the US has been pressing Israel to hand over a further 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian control, the proposal itself has not been publicly released as yet. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine, \JMiddle East\j)\i
The United States suggests that India and \JPakistan\j be given some form of security assurance as an inducement to curb their nuclear programs. The suggestion comes as \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, heads to Geneva to discuss a response to the South Asian nuclear arms race at a hastily-arranged meeting of the world's five recognized nuclear states: Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the US. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Heavy fighting breaks out on the border of \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, about 100 miles southwest of the Eritrean capital, Asmara, with each side accusing the other of provoking the hostilities. \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea enjoyed friendly relations until early last month, when a border incident over disputed territory turned violent. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
Apartheid's most notorious assassin, Eugene de Kock, gives evidence before a South African court implicating former president, P.W. Botha, in the 1987 bombing of the Cosatu House trade union offices in \JJohannesburg\j. Mr. Botha, 82, is on trial for refusing to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the state's official inquiry into \Japartheid\j. Mr. de Kock, otherwise known as "Prime Evil", is currently serving a 212-year jail sentence for murders and other \Japartheid\j-era crimes. \I(South Africa)\i
A high-speed \JHamburg\j-bound train carrying around 300 passengers derails and slams into a road bridge near Eschede station, north of the central German city of \JHanover\j. The entire bridge collapses, burying part of the train under the rubble, while all 13 carriages of the Inter City Express are telescoped into one another by the impact. It is \JGermany\j's worst rail disaster in 50 years, with at least 100 people feared dead in the tangled wreckage. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
A former Palestine Liberation Organization officer appears at the United States District Court in Washington to answer charges relating to the 1982 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Hawaii, in which one passenger was killed and another 15 were wounded. Mohammed Rashid pleads not guilty and protests that he has already been tried on the charges. In 1992, Rashid was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to 19 years in prison by a Greek court, but he was released on good behavior at the end of 1996, a move that deeply angered the US. \I(Palestine, USA, \JGreece\j)\i
French police detain three suspected Islamic fundamentalists in a renewed security drive to prevent terrorist attacks during the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, due to begin on June 10. Meanwhile, as hundreds of Air \JFrance\j flights are grounded for a third \Jday\j, President Jacques Chirac urges all sides in the current pilot's strike to display a spirit of responsibility and consider the damage to the nation's image if the world's largest \Jsoccer\j tournament is hijacked by strike action. At this stage, however, the pilots' unions say they hold out little hope of a swift agreement in time for the World Cup. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 4, 1998",883,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Big Five nuclear powers issue a joint communiquΘ reaffirming that despite the recent nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j, neither nation has the status of a nuclear weapons state in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which permits only the United States, Britain, China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j to possess nuclear weapons. The big powers also pledge to cooperate to head off a nuclear arms race in South Asia, at the same time unanimously condemning India and \JPakistan\j for conducting tests last month and urging both countries to join the global agreements on halting nuclear proliferation. However, the communiquΘ sidesteps the urgent issue of possible third-party mediation to facilitate a settlement on Kashmir, and gives no indication of how the powers will react if India and \JPakistan\j go beyond testing to deploy nuclear weapons. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
The ninth anniversary of \JBeijing\j's Tiananmen Square massacre sees pressure mount on United States President, Bill Clinton, to call off his planned trip to China later this month, with Chinese \Jdissidents\j, Harry Wu, Wei Jingsheng, and recently released Tiananmen Square student leader, Wang Dan, delivering impassioned public speeches imploring Mr. Clinton to rethink what would be the first visit by a US president since the ill-fated student demonstration. Mr. Clinton's planned visit is also drawing increased scrutiny due to recent allegations of Chinese influence-buying and US rocket technology transfers. \I(China, USA)\i
Thousands of people brave driving rain to gather before a statue called the Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong's Victoria Park for a candlelight vigil in memory of the Chinese students killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989. The pro-democracy gathering proceeds despite an appeal by Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, urging that the "baggage" of Tiananmen be dropped. \I(Hong Kong China)\i
Indonesia's crushing private-sector debt problem is eased when international banks agree to roll over $US80 billion in short-term corporate and bank debt. Essentially, the deal gives Indonesia's debt-ridden firms eight years to pay off their liabilities and a three-year reprieve in which they need pay only interest, a deal hailed by brokers as a crucial step towards restoring investor confidence and helping the country's battered economy on the long road to recovery. \I(Indonesia)\i
The Indonesian military command in East \JTimor\j loses most of its senior officers when a \Jhelicopter\j on which they are traveling comes down in mountains near the village of Liaroka, about 200 kilometers southeast of Dili. All eleven people on board the craft are killed in the crash, which authorities say was caused by bad \Jweather\j and not anti-Indonesian independence fighters who are active in the area. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery docks at \JRussia\j's Mir space station for the ninth and final time on a mission to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve on the aging space outpost. Back on Earth, NASA officials describe the experience gained throughout the program as a great stepping stone and well worth the trials and tribulations. The United States and \JRussia\j, along with Europe, \JJapan\j, and Canada, will now concentrate their efforts on the construction of a new $US60 billion international space station, due to begin later this year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia, Europe, Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
Government officials in Suva estimate that 80,000 people, or 10 per cent of \JFiji\j's population, will require State aid for at least a year to avert starvation and destitution caused by the country's worst \Jdrought\j on record. Sugar cane is the core of \JFiji\j's economy, but the \Jdrought\j has cut this year's harvest from about four million tonnes to only 1.7 million tonnes, with many smallhold farmers losing their entire crop and the country losing some $US50 million in export earnings. \I(\JFiji\j)\i
An official from the United Nations Environment Program says the problem of \JIndonesia\j's remaining forest fires requires large-scale wartime mobilization of resources such as personnel, equipment, logistics, and telecommunications. Although the end of the El Ni±o \Jweather\j pattern is expected to ease the region's 14-month \Jdrought\j, 30 fires are still burning out of control in inaccessible areas, and the normal dry season, which will last until October, is regarded as sufficient to spark new fires and the return of the same atmospheric patterns that enveloped Southeast Asia in smog last year. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Australia's 1998 Miles Franklin Award is won by author Peter Carey for his novel \IJack Maggs\i, which recently won the London-based Commonwealth Writers' Prize as well. It is the third time Carey has won Australia's most prestigious literary prize, which was set up in 1957 under the terms of the will of novelist Miles Franklin. \I(Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Big Five nuclear powers issue a joint communiquΘ reaffirming that despite the recent nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j, neither nation has the status of a nuclear weapons state in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which permits only the United States, Britain, China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j to possess nuclear weapons. The big powers also pledge to cooperate to head off a nuclear arms race in South Asia, at the same time unanimously condemning India and \JPakistan\j for conducting tests last month and urging both countries to join the global agreements on halting nuclear proliferation. However, the communiquΘ sidesteps the urgent issue of possible third-party mediation to facilitate a settlement on Kashmir, and gives no indication of how the powers will react if India and \JPakistan\j go beyond testing to deploy nuclear weapons. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Germany and \JAlbania\j call for urgent action by the international community to help ethnic Albanians caught up in escalating violence in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. \JNATO\j ministers are due to discuss the \JKosovo\j conflict again next week, but according to a senior United States defense official, they are unlikely to make any decision on military action. Washington, meanwhile, is seeking to gain a clearer assessment of the situation in \JKosovo\j following reports of an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against ethnic Albanians, who account for 90 per cent of the province's population and are agitating for independence. \I(Germany, \JAlbania\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
Ethiopia accepts an American-Rwandan four-point plan to end a border conflict with Eritrea, but fighting continues as Eritrean troops push Ethiopian forces back along a disputed area 85 miles southeast of the Eritrean capital, Asmara. The border area has been ill-defined since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and the international community believes that the two highly-trained opposing armies have the capacity to engulf their countries in a full-blow war unless the territorial dispute is resolved. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, USA)\i
The ninth anniversary of \JBeijing\j's Tiananmen Square massacre sees pressure mount on United States President, Bill Clinton, to call off his planned trip to China later this month, with Chinese \Jdissidents\j, Harry Wu, Wei Jingsheng, and recently released Tiananmen Square student leader, Wang Dan, delivering impassioned public speeches imploring Mr. Clinton to rethink what would be the first visit by a US president since the ill-fated student demonstration. Mr. Clinton's planned visit is also drawing increased scrutiny due to recent allegations of Chinese influence-buying and US rocket technology transfers. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery docks at \JRussia\j's Mir space station for the ninth and final time on a mission to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve on the aging space outpost. Back on Earth, NASA officials describe the experience gained throughout the program as a great stepping stone and well worth the trials and tribulations. The United States and \JRussia\j, along with Europe, \JJapan\j, and Canada, will now concentrate their efforts on the construction of a new $US60 billion international space station, due to begin later this year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia, Europe, Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
In New York, three \JHolocaust\j survivors file a $US18 billion class action against two German banks, the Dresdner and the Deutsche, claiming that they concealed and profited from assets looted by the Nazis from \JHolocaust\j victims. It is the first time the focus of legal actions for compensation has shifted from "neutral" Swiss banks to target German financial institutions. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
United States District Court Judge, Richard Matsch, sentences \JOklahoma City\j Bombing conspirator, Terry Nichols, to life in prison without parole, and also orders that Nichols pays \Jrestitution\j of $US14.5 million to the government. In December, a jury found Nichols guilty of conspiring with Timothy McVeigh to bomb the Alfred P. Murrah federal building, and guilty of involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j in the deaths of eight federal agents who were in the building at the time of the explosion. The jury, however, was unable to agree on a punishment and left the task to the trial judge. In federal cases, the maximum sentence a judge can impose is \Jlife imprisonment\j. Only a jury can impose the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
The open casket funeral of a 42-year-old AIDS victim is held in front of the \JWhite House\j to protest against the Clinton administration's policies on the disease. While the administration has promoted increased spending on AIDS research and programs such as healthcare coverage for AIDS victims, activists were dismayed by the administration's refusal in April to back federal funds for needle exchange programs for drug users, many of whom spread the \JHIV\j virus by sharing needles. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Big Five nuclear powers issue a joint communiquΘ reaffirming that despite the recent nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j, neither nation has the status of a nuclear weapons state in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which permits only the United States, Britain, China, \JRussia\j, and \JFrance\j to possess nuclear weapons. The big powers also pledge to cooperate to head off a nuclear arms race in South Asia, at the same time unanimously condemning India and \JPakistan\j for conducting tests last month and urging both countries to join the global agreements on halting nuclear proliferation. However, the communiquΘ sidesteps the urgent issue of possible third-party mediation to facilitate a settlement on Kashmir, and gives no indication of how the powers will react if India and \JPakistan\j go beyond testing to deploy nuclear weapons. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JRussia\j, \JFrance\j)\i
Germany and \JAlbania\j call for urgent action by the international community to help ethnic Albanians caught up in escalating violence in the Serb province of \JKosovo\j. \JNATO\j ministers are due to discuss the \JKosovo\j conflict again next week, but according to a senior United States defense official, they are unlikely to make any decision on military action. Washington, meanwhile, is seeking to gain a clearer assessment of the situation in \JKosovo\j following reports of an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against ethnic Albanians, who account for 90 per cent of the province's population and are agitating for independence. \I(Germany, \JAlbania\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
Ethiopia accepts an American-Rwandan four-point plan to end a border conflict with Eritrea, but fighting continues as Eritrean troops push Ethiopian forces back along a disputed area 85 miles southeast of the Eritrean capital, Asmara. The border area has been ill-defined since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and the international community believes that the two highly-trained opposing armies have the capacity to engulf their countries in a full-blow war unless the territorial dispute is resolved. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, USA)\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, breaks off a summit in \JItaly\j to lead his country in mourning as the death toll from yesterday's rail disaster in Eschede reaches 92, with another 60 people injured, and rescue workers holding little hope of finding any more survivors in the mangled wreckage. In the meantime, a speed limit of 160 kilometers per hour has been imposed on all Inter City Express trains, which were introduced in 1991 and, until now, were the pride of German Railways. \I(\JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Former Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda, announces his intention to step down as leader of the opposition United National Independence Party and retire from active politics. The announcement comes three days after Dr. Kaunda's release from five months of house arrest on charges of concealing knowledge of a coup plot against President Frederick Chiluba. While Dr. Kaunda denies that a deal was reached to secure his release or to persuade him to retire, the government nevertheless hails his decision as a welcome move. \I(Zambia)\i
Six people are injured when a bomb explodes in an \JIstanbul\j cafΘ just hours after a blast rocks a commuter train in a nearby district. It is not clear who is responsible for the explosions, but they come amid a wave of political violence that has been growing since May 1, when riot police charged and disbanded a 70,000-strong left-wing rally in the Turkish capital. \I(Turkey)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery docks at \JRussia\j's Mir space station for the ninth and final time on a mission to bring home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the last of seven NASA astronauts to serve on the aging space outpost. Back on Earth, NASA officials describe the experience gained throughout the program as a great stepping stone and well worth the trials and tribulations. The United States and \JRussia\j, along with Europe, \JJapan\j, and Canada, will now concentrate their efforts on the construction of a new $US60 billion international space station, due to begin later this year. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia, Europe, Canada, \JJapan\j)\i
In New York, three \JHolocaust\j survivors file a $US18 billion class action against two German banks, the Dresdner and the Deutsche, claiming that they concealed and profited from assets looted by the Nazis from \JHolocaust\j victims. It is the first time the focus of legal actions for compensation has shifted from "neutral" Swiss banks to target German financial institutions. \I(USA, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Australia's 1998 Miles Franklin Award is won by author Peter Carey for his novel \IJack Maggs\i, which recently won the London-based Commonwealth Writers' Prize as well. It is the third time Carey has won Australia's most prestigious literary prize, which was set up in 1957 under the terms of the will of novelist Miles Franklin. \I(Australia, UK)\i
#
"June 5, 1998",884,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Responding to a joint communiquΘ issued by the Big Five nuclear powers, India once again rejects any outside involvement in its dispute with \JPakistan\j over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, and accuses the so-called P-5 of ignoring China's alleged transfer of nuclear technology to \JPakistan\j in violation of a treaty provision to which the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China are all party. Defending its five recent nuclear detonations in the face of unanimous P-5 condemnation, India not only cites the perceived threat to its security, but criticizes the nuclear treaty as a deeply flawed and discriminatory non-proliferation system that has legitimized the possession of nuclear weapons by just a few countries. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Euphoria over yesterday's deal to reschedule \JIndonesia\j's $US80 billion private-sector debt burden begins to evaporate as the country's financial markets continue to languish, with the rupiah remaining lodged below 11,500 to the US dollar and the stock market gaining less than one per cent. Analysts attribute the ongoing lack of investor confidence to the uncertainty of the political situation and the specter of another outbreak of mass unrest. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A fresh burst of long-range exchanges between Sri Lankan Government troops and Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the country's north leaves at least 250 people dead and hundreds more wounded. Defense officials claim that more than 150 Tiger fighters were killed by the army, which used mortars, artillery, and \Jaircraft\j to bomb rebel positions, while army losses are estimated at around 100, with another 150 troops said to have been injured during heavy mortar attacks launched by the Tigers. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
A senior United Nations human rights official says the Cambodian Government has once again pledged to set up a taskforce to investigate more than 100 political killings since March 1997, but that it remains to be seen whether Phnom Penh has the political will to bring human rights violators to justice. According to a UN report, 83 of the political killings occurred in the aftermath of the July 1997 coup in which Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, ousted his coalition partner, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. \I(Cambodia)\i
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that enough \Jplutonium\j to make a small nuclear bomb has been left on the seabed at Mururoa and Fangataufa, the Polynesian atolls used by \JFrance\j for its nuclear tests, the last of which were conducted in January 1996. The IAEA adds that although the amount of \Jplutonium\j is relatively large, it is of little importance from a radiological point of view because of the low risk of inhaling or digesting it. \I(French Polynesia, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Responding to a joint communiquΘ issued by the Big Five nuclear powers, India once again rejects any outside involvement in its dispute with \JPakistan\j over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, and accuses the so-called P-5 of ignoring China's alleged transfer of nuclear technology to \JPakistan\j in violation of a treaty provision to which the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China are all party. Defending its five recent nuclear detonations in the face of unanimous P-5 condemnation, India not only cites the perceived threat to its security, but criticizes the nuclear treaty as a deeply flawed and discriminatory non-proliferation system that has legitimized the possession of nuclear weapons by just a few countries. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Despite intense pressure from the United States, \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders call off scheduled talks with Serbian Government negotiators until Serb forces are withdrawn from the province, where fresh violence has erupted as troops battle gunmen of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) for control of the Pec-Djakovica road in the southwest. The operation against the KLA has reduced villages to rubble and released a wave of civilian refugees, but although \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders are accusing the Serbian Government of waging a campaign of ethnic cleansing, they have so far only released a figure of some 52 dead. The latest upsurge in violence has nevertheless prompted Britain to schedule an emergency meeting of the six-nation Contact Group next week. \I(USA, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia, UK)\i
Air traffic control radar screens twice lose track of US President Bill Clinton's plane in the airspace between Washington and Bedford, \JMassachusetts\j. The Federal Aviation Administration later cites an apparent malfunction of radar at the Gibbsboro facility in southern \JNew Jersey\j, and confirms that neither incident compromised the safety of those on board Air Force One, including Mr. Clinton, who was en route for an appearance at the \JMassachusetts\j Institute of Technology. \I(USA)\i
Divers retrieve the propeller of the \JCivil War\j ship, USS \IMonitor,\i from the floor of the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off the \JNorth Carolina\j coast near the town of Hatteras. It is the first major artifact recovered from the vessel, which sank in heavy seas in December 1862, nine months after it fought the South's \IVirginia\i in the first engagement between ironclad ships, a battle that brought an end to the era of wooden warships. \I(USA)\i
The State of Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law, the first of its kind in the United States, is given a major boost when Attorney General, Janet Reno, decides that federal law does not authorize the prosecution of doctors who comply with the Oregon law. Ms. Reno's decision overturns the position taken by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which said that doctors who prescribed lethal doses of medicine would be violating the federal Controlled Substances law and would risk losing their licenses to prescribe drugs. The 1994 Oregon law specifies that physicians may use medications, but not lethal injections, to help a terminally ill patient commit suicide, providing two doctors agree that the patient is mentally competent and has no more than six months to live. \I(USA)\i
A task force established to examine the gradual disappearance of wild salmon from Irish waters finds that numbers of spring salmon returning from the North Atlantic to spawn have fallen by half compared with last year, and warns that the species will become a rarity in Ireland if something radical is not done quickly. The declining trend follows that in Scotland, \JNorway\j, and Canada, with scientists partly blaming global warming, but also pointing to factors such as drift-net fishing, \Jpollution\j, and sea lice from fish farms. \I(Republic of Ireland, Scotland, \JNorway\j, Canada)\i
Sam Yorty, the former Democrat congressman and three-term mayor of Los Angeles, dies aged 88 after suffering a large stroke on May 24. A political maverick who ran 20 campaigns, Yorty's controversial style earned him several nicknames, including "Shoot-From-the-Lip Sam", "\JSaigon\j Sam", and the "Maverick Mayor". \I(USA)\i
A \JDallas\j juvenile court jury sentences an 11-year-old boy to 10 years in state custody for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl. The boy, who was facing up to 40 years behind bars for the attack, will serve his sentence at a youth detention center unless he behaves badly, in which case, he will be transferred to an adult prison after the age of 16. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Responding to a joint communiquΘ issued by the Big Five nuclear powers, India once again rejects any outside involvement in its dispute with \JPakistan\j over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, and accuses the so-called P-5 of ignoring China's alleged transfer of nuclear technology to \JPakistan\j in violation of a treaty provision to which the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China are all party. Defending its five recent nuclear detonations in the face of unanimous P-5 condemnation, India not only cites the perceived threat to its security, but criticizes the nuclear treaty as a deeply flawed and discriminatory non-proliferation system that has legitimized the possession of nuclear weapons by just a few countries. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Despite intense pressure from the United States, \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders call off scheduled talks with Serbian Government negotiators until Serb forces are withdrawn from the province, where fresh violence has erupted as troops battle gunmen of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) for control of the Pec-Djakovica road in the southwest. The operation against the KLA has reduced villages to rubble and released a wave of civilian refugees, but although \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders are accusing the Serbian Government of waging a campaign of ethnic cleansing, they have so far only released a figure of some 52 dead. The latest upsurge in violence has nevertheless prompted Britain to schedule an emergency meeting of the six-nation Contact Group next week. \I(USA, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia, UK)\i
The conflict between Eritrea and \JEthiopia\j escalates, dashing hopes that a peace formula to quell the border row had been found. Foreign nationals scramble to leave and casualties mount as Eritrean warplanes bomb the northern Ethiopian town of Mekele, and Ethiopia retaliates with raids on Eritrea's main airport at Asmara, striking both the civilian and military areas of the complex. The border dispute centers on a rocky 400 kilometer square triangle of land which both countries claim. \I(Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, says his country has weathered the worst of its latest financial crisis, which he largely blames on the Budget deficit, itself a consequence of overspending, poor tax collection, and low world prices for oil. Pledges of Western support have now seen a degree of calm return to Russia's markets following last week's turmoil, with the benchmark RTS shares index up 21 per cent on the week, and interest rates down to 60 per cent after being escalated to 150 per cent to defend the ruble. \I(Russia)\i
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that enough \Jplutonium\j to make a small nuclear bomb has been left on the seabed at Mururoa and Fangataufa, the Polynesian atolls used by \JFrance\j for its nuclear tests, the last of which were conducted in January 1996. The IAEA adds that although the amount of \Jplutonium\j is relatively large, it is of little importance from a radiological point of view because of the low risk of inhaling or digesting it. \I(French Polynesia, \JFrance\j)\i
A task force established to examine the gradual disappearance of wild salmon from Irish waters finds that numbers of spring salmon returning from the North Atlantic to spawn have fallen by half compared with last year, and warns that the species will become a rarity in Ireland if something radical is not done quickly. The declining trend follows that in Scotland, \JNorway\j, and Canada, with scientists partly blaming global warming, but also pointing to factors such as drift-net fishing, \Jpollution\j, and sea lice from fish farms. \I(Republic of Ireland, Scotland, \JNorway\j, Canada)\i
After nine months of investigation, the French judge leading the probe into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales makes a final bid to reconcile conflicting accounts of the August 31 Paris car crash, questioning more than 20 witnesses in what is known as a "confrontation" under French law. Apart from the witnesses, the few people permitted to be present during the closed-door mass questioning session include Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, and Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi was also killed in the accident. \I(France, UK)\i
As Air \JFrance\j pilots stage a fifth consecutive \Jday\j of strikes, forcing the cancellation of more than two thirds of all flights, French rail services are also severely disrupted when train conductors stage their own walkout over pay and conditions. With the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament less than a week away, the growing volume of disputes is causing additional headaches for the French Government. Earlier this week, thousands of disgruntled state electricity workers demonstrated in central Paris and policemen cycled down the Champs Elysees in protest against new pay structures. Meanwhile, drivers for bank security vans are threatening to walk off the job, and a major teachers' union has called on its members to disrupt road traffic around all French towns on June 18 to protest against plans to reform the education sector. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 6, 1998",885,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The 15-member United Nations Security Council adopts Resolution 1172 condemning India and \JPakistan\j for their nuclear tests last month, and calling on both countries to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as non-nuclear states. In a gesture to the non-nuclear states, the five recognized nuclear powers, all permanent members of the Security Council, agree to recommit themselves to implementing article six of the NPT, which provides for them to negotiate a treaty to eliminate their nuclear weaponry. The Big Five nuclear powers, also known as P-5, are the United States, Britain, China, \JFrance\j, and \JRussia\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
At a meeting in New York with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, visiting South Korean President Kim Dae Jung discusses his new policy to develop peaceful relations with North Korea, explaining at length the measures being taken with that end in mind. Mr. Kim also reaffirms his commitment to keeping the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons. Later, the South Korean president accepts an award from the International League for Human rights for his commitment to democratic principles and civil liberties. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
Two officers of the Indonesian police anti-riot mobile brigade appear before a military court charged with violating military orders and failing to prevent their subordinates from firing on student protesters at Jakarta's Trisakti University on May 12. The two officers, who are among 18 members of the security forces facing charges over the shooting deaths of four students, are defended by nine prominent private lawyers who volunteered their services. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The 15-member United Nations Security Council adopts Resolution 1172 condemning India and \JPakistan\j for their nuclear tests last month, and calling on both countries to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as non-nuclear states. In a gesture to the non-nuclear states, the five recognized nuclear powers, all permanent members of the Security Council, agree to recommit themselves to implementing article six of the NPT, which provides for them to negotiate a treaty to eliminate their nuclear weaponry. The Big Five nuclear powers, also known as P-5, are the United States, Britain, China, \JFrance\j, and \JRussia\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
At a meeting in New York with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, visiting South Korean President Kim Dae Jung discusses his new policy to develop peaceful relations with North Korea, explaining at length the measures being taken with that end in mind. Mr. Kim also reaffirms his commitment to keeping the Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons. Later, the South Korean president accepts an award from the International League for Human rights for his commitment to democratic principles and civil liberties. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service announces that it is opening a new registration period for its Special Cuban Migration Program, a lottery system in which Cuban applicants seeking to migrate legally to the US are randomly selected by computer. It will be the third migration lottery held since September 1994, when Cuba and the US reached an accord to halt an uncontrolled exodus of Cuban rafters fleeing to the US. Under the accord, the US agreed to allow the legal migration of at least 20,000 Cubans a year. \I(USA, Cuba)\i
A 300-foot diesel-powered \Jcatamaran\j leaves New York for Tarifa, \JSpain\j, hoping to break the speed record for a commercial transatlantic crossing set eight years ago by \IHoverspeed Great Britain\i with an average speed of 36.65 knots. Other past winners of the Hales Trophy, established in 1935 to encourage innovation in the passenger transport industry, include the \ILusitania\i and the \IQueen Mary.\i Win or lose, the high-speed \ICatalonia\i will operate as a ferry between \JBarcelona\j and Palma de Mallorca once it arrives in \JSpain\j. It is capable of carrying 900 passengers and 250 vehicles. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, UK)\i
A Brooklyn jury sentences a 39-year-old convicted murderer to death by lethal injection. It is the first time that the death penalty has been imposed since \Jcapital punishment\j was reinstated in New York in September 1995, with the last execution taking place in 1963. Jury deliberations were clearly contentious, however. Earlier, two jurors were restrained after coming to blows, two jurors cried as the verdict was read, and one later collapsed and was taken to \Jhospital\j. \I(USA)\i
At Roland Garros stadium in Paris, \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario clinches her third French Open tennis title when she defeats three-time former champion, Monica Seles of the United States. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The 15-member United Nations Security Council adopts Resolution 1172 condemning India and \JPakistan\j for their nuclear tests last month, and calling on both countries to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as non-nuclear states. In a gesture to the non-nuclear states, the five recognized nuclear powers, all permanent members of the Security Council, agree to recommit themselves to implementing article six of the NPT, which provides for them to negotiate a treaty to eliminate their nuclear weaponry. The Big Five nuclear powers, also known as P-5, are the United States, Britain, China, \JFrance\j, and \JRussia\j. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Under pressure from Western governments, \JEthiopia\j agrees to a 13-hour suspension of raids on Eritrea's main airport to allow the evacuation of hundreds of foreign nationals. Ethiopian MiG fighters have hit the Asmara airport three times since the undeclared war between the Horn of Africa neighbors flared this week over a barren border area claimed by both sides. Ethiopia has a population of 60 million, outnumbering Eritrea's by 15 to one, but both countries have huge armies by African standards. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
The death toll climbs to 101 as more bodies are recovered from the mangled wreckage of the high-speed Inter City Express train which crashed near Eschede station in central \JGermany\j last Wednesday. Investigators, meanwhile, believe that the disaster was caused when a wheel on the first passenger car broke, sending the train off the rails and into the supports of a road bridge at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
Britain declares that its troubled nuclear processing plant at Dounreay, on Scotland's north coast, will accept no more foreign nuclear material. In announcing its decision to close the plant, the Government says there is no economic case for supporting commercial nuclear reprocess at Dounreay over the long term. The plant currently employs 1,300 people, and will take almost 10 years to shut down. \I(UK, Scotland)\i
A 300-foot diesel-powered \Jcatamaran\j leaves New York for Tarifa, \JSpain\j, hoping to break the speed record for a commercial transatlantic crossing set eight years ago by \IHoverspeed Great Britain\i with an average speed of 36.65 knots. Other past winners of the Hales Trophy, established in 1935 to encourage innovation in the passenger transport industry, include the \ILusitania\i and the \IQueen Mary.\i Win or lose, the high-speed \ICatalonia\i will operate as a ferry between \JBarcelona\j and Palma de Mallorca once it arrives in \JSpain\j. It is capable of carrying 900 passengers and 250 vehicles. \I(USA, \JSpain\j, UK)\i
At Roland Garros stadium in Paris, \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario clinches her third French Open tennis title when she defeats three-time former champion, Monica Seles of the United States. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, USA)\i
#
"June 7, 1998",886,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Both India and \JPakistan\j level harsh criticism at the United Nations Security Council following a resolution condemning the recent nuclear test explosions on the subcontinent. India labels the resolution "grotesque" and accuses the council's five permanent members, also the world's only recognized nuclear powers, of applying double standards. \JPakistan\j calls the resolution discrimination at a global level, epitomized by the possession of over 30,000 nuclear weapons in the hands of the five nuclear states. India and \JPakistan\j are not alone in their criticism of the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, with the non-permanent Security Council members also reminding the Big Five of their commitments to disarm. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
At least 26 people are killed and 45 are injured when a bomb explodes in a crowded coach of an express train in southern \JPakistan\j, the latest in a series of blasts which have left another four people dead and 10 people wounded. The General Manager of \JPakistan\j Railways terms the latest blast "clear sabotage," and in a scarcely veiled allusion to India, says a "foreign hand" cannot be ruled out, a charge that has been leveled at India's intelligence services on numerous occasions. \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, presents his most specific timetable yet for political change, saying electoral reforms will be completed in two months and elections will be held before December 1999. Amid demands for swift action against ex-president Soeharto, Dr. Habibie insists on a lawful inquiry into corruption during his predecessor's 32 years in power, adding, however, that all future presidents should be limited to two five-year terms. \I(Indonesia)\i
Sri Lankan newspapers deliberately leave columns blank in protest over the government's decision to impose \Jcensorship\j on news reports about the war between government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam separatist group. Yesterday, the Defense Ministry issued a statement prohibiting print and electronic media from reporting operations by the military, police, and the special task force unless the material is first submitted to a special unit for screening. The \Jcensorship\j applies to both local and foreign media. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Australian golfer Stuart Appleby clinches his second United States PGA Tour victory when he closes with a one-shot lead in the Kemper Open at Potomac, Maryland, while at St Louis, Missouri, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam wins a playoff with America's Donna Andrews to secure the LPGA Light Classic Final, and at Alpharetta, Georgia, America's John Jacobs takes the Nationwide Senior PGA Championship by one shot. At Ware, England, Briton Lee Westward cards a two-shot win in the English Open, while in the Channel Isles, Australia's Bob Shearer comes from eight shots behind to claim victory in the Jersey Seniors Open. \I(Australia, USA, Sweden, UK, Channel Islands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Both India and \JPakistan\j level harsh criticism at the United Nations Security Council following a resolution condemning the recent nuclear test explosions on the subcontinent. India labels the resolution "grotesque" and accuses the council's five permanent members, also the world's only recognized nuclear powers, of applying double standards. \JPakistan\j calls the resolution discrimination at a global level, epitomized by the possession of over 30,000 nuclear weapons in the hands of the five nuclear states. India and \JPakistan\j are not alone in their criticism of the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, with the non-permanent Security Council members also reminding the Big Five of their commitments to disarm. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, announces that the military will continue to train men and women together contrary to a recommendation put forward last year by a Pentagon panel appointed at the height of an Army sexual harassment scandal. While some commentators charged that returning to separate training for the sexes would be a setback for the rights of women in the armed forces, Mr. Cohen vigorously denies that his decision was based on political correctness. \I(USA)\i
The American theater industry presents its annual Tony Awards in New York. The big winners are Broadway's two hit musicals, \IThe Lion King\i and \IRagtime,\i as well as the acclaimed Irish play, \IThe Beauty Queen of Leenane.\i Arthur's Miller's \IA View From the Bridge\i is named best revival of a play, while the Tony for best musical revival goes to \ICabaret.\i \I(USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
Australian golfer Stuart Appleby clinches his second United States PGA Tour victory when he closes with a one-shot lead in the Kemper Open at Potomac, Maryland, while at St Louis, Missouri, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam wins a playoff with America's Donna Andrews to secure the LPGA Light Classic Final, and at Alpharetta, Georgia, America's John Jacobs takes the Nationwide Senior PGA Championship by one shot. At Ware, England, Briton Lee Westward cards a two-shot win in the English Open, while in the Channel Isles, Australia's Bob Shearer comes from eight shots behind to claim victory in the Jersey Seniors Open. \I(Australia, USA, Sweden, UK, Channel Islands)\i
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher overcomes a 10-second stop-go penalty to claim victory in the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Montreal. In a race full of incidents, the German driver's main rivals, Finn Mika Hakkinen and Briton David Coulthard, fail to finish, pushing Schumacher into second place behind Hakkinen in the drivers' standings. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Both India and \JPakistan\j level harsh criticism at the United Nations Security Council following a resolution condemning the recent nuclear test explosions on the subcontinent. India labels the resolution "grotesque" and accuses the council's five permanent members, also the world's only recognized nuclear powers, of applying double standards. \JPakistan\j calls the resolution discrimination at a global level, epitomized by the possession of over 30,000 nuclear weapons in the hands of the five nuclear states. India and \JPakistan\j are not alone in their criticism of the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and China, with the non-permanent Security Council members also reminding the Big Five of their commitments to disarm. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, China)\i
Ethnic \JAlbanian\j refugees from \JKosovo\j report that Serb military planes have been bombing the village of Junik, a stronghold of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). The refugees also say electricity, \Jwater\j, and telephones have been cut off for a week in the Decani region, the scene of escalating clashes between Serb forces and the KLA's guerrilla fighters. \JSerbia\j, meanwhile, is denying \JAlbanian\j charges of "ethnic cleansing", insisting that its renewed offensive against the KLA is a security operation. The West is extremely concerned about the reports of escalating violence in the province, but with most of western \JKosovo\j sealed off, it is unable to verify conflicting casualty reports and accurately assess the situation. \I(\JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia, Albania)\i
Ethiopia claims to have recaptured its border town of Zalambessa, taken by Eritrean forces late last week. Ethiopia also proceeds to expel all but three of Eritrea's diplomats in Addis Ababa, at the same time launching a fundraising appeal for the war effort against its neighbor. Meanwhile, in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, an uneasy calm descends following yesterday's evacuations of nearly 2,000 foreign nationals, with locals watching the skies for the return of Ethiopian fighter-bombers as the agreed 13-hour cease-fire expires. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea)\i
As Lebanese turn out to vote in the third round of local polls, the army deploys thousands of troops in \JBeirut\j and south \JLebanon\j, where a fierce electoral battle is expected between Hezbollah and its rival, the pro-Syrian Shi'ite Muslim Amal Movement. Although Syria is the dominant force in Lebanese politics, opposition groups have made gains in the previous rounds of the polls, the first in 35 years. \I(\JLebanon\j, Syria)\i
In a nationwide referendum, Swiss voters overwhelmingly reject a proposal for a constitutional amendment to ban genetic \Jengineering\j. The issue pitted animal-rights activists, environmentalists, and consumer groups against drug companies, the scientific community, and the government, who argued that a ban would ruin \JSwitzerland\j's future as a center of excellence in biomedical research. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
The American theater industry presents its annual Tony Awards in New York. The big winners are Broadway's two hit musicals, \IThe Lion King\i and \IRagtime,\i as well as the acclaimed Irish play, \IThe Beauty Queen of Leenane.\i Arthur's Miller's \IA View From the Bridge\i is named best revival of a play, while the Tony for best musical revival goes to \ICabaret.\i \I(USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
Australian golfer Stuart Appleby clinches his second United States PGA Tour victory when he closes with a one-shot lead in the Kemper Open at Potomac, Maryland, while at St Louis, Missouri, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam wins a playoff with America's Donna Andrews to secure the LPGA Light Classic Final, and at Alpharetta, Georgia, America's John Jacobs takes the Nationwide Senior PGA Championship by one shot. At Ware, England, Briton Lee Westward cards a two-shot win in the English Open, while in the Channel Isles, Australia's Bob Shearer comes from eight shots behind to claim victory in the Jersey Seniors Open. \I(Australia, USA, Sweden, UK, Channel Islands)\i
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher overcomes a 10-second stop-go penalty to claim victory in the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Montreal. In a race full of incidents, the German driver's main rivals, Finn Mika Hakkinen and Briton David Coulthard, fail to finish, pushing Schumacher into second place behind Hakkinen in the drivers' standings. \I(Canada, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j, UK)\i
Spain's Carlos Moya scores a straight sets victory over countryman Alex Corretja in the men's final of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris. \I(Spain, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 8, 1998",887,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese yen crashes to a low of 140 to the US dollar for the first time since 1991. As \JTokyo\j stocks tumble in a \Jday\j of nervous trading, Japan's Finance Minister promises to halt the slide, saying the Hashimoto Government will not tolerate a yen rate of over 140 to the dollar. Meanwhile, the plunging yen drags down other regional currencies, including the Australian dollar, which hits a 12-year low of $US59.55c in local trading, leaving the country's Reserve Bank poised to raise interest rates to support the currency if necessary. \I(Japan, Australia)\i
North Korea's military reaches agreement with the United States to end a seven-year freeze on direct talks with their military counterparts in the South, an agreement generally regarded as a breakthrough in terms of reducing tensions between the two sides. North Korea's new willingness to play ball is quite literally reflected in another arena, with the North suggesting that it field a joint \Jsoccer\j team with the South during the 2002 World Cup, which is to be hosted by South Korea and \JJapan\j. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders an inquiry into a report that US forces used sarin nerve gas to kill American defectors during the Vietnam War. Earlier, a joint CNN-\ITime Magazine\i report claimed that the \JWhite House\j national security team of President Richard Nixon had authorized the use of sarin gas to silence military defectors, and that the US Central Intelligence Agency was involved in the operation. Faced with a potential public outcry, Mr. Cohen cautions that he has seen no evidence to date to support such a claim. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam issue a statement claiming to have beaten back a strong government offensive in the country's north, killing more than 30 soldiers and capturing large quantities of arms and ammunition. The government, meanwhile, claims to have credible evidence that money raised by Tamil expatriate groups for purportedly peaceful purposes goes to the Tamil Tiger guerrillas, who are waging a separatist war on the island. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Twenty people are injured, several of them seriously, when a bomb tears apart a jewelry store in \JPakistan\j's eastern Punjab province. It is the third explosion to shatter \JPakistan\j since last Friday, and the government is speaking out strongly against neighboring India, accusing its arch-foe of resorting to terrorist actions now that \JPakistan\j's nuclear tests have restored the strategic balance in South Asia. \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Due to the escalation of violence in \JKosovo\j, the United States decides to impose an assets freeze and an investment ban on \JSerbia\j, a move that comes within hours of a similar decision by the European Union. The US also announces formal support for a proposed British draft of a United Nations Security Council resolution implicitly authorizing military action to halt the crackdown in \JKosovo\j if necessary. Clashes between Serb forces and ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatist guerrillas have killed at least 250 people in the province since February, and while no major power supports the push for independence in \JKosovo\j, the West is pressing Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to restore autonomy, suspended by \JBelgrade\j in 1989. \I(USA, Europe, UK, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
A three-\Jday\j international drugs summit gets under way at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with United States President, Bill Clinton, announcing new anti-drug measures, including the use of the \JInternet\j to distribute internal research on drug abuse and form a program to bring drug experts from around the world to share their knowledge. Mr. Clinton also announces that the US will be adding 20 countries to a list of dozens currently receiving US assistance to track the laundering of drug profits. However, Mr. Clinton's push for global unity on drugs inevitably draws criticism of US drug policies, with one group claiming that "drug war" politics violate human rights and impede public health efforts to stem the spread of diseases such as \JHIV\j and hepatitis. US anti-drug tactics are also targeted by Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, who reminds the assembly that national sovereignty must be respected, and that one country must not violate another country's laws for the sake of enforcing its own, a scarcely veiled allusion to the recently revealed Operation \JCasablanca\j sting that took place on Mexican soil without his knowledge. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
The United States warns that it will retaliate against \JBelarus\j if its government persists in efforts to force the US ambassador out of his residence in violation of both the Vienna convention and the lease, which does not expire until 2001. The Belarussian Government wants the US ambassador to leave the complex outside the capital, Minsk, because it needs repairs, and recently ordered workers to weld shut the gate in an attempt to stop him entering. The Minsk complex also houses diplomats from another 17 countries, all of whom are likewise threatened with eviction. \I(USA, \JBelarus\j)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery uncouples from \JRussia\j's Mir space station to make its way home to Earth, bringing to an end NASA's three-year relationship with the aging space complex. Earlier, during emotional final farewells, the Mir crew presented the shuttle astronauts with a parting gift, a large wrench used on space walks, which will become a symbolic relay stick passing from Mir to the first crew of the new International Space Station. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, orders an inquiry into a report that US forces used sarin nerve gas to kill American defectors during the Vietnam War. Earlier, a joint CNN-\ITime Magazine\i report claimed that the \JWhite House\j national security team of President Richard Nixon had authorized the use of sarin gas to silence military defectors, and that the US Central Intelligence Agency was involved in the operation. Faced with a potential public outcry, Mr. Cohen cautions that he has seen no evidence to date to support such a claim. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
North Korea's military reaches agreement with the United States to end a seven-year freeze on direct talks with their military counterparts in the South, an agreement generally regarded as a breakthrough in terms of reducing tensions between the two sides. North Korea's new willingness to play ball is quite literally reflected in another arena, with the North suggesting that it field a joint \Jsoccer\j team with the South during the 2002 World Cup, which is to be hosted by South Korea and \JJapan\j. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j)\i
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) files an anti-trust lawsuit against Intel Corp., accusing the company of using its monopoly power in the market for microprocessors to prevent other firms from enforcing their own patents. The FTC action follows the US Justice Department's suit against Microsoft Corp., which alleged that the software maker used its monopoly in the Windows operating system to gain control of the \JInternet\j browser market. Together, the legal moves represent a double-barreled challenge to the world's most powerful hardware and software companies, known in the industry as the "Wintel" duopoly. \I(USA)\i
Veteran \JHollywood\j actor, Charlton Heston, becomes the 56th president of the United States National Rifle Association (NRA), vowing to win back the rightful place of the NRA in the mainstream of American political debate. Mr. Heston also challenges the Federal Government to enforce the gun laws it already has in place, rather than enact new ones, and suggests that President Bill Clinton should choose a "model city" where these laws would be fully implemented. \I(USA)\i
Sir Paul McCartney holds an emotional memorial service at London's St Martin in The Fields church for his wife Linda, who died from breast cancer in the United States on April 19. A 700-strong congregation, which includes fellow Beatles, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, joins McCartney in a rendition of \ILet It Be,\i the \Jballad\j he wrote for his mother Mary, who died of breast cancer when he was 14 years old. The last time the Beatles sang in public together was in 1969, when an impromptu session on the rooftop of the Apple record building brought London traffic to a halt. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Due to the escalation of violence in \JKosovo\j, the United States decides to impose an assets freeze and an investment ban on \JSerbia\j, a move that comes within hours of a similar decision by the European Union. The US also announces formal support for a proposed British draft of a United Nations Security Council resolution implicitly authorizing military action to halt the crackdown in \JKosovo\j if necessary. Clashes between Serb forces and ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatist guerrillas have killed at least 250 people in the province since February, and while no major power supports the push for independence in \JKosovo\j, the West is pressing Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to restore autonomy, suspended by \JBelgrade\j in 1989. \I(USA, Europe, UK, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
In a bid to de-escalate tensions, Eritrea issues a statement calling for the start of direct talks with \JEthiopia\j in the presence of high-level mediators. Despite the call for talks, there is still evidence that the recently erupted border war is set to last, with mass mobilization of fighters and supplies behind Ethiopian lines, and Eritrean troops digging in throughout the key border town of Zalambessa, disproving Ethiopian claims to have recaptured it. Zalambessa is strategically situated on the main highway linking the neighboring countries. \I(Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j)\i
The 34th annual Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit opens with an appeal for dialogue and restraint on the part of \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea. Later, South African President, Nelson Mandela, bids a pre-retirement farewell to his fellow African leaders with a covert attack on the organization's founding principle of nonintervention, saying the future of the ordinary masses of Africans is in their hands, and insisting that the continent has the right and the duty to intervene in the internal affairs of member states to protect the people of Africa from tyranny. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, South Africa, Africa)\i
Nigeria's military ruler, General Sani Abacha, dies of an apparent heart attack at the age of 54, and is later buried in accordance with Muslim rites in his northern home city of Kano. General Abacha seized power in 1993 after the military canceled a presidential election in mid-count, and was widely expected to become the country's civilian president following this year's August 1 elections, for which he was the sole candidate approved by all five officially recognized political parties. \I(Nigeria)\i
Clashes break out in an Arab neighborhood of annexed East \JJerusalem\j when Jewish settlers take over four more homes, claiming legal titles to the buildings. The city's Palestinian official is slightly hurt in the confrontation between the settlers and angry Palestinians, whose numbers are strengthened by members of the Israeli Peace Now Movement. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The United States warns that it will retaliate against \JBelarus\j if its government persists in efforts to force the US ambassador out of his residence in violation of both the Vienna convention and the lease, which does not expire until 2001. The Belarussian Government wants the US ambassador to leave the complex outside the capital, Minsk, because it needs repairs, and recently ordered workers to weld shut the gate in an attempt to stop him entering. The Minsk complex also houses diplomats from another 17 countries, all of whom are likewise threatened with eviction. \I(USA, \JBelarus\j)\i
The United States \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery uncouples from \JRussia\j's Mir space station to make its way home to Earth, bringing to an end NASA's three-year relationship with the aging space complex. Earlier, during emotional final farewells, the Mir crew presented the shuttle astronauts with a parting gift, a large wrench used on space walks, which will become a symbolic relay stick passing from Mir to the first crew of the new International Space Station. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Sir Paul McCartney holds an emotional memorial service at London's St Martin in The Fields church for his wife Linda, who died from breast cancer in the United States on April 19. A 700-strong congregation, which includes fellow Beatles, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, joins McCartney in a rendition of \ILet It Be,\i the \Jballad\j he wrote for his mother Mary, who died of breast cancer when he was 14 years old. The last time the Beatles sang in public together was in 1969, when an impromptu session on the rooftop of the Apple record building brought London traffic to a halt. \I(UK, USA)\i
Despite strong opposition from \JFrance\j and Ireland, the European Union agrees to phase out the use of drift-nets in fishing by January 1, 2002, a move that environmentalists claim will save tens of thousands of sharks, dolphins, and whales killed annually as unwanted "by-catches". \I(\JFrance\j, Ireland, Europe)\i
#
"June 9, 1998",888,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting South Korean President Dim Dae Jung, United States President Bill Clinton announces that the US Government's Overseas Private Investment Corp. will resume supporting investments in South Korea following a seven-year suspension due to concerns about labor rights. Mr. Clinton also holds out the possibility of easing US sanctions against North Korea, saying Mr. Kim has convinced him to join in a "policy of reciprocity" that would reward \JPyongyang\j for taking positive steps toward reconciliation on the divided Korean peninsula. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
The Japanese yen continues its record-breaking slide, hitting a low of 141.25 to the US dollar following a warning by Japan's Economic Planning Agency that the economy is deteriorating and showing no signs of recovery. Other factors believed to be contributing to the yen's decline are mounting bank debts, the over-pricing of Japanese assets, particularly land, and the collapse of the Indonesian economy. \I(Japan, Indonesia)\i
Malaysian Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, warns that the country might face an upheaval like \JIndonesia\j's unless weaknesses in the government, the private sector, and the political system are urgently addressed. While acknowledging that some of Malaysia's problems have been caused by the international monetary system, Mr. Anwar's appraisal of the situation is at variance with that of Prime Minister Mahathir, who continues to blame outside influences, particularly currency speculators, for Malaysia's economic woes. \I(Malaysia, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, insists that East \JTimor\j will remain an integral part of Indonesia, but says he is willing to consider granting the territory special status like the provinces of Jakarta, Aceh and Yogyakarta. Dr. Habibie adds that the question of jailed East \JTimor\j guerrilla leader, Xanana Gusmao, who is serving a 20-year sentence on criminal charges, will be considered within the framework of a final settlement of the East \JTimor\j problem. Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 and annexed it the following year, a move not recognized by the United Nations, which still regards \JPortugal\j as East \JTimor\j's administering power. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
As the \Jtemperature\j in the Indian capital New Delhi reaches a sweltering 42 degrees \JCelsius\j, 74 more deaths are recorded in the eastern state of Orissa, raising the death toll from the country's worst heat wave in 50 years to 2,636. Most of the victims have perished due to \Jsun\j-stroke and \Jdehydration\j, and officials are warning people to stay indoors as much as possible. In the western state of \JGujarat\j, meanwhile, at least 15 people are killed and 10,000 are evacuated as a \Jcyclone\j packing winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour lashes coastal areas. \I(India)\i
The brother of an Australian nurse murdered in Saudi \JArabia\j formally donates $AUD1.35 million of his $AUD1.7 million "blood money" to the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital. Frank Gilford received the money for waiving his right under Islamic law to demand the death sentence for British nurse, Deborah Parry, convicted of murdering his sister Yvonne. Both Ms. Parry and her alleged \Jaccomplice\j, Lucille McLauchlan, were released by Saudi authorities last month. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting South Korean President Dim Dae Jung, United States President Bill Clinton announces that the US Government's Overseas Private Investment Corp. will resume supporting investments in South Korea following a seven-year suspension due to concerns about labor rights. Mr. Clinton also holds out the possibility of easing US sanctions against North Korea, saying Mr. Kim has convinced him to join in a "policy of reciprocity" that would reward \JPyongyang\j for taking positive steps toward reconciliation on the divided Korean peninsula. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) appeals to the United Nations Security Council to suspend sanctions imposed on \JLibya\j following its refusal to surrender two of its nationals to stand trial for the 1988 bombing of a United States airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, in which 270 people lost their lives. The African leaders argue that \JLibya\j has shown flexibility over the matter, and that the suspension of sanctions should last until the International Court of Justice is able to try the case against the two men. The leaders also indicate that they would ignore an air embargo to allow Libyan leader, Moammar Gaddafi, to join the current OAU summit in Burkina Faso. \I(Africa, \JLibya\j, USA, Scotland, Burkina Faso)\i
Officials from Mexico's human rights organizations begin an investigation into a weekend shoot-out between government soldiers and guerrillas of the Marxist Popular Revolutionary Army in the remote village of Aytula in Guerrero state. According to witnesses in the area, hundreds of soldiers took part in the operation against a group of only about 15 rebels, 12 of whom were killed. \I(Mexico)\i
Three white men with suspected links to the white supremacist \JAryan\j Brotherhood and Ku Klux Klan are charged with the brutal murder of a black man in Jasper County, \JTexas\j. The decapitated and mutilated body of the 49-year-old man was found on a road 160 kilometers north-east of Houston. He had been chained to the bumper of a pickup truck and dragged along the road at high speed. Prosecutors are now under intense pressure to build a capital murder case, which requires proof that the murder was committed in conjunction with another crime, such as kidnapping or robbery. A capital murder charge would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty, whereas the maximum penalty for a murder charge is life in prison. \JFBI\j agents are also investigating the possibility of federal charges against the men, including one charge that could bring the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Nigeria's military commanders select General Abdulsalam Abubakar as the country's ninth military ruler following the sudden death yesterday of General Sani Abacha. In his brief acceptance speech, General Abubakar pledges to press ahead with the political program of his predecessor, but makes no direct reference to August presidential elections for which the late General Abacha was the sole candidate. World powers and Nigerian opposition leaders seize the opportunity to call on the ruling clique to ensure that democracy is given a chance, and that there is a genuine transition to an accountable civilian government by October 1. \I(Nigeria)\i
Heavy fighting flares around the key Ethiopian-Eritrean border town of Zalambessa, seized by Eritrean forces last week. The Ethiopian Government, meanwhile, rejects a call by Eritrea for direct talks, maintaining that there will be no negotiations while Eritrea occupies part of Ethiopian territory by force. Although the undeclared war between the Horn of Africa neighbors was triggered by the eruption of a simmering dispute over a 400 square kilometer triangle of rocky border land, Ethiopia is now suggesting that economic issues are at the heart of the conflict. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea)\i
The West African states of \JSenegal\j and Guinea dispatch troops to help neighboring Guinea \JBissau\j President, Joao Bernardo Vieira, whose forces have been battling to crush an attempted coup by army rebels led by recently sack armed forces commander, General Ansumane Mane. The general has issued a statement saying he is setting up a provisional military junta and demanding that President Vieira resign immediately to avoid further bloodshed. At least 30 people are reported to have been killed since the rebellion erupted three days ago in the former Portuguese colony. \I(\JSenegal\j, Guinea, Guinea \JBissau\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) appeals to the United Nations Security Council to suspend sanctions imposed on \JLibya\j following its refusal to surrender two of its nationals to stand trial for the 1988 bombing of a United States airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, in which 270 people lost their lives. The African leaders argue that \JLibya\j has shown flexibility over the matter, and that the suspension of sanctions should last until the International Court of Justice is able to try the case against the two men. The leaders also indicate that they would ignore an air embargo to allow Libyan leader, Moammar Gaddafi, to join the current OAU summit in Burkina Faso. \I(Africa, \JLibya\j, USA, Scotland, Burkina Faso)\i
A former director of South Africa's Roodeplaat Research Laboratories tells the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that the facility operated during the \Japartheid\j era to produce secret poisons and microorganisms, such as \Jcyanide\j, thallium, \Janthrax\j, and \Jcholera\j germs, for the military to use against anti-\Japartheid\j activists. The commission also hears that the country's \Japartheid\j government ordered its scientists to produce grenades containing LSD and marijuana for use in riot control. \I(South Africa)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, insists that East \JTimor\j will remain an integral part of Indonesia, but says he is willing to consider granting the territory special status like the provinces of Jakarta, Aceh and Yogyakarta. Dr. Habibie adds that the question of jailed East \JTimor\j guerrilla leader, Xanana Gusmao, who is serving a 20-year sentence on criminal charges, will be considered within the framework of a final settlement of the East \JTimor\j problem. Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 and annexed it the following year, a move not recognized by the United Nations, which still regards \JPortugal\j as East \JTimor\j's administering power. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
In what is regarded as one of the highest-level corruption cases in post-Soviet \JRussia\j, the head of the State Statistics Committee is arrested on charges of accepting bribes in return for falsifying financial data to help dozens of companies evade taxes. The scam is estimated to have cost the government millions of dollars in revenue, and is uncovered at a time when the government is desperate to collect taxes in order to pay massive debts at home and abroad to maintain the stability of the currency. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The executive board of the new European Central Bank holds its first council meeting at its headquarters in Frankfurt. The bank officially came to life on June 1 with a starting capital of 4 billion euros, and the six-member board, led by Wim Duisenberg, wants to move quickly towards a decision on policy tools which will secure the bank's credibility in the run-up to monetary union on January 1, 1999. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe)\i
The brother of an Australian nurse murdered in Saudi \JArabia\j formally donates $AUD1.35 million of his $AUD1.7 million "blood money" to the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital. Frank Gilford received the money for waiving his right under Islamic law to demand the death sentence for British nurse, Deborah Parry, convicted of murdering his sister Yvonne. Both Ms. Parry and her alleged \Jaccomplice\j, Lucille McLauchlan, were released by Saudi authorities last month. \I(Australia, Saudi \JArabia\j, UK)\i
#
"June 10, 1998",889,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, rejects calls to boycott an official welcoming ceremony in Tiananmen Square when he visits China later this month. Mr. Clinton argues that his planned appearance at the scene of the 1989 massacre in no way signals that he is endorsing \JBeijing\j's suppression of dissent, and insists that he cannot dictate to China's leaders as to how he should be received in their country. \I(USA, China)\i
During an address to a joint sitting of the United States Congress, visiting South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, appeals for unreserved US support while his country pursues the tough reforms necessary to overcome its troubled times and restore economic stability. Mr. Kim also pledges to seek peaceful reconciliation with North Korea through exchanges and cooperation, at the same time vowing to maintain a hard line against any armed provocation from the North. Mr. Kim's address is warmly received by US lawmakers, who praise South Korea for maintaining democracy throughout its current economic crisis. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
Major Asian stock markets register steep falls amid fears that the Japanese yen's slide to a seven-year low against the US dollar will exacerbate the region's economic woes. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closes down 4.91 per cent from the previous \Jday\j, while \JThailand\j's SET index drops 5 per cent, South Korea's Kospi index drops 4.3 per cent, \JSingapore\j's Straits Times Industrial index drops 4.4 per cent, and most other Asian centers suffer declines of at least 2 per cent. \I(Hong Kong, Japan, \JThailand\j, South Korea, \JSingapore\j, Asia)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, grants amnesty to eight political prisoners and drops criminal actions against eight others. Fifteen of the sixteen prisoners in question are East Timorese indicted for anti-government activities. Meanwhile, Dr. Habibie's offer of special status for East Timor is loudly rejected by more than 3,000 students and other protesters gathered on the grounds of the state-funded University of East Timor in Dili. Organizers of the rally demand the right to vote for full independence in a referendum on the future of the territory, which was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 and annexed the following year. \I(Indonesia, East Timor)\i
A fourth attempt to broker an end to fighting in northern \JCambodia\j breaks down when government negotiators refuse to grant amnesty for resistance generals tried and sentenced by the courts earlier this year. Despite the February 27 cease-fire, which was part of a Japanese-sponsored plan aimed at allowing ousted co-prime minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh to contest July elections, sporadic fighting still continues between government troops and forces loyal to Prince Ranariddh. \I(\JCambodia\j, Japan)\i
The death toll from the \Jcyclone\j ravaging coastal regions of the western Indian state of \JGujarat\j rises to at least 375 when some 276 salt workers, residing in a low-lying area near Kandla port, are submerged by a tidal wave. The \Jcyclone\j is the worst to hit the region in 25 years, also causing extensive damage to about 40 state-owned ports, both small and large. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, rejects calls to boycott an official welcoming ceremony in Tiananmen Square when he visits China later this month. Mr. Clinton argues that his planned appearance at the scene of the 1989 massacre in no way signals that he is endorsing \JBeijing\j's suppression of dissent, and insists that he cannot dictate to China's leaders as to how he should be received in their country. \I(USA, China)\i
During an address to a joint sitting of the United States Congress, visiting South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, appeals for unreserved US support while his country pursues the tough reforms necessary to overcome its troubled times and restore economic stability. Mr. Kim also pledges to seek peaceful reconciliation with North Korea through exchanges and cooperation, at the same time vowing to maintain a hard line against any armed provocation from the North. Mr. Kim's address is warmly received by US lawmakers, who praise South Korea for maintaining democracy throughout its current economic crisis. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
The opposition Joint Action Committee of \JNigeria\j calls for street protests against new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, at the same time urging the international community not to recognize his regime and to impose full blown sanctions including an oil embargo. Mr. Abubakar was hastily sworn in yesterday following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha on Monday, and has vowed to continue his predecessor's plan to restore the country to civilian rule. To this end, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has offered the assistance of the world organization, with the United States also lending support, saying it regards General Abubakar as more capable than General Abacha of leading the transition to democracy. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
The \JHouse of Representatives\j passes legislation to overhaul the United States \Jbankruptcy\j code, tightening laws granting relief to debtors by subjecting them to a means test, and curbing individuals from concealing assets in their home properties. The legislation comes amid a nationwide surge in personal \Jbankruptcy\j filings, with a record 1.4 million petitions filed in 1997. \I(USA)\i
In the biggest jury judgement ever against a United States \Jtobacco\j company, a \JFlorida\j jury finds \Jcigarette\j manufacturer, Brown & Williamson, liable in the death of a long-time smoker of Lucky Strikes, and awards the man's family $US500,000 in compensatory damages, $US52,249 for medical costs, and $US450,000 in punitive damages. \I(USA)\i
A University of \JFlorida\j study reveals that shark attacks on humans increased worldwide from 36 in 1996 to 56 in 1997. The study attributes the increase in attacks to the fact that people spent more time in the ocean. \I(USA)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, declares the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament open following a vibrant ceremony at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris. Before a capacity crowd of 80,000, \JBrazil\j proceeds to defend its championship crown with a 2-1 win over Scotland, while in a second Group A match played later at Montpellier, \JNorway\j and Morocco draw 2-2. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, Scotland, \JNorway\j, Morocco)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As senior diplomats of the six-nation Contact Group meet to discuss the escalating crisis in \JSerbia\j's \JKosovo\j province, more than 1,000 Albanians converge on the main square in the capital, Tirana, to support their ethnic brethren in the fight for \JKosovo\j's independence, a prospect that Western powers have unanimously vetoed. The demonstrators also call for \JNATO\j intervention to end the bloodshed in neighboring \JKosovo\j, but while \JNATO\j ministers are studying contingency plans for possible intervention, they have no immediate plans to order troops into the rebellious province, opting instead to stage a show of \JNATO\j military muscle across the border. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
The border war between former Horn of Africa allies, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, escalates yet again when a western front is re-opened in the area around Badme, the rocky terrain at the heart of the territorial dispute. The move comes after Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, announces that he will not restrict any counter-offensive to Zalambessa in the east, which is indisputably inside Ethiopia, and where Eritrea yesterday succeeded in repulsing an Ethiopian attack. Neither side has released casualty figures as yet, although Eritrea claims to have captured more than 100 Ethiopians. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
Heavy fighting erupts in Guinea \JBissau\j just minutes after former colonial ruler \JPortugal\j announces that a temporary truce has been declared to allow foreigners to leave the West African country. Earlier, President Joao Bernardo Vieira rejected attempts by local politicians and foreign diplomats to mediate a peaceful outcome to the military revolt, which was triggered by the sacking of armed forces chief, General Ansumane Mane, over allegations that senior military officers were involved in smuggling arms to rebels in the south of neighboring \JSenegal\j. \I(Guinea \JBissau\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSenegal\j)\i
The opposition Joint Action Committee of \JNigeria\j calls for street protests against new military ruler, General Abdusalam Abubakar, at the same time urging the international community not to recognize his regime and to impose full blown sanctions including an oil embargo. Mr. Abubakar was hastily sworn in yesterday following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha on Monday, and has vowed to continue his predecessor's plan to restore the country to civilian rule. To this end, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has offered the assistance of the world organization, with the United States also lending support, saying it regards General Abubakar as more capable than General Abacha of leading the transition to democracy. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
The Northern Ireland Sentence Bill, the most controversial section of the new Northern Ireland peace settlement, easily clears its initial hurdle in the British \JHouse of Commons\j. The proposed law offers freedom by mid-2000 to convicted terrorists of the Irish Republican Army, the Ulster Defense Association, and the Ulster Volunteer Force if the cease-fires of the outlawed organizations hold. Imprisoned members of truce-defying groups will not be eligible for release. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The European Commission proposes lifting a ban on mainland British beef exports, imposed in March 1996 after the government admitted a possible link between BSE, or mad cow disease, and a new variant of the human brain-wasting disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Veterinary experts from European Union member states will now discuss the proposal, which covers meat from animals born after August 1996, the date of a ban on feeding animals meat and bone meal blamed for transmitting mad cow disease. \I(UK, Europe)\i
French President, Jacques Chirac, declares the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament open following a vibrant ceremony at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris. Before a capacity crowd of 80,000, \JBrazil\j proceeds to defend its championship crown with a 2-1 win over Scotland, while in a second Group A match played later at Montpellier, \JNorway\j and Morocco draw 2-2. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, Scotland, \JNorway\j, Morocco)\i
#
"June 11, 1998",890,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issues a statement announcing a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing and calling on India to join it as a "confidence-building measure" to reduce tensions on the subcontinent. The statement adds that Pakistan has no wish to enter into an arms race with India, and is ready to engage constructively with New Delhi and other foreign governments to formalize a ban on further nuclear tests. Islamabad also offers to resume deadlocked peace talks with its arch-foe. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, publicly defends his much-criticized China policy ahead of his planned visit to the world's most populous nation. Mr. Clinton maintains that despite broad differences over human rights and democracy, remaining engaged with China is important in promoting a gradual change in policies by the \JBeijing\j leadership. Mr. Clinton reiterates that he intends to proceed with his June 25 to July 3 visit because he believes it is the right thing to do for the United States. \I(USA, China)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, casts doubt on US intervention to help halt the slide of the Japanese yen, saying that while intervention can be an appropriate short-term strategy, the key to restoring the currency's fortunes lies in restoring economic strength in Japan. The battered yen slides even further on the back of Mr. Rubin's remarks to finish trading below 143.50 to the US dollar. \I(USA, Japan)\i
The United States subsidiary of Japanese car marker, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., agrees to a $US34 million damages settlement of the largest ever government-brought sexual harassment case in the US. Under the agreement reached with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, at least 350 current or former women workers at Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing America Inc.'s Illinois plant will be eligible for payments of up to $US300,000 each. The suit against Mitsubishi was filed in April 1996. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Cambodia's deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is cleared to participate in July elections despite the breakdown of negotiations to integrate his remaining military forces, who still hold a base of resistance in the country's remote north. Under Cambodian law, political parties are banned from maintaining armies or autonomous zones, but officials say as long as the loyalist soldiers accept the principle of reintegration, there will be no obstacle to the participation of Prince Ranariddh and his Funcinpec party in the elections. \I(Cambodia)\i
Military helicopters distribute food to communities cut off by floods when a \Jcyclone\j tore through coastal regions of western India. Government officials revise the death toll to 637 following the recovery of more bodies from villages in the state of \JGujarat\j, which bore the brunt of the storm over the past two days. About 500 villages in the state are now without electricity, with more than 4,400 transformers damaged, and officials estimating that it will take at least five to six days to resume supplies. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, publicly defends his much-criticized China policy ahead of his planned visit to the world's most populous nation. Mr. Clinton maintains that despite broad differences over human rights and democracy, remaining engaged with China is important in promoting a gradual change in policies by the \JBeijing\j leadership. Mr. Clinton reiterates that he intends to proceed with his June 25 to July 3 visit because he believes it is the right thing to do for the United States. \I(USA, China)\i
United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, casts doubt on US intervention to help halt the slide of the Japanese yen, saying that while intervention can be an appropriate short-term strategy, the key to restoring the currency's fortunes lies in restoring economic strength in Japan. The battered yen slides even further on the back of Mr. Rubin's remarks to finish trading below 143.50 to the US dollar. \I(USA, Japan)\i
In the first direct humanitarian flight between the United States and \JCuba\j in nearly two years, a plane loaded with $US1 million worth of \JCatholic Church\j medical aid touches down at \JHavana\j's Jose Marti international airport. To avoid possible confrontation, the Catholic Charities flight left from Fort Lauderdale rather than Miami, where a sector of the Cuban exile community opposes ties to the island while President Fidel Castro remains in power. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
The United States subsidiary of Japanese car marker, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., agrees to a $US34 million damages settlement of the largest ever government-brought sexual harassment case in the US. Under the agreement reached with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, at least 350 current or former women workers at Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing America Inc.'s Illinois plant will be eligible for payments of up to $US300,000 each. The suit against Mitsubishi was filed in April 1996. \I(USA, Japan)\i
In Group B World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j and \JChile\j draw 2-2 at \JBordeaux\j, and \JCameroon\j and \JAustria\j draw 1-1 at \JToulouse\j. The French Government, meanwhile, breathes a sigh of relief as Air \JFrance\j planes begin returning to the skies after a 10-\Jday\j strike, which threatened to create travel havoc for thousands of \Jsoccer\j enthusiasts from around the world. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JChile\j, \JCameroon\j, \JAustria\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
NATO ministers send a strong message to Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, issuing a communiquΘ stating that they are commissioning plans for possible military intervention in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j to halt the campaign of violent repression and expulsion against ethnic Albanians. In order to demonstrate NATO's capacity to project power rapidly into the region, the ministers also order air exercises in neighboring Albanian and Macedonia. Meanwhile, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, invites Mr. Milosevic to Moscow for urgent talks on a peaceful solution to the \JKosovo\j crisis. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Albanian, Macedonia, Russia)\i
Fighting between \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea erupts on a third front about 80 kilometers from Eritrea's strategic \JRed Sea\j port of Assab, with the warring neighbors each accusing the other of launching the attack. Previous fighting between the former Horn of Africa allies has been on two fronts far to the west: Zambessa, seized and currently held by Eritrea, and Badme, the area at the center of the territorial dispute where \JEthiopia\j now claims to have gained the upper hand. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
Around 2,000 foreigners flee fighting in the West African nation of Guinea \JBissau\j aboard a Portuguese merchant vessel. The mass departure of foreign nationals is followed by the cutting of all international \Jtelephone\j links to the outside world, moves seen as clearing the way for a final showdown between loyalist troops backed by soldiers from neighboring \JSenegal\j and Guinea, and insurgents led by sacked armed forces commander, Ansumane Mane. To date, President Joao Bernardo Vieira has rejected all offers to mediate a peaceful solution to the rebellion. \I(Guinea \JBissau\j, \JPortugal\j, \JSenegal\j, Guinea)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission is told of an \Japartheid\j-era plan, sanctioned by politicians and military chiefs, to develop a \Jbacteria\j that would kill or sterilize only black people. According to research scientist, Dr. Daan Goosen, the project was under development at the Roodeplaat Research Laboratories, which he agreed to set up with the sole aim of waging clandestine war on the enemies of \Japartheid\j. The commission has previously heard that scientists at the laboratories also engaged in the production of poisons and microorganisms for use against anti-\Japartheid\j activists, as well as grenades containing LSD and marijuana for use in riot control. \I(South Africa)\i
Local financial markets signal cautious approval for \JNigeria\j's new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, with the naira currency strengthening more than 2 per cent on hopes that the general will fulfil his promise to return the country to democratic civilian rule by October 1. Opposition groups concentrated in the country's south remain unconvinced by the latest military pledge to relinquish power, however, pointing to the late General Sani Abacha's failure to establish democracy or free political prisoners. \I(\JNigeria\j)\i
In Group B World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JItaly\j and \JChile\j draw 2-2 at \JBordeaux\j, and \JCameroon\j and \JAustria\j draw 1-1 at \JToulouse\j. The French Government, meanwhile, breaths a sigh of relief as Air \JFrance\j planes begin returning to the skies after a 10-\Jday\j strike, which threatened to create travel havoc for thousands of \Jsoccer\j enthusiasts from around the world. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JChile\j, \JCameroon\j, \JAustria\j)\i
#
"June 12, 1998",891,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Figures for the first quarter of the year show that the Japanese economy has fallen into its worst recession in 23 years, with an \Jinflation\j-adjusted decline of 1.3 per cent for the period. The release of the data comes as the \JTokyo\j stock market dives below the critical 15,000 point level for the first time in five months, and the beleaguered yen hits a near eight-year low of 144.53 to the US dollar. \I(Japan)\i
Pressure mounts on the Indonesian Government to end its occupation of East \JTimor\j when more than 1,000 protesting East Timorese students force their way into the grounds of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, demanding both a referendum for the contested province and the immediate release of jailed resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao. It is the biggest East Timorese demonstration in the Indonesian capital for years, and is finally disbursed by hundreds of baton-wielding riot troops. A smaller pro-independence student demonstration is also held in the East Timorese capital of Dili. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
India responds to \JPakistan\j's offer of renewed talks, saying New Delhi is committed to fostering a relationship of trust and friendship, and that it would be happy to restart talks based on proposals made in January 1998. \JPakistan\j, however, slates India's counter-offer as unacceptable, insisting that the January proposals are totally unrealistic as a working basis for a resumption of dialogue, broken off in New Delhi last September. The center of contention is the Kashmir dispute, which India lists among several points, but which \JPakistan\j insists is a core issue and needs a separate working group. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
As mass cremations continue in the \Jcyclone\j-ravaged Indian state of \JGujarat\j, officials confirm a death toll of 713, and say the final figure is likely to reach in the thousands as relief workers, backed by the military, push through to more than a dozen villages still cut off since Tuesday's storm. The \Jcyclone\j lashed the coastal state with torrential rain and winds up to 150 kilometers per hour, and was followed by a deadly three-meter tidal wave. \I(India)\i
Philippines President, Fidel Ramos, leads a re-enactment of the country's June 12, 1898 \Jdeclaration of independence\j from 333 years of Spanish \Jcolonialism\j. Tens of thousands of spectators, including representatives from more than 30 countries, gather in Kawit town in Cavite province south of Manila to commemorate what was Asia's first successful revolution against Western colonial rule. \I(The Philippines, Asia, \JSpain\j)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery touches down at \JFlorida\j's Kennedy Space Center after its final flight to \JRussia\j's space station Mir, bringing home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to serve on the aging outpost. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Foreign ministers of the six-nation Contact Group agree on a set of essential points requiring immediate action by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to prevent the situation in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j from deteriorating any further. Ministers from the United States, \JRussia\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JItaly\j demand the withdrawal of repressive security forces from the province, access for international monitors and humanitarian organizations, the right of refugees to return to their homes, and speedy progress in talks with the \JKosovo\j \JAlbanian\j leadership. Only \JRussia\j has elected to remain outside sanctions freezing Serbian and Yugoslav state assets, banning new investment in Serbia, and prohibiting Yugoslav airlines from entering Contact Group countries. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Russia voices opposition to \JNATO\j's threats of force against Yugoslavia, warning that the alliance could tilt the balance in favor of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas, blamed by Moscow for provoking the crisis in the troubled Serbian province. While conceding that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has not reacted to the situation in the best possible way, Russian Defense Minister, Marshal Igor Sergeyev, insists that diplomacy must be given time to take effect. United States Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, disagrees, maintaining that time is of the essence when dealing with potential large-scale bloodshed, and that Russia risks isolation from the world community if it fails to do all it can to stop the violence in \JKosovo\j. \I(Russia, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
Efforts to mediate in the undeclared war between \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea resume, with Rwandan Vice President, Paul Kagame, meeting in Asmara with Eritrean President, Isayas Afewerki. Mr. Kagame is a personal friend of both Mr. Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. Ethiopia has already accepted a joint Rwandan-American four-point peace plan, but Eritrea is opposed to a recommendation calling for its troops to withdraw to their pre-May 6 position on the Badme front, the site of the territorial dispute between the two Horn of Africa neighbors. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Rwanda, USA)\i
Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, pays his fourth visit of the year to the troubled southernmost state of Chiapas, where two days ago police and Zapatista rebels engaged in one of the bloodiest battles since the pro-Indian Zapatista National Liberation Army launched an uprising in January 1994. Eight rebels and one policeman died in the clash, which officials say occurred when a 500-strong police and army column was ambushed. Local Indians and human rights groups are contesting the government's version of events, however, accusing pro-government paramilitaries of breaking up "autonomous" villages established by Zapatista supporters to defy local officials. \I(Mexico)\i
President Bill Clinton signs a directive extending a moratorium on offshore oil development until 2012 to protect United States coasts from the threat of oil spills. The ban on oil and gas drilling, which had been due to expire in 2002, covers virtually all of the US coasts off \JCalifornia\j, Washington, Oregon, southwest \JFlorida\j, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and southern \JAlaska\j. \I(USA)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery touches down at \JFlorida\j's Kennedy Space Center after its final flight to \JRussia\j's space station Mir, bringing home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to serve on the aging outpost. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
A Mississippi jury convicts a 17-year-old boy and sentences him to two life terms in prison for the murder of two students during a shooting rampage at Pearl High School in October 1997. Last week, a jury also convicted Luke Woodham of murdering his 50-year-old mother with a butcher knife about three hours before the school killings. Throughout both trials, Woodham denied defense arguments that he was insane, maintaining that Satan gave him strong powers that allowed him to control people. He is the first suspect to stand trial following a spate of recent but unrelated school shootings in the states of \JArkansas\j, Kentucky, \JPennsylvania\j, and Oregon. \I(USA)\i
In Group C World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in Marseilles and Lens, host \JFrance\j scores an emphatic 3-0 victory over South Africa, and Denmark scores a 1-0 victory over Saudi \JArabia\j. In the Group D game at Montpellier, \JBulgaria\j and \JParaguay\j produce the first goal-less draw of the tournament. \I(\JFrance\j, South Africa, Denmark, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JParaguay\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Foreign ministers of the six-nation Contact Group agree on a set of essential points requiring immediate action by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, to prevent the situation in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j from deteriorating any further. Ministers from the United States, \JRussia\j, Britain, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, and \JItaly\j demand the withdrawal of repressive security forces from the province, access for international monitors and humanitarian organizations, the right of refugees to return to their homes, and speedy progress in talks with the \JKosovo\j \JAlbanian\j leadership. Only \JRussia\j has elected to remain outside sanctions freezing Serbian and Yugoslav state assets, banning new investment in Serbia, and prohibiting Yugoslav airlines from entering Contact Group countries. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, UK, \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j)\i
Russia voices opposition to \JNATO\j's threats of force against Yugoslavia, warning that the alliance could tilt the balance in favor of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas, blamed by Moscow for provoking the crisis in the troubled Serbian province. While conceding that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has not reacted to the situation in the best possible way, Russian Defense Minister, Marshal Igor Sergeyev, insists that diplomacy must be given time to take effect. United States Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, disagrees, maintaining that time is of the essence when dealing with potential large-scale bloodshed, and that Russia risks isolation from the world community if it fails to do all it can to stop the violence in \JKosovo\j. \I(Russia, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
Efforts to mediate in the undeclared war between \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea resume, with Rwandan Vice President, Paul Kagame, meeting in Asmara with Eritrean President, Isayas Afewerki. Mr. Kagame is a personal friend of both Mr. Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. Ethiopia has already accepted a joint Rwandan-American four-point peace plan, but Eritrea is opposed to a recommendation calling for its troops to withdraw to their pre-May 6 position on the Badme front, the site of the territorial dispute between the two Horn of Africa neighbors. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Rwanda, USA)\i
Nigerian riot police use tear gas to disperse around 200 people demonstrating in the city of Lagos against the country's new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar. The protests were stirred by General Abubakar's commitment to follow the unpopular democracy plan of his predecessor, the late General Sani Abacha, and were timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of 1993 elections annulled by the military in mid-count. \I(Nigeria)\i
Pope John Paul II holds a private meeting with Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, during which the pontiff pledges to support the \JMiddle East\j peace process and pray for the Palestinian nation. His Holiness also receives an invitation from the Palestinian leader to participate in celebrations of the new millennium in \JBethlehem\j. Mr. Arafat, who is on a two-\Jday\j visit to \JItaly\j, later lashes out at the Israeli Government, saying it is not abiding by promises it made in the name of peace. \I(\JItaly\j, Palestine, Israel)\i
NASA's \Jspace shuttle\j Discovery touches down at \JFlorida\j's Kennedy Space Center after its final flight to \JRussia\j's space station Mir, bringing home Australian-born Andrew Thomas, the seventh and last NASA \Jastronaut\j to serve on the aging outpost. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, Australia)\i
Philippines President, Fidel Ramos, leads a re-enactment of the country's June 12, 1898 \Jdeclaration of independence\j from 333 years of Spanish \Jcolonialism\j. Tens of thousands of spectators, including representatives from more than 30 countries, gather in Kawit town in Cavite province south of Manila to commemorate what was Asia's first successful revolution against Western colonial rule. \I(The Philippines, Asia, \JSpain\j)\i
In Group C World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in Marseilles and Lens, host \JFrance\j scores an emphatic 3-0 victory over South Africa, and Denmark scores a 1-0 victory over Saudi \JArabia\j. In the Group D game at Montpellier, \JBulgaria\j and \JParaguay\j produce the first goal-less draw of the tournament. \I(\JFrance\j, South Africa, Denmark, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JParaguay\j)\i
#
"June 13, 1998",892,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Shock waves reverberate through the Australian political scene when MP Pauline Hanson's fledgling One Nation Party draws a massive 23 per cent of the vote in \JQueensland\j state elections, its first electoral test, capturing at least 9 and possibly as many as 12 seats in the 89-seat State Parliament. The electoral appeal of the far-Right party is strongest in regional districts, with a clear show of support for policies such as relaxed gun laws, tighter \Jimmigration\j, the end of specific programs for \JAborigines\j, the reintroduction of protectionism, and a people's bank offering 2 per cent interest rates to farmers. The final result of what is now seen as a crucial Australian election will not be known for some days. \I(Australia)\i
One year after launching a national initiative on race, President Bill Clinton maintains that new immigrants are good for the United States, and they are revitalizing the cities and renewing the country's most basic values. At the same time, Mr. Clinton urges the one million immigrants per year to embrace American culture, to learn the language, to know the history, and when the time arrives, to become citizens. The latest available figures show that during the period October 1995 through September 1996, 37 per cent of immigrants came to the US from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and \JCentral America\j, followed by 34 per cent from Asia, and 16 per cent from Europe. \I(USA, Canada, The Caribbean, Mexico, \JCentral America\j, Asia, Europe)\i
Lightning strikes Washington's RFK Stadium during a Tibetan Freedom Concert, critically injuring one woman and sending at least five other people to \Jhospital\j. The concert was designed as a prelude to next week's National Day of Action for Tibet, which will be capped by what organizers are billing as the largest rally ever held in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of Tibet under Chinese rule. \I(USA, Tibet, China)\i
More than 100,000 Harley-Davidson riders from as far away as \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, and \JBrazil\j roar into \JMilwaukee\j to celebrate the 95th birthday of the only major United States \Jmotorcycle\j manufacturer. Despite the "bad boy" image of Harley-Davidson riders, the average Harley owner in the US is in his early 40s and has an annual income of around $US68,000, while in \JMilwaukee\j, headquarters of Harley-Davidson Inc., 14 per cent of Harley buyers are women. The company currently produces 132,000 bikes a year, but hopes to reach 200,000 a year by its 100th birthday. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, \JBrazil\j)\i
In Group D World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JNigeria\j defeats \JSpain\j 3-2 at \JNantes\j. In Group E matches, Mexico defeats South Korea 3-1 at Lyon, and The Netherlands and \JBelgium\j draw 0-0 at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JSpain\j, Mexico, South Korea, The Netherlands, \JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that President Bill Clinton has deployed a standby force of United States military personnel to \JDakar\j, \JSenegal\j, ready to evacuate remaining Americans from neighboring Guinea \JBissau\j should the situation there deteriorate. Currently, both the main road to the airport and the airfield itself are closed due to fighting between the government of the West African nation and rebellious forces led by sacked military commander, Ansumane Mane. Earlier this week, around 2,000 foreign nationals were evacuated from the capital \JBissau\j by sea. \I(USA, \JSenegal\j, Guinea \JBissau\j)\i
One year after launching a national initiative on race, President Bill Clinton maintains that new immigrants are good for the United States, and are revitalizing the cities and renewing the country's most basic values. At the same time, Mr. Clinton urges the one million immigrants per year to embrace American culture, to learn the language, to know the history, and when the time arrives, to become citizens. The latest available figures show that during the period October 1995 through September 1996, 37 per cent of immigrants came to the US from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and \JCentral America\j, followed by 34 per cent from Asia, and 16 per cent from Europe. \I(USA, Canada, The Caribbean, Mexico, \JCentral America\j, Asia, Europe)\i
Lightning strikes Washington's RFK Stadium during a Tibetan Freedom Concert, critically injuring one woman and sending at least five other people to \Jhospital\j. The concert was designed as a prelude to next week's National Day of Action for Tibet, which will be capped by what organizers are billing as the largest rally ever held in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of Tibet under Chinese rule. \I(USA, Tibet, China)\i
More than 100,000 Harley-Davidson riders from as far away as \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, and \JBrazil\j roar into \JMilwaukee\j to celebrate the 95th birthday of the only major United States \Jmotorcycle\j manufacturer. Despite the "bad boy" image of Harley-Davidson riders, the average Harley owner in the US is in his early 40s and has an annual income of around $US68,000, while in \JMilwaukee\j, headquarters of Harley-Davidson Inc., 14 per cent of Harley buyers are women. The company currently produces 132,000 bikes a year, but hopes to reach 200,000 a year by its 100th birthday. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j, \JBrazil\j)\i
In Group D World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JNigeria\j defeats \JSpain\j 3-2 at \JNantes\j. In Group E matches, Mexico defeats South Korea 3-1 at Lyon, and The Netherlands and \JBelgium\j draw 0-0 at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JSpain\j, Mexico, South Korea, The Netherlands, \JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that President Bill Clinton has deployed a standby force of United States military personnel to \JDakar\j, \JSenegal\j, ready to evacuate remaining Americans from neighboring Guinea \JBissau\j should the situation there deteriorate. Currently, both the main road to the airport and the airfield itself are closed due to fighting between the government of the West African nation and rebellious forces led by sacked military commander, Ansumane Mane. Earlier this week, around 2,000 foreign nationals were evacuated from the capital \JBissau\j by sea. \I(USA, \JSenegal\j, Guinea \JBissau\j)\i
One year after launching a national initiative on race, President Bill Clinton maintains that new immigrants are good for the United States, and are revitalizing the cities and renewing the country's most basic values. At the same time, Mr. Clinton urges the one million immigrants per year to embrace American culture, to learn the language, to know the history, and when the time arrives, to become citizens. The latest available figures show that during the period October 1995 through September 1996, 37 per cent of immigrants came to the US from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and \JCentral America\j, followed by 34 per cent from Asia, and 16 per cent from Europe. \I(USA, Canada, The Caribbean, Mexico, \JCentral America\j, Asia, Europe)\i
In Group D World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JNigeria\j defeats \JSpain\j 3-2 at \JNantes\j. In Group E matches, Mexico defeats South Korea 3-1 at Lyon, and The Netherlands and \JBelgium\j draw 0-0 at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris. \I(\JNigeria\j, \JSpain\j, Mexico, South Korea, The Netherlands, \JBelgium\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 14, 1998",893,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
East \JTimor\j's Bishop Carlos Belo calls on his people to maintain peace and order amid renewed anti-Indonesian protests both in the provincial capital, Dili, and the national capital, Jakarta. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate says he regards President Habibie's offer of special status for the predominantly Catholic province as a transitional solution, and that a definite solution to the 23-year-old struggle against Indonesian rule must come from the people, a reference to recent demands for a referendum on the political future of East \JTimor\j. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, Yugoslavia defeats \JIran\j 1-0 at St Etienne, while in Group H matches, \JCroatia\j defeats \JJamaica\j 3-1 at Lens, and Argentina defeats \JJapan\j 1-0 at \JToulouse\j. Tensions run high at Marseilles, however, as drunken English \Jsoccer\j hooligans battle Tunisians and riot police in a series of running battles ahead of tomorrow's England-Tunisia game. At least 34 people are injured, and more than 50 are arrested as a result of the trouble. \I(\JFrance\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, \JCroatia\j, \JJamaica\j, Argentina, \JJapan\j, UK, Tunisia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Diplomatic delegations from the United States, \JItaly\j, and \JRwanda\j shuttle between Asmara and Addis Ababa in a desperate effort to head off a full-scale war between former Horn of Africa allies, Eritrea and \JEthiopia\j. Meanwhile, the Sudanese Alliances Forces, who rely on Eritrea and \JEthiopia\j to provide rear bases for their fight against the fundamentalist National Islamic Front in \JKhartoum\j, warn that the escalating border dispute between the two neighbors is threatening to plunge the whole region into chaos. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, \JRwanda\j, Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j, Sudan)\i
Michael Jordan leads the \JChicago\j Bulls to a 87-86 victory over the \JUtah\j Jazz, clinching the Bull's sixth National \JBasketball\j Association championship of the decade. Named Most Valuable Player for the sixth time in as many finals, Jordan scores 45 points, including the game-winning basket with just 5.2 seconds left to play. \I(USA)\i
A 25-year-old American social worker sets off for \JFrance\j from a \JNorth Carolina\j pier in an attempt to become the first woman to row solo across the North Atlantic. Tori Murden is rowing an 800-pound boat stocked with 700 pounds of electronic gear, food, clothing, books, and audio tapes of classical music. According to Ocean Rowing Society records, six men have succeeded in rowing solo across the Atlantic from west to east. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
American golfer, J. P. Hayes, wins the first hole of a sudden death playoff to clinch the Buick Classic at Harrison, New York, while at East Lansing, \JMichigan\j, American Lisa Walters closes six shots in front of the field to take the Oldsmobile Classic. \I(USA)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, Yugoslavia defeats \JIran\j 1-0 at St Etienne, while in Group H matches, \JCroatia\j defeats \JJamaica\j 3-1 at Lens, and Argentina defeats \JJapan\j 1-0 at \JToulouse\j. Tensions run high at Marseilles, however, as drunken English \Jsoccer\j hooligans battle Tunisians and riot police in a series of running battles ahead of tomorrow's England-Tunisia game. At least 34 people are injured, and more than 50 are arrested as a result of the trouble. \I(\JFrance\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, \JCroatia\j, \JJamaica\j, Argentina, \JJapan\j, UK, Tunisia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fighting rages in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j after guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, some armed with mortar and rocket launchers, stage five daylight ambushes on a Yugoslav military convoy. Three \JKosovo\j Albanians and two military police are killed as a result of the clashes, which come on the eve of an urgent visit to Moscow by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. \JRussia\j is determined to find a political solution to the \JKosovo\j crisis, having refused to endorse both economic sanctions and threats of \JNATO\j military intervention. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JRussia\j)\i
United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) chairman, Richard Butler, holds more than three hours of talks in \JBaghdad\j with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, following which the two leading protagonists in past Iraq-UN crises stand side by side to make a rare joint statement. Mr. Aziz gives a positive assessment of the meeting and confirms that agreement has been reached on a two-month work program aimed at speeding up final verification of Iraq's disarmament. Iraq is impatient for UNSCOM weapons inspectors to verify that all its weapons of mass destruction have been scrapped so that economic sanctions can be lifted. \I(Iraq)\i
Diplomatic delegations from the United States, \JItaly\j, and \JRwanda\j shuttle between Asmara and Addis Ababa in a desperate effort to head off a full-scale war between former Horn of Africa allies, Eritrea and \JEthiopia\j. Meanwhile, the Sudanese Alliances Forces, who rely on Eritrea and \JEthiopia\j to provide rear bases for their fight against the fundamentalist National Islamic Front in \JKhartoum\j, warn that the escalating border dispute between the two neighbors is threatening to plunge the whole region into chaos. \I(USA, \JItaly\j, \JRwanda\j, Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j, Sudan)\i
A 25-year-old American social worker sets off for \JFrance\j from a \JNorth Carolina\j pier in an attempt to become the first woman to row solo across the North Atlantic. Tori Murden is rowing an 800-pound boat stocked with 700 pounds of electronic gear, food, clothing, books, and audio tapes of classical music. According to Ocean Rowing Society records, six men have succeeded in rowing solo across the Atlantic from west to east. \I(USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Britain's Queen Mother becomes the longest-living member of the royal family in the history of the British monarchy. At 97 years and 314 days, she has now outlasted Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, who died in 1981. \I(UK)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, Yugoslavia defeats \JIran\j 1-0 at St Etienne, while in Group H matches, \JCroatia\j defeats \JJamaica\j 3-1 at Lens, and Argentina defeats \JJapan\j 1-0 at \JToulouse\j. Tensions run high at Marseilles, however, as drunken English \Jsoccer\j hooligans battle Tunisians and riot police in a series of running battles ahead of tomorrow's England-Tunisia game. At least 34 people are injured, and more than 50 are arrested as a result of the trouble. \I(\JFrance\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, \JCroatia\j, \JJamaica\j, Argentina, \JJapan\j, UK, Tunisia)\i
Number 2 seed and defending title holder, Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov, claims the Gerry Weber Open tennis title at Halle, \JGermany\j, with a straight-sets win over Magnus Larsson of Sweden. \I(Russia, \JGermany\j, Sweden)\i
Spaniard Carlos Checa delights home fans when he rides his Honda to victory in the Spanish 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Madrid, his first win of the season. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
#
"June 15, 1998",894,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese yen crashes to an eight-year low of 146.55 to the US dollar following a 1.31 per cent plunge in \JTokyo\j stocks, which close below the critical 15,000 point mark at 14,825.17. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto says Japan is powerless to halt the yen's slide, and that his government is now considering asking the Group of Seven industrial nations to help prop up the currency. China, meanwhile, accuses both Japan and the United States of selfishness in allowing the yen to collapse at the expense of the rest of Asia. \JBeijing\j has repeatedly vowed not to devalue the yuan, but could be forced to do so if the Japanese yen remains weak for an extended period. \I(Japan, China, USA)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, opens a two-\Jday\j European Union summit in the Welsh capital, \JCardiff\j, warning fellow leaders that healthy European economies risk being infected by the turmoil in Asia. Mr. Blair's warning comes as the Japanese yen continues its free fall and share prices take a tumble across global markets. EU leaders later issue a statement urging Japan to take further steps to overhaul its economy, now officially in recession, in order to rebuild confidence. \I(UK, Wales, Europe, Japan)\i
Under pressure from farmers, the United States Congress considers a move to skirt economic sanctions imposed against India and \JPakistan\j for their recent nuclear tests, and allow the sale of US wheat to both countries. President Bill Clinton is supporting the move, saying food should not be used as a weapon to influence other nations. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Faced with mounting student protests, Indonesian Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, rules out a referendum on self-determination for the troubled province of East \JTimor\j, saying the government considers such a measure inappropriate and unacceptable to the majority of East Timorese people. In rejecting the growing agitation for a vote on independence for the territory, Mr. Alatas cites the 1975 Balibo declaration, by which, he insists, the East Timorese population decided to join Indonesia. Meanwhile, East Timor's provincial Parliament meets for the first time with student representatives and formally acknowledges their demands for a referendum, as well as calls for the immediate release of jailed former Fretilin leader, Xanana Gusmao, and the presence of United Nations peacekeepers to supervise a cease-fire in the 23-year-old conflict. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, sacks Attorney-General, Sujono Hanafiah Atmonegoro, who was installed by ex-president Soeharto in March, and replaces him with military general prosecutor, Major General Andi Ghalib. Mr. Sujono, the first high official with the rank of minister to be removed by Dr. Habibie, had been under mounting public pressure to investigate the wealth and extensive business networks of Mr. Soeharto and his family. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
NATO stages exercise "Determined Falcon," sending a force of 84 strike and fighter planes thundering over the Adriatic Sea into the airspace of \JAlbania\j and Macedonia and then back to \JItaly\j. The show of force is aimed at persuading \JSerbia\j to halt its crackdown against \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, and proceeds as Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, arrives for urgent talks in Moscow, where his hosts protest that they were not properly consulted over the NATO exercises. The United States, meanwhile, plays down suggestions of a rift between the West and \JRussia\j, suggesting that Moscow's only objection is to the timing of the air exercises, and that it is otherwise committed to the common goal of ending the fighting in the troubled Serbian province. \I(\JAlbania\j, Macedonia, \JItaly\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
The Japanese yen crashes to an eight-year low of 146.55 to the US dollar following a 1.31 per cent plunge in \JTokyo\j stocks, which close below the critical 15,000 point mark at 14,825.17. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto says Japan is powerless to halt the yen's slide, and that his government is now considering asking the Group of Seven industrial nations to help prop up the currency. China, meanwhile, accuses both Japan and the United States of selfishness in allowing the yen to collapse at the expense of the rest of Asia. \JBeijing\j has repeatedly vowed not to devalue the yuan, but could be forced to do so if the Japanese yen remains weak for an extended period. \I(Japan, China, USA)\i
In \JRome\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, opens a five-week 156-nation diplomatic conference aimed at establishing a permanent International Criminal Court to try perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The United States has demanded strict UN Security Council control of the proposed tribunal, but Mr. Annan disagrees with Washington's stand, insisting that to be strong and credible, the international court must not be unduly influenced by any institution or outside body. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Under pressure from farmers, the United States Congress considers a move to skirt economic sanctions imposed against India and \JPakistan\j for their recent nuclear tests, and allow the sale of US wheat to both countries. President Bill Clinton is supporting the move, saying food should not be used as a weapon to influence other nations. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
United States Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, sparks outrage when he describes \Jhomosexuality\j as a problem comparable with sexual addiction, \Jalcoholism\j, and kleptomania. The Human Rights Campaign, the biggest gay rights lobby in the US, offers to explain modern scientific views of the biological basis of \Jhomosexuality\j to Senator Lott, and one of the few openly gay lawmakers, Democrat Barney Frank of \JMassachusetts\j, says the Senator's remarks are an indication of the tight hold of the conservative right wing on the Republican party. The \JWhite House\j, meanwhile, blasts Senator Lott as backward in his thinking. \I(USA)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, \JGermany\j defeats the United States 2-0 at Parc des Princes in Paris. In Group G matches, \JRomania\j scores a 1-0 victory over \JColombia\j at Lyon, but violence breaks out again in Marseilles despite England's 2-0 victory over \JTunisia\j. French police have now arrested more than 60 people, most of them English, once more projecting the nation to the top of the world's hooligan league and seriously damaging England's prospects of hosting the World Cup in 2006. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, apologizes for what he terms "a total disgrace," and says he believes the whole country will unite in condemning the behavior of a "mindless, criminal, drunken minority." \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, USA, \JRomania\j, \JColombia\j, UK, \JTunisia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
NATO stages exercise "Determined Falcon," sending a force of 84 strike and fighter planes thundering over the Adriatic Sea into the airspace of \JAlbania\j and Macedonia and then back to \JItaly\j. The show of force is aimed at persuading \JSerbia\j to halt its crackdown against \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, and proceeds as Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, arrives for urgent talks in Moscow, where his hosts protest that they were not properly consulted over the NATO exercises. The United States, meanwhile, plays down suggestions of a rift between the West and \JRussia\j, suggesting that Moscow's only objection is to the timing of the air exercises, and that it is otherwise committed to the common goal of ending the fighting in the troubled Serbian province. \I(\JAlbania\j, Macedonia, \JItaly\j, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
European Union leaders condemn the violence in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j and issue a strong warning to Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, saying no state that uses military repression against its own people can expect to find a place in modern Europe. The European leaders, on their guard after the Bosnian war of 1992-95, also warn the Yugoslav leader of more forceful action unless the threat to regional peace and security is defused. \I(Europe, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Bosnia)\i
Warring Horn of Africa neighbors, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, agree to halt air strikes but both sides appear as divided as ever over territorial issues. \JEthiopia\j says peace is only possible if Eritrea agrees to withdraw its troops from occupied Ethiopian land, but Eritrea insists that it cannot pull out of its own territory. Although the undeclared border dispute between the former allies has now spread to three fronts, there has been no significant fighting for some days. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
Nigeria's new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, orders the immediate release of nine of the country's most prominent political prisoners, including former president, General Olusegun Obasanjo, who was serving a 15-year sentence for his role in an alleged 1995 plot to overthrow the late General Sani Abacha. According to a statement from the presidency, General Abubakar ordered the releases "to facilitate the process of national reconciliation, reconstruction, and successful completion of the socio-political transition program." \I(Nigeria)\i
In \JRome\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, opens a five-week 156-nation diplomatic conference aimed at establishing a permanent International Criminal Court to try perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The United States has demanded strict UN Security Council control of the proposed tribunal, but Mr. Annan disagrees with Washington's stand, insisting that to be strong and credible, the international court must not be unduly influenced by any institution or outside body. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, opens a two-\Jday\j European Union summit in the Welsh capital, \JCardiff\j, warning fellow leaders that healthy European economies risk being infected by the turmoil in Asia. Mr. Blair's warning comes as the Japanese yen continues its free fall and share prices take a tumble across global markets. EU leaders later issue a statement urging Japan to take further steps to overhaul its economy, now officially in recession, in order to rebuild confidence. \I(UK, Wales, Europe, Japan)\i
NATO troops apprehend a Bosnian Serb indicted for war crimes committed in the eastern Bosnian town of Foca during 1992-93. Milorad Krnojelac will be the 28th war crimes suspect transported to the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. \I(Bosnia, Yugoslavia, The Netherlands)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, \JGermany\j defeats the United States 2-0 at Parc des Princes in Paris. In Group G matches, \JRomania\j scores a 1-0 victory over \JColombia\j at Lyon, but violence breaks out again in Marseilles despite England's 2-0 victory over \JTunisia\j. French police have now arrested more than 60 people, most of them English, once more projecting the nation to the top of the world's hooligan league and seriously damaging England's prospects of hosting the World Cup in 2006. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, apologizes for what he terms "a total disgrace," and says he believes the whole country will unite in condemning the behavior of a "mindless, criminal, drunken minority." \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, USA, \JRomania\j, \JColombia\j, UK, \JTunisia\j)\i
#
"June 16, 1998",895,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The World Bank suggests that Asia is at the end of the first cycle of its economic crisis, and that it is now entering into a deep depression that could be very long-lasting and widespread if it is not handled carefully. The bank sounds a special warning to \JJapan\j, saying international central banks are cooperating in defense of the sagging yen, but that the solution to the currency's woes lies in a convincing response by \JJapan\j, adding that a dynamic Japanese economy is absolutely critical to help pull the entire region out of its economic slump. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia)\i
As \JJapan\j's currency languishes at around 143.35 to the US dollar in New York, United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, voices concern about the weakness of the yen and the shrinking Japanese economy, and says he is considering sending financial trouble-shooter, Lawrence Summers, to \JTokyo\j. Mr. Summers has traveled to Asia several times in recent months, including a hastily arranged trip to \JIndonesia\j in January to persuade the Soeharto regime to abide by the terms of an international rescue package. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, Asia)\i
South Korea's wealthiest man, Chung Ju Yung, heads a \Jcattle\j drive to his birthplace in the \Jfamine\j-stricken North, becoming the first businessman to cross the world's most heavily guarded border on a civilian-organized visit. The 500 \Jcattle\j are part of an $US8.5 million gift to the starving North Koreans from the 83-year-old founder of the giant Hyundai Group, who intends to visit \JPyongyang\j before traveling to his hometown, Tongchun, which he left in 1933 at the age of 18. \I(The Koreas)\i
Cambodian authorities announce a ban on all political demonstrations in the capital, Phnom Penh, ahead of national elections on July 26. Despite the ban, opposition politician Sam Rainsy says he intends to proceed with a rally planned for the weekend. A recent opinion poll shows the Sam Rainsy Party leading with 14.3 per cent support, followed by 11.9 per cent support for the Cambodian People's Party of Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, and 5.3 per cent for the Funcinpec party of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. However, around two-thirds of the 2,048 people surveyed declined to say which political party they preferred. \I(Cambodia)\i
China responds to what it calls a distortion of its national \Jbirth control\j policy, defending its program limiting urban couples to one child as a dual responsibility for the Chinese people and the people of the world. Last week, a former Chinese \Jbirth control\j clinic administrator told a United States congressional subcommittee that forced sterilizations and abortions were common practice in China, remarks that gave opponents of US President Bill Clinton's China policy fresh ammunition ahead of his much-criticized official visit to the world's most populous country. \I(China, USA)\i
Incoming \JPhilippines\j President, Joseph Estrada, who takes office on June 30, says he plans to sell the government's 28 per cent stake in the country's strike-ravaged flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. Mr. Estrada's statement comes as the financially troubled airline announces that it will lay off 5,000 workers following a 12-\Jday\j strike by around 600 pilots, which has cost the company more than 2 billion pesos. Last week, the airline announced that it would not take back the striking pilots, and that it would sharply scale down its operations. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As \JJapan\j's currency languishes at around 143.35 to the US dollar in New York, United States Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, voices concern about the weakness of the yen and the shrinking Japanese economy, and says he is considering sending financial trouble-shooter, Lawrence Summers, to \JTokyo\j. Mr. Summers has traveled to Asia several times in recent months, including a hastily arranged trip to \JIndonesia\j in January to persuade the Soeharto regime to abide by the terms of an international rescue package. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, Asia)\i
China responds to what it calls a distortion of its national \Jbirth control\j policy, defending its program limiting urban couples to one child as a dual responsibility for the Chinese people and the people of the world. Last week, a former Chinese \Jbirth control\j clinic administrator told a United States congressional subcommittee that forced sterilizations and abortions were common practice in China, remarks that gave opponents of US President Bill Clinton's China policy fresh ammunition ahead of his much-criticized official visit to the world's most populous country. \I(China, USA)\i
The \JMassachusetts\j Supreme Judicial Court upholds a reduced sentence of \Jmanslaughter\j against 20-year-old British au pair, Louise Woodward, in the February 1997 death of baby Matthew Eappen. The court rules that trial judge Hiller Zobel acted in a lawful manner last November when he overturned the jury's verdict of second-degree murder and sentenced Ms. Woodward to 279 days, the time she had already served behind bars. While Ms. Woodward's lawyers had also hoped to have her acquitted of the \Jmanslaughter\j conviction, the case is now closed, and Ms. Woodward is free to go back home to England. \I(USA, UK)\i
A 40-year-old \JFlorida\j woman, identified only as Elizabeth, gives birth to a baby boy live on the \JInternet\j. The world's first on-line delivery, billed by the network as an educational event, is watched by an audience of subscribers in the United States and abroad. Both mother and baby Sean, who weighs in at 7 pounds 8 ounces, are doing well. \I(USA)\i
The second Group A World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches get under way in \JFrance\j, with \JBrazil\j scoring a convincing 3-0 win over Morocco at \JNantes\j to qualify for the second round, and Scotland and \JNorway\j drawing 1-1 at \JBordeaux\j. Meanwhile, French authorities detain 50 Scottish fans described as "known hooligan leaders," deport five English fans and one Tunisian supporter, and jail three more English \Jsoccer\j hooligans for four months each, the stiffest sentences imposed so far in the aftermath of the riots in Marseilles. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, Morocco, Scotland, \JNorway\j, UK, Tunisia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following talks in Moscow with President Boris Yeltsin, Yugoslav President,
Slobodan Milosevic, agrees to meet most of the demands set by the six-nation Contact Group to end bloodshed in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. However, anxious Western powers remain dissatisfied with Mr. Milosevic's refusal to accept their key demand for an immediate withdrawal of Serbian security forces from the troubled province, saying his promise to negotiate with \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders is not enough, and that planning for possible \JNATO\j military intervention will continue. \I(\JRussia\j, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Nigeria's new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, wins widespread international praise for ordering the immediate release of nine political prisoners, a gesture regarded by the international community as an important first step in the process of national reconstruction, reconciliation, and development. The releases are also cautiously welcomed by Nigerian opposition groups, who vow not to relent in their efforts to secure the freedom of Chief Moshood Abiola, the country's most prominent political detainee and the presumed winner of annulled 1993 elections. \I(Nigeria)\i
Nearly 800 people are evacuated from the West African nation of Guinea \JBissau\j following renewed fighting between pro-government troops and rebel soldiers led by sacked armed forces commander, Ansumane Mane. The evacuation is coordinated by the Portuguese \Jfrigate\j, \IVasco da Gama.\i \I(Guinea \JBissau\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
The contempt of court case against South Africa's last hardline \Japartheid\j president, P.W. Botha, is adjourned until August 17, with Mr. Botha's lawyer rejecting an appeal from Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairman, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that the former president apologize for his government's actions in defense of white rule. According to the lawyer, Mr. Botha is not aware of anything requiring an apology on his part. \I(South Africa)\i
The \JMassachusetts\j Supreme Judicial Court upholds a reduced sentence of \Jmanslaughter\j against 20-year-old British au pair, Louise Woodward, in the February 1997 death of baby Matthew Eappen. The court rules that trial judge Hiller Zobel acted in a lawful manner last November when he overturned the jury's verdict of second-degree murder and sentenced Ms. Woodward to 279 days, the time she had already served behind bars. While Ms. Woodward's lawyers had also hoped to have her acquitted of the \Jmanslaughter\j conviction, the case is now closed, and Ms. Woodward is free to go back home to England. \I(USA, UK)\i
The second Group A World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches get under way in \JFrance\j, with \JBrazil\j scoring a convincing 3-0 win over Morocco at \JNantes\j to qualify for the second round, and Scotland and \JNorway\j drawing 1-1 at \JBordeaux\j. Meanwhile, French authorities detain 50 Scottish fans described as "known hooligan leaders," deport five English fans and one Tunisian supporter, and jail three more English \Jsoccer\j hooligans for four months each, the stiffest sentences imposed so far in the aftermath of the riots in Marseilles. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, Morocco, Scotland, \JNorway\j, UK, Tunisia)\i
#
"June 17, 1998",896,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the wake of last month's nuclear tests by India and \JPakistan\j, China implements strict regulations controlling the export of nuclear equipment and technology with dual civilian and military uses. The new regulations also coincide with an upcoming visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton, whose administration has long been pressing \JBeijing\j to curb exports of nuclear equipment with military applications. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, USA)\i
The United States joins \JJapan\j's central bank in racing to the rescue of the beleaguered Japanese yen, with the New York Federal Reserve spending an estimated $US2 billion to buy the currency in a bid to drive up its value against the dollar. It is the first US intervention on behalf of the yen in more than six years, and comes after Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto pledges to pursue aggressive measures to strengthen Japan's ailing economy, now officially in recession. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Less than a month before elections for \JJapan\j's Upper House of Parliament, a nationwide survey shows that public support for Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's Cabinet has slipped from 32.7 per cent to a new low of 29.9 per cent. Most of the 57.3 per cent of respondents who disapproved of Mr. Hashimoto's Cabinet blames it for failing to revive the stagnant economy, and for sparking concerns that the situation could worsen. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
The sliding Indonesian rupiah plunges 10 per cent from the previous \Jday\j's close to hit a low of 16,800 to the US dollar, fueling fears of a serious food crisis, and dealing a severe blow to the Habibie Government, which is struggling against pessimistic economic forecasts of up to 100 per cent \Jinflation\j and as much as a 20 per cent economic contraction. The rupiah has suffered a 30 per cent drop this week, with much of the downward pressure blamed on the spillover from the declining Japanese yen. \I(Indonesia, Japan)\i
Pakistan's southern port city of \JKarachi\j is hit by a new wave of violence, with two car bombs rocking the eastern section, and gunmen shooting dead at least 21 people over the past three days, including a senior police officer who was killed when two assailants burst into his home. Police attribute the surge of violence to ongoing political, criminal, and factional rivalries, which have left more than 80 people dead since last month. \I(Pakistan)\i
In the \JPhilippines\j capital, Manila, human rights groups continue to conduct daily protests against a decision by President-elect, Joseph Estrada, to permit the body of ex-president Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in Manila's Heroes' Cemetery. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in September 1989, three years after his 20-year rule was ended by a people power revolt, and his body was not allowed back in the \JPhilippines\j until 1993. Since then, both President Fidel Ramos and his predecessor, Corazon Aquino, have refused to grant permission for the former dictator to be buried in the nation's military cemetery. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA)\i
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia announces that it is closing all girls' schools and vocational centers. According to the Minister for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, deeds against Islamic law were being committed in female educational establishments, with a number of foreigners also engaging in propaganda. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Amnesty International releases its annual report detailing human rights abuses in 141 countries worldwide. In the Asia-Pacific region, Amnesty condemns the government of \JIndonesia\j's ex-president Soeharto, as well as the governments of North Korea, China, \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JMyanmar\j, and \JSri Lanka\j, pointing to abuses such as the oppression of minority groups, detention without trial, \Jfamine\j, and the massacre of civilians in war zones. \I(\JIndonesia\j, North Korea, China, \JCambodia\j, \JPakistan\j, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JSri Lanka\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In the wake of last month's nuclear tests by India and \JPakistan\j, China implements strict regulations controlling the export of nuclear equipment and technology with dual civilian and military uses. The new regulations also coincide with an upcoming visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton, whose administration has long been pressing \JBeijing\j to curb exports of nuclear equipment with military applications. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, USA)\i
The United States joins \JJapan\j's central bank in racing to the rescue of the beleaguered Japanese yen, with the New York Federal Reserve spending an estimated $US2 billion to buy the currency in a bid to drive up its value against the dollar. It is the first US intervention on behalf of the yen in more than six years, and comes after Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto pledges to pursue aggressive measures to strengthen Japan's ailing economy, now officially in recession. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
In the \JPhilippines\j capital, Manila, human rights groups continue to conduct daily protests against a decision by President-elect, Joseph Estrada, to permit the body of ex-president Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in Manila's Heroes' Cemetery. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in September 1989, three years after his 20-year rule was ended by a people power revolt, and his body was not allowed back in the \JPhilippines\j until 1993. Since then, both President Fidel Ramos and his predecessor, Corazon Aquino, have refused to grant permission for the former dictator to be buried in the nation's military cemetery. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA)\i
In a major victory for \Jcigarette\j manufacturers, the United States Senate rejects consideration of Senator John McCain's landmark anti-smoking bill on the grounds that it violates Budget rules. The bill would have raised \Jcigarette\j prices by $US1.10 a pack over five years, given the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate \Jtobacco\j and \Jnicotine\j, and imposed fines of up to $US5 million a year if the \Jtobacco\j industry failed to reduce youth smoking. \I(USA)\i
The \JHouse of Representatives\j approves legislation directing Congress to replace and abolish the current United States tax system by the end of 2002. President Clinton, however, opposes the legislation, arguing that it will create too much uncertainty without an alternative in place. There has been no decision as yet on what type of new tax system would be implemented. \I(USA)\i
United States researchers reveal that they have captured the first image of the physical structure of the gp120 protein the AIDS virus uses to break into the immune system cells it attacks, describing the key protein as a "viral Houdini" with the capacity to change shape to elude the body's defenses. However, the researchers also say that the structure reveals some potential weaknesses that will now become target sites on which to focus in developing new drugs and vaccines. \I(USA)\i
A 31-year-old man convicted of stalking director Steven Spielberg is given the maximum sentence of 25 years to life under \JCalifornia\j's third strike law. Prosecutors claimed that Jonathan Norman, who has two prior \Jfelony\j convictions, was sexually obsessed with Spielberg and planned to rape him in front of his wife. \I(USA)\i
In Group B World Cup \Jsoccer\j games in \JFrance\j, \JChile\j and \JAustria\j draw 1-1 at St Etienne, while at Montpellier, \JItaly\j defeats \JCameroon\j 3-0. \I(\JFrance\j, \JChile\j, \JAustria\j, \JItaly\j, \JCameroon\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Kosovo's ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders reject Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's offer of renewed dialogue, insisting that Mr. Milosevic must first withdraw his special police and army units as demanded by the six-nation Contact Group. Meanwhile, the death toll climbs in the troubled Serbian province, with at least 10 people killed in two separate border shootouts on Kosovo's frontier with Albania as ethnic \JAlbanian\j fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) continue to smuggle in arms and men to strengthen their ranks. The struggle between Serbian forces and the separatist KLA has so far cost around 300 lives and forced some 65,000 people to flee their homes in the province. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania)\i
Nigeria's five state-recognized political parties advise new military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to extend a plan to restore civilian rule to the country by up to 12 months, and also recommend that he cancel the elections which have already been held. Nigeria's opposition groups have condemned General Abubakar for following the plan of the late General Sani Abacha, which has been discredited by evidence of state manipulation and the expectation that General Abacha was to stand unopposed in presidential elections scheduled for August 1. \I(Nigeria)\i
The \JKremlin\j announces that former privatization chief, Anatoly Chubais, will represent \JRussia\j in the capacity of deputy prime minister at the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions. Mr. Chubais, 43, has twice been sacked from the government, most recently in March, after he and several associates were tarnished by a scandal over a huge advance for an unpublished book on privatization. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
A German Government investigation confirms that a cracked wheel was the cause of the high-speed crash of an Inter City Express train outside Eschede station on June 3. At least 101 people were killed in the accident, and 73 of those seriously injured are still in \Jhospital\j. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
The head of ISL \JFrance\j, a marketing agency with links to international \Jsoccer\j's ruling body \JFIFA\j, is arrested in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar \Jfraud\j involving more than 30,000 non-existent World Cup tickets and the same number of disappointed fans. The arrest follows complaints by five foreign tour operators who paid in advance for thousands of tickets they did not receive. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
In Group B World Cup \Jsoccer\j games in \JFrance\j, \JChile\j and \JAustria\j draw 1-1 at St Etienne, while at Montpellier, \JItaly\j defeats \JCameroon\j 3-0. \I(\JFrance\j, \JChile\j, \JAustria\j, \JItaly\j, \JCameroon\j)\i
#
"June 18, 1998",897,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China urges the United States to set aside differences and seek cooperation ahead of a controversial visit by President Bill Clinton, the first by a serving US president since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Among other issues, Mr. Clinton has been criticized for his plans to attend a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square, but China defends the choice of venue as part of its own established practice in welcoming state guests of foreign countries, dismissing claims that \JBeijing\j is seeking to use Mr. Clinton's presence to whitewash the events of June 4, 1989. \I(China, USA)\i
Southeast Asian financial markets rebound in the wake of United States moves to bolster the sagging Japanese yen. As the yen recovers to a level of 136 to the US dollar, regional currencies each gain more than 5 per cent, with the battered Indonesian rupiah rising as much as 10 per cent to 14,950 to the dollar. Share markets also register large gains, with \JTokyo\j's Nikkei Index rising 4.39 per cent to post its biggest one-\Jday\j jump in five months, and main indices in Hong Kong, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, and \JThailand\j posting gains of up to 7 per cent. \I(USA, Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Anwar Ibrahim, announces a 7 billion ringgit increase in budget spending aimed at easing tensions over high domestic interest rates and stimulating the country's faltering economy. The economic sweeteners include new projects in roads, health, and education, as well as additional \Jinfrastructure\j to boost agricultural production. Mr. Anwar has yet to announce further details of what he describes as a "counter-cyclical plan" to help lift Malaysia out of the 1.8 per cent economic contraction it recorded for the first quarter of the year. \I(Malaysia)\i
Indonesia's opposition figure, Megawati Sukarnoputri, joins the country's major religious leaders in issuing a statement condemning the recent riots, and calling on the Habibie Government to establish an independent probe into who incited and spread the racial hatred that sparked the trouble. The statement says those responsible should be tried and punished in order to eliminate a repeat of the violence against people of Chinese descent or any other ethnic group. \I(Indonesia)\i
Thousands of protesters march through the streets of Dili escorting the body of an East Timorese man shot dead earlier this week by an Indonesian soldier, who is still being questioned over the incident by military police. The protesters later meet with an assistant to the Governor to issue a list of demands, which include an investigation into East Timor by the United Nations human rights commission, and the \Jindictment\j of "war criminals' by an international court. The protesters also demand the withdrawal of Indonesian troops from East Timor. \I(Indonesia, East Timor)\i
Thousands of riot police are deployed to disperse rival Bangladeshi activists who detonate home-made bombs, fire revolvers, and torch vehicles during a dawn-to-dusk strike which essentially brings the country to a halt. The strike was called by a seven-party opposition alliance in protest against the government's bid to foil a long march intended to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to scrap a peace treaty with tribal insurgents in the \JChittagong\j Hill Tracts. The opposition alliance maintains that the treaty paves the way for "hegemonist India" to control and eventually seize the Hill Tracts, which border India and \JMyanmar\j. \I(Bangladesh, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), India)\i
Another two explosions rock \JPakistan\j's troubled southern city of \JKarachi\j, wounding 11 people and damaging several vehicles. The first bomb explodes outside the main gates of the \JKarachi\j Stock Exchange, sending the market into a brief panic, while the second bomb explodes a few minutes later near the Sindh Secretariat, which houses the offices of the provincial government. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
In a speech to the Cambodian Institute of Business, Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, spells out his platform for another term in government, citing economic issues and living standards of the people as a supreme priority, and also pledging to seek Cambodia's entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mr. Hun Sen says his only enemy is poverty, and reiterates a plea for his supporters to ensure that the July 26 elections proceed without violence or intimidation. \I(Cambodia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises the moderate leadership of \JIran\j's President Khatami and calls for a genuine reconciliation between the two countries based on mutuality and reciprocity. Mr. Clinton's comments follow a speech by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who also acknowledged positive signs of change in \JIran\j, and urged the Tehran Government to join the US in drawing up a road map to restore normal relations after nearly two decades of estrangement. Ms. Albright's speech coincided with the first address in Washington by \JIran\j's new Ambassador to the United Nations, who accused the Clinton administration of continuing a hostile policy towards Tehran, and demanded that the US abandon its \JCold War\j mentality. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
China urges the United States to set aside differences and seek cooperation ahead of a controversial visit by President Bill Clinton, the first by a serving US president since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Among other issues, Mr. Clinton has been criticized for his plans to attend a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square, but China defends the choice of venue as part of its own established practice in welcoming state guests of foreign countries, dismissing claims that \JBeijing\j is seeking to use Mr. Clinton's presence to whitewash the events of June 4, 1989. \I(China, USA)\i
The United States warns ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas against launching a new offensive in their fight for independence from \JSerbia\j, saying such a move could trigger another bloody crackdown by security forces under the command of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. Bolstered by an influx of men and weapons from neighboring Albania, the ranks of the KLA have swelled since March to more than 3,000 fighters, who have now blockaded key roads in the province, setting off almost daily clashes with Serb forces. In response to the increased guerrilla attacks, the Serbs have been forced to deploy up to 50,000 soldiers and special police in \JKosovo\j. \I(USA, \JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia, Albania)\i
African leaders, under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), hold a first \Jday\j of talks with feuding Horn of African neighbors, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, but report little progress in resolving the border conflict, with neither side prepared to make any concessions. The basis of the OAU initiative is an American-Rwandan peace plan that Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki has previously rejected. The plan calls on Eritrea to withdraw from all territory \JEthiopia\j held before the dispute erupted, but Eritrea claims that the territory in question is its own. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Africa, Rwanda, USA)\i
Southeast Asian financial markets rebound in the wake of United States moves to bolster the sagging Japanese yen. As the yen recovers to a level of 136 to the US dollar, regional currencies each gain more than 5 per cent, with the battered Indonesian rupiah rising as much as 10 per cent to 14,950 to the dollar. Share markets also register large gains, with \JTokyo\j's Nikkei Index rising 4.39 per cent to post its biggest one-\Jday\j jump in five months, and main indices in Hong Kong, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, and \JThailand\j posting gains of up to 7 per cent. \I(USA, Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea, \JMalaysia\j, \JThailand\j)\i
President Bill Clinton nominates Richard Holbrooke as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Bill Richardson, who is named to succeed Federico Pena as \Jenergy\j secretary. Mr. Holbrooke, 57, the architect of the 1995 Dayton peace deal for Bosnia, is more recently recognized for his efforts to break a diplomatic stalemate in Cyprus and to ease tensions in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. He has also served as US Ambassador to \JGermany\j and as an assistant \Jsecretary of state\j. At the Energy Department, Mr. Richardson, an Hispanic-American who previously served as a member of Congress from New Mexico, will oversee the US nuclear weapons stockpile and cleanup of nuclear wastes, management of national \Jenergy\j policies, and technological research into the development of \Jalternative energy\j sources to combat global warming. \I(USA, Bosnia, Cyprus, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States warns ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas against launching a new offensive in their fight for independence from \JSerbia\j, saying such a move could trigger another bloody crackdown by security forces under the command of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. Bolstered by an influx of men and weapons from neighboring Albania, the ranks of the KLA have swelled since March to more than 3,000 fighters, who have now blockaded key roads in the province, setting off almost daily clashes with Serb forces. In response to the increased guerrilla attacks, the Serbs have been forced to deploy up to 50,000 soldiers and special police in \JKosovo\j. \I(USA, \JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia, Albania)\i
African leaders, under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), hold a first \Jday\j of talks with feuding Horn of African neighbors, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, but report little progress in resolving the border conflict, with neither side prepared to make any concessions. The basis of the OAU initiative is an American-Rwandan peace plan that Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki has previously rejected. The plan calls on Eritrea to withdraw from all territory \JEthiopia\j held before the dispute erupted, but Eritrea claims that the territory in question is its own. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Africa, Rwanda, USA)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, unveils a draft program designed to strengthen the Jewish state's hold on \JJerusalem\j. The program envisages widening \JJerusalem\j's boundaries to include land to the west, and creating an "umbrella municipality" with administrative powers over nearby towns in Israel and some West Bank settlements. It also calls for the accelerated construction of roads linking West Bank Jewish settlements with the city, and includes plans for multi-year investments in housing, mass transit, \Jinfrastructure\j, and high-technology and scientific training. The Israeli program is immediately condemned by the Palestinians as deliberate provocation and a violation of international law. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Tensions rise on the divided island of Cyprus when Turkey dispatches six F-16 war planes to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in response to the visit by four Greek F-16s and two C-130 transport planes to the southern Cypriot air base of \JPaphos\j earlier in the week. The Greek Cypriot Government denounces Turkey's move as a provocative violation of its airspace, and accuses \JAnkara\j of deliberately attempting to stir trouble in the region. Tensions have escalated on the island since the government announced plans to install Russian S300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles and Turkey threatened to strike against them if they are deployed. \I(Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Russia)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, praises the moderate leadership of \JIran\j's President Khatami and calls for a genuine reconciliation between the two countries based on mutuality and reciprocity. Mr. Clinton's comments follow a speech by US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, who also acknowledged positive signs of change in \JIran\j, and urged the Tehran Government to join the US in drawing up a road map to restore normal relations after nearly two decades of estrangement. Ms. Albright's speech coincided with the first address in Washington by \JIran\j's new Ambassador to the United Nations, who accused the Clinton administration of continuing a hostile policy towards Tehran, and demanded that the US abandon its \JCold War\j mentality. \I(USA, \JIran\j)\i
Russia's newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Anatoly Chubais, issues a request for urgent international aid of up to $US15 billion to stave off economic collapse. The request comes as foreign investors take flight due to concerns about the Russian Government's inability to collect domestic taxes, sending the country's stock markets plummeting and interest rates soaring. In the meantime, disgruntled miners demanding back pay remain camped outside the seat of government, joined by hundreds of scientists voicing the same demand. \I(Russia)\i
President Bill Clinton nominates Richard Holbrooke as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Bill Richardson, who is named to succeed Federico Pena as \Jenergy\j secretary. Mr. Holbrooke, 57, the architect of the 1995 Dayton peace deal for Bosnia, is more recently recognized for his efforts to break a diplomatic stalemate in Cyprus and to ease tensions in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. He has also served as US Ambassador to \JGermany\j and as an assistant \Jsecretary of state\j. At the Energy Department, Mr. Richardson, an Hispanic-American who previously served as a member of Congress from New Mexico, will oversee the US nuclear weapons stockpile and cleanup of nuclear wastes, management of national \Jenergy\j policies, and technological research into the development of \Jalternative energy\j sources to combat global warming. \I(USA, Bosnia, Cyprus, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j)\i
In a moving ceremony in \JRome\j, five sacks full of jewels, watches, coins, family silver, and other personal belongings are returned to the city of Trieste's Jewish community. The valuables, stolen by the Nazis more than 50 years ago, had been gathering dust in Treasury vaults, and were not discovered until last year. During World War II, many of Trieste's Jews perished in nearby Risiera di San Sabba, the only Nazi death camp in \JItaly\j. \I(\JItaly\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Britain's Labour Government announces a scheme to establish a national minimum wage for the first time in British history. Under the new scheme, which will take effect from April 1999, the minimum wage for workers aged 22 and older will be around ú4 an hour. About 2 million people in Britain currently earn less than the proposed minimum wage, some working for under ú1 an hour. \I(UK)\i
In Group C World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, host \JFrance\j qualifies for the second round, defeating Saudi \JArabia\j 4-0 at the Stade de \JFrance\j in Paris, while at \JToulouse\j, Denmark and South Africa draw 1-1. \I(\JFrance\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Denmark, South Africa)\i
#
"June 19, 1998",898,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
During a meeting in \JTokyo\j with senior officials of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, sets an ambitious three-week deadline for the preparation of reform measures to revive the country's flagging economy and restore the banking system to health, warning that Washington will be closely monitoring the process. Meanwhile, the yen continues to hold up against the US dollar following intervention by the central banks of \JJapan\j and the US, trading at 136.83 to the US dollar, well up from earlier in the week, when it crashed to an eight-year low of 146.55 to the dollar. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
South Korea's Unification Ministry decides to pursue the North's proposal to hold a joint festival in the border village of Panmunjom to celebrate the 1945 liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese occupation. The proposed date for the festival is August 15, and should it take place, it will be the first time that the two countries have organized any joint event of this kind. \I(The Koreas, Japan)\i
Cambodia's main opposition parties complain that conditions are not in place for free and fair elections on July 26, saying ruling party thugs are intimidatingand terrorizing opposition organizers, and that access to the media is not equitable. The complaint comes on the eve of an international meeting in \JBangkok\j to assess preparations for the polls. \I(Cambodia, \JThailand\j)\i
In India's troubled Jammu and Kashmir state, five heavily armed separatist guerrillas shoot dead at least 25 male members of two Hindu wedding parties, including both bridegrooms, and wound another seven people, six of them critically. This senseless act of violence is the third of its kind in the region this year, and is once again blamed on \JPakistan\j, which controls one-third of the disputed territory, and offers moral and diplomatic support to separatist rebels. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Thailand seeks international expertise and financial assistance of up to $US300,000 to set up a landmine-clearing center to sweep out millions of mines laid in the past by warring factions along its border with \JMalaysia\j. The Foreign Ministry says the situation is now favorable to undertake de-mining activities because the communist insurgency within the country has long been crushed, and fighting in neighboring countries has subsided along border areas. \I(Thailand, \JMalaysia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
During a meeting in \JTokyo\j with senior officials of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, United States Deputy Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, sets an ambitious three-week deadline for the preparation of reform measures to revive the country's flagging economy and restore the banking system to health, warning that Washington will be closely monitoring the process. Meanwhile, the yen continues to hold up against the US dollar following intervention by the central banks of \JJapan\j and the US, trading at 136.83 to the US dollar, well up from earlier in the week, when it crashed to an eight-year low of 146.55 to the dollar. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
Amid reports of renewed border skirmishes, an Organization of African Unity (OAU) delegation concedes that its efforts to broker peace between warring neighbors, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, have failed to make any headway, largely due to Eritrea's outright rejection of a four-point Rwandan-American peace proposal upon which the OAU initiative was based. Meanwhile, Eritrea accuses \JEthiopia\j of blocking commercial flights into Asmara in violation of the terms of an American-brokered moratorium on air strikes. According to Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j has instructed all commercial airlines to report to Addis Ababa before flying into Eritrean airspace. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Rwanda, Africa, USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton urges General Motors Corp. and striking autoworkers to quickly settle their differences, adding that there is little the government can do to end the work stoppage. Two strikes by United Auto Workers have brought General Motors to the brink of a North American closure, forcing the shutdown of 22 of its 29 assembly plants, and idling more than 100,000 workers. \I(USA)\i
The National Rifle Association (NRA) welcomes an offer by the city of Philadelphia to act as a testing ground for the NRA assertion that gun-related crimes in the United States stem not from lax gun laws, but from a lack of enforcement of the laws. The NRA, known for its anti-gun-control slogan "guns don't kill people, people kill people," says it is confident that Republicans in Congress are prepared to provide the funding to back the initiative in Philadelphia, which currently has the highest proportion of gun-related crimes among top US cities. \I(USA)\i
The American Medical Association (AMA) calls for the removal of \Jnicotine\j from \Jtobacco\j within five to 10 years, saying \Jcigarette\j companies are capable of doing so via a process similar to that used to remove \Jcaffeine\j from \Jcoffee\j. The AMA call comes just days after the Senate kills a bill that would have created the first national \Jtobacco\j policy in the United States. \I(USA)\i
Carlos Castaneda, best-selling author and guru of the New Age movement, is reported to have died from liver cancer at his Los Angeles home on April 27. According to entertainment lawyer, Deborah Drooz, Castaneda, believed to be 72, was cremated without a funeral or public service of any kind, and his ashes were later taken to Mexico. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
In the second Group D World Cup \Jsoccer\j games, \JSpain\j and \JParaguay\j draw 0-0 at St Etienne, while in Paris, \JNigeria\j scores a narrow 1-0 win over \JBulgaria\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JParaguay\j, \JNigeria\j, \JBulgaria\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, joins \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, in calling for \JNATO\j military intervention in the southern Serbian province. \JRussia\j, however, insists that there are still a thousand ways of securing a peaceful solution to the \JKosovo\j conflict, and warns that \JNATO\j action in \JKosovo\j without United Nations Security Council approval will lead to the start of a new \JCold War\j in Europe. Meanwhile, recent reports from both sides in the conflict indicate that Serbian forces are scaling down their operations against the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, concentrating instead on cutting the guerrilla group's supply lines to Albania. \I(Albania, \JRussia\j, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Amid reports of renewed border skirmishes, an Organization of African Unity (OAU) delegation concedes that its efforts to broker peace between warring neighbors, \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea, have failed to make any headway, largely due to Eritrea's outright rejection of a four-point Rwandan-American peace proposal upon which the OAU initiative was based. Meanwhile, Eritrea accuses \JEthiopia\j of blocking commercial flights into Asmara in violation of the terms of an American-brokered moratorium on air strikes. According to Eritrea, \JEthiopia\j has instructed all commercial airlines to report to Addis Ababa before flying into Eritrean airspace. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea, Rwanda, Africa, USA)\i
The United Nations Security Council approves a resolution to provide $US300 million in equipment to upgrade \JIraq\j's oil industry, a move that will allow the country to meet higher export targets under a UN oil-for-food program. \JIraq\j, however, objects to language in the resolution stating that the program will "remain in effect" rather than be renegotiated every six months, a statement regarded as negating all hopes for a speedy end to UN sanctions against \JBaghdad\j. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, warns \JGreece\j against any attempt to transform Cyprus into a Greek island, saying this week's visit by Greek \Jaircraft\j, together with plans by the Greek Cypriot Government to deploy Russian S-300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles on the island, go beyond the dimension of Cyprus to constitute a threat to Turkey. Meanwhile, as \JGermany\j issues an emphatic warning to both sides against the use of force, the Greek Cypriot administration denies any intention of provoking a crisis, defending this week's stopover by the Greek \Jaircraft\j as part of a long-planned training exercise. \I(Turkey, \JGreece\j, Cyprus, \JGermany\j)\i
Dutch researchers warn that smoking can not only double a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of senile \Jdementia\j, but can also bring it on at a younger age. On the other hand, the Dutch study into the links between smoking and \Jdementia\j also finds that the habit can have a protective effect on smokers who carry the APOE4 gene, which makes people more susceptible to the degenerative disorder. In their study of 6,870 men and women over the age of 55, the researchers found that smokers who carry the gene were no more likely to develop the disease than non-smokers. \I(The Netherlands)\i
In the second Group D World Cup \Jsoccer\j games, \JSpain\j and \JParaguay\j draw 0-0 at St Etienne, while in Paris, \JNigeria\j scores a narrow 1-0 win over \JBulgaria\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JParaguay\j, \JNigeria\j, \JBulgaria\j)\i
#
"June 20, 1998",899,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Top financial officials from Asia and the Group of Seven, gathered in \JTokyo\j to discuss the region's year-long crisis, pile pressure on \JJapan\j to take urgent and concrete action to boost its ailing economy and clean up its debt-ridden banking system. The group also welcomes joint United States-Japanese intervention in the foreign exchange market to bolster the yen, a rescue mission prompted by fears that the slide of the Japanese currency could trigger another round of local currency devaluations and rob Asia of the chance to recover from its financial woes. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, says he is willing to grant special status to East \JTimor\j, order the immediate release of jailed resistance leader Xanana Gusmao, and scale back the number of troops in the province in exchange for United Nations recognition of East \JTimor\j's \Jintegration\j into Indonesia. Dr. Habibie adds that is scheduled to meet next week with East Timorese Nobel Peace laureate, Bishop Carlos Belo, and that he would also be prepared to meet with Xanana Gusmao. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
Health officials in \JTaiwan\j report that 50 children have died from an epidemic of enterovirus currently sweeping the country. Some 239 children nationwide are suspected to have been infected with the deadly airborne virus, and officials are now advising that large-scale children's activities or summer camps should be canceled or postponed until the outbreak has been brought under control. Virologists say that although the virus can infect adults, it has only caused deadly complications among children to date. \I(\JTaiwan\j)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, \JBelgium\j 2 draws with Mexico 2 at \JBordeaux\j, and The Netherlands are lifted to the top of the group with a decisive 5-0 win over South Korea at Marseilles. In the \Jday\j's Group H game, \JCroatia\j overcomes the blazing \JNantes\j heat to secure a 1-0 victory over \JJapan\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Korea, \JCroatia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Top financial officials from Asia and the Group of Seven, gathered in \JTokyo\j to discuss the region's year-long crisis, pile pressure on \JJapan\j to take urgent and concrete action to boost its ailing economy and clean up its debt-ridden banking system. The group also welcomes joint United States-Japanese intervention in the foreign exchange market to bolster the yen, a rescue mission prompted by fears that the slide of the Japanese currency could trigger another round of local currency devaluations and rob Asia of the chance to recover from its financial woes. \I(\JJapan\j, Asia, USA)\i
Three Serbian police officers are killed and four others are kidnapped by guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA), who vow to carry out further paramilitary operations in the troubled province despite warnings from the United States that more violence will only lead to further repression of the ethnic \JAlbanian\j population. The US has also expressed concern over mounting evidence of outside military support for the KLA, whose operations have become increasingly independent of \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leadership. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
In a move that will place further strain on relations between Washington and \JPretoria\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, concludes a multi-million dollar arms-for-oil deal with Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Under the deal, South Africa will supply Libya with weapons and spare parts in exchange for cut-price oil. \I(USA, South Africa, Libya)\i
In his \JFather's Day\j radio address, US President Bill Clinton announces $US59 million for new research into prostate cancer, and calls on Congress to boost National Institutes of Health funding to improve diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In the United States, prostate cancer accounts for 30 per cent of all cancers in men and, in this year alone, around 200,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with the disease, while around 40,000 men are expected to die from it. \I(USA)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, \JBelgium\j 2 draws with Mexico 2 at \JBordeaux\j, and The Netherlands are lifted to the top of the group with a decisive 5-0 win over South Korea at Marseilles. In the \Jday\j's Group H game, \JCroatia\j overcomes the blazing \JNantes\j heat to secure a 1-0 victory over \JJapan\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Korea, \JCroatia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Three Serbian police officers are killed and four others are kidnapped by guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA), who vow to carry out further paramilitary operations in the troubled province despite warnings from the United States that more violence will only lead to further repression of the ethnic \JAlbanian\j population. The US has also expressed concern over mounting evidence of outside military support for the KLA, whose operations have become increasingly independent of \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leadership. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
In a move that will place further strain on relations between Washington and \JPretoria\j, South African President, Nelson Mandela, concludes a multi-million dollar arms-for-oil deal with Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Under the deal, South Africa will supply Libya with weapons and spare parts in exchange for cut-price oil. \I(USA, South Africa, Libya)\i
Exit polls indicate that no party has won an overall majority in the Czech Republic's general elections. The center-left Social Democrats of Milos Zeman appear to be leading with 32 per cent of the vote, followed by the center-right Civic Democratic Party of ousted prime minister, Vaclav Klaus, with 26 per cent of the vote. A caretaker government has been running the country since Mr. Klaus's government was toppled last November. \I(Czech Republic)\i
More than 25,000 homosexuals and lesbians march through the streets of Paris demanding the right to marry, many expressing anger at the socialist-led government's retreat from an electoral promise to grant homosexual and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexuals, except in the matter of adoption. The issue has created a rift in French society, with President Jacques Chirac placing himself at the head of provincial Roman Catholic opposition to the homosexual lobby. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
Up to 300,000 people converge on the city of \JRome\j, marching through the Italian capital to demand that the government do more to create jobs and revive economic conditions in the country's impoverished south. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Six people are killed and more than 100 are injured when a violent summer storm driven by raging winds sweeps through the Russian capital, Moscow. Hundreds of roads are blocked by fallen trees and power lines, cars are destroyed, and balconies are ripped from buildings by the force of the storm. \I(Russia)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, \JBelgium\j 2 draws with Mexico 2 at \JBordeaux\j, and The Netherlands are lifted to the top of the group with a decisive 5-0 win over South Korea at Marseilles. In the \Jday\j's Group H game, \JCroatia\j overcomes the blazing \JNantes\j heat to secure a 1-0 victory over \JJapan\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Korea, \JCroatia\j, \JJapan\j)\i
#
"June 21, 1998",900,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, says he will press Chinese leaders to "move to the right side of history" on human rights and religious freedom during his controversial visit to China this week. Defending his administration's engagement with \JBeijing\j, Mr. Clinton points to real progress over the past year, insisting that the more the US brings China into the world, the more the world can bring freedom to the Chinese people. \I(USA, China)\i
East Timorese independence groups reject an offer of special status in return for United Nations recognition of Indonesian rule over the province, dismissing the offer as a ploy by President Jusuf Habibie to win international legitimacy, and urging the United Nations to send an assessment team to the disputed territory before considering any such proposal. Along with the \JCatholic Church\j, East Timorese independence groups regard Indonesia's offer as a transitional solution only, and are calling for an internationally supervised referendum to allow the people to choose between \Jintegration\j into Indonesia, the formation of an independent nation, or federation with former colonial power \JPortugal\j. \I(East Timor, Indonesia, \JPortugal\j)\i
For the fourth year in a row, Microsoft \Jmogul\j Bill Gates tops \IForbes\i magazine's list of the world's billionaires with a total worth assessed at $US51 billion. Second on the list is the Walton family, heirs of the founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., with a net worth of about $US48 billion, followed by Berkshire Hathaway chairman, Warren Buffet, with a net worth of $US33 billion. Topping a separate list of the world's "Kings, Queens, and Dictators" is the Sultan of \JBrunei\j with $US36 billion, followed by Saudi \JArabia\j's King Fahd with $US25 billion, and \JIraq\j's President Saddam Hussein with $US5 billion. The wealth of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is assessed at $US420 million, or $US16 billion if the value of the Royal collection, with the crown jewels, is included, while Cuban President Fidel Castro's wealth is estimated at $US100 million. \I(USA, \JBrunei\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JIraq\j, UK, Cuba)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, forgoes his neutral stance and urges all State branches of his Liberal Party not to direct preference votes to Pauline Hanson's controversial One Nation Party, saying Asian Australians have begun to feel unwelcome in their own country due to One Nation's policies. Mr. Howard's decision comes in the wake of a strong show of support for Ms. Hanson's extreme right-wing party in recent \JQueensland\j state elections, and coincides with the release of two new opinion polls indicating that the popularity of One Nation is continuing to grow in some areas, largely at the expense of the Liberal-National Party Coalition. \I(Australia)\i
More than 2,500 Cambodians, led by prominent opposition politician Sam Rainsy, take to the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh, to protest against conditions for July 26 elections, which they insist must be delayed if they are to be free and fair. The demonstration proceeds without incident, despite an Interior Ministry order expressly denying permission for the march. \I(Cambodia)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, announces a tough new crackdown on graft, which will target affluent South Koreans such as corporate executives, financiers, real-estate speculators, politicians, and public servants. The crackdown aims to show the growing ranks of the poor and the unemployed that the burden of harsh financial reform is being shared, and that the corruption and cronyism which helped foment the nation's economic recession is being addressed. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Israeli Government unanimously adopts a plan, earlier unveiled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to extend the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j and strengthen the city's ties with Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The move is greeted by a chorus of criticism from \JEgypt\j, the European Union, and the United States, all of whom regard it as extremely provocative during a time of heightened efforts to end a 15-month impasse in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. Mr. Netanyahu, however, dismisses the widespread criticism, describing it as "an artificial storm in an artificial teacup." \I(Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, Europe, USA)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, says he will press Chinese leaders to "move to the right side of history" on human rights and religious freedom during his controversial visit to China this week. Defending his administration's engagement with \JBeijing\j, Mr. Clinton points to real progress over the past year, insisting that the more the US brings China into the world, the more the world can bring freedom to the Chinese people. \I(USA, China)\i
Colombian opposition leader, Andres Pastrana, 43, breaks a 12-year Liberal Party stranglehold on power in the Latin American nation, winning a runoff presidential election with 50 per cent of the ballot against President Ernesto Samper's chosen candidate, Horacio Serpa, who polled 46.5 per cent of the vote. Both men ran on similar platforms, pledging to revive the economy, create jobs, and initiate peace talks with the country's Marxist rebels. \I(Colombia)\i
For the fourth year in a row, Microsoft \Jmogul\j Bill Gates tops \IForbes\i magazine's list of the world's billionaires with a total worth assessed at $US51 billion. Second on the list is the Walton family, heirs of the founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., with a net worth of about $US48 billion, followed by Berkshire Hathaway chairman, Warren Buffet, with a net worth of $US33 billion. Topping a separate list of the world's "Kings, Queens, and Dictators" is the Sultan of \JBrunei\j with $US36 billion, followed by Saudi \JArabia\j's King Fahd with $US25 billion, and \JIraq\j's President Saddam Hussein with $US5 billion. The wealth of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is assessed at $US420 million, or $US16 billion if the value of the Royal collection, with the crown jewels, is included, while Cuban President Fidel Castro's wealth is estimated at $US100 million. \I(USA, \JBrunei\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JIraq\j, UK, Cuba)\i
US President Bill Clinton hails the success of the Brady gun-control law, implemented in 1994 to keep guns out of the wrong hands, but says the law should now be expanded to disqualify violent juveniles from owning guns for life. From 1994 through 1997, 242,000 of the 10 million applications for handguns in the United States were rejected after background checks revealed disqualifying factors such as criminal records, drug addiction, or mental illness. \I(USA)\i
American Lee Janzen wins his second US Open Golf Tournament when he closes just one stroke ahead of countryman Payne Stewart at the Olympic Club in \JSan Francisco\j, \JCalifornia\j. \I(USA)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j draws with Yugoslavia 2-2 at Lens, and \JIran\j knocks out the United States with a 2-1 victory at Lyon. In the Group H match at Paris, Argentina defeats \JJamaica\j 5-0 to qualify along with \JCroatia\j for the second round of the tournament. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, USA, Argentina, \JJamaica\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Israeli Government unanimously adopts a plan, earlier unveiled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to extend the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j and strengthen the city's ties with Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. The move is greeted by a chorus of criticism from \JEgypt\j, the European Union, and the United States, all of whom regard it as extremely provocative during a time of heightened efforts to end a 15-month impasse in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. Mr. Netanyahu, however, dismisses the widespread criticism, describing it as "an artificial storm in an artificial teacup." \I(Israel, Palestine, \JEgypt\j, Europe, USA)\i
East Timorese independence groups reject an offer of special status in return for United Nations recognition of Indonesian rule over the province, dismissing the offer as a ploy by President Jusuf Habibie to win international legitimacy, and urging the United Nations to send an assessment team to the disputed territory before considering any such proposal. Along with the \JCatholic Church\j, East Timorese independence groups regard Indonesia's offer as a transitional solution only, and are calling for an internationally supervised referendum to allow the people to choose between \Jintegration\j into Indonesia, the formation of an independent nation, or federation with former colonial power \JPortugal\j. \I(East Timor, Indonesia, \JPortugal\j)\i
For the fourth year in a row, Microsoft \Jmogul\j Bill Gates tops \IForbes\i magazine's list of the world's billionaires with a total worth assessed at $US51 billion. Second on the list is the Walton family, heirs of the founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., with a net worth of about $US48 billion, followed by Berkshire Hathaway chairman, Warren Buffet, with a net worth of $US33 billion. Topping a separate list of the world's "Kings, Queens, and Dictators" is the Sultan of \JBrunei\j with $US36 billion, followed by Saudi \JArabia\j's King Fahd with $US25 billion, and \JIraq\j's President Saddam Hussein with $US5 billion. The wealth of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is assessed at $US420 million, or $US16 billion if the value of the Royal collection, with the crown jewels, is included, while Cuban President Fidel Castro's wealth is estimated at $US100 million. \I(USA, \JBrunei\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JIraq\j, UK, Cuba)\i
A 44-year-old French policeman is hospitalized after being assaulted with an iron bar by German football hooligans, who ran riot in Lens ahead of the \JGermany\j-Yugoslavia World Cup \Jsoccer\j game. Ninety-six fans, mostly Germans, are arrested, with six later deported and another 15 placed under formal investigation. Unlike the English \Jsoccer\j hooligans, French police say the Germans were sober and organized, with some of them known to German police as neo-Nazis. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, UK)\i
In Group F World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j draws with Yugoslavia 2-2 at Lens, and \JIran\j knocks out the United States with a 2-1 victory at Lyon. In the Group H match at Paris, Argentina defeats \JJamaica\j 5-0 to qualify along with \JCroatia\j for the second round of the tournament. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, USA, Argentina, \JJamaica\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic scores a straight-sets victory over Arantxa Sanchez Vacario of \JSpain\j to take the Women's Grass-Court Tennis Tournament at Eastbourne, England. \I(Czech Republic, \JSpain\j, UK)\i
#
"June 22, 1998",901,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China hails improvements in Sino-American ties just days before United States President, Bill Clinton, is due to begin his controversial visit, saying it is only natural for the two countries to have different views on various issues due to their different social systems, historical backgrounds, cultural traditions, and levels of economic development. China warns, however, that the key to sound and steady development of bilateral relations is proper handling of the question of \JTaiwan\j, which \JBeijing\j has regarded as a rebel province since the Communists drove the Nationalists into exile in 1949. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
North Korea maintains that it will not be forced into disarming itself in exchange for United States action in easing economic sanctions, insisting that Washington is obliged to lift sanctions against \JPyongyang\j under the North Korean-US framework agreement. North Korea points to its own actions in altering its nuclear policy and agreeing to participate in four-way peace talks, and accuses the US of not responding to these moves. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
The World Bank predicts that \JIndonesia\j will face the prospect of intensifying ethnic trouble and rising crime as the impact of the country's economic crisis worsens, and urban Indonesians contend with the double burden of soaring prices and the collapse of the labor market. In its first public assessment of the situation, the bank cites a 21 per cent increase in unemployment in Jakarta last month, and estimates that the absolute poverty level, based on $US1 a \Jday\j, will soon double to more than 50 million, or one quarter of the Indonesian population. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In an unprecedented move, China's central bank, unnerved by Asia's economic turmoil, closes down the Hainan Development Bank because it is unable to pay its debts. The bank's demise comes as part of urgent reforms aimed at shoring up China's banking system, which ratings agency Moody's recently measured as being by far the weakest among major Asian countries. \I(China, Asia)\i
Ministers from 18 Pacific Rim countries convene in Kuching, \JMalaysia\j, for a two-\Jday\j meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which was earlier billed as a chance to fix a timetable for lowering barriers to trade in nine business sectors. However, Asia's protracted economic troubles and \JJapan\j's recession are now delaying progress in reaching agreement, forcing some ministers to trim their expectations concerning trade liberalization. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Asia/Pacific)\i
A remote island chain in western \JJapan\j is shaken by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, but there are no immediate reports of injury or damage. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Newly named United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, holds talks with Greek Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, following last week's shows of military brinkmanship on Cyprus. Tensions have been escalating since the Greek Cypriot-led Government announced a plan to install Russian S-300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles on the divided island, and Mr. Holbrooke, appointed last year as special US envoy for Cyprus, has been pressing \JAthens\j to discourage the plan, at the same time calling on Turkey to refrain from threatening to strike against the missiles if they are deployed. \I(USA, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
China hails improvements in Sino-American ties just days before United States President, Bill Clinton, is due to begin his controversial visit, saying it is only natural for the two countries to have different views on various issues due to their different social systems, historical backgrounds, cultural traditions, and levels of economic development. China warns, however, that the key to sound and steady development of bilateral relations is proper handling of the question of \JTaiwan\j, which \JBeijing\j has regarded as a rebel province since the Communists drove the Nationalists into exile in 1949. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
North Korea maintains that it will not be forced into disarming itself in exchange for United States action in easing economic sanctions, insisting that Washington is obliged to lift sanctions against \JPyongyang\j under the North Korean-US framework agreement. North Korea points to its own actions in altering its nuclear policy and agreeing to participate in four-way peace talks, and accuses the US of not responding to these moves. \I(North Korea, USA)\i
Pressure mounts on the Mexican Government to seek outside mediation to help resolve the growing conflict in the state of Chiapas, stronghold of the Zapatista rebels and their supporters. Over the last six months, human rights observers say more than 100 people have died, and scores have been detained, imprisoned, or displaced as a result of raids by government security forces to dismantle outlawed town councils. \I(Mexico)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration announces that the makers of the painkiller Duract have voluntarily withdrawn it from the market following reports that its long-term use has caused severe liver failure in 12 patients, resulting in four deaths and eight liver transplants. Duract was introduced in July 1997 specifically for the short-term management of acute pain. \I(USA)\i
In one of the highest \Jhelicopter\j rescues on record, two British soldiers trapped on the upper reaches of Mt. McKinley for four nights are finally plucked to safety. Once inside special "screamer suits," the two men dangle from a 100-foot line as a high-altitude Llama \Jhelicopter\j flies them from their perch at 19,000 feet to a rangers' camp further down the peak, where they are brought into the \Jaircraft\j and flown directly to \JAlaska\j Regional Hospital in \JAnchorage\j. The dramatic rescue caps four days of non-stop efforts to save seven British and American climbers injured in three separate falls on \JNorth America\j's highest peak. \I(USA, UK)\i
In a rare public display, Iranians take to the streets of Tehran to celebrate yesterday's World Cup \Jsoccer\j victory over long-time political enemy, the United States. It is Iran's first ever victory in a World Cup finals match, one which the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says reflects Iran's revolutionary struggle, with the strong and arrogant opponent feeling the bitter taste of defeat. The game itself, however, took place in an \Jatmosphere\j relatively free of such tensions, with players from both sides exchanging gifts, and fans from both sides mingling freely. \I(\JFrance\j, Iran, USA)\i
In Group G World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, Columbia beats \JTunisia\j 1-0 at Montpellier, while at \JToulouse\j, \JRomania\j beats England 2-1 to qualify for the second round of the tournament. Following England's loss, about 2,000 English fans burst into the city's main square, chanting and shouting insults, but the trouble is short-lived. \I(\JFrance\j, Columbia, \JTunisia\j, \JRomania\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, once again appeals for \JNATO\j military intervention to prevent the \JKosovo\j crisis from spiraling out of control, maintaining that his country is on the eve of a war with neighboring Yugoslavia. Mr. Nano adds that his government has been seeking to walk a middle way between ethnic Albanians favoring a negotiated solution to the crisis, and those favoring armed resistance. Asked about the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, Mr. Nano says it does not have a real political wing, and that it is difficult to establish who is speaking for the guerrilla organization. Mr. Nano himself favors a political settlement that would make the province a full republic within Yugoslavia, like \JSerbia\j and \JMontenegro\j, but without the right of secession. \I(Albanian, Yugoslavia, \JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j, \JMontenegro\j)\i
Ethiopia declares that the inflexible position of the Eritrean Government and its latest rejection of a mediation effort led by the Organization of African Unity has greatly diminished chances of resolving their border conflict by peaceful means. Ethiopia also maintains that Eritrea made the initial border incursion on May 6, and followed it up six days later. The statement comes as Ethiopian state \Jtelevision\j shows images of thousands of militiamen reporting to their units, cleaning their assault rifles, and boarding buses bound for the disputed northern border, images that renew fears of a fresh surge in fighting between the Horn of Africa neighbors. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea, Africa)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, issues a statement deploring Israel's unilateral decision to expand \JJerusalem\j's boundaries, saying the decision infringes upon numerous General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. In reminding Israel that the international community has not recognized the earlier imposition of its laws, \Jjurisdiction\j, and administration on the city, Mr. Annan appeals to the Jewish state to rescind the unfortunate decision and make every effort to restart the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Newly named United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, holds talks with Greek Prime Minister, Costas Simitis, following last week's shows of military brinkmanship on Cyprus. Tensions have been escalating since the Greek Cypriot-led Government announced a plan to install Russian S-300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles on the divided island, and Mr. Holbrooke, appointed last year as special US envoy for Cyprus, has been pressing \JAthens\j to discourage the plan, at the same time calling on Turkey to refrain from threatening to strike against the missiles if they are deployed. \I(USA, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Cyprus)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, invites opposition leader, Milos Zeman, to try to form a governing majority from the nearly deadlocked parties in the new parliament. In the recent elections, Mr. Zeman's center-left Social Democrats won 74 seats in the 200-seat lower house, the first time a leftist party has topped a Czech poll since the 1989 fall of \Jcommunism\j. \I(Czech Republic)\i
The Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says the Earth's protective \Jozone layer\j is now at its most vulnerable, and forecasts that it will hit its all-time thinnest by 2000 or 2001. The WMO adds that despite international measures to halt the depletion, it expects the holes in the protective layer to remain for the coming 20 years before a recovery by the middle of the next century brings the fragile shield of gas back to the 1960s levels. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
In one of the highest \Jhelicopter\j rescues on record, two British soldiers trapped on the upper reaches of Mt. McKinley for four nights are finally plucked to safety. Once inside special "screamer suits," the two men dangle from a 100-foot line as a high-altitude Llama \Jhelicopter\j flies them from their perch at 19,000 feet to a rangers' camp further down the peak, where they are brought into the \Jaircraft\j and flown directly to \JAlaska\j Regional Hospital in \JAnchorage\j. The dramatic rescue caps four days of non-stop efforts to save seven British and American climbers injured in three separate falls on \JNorth America\j's highest peak. \I(USA, UK)\i
In a rare public display, Iranians take to the streets of Tehran to celebrate yesterday's World Cup \Jsoccer\j victory over long-time political enemy, the United States. It is Iran's first ever victory in a World Cup finals match, one which the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says reflects Iran's revolutionary struggle, with the strong and arrogant opponent feeling the bitter taste of defeat. The game itself, however, took place in an \Jatmosphere\j relatively free of such tensions, with players from both sides exchanging gifts, and fans from both sides mingling freely. \I(\JFrance\j, Iran, USA)\i
German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, personally apologizes to \JFrance\j for the violence of German hooligans ahead of yesterday's World Cup \Jsoccer\j match in Lens, which has left a French policeman in a coma, unlikely to survive. As evidence mounts connecting the hooligans with extremists of \JGermany\j's growing neo-Nazi movement, Dr. Kohl also promises that German authorities will assist French inquiries into the incident. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j)\i
In Group G World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, Columbia beats \JTunisia\j 1-0 at Montpellier, while at \JToulouse\j, \JRomania\j beats England 2-1 to qualify for the second round of the tournament. Following England's loss, about 2,000 English fans burst into the city's main square, chanting and shouting insults, but the trouble is short-lived. \I(\JFrance\j, Columbia, \JTunisia\j, \JRomania\j, UK)\i
#
"June 23, 1998",902,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The \JWhite House\j protests \JBeijing\j's decision to cancel the visas of three Washington-based Radio Free Asia journalists assigned to cover the upcoming visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton. \JBeijing\j canceled the visas on the grounds that it objects to the programs of the radio station, which was created by the US Congress as an Asian counterpart to Radio Free Europe, and which began beaming Mandarin-language programming to China in September 1996. The US government-funded station also broadcasts to \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j, and North Korea. \I(USA, China, \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), North Korea, Europe)\i
A North Korean mini-submarine, discovered entangled in fishing nets off South Korea's northeast coast, sinks while being towed to shore, with the fate of the crew as yet unknown. It is the second submarine incursion since 1996, when a larger North Korean submarine ran aground further south, sparking a massive manhunt. The latest incident occurs shortly before the reconvening of top-level talks between the North Korean army and military officials from the United Nations Command, the first such meeting since February 1991. \I(The Koreas)\i
Fresh fighting rages in northern and eastern \JSri Lanka\j, with government forces opening a new front against the Tamil Tiger rebel-held town of Vakarai, and the Tigers beating back an advance by government troops on the town of Mankulam. At least 87 soldiers and rebels are killed as a result of the exchanges. \I(\JSri Lanka\j)\i
Eight people are injured when a bomb explodes on a railway track in the troubled India state of Jammu and Kashmir, derailing seven carriages of the Delhi-bound Shalimar Express. The explosion comes as Indian Home Minister, Lal Krishna Advani, pledges a series of measures to crack down on militant unrest in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir. \I(India)\i
Paleontologists announce that they have discovered fossils of two species with distinctive feathers and \Jdinosaur\j features, a discovery they say adds credence to the hotly contested theory that birds are descended from dinosaurs. The fossils of the two species, named \ICaudipteryx zoui\i and \IProtoarchaeopteryx robusta,\i were unearthed in the Liaoning province of China, and date back more than 120 million years. \I(China)\i
A collision of two massive \Jweather\j systems wreaks havoc in eastern \JAustralia\j, causing widespread flooding in the state of Victoria and covering much of \JNew South Wales\j in deep snow, with accompanying gale force winds causing blackouts and adding to traffic chaos on blocked highways and country roads. Meteorologists describe the event as "an east coast \Jcyclone\j," formed when a front of freezing air traveling across the continent from the Great Australian Bight hits a huge low pressure system off the \JNew South Wales\j coast. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j protests \JBeijing\j's decision to cancel the visas of three Washington-based Radio Free Asia journalists assigned to cover the upcoming visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton. \JBeijing\j canceled the visas on the grounds that it objects to the programs of the radio station, which was created by the US Congress as an Asian counterpart to Radio Free Europe, and which began beaming Mandarin-language programming to China in September 1996. The US government-funded station also broadcasts to \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j, and North Korea. \I(USA, China, \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), North Korea, Europe)\i
Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, under threat of \JNATO\j air strikes unless he withdraws his special police units from the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, meets with United States peace-broker, Richard Holbrooke, for last-ditch talks to seek a resolution to the crisis. Meanwhile, the international community remains divided on the issue of \JNATO\j intervention, with \JFrance\j insisting that the alliance should not act without United Nations Security Council approval, and \JGreece\j bitterly denouncing allies who wish to conduct "war games" in the Balkans from the safety of their capitals in the West. \JRussia\j is equally opposed to \JNATO\j action, also warning that most of \JKosovo\j's Serbs will be forced to flee if Yugoslavia heeds Western demands to withdraw its anti-guerrilla forces. The ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army has now gained loose control of about 30 per cent of the province, where Serbs make up only 10 per cent of the population. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JFrance\j, \JGreece\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Swiss banks fail to reach an agreement with Jewish groups on \JHolocaust\j-era assets, with the banks standing by their offer of $US600 million to settle all claims against them, and Jewish negotiators demanding no less than $US1.5 billion. With no new talks scheduled ahead of a July 1 meeting of a committee of state and local United States finance officials, sanctions seem certain to be imposed on the banks, despite efforts by the US Government to avoid such punitive measures. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
As General Motors Corp. digs in for a season of labor unrest, re-evaluating all of its North American product programs and looking to reduce expenditures, Wall Street analysts estimate that the worsening strike is costing the world's largest automaker up to $US75 million a \Jday\j, and that total losses since the mass walkouts began 17 days ago could soon hit $US1 billion. Wall Street experts also predict that the strike will have some restraining impact on the United States economy, further reducing the risk of any overheating in June or July. General Motors accounts for more than one per cent of all US output, but the strikes have now halted 93 per cent of the company's production. \I(USA)\i
President Bill Clinton nominates cancer specialist Jane Henney to replace David Kessler as head of the United States Food and Drug Administration. If the nomination is confirmed by the US Senate, Ms. Henney, 51, will become the first woman to head the federal agency, which is responsible for approving all pharmaceuticals, medical devices, foods, and cosmetics prior to their release for sale on the United States market. \I(USA)\i
A \JUNICEF\j official says initial studies of the effects of \JBrazil\j's eight-month-old \Jdrought\j reveal a dramatic rise in child labor abuses, including child prostitution, as schools close and families in the parched northeast turn to desperate measures to fend off hunger. The El Ni±o \Jweather\j phenomenon has been blamed for the severity of the \Jdrought\j, \JBrazil\j's worst in more than 15 years, with basic crops such as rice and beans decimated, rivers and ponds dried up, and \Jcattle\j dying. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
Irish-born \JHollywood\j actress, Maureen O'Sullivan, dies aged 87 of a heart attack in Phoenix, \JArizona\j. Ms. O'Sullivan achieved fame playing Jane in 1930s Tarzan movies, before retiring in 1942 to raise a family that included actress Mia Farrow. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
In shock results in Group A World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JNorway\j advances to the second round of the tournament after defeating defending champions \JBrazil\j 2-1 at Marseilles, thereby depriving Morocco of the chance to move on despite a crushing 3-0 victory over Scotland at St Etienne. In Group B matches, \JItaly\j and \JChile\j also qualify for the second round after \JItaly\j defeats \JAustria\j 2-1 at Paris, and \JChile\j draws 1-1 with \JCameroon\j at \JNantes\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JNorway\j, \JBrazil\j, Morocco, Scotland, \JItaly\j, \JChile\j, \JAustria\j, \JCameroon\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, under threat of \JNATO\j air strikes unless he withdraws his special police units from the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, meets with United States peace-broker, Richard Holbrooke, for last-ditch talks to seek a resolution to the crisis. Meanwhile, the international community remains divided on the issue of \JNATO\j intervention, with \JFrance\j insisting that the alliance should not act without United Nations Security Council approval, and \JGreece\j bitterly denouncing allies who wish to conduct "war games" in the Balkans from the safety of their capitals in the West. \JRussia\j is equally opposed to \JNATO\j action, also warning that most of \JKosovo\j's Serbs will be forced to flee if Yugoslavia heeds Western demands to withdraw its anti-guerrilla forces. The ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army has now gained loose control of about 30 per cent of the province, where Serbs make up only 10 per cent of the population. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JFrance\j, \JGreece\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The president of the United Nations Security Council, Antonio Moneiro of \JPortugal\j, says he is considering a request by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for a formal meeting on a recently unveiled Israeli plan to expand the city of \JJerusalem\j's boundaries. The request, submitted by the PLO's UN observer, states that the Israeli plan is provocative and thereby detrimental to the peace process, representing a concrete step toward the illegal annexation of more occupied Palestinian land in gross violation of international law. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In an apparent attempt to seize the moral high ground, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, says he will make an extra effort to secure mediation in the border conflict with Eritrea, stressing that Ethiopia has no territorial claims on its neighbor nor any intention of interfering domestically with the Government of President Isayas Afewerki. At the same time, Mr. Meles acknowledges that his country is also preparing for war, insisting, however, that his sole target is to reverse the Eritrean invasion of Ethiopian territory and to ensure that it does not happen again. The former Horn of Africa allies have been at loggerheads since May 6, when a simmering border dispute erupted in clashes between the two sides. \I(Ethiopia, Eritrea)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission says it has sufficient new evidence to warrant a fresh official investigation into the 1986 plane crash that killed Mozambican President, Samora Machel. Over the past month, the commission has been conducting a closed inquiry into the role of the \Japartheid\j era military in the crash, hearing evidence from members of the former South African Defense Force and Mr. Machel's widow Graca, now the companion of President Nelson Mandela, who has openly disputed the findings of the \Japartheid\j-era inquiry and vowed to uncover the facts. Samora Machel was strongly opposed to the \Japartheid\j regime, and died along with 33 other people in the October 19, 1986 plane crash over South Africa, which was declared an accident by authorities at the time. \I(South Africa, \JMozambique\j)\i
Turbulent Russian financial markets steady somewhat after Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko outlines an anti-crisis package, which includes a tax shake-up, protection for the ruble, and plans to more than halve Russia's key interest rates from 60 per cent. Aware that the International Monetary Fund is seeking swift progress in reforms before disbursing promised or additional money, President Boris Yeltsin warns the opposition-led \JDuma\j not to block Mr. Kiriyenko's measures, saying Russia's financial crisis has reached alarming proportions, and that radical, urgent steps are needed to avert political instability and social unrest. \I(Russia)\i
A Spanish man under treatment for paranoia hijacks an Iberia Airlines Boeing 727 en route from Seville to \JBarcelona\j, brandishing a remote control and threatening to detonate a bomb planted in the cargo hold unless the plane is refueled and flown to Tel Aviv. The man later frees all 130 people on board and surrenders to police after talking by \Jtelephone\j with his psychiatrist. Police say no explosives were found on the \Jaircraft\j and the remote control used by the hijacker actually belonged to a \Jtelevision\j set. \I(\JSpain\j, Israel)\i
Swiss banks fail to reach an agreement with Jewish groups on \JHolocaust\j-era assets, with the banks standing by their offer of $US600 million to settle all claims against them, and Jewish negotiators demanding no less than $US1.5 billion. With no new talks scheduled ahead of a July 1 meeting of a committee of state and local United States finance officials, sanctions seem certain to be imposed on the banks, despite efforts by the US Government to avoid such punitive measures. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The \JWhite House\j protests \JBeijing\j's decision to cancel the visas of three Washington-based Radio Free Asia journalists assigned to cover the upcoming visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton. \JBeijing\j canceled the visas on the grounds that it objects to the programs of the radio station, which was created by the US Congress as an Asian counterpart to Radio Free Europe, and which began beaming Mandarin-language programming to China in September 1996. The US government-funded station also broadcasts to \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j, and North Korea. \I(USA, China, \JTibet\j, Laos, \JCambodia\j, Vietnam, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), North Korea, Europe)\i
Geologists and engineers complete a delicate operation to airlift the oldest human footprints ever discovered to the South African Museum in Cape Town. The three footprints were made 117,000 years ago by a woman, believed by some to be the "genetic Eve," and were discovered beside a pristine lagoon north of Cape Town by geologist Dave Roberts in 1995. \I(South Africa)\i
Irish-born \JHollywood\j actress, Maureen O'Sullivan, dies aged 87 of a heart attack in Phoenix, \JArizona\j. Ms. O'Sullivan achieved fame playing Jane in 1930s Tarzan movies, before retiring in 1942 to raise a family that included actress Mia Farrow. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
In shock results in Group A World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JNorway\j advances to the second round of the tournament after defeating defending champions \JBrazil\j 2-1 at Marseilles, thereby depriving Morocco of the chance to move on despite a crushing 3-0 victory over Scotland at St Etienne. In Group B matches, \JItaly\j and \JChile\j also qualify for the second round after \JItaly\j defeats \JAustria\j 2-1 at Paris, and \JChile\j draws 1-1 with \JCameroon\j at \JNantes\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JNorway\j, \JBrazil\j, Morocco, Scotland, \JItaly\j, \JChile\j, \JAustria\j, \JCameroon\j)\i
#
"June 24, 1998",903,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, strikes back against \JBeijing\j's decision to exclude three US-based correspondents from covering his visit to China, overtly signaling US support for freedom of the press by granting the three Radio Free Asia journalists a special interview at the \JWhite House\j. During the interview, Mr. Clinton criticizes \JBeijing\j's decision, but says he hopes the incident will not hinder his efforts to negotiate agreements with China on issues of mutual interest, which include nuclear and missile nonproliferation, trade relations, and Asian economic stability. \I(USA, China, Asia)\i
On the eve of a visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton, authorities in Guangdong province execute three men convicted of murdering an American engineer during a robbery in March this year. Amnesty International has condemned China for executing more people in the 1990s than the rest of the world combined, but China has defended its use of \Jcapital punishment\j as very limited. \I(China, USA)\i
The Japanese yen falls through the critical 140 to the US dollar mark for the first time since central banks in the United States and Japan came to its rescue last week. Traders attribute the sudden fall to growing impatience with the Hashimoto Government's failure to announce detailed plans to resolve the nation's banking loan problem, an assessment echoed by International Monetary Fund chief, Michel Camdessus, who warns that the effect of last week's intervention will only hold up if Japan adopts energetic measures to rebuild its banking sector, provide permanent tax relief, and deregulate its domestic economy. \I(Japan, USA)\i
East Timorese spiritual leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Bishop Carlos Belo, holds landmark talks in Jakarta with Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, emerging later to praise Dr. Habibie's resolve to help the people of East Timor to live in dignity. Bishop Belo says only concrete matters such as daily necessities were discussed during the meeting, and not Dr. Habibie's recent conditional offer of special status for the province. \I(Indonesia, East Timor)\i
In its annual World Disasters Report, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies cites urban sprawl as the new challenge to disaster management, predicting that traffic accidents will become the world's third largest cause of death and disability by the year 2020. The report says that by 1990, traffic accidents were killing at least 500,000 people a year and injuring some 15 million, with the death toll now shifting to developing countries such as Mexico and India, whose share of road fatalities is rising fast, costing these countries as much as they receive in international humanitarian aid. \I(Mexico, India)\i
Australian dock workers accept a settlement to end a dispute which came to a head on April 7 when Patrick Stevedores sacked its 1,400 Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) workforce nationwide. Under the deal, there will be 400 government-funded redundancies, while remaining workers will be paid an annual wage of around $AUD54,000 for a 35-hour week, with the expectation of a further $AUD10,000 in overtime and productivity payments. The implementation of the settlement now depends on whether the MUA drops its conspiracy charge against Patrick and the Federal Government, and whether the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission scraps plans to take legal action against the MUA for breaching secondary boycott provisions. \I(Australia)\i
A protest outside the national Parliament by some 6,000 recession-hit Thai farmers is defused after the government pledges a 12-month moratorium on repayments of loans provided by the State-owned Bank of Agriculture and government co-operatives. Thai officials say that more than 31,000 families in the hard-hit Isaan area in the country's northeast will benefit from the concession on farm debt. \I(\JThailand\j)\i
Striking Fijian sugar cane farmers are angered after riot police and soldiers are deployed to disperse a demonstration in the rural town of Rakiraki, about 150 kilometers from the capital, Suva. The farmers, who have been rendered virtually destitute by the \Jdrought\j, had organized a nationwide harvest boycott in protest over inadequate government aid, and claim that the presence of the soldiers is a pressure tactic aimed at scaring them into harvesting their cane. \I(Fiji)\i
A Japanese court sentences a 96-year-old woman to three years in prison for the murder of her 63-year-old mentally handicapped son. The court was told that the woman killed her son because she feared for his welfare after she died. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, strikes back against \JBeijing\j's decision to exclude three US-based correspondents from covering his visit to China, overtly signaling US support for freedom of the press by granting the three Radio Free Asia journalists a special interview at the \JWhite House\j. During the interview, Mr. Clinton criticizes \JBeijing\j's decision, but says he hopes the incident will not hinder his efforts to negotiate agreements with China on issues of mutual interest, which include nuclear and missile nonproliferation, trade relations, and Asian economic stability. \I(USA, China, Asia)\i
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, meets with two armed and uniformed members of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) as part of an international effort to persuade the province's ethnic Albanians to abandon their fight for independence. It is the first direct contact between a Western diplomat and \JKosovo\j's guerrilla separatists, and coincides with a meeting between the province's ethnic Albanian political leader, Ibrahim Rugova, and \JNATO\j Secretary General, Javier Solana, who likewise stresses that there is no international support for \JKosovo\j's independence, and advises Mr. Rugova to return to the negotiating table with \JBelgrade\j and resume the search for a peaceful solution. \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders broke off talks on restoring the province's autonomous status in protest at the continuing crackdown by Serb security forces against ethnic Albanians suspected of being KLA guerrilla separatists. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United Nations chief weapons inspector, Richard Butler, says tests have indicated the presence of deadly VX nerve gas in a number of samples of Scud missile warhead fragments recovered from a destruction site in \JIraq\j. No warhead with chemical or biological agents was fired during the Gulf War, and \JBaghdad\j thereby rejects the results of the tests, saying that although it tried to produce VX, the gas was never stable enough to be deployed in weapons. The United States and Britain are unconvinced, however, and view the results as evidence that \JIraq\j has willfully deceived the UN arms inspectors. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
US President Bill Clinton vetoes legislation imposing tough sanctions on firms that sell missile technology to \JIran\j, calling the bill "inflexible and indiscriminate," and expresses concerns over its impact on United States' efforts to work with \JRussia\j on stemming the flow of technology to \JIran\j's missile program. Despite Mr. Clinton's objections, the legislation is passed by overwhelming margins in both the Senate and the House, and its proponents will almost certainly muster the two-thirds majority needed to override the presidential veto. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The Japanese yen falls through the critical 140 to the US dollar mark for the first time since central banks in the United States and Japan came to its rescue last week. Traders attribute the sudden fall to growing impatience with the Hashimoto Government's failure to announce detailed plans to resolve the nation's banking loan problem, an assessment echoed by International Monetary Fund chief, Michel Camdessus, who warns that the effect of last week's intervention will only hold up if Japan adopts energetic measures to rebuild its banking sector, provide permanent tax relief, and deregulate its domestic economy. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The United States Government announces that it will offer US residency to around 400 refugees from \JRwanda\j and \JBurundi\j, where thousands of people have died in bitter fighting between Tutsis and Hutus in recent years. The rare resettlement opportunity will be offered to families of mixed marriages between ethnic Tutsis and Hutus who, for security reasons, cannot be accommodated in United Nations-sponsored refugee camps in the neighboring African nation of \JTanzania\j. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j, \JBurundi\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
In its annual World Disasters Report, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies cites urban sprawl as the new challenge to disaster management, predicting that traffic accidents will become the world's third largest cause of death and disability by the year 2020. The report says that by 1990, traffic accidents were killing at least 500,000 people a year and injuring some 15 million, with the death toll now shifting to developing countries such as Mexico and India, whose share of road fatalities is rising fast, costing these countries as much as they receive in international humanitarian aid. \I(Mexico, India)\i
On the eve of a visit to China by United States President, Bill Clinton, authorities in Guangdong province execute three men convicted of murdering an American engineer during a robbery in March this year. Amnesty International has condemned China for executing more people in the 1990s than the rest of the world combined, but China has defended its use of \Jcapital punishment\j as very limited. \I(China, USA)\i
A New York jury convicts a 30-year-old man of being the "Zodiac Killer." Heriberto "Eddie" Seda committed three murders and terrorized the city between 1990 and 1994 and was named after the zodiac because he left astrological references at the murder scenes, and sent taunting letters to the New York media and police promising to commit one murder for each of the 12 astrological signs. \I(USA)\i
In Group C World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, South Africa and Saudi \JArabia\j draw 2-2 at \JBordeaux\j, allowing Denmark to qualify for the second round despite a 2-1 defeat by unbeaten group leader, \JFrance\j. In Group D matches, \JSpain\j thrashes \JBulgaria\j 6-1 at Lens, but misses out on a place in the second round when \JParaguay\j defeats group leader \JNigeria\j 3-1 at \JToulouse\j. \I(\JFrance\j, South Africa, Saudi \JArabia\j, Denmark, \JSpain\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JParaguay\j, \JNigeria\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, meets with two armed and uniformed members of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) as part of an international effort to persuade the province's ethnic Albanians to abandon their fight for independence. It is the first direct contact between a Western diplomat and \JKosovo\j's guerrilla separatists, and coincides with a meeting between the province's ethnic Albanian political leader, Ibrahim Rugova, and \JNATO\j Secretary General, Javier Solana, who likewise stresses that there is no international support for \JKosovo\j's independence, and advises Mr. Rugova to return to the negotiating table with \JBelgrade\j and resume the search for a peaceful solution. \JKosovo\j's Albanian leaders broke off talks on restoring the province's autonomous status in protest at the continuing crackdown by Serb security forces against ethnic Albanians suspected of being KLA guerrilla separatists. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
In the first significant upsurge in the undeclared war between \JEthiopia\j and Eritrea in almost two weeks, heavy artillery fire is reported around the front at Zalambessa. Fighting on the border conflict's three fronts subsided during recent international mediation efforts, but both sides used the lull to mobilize more troops and conduct training exercises, and there are now fears that the latest upsurge could signal the beginning of a more prolonged exchange between the former allies. \I(\JEthiopia\j, Eritrea)\i
United Nations chief weapons inspector, Richard Butler, says tests have indicated the presence of deadly VX nerve gas in a number of samples of Scud missile warhead fragments recovered from a destruction site in \JIraq\j. No warhead with chemical or biological agents was fired during the Gulf War, and \JBaghdad\j thereby rejects the results of the tests, saying that although it tried to produce VX, the gas was never stable enough to be deployed in weapons. The United States and Britain are unconvinced, however, and view the results as evidence that \JIraq\j has willfully deceived the UN arms inspectors. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, UK)\i
US President Bill Clinton vetoes legislation imposing tough sanctions on firms that sell missile technology to \JIran\j, calling the bill "inflexible and indiscriminate," and expresses concerns over its impact on United States' efforts to work with \JRussia\j on stemming the flow of technology to \JIran\j's missile program. Despite Mr. Clinton's objections, the legislation is passed by overwhelming margins in both the Senate and the House, and its proponents will almost certainly muster the two-thirds majority needed to override the presidential veto. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, announces that he has accepted the resignation of his Cabinet and will name a new team of ministers within two weeks. The move comes in response to pressure from the Palestinian Legislative Council, which was set to debate a motion of no-confidence in the Cabinet, having long pushed for meaningful political reform in the face of suspected corruption and mismanagement in the self-rule Palestinian Authority. \I(Palestine)\i
After meeting with Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Stanley Fischer, says he will recommend that the IMF board release the next installment of a $US9.2 billion loan, which was held back when Russia failed to meet Budget and other targets. Russia is also seeking an additional loan of $US10 billion to $US15 billion, but Mr. Fischer cautions that talks on new funds will be difficult, and will depend on the Russian Government's implementation of reforms. \I(Russia)\i
The United States Government announces that it will offer US residency to around 400 refugees from \JRwanda\j and \JBurundi\j, where thousands of people have died in bitter fighting between Tutsis and Hutus in recent years. The rare resettlement opportunity will be offered to families of mixed marriages between ethnic Tutsis and Hutus who, for security reasons, cannot be accommodated in United Nations-sponsored refugee camps in the neighboring African nation of \JTanzania\j. \I(USA, \JRwanda\j, \JBurundi\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
A \Jmanslaughter\j suit is filed against the German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, claiming culpable negligence in the high-speed train crash which resulted in the deaths of at least 100 people earlier this month. The suit alleges that the rail operator knew the wheels used on the Inter City Express were unsafe. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
In Group C World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, South Africa and Saudi \JArabia\j draw 2-2 at \JBordeaux\j, allowing Denmark to qualify for the second round despite a 2-1 defeat by unbeaten group leader, \JFrance\j. In Group D matches, \JSpain\j thrashes \JBulgaria\j 6-1 at Lens, but misses out on a place in the second round when \JParaguay\j defeats group leader \JNigeria\j 3-1 at \JToulouse\j. \I(\JFrance\j, South Africa, Saudi \JArabia\j, Denmark, \JSpain\j, \JBulgaria\j, \JParaguay\j, \JNigeria\j)\i
#
"June 25, 1998",904,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, receives a red-carpet welcome when he arrives in China's ancient capital of \JXian\j on the start of a nine-\Jday\j visit, the first by a serving US head of state since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The visit has been dogged by controversy in the US, but is hailed by \JBeijing\j as signaling a new era in relations between the two nations. Mr. Clinton is accompanied by his wife Hillary and their daughter Chelsea, as well as a 1,000-strong US delegation. \I(USA, China)\i
The Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China issues a statement accusing Chinese police of detaining three \Jdissidents\j in \JXian\j just hours before the arrival of United States President, Bill Clinton. The statement also alleges that police earlier rounded up two other local \Jdissidents\j, including Li Zhiying, who was one of the 70 co-writers of an open letter to Mr. Clinton urging him to meet with \Jdissidents\j during his visit to China. \I(Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
South Korean naval commandos find nine bodies inside a North Korean mini-submarine, captured earlier this week after it became entangled in fishing nets 20 kilometers south of the inter-Korean sea border. The nine North Koreans died of bullet wounds, the apparent victims of a group suicide. The South's security-related ministers later hold an emergency meeting to discuss the nature of the submarine intrusion, having previously hoped to interrogate the crew about the mission. \I(The Koreas)\i
The Indonesian Government signs a new letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund, paving the way for the resumption of payments under a $US43 billion economic rescue package negotiated last year. The latest agreement revises Indonesia's economic forecasts steeply down from revised forecasts of three months ago, with a new \Jinflation\j rate of 80 per cent, a contraction in the economy of at least 10 per cent, and an exchange rate goal of 10,000 rupiah to the US dollar. \I(Indonesia)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, unveils a five-year action plan on human rights at a formal meeting of senior government officials, military leaders, and diplomats. The plan includes four components: the ratification of human rights agreements, the dissemination of information and education on human rights, measures to address human rights issues determined as national priorities, and the implementation of ratified international human rights agreements. \I(Indonesia)\i
Political parties launch their campaigns for \JCambodia\j's July 26 election, which has won the endorsement of the international community despite opposition allegations of violence and unfair tactics on the part of leader Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP). The CPP's main challengers in the election are the Funcinpec Party of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and the party of former finance minister, Sam Rainsy, which bears his name. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Almost two weeks after voters in the Australian state of \JQueensland\j went to the polls, the Labor Party's Peter Beattie is sworn in as Premier when he secures the crucial support of an independent MP. The Labor Party's ultimate victory in the election denies any role in government to Pauline Hanson's extreme right-wing One Nation Party, which captured 11 of the 89 seats in the Parliament, severely eroding support for the Liberal-National Party coalition which previously held power in the state. \I(Australia)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j and South Korea draw 1-1 at Paris, and The Netherlands and Mexico both qualify for the second round after a 2-2 draw at St Etienne. In Group F games, \JGermany\j and Yugoslavia qualify for the second round after \JGermany\j defeats \JIran\j 2-1 at Montpellier, and Yugoslavia defeats the United States 1-0 at \JNantes\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, Mexico, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, receives a red-carpet welcome when he arrives in China's ancient capital of \JXian\j on the start of a nine-\Jday\j visit, the first by a serving US head of state since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The visit has been dogged by controversy in the US, but is hailed by \JBeijing\j as signaling a new era in relations between the two nations. Mr. Clinton is accompanied by his wife Hillary and their daughter Chelsea, as well as a 1,000-strong US delegation. \I(USA, China)\i
The Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China issues a statement accusing Chinese police of detaining three \Jdissidents\j in \JXian\j just hours before the arrival of United States President, Bill Clinton. The statement also alleges that police earlier rounded up two other local \Jdissidents\j, including Li Zhiying, who was one of the 70 co-writers of an open letter to Mr. Clinton urging him to meet with \Jdissidents\j during his visit to China. \I(Hong Kong, China, USA)\i
United States peace broker, Richard Holbrooke, meets for the second time in two days with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, in a bid to find a workable solution to the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. The \JKosovo\j Liberation Army's swift gains in seizing about a third of the province, gains underlined by the recent capture of an important \Jcoal\j mine west of the provincial capital \JPristina\j, have undermined ethnic \JAlbanian\j support for political leader Ibrahim Rugova's non-violent campaign for independence, and have complicated international efforts to mediate a peaceful outcome to the conflict. With Serbia under threat of \JNATO\j intervention if it takes more drastic military action against the KLA, the KLA, bolstered by an influx of arms and men, is becoming more daring, conducting daylight ambushes and armed patrols, and rendering many of the province's major arteries unsafe for travel. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
A memorial service is held by United States soldiers in Saudi \JArabia\j to mark the second anniversary of a truck bomb attack which claimed the lives of 19 US airmen in the town of Khobar. No one has yet been charged with the Khobar blast and, throughout the investigation, the issue of access to suspects and evidence has strained relations between the US and Saudi \JArabia\j, with Washington now doubtful of ever establishing who masterminded the attack. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
The United States Supreme Court declares unconstitutional a January 1997 law giving the President power to veto particular items without canceling an entire piece of legislation. President Bill Clinton became the first US president to use the line-item veto, which was regarded by himself and a number of his predecessors as an important budget-cutting tool. \I(USA)\i
Special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, loses his legal bid to force the release of notes taken by the lawyer of late \JWhite House\j aide, Vincent Foster, shortly before Mr. Foster's suicide in 1993. Mr. Starr argued that the notes could be important for his investigation into the controversial firing of seven career \JWhite House\j travel office workers in 1993, but in a decision that has the potential to affect every American who hires a lawyer, the United States Supreme Court voted to uphold the principle that attorney-client confidentiality survives the death of the client. \I(USA)\i
Key Whitewater figure, Susan McDougal, is released from prison due to a serious spinal condition after serving less than four months of her two-year conviction for \Jfraud\j. Ms. McDougal, 43, has already served 18 months behind bars for repeatedly refusing to cooperate with prosecutor Kenneth Starr in his investigation of US President Bill Clinton's finances. Ms. McDougal and her former husband James McDougal were business partners of Bill and Hillary Clinton in the failed Whitewater real estate project. \I(USA)\i
In an unprecedented move, the \JTexas\j Pardons and Paroles Board recommends that the death sentence against a convicted serial killer be commuted to \Jlife imprisonment\j. The decision of the board is made on the strength of the petition filed by lawyers for Henry Lee Lucas, scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on June 30 for the murder of an unidentified female hitchhiker. Governor George W. Bush must now either endorse the board's recommendation or let the death sentence stand. \I(USA)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j and South Korea draw 1-1 at Paris, and The Netherlands and Mexico both qualify for the second round after a 2-2 draw at St Etienne. In Group F games, \JGermany\j and Yugoslavia qualify for the second round after \JGermany\j defeats \JIran\j 2-1 at Montpellier, and Yugoslavia defeats the United States 1-0 at \JNantes\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, Mexico, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States peace broker, Richard Holbrooke, meets for the second time in two days with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, in a bid to find a workable solution to the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. The \JKosovo\j Liberation Army's swift gains in seizing about a third of the province, gains underlined by the recent capture of an important \Jcoal\j mine west of the provincial capital \JPristina\j, have undermined ethnic \JAlbanian\j support for political leader Ibrahim Rugova's non-violent campaign for independence, and have complicated international efforts to mediate a peaceful outcome to the conflict. With Serbia under threat of \JNATO\j intervention if it takes more drastic military action against the KLA, the KLA, bolstered by an influx of arms and men, is becoming more daring, conducting daylight ambushes and armed patrols, and rendering many of the province's major arteries unsafe for travel. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Voters go to the polls across Northern Ireland to elect the members of a new provincial assembly, undeterred by two recent bombings clearly aimed at disrupting the election and sabotaging the \JGood Friday\j peace process. With the mechanisms of the poll devised to ensure one community does not dominate the assembly, voters will elect the 108 members by proportional representation from 18 electorates. An all-party executive committee of 12 ministers will then be chosen according to each party's strength in the chamber. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Thousands of Algerians take to the streets in protest following the death of one of the country's best known singers at the hands of Muslim extremists. Lounes Matoub, 42, a staunch anti-Islamic and outspoken democrat, was ambushed while traveling in his car to his home in the northeastern province of Tizi Ouzou. The assassination of Mr. Matoub, which came just hours after an allied group of Muslim rebels slit the throats of 17 civilians in an isolated village in Saida province, also causes shock in \JFrance\j, where the singer made frequent tours and had a popular following. \I(Algeria, \JFrance\j)\i
Under a deal negotiated for nearly ten months, Israel hands over the bodies of 40 Lebanese guerrillas and guarantees the release of 60 Lebanese prisoners in exchange for the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in south \JLebanon\j last September. The terms of the exchange are a clear indication of the price Israel is prepared to pay to ensure that its soldiers are buried in home soil. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j)\i
A memorial service is held by United States soldiers in Saudi \JArabia\j to mark the second anniversary of a truck bomb attack which claimed the lives of 19 US airmen in the town of Khobar. No one has yet been charged with the Khobar blast and, throughout the investigation, the issue of access to suspects and evidence has strained relations between the US and Saudi \JArabia\j, with Washington now doubtful of ever establishing who masterminded the attack. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
In Group E World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j and South Korea draw 1-1 at Paris, and The Netherlands and Mexico both qualify for the second round after a 2-2 draw at St Etienne. In Group F games, \JGermany\j and Yugoslavia qualify for the second round after \JGermany\j defeats \JIran\j 2-1 at Montpellier, and Yugoslavia defeats the United States 1-0 at \JNantes\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, South Korea, The Netherlands, Mexico, \JGermany\j, Yugoslavia, \JIran\j, USA)\i
#
"June 26, 1998",905,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
On the second \Jday\j of his controversial visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, rules out any concessions on \JTaiwan\j, putting to rest fears in Taipei that \JTaiwan\j might be sacrificed as Washington attempts to build stronger relations with \JBeijing\j. Mr. Clinton also touches on another source of friction in relations between Washington and \JBeijing\j, saying he has instructed US officials to investigate reports that Chinese \Jdissidents\j were detained by police ahead of his arrival. \I(China, USA)\i
As the bullet-ridden bodies of nine North Koreans are removed from a captured mini-submarine, South Korean defense officials also report the discovery of machine-guns, rifles, pistols, grenades, and a rocket launcher inside the vessel. Seoul is demanding both an apology and an explanation from \JPyongyang\j for what it describes as a clear violation of territorial waters and a serious act of aggression. The incursion is the second since September 1996, when a North Korean submarine ran aground on a reef in South Korean waters, triggering a massive manhunt for its 26 occupants, 24 of whom were eventually found shot dead. \I(The Koreas)\i
Amnesty International condemns \JJapan\j for the unannounced executions of three death-row convicts who had all suffered over 10 years imprisonment in conditions the organization describes as cruel and inhumane. Amnesty goes on to criticize \JJapan\j's entire prison system as being in breach of international human rights standards. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the second \Jday\j of his controversial visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, rules out any concessions on \JTaiwan\j, putting to rest fears in Taipei that \JTaiwan\j might be sacrificed as Washington attempts to build stronger relations with \JBeijing\j. Mr. Clinton also touches on another source of friction in relations between Washington and \JBeijing\j, saying he has instructed US officials to investigate reports that Chinese \Jdissidents\j were detained by police ahead of his arrival. \I(China, USA)\i
United States trouble-shooter, Richard Holbrooke, on his last assignment before taking up the post of US Ambassador to the United Nations, returns to the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j following his second meeting this week with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Amid reports of scattered fighting on or near major highways across \JKosovo\j, Mr. Holbrooke says the most dangerous place in the world today is Kijevo, where a Serb police checkpoint on the main road between \JPristina\j and Pec has been surrounded by the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) for weeks. While describing the situation as a tragedy waiting to happen, Mr. Holbrooke admits that his earlier efforts to pressure the separatist KLA guerrillas into a cease-fire were unsuccessful, and that President Milosevic is maintaining his right to keep the roads of his country open. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Washington state and Canada reach a tentative deal on salmon fishing restrictions, halving Canada's catch of the US-bound Chinook species in return for a 22 per cent cut in the catch of the Canadian-bound Coho species by Washington-based boats. It is hoped that the agreement will provide an impetus for the rest of the Canada-US negotiations. The last Canada-US treaty on Pacific salmon fishing expired in 1994, and the two countries are still at odds over the amount of British Columbia-bound fish caught by Alaskan-based fishermen. \I(USA, Canada)\i
The United States Supreme Court issues two landmark rulings that will make it easier for employees to bring lawsuits over sexual harassment in the workplace. The court rules that employers may be held liable for misconduct by its supervisors, and also holds that an employee who refuses the advances of a supervisor, yet suffers no adverse job consequences, may still bring a lawsuit. \I(USA)\i
Texas Governor George W. Bush commutes the death sentence of a convicted serial killer to \Jlife imprisonment\j in line with yesterday's unprecedented recommendation by the state's Pardons and Paroles Board. Governor Bush says serious concerns have been raised about the guilt of Henry Lee Lucas in one of his 10 current murder convictions to carry the death penalty, that of an unidentified female hitchhiker who came to be known as "Orange Socks," the only clothing on her body when it was found. Lucas, 61, was convicted of the murder on the basis of a confession he later retracted. Lucas also confessed to hundred of murders in the 1980s but later retracted those confessions as well. \I(USA)\i
As thousands of fans begin to pour into Lens ahead of England's decisive World Cup \Jsoccer\j match against \JColombia\j, French police arrest some 30 drunken English fans in Lens, 14 in nearby Lille, while across the border, Belgian police arrest 52 rioting English hooligans in the port of \JOstend\j. The English team later secures a place in the second round of the tournament after scoring a 2-0 victory over \JColombia\j, while \JRomania\j, already assured of a second round place, retains the top spot in Group G after a 1-1 draw with \JTunisia\j at Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, UK, \JColombia\j, \JRomania\j, \JTunisia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States trouble-shooter, Richard Holbrooke, on his last assignment before taking up the post of US Ambassador to the United Nations, returns to the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j following his second meeting this week with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Amid reports of scattered fighting on or near major highways across \JKosovo\j, Mr. Holbrooke says the most dangerous place in the world today is Kijevo, where a Serb police checkpoint on the main road between \JPristina\j and Pec has been surrounded by the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) for weeks. While describing the situation as a tragedy waiting to happen, Mr. Holbrooke admits that his earlier efforts to pressure the separatist KLA guerrillas into a cease-fire were unsuccessful, and that President Milosevic is maintaining his right to keep the roads of his country open. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Nigeria's new military ruler, Abdulsalam Abubakar, releases another 17 political prisoners, including opposition leader, Olisa Agbakoba, who headed a campaign to prevent former ruler, the late General Sani Abacha, from standing unopposed in August presidential elections. Despite repeated calls for his release, conspicuously absent from among those released is the country's most prominent detainee, Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of annulled 1993 elections. \I(Nigeria)\i
Russian markets take a fresh battering, with the ruble weakening and the benchmark RTS index falling 5.37 per cent amid fears that the agreed $US670 million advance on an existing International Monetary Fund loan will not resolve the country's financial plight unless drastic reforms are implemented. Meanwhile, the \JKremlin\j announces that President Boris Yeltsin is making changes to his schedule which will allow him to stay in Moscow to monitor the crisis. \I(Russia)\i
Basque town councilor, Manuel Zamarreno, is killed and his bodyguard is injured in a bomb attack in Renteria, northern \JSpain\j. The attack is blamed on the Basque separatist guerrilla group, ETA, which is also held responsible for the recent death of the councilor Mr. Zamarreno replaced. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
The Vatican announces that it will sign a joint declaration with the Lutheran World Federation declaring that human beings are saved by the grace of God through which faith and good works are granted. The understanding of how salvation is achieved split the Western Christian world nearly 500 years ago, when Reformation leader, Martin Luther, asserted that salvation came solely through faith in God, and the \JCatholic Church\j maintained that human cooperation through good works was also necessary. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
As thousands of fans begin to pour into Lens ahead of England's decisive World Cup \Jsoccer\j match against \JColombia\j, French police arrest some 30 drunken English fans in Lens, 14 in nearby Lille, while across the border, Belgian police arrest 52 rioting English hooligans in the port of \JOstend\j. The English team later secures a place in the second round of the tournament after scoring a 2-0 victory over \JColombia\j, while \JRomania\j, already assured of a second round place, retains the top spot in Group G after a 1-1 draw with \JTunisia\j at Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBelgium\j, UK, \JColombia\j, \JRomania\j, \JTunisia\j)\i
#
"June 27, 1998",906,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In an unprecedented 70-minute debate broadcast live to an audience of 1.2 billion people across China, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, air their differences on sensitive political and ideological issues such as the Tiananmen Square massacre, \JTibet\j and the Dalai Lama, human rights, freedom, and trade. The extraordinary verbal dual, throughout which President Jiang firmly stands his ground, follows Mr. Clinton's controversial attendance at a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square, perceived by his critics as a symbol of Sino-American reconciliation designed to whitewash the events of June 4, 1989 and dishonor the memory of the hundreds of Chinese democracy activists killed when soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were ordered to open fire. \I(USA, China)\i
Thousands of protesters take to the streets of the East Timorese capital, Dili, after a 21-year-old man is shot dead by Indonesian troops attempting to quell a clash between pro-Indonesian and pro-independence supporters. Further clashes occur between the rival political groups as the body of the young man is paraded through the city in an ambulance, and the protesters try to take the corpse inside the office of Jakarta-appointed Governor Abilio Soares. The crowd is finally dispersed by hundreds of troops using tear gas. \I(East Timor, Indonesia)\i
Australia's Michael Doohan rides his Honda to victory in the Dutch 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Assen. The win is Doohan's 88th top-three finish since his grand prix debut 10 years ago, and lifts him to second place in this year's overall championship standings. \I(Australia, The Netherlands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In an unprecedented 70-minute debate broadcast live to an audience of 1.2 billion people across China, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, and Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, air their differences on sensitive political and ideological issues such as the Tiananmen Square massacre, \JTibet\j and the Dalai Lama, human rights, freedom, and trade. The extraordinary verbal dual, throughout which President Jiang firmly stands his ground, follows Mr. Clinton's controversial attendance at a welcoming ceremony at Tiananmen Square, perceived by his critics as a symbol of Sino-American reconciliation designed to whitewash the events of June 4, 1989 and dishonor the memory of the hundreds of Chinese democracy activists killed when soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were ordered to open fire. \I(USA, China)\i
Speaking after a marathon of crisis talks in a Swiss mountain resort, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, warns that a general war is looming between Serb forces and the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, but says it is not too late to stop the conflict from spiraling out of control if the international community works together. Mr. Holbrooke, just returned from a diplomatic mission to the strife-torn region, maintains that the conditions for the guerrilla uprising in \JKosovo\j have been created over the last 10 years by the actions of the Yugoslav Government in depriving the province of autonomy. Mr. Holbrooke reiterates the US Government position that a change in \JKosovo\j's status is essential, but not by forceful means. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Police, backed up by \JTexas\j Rangers and \JFBI\j agents, manage to stave off potential violence as armed black radicals attempt to crash a Ku Klux Klan rally in the town of Jasper, where a black man was dragged to his death behind a pickup truck earlier this month. Black Muslim leader, Quannell X from Houston, and some 30 uniformed members of the New Black \JPanther\j Party say they came to make a stand against white supremacists, and warn the Klan against intimidating and harassing black people. Klan members, however, read statements denouncing the murder of James Byrd, claiming that their organization was not involved in his death. Three men with suspected links to white supremacists groups have been charged with the murder of Mr. Byrd. \I(USA)\i
The United States Coast Guard closes 40 miles of the Mississippi River to marine traffic following the collision of two tugboats, one of which dumped more than 69,000 gallons of crude oil into the river about 80 miles above \JNew Orleans\j. Oil containment booms are also placed around all \Jwater\j intake sites down-river from the spill to avoid contamination. The cleanup is expected to take several days. \I(USA)\i
The second round of World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches gets under way in \JFrance\j, with \JItaly\j scoring a comfortable 1-0 victory over \JNorway\j, and champions \JBrazil\j, still smarting from the shock loss to \JNorway\j in the previous game, scoring a convincing 4-1 victory over \JChile\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JNorway\j, \JBrazil\j, \JChile\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Speaking after a marathon of crisis talks in a Swiss mountain resort, United States envoy, Richard Holbrooke, warns that a general war is looming between Serb forces and the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, but says it is not too late to stop the conflict from spiraling out of control if the international community works together. Mr. Holbrooke, just returned from a diplomatic mission to the strife-torn region, maintains that the conditions for the guerrilla uprising in \JKosovo\j have been created over the last 10 years by the actions of the Yugoslav Government in depriving the province of autonomy. Mr. Holbrooke reiterates the US Government position that a change in \JKosovo\j's status is essential, but not by forceful means. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
As Northern Ireland politicians nervously await the results of an election to fill the 108 seats in a new provincial assembly, memories of the centuries of blood shed for the rights of British \JProtestantism\j versus the rights of native Catholics are revived in west \JBelfast\j, where members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, wearing flak jackets, leather boots, and helmets, take up positions behind riot shields, and hundreds of Catholic protesters, armed with banners, whistles, stones, and bottles, spill onto the streets in readiness for a parade by the Protestant Orange Order, a display of Britishness that dates back generations. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
A powerful \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale strikes the southern Turkish city of Adana, killing at least 104 people and injuring nearly 1,000 others. Electricity is cut in parts of the city and \Jtelephone\j contact is sporadic, as up to 16 aftershocks rock the area and thousands of residents try to flee in their cars. Meanwhile, the Red Crescent aid organization rushes 400 tents, 2,000 blankets, and two portable kitchens to the city to cater for those left homeless by the quake. \I(Turkey)\i
Some 15,000 people ignore English summer showers to attend a charity concert in the grounds of Althorp House, the \JNorthamptonshire\j estate of the family of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The evening concert, organized by Diana's brother, Earl Charles Spencer, features pop and classical music said to reflect the Princess's own taste. \I(UK)\i
The second round of World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches gets under way in \JFrance\j, with \JItaly\j scoring a comfortable 1-0 victory over \JNorway\j, and champions \JBrazil\j, still smarting from the shock loss to \JNorway\j in the previous game, scoring a convincing 4-1 victory over \JChile\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JNorway\j, \JBrazil\j, \JChile\j)\i
Australia's Michael Doohan rides his Honda to victory in the Dutch 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Assen. The win is Doohan's 88th top-three finish since his grand prix debut 10 years ago, and lifts him to second place in this year's overall championship standings. \I(Australia, The Netherlands)\i
#
"June 28, 1998",907,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
On the fourth \Jday\j of his historic visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, braves heat of 37 degrees \JCelsius\j to walk a steep section of the Great Wall, an imposing fortification said to be the only man-made object visible from space, and one cited by every modern Chinese leader as a symbol of the country's internal strength. Mr. Clinton also chooses to use the Great Wall as a \Jmetaphor\j for Sino-US relations, saying ties between the two nations may take a long time to build, but they will hopefully last forever. \I(USA, China)\i
Thousands of anti-Indonesian protesters mob a three-man European Union delegation in the East Timorese capital, Dili, calling for a referendum on independence and the release of jailed resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao. The European Union does not recognize Indonesia's sovereignty over East Timor, and the envoys are on a mission to investigate political conditions in the troubled territory, and to seek a peaceful solution that is acceptable to all parties. \I(Indonesia, East Timor, Europe)\i
Assistance United Nations Secretary General, Alvaro de Soto, arrives in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where he will meet with Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister, Gohar Ayub Khan, for talks on Pakistan's relations with India, which have increased in tension since last month's tit-for-tat nuclear explosions. Pakistan has welcomed the talks with Mr. de Soto, which are expected to center on the dispute over Kashmir, but India has declined to meet with him, having ruled out any mediation to settle the issue. \I(Pakistan, India)\i
A logbook found in a North Korean mini-submarine seized early last week by the South indicates that the vessel left the North's port of Wonsan on June 20 and entered South Korean waters on June 21. Based on the logbook, as well as maps and letters also recovered from the submarine, South Korean military officials believe that the crew was on a three-\Jday\j espionage mission to the South's east coast, which is dotted with sensitive military facilities, naval bases, and army units. \I(The Koreas)\i
Briton Sam Torrance cards a two-shot win in the French Open Golf Tournament at Paris, and American Joe Durant takes the Motorola Western Open at Lemont, Illinois. In the final round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic at \JAtlantic City\j, \JNew Jersey\j, \JAustralia\j's Karrie Webb shoots a course record 64, including a hole-in-one, but fails to catch Sweden's Annika Sorestam who closes four shots ahead of her nearest rival, America's Juli Inkster. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden)\i
\BThe Americas\b
On the fourth \Jday\j of his historic visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, braves heat of 37 degrees \JCelsius\j to walk a steep section of the Great Wall, an imposing fortification said to be the only man-made object visible from space, and one cited by every modern Chinese leader as a symbol of the country's internal strength. Mr. Clinton also chooses to use the Great Wall as a \Jmetaphor\j for Sino-US relations, saying ties between the two nations may take a long time to build, but they will hopefully last forever. \I(USA, China)\i
Twenty people are arrested after chaining themselves together to block the path of New York City Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, in a Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade on Fifth Avenue. While the protesters accuse Mr. Giuliani's administration of not doing enough to stem an increase in violent anti-gay attacks, the mayor has won high praise from other gay groups for supporting recent legislation recognizing domestic partners, be they gay, lesbian, or straight, as equal to spouses in a range of areas. \I(USA)\i
Briton Sam Torrance cards a two-shot win in the French Open Golf Tournament at Paris, and American Joe Durant takes the Motorola Western Open at Lemont, Illinois. In the final round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic at \JAtlantic City\j, \JNew Jersey\j, \JAustralia\j's Karrie Webb shoots a course record 64, including a hole-in-one, but fails to catch Sweden's Annika Sorestam who closes four shots ahead of her nearest rival, America's Juli Inkster. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden)\i
Second round World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches continue, with Denmark defeating \JNigeria\j 4-1 at Paris, and host \JFrance\j defeating \JParaguay\j 1-0 at Lens. \I(Denmark, \JNigeria\j, \JParaguay\j, \JFrance\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The four main parties committed to Northern Ireland's \JGood Friday\j peace accord together win 76 seats in the province's new 108-seat assembly, while parties opposed to the plan fail by two seats to secure a 30-seat blocking minority. David Trimble's Ulster Unionists win 28 seats, followed by John Hume's Social Democratic and Labor Party with 24 seats, Gerry Adams' Sinn Fein with 18 seats, and the non-sectarian Alliance Party of Lord John Alderdyce with 6 seats. The Democratic Unionist Party of Dr. Ian Paisley, who is vehemently opposed to the peace process, gains 20 seats in the assembly. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The 12th World AIDS Conference opens in Geneva, this year's theme being "Bridging the Gap," a stark recognition of the fact that more than 90 per cent of people afflicted by AIDS and \JHIV\j have no hope of access to more than the most modest care. Although scientific aspects of the conference will be dominated by the push to make treatment simpler and more effective, much of the conference will deal with prevention, still considered by many to be the best and most economic defense against the disease, which has claimed nearly 12 million lives since the early 1980s, and is predicted to afflict some 40 million people by 2000. \I(\JSwitzerland\j)\i
Thousands of anti-Indonesian protesters mob a three-man European Union delegation in the East Timorese capital, Dili, calling for a referendum on independence and the release of jailed resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao. The European Union does not recognize Indonesia's sovereignty over East Timor, and the envoys are on a mission to investigate political conditions in the troubled territory, and to seek a peaceful solution that is acceptable to all parties. \I(Indonesia, East Timor, Europe)\i
Briton Sam Torrance cards a two-shot win in the French Open Golf Tournament at Paris, and American Joe Durant takes the Motorola Western Open at Lemont, Illinois. In the final round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic at \JAtlantic City\j, \JNew Jersey\j, \JAustralia\j's Karrie Webb shoots a course record 64, including a hole-in-one, but fails to catch Sweden's Annika Sorestam who closes four shots ahead of her nearest rival, America's Juli Inkster. \I(UK, \JFrance\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, Sweden)\i
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher takes the checkered flag in the French Formula One Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, a win that pushes the German driver to just six points behind leader, Finn Mika Hakkinen, on the world championship table. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
Second round World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches continue, with Denmark defeating \JNigeria\j 4-1 at Paris, and host \JFrance\j defeating \JParaguay\j 1-0 at Lens. \I(Denmark, \JNigeria\j, \JParaguay\j, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"June 29, 1998",908,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, addresses an audience of more than 1,000 students at \JBeijing\j University, a birthplace of liberal thought, presenting a passionate argument for Chinese freedom and democracy that is also televised live across the nation. Students in the audience later ask Mr. Clinton confronting questions concerning human rights and freedom of expression in the US, but the visiting US leader appears to revel in the verbal crossfire. It is the second time in three days that the Chinese authorities have relaxed their normally tight \Jcensorship\j to allow Mr. Clinton to call for sweeping change in China, the first occasion being a nationally televised debate with President Jiang Zemin following Saturday's summit talks. \I(USA, China)\i
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, hails the recent televised debate between United States President, Bill Clinton, and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang Zemin, as one of the best things that has happened for the Tibetan cause in decades. During the debate, Mr. Clinton referred to the Dalai Lama as an honest man, and urged Mr. Jiang to assume a dialogue with him. Mr. Jiang replied that the door to negotiation was open if the Tibetan leader accepted Chinese sovereignty over Tibet and \JTaiwan\j. The Dalai Lama himself is fully committed to autonomy for Tibet within Chinese rule. \I(USA, China, Tibet, \JTaiwan\j)\i
In his first official reaction to last week's intrusion by a North Korean submarine, South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, condemns the incident as an outright violation of the armistice which ended the 1950-53 Korean War, and says the matter will be raised at the next round of high-level talks between the North Korean military and the United Nations Command. Mr. Kim adds, however, that he does not expect the incident to affect economic exchanges between the South and the North as laid out in his "Sunshine Policy" of improving contact with \JPyongyang\j. \I(The Koreas)\i
One person is killed and five others are injured when Indonesian security officers open fire on East Timorese demonstrators during a visit by three European Union envoys to the coast town of Baucau. Meanwhile, the provincial capital Dili is virtually paralyzed when tens of thousands of pro-independence demonstrators engage in a five-kilometer protest march through the streets, the biggest in a series of anti-Indonesian rallies timed to coincide with the European Union mission to the former Portuguese colony. \I(Indonesia, East Timor, \JPortugal\j, Europe)\i
Singapore announces a $US2 billion stimulus package to help its economy survive the economic crisis gripping many of its Asian neighbors. The move follows news of a Budget deficit of about $US500 million for the fiscal year ending March 31, the first time Singapore has recorded a deficit since the recession of the mid-1980s. \I(Singapore)\i
South Africa becomes the latest country to feel the impact of Asia's financial crisis when a wave of speculation on foreign exchange markets sends the \Jrand\j plummeting to a record low of R6 to the US dollar and R10 to the pound, and the country's banks begin raising their prime lending rate to 22.25 per cent, the highest level in a decade. The Governor of South Africa's Reserve Bank attributes the currency's vulnerability to \Jprejudice\j against emerging markets in the wake of the Asian meltdown. \I(South Africa, Asia)\i
A woman is appointed President of \JAustralia\j's oldest Parliament, the \JNew South Wales\j Legislative Council, for the first time since its establishment in 1824. Former Liberal education minister, Virginia Chadwick, 53, wins the position in a 21-19 vote against Helen Sham-Ho, \JAustralia\j's first Asian-born MP, who subsequently resigns from the Liberal Party claiming that it refused to support her bid for the presidency because of her Chinese background, a claim strongly refuted by Prime Minister, John Howard. Meanwhile, Mrs. Chadwick's first gesture as Upper House President is to discard the traditional wig and robes of the job. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, addresses an audience of more than 1,000 students at \JBeijing\j University, a birthplace of liberal thought, presenting a passionate argument for Chinese freedom and democracy that is also televised live across the nation. Students in the audience later ask Mr. Clinton confronting questions concerning human rights and freedom of expression in the US, but the visiting US leader appears to revel in the verbal crossfire. It is the second time in three days that the Chinese authorities have relaxed their normally tight \Jcensorship\j to allow Mr. Clinton to call for sweeping change in China, the first occasion being a nationally televised debate with President Jiang Zemin following Saturday's summit talks. \I(USA, China)\i
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, hails the recent televised debate between United States President, Bill Clinton, and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang Zemin, as one of the best things that has happened for the Tibetan cause in decades. During the debate, Mr. Clinton referred to the Dalai Lama as an honest man, and urged Mr. Jiang to assume a dialogue with him. Mr. Jiang replied that the door to negotiation was open if the Tibetan leader accepted Chinese sovereignty over Tibet and \JTaiwan\j. The Dalai Lama himself is fully committed to autonomy for Tibet within Chinese rule. \I(USA, China, Tibet, \JTaiwan\j)\i
A state of emergency is declared in 19 counties in Ohio as another batch of wind-driven squalls batter the region. Since the weekend, at least eight people have died and about 5,000 have been made homeless due to violent thunderstorms and tornadoes, which have cut off power and \Jwater\j to some parts of the state, and triggered widespread flooding, isolating communities and forcing evacuations. \I(USA)\i
In second round World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j maintains its record of reaching the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Mexico, while The Netherlands becomes the sixth team to make it through to the next stage of the tournament after scoring a 2-1 win over Yugoslavia. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Mexico, The Netherlands, Yugoslavia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serb security forces claim to have recaptured part of a \Jcoal\j mine which is vital to power supply in the province of \JKosovo\j, but which was overrun last week by ethnic \JAlbanian\j guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). While diplomats fear that Serbian authorities are poised to launch a full-scale assault against the KLA, which currently controls more than 30 per cent of the province, the international community remains divided on possible \JNATO\j intervention, with United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, becoming the latest to caution against such a move without the approval of the UN Security Council. Mr. Annan maintains that \JNATO\j strikes without UN authority would amount to anarchy and set a very dangerous precedent. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Serb war crimes suspect, Slavko Dokmanovic, hangs himself at a United Nations tribunal detention center outside The Hague. Arrested almost a year ago in a covert operation in \JCroatia\j's East Slavonia region, Dokmanovic, 48, was awaiting a verdict in his trial for the massacre of more than 200 mostly Croat patients from Vukovar \Jhospital\j in eastern \JCroatia\j, one of the most notorious incidents in the conflict that followed \JCroatia\j's \Jdeclaration of independence\j from Yugoslavia. The tribunal, however, announces that no verdict will be handed down in the case now that the accused is dead. \I(\JCroatia\j, Yugoslavia, The Netherlands)\i
Israeli President, Ezer Weizman, publicly urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move for early elections, saying the \JMiddle East\j peace process is stagnating and that it is time to find out what the Israeli people think. Mr. Weizman's largely ceremonial office does not give him the power to dissolve the government or call elections, and Mr. Netanyahu responds to the President's outspoken opposition by declaring that peace is very, very close, and that he has no intention of holding a new vote until his four-year term expires in 2000. \I(Israel, \JMiddle East\j)\i
One person is killed and five others are injured when Indonesian security officers open fire on East Timorese demonstrators during a visit by three European Union envoys to the coast town of Baucau. Meanwhile, the provincial capital Dili is virtually paralyzed when tens of thousands of pro-independence demonstrators engage in a five-kilometer protest march through the streets, the biggest in a series of anti-Indonesian rallies timed to coincide with the European Union mission to the former Portuguese colony. \I(Indonesia, East Timor, \JPortugal\j, Europe)\i
Cyprus takes in more than 100 foreign immigrants from a Syrian-flagged boat towed to port after its was found drifting in the eastern Mediterranean. The decrepit 50-foot wooden vessel had been adrift for nine harrowing days, during which time two young men died from hunger and thirst and were thrown overboard. The surviving men, women, and children from African and Middle Eastern countries had reportedly paid as much as $US5,000 to be taken to either \JGreece\j or \JItaly\j. \I(Cyprus, Syria, \JGreece\j, \JItaly\j, Africa, Middle East)\i
The Russian Trading System's benchmark RTS shares index continues the six-month fall that has reduced the value of the market by more than half, closing down 6.11 per cent at 153.97, its lowest level since September, 1996. President Boris Yeltsin nevertheless backtracks from earlier statements, denying that Russia is in the throes of a financial crisis, and pointedly describing the government's recently announced anti-crisis program as a stabilization program. Either way, the program is crucial in Russia's bid to secure a new loan of up to $US15 billion from the International Monetary Fund to help stave off new bouts of financial instability. \I(Russia)\i
South Africa becomes the latest country to feel the impact of Asia's financial crisis when a wave of speculation on foreign exchange markets sends the \Jrand\j plummeting to a record low of R6 to the US dollar and R10 to the pound, and the country's banks begin raising their prime lending rate to 22.25 per cent, the highest level in a decade. The Governor of South Africa's Reserve Bank attributes the currency's vulnerability to \Jprejudice\j against emerging markets in the wake of the Asian meltdown. \I(South Africa, Asia)\i
In second round World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j maintains its record of reaching the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Mexico, while The Netherlands becomes the sixth team to make it through to the next stage of the tournament after scoring a 2-1 win over Yugoslavia. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Mexico, The Netherlands, Yugoslavia)\i
#
"June 30, 1998",909,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Continuing his unprecedented access to China's mass media, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, participates in a Shanghai radio phone-in, taking the opportunity to publicly spell out Washington's policy on the controversial issue of \JTaiwan\j. Mr. Clinton tells listeners in the country's largest and most cosmopolitan city that Washington does not support independence for \JTaiwan\j, or for two Chinas, or for one China and one \JTaiwan\j, and is opposed to \JTaiwan\j seeking membership in any organization for which statehood is a requirement, including the United Nations. Mr. Clinton adds that Washington favors the reunification of \JTaiwan\j and China by peaceful means, and to that end has always encouraged a cross-Strait dialogue. Taipei immediately bridles at Mr. Clinton's remarks, saying the US and the Chinese communists are in no position to conduct bilateral negotiations on anything related to \JTaiwan\j's affairs. \I(USA, China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
The Pentagon identifies the remains of a United States airman shot down over Vietnam in 1972 and later buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns near Washington. The remains of Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie were exhumed from the tomb in May, and subsequently analyzed at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory using conclusive modern methods that must now raise debate over the very concept of the "unknown soldier." \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Joseph Estrada is sworn in as the 13th President of the \JPhilippines\j, taking over from Fidel Ramos, whose six-year rule has been credited with bringing a rare period of peace and prosperity to the archipelago. Mr. Estrada, 61, who comes to office at a time when Asia's financial crisis threatens to reverse the efforts of his predecessor, immediately declares war on white-collar crime, and promises the country's poor a share in the benefits of the economy for the first time in history. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
East \JTimor\j's spiritual leader, Bishop Carlos Belo, insists that troops enforcing \JIndonesia\j's rule in the territory should leave if they cannot maintain order without resorting to violence. Speaking one \Jday\j after an East Timorese man was shot dead by Indonesian security agents during a visit by three European Union envoys to the town of Baucau, Bishop Belo laments the killing as a tragedy, and says United Nations peacekeeping forces should be called in to control the situation. The European Union, meanwhile, expresses deep regret over the killing, and calls for a full investigation into the incident, in which five other people were wounded. \I(East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j, Europe)\i
An additional 3,000 police are deployed to \JPakistan\j's troubled port city of \JKarachi\j as armed violence between rival factions of a militant ethnic group shuts down entire neighborhoods. Authorities report that over the past 24 hours, 23 people have been killed as factions of a group representing Indian Muslims who came to \JPakistan\j in 1947 wage fierce and bloody street battles in several parts of the city. \I(\JPakistan\j, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Continuing his unprecedented access to China's mass media, visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, participates in a Shanghai radio phone-in, taking the opportunity to publicly spell out Washington's policy on the controversial issue of \JTaiwan\j. Mr. Clinton tells listeners in the country's largest and most cosmopolitan city that Washington does not support independence for \JTaiwan\j, or for two Chinas, or for one China and one \JTaiwan\j, and is opposed to \JTaiwan\j seeking membership in any organization for which statehood is a requirement, including the United Nations. Mr. Clinton adds that Washington favors the reunification of \JTaiwan\j and China by peaceful means, and to that end has always encouraged a cross-Strait dialogue. Taipei immediately bridles at Mr. Clinton's remarks, saying the US and the Chinese communists are in no position to conduct bilateral negotiations on anything related to \JTaiwan\j's affairs. \I(USA, China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
A United States F-16 warplane fires a missile at an Iraqi air defense unit after the pilots detect radar tracking a British \JTornado\j jet, one of ten \Jaircraft\j patrolling Iraq's no-fly zone. \JBaghdad\j denounces the attack as unjustifiable aggression, denying that its radar targeted any of the \Jaircraft\j, and claiming that the missile actually landed in a \Jwater\j reservoir. In Washington, US Vice President Al Gore says the facts surrounding the incident are as yet unclear, and cautions against any immediate charge of deliberate provocation on the part of Iraq. \I(USA, Iraq, UK)\i
Serb security forces renew their attempts to regain full control of the Belacevac \Jcoal\j mine, which lies 10 kilometers west of \JKosovo\j's capital, \JPristina\j, and was seized over a week ago by ethnic \JAlbanian\j insurgents. In a further blow to international efforts to achieve a cease-fire in the southern Serbian province, the Governor of \JKosovo\j indicates that the next security forces target will be Kijevo, where about two dozen Serb police and some 200 Serb civilians have been surrounded by \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas for weeks. United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, recently described Kijevo as the most dangerous place in Europe, warning that it could be the trigger for a full-scale war in the Balkans region. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
The Pentagon identifies the remains of a United States airman shot down over Vietnam in 1972 and later buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns near Washington. The remains of Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie were exhumed from the tomb in May, and subsequently analyzed at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory using conclusive modern methods that must now raise debate over the very concept of the "unknown soldier." \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
United States District Judge, Susan Webber Wright, orders the release of the depositions and files in the dismissed Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton, giving both sides 10 days to file a notice of appeal against her ruling. The only information Judge Wright orders to be kept under seal is the identity of women witnesses allegedly linked to Mr. Clinton, and videotapes of the depositions. Ms. Jones is currently appealing Judge Wright's dismissal of her case, but the judge says any trial would still be a long way off even if the appeal proved successful. \I(USA)\i
A grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr to investigate sex and \Jperjury\j allegations against US President Bill Clinton hears the testimony of Linda Tripp, the woman who taped Monica Lewinsky's conversations about her alleged intimacies with Mr. Clinton. Ms. Tripp passed the tapes to Mr. Starr, triggering the prosecutor's inquiry into whether Mr. Clinton had a sexual relationship with the former \JWhite House\j intern, and then urged her to lie under oath about it in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves two versions of a new \Jmigraine\j drug, one of which uses a technology that allows the tablet to dissolve within seconds on the tongue. The drug Maxalt, known generically as rizatriptan benzoate, was shown in trials to be extremely effective in the relief of the pain and symptoms of \Jmigraine\j headaches, from which more than 24 million Americans suffer. \I(USA)\i
Croatia gains a place in the World Cup \Jsoccer\j quarter-finals with a second round 1-0 victory over \JRomania\j at \JBordeaux\j, while at St Etienne, England loses to Argentina in a penalty shoot-out, the third time in a major tournament that England's progress has been halted in this way. In Buenos Aires, meanwhile, more than 10,000 police are deployed to control thousands of Argentine football fans who crowd the streets of the capital to celebrate their team's win. \I(\JFrance\j, Croatia, \JRomania\j, UK, Argentina)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serb security forces renew their attempts to regain full control of the Belacevac \Jcoal\j mine, which lies 10 kilometers west of \JKosovo\j's capital, \JPristina\j, and was seized over a week ago by ethnic \JAlbanian\j insurgents. In a further blow to international efforts to achieve a cease-fire in the southern Serbian province, the Governor of \JKosovo\j indicates that the next security forces target will be Kijevo, where about two dozen Serb police and some 200 Serb civilians have been surrounded by \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas for weeks. United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, recently described Kijevo as the most dangerous place in Europe, warning that it could be the trigger for a full-scale war in the Balkans region. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA)\i
A United States F-16 warplane fires a missile at an Iraqi air defense unit after the pilots detect radar tracking a British \JTornado\j jet, one of ten \Jaircraft\j patrolling Iraq's no-fly zone. \JBaghdad\j denounces the attack as unjustifiable aggression, denying that its radar targeted any of the \Jaircraft\j, and claiming that the missile actually landed in a \Jwater\j reservoir. In Washington, US Vice President Al Gore says the facts surrounding the incident are as yet unclear, and cautions against any immediate charge of deliberate provocation on the part of Iraq. \I(USA, Iraq, UK)\i
A report drawn up by a United Nations team supports earlier assertions by human rights groups that large numbers of Rwandan Hutu refugees were deliberately killed by forces loyal to \JCongo\j President, Laurent Kabila, during his successful 1996-97 campaign to oust dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. The report implicates the Rwandan military as well as the Alliance for Democratic Force for the Liberation of the \JCongo\j, and recommends that an international tribunal be established to investigate responsibility for the serious violations. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Rwanda)\i
East \JTimor\j's spiritual leader, Bishop Carlos Belo, insists that troops enforcing \JIndonesia\j's rule in the territory should leave if they cannot maintain order without resorting to violence. Speaking one \Jday\j after an East Timorese man was shot dead by Indonesian security agents during a visit by three European Union envoys to the town of Baucau, Bishop Belo laments the killing as a tragedy, and says United Nations peacekeeping forces should be called in to control the situation. The European Union, meanwhile, expresses deep regret over the killing, and calls for a full investigation into the incident, in which five other people were wounded. \I(East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j, Europe)\i
Russia once again voices its objections to \JNATO\j's proposed eastward expansion, saying it will not tolerate countries beyond a "red line" joining the alliance. Last year, \JNATO\j agreed to start admission talks with \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, and the Czech Republic, and \JRomania\j has also launched a drive to join both \JNATO\j and the European Union. \I(Russia, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JRomania\j)\i
Croatia gains a place in the World Cup \Jsoccer\j quarter-finals with a second round 1-0 victory over \JRomania\j at \JBordeaux\j, while at St Etienne, England loses to Argentina in a penalty shoot-out, the third time in a major tournament that England's progress has been halted in this way. In Buenos Aires, meanwhile, more than 10,000 police are deployed to control thousands of Argentine football fans who crowd the streets of the capital to celebrate their team's win. \I(\JFrance\j, Croatia, \JRomania\j, UK, Argentina)\i
#
"July 1, 1998",910,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Economic gloom clouds celebrations for Hong Kong's first anniversary under Chinese rule, with the once-prosperous territory now sliding towards recession as tourism slumps, property and stock prices collapse, unemployment surges, and retail sales plunge. Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, warns Hong Kong's 6.6 million people that more economic pain lies ahead, but pledges the vigorous support of the central government in aiding the territory's recovery process. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
A man claiming to be a Pakistani atomic researcher offers detailed information about Islamabad's nuclear program in return for asylum in the United States. Iftikhar Khan Chaudry, 29, tells a news conference that Pakistan had planned a preemptive nuclear attack on India in April, and that China supplied material and trained personnel to aid Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. Khan also suggests that the Islamabad Government is helping \JIran\j to develop a nuclear weapons program in exchange for oil. \I(Pakistan, India, China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
The United States Federal Reserve decides against any change to the federal funds rate, a benchmark for short-term borrowing costs, letting the rate stand at 5.5 per cent. The central bank gives no reason for the decision, but analysts link it to signs that the pace of US growth is slowing, and to continuing concerns about the fragility of Asian economies, especially \JJapan\j's, which has dealt a blow to US exports. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, announces that he is replacing 41 members of the People's Consultative Assembly, a 1,000-member body that has been criticized as stacked with supporters of ex-president Soeharto and unlikely to bring in reforms. As a result of intense public pressure, the assembly is due to meet later this year for a special session to dismantle the restrictive political laws of the past. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
One \Jday\j after a United States F-16 fighter jet fires a missile at an Iraqi anti-\Jaircraft\j battery, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, justifies the incident as an act of self-defense to protect British and US pilots patrolling Iraq's no-fly zone, while US Central Command says it is working on the assumption that Iraq's alleged radar targeting of a British \Jaircraft\j was an isolated event. Meanwhile, Iraqi state \Jtelevision\j shows remnants of what is claimed to be the US missile near a \Jwater\j reservoir in a demilitarized zone near the port of Umm Qasir. Iraq has denied that its radar locked onto allied \Jaircraft\j, and has condemned the missile attack as flagrant US aggression. \I(Iraq, USA, UK)\i
A man claiming to be a Pakistani atomic researcher offers detailed information about Islamabad's nuclear program in return for asylum in the United States. Iftikhar Khan Chaudry, 29, tells a news conference that Pakistan had planned a preemptive nuclear attack on India in April, and that China supplied material and trained personnel to aid Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. Khan also suggests that the Islamabad Government is helping \JIran\j to develop a nuclear weapons program in exchange for oil. \I(Pakistan, India, China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
The United States Federal Reserve decides against any change to the federal funds rate, a benchmark for short-term borrowing costs, letting the rate stand at 5.5 per cent. The central bank gives no reason for the decision, but analysts link it to signs that the pace of US growth is slowing, and to continuing concerns about the fragility of Asian economies, especially \JJapan\j's, which has dealt a blow to US exports. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Asia)\i
In a major setback for Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr, a United States federal judge dismisses all tax evasion charges against Webster Hubbell, an old friend of President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The judge rules that the charges in the \Jindictment\j were outside Mr. Starr's \Jjurisdiction\j, and that the prosecutor had improperly made use of records Mr. Hubbell had been forced to produce under a \Jsubpoena\j in a case different in all material aspects. \I(USA)\i
Researchers at the University of \JPittsburgh\j Medical Center reveal that they are preparing to transplant brain cells in 12 stroke patients aged between 40 and 75 years. The experimental procedure will be the world's first attempt to reverse damage from the disorder, and will involve a series of injections using engineered human neurons or brain cells. Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States, and currently the third leading cause of death. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serbian police backed by Yugoslav army troops succeed in recapturing the vital Belacevac \Jcoal\j mine seized by the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) over a week ago. Despite international fears that Belacevac could be the first step in a government counter-offensive against recent KLA gains, there are no signs of any imminent \JNATO\j military intervention in the crisis, with the alliance currently seeking clarification from the major powers on whether they still insist on a withdrawal of Yugoslav special units from \JKosovo\j. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Northern Ireland's new power-sharing Assembly meets for the first time, electing Protestant Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, as First Minister, and Catholic Social Democrat and Labor Party leader, Seamus Mallon, as Deputy First Minister. Following the vote, Mr. Trimble and Mr. Mallon both swear a pledge of non-violence, and to the applause of those in the Assembly who support the peace process, shake hands to inaugurate the province's new leadership team. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
As Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, declares a battle of life or death over the future of \JJerusalem\j, Israel's plan to extend the city's boundaries comes under a barrage of criticism at the United Nations Security Council. Israel claims economic considerations are behind the initiative, but speakers at the Security Council accuse the Jewish state of endangering the already faltering \JMiddle East\j peace process by attempting to change \JJerusalem\j's population balance. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
One \Jday\j after a United States F-16 fighter jet fires a missile at an Iraqi anti-\Jaircraft\j battery, US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, justifies the incident as an act of self-defense to protect British and US pilots patrolling Iraq's no-fly zone, while US Central Command says it is working on the assumption that Iraq's alleged radar targeting of a British \Jaircraft\j was an isolated event. Meanwhile, Iraqi state \Jtelevision\j shows remnants of what is claimed to be the US missile near a \Jwater\j reservoir in a demilitarized zone near the port of Umm Qasir. Iraq has denied that its radar locked onto allied \Jaircraft\j, and has condemned the missile attack as flagrant US aggression. \I(Iraq, USA, UK)\i
A man claiming to be a Pakistani atomic researcher offers detailed information about Islamabad's nuclear program in return for asylum in the United States. Iftikhar Khan Chaudry, 29, tells a news conference that Pakistan had planned a preemptive nuclear attack on India in April, and that China supplied material and trained personnel to aid Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. Khan also suggests that the Islamabad Government is helping \JIran\j to develop a nuclear weapons program in exchange for oil. \I(Pakistan, India, China, USA, \JIran\j)\i
Althorp House, the family home and final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales, opens to the public for the first time on what would have been her 37th birthday. Inside the grounds of the \JNorthamptonshire\j estate, hundreds of fans place flowers and written tributes at a temple by the side of the island lake where Diana lies, and visit the new Diana museum, which houses exhibitions of her toys and clothes, as well as video displays commemorating the various stages of her life. \I(UK)\i
#
"July 2, 1998",911,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, officially opens Hong Kong's new $US20 billion Chek Lap Kok international airport, and later becomes the first passenger to take off from the new facility, which will not operate commercially until July 6. Built to replace the aging airfield at Kai Tak, near \JKowloon\j, the new airport features an 18-hectare terminal building, the world's largest, and includes a vast network of highways, bridges, tunnels, and railways to transport passengers 32 kilometers into the city. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, becomes the first incumbent US president to visit Hong Kong, landing at the territory's new international airport just hours after it is officially opened. Before flying to Hong Kong on the final stop of his nine-\Jday\j tour, Mr. Clinton visited China's scenic mountainous region of Guilin, where he unveiled measures to help China deal with air and \Jwater\j \Jpollution\j, and stressed that economic growth does not have to suffer when environmental safeguards are taken. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
In a rare journalistic climbdown, Cable News Network (CNN) and \ITime Magazine\i retract a June report that the United States military used sarin nerve gas to kill defectors during the Vietnam War, saying an investigation has concluded that the allegations cannot be substantiated. The Pentagon welcomes the retraction, and confirms that preliminary findings in its own investigation have uncovered no evidence indicating that sarin gas was ever used in Vietnam. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, orders the release of around 500 political prisoners, which human rights groups estimate to be the total number currently held in the country's jails. Mr. Kim's Government has now decided to scrap the longstanding practice of requiring all political prisoners to renounce their ideological beliefs, requiring instead that the prisoners agree not to violate South Korean laws. \I(South Korea)\i
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party endorses a "bridge bank" plan designed to excise banking bad debts from the financial system within five years. Under the plan, banks will be forced to declare their losses, and those found to be insolvent will be placed under temporary State control, the primary aim being to protect depositors and allow healthy corporate and individual borrowers to stay afloat until a buyer or merger partner can be found for the bank. \I(Japan)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, becomes the first incumbent US president to visit Hong Kong, landing at the territory's new international airport just hours after it is officially opened. Before flying to Hong Kong on the final stop of his nine-\Jday\j tour, Mr. Clinton visited China's scenic mountainous region of Guilin, where he unveiled measures to help China deal with air and \Jwater\j \Jpollution\j, and stressed that economic growth does not have to suffer when environmental safeguards are taken. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
New York city and New York state jointly announce that they will begin sanctions against Swiss banks in 60 days unless the banks settle their dispute with Jewish groups over \Jrestitution\j of \JHolocaust\j-era funds. The Swiss Government is outraged by the announcement, branding the threatened sanctions counterproductive, unjustified, and illegal, and warning of damage to good bilateral relations between \JSwitzerland\j and the United States. \JSwitzerland\j's stand is backed by the US State Department, which voices strong opposition to the proposed boycott and urges the banks and Jewish groups to return to negotiations. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Citing safety issues and limited resources, Russian officials say they have decided to retire the Mir space station six months earlier than its previously planned demise in December 1999. The decision is welcomed by the United States space agency NASA, which has been pressing Russia to bring down Mir and focus its efforts on the new international space station, already behind schedule largely due to Russian delays. \I(Russia, USA)\i
A United States military judge recommends that a US Marine pilot and his navigator be court-martialed on charges including involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, negligent \Jhomicide\j, damage to property, and dereliction of duty. The recommendation follows recent military hearings into the February 3 accident near Cavalese, \JItaly\j, in which a US Marine Corps plane severed lift cables supporting a gondola, sending 20 skiers plunging down the mountain to their deaths. The judge recommends that all charges be dropped against the other two US crewmen who manned the \Jaircraft\j's rear seats. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
In a rare journalistic climbdown, Cable News Network (CNN) and \ITime Magazine\i retract a June report that the United States military used sarin nerve gas to kill defectors during the Vietnam War, saying an investigation has concluded that the allegations cannot be substantiated. The Pentagon welcomes the retraction, and confirms that preliminary findings in its own investigation have uncovered no evidence indicating that sarin gas was ever used in Vietnam. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
An estimated 40,000 people are evacuated from their homes as wildfires threaten the \JFlorida\j cities of Daytona Beach and nearby Ormond Beach, and force the closure of a 120-mile stretch of a major coastal highway. Since late May, fires in the rain-starved state of \JFlorida\j have burned more than 100,000 hectares and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to property. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations refugee agency officials in \JBelgrade\j report that yesterday's recapture of \JKosovo\j's Belacevac \Jcoal\j mine by Serb security forces has sent hundreds of local ethnic Albanians fleeing west through the hills to Drenica, which is controlled by the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). According to the UN, at least 76,000 Serbs and ethnic Albanians have been uprooted since major fighting flared in \JKosovo\j earlier this year, the most vulnerable group being Serbs who came to the province as refugees from \JCroatia\j, and who now have no means and nowhere to go. Meanwhile, KLA guerrillas are vowing to renew the battle for the Belacevac mine, which fuels southern \JSerbia\j's main power stations, but western military experts believe the KLA would stand little chance in a pitched battle against the better equipped forces of the Serbian police and the Yugoslav army. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
A tense standoff develops over the rights of passage for Palestinian traffic along a main road in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian Supplies Minister, Abdel-Aziz Shaheen, is granted passage by Israeli soldiers because of his status, but refuses to proceed until all vehicles are allowed to pass. The incident, in which Arab trucks subsequently block intersections near Jewish settlements and Palestinian police dig trenches and point rifles toward Israeli army positions, is condemned by Israel as provocation that could lead to unnecessary loss of life on both sides. Palestinian officials, meanwhile, accuse Israel of violating interim peace deals by blocking local traffic from using the road. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
One \Jday\j after the opening of Northern Ireland's new power-sharing Assembly, ten of the province's Roman Catholic churches are set ablaze, leaving three churches extensively damaged. The arson attacks coincide with growing tensions over the banning of the upcoming Protestant Orange Order march through Catholic housing estates on Garvaghy Road near the town of Portadown. The march is an annual event commemorating the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James in the 1690 Battle of Boyne, and has touched off sectarian riots in the area in previous years. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Speaking in the Nigerian capital, \JAbuja\j, United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announces that the government of new military ruler, Abdulsalam Abubakar, has agreed to free all political prisoners, and that a release date also appears imminent for Moshood Abiola, who was detained in 1994 after claiming the country's presidency on the basis on annulled 1993 elections. Commonwealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku, who is also visiting \JAbuja\j, echoes Mr. Annan's optimism over the release of Mr. Abiola, but warns that Nigeria will only be readmitted to the Commonwealth of former British colonies if full democracy is established in the African nation. \I(Nigeria, UK)\i
The United Nations reveals that after months of resistance to outside intervention, \JAlgeria\j has unconditionally agreed to allow a high-level international political team to investigate the violence and massacres that have killed tens of thousands of people across the country since 1992. The team will be led by former Portuguese President, Mario Soares, and will be supported by a contingent of UN technical experts. \I(\JAlgeria\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
After a two-\Jday\j meeting in Oslo, business and civic leaders from the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus agree on a five-point plan to increase business, cultural, and education links between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The ultimate aim of the plan is to defuse tensions on the divided island, which have escalated since the Greek Cypriot-led Government announced its intention to install Russian S-300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles, and Turkey threatened to strike against them if they were deployed. \I(\JNorway\j, Cyprus, \JGreece\j, Turkey)\i
New York city and New York state jointly announce that they will begin sanctions against Swiss banks in 60 days unless the banks settle their dispute with Jewish groups over \Jrestitution\j of \JHolocaust\j-era funds. The Swiss Government is outraged by the announcement, branding the threatened sanctions counterproductive, unjustified, and illegal, and warning of damage to good bilateral relations between \JSwitzerland\j and the United States. \JSwitzerland\j's stand is backed by the US State Department, which voices strong opposition to the proposed boycott and urges the banks and Jewish groups to return to negotiations. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Citing safety issues and limited resources, Russian officials say they have decided to retire the Mir space station six months earlier than its previously planned demise in December 1999. The decision is welcomed by the United States space agency NASA, which has been pressing Russia to bring down Mir and focus its efforts on the new international space station, already behind schedule largely due to Russian delays. \I(Russia, USA)\i
Iran marks World Anti-Narcotics Day by publicly torching 50 tonnes of heroin, opium, and \Jmorphine\j in a ceremony attended by President Khatami and the head of the United Nations Drugs Control Program, Pino Arlacchi. Iran seized 200 tonnes of drugs last year, but continues to pay a heavy price for its efforts, with nearly 2,500 Iranian soldiers and police killed in battles with drug smugglers over the past 15 years. \I(Iran)\i
A United States military judge recommends that a US Marine pilot and his navigator be court-martialed on charges including involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, negligent \Jhomicide\j, damage to property, and dereliction of duty. The recommendation follows recent military hearings into the February 3 accident near Cavalese, \JItaly\j, in which a US Marine Corps plane severed lift cables supporting a gondola, sending 20 skiers plunging down the mountain to their deaths. The judge recommends that all charges be dropped against the other two US crewmen who manned the \Jaircraft\j's rear seats. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
London's Old Vic is spared its final curtain when a charitable trust created to preserve it as a theater hands over a down-payment of $US2.5 million to brothers, David and Ed Mirvish, who have owned the historic site for the past 16 years, and put it up for sale in December 1997. The trust now has 21 months to raise the remaining $US3.3 million to complete the purchase. \I(UK)\i
#
"July 3, 1998",912,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In Hong Kong on the final \Jday\j of a nine-\Jday\j visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, predicts that China will eventually become a democracy, saying the nation has the right leadership at the right time to ride a wave of change. Mr. Clinton acknowledges that his visit has produced no major breakthroughs between the two sides, particularly in the area of trade, but defends the trip as worthwhile in putting Sino-American ties on a much more positive and productive footing. US critics had questioned the wisdom of the presidential trip due to allegations that China illegally tried to influence the 1996 US elections, but Mr. Clinton says he believes President Jiang Zemin's assurances that the Chinese Government neither authorized nor approved such a measure. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
Violence flares in the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya after two students are shot by security forces during a pro-independence demonstration at Cendrawasih University in the provincial capital, Jayapura. The violence comes just one \Jday\j after an onlooker was shot dead and five others injured during a student demonstration in Sorong. Irian Jaya was taken over by Indonesia in 1963, a move recognized by the United Nations in 1969, but the tribespeople share the culture and \Jethnicity\j of adjoining Papua New Guinea, and while a small rebel group called the Free Papua Movement has been waging a guerrilla campaign against Indonesia since the mid 1960s, pro-independence student demonstrations have also begun to mushroom since the fall of ex-president Soeharto in May this year. \I(Indonesia, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea)\i
The death toll from recent ethnic violence in \JPakistan\j's troubled port city of \JKarachi\j rises to more than 200 with the discovery of another seven victims, four of whom had been tortured. The city's worst hit neighborhood is the central Liqatabad area, where rival gunmen take up rooftop positions and fire relentlessly at each other. In an effort to stem the worsening violence, the provincial government of Sindh has deployed an additional 3,000 police to patrol the streets, and the Federal Government has brought in backup troops from other parts of the country. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
In the face of widespread public protests, Philippine President, Joseph Estrada, backs away from his decision to allow the remains of ex-president Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in the Heroes' Cemetery in Manila, urging Imelda Marcos to accept the advice of the nation's Catholic bishops and bury her husband's remains in his northern Philippine home town of Batac. Mrs. Marcos, however, is resisting public opposition to the burial plans, insisting that her husband's dying wish was to be buried at Heroes' Cemetery, which is reserved for former soldiers. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In Hong Kong on the final \Jday\j of a nine-\Jday\j visit to China, United States President, Bill Clinton, predicts that China will eventually become a democracy, saying the nation has the right leadership at the right time to ride a wave of change. Mr. Clinton acknowledges that his visit has produced no major breakthroughs between the two sides, particularly in the area of trade, but defends the trip as worthwhile in putting Sino-American ties on a much more positive and productive footing. US critics had questioned the wisdom of the presidential trip due to allegations that China illegally tried to influence the 1996 US elections, but Mr. Clinton says he believes President Jiang Zemin's assurances that the Chinese Government neither authorized nor approved such a measure. \I(USA, China, Hong Kong)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, joins British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, in urging Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland not to allow their dispute over the upcoming Orange Order march to derail the peace process. Extra troops have now been drafted to the province and army checkpoints set up at either end of Garvaghy Road on the edge of the town of Portadown, with Catholic residents also erecting their own barricades to stop the Protestant Orangemen from marching through the neighborhood on their way back from Drumcree Church this weekend. The Orangemen have vowed to do so, despite a ban imposed by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, an independent body established to adjudicate on march disputes. \I(USA, UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, continues his efforts to solve the crisis in the southern Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, holding a five-hour meeting in \JBelgrade\j with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and Serbian President, Milan Milutinovic. Mr. Holbrooke, the architect of the Dayton peace accords which ended the Bosnian war, is to fly tomorrow to the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, where he will consult with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leader Ibrahim Rugova, whose position has been increasingly undercut by growing support for the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army in the wake of the guerrilla group's significant territorial gains. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
State emergency managers order the evacuation of all 30,000 residents of Flager County in north \JFlorida\j, bringing to around 70,000 the number of people forced to flee their homes in the last two days as wind-driven wildfires ravage the state's east coast from Jacksonville to the Kennedy Space Center. Four hundred state law enforcement officers are also deployed to protect property from looters, and state officials say 1,500 \JFlorida\j National Guards will be mobilized within 48 hours to patrol the streets of the evacuated areas. \I(USA)\i
In the first and second quarter-final World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, host \JFrance\j defeats \JItaly\j 4-3 on a penalty shoot-out following a 0-0 draw at \JNantes\j, while \JBrazil\j scores a 3-2 victory over Denmark at Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JBrazil\j, Denmark)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, joins British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, in urging Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland not to allow their dispute over the upcoming Orange Order march to derail the peace process. Extra troops have now been drafted to the province and army checkpoints set up at either end of Garvaghy Road on the edge of the town of Portadown, with Catholic residents also erecting their own barricades to stop the Protestant Orangemen from marching through the neighborhood on their way back from Drumcree Church this weekend. The Orangemen have vowed to do so, despite a ban imposed by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, an independent body established to adjudicate on march disputes. \I(USA, UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, continues his efforts to solve the crisis in the southern Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, holding a five-hour meeting in \JBelgrade\j with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and Serbian President, Milan Milutinovic. Mr. Holbrooke, the architect of the Dayton peace accords which ended the Bosnian war, is to fly tomorrow to the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, where he will consult with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leader Ibrahim Rugova, whose position has been increasingly undercut by growing support for the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army in the wake of the guerrilla group's significant territorial gains. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Nigerian officials say the release of the country's most prominent political detainee, Moshood Abiola, could be delayed unless his followers accept that he has given up his claim to the presidency based on annulled 1993 elections. Nigerian opposition groups have reacted with anger and disbelief since visiting United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, announced that Mr. Abiola has dropped his claim, and are now insisting that any such agreement cannot be binding because it was made under duress while Mr. Abiola was still in captivity. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
The giant Russian gas monopoly Gazprom agrees to pay around $US645 million in tax a month, four times the amount it paid in June, after Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko threatens to seize the company's assets as part of a new crackdown against tax debtors. Meanwhile, fears of more economic turmoil are triggered when unpaid Russian \Jcoal\j miners re-impose a blockade of the Trans-Siberian rail line to remind the cash-starved government of its pledge to pay months of wage arrears. \I(Russia)\i
In the first and second quarter-final World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches, host \JFrance\j defeats \JItaly\j 4-3 on a penalty shoot-out following a 0-0 draw at \JNantes\j, while \JBrazil\j scores a 3-2 victory over Denmark at Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JBrazil\j, Denmark)\i
#
"July 4, 1998",913,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives back in Washington after what he describes as a "fascinating" nine-\Jday\j visit to China, the first by a serving US president since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre chilled relations between the two countries. Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, met with Mr. Clinton at the \JWhite House\j last October during a visit to the US, and Mr. Clinton expresses the hope that such meetings will be scheduled on a regular basis in the future. Critics of Mr. Clinton, meanwhile, have been forced to concede that his trip to China was a public relations triumph, cautioning however, that it was weak on substance, having failed to secure any commitments from \JBeijing\j on major issues of contention such as trade and human rights. \I(USA, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets in \JTokyo\j with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, assuring the Japanese leader that his country remains the cornerstone of United States ties to Asia, and stressing that Japan and the rest of Asia have nothing to fear from improving Sino-American relations. At \JBeijing\j's request, US President Bill Clinton visited only communist China during his trip, upsetting both Japan and South Korea, Washington's chief allies and defense treaty partners in Asia. \I(USA, Japan, China, South Korea)\i
Japan's first interplanetary probe to Mars is successfully launched by a powerful M-5 rocket from Kagoshima on the nation's southernmost island of \JKyushu\j. The probe, known as \JPlanet\j-B, carries 14 different kinds of experiments and instruments on a mission that hopes to gather further evidence on whether the Red \JPlanet\j could once have been warm enough to support life. \JPlanet\j-B will do all its work from high above Mars, which it is scheduled to reach in October 1999. \I(Japan)\i
Russia accuses a South Korean diplomat of working for the Korean intelligence service and demands that he leave the Russian Federation within three days. The diplomat, identified as Cho Sung Woo, was allegedly caught in the act of receiving secret documents from a contact in the Russian foreign ministry, who has since been arrested and charged with \Jtreason\j. \I(Russia, South Korea)\i
Americans celebrate their 222nd Independence Day with parades, fireworks, and plenty of food, with many enjoying the traditional Fourth of July backyard barbecue. In New York, however, a slender Japanese man known as "The \JTokyo\j Terror" shames his heftier American opponents in a hot-dog eating contest, retaining his world title by eating 19 hot dogs with buns in 12 minutes. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Third seed Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic wins her first Wimbledon women's singles title when she defeats Nathalie Tauziat of \JFrance\j in straight sets. At 29, Novotna becomes the oldest first-time grand slam winner in the 30 years of Open women's tennis. Meanwhile, \JAustralia\j's Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge fail to achieve a record sixth consecutive Wimbledon men's doubles title, losing to Dutch rivals Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis after a marathon four-hour match. \I(Czech Republic, \JFrance\j, UK, \JAustralia\j, The Netherlands)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives back in Washington after what he describes as a "fascinating" nine-\Jday\j visit to China, the first by a serving US president since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre chilled relations between the two countries. Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, met with Mr. Clinton at the \JWhite House\j last October during a visit to the US, and Mr. Clinton expresses the hope that such meetings will be scheduled on a regular basis in the future. Critics of Mr. Clinton, meanwhile, have been forced to concede that his trip to China was a public relations triumph, cautioning however, that it was weak on substance, having failed to secure any commitments from \JBeijing\j on major issues of contention such as trade and human rights. \I(USA, China)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, meets in \JTokyo\j with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, assuring the Japanese leader that his country remains the cornerstone of United States ties to Asia, and stressing that Japan and the rest of Asia have nothing to fear from improving Sino-American relations. At \JBeijing\j's request, US President Bill Clinton visited only communist China during his nine-\Jday\j trip, upsetting both Japan and South Korea, Washington's chief allies and defense treaty partners in Asia. \I(USA, Japan, China, South Korea)\i
Continuing his shuttle diplomacy, United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, arrives in \JPristina\j, capital of \JKosovo\j, where he proceeds to hold six hours of talks with leaders of the embattled province's ethnic \JAlbanian\j majority in an effort to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, which has cost the lives of more than 300 people since Serb Security forces began their crackdown this year against the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). Meanwhile, as the KLA's role in the conflict grows in strength and importance, the guerrilla group shows no signs of abandoning its fight for \JKosovo\j's independence, and remains something of a mystery to all concerned, having no clear chain of command and no identifiable military or political leadership. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Americans celebrate their 222nd Independence Day with parades, fireworks, and plenty of food, with many enjoying the traditional Fourth of July backyard barbecue. In New York, however, a slender Japanese man known as "The \JTokyo\j Terror" shames his heftier American opponents in a hot-dog eating contest, retaining his world title by eating 19 hot dogs with buns in 12 minutes. \I(USA, Japan)\i
Triplets born to a \JNew Orleans\j couple become the first babies born in the United States as a result of the new fertility drug, Follistim, approved in September 1997. The drug, which can be administered by injection at home, uses genetically engineered hamster cells, manipulated to produce human \Jhormones\j that stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. Statistics show that about 5.3 million couples per year experience \Jinfertility\j problems in the United States. \I(USA)\i
In the third and fourth quarter-final World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, The Netherlands scores a 2-1 win over Argentina, and \JCroatia\j scores a 3-0 win over \JGermany\j to become the first team since \JPortugal\j in 1966 to reach the semi-finals on its first trip to the World Cup. \I(\JFrance\j, The Netherlands, Argentina, \JCroatia\j, \JGermany\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Continuing his shuttle diplomacy, United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, arrives in \JPristina\j, capital of \JKosovo\j, where he proceeds to hold six hours of talks with leaders of the embattled province's ethnic \JAlbanian\j majority in an effort to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, which has cost the lives of more than 300 people since Serb Security forces began their crackdown this year against the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). Meanwhile, as the KLA's role in the conflict grows in strength and importance, the guerrilla group shows no signs of abandoning its fight for \JKosovo\j's independence, and remains something of a mystery to all concerned, having no clear chain of command and no identifiable military or political leadership. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Amid fading hopes that trouble might be averted during this weekend's Protestant Orange Order March in Northern Ireland, British soldiers throw a cordon of trenches, barbed wire, concrete, and armored vehicles around a Catholic enclave near the town of Portadown to block the marchers' traditional return route from Drumcree Church. Meanwhile, in rejecting the ban on the disputed route imposed by the independent Parades Commission, the Orangemen express outrage that the British Government is upholding it, and refuse all calls for dialogue. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Protesting Russian \Jcoal\j miners block the Trans-Siberian railway for a second \Jday\j, holding up freight traffic and only allowing trains carrying passengers and mail to pass. Last month, thousands of unpaid miners imposed similar rail blockades across the country, causing substantial losses for many Russian firms. However, the latest industrial unrest comes at a difficult time for the government, which is battling to push austerity measures through the State \JDuma\j in order to alleviate the current financial crisis and win fresh international credits. \I(Russia)\i
Russia accuses a South Korean diplomat of working for the Korean intelligence service and demands that he leave the Russian Federation within three days. The diplomat, identified as Cho Sung Woo, was allegedly caught in the act of receiving secret documents from a contact in the Russian foreign ministry, who has since been arrested and charged with \Jtreason\j. \I(Russia, South Korea)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale rocks the southern Turkish province of Adana, where at least 140 people died in a powerful quake a week ago. Around 500 people are injured as a result of the latest quake, but there are no reported deaths. \I(Turkey)\i
Third seed Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic wins her first Wimbledon women's singles title when she defeats Nathalie Tauziat of \JFrance\j in straight sets. At 29, Novotna becomes the oldest first-time grand slam winner in the 30 years of Open women's tennis. Meanwhile, \JAustralia\j's Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge fail to achieve a record sixth consecutive Wimbledon men's doubles title, losing to Dutch rivals Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis after a marathon four-hour match. \I(Czech Republic, \JFrance\j, UK, \JAustralia\j, The Netherlands)\i
In the third and fourth quarter-final World Cup \Jsoccer\j matches in \JFrance\j, The Netherlands scores a 2-1 win over Argentina, and \JCroatia\j scores a 3-0 win over \JGermany\j to become the first team since \JPortugal\j in 1966 to reach the semi-finals on its first trip to the World Cup. \I(\JFrance\j, The Netherlands, Argentina, \JCroatia\j, \JGermany\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
#
"July 5, 1998",914,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tens of thousands of nostalgic sightseers pack vantage points on the rooftops of Hong Kong's tower blocks to watch the last flights land at Kai Tak, signaling the end of a notorious era in which pilots negotiated a sharp bank around mountains before skimming over urban flats on the approach to the airport. The closure of Kai Tak also signals the start of a mammoth operation to transport vital heavy airport equipment 32 kilometers to the new $US20 billion Chek Lap Kok international facility in time for flights to resume at first light. \I(Hong Kong)\i
North Korea's official media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reports that Kim Jon Il, the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea, has been unanimously nominated as the sole candidate for Supreme People's Assembly, the Stalinist state's 680-member parliament. South Korean observers regard the move as presaging Mr. Kim's coronation as president of North Korea. \I(The Koreas)\i
Hundreds of members of the Santhal community in the northeastern Indian state of Assam appeal to the government to equip them with weapons to deter attacks by guerrillas of the Bodo tribe. Ethnic clashes between the Santhals and the Bodos over the past two years have killed some 1,500 people and left more than 200,000 homeless, with many terrified Santhals now arming themselves with their traditional weapons of bows and poison-tipped arrows. \I(India)\i
British, Russian, and Japanese scientists reveal that they are mounting an expedition to \JSiberia\j to hunt for frozen mammoth sperm with the ultimate aim of bringing the extinct species back to life. The scientists' plan is to use the sperm to fertilize elephants' eggs and breed hybrids, which would then be cross-bred until such time as the hybrids become pure genetic copies of their ancestors. Mammoths died out some 30,000 years ago, but their remains have been found in several places in \JSiberia\j. \I(UK, Russia, Japan)\i
World No. 1 tennis player, American Pete Sampras, wins his fifth Wimbledon men's singles title in six years when he defeats Croat Goran Ivanisevic in a grueling five-set match. Meanwhile, women's singles title holder, Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic, completes the first women's double since 1988 when she teams with \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis to beat American Lindsay Davenport and Natasha Zvereva of \JBelarus\j in the women's doubles final. In the mixed doubles final, sixteen-year-old American, Venus Williams, wins her first grand slam title, pairing with Max Mirnyi of \JBelarus\j to beat \JCroatia\j's Mirjana Lucic and India's Mahesh Bhupathi. \I(UK, USA, \JCroatia\j, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelarus\j, India)\i
New Zealander Simon Crafar gives Yamaha its first big win since early 1997 when he zips past overall world championship leader, Australian Michael Doohan, to take the checkered flag in the British 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Donington Park, England. \I(New Zealand, Australia, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, meets for more than three hours with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, before wrapping up three days of talks aimed at defusing violence in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. Mr. Holbrooke declines to give any details, but says his discussions with the Yugoslav leader and with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders in \JKosovo\j have been useful in clarifying several issues, and that the international mission to bring the conflict to a peaceful conclusion will continue intensively. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
As negotiators for General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers fail to reach agreement, strikes at two \JMichigan\j auto parts plants head into their second month, leaving dealers' vehicle supplies dwindling and losses to General Motors mounting. The union is accusing General Motors of breaking promises on plant investment and attempting to cut jobs, but the automaker insists that the plants need to be more competitive to survive. \I(USA)\i
The latest official figures reveal that raging wildfires in \JFlorida\j have now forced the evacuation of 112,000 residents from the counties of Volusia, Flagler, and Brevard, all of which are on the state's eastern seaboard. Nearly 2,000 fires have burned in \JFlorida\j since May 25, and hotels, which lost lucrative Fourth of July holiday business to the fires, are now discounting rooms as much as 75 per cent for evacuees, while the Daytona International Speedway has been turned into a bivouac for weary National Guard troops. \I(USA)\i
World No. 1 tennis player, American Pete Sampras, wins his fifth Wimbledon men's singles title in six years when he defeats Croat Goran Ivanisevic in a grueling five-set match. Meanwhile, women's singles title holder, Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic, completes the first women's double since 1988 when she teams with \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis to beat American Lindsay Davenport and Natasha Zvereva of \JBelarus\j in the women's doubles final. In the mixed doubles final, sixteen-year-old American, Venus Williams, wins her first grand slam title, pairing with Max Mirnyi of \JBelarus\j to beat \JCroatia\j's Mirjana Lucic and India's Mahesh Bhupathi. \I(UK, USA, \JCroatia\j, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelarus\j, India)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As British army helicopters patrol overhead, Northern Ireland's Protestant Orangemen stage a protest at Drumcree's barricaded Garvaghy Road, and later dig in for the night, declaring their intention to break the official ban on their march through a Catholic housing estate, and warning police and British troops that they will stay as long as it takes to gain access to their traditional route. Although the standoff itself is sullen but peaceful, it sparks violence elsewhere in the province as supporters and opponents of the defiant Orangemen take to the streets. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
United States special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, meets for more than three hours with Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, before wrapping up three days of talks aimed at defusing violence in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. Mr. Holbrooke declines to give any details, but says his discussions with the Yugoslav leader and with ethnic \JAlbanian\j leaders in \JKosovo\j have been useful in clarifying several issues, and that the international mission to bring the conflict to a peaceful conclusion will continue intensively. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
Jordanian, Egyptian, and Palestinian leaders hold a three-way meeting in \JCairo\j, issuing a communiqué rejecting an Israeli plan to expand the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j and calling for the plan's immediate abolition in the interests of \JMiddle East\j peace. In response to the joint communiqué, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, blames the Palestinians for the peacemaking impasse, and calls on Egypt and Jordan to exert pressure on the Palestinian Authority to fulfill its commitments under the Oslo peace accords. \I(Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Israel)\i
As Algerian authorities begin enforcing a new law making Arabic the compulsory business language, riot police are deployed to disband thousands of protesting Berbers who take to the streets of towns and cities to demand that the government also recognize their Tamazight tongue as an official language. While around 5 million Algerians are thought to be Berber speakers, those who flout the new law will face fines of up to 10,000 dinars. \I(Algeria)\i
British, Russian, and Japanese scientists reveal that they are mounting an expedition to \JSiberia\j to hunt for frozen mammoth sperm with the ultimate aim of bringing the extinct species back to life. The scientists' plan is to use the sperm to fertilize elephants' eggs and breed hybrids, which would then be cross-bred until such time as the hybrids become pure genetic copies of their ancestors. Mammoths died out some 30,000 years ago, but their remains have been found in several places in \JSiberia\j. \I(UK, Russia, Japan)\i
At least 19 people are reported to have died in the past two days as a result of a heat wave sweeping southern Europe. Eight of the deaths have occurred in \JAlbania\j and nine in \JItaly\j, where a high of 46.6 degrees \JCelsius\j was recorded in the Sicilian city of Syracuse. In \JGreece\j, meanwhile, more than 1,000 firemen and soldiers continue a fight to prevent fires, whipped up by high winds, from engulfing a wooded mountain north of the capital, \JAthens\j. \I(\JAlbania\j, \JItaly\j, \JGreece\j)\i
World No. 1 tennis player, American Pete Sampras, wins his fifth Wimbledon men's singles title in six years when he defeats Croat Goran Ivanisevic in a grueling five-set match. Meanwhile, women's singles title holder, Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic, completes the first women's double since 1988 when she teams with \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis to beat American Lindsay Davenport and Natasha Zvereva of \JBelarus\j in the women's doubles final. In the mixed doubles final, sixteen-year-old American, Venus Williams, wins her first grand slam title, pairing with Max Mirnyi of \JBelarus\j to beat \JCroatia\j's Mirjana Lucic and India's Mahesh Bhupathi. \I(UK, USA, \JCroatia\j, Czech Republic, \JSwitzerland\j, \JBelarus\j, India)\i
New Zealander Simon Crafar gives Yamaha its first big win since early 1997 when he zips past overall world championship leader, Australian Michael Doohan, to take the checkered flag in the British 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Donington Park, England. \I(New Zealand, Australia, UK)\i
#
"July 6, 1998",915,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, launches a further diplomatic bid to defuse tensions over recent nuclear tests on the Indian subcontinent, meeting in Washington for a working lunch with Pakistani special envoy, Sahabzada Yaqub Khan. Mr. Talbott, who favors quiet persuasion to avert an arms race or even conflict on the subcontinent, is scheduled to meet later in the week with the deputy chairman of India's planning commission, Jaswant Singh. \I(USA, Pakistan, India)\i
With just six days before key upper house elections, the senior ranks of \JJapan\j's
Ruling Liberal Democratic Party remain split over the issue of permanent tax cuts to revive the sinking economy. Uncertainty and confusion over the Hashimoto Government's plans for tax reform, together with a warning from the Bank of \JJapan\j that the country's recession is worsening, send \JTokyo\j stocks tumbling and leave the yen languishing at around 140 to the US dollar. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Hong Kong's state-of-the-art Chek Lap Kok international airport opens to rave reviews from international travelers, who hail it as an historic milestone for the territory. A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400, on the first non-stop commercial flight from New York to Hong Kong, is the first commercial airliner to touch down at the new facility after 15 hours and 24 minutes in the air. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
In a landmark decision, an Australian Federal Court judge rules that native title can exist over coastal waters, granting seven Aboriginal clans the right to hunt and fish in their traditional waters, and the right to protect their sacred sites. The successful native title claim, Australia's first over coastal waters, is subject to both pre-existing fishing and mining rights and government regulations, and covers the seas surrounding Croker Island off Darwin and several other islands off \JArnhem\j Land in the \JNorthern Territory\j. \I(Australia)\i
At Kohler, \JWisconsin\j, the longest ever US Women's Open Golf Tournament ends on the 20th play-off hole when South Korean Se Ri Pak finally vanquishes American amateur challenger, Jenny Chuasiriporn. Having won the LPGA Championship in May, 20-year-old Se Ri Pak becomes the first rookie to win two major tournaments in the same year since American Juli Inkster in 1984. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that US President Bill Clinton has accepted an invitation to join Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, for a September summit in Moscow. While the two leaders have met frequently at international diplomatic gatherings, their last formal summit was in March 1997 in \JHelsinki\j. \I(USA, Russia, \JFinland\j)\i
Belgrade-based ambassadors from the United States, \JRussia\j, European Union countries, and \JPoland\j arrive in the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where they will set up a permanent team of observers to monitor human rights abuses. The international mission, agreed to in May by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, gets under way as the key figure in the \JKosovo\j diplomatic efforts, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke, departs for Washington after three days of intense talks which yielded no evidence of any progress in securing a formal cease-fire and peace negotiations. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, Europe, \JPoland\j)\i
United States Deputy \JSecretary of State\j, Strobe Talbott, launches a further diplomatic bid to defuse tensions over recent nuclear tests on the Indian subcontinent, meeting in Washington for a working lunch with Pakistani special envoy, Sahabzada Yaqub Khan. Mr. Talbott, who favors quiet persuasion to avert an arms race or even conflict on the subcontinent, is scheduled to meet later in the week with the deputy chairman of India's planning commission, Jaswant Singh. \I(USA, Pakistan, India)\i
Results from weekend state elections show Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party rebound from defeats in recent years to win the northern states of \JChihuahua\j and \JDurango\j. In the state of Zacatecas, meanwhile, the left-wing opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution looks set to claim its first ever governorship. \I(Mexico)\i
Hong Kong's state-of-the-art Chek Lap Kok international airport opens to rave reviews from international travelers, who hail it as an historic milestone for the territory. A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400, on the first non-stop commercial flight from New York to Hong Kong, is the first commercial airliner to touch down at the new facility after 15 hours and 24 minutes in the air. \I(Hong Kong, USA)\i
Three white men accused of dragging a black man to his death on a road outside the \JTexas\j town of Jasper last month are indicted on capital murder charges, indictments that will allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty. All three men have alleged links to white supremacist groups, and police believe they killed 49-year-old James Byrd out of racial hatred. \I(USA)\i
America's clean-cut singing cowboy, Roy Rogers, dies aged 86 of congestive heart failure at his home in Apple Valley, northeast of Los Angeles. As the archetype Western hero, Roy Rogers rode his horse Trigger through 87 movies during the 1940s and 1950s, and later continued his reign as "King of the Cowboys" on \Jtelevision\j. He is survived by his on-screen girlfriend and real-life wife of 51 years, Dale Evans. \I(USA)\i
Researchers from the United States National Institute of Mental Health report that two cannabinoids contained in marijuana may protect the brain from the damage caused by injuries and stroke. The researchers say preliminary tests showed that the two cannabinoids, cannabidiol and THC, can block the effects of other chemicals which kill cells when oxygen is cut off. Cannabidiol and THC are already known to relieve nausea and pain, as well as pressure on the eye, having being tested against \Jglaucoma\j. There is also evidence that they work to protect nerve cells against damage. \I(USA)\i
At Kohler, \JWisconsin\j, the longest ever US Women's Open Golf Tournament ends on the 20th play-off hole when South Korean Se Ri Pak finally vanquishes American amateur challenger, Jenny Chuasiriporn. Having won the LPGA Championship in May, 20-year-old Se Ri Pak becomes the first rookie to win two major tournaments in the same year since American Juli Inkster in 1984. \I(USA, South Korea)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Northern Ireland's fragile peace process comes under threat as the tense standoff over the banned Protestant Orange Order march in the town of Portadown enters its second \Jday\j, and protests in \JBelfast\j again turn violent, with police and loyalist youths engaging in running battles. Fearing further trouble, the province's Parades Commission decides to lift its three-year ban and allow an Orange Order march down \JBelfast\j's mainly Catholic Lower Ormeau Road on July 13. Residents of Ormeau Road, however, vow to challenge the commission's ruling in court. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Belgrade-based ambassadors from the United States, \JRussia\j, European Union countries, and \JPoland\j arrive in the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, where they will set up a permanent team of observers to monitor human rights abuses. The international mission, agreed to in May by Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, gets under way as the key figure in the \JKosovo\j diplomatic efforts, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke, departs for Washington after three days of intense talks which yielded no evidence of any progress in securing a formal cease-fire and peace negotiations. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, USA, \JRussia\j, Europe, \JPoland\j)\i
At the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, a former Bosnian Serb \Jhospital\j director becomes the first person to stand trail on charges of genocide arising from the 1992-95 Bosnian war. Milan Kovacevic, 57, pleads not guilty to operating detention camps in the northwestern Prijedor region with the deliberate aim of destroying Bosnian Muslim and Croat people as national, ethnic, or religious groups. \I(The Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Bosnia)\i
The \JWhite House\j announces that US President Bill Clinton has accepted an invitation to join Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, for a September summit in Moscow. While the two leaders have met frequently at international diplomatic gatherings, their last formal summit was in March 1997 in \JHelsinki\j. \I(USA, Russia, \JFinland\j)\i
Unpaid Russian \Jcoal\j miners block the strategic Trans-Siberian railway for a fourth successive \Jday\j, refusing to talk to a government envoy and dimming hopes of a speedy end to the economically damaging protest. The government comes under further pressure when strikes by electricity workers over wage delays cause power cuts in the major Far East port city of Vladivostok. \I(Russia)\i
South Africa's sliding currency takes a plunge amid concerns over a weekend announcement that Minister of Labor, Tito Mboweni, is to become the Reserve Bank's first black governor next year. While some economists believe the move might work to restore investor confidence in the \Jrand\j, which has lost 27 per cent of its value over the past five weeks, others voice skepticism both on the grounds of Mr. Mboweni's lack of banking experience and the fact that he is a political appointee. \I(South Africa)\i
The French Government announces that it is melting down millions of newly produced euro coins following a complaint from the European Blind Union, which warned that the edges of the 10c and 50c coins were so similar that blind people would be unable to tell them apart. It is the second major glitch in the production of the currency. In May, the cast of the anti-\Jforgery\j hologram to be inserted into the euro bank notes went missing on an Air \JFrance\j flight to \JGermany\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, Europe)\i
Italian police recover three priceless paintings stolen by masked gunmen from \JRome\j's National Gallery of Modern Art in May. Vincent Van Gogh's \IThe Gardener\i and Paul Cezanne's \ILe Cabanon de Joudan\i are found in a \JRome\j flat, while Van Gogh's \IL'Arlesienne\i is retrieved from an apartment in Turin along with guns, wigs, and masks. Eight people are arrested in connection with the theft, including a female employee of the gallery. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"July 7, 1998",916,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, criticizes President Bill Clinton for publicly declaring US opposition to \JTaiwan\j's independence during his recent visit to China. Senator Lott labels Mr. Clinton's statement counterproductive, and says foreign policy committee leaders will meet this week to discuss whether the Senate should now take steps to reassure Taipei that the US is not seeking to isolate \JTaiwan\j, and that arms sales and other policies will not be affected. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
The United Nations General Assembly votes 124-4 to upgrade the status of the Palestinian UN observer delegation, overruling the opposition of Israel, the United States, and the Pacific island nations of the \JMarshall Islands\j and \JMicronesia\j. The upgrade will allow the Palestinian delegation to co-sponsor resolutions on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, raise points of order at meetings on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, exercise a right of reply, and take part in the Assembly's general debate. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA, \JMarshall Islands\j, \JMicronesia\j)\i
Shops and offices are closed in Irian Jaya's main towns and Indonesian troops patrol the streets in the wake of a series of pro-independence demonstrations, which began gathering force across the province late last week. However, thousands of defiant tribespeople in the remote Baliem Valley hoist an independence flag despite a warning earlier issued by Indonesian armed forces commander, General Wiranto, who stated that raising any flag other than Indonesia's was tantamount to a revolt against the government, and that the army would take firm action. \I(Indonesia, Irian Jaya)\i
The Australian Government's controversial Wik legislation is passed by the Senate after the third marathon debate on the issue in seven months, the longest parliamentary debate in the nation's history. The passage of the amendments to the existing Native Title Bill follows a compromise deal between Prime Minister John Howard and independent Senator Brian Harradine, who holds the balance of power in the upper house, ending a standoff that had threatened to provoke a race-based double-dissolution election. Mr. Howard later hails the outcome as equally fair to farmers, the mining industry, and the indigenous people, but Aboriginal groups angrily condemn the amendments as effectively extinguishing native title. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations General Assembly votes 124-4 to upgrade the status of the Palestinian UN observer delegation, overruling the opposition of Israel, the United States, and the Pacific island nations of the \JMarshall Islands\j and \JMicronesia\j. The upgrade will allow the Palestinian delegation to co-sponsor resolutions on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, raise points of order at meetings on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, exercise a right of reply, and take part in the Assembly's general debate. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA, \JMarshall Islands\j, \JMicronesia\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is close to concluding months of discussions on United States proposals for a further withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank, but that a deal will only be sealed when the Palestinians fulfil their security commitments. Mr. Netanyahu's statement comes in response to public calls from two key cabinet ministers for a swift conclusion to the marathon discussions, and also follows a fiery attack by Labor Party leader, Ehud Barak, who accused the Israeli leader of pushing the country towards a war with the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Chief Moshood Abiola, 60, presumed winner of \JNigeria\j's annulled 1993 elections, collapses and dies of apparent cardiac arrest while discussing the military government's conditions for his release from prison during a meeting attended by visiting US Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering. Chief Abiola was jailed in 1994 by the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, and news of his death sparks riots in parts of Lagos, the main city of his southwestern homeland. The government, meanwhile, announces that it has ordered a post-mortem examination with the full participation of Chief Abiola's personal physicians to determine the actual cause of death. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
United States Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, criticizes President Bill Clinton for publicly declaring US opposition to \JTaiwan\j's independence during his recent visit to China. Senator Lott labels Mr. Clinton's statement counterproductive, and says foreign policy committee leaders will meet this week to discuss whether the Senate should now take steps to reassure Taipei that the US is not seeking to isolate \JTaiwan\j, and that arms sales and other policies will not be affected. \I(USA, \JTaiwan\j, China)\i
Human Rights Watch, the largest group of its kind in the United States, cites police brutality against black and Hispanic minorities as the most serious, enduring, and divisive human rights violation in the US. The rights group adds that the US resembles authoritarian states in this respect, and that failure on the part of the federal and local governments to address the problem could undermine US credibility in pushing for improved human rights in other parts of the world. \I(USA)\i
A Santa Monica jury finds Ukrainian immigrant, Mikail Markhasev, 19, guilty of murdering the son of American entertainer Bill Cosby during an attempted robbery on a dark Los Angeles freeway on January 16, 1997. Ennis Cosby, a 27-year-old Columbia University doctoral education student, was changing a flat tire at the time of the shooting. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j)\i
Puerto Rico virtually shuts down as tens of thousands of workers stage a general strike to protest against the privatization of the Puerto Rico Telephone Co. Union leaders say their aim is to force Governor Pedro Rossello to either abandon the sale or schedule a referendum so the island's voter's can make the decision for themselves. \I(Puerto Rico)\i
After extra time in the first World Cup \Jsoccer\j semi-final leaves the scores locked on 1-1, defending champions \JBrazil\j go on to win 4-2 on a penalty shoot-out against The Netherlands, securing a place in the 16th World Cup final against the winner of tomorrow's second semi-final between \JFrance\j and \JCroatia\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, The Netherlands, \JCroatia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, agrees to meet with Northern Ireland's protesting Orangemen, who remain locked in a standoff with security forces at the blockaded Garvaghy Road on the outskirts of Portadown. Mr. Blair makes clear, however, that he will not review the decision of the province's independent Parades Commission to ban last Sunday's Protestant Orange Order march from proceeding through the mainly Catholic area on the return journey from Drumcree Church. Meanwhile, First Minister of the new Northern Ireland Assembly, David Trimble, warns that unless the impasse is resolved quickly and peacefully, it could threaten all the political progress that has been made in the province in recent months. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he is close to concluding months of discussions on United States proposals for a further withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank, but that a deal will only be sealed when the Palestinians fulfil their security commitments. Mr. Netanyahu's statement comes in response to public calls from two key cabinet ministers for a swift conclusion to the marathon discussions, and also follows a fiery attack by Labor Party leader, Ehud Barak, who accused the Israeli leader of pushing the country towards a war with the Palestinians. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The United Nations General Assembly votes 124-4 to upgrade the status of the Palestinian UN observer delegation, overruling the opposition of Israel, the United States, and the Pacific island nations of the \JMarshall Islands\j and \JMicronesia\j. The upgrade will allow the Palestinian delegation to co-sponsor resolutions on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, raise points of order at meetings on Palestinian and \JMiddle East\j issues, exercise a right of reply, and take part in the Assembly's general debate. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA, \JMarshall Islands\j, \JMicronesia\j)\i
French officials announce that Syrian President, Hafez al-Assad, will visit Paris later this month at the invitation of President Jacques Chirac. The visit will be the Syrian leader's first in 22 years, and comes at a time of increasing French activity in \JMiddle East\j issues. Mr. Chirac himself has exhibited great sympathy for the Arab cause, recently urging Israel to withdraw unconditionally from southern \JLebanon\j and return the occupied Golan Heights to Syria. \I(\JFrance\j, Syria, \JLebanon\j)\i
Chief Moshood Abiola, 60, presumed winner of \JNigeria\j's annulled 1993 elections, collapses and dies of apparent cardiac arrest while discussing the military government's conditions for his release from prison during a meeting attended by visiting US Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering. Chief Abiola was jailed in 1994 by the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, and news of his death sparks riots in parts of Lagos, the main city of his southwestern homeland. The government, meanwhile, announces that it has ordered a post-mortem examination with the full participation of Chief Abiola's personal physicians to determine the actual cause of death. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
German car maker, Volkswagen AG, announces its decision to establish a private fund to assist individual victims who were forced to work for the company during World War II. Volkswagen, founded in 1938 to produce the "People's car," used around 7,000 slave laborers in the years 1944-45, but last month stated that it could not be held legally responsible and that compensation claims should be directed at the German state. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
A Santa Monica jury finds Ukrainian immigrant, Mikail Markhasev, 19, guilty of murdering the son of American entertainer Bill Cosby during an attempted robbery on a dark Los Angeles freeway on January 16, 1997. Ennis Cosby, a 27-year-old Columbia University doctoral education student, was changing a flat tire at the time of the shooting. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j)\i
One man is gored in the thigh and several others are injured or bruised on the first \Jday\j of the Spanish city of \JPamplona\j's annual running of the bulls festival. While injuries are common in the bull runs, there have also been 13 deaths this century. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
After extra time in the first World Cup \Jsoccer\j semi-final leaves the scores locked on 1-1, defending champions \JBrazil\j go on to win 4-2 on a penalty shoot-out against The Netherlands, securing a place in the 16th World Cup final against the winner of tomorrow's second semi-final between \JFrance\j and \JCroatia\j. \I(\JFrance\j, \JBrazil\j, The Netherlands, \JCroatia\j)\i
#
"July 8, 1998",917,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States scientists conclude that a man claiming to be a Pakistani atomic researcher is a \Jfraud\j who knows nothing about nuclear physics. US scientists have been questioning Iftikhar Khan Chaudry, 29, who last week made a number of broad allegations in relation to Islamabad's nuclear program, and offered to provide more detailed information in return for asylum in the US. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
South Korea orders the expulsion of Russian embassy councilor, Oleg Abramkin, accusing him of activities that go against his status as a diplomat. The order comes just four days after Moscow evicted a South Korean official on charges of spying, a move which drew protests and promises of retaliatory measures from Seoul. \I(South Korea, Russia)\i
Hundreds of members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions scuffle with police on the streets of Seoul during an attempted march on the presidential mansion, the Blue House. The union action is in protest against mass sackings, which were legalized earlier this year, and comes as the South Korean Government faces industrial unrest on several other fronts, including threatened rolling strikes at 14 major hospitals across the country. \I(South Korea)\i
The \JNew Zealand\j Government is ordered to return millions of dollars worth of central North Island land taken from \JMaori\j owners more than 30 years ago. It is the first time the government-appointed Waitangi Tribunal has issued an order of this kind. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Officials in \JBangladesh\j report that five days of heavy rain and flooding in the country's southeast have left 24 people dead, 50 injured, and some 400,000 marooned. The districts of \JChittagong\j and Cox's Bazar have born the brunt of the bad \Jweather\j, with communications cut for days and large sections of the highway between the areas still under \Jwater\j. Floods take their toll every year in \JBangladesh\j, with more than 5,000 people dying in the country's last major flooding in 1988. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
A new \JUNICEF\j report indicates that about a third of the world's children are without birth certificates, a situation that could jeopardize their access to schooling, health care, voting rights, bank accounts, and travel. The highest number of unregistered births are in east and south Asia, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, but according to \JUNICEF\j, a number of countries have no birth registration system at all. These countries include \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Georgia, \JBhutan\j, Laos, \JNepal\j, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Vietnam, and North Korea. \I(Asia, Africa, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Georgia, \JBhutan\j, Laos, \JNepal\j, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Vietnam, North Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States says is it currently engaged in an intensive end-game negotiation to get the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track and into permanent status talks. As part of its latest push, however, the US is warning that if a deal proposed six months ago is not accepted by Israel, the reasons will be publicly explained and the current mediation effort will be wound up. The US deal, which has already been accepted by the Palestinian Authority, calls for a phased Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank matched by a build-up of a Palestinian \Jinfrastructure\j to fight \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
The political directors of the six-nation Contact Group meet to map out the next steps in their efforts to bring the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j to a peaceful conclusion. German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, urges the group to keep up massive pressure on both Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas, who have become more militant and aggressive in their fight for independence. Mr. Kinkel also suggests that since the two sides show little sign of reaching a deal themselves, the Contact Group should begin drafting a possible peace settlement, but United States Balkans envoy, Robert Gelbard, cautions that there is a limit to how much the international community can impose. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
United States scientists conclude that a man claiming to be a Pakistani atomic researcher is a \Jfraud\j who knows nothing about nuclear physics. US scientists have been questioning Iftikhar Khan Chaudry, 29, who last week made a number of broad allegations in relation to Islamabad's nuclear program, and offered to provide more detailed information in return for asylum in the US. \I(USA, Pakistan)\i
The United States Government beings the first phase in notifying an estimated 290,000 people who received pre-1992 blood transfusions from donors who have since tested positive for the hepatitis C virus. Since 1992, screening tests have greatly reduced the risk of transfusion-borne viral transmission, with the chances of accidental infection now estimated at between 1-in-10,000 and 1-in-100,000. \I(USA)\i
Dow Corning, once the world's largest maker of silicone gel breast implants, agrees to pay $US3.2 billion in compensation to around 170,000 women worldwide who have filed claims against the company. The deal comes more than three years after Dow Corning filed for \Jbankruptcy\j court protection, and while the amount exceeds the $3 billion previously offered, it falls short of the $US3.8 billion being sought by a committee representing the women. \I(USA)\i
Fire fighters and hazardous material teams evacuate buildings and seal off surrounding areas after liquid believed to be acid is poured in the entrances to four \Jabortion\j clinics in southwest Houston. A dozen people are overcome by fumes and require treatment as a result of the incident, which will be investigated by the \JFBI\j under a 1994 law aimed at stopping anti-\Jabortion\j attacks. \I(USA)\i
A 77-year-old \JCalifornia\j man files a lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente, the state's largest health maintenance organization, over its refusal to pay for the impotence drug Viagra. With more than 2.5 million prescriptions written for Viagra since its launch in April, it is one of the most popular prescription drugs in United States history, and Kaiser has refused to pay for it, claiming that to offer national Viagra coverage would cost the organization at least $US100 million per year. Kaiser is not alone in its stand, with a lawsuit also filed against Oxford Health Plans Inc. by a Manhattan man who was denied coverage. Legal experts are predicting that the lawsuits will hinge on proving that a normal sex life is a medical necessity. \I(USA)\i
United States archaeologists excavating in the Jordanian port city of \JAqaba\j say they believe they have found the world's oldest remaining Christian church, a mud-brick structure probably built 1,700 years ago by the Christian community of Ayla. While acknowledging that they lack conclusive proof, the archaeologists say the building's size, layout, orientation to the east, and proximity to a cemetery all point to it being a church. \I(USA, Jordan)\i
France, creator and current host of the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, clinches a place in the final for the first time in its history with a 2-1 semi-final victory over \JCroatia\j in Paris. \JCroatia\j will now meet The Netherlands to determine third place in the tournament, while France will play for the coveted Cup against defending champions \JBrazil\j. \I(France, \JCroatia\j, The Netherlands, \JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The political directors of the six-nation Contact Group meet to map out the next steps in their efforts to bring the crisis in the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j to a peaceful conclusion. German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, urges the group to keep up massive pressure on both Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, and the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas, who have become more militant and aggressive in their fight for independence. Mr. Kinkel also suggests that since the two sides show little sign of reaching a deal themselves, the Contact Group should begin drafting a possible peace settlement, but United States Balkans envoy, Robert Gelbard, cautions that there is a limit to how much the international community can impose. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
As the Garvaghy Road standoff between Northern Ireland security forces and Protestant Orangemen enters its fourth \Jday\j, further violence erupts on the streets of \JBelfast\j, with angry Protestant gangs mounting roadblocks, hijacking and torching cars, and launching gun and bomb attacks against police. While Britain's Northern Ireland Minister, Mo Mowlam, warns that she will take action against Protestant paramilitary groups if it is confirmed that they are behind the attacks, attempts to reach a compromise over the banned Orange Order march make little progress, with the Orangemen refusing to negotiate with the Garvaghy Road residents association because its leader is a convicted member of the Irish Republican Army, but vowing to stay put until they are allowed to follow their traditional return route from Drumcree Church. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The United States says is it currently engaged in an intensive end-game negotiation to get the \JMiddle East\j peace process back on track and into permanent status talks. As part of its latest push, however, the US is warning that if a deal proposed six months ago is not accepted by Israel, the reasons will be publicly explained and the current mediation effort will be wound up. The US deal, which has already been accepted by the Palestinian Authority, calls for a phased Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank matched by a build-up of a Palestinian \Jinfrastructure\j to fight \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Nigeria's military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, appeals for calm after at least 19 people are killed in overnight riots sparked by the sudden death of prominent political detainee, Moshood Abiola, a man many Nigerians claimed to be the country's lawful president. The international community, meanwhile, is urgently calling on General Abubakar to announce a credible program to return Nigeria to democratic civilian rule, hopeful that such a program will find acceptance among Chief Abiola's supporters and put a stop to the violence. \I(Nigeria)\i
South Korea orders the expulsion of Russian embassy councilor, Oleg Abramkin, accusing him of activities that go against his status as a diplomat. The order comes just four days after Moscow evicted a South Korean official on charges of spying, a move which drew protests and promises of retaliatory measures from Seoul. \I(South Korea, Russia)\i
A new \JUNICEF\j report indicates that about a third of the world's children are without birth certificates, a situation that could jeopardize their access to schooling, health care, voting rights, bank accounts, and travel. The highest number of unregistered births are in east and south Asia, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, but according to \JUNICEF\j, a number of countries have no birth registration system at all. These countries include \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Georgia, \JBhutan\j, Laos, \JNepal\j, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Vietnam, and North Korea. \I(Asia, Africa, \JIraq\j, Saudi \JArabia\j, Georgia, \JBhutan\j, Laos, \JNepal\j, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Vietnam, North Korea)\i
United States archaeologists excavating in the Jordanian port city of \JAqaba\j say they believe they have found the world's oldest remaining Christian church, a mud-brick structure probably built 1,700 years ago by the Christian community of Ayla. While acknowledging that they lack conclusive proof, the archaeologists say the building's size, layout, orientation to the east, and proximity to a cemetery all point to it being a church. \I(USA, Jordan)\i
France, creator and current host of the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, clinches a place in the final for the first time in its history with a 2-1 semi-final victory over \JCroatia\j in Paris. \JCroatia\j will now meet The Netherlands to determine third place in the tournament, while France will play for the coveted Cup against defending champions \JBrazil\j. \I(France, \JCroatia\j, The Netherlands, \JBrazil\j)\i
#
"July 9, 1998",918,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says he expects to maintain US combat troops on the Korean peninsula even after any unification of North and South. Mr. Cohen also justifies the size of the US troop presence in \JJapan\j, insisting that any pullout would create a dangerous vacuum and threaten the stability of the Asia/Pacific region. In what China has criticized as an outdated \JCold War\j-era security arrangement, the US forward-deploys around 37,000 troops in South Korea and more than 40,000 troops in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j, China, Asia/Pacific)\i
Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, opens a three-\Jday\j congress of the nation's ruling Golkar Party, urging members to meet the new challenges of the reform era with positive thinking and a willingness to embrace change. Referring to promised general elections next year, Dr. Habibie says Golkar will face competition not only from existing parties but from new parties, and that its leaders should now come from the bottom up and not be imposed from the top. Backed by the military, Golkar has swept every election since 1971, and was ex-president Soeharto's main political vehicle during his 32 years in power. \I(Indonesia)\i
The World Meteorological Organization says the 1997-98 El Niño has waned, but that its cold sibling La Niña, or "the little girl," has appeared sooner that expected. The last major La Niña was in 1988, and unlike the El Niño \Jweather\j phenomenon, which disrupts global climate patterns by raising sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific up to 32 degrees \JCelsius\j in some places, La Niña is characterized by abnormally cold ocean conditions in the eastern Pacific, and its impact is essentially the reverse. The organization thereby forecasts that parts of South East Asia, still reeling from severe \Jdrought\j and fires, will experience heavy rains within the next few months, that the storm-ravaged west coast of \JLatin America\j will experience dryness, and that tropical cyclones may increase in the Caribbean area. \I(Asia/Pacific, \JLatin America\j, The Caribbean Islands)\i
Almost 400 people are reported to have died as a result of flooding caused by torrential rains in the southern half of China over the last four weeks. Officials in Sichuan province say the floods have killed at least 170 people and injured 1,750, while a total of 212 deaths have been recorded so far in the southern and eastern provinces of Guangxi, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Fujian. \I(China)\i
Indonesia's vulcanology office upgrades the country's most active \Jvolcano\j to "alert" status, warning that Mount Merapi has been shaken by frequent \Jearth\j tremors and shows increasingly heavy activity at the \Jlava\j dome. Mount Merapi, which dominates the southern plain of densely populated central Java, last erupted in January 1997. During one of its biggest recorded eruptions in 1994, heat clouds killed more than 60 people and forced the evacuation of more than 6,000. \I(Indonesia)\i
The United Nations Population Fund predicts that the world's population will reach six billion by mid-1999, a figure close to the total of all those who have lived on the Earth prior to this century. The UN says the world's population is now increasing by more than 80 million people each year, with fertility rates not expected to stabilize at replacement levels until 2055. At present, Asia accounts for over half the world's population with 3.5 billion people, while Africa has 778 million people, Europe 729 million, and \JNorth America\j 304 million. \I(Asia, Africa, Europe, \JNorth America\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Back in Washington after three days of shuttle diplomacy between \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, Richard Holbrooke concedes that the United States did not do enough to prevent a war in Bosnia, and is thereby determined to do everything it can to prevent the \JKosovo\j conflict from exploding into a general war. While recognizing the legitimate grievances of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, Mr. Holbrooke stresses that the US does not support their independence claims, and that the US goal is clear: to prevent the fighting from escalating, and to negotiate a settlement, which must include a change of status and the restoration of rights taken from \JKosovo\j's Albanian Muslims over the last decade. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, says he expects to maintain US combat troops on the Korean peninsula even after any unification of North and South. Mr. Cohen also justifies the size of the US troop presence in \JJapan\j, insisting that any pullout would create a dangerous vacuum and threaten the stability of the Asia/Pacific region. In what China has criticized as an outdated \JCold War\j-era security arrangement, the US forward-deploys around 37,000 troops in South Korea and more than 40,000 troops in \JJapan\j. \I(USA, The Koreas, \JJapan\j, China, Asia/Pacific)\i
At a conference called to discuss the creation of a permanent world criminal court, the United States says it will agree to the court only if its automatic \Jjurisdiction\j is limited to genocide, and only if that \Jjurisdiction\j is limited to suspects whose countries have signed the treaty to establish the tribunal. The US position has the support of \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j, but more than 50 countries, including Britain, Canada, and \JGermany\j, insist that the court should have broad powers to prosecute crimes against humanity or war crimes such as rape and torture, even if the suspect's country is not a signatory to the treaty. While the US objects on the grounds that it constantly has troops abroad who could be vulnerable to politically motivated charges, US opponents are arguing that loopholes created to protect Americans would also protect the world's dictators and war criminals. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, UK, Canada, \JGermany\j)\i
Violence flares again in \JNigeria\j's largest city, Lagos, amid reports that up to 45 people have now died as a result of rioting over the sudden death in detention of opposition leader, Moshood Abiola. Meanwhile, an international team of pathologists arrives in Lagos to perform an autopsy on Chief Abiola, who died from an apparent heart attack during a meeting on Tuesday with a United States delegation led by Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, flies into Tripoli bringing a team of doctors to attend Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, 56, who is suffering from a broken hip. Mr. Mubarak's mercy mission proceeds only after he obtains special permission from the United Nations committee monitoring sanctions imposed in 1992 after Libya refused to hand over two men suspected of being behind the bombing of a United States airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. The arrival of Mr. Mubarak is not only a triumph for Libya, but also for Egypt, which has taken the lead in the Arab world in lobbying for an end to the sanctions against Libya, which include a ban on flights in and out of the country. \I(Egypt, Libya, USA, UK)\i
US President Bill Clinton launches a $US2 billion blitz of provocative radio, \Jtelevision\j, newspaper, and \JInternet\j advertisements designed to shock children into avoiding illegal drugs. It is the largest ever anti-drug advertising campaign in the United States, and will be co-funded over the next five years by the government and the private sector. \I(USA)\i
A new study claims that the rate of young child poverty in the United States grew to 24.7 per cent in the years 1992 to 1996, up 12 per cent from a study covering the years 1979 to 1983. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, a non-profit research center at the Columbia School of Public Health, the biggest increases were in \JCalifornia\j, New York, and \JTexas\j, with the major contributing factors being single motherhood, parental education, and parental employment. The study was based on the government's 1996 poverty line of an annual income of $US16,036 for a family of four. \I(USA)\i
The World Meteorological Organization says the 1997-98 El Niño has waned, but that its cold sibling La Niña, or "the little girl," has appeared sooner that expected. The last major La Niña was in 1988, and unlike the El Niño \Jweather\j phenomenon, which disrupts global climate patterns by raising sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific up to 32 degrees \JCelsius\j in some places, La Niña is characterized by abnormally cold ocean conditions in the eastern Pacific, and its impact is essentially the reverse. The organization thereby forecasts that parts of South East Asia, still reeling from severe \Jdrought\j and fires, will experience heavy rains within the next few months, that the storm-ravaged west coast of \JLatin America\j will experience dryness, and that tropical cyclones may increase in the Caribbean area. \I(Asia/Pacific, \JLatin America\j, The Caribbean Islands)\i
The United Nations Population Fund predicts that the world's population will reach six billion by mid-1999, a figure close to the total of all those who have lived on the Earth prior to this century. The UN says the world's population is now increasing by more than 80 million people each year, with fertility rates not expected to stabilize at replacement levels until 2055. At present, Asia accounts for over half the world's population with 3.5 billion people, while Africa has 778 million people, Europe 729 million, and \JNorth America\j 304 million. \I(Asia, Africa, Europe, \JNorth America\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A meeting between British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and leaders of Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order fails to resolve the standoff over a banned march that is provoking violence across the province. Meanwhile, some 25,000 Protestant supporters have joined the Orangemen in their five-\Jday\j sit-down protest at Drumcree Church on the edge of Portadown, determined to force the illegal parade through barricaded Garvaghy Road. The Orangemen have taken the route each year since 1807, but this year's parade was banned from entering the mainly Catholic area by Northern Ireland's independent Parades Commission. \I(UK, Northern Ireland)\i
Back in Washington after three days of shuttle diplomacy between \JBelgrade\j and \JKosovo\j's provincial capital, \JPristina\j, Richard Holbrooke concedes that the United States did not do enough to prevent a war in Bosnia, and is thereby determined to do everything it can to prevent the \JKosovo\j conflict from exploding into a general war. While recognizing the legitimate grievances of \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians, Mr. Holbrooke stresses that the US does not support their independence claims, and that the US goal is clear: to prevent the fighting from escalating, and to negotiate a settlement, which must include a change of status and the restoration of rights taken from \JKosovo\j's Albanian Muslims over the last decade. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Violence flares again in \JNigeria\j's largest city, Lagos, amid reports that up to 45 people have now died as a result of rioting over the sudden death in detention of opposition leader, Moshood Abiola. Meanwhile, an international team of pathologists arrives in Lagos to perform an autopsy on Chief Abiola, who died from an apparent heart attack during a meeting on Tuesday with a United States delegation led by Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering. \I(\JNigeria\j, USA)\i
Ten civilians are killed and 21 seriously wounded when a bomb explodes in a crowed market in \JAlgeria\j's capital. The blast comes just one \Jday\j after Algerian troops claim to have shot dead one of the most notorious leaders of the country's Islamic insurgency. According to a government report, 24-year-old Khalifi Athmane, better known by his nom de guerre Hussein Flicha (Arrow), was killed along with 10 of his lieutenants during a \Jday\j-long offensive in the Bainmen forest above \JAlgiers\j. Athmane headed the Armed Islamic Group for the \JAlgiers\j region, one of the most feared Muslim militant factions in the country. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
A statement released by the office of the Lebanese military prosecutor says 77 people have been charged with spying for Israel, having provided the Jewish state with intelligence on the military activities of \JLebanon\j, \JSyria\j, and the Hezbollah guerrilla movement. Under Lebanese law, citizens are forbidden to contact or deal with Israel, and last year 87 Lebanese men were charged with collaboration and sentenced to 15 years in jail with hard labor. \I(\JLebanon\j, \JSyria\j, Israel)\i
Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, flies into Tripoli bringing a team of doctors to attend Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, 56, who is suffering from a broken hip. Mr. Mubarak's mercy mission proceeds only after he obtains special permission from the United Nations committee monitoring sanctions imposed in 1992 after Libya refused to hand over two men suspected of being behind the bombing of a United States airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. The arrival of Mr. Mubarak is not only a triumph for Libya, but also for Egypt, which has taken the lead in the Arab world in lobbying for an end to the sanctions against Libya, which include a ban on flights in and out of the country. \I(Egypt, Libya, USA, UK)\i
At a conference called to discuss the creation of a permanent world criminal court, the United States says it will agree to the court only if its automatic \Jjurisdiction\j is limited to genocide, and only if that \Jjurisdiction\j is limited to suspects whose countries have signed the treaty to establish the tribunal. The US position has the support of \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j, but more than 50 countries, including Britain, Canada, and \JGermany\j, insist that the court should have broad powers to prosecute crimes against humanity or war crimes such as rape and torture, even if the suspect's country is not a signatory to the treaty. While the US objects on the grounds that it constantly has troops abroad who could be vulnerable to politically motivated charges, US opponents are arguing that loopholes created to protect Americans would also protect the world's dictators and war criminals. \I(USA, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, UK, Canada, \JGermany\j)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale strikes the Portuguese mid-Atlantic \JAzores\j Islands, killing at least 10 people, injuring around 90 others, and leaving some 1,000 people homeless. Worst hit are the islands of Faial and Pico, although the quake is also felt on Terceira, Corvo, and Sao Jorge. \I(\JPortugal\j, \JAzores\j Islands)\i
The United Nations Population Fund predicts that the world's population will reach six billion by mid-1999, a figure close to the total of all those who have lived on the Earth prior to this century. The UN says the world's population is now increasing by more than 80 million people each year, with fertility rates not expected to stabilize at replacement levels until 2055. At present, Asia accounts for over half the world's population with 3.5 billion people, while Africa has 778 million people, Europe 729 million, and \JNorth America\j 304 million. \I(Asia, Africa, Europe, \JNorth America\j)\i
#
"July 10, 1998",919,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India reiterates that it will not bow to international pressure to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) unconditionally, but says it is prepared to discuss the pact and join negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. India, which provoked world outrage in May by conducting five underground nuclear tests, insists that the CTBT is discriminatory, allowing Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the United States to fine-tune their arsenal using non-explosive techniques while holding other states in check. \I(India, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, indicates that the UN might play a mediating role in restoring peace between the Mexican Government and Zapatista rebels in the violence-plagued state of Chiapas. Mr. Annan says he is currently studying materials and documents on the Chiapas conflict, and will discuss the situation with government officials and non-government groups after he arrives in \JMexico City\j on July 21. Talks between the government and Zapatista rebels broke off in September 1996, and the Mexican Government has since rejected any form of outside mediation. \I(Mexico)\i
The Pentagon announces that it has accepted the recommendation of a military judge, and that the United States pilot and navigator whose plane cut the cable of an Italian ski lift in February will face court-martial. US Marine pilot, Capt. Richard Ashby, 30, and navigator, Capt. Joseph P. Schweitzer, 30, will now appear before a military court on charges of involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, negligent \Jhomicide\j, damage to military property, damage to private property, and dereliction of duty. In line with the recommendation of the military judge, no charges will be brought against the two crewmen who manned the rear sets of the EA-6B Prowler plane. Twenty people were killed in the February 3 accident, which sparked outrage in \JItaly\j. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
India reiterates that it will not bow to international pressure to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) unconditionally, but says it is prepared to discuss the pact and join negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. India, which provoked world outrage in May by conducting five underground nuclear tests, insists that the CTBT is discriminatory, allowing Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the United States to fine-tune their arsenal using non-explosive techniques while holding other states in check. \I(India, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
The Roman Catholic diocese of \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j, agrees to pay $US23.4 million to nine former altar boys who suffered repeated sexual assault by a priest between 1981 and 1992. The diocese recently agreed to pay $US7.5 million to three other victims, bringing the total settlement deal to a record $US30.9 million, the largest ever paid by the \JCatholic Church\j in a sexual abuse case. All 12 former altar boys were the victims of the Rev. Rudolph Kos, 53, who was sentenced to life in prison on April 1 this year. At a civil trial in July last year, however, jurors ruled that senior church officials were guilty of gross negligence, malice, conspiracy, and \Jfraud\j for ignoring warnings about Kos and covering up evidence. \I(USA)\i
In Los Angeles, lawyers for O.J. Simpson begin an appeals process against a February 1997 civil judgment which found the former \JAmerican football\j star liable for the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, and ordered him to pay $US33.5 million in damages to the victims' families. Prior to the civil verdict, a criminal court jury found O.J. Simpson not guilty of the June 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two army helicopters ferry British troops to Drumcree village on the edge of Portadown as the bitter six-\Jday\j standoff over the Protestant Orange Order's blocked march turns violent, with 30 police injured in an overnight attack by protesters hurling bombs, bricks, and ball-bearings across barricaded Garvaghy Road. Meanwhile, the fragile Northern Ireland peace process is shaken yet again when police in Britain and Ireland arrest nine people in an operation aimed at foiling a bomb attack in London by dissident Irish republicans. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK)\i
India reiterates that it will not bow to international pressure to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) unconditionally, but says it is prepared to discuss the pact and join negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. India, which provoked world outrage in May by conducting five underground nuclear tests, insists that the CTBT is discriminatory, allowing Britain, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, and the United States to fine-tune their arsenal using non-explosive techniques while holding others in check. \I(India, UK, China, \JFrance\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, personally intervenes to secure world backing to help lift his country out of its economic crisis, speaking by \Jtelephone\j with German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, French President, Jacques Chirac, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The 67-year-old Russian leader also postpones his summer holiday in order to stay in Moscow next week, saying the country needs strong authority rather than a strong hand. The Russian Government is currently attempting to push its package of anti-crisis laws through the State \JDuma\j, and is also seeking a loan of up to $US15 billion from the International Monetary Fund. \I(Russia, \JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
The Pentagon announces that it has accepted the recommendation of a military judge, and that the United States pilot and navigator whose plane cut the cable of an Italian ski lift in February will face court-martial. US Marine pilot, Capt. Richard Ashby, 30, and navigator, Capt. Joseph P. Schweitzer, 30, will now appear before a military court on charges of involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j, negligent \Jhomicide\j, damage to military property, damage to private property, and dereliction of duty. In line with the recommendation of the military judge, no charges will be brought against the two crewmen who manned the rear sets of the EA-6B Prowler plane. Twenty people were killed in the February 3 accident, which sparked outrage in \JItaly\j. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
The \JAzores\j island of Faial is shaken by three strong tremors following yesterday's 5.8 \Jmagnitude\j \Jearthquake\j, which killed 10 people and left another 1,000 homeless. There are no reports of damage or casualties as a result of the latest tremors, which come among some 1,500 mostly imperceptible aftershocks. The Portuguese Government, meanwhile, estimates that the total cost of the damage caused by the major quake could exceed $US64 million. \I(\JAzores\j Islands, \JPortugal\j)\i
#
"July 11, 1998",920,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesia's new President, Jusuf Habibie, strengthens his hold over the country's politics when his executive secretary, Akbar Tanjung, is elected president of the ruling Golkar Party. In what is the first leadership vote in the party's history, Mr. Tanjung receives 17 of the 27 provincial votes to defeat rival candidate, Edy Sudrajat, a former armed services chief backed by supporters of ex-president Soeharto. Following his victory, Mr. Tanjung pledges to reform Golkar by ridding it of the nepotism, corruption, and collusion of the past. \I(Indonesia)\i
As \JPakistan\j begins to pay the price for its nuclear tests in May, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says the government faces imminent default on its $US30 billion external debt unless it receives an International Monetary Fund bail-out. With sanctions imposed by the United States and other G7 nations starting to bite, fears of an economic meltdown have led to a rush to buy dollars, causing the rupee to drop to a record low of around 63 to the dollar, compared with an official rate of 46. Panic selling by foreign and local investors has also caused the \JKarachi\j stock exchange to plunge to 777.26 points, compared with 2,000-plus in October 1997. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA)\i
A United States Vietnam War pilot, whose remains were exhumed and identified by DNA analysis after 14 years in the Tomb of the Unknowns, is reburied with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, south of St. Louis. The funeral of Michael Blassie is attended by hundreds of veterans, members of the military, and other civilians, including US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
The Australian Federal Government's legislation to fully privatize communications giant, Telstra, is rejected by the Senate following the last-minute decision of \JQueensland\j independent, Mal Colston, to vote against the bill. As part of an election vote-catching package, the government proposed using the bulk of the $AUD40 billion-plus proceeds of the sale to retire debt and fund tax cuts, and the shock rejection of the bill now throws the government's re-election plans into disarray. \I(Australia)\i
Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupts shortly before dawn with a roar heard 12 miles away. While the activity is minor and does not require the evacuation of residents in the vicinity, vulcanologists say the warning status for the \Jvolcano\j will remain at the highest level of alert in case more serious eruptions follow. Merapi's most serious eruption this century was in 1930, when some 1,300 people were killed. \I(Indonesia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As \JPakistan\j begins to pay the price for its nuclear tests in May, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says the government faces imminent default on its $US30 billion external debt unless it receives an International Monetary Fund bail-out. With sanctions imposed by the United States and other G7 nations starting to bite, fears of an economic meltdown have led to a rush to buy dollars, causing the rupee to drop to a record low of around 63 to the dollar, compared with an official rate of 46. Panic selling by foreign and local investors has also caused the \JKarachi\j stock exchange to plunge to 777.26 points, compared with 2,000-plus in October 1997. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA)\i
A United States Vietnam War pilot, whose remains were exhumed and identified by DNA analysis after 14 years in the Tomb of the Unknowns, is reburied with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, south of St. Louis. The funeral of Michael Blassie is attended by hundreds of veterans, members of the military, and other civilians, including US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Following an emotional service in Apple Valley, \JCalifornia\j, America's "King of the Cowboys," Roy Rogers, who died aged 86 on Monday, is buried at sunset in true Western tradition. Earlier, an estimated 3,000 fans threw flowers as a hearse carrying the body of the singing cowboy circled the Roy Rogers museum in Victorville where his famous horse Trigger is stuffed and mounted. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Mediated negotiations between Protestant Orangemen and Catholic nationalists fail to break the bitter standoff over the banned Orange Order march in Portadown, Northern Ireland. At the site of the standoff, meanwhile, police and soldiers continue to battle Protestant mobs demanding that the marchers be allowed to take their traditional return route from Drumcree Church. Sectarian tensions are further heightened when three young brothers are burnt to death in their beds in an anti-Catholic firebomb attack in Ballymoney, County Antrim, an attack authorities say was sparked by the Drumcree deadlock. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Nigerian political leader, Moshood Abiola, who died in detention earlier this week, is buried amid wild scenes of grief and anger. Despite accusations that the military murdered Chief Abiola to stop him claiming the presidency, an autopsy, performed at the family's request by a team of international experts, shows that he died of natural causes as a result of long-standing \Jheart disease\j. In announcing their findings, however, the team members say further tests will be conducted over the next three weeks for the sake of completeness. \I(Nigeria)\i
Turkey rejects a compromise to avert the installation of Russian S-300 anti-\Jaircraft\j missiles on southern Cyprus, threatening instead to boost its forces in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In an attempt to defuse the looming crisis, Cypriot President, Glafcos Clerides, earlier offered to cancel or prevent deployment of the missiles in return for progress towards a settlement on the island, which has been divided between Turks and Greeks since 1974. \I(Turkey, Russia, Cyprus, \JGreece\j)\i
After a 12-hour siege, 40 armed Italian police capture Francesco Schiavone, the most wanted boss of the Camorra, the Neapolitan version of the Mafia. Schiavone, 44, is accused of carrying out a dozen murders, including the elimination of his two predecessors, and is said to control a crime empire worth 5,000 billion lire, built up largely through the extortion of money on lucrative public works contracts in Campania. Schiavone has been on the run for five years, but was finally discovered hiding out in a three-floor bunker beneath an outhouse in the grounds of his villa at Casal di Principe in the province of Caserta. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
In what has been a history-making debut tournament appearance, \JCroatia\j wins the battle for third place in the 16th World Cup \Jsoccer\j championships in \JFrance\j with a vigorous 2-1 victory over The Netherlands. \I(\JCroatia\j, The Netherlands, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"July 12, 1998",921,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffers a major defeat, winning only 44 seats in elections for half of the 252 seats in the Upper House, a tally far short of the party's minimum target of 61 seats. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is now expected to step down, a move that will throw the country's economic recovery efforts into disarray. Mr. Hashimoto came to office in January 1996, but since then, the yen has tumbled to an eight-year low and Japan's worst post-war recession has taken hold. \I(Japan)\i
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
South Korea's armed forces issue a security alert and launch a full-scale manhunt after the body of a heavily armed North Korean infiltrator in a black wetsuit is discovered on an east coast beach about 90 kilometers south of the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas. The urgency of the hunt is fueled by the fact that a propeller-driven device capable of transporting three to five divers is also found quite close to the body, indicating that the suspected Northern spy may not have been alone. \I(The Koreas)\i
The Hong Kong-based Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China says nine Chinese activists were detained last Friday for trying to register the Chinese Democratic Party. The Group says four of the nine have since been released, and that at least three others could face punishment for mounting the challenge to Communist one-party rule. \I(China, Hong Kong)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
High-level talks fail to end the five-week United Auto Workers' strike against General Motors Corp., with the auto maker rejecting union demands and vowing to achieve its cost-cutting goals. The dispute, which has forced General Motors to shut down virtually its entire North American operations, idling nearly 180,000 workers, centers on union demands that General Motors honor an earlier commitment to invest $US300 million in what the auto maker now insists is a non-competitive business. \I(USA)\i
France becomes the seventh nation to win the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, achieving a 3-0 victory in the final against defending champions and four-time winners, \JBrazil\j. It is the first time in more than three decades that there has been a new name on one of the most coveted trophies in world sport, and the honor finally goes to host France more than 70 years after Frenchmen, Henri Delaunay and Jules Rimet, came up with the idea for the global festival of football. Following France's victory, the whole country engages in a massive street party, with millions of people bursting onto the streets to dance, sing, and wave French flags in what is probably the most spectacular national celebration since Liberation in 1944. \I(France, \JBrazil\j)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Despite entreaties from politicians and clerics, Northern Irish Protestant Orangemen enter the eighth \Jday\j of a standoff with British troops, and vow to maintain their protest against a ban on the Order marching through Portadown's Catholic Garvaghy Road. However, the ranks of the protesters camped out around Drumcree church have been significantly reduced since news was released of the firebomb deaths of three children from a mixed marriage, with mounting anxiety over the tragic and senseless loss of the three young boys' lives adding to pressure on the Portadown Orangemen to abandon their militant stand. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Nigeria's National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) calls on military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to establish an all-civilian transitional government of national unity by October 1. NADECO recommends that the government serve four to five years, and be assembled from 24 respected Nigerians, four each from the six main regions, who would then meet to elect a chairman. The call for national unity follows the recent deaths of the two rival claimants to Nigeria's presidency: former military leader, General Sani Abacha, who was expected to be elected unopposed in October elections but who died suddenly on June 8, and opposition politician, Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of annulled 1993 elections, who died in detention on July 7. \I(Nigeria)\i
The top spot in \IForbes\i magazine's annual list of the world's 50 most competitive corporations goes to General Electric Co., which last week reported a record $US2.45 billion in second-quarter profits. Ranked second in the World Super 50 is British bank HSBC Holdings Plc, followed by Royal Dutch-Shell Group, which has headed the list for the last three years. Twenty-seven of the Super 50 are United States companies, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., and International Business Machines (\JIBM\j) Corp., while other well-known foreign companies on the list include \JJapan\j's Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp., \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz AG., and British Petroleum Co. Plc. \I(USA, UK, The Netherlands, \JJapan\j, \JGermany\j)\i
France becomes the seventh nation to win the World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament, achieving a 3-0 victory in the final against defending champions and four-time winners, \JBrazil\j. It is the first time in more than three decades that there has been a new name on one of the most coveted trophies in world sport, and the honor finally goes to host France more than 70 years after Frenchmen, Henri Delaunay and Jules Rimet, came up with the idea for the global festival of football. Following France's victory, the whole country engages in a massive street party, with millions of people bursting onto the streets to dance, sing, and wave French flags in what is probably the most spectacular national celebration since Liberation in 1944. \I(France, \JBrazil\j)\i
Wimbledon champion, Jana Novotna, caps a glorious homecoming when she defeats \JFrance\j's Sandrine Testud in the final of the Czech Women's Open tennis tournament. In men's tennis, \JSpain\j's Alex Corretja beats \JGermany\j's Boris Becker to take the Swiss Open Tournament at Gstaad, and Sweden's Magnus Gustafsson beats \JUkraine\j's Andrei Medvedev to clinch the Swedish Open at Bastad. \I(UK, Czech Republic, \JFrance\j, \JSpain\j, \JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, Sweden, \JUkraine\j)\i
South Korea's Se Ri Pak matches the lowest under-par achievement in United States LPGA history when she finishes 23-under-261 to win the Jamie Farr women's golf classic at Sylvania, Ohio, by nine strokes. At Luss, Scotland, meanwhile, Briton Lee Westwood scrapes in by one shot to win the World Invitational tournament. \I(South Korea, USA, UK)\i
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher wins the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, England, after stewards cancel the 10-second penalty originally given to him. The controversial win takes the German driver to within two points of world championship leader, Mika Hakkinen of \JFinland\j. \I(UK, \JGermany\j, \JFinland\j)\i
#
"July 13, 1998",922,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following the humiliating defeat of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in yesterday's Upper House elections, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announces that he is resigning as party leader and prime minister. Mr. Hashimoto's successor will be the nation's ninth prime minister in as many years, but will not be chosen for at least two weeks. Anxieties over the leadership vacuum and a policy paralysis on urgently-needed economic reforms set off a slide on financial markets, with the yen tumbling to 144.5 to the dollar in early trading, and the Nikkei share index dropping 1.69 per cent in the first 15 minutes. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
As South Korea continues to scour its northeast coast following the discovery of the body of a suspected Northern spy, top defense officials meet with United States military officers to discuss joint operations against any future infiltration. Meanwhile, the United Nations Command, representing South Korean and US military forces, condemns the latest incident during a meeting with North Korean military representatives at the UN truce village of Panmunjom, saying such incursions raise the level of tension on the peninsula and must stop. Last month, a North Korean submarine was seized off the South's eastern coast, with all nine sailors and commandos aboard found dead in what is believed to have been a murder-suicide to avoid capture. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
Cambodian opposition politician, Ram Rainsy, says the country's general elections on July 26 will be a \Jfarce\j with a foregone conclusion, accusing leader Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of planning to fix the results. Mr. Rainsy also reiterates complaints of violence and intimidation on the part of the CPP, complaints which Hun Sen has denied, insisting that opposition parties are attributing political motives to ordinary crimes. \I(Cambodia)\i
Sri Lanka's Tamil political parties call for an immediate government investigation into allegations by international human rights groups that around 600 people disappeared in Jaffna when government troops took control of the peninsula in 1996 after ousting Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas from their long-time stronghold. Lending weight to the allegations is a statement from a soldier sentenced to death for the murder of a Tamil schoolgirl in the same year. The soldier states that he is prepared to identify the mass graves of 400 Tamil youths. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
Hong Kong's Ombudsman launches an inquiry into problems at the territory's newly opened Chek Lap Kok international airport, which have not only been causing chaos for passengers, but for wholesalers and importers. Problems with air bridges have left passengers stranded in \Jaircraft\j for hours and luggage has been lost due to faults in the baggage handling system, while freight continues to litter the tarmac as a result of a computer error which erased all inventory records, and a mechanical breakdown in the loading system has left workers unable to process shipments. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement telling Israel not to act on its decision to extend the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j and to refrain from taking any other steps which would \Jprejudice\j the outcome of permanent status negotiations with the Palestinians. The council also serves notice that it will keep Israeli actions under review, opening the way for further UN measures in the event of non-compliance. The council statement, however, carries less weight than a resolution condemning Israel, which the United States, while critical of the Jewish state's plans for \JJerusalem\j, says it would have vetoed given that Washington is currently trying to secure agreement for a further Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
As South Korea continues to scour its northeast coast following the discovery of the body of a suspected Northern spy, top defense officials meet with United States military officers to discuss joint operations against any future infiltration. Meanwhile, the United Nations Command, representing South Korean and US military forces, condemns the latest incident during a meeting with North Korean military representatives at the UN truce village of Panmunjom, saying such incursions raise the level of tension on the peninsula and must stop. Last month, a North Korean submarine was seized off the South's eastern coast, with all nine sailors and commandos aboard found dead in what is believed to have been a murder-suicide to avoid capture. \I(The Koreas, USA)\i
An Italian judge rejects prosecutors' demands that seven United States servicemen stand trial for \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the deaths of 20 people in the February 3 cable car disaster near the resort town of Cavalese. Prosecutors were calling for the trial of the four-man crew of the military plane which sliced the lines of the cable car, as well as their squadron leader and two other US officials from the Aviano airbase. However, the judge rules not to proceed because of \JItaly\j's lack of \Jjurisdiction\j over the seven men, two of whom are now facing court martial in the US. \JItaly\j effectively renounced \Jjurisdiction\j when it signed accords with \JNATO\j and the US relating to crimes of servicemen stationed abroad. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
Despite the sex and \Jperjury\j scandal plaguing America's \JWhite House\j, two new polls show that President Bill Clinton's job approval rating continues to rise, with one poll registering 63 per cent approval, up from 59 per cent in June, and the other poll registering 61.2 per cent approval, up from a low of 55.8 per cent in January when prosecutor Kenneth Starr launched his investigation into the alleged Monica Lewinsky affair. The Lewinsky case, however, has damaged Mr. Clinton's personal ratings, with one of the polls showing that 63 per cent of respondents do not believe that the president has high moral and ethical standards, and that 60 per cent of respondents do not believe he is honest and trustworthy. \I(USA)\i
A new record for air bag-related recalls is set when General Motors Corp. recalls 862,962 1996 and 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire cars, and 102,627 1995 Cadillac Eldorado, Seville, and Deville cars. General Motors says it took the action in response to 301 reports of air bags inadvertently deploying and resulting in 161 injuries. While they have been proven to save lives, air bags have also come under heavy fire for deploying with too much force and posing a risk to children and small adults. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fears of a further escalation of violence in Northern Ireland are allayed when a Protestant Orange Order march passes peacefully along \JBelfast\j's Lower Ormeau Road, with Catholic residents of the area choosing to demonstrate their opposition in a silent protest with black flags and black balloons, their somber mood reflecting the shocked reaction throughout the province to the horrific firebomb deaths of three little boys in County Antrim. Meanwhile, police arrest two men in connection with the sectarian attack, a tragedy that has also put additional pressure on protesting Orangemen at Drumcree to give up their nine-\Jday\j fight to break the British security forces barricade and march along Catholic Garvaghy Road. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement telling Israel not to act on its decision to extend the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j and to refrain from taking any other steps which would \Jprejudice\j the outcome of permanent status negotiations with the Palestinians. The council also serves notice that it will keep Israeli actions under review, opening the way for further UN measures in the event of non-compliance. The council statement, however, carries less weight than a resolution condemning Israel, which the United States, while critical of the Jewish state's plans for \JJerusalem\j, says it would have vetoed given that Washington is currently trying to secure agreement for a further Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Russia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reach agreement on terms for a massive bail-out package, which will allow the government breathing space as it struggles to meet debt servicing obligations and stave off a possible \Jdevaluation\j of the ruble. Russia's chief debt negotiator, Anatoly Chubais, says the package amounts to $US22.6 billion in new credits spread over the next two years, with $US14.8 billion to be received from the IMF and other lenders in 1998. \I(Russia)\i
An Italian judge rejects prosecutors' demands that seven United States servicemen stand trial for \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the deaths of 20 people in the February 3 cable car disaster near the resort town of Cavalese. Prosecutors were calling for the trial of the four-man crew of the military plane which sliced the lines of the cable car, as well as their squadron leader and two other US officials from the Aviano airbase. However, the judge rules not to proceed because of \JItaly\j's lack of \Jjurisdiction\j over the seven men, two of whom are now facing court martial in the US. \JItaly\j effectively renounced \Jjurisdiction\j when it signed accords with \JNATO\j and the US relating to crimes of servicemen stationed abroad. \I(\JItaly\j, USA)\i
#
"July 14, 1998",923,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The first head of China's new Science and Technology Ministry, Zhu Lilan, arrives in Taipei to attend a seminar on cross-strait science and technology exchanges. While Ms. Zhu comes to the seminar in her private capacity as a university professor, she is the first cabinet minister from communist China to visit \JTaiwan\j since it became estranged from the mainland in 1949. Acknowledging the significance of her trip, Ms. Zhu says she hopes it will pave new ways for bilateral cooperation. \I(China, \JTaiwan\j)\i
Nguyen Ngoc Loan, the former South Vietnamese national police commander whose impromptu street execution of a Vietcong prisoner was frozen in a prize-winning photograph, dies aged 67 of cancer at his home in Burke, Virginia. Published around the world, the picture shows Loan pointing a \Jpistol\j at the head of a man captured during the 1968 Tet offensive, and won a Pulitzer Prize for photographer, Eddie Adams. Loan fled to the United States after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, and for many years operated a pizza parlor in Dale City. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Tens of thousands of South Korean workers launch a two-\Jday\j strike to protest against wage cuts and layoffs, and to demand advance discussions with the government before major economic restructuring steps are taken. The strike, declared illegal by the government, leaves major work sites idle, including those of car makers Hyundai Motor Co. and Daewoo Motor Co. \I(South Korea)\i
In an unexpected move, the group editor-in-chief of \JMalaysia\j's Utusan media group submits his resignation to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. All Malaysian newspapers must obtain yearly publishing permits from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which Dr. Mahathir heads, and in submitting his resignation, editor Johan Jaafar says he does not wish his presence to impede the progress of the group's newspapers and publications. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Bill Clinton announces initiatives to help United States businesses address the so-called Y2K bug, the potentially catastrophic problem that could result from the failure of computers to recognize the year 2000 in date fields. Describing the problem as one of the most complex management challenges in history, Mr. Clinton says he will submit legislation to Congress to promote a more open sharing of relevant information, including protection from lawsuits for companies who offer up solutions that prove to be wrong. \I(USA)\i
Amateur footage of the 1963 assassination of former United States President, John F. Kennedy, goes on sale for the first time as a video. The 26 seconds of film taken by \JDallas\j salesman, Abraham Zapruder, from the foot of the infamous "grassy knoll," has been digitally enhanced and incorporated in a 45-minute video entitled \IImage of an Assassination,\i and retails at $US19.98. \I(USA)\i
In the largest penalty ever levied against an airline, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that America West Airlines is to pay $US2.5 million under an agreement reached to settle maintenance violations. The agreement also calls for America West to improve its safety procedures to levels beyond those required by federal law or face an additional $US2.5 million in fines. While all problems detected in recent inspections have since been corrected, the FAA says it will keep the airline on heightened surveillance for the next 12 months. \I(USA)\i
Nguyen Ngoc Loan, the former South Vietnamese national police commander whose impromptu street execution of a Vietcong prisoner was frozen in a prize-winning photograph, dies aged 67 of cancer at his home in Burke, Virginia. Published around the world, the picture shows Loan pointing a \Jpistol\j at the head of a man captured during the 1968 Tet offensive, and won a Pulitzer Prize for photographer, Eddie Adams. Loan fled to the United States after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, and for many years operated a pizza parlor in Dale City. \I(USA, Vietnam)\i
Dallas officials declare a public health emergency and take measures to protect the elderly and the sick as the death toll from a blistering heat wave rises to 16. Over the past nine days, temperatures have exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, peaking at an 18-year high of 110 degrees, and meteorologists warn that the sweltering temperatures are likely to continue for some time. Meanwhile, a state of emergency is declared in central \JTennessee\j, where heavy rainstorms have cut electricity, \Jwater\j, and \Jtelephone\j services to thousands of residents, and flash floods have destroyed homes, washed out roads, and undermined bridges, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Israel rejects a United Nations Security Council statement calling on the Jewish state not to act on its decision to extend the boundaries of \JJerusalem\j, insisting that it is purely a municipal matter and that the UN cannot intervene. Israel says the shift in \JJerusalem\j's municipal boundaries is aimed at boosting its economy and \Jinfrastructure\j, and will apply strictly to areas west of the city within the pre-1967 war lines. \I(Israel)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, urges leaders of the State \JDuma\j to support his government's austerity package, due to be considered by the House this week. Implementation of the package is crucial to final approval of a massive International Monetary Fund loan, the announcement of which has already sent the share market surging a record 17 per cent. \I(Russia)\i
Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, loses the first round of an opposition censure motion against him, with a second round of voting expected in the coming week. Mr. Yilmaz, who is accused of corruption in a land deal, has survived four similar censure motions since he took office in June 1997. \I(Turkey)\i
Around 2,000 Turkish soldiers are airlifted 10 kilometers inside Kurdish-held northern \JIraq\j and some 7,000 commandos are mobilized to comb the border area after heavily armed Kurdistan Workers Party guerrillas attack an isolated army post in the far southeastern corner of Turkey, killing 22 Turkish troops. It is the biggest single strike by the guerrilla group in three years, and runs counter to recent claims that the Turkish military has all but defeated the Kurdish rebels, who have been fighting for self-rule since 1984. \I(Turkey, \JIraq\j)\i
Britain's Labour Government announces a £57 billion rise in public spending over the next three years, an announcement described by Downing Street as the most significant since the party came to power last May. Half of the money is to go to hospitals and schools in what will be the biggest increase in spending on health and education in the country's history. \I(UK)\i
#
"July 15, 1998",924,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States restores farm export credits to India and \JPakistan\j, cut off as part of economic sanctions imposed after the two Asian nations conducted underground nuclear tests in May this year. \JPakistan\j is the number 3 customer for US wheat, and Congress believed that the sanctions were backfiring, threatening to punish US farmers rather than discipline the world's newest nuclear powers. The timing of the move will now allow US wheat producers to bid for upcoming contracts in both India and \JPakistan\j. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
As demoralized members of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) convene for a second \Jday\j, Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi, head of the party's largest faction, emerges as the front-runner to replace Ryutaro Hashimoto as LDP president and the country's new prime minister. Mr. Hashimoto is resigning from both posts to accept the blame for last Sunday's Upper House election defeat, regarded within the party as a no-confidence vote in policies that have failed to prevent \JJapan\j from sliding into its worst recession since World War II. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Hong Kong's Legislative Council crushes the first challenge to the electoral system since the territory reverted to Chinese rule, voting against a motion moved by pro-democracy members for full direct elections of the 60-seat chamber in 2000, as well as direct popular elections of the chief executive in 2002 when the current five-year term expires. Under the present system, only 20 seats in the legislature are directly elected, and the territory's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, was appointed by \JBeijing\j last July. \I(Hong Kong, China)\i
New \JPhilippines\j President, Joseph Estrada, orders an investigation into a number of contracts approved without bidding by his predecessor, Fidel Ramos. The contracts in question were signed over the past six months, and involve the release of up to 3.64 billion pesos of government funds. The presidential move comes just one \Jday\j after Mr. Ramos criticized Mr. Estrada for rehabilitating business allies of the late Ferdinand Marcos who were being prosecuted by the Ramos government for \Jembezzlement\j. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Around 200 passengers arrive in \JHavana\j aboard a chartered United Airlines jet, the first direct flight from the United States to \JCuba\j in two years. The resumption of direct flights coincides with new US restrictions on sea protests against the Cuban Government, with most of \JFlorida\j's coast now declared a security zone, and small, privately-owned vessels leaving from almost anywhere in the state required to obtain permits before entering Cuba's territorial waters. The twin US actions signal a step back from the past policy of confrontation with the communist island. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
The United States restores farm export credits to India and \JPakistan\j, cut off as part of economic sanctions imposed after the two Asian nations conducted underground nuclear tests in May this year. \JPakistan\j is the number 3 customer for US wheat, and Congress believed that the sanctions were backfiring, threatening to punish US farmers rather than discipline the world's newest nuclear powers. The timing of the move will now allow US wheat producers to bid for upcoming contracts in both India and \JPakistan\j. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Colombia's second largest Marxist guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, and the ultra-right paramilitary alliance known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, both say they are ready to start negotiations with civic leaders and the incoming government of president-elect, Andres Pastrana. While the two groups are united in their desire to end over three decades of fighting in the Andean nation, they flatly refuse to negotiate with each other, and maintain that they will not lay down their weapons or demobilize in the short term. \I(Colombia)\i
California's Proposition 227, a new law mandating "English Only" programs in the state's schools, clears a major hurdle when a federal judge finds no legal reason to block it. There are around 1.4 million schoolchildren with limited or no English skills in California, and while the plan to scrap bilingual education is opposed by President Bill Clinton and almost every major state official, it still drew wide support in a June 2 vote, following which the request for an injunction was filed. \I(USA)\i
Princess Stephanie of Monaco sparks a fresh round of scandalous speculation when she gives birth to her third child, a baby girl named Camille Marie Kelly Grimaldi. The 33-year-old princess, daughter of Prince Rainier and former American film star Grace Kelly, is divorced from her first husband, and is refusing to reveal the identity of the new baby's father. \I(Monaco, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Police in Northern Ireland make 13 arrests as officers move in to recover dangerous munitions from a gang of protesters, who earlier tried to break down barriers erected by security forces to prevent the Protestant Orange Order from proceeding with a banned march along Portadown's mainly Catholic Garvaghy Road. The clashes between security forces and protesters have become a nightly event since July 5, when police and troops first enforced the ban blocking the Orangemen from following the traditional route on their annual march from nearby Drumcree church. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Rebels of the \JSudan\j People's Liberation Army agree to an immediate unilateral three-month cease-fire to allow food aid to flow to \Jfamine\j victims in the country's south, where more than two million people are facing starvation. The cease-fire decision comes as a result of pressure from the international community, but does not yet extend to government forces or to other factions fighting on the ground. \I(\JSudan\j)\i
Russia's opposition-dominated State \JDuma\j passes a number of the government's new austerity measures, which are aimed at easing the current economic crisis and securing a multi-billion-dollar International Monetary Fund assistance program. However, at least nine more draft laws are still to be considered, including a revision of personal income tax rules and procedures regarding value added taxes. While President Boris Yeltsin has the constitutional right to introduce some of the measures by decree, he is not empowered to change tax legislation. \I(Russia)\i
In a speech to the European Parliament, Gerhard Schroder, the German Social Democratic Party's (SDP) candidate for chancellor, abandons his previous Euro-skeptic stand, voicing strong support for the single European currency, and urging that it be accompanied by closer coordination of economic policies and more tax harmonization among European Union member states. Political observers say Mr. Schroder's change of heart indicates his confidence in the SDP's ability to win the September 27 elections, an outcome that is already widely anticipated. \I(\JGermany\j, Europe)\i
Princess Stephanie of Monaco sparks a fresh round of scandalous speculation when she gives birth to her third child, a baby girl named Camille Marie Kelly Grimaldi. The 33-year-old princess, daughter of Prince Rainier and former American film star Grace Kelly, is divorced from her first husband, and is refusing to reveal the identity of the new baby's father. \I(Monaco, USA)\i
#
"July 16, 1998",925,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A five-week conference in \JRome\j to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, nears its conclusion with major differences between the United States and some 60 like-minded democracies still unresolved. The so-called like-minded states from Europe, Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j are insisting that the court should be strong and independent, and that there should be no exemptions from its \Jjurisdiction\j, rejecting a US plan, backed by \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, that would allow states to opt out of the court's \Jjurisdiction\j for a period of at least ten years. The US is also arguing that the court should not be allowed to take proceedings against nationals of a state that is not party to the founding treaty, a move that would avoid the risk of Americans serving abroad being indicted on politically-motivated charges. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
The US State Department insists that there has been no decision to eliminate sanctions imposed on India and \JPakistan\j in the wake of May's nuclear tests. Earlier this week, Congress agreed to restore farm credits to the two Asian nations, and the Senate proceeded to pass measures granting the \JWhite House\j authority to waive all sanctions for up to one year. In moving to quell speculation arising from the Senate vote, the State Department stresses that the purpose of such authority is to provide flexibility, and that its use will require a substantial change in the positions of India and \JPakistan\j, including a commitment not to conduct further tests or to make nuclear weapons or more fissile materials. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
The World Bank reveals that independent auditors have been hired to investigate evidence of possible \Jembezzlement\j within its own ranks. Projects currently under scrutiny include bank-funded efforts in \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, and \JIndonesia\j, while one phase of the investigation has already led to a civil lawsuit in the United States seeking to recover tens of thousands of dollars in alleged kickbacks received by a former bank official from a contractor on a \Jwater\j utility project in \JAlgeria\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JAlgeria\j)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves an immediate $US1 billion disbursement to \JIndonesia\j, the first payment to be made from an existing $US43 billion bailout package since Jakarta erupted in riots and forced the resignation of ex-president Soeharto in May. News of the IMF move triggers a surge in the Indonesian rupiah, which finishes trading at 13,500 to the US dollar, up 6 per cent from its 14,400 close the previous \Jday\j. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Ultra-nationalist veteran, Seiroku Kajiyama, announces his candidacy for \JJapan\j's vacant prime ministership, a decision that is likely to split the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over the leadership and possibly provoke a number of other candidates to challenge Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi. Mr. Kajiyama is said to have the backing of business groups and some economic reformers within the LDP, and his surprise announcement boosts financial markets, with the Nikkei index rising 117.78 points, and the yen firming to 139.98 to the US dollar. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Former \JBeijing\j Communist Party chief, Chen Xitong, is indicted by Chinese prosecutors on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. Mr. Chen, 68, the most senior Communist Party official ever exposed in a corruption scandal, was also \JBeijing\j's mayor, and was purged by the party in 1995 following the suicide of a protégé under investigation in a $US37 million \Jembezzlement\j case. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A five-week conference in \JRome\j to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, nears its conclusion with major differences between the United States and some 60 like-minded democracies still unresolved. The so-called like-minded states from Europe, Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j are insisting that the court should be strong and independent, and that there should be no exemptions from its \Jjurisdiction\j, rejecting a US plan, backed by \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, that would allow states to opt out of the court's \Jjurisdiction\j for a period of at least ten years. The US is also arguing that the court should not be allowed to take proceedings against nationals of a state that is not party to the founding treaty, a move that would avoid the risk of Americans serving abroad being indicted on politically-motivated charges. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
President Bill Clinton pledges United States support to strengthen \JRomania\j's candidacy for entry to \JNATO\j in a possible second wave of expansion, stressing the need for accelerated free market reforms to consolidate the political transition and reinvigorate the economic transition of the post-communist country. Following next year's entry of \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic, the two countries most likely to be considered if \JNATO\j decides to enlarge further are \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. \I(USA, \JRomania\j, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, \JSlovenia\j)\i
The US State Department insists that there has been no decision to eliminate sanctions imposed on India and \JPakistan\j in the wake of May's nuclear tests. Earlier this week, Congress agreed to restore farm credits to the two Asian nations, and the Senate proceeded to pass measures granting the \JWhite House\j authority to waive all sanctions for up to one year. In moving to quell speculation arising from the Senate vote, the State Department stresses that the purpose of such authority is to provide flexibility, and that its use will require a substantial change in the positions of India and \JPakistan\j, including a commitment not to conduct further tests or to make nuclear weapons or more fissile materials. \I(USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton once again renews the six-month waiver on the controversial Helms-Burton law, which would require Washington to penalize foreign companies that invest in \JCuba\j. Mr. Clinton has issued six-month waivers since signing the law in 1996. In doing so this time, he cites Pope John Paul's January visit to the communist island, as well as a May agreement with the European Union promising protection from US sanctions in return for EU efforts to halt the spread of sensitive technology to countries such as \JIran\j and \JLibya\j, and to deter investments in illegally expropriated properties in countries such as \JCuba\j. \I(USA, Europe, \JIran\j, \JCuba\j)\i
The World Bank reveals that independent auditors have been hired to investigate evidence of possible \Jembezzlement\j within its own ranks. Projects currently under scrutiny include bank-funded efforts in \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, and \JIndonesia\j, while one phase of the investigation has already led to a civil lawsuit in the United States seeking to recover tens of thousands of dollars in alleged kickbacks received by a former bank official from a contractor on a \Jwater\j utility project in \JAlgeria\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JAlgeria\j)\i
The United States Justice Department goes to the Supreme Court requesting a stay to temporarily block the testimony of Secret Service presidential bodyguards before a grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr to investigate Mr. Clinton's relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. The urgent legal move on behalf of the Clinton administration comes as the special agent in charge of the president's security detail appears before the grand jury in response to a \Jsubpoena\j from Mr. Starr. \I(USA)\i
Lockheed Martin Corp. announces that it has dropped plans to buy rival defense contractor, Northrop Grumman Corp., in a $US10.7 billion deal first announced in July 1997. Lockheed's decision comes after the breakdown of talks with the United States Defense Department to settle a government anti-trust case due to proceed to trial in September. The government charged that the proposed merger would eliminate competition in a number of areas in the industry. Lockheed produces the F-16 fighter, the C-130 cargo plane, and the F-117 stealth fighter, while Northrop produces the B-2 stealth bomber and is one of the biggest subcontractors for Boeing's commercial airliners. \I(USA)\i
In the second largest financial penalty ever imposed against the \JCatholic Church\j in a sexual abuse case, a jury orders the Roman Catholic diocese of \JCalifornia\j to pay $US30 million to two young men who were molested for years by Father Oliver O'Grady, who is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence as a result of a 1993 criminal trial. The jury in the civil lawsuit found that the diocese was liable for negligence in failing to stop Father O'Grady from abusing the two young men. \I(USA)\i
After months of debate, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the controversial drug thalidomide for use against a side-effect of \Jleprosy\j known as erythema nodosum leprosum, a painful condition that can almost cripple sufferers. For the first time, however, the FDA invokes restricted distribution for the drug, which has been shunned since the 1950s, when it was found to cause severe birth defects in babies whose mothers were prescribed thalidomide for morning sickness during \Jpregnancy\j. \I(USA)\i
As the death toll from a scorching heat wave in \JDallas\j rises to 18, \JTexas\j urges the United States Department of Agriculture to declare a disaster area in a further 100 counties so that farmers facing crop losses estimated at $US1.5 billion can claim emergency relief to help them through the crisis. Although the county of \JDallas\j has been the hardest hit, the heat has also claimed about a dozen lives elsewhere in \JTexas\j, while at least 20 heat-related deaths have been reported in Louisiana and at least six in the state of Oklahoma. \I(USA)\i
United States climate researchers reveal they will meet this week in an effort to predict the impact of La Niña, the \Jweather\j phenomenon which is sister to El Niño, and which is currently developing in an area in the \JPacific Ocean\j 21/2 times the size of \JCalifornia\j. The researchers say that La Niña could bring unusually dry and windy autumn and winter conditions to southern \JCalifornia\j, pounded last winter by El Niño-driven rainstorms, and express fears that the extra vegetation produced by the rains will provide tinder for wildfires. The researchers are also concerned that La Niña will bring an earlier hurricane season to the mid-Atlantic and Gulf states, and another devastating \Jdrought\j to the Midwest. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A five-week conference in \JRome\j to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, nears its conclusion with major differences between the United States and some 60 like-minded democracies still unresolved. The so-called like-minded states from Europe, Asia, Africa, and \JLatin America\j are insisting that the court should be strong and independent, and that there should be no exemptions from its \Jjurisdiction\j, rejecting a US plan, backed by \JRussia\j, China, and \JFrance\j, that would allow states to opt out of the court's \Jjurisdiction\j for a period of at least ten years. The US is also arguing that the court should not be allowed to take proceedings against nationals of a state that is not party to the founding treaty, a move that would avoid the risk of Americans serving abroad being indicted on politically-motivated charges. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, \JRussia\j, China, \JFrance\j, Europe, Asia, Africa, \JLatin America\j)\i
An Israeli businessman is sentenced by a Tel Aviv District Court judge to 16 years in prison for selling poison gas components to \JIran\j between 1990 and 1993. Nahum Manbar, 52, is spared a life sentence because of his past services to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered Mr. Manbar's arrest in March 1997, expresses satisfaction with the outcome, citing the threat to national security Mr. Manbar posed by providing materials of death to a regime committed to Israel's destruction. \I(Israel, \JIran\j)\i
Sudan's Islamist Government agrees to a three-month cease-fire to allow food aid to reach \Jfamine\j-stricken areas in the country's south. The government's move follows yesterday's declaration of a three-month truce by the Sudan People's Liberation Army's mainly Christian and animist southern rebels, and applies to the worst affected areas of Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile. Aid agencies voice skepticism, however, saying their staff are working in an area occupied by independent factions not party to the cease-fire, and that the truce is not encompassing enough to solve the problems of food distribution. \I(Sudan)\i
President Bill Clinton pledges United States support to strengthen \JRomania\j's candidacy for entry to \JNATO\j in a possible second wave of expansion, stressing the need for accelerated free market reforms to consolidate the political transition and reinvigorate the economic transition of the post-communist country. Following next year's entry of \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, and the Czech Republic, the two countries most likely to be considered if \JNATO\j decides to enlarge further are \JRomania\j and \JSlovenia\j. \I(USA, \JRomania\j, \JPoland\j, \JHungary\j, Czech Republic, \JSlovenia\j)\i
The World Bank reveals that independent auditors have been hired to investigate evidence of possible \Jembezzlement\j within its own ranks. Projects currently under scrutiny include bank-funded efforts in \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, and \JIndonesia\j, while one phase of the investigation has already led to a civil lawsuit in the United States seeking to recover tens of thousands of dollars in alleged kickbacks received by a former bank official from a contractor on a \Jwater\j utility project in \JAlgeria\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JAlgeria\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton once again renews the six-month waiver on the controversial Helms-Burton law, which would require Washington to penalize foreign companies that invest in \JCuba\j. Mr. Clinton has issued six-month waivers since signing the law in 1996. In doing so this time, he cites Pope John Paul's January visit to the communist island, as well as a May agreement with the European Union promising protection from US sanctions in return for EU efforts to halt the spread of sensitive technology to countries such as \JIran\j and \JLibya\j, and to deter investments in illegally expropriated properties in countries such as \JCuba\j. \I(USA, Europe, \JIran\j, \JLibya\j, \JCuba\j)\i
#
"July 17, 1998",926,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's Health and Welfare Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, announces that he will contest the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, turning the battle for the party presidency and the prime ministership into a three-way fight with Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, and former chief secretary, Seiroku Kajiyama. At 56, Mr. Koizumi is the youngest of the three contestants, and has the backing of the Mitsuzuka faction, the party's second most numerous. The leadership battle was set off by the resignation of Ryutaro Hashimoto as party president and prime minister following heavy party losses in July 12 Upper House elections. \I(Japan)\i
Three \Jtsunami\j between seven and ten meters high strike a 30-kilometer stretch of Papua New Guinea's remote northwest coast at around 7.00 p.m. The massive wave train, or \Jtsunami\j, is generated by a \Jmagnitude\j-7 undersea \Jearthquake\j occurring just 30 minutes earlier, and sweeps in from the darkness without warning, engulfing heavily populated villages on a spit of sand between the sea and the Sissano lagoon near the town of Aitape in West Sepik province. The giant \Jtsunami\j ranks among the world's worst this century, and authorities fear that the death toll will reach at least 1,000, and that almost an entire generation of children could be lost. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
As South Korea marks Constitution Day, the national flag begins a month-long journey across the country, during which time it will be carried by 6,214 South Koreans before being returned to the royal palace in central Seoul on August 15, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea. At the National Assembly's Constitution Day celebrations, meanwhile, opposition politicians dress in black to mourn the problems created by the parliament's failure to elect a speaker. Due to wrangling between the ruling and opposition parties, the position of parliamentary speaker has been empty since the end of May, and the void has prevented the assembly from opening sessions, stranding more than 200 pieces of legislation. \I(South Korea)\i
Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, puts his palatial Islamabad offices up for sale, hoping to more than recoup the $US20 million construction cost of the building and help ease the pain of economic sanctions imposed after the country's nuclear test blasts in May. Completed earlier this year, the seven-story climate-controlled marble palace boasts state-of-the-art security systems, six lifts, and 372 rooms, including 113 bathrooms, 29 kitchens, a library, a bank, a post office, and a mosque. \I(Pakistan)\i
Hong Kong's embattled new airport is forced to shut down its automated ground guidance system after a Cathay Pacific airliner strikes a passenger air-bridge, causing minor damage to both. The showcase Chek Lap Kok airport has been plagued by problems since it opened to commercial traffic on July 6, and while passenger woes are beginning to abate, flaws in the computerized cargo-tracing system continue to wreak havoc on air cargo traffic, forcing Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, the territory's largest cargo operator, to suspend almost all imports and exports. \I(Hong Kong)\i
Mahbub ul Haq, a former finance minister of \JPakistan\j, dies in New York aged 64. Mahbub ul Haq was more recently recognized for his 1990 creation of the Human Development Index, used by the United Nations to measure the wealth of countries by the living standards of their people. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA)\i
Marc Hunter, former lead singer of the Australian rock group Dragon, dies aged 44 of throat cancer at Berri Hospital on the \JNew South Wales\j south coast. His passing is especially mourned by those in the country's music industry, most of whom credit Hunter as being instrumental in rejuvenating Australian rock in the late 1970s. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A draft deal on a permanent International Criminal Court is published, with delegates to the \JRome\j conference given until midnight to approve the statute. The deal, drafted by Canadian committee chairman, Philippe Kirsch, finds favor with \JFrance\j, but falls short of key United States requirements. Both the United States and \JFrance\j have large numbers of troops stationed abroad, and have been demanding safeguards to protect their people against politically-motivated charges. \JFrance\j, however, is appeased by a proposal to create a separate \Jjurisdiction\j for war crimes, but a proposal included in the draft which would allow the court prosecutor the power to initiate proceedings independently is something the US has vehemently opposed. \I(\JItaly\j, Canada, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Israel announces that Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai will meet in Tel Aviv on Sunday with senior Palestinian negotiator, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, in the hope of breaking the 16-month-long stalemate in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking. It will be the first high level Israeli-Palestinian meeting in months, and comes as a result of United States pressure for the two sides to attempt to resolve their ongoing differences in face-to-face talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Three of US President Bill Clinton's Secret Service bodyguards testify before the grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr in the Monica Lewinsky investigation. It is said to be the first time in United States history that Secret Service officers and agents have been forced to testify before a grand jury about their observations of the president's activities while guarding him, and comes after the Supreme Court rejects an emergency \JWhite House\j bid to keep the bodyguards off the witness stand pending an appeal against an earlier ruling in the matter. \I(USA)\i
As temperatures in \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j, soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the 12th straight \Jday\j, hundreds of residents brave the heat to line up at distribution centers to collect free electric fans which have been flooding in from donors around the country. Meanwhile, the local media is playing an active role in warning residents of the danger posed by the relentless heat wave, urging people to drink plenty of \Jwater\j, avoid strenuous activity, stay indoors as much as possible, and check on elderly neighbors, friends, and relatives. \I(USA)\i
A new report released by the Worldwatch Institute in Washington says solar \Jenergy\j has surpassed wind power to become the world's fastest-growing \Jalternative energy\j source. According to the report, sales of solar cells increased by more than 40 per cent in 1997 compared with wind power's growth of 25 per cent. \I(USA)\i
Mahbub ul Haq, a former finance minister of \JPakistan\j, dies in New York aged 64. Mahbub ul Haq was more recently recognized for his 1990 creation of the Human Development Index, used by the United Nations to measure the wealth of countries by the living standards of their people. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA)\i
A 63-year-old New York diabetic who suffered a heart attack after taking four Viagra pills in five days becomes the first customer to file a lawsuit against drug manufacturer, Pfizer, claiming that its product is unreasonably dangerous and seeking $US80 million in damages. While some two million men have taken Viagra since its release on the American market in April this year, around 30 deaths have been reported, including at least four who were diabetic. Pfizer, however, maintains there is no proof that Viagra caused the deaths. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Eighty years to the \Jday\j after they were executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, \JRussia\j's last czar, Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their daughters Olga, Tatyana, and Anastasia, three servants, and the family doctor are buried in a newly-built vault in the Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg. Amid the pomp of a 19-gun salute, honor guards, and a congregation of solemn dignitaries, including 62 of the czar's relatives, President Boris Yeltsin stands before the nine coffins to describe the shooting of the Romanov family as a "monstrous crime," and their burial in the cathedral as a \Jredemption\j of common guilt and a symbol of Russian unification. However, despite Mr. Yeltsin's own last-minute decision to attend the ceremony, the funeral is still a source of division, with the head of the Orthodox Church refusing to conduct the service, and many Russian church leaders and opposition politicians boycotting the occasion due to skepticism about the authenticity of the remains. The remains were subjected to DNA testing after being discovered in an unmarked forest grave in 1991. Those of two of the Romanov children, Alexei and Maria, are still missing. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
A draft deal on a permanent International Criminal Court is published, with delegates to the \JRome\j conference given until midnight to approve the statute. The deal, drafted by Canadian committee chairman, Philippe Kirsch, finds favor with \JFrance\j, but falls short of key United States requirements. Both the United States and \JFrance\j have large numbers of troops stationed abroad, and have been demanding safeguards to protect their people against politically-motivated charges. \JFrance\j, however, is appeased by a proposal to create a separate \Jjurisdiction\j for war crimes, but a proposal included in the draft which would allow the court prosecutor the power to initiate proceedings independently is something the US has vehemently opposed. \I(\JItaly\j, Canada, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Israel announces that Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai will meet in Tel Aviv on Sunday with senior Palestinian negotiator, Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, in the hope of breaking the 16-month-long stalemate in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking. It will be the first high level Israeli-Palestinian meeting in months, and comes as a result of United States pressure for the two sides to attempt to resolve their ongoing differences in face-to-face talks. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Former French prime minister and current National Assembly speaker, Laurent Fabius, and former health and social affairs ministers, Edmond Herve and Georgina Dufoix, are ordered to stand trial on charges of \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the distribution of AIDS-tainted blood in 1985. Four hundred people have now died since some 1,250 hemophiliacs were infected by blood products supplied by the state when the three defendants were in office. In 1992, four senior public health officials were convicted of \Jfraud\j and given prison sentences of up to four years for knowingly allowing the contaminated blood stocks to be used. \I(\JFrance\j)\i
The South African Government announces that all prison inmates will benefit from a six-month remission of sentence to mark tomorrow's 80th birthday of former political prisoner, President Nelson Mandela, the man who led the country from \Japartheid\j to democracy, and who is arguably the world's most revered statesman. Mr. Mandela began his public birthday celebrations yesterday, entertaining 1,400 children, many of them underprivileged or orphaned, at a giant party in the \JKruger National Park\j game reserve. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"July 18, 1998",927,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Delegates to a United Nations conference in \JRome\j vote 120-7, with 21 abstentions, to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. Earlier, in a tense finale to five weeks of exhaustive and complicated debate, an overwhelming 113-17 majority rejected last-minute amendments to the statute designed to assuage United States fears that its peacekeeping troops could be prosecuted for political reasons. The US thereby maintains its opposition to the court, warning that it may now have to rethink its international troop commitments. Others refusing to sign the founding treaty are China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, and \JLibya\j, which Washington brands a rogue state, while both \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j finally join the court's supporters despite their initial hardline stances. The outcome of the conference fulfils a half-century dream for the United Nations, and is hailed by Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as a gift of hope to future generations. The new International Criminal Court will be based at The Hague alongside the International Court of Justice. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, \JLibya\j, The Netherlands)\i
President Bill Clinton announces that the United States Government will buy $US250 million worth of surplus wheat from the nation's farmers, who are currently facing a difficult time due to weakening world markets and depressed prices. Mr. Clinton says the wheat will be donated to \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, and \JIndonesia\j, countries which at present are unable to feed themselves or buy wheat commercially as a result of \Jdrought\j, war, or economic crises. \I(USA, \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The death toll from three massive tidal waves that smashed into the northwest coast of Papua New Guinea yesterday climbs above 700 as rescuers continue their frantic efforts to find the thousands more still missing as a result of the seismic disaster. With bodies and debris littering the Sissano lagoon, which lies behind the sand spit from which several villages were swept away, soldiers and police form burial squads, and authorities, facing the threat of widespread disease, urgently appeal for food, shelter, and clean \Jwater\j to be rushed to the stricken area. Meanwhile, emergency field medical stations are set up to treat the injured, including those who fled to the jungle and are expected to return, and neighboring \JAustralia\j immediately dispatches defense force planes carrying relief supplies, and medical, \Jengineering\j, and command personnel to help deal with the crisis. \I(Papua New Guinea, \JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Delegates to a United Nations conference in \JRome\j vote 120-7, with 21 abstentions, to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. Earlier, in a tense finale to five weeks of exhaustive and complicated debate, an overwhelming 113-17 majority rejected last-minute amendments to the statute designed to assuage United States fears that its peacekeeping troops could be prosecuted for political reasons. The US thereby maintains its opposition to the court, warning that it may now have to rethink its international troop commitments. Others refusing to sign the founding treaty are China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, and \JLibya\j, which Washington brands a rogue state, while both \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j finally join the court's supporters despite their initial hardline stances. The outcome of the conference fulfils a half-century dream for the United Nations, and is hailed by Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as a gift of hope to future generations. The new International Criminal Court will be based at The Hague alongside the International Court of Justice. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, \JLibya\j, The Netherlands)\i
President Bill Clinton announces that the United States Government will buy $US250 million worth of surplus wheat from the nation's farmers, who are currently facing a difficult time due to weakening world markets and depressed prices. Mr. Clinton says the wheat will be donated to \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, and \JIndonesia\j, countries which at present are unable to feed themselves or buy wheat commercially as a result of \Jdrought\j, war, or economic crises. \I(USA, \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The United States and Panama reach an impasse in negotiations to turn Howard Air Force Base, located inside the zone surrounding the \JPanama Canal\j, into a Multilateral Counternarcotics Center. Under a proposal floated more than two years ago, the center was to house more than 2,000 US soldiers, with other nations also supplying money and troops to the project. However, the US and Panama remain opposed over of the duration and scope of the center, with the US seeking a minimum 12-year agreement, and Panama refusing to commit to a duration of more than three years, and balking at US plans to extend the center's tasks to missions in the region other than drug trafficking. \I(USA, Panama)\i
Acting on a lawsuit filed by the American \Jtobacco\j industry, a \JNorth Carolina\j judge rules against a landmark 1993 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finding that secondhand \Jtobacco\j smoke causes cancer, a finding that has been widely cited in subsequent government decisions to restrict smoking in public places. Judge William Osteen strikes down the EPA finding on the grounds that it was based on inadequate science, and failed to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between secondhand smoke and lung cancer. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Delegates to a United Nations conference in \JRome\j vote 120-7, with 21 abstentions, to create a permanent International Criminal Court to try genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. Earlier, in a tense finale to five weeks of exhaustive and complicated debate, an overwhelming 113-17 majority rejected last-minute amendments to the statute designed to assuage United States fears that its peacekeeping troops could be prosecuted for political reasons. The US thereby maintains its opposition to the court, warning that it may now have to rethink its international troop commitments. Others refusing to sign the founding treaty are China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, and \JLibya\j, which Washington brands a rogue state, while both \JFrance\j and \JRussia\j finally join the court's supporters despite their initial hardline stances. The outcome of the conference fulfils a half-century dream for the United Nations, and is hailed by Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as a gift of hope to future generations. The new International Criminal Court will be based at The Hague alongside the International Court of Justice. \I(\JItaly\j, USA, China, India, \JSri Lanka\j, The \JPhilippines\j, Israel, \JLibya\j, The Netherlands)\i
Mediated talks resume in Northern Ireland in an attempt to resolve a two-week dispute over a banned Protestant Orange Order march along Portadown's mainly Catholic Garvaghy Road. The number of Orangemen camped out in fields near Drumcree church has dwindled from several thousand to a few hundred over the past week, but supporters are pledging to continue the protest until the barricades are cleared and the marchers are allowed to proceed on their traditional route. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
After sharing a quiet 80th birthday lunch with family and friends, South African President, Nelson Mandela, marries 52-year-old Graca Machel, his close companion for the past two years. It is Mr. Mandela's third marriage, and the second for Ms. Machel, the widow of former Mozambican president, Samora Machel, who died in a 1986 plane crash that many believe was engineered by South Africa's \Japartheid\j government. \I(South Africa, \JMozambique\j)\i
President Bill Clinton announces that the United States Government will buy $US250 million worth of surplus wheat from the nation's farmers, who are currently facing a difficult time due to weakening world markets and depressed prices. Mr. Clinton says the wheat will be donated to \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, and \JIndonesia\j, countries which at present are unable to feed themselves or buy wheat commercially as a result of \Jdrought\j, war, or economic crises. \I(USA, \JEthiopia\j, \JSudan\j, Eritrea, North Korea, \JIndonesia\j)\i
Outside St Petersburg's Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress, hundreds of Russians, some bearing flowers, queue to file in silent tribute past the newly built vault containing the remains of Czar Nicholas II, his wife, three of their daughters, three servants, and the family doctor. Yesterday's funeral of Russia's last czar and his family, executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries 80 years ago, provoked controversy among politicians and within the Orthodox Church, but President Boris Yeltsin's decision to attend the service at the risk of alienating church leaders is mostly praised by the Russian media as saving the ceremony from an ignominious boycott, and rightly expressing national sentiments of reconciliation and repentance. \I(Russia)\i
All hope is abandoned of rescuing 11 men trapped deep underground by a mine cave-in at the Austrian \JAlpine\j village of Lassing, 200 kilometers southwest of Vienna. A 100-meter-wide crater which opened up yesterday, a visible sign of a cave-in, has since claimed two houses and part of a nearby road, and as the crater continues to widen, police have evacuated 200 local people and are keeping onlookers well away. It is the worst mining disaster in Austria's post-war history, and officials predict that the mine will now be shut down. \I(Austria)\i
#
"July 19, 1998",928,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The three candidates that have emerged thus far to contest \JJapan\j's vacant prime ministership appear together in a nationally televised debate, all promising to cut taxes and attack the estimated 87 trillion yen in problem loans weighing on the country's banks. Heeding urgent international calls, Keizo Obuchi, Seiroku Kajiyama, and Junichiro Koizumi all pledge to break with outgoing prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto's deficit-cutting program and make boosting the recession-bound economy a top priority. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
South Korean politicians pitch their final campaign pledges ahead of this week's by-election to fill seven seats in the National Assembly. For the ruling coalition, made up of President Kim Dae Jung's National Congress for New Politics and its partner, the United Liberal Democrats, the elections are a chance to wipe out the one-seat Assembly majority held by the opposition Grand National Party, and will also serve as a referendum on the government's first few months in office, during which time it has carried out an initial round of corporate and financial reforms. \I(South Korea)\i
Festive parades and rallies mark the final week of a violence-marred campaign for \JCambodia\j's parliamentary elections, which are aimed at ending the political divisions that have festered since Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, ousted his coalition partner, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in a July 1997 coup. The party of prominent dissident, Sam Rainsy, runs a colorful campaign motorcade through the capital and on into the countryside, while at an emotional rally in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium, Prince Ranariddh tells a 5,000-strong audience that the elections represent a choice between "a dictatorial military regime and liberal democracy." \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Ahmad Nazri Abdullah, the group editor of \JMalaysia\j's top newspaper, \IBerita Harian,\i submits his resignation just days after the resignation of Johan Jaafar, the group editor-in-chief of the country's Utusan media group. The sudden and unexpected resignations of the two editors spark worries of a government clampdown on "negative" reporting. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
At least 2,100 villagers flee the west and southwest slopes of \JIndonesia\j's Merapi \Jvolcano\j as it erupts in a fury of ash, \Jlava\j, and heatclouds. The \Jlava\j flows mainly to the western slope of Merapi, a 2,911-meter high \Jvolcano\j which dominates the plain of southern central Java, and there are no reports of casualties following the eruption. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
Australian Michael Doohan clinches the 50th grand prix victory of his career when he wins the German 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sachsenring, his fourth win of the season. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Nicaraguans gather in \JManagua\j's Plaza of the Republic to mark the 19th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, which toppled dictator Anastasio Somoza. This year's celebration is a relatively modest affair, however, with the Marxist-inspired Sandinista Front now finding itself splintered, scandal-ridden, and virtually without funds. The Sandinista Front has been in political opposition since 1990, and critics inside and outside the party blame former Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega, once considered the heart and soul of the revolutionary movement, for overseeing its decline with strongman tactics and political inflexibility. \I(Nicaragua)\i
As the \Jtemperature\j rises above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the 14th straight \Jday\j, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service launches a graphic publicity campaign to warn would-be Mexican immigrants of the dangers of crossing the border into \JTexas\j during the current conditions. With almost 80 heat-related deaths now reported in the state, more than 40 have been illegal immigrants who have fallen victim to heat and exhaustion as they crossed the Rio Grande onto desert and open land. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
Two thousand friends and supporters join South African President, Nelson Mandela, at a lavish banquet in \JJohannesburg\j to celebrate his 80th birthday. With his bride, Grace Machel, by his side, President Mandela says his birthday wish is for a South Africa rid of poverty and violence. To the enthusiastic applause of the guests, who include black American pop stars Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, the first couple later dance across the banquet floor to a three-tier birthday cake sporting a solitary \Jcandle\j. The birthday banquet is televised live to the nation and a worldwide audience of 150 million people. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
American Mark O'Meara defeats countryman Brian Watts in a four-hole playoff to claim the 127th British Open Golf Tournament at Royal Birkdale, England. Meanwhile, in the JAL Big Apple Women's Classic at New Rochelle, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam closes with an eight-stroke lead to secure her third United States LPGA tournament victory of the year. \I(USA, UK, Sweden)\i
Germany's Steffi Graf captures her sixth A & P Classic tennis championship with a straight-sets win over South Africa's Amanda Coetzer at Mahwah, \JNew Jersey\j. Although only an exhibition event, the win represents a significant step in Steffi Graf's comeback from knee surgery last year. \I(Germany, South Africa, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serb security forces claim to be in full control of the southwestern \JKosovo\j town of Orahovac following a two-\Jday\j offensive by guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) to capture their first major town in the five-month conflict. Earlier, the ethnic \JAlbanian\j commander of the KLA offensive likewise claimed victory in Orahovac, describing the alleged gain as the first step to upgrade the war against rural areas to a war against urban areas, with the provincial capital \JPristina\j the ultimate KLA goal. Whatever the outcome of this latest battle, it serves to widen the gap between the KLA, who are determined to fight for an independent state, and \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leaders, who have indicated that they would be prepared to negotiate with Serb and Yugoslav authorities. The widening gap, in turn, is creating confusion over just who represents ethnic \JAlbanian\j opinion in the province, thereby frustrating international efforts to end the crisis peacefully. The international community does not endorse independence for the southern Serb province, advocating instead a compromise solution involving broad-based autonomy for the area. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Teams led by Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, and senior Palestinian official Mahmoud \JAbbas\j, hold three hours of direct talks to exchange views, and agree that it will be the first of a series of meetings aimed at ending the 16-month-old deadlock in \JMiddle East\j peacemaking. Just hours ahead of the high level talks in Tel Aviv, the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months, there is an attempted car bombing in the heart of \JJerusalem\j, blamed by Israeli police on the Islamic movement Hamas. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
In \JBelfast\j, fifteen hours of talks via third party negotiators fail to secure any agreement between Protestant Orangemen and Garvaghy Road Catholics to end the two-week standoff over a banned Orange Order march, a standoff that has raised tensions throughout Northern Ireland and threatened to disrupt the fragile peace process. Meanwhile, as the ranks of the protesting Drumcree Orangemen dwindle, the ranks of the Order itself are splitting, with several of its chaplains resigning over the politicization of the dispute, and many believing that it is time for the Order to redefine itself. The Orange Order is a bastion of \JProtestantism\j among those who insist upon maintaining Northern Ireland's links with Britain. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Two thousand friends and supporters join South African President, Nelson Mandela, at a lavish banquet in \JJohannesburg\j to celebrate his 80th birthday. With his bride, Grace Machel, by his side, President Mandela says his birthday wish is for a South Africa rid of poverty and violence. To the enthusiastic applause of the guests, who include black American pop stars Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, the first couple later dance across the banquet floor to a three-tier birthday cake sporting a solitary \Jcandle\j. The birthday banquet is televised live to the nation and a worldwide audience of 150 million people. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
American Mark O'Meara defeats countryman Brian Watts in a four-hole playoff to claim the 127th British Open Golf Tournament at Royal Birkdale, England. Meanwhile, in the JAL Big Apple Women's Classic at New Rochelle, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam closes with an eight-stroke lead to secure her third United States LPGA tournament victory of the year. \I(USA, UK, Sweden)\i
Germany's Steffi Graf captures her sixth A & P Classic tennis championship with a straight-sets win over South Africa's Amanda Coetzer at Mahwah, \JNew Jersey\j. Although only an exhibition event, the win represents a significant step in Steffi Graf's comeback from knee surgery last year. \I(Germany, South Africa, USA)\i
Australian Michael Doohan clinches the 50th grand prix victory of his career when he wins the German 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sachsenring, his fourth win of the season. \I(Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"July 20, 1998",929,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The official death toll from the massive \Jtsunami\j that struck Papua New Guinea's northwest coast on July 17 rises to more than 1,000, with authorities now estimating that the toll will reach at least 3,000. Five villages that once dotted the narrow sand spit along Sissano lagoon were destroyed by the tidal waves, the worst hit among them being Warapu, and nearby Arop and Sissano. As rescuers continue the grim task of retrieving bodies trapped in debris within the lagoon's mangrove swamps, thousands of people remain missing, believed to have been washed out to sea or to have fled into the jungle-clad mountains behind the lagoon. Meanwhile, a major priority is to provide food, shelter, and medical treatment for the hundreds of traumatized survivors of the disaster, many of whom sustained injuries, mostly multiple fractures. Along with \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j and \JJapan\j are now also providing emergency assistance. \I(Papua New Guinea, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j)\i
Taiwan reveals that it will take delivery of a third batch of Knox-class frigates from the United States next year to reinforce its second-generation fleet and raise its defense capability in the event of an invasion by China, which has regarded the island as a renegade province since a \Jcivil war\j split the sides in 1949. In the face of strong objections from China, Taiwan has already acquired six refurbished frigates and their weapons from the US, which recently stated its intention to continue the sale of defensive weapons despite its opposition to Taiwanese independence. \I(Taiwan, USA)\i
The Indonesian Government welcomes a recently unveiled United States Government plan to buy around 2.5 million tons of surplus wheat from US farmers and donate it to needy countries, adding that Jakarta will happily accept any assistance rich nations are prepared to offer. This year, Indonesia has been badly hit by food shortages and spiraling prices of basic commodities due to severe \Jdrought\j and the collapse of the rupiah. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
Hundreds of students from Irian Jaya protest for six hours outside the United Nations building in central Jakarta, demanding independence from \JIndonesia\j. A delegation of students meets with UN officials to hand over a petition, which the head of the UN Development Program, Ravi Rajan, promises to forward to UN headquarters and the International Court of Justice. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Irian Jaya)\i
South Korea's major car maker, Hyundai Motor Co., suspends operations as hardline unionists set up tents inside the company's major Ulsan plant in preparation for a prolonged strike over the planned retrenchment of 2,678 workers. Despite the threatened strike, Hyundai has refused to withdraw the layoff decision, and the government is likewise refusing to back down from labor reforms urgently needed to revive the struggling economy. \I(South Korea)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves $US11.2 billion in new credits this year to help bail \JRussia\j out of a financial crisis exacerbated by Asia's economic chaos, a fall in the global price of oil, and internal problems such as low government revenues. The loan is part of a $US22.6 billion rescue package, and although the initial handout of $US4.8 billion is smaller than expected due to \JRussia\j's delay in meeting some of the conditions, Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko hails the IMF decision as a victory in the government's efforts to tackle the crisis. \I(\JRussia\j, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Taiwan reveals that it will take delivery of a third batch of Knox-class frigates from the United States next year to reinforce its second-generation fleet and raise its defense capability in the event of an invasion by China, which has regarded the island as a renegade province since a \Jcivil war\j split the sides in 1949. In the face of strong objections from China, Taiwan has already acquired six refurbished frigates and their weapons from the US, which recently stated its intention to continue the sale of defensive weapons despite its opposition to Taiwanese independence. \I(Taiwan, USA)\i
The Indonesian Government welcomes a recently unveiled United States Government plan to buy around 2.5 million tons of surplus wheat from US farmers and donate it to needy countries, adding that Jakarta will happily accept any assistance rich nations are prepared to offer. This year, Indonesia has been badly hit by food shortages and spiraling prices of basic commodities due to severe \Jdrought\j and the collapse of the rupiah. \I(Indonesia, USA)\i
President Bill Clinton announces that a special \JWhite House\j conference will be held on October 15 to seek ways to put a stop to school shootings in the United States. Among those attending the conference will be representatives from each of the towns traumatized by the wave of shootings in schools over the past year. In the meantime, Mr. Clinton says he has asked Attorney General Janet Reno to investigate whether these killings have any common causes. \I(USA)\i
A fire breaks out in the stern of the cruise-ship \IEcstasy\i shortly after it puts out to sea from Miami, \JFlorida\j, with 2,575 passengers on board. Although the passengers don life jackets and line up on the decks, the blaze is contained, nobody is injured, and the massive vessel is eventually towed back to port. Cruise-ship operator, Carnival Corp., says the passengers will be offered a full refund on the aborted four-\Jday\j cruise as well as a free additional cruise in the future. \I(USA)\i
James Joyce's \IUlysses\i heads a list of the best 100 novels of the century drawn up by the editorial board of Modern Library, a division of Random House. Second on the list is \IThe Great Gatsby,\i written by American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, while the Irishman Joyce appears again in third place with \IA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.\i Of the remaining 97 novels on the list, 57 were penned by American authors, and 38 by British authors. The list includes only eight women, led by Britain's Virginia Woolf, whose work \ITo the Lighthouse\i is awarded 15th place. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA, UK)\i
Danish ferry \ICat-Link V\i completes a crossing of the \JAtlantic Ocean\j from New York to Bishop Rock outside \JSouthampton\j in a new world record time of two days, 20 hours, and nine minutes. During its crossing, the double-hulled \Jcatamaran\j ferry lost two hours and 10 minutes when it took part in a search and rescue operation for a single-engine small \Jaircraft\j, a delay that reduced the average speed of the vessel from an estimated 41.205 knots to 39.897 knots per hour. \I(Denmark, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As \JNigeria\j continues to simmer with unrest recently brought to a head by the sudden deaths of its two dominant political figures in the space of a month, the nation's military leader, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, publicly unveils a new plan to end decades of military rule. Discarding the widely discredited transition program of his predecessor, the late General Sani Abacha, General Abubakar promises free elections early next year with a civilian president to be sworn in by May 29, and invites the formation of new political parties to promote their own candidates. General Abubakar also announces that he has dismantled the five political parties formed under General Abacha's regime, scrapped the elections held before General Abacha's death on June 8, and freed all political detainees. The immediate reaction to General Abubakar's plan is mixed, with skepticism mostly voiced by supporters of presidential claimant, Moshood Abiola, who died in detention on July 7. However, international observers agree that if General Abubakar's plan is implemented successfully, it will bring a relatively swift transition to democratic civilian rule, something \JNigeria\j has known for only 10 of its 38 years of independence. \I(\JNigeria\j)\i
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves $US11.2 billion in new credits this year to help bail \JRussia\j out of a financial crisis exacerbated by Asia's economic chaos, a fall in the global price of oil, and internal problems such as low government revenues. The loan is part of a $US22.6 billion rescue package, and although the initial handout of $US4.8 billion is smaller than expected due to \JRussia\j's delay in meeting some of the conditions, Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko hails the IMF decision as a victory in the government's efforts to tackle the crisis. \I(\JRussia\j, Asia)\i
James Joyce's \IUlysses\i heads a list of the best 100 novels of the century drawn up by the editorial board of Modern Library, a division of Random House. Second on the list is \IThe Great Gatsby,\i written by American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, while the Irishman Joyce appears again in third place with \IA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.\i Of the remaining 97 novels on the list, 57 were penned by American authors, and 38 by British authors. The list includes only eight women, led by Britain's Virginia Woolf, whose work \ITo the Lighthouse\i is awarded 15th place. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA, UK)\i
Danish ferry \ICat-Link V\i completes a crossing of the \JAtlantic Ocean\j from New York to Bishop Rock outside \JSouthampton\j in a new world record time of two days, 20 hours, and nine minutes. During its crossing, the double-hulled \Jcatamaran\j ferry lost two hours and 10 minutes when it took part in a search and rescue operation for a single-engine small \Jaircraft\j, a delay that reduced the average speed of the vessel from an estimated 41.205 knots to 39.897 knots per hour. \I(Denmark, USA, UK)\i
#
"July 21, 1998",930,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party closes nominations for the party presidency, formally making the race for the post, and hence the vacant prime ministership, a three-way contest between Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, 61, veteran politician, Seiroku Kajiyama, 72, and Health Minister, Junichio Koizumi, 56. As global financial markets remain on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of the race, to be decided in a secret party vote on July 24, the latest media surveys show Mr. Obuchi well in the lead. \I(Japan)\i
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, advises Congress that the US economy is healthy, but warns of the potential for accelerating \Jinflation\j and a widening impact from Asia's financial troubles. During his semi-annual Humphrey-Hawkins testimony to Congress, Dr. Greenspan also suggests that US equity prices could be overvalued, a suggestion that sends the Dow Jones industrial index tumbling 105 points to close at 9,190. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The Vietnam Red Cross Society says it has been instructed by the government to establish the country's first nationwide fund to help victims suffering from exposure to the chemical \Jdefoliant\j, Agent Orange, which was sprayed over vast areas of the country by United States forces during the Vietnam War. The issue remains a sore point in \JHanoi\j's relations with Washington, with nearly two million Vietnamese believed to be affected, and moves to win compensation from the US making little headway. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
United Nations special envoy for East \JTimor\j, Jamsheed Marker, ends a week-long fact-find mission to the region, convinced that all sides want to negotiate a peaceful solution to the disputed territory's problems. During his visit, Mr. Marker met with Indonesian President, Jusuf Habibie, East \JTimor\j's Roman Catholic Bishop, Carlos Belo, and jailed East Timorese independence leader, Xanana Gusmao. Indonesia regards East Timor as its 27th province, and while rejecting separatist demands for a referendum on outright independence, President Habibie is willing to consider granting some autonomy in return for UN recognition of Indonesia's sovereignty over East Timor. \I(East \JTimor\j, Indonesia)\i
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, urges the world to help the victims of the Papua New Guinean \Jtsunami\j to recover from the disaster, and offers UN help in assessing the damage and mobilizing international relief efforts. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, along with other aid agencies, have already launched appeals for funds to buy food and medical supplies, as well as clothes, shelter materials, and tools to aid the recovery process. Meanwhile, as rescuers fight a race against time, with tropical heat of 35 degrees \JCelsius\j forcing them to cremate or bury the dead wherever they find them, officials say almost 5,300 of the 10,000 or more people who lived in the villages devastated by the three tidal waves have been accounted for, with 3,370 survivors at three government relief centers, 713 admitted to hospitals, and 1,212 dead. To add to the trauma, many survivors are suffering from \Jpneumonia\j after spending hours in saltwater, or have become infected with tropical diseases such as \Jmalaria\j. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States reverses its policy on the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, suggesting that two Libyans suspected of blowing up a Pan American airliner over the Scottish town be tried in a court with Scottish judges and Scottish legal procedures, but in a geographical location other than Scotland. Libya made a similar proposal in the mid-1990s, but it was rejected by both the US and Britain at the time. While Britain is still resisting the notion of a trial in a third country, the US now sees it as a way of ensuring that the perpetrators of the bombing which killed 270 people are brought to justice. \I(USA, Scotland, UK, Libya)\i
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, advises Congress that the US economy is healthy, but warns of the potential for accelerating \Jinflation\j and a widening impact from Asia's financial troubles. During his semi-annual Humphrey-Hawkins testimony to Congress, Dr. Greenspan also suggests that US equity prices could be overvalued, a suggestion that sends the Dow Jones industrial index tumbling 105 points to close at 9,190. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The Vietnam Red Cross Society says it has been instructed by the government to establish the country's first nationwide fund to help victims suffering from exposure to the chemical \Jdefoliant\j, Agent Orange, which was sprayed over vast areas of the country by United States forces during the Vietnam War. The issue remains a sore point in \JHanoi\j's relations with Washington, with nearly two million Vietnamese believed to be affected, and moves to win compensation from the US making little headway. \I(Vietnam, USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton signs a bill that will protect more than 380 historical sites and structures associated with the underground railroad, a loose network of people and places used by runaway slaves to find their way to freedom before the \JAmerican Civil War\j. The bill requires the Interior Department to develop and distribute educational materials, and to provide technical assistance not only to other government agencies and private organizations, but to the governments of Canada and Mexico, where many slaves fled to avoid recapture. \I(USA, Canada, Mexico)\i
Alan Shepard, America's first man in space, dies aged 74 after a long illness. A former Navy pilot, Shepard made history when he blasted off aboard Freedom 7 from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on May 5, 1961, 23 days after Russian Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human in space. In 1971, as commander of the Apollo 14 flight, Shepard not only became the fifth man to walk on the moon, but the first person to play golf on its surface, sending a ball hurtling through the thin lunar \Jatmosphere\j with a six-iron. \I(USA, Russia)\i
American actor, Robert Young, dies aged 91 of respiratory failure at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Westlake Village. During his career, Young performed on radio, stage, and in more than 100 movies, but was more recently known as the caring dad in \Jtelevision\j's \IFather Knows Best,\i which ran from 1954 to 1960, and later as the dedicated family doctor in \IMarcus Welby, M.D.,\i which ran for seven years until 1976. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States reverses its policy on the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, suggesting that two Libyans suspected of blowing up a Pan American airliner over the Scottish town be tried in a court with Scottish judges and Scottish legal procedures, but in a geographical location other than Scotland. Libya made a similar proposal in the mid-1990s, but it was rejected by both the US and Britain at the time. While Britain is still resisting the notion of a trial in a third country, the US now sees it as a way of ensuring that the perpetrators of the bombing which killed 270 people are brought to justice. \I(USA, Scotland, UK, Libya)\i
South Africa's former president, P.W. Botha, is for the first time directly implicated in the 1988 bombing of the headquarters of the South African Council of Churches, in which 21 people were injured. Appearing before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, former Law and Order Minister, Adriaan Vlok, says Mr. Botha ordered him to make the headquarters unusable because it was a front for the activities of the African National Congress. Mr. Vlok is seeking amnesty for the 1988 attack, as well as a 1987 attack on a trade union building and several attacks on cinemas screening the anti-\Japartheid\j film, \ICry Freedom.\i \I(South Africa)\i
Alan Shepard, America's first man in space, dies aged 74 after a long illness. A former Navy pilot, Shepard made history when he blasted off aboard Freedom 7 from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, on May 5, 1961, 23 days after Russian Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human in space. In 1971, as commander of the Apollo 14 flight, Shepard not only became the fifth man to walk on the moon, but the first person to play golf on its surface, sending a ball hurtling through the thin lunar \Jatmosphere\j with a six-iron. \I(USA, Russia)\i
#
"July 22, 1998",931,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Around 650 foreign observers coordinated by the United Nations begin fanning out into the Cambodian countryside ready to monitor Sunday's parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, human rights and election watchdog groups hold a seminar for 60 senior officers of the government's security forces, encouraging them to maintain a peaceful \Jatmosphere\j for the elections, and urging them to remain neutral and allow Cambodians to cast their ballots without fear of retribution. \I(Cambodia)\i
Indonesia's Parliament agrees to establish a fact-find mission to investigate reports of missing people and other human rights violations in the troubled territories of Irian Jaya and Aceh, a province in north \JSumatra\j. The move comes one \Jday\j after a human rights group dealing with the kidnapping of pro-democracy activists nationwide reveals that at least 137 people, believed to be activists or supporters of the Free Aceh Movement, have been reported missing. \I(Indonesia, Irian Jaya, \JSumatra\j, Aceh)\i
East Timorese resistance leaders call for revenues flowing to \JIndonesia\j from production in the new Timor Sea oilfields to be held in a trust fund pending settlement of East Timor's status. Under a treaty between \JIndonesia\j and \JAustralia\j, resource revenues in the zone in question are shared, and Jakarta will receive about $AUD200 million of the estimated $AUD950 million the oilfields will yield over the next four to five years. \I(East Timor, \JIndonesia\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Officials in \JBangladesh\j report that incessant rains have worsened floods sweeping 35 of the country's 64 administrative districts, and that 78 people have now died due to drowning, house collapses, and mudslides. As the situation continues to deteriorate, more than seven million people remain affected by the floods, with diarrhea and \Jdysentery\j already breaking out in many areas due to an acute shortage of clean drinking \Jwater\j and dry food. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, meets with United States congressional leaders in Washington to report on progress towards peace in the troubled province. Ms. Mowlam expresses confidence that the peace process will "bed down," despite recent tensions over traditional Protestant marches and the ongoing risk of violence from splinter groups. Ms. Mowlam discloses that in the last few weeks, police have intercepted 10 bombs being transported to Northern Ireland from the south, and urges Irish Americans not to support nationalist groups that remain outside the \JGood Friday\j peace agreement. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
The latest attempt to restart the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process collapses when three days of direct high-level Israeli-Palestinian talks end without achieving any progress. Dismissing the talks as a failure, the Palestinians say Israel offered nothing, while Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, urges the United States to send special envoy Dennis Ross to the region immediately to convene a three-way summit. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Scientists at the University of Hawaii announce that they have cloned three generations of mice from adult cells. The method used to clone the mice, which the scientists call the \JHonolulu\j technique, differs from that used to clone Dolly the sheep at Scotland's Roslin Institute in 1996, and it is hoped that this latest breakthrough will provide a launch pad both for animal breeding and basic scientific research. \I(USA, Scotland)\i
US President Bill Clinton signs into law reforms to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that are expected to cost the United States Government an estimated $US13 billion over the next 10 years. The \JWhite House\j, at the urging of Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, opposed the IRS bill when it was proposed last year, but changed its position as support for the bill grew. Reforms under the new law include the creation of a nine-member board to oversee the IRS, expanded taxpayer rights, and a reduction of penalties for people who pay their tax bills by installment. \I(USA)\i
General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers begin four days of closed-door hearings before an independent arbitrator, who will decide whether the crippling seven-week-old strikes at two parts plants in Flint, \JMichigan\j, are illegal. General Motors claims the strikes are illegal because they were triggered by job security and investment decisions which, according to the auto maker, are not "strikeable" issues under the national GM-UAW contract. \I(USA)\i
Heriberto "Eddie" Seda, 30, convicted in June of being New York's "Zodiac Killer," is given the maximum sentence of 83 and a third years to life in prison. The Zodiac killings spanned a period from 1990 to 1994, and were so named because of astrological references left at the murder scenes, and taunting letters sent to the police and the media containing symbols from \Jastrology\j and the occult. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, meets with United States congressional leaders in Washington to report on progress towards peace in the troubled province. Ms. Mowlam expresses confidence that the peace process will "bed down," despite recent tensions over traditional Protestant marches and the ongoing risk of violence from splinter groups. Ms. Mowlam discloses that in the last few weeks, police have intercepted 10 bombs being transported to Northern Ireland from the south, and urges Irish Americans not to support nationalist groups that remain outside the \JGood Friday\j peace agreement. \I(UK, Northern Ireland, USA, Republic of Ireland)\i
The latest attempt to restart the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process collapses when three days of direct high-level Israeli-Palestinian talks end without achieving any progress. Dismissing the talks as a failure, the Palestinians say Israel offered nothing, while Israeli Defense Minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, urges the United States to send special envoy Dennis Ross to the region immediately to convene a three-way summit. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
The International High Representative to Bosnia, Carlos Westendorp, says he is trying to persuade \JNATO\j countries to retain the current number of peacekeeping troops in the region for the next two years. \JNATO\j had hoped that forthcoming September elections in Bosnia would provide the opportunity for a reduction in its 34,000-man Stabilization Force, but Mr. Westendorp disagrees, instead favoring a change in troop composition to reflect the need for more specialized civilian tasks. \I(Bosnia)\i
Czech President, Vaclav Havel, approves a minority Social Democrat Cabinet headed by Milos Zeman as Prime Minister, thereby completing the country's first shift of power to the left since the end of \JCommunism\j. Despite winning 74 seats in the 200-seat lower house at last month's general election, the Social Democrats were unable to cobble together a coalition, and were obliged to forge an "opposition agreement" for the minority Cabinet to be tolerated by the center-right majority. \I(Czech Republic)\i
Scientists at the University of Hawaii announce that they have cloned three generations of mice from adult cells. The method used to clone the mice, which the scientists call the \JHonolulu\j technique, differs from that used to clone Dolly the sheep at Scotland's Roslin Institute in 1996, and it is hoped that this latest breakthrough will provide a launch pad both for animal breeding and basic scientific research. \I(USA, Scotland)\i
#
"July 23, 1998",932,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States discloses that \JIran\j has test-launched a Shehab-3 missile, a weapon based on North Korea's No Dong missile. While the US does not believe the Shehab-3 is yet operational, it says the test shows that \JIran\j is making progress in its aggressive effort to develop weapons more capable than its existing shorter-range Scud missiles. The Shehab-3 has a range of 1,250 kilometers, and once it is operational, it will have an impact strategically, allowing \JIran\j the ability to strike more distant targets, including Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, and parts of \JRussia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, North Korea, Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Disaster officials in Papua New Guinea's \Jtsunami\j-devastated West Sepik district abandon efforts to retrieve bodies still littering Sissano Lagoon, and say once the search for survivors in the jungles behind has been completed, the affected villages will be condemned and the area sealed off. The abandoned bodies will then be allowed to decompose fully before another opening is blasted in the strip of sand between the sea and the lagoon to allow the ocean tides to flush the waters. With 1,600 people now confirmed dead, and more than 2,500 people still unaccounted for, officials believe the final death toll could reach 4,000, a toll which would make the Papua New Guinea \Jtsunami\j disaster one of the world's worst on record. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Indonesia's ministers for defense, justice, home affairs, and women's affairs jointly establish an official fact-finding team to investigate the riots that ravaged Jakarta and other major cities in May, and led to the resignation of former president Soeharto after 32 years in power. Many Jakarta residents have claimed that groups of unidentified men provoked the riots, during which around 1,200 people died, more than 150 women were raped, thousands of vehicles and buildings were torched, and hundreds of shops were looted. \I(Indonesia)\i
Key members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) block a move to relax the group's policy of non-interference in each other's domestic affairs. The move, proposed by \JThailand\j and backed by The \JPhilippines\j, is strongly opposed by \JMalaysia\j and \JSingapore\j, who argue that such engagement, particularly in politically sensitive issues, could damage ASEAN's ability to project a united front. \I(\JThailand\j, The \JPhilippines\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, Southeast Asia)\i
In an unexpected move, a decision to restore Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as \JFiji\j's sovereign is deferred following a three-\Jday\j meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs in Suva. In line with the Great Council's recommendation, the matter will not be raised in Parliament, but taken back to the country's 14 provincial councils. Suva became a republic as a result of a 1987 military coup, and the idea of restoring the Crown had been raised by Prime Minister Rabuka. \I(\JFiji\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States discloses that \JIran\j has test-launched a Shehab-3 missile, a weapon based on North Korea's No Dong missile. While the US does not believe the Shehab-3 is yet operational, it says the test shows that \JIran\j is making progress in its aggressive effort to develop weapons more capable than its existing shorter-range Scud missiles. The Shehab-3 has a range of 1,250 kilometers, and once it is operational, it will have an impact strategically, allowing \JIran\j the ability to strike more distant targets, including Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, and parts of \JRussia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, North Korea, Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee calls for an all-out campaign to fight ratification by other governments of the July 18 treaty to set up a permanent International Criminal Court, which will have broad \Jjurisdiction\j to prosecute war crimes, atrocities, aggression, and acts of \Jterrorism\j. While the US strongly believes a global war crimes court is necessary, it rejects the version outlined in the treaty on three grounds: the lack of safeguards to prevent unwarranted prosecution of Americans, the court's \Jjurisdiction\j over citizens of countries not party to the treaty, and the fact that independent prosecutors will be able to bring cases that have not been reviewed by the United Nations Security Council. The treaty establishing the court will require ratification by 60 countries to come into force, a process that could take up to five years. \I(USA)\i
The lawyer acting for two Libyans, who were indicated in Scotland and the United States in 1991 for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, accepts the idea of a trial under Scottish law in a neutral country, and says United Nations sanctions, imposed on Libya since 1992, should be suspended as soon as Libya agrees to the trial arrangements. Discussions about holding a trial, most probably in The Hague, are still continuing, with an announcement expected next week. \I(Libya, Scotland, UK, USA, The Netherlands)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, a long-time environmentalist, visits \JUkraine\j's \JChernobyl\j power plant, the site of the world's worst civil nuclear accident. Mr. Gore, who is currently on a three-\Jday\j visit to \JUkraine\j and \JRussia\j, wished to see the devastation caused by the 1986 explosion first hand, and to dramatize the need for the $US760 million, eight-year undertaking to shore up the deteriorating plant. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The cloners of Dolly the sheep at Scotland's Roslin Institute enter into a joint venture with researchers at the University of Hawaii who recently cloned 50 mice using a new method dubbed the \JHonolulu\j technique. In announcing the business deal with ProBio American, Scotland's PPL Therapeutics says the two teams of researchers will be attempting to create genetically-engineered pigs whose organs could be used in animal-to-human transplants known as xenografts. Pig organs are favored for such use because of their size, but the method used to clone Dolly has not worked well on these animals. \I(USA, Scotland, UK)\i
US President Bill Clinton orders the release of $US100 million in emergency federal funds to 11 Southern and Western states still in the grip of a lethal heat wave, and confirms that farmers across the state of \JTexas\j, who are already suffering losses of $US1.5 billion due to a long \Jdrought\j, will be eligible for disaster assistance in the form of low-interest loans. There have now been 90 heat-related deaths reported in \JTexas\j, where temperatures have exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 straight days, while 24 deaths have been reported in Louisiana and 15 in Oklahoma. \I(USA)\i
White House Press Secretary, Mike McCurry, reveals that he is resigning the post in the fall and will be replaced by his deputy, Joe Lockhart. Mr. McCurry, 43, says he is weighing a number of options for his next job, but is not intending to continue his career as a spokesman. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States discloses that \JIran\j has test-launched a Shehab-3 missile, a weapon based on North Korea's No Dong missile. While the US does not believe the Shehab-3 is yet operational, it says the test shows that \JIran\j is making progress in its aggressive effort to develop weapons more capable than its existing shorter-range Scud missiles. The Shehab-3 has a range of 1,250 kilometers, and once it is operational, it will have an impact strategically, allowing \JIran\j the ability to strike more distant targets, including Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, and parts of \JRussia\j. \I(USA, \JIran\j, North Korea, Israel, Turkey, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JRussia\j)\i
Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov, escapes with slight injuries after a car bomb explodes near his motorcade, but a driver and a bodyguard are killed in the attack. Mr. Maskhadov blames foreign special forces for the latest attempt on his life, pointing out that \JRussia\j has tried to kill him in the past, an accusation \JRussia\j vehemently denies. Despite Mr. Maskhadov's suspicions, he also has enemies within \JChechnya\j itself, having recently ordered Islamic paramilitary units to disband, and moved to crack down on armed criminal groups responsible for a spate of hostage takings. \I(\JChechnya\j, \JRussia\j)\i
The lawyer acting for two Libyans, who were indicated in Scotland and the United States in 1991 for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, accepts the idea of a trial under Scottish law in a neutral country, and says United Nations sanctions, imposed on Libya since 1992, should be suspended as soon as Libya agrees to the trial arrangements. Discussions about holding a trial, most probably in The Hague, are still continuing, with an announcement expected next week. \I(Libya, Scotland, UK, USA, The Netherlands)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, a long-time environmentalist, visits \JUkraine\j's \JChernobyl\j power plant, the site of the world's worst civil nuclear accident. Mr. Gore, who is currently on a three-\Jday\j visit to \JUkraine\j and \JRussia\j, wished to see the devastation caused by the 1986 explosion first hand, and to dramatize the need for the $US760 million, eight-year undertaking to shore up the deteriorating plant. \I(USA, \JUkraine\j, \JRussia\j)\i
In an unexpected move, a decision to restore Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as \JFiji\j's sovereign is deferred following a three-\Jday\j meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs in Suva. In line with the Great Council's recommendation, the matter will not be raised in Parliament, but taken back to the country's 14 provincial councils. Suva became a republic as a result of a 1987 military coup, and the idea of restoring the Crown had been raised by Prime Minister Rabuka. \I(\JFiji\j, UK)\i
The cloners of Dolly the sheep at Scotland's Roslin Institute enter into a joint venture with researchers at the University of Hawaii who recently cloned 50 mice using a new method dubbed the \JHonolulu\j technique. In announcing the business deal with ProBio American, Scotland's PPL Therapeutics says the two teams of researchers will be attempting to create genetically-engineered pigs whose organs could be used in animal-to-human transplants known as xenografts. Pig organs are favored for such use because of their size, but the method used to clone Dolly has not worked well on these animals. \I(USA, Scotland, UK)\i
#
"July 24, 1998",933,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's Foreign Minister, Keizo Obuchi, 61, wins the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election with 225 votes, easily defeating rival contenders, Seiroku Kajiyama who receives 102 votes, and Junichiro Koizumi who manages only 84 votes. Mr. Obuchi will almost certainly become prime minister on July 30, when the Diet meets to elect a replacement for Ryutaro Hashimoto, who resigned as party president and prime minister following the LDP's losses in Upper House elections on July 12. A veteran politician who, at 26, became the youngest person ever to enter parliament, Mr. Obuchi's other Cabinet posts have included \JOkinawa\j development minister in 1979 and chief Cabinet secretary from 1987 to 1989. \I(Japan)\i
A United States team of search and rescue volunteers with sniffer dogs joins the desperate search for survivors of Papua New Guinea's \Jtsunami\j disaster. Relief officials hope that the \JFlorida\j-based dogs, a Siberian husky and three German shepherds trained to seek out bodies under \Jwater\j and in swampy land, might locate survivors, particularly children, too hurt or afraid to emerge from where they were driven when the three massive \Jtsunami\j crashed ashore on July 17. The arrival of the dog team coincides with a delivery of US relief supplies, including tents, beds, clothing, tools, lanterns, and medical provisions. \I(USA, Papua New Guinea)\i
Cambodia's politicians hold final rallies on the last \Jday\j of campaigning before the country's general election. Despite widely perceived flaws in the conduct of the campaign, the United States maintains that the election should proceed, and the United Nations-coordinated Joint International Observer Group says it feels justified in anticipating that reasonable conditions exist for an election that will be broadly representative of the wishes of the Cambodian people. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
The remains of three people believed to have been United States troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War are handed over by North Korea to a United Nations Command honor guard. The remains were unearthed during the current joint search operation in the North's Pyongan province, and are thought to be those of troops of the US Army's 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
Indonesia announces that it will withdraw around 1,000 troops from East \JTimor\j next week, the first in a series of withdrawals pledged last month by President Jusuf Habibie. Indonesia currently maintains a military force of between 10,000 and 15,000 men in the troubled territory, but numbers have been recruited increasingly from the local population. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, begins a sit-in protest against travel restrictions imposed on her by the country's military government, refusing to return to her home in \JRangoon\j after her car is stopped by armed troops at a bridge near Anyarsu Village, about 50 kilometers from the capital. Ms. Suu Kyi was en route to meet with supporters of her National League for Democracy party in the township of Pathein when her route was blocked. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Troops are placed on alert to mount relief and rescue operations across \JBangladesh\j as monsoon rains swell floodwaters affecting over half the country. The Disaster Management Ministry's preliminary estimates show that 152,400 hectares of crops and 29,000 homes have now been washed away, with meteorologists forecasting more monsoon storms to come. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
As the probe into problems at Hong Kong's new Chek Lap Kok international airport continues, information technology experts say computer software design faults and poor systems testing are the most likely causes of more than two weeks of chaos in air cargo operations, mainly run by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. (HACTL). HACTL has blamed dust contamination and a bug in a control application for the \Jmayhem\j, which has forced the cargo handler to suspend most of its operations. \I(Hong Kong)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A gunman opens fire in the United States Capitol building in Washington, killing two police officers and wounding a woman tourist. The gunman, identified as Russell Weston, 41, is also wounded in the exchange of gunfire as he bursts into a private area housing the offices of Republican leadership. It is said to be the first time on record that Capitol police officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty. \I(USA)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, and Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, sign preliminary agreements to divert the fuel of nuclear weapons and the attention of atomic scientists to peaceful purposes. In one deal, both Russia and the US agree to outlay an estimated $US1 billion over the next five or six years to convert \Jplutonium\j from nuclear weapons into nuclear power plant fuel; in the other deal, the US pledges an initial $US3.1 million to help find alternative research and employment for Russia's nuclear scientists. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat says Israeli and Palestinian officials will hold more meetings next week to seek ways to revive \JMiddle East\j peacemaking. Hopes for a breakthrough dimmed earlier this week when three days of high level talks collapsed, and Washington rebuffed a fresh Israeli appeal for United States mediation, insisting that the parties themselves must first show progress. The peace process has been stalled for 16 months over issues such as Jewish settlement buildings, Palestinian suicide bombings, and the scope of an Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank. The US is seeking a 13 per cent withdrawal, and the latest Gallup poll shows 59 per cent of Israelis in support of the figure, while 32 per cent are opposed. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
Jordanians dedicate traditional Muslim prayers to the recovery of King Hussein, who is currently undergoing tests at the Mayo Clinic in the United States for suspected lymphoma, a type of cancer. King Hussein underwent cancer surgery at the clinic in 1992, had a prostate operation last year, and later had a swollen lymph \Jgland\j removed. In January this year, the 62-year-old monarch was treated in London for a bacterial infection that caused him exhaustion and recurrent fever. \I(Jordan, USA, UK)\i
German Jewish leader, Ignatz Bubis, calls on Moscow and Washington to open more of their \Jarchives\j to help the search for 26 missing files of receipts for gold looted by the Nazis from \JHolocaust\j victims and banks in occupied countries. The call follows an official report, compiled by \JGermany\j's Federal Archive with the help of the Bundesbank, concluding that the lost documents disappeared without trace and may have been destroyed as late as the 1970s. \I(\JGermany\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
Cambodia's politicians hold final rallies on the last \Jday\j of campaigning before the country's general election. Despite widely perceived flaws in the conduct of the campaign, the United States maintains that the election should proceed, and the United Nations-coordinated Joint International Observer Group says it feels justified in anticipating that reasonable conditions exist for an election that will be broadly representative of the wishes of the Cambodian people. \I(Cambodia, USA)\i
A United States team of search and rescue volunteers with sniffer dogs joins the desperate search for survivors of Papua New Guinea's \Jtsunami\j disaster. Relief officials hope that the \JFlorida\j-based dogs, a Siberian husky and three German shepherds trained to seek out bodies under \Jwater\j and in swampy land, might locate survivors, particularly children, too hurt or afraid to emerge from where they were driven when the three massive \Jtsunami\j crashed ashore on July 17. The arrival of the dog team coincides with a delivery of US relief supplies, including tents, beds, clothing, tools, lanterns, and medical provisions. \I(USA, Papua New Guinea)\i
The remains of three people believed to have been United States troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War are handed over by North Korea to a United Nations Command honor guard. The remains were unearthed during the current joint search operation in the North's Pyongan province, and are thought to be those of troops of the US Army's 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. \I(USA, The Koreas)\i
In the largest ever jury award in a hate-crime case in the United States, a Ku Klux Klan chapter and five Klansmen are ordered to pay $US37.8 million in damages to a black South Carolina Baptist church burnt down on June 21, 1995. The award tops a 1990 $US12.5 million verdict against the White \JAryan\j Resistance for its role in the death of an Ethiopian student in Portland, Oregon. \I(USA, Ethiopia)\i
At the International Maritime Organization in London, a landmark agreement is adopted to help protect the last 300 northern right whales feeding and breeding off the east coast of the United States. Since 1991, about 15 of the species have been killed by ships, and under the new agreement, a mandatory reporting system will now guide vessels by \Jsatellite\j through waters off Cape Cod and parts of \JFlorida\j and Georgia. \I(UK, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat says Israeli and Palestinian officials will hold more meetings next week to seek ways to revive \JMiddle East\j peacemaking. Hopes for a breakthrough dimmed earlier this week when three days of high level talks collapsed, and Washington rebuffed a fresh Israeli appeal for United States mediation, insisting that the parties themselves must first show progress. The peace process has been stalled for 16 months over issues such as Jewish settlement buildings, Palestinian suicide bombings, and the scope of an Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank. The US is seeking a 13 per cent withdrawal, and the latest Gallup poll shows 59 per cent of Israelis in support of the figure, while 32 per cent are opposed. \I(Palestine, Israel, USA)\i
United States Vice President, Al Gore, and Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, sign preliminary agreements to divert the fuel of nuclear weapons and the attention of atomic scientists to peaceful purposes. In one deal, both Russia and the US agree to outlay an estimated $US1 billion over the next five or six years to convert \Jplutonium\j from nuclear weapons into nuclear power plant fuel; in the other deal, the US pledges an initial $US3.1 million to help find alternative research and employment for Russia's nuclear scientists. \I(USA, Russia)\i
Jordanians dedicate traditional Muslim prayers to the recovery of King Hussein, who is currently undergoing tests at the Mayo Clinic in the United States for suspected lymphoma, a type of cancer. King Hussein underwent cancer surgery at the clinic in 1992, had a prostate operation last year, and later had a swollen lymph \Jgland\j removed. In January this year, the 62-year-old monarch was treated in London for a bacterial infection that caused him exhaustion and recurrent fever. \I(Jordan, USA, UK)\i
Anglican leaders meeting at the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England, call for a sweeping cancellation of international debt to allow developing nations a chance to build for the future. The Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative offers countries with a record of economic reform the most generous debt reduction yet granted by international lenders, but the Church leaders reject this as inadequate, saying the only chance for countries such as \JMozambique\j or \JTanzania\j is debt relief for poverty alleviation. \I(UK, \JMozambique\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
German Jewish leader, Ignatz Bubis, calls on Moscow and Washington to open more of their \Jarchives\j to help the search for 26 missing files of receipts for gold looted by the Nazis from \JHolocaust\j victims and banks in occupied countries. The call follows an official report, compiled by \JGermany\j's Federal Archive with the help of the Bundesbank, concluding that the lost documents disappeared without trace and may have been destroyed as late as the 1970s. \I(\JGermany\j, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
In the largest ever jury award in a hate-crime case in the United States, a Ku Klux Klan chapter and five Klansmen are ordered to pay $US37.8 million in damages to a black South Carolina Baptist church burnt down on June 21, 1995. The award tops a 1990 $US12.5 million verdict against the White \JAryan\j Resistance for its role in the death of an Ethiopian student in Portland, Oregon. \I(USA, Ethiopia)\i
At the International Maritime Organization in London, a landmark agreement is adopted to help protect the last 300 northern right whales feeding and breeding off the east coast of the United States. Since 1991, about 15 of the species have been killed by ships, and under the new agreement, a mandatory reporting system will now guide vessels by \Jsatellite\j through waters off Cape Cod and parts of \JFlorida\j and Georgia. \I(UK, USA)\i
A salvage team raises the wreck of a Swedish ketch scuttled by a German submarine crew in the Baltic Sea in 1916. The \IJonkoping\i was carrying 5,000 bottles of 1907 Heidsieck champagne, 69 barrels of cognac, and 6,000 liters of burgundy, and the Swedish-led salvage team is now anxiously awaiting word on the condition of the cargo, which could be worth a potential fortune. \I(Sweden, \JGermany\j)\i
The 12th leg of the 1998 Tour de \JFrance\j starts almost two hours late after riders stage a brief boycott in protest over the spreading scandal involving performance-enhancing drugs. The Festina team has already been expelled from the event after a team car was found to be carrying illegal doping substances, and a second inquiry has now been launched after doping products were seized from a hotel occupied by the Dutch team TVM. \I(\JFrance\j, The Netherlands)\i
#
"July 25, 1998",934,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Iran's defense minister confirms that the Islamic Republic successfully test-fired a missile with a range of around 1300 kilometers, insisting that it did so without the help of any foreign country. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani adds that Iran's defense policy is based on promoting its deterrent capability, and expresses hope that the country can preserve its role of sustaining peace in the region. Earlier this week, the United States disclosed that its spy satellites detected the test launch of a Shehab-3 missile of North Korean design on July 22, a disclosure that drew sharp reactions from Israel, which is within striking range of the weapon. \I(Iran, USA, North Korea, Israel)\i
Reports of trouble continue to surface throughout the official "cooling off" \Jday\j ahead of \JCambodia\j's national elections. The Sam Rainsy Party says that its vice president survived an early morning grenade attack on his home, and the National Election Committee announces that it has disqualified two local poll-watch groups accused of being partisan towards Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party. Tomorrow, almost 5.4 million people are eligible to vote for the 39 parties contesting 122 National Assembly seats, but unless one party secures a two-thirds majority, another coalition will have to be formed. However, Hun Sen has declared that there will be no repeat of his power-sharing arrangement with Prince Norodom Ranariddh, whom he ousted in a July 1997 coup. The coup shattered investor confidence, led to a suspension of some aid programs, and postponed the country's entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). International acceptance of tomorrow's vote is thereby crucial for Cambodia. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Four people die and 43 others are hospitalized after eating \Jcyanide\j-laced curry at a summer festival in \JJapan\j's Wakayama prefecture, 450 kilometers west of \JTokyo\j. Municipal officials believe the mass poisoning attempt may have been a revenge attack, and fear the possibility of copycat crimes. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Iran's defense minister confirms that the Islamic Republic successfully test-fired a missile with a range of around 1300 kilometers, insisting that it did so without the help of any foreign country. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani adds that Iran's defense policy is based on promoting its deterrent capability, and expresses hope that the country can preserve its role of sustaining peace in the region. Earlier this week, the United States disclosed that its spy satellites detected the test launch of a Shehab-3 missile of North Korean design on July 22, a disclosure that drew sharp reactions from Israel, which is within striking range of the weapon. \I(Iran, USA, North Korea, Israel)\i
At the United States Capitol building in Washington, flags fly at half-staff and police wear blank bands over their badges following yesterday's attack by a lone gunman, which left two police officers dead and a woman tourist injured. Meanwhile, the man accused of the attack remains in a critical condition and doctors give him a 50-50 chance of surviving his multiple gunshot wounds. Russell Eugene Weston Jr. is a former mental \Jhospital\j patient known to federal intelligence agencies, and should he survive, will face charges that could bring the death penalty. \I(USA)\i
US President Bill Clinton commissions the \IUSS Harry S. Truman,\i a nuclear-powered \Jaircraft\j carrier he named in February 1995. The $US4.5 billion vessel is the United States Navy's 13th carrier to be put into service, and will carry a crew of 6,000 and about 80 \Jaircraft\j, including the F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare \Jaircraft\j, and SH-60B Seakhawk helicopters. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Iran's defense minister confirms that the Islamic Republic successfully test-fired a missile with a range of around 1300 kilometers, insisting that it did so without the help of any foreign country. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani adds that Iran's defense policy is based on promoting its deterrent capability, and expresses hope that the country can preserve its role of sustaining peace in the region. Earlier this week, the United States disclosed that its spy satellites detected the test launch of a Shehab-3 missile of North Korean design on July 22, a disclosure that drew sharp reactions from Israel, which is within striking range of the weapon. \I(Iran, USA, North Korea, Israel)\i
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, sacks Nikolai Kovalyov, the head of the country's Federal Security Service, replacing him with Vladmir Putin, a former intelligence officer. While no reasons for the change are given, the security service has been the target of heavy criticism for failing to curb the rise of organized crime in Russia. \I(Russia)\i
#
"July 26, 1998",935,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodians turn out in droves to vote in a key national election which is surprisingly trouble-free following a campaign tainted by violence and widespread claims of intimidation. The peaceful \Jatmosphere\j of the \Jday\j is marred, however, by an early morning Khmer Rouge raid on a government position in the remote far north Anlong Veng district. Seven civilians, two government soldiers, and one guerrilla are killed in the attack, which is not regarded by international observers as having any bearing on the outcome or assessment of the crucial election. \I(Cambodia)\i
In Manila for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the new leader of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Keizo Obuchi, assures US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, that he will act quickly to restore \JJapan\j's sagging economy. Mr. Obuchi says his plans include tax cuts of $US42 billion and a supplementary Budget of $US70 billion. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
The grief-stricken people of Papua New Guinea unite in a \Jday\j of prayer organized by the Melanesian Council of Churches to mourn the dead and the battered survivors of the three massive \Jtsunami\j which struck a remote stretch of the country's northwest coast on July 17. The latest official figures show that 1,600 people lost their lives in the disaster, 2,000 are still missing, and more than 5,000 are now homeless. \I(Papua New Guinea)\i
Australian Stephen Leaney wins the Dutch Open at \JAmsterdam\j's Hilversum Golf Club, dedicating his win to the memory of fellow Australian Stuart Appleby's wife Renay, who was killed in a traffic accident in London on July 23. In the United States, meanwhile, the CVS Charity Tournament at Sutton, \JMassachusetts\j, in won by American Steve Pate, and the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Warren, Ohio, is won by South Korea's Se Ri Pak, the rookie sensation's third victory in four weeks. \I(Australia, UK, The Netherlands, USA, South Korea)\i
In men's tennis, American Andre Agassi scores a straight-sets win over Australian Scott Draper in the final of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington; American John McEnroe defeats countryman Jimmy Connors to take the Champions Senior Tournament at Bloomfield Hills, \JMichigan\j; and \JBrazil\j's Gustavo Kuerten claims the Mercedes Cup Men's Tournament at \JStuttgart\j, \JGermany\j, after defeating Karol Kucera of \JSlovakia\j. \I(USA, Australia, \JBrazil\j, \JGermany\j, \JSlovakia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In Manila for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the new leader of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Keizo Obuchi, assures US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, that he will act quickly to restore \JJapan\j's sagging economy. Mr. Obuchi says his plans include tax cuts of $US42 billion and a supplementary Budget of $US70 billion. \I(\JJapan\j, USA)\i
British Telecommunications and AT&T Corp. launch a joint global venture to provide all the communications needs of multinational businesses. The United States-based venture is expected to have around 5,000 employees, annual revenues of more than $US10 billion in the first year, and operating profits of around $US1 billion. \I(USA, UK)\i
Lieutenant General David McCloud, commander of the Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, and the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, is killed when the single-engine plane he is piloting crashes at Fort Richardson Army Base in \JAnchorage\j. Lt. Gen. McCloud oversaw more than 21,000 active-duty, guard, and Reserve Alaskan military members in his post, which he assumed in December 1997 after serving as a top adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. \I(USA)\i
Three spectators are killed and six others are injured when a tire and car debris fly into the grandstand after a crash in a United States 500 CART series race at \JMichigan\j Speedway in Brooklyn. Despite the crash, which occurred on lap 175 of the 250-lap race when Mexican Adrian Fernandez hit an outside wall, the race continues and is won by Canadian Greg Moore. \I(USA, Mexico, Canada)\i
Australian Stephen Leaney wins the Dutch Open at \JAmsterdam\j's Hilversum Golf Club, dedicating his win to the memory of fellow Australian Stuart Appleby's wife Renay, who was killed in a traffic accident in London on July 23. In the United States, meanwhile, the CVS Charity Tournament at Sutton, \JMassachusetts\j, in won by American Steve Pate, and the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Warren, Ohio, is won by South Korea's Se Ri Pak, the rookie sensation's third victory in four weeks. \I(Australia, UK, The Netherlands, USA, South Korea)\i
In men's tennis, American Andre Agassi scores a straight-sets win over Australian Scott Draper in the final of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington; American John McEnroe defeats countryman Jimmy Connors to take the Champions Senior Tournament at Bloomfield Hills, \JMichigan\j; and \JBrazil\j's Gustavo Kuerten claims the Mercedes Cup Men's Tournament at \JStuttgart\j, \JGermany\j, after defeating Karol Kucera of \JSlovakia\j. \I(USA, Australia, \JBrazil\j, \JGermany\j, \JSlovakia\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
British Telecommunications and AT&T Corp. launch a joint global venture to provide all the communications needs of multinational businesses. The United States-based venture is expected to have around 5,000 employees, annual revenues of more than $US10 billion in the first year, and operating profits of around $US1 billion. \I(USA, UK)\i
Australian Stephen Leaney wins the Dutch Open at \JAmsterdam\j's Hilversum Golf Club, dedicating his win to the memory of fellow Australian Stuart Appleby's wife Renay, who was killed in a traffic accident in London on July 23. In the United States, meanwhile, the CVS Charity Tournament at Sutton, \JMassachusetts\j, in won by American Steve Pate, and the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Warren, Ohio, is won by South Korea's Se Ri Pak, the rookie sensation's third victory in four weeks. \I(Australia, UK, The Netherlands, USA, South Korea)\i
In men's tennis, American Andre Agassi scores a straight-sets win over Australian Scott Draper in the final of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington; American John McEnroe defeats countryman Jimmy Connors to take the Champions Senior Tournament at Bloomfield Hills, \JMichigan\j; and \JBrazil\j's Gustavo Kuerten claims the Mercedes Cup Men's Tournament at \JStuttgart\j, \JGermany\j, after defeating Karol Kucera of \JSlovakia\j. \I(USA, Australia, \JBrazil\j, \JGermany\j, \JSlovakia\j)\i
Finland's Mika Hakkinen consolidates his lead in this year's world championship standings when he drives his McLaren to victory in the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at Spielberg. \I(Finland, Austria)\i
#
"July 27, 1998",936,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speaking before a forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns of a political "explosion" in \JMyanmar\j that could undermine regional stability. Ms. Albright proceeds to express grave concerns for the welfare of \JMyanmar\j's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently spending a fourth \Jday\j in her car at a southwestern village to protest against moves by the military junta to prevent her meeting with members of her National League for Democracy (NLD). While deploring the denial of free movement to Ms. Suu Kyi, Ms. Albright urges the junta to hold talks with the NLD to help resolve the country's problems. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
India angrily dissociates itself from an ASEAN statement expressing dismay over the nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j in May, which have significantly increased tensions in the region and raised the specter of a nuclear arms race. Unlike India, \JPakistan\j is not a member of the forum, which includes China, \JRussia\j, the United States, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, and the nine ASEAN states. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, \JRussia\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Thousands of supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri, the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party, gather peacefully at her home to mark the second anniversary of a bloody government-backed raid on the party's Jakarta headquarters. Prior to her 1996 ousting by pro-government rivals in the party, Ms. Megawati was gaining wide popularity for criticizing the autocratic policies of then president Soeharto. \I(Indonesia)\i
Former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, appears in the \JLahore\j High Court to face corruption charges brought by the government, but her lawyers succeed in having the case postponed until August 20. While Ms. Bhutto vehemently denies the charges against her, Swiss authorities say they also plan to indict her on charges of money-laundering. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
China's nationwide summer flooding death toll rises to more than 1,270 as authorities evacuate tens of thousands of people from the Dongting Lake flood plains in the central province of Hunan, where they are considering diverting flood waters to ease pressure downstream and spare key industrial and agricultural areas. Seasonal storms this summer have pushed the water levels to record highs along more than half of the Yangtze River, affecting some 21 million people. \I(China)\i
Weather officials in \JBangladesh\j say the country's worst floods in 10 years are showing no sign of abating quickly despite improvements in some areas. A total of 94 people have now died as a result of the two-week flooding, over 3,000 head of \Jcattle\j have been killed, and thousands of homes have been damaged. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Australian tennis great, Rod Laver, 59, suffers a stroke while recording a cable \Jtelevision\j interview in a Los Angeles hotel, and is rushed to the nearby UCLA Medical Center, where neurosurgeons later report that he has lost some of the movement in his right side. The champion left-hander is the only player in tennis history to win two Grand Slams, sweeping all four major championships in 1962 and again in 1969. Originally from Rockhampton, \JQueensland\j, Rod Laver has lived in Newport Beach, \JCalifornia\j, for many years. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking before a forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns of a political "explosion" in \JMyanmar\j that could undermine regional stability. Ms. Albright proceeds to express grave concerns for the welfare of \JMyanmar\j's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently spending a fourth \Jday\j in her car at a southwestern village to protest against moves by the military junta to prevent her meeting with members of her National League for Democracy (NLD). While deploring the denial of free movement to Ms. Suu Kyi, Ms. Albright urges the junta to hold talks with the NLD to help resolve the country's problems. \I(USA, \JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), Southeast Asia)\i
India angrily dissociates itself from an ASEAN statement expressing dismay over the nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j in May, which have significantly increased tensions in the region and raised the specter of a nuclear arms race. Unlike India, \JPakistan\j is not a member of the forum, which includes China, \JRussia\j, the United States, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, and the nine ASEAN states. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, \JRussia\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, survives three Parliamentary no-confidence motions accusing him of mishandling \JMiddle East\j peace moves by resisting a United States initiative calling for Israel to cede another 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian rule. While the motions proposed by three leftist opposition parties win support from a 42-40 majority with two abstentions, they fail to muster the 61-vote simple majority needed for passage. Peace moves with the Palestinians have been stalled for the last 16 months of Mr. Netanyahu's 25 months in power. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In a major victory for prosecutor Kenneth Starr, a United States appeals court rules that President Bill Clinton's \JWhite House\j lawyers are not shielded by attorney-client privilege, and that they must testify before a grand jury investigating the nature of Mr. Clinton's relations with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. Mr. Clinton and the \JWhite House\j are then given seven days to appeal to the full appeals court. Meanwhile, it is understood that Mr. Starr has issued a \Jsubpoena\j demanding that Mr. Clinton himself testify before the grand jury, but the \JWhite House\j has yet to officially confirm this development. \I(USA)\i
Officials in \JAmman\j reveal that Jordan's King Hussein is now undergoing \Jchemotherapy\j at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, \JMinnesota\j, but say he is reacting in a positive way to treatment. After earlier examinations of \Jlymph\j node tissues, doctors at the clinic confirmed that the 62-year-old monarch is suffering from lymphoma, a type of cancer. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
Australian tennis great, Rod Laver, 59, suffers a stroke while recording a cable \Jtelevision\j interview in a Los Angeles hotel, and is rushed to the nearby UCLA Medical Center, where neurosurgeons later report that he has lost some of the movement in his right side. The champion left-hander is the only player in tennis history to win two Grand Slams, sweeping all four major championships in 1962 and again in 1969. Originally from Rockhampton, \JQueensland\j, Rod Laver has lived in Newport Beach, \JCalifornia\j, for many years. \I(Australia, USA)\i
Canadian archaeologists working at Ferryland in Newfoundland, the site of a 17th century British settlement, announce that they have uncovered the foundations of a stone mansion built in 1627 for Lord Baltimore, who founded the colony of Avalon there in 1621. \I(Canada, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
After a four-\Jday\j counter-offensive, Yugoslav troops and Serb security forces recapture a large area of central \JKosovo\j which has been held for months by ethnic \JAlbanian\j guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA). The newly recovered territory includes the town of Malisevo, which was a previous KLA guerrilla stronghold. It is the largest government offensive in the five-month conflict, and opens up much of the main east-west road connecting the provincial capital, \JPristina\j, with the western city of Pec. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, survives three Parliamentary no-confidence motions accusing him of mishandling \JMiddle East\j peace moves by resisting a United States initiative calling for Israel to cede another 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian rule. While the motions proposed by three leftist opposition parties win support from a 42-40 majority with two abstentions, they fail to muster the 61-vote simple majority needed for passage. Peace moves with the Palestinians have been stalled for the last 16 months of Mr. Netanyahu's 25 months in power. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
In the first reshuffle of his Cabinet after 15 months in power, British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, sacks four ministers, including Social Security Secretary, Harriet Harman, and Transport Minister, Gavin Strang, and promotes his key aide and electoral strategist, Peter Mandelson, who until now has been outside the Cabinet. Mr. Mandelson, a pro-European right-winger with close links to business, is to take over the Department of Trade and Industry. \I(UK)\i
Georgian President, Eduard Shevardnadze, launches a radical overhaul of his government, forcing all but three of the 21 ministers in his Cabinet to resign. Only the defense, security, and interior ministers are spared for fear of aggravating instability. In justifying his move, Mr. Shevardnadze says the country is entering a new phase of development and a certain renewal of government is needed. He anticipates that the overhaul of his team will be completed by mid-August, and that many of the old ministers are likely to become members of the renewed government. \I(Georgia)\i
India angrily dissociates itself from an ASEAN statement expressing dismay over the nuclear tests conducted by India and \JPakistan\j in May, which have significantly increased tensions in the region and raised the specter of a nuclear arms race. Unlike India, \JPakistan\j is not a member of the forum, which includes China, \JRussia\j, the United States, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, and the nine ASEAN states. \I(India, \JPakistan\j, China, \JRussia\j, USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j, \JJapan\j, Southeast Asia)\i
Officials in \JAmman\j reveal that Jordan's King Hussein is now undergoing \Jchemotherapy\j at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, \JMinnesota\j, but say he is reacting in a positive way to treatment. After earlier examinations of \Jlymph\j node tissues, doctors at the clinic confirmed that the 62-year-old monarch is suffering from lymphoma, a type of cancer. \I(Jordan, USA)\i
Former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, appears in the \JLahore\j High Court to face corruption charges brought by the government, but her lawyers succeed in having the case postponed until August 20. While Ms. Bhutto vehemently denies the charges against her, Swiss authorities say they also plan to indict her on charges of money-laundering. \I(Pakistan, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Canadian archaeologists working at Ferryland in Newfoundland, the site of a 17th century British settlement, announce that they have uncovered the foundations of a stone mansion built in 1627 for Lord Baltimore, who founded the colony of Avalon there in 1621. \I(Canada, UK)\i
#
"July 28, 1998",937,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) claims victory in Sunday's general elections, forecasting that it will win up to 66 seats in the 122-seat National Assembly, compared with 43 seats for Prince Ranariddh's Funcinpec party and 13 seats for the Sam Rainsy party. Under Cambodia's constitution, however, 82 seats are needed to form a government, and both Prince Ranariddh and Mr. Rainsy insist that they will not consider entering a coalition with Hun Sen and the CPP unless their claims of election irregularities are resolved. Despite such claims, three different groups of international observers have cleared the election process, saying they found no evidence of \Jfraud\j or other abuses. \I(Cambodia)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns Asian leaders that recovery from the region's economic crisis is "not around the corner," and that it will not be resolved by international aid alone. In calling for strong measures to stimulate growth and inspire investor confidence, Ms. Albright says corruption must be frankly discussed and vigorously fought, and that ailing countries must take the bitter medicine of economic reform. On a more positive note, Ms. Albright expresses confidence in the power of Asian nations to rebound from the crisis, and reiterates that the United States will do all it can to assist the recovery process. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The United States, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j deliver a formal protest note to \JMyanmar\j's military government over the deteriorating health of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains locked in a stand-off with armed troops at a bridge 50 kilometers from the capital, \JRangoon\j. Five days ago, Ms. Suu Kyi was blocked from driving to a provincial town to meet with supporters, and although she is now suffering from severe \Jdehydration\j, she is refusing to speak with government negotiators or return to her home. The government, meanwhile, is accusing Ms. Suu Kyi of staging a publicity stunt and trying to foment dissent. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Indonesia begins the first phase of a promised troop withdrawal from East \JTimor\j, with 398 combat soldiers presenting arms for the last time at a ceremony on the dock of Dili Bay before filing onto a warship bound for bases in \JKalimantan\j and Java. The troops include one company of red beret Kopassus Special Forces, whose withdrawal has been given top priority in a bid to help build confidence among the East Timorese people. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j)\i
Fishermen from two remote villages in the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya report sighting about 200 floating bodies believed to be victims of Papua New Guinea's \Jtsunami\j disaster. At the site of the disaster, meanwhile, authorities say they have dropped plans to blast through the narrow sandbank to clear decomposed bodies from the Sissano lagoon because the area is considered sacred by survivors. In deference to that belief, nature will now be left to take its own course. \I(Indonesia, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton signs an executive order imposing sanctions on seven Russian enterprises that the United States believes assisted \JIran\j in developing its missile program. The order, which comes just days after \JIran\j test-fired a Shehab-3 medium-range missile, not only bars US Government assistance and trade to the seven Russian entities, but extends Mr. Clinton's authority to penalize other firms around the world who attempt to sell dangerous weapons and weapons technology. \I(USA, Russia, \JIran\j)\i
US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns Asian leaders that recovery from the region's economic crisis is "not around the corner," and that it will not be resolved by international aid alone. In calling for strong measures to stimulate growth and inspire investor confidence, Ms. Albright says corruption must be frankly discussed and vigorously fought, and that ailing countries must take the bitter medicine of economic reform. On a more positive note, Ms. Albright expresses confidence in the power of Asian nations to rebound from the crisis, and reiterates that the United States will do all it can to assist the recovery process. \I(USA, Asia)\i
The United States, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j deliver a formal protest note to \JMyanmar\j's military government over the deteriorating health of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains locked in a stand-off with armed troops at a bridge 50 kilometers from the capital, \JRangoon\j. Five days ago, Ms. Suu Kyi was blocked from driving to a provincial town to meet with supporters, and although she is now suffering from severe \Jdehydration\j, she is refusing to speak with government negotiators or return to her home. The government, meanwhile, is accusing Ms. Suu Kyi of staging a publicity stunt and trying to foment dissent. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
In an honor normally reserved for statesmen and military commanders, thousands of mourners file through Washington's Capitol Rotunda past the flag-draped coffins of Jacob Chestnut, 58, and John Gibson, 42, the two police officers killed in a gun battle in the halls of Congress late last week. Earlier, President Bill Clinton hailed the two officers as American heroes at a solemn Rotunda ceremony attended by the men's families, members of Congress, and Capitol police. \I(USA)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission pardons four men who stabbed to death a visiting American Fulbright scholar in August 1993. The amnesty committee says the four young activists killed 26-year-old Amy Biehl in the belief that they would further their campaign for freedom from white minority rule, which ended eight months later. Ms. Biehl's parents, who attended the hearing during which the men explained their actions, say they accept the decision. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
Monica Lewinsky, the 25-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of the presidential sex and \Jperjury\j scandal, is granted immunity from prosecution in return for her full and truthful testimony before a grand jury convened by prosecutor Kenneth Starr. The immunity also extends to Ms. Lewinsky's mother, Marcia Lewis. Ms. Lewinsky denied having a sexual relationship with US President Bill Clinton when submitting a sworn statement in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, and the key question in Mr. Starr's investigation is whether Ms. Lewinsky was pressured to lie under oath about the alleged affair. \I(USA)\i
General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers reach a deal to end strikes at two parts plants in Flint, \JMichigan\j, and avert threatened walkouts at other locations. The two strikes lasted 54 days and 47 days, and were the costliest ever for the world's largest auto-maker, reducing profits by an estimated $US2.5 billion. As part of the settlements, General Motors will drop its lawsuits against the union, while both parties agree to establish a special process aimed at preventing future strike action. \I(USA)\i
Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. agree to a $US52.8 billion stock swap which will create a giant phone company controlling about one-third of the local \Jtelephone\j market and about 30 per cent of the United States' international traffic. The combined company, which is yet to be named, will also be the country's largest wireless phone service provider. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
US President Bill Clinton signs an executive order imposing sanctions on seven Russian enterprises that the United States believes assisted \JIran\j in developing its missile program. The order, which comes just days after \JIran\j test-fired a Shehab-3 medium-range missile, not only bars US Government assistance and trade to the seven Russian entities, but extends Mr. Clinton's authority to penalize other firms around the world who attempt to sell dangerous weapons and weapons technology. \I(USA, Russia, \JIran\j)\i
Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, issues a resounding call for freedom of the press as a core principle of the Islamic Republic, saying the public must be given accurate information to disarm the "medium of rumor" and minimize the impact of the foreign media. Mr. Khatami also defends the rights of non-Muslims in Iran, a defense that comes amid international protests over the alleged hanging of a man of the Bahai faith charged with converting a Muslim woman. Iran, meanwhile, has denied the reported execution. \I(Iran)\i
Russia begins extensive military exercises in the northern Caucasus to clarify its policy in the turbulent region. The exercises, involving thousands of troops, are denounced as pressure tactics by Chechen leader, Aslan Maskhadov, who is currently preparing for the first visit to Grozny by Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko. Mr. Kiriyenko is keen to discuss ways of reducing the crime wave plaguing \JChechnya\j, as well as the threat from Islamic fundamentalists, who are believed to be responsible for the attempted assassination of Mr. Maskhadov last week. \I(Russia, \JChechnya\j)\i
A \JWhitehall\j inquiry clears British Government ministers of responsibility for a breach of a United Nations weapons embargo on Sierra Leone, instead blaming overworked officials for a chain of mistakes which allowed the security firm Sandline International to illegally supply arms used in the fight to restore the government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in March. \I(UK, Sierra Leone)\i
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission pardons four men who stabbed to death a visiting American Fulbright scholar in August 1993. The amnesty committee says the four young activists killed 26-year-old Amy Biehl in the belief that they would further their campaign for freedom from white minority rule, which ended eight months later. Ms. Biehl's parents, who attended the hearing during which the men explained their actions, say they accept the decision. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
#
"July 29, 1998",938,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Japan's Prime Minister designate, Keizo Obuchi, announces that Kiichi Miyazawa, 78, a former prime minister, has agreed to accept the crucial office of finance minister in order to rescue the nation's economy from recession. The leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's third-largest faction, Mr. Miyazawa recently played an influential role in drafting two major initiatives to restore economic growth, and also has close ties with key United States policy makers such as Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Myanmar pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, ends a six-\Jday\j sit-in protest in her car and returns to her home in the capital, \JRangoon\j. In the face of mounting international condemnation, the country' military rulers have defended their actions in preventing Ms. Suu Kyi from visiting her supporters in western Pathein last Friday, saying she was not accompanied by her personal security team and there were concerns that she might be harmed by anti-government elements. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, dismisses a \IFinancial Times\i report accusing the Geneva-based organization of wasting millions of dollars in donations due to dubious accounting, \Jfraud\j, and mismanagement, saying the article is flawed with factual inaccuracies. The London newspaper alleges \Jfraud\j in UNHCR's African operations, an allegation denied by the agency, and also targets the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Japanese Sadako Ogata, questioning the extent to which she exerts effective management control over her own organization. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, UK, Africa, Japan)\i
Up to 4 million villagers join about a million troops in an effort to strengthen defenses along China's flood-swollen Yangtze River. As the waters continue to rise, authorities say even minor defects in dikes could be disastrous for heavily populated areas in Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi provinces. According to official figures, summer floods this year in China have already killed more than 1,270 people. \I(China)\i
In a major break with past policies, \JIndonesia\j's Information Minister says the government will permit the \IInternational Herald Tribune\i and the \IAsian Wall Street Journal\i to print in the country. While both newspapers already distribute copies in \JIndonesia\j, they have always been printed outside. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
A 23-year-old Chinese man is rushed to \Jhospital\j in a critical condition after ground attendants at \JTokyo\j's airport find him clinging to the landing gear of a Northwest Airlines Boeing 747 just arrived from Shanghai. The man was still conscious, but had been frozen so severely during the three-hour, 1,767-kilometer flight that police were forced to pry him loose from the plane. \I(China, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The \JWhite House\j announces that US President Bill Clinton has agreed to give videotaped testimony to prosecutor Kenneth Starr at the \JWhite House\j on August 17, also confirming that Mr. Starr has withdrawn a \Jsubpoena\j requiring Mr. Clinton to give evidence to a grand jury probing his relationship with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinksy. As a result of the agreement between the two parties, Mr. Clinton will escape the stigma of being the first serving president of the United States to appear under \Jsubpoena\j before a jury investigating him for alleged criminal offenses. \I(USA)\i
Japan's Prime Minister designate, Keizo Obuchi, announces that Kiichi Miyazawa, 78, a former prime minister, has agreed to accept the crucial office of finance minister in order to rescue the nation's economy from recession. The leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's third-largest faction, Mr. Miyazawa recently played an influential role in drafting two major initiatives to restore economic growth, and also has close ties with key United States policy makers such as Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan. \I(Japan, USA)\i
In a landmark decision, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders the government to make back payments to 200,000 Federal workers, most of them women. The decision is based on the concept in Canadian law of equal pay for jobs determined to be of equal value, and involves pay adjustments with interest back-dated to 1985 for all job classifications deemed underpaid as a result of a controversial union-government study. It is estimated that the decision will cost the Federal Government in excess of $C2 billion, the largest pay equity case in Canadian history. \I(Canada)\i
In the largest privatization to date in the developing world, the Brazilian Government sells its controlling interest in the national \Jtelephone\j company Telebras for $US19.2 billion, almost double the asking price. While most of the successful bidders are European telecommunications companies, America's MCI Communications wins the bidding war for the long-distance arm Embratel, one of the 12 "Baby Bras" the Brazilian Government created out of Telebras for the sale. \I(Brazil, Europe, USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale shakes central \JChile\j for about 90 seconds, causing one death and a brief blackout in the port city of \JValparaiso\j, 140 kilometers west of Santiago. However, there is very little damage as a result of the quake, which is felt in varying degrees between Coquimbo, 450 kilometers north of the capital, and El Maule, 200 kilometers to the south. \I(\JChile\j)\i
The United States Treasury Department says a new dollar coin expected to go into circulation in 2000 will feature the image of Sacajawea, the Shoshone Indian woman who helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Northwest from May 1804 to September 1806. The new coin will replace an existing $US1 coin bearing the image of Susan B. Anthony, the 19th century women's rights activist. \I(USA)\i
Legendary choreographer Jerome Robbins dies aged 79 at his New York home after suffering a stroke. During his career, Robbins worked in stage musicals, ballet, opera, \Jtelevision\j, and films, but was probably best known for his groundbreaking \Jchoreography\j in \IWest Side Story,\i for which he won two Academy Awards in 1960. \I(USA)\i
After days of Powerball mania, a world-record lotto jackpot of $US161 million is won by 13 factory workers from Ohio. Having defied \Jsuperstition\j, "the lucky 13" will each receive $US12.4 million before taxes, opting to take a single lump-sum payment rather than share $US295.7 million in installments over 25 years. This latest jackpot dwarfs the previous record of $US195 million set by Powerball in May, when a single winner took a lump-sum payment of $US104.3 million before taxes. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As efforts continue to find a peaceful solution to the \JKosovo\j crisis, European Union diplomats inspect territory recaptured by Yugoslav and Serb forces during the recent four-\Jday\j counter-offensive against the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA), touring through abandoned villages and fields from the provincial capital \JPristina\j to the town of Malisevo, a KLA guerrilla stronghold until now. According to the EU diplomats, the counter-offensive not only succeeded in scattering the KLA fighters, but set the rural ethnic \JAlbanian\j population in motion, dramatically increasing the number of people now left homeless as a result of the five-month conflict, and raising fresh concerns over the extent of the humanitarian catastrophe in the southern Serbian province. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
Having defeated three no-confidence motions earlier in the week, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is faced with a 60-6 preliminary parliamentary vote protesting his handling of the stalled \JMiddle East\j peace process and calling for early elections. Before the 120-seat \JKnesset\j can be dissolved, however, the bill must pass a committee and three more votes each requiring a 61-vote majority. Of more immediate concern to Mr. Netanyahu, perhaps, is the fact that four members of his coalition are backing the bill, including three members of the centrist Third Way party, which has threatened to leave the government unless the Israeli leader reaches a deal with the Palestinians on the handover of more West Bank land. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
Greece and Turkey each blame the other for a 10-minute exchange of fire between border guards on the banks of a river dividing the rival countries. No one was injured in the border incident, which was the second of its kind this week. On Monday, Greek coast guard vessels fired warning shots at a flotilla of Turkish fishing boats believed to be violating Greek waters near the eastern \JAegean Sea\j island of \JChios\j. \I(Greece, Turkey)\i
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, dismisses a \IFinancial Times\i report accusing the Geneva-based organization of wasting millions of dollars in donations due to dubious accounting, \Jfraud\j, and mismanagement, saying the article is flawed with factual inaccuracies. The London newspaper alleges \Jfraud\j in UNHCR's African operations, an allegation denied by the agency, and also targets the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Japanese Sadako Ogata, questioning the extent to which she exerts effective management control over her own organization. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, UK, Africa, Japan)\i
A former Spanish interior minister and a former \Jsecretary of state\j for security are sentenced to 10 years each in jail for their involvement in a "dirty war" against the Basque separatist group ETA. Jose Barrionuevo, who is currently a Socialist member of parliament, and Rafael Vera, were found guilty of crimes related to the 1983 mistaken-identity kidnapping of Basque businessman, Segundo Marey, which marked the beginning of an undercover campaign of terror against ETA members. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
In the largest privatization to date in the developing world, the Brazilian Government sells its controlling interest in the national \Jtelephone\j company Telebras for $US19.2 billion, almost double the asking price. While most of the successful bidders are European telecommunications companies, America's MCI Communications wins the bidding war for the long-distance arm Embratel, one of the 12 "Baby Bras" the Brazilian Government created out of Telebras for the sale. \I(Brazil, Europe, USA)\i
Experts say about 2,000 bottles of champagne recovered last week from the wreck of the Swedish ketch \IJonkoping,\i which was sunk by a German submarine during World War I, have been ideally preserved by the cold, dark Baltic Sea. While the quality of the barrels of Bisquit cognac is still uncertain, the Swedish divers who salvaged the liquid treasure say they have already struck preliminary deals to sell much of their haul of Heidsieck & Co. champagne for over $US3,000 per bottle. Interest from buyers has been especially keen because the same champagne was stocked aboard the ill-fated ocean liner \ITitanic,\i which sank in 1912. \I(Sweden, \JGermany\j, UK)\i
#
"July 30, 1998",939,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
China warns the United States to be wary of any perceived move by India toward acceding without conditions to the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, urging the US not to ease its hard line until the Asian nation's intentions are clear. India cited China, a declared nuclear power, as one reason for breaking its 24-year moratorium and conducting nuclear test explosions in May. India's action provoked \JPakistan\j to follow suit, and since then, the US has become the primary mediator trying to prod the two nations to accept world demands to forsake testing and deployment of nuclear weapons. \I(China, USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Myanmar's military junta admits that it forcibly ended the six-\Jday\j road-side protest of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, an admission which immediately draws sharp condemnation from the United States, Britain, and \JFrance\j. \JFrance\j issues a statement calling on the Myanmar authorities to revoke restrictive measures imposed on political leaders, Britain lodges a formal protest over the regime's interference in Ms. Suu Kyi's freedom of movement, while the US denounces the Myanmar Government's heavy-handed intervention as an unacceptable violation of human rights. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Speaking in Sydney on her first visit to \JAustralia\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, delivers an unequivocal message about the dangers posed by global warming, describing it as the "most comprehensive long-term challenge facing us all," and insisting that no solution to the problem will work unless all countries play a part in it. \JAustralia\j has taken a softer line than the United States on greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that dramatic limits would throw thousands of Australians out of work. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
The new leader of \JJapan\j's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Keizo Obuchi, 61, is formally elected to the office of Prime Minister, replacing Ryutaro Hashimoto who resigned as a result of the party's crushing losses in July 12 Upper House elections. Mr. Obuchi proceeds to name an all new 20-member "economic reconstruction" Cabinet which he charges with the task of lifting the world's second-largest economy out of its worst recession in 50 years. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
In a reversal of his previous stance, Cambodian leader Hun Sen, whose Cambodian People's Party (CPP) looks set to win at least 60 of the 122 National Assembly seats after last Sunday's vote, proposes a three-way coalition with the two main rival parties: Prince Norodom Ranariddh's Funcinpec party and the Sam Rainsy Party. Mr. Hun Sen stipulates, however, that while the CPP is willing to share ministry positions with the other parties, it would need direct control of defense, finance, interior, justice, and foreign affairs. Meanwhile, both Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party are contesting the election result, demanding an investigation into alleged \Jfraud\j and threatening to boycott the National Assembly. \I(Cambodia)\i
The remote Indonesian province of Irian Jaya is jolted by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. Irian Jaya borders Papua New Guinea, the scene of the recent \Jtsunami\j disaster triggered by a \Jmagnitude\j-7 offshore quake. \I(Indonesia, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
China warns the United States to be wary of any perceived move by India toward acceding without conditions to the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, urging the US not to ease its hard line until the Asian nation's intentions are clear. India cited China, a declared nuclear power, as one reason for breaking its 24-year moratorium and conducting nuclear test explosions in May. India's action provoked \JPakistan\j to follow suit, and since then, the US has become the primary mediator trying to prod the two nations to accept world demands to forsake testing and deployment of nuclear weapons. \I(China, USA, India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Myanmar's military junta admits that it forcibly ended the six-\Jday\j road-side protest of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, an admission which immediately draws sharp condemnation from the United States, Britain, and \JFrance\j. \JFrance\j issues a statement calling on the Myanmar authorities to revoke restrictive measures imposed on political leaders, Britain lodges a formal protest over the regime's interference in Ms. Suu Kyi's freedom of movement, while the US denounces the Myanmar Government's heavy-handed intervention as an unacceptable violation of human rights. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Speaking in Sydney on her first visit to \JAustralia\j, US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, delivers an unequivocal message about the dangers posed by global warming, describing it as the "most comprehensive long-term challenge facing us all," and insisting that no solution to the problem will work unless all countries play a part in it. \JAustralia\j has taken a softer line than the United States on greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that dramatic limits would throw thousands of Australians out of work. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
Detective John Michael Gibson, one of two police officers killed in a gun battle in the Capitol last week, is buried as a hero in Arlington National Cemetery, a ground normally reserved for United States military veterans. Meanwhile, Russell Weston Jr., the alleged gunman who stormed his way into the Capitol building, is in a stable condition in \Jhospital\j, and has now been formally charged with murder. \I(USA)\i
Robert "Buffalo Bob" Smith, the pioneer of children's \Jtelevision\j in the United States, dies of lung cancer at the age of 80. Debuting on December 27, 1947, Buffalo Bob's \IThe Howdy Doody Show\i was not only the first nationally televised children's show, but the first NBC show to air five days a week, running 2,543 episodes Monday through Friday before finishing on September 23, 1960. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Yugoslavia's President Slobodan Milosevic assures a delegation of European diplomats that the latest offensive against guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) is over, and promises swift action to allow refugees to return to their towns and villages. Mr. Milosevic also indicates that he is ready to negotiate with a representative delegation of \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j community on the possibility of granting the region an autonomous administration. A remaining obstacle to any such deal, however, is the KLA's rejection of \JKosovo\j's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leader, Ibrahim Rugova, who thereby lacks the authority to negotiate on behalf of the separatist guerrilla group. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
The United Nations reports the discovery of mass graves containing the bodies of 105 people killed in an attack by UNITA rebels last week in \JAngola\j's remote Lunda Norte province. The discovery of the graves comes as international human rights observers report a military build-up by UNITA in the area bordering \JZambia\j, adding weight to fears that the southern African nation is rapidly sliding back to war. \I(\JAngola\j, \JZambia\j)\i
Myanmar's military junta admits that it forcibly ended the six-\Jday\j road-side protest of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, an admission which immediately draws sharp condemnation from the United States, Britain, and \JFrance\j. \JFrance\j issues a statement calling on the Myanmar authorities to revoke restrictive measures imposed on political leaders, Britain lodges a formal protest over the regime's interference in Ms. Suu Kyi's freedom of movement, while the US denounces the Myanmar Government's heavy-handed intervention as an unacceptable violation of human rights. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
Russia's wage arrears crisis continues to wreak havoc across the country, with unpaid \Jcoal\j miners in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk blocking rail links to the Mayak nuclear processing facility for four days, and the regional governor warning that he is considering declaring a state of emergency if trains are not allowed to pass. On the island of \JSakhalin\j, meanwhile, striking miners have prevented rail deliveries of fuel to the power plant for the past seven days, and local authorities are threatening to form a human chain to break the blockade, saying dwindling \Jcoal\j supplies will soon plunge the island into darkness and shut down its large fish-processing industry. \I(Russia)\i
#
"July 31, 1998",940,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As \JJapan\j's new Cabinet line-up takes office, United States President, Bill Clinton, adds his voice to the urgent chorus warning that time is running out, and that the new Japanese administration must move forward quickly and effectively to strengthen the nation's financial system and stimulate its recession-hit economy. Mr. Clinton once again stresses that unless Japan leads the way, it will be very difficult for other troubled economies in Asia to recover and rebuild. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Asia)\i
In his first \Jday\j on the job, \JJapan\j's new Finance Minister, Kiichi Miyazawa, concedes that the nation's economy faces an unprecedented crisis because it is no longer responding to conventional stimulus measures, and instructs senior bureaucrats to combine their wits to find new strategies to revive economic growth. Mr. Miyazawa also says the government might reconsider its policy of intervention on currency markets, a loose remark he is forced to retract when nervous trading sends the yen tumbling to 143.59 against the US dollar. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
India and \JPakistan\j exchange mortar and artillery fire across the disputed Kashmir border for a second \Jday\j, each side accusing the other of provoking the flare-up. Indian officials say 29 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the fighting erupted, while Pakistani officials report that 33 people have died. The clashes coincide with a meeting of diplomats from the two countries for the first time since their tit-for-tat nuclear test explosions in May. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Britain's High Commissioner to India, Sir David Gore-Booth, announces that he is leaving the Foreign Office at the end of the year to take on new challenges in the private sector. Sir David's announcement comes less than two months after he was recalled for consultations following India's nuclear tests, and less than 12 months after Queen Elizabeth's controversial state visit to the sub-continent, which was widely regarded as a public relations fiasco. \I(UK, India)\i
A group of 1,000 South Korean citizens file the first-ever class action against the country's politicians, accusing 283 members of the National Assembly of holding up proper debate with politicking while ordinary people suffer the effects of plunging wages and rising unemployment. The group is suing for 100 million won in damages and a freeze on the salaries of the politicians. \I(South Korea)\i
Disaster control officials in \JBangladesh\j say floods sweeping the country have now killed at least 242 people, many of whom died from \Jwater\j-borne diseases, and that more than 10 million people have been affected, including a million or more who have been marooned or left homeless. Meanwhile, the government has deployed more than 2,000 medical teams to try to contain the diseases in the flooded areas, and the Red Cross has issued a global appeal for $US1.7 million in emergency medical and food aid. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Residents of the Australian east-coast city of Sydney are told to boil tap-\Jwater\j for drinking and cooking after the \Jwater\j supply is found to be contaminated with the giardia and cryptosporidium parasites, both of which can cause gastrointestinal illnesses. In issuing the public health warning, the city's \Jwater\j authority, Sydney Water, says the contamination has been tracked to a major filtration plant in the western suburb of Prospect, and could last several days. \I(Australia)\i
Former \JBeijing\j mayor and Communist party chief, Chen Xitong, 68, is jailed for 16 years on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty. Mr. Chen, who was forced to resign in 1995, is the most senior Chinese leader to be indicted and jailed since the show trials of the Gang of Four, who were ousted from power 20 years ago. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As \JJapan\j's new Cabinet line-up takes office, United States President, Bill Clinton, adds his voice to the urgent chorus warning that time is running out, and that the new Japanese administration must move forward quickly and effectively to strengthen the nation's financial system and stimulate its recession-hit economy. Mr. Clinton once again stresses that unless Japan leads the way, it will be very difficult for other troubled economies in Asia to recover and rebuild. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Asia)\i
In cooperation with United States authorities, Norwegian researchers begin simulated gas explosions on oil platforms in the North Sea in an attempt to discover the cause of a fuel tank explosion on board TWA Flight 800, which crashed into the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off the coast of Long Island on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 passengers and crew. The ultimate aim of the simulation program is to pinpoint the site of the ignition to help investigators determine the source of the spark. \I(USA, \JNorway\j)\i
Police are called in to investigate after it is discovered that two three-year-old girls have been living with the wrong mothers as a result of being switched in a maternity ward shortly after they were born in June 1995. The University of Virginia Medical Center in \JCharlottesville\j says its procedure in the maternity ward, whereby babies and their mothers are assigned identical identity bracelets, would have made it very difficult for the two baby girls to have been mixed up accidentally. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
As \JAngola\j hovers on the brink of another war, a senior United Nations envoy arrives in the capital, \JLuanda\j, on a mission to try to put the country's unraveling four-year peace process back on track. Amid a recent spate of armed attacks, tensions have increased and negotiations between the government and the former UNITA rebel movement have virtually collapsed, with both sides now reported to be recruiting soldiers and reinforcing their positions. \I(\JAngola\j)\i
International aid workers report renewed fighting between Hutu rebels and government troops in northern \JBurundi\j over the past week. Some 13,000 people have been forced to flee the clashes, which have erupted despite a cease-fire signed by the Tutsi-dominated government and three rebel groups at June peace talks in \JTanzania\j. \I(\JBurundi\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
A report released by an independent historic commission claims that \JGermany\j's largest bank, Deutsche Bank, knowingly bought gold taken from Nazi \Jconcentration camp\j victims during World War II. While offering no hard evidence to prove the claim, the report concludes that senior bank officials responsible for foreign dealings very likely learned of the origin of the gold via direct contacts with the S.S. military corps. Responding to the report, Deutsche Bank fully acknowledges its dealings in wartime central bank gold, but rejects the claim that bank officials knew about the gold's origin. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
In cooperation with United States authorities, Norwegian researchers begin simulated gas explosions on oil platforms in the North Sea in an attempt to discover the cause of a fuel tank explosion on board TWA Flight 800, which crashed into the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off the coast of Long Island on July 17, 1996, killing all 230 passengers and crew. The ultimate aim of the simulation program is to pinpoint the site of the ignition to help investigators determine the source of the spark. \I(USA, \JNorway\j)\i
Britain's High Commissioner to India, Sir David Gore-Booth, announces that he is leaving the Foreign Office at the end of the year to take on new challenges in the private sector. Sir David's announcement comes less than two months after he was recalled for consultations following India's nuclear tests, and less than 12 months after Queen Elizabeth's controversial state visit to the sub-continent, which was widely regarded as a public relations fiasco. \I(UK, India)\i
#
"August 1, 1998",941,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, pays his first visit to \JIndonesia\j since President Jusuf Habibie took office in May, holding nearly two hours of talks with the new leader to reaffirm US support for the country in its current economic crisis. Mr. Cohen also meets with armed forces commander, General Wiranto, and Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, discussing Indonesian military probes into alleged human rights abuses as well as plans to resolve tensions over East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, East \JTimor\j)\i
Myanmar's capital, \JRangoon\j, braces for an escalation of political tension, with hundreds of police, armed with rifles and machine guns, posted at strategic locations throughout the city, including the home of opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the headquarters of her National League for Democracy party. Ms. Suu Kyi was forced to return to her home on Thursday after a six-day standoff with troops blocking her route to the town of Pathein, where she had planned to meet supporters. She has since vowed to leave the capital again as soon as her health allows. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
A survey published by the \IFar Eastern Economic Review\i finds that 80 per cent of executives in Hong Kong suffer from stress, while only 58 per cent of Indonesian executives feel stressed even though their country has been the hardest hit by the region's economic crisis. Australian executives were the second least stressed at 62 per cent, while Filipino, Singaporean, South Korean, and Thai executives all reported stress levels close to those in Hong Kong. \I(Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, The \JPhilippines\j, Singapore, South Korea, \JThailand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States Defense Secretary, William Cohen, pays his first visit to \JIndonesia\j since President Jusuf Habibie took office in May, holding nearly two hours of talks with the new leader to reaffirm US support for the country in its current economic crisis. Mr. Cohen also meets with armed forces commander, General Wiranto, and Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, discussing Indonesian military probes into alleged human rights abuses as well as plans to resolve tensions over East \JTimor\j. \I(USA, \JIndonesia\j, East \JTimor\j)\i
A smiling and apparently carefree US President Bill Clinton attends a $US5,000-a-head Democratic Party fund raising function at the Hamptons estate of actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger. Meanwhile, Mr. Clinton's private attorney, David Kendall, says the president's sworn testimony before prosecutor Kenneth Starr on August 17 will be transmitted live to members of the grand jury probing the Monica Lewinsky matter, and that a videotape will also be made for the benefit of those jurors unable to be present at the courthouse on that \Jday\j. Mr. Starr is investigating allegations that Mr. Clinton had a sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky and urged her to cover it up, thereby corrupting justice in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. \I(USA)\i
A memorial ceremony is held at Johnson Space Center in Houston, \JTexas\j, for America's first spaceman, Alan Shepard, who died in late July after a long battle with leukemia. Following the ceremony, which is attended by Shepard's former fellow astronauts and NASA colleagues, a tree is planted in his memory in a special grove, and a squadron of fighter jets fly over in the missing man formation. \I(USA)\i
A Swiss paleontologist calls on authorities to protect a site near the Bolivian town of Sucre, where the world's largest group of \Jdinosaur\j footprints was discovered in 1996. The 25-kilometer site, which Dr. Christian Meyer says is incomparable in size, is situated in a \Jlimestone\j quarry at an altitude of 2,800 meters, with prints up to a meter long embedded in the mountainside at inclines of up to 70 degrees. Several different species of giant dinosaurs have been identified, including tyrannosaurus, and Dr. Meyer fears that the prints could disappear in 20 years unless efforts are made to protect them from erosion and destruction. \I(Bolivia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United Nations makes its first emergency aid delivery to thousands of displaced ethnic \JAlbanian\j civilians sheltering in the hills above the \JKosovo\j town of Malisevo, which was abandoned by guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) during the recent offensive by Yugoslav troops and Serb security forces. Despite President Slobodan Milosevic's assurances that the offensive against the KLA is over, Serb forces are now reported to have advanced to within five kilometers of the village of Junik, the major remaining KLA guerrilla stronghold at the foot of \JSerbia\j's mountainous frontier with Albania. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
Northern Ireland's peace process is dealt a fresh blow when a massive car bomb explodes in the town of Banbridge, about 40 kilometers southwest of \JBelfast\j. Some 35 people are injured, none seriously, but the bomb causes substantial damage to a number of buildings. Banbridge is a largely unionist town, and while early indications point to republican terrorists, the blast occurs just one \Jday\j after the Irish Government grants early release to six Irish Republican Army prisoners. \I(Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland)\i
The first suspect to stand trial for genocide at the Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal in The Hague dies of a heart attack in his cell. Bosnian Serb, Milan Kovacevic, 57, was accused of setting up camps in the Prijedor region of northwest Bosnia with the aim of destroying the Bosnian Muslim and Croat peoples as national, ethnic, or religious groups. It is the tribunal's second death in custody in just over a month. On June 29, Bosnian Serb Slavko Dokmanovic hanged himself in his cell as judges considered their verdict. \I(Bosnia, The Netherlands)\i
A Swiss paleontologist calls on authorities to protect a site near the Bolivian town of Sucre, where the world's largest group of \Jdinosaur\j footprints was discovered in 1996. The 25-kilometer site, which Dr. Christian Meyer says is incomparable in size, is situated in a \Jlimestone\j quarry at an altitude of 2,800 meters, with prints up to a meter long embedded in the mountainside at inclines of up to 70 degrees. Several different species of giant dinosaurs have been identified, including tyrannosaurus, and Dr. Meyer fears that the prints could disappear in 20 years unless efforts are made to protect them from erosion and destruction. \I(Bolivia, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"August 2, 1998",942,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Cambodian leader Hun Sen appears on national \Jtelevision\j appealing to supporters of his Cambodian People's Party to cease their alleged harassment of opposition party members. Mr. Hun Sen's move follows an Amnesty International call for action by the Cambodian Government against the wave of recriminations in the wake of last weekend's general election, which has prompted hundreds of opposition figures to flee their rural homes for the relative safety of the capital, Phnom Penh, or various provincial cities. Despite the post-election violence, observers report that voting at more than 90 per cent of the country's polling stations proceeded smoothly and without incident on the \Jday\j. \I(Cambodia)\i
As exchanges of mortar and gun fire continue, \JPakistan\j says its death toll from three days of heavy fighting on the disputed Kashmir border has reached 52, all of them civilians, while India reports that 29 people have died, including 16 civilians who were killed when Pakistani mortars hit a military \Jhospital\j in the town of Tangdhar, 200 meters from the frontier. Islamabad has lodged a formal protest against India, accusing its rival of violating the United Nations-monitored Line of Control and sending fighter planes into Pakistani air space. In denying the air intrusion, India insists that Pakistan started the border battle. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Justice Department reports that the nation's adult prison population increased by more than 61,000 inmates in 1997, bringing the number of state and federal prisoners to a record of nearly 1.25 million. According to the report, the increase left state prisons operating at 15 to 24 per cent over the capacity they were designed to handle, while federal prisons held 19 per cent more than designed capacity. The report says violent offenders accounted for about 50 per cent of the 1997 increase and drug offenders accounted for about 25 per cent. \I(USA)\i
The chairman of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, urges President Bill Clinton to "pour his heart out" to the American people about the nature of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, saying even if Mr. Clinton has lied about what would have been a consensual sexual affair, that in itself would probably not constitute an impeachable offense. Mr. Clinton has vehemently denied two sets of allegations that he had a sexual relationship with Ms. Lewinsky, and is widely expected to reiterate that denial when he gives sworn testimony to prosecutor Kenneth Starr on August 17. \I(USA)\i
Emmy Award-winning ventriloquist, Shari Lewis, dies aged 65 at the Cedars-\JSinai\j Medical Center, where she was undergoing \Jchemotherapy\j for uterine cancer diagnosed in June. Ms. Lewis charmed generations of young \Jtelevision\j viewers with sock puppets named "Lamb Chop," "Charlie Horse," and "Hush Puppy," as well as writing more than 60 children's books and producing more than two dozen home videos for children. \I(USA)\i
In men's tennis, American Andre Agassi scores a straight-sets victory over Briton Tim Henman in the final of the Mercedes-Benz Cup at Los Angeles, Spaniard Albert Costa beats Italian Andrea Gaudenzi in the Generali Men's Open at Kitzbuehel, \JAustria\j, and Czech Bohdan Ulihrach beats Swede Magnus Norm in the \JCroatia\j Men's Open at Umag. Meanwhile, on the WTA Tour at Sopot, \JPoland\j, Henrietta Ngyova of \JSlovakia\j defeats Elena Wagner of \JGermany\j, and in the Women's Bank of the West Classic at Stanford, \JCalifornia\j, Lindsay Davenport claims victory over fellow American Venus Williams. \I(USA, UK, \JSpain\j, \JItaly\j, \JAustria\j, Czech Republic, Sweden, \JCroatia\j, \JPoland\j, \JSlovakia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Zimbabwean Nick Price wins a play-off against American Jeff Slum to take the St Jude Classic Golf Tournament at Memphis, \JTennessee\j, while in Windsor, \JOntario\j, American Brandie Burton captures her second Du Maurier Classic with a total of 18-under-270, the lowest score in the history of LPGA major championships. In Stockholm, Swede Jesper Parnevik thrills the home gallery when he closes with a three-stroke lead to claim his second Scandinavian Masters title in four years. \I(Zimbabwe, USA, Canada, Sweden)\i
At the end of 20 stages, Italian cyclist Marco Pantani clinches the 1998 Tour de \JFrance\j ahead of German Jan Ullrich and American Bobby Julich. This year, the classic event was marred by a widening drugs scandal, with one team expelled from the race, and five teams and several individual riders withdrawing in protest over the treatment of competitors by the French police and judicial authorities. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Fresh fighting flares between separatist guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) and government forces in the troubled southern Serbian province, trapping villagers and refugees in the crossfire. The ethnic \JAlbanian\j community says Serb forces have launched a major offensive in central \JKosovo\j while pressing ahead with operations in the west near the border with northern Albania. Meanwhile, the official Yugoslav Tanjug news agency reports that Yugoslav army and police units have come under attack from ethnic \JAlbanian\j separatists in various parts of west and central \JKosovo\j. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
Northern Ireland's fragile peace process is shaken yet again when two \JBelfast\j shops and a hotel are hit by firebombs, and police warn shop owners not to return to their stores for fear of further attacks. The firebombs come one \Jday\j after a massive car bomb explosion in the town of Banbridge, blamed on dissident republican groups, and condemned by Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, as a cowardly assault and an appalling outrage. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Directors of Israel's Yad Vashem \JHolocaust\j Memorial issue a statement demanding that Polish authorities remove some 50 crosses recently erected by Polish Catholics outside the former \JAuschwitz\j death camp. Yad Vashem regards the crosses as provocative, saying they violate an international agreement under which no religious, ideological, or political symbols are to be erected at the site where 1.5 million people, 90 per cent of them Jews, died at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. \I(Israel, \JPoland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Arson is suspected after a fire breaks out in thick pine forest on Mount Pendeli near \JAthens\j, the latest in a series that has devoured thousands of hectares of woods and farmland around \JGreece\j this summer. The blaze engulfs several homes in holiday communities, forces the evacuation of residents, and sends a pall of smoke over a large parts of the capital, already stifling in heat of up to 38 degrees \JCelsius\j. \I(\JGreece\j)\i
Archaeologists diving in the \JMediterranean Sea\j east of Alexandria report the discovery of an array of artifacts from \IL'Orient,\i a French flagship which exploded after being set on fire by the British fleet in the 1798 Battle of the Nile. The objects found include hundreds of gold, silver, and copper coins dating from the reign of \JLouis XIV\j up to the period of the \JFrench Revolution\j, as well as cannon, navigational instruments, swords, personal items, and a series of individual characters from a printing set. Napoleon's defeat by Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile eventually led to \JFrance\j's withdrawal from the \JMiddle East\j. \I(\JEgypt\j, \JFrance\j, UK, \JMiddle East\j)\i
In men's tennis, American Andre Agassi scores a straight-sets victory over Briton Tim Henman in the final of the Mercedes-Benz Cup at Los Angeles, Spaniard Albert Costa beats Italian Andrea Gaudenzi in the Generali Men's Open at Kitzbuehel, \JAustria\j, and Czech Bohdan Ulihrach beats Swede Magnus Norm in the \JCroatia\j Men's Open at Umag. Meanwhile, on the WTA Tour at Sopot, \JPoland\j, Henrietta Ngyova of \JSlovakia\j defeats Elena Wagner of \JGermany\j, and in the Women's Bank of the West Classic at Stanford, \JCalifornia\j, Lindsay Davenport claims victory over fellow American Venus Williams. \I(USA, UK, \JSpain\j, \JItaly\j, \JAustria\j, Czech Republic, Sweden, \JCroatia\j, \JPoland\j, \JSlovakia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Zimbabwean Nick Price wins a play-off against American Jeff Slum to take the St Jude Classic Golf Tournament at Memphis, \JTennessee\j, while in Windsor, \JOntario\j, American Brandie Burton captures her second Du Maurier Classic with a total of 18-under-270, the lowest score in the history of LPGA major championships. In Stockholm, Swede Jesper Parnevik thrills the home gallery when he closes with a three-stroke lead to claim his second Scandinavian Masters title in four years. \I(Zimbabwe, USA, Canada, Sweden)\i
At the end of 20 stages, Italian cyclist Marco Pantani clinches the 1998 Tour de \JFrance\j ahead of German Jan Ullrich and American Bobby Julich. This year, the classic event was marred by a widening drugs scandal, with one team expelled from the race, and five teams and several individual riders withdrawing in protest over the treatment of competitors by the French police and judicial authorities. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, USA)\i
Finn Mika Hakkinen wins the German Formula One Grand Prix at Hockenheim. It is the McLaren-Mercedes driver's sixth victory this season, and builds his tally in the 1998 world championship to 76 points, 16 ahead of his nearest rival, German Michael Schumacher. \I(\JFinland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"August 3, 1998",943,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese yen dives 1.5 per cent to 145.64 to the US dollar, its lowest since Washington and \JTokyo\j intervened after it hit an eight-year low of Y146.5 on June 15. The latest currency slide coincides with the release of a new opinion poll showing that 47 per cent of respondents do not support the Cabinet of Japan's new Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi, the highest level of public opposition ever recorded for any newly formed government. The poll also shows that only 32 per cent of respondents support Mr. Obuchi's new Cabinet line-up, the third-lowest figure on record. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Tensions between India and \JPakistan\j heighten when 34 Hindu villagers are shot dead by suspected Muslim separatists in the state of Himachal Pradesh, only 30 kilometers from Kashmir, where artillery battles between Indian and Pakistani troops have entered their fifth \Jday\j. As the death toll from the border exchanges rises to almost 100, towns either side of the 720-kilometer Line of Control are now deserted, with the civilian population seeking shelter in safer areas. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Indonesia's Defense Minister and armed forces commander, General Wiranto, announces that General Prabowo Subianto, son-in-law of ex-president Soeharto and former head of the Kopassus special forces, is to be called before a military inquiry for his alleged role in the abduction of political activists prior to the presidential election in March this year. General Wiranto adds that ten other Kopasses soldiers will also be brought before a military court in connection with the abductions. Fourteen activists are still missing, feared dead, while at least four of those abducted have publicly accused military members. \I(Indonesia)\i
Afghanistan's Taliban militia claims to be closing in on the opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif in the country's north after capturing the nearby town of Sheberghan, previously controlled by allied opposition warlord, General Rashid Dostum. International aid workers in Afghanistan say the Taliban fighters, who control about 85 per cent of the country, have had a number of victories in the past few days that could give them the momentum to take the remaining strongholds of resistance. \I(Afghanistan)\i
Heavy rains in southern China have now swollen the Yangtze River and nearby lakes to their highest levels in over four decades. As the rains being to spread, northern China too is bracing for flooding, mobilizing soldiers, repairing \Jwater\j-control facilities, and stockpiling sandbags and rafts. Even Shandong and Shaanxi provinces are preparing for possible floods after years of struggling with \Jdrought\j. \I(China)\i
South Korea's Central Disaster Agency report that as many as 100 people, mostly campers and holiday-makers, are dead or missing after torrential downpours in the country's southern provinces caused flash flooding near the Mount Chiri resort. Around 2,000 rescue workers have mounted an emergency operation in the resort area, but only 35 bodies have been recovered so far. \I(South Korea)\i
Australia pledges an additional $AUD1 million in aid to help build schools and health centers for victims of Papua New Guinea's \Jtsunami\j disaster. Australia already provides $AUD2 million in aid to its northern neighbor, as well as the assistance of Australian Defence Force personnel. \I(Australia, Papua New Guinea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The US State Department announces that \JNATO\j has now approved a range of contingency plans for the use of military force in the \JKosovo\j crisis. The announcement coincides with demands from the United States, the European Union, and \JNATO\j for a cease-fire in the volatile Serbian province following an upsurge of fighting between government forces and guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. The United Nations refugee agency estimates that up to 30,000 ethnic Albanians have been forced from their homes as a result of the latest turmoil. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, accuses United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, of using "old tricks" and following a United States policy of prolonging the inspection process in order to perpetuate sanctions against \JBaghdad\j. Mr. Aziz's accusation comes during a meeting with Mr. Butler to discuss a plan to speed up final verification of Iraq's prohibited weapons. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The Japanese yen dives 1.5 per cent to 145.64 to the US dollar, its lowest since Washington and \JTokyo\j intervened after it hit an eight-year low of ¥146.5 on June 15. The latest currency slide coincides with the release of a new opinion poll showing that 47 per cent of respondents do not support the Cabinet of Japan's new Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi, the highest level of public opposition ever recorded for any newly formed government. The poll also shows that only 32 per cent of respondents support Mr. Obuchi's new Cabinet line-up, the third-lowest figure on record. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The United States Treasury Department announces that strong tax revenues from the economy's long-running expansion will allow the first third-quarter paydown in government debt since 1973. The Treasury anticipates a net $US45 billion reduction in accumulated debts in the third quarter, on top of an actual reduction of $US97.9 billion in debt during the second quarter. \I(USA)\i
Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolution Party (PRI) looks set to win two out of three state governorships in a round of weekend voting viewed as a key indicator of the 2000 presidential race. With results almost complete, the PRI holds insurmountable leads in Oaxaca and \JVeracruz\j, the country's third-largest state on the gulf coast, but loses the small central state of Aguascalientes to a political novice from the conservative National Action Party. \I(Mexico)\i
As temperatures in \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j, soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the 29th consecutive \Jday\j, the state's heat-related death toll for this summer reaches 101. The heat is also blamed for the derailment of a Union Pacific freight train due to a "\Jsun\j kink" on the line near Fort Worth, and for the rupture of a pipeline carrying a third of Tarrant County's \Jwater\j supply. Meanwhile, officials in neighboring Oklahoma report that the state's heat-related death toll has risen to 21, while another 21 people are now also reported to have died in Louisiana. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The US State Department announces that \JNATO\j has now approved a range of contingency plans for the use of military force in the \JKosovo\j crisis. The announcement coincides with demands from the United States, the European Union, and \JNATO\j for a cease-fire in the volatile Serbian province following an upsurge of fighting between government forces and guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. The United Nations refugee agency estimates that up to 30,000 ethnic Albanians have been forced from their homes as a result of the latest turmoil. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, Europe)\i
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, accuses United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, of using "old tricks" and following a United States policy of prolonging the inspection process in order to perpetuate sanctions against \JBaghdad\j. Mr. Aziz's accusation comes during a meeting with Mr. Butler to discuss a plan to speed up final verification of Iraq's prohibited weapons. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The President of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, Laurent Kabila, decides to take military action to crush a rebellion in the country's east. Mr. Kabila's decision follows an open declaration of revolt from sections of the army in the eastern Kuvi provinces, and overnight clashes in the capital, \JKinshasa\j, between ethnic Tutsi elements of the army and those loyal to the government. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Czech President Vaclav Havel undergoes an emergency tracheotomy after suffering a partial lung collapse in the wake of intestinal surgery. While the procedure is not expected to be life-threatening, it is the latest in a number of ailments suffered by the 61-year-old president since he underwent surgery for lung cancer in late 1996. A former chain smoker, Mr. Havel has blamed his respiratory problems on several spells he endured in Communist prisons after being arrested as a dissent. \I(Czech Republic)\i
Alfred Schnittke, regarded as the last great Russian composer of the 20th century, dies aged 63 after a long illness. During his lifetime, Schnittke wrote nine symphonies, four violin concertos, two cello concertos, ballet scores, and choral works to become one of the most widely performed and recorded contemporary composers in Europe. His remains are to be buried at Moscow's Novodevichy Monastery, the final resting place of other famous Russians such as Shostakovich, and the writers Anton Chekhov and Nikolai Gogol. \I(Russia, Europe)\i
A French \Jhospital\j spokesman says a policeman badly beaten by German hooligans during the recent World Cup \Jsoccer\j tournament has awakened from a six-week coma and no longer requires respiratory assistance. Meanwhile, German prosecutors working in cooperation with French authorities announce that they have charged a fourth suspect, aged 23, with attempted murder in connection with the attack. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"August 4, 1998",944,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Just five days into its term, \JJapan\j's new government goes on the offensive to protect the sagging currency, saying a weak yen is neither in the interests of \JJapan\j nor of the world, and warning global financial markets that it is a matter of course for countries to conduct join intervention when a currency is under speculative attack. The Japanese Government offensive comes one day after the yen sank to its lowest level since mid-June, a reflection of market uncertainty over the ability of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's administration to pull the economy out of recession. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average records its biggest percentage loss of the year and its third worst point loss ever, plunging 3.4 per cent, or 299.43 points, to close at 8,487.3. Analysts attribute the sharp pullback to continuing concerns about the impact of Asia's economic turmoil, as well as nervousness over the recent developments in the \JWhite House\j sex and \Jperjury\j scandal. \I(USA, Asia)\i
Cambodia's two main opposition leaders agree to stand firm and united, insisting that they will not discuss forming a coalition government with leader Hun Sen until there is a recount of ballots from at least half of the country's centers in the July 26 election. While international monitors have cleared the elections as sufficiently free and fair to reflect the will of the people, deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and his ally Sam Rainsy maintain that the observers only saw a fraction of polling and counting stations, and were unable to detect subtle forms of \Jfraud\j. \I(Cambodia)\i
Sri Lanka declares a state of emergency across the country, purportedly imposed in the interest of public security and order, and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. The move not only gives the military sweeping powers of arrest, search, and investigation, but will allow President Chandrika Kumaratunga to postpone August 28 provincial elections and conserve military forces for the fight against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
South Korea's Foreign Minister, Park Chung Soo, resigns with a public apology for causing concerns over Korean-Russian relations, which became strained last month after Russia expelled a South Korean diplomat for alleged spying and Seoul retaliated in kind. Mr. Park will be replaced by Hong Soon Yung, a former vice-foreign minister and ambassador to \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, Russia, and \JGermany\j. \I(South Korea, Russia, \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Sydney's \Jwater\j supply is declared clear of contamination and safe to drink five days after the 3.5 million residents of \JAustralia\j's largest city were warned to boil all tap-\Jwater\j used for drinking and cooking. In addition to a government inquiry, the city's supplier, Sydney Water, has ordered an independent review of management's role during the crisis, which was sparked when the \Jwater\j supply was found to contain large numbers of the health-threatening parasites, giardia and cryptosporidium. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States warns its citizens against travel to the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, at the same time ordering nonessential embassy workers and the families of all embassy personnel to leave the central African country. The order comes as fighting is reported in several eastern towns, and Congolese Foreign Minister, Bizima Karaha, joins the army rebels vowing to topple the government of President Laurent Kabila, installed just over a year ago. Mr. Kabila, meanwhile, is accusing neighbor and former ally \JRwanda\j of assisting the insurgency, a charge \JRwanda\j denies. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j)\i
Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average records its biggest percentage loss of the year and its third worst point loss ever, plunging 3.4 per cent, or 299.43 points, to close at 8,487.3. Analysts attribute the sharp pullback to continuing concerns about the impact of Asia's economic turmoil, as well as nervousness over the recent developments in the \JWhite House\j sex and \Jperjury\j scandal. \I(USA, Asia)\i
At least 42 people die, scores are wounded, and almost 30 soldiers and police remain missing after Marxist rebels unleash a wave of overnight attacks across \JColombia\j. According to government forces, both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of \JColombia\j and the smaller Cuban-inspired National Liberation Army were responsible for the attacks, which come in an apparent "show of strength" before president-elect Andres Pastrana takes office on Friday. \I(\JColombia\j)\i
After 29 consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures, the mercury drops to 92 degrees Fahrenheit in \JDallas\j, \JTexas\j, as a cool front moving in from the north brings cloudy skies and modest rainfalls. Below the front, however, temperatures continue to soar, with 10 people overcome by 101-degree heat in Houston while waiting in line to receive free air conditioners. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United Nations weapons inspection chief, Richard Butler, abruptly departs \JBaghdad\j after the collapse of talks on dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Butler says he has refused a demand by Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, that \JIraq\j be declared free of all such weapons, cautioning, however, that the latest standoff should not be described as a crisis. Mr. Butler adds that the UN inspectors are nearing the end of their work in the areas of missiles and chemical weapons, but still have a long way to go before \JIraq\j can be cleared in the area of biological weapons. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
The United States warns its citizens against travel to the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, at the same time ordering non-essential embassy workers and the families of all embassy personnel to leave the central African country. The order comes as fighting is reported in several eastern towns, and Congolese Foreign Minister, Bizima Karaha, joins the army rebels vowing to topple the government of President Laurent Kabila, installed just over a year ago. Mr. Kabila, meanwhile, is accusing neighbor and former ally \JRwanda\j of assisting the insurgency, a charge \JRwanda\j denies. \I(USA, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j)\i
South Korea's Foreign Minister, Park Chung Soo, resigns with a public apology for causing concerns over Korean-Russian relations, which became strained last month after Russia expelled a South Korean diplomat for alleged spying and Seoul retaliated in kind. Mr. Park will be replaced by Hong Soon Yung, a former vice-foreign minister and ambassador to \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, Russia, and \JGermany\j. \I(South Korea, Russia, \JPakistan\j, \JMalaysia\j, \JGermany\j)\i
Doctors at \JPrague\j's Central Military Hospital say Czech President Vaclav Havel is suffering from bronchial \Jpneumonia\j, and is breathing with the aid of a \Jrespirator\j while being intensively treated with \Jantibiotics\j. The 61-year-old president underwent a tracheotomy yesterday after a partial lung collapse in the wake of surgery to remove a bag bridging a gap in his large \Jintestine\j. The bag was inserted by surgeons in April when Mr. Havel's large \Jintestine\j ruptured while he was on vacation in \JAustria\j. \I(Czech Republic, \JAustria\j)\i
Britain's Queen Mother goes on a royal walkabout to celebrate her 98th birthday, abandoning the "Queen Mum Mobile" to accept a deluge of flowers and cards from the hundreds of fans crushed ten-deep outside her London home. The Queen Mother has lived longer than any member of the royal family, and remains one of the most popular symbols of the British monarchy. \I(UK)\i
#
"August 5, 1998",945,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Official preliminary results issued by \JCambodia\j's National Election Committee confirm that leader Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has won the country's July 26 polls with 42 per cent of the vote, following by the Funcinpec party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh with 32 per cent of the vote. According to the latest projections, the outcome will give the CPP 64 of the 122 seats in the National Assembly, a majority short of the two-thirds required to form a government. Mr. Hun Sen says a coalition with at least his former co-prime minister is now inevitable, but both Prince Ranariddh and his ally Sam Rainsy have vowed to boycott the new assembly unless their claims of election \Jfraud\j are thoroughly investigated. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
As artillery attacks across the Kashmir border enter a seventh straight \Jday\j, the death toll climbs above 100, with both India and \JPakistan\j reporting further casualties. India puts the toll on its side of the disputed Himalayan region at 35, while Pakistani authorities report 69 deaths since the fighting flared last Thursday. Neither side will accept responsibility for provoking the cross-border exchanges, which have significantly raised tensions between the arch-rivals, dimming hopes that stalled peace talks will be resumed. \I(India, \JPakistan\j)\i
Indonesia withdraws another 300 troops from East \JTimor\j and says a further 300 troops will pull out in the coming days. The phased withdrawal is part of efforts to end conflict in the former Portuguese colony, and comes as United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets with the foreign ministers of \JPortugal\j and Indonesia to discuss the future of the troubled territory. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
Australian Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer, is reelected unopposed as leader of the rural-based National Party in a ballot he called himself to squash a revolt sparked by the backlash against the ruling coalition in \JQueensland\j state elections in June. A National-led coalition lost office in \JQueensland\j as Pauline Hanson's extreme-right One Nation Party capitalized on rising rural resentment to policies championed by Mr. Fischer, who is also Australia's Trade Minister. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Baghdad announces that it is suspending cooperation with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction. In accusing UNSCOM of trying to manufacture crises and deliberately extend its work to serve American policy against \JIraq\j, Baghdad insists that the commission's New York headquarters be relocated in Geneva or Vienna to remove it from American influence, and that its executive be reformed to give equal representation to all 15 member-states of the UN Security Council. Baghdad's latest stand follows the breakdown of talks with UNSCOM chief, Richard Butler, who refused an Iraqi demand to declare the country free of prohibited weapons so that sanctions can be lifted. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JAustria\j)\i
Wall Street's Down Jones Industrial Average recovers a fifth of the previous \Jday\j's 3.4 per cent losses, closing up 59.47 points at 8,546.78. Volume is the second-heaviest ever with 856 million shares changing hands, but despite the gains, most analysts predict that the market pullback has yet to run its course. \I(USA)\i
Colombian police reveal that a 500-strong rebel force has attacked a counternarcotics base in Miraflores in the country's southeast Guaviare province, killing 30 soldiers and wounding 50. The remaining 110 men stationed in Miraflores are missing, feared dead or taken prisoner in the assault, which is the worst to date in a wave of nationwide rebel attacks presumably timed as a show of strength before president-elect, Andres Pastrana, takes office on Friday. \I(Colombia)\i
Researchers in the United States report that an \Jepilepsy\j drug shows promise as the first pharmaceutical treatment to combat addiction to drugs such as \Jcocaine\j, \Jmorphine\j, and \Jnicotine\j. The researchers say experiments on rats and baboons indicate that the drug, known as Vigabatrin in Europe and Sabril in the US, alters the communication between brain cells, and prevents the "high" effects of drugs like \Jcocaine\j in much the same way that it moderates the effects of uncontrolled \Jneurotransmitter\j releases which cause epileptic seizures. The researchers now plan to embark upon a 90-\Jday\j clinical trial using volunteer human \Jcocaine\j addicts. \I(USA, Europe)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Following alarming reports in Austrian, German, and Swedish newspapers, European Union observers visit a site near the \JKosovo\j town of Orahovac but find no immediate evidence of an alleged mass grave containing the remains of more than 500 ethnic Albanians civilians. The newspapers reported a civilian massacre in Orahovac, the scene of a recent battle between the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) and government forces, but Serbian authorities have strongly denied the damaging reports, claiming the fresh graves contain the remains of 40 KLA fighters, properly buried in accordance with Muslim law. \I(Austria, \JGermany\j, Sweden, \JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
Baghdad announces that it is suspending cooperation with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling \JIraq\j's weapons of mass destruction. In accusing UNSCOM of trying to manufacture crises and deliberately extend its work to serve American policy against \JIraq\j, Baghdad insists that the commission's New York headquarters be relocated in Geneva or Vienna to remove it from American influence, and that its executive be reformed to give equal representation to all 15 member-states of the UN Security Council. Baghdad's latest stand follows the breakdown of talks with UNSCOM chief, Richard Butler, who refused an Iraqi demand to declare the country free of prohibited weapons so that sanctions can be lifted. \I(\JIraq\j, USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JAustria\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vows to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank following the overnight shooting deaths of two young men at Yitzhar settlement near Nablus, the main Palestinian city in the northern West Bank. While there is no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, Mr. Netanyahu says it adds weight to his demand for a Palestinian crackdown on \Jterrorism\j before Israel agrees to withdraw its troops from the West Bank. Palestinian officials have also condemned the killings, but lay the blame on provocation such as Israel's settlement expansion. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
The revolt against Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j President, Laurent Kabila, widens as government officials acknowledge that the eastern town of Bukavu has fallen to a Tutsi-led dissident faction of the army after two days of heavy fighting. Government officials have no information on the outcome of fighting further south in Uvira, or to the north in Goma, where the Voice of the People radio station has branded Mr. Kabila a dictator, and introduced opposition Future party leader, Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, as coordinator of the army uprising. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
Indonesia withdraws another 300 troops from East \JTimor\j and says a further 300 troops will pull out in the coming days. The phased withdrawal is part of efforts to end conflict in the former Portuguese colony, and comes as United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meets with the foreign ministers of \JPortugal\j and Indonesia to discuss the future of the troubled territory. \I(Indonesia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
Former Bulgarian leader, Todor Zhivkov, dies aged 86 of complications arising from long-standing diabetes. Mr. Zhivkov ruled Bulgarian from 1954 until he was ousted in a bloodless coup in 1989, and his death symbolically ends the era of \Jcommunism\j in the Balkan state. \I(Bulgaria)\i
Researchers in the United States report that an \Jepilepsy\j drug shows promise as the first pharmaceutical treatment to combat addiction to drugs such as \Jcocaine\j, \Jmorphine\j, and \Jnicotine\j. The researchers say experiments on rats and baboons indicate that the drug, known as Vigabatrin in Europe and Sabril in the US, alters the communication between brain cells, and prevents the "high" effects of drugs like \Jcocaine\j in much the same way that it moderates the effects of uncontrolled \Jneurotransmitter\j releases which cause epileptic seizures. The researchers now plan to embark upon a 90-\Jday\j clinical trial using volunteer human \Jcocaine\j addicts. \I(USA, Europe)\i
#
"August 6, 1998",946,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese city of \JHiroshima\j marks the 53rd anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. Attending the anniversary ceremonies are the ambassadors of the world's newest nuclear states, India and \JPakistan\j, but the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, China and \JRussia\j, the five longtime nuclear powers, again decline to send official representatives. \I(Japan, India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
Anti-nuclear demonstrators use the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the American atomic bombing of \JHiroshima\j to stage a mass protest march in the Indian capital, New Delhi. The march is the first major expression of public opposition to India's five nuclear test blasts in May, and is led by two of the country's best-known writers: Arundhati Roy, winner of the 1998 Booker Prize, and Khushwant Singh, a leading author for more than half a century. \I(India, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
In the first major diplomatic breakthrough in more than 20 years, \JIndonesia\j and \JPortugal\j reach agreement on a plan to grant autonomy to the disputed territory of East \JTimor\j. The agreement comes after two-days of United Nations-sponsored talks, and sets out a framework for self-government in Dili giving the former Portuguese colony control of its own educational and cultural affairs, with \JIndonesia\j retaining control of foreign, military, and some fiscal and monetary policies. Another series of UN-sponsored framework talks is to be held before the end of September. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JPortugal\j, East \JTimor\j)\i
Speaking from \JPortugal\j, exiled East Timorese resistance leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, welcomes the agreement to grant the Indonesian-occupied territory special status based on a wide-ranging autonomy, but says he will not participate in talks between Indonesia and \JPortugal\j unless Indonesia releases all political prisoners, including Fretilin guerrilla leader, Xanana Gusmao. Despite repeated calls, Indonesia has refused to free Gusmao, saying he is a criminal rather than a political detainee, at the same time conceding, however, that his eventual release will be part of an overall solution to the East Timor question. \I(\JPortugal\j, East Timor, Indonesia)\i
The official toll from floods across China this year reaches at least 2,000, more than three times the figure for 1997. Meanwhile, authorities destroy dikes and begin to flood a vast lowland area inhabited by 3,000 people to protect the city of Wuhan from the rising waters. Wuhan lies about 150 kilometers west of the area, and is home to 7 million people. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States Defense Department announces that \JNATO\j and European troops will hold military exercises in \JAlbania\j next week as an overt reminder of the West's ability to move forces swiftly into the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. The announcement comes after US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, that recent government actions against guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army have only increased the threat of \JNATO\j military intervention in the conflict. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement describing as totally unacceptable \JIraq\j's decision to suspend cooperation with the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling the country's weapons of mass destruction. Prior to the council statement, which also calls for an early resumption of dialogue between \JIraq\j and UNSCOM, \JBaghdad\j modified its defiant stand, saying UN arms inspectors will still be allowed to carry out their work, but teams attempting intrusive inspections will not receive the essential Iraqi escorts. Meanwhile, President Bill Clinton has warned that unless Iraq cooperates fully with international weapons inspectors, the United States will block all efforts to alter the sanctions regime. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
The Japanese city of \JHiroshima\j marks the 53rd anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. Attending the anniversary ceremonies are the ambassadors of the world's newest nuclear states, India and \JPakistan\j, but the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, China and \JRussia\j, the five longtime nuclear powers, again decline to send official representatives. \I(Japan, India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
Anti-nuclear demonstrators use the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the American atomic bombing of \JHiroshima\j to stage a mass protest march in the Indian capital, New Delhi. The march is the first major expression of public opposition to India's five nuclear test blasts in May, and is led by two of the country's best-known writers: Arundhati Roy, winner of the 1998 Booker Prize, and Khushwant Singh, a leading author for more than half a century. \I(India, USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Monica Lewinsky, the 25-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of the presidential sex and \Jperjury\j scandal, testifies for six hours before a grand jury probing her relationship with US President Bill Clinton. A spokeswoman later says Ms. Lewinsky answered each question truthfully, completely, and honestly. Ms. Lewinsky was earlier granted immunity from prosecution in return for her full and truthful testimony, which comes more than six months after prosecutor Kenneth Starr's mandate was expanded from the Whitewater real estate scandal to include the Lewinsky matter. \I(USA)\i
A bill to change laws relating to United States political campaigns is given final approval by the \JHouse of Representatives\j after being considered all but dead four months ago. The so-called Shays-Meehan bill, which has yet to pass through the Senate, proposes to ban soft money donations, which go to party committees rather than individual candidates, as well as restrict issue advocacy advertisements within 60 days of an election. \I(USA)\i
A United States House committee cites Attorney General Janet Reno for contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over two confidential memos on the 1996 Democratic Party fundraising campaign. Ms. Reno has steadfastly refused to appoint an independent counsel to investigate allegations of fundraising abuses, and the citation will now be considered by the full House for a possible vote. \I(USA)\i
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announces that 4 million acres of pristine land in \JAlaska\j is to be opened up to oil and gas leasing for the first time. Countering sharp criticism from environmentalists, who want to keep the entire 23 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve closed to exploration, Mr. Babbitt pledges to protect the key environmentally sensitive areas that are home to \Jcaribou\j herds and migratory birds. \I(USA)\i
Michelle de Bruin, who as Michelle Smith won three swimming gold medals for Ireland at the 1996 \JOlympic Games\j in \JAtlanta\j, is banned from competition for four years after the world body FINA finds her guilty of tampering with a drug-test sample. The Irish swimmer was warned by FINA in January after failing to make herself available for two previous drug tests. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States Defense Department announces that \JNATO\j and European troops will hold military exercises in \JAlbania\j next week as an overt reminder of the West's ability to move forces swiftly into the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. The announcement comes after US \JSecretary of State\j, Madeleine Albright, warns Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, that recent government actions against guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army have only increased the threat of \JNATO\j military intervention in the conflict. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council issues a statement describing as totally unacceptable \JIraq\j's decision to suspend cooperation with the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling the country's weapons of mass destruction. Prior to the council statement, which also calls for an early resumption of dialogue between \JIraq\j and UNSCOM, \JBaghdad\j modified its defiant stand, saying UN arms inspectors will still be allowed to carry out their work, but teams attempting intrusive inspections will not receive the essential Iraqi escorts. Meanwhile, President Bill Clinton has warned that unless Iraq cooperates fully with international weapons inspectors, the United States will block all efforts to alter the sanctions regime. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Britain advises its nationals to leave the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, where a Tutsi-led revolt against President Laurent Kabila has now spread to the country's west, with the rebels reported to have captured the oil town of Muanda and the nearby naval base of Banana on the Atlantic coast. Meanwhile, the Congolese Government is sending reinforcements to the east, where the key provincial towns of Bukava and Uvira have fallen to the rebels since the revolt erupted Sunday in nearby Goma. At the forefront of the revolt is the country's ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge community, said to be backed by neighboring \JRwanda\j's Tutsi-dominated army. \JRwanda\j, however, continues to deny any involvement in the uprising. \I(UK, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j)\i
The Japanese city of \JHiroshima\j marks the 53rd anniversary of the world's first atomic bombing. Attending the anniversary ceremonies are the ambassadors of the world's newest nuclear states, India and \JPakistan\j, but the United States, Britain, \JFrance\j, China and \JRussia\j, the five longtime nuclear powers, again decline to send official representatives. \I(Japan, India, \JPakistan\j, USA, UK, \JFrance\j, China, \JRussia\j)\i
In the first major diplomatic breakthrough in more than 20 years, \JIndonesia\j and \JPortugal\j reach agreement on a plan to grant autonomy to the disputed territory of East \JTimor\j. The agreement comes after two-days of United Nations-sponsored talks, and sets out a framework for self-government in Dili giving the former Portuguese colony control of its own educational and cultural affairs, with \JIndonesia\j retaining control of foreign, military, and some fiscal and monetary policies. Another series of UN-sponsored framework talks is to be held before the end of September. \I(\JIndonesia\j, \JPortugal\j, East \JTimor\j)\i
Speaking from \JPortugal\j, exiled East Timorese resistance leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, welcomes the agreement to grant the Indonesian-occupied territory special status based on a wide-ranging autonomy, but says he will not participate in talks between Indonesia and \JPortugal\j unless Indonesia releases all political prisoners, including Fretilin guerrilla leader, Xanana Gusmao. Despite repeated calls, Indonesia has refused to free Gusmao, saying he is a criminal rather than a political detainee, at the same time conceding, however, that his eventual release will be part of an overall solution to the East Timor question. \I(\JPortugal\j, East Timor, Indonesia)\i
One of the Palestinian Authority's most high-profile figures, former Education Minister Hanan Ashrawi, resigns following a long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle in which President Yasser Arafat fails to remove ministers widely criticized for alleged corruption and mismanagement. A second minister, Abdul Jawad Saleh, also resigns in protest, accusing Mr. Arafat of obstructing efforts to root out wrongdoing. \I(Palestine)\i
As part of the latest government program to stave off fiscal collapse, Russian tax collectors raid three of the country's largest oil companies, seizing cars, apartments, and other assets, and placing limits on oil exports until the companies honor previous agreements to pay more than $US150 million in back taxes. In a tough new stance against striking \Jcoal\j miners who have been sporadically blocking highways and rail lines to demand months of unpaid wages, the Russian Government also threatens to withhold payments to \Jcoal\j mining industries in areas where strikers are breaking the law. \I(Russia)\i
Michelle de Bruin, who as Michelle Smith won three swimming gold medals for Ireland at the 1996 \JOlympic Games\j in \JAtlanta\j, is banned from competition for four years after the world body FINA finds her guilty of tampering with a drug-test sample. The Irish swimmer was warned by FINA in January after failing to make herself available for two previous drug tests. \I(Republic of Ireland, USA)\i
#
"August 7, 1998",947,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Indonesian Defense Minister and armed forces chief, General Wiranto, announces that Indonesia will end military operations in the north Sumatran province of Aceh, and that all combat troops with be withdrawn from the region over the next month. The military's role in the province is currently the focus of an investigation following reports of human rights abuses, including the abduction of political activists, during a crackdown against a separatist insurgency over the past decade. Earlier this week, the Legal Air Foundation in the Acehnese capital of Banda Aceh said 10 mass graves, believed to contains the bodies of hundreds of people, have been found at three different sites. \I(Indonesia)\i
As \JPakistan\j battles crippling economic sanctions imposed after its nuclear test blasts in May, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reshuffles his Cabinet, taking the key finance ministry portfolio himself, and replacing Foreign Minister, Gohar Ayub, with former Finance Minister, Sartaj Aziz. \JPakistan\j is hoping to restart negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, which halted disbursements from a $US1.56 billion medium-term loan facility in July. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
South Korean officials report that torrential rains over the past few days have left at least 74 people dead and 36 missing, adding to the toll from last weekend's flash floods in the country's south, which left 64 people dead and 32 others missing, feared dead. In the latest downpour, most northern outlying areas of the capital, Seoul, and parts of the city itself have been cut off from utilities and communications, while some 111 buildings and 44 roads have been destroyed or damaged. \I(South Korea)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two powerful bomb blasts occurring 10 minutes apart rock the United States embassies in \JNairobi\j, \JKenya\j, and Dar es Salaam, \JTanzania\j. At least 80 people, including eight American citizens, are killed in the \JNairobi\j bombing, which reduces the neighboring five-story Ufundi Co-op House building to rubble, burying scores of victims and injuring more than a thousand others. The US Ambassador to \JKenya\j, Prudence Bushnell, suffers only minor cuts from flying debris, but two other members of the US embassy staff are hospitalized, while six remain unaccounted for. In Dar es Salaam, where the embassy stands alone outside the city center, at least six people are killed, none of them Americans, and around 58 people are injured. There is no advance warning and no immediate claim of responsibility for the two attacks, but US officials says they were well planned, well coordinated, and were obviously the work of professionals. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
After four turbulent years in office, Colombian President Ernesto Samper hands over to his successor, Andres Pastrana, whose stated aim is to try to make peace with the country's 20,000 Marxist rebels. Yesterday, the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) issues a communiqué, describing this week's deadly offensive, in which more than 140 people were killed, as its final protest against Mr. Samper's corrupt regime. Both the FARC and the smaller National Liberation Army have declared themselves willing to negotiate with Mr. Pastrana to end their three-decade-old uprising. \I(Colombia)\i
The \JWhite House\j scores a victory when a United States appeals court calls for a hearing into alleged media leaks of grand jury material by the office of prosecutor Kenneth Starr, who is currently probing President Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky. US grand juries are supposed to be secret because of the risk to reputations should the proceedings become public. Only prosecutors, jurors, and witnesses are permitted in the closed-door sessions, and only witnesses and their lawyers are permitted to talk publicly about what transpires. \I(USA)\i
A \JCalifornia\j jury awards $US760 million in punitive damages to about 28 workers who were exposed to chemicals while involved in top-secret projects at Lockheed's \Jaircraft\j plant in Burbank during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The award follows a $US25.4 million verdict reached last week for compensatory damages, and is against Exxon Corp., Unocal Corp. Shell Oil, Ashland Inc., and DuPont Co. Lockheed was not party to the latest action, having settled the litigation more than six years ago. \I(USA)\i
A North Dakota man who confessed on the \JInternet\j to killing his five-year-old daughter by setting the house on fire pleads guilty to murder, and will be sentenced to 30 years in prison under a plea bargain. The 1995 house fire was ruled an accident until Larry Froistad confessed to his online alcoholics support group on March 22 this year. At that time, several participants in the group thought the confession should remain private, and should not be communicated to authorities. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian Prime Minister, Javier Valle Riestra, confirms that President Alberto Fujimori has accepted his resignation, offered for the second time after only two months in the job. In justifying his decision, Mr. Valle Riestra says he is opposed to the president's autocratic groups who have slight regard for human rights and a totalitarian concept of how a nation should develop. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two powerful bomb blasts occurring 10 minutes apart rock the United States embassies in \JNairobi\j, \JKenya\j, and Dar es Salaam, \JTanzania\j. At least 80 people, including eight American citizens, are killed in the \JNairobi\j bombing, which reduces the neighboring five-story Ufundi Co-op House building to rubble, burying scores of victims and injuring more than a thousand others. The US Ambassador to \JKenya\j, Prudence Bushnell, suffers only minor cuts from flying debris, but two other members of the US embassy staff are hospitalized, while six remain unaccounted for. In Dar es Salaam, where the embassy stands alone outside the city center, at least six people are killed, none of them Americans, and around 58 people are injured. There is no advance warning and no immediate claim of responsibility for the two attacks, but US officials says they were well planned, well coordinated, and were obviously the work of professionals. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
In the latest setback for the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA), Serbian forces reveal that they have seized the former KLA base of Likovac after a two-\Jday\j artillery offensive, further diminishing the large territorial gains won by the separatist guerrillas a few months ago. Meanwhile, as \JNATO\j announces that it has finalized plans for possible air operations to halt the fighting in the southern Serbian province, \JRussia\j voices strong opposition to the prospect of \JNATO\j intervention, insisting that no one can win a war in \JKosovo\j, and that no one has yet explained what foreign military interference will bring to the region or its people. \JRussia\j's stance will almost certainly curtail the alliance's plans, since it is generally agreed that Russian approval would be needed before any \JNATO\j military action could be launched. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia, \JRussia\j)\i
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his government is carefully weighing its response to a United Nations initiative to halt global production of \Jplutonium\j and high enriched uranium used to make nuclear bombs. Israel is the only country in the 61-member Geneva-based UN Conference on Disarmament yet to accept the bid to revive talks on ending production of fissile material. According to reports, Israel has up to 300 nuclear bombs, but has adhered for decades to a policy of nuclear ambiguity, at the same time resisting pressure to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. \I(Israel, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Embattled Congolese President, Laurent Kabila, arrives in Zimbabwe for an African summit expected to include the leaders of \JRwanda\j and \JUganda\j, who stand accused by Mr. Kabila of supporting the Tutsi-led revolt which erupted in his country's eastern border town of Goma on August 2. Meanwhile, the army rebels are claiming fresh advances in virtually every direction in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying they are moving close to the port of Matadi in the west, and are also targeting the southern town of Kalemie, gateway to the copper-rich Shaba province. The ultimate goal of the uprising is to take the capital, \JKinshasa\j, and force Mr. Kabila from power. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe, \JRwanda\j, \JUganda\j)\i
Nigeria's Provisional Ruling Council announces that it has appointed a 14-member Independent National Electoral Commission to oversee preparations for the country's return to civilian rule next May. The council also says it has made 15 new appointments among the armed forces and police officers who run Nigeria's 36 states. As part of military ruler General Abdulsalam Abubakar's plan to restore democracy, the states will gradually be given greater power and responsibility, a long time demand of many Nigerians who are now cautiously welcoming the new leader's moves to demolish the system he inherited from his predecessor, the late General Sani Abacha. \I(Nigeria)\i
#
"August 8, 1998",948,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Afghanistan's Taliban militia gains control of Mazar-e-Sharif, the last key stronghold of the allied northern opposition, whose forces are now reported to have scattered to the mountainous central and northeastern parts of the country. The capture of the city, which has served as a capital for the opposition alliance, also cuts off its supply routes from Afghanistan's northern neighbors. \I(Afghanistan)\i
South Korea's densely populated central areas are lashed by more rain as the death toll from floods and landslides rises to 212. Meanwhile, military units are mobilized to search for mines and other explosives washed away from areas near the heavily fortified border with North Korea, and civilians are warned to keep clear of suspicious objects in riverbeds. Officials at the disaster agency say the floods are the worst on record, blaming the heavy rains on the La Niña phenomenon, an upwelling of cold \Jwater\j in the \JPacific Ocean\j that has appeared with unusual speed and wiped away the last traces of its antithetic sibling, El Niño. \I(South Korea)\i
Three days of relentless gale-force winds and driving rain create chaos throughout the eastern Australian state of \JNew South Wales\j, much of which has moved from \Jdrought\j to record flood conditions since the demise of the El Niño \Jweather\j phenomenon in June. Nine people are killed during the onslaught, national parks are shut, flood warnings are issued in 14 rural areas, and all beaches between Sydney and the Victorian border are closed as seven-meter waves batter the shores and threaten coastal homes. In Sydney, roofs are torn from buildings, 10,000 homes are blacked out, and many suburban roads are closed due to flooding, fallen trees, or other storm debris. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, grimly vows to pursue the perpetrators of yesterday's bomb attacks on two US embassies in Africa and bring them to justice, insisting that Washington will not cower to \Jterrorism\j or be forced off the world stage by such abhorrent and inhuman attacks. As Mr. Clinton speaks, US counter-\Jterrorism\j teams arrive in \JNairobi\j, \JKenya\j, to begin their investigations into the blast, while dozens of US medical and rescue teams, joined by international experts, pour into the region to help the two East African nations cope with the tragedy. The official death toll in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, now stands at nine, with another 70 injured, but in the Kenyan capital, where the explosion also leveled a five-story office block, 132 people have been confirmed dead, including 11 US citizens, with another 4,000 people injured and rescue workers still struggling to free possible survivors from beneath tonnes of rubble. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Tanzania)\i
A previously unknown group calling itself "The Islamic Army for the Liberation of Holy Places" claims responsibility for yesterday's bombings at the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. In a series of statements sent to the media, the group proclaims its existence as a pan-Islamic body, and declares its determination to drive American forces from Islamic holy sites in the Arabian peninsula, vowing to carry out more attacks until all its objectives are met. Earlier, a group identifying itself as "The Liberation Army for the Islamic Sanctuaries" likewise claimed responsibility for the twin blasts, and it is unclear whether US investigators will give credence to either claim. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
The United States Marine Corps announces that the commanding officer of an air squadron involved in the ski lift mishap in the Italian Alps on February 3 has been relieved of his duties and reassigned. Twenty skiers were killed when an EA-6B Prowler sliced the ski lift cables and, although a US military probe dismissed supervisory error as a cause, appropriate administrative action was recommended. The \Jaircraft\j's pilot and navigator are to face court-martial for their roles in the incident. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
American millionaire adventurer, Steve Fossett, reports that he is on course over the south \JAtlantic Ocean\j despite a fire that broke out on his first night aloft in his "Solo Spirit" \Jballoon\j. Yesterday, the 54-year-old stockbroker took off from a \Jsoccer\j stadium in \JMendoza\j, western Argentina, on his fourth attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a \Jballoon\j, this time choosing a route in the Southern Hemisphere with fewer countries to cross. \I(USA, Argentina)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, grimly vows to pursue the perpetrators of yesterday's bomb attacks on two US embassies in Africa and bring them to justice, insisting that Washington will not cower to \Jterrorism\j or be forced off the world stage by such abhorrent and inhuman attacks. As Mr. Clinton speaks, US counter-\Jterrorism\j teams arrive in \JNairobi\j, \JKenya\j, to begin their investigations into the blast, while dozens of US medical and rescue teams, joined by international experts, pour into the region to help the two East African nations cope with the tragedy. The official death toll in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, now stands at nine, with another 70 injured, but in the Kenyan capital, where the explosion also leveled a five-story office block, 132 people have been confirmed dead, including 11 US citizens, with another 4,000 people injured and rescue workers still struggling to free possible survivors from beneath tonnes of rubble. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Tanzania)\i
A previously unknown group calling itself "The Islamic Army for the Liberation of Holy Places" claims responsibility for yesterday's bombings at the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. In a series of statements sent to the media, the group proclaims its existence as a pan-Islamic body, and declares its determination to drive American forces from Islamic holy sites in the Arabian peninsula, vowing to carry out more attacks until all its objectives are met. Earlier, a group identifying itself as "The Liberation Army for the Islamic Sanctuaries" likewise claimed responsibility for the twin blasts, and it is unclear whether US investigators will give credence to either claim. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
As the prospect of \JNATO\j military intervention in the \JKosovo\j conflict recedes in the face of strong Russian opposition, the six-nation Contact Group hands the warring sides a proposal for a political settlement, which envisages a high level of autonomy for the troubled Serbian province while maintaining the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia. However, while Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has expressed readiness to negotiate on autonomy for \JKosovo\j, the province's ethnic \JAlbanian\j politicians are still unable to agree on a negotiating team, arguing, in the meantime, that dialogue on peace is impossible as long as Serb forces continue to attack villages housing guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
The United States Marine Corps announces that the commanding officer of an air squadron involved in the ski lift mishap in the Italian Alps on February 3 has been relieved of his duties and reassigned. Twenty skiers were killed when an EA-6B Prowler sliced the ski lift cables and, although a US military probe dismissed supervisory error as a cause, appropriate administrative action was recommended. The \Jaircraft\j's pilot and navigator are to face court-martial for their roles in the incident. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"August 9, 1998",949,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
On the 53rd anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese port city of \JNagasaki\j, residents observe a moment of silence while Buddhist temple bells toll at the exact time the bomb exploded after being dropped from a United States B-29 Superfortress. Around 25,000 people also congregate in the city's Peace Park to commemorate the anniversary at a ceremony marked by anger at the world's nuclear powers. \I(Japan, USA)\i
Eighteen foreign activists are arrested at \JRangoon\j airport after earlier distributing leaflets in the city calling on the people of \JMyanmar\j to remember the massacre of opposition supporters 10 years ago. The activists are said to be from the Alternative Association of Southeast Asian Nations Network, an umbrella body of groups from neighboring Asian countries supporting \JMyanmar\j's democracy movement. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j) Southeast Asia)\i
Interpol is alerted after an armed thief steals a $NZ22 million painting from the Auckland Art Gallery on \JNew Zealand\j's north island, possibly propelling the country into the international art underworld for the first time. Devastated gallery staff suspect that James Tissot's 1874 painting, \IStill on Top,\i may have been stolen to order for an overseas buyer, and fear that even if it is recovered, the old and fragile canvas could be damaged beyond repair. \I(\JNew Zealand\j)\i
Australian Patrick Rafter defeats Dutchman Richard Krajicek to take the Canadian Open tennis title at Toronto, a win that lifts the 25-year-old back to third place in the world rankings. At \JAmsterdam\j, Swede Magnus Norman clinches the Grolsch Open claycourt title with a victory over Australian Richard Fromberg, while at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j, American Lindsay Davenport claims her second title in as many weeks when she defeats \JFrance\j's Mary Pierce in the final of the Toshiba Women's Classic. \I(Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
American golfer Billy Mayfair closes with a two-stroke lead to win the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, \JMichigan\j, and Meg Mallon wins a first playoff hole against fellow American Dottie Pepper to capture the Star Bank LPGA Classic at Beavercreek, Ohio. Meanwhile, Australian Stephen Allan closes one stroke ahead of the field to take the German Open at Berlin. \I(USA, Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
American runner, Daniel Browne from \JColorado\j, wins the Australian city of Sydney's 28th annual City to Surf marathon, finishing ahead of a record 49,001 starters in a time of 41 minutes 25 seconds. Australian Olympian Kerryn McCann is the first woman to finish the 14-kilometer race, recording a time of 48 minutes 10 seconds. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Around 100 United States counter-\Jterrorism\j personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marines, and other specialist organizations arrive in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, to begin their probe into Friday's truck bomb attack on the US embassy, which left 10 people dead and more than 70 others injured. Although the disaster in Dar es Salaam has been dwarfed by the scale of the devastation caused by the \JNairobi\j explosion, investigators believe that the Tanzanian site could yield vital clues to the identity of the bombers. In the Kenyan capital, meanwhile, the official death toll rises to 176, including 12 Americans, as international rescue teams continue their frantic search for survivors in the ruins of the five-story office block that once stood alongside the embassy. Unlike the embassy building in Dar es Salaam, which is located north of the city center, the embassy building in \JNairobi\j is situation on a busy intersection in the heart of the central business district, and many of those killed or injured by the blast were occupants of nearby buildings and passing pedestrians or motorists. \I(USA, Tanzania, Kenya)\i
On the 53rd anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese port city of \JNagasaki\j, residents observe a moment of silence while Buddhist temple bells toll at the exact time the bomb exploded after being dropped from a United States B-29 Superfortress. Around 25,000 people also congregate in the city's Peace Park to commemorate the anniversary at a ceremony marked by anger at the world's nuclear powers. \I(Japan, USA)\i
The United States Federal Aviation Administration issues a directive calling for further checks on Boeing 747 center fuel tanks, this time asking airlines to examine parts of a \Jpump\j for excessive wear that could spark a fire or explosion. The FAA order affects about 300 US-registered \Jaircraft\j, with foreign \Javiation\j regulators likely to order similar checks on approximately 800 Boeing 747s elsewhere in the world. \I(USA)\i
The management of the largest \Jtelephone\j company in the United States steps in to handle the calls and load after some 73,000 communications workers go on strike following the breakdown of negotiations between the company and the union. Bell Atlantic Corp. criticizes the strike as unnecessary, but says its negotiators are working to address union concerns, which include job security as well as access to new high-paying, high-skill jobs for union members. \I(USA)\i
Australian Patrick Rafter defeats Dutchman Richard Krajik to take the Canadian Open tennis title at Toronto, a win that lifts the 25-year-old back to third place in the world rankings. At \JAmsterdam\j, Swede Magnus Norman clinches the Grolsch Open claycourt title with a victory over Australian Richard Fromberg, while at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j, American Lindsay Davenport claims her second title in as many weeks when she defeats \JFrance\j's Mary Pierce in the final of the Toshiba Women's Classic. \I(Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
American golfer Billy Mayfair closes with a two-stroke lead to win the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, \JMichigan\j, and Meg Mallon wins a first playoff hole against fellow American Dottie Pepper to capture the Star Bank LPGA Classic at Beavercreek, Ohio. Meanwhile, Australian Stephen Allan closes one stroke ahead of the field to take the German Open at Berlin. \I(USA, Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
American runner, Daniel Browne from \JColorado\j, wins the Australian city of Sydney's 28th annual City to Surf marathon, finishing ahead of a record 49,001 starters in a time of 41 minutes 25 seconds. Australian Olympian Kerryn McCann is the first woman to finish the 14-kilometer race, recording a time of 48 minutes 10 seconds. \I(Australia, USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Around 100 United States counter-\Jterrorism\j personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marines, and other specialist organizations arrive in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, to begin their probe into Friday's truck bomb attack on the US embassy, which left 10 people dead and more than 70 others injured. Although the disaster in Dar es Salaam has been dwarfed by the scale of the devastation caused by the \JNairobi\j explosion, investigators believe that the Tanzanian site could yield vital clues to the identity of the bombers. In the Kenyan capital, meanwhile, the official death toll rises to 176, including 12 Americans, as international rescue teams continue their frantic search for survivors in the ruins of the five-story office block that once stood alongside the embassy. Unlike the embassy building in Dar es Salaam, which is located north of the city center, the embassy building in \JNairobi\j is situation on a busy intersection in the heart of the central business district, and many of those killed or injured by the blast were occupants of nearby buildings and passing pedestrians or motorists. \I(USA, Tanzania, Kenya)\i
Despite a compromise worked out between Protestant and Catholic residents of Northern Ireland's largely Catholic city of \JLondonderry\j, police are forced to intervene when scuffles break out during the traditional march of the Protestant Apprentice Boys of Derry, a annual event staged to mark the lifting of the 1689 siege of the city by Catholic forces. The parade comes only weeks after the standoff over a banned march of Protestant Orangemen through Catholic Garvaghy Road in Drumcree. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
Jordan's Minister for Water and Irrigation, Munzir Haddadin, resigns amid a public outcry sparked when tests showed the presence of worms and weeds in the capital \JAmman\j's drinking \Jwater\j. Meanwhile, the Cabinet has established a judicial inquiry to investigate the \Jwater\j contamination, which Mr. Haddadin claimed was exacerbated by an unusually hot summer. \I(Jordan)\i
Australian Patrick Rafter defeats Dutchman Richard Krajik to take the Canadian Open tennis title at Toronto, a win that lifts the 25-year-old back to third place in the world rankings. At \JAmsterdam\j, Swede Magnus Norman clinches the Grolsch Open claycourt title with a victory over Australian Richard Fromberg, while at Carlsbad, \JCalifornia\j, American Lindsay Davenport claims her second title in as many weeks when she defeats \JFrance\j's Mary Pierce in the final of the Toshiba Women's Classic. \I(Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
American golfer Billy Mayfair closes with a two-stroke lead to win the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, \JMichigan\j, and Meg Mallon wins a first playoff hole against fellow American Dottie Pepper to capture the Star Bank LPGA Classic at Beavercreek, Ohio. Meanwhile, Australian Stephen Allan closes one stroke ahead of the field to take the German Open at Berlin. \I(USA, Australia, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"August 10, 1998",950,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
India's troubled Jammu and Kashmir state is plagued by more violence. In Anantnag district, four people are killed and seven wounded when militants hurl a grenade and fire indiscriminately on a bus, while further north in Jagarpora, a 24-hour gun battle between army troops and separatist guerrillas leaves two soldiers and twelve guerrillas dead. A defense spokesman also says counter-insurgency soldiers killed two "foreign militants" in an earlier clash in Pulawam district, but the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, which bands nearly two dozen political, religious and separatist groups, claims that the two men were killed in the custody of security forces, and declare a one-\Jday\j strike in protest. \I(India)\i
In a solemn ceremony attended by some 4,000 dignitaries, the eldest son of \JBrunei\j's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is proclaimed heir to the throne held by the family for more than 500 years. Should he eventually ascend to the throne, Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, a 24-year-old Oxford graduate, will become the 30th ruler of one of the world's last surviving absolute monarchies. \I(\JBrunei\j)\i
The ongoing flood situation on China's Yangtze River becomes more serious as a fresh crest of \Jwater\j bears down on the industrial city of Wuhan, and troops evacuate tens of thousands of people before blowing up dikes to channel \Jwater\j into diversion zones. Southwest of Wuhan, 12 secondary dikes are left to implode in a desperate attempt to lower the river's \Jwater\j levels, while officials voice fears that main dikes along the river are in danger of bursting because of the long soaking period. More than 2,000 people are reported to have died after more than a month of widespread flooding, the worst to hit China in 40 years. \I(China)\i
Rains return to South Korea, where search and recovery work is still continuing following floods and mudslides that hit the south of the country more than a week ago before spreading to create havoc in Seoul and the north. Since then, disaster officials say 234 people have died and 91 are missing, while some 121,000 people have been left homeless by what is being described as some of the worst flooding on record. \I(South Korea)\i
As floods ravage parts of the Asian region, officials in the central Vietnam province of Quang Tri appeal for emergency aid to help overcome the worst \Jwater\j shortage crisis in 90 years. The officials say they can meet only 25 per cent of \Jwater\j demand, and warn that tens of thousands of people are currently at risk from disease and food shortages. \I(Vietnam)\i
Researchers in \JNew Zealand\j say DNA data has traced the ancestors of the \JMaori\j people to mainland Asia. According to the researchers, the people who eventually became the \JMaori\j began their migration process from \JTaiwan\j, gradually moving south through the \JPhilippines\j and \JIndonesia\j, then on to the islands of eastern \JPolynesia\j and ultimately to \JNew Zealand\j. \I(\JNew Zealand\j, \JTaiwan\j, The \JPhilippines\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JPolynesia\j, Asia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States offers a reward of up to $US2 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for last Friday's simultaneous truck bomb attacks on the US embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j, reminding the world that there is no statute of limitations on the crimes, and that the memory of the US is very long and its reach very far. Meanwhile, the death toll from the embassy bombing in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, remains at 10, including nine Tanzanians and one Kenyan, but in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, the official death toll climbs to 192 as rescue teams continue the grim task of sifting through the rubble of the neighboring five-story office block which bore the brunt of the blast. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
In urging the United States Congress to support moves to combat global warming, Vice President Al Gore says July 1998 was both the hottest July and the hottest month in the history of the world since reliable record-keeping began more than 118 years ago. Citing new data compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Mr. Gore reveals that the average global \Jtemperature\j for the month was 61.7 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees \JCelsius\j), which was 1.26 degrees higher than the long-term average for July, and 0.45 degrees higher than the previous record for the month set in 1997. \I(USA)\i
Jamil Mahuad, 49, winner of July 12 elections as candidate for the Popular Democracy Party, takes office as \JEcuador\j's 41st president, replacing President Fabian Alarcon, who was elected by Congress in February 1997 after Abdala Bucaram was ejected by congressional vote. Mr. Mahuad now faces a fiscal deficit that has ballooned to $US1.3 billion since the beginning of the year, as well as negotiations with \JPeru\j over a border dispute which erupted in military clashes in early 1995, killing dozens of soldiers. \I(\JEcuador\j, \JPeru\j)\i
A 20-ton section of the starboard hull plate of the \ITitanic\i is raised to the \JAtlantic Ocean\j surface about 370 miles southeast of Newfoundland by a team from RMS Titanic Inc., which owns the rights to salvage the liner. A 1996 expedition failed when it tried to lift the same 13-by-21 foot plate, which contains portals and is from the first-class section of the ship. The ultimate aim of the expeditions is to discover more about how the ship broke up when it sank after striking an \Jiceberg\j on April 15, 1912. \I(Canada, UK)\i
America's youngest ever murder suspects appear in a \JChicago\j juvenile court, where the judge rules that there is probable cause they committed the crime. The two boys are just 7 and 8, and are charged with the death and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl on July 28. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States offers a reward of up to $US2 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for last Friday's simultaneous truck bomb attacks on the US embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j, reminding the world that there is no statute of limitations on the crimes, and that the memory of the US is very long and its reach very far. Meanwhile, the death toll from the embassy bombing in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, remains at 10, including nine Tanzanians and one Kenyan, but in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, the official death toll climbs to 192 as rescue teams continue the grim task of sifting through the rubble of the neighboring five-story office block which bore the brunt of the blast. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
Troops loyal to Congolese President Laurent Kabila claim to have regained control of Boma and Matadi, two major ports on the Congo River corridor supplying the capital \JKinshasa\j from the sea. A government spokesman also says army loyalists are advancing on rebel positions in the country's east, where the ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge community launched the revolt against President Kabila on August 2. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire))\i
A 20-ton section of the starboard hull plate of the \ITitanic\i is raised to the \JAtlantic Ocean\j surface about 370 miles southeast of Newfoundland by a team from RMS Titanic Inc., which owns the rights to salvage the liner. A 1996 expedition failed when it tried to lift the same 13-by-21 foot plate, which contains portals and is from the first-class section of the ship. The ultimate aim of the expeditions is to discover more about how the ship broke up when it sank after striking an \Jiceberg\j on April 15, 1912. \I(Canada, UK)\i
#
"August 11, 1998",951,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Japanese yen slides to 147.54 to the US dollar after Japan's Economic Planning Agency issues a pessimistic report saying the economy is still in a severe state and unable to free itself from a prolonged slump. Financial markets throughout the Asian region take a tumble on the news, most notably in Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng Index dives to a five-year low to close down 3.5 per cent. Also fueling the Hang Seng's fall is the growing fear that China will be forced to devalue its currency, the yuan, a move that could threaten the Hong Kong dollar's 15-year-old link to its US counterpart. \I(Japan, Hong Kong, China, Asia, USA)\i
Renewed concerns about the Japanese economy and deepening fears that Asia's turmoil will be prolonged spark a wave of selling on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average cutting an early 258-point fall to close down 112 points at 8,462.85. The rout is led by the technology and financial sectors, the two regarded as the most vulnerable to Asia's downturn, but few sectors escape unscathed. \I(Japan, Asia, USA)\i
As \JAfghanistan\j's opposition alliance admits that the Taliban has captured Taloqan, capital of the northern province of Takhar, \JRussia\j accuses \JPakistan\j of providing the fundamentalist Taliban movement with military equipment and troops. As a result of recent offensives, Taliban forces have now advanced close to the border with Tajikstan, and Tajik and Russian troops are taking urgent measures to prevent any incursion. Meanwhile, \JIran\j evacuates nine diplomats from central \JAfghanistan\j following the disappearance of 11 Iranian diplomats after the Taliban seized the former opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif. Tehran has charged the Taliban with abducting the diplomats. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, \JRussia\j, \JPakistan\j, Tajikstan, \JIran\j)\i
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, agrees to make the \JNorthern Territory\j the nation's seventh State subject to a referendum to be held on the same \Jday\j as the Federal election. Mr. Howard's one condition is that the Commonwealth retains sole power to amend the Land Rights Act. He also concedes that the proposed statehood would allow the Territory to resurrect its pro-\Jeuthanasia\j laws, which were overturned by special legislation approved by Mr. Howard in 1997. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The official death toll from the truck bomb attack on the US embassy in the Kenyan capital of \JNairobi\j reaches 224, with nearly all hope lost of any more survivors being pulled from the ruins of the neighboring five-story building flattened by the blast. US Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) officers have been unable to gain full access to the site because of the rescue operations. Meanwhile in \JTanzania\j, where 10 people died in a simultaneous US embassy bombing, investigations appear to suffer a setback when it is found that the video camera on the embassy roof did not record the sequence of events leading up to the explosion. Meanwhile, as the US hails the close cooperation of authorities in Kenya and \JTanzania\j, the \JFBI\j dispatches more agents to both East African countries, bringing to 175 the number of US personnel probing the twin bombings. \I(USA, Kenya, \JTanzania\j)\i
The 61-member United Nations Conference on Disarmament agrees to launch talks on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. The decision comes after Israel, the only country holding out, finally agrees to the negotiations at the urging of United States President, Bill Clinton. While committing itself to participation in the talks, however, Israel says it still has problems of principle with any accord on ending production of \Jplutonium\j and highly enriched uranium. The proposed treaty, expected to take years to complete, is regarded as the next step in multilateral nuclear disarmament following the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which Israel has not yet signed. \I(Israel, USA)\i
The Japanese yen slides to 147.54 to the US dollar after Japan's Economic Planning Agency issues a pessimistic report saying the economy is still in a severe state and unable to free itself from a prolonged slump. Financial markets throughout the Asian region take a tumble on the news, most notably in Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng Index dives to a five-year low to close down 3.5 per cent. Also fueling the Hang Seng's fall is the growing fear that China will be forced to devalue its currency, the yuan, a move that could threaten the Hong Kong dollar's 15-year-old link to its US counterpart. \I(Japan, Hong Kong, China, Asia, USA)\i
Renewed concerns about the Japanese economy and deepening fears that Asia's turmoil will be prolonged spark a wave of selling on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average cutting an early 258-point fall to close down 112 points at 8,462.85. The rout is led by the technology and financial sectors, the two regarded as the most vulnerable to Asia's downturn, but few sectors escape unscathed. \I(Japan, Asia, USA)\i
British Petroleum Plc announces that it has agreed to buy the American oil group Amoco Corp. for $US49.2 billion in stock. Described as the largest industrial merger ever, the landmark deal will create a global oil giant called BP Amoco, but will result in the loss of about 6,000 jobs from a combined workforce of 100,000. \I(UK, USA)\i
Researchers in the United States reveal that they have identified a possible link between Alzheimer's disease and bacterial infection. According to the researchers, the bacteria \IChlamydia pneumoniae,\i a cause of common respiratory ailments such as sinusitis and \Jbronchitis\j, was found in the brains of 17 out of 19 Alzheimer victims, but in the brain of only one of 19 victims of other diseases. Until now, suspected causes of Alzheimer's disease, a form of \Jdementia\j that strikes one in ten elderly people, have ranged from environmental toxins and genetic predisposition to abnormal protein levels in the brain. \I(USA)\i
An \JArkansas\j juvenile court judge orders two boys who gunned down four girls and a teacher at a Jonesboro school on March 24 to serve time behind bars, but says he does not have the authority to set a specific sentence. Mitchell Johnson, 14, and Andrew Golden, 12, were both under 14 at the time of the attack, which means that they cannot be held in custody beyond their 21st birthdays. \I(USA)\i
Mikail Markhasev, 19, is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the January 16, 1997 murder of 27-year-old Ennis Cosby, son of American comedian Bill Cosby. According to evidence at the trial, Ennis Cosby tried to offer his killer a \Jcigarette\j when he was shot in the head during a botched robbery on a dark Los Angeles freeway. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The official death toll from the truck bomb attack on the US embassy in the Kenyan capital of \JNairobi\j reaches 224, with nearly all hope lost of any more survivors being pulled from the ruins of the neighboring five-story building flattened by the blast. US Federal Bureau of Investigation (\JFBI\j) officers have been unable to gain full access to the site because of the rescue operations. Meanwhile in \JTanzania\j, where 10 people died in a simultaneous US embassy bombing, investigations appear to suffer a setback when it is found that the video camera on the embassy roof did not record the sequence of events leading up to the explosion. Meanwhile, as the US hails the close cooperation of authorities in Kenya and \JTanzania\j, the \JFBI\j dispatches more agents to both East African countries, bringing to 175 the number of US personnel probing the twin bombings. \I(USA, Kenya, \JTanzania\j)\i
The \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) issues two separate statements, neither of which offers the prospect of immediate peace in the troubled Serbian province. In one statement, the KLA urges all Albanians from all ethnic territories to join the armed struggle for freedom; in the other statement, the guerrillas say that while they would agree to enter an ethnic Albanian Government in \JKosovo\j, they are also ready to intensify their war against Serb and Yugoslav forces. Meanwhile, \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanian political leader, Ibrahim Rugova, acknowledges the Contact Group's recent compromise draft peace plan as a working paper, but reiterates his view that the international community should change its stand and recognize \JKosovo\j's independence. \I(\JKosovo\j, Serbia, Yugoslavia)\i
The 61-member United Nations Conference on Disarmament agrees to launch talks on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. The decision comes after Israel, the only country holding out, finally agrees to the negotiations at the urging of United States President, Bill Clinton. While committing itself to participation in the talks, however, Israel says it still has problems of principle with any accord on ending production of \Jplutonium\j and highly enriched uranium. The proposed treaty, expected to take years to complete, is regarded as the next step in multilateral nuclear disarmament following the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which Israel has not yet signed. \I(Israel, USA)\i
Congolese President, Laurent Kabila, reiterates charges that \JRwanda\j and \JUganda\j have invaded the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the Tutsi-led revolt against him, and pledges to arm his people for what he predicts will be a long war. Meanwhile, Mr. Kabila's Government states its intention of asking the United Nations and the Organization of African unity to secure the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan and Ugandan troops, warning that Congo will otherwise be forced to use every means possible to end the aggression. Both countries helped Mr. Kabila topple former President Mobutu Sese Seko last year after a seven-month \Jcivil war\j, but are both denying any involvement this time. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j, \JUganda\j)\i
As \JAfghanistan\j's opposition alliance admits that the Taliban has captured Taloqan, capital of the northern province of Takhar, \JRussia\j accuses \JPakistan\j of providing the fundamentalist Taliban movement with military equipment and troops. As a result of recent offensives, Taliban forces have now advanced close to the border with Tajikstan, and Tajik and Russian troops are taking urgent measures to prevent any incursion. Meanwhile, \JIran\j evacuates nine diplomats from central \JAfghanistan\j following the disappearance of 11 Iranian diplomats after the Taliban seized the former opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif. Tehran has charged the Taliban with abducting the diplomats. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, \JRussia\j, \JPakistan\j, Tajikstan, \JIran\j)\i
Members of \JGermany\j's August 13 Working Group, named after the \Jday\j on which the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, cite new research suggesting that as many as 1,000 people died trying to flee communist East \JGermany\j during the \JCold War\j. The figure quoted by German authorities is 264, but only violent deaths such as shootings are included in their official count. The August 13 Group, on the other hand, also tallies accidents and suicides during failed escape attempts, as well as cases in which East German citizens were killed fleeing through other countries. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
British Petroleum Plc announces that it has agreed to buy the American oil group Amoco Corp. for $US49.2 billion in stock. Described as the largest industrial merger ever, the landmark deal will create a global oil giant called BP Amoco, but will result in the loss of about 6,000 jobs from a combined workforce of 100,000. \I(UK, USA)\i
British rock group, the Rolling Stones, makes its Russian debut at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow three decades after it was banned by communist leaders of the \JSoviet Union\j. Fans young enough to be lead singer Mick Jagger's children come from as far away as \JSiberia\j, having paid between $US20 and $US200 a ticket to attend the show, which opens to the beat of "Satisfaction," and proceeds to the beat of other old favorites. \I(UK, Russia)\i
#
"August 12, 1998",952,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Tensions escalate in \JMyanmar\j as pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is blocked 25 kilometers outside \JRangoon\j while trying to make her way to the western town of Bessein. The latest incident comes only weeks after Ms. Suu Kyi was stopped from making a similar trip and forcibly returned to her home in the capital after a six-\Jday\j sit-in protest. Meanwhile, the United States is demanding that \JMyanmar\j's military junta release 18 foreign activists detained on August 9 for allegedly inciting unrest. The detainees include six Americans, an Australian, three Thais, three Malaysians, three Indonesians, and two Filipinos. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, Australia, \JThailand\j, Malaysia, Indonesia, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
Robbers armed with assault rifles attack four vehicles in the central \JPhilippines\j, killing 10 people, including a United States Peace Corps volunteer. The US Embassy in Manila strongly condemns the attack as a senseless act of violence, confirming that there is no evidence to suggest that either American Robert Bock or the United States itself was specifically targeted. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA)\i
Two junior Indonesian police officers are sentenced to imprisonment of 10 months and 4 months respectively for ordering live ammunition to be used during a May demonstration in Jakarta, which resulted in the deaths of four students. Attending the judgment are students from Trisakti University, who condemn the sentences, saying the military court has failed to address the issue of which a senior officer ordered the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians. \I(Indonesia)\i
Cambodian opposition politician, Ram Rainsy, says King Norodom Sihanouk is prepared to mediate in the three-way dispute which is threatening to create a post-election deadlock. Leader Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won the July 26 election, but his rivals, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, have refused to accept the results, maintaining that unless their claims of \Jfraud\j are investigated, they will boycott the National Assembly, preventing the formation of a new government. Election authorities have already dismissed the opposition allegations because of insufficient evidence. \I(Cambodia)\i
The future of India's fragile Hindu nationalist-led government is threatened when the Tamil Nadu state-based All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party warns that it will quit the coalition if plans to share the waters of the Cauvery River go ahead. The river has long been a source of dispute between the state of \JKarnataka\j, where it originates, and the state of Tamil Nadu, into which it flows. \I(India)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, declares that she would be prepared to lead a minority government after the Coalition falls out over plans to sell the government's 66 per cent holding in Wellington airport. Mrs. Shipley's National Party holds 44 seats in the 120-seat Parliament, while its junior partner, the New Zealand First, holds 16 seats. \I(New Zealand)\i
China's official media reports that floods have now spread to Inner \JMongolia\j, killing 14 people, leaving 20 missing, and stranding more than 17,300, some without food, \Jwater\j, or medicine. Since the deluge began, more than 2,000 people have died, mostly along the Yangtze River, 21.5 million hectares have been submerged, the summer grain harvest has been cut dramatically, and losses to the economy have exceeded $US40 billion in what officials are now calling China's worst flooding since 1931. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
A multinational rescue team in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, winds up a six-\Jday\j operation at the site of Ufundi House, the five-story building demolished by the truck bomb attack on the neighboring United States embassy. The official death toll in the \JNairobi\j bombing now stands at 247, with all hope of finding further survivors abandoned. As the focus shifts to the investigation, President Daniel arap Moi says Kenyan police have rounded up a number of people for questioning in connection with the bombing. In \JTanzania\j, where a simultaneous attack on the US embassy killed ten people, police report that they have detained 14 foreigners unable to produce passports or satisfactorily explain their presence in the country. \I(Kenya, \JTanzania\j, USA)\i
In his final speech of a three-\Jday\j visit to South Africa, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, calls on the United States and Europe to impose real and effective economic sanctions against Israel, emphasizing the role that international sanctions played in forcing South Africa's \Japartheid\j regime to reach a permanent settlement. Mr. Arafat goes on to compare the policies of the current Israeli Government with those of \Japartheid\j-era South Africa, which relegated blacks to rural homelands known as Bantustans. \I(South Africa, Palestine, USA, Europe)\i
Tensions escalate in \JMyanmar\j as pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is blocked 25 kilometers outside \JRangoon\j while trying to make her way to the western town of Bessein. The latest incident comes only weeks after Ms. Suu Kyi was stopped from making a similar trip and forcibly returned to her home in the capital after a six-\Jday\j sit-in protest. Meanwhile, the United States is demanding that \JMyanmar\j's military junta release 18 foreign activists detained on August 9 for allegedly inciting unrest. The detainees include six Americans, an Australian, three Thais, three Malaysians, three Indonesians, and two Filipinos. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), USA, Australia, \JThailand\j, Malaysia, Indonesia, The \JPhilippines\j)\i
A Canadian \Jcoroner\j who helped perform the autopsy on detained Nigerian opposition leader, Moshood Abiola, says detailed microscopical and toxicological tests have confirmed that he died of natural causes as a result of long-standing \Jheart disease\j. Chief Abiola collapsed and died on July 7 while discussing terms for his release with a visiting United States delegation, and family members and supporters subsequently accused Nigeria's military regime of being behind the politician's sudden death. \I(Canada, USA, Nigeria)\i
Robbers armed with assault rifles attack four vehicles in the central \JPhilippines\j, killing 10 people, including a United States Peace Corps volunteer. The US Embassy in Manila strongly condemns the attack as a senseless act of violence, confirming that there is no evidence to suggest that either American Robert Bock or the United States itself was specifically targeted. \I(The \JPhilippines\j, USA)\i
Swiss banks and Jewish groups reach an agreement on an historic $US1.25 billion compensation settlement for unreturned \JHolocaust\j-era assets, ending a three-year legal battle that also threatened to bring sanctions against the banks by about 20 American states and more than 30 American cities. The agreement not only covers UBS and Credit Suisse, but also the Swiss Central Bank, which bought billions of dollars in looted Nazi gold during World War II. Under the terms of the agreement, the compensation will be paid to \JHolocaust\j survivors over a period of three years. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
An unmanned Titan 4A rocket carrying a top-secret spy \Jsatellite\j begins to self-destruct 40 seconds after blastoff from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j, prompting ground crews to destroy it over the ocean two seconds later. The rocket's value is estimated at $US300 million and the \Jsatellite\j's at $US800 million to $US1 billion, making the failure one of the most costly in the history of the United States space program. \I(USA)\i
An \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.35 on the Richter scale jolts the \JSan Francisco\j Bay area, but causes no injuries and does little damage. For many San \JFranciscans\j, however, the moderate early morning shake-up revives unsettling memories of the 1989 7.1 \Jmagnitude\j quake which killed 67 people, and caused widespread damage to buildings, bridges, and roadways. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A multinational rescue team in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, winds up a six-\Jday\j operation at the site of Ufundi House, the five-story building demolished by the truck bomb attack on the neighboring United States embassy. The official death toll in the \JNairobi\j bombing now stands at 247, with all hope of finding further survivors abandoned. As the focus shifts to the investigation, President Daniel arap Moi says Kenyan police have rounded up a number of people for questioning in connection with the bombing. In \JTanzania\j, where a simultaneous attack on the US embassy killed ten people, police report that they have detained 14 foreigners unable to produce passports or satisfactorily explain their presence in the country. \I(Kenya, \JTanzania\j, USA)\i
After a heavy two-\Jday\j battle, Serb forces confirm that they have captured the western village of Glodjane which, until now, has been a base of the ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. Conflicting reports emerge, however, concerning a battle raging for the hill town of Junik near the \JAlbanian\j border, with the \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Information Center claiming that the area is being shelled by the Serbs, and the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug claiming that Serb forces are being shelled by the Albanians. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
In his final speech of a three-\Jday\j visit to South Africa, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, calls on the United States and Europe to impose real and effective economic sanctions against Israel, emphasizing the role that international sanctions played in forcing South Africa's \Japartheid\j regime to reach a permanent settlement. Mr. Arafat goes on to compare the policies of the current Israeli Government with those of \Japartheid\j-era South Africa, which relegated blacks to rural homelands known as Bantustans. \I(South Africa, Palestine, USA, Europe)\i
A Canadian \Jcoroner\j who helped perform the autopsy on detained Nigerian opposition leader, Moshood Abiola, says detailed microscopical and toxicological tests have confirmed that he died of natural causes as a result of long-standing \Jheart disease\j. Chief Abiola collapsed and died on July 7 while discussing terms for his release with a visiting United States delegation, and family members and supporters subsequently accused Nigeria's military regime of being behind the politician's sudden death. \I(Canada, USA, Nigeria)\i
Swiss banks and Jewish groups reach an agreement on an historic $US1.25 billion compensation settlement for unreturned \JHolocaust\j-era assets, ending a three-year legal battle that also threatened to bring sanctions against the banks by about 20 American states and more than 30 American cities. The agreement not only covers UBS and Credit Suisse, but also the Swiss Central Bank, which bought billions of dollars in looted Nazi gold during World War II. Under the terms of the agreement, the compensation will be paid to \JHolocaust\j survivors over a period of three years. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"August 13, 1998",953,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Chinese delegation to the 61-member United Nations Conference on Disarmament calls for urgent moves to prevent a "Star Wars" arms race in space, condemning space weapons research programs as being designed to seek "absolute strategic superiority and absolute security for one or a few countries." China's thinly veiled criticism of the United States coincides with a Republican push in Congress to deploy a multibillion-dollar national missile defense shield to protect Americans from ballistic missiles from rogue states. \I(China, USA)\i
India's Hindu nationalist-led government wins a reprieve after a key coalition partner decides to delay a decision on whether to withdraw its support over a river-waters dispute. However, colleagues and allies have now authorized Jayaram Jayalalitha, the leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party, to take appropriate action at the appropriate time. The Tamil Nadu state-based party and its allies control 27 seats in the 545-member Parliament. \I(India)\i
Myanmar's military junta brands opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, an arrogant troublemaker under the control of foreign powers as she enters the second \Jday\j of her latest roadside standoff to assert her right to freedom of speech and movement. This time, in her bid to visit rural supporters of her National League for Democracy party, Ms. Suu Kyi has chosen to travel in a van, and reportedly has enough food to last for at least a week. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The Australian Federal Government unveils a package it describes as "the biggest single remake of the Australian tax system since Federation in 1901." Under the controversial new scheme, destined to form the center of the 1998 reelection campaign, the government proposes to scrap the wholesale sales tax system and replace it with a 10 per cent goods and services tax (GST), which would apply to most essentials, including food and clothing. To offset the impact of the GST, income tax cuts totaling $AUD13 billion would be introduced, leaving most Australians paying no more than 30 cents in the dollar. \I(Australia)\i
A delegation of 51 children, to mark the 51st anniversary of India's independence, gather in New Delhi to present President Kocheril Narayanan with a memorandum requesting that the government put a stop to child labor. Despite Article 14 of the Constitution, which prohibits any hazardous employment of children under the age of 14 years, the Bonded Labor Liberation Front says about 65 million Indian children under 14 are not in schools but in bonded labor, working up to 12 hours a \Jday\j to help relieve the poverty of their parents. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a solemn ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, a tearful President Bill Clinton receives the bodies of 10 of the American citizens killed in the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JKenya\j, vowing anew to punish those responsible for the carnage. At least 247 people were killed in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, including 12 Americans, while another 10 people were killed in the simultaneous bomb attack on the US Embassy in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam. Meanwhile, officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation report that traces of ammonium \Jnitrate\j and fuel oil, the ingredients used to make the \JOklahoma City\j bomb, have been found in the debris, but estimate that it will take their agents at least four more weeks to complete their examinations of both East African sites. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Tanzania)\i
The Chinese delegation to the 61-member United Nations Conference on Disarmament calls for urgent moves to prevent a "Star Wars" arms race in space, condemning space weapons research programs as being designed to seek "absolute strategic superiority and absolute security for one or a few countries." China's thinly veiled criticism of the United States coincides with a Republican push in Congress to deploy a multibillion-dollar national missile defense shield to protect Americans from ballistic missiles from rogue states. \I(China, USA)\i
Two of \JGermany\j's biggest banks, Deutsche Bank and Desdner Bank, say yesterday's $US1.25 billion settlement between Swiss banks and Jewish groups does not set a precedent, arguing that unlike \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j has paid almost $US100 million in \Jreparations\j since the end of the Second World War. The two German banks are the focus of a $US18 billion New York lawsuit recently filed by \JHolocaust\j survivors, who accuse the banks of knowingly trading in gold looted from Jews exterminated in Nazi death camps. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
A new American study finds that oral contraceptives can protect against cancer of the ovaries even in women whose genetic makeup puts them at above-average risk. The study involved women with the BRCA1 gene, who have a 45 per cent chance of developing ovarian cancer, and women with the BRCA2 gene, who have a 25 per cent chance, and concluded that the women who took an oral contraceptive for six or more years had a risk reduction of 60 per cent, while women who took an oral contraceptive for three years or less had a risk reduction of 20 per cent. Doctors have known for years that the \Jhormones\j in oral contraceptives cut the risk of ovarian cancer in the general population by at least 50 per cent. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Kosovo's ethnic \JAlbanian\j political leader, Ibrahim Rugova, names a team he hopes will move the Kosovo conflict into the negotiating process. The team does not include Mr. Rugova himself, a gesture to Western mediators anxious to overcome internal \JAlbanian\j feuding over his style of leadership. Nor does the team include representatives of the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army, who have resisted political control throughout the six-month insurrection. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, Kosovo)\i
The Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, is plunged into darkness after Tutsi-led rebels seize control of the main national power distribution center at the Inga hydroelectric dam in the west. Later, it is reported that President Laurent Kabila has sacked the new military commander, his brother-in-law, Celestine Kifwa, who replaced the commander dismissed only weeks ago. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire))\i
In a solemn ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, a tearful President Bill Clinton receives the bodies of 10 of the American citizens killed in the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JKenya\j, vowing anew to punish those responsible for the carnage. At least 247 people were killed in the Kenyan capital, \JNairobi\j, including 12 Americans, while another 10 people were killed in the simultaneous bomb attack on the US Embassy in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam. Meanwhile, officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation report that traces of ammonium \Jnitrate\j and fuel oil, the ingredients used to make the \JOklahoma City\j bomb, have been found in the debris, but estimate that it will take their agents at least four more weeks to complete their examinations of both East African sites. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Tanzania)\i
Two of \JGermany\j's biggest banks, Deutsche Bank and Desdner Bank, say yesterday's $US1.25 billion settlement between Swiss banks and Jewish groups does not set a precedent, arguing that unlike \JSwitzerland\j, \JGermany\j has paid almost $US100 million in \Jreparations\j since the end of the Second World War. The two German banks are the focus of a $US18 billion New York lawsuit recently filed by \JHolocaust\j survivors, who accuse the banks of knowingly trading in gold looted from Jews exterminated in Nazi death camps. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
Yuri Baturin, 49, a former national security advisor to Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, becomes the country's first politician in \Jorbit\j when he blasts off aboard a TM28 \Jspacecraft\j on a visit to the Mir space station. Mr. Baturin is expected to return to Earth with the present Mir crew at the end of the month. \I(Russia)\i
In London, the \INew Oxford Dictionary of English\i is launched after six years of work by 30 editors and 60 consultants. The single-volume book contains more than 2,000 new words and phrases in common use, as well as new rulings on grammar, including the split infinitive, which the dictionary now condones. While language purists are horrified, the publishers hail the NODE as the most important English dictionary since the great OED began to appear in 1884. \I(UK)\i
#
"August 14, 1998",954,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
At a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 51st anniversary of \JPakistan\j's independence, a defiant Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declares that national security comes first, and that \JPakistan\j will not give up its nuclear capability in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions, imposed after test blasts in May. \JPakistan\j's economy is already in crisis, with the government having stated last month that it may be forced to declare a moratorium on its external debt of more than $US30 billion. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
Afghanistan's fundamentalist Taliban movement calls on the United Nations to withdraw recognition from the former government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani by declaring Afghanistan's seat at the UN vacant, and inviting the Taliban to accept it. While recent territorial gains by the Taliban have left most of the country under its Islamic rule, Western diplomats say obstacles to international recognition still exist, including the regime's discrimination against women and repression of ethnic minorities, and its harboring of international terrorists. \I(Afghanistan)\i
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority spends a reputed $HK3 billion to prop up shares and futures markets amid fears of a speculative attack on the Hong Kong dollar, which is officially set at 7.8 to the US dollar. The intervention sends Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index soaring 8.5 per cent, or 564.3 points, to 7224.4, reversing a series of sharp plunges that have reduced the Hang Seng to its lowest level since early 1993. \I(Hong Kong)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, sacks Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, accusing him of "unacceptable" conduct in opening a rift in the Coalition. Two days ago, Mr. Peters and three ministers of his New Zealand First party walked out of a Cabinet meeting during a row over the sale of the government's stake in Wellington airport. His position as deputy will now be assumed by Wyatt Creech, a member of Mrs. Shipley's National Party. \I(New Zealand)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, urges Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, to work harder to push through reforms to shore up the faltering economy and help restore confidence in financial markets. The two leaders speak following a week of wild fluctuations in Russia's markets, with trading almost grinding to a halt yesterday as blue-chip stocks lost almost 6.5 per cent of their value, and faith in Moscow's ability to end Russia's long-running economic crisis all but evaporated. Despite Russia's turmoil, Mr. Yeltsin vows anew that he will not devalue the rouble. \I(USA, Russia)\i
As the United States military begins the biggest \Jspacecraft\j salvage effort since the 1986 Challenger disaster, the US Coast Guard polices a 18-square-mile security zone in the \JAtlantic Ocean\j off \JFlorida\j, where a rocket carrying a top secret spy \Jsatellite\j crashed less than a minute after take-off from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday. US Air Force and Navy crews are working with a NASA salvage team to recover the debris, which includes highly volatile fuel. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal appeals court rules that the US Food and Drug Administration does not have \Jjurisdiction\j to regulate \Jtobacco\j products, and that it overstepped its authority when it issued August 1996 regulations restricting the sale of \Jtobacco\j products to minors, and limiting advertising and marketing by \Jtobacco\j companies. The appeals court ruling derails the Clinton administration's attempts to reduce youth smoking through increased regulation, and represents a major victory for the \Jtobacco\j industry. \I(USA)\i
The Brazilian Government comes under fire from environmentalists after it relaxes a law introduced six months ago to tackle \Jpollution\j, illegal logging in the Amazon, and a number of other environmental ills. Companies and individuals breaking the law will now be allowed to avoid paying fines of up to $US50 million on condition they sign agreements to take steps to clean up their operations. The fines may now be waived for up to five years, with the grace period renewable for up to five more years. \I(Brazil)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Congolese capital \JKinshasa\j enters a second \Jday\j without power, cut off yesterday after soldiers from the rebel ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge community seized the Inga hydroelectric dam. State radio and \Jtelevision\j have also been forced off the air due to the power outage, thereby denying the government of President Laurent Kabila its main means of informing the population about developments in the revolt. The rebel soldiers, meanwhile, are gathering in the western town of Muanda for what their commander, Munyatenda Kayoyo, says will be a final assault on \JKinshasa\j. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire))\i
A senior United Nations envoy arrives in \JBaghdad\j hoping to resolve the latest dispute over weapons inspections. The envoy's mission comes after Richard Butler, head of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with \JIraq\j's disarmament, warns that \JBaghdad\j's lack of cooperation means that inspectors are no longer able to ensure that \JIraq\j is not trying to rebuild its weapons of mass destruction. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, urges Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, to work harder to push through reforms to shore up the faltering economy and help restore confidence in financial markets. The two leaders speak following a week of wild fluctuations in Russia's markets, with trading almost grinding to a halt yesterday as blue-chip stocks lost almost 6.5 per cent of their value, and faith in Moscow's ability to end Russia's long-running economic crisis all but evaporated. Despite Russia's turmoil, Mr. Yeltsin vows anew that he will not devalue the rouble. \I(USA, Russia)\i
#
"August 15, 1998",955,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Eighteen foreign activists accused by \JMyanmar\j authorities of inciting unrest fly out of \JRangoon\j airport bound for \JThailand\j. Earlier, all 18 were sentenced to five years jail with hard labor, but in a dramatic turnaround, the court suspended the sentences and ordered the activists deported in the interest of "good relations" with their respective countries. The pro-democracy activists include six Americans, three Thais, three Indonesians, three Malaysians, two Filipinos, and one Australian. Meanwhile, \JMyanmar\j opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, enters the fourth \Jday\j of a standoff protest 25 kilometers outside the capital, where she has again been blocked by the military from traveling to meet her provincial supporters. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, The \JPhilippines\j, Australia)\i
South Korea marks the 50th anniversary of its founding by granting amnesty to 2,174 prisoners, including 94 political detainees, and 77 foreigners who are immediately deported. One of the most prominent political detainees to walk free is dissident poet, Park No Hae, who was jailed for life seven years ago for leading an underground revolutionary group. However, many other political prisoners refused to sign the necessary pledge to obey the nation's laws, including the world's longest-serving prisoner of conscience, Woo Yong Gak, 69, who was jailed more than 40 years ago on charges of spying for North Korea. \I(The Koreas)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Eighteen foreign activists accused by \JMyanmar\j authorities of inciting unrest fly out of \JRangoon\j airport bound for \JThailand\j. Earlier, all 18 were sentenced to five years jail with hard labor, but in a dramatic turnaround, the court suspended the sentences and ordered the activists deported in the interest of "good relations" with their respective countries. The pro-democracy activists include six Americans, three Thais, three Indonesians, three Malaysians, two Filipinos, and one Australian. Meanwhile, \JMyanmar\j opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, enters the fourth \Jday\j of a standoff protest 25 kilometers outside the capital, where she has again been blocked by the military from traveling to meet her provincial supporters. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, The \JPhilippines\j, Australia)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At least 28 people are killed and more than 200 injured when a massive bomb explodes in a busy street in the rural Northern Ireland town of Omagh, west of \JBelfast\j. It is the worst terrorist attack in the province's history, with suspicion falling on dissident republican guerrillas, who ensured a high death toll by giving an inaccurate warning which pointed the victims, Catholics and Protestants alike, toward the deadly device. The attack is denounced as a cruel denial of the desire for peace by the overwhelming majority of Irish people, and is even publicly condemned by Gerry Adams, leader of the Irish Republican Army's political wing Sinn Fein, who issues an unprecedented condemnation of the suspected republican bombing. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
A Soyuz capsule carrying Russian bureaucrat, Yuri Baturin, is forced to dock manually with space station Mir after an automatic system fails at the last moment. Similar hitches have occurred before, one causing a near-fatal collision with an unmanned cargo ship in June 1997. The manual docking this time proceeds without problems, and Mr. Baturin, 49, a former defense adviser to President Boris Yeltsin, is the first to float into the aging space outpost, filming with a video camera as he passes through the hatch. \I(Russia)\i
#
"August 16, 1998",956,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry reveals that it has arrested and extradited an Arab national in connection with the double bomb attack on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained at \JKarachi\j airport when he arrived from \JNairobi\j on the \Jday\j of the bombings. Pakistani authorities believe he was heading for neighboring \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Pakistan, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United States warns its citizens against travel to \JPakistan\j and orders non-emergency embassy workers and their families to leave the country. The US move follows \JPakistan\j's announcement that is has arrested a suspect in the East African embassy bombings and deported him to \JKenya\j. The US State Department, however, declines to confirm a link, saying US embassy operations have also been suspended in \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, the \JCongo\j Republic, the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), and Guinea \JBissau\j. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, \JCongo\j Republic, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Guinea \JBissau\j)\i
In a televised national address on the eve of the 53rd anniversary of \JIndonesia\j's independence, President Jusuf Habibie apologizes to the people for human rights abuses committed by individuals from the state apparatus in several regions. The apology underscores Dr. Habibie's efforts to distance himself from the Soeharto regime, and comes at a time when the armed forces are facing increased scrutiny over human rights abuses in East \JTimor\j, Irian Jaya, and Aceh, three regions where independence forces have waged guerrilla campaigns against Jakarta. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
The leader of the opposition Fijian Association Party, Josefata Kamikamica, dies of a stroke in the capital, Suva. Mr. Kamikamica was 65, and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka mourns his death as a great loss to the country. \I(Fiji)\i
In men's tennis, Australian Patrick Rafter defeats American Pete Sampras to take the ATP Championship at Mason, Ohio, while in women's matches, American Lindsay Davenport defeats \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis in the final of the Acura Classic Tournament at Manhattan Beach, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In men's golf, Fijian Vijay Singh wins the PGA Championship at Seattle, Washington, while the women's British Open at Lytham & St Anne's, England, is won by American Sherri Steinhauer. \I(Fiji, USA, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry reveals that it has arrested and extradited an Arab national in connection with the double bomb attack on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained at \JKarachi\j airport when he arrived from \JNairobi\j on the \Jday\j of the bombings. Pakistani authorities believe he was heading for neighboring \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Pakistan, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United States warns its citizens against travel to \JPakistan\j and orders non-emergency embassy workers and their families to leave the country. The US move follows \JPakistan\j's announcement that is has arrested a suspect in the East African embassy bombings and deported him to \JKenya\j. The US State Department, however, declines to confirm a link, saying US embassy operations have also been suspended in \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, the \JCongo\j Republic, the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), and Guinea \JBissau\j. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, \JCongo\j Republic, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Guinea \JBissau\j)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns yesterday's deadly car bomb attack in Northern Ireland as a "barbaric act," and says it must not be allowed to derail the quest for peace in the province. Despite the heightening of tensions, the \JWhite House\j expects Mr. Clinton to proceed with a planned September visit to Northern Ireland, which is intended to underscore US support for the peace process. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
In men's tennis, Australian Patrick Rafter defeats American Pete Sampras to take the ATP Championship at Mason, Ohio, while in women's matches, American Lindsay Davenport continues her winning streak, defeating \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis in the final of the Acura Classic Tournament at Manhattan Beach, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In men's golf, Fijian Vijay Singh wins the PGA Championship at Seattle, Washington, while the women's British Open at Lytham & St Anne's, England, is won by American Sherri Steinhauer. \I(Fiji, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Serb security forces capture the \JKosovo\j hill town of Junik, near the \JAlbanian\j border, ousting separatist guerrillas of the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) from one of their last bastions. The recent Serb offensive against the KLA has been backed by tanks and helicopters, and has created an escalating refugee crisis in the province, with United Nations workers reporting the discovery of about 20,000 people camped out in a four-kilometer-long area west of Decani, having been forced to flee the latest outbreak of fighting south of Pec. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, Albania)\i
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, promise a combined offensive against the car bombers who yesterday killed at least 28 people and injured 220 in the Northern Ireland town of Omagh. While no one has claimed responsibility for the carnage, the bombers are believed to be members of an Irish Republican Army splinter group opposed to the peace process. \I(UK, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, condemns yesterday's deadly car bomb attack in Northern Ireland as a "barbaric act," and says it must not be allowed to derail the quest for peace in the province. Despite the heightening of tensions, the \JWhite House\j expects Mr. Clinton to proceed with a planned September visit to Northern Ireland, which is intended to underscore US support for the peace process. \I(USA, Northern Ireland)\i
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry reveals that it has arrested and extradited an Arab national in connection with the double bomb attack on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained at \JKarachi\j airport when he arrived from \JNairobi\j on the \Jday\j of the bombings. Pakistani authorities believe he was heading for neighboring \JAfghanistan\j. \I(Pakistan, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United States warns its citizens against travel to \JPakistan\j and orders non-emergency embassy workers and their families to leave the country. The US move follows \JPakistan\j's announcement that is has arrested a suspect in the East African embassy bombings and deported him to \JKenya\j. The US State Department, however, declines to confirm a link, saying US embassy operations have also been suspended in \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, the \JCongo\j Republic, the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), and Guinea \JBissau\j. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JSomalia\j, \JSudan\j, \JCongo\j Republic, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Guinea \JBissau\j)\i
President Laurent Kabila returns to the capital of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j following talks in \JAngola\j, pledging to arm his people and defeat the Tutsi-led rebels fighting to topple him. Mr. Kabila's return coincides with the flight of hundreds of foreign nationals, as well as rebel claims that their advance units have engaged government forces at a military base just 120 kilometers southwest of \JKinshasa\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JAngola\j)\i
In men's tennis, Australian Patrick Rafter defeats American Pete Sampras to take the ATP Championship at Mason, Ohio, while in women's matches, American Lindsay Davenport continues her winning streak, defeating \JSwitzerland\j's Martina Hingis in the final of the Acura Classic Tournament at Manhattan Beach, \JCalifornia\j. \I(Australia, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
In men's golf, Fijian Vijay Singh wins the PGA Championship at Seattle, Washington, while the women's British Open at Lytham & St Anne's, England, is won by American Sherri Steinhauer. \I(Fiji, USA, UK)\i
German Michael Schumacher drives his Ferrari to victory in the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at Budapest, narrowing the lead of his main rival and championship leader, Finn Mika Hakkinen, from 16 points to 7. \I(\JGermany\j, \JHungary\j, \JFinland\j)\i
#
"August 17, 1998",957,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States and Kenyan investigators probing the August 7 bomb attacks on two US embassies in East Africa confirm that they are questioning an Arab national returned to \JNairobi\j from \JPakistan\j on August 14. Despite media reports to the contrary, the investigators say Mohammed Saddiq Odeh has neither admitted responsibility nor implicated anyone else in the simultaneous bombings in Kenya and \JTanzania\j, which killed at least 257 people and injured more than 5,000. In \JPakistan\j, meanwhile, the US temporarily closes its information centers to the public one \Jday\j after ordering non-essential embassy staff to leave and warning American citizens against travel to the Asian country. \I(USA, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
As a flood-swollen reservoir threatens to overflow, thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians race against time to build a two-meter-tall embankment of sandbags to protect the major northeast city of Daqing. The Heiyutao reservoir is 10 kilometers from Daqing, which is home to 2.4 million people, and the site of the country's biggest oil field. Floods have already inundated 1,217 of the region's 25,000 oil wells, closing 527 of them, and leaving over 11,000 oil workers and residents trapped without power, \Jwater\j, or food. \I(China)\i
After a two-\Jday\j lull, \JBangladesh\j is pounded by more heavy rain, dashing hopes of relief from five weeks of flooding which has already killed nearly 340 people and left millions homeless. Health officials say at least 40 deaths have been caused by \Jwater\j-borne diseases, while other fatalities have been the result of drowning, mudslides, house collapses, and snake bites. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
American Steve Fossett's fourth attempt to circumnavigate the globe is foiled when his \Jballoon\j is ruptured during a \Jthunderstorm\j and plunges into the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of \JAustralia\j. The millionaire stockbroker, miraculously uninjured in the nine kilometer fall, is picked up 14 hours later by an Australian ketch and transferred to a \JNew Zealand\j Navy tanker. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In a four-hour \JWhite House\j session, United States President, Bill Clinton, gives videotaped evidence about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky and the text of his deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, becoming the first sitting US president to give sworn testimony to a criminal grand jury probing his actions. Later, in an unprecedented televised speech, Mr. Clinton admits to the American people that he had an inappropriate relationship with the former \JWhite House\j intern, and expresses deep regret for misleading people, including his wife Hillary. Mr. Clinton also insists that he did not ask anyone to lie or destroy evidence, and that he did not commit \Jperjury\j himself, saying his sworn testimony in the Paula Jones case was legally accurate, but that he did not volunteer information. Mr. Clinton concludes his four-minute address with an attack on the long and destructive investigation of independent counsel, Kenneth Starr, and an appeal to the American people to turn away from the spectacle of the past seven months and move on to the challenges and all the promise of the next century. \I(USA)\i
United States and Kenyan investigators probing the August 7 bomb attacks on two US embassies in East Africa confirm that they are questioning an Arab national returned to \JNairobi\j from \JPakistan\j on August 14. Despite media reports to the contrary, the investigators say Mohammed Saddiq Odeh has neither admitted responsibility nor implicated anyone else in the simultaneous bombings in Kenya and \JTanzania\j, which killed at least 257 people and injured more than 5,000. In \JPakistan\j, meanwhile, the US temporarily closes its information centers to the public one \Jday\j after ordering non-essential embassy staff to leave and warning American citizens against travel to the Asian country. \I(USA, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council authorizes the resumption of full-scale operations by UN weapons inspectors in \JIraq\j, stressing that \JBaghdad\j is obliged to provide the necessary cooperation. The authorization comes in response to a request for guidance from UN Special Commission chief, Richard Butler, who last week notified the council that \JBaghdad\j's decision to cease cooperation has forced the suspension of most inspections. \JBaghdad\j has repeatedly accused UNSCOM of being influenced by Washington, and is demanding that the agency be restructured to reduce United States influence and that its headquarters be moved from New York. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
American Steve Fossett's fourth attempt to circumnavigate the globe is foiled when his \Jballoon\j is ruptured during a \Jthunderstorm\j and plunges into the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of \JAustralia\j. The millionaire stockbroker, miraculously uninjured in the nine kilometer fall, is picked up 14 hours later by an Australian ketch and transferred to a \JNew Zealand\j Navy tanker. \I(USA, \JAustralia\j, \JNew Zealand\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Some 1,700 \JNATO\j troops begin a five-\Jday\j military exercise in \JAlbania\j, sending a clear message to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic of the alliance's readiness to intervene in the crisis in the neighboring Serbian province of \JKosovo\j. At the same time, the chief United States mediator in \JKosovo\j, Chris Hill, meets in \JBelgrade\j with Serb Government leaders in the latest diplomatic bid to prod them towards peace talks with \JKosovo\j's ethnic Albanians. \I(Yugoslavia, Serbia, \JKosovo\j, \JAlbania\j)\i
United States and Kenyan investigators probing the August 7 bomb attacks on two US embassies in East Africa confirm that they are questioning an Arab national returned to \JNairobi\j from \JPakistan\j on August 14. Despite media reports to the contrary, the investigators say Mohammed Saddiq Odeh has neither admitted responsibility nor implicated anyone else in the simultaneous bombings in Kenya and \JTanzania\j, which killed at least 257 people and injured more than 5,000. In \JPakistan\j, meanwhile, the US temporarily closes its information centers to the public one \Jday\j after ordering non-essential embassy staff to leave and warning American citizens against travel to the Asian country. \I(USA, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
The United Nations Security Council authorizes the resumption of full-scale operations by UN weapons inspectors in \JIraq\j, stressing that \JBaghdad\j is obliged to provide the necessary cooperation. The authorization comes in response to a request for guidance from UN Special Commission chief, Richard Butler, who last week notified the council that \JBaghdad\j's decision to cease cooperation has forced the suspension of most inspections. \JBaghdad\j has repeatedly accused UNSCOM of being influenced by Washington, and is demanding that the agency be restructured to reduce United States influence and that its headquarters be moved from New York. \I(\JIraq\j, USA)\i
Nigerian military ruler, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, visits the opposition stronghold city of Lagos for the first time since he assumed power in June following the death of General Sani Abacha. General Abubakar reiterates his commitment to restore the country to democratic civilian rule in May 1999, and says security agencies have been instructed to allow politicians to campaign freely ahead of the elections. The General also states that he is reviewing the so-called Decree Two, under which critics of the government can be detained without trial. \I(Nigeria)\i
In an abrupt change of policy, the Russian Government announces a de facto \Jdevaluation\j of the rouble, setting a new corridor of between 6.0 and 9.5 to the US dollar until the end of the year. The government also declares a 90-\Jday\j moratorium on debt repayments, and although Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko denies that the moves amount to currency \Jdevaluation\j and debt default, they unleash further chaos on financial markets, with Russian shares closing down five per cent after falling to two-year lows last week. \I(Russia)\i
The vulcanology institute in the Sicilian city of Cantania moves to quell concerns about a major eruption after Mount Etna spits \Jlava\j high into the air. The institute says that while Europe's tallest and most active \Jvolcano\j is rhythmically spewing \Jlava\j from its main crater, the activity is less dramatic than that seen in late July, when Etna fired rocks and ash as far as ten kilometers, sparking fears that it could be on the verge of its biggest eruption since 1992. During the 1992 eruption, the military intervened with controlled explosions to divert the flow of \Jlava\j, with was threatening a village on Etna's lower slopes. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
#
"August 18, 1998",958,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The United States diplomatic presence in \JPakistan\j is reduced by at least 50 per cent as non-essential embassy staff and their families join the hundreds of American citizens leaving the country. The mass exodus follows the arrest and deportation of a suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in East Africa who, according to Pakistani newspaper reports, has implicated Osama bin Laden, a wealthy anti-US Saudi Arabian dissident living in \JAfghanistan\j and believed to be funding violent Islamic groups. US and Kenyan investigators probing the bombings have denied the newspaper reports. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
In what is described as a confidence-building move, senior members of \JMyanmar\j's military regime meet with members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) for the first time in more than a year. Meanwhile, on a bridge about 25 kilometers outside the capital, \JRangoon\j, NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, enters the seventh \Jday\j of a standoff with troops preventing her from driving to visit rural supporters in the west. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
South Korean riot police withdraw from Hyundai Motor's main plant when they are confronted by some 5,000 striking workers and their families, who since July 20 have been camping inside the plant to protest mass layoffs demanded by the International Monetary Fund as part of an economic bailout package. The work stoppage is estimated to have cost Hyundai 1.5 trillion won ($US1.1 billion) in lost production, and has also adversely affected car maker's suppliers and contractors. \I(South Korea)\i
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, is left running a minority government when the Coalition is formally dissolved. Just minutes before the Coalition collapses, five more members of the junior partner, New Zealand First, swing their critical numbers behind Mrs. Shipley's National party, leaving NZ First leader and former deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, to go into opposition with only nine MPs. \I(New Zealand)\i
More than 200 people are feared dead after severe landslides hit a remote Himalayan valley in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Among those missing are 60 pilgrims who were on an annual 24-\Jday\j trek to the holy Kailash Mansarovar Lake in \JTibet\j, a place Hindus believe to be the home of Lord \JShiva\j, also called Kailash. \I(India, \JTibet\j)\i
The Australian east coast city of Wollongong is declared a natural disaster area after being deluged by more than half its normal annual rainfall in just two days. The torrential La Niña-driven rain left a trail of destruction, causing flash floods and mudslides which swamped suburban streets and homes, forcing hundreds to be evacuated, and cut all train lines and major roads to the city, stranding as many as 4,000 motorists in their cars. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States diplomatic presence in \JPakistan\j is reduced by at least 50 per cent as non-essential embassy staff and their families join the hundreds of American citizens leaving the country. The mass exodus follows the arrest and deportation of a suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in East Africa who, according to Pakistani newspaper reports, has implicated Osama bin Laden, a wealthy anti-US Saudi Arabian dissident living in \JAfghanistan\j and believed to be funding violent Islamic groups. US and Kenyan investigators probing the bombings have denied the newspaper reports. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
A newly humbled US President Bill Clinton begins a family vacation on the \JMassachusetts\j island of Martha's Vineyard, seeking to repair relations with his wife and daughter following yesterday's dramatic admission that he had engaged in an improper relationship with Monica Lewinsky, the former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of the presidential sex and \Jperjury\j scandal. Meanwhile, results from a spate of polls taken after Mr. Clinton's televised speech show that the majority of American's are satisfied with his admission and want the matter dropped. \I(USA)\i
Results of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of \JCalifornia\j show for the first time that smokers of marijuana and crack \Jcocaine\j have an increased risk of lung cancer similar to that identified in \Jtobacco\j smokers. The study involved people who smoked at least 10 marijuana joints per week for the past five years, people who smoked at least one gram of crack \Jcocaine\j for nine months in the past year, and people who smoked at least 20 cigarettes a \Jday\j for the past five years. \I(USA)\i
A Seattle \Jhospital\j becomes the first to broadcast open heart surgery on the \JInternet\j when a head-mounted camera worn by surgeon Robert Lazzara transmits clear images of work being performed on a 57-year-old woman. Dr. Lazzara hails the implications as limitless, saying the interactive technology will not only educate the general public on advances in heart surgery, but will enable real-time communication with other physicians around the world. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A renegade Irish republican splinter group calling itself the Real IRA claims responsibility for Saturday's bomb blast in the Northern Ireland town of Omagh, which killed 28 people and injured more than 220 others. The Real IRA statement, which denies targeting civilians, comes as the province begins a week of funerals and mourning, and provokes a scathing response from the British \JSecretary of State\j for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam, who describes it as contemptible and a pathetic attempt to excuse mass murder. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The United States diplomatic presence in \JPakistan\j is reduced by at least 50 per cent as non-essential embassy staff and their families join the hundreds of American citizens leaving the country. The mass exodus follows the arrest and deportation of a suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in East Africa who, according to Pakistani newspaper reports, has implicated Osama bin Laden, a wealthy anti-US Saudi Arabian dissident living in \JAfghanistan\j and believed to be funding violent Islamic groups. US and Kenyan investigators probing the bombings have denied the newspaper reports. \I(USA, \JPakistan\j, Kenya, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
The Congolese Government announces that its forces have launched air strikes against the western town of Kitona, currently serving as the rear base of Tutsi-led rebels fighting to topple President Laurent Kabila. Meanwhile, as former colonial power \JBelgium\j provides a fifth evacuation flight to cater for the continuing exodus of foreign nationals, the capital \JKinshasa\j suffers its second major power outage in less than a week, with \Jwater\j and fuel supplies disrupted in many places. President Kabila left the capital yesterday amid reports that he is seeking military and logistical support from \JAngola\j, Zimbabwe, and \JNamibia\j. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JBelgium\j, \JAngola\j, Zimbabwe, \JNamibia\j)\i
#
"August 19, 1998",959,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Responding to growing media reports, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban movement insists that exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, was not involved in the August 7 attacks on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The Taliban adds that should evidence link Osama bin Laden to the attacks, then \JAfghanistan\j, where he is based, will bring him to trial, \Jextradition\j being against Afghan tradition, hospitality, and Islamic rules. Osama bin Laden is also the prime suspect in 1995 and 1996 bombings in Saudi Arabia that killed 24 US servicemen and two Indians. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, India)\i
Bangladesh appeals for international aid, including food, medicine, and housing materials, as the death toll from the country's worst floods in 10 years rises to 338, and agriculturists warn that the damage to crops will be huge. The United States and Britain have already donated a total of $US561,500 via aid agencies. \I(Bangladesh, USA, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Responding to growing media reports, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban movement insists that exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, was not involved in the August 7 attacks on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The Taliban adds that should evidence link Osama bin Laden to the attacks, then \JAfghanistan\j, where he is based, will bring him to trial, \Jextradition\j being against Afghan tradition, hospitality, and Islamic rules. Osama bin Laden is also the prime suspect in 1995 and 1996 bombings in Saudi Arabia that killed 24 US servicemen and two Indians. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, India)\i
A group calling itself the Islamic International Front for Fighting Jews and Crusaders issues a statement in \JCairo\j warning that the "holy struggle operations" carried out recently against the United States will continue "until American forces withdraw from the land of Muslims." The statement also accuses the US embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j of supervising the killings of 13,000 civilians when a US-led force intervened in \JSomalia\j in 1993, and says the August 7 embassy bombings were to avenge "the injustice meted out by the American Government to all Muslim nations." Meanwhile, authorities in \JKenya\j say the death toll from the embassy blast in \JNairobi\j has risen from 247 to 253. \I(\JEgypt\j, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JSomalia\j)\i
The United States Customs Service reveals that it has seized 5,137 pounds of \Jcocaine\j worth $US40 million from a Panamanian-registered freighter in the Miami River. Customs agents say it is one of the largest drug hauls in south \JFlorida\j in recent years, and signals the return of "dope-on-a rope," a 1980s drug smuggling tactic whereby bags were tied together like beads on a string and dumped into ocean waters for retrieval by smaller speedboats. The agents have also arrested 13 crew, who are nationals of \JColombia\j, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and \JPeru\j. \I(USA, Panama, \JColombia\j, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, \JPeru\j)\i
Bangladesh appeals for international aid, including food, medicine, and housing materials, as the death toll from the country's worst floods in 10 years rises to 338, and agriculturists warn that the damage to crops will be huge. The United States and Britain have already donated a total of $US561,500 via aid agencies. \I(Bangladesh, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
A cease-fire is announced by the self-styled "Real IRA," the Irish republican splinter group which yesterday claimed responsibility for the deadly weekend bomb attack in the Northern Ireland town of Omagh. Despite the cease-fire, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern, agree that they will continue the hunt for the individual perpetrators of the attack, which killed 28 people and wounded another 220. Mr. Ahern also unveils the toughest package of anti-terrorist measures to emanate from Dublin in at least two decades. The measures, principally aimed at senior members of the Real IRA who live openly in the Republic, were endorsed at an emergency Cabinet meeting, and include five new terrorist offenses while also granting greater powers to the police and the courts when dealing with terrorist suspects. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Responding to growing media reports, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban movement insists that exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, was not involved in the August 7 attacks on the United States embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The Taliban adds that should evidence link Osama bin Laden to the attacks, then \JAfghanistan\j, where he is based, will bring him to trial, \Jextradition\j being against Afghan tradition, hospitality, and Islamic rules. Osama bin Laden is also the prime suspect in 1995 and 1996 bombings in Saudi Arabia that killed 24 US servicemen and two Indians. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, India)\i
A group calling itself the Islamic International Front for Fighting Jews and Crusaders issues a statement in \JCairo\j warning that the "holy struggle operations" carried out recently against the United States will continue "until American forces withdraw from the land of Muslims." The statement also accuses the US embassies in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j of supervising the killings of 13,000 civilians when a US-led force intervened in \JSomalia\j in 1993, and says the August 7 embassy bombings were to avenge "the injustice meted out by the American Government to all Muslim nations." Meanwhile, authorities in \JKenya\j say the death toll from the embassy blast in \JNairobi\j has risen from 247 to 253. \I(\JEgypt\j, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JSomalia\j)\i
As reports emerge of heavy fighting at Mbanza Ngungu, a strongpoint of government forces 120 kilometers southwest of the Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, a rift develops in the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) over possible support for President Laurent Kabila. A plan for a military rescue operation, proposed by Zimbabwe and backed by \JAngola\j and \JUganda\j, is rejected by President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, the nation currently chairing the regional group. Mr. Mandela maintains that military intervention would only exacerbate the problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe, \JAngola\j, \JUganda\j, South Africa)\i
In the 68th raid this year, Israeli airforce warplanes attack Hezbollah targets in the eastern part of the south \JLebanon\j security zone. The attack comes after the Iranian-backed guerrilla group detonates a roadside bomb, killing one Israeli soldier and wounding at least three others. Since the beginning of the year, 10 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 77 wounded in south \JLebanon\j. \I(Israel, \JLebanon\j, Iran)\i
In the wake of the Russian Government's de facto currency \Jdevaluation\j and debt default, Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko takes steps to calm public outrage over the measures, saying the funds saved from the 90-\Jday\j moratorium of debt repayments will go to pay pensions and overdue wages to state workers. President Boris Yeltsin, meanwhile, is continuing his summer holiday at his Rus residence near Moscow, and has made no public comment about the latest crisis. \I(Russia)\i
Bangladesh appeals for international aid, including food, medicine, and housing materials, as the death toll from the country's worst floods in 10 years rises to 338, and agriculturists warn that the damage to crops will be huge. The United States and Britain have already donated a total of $US561,500 via aid agencies. \I(Bangladesh, USA, UK)\i
#
"August 20, 1998",960,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
United States warships in the \JRed Sea\j and Arabian Sea launch \Jcruise missile\j strikes against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j, targeting a suspected chemical weapons plant in the Sudanese capital, \JKhartoum\j, and a suspected terrorist training compound southeast of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Both sites are associated with exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, now confirmed as a prime suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. Following the surprise air raids, President Bill Clinton justifies the US move as one of self-protection rather than aggression against the Islamic world, claiming to have compelling evidence that Osama bin Laden's global terrorist network is planning further attacks on American facilities. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
In a rare Republican endorsement, the United States Congress overwhelmingly backs President Bill Clinton's decision to order simultaneous air strikes against terrorist-related facilities in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. The strikes come within days of Mr. Clinton's public admission about his affair with Monica Lewinsky and, although a few Republicans question the motive behind the timing of the raids, most express confidence that US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, would not be a party to any military operations orchestrated for domestic political purposes. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Political tensions escalate in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, when at least one person is killed during a grenade attack on an opposition demonstration outside the country's interior ministry. The interior ministry accuses opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, of inciting unrest, and vows to take legal action against him, but Mr. Rainsy blames the Hun Sen regime for the grenade attack, claiming that it was aimed at warning his supporters away from a planned August 23 protest against \Jfraud\j in last month's general elections. \I(Cambodia)\i
Indonesia begins the first phase of a full troop withdrawal from the northern province of Aceh, pulling out 50 soldiers from the feared Kopassus forces along with 200 regular troops. Indonesia's armed forces commander, General Wiranto, ordered the withdrawal after local human rights groups identified mass graves believed to contain the remains of victims of torture and summary executions. The Indonesian military offensive was launched in Aceh in 1989 to suppress a fundamentalist Muslim movement fighting for an Islamic state. \I(Indonesia, Aceh)\i
Myanmar opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, offers to end her nine-\Jday\j roadside standoff with troops blocking her route to rural supporters in the west if the military junta agrees to free jailed members of her National League for Democracy party. At least 42 party members have been imprisoned since May this year, and Ms. Suu Kyi's offer comes on the eve of her party deadline for the government to finally convene a parliament which was elected in 1990 but never allowed to meet. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
North Korea says the Supreme People's Assembly is to convene on September 5 in what will be the legislative body's first meeting since April 1994, three months before the death of the nation's founding leader, Kim Il Sung. It is widely expected that the upcoming meeting of the 687-seat assembly will set the scene for the late Mr. Kim's son, Kim Jong Il, to be election president. \I(North Korea)\i
China's northeast city of \JHarbin\j becomes the new front line in the battle against the country's devastating floods as 5,000 troops are deployed to reinforce some 380,000 soldiers already building a barricade of sandbags to protect the city from a new flood crest on the Songhua river. Northwest of \JHarbin\j, meanwhile, soldiers and workers continue the fight to protect the Daqing oilfields. China's summer floods, the worst in 44 years, have now been raging for nearly two months. \I(China)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States warships in the \JRed Sea\j and Arabian Sea launch \Jcruise missile\j strikes against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j, targeting a suspected chemical weapons plant in the Sudanese capital, \JKhartoum\j, and a suspected terrorist training compound southeast of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Both sites are associated with exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, now confirmed as a prime suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. Following the surprise air raids, President Bill Clinton justifies the US move as one of self-protection rather than aggression against the Islamic world, claiming to have compelling evidence that Osama bin Laden's global terrorist network is planning further attacks on American facilities. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
In a rare Republican endorsement, the United States Congress overwhelmingly backs President Bill Clinton's decision to order simultaneous air strikes against terrorist-related facilities in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. The strikes come within days of Mr. Clinton's public admission about his affair with Monica Lewinsky and, although a few Republicans question the motive behind the timing of the raids, most express confidence that US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, would not be a party to any military operations orchestrated for domestic political purposes. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Monica Lewinsky, the 25-year-old former \JWhite House\j intern at the center of the presidential sex and \Jperjury\j scandal, testifies for a second time before the grand jury convened by independent counsel, Kenneth Starr. Ms. Lewinsky first appeared before the grand jury on August 6, and her credibility has now been greatly enhanced by Mr. Clinton's televised speech this week admitting to an inappropriate relationship after seven months of denial. \I(USA)\i
A $US1 million reward, one of the largest ever approved by the United States Justice Department, is handed over to the brother of convicted Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski. David Kaczynski says the money will go towards easing the grief of his brother's victims and their families. Over a period of 18 years, Theodore Kaczynski's letter-bombs killed three people and injured 29. \I(USA)\i
Peruvian President, Alberto Fujimori, sacks General Nicolas Hermoza Rios as chief of the country's armed forces, replacing him with Defense Minister, General Cesar Saucedo. General Hermoza, 63, has headed Peru's military since 1992, and was considered one of the country's three most powerful men, forming part of a \Jtriumvirate\j with President Fujimori and intelligence services chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. \I(Peru)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
United States warships in the \JRed Sea\j and Arabian Sea launch \Jcruise missile\j strikes against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j, targeting a suspected chemical weapons plant in the Sudanese capital, \JKhartoum\j, and a suspected terrorist training compound southeast of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Both sites are associated with exiled Saudi Arabian dissident, Osama bin Laden, now confirmed as a prime suspect in the August 7 US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. Following the surprise air raids, President Bill Clinton justifies the US move as one of self-protection rather than aggression against the Islamic world, claiming to have compelling evidence that Osama bin Laden's global terrorist network is planning further attacks on American facilities. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia)\i
In a rare Republican endorsement, the United States Congress overwhelmingly backs President Bill Clinton's decision to order simultaneous air strikes against terrorist-related facilities in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. The strikes come within days of Mr. Clinton's public admission about his affair with Monica Lewinsky and, although a few Republicans question the motive behind the timing of the raids, most express confidence that US Defense Secretary, William Cohen, would not be a party to any military operations orchestrated for domestic political purposes. \I(USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
A fresh wave of violence strikes \JAlgeria\j when a home-made bomb is detonated in the western town of El Khemis, killing 13 people and injuring 39 others, seven of them seriously. At the same time, Algerian newspapers report that a military attack on a mountain hideout of the radical Armed Islamic Group has resulted in the deaths of at least 33 \JMoslem\j rebels and the loss of two soldiers. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Former Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, sacked in March by President Boris Yeltsin, emerges from the political wilderness to criticize the measures taken by his successor Sergei Kiriyenko in dealing with the country's current financial crisis. Mr. Kiriyenko, meanwhile, meets with foreign bankers to reassure them about Russia's debt restructuring plans following this week's declaration of a de facto currency \Jdevaluation\j and a three-month moratorium on debt repayments. \I(Russia)\i
#
"August 21, 1998",961,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press reports that at least 15 people were killed yesterday when United States Tomahawk cruise missiles struck targets near Khost, which is close to the Pakistani border in eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The raid was directed at an alleged terrorist training compound run by anti-American Saudi exile, Osama bin Laden, but in denouncing the attack, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia denies the allegation, claiming that the missiles hit only innocent targets. The Taliban also says that Mr. bin Laden is safe. \I(Pakistan, \JAfghanistan\j, USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
As the United States warns its citizens against possible terrorist retaliation, \JRussia\j and \JPakistan\j express outrage over the US air strikes against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j, while anti-American states \JIraq\j and \JLibya\j accuse Washington of itself committing international \Jterrorism\j. However, allies including Britain, Israel, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j voice support for Washington's actions, defending the right of the United States to protect itself against the evil of international \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, UK, Israel, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Myanmar's ruling State Peace and Development Council ignores an opposition deadline to convene the Parliament that was not allowed to sit following elections in 1990. The elections were won by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and, as the deadline passes, the party issues a defiant statement saying it will shortly convene a People's Parliament. Meanwhile, NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, continues a sit-in protest on a bridge outside \JRangoon\j where the military stopped her attempt to visit rural supporters 10 days ago. Ms. Suu Kyi has offered to end her protest if the military junta releases jailed NLD members, but there has been no response to her offer as yet. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The Vietnamese Government issues a decree aimed at stamping out corruption and nepotism, which pervade every level of administration in the country. The new decree, which will go into effect on September 1, requires officials to declare assets in excess of $US4,500, and to transfer outside assets to banks within the country. It also bars close family members of senior government and Communist Party officials from holding jobs at related enterprises. \I(Vietnam)\i
Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, postpones trips to \JJapan\j and \JRussia\j scheduled for early next month in order to direct the battle against the country's worst floods in decades. Meanwhile, on the latest battle front on the Songhua River, \JHarbin\j and its nine million residents are saved when dikes mostly hold firm as a flood crest passes the city. However, raging torrents have severed \JHarbin\j's train link with the nearby oil city of Daqing and inundated sections of a major highway. \I(China)\i
Thousands of villagers are evacuated as fresh landslides and monsoon rains impede relief and rescue efforts in Himalayan districts of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where as many as 239 people are missing feared dead following a massive landslide earlier in the week. Sixty pilgrims on their way to a holy Hindu lake in \JTibet\j were also among the victims when the landslide hit the makeshift camp of Malapa. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press reports that at least 15 people were killed yesterday when United States Tomahawk cruise missiles struck targets near Khost, which is close to the Pakistani border in eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The raid was directed at an alleged terrorist training compound run by anti-American Saudi exile, Osama bin Laden, but in denouncing the attack, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia denies the allegation, claiming that the missiles hit only innocent targets. The Taliban also says that Mr. bin Laden is safe. \I(Pakistan, \JAfghanistan\j, USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Sudan's Islamic Government announces that it will lodge a complaint with the United Nations over the United States military strike yesterday, which destroyed a pharmaceutical plant on the outskirts of \JKhartoum\j and left at least seven people wounded. The Sudanese Government maintains that the privately-owned plant was used to manufacture children's medicines and anti-\Jmalaria\j drugs, and says it will also ask the world body to investigate US claims that the factory was used to make chemical weapons. Hours after the US missile strike, an angry mob attacks the US Embassy in \JKhartoum\j, which has not had resident US diplomats since 1996, and was closed until further notice following the twin East Africa embassy bombings on August 7. \I(Sudan, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
As the United States warns its citizens against possible terrorist retaliation, \JRussia\j and \JPakistan\j express outrage over the US air strikes against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j, while anti-American states \JIraq\j and \JLibya\j accuse Washington of itself committing international \Jterrorism\j. However, allies including Britain, Israel, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j voice support for Washington's actions, defending the right of the United States to protect itself against the evil of international \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, UK, Israel, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Trading is halted on \JBrazil\j's Sao Paulo stock exchange after shares fall more than 10 per cent, having already lost 25 per cent of their value over the past month. The fall triggers fears that \JBrazil\j might be forced to devalue its currency, the real. \JBrazil\j is the largest economy in \JLatin America\j, and the defense of the real is seen as vital in preventing the whole region from descending into a crisis. \I(\JBrazil\j, \JLatin America\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press reports that at least 15 people were killed yesterday when United States Tomahawk cruise missiles struck targets near Khost, which is close to the Pakistani border in eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The raid was directed at an alleged terrorist training compound run by anti-American Saudi exile, Osama bin Laden, but in denouncing the attack, \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia denies the allegation, claiming that the missiles hit only innocent targets. The Taliban also says that Mr. bin Laden is safe. \I(Pakistan, \JAfghanistan\j, USA, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Sudan's Islamic Government announces that it will lodge a complaint with the United Nations over the United States military strike yesterday, which destroyed a pharmaceutical plant on the outskirts of \JKhartoum\j and left at least seven people wounded. The Sudanese Government maintains that the privately-owned plant was used to manufacture children's medicines and anti-\Jmalaria\j drugs, and says it will also ask the world body to investigate US claims that the factory was used to make chemical weapons. Hours after the US missile strike, an angry mob attacks the US Embassy in \JKhartoum\j, which has not had resident US diplomats since 1996, and was closed until further notice following the twin East Africa embassy bombings on August 7. \I(Sudan, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
As the United States warns its citizens against possible terrorist retaliation, \JRussia\j and \JPakistan\j express outrage over the US air strikes against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j, while anti-American states \JIraq\j and \JLibya\j accuse Washington of itself committing international \Jterrorism\j. However, allies including Britain, Israel, \JJapan\j, and \JAustralia\j voice support for Washington's actions, defending the right of the United States to protect itself against the evil of international \Jterrorism\j. \I(USA, \JRussia\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j, \JIraq\j, \JLibya\j, UK, Israel, \JJapan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Zimbabwe dispatches 600 combat troops and four jet fighters to support Congolese President Laurent Kabila, who has been facing a Tutsi-led rebellion since August 2. Meanwhile, as \JAngola\j masses support troops and tanks on the Democratic Republic of Congo's southwestern border, \JRwanda\j and \JUganda\j, accused by President Kabila of backing the rebellion, warn foreign forces to stay out of the fight. The sudden escalation of tension prompts South African President, Nelson Mandela, who is firmly against military intervention, to call two emergency regional summit meetings in a bid to stop the conflict spreading. \I(Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JAngola\j, \JRwanda\j, \JUganda\j, South Africa)\i
Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko, urges the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j to drop its opposition to the government's financial anti-crisis measures and adopt tax proposals vital to turn the economy around, warning that the full effect of problems in Russia and on international financial markets have not yet been felt. Even a multi-billion-dollar international bail-out has failed to halt Russia's deepening crisis, and the government claims its own efforts have been hindered by the \JDuma\j's refusal to pass all the measures it has proposed to put the economy in order. Following Mr. Kiriyenko's speech, however, the \JDuma\j attacks the government's handling of the crisis, and overwhelmingly calls for President Boris Yeltsin to resign. \I(Russia)\i
Former South African President, P. W. Botha, 82, is found guilty of contempt for ignoring three summonses to appear before the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and is sentenced to a fine of 10,000 rands and 12 months in prison, suspended for five years. The commission had wished to question Mr. Botha about his knowledge of \Japartheid\j-era murders, cross-border raids, and the now defunct chemical and biological weapons program. \I(South Africa)\i
#
"August 22, 1998",962,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In his latest move against global \Jterrorism\j, United States President, Bill Clinton, bans all financial transactions between US companies and exiled Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, accused by Washington of masterminding the August 7 embassy bombing in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The ban is aimed at disrupting the wealthy militant's widespread financial empire, and comes two days after Mr. Clinton ordered missile attacks against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j believed to part of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. The ban also covers two other individuals said to be his lieutenants, as well as several related organizations, including the Islamic Army, the Islamic Salvation Foundation, the Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, the World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and Crusaders, and the Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j)\i
International aid workers are forced to flee \JAfghanistan\j and the Afghan-Pakistani border region in the face of a wave of anti-Western sentiment triggered by the United States missile strikes against suspected terrorist targets south of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The mass departure leaves behind a humanitarian catastrophe in the strife-torn country, particularly for the estimated 10,000 war widows in Kabul, who are forbidden under the fundamentalist Taliban's strict brand of Islamic law to work outside the home. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Pakistan, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In his latest move against global \Jterrorism\j, United States President, Bill Clinton, bans all financial transactions between US companies and exiled Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, accused by Washington of masterminding the August 7 embassy bombing in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The ban is aimed at disrupting the wealthy Islamic militant's widespread financial empire, and comes two days after Mr. Clinton ordered missile attacks against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j believed to part of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. The ban also covers two other individuals said to be his lieutenants, as well as several related organizations, including the Islamic Army, the Islamic Salvation Foundation, the Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, the World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and Crusaders, and the Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j)\i
International aid workers are forced to flee \JAfghanistan\j and the Afghan-Pakistani border region in the face of a wave of anti-Western sentiment triggered by the United States missile strikes against suspected terrorist targets south of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The mass departure leaves behind a humanitarian catastrophe in the strife-torn country, particularly for the estimated 10,000 war widows in Kabul, who are forbidden under the fundamentalist Taliban's strict brand of Islamic law to work outside the home. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, Pakistan, USA)\i
The latest poll results indicate that 70 per cent of Americans approve of the recent United States military strikes against \Jterrorism\j, while 16 per cent disapprove. The results also show that 49 per cent of respondents believe \Jterrorism\j will be reduced if the US takes action after each attack aimed at Americans, and that 34 per cent believe repeated military retaliations will only worsen the problem. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
In his latest move against global \Jterrorism\j, United States President, Bill Clinton, bans all financial transactions between US companies and exiled Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, accused by Washington of masterminding the August 7 embassy bombing in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j. The ban is aimed at disrupting the wealthy Islamic militant's widespread financial empire, and comes two days after Mr. Clinton ordered missile attacks against targets in \JAfghanistan\j and \JSudan\j believed to part of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. The ban also covers two other individuals said to be his lieutenants, as well as several related organizations, including the Islamic Army, the Islamic Salvation Foundation, the Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, the World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and Crusaders, and the Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites. \I(USA, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JSudan\j)\i
On the Norwegian \JArctic\j island of Spitzbergen, a team of scientists holds a brief memorial service before starting work to exhume the frozen corpses of six \Jcoal\j miners who died of "Spanish flu" in 1918. The deadly 1918 flu virus swept the world like a plague, killing up to 40 million people, and the scientists hope that the lungs of the corpses will yield fragments of the virus to help them develop vaccines against future flu pandemics. \I(\JNorway\j)\i
#
"August 23, 1998",963,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In defiance of an official ban, around 10,000 Cambodians join a demonstration at Phnom Penh's main sports stadium to demand an investigation into allegations of widespread \Jfraud\j and intimidation in last month's general elections. The noisy but peaceful demonstration was organized by opposition politician Sam Rainsy and senior officials from the Funcinpec party of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Both Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy have rejected the July election results and are threatening to boycott the National Assembly scheduled to convene in late September, a move that would prohibit the formation of a new government. \I(Cambodia)\i
Indonesia's Government-appointed Human Rights Commission says it has uncovered clear evidence of civilian massacres during the military's decade-long anti-guerrilla operations in the northern province of Aceh. The statement comes after a commission team excavates several mass graves in the province, unearthing scores of skeletons bearing marks of violent deaths, as well as blindfolds and ropes used to bind the arms of the victims. Indonesia began to withdraw troops from Aceh last week after armed forces chief, General Wiranto, apologized to the local people for the military's human rights abuses from 1989 up to 1998. \I(Indonesia, Aceh)\i
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) finds evidence that Indonesian troops killed six Australian-based journalists to conceal Indonesia's covert invasion of East \JTimor\j in 1975. The ICJ also claims that the Australian Government had foreknowledge of the invasion but failed to warn the journalists, who were covering fighting that had erupted after \JPortugal\j's withdrawal from East \JTimor\j in 1974. The Australian Government denies any cover up, and says it welcomes an investigation. Indonesia has also denied any responsibility for the deaths of the six journalists. \I(Indonesia, Australia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
Prominent Indonesian Muslim leader, Amien Rais, who played a key role in forcing the resignation of former president, Soeharto, launches his own National Mandate Party to challenge the ruling Golkar party in next year's elections. Indonesia's political opposition will be divided at the polls, however, with several other key opposition figures and scores of interest groups having already formed their own separate parties. \I(Indonesia)\i
Fijian golfer Vijay Singh finishes with a six point lead to take the Sprint International at Castle Rock, \JColorado\j, his second victory in as many weeks. In the Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, New York, 62-year-old South African, Gary Player, becomes the second-oldest winner on the Senior Tour, while in Dublin, Sweden's Mathias Gronberg wins the European Open by ten strokes. In women's golf, Annika Sorenstam also closes with a ten-stroke lead to win the Compaq Open in her native Sweden, and \JJapan\j's Hiromi Kobayashi wins a first-hole playoff in the Rainbow Classic at \JMinneapolis\j to claim her first LPGA title in five years. \I(Fiji, USA, South Africa, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, \JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States researchers reveal that they have uncovered the first hard evidence that women who smoke while pregnant can pass cancer-causing substances to their babies. The researchers say they found NKK, a chemical derived from \Jnicotine\j, in the urine of newborn babies of mothers who smoked during \Jpregnancy\j, proving that \Jtobacco\j products cross the placenta into a fetus in the womb. \I(USA)\i
In Montreal, American Monica Seles overpowers \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to capture her fourth consecutive Women's Canadian Open tennis title. Meanwhile, \JSpain\j's Alex Corretja clinches his third title of the year with a victory over American Andre Agassi in the ATP Tournament at \JIndianapolis\j, and Karol Kucera of \JSlovakia\j defeats Goran Ivanisevic of \JCroatia\j in the final of the ATP International at \JNew Haven\j, Connecticut. \I(Canada, USA, \JSpain\j, \JSlovakia\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
Fijian golfer Vijay Singh finishes with a six point lead to take the Sprint International at Castle Rock, \JColorado\j, his second victory in as many weeks. In the Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, New York, 62-year-old South African, Gary Player, becomes the second-oldest winner on the Senior Tour, while in Dublin, Sweden's Mathias Gronberg wins the European Open by ten strokes. In women's golf, Annika Sorenstam also closes with a ten-stroke lead to win the Compaq Open in her native Sweden, and \JJapan\j's Hiromi Kobayashi wins a first-hole playoff in the Rainbow Classic at \JMinneapolis\j to claim her first LPGA title in five years. \I(Fiji, USA, South Africa, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, \JJapan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, abruptly sacks the four-month-old government of Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, and appoints Viktor Chernomyrdin as acting prime minister, a speedy return for Mr. Chernomyrdin who was fired from the office in March for failing to collect taxes, pay wages, or boost economic growth. Mr. Yeltsin's startling political reversal is his first public response to the Kiriyenko Government's decision last week to devalue the rouble and declare a debt moratorium in a bid to stem Russia's escalating economic crisis. \I(Russia)\i
South African President, Nelson Mandela, current head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), resumes talks with regional leaders, proposing a 10-point plan for a cease-fire in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j, where Zimbabwe has now deployed troops to support President Laurent Kabila's fight against a Tutsi-led rebellion which erupted on August 2. Mr. Mandela's desperate search for a diplomatic solution to the conflict has so far been rebuffed by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, who has refused to attend the \JPretoria\j talks. \I(South Africa, Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe)\i
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) finds evidence that Indonesian troops killed six Australian-based journalists to conceal Indonesia's covert invasion of East \JTimor\j in 1975. The ICJ also claims that the Australian Government had foreknowledge of the invasion but failed to warn the journalists, who were covering fighting that had erupted after \JPortugal\j's withdrawal from East \JTimor\j in 1974. The Australian Government denies any cover up, and says it welcomes an investigation. Indonesia has also denied any responsibility for the deaths of the six journalists. \I(Indonesia, Australia, East \JTimor\j, \JPortugal\j)\i
Fijian golfer Vijay Singh finishes with a six point lead to take the Sprint International at Castle Rock, \JColorado\j, his second victory in as many weeks. In the Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, New York, 62-year-old South African, Gary Player, becomes the second-oldest winner on the Senior Tour, while in Dublin, Sweden's Mathias Gronberg wins the European Open by ten strokes. In women's golf, Annika Sorenstam also closes with a ten-stroke lead to win the Compaq Open in her native Sweden, and \JJapan\j's Hiromi Kobayashi wins a first-hole playoff in the Rainbow Classic at \JMinneapolis\j to claim her first LPGA title in five years. \I(Fiji, USA, South Africa, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, \JJapan\j)\i
In Montreal, American Monica Seles overpowers \JSpain\j's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to capture her fourth consecutive Women's Canadian Open tennis title. Meanwhile, \JSpain\j's Alex Corretja clinches his third title of the year with a victory over American Andre Agassi in the ATP Tournament at \JIndianapolis\j, and Karol Kucera of \JSlovakia\j defeats Goran Ivanisevic of \JCroatia\j in the final of the ATP International at \JNew Haven\j, Connecticut. \I(Canada, USA, \JSpain\j, \JSlovakia\j, \JCroatia\j)\i
Italian Max Biaggi rides his Honda to victory in the Czech 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix at Brno, a victory that puts him 11 points ahead in the world title race. \I(\JItaly\j, Czech Republic)\i
#
"August 24, 1998",964,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Myanmar pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, 53, is returned to her \JRangoon\j home in an ambulance, ending a 13-\Jday\j standoff protest against the military junta's restrictions on her movements. It is not known whether Ms. Suu Kyi's return is voluntary, but it comes just hours after her National League for Democracy (NLD) party says it had implored her to end her protest due to her critical health condition. Elsewhere in the capital, meanwhile, more than 100 students stage a sit-down protest in support of the NLD's vow to assemble a People's Parliament. Riot police finally break up the demonstration, the first of its kind since December 1996, when authorities closed Myanmar's universities following a series of student protests. \I(Myanmar (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Indonesia's armed forces commander, General Wiranto, announces his decision to end the active service of Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto, son-in-law of ex-president Soeharto and former commander of the elite Kopassus special forces army unit. General Wiranto's decision follows a closed-door investigation into the unit's alleged abduction earlier this year of at least 24 activists, 14 of whom remain missing. General Prabowo commanded the Kopassus forces at the time of the abductions. \I(Indonesia)\i
Cambodia's political opposition continues its protests against alleged \Jfraud\j and intimidation in the country's July polls, with around 2,000 people staging a sit-in demonstration outside the National Assembly in Phnom Penh, and vowing to stay until their complaints are investigated. The sit-in demonstration follows yesterday's mass protest rally in the capital's main sports stadium, and is once again spearheaded by opposition politician Sam Rainsy, whose party finished a distant third in the elections. \I(Cambodia)\i
In a two-hour address to the nation, \JSingapore\j's Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, warns of tough times ahead, saying continued economic difficulties in the Asian region will mean minimal economic growth for \JSingapore\j over the next two years. Mr. Goh also defends \JSingapore\j against charges that it has not done enough to help \JIndonesia\j and \JMalaysia\j through the current crisis, pointing to the fact that \JSingapore\j is a country of only 3 million people with limited resources. \I(\JSingapore\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JMalaysia\j)\i
South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company reaches an agreement to end the month-long occupation of its Ulsan plant by thousands of striking workers and their families. Under the agreement, Hyundai has reduced to 277 the number of workers to be laid off, and has promised no further retrenchments for two years. The company initially announced in May that it was planning to cut a total of 4,830 jobs in line with International Monetary Fund recommendations. \I(South Korea)\i
Troops are deployed to the eastern part of India's Uttar Pradesh state where several simultaneously rising rivers are creating the region's worst flood situation on record. State officials say about 370 people have been killed by the floods in the past month, most of them in the last 10 days, while 600 villages in the state's east have been cut off, more than 6,000 other settlements affected, and electricity and \Jtelephone\j services to larger towns have been crippled. Meanwhile, in the state's Himalayan north, where 239 people are missing, presumed dead after a series of landslides, relief and rescue officials say only 52 bodies have been recovered, and only 20 of those have been identified. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United States and Britain simultaneously announce that they will allow two Libyans to be tried under Scottish law in The Netherlands for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, a proposal floated on and off for years by Libya. Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah have already been indicted in the US and Britain for allegedly planting the bomb that killed 270 people aboard the plane and on the ground, and if Tripoli now takes up the proposed compromise, both the US and Britain say they will support action in the United Nations Security Council to suspend international sanctions imposed after Libya refused to extradite the suspects for trial in Scotland or the US. \I(USA, Libya, Scotland, UK, The Netherlands)\i
Sudan recalls its Ambassador to Britain, Omer Yousif Bireedo, and his deputy, Tawfeig Ahmed Moustafa, in protest over Britain's support for the United States missile attack last week on a pharmaceutical plant on the outskirts of the Sudanese capital, \JKhartoum\j. Sudan also requests that Britain withdraw its own envoy from \JKhartoum\j, but the British Foreign Office says it is considering whether to comply with the request. Sudan has expressed outrage over the US attack, insisting that the factory made humanitarian drugs and not chemical weapons components as claimed by Washington. \I(Sudan, UK, USA)\i
The Bank of Canada intervenes in an attempt to shore up the currency after the Canadian dollar falls to a record low of 64.51 cents to the US dollar. The commodity-based Canadian dollar has lost around 10 per cent against the US dollar over the past six months, and the triggers for the latest drop are \JRussia\j's financial turmoil and rumors of an impending \Jdevaluation\j of the Venezuelan currency. \I(Canada, \JRussia\j, Venezuela)\i
After more than a month of searing heat, heavy rains on the \JTexas\j-Mexican border cause flash floods and turn rivers into raging torrents, killing at least 17 people, leaving 30 others missing, and forcing thousands to be evacuated from their homes. The rains descended three days ago after Tropical Storm Charley hit the coast and swept inland, breaking up but leaving its remnants stalled over the arid region, which has had only 5 inches of rain all year. \I(USA, Mexico)\i
American actor, E. G. Marshall, dies aged 88 at his home in New York following a short illness. Throughout his career, E. G. Marshall appeared on Broadway, in films, and later in \Jtelevision\j productions. He won fame and back-to-back Emmy awards in 1962 and 1963 for his role as the senior lawyer Preston in the \Jtelevision\j series \IThe Defenders.\i Born Everett Marshall, E. G. Marshall often joked that his initials stood for "Everybody's Guess." \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
The United States and Britain simultaneously announce that they will allow two Libyans to be tried under Scottish law in The Netherlands for the 1988 bombing of a Pan American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, a proposal floated on and off for years by Libya. Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah have already been indicted in the US and Britain for allegedly planting the bomb that killed 270 people aboard the plane and on the ground, and if Tripoli now takes up the proposed compromise, both the US and Britain say they will support action in the United Nations Security Council to suspend international sanctions imposed after Libya refused to extradite the suspects for trial in Scotland or the US. \I(USA, Libya, Scotland, UK, The Netherlands)\i
Sudan recalls its Ambassador to Britain, Omer Yousif Bireedo, and his deputy, Tawfeig Ahmed Moustafa, in protest over Britain's support for the United States missile attack last week on a pharmaceutical plant on the outskirts of the Sudanese capital, \JKhartoum\j. Sudan also requests that Britain withdraw its own envoy from \JKhartoum\j, but the British Foreign Office says it is considering whether to comply with the request. Sudan has expressed outrage over the US attack, insisting that the factory made humanitarian drugs and not chemical weapons components as claimed by Washington. \I(Sudan, UK, USA)\i
Despite an appeal by South African President Nelson Mandela, \JAngola\j officially joins the war against rebels fighting to topple Congolese President Laurent Kabila, openly pouring troops, tanks, and guns into the former Zaire. Over the past three days, residents in \JAngola\j's northern enclave of Cabinda have reported Angolan troop movement across the border, and there are also reports that Angolan troops have secured the Congolese town of Kitona, trapping rebel forces between the coast and the capital, \JKinshasa\j. \I(South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), \JAngola\j)\i
Russian President Boris Yeltsin, back at work after his summer holiday, appeals to the people for support one day after sacking Sergei Kiriyenko as prime minister and reinstating Viktor Chernomyrdin, who was abruptly dismissed from the post in March for failing to push market reforms vigorously enough. In his address to the Russian people, Mr. Yeltsin praises the experience and weight of Mr. Chernomyrdin, and endorses him as a worthy candidate in the presidential elections due in 2000. \I(Russia)\i
The Bank of Canada intervenes in an attempt to shore up the currency after the Canadian dollar falls to a record low of 64.51 cents to the US dollar. The commodity-based Canadian dollar has lost around 10 per cent against the US dollar over the past six months, and the triggers for the latest drop are \JRussia\j's financial turmoil and rumors of an impending \Jdevaluation\j of the Venezuelan currency. \I(Canada, \JRussia\j, Venezuela)\i
French rescue services reveal that nine climbers have died on \JMont Blanc\j over the past two days after rain followed by a cold snap turned the snowy upper slopes into sheets of ice. Those killed in falls on the 4,807-meter mountain are three Frenchmen, three Italians, two Germans, and a Hungarian. \I(\JFrance\j, \JItaly\j, \JGermany\j, \JHungary\j)\i
#
"August 25, 1998",965,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In the third mass demonstration in as many days, around 3,000 people join a 100-strong round-the-clock opposition vigil outside \JCambodia\j's National Assembly in Phnom Penh to demand an investigation into alleged \Jfraud\j and intimidation in the country's July elections. Joining the demonstrators this time is Prince Norodom Ranariddh, head of the main opposition Funcinpec party, who calls for the resignation of Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The July elections yielded Hun Sen 64 of the 122 seats in the National Assembly, short of the two-thirds majority needed to form a new government. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Following a three-\Jday\j mission to the province of Aceh, \JIndonesia\j's Human Rights Commission publishes a provisional tally of human rights abuses during the military's operations there between 1989 and 1998. According to the report, at least 781 people died violent deaths, at least 163 disappeared, at least 368 were tortured, and at least 102 were raped. Indonesian troops were initially sent to Aceh to combat Islamic separatists. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Aceh)\i
At least one person is killed and about 27 people are wounded when a bomb blast rips through a United States-franchised \JPlanet\j \JHollywood\j restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. Two callers later tell the city's Cape Talk radio station that the blast is the work of the Muslims Against Global Oppression group, and is in retaliation for the recent US missile attacks against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. As South Africa vows to find and punish the bombers, the United States says its investigators will join the hunt for the perpetrators. \I(South Africa, USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Malaysia's Federal Court upholds a lower court decision to sentence opposition leader, Lim Guan Eng, to two concurrent 18-month prison terms for sedition. Mr. Lim, the national chairman of the Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth, was convicted last year for publishing a pamphlet in 1995 criticizing the government's handling of allegations of statutory rape against a former State chief minister. Under Malaysian law, Mr. Lim will now be unable to compete in the next general election, dealing a blow to his party, which has only nine seats in the 192-seat lower house of parliament. Rights groups and opposition leaders are bitterly condemning the court ruling as politically motivated. \I(Malaysia)\i
The \Jwater\j contamination crisis flares again in the Australian city of Sydney after record levels of the health-threatening micro-organisms cryptosporidium and giardia are found in test samples, and all households are once again warned to boil drinking \Jwater\j until further notice. The latest alert comes less than a month after the previous \Jwater\j contamination scare, but microbiologists believe that recent heavy rain could be to blame this time. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At least one person is killed and about 27 people are wounded when a bomb blast rips through a United States-franchised \JPlanet\j \JHollywood\j restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. Two callers later tell the city's Cape Talk radio station that the blast is the work of the Muslims Against Global Oppression group, and is in retaliation for the recent US missile attacks against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. As South Africa vows to find and punish the bombers, the United States says its investigators will join the hunt for the perpetrators. \I(South Africa, USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Seven Cuban Americans, including the leader of the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation, are indicted in Puerto Rico for allegedly plotting to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. The investigation, conducted by the \JFBI\j and the United States Customs Service, began in late October 1997 and is continuing. Meanwhile, Miami's Cuban exile community says it is confident that foundation board member, Jose Antonio Llama, is innocent, attacking the charges against him as politically motivated and without merit. \I(USA, Cuba, Puerto Rico)\i
A study based on a recent Nielsen Media Research survey shows that the number of adult \JInternet\j users in the United States has surged to 70.5 million, around a third of the country's adult population of 202 million. When Nielsen conducted its first \JInternet\j survey in 1995, only 18 million people were on-line. \I(USA)\i
Hurricane Bonnie, the first major storm of the Atlantic season, bears down on the Carolina coast, forcing the emergency evacuation of more than half a million people. The eye of the storm is expected to strike eastern \JNorth Carolina\j within 24 hours. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
At least one person is killed and about 27 people are wounded when a bomb blast rips through a United States-franchised \JPlanet\j \JHollywood\j restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. Two callers later tell the city's Cape Talk radio station that the blast is the work of the Muslims Against Global Oppression group, and is in retaliation for the recent US missile attacks against alleged terrorist installations in \JSudan\j and \JAfghanistan\j. As South Africa vows to find and punish the bombers, the United States says its investigators will join the hunt for the perpetrators. \I(South Africa, USA, \JSudan\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
After a week-long absence, Congolese President Laurent Kabila returns to the capital \JKinshasa\j predicting victory in his war against Tutsi-led rebels fighting to topple him. Loyalist troops, backed by Zimbabwean allies, are now harrying forward rebel positions on the western front along the road to \JKinshasa\j, while \JAngola\j troops are advancing on the rebels from the rear. The rebels, meanwhile, claim that Zimbabwean and Angolan air attacks against their front line have killed hundreds of people, mostly civilians. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe, \JAngola\j)\i
The Russian rouble, allowed to devalue last week, falls 10 per cent from 7.14 to 7.88 to the US dollar after trading is twice suspended, its worst single-\Jday\j fall since Black Tuesday in October 1994. The plunge comes as acting Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, back in his old job after being sacked in March, scrambles to form a new government, and Anatoly Chubais, Russia's top debt negotiator, warns that any indecision will cause serious new economic damage. \I(Russia)\i
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission announces February 27, 1999 as the date for presidential elections promised by military ruler General Abdulsalam Abubakar. The commission says elections to the national assembly will be held on February 20, while elections of governors and parliaments for the country's 36 states will be held on January 9. Under the commission's guidelines, would-be political parties will be required to contest the first local council elections on December 5. Only those scoring 10 per cent of votes cast in at least 24 states will be registered. \I(Nigeria)\i
#
"August 26, 1998",966,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A team of army experts from Islamabad arrives in a remote area of southern \JPakistan\j to destroy a United States Tomahawk \Jcruise missile\j that crashed there during the US strike last week on a suspected terrorist compound in \JAfghanistan\j. \JPakistan\j has already protested to the United Nations Security council about the US violation of its airspace, citing the stray missile as proof. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Japan's Defense Agency acknowledges that two Air Self-Defense Force F-1 fighter jets that disappeared from radar screens while on a training flight yesterday may have collided over the \JPacific Ocean\j. Coast guard vessels engaged in search operations have recovered metal fragments from the area, but the two pilots are still missing. \I(Japan)\i
China's official news agency reports that floods sweeping the country have now claimed 3,004 lives, inundated 21 million hectares, destroyed nearly five million houses, and affected more than 223 million people. Officials are warning that the floods, the country's worst since 1954, are far from over, and could continue into December if typhoons arrive late this year. \I(China)\i
A new study released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that the nation has hit its lowest marriage rate this century. Based on current figures, the bureau forecasts that an estimated 44 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women will never marry. The current figures also show that for every two marriages in Australia there is one divorce. \I(Australia)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Libya says it will deal positively with an American and British plan for two Libyan suspects in the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing to be tried in The Netherlands before a Scottish court. The United States criticizes Libya's statement as falling short of the requirements of the United Nations Security Council, and urges Tripoli to swiftly surrender the two suspects for prosecution, adding that the terms of the proposed trial are non-negotiable. The bombing of the Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, killed 270 people. \I(Libya, USA, UK, Scotland, The Netherlands)\i
A team of army experts from Islamabad arrives in a remote area of southern \JPakistan\j to destroy a United States Tomahawk \Jcruise missile\j that crashed there during the US strike last week on a suspected terrorist compound in \JAfghanistan\j. \JPakistan\j has already protested to the United Nations Security council about the US violation of its airspace, citing the stray missile as proof. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
American United Nations weapons inspection team leader, Scott Ritter, resigns from the job, criticizing the Security Council and Secretary General, Kofi Annan, for not standing up to \JIraq\j and enforcing UN resolutions relating to the country's disarmament. In January this year, amid mounting tensions over weapons inspections in \JIraq\j, Ritter, 37, was accused by \JBaghdad\j of being an American spy, and was blocked from carrying out his work. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
Russia's financial chaos spreads to European markets, with \JHungary\j's share market diving 12 per cent, \JPoland\j's 6 per cent, and the Czech Republic's 5 per cent. The share market in Frankfurt is also hit, a reflection of German banks' large exposure to Russian debt, while in \JSpain\j, shares fall 4.4 per cent as worries about Russia are compounded by fears that the contagion will spread to emerging Latin American markets. Meanwhile, the central banks of Denmark, \JGreece\j, Turkey, \JHungary\j, and Canada are forced to intervene in the market to support their sliding currencies. \I(Russia, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Latin America, Denmark, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Canada)\i
The United States Justice Department announces that it will conduct a limited new inquiry into the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. to determine whether convicted killer James Earl Ray was solely responsible. The decision comes in response to a request by the slain \Jcivil rights\j leader's widow and children, who claim to have new evidence suggesting a broader assassination conspiracy. \I(USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, succumbs to mounting political pressure from Republicans in Congress and decides to open a 90-\Jday\j inquiry into Vice President Al Gore's fund-raising activities. Last year, Ms. Reno cleared Mr. Gore of violating federal elections laws by making fund-raising \Jtelephone\j calls from his office, but reopened the review after new evidence was uncovered in July. \I(USA)\i
A Boeing-built Delta 3 rocket explodes 1 minute and 20 seconds after blasting off on its maiden flight from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j. The rocket was carrying PanAmSat Corp's Galaxy 10 communications \Jsatellite\j, which was to beam \Jtelevision\j channels to cable operators across the United States. Two weeks ago, a US Air Force Titan 4 rocket carrying a spy \Jsatellite\j exploded over Cape Canaveral just after blast off. \I(USA)\i
A new report by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows that at least 69 Americans who took the acclaimed impotence drug Viagra died in the first four months following its release on the market. The FDA adds that while the link with Viagra is circumstantial, the administration will continue to monitor the safety of the drug. Of the 69 patients who died, two suffered strokes, 46 had cardiovascular events, while the cause of death was unspecified in the other 21 cases. \I(USA)\i
Southern \JCalifornia\j is shaken by two moderate earthquakes, but there are no reports of injuries or damage. The first quake measures 3.3 on the Richter scale and is centered near San Fernando; the second quake of 2.7 \Jmagnitude\j occurs just over an hour later and is centered near Culver City, between west Los Angeles and Santa Monica. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russia's financial crisis escalates as the battered rouble plunges more than 40 per cent against the German mark, and the central bank declares that it can no longer afford to intervene to support the currency. The devastating plunge sparks panic among Russian people, who rush to banks to withdraw their savings. Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, departs suddenly for \JUkraine\j, where he meets with Michel Camdessus, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, the main contributor to a $US22.6 billion bailout package approved last month. \I(Russia, \JUkraine\j)\i
Russia's financial chaos spreads to European markets, with \JHungary\j's share market diving 12 per cent, \JPoland\j's 6 per cent, and the Czech Republic's 5 per cent. The share market in Frankfurt is also hit, a reflection of German banks' large exposure to Russian debt, while in \JSpain\j, shares fall 4.4 per cent as worries about Russia are compounded by fears that the contagion will spread to emerging Latin American markets. Meanwhile, the central banks of Denmark, \JGreece\j, Turkey, \JHungary\j, and Canada are forced to intervene in the market to support their sliding currencies. \I(Russia, \JHungary\j, \JPoland\j, Czech Republic, \JGermany\j, \JSpain\j, Latin America, Denmark, \JGreece\j, Turkey, Canada)\i
Fighting erupts on the outskirts of the capital of the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j after Tutsi-led rebels infiltrate suburbs near \JKinshasa\j's international airport. Earlier, Congolese and Zimbabwean forces blocked a rebel advance on the road approaching \JKinshasa\j from the south west. The two rebel assaults on the capital prompt a heavy military deployment near the residence of President Laurent Kabila, but there are no reports of fighting in the area. The rebels took up arms against President Kabila on August 2, vowing to topple him. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe)\i
Libya says it will deal positively with an American and British plan for two Libyan suspects in the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing to be tried in The Netherlands before a Scottish court. The United States criticizes Libya's statement as falling short of the requirements of the United Nations Security Council, and urges Tripoli to swiftly surrender the two suspects for prosecution, adding that the terms of the proposed trial are non-negotiable. The bombing of the Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, killed 270 people. \I(Libya, USA, UK, Scotland, The Netherlands)\i
American United Nations weapons inspection team leader, Scott Ritter, resigns from the job, criticizing the Security Council and Secretary General, Kofi Annan, for not standing up to \JIraq\j and enforcing UN resolutions relating to the country's disarmament. In January this year, amid mounting tensions over weapons inspections in \JIraq\j, Ritter, 37, was accused by \JBaghdad\j of being an American spy, and was blocked from carrying out his work. \I(USA, \JIraq\j)\i
#
"August 27, 1998",967,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The intensifying crisis in \JRussia\j sends world financial markets plummeting, sparking fears of a global economic downturn. The benchmark CRB index of global commodity prices falls to the lowest level in 21 years, piling pressure on the commodity currencies of \JAustralia\j and Canada. In \JTokyo\j, stocks crash to a three-year low, while stock markets again register sharp declines in Europe, where \JGermany\j's DAX index sheds 3.3. per cent, and London's FTSE-100 index sheds 3.2 per cent. Stock markets in the United States also tumble, with Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 4.2 per cent, or 357 points, its third biggest point loss ever, and the technology-laced Nasdaq composite index slumping 4.6 per cent, or 81.72 points. Meanwhile, emerging Latin American markets continue to take a battering, with Mexico's main equity index dropping 6 per cent, Venezuela's and \JBrazil\j's dropping 10 per cent, and Argentina's dropping 11 per cent. \I(\JRussia\j, \JAustralia\j, Canada, \JGermany\j, UK, USA, Mexico, Venezuela, \JBrazil\j, Argentina)\i
The release of official figures shows that the once-booming Malaysian economy has entered its first recession in 13 years. South Korea also posts its second straight quarterly contraction, confirming that its economy has officially slumped into recession as well. Malaysia and South Korea now join \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, and \JThailand\j as recession casualties after nearly 14 months of financial turmoil in the Asian region. \I(Malaysia, South Korea, \JJapan\j, \JIndonesia\j, \JThailand\j, Asia)\i
As an opposition protest outside \JCambodia\j's National Assembly enters its fourth \Jday\j, leader Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party calls for talks with the Funcinpec party of deposed co-prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. On Monday, Prince Ranariddh and his opposition colleague Sam Rainsy launched the sit-down protest to demand that their allegations of election \Jfraud\j and intimidation be investigated, and are now defying a government order to move the demonstration to a stadium in the west of the capital, Phnom Penh. The two opposition allies are also threatening to block formation of a new government unless their complaints about the vote outcome are addressed. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) launches a $US90 million emergency food aid program in \JIndonesia\j when a ship docks at Tanjung Priok port bearing 45,000 metric tonnes of Australian wheat, which will be exchanged by the WFP for 27,888 tonnes of rice. \JIndonesia\j has been hit by severe \Jdrought\j and its worst economic crisis in three decades, and the aid will go to people surviving on one meal a \Jday\j, as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under the age of five. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
China, reeling from weeks of flooding, is dealt another blow by nature when an \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale shakes Jiashi county in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where a moderate tremor earlier in the month injured at least two people and destroyed several houses. This time, however, there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. \I(China)\i
Wide storms driven by approaching Typhoon Rex trigger landslides and floods in northern \JJapan\j, killing at least nine people and leaving another five people missing. Homes and cars are washed away and bridges smashed as the storms unleash a record 543 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, equivalent to the total annual rainfall for the region. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
Japan is gripped by its third mass poisoning scare in a month after bottles of lethal \Jdisinfectant\j, described as a diet drink, are mailed to a teacher and 23 students at a
Tokyo high school, and the sole student to drink the liquid is rushed to \Jhospital\j in a serious condition. In late July, four people died and more than 60 became ill after eating curry laced with \Jarsenic\j at a summer festival, while two weeks ago, nine people were hospitalized after drinking tea poisoned with sodium azide. No arrests have been made in any of the three cases. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The intensifying crisis in \JRussia\j sends world financial markets plummeting, sparking fears of a global economic downturn. The benchmark CRB index of global commodity prices falls to the lowest level in 21 years, piling pressure on the commodity currencies of \JAustralia\j and Canada. In \JTokyo\j, stocks crash to a three-year low, while stock markets again register sharp declines in Europe, where \JGermany\j's DAX index sheds 3.3. per cent, and London's FTSE-100 index sheds 3.2 per cent. Stock markets in the United States also tumble, with Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 4.2 per cent, or 357 points, its third biggest point loss ever, and the technology-laced Nasdaq composite index slumping 4.6 per cent, or 81.72 points. Meanwhile, emerging Latin American markets continue to take a battering, with Mexico's main equity index dropping 6 per cent, Venezuela's and \JBrazil\j's dropping 10 per cent, and Argentina's dropping 11 per cent. \I(\JRussia\j, \JAustralia\j, Canada, \JGermany\j, UK, USA, Mexico, Venezuela, \JBrazil\j, Argentina)\i
Twenty days into the largest overseas investigation in United States history, a suspect in the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JNairobi\j is flown to New York and charged with murdering 12 US nationals. A Yemeni national, Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali, also known as Khalid Salim Saleh Bin Rashed, was arrested by Kenyan officials on August 9 and has allegedly confessed to his role in what was supposed to be a martyrdom operation. He is also alleged to have links to Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi millionaire accused by Washington of financing the double embassy bombings in Kenya and \JTanzania\j. \I(USA, Kenya, Yemen, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
A joint United States-British proposal for two Libyans accused in the 1988 Pan Am Bombing over Lockerbie to be tried in The Netherlands under Scottish law is unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. The resolution also calls for sanctions against Libya to be suspended as soon as the defendants are surrendered, and expresses the council's intention to consider additional measures if the men do not arrive for trial promptly. \I(USA, UK, Scotland, Libya, The Netherlands)\i
Boeing Co. launches an investigation into yesterday's abortive maiden flight of its Delta 3 rocket. The 12-story Delta 3, a more powerful version of the Delta 2, was carrying a communications \Jsatellite\j on a $US225 mission when it erupted in flames about 55 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, \JFlorida\j. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Russia's central bank suspends all foreign currency trade on the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange for a second successive \Jday\j amid fears that the collapsing rouble is going into free fall. The stock market also receives a pummeling, with the Russian Trading System's benchmark RTS1-Interfax index plunging 17.13 per cent to finish the \Jday\j at its lowest recorded level since it was introduced in 1995. Meanwhile, as acting Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, calls for the \JDuma\j's cooperation to fight the crisis, President Boris Yeltsin stays away at his country resident for a second consecutive \Jday\j, forcing the \JKremlin\j to repeatedly deny rumors that he has resigned. \I(Russia)\i
The intensifying crisis in \JRussia\j sends world financial markets plummeting, sparking fears of a global economic downturn. The benchmark CRB index of global commodity prices falls to the lowest level in 21 years, piling pressure on the commodity currencies of \JAustralia\j and Canada. In \JTokyo\j, stocks crash to a three-year low, while stock markets again register sharp declines in Europe, where \JGermany\j's DAX index sheds 3.3. per cent, and London's FTSE-100 index sheds 3.2 per cent. Stock markets in the United States also tumble, with Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 4.2 per cent, or 357 points, its third biggest point loss ever, and the technology-laced Nasdaq composite index slumping 4.6 per cent, or 81.72 points. Meanwhile, emerging Latin American markets continue to take a battering, with Mexico's main equity index dropping 6 per cent, Venezuela's and \JBrazil\j's dropping 10 per cent, and Argentina's dropping 11 per cent. \I(\JRussia\j, \JAustralia\j, Canada, \JGermany\j, UK, USA, Mexico, Venezuela, \JBrazil\j, Argentina)\i
Twenty days into the largest overseas investigation in United States history, a suspect in the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JNairobi\j is flown to New York and charged with murdering 12 US nationals. A Yemeni national, Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali, also known as Khalid Salim Saleh Bin Rashed, was arrested by Kenyan officials on August 9 and has allegedly confessed to his role in what was supposed to be a martyrdom operation. He is also alleged to have links to Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi millionaire accused by Washington of financing the double embassy bombings in Kenya and \JTanzania\j. \I(USA, Kenya, Yemen, Saudi \JArabia\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
A bomb explodes in the heart of Tel Aviv's commercial district, injuring 21 people, one of them seriously. There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, but Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, describes it as a terror attempt, and says he will not sign any deal to cede more West Bank land to the Palestinian Authority unless it steps up the fight against murderers and \Jterrorism\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
A joint United States-British proposal for two Libyans accused in the 1988 Pan Am Bombing over Lockerbie to be tried in The Netherlands under Scottish law is unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. The resolution also calls for sanctions against Libya to be suspended as soon as the defendants are surrendered, and expresses the council's intention to consider additional measures if the men do not arrive for trial promptly. \I(USA, UK, Scotland, Libya, The Netherlands)\i
#
"August 28, 1998",968,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
As the financial and political turmoil in \JRussia\j continues to fuel uncertainty in world markets, stocks fall for a third straight \Jday\j on Wall Street, leaving the Dow Jones Industrial Average off 481.97 for the week at 8,051.68, its largest weekly point loss ever. Of particular concern to the US market is the impact of \JRussia\j's financial chaos on Canadian markets and emerging markets in \JSouth America\j, both big buyers of American-made goods. Meanwhile, in a further bid to defend the commodity-based Canadian dollar, the country's Reserve Bank raises interest rates by one percentage point to six per cent, while \JAustralia\j's Reserve Bank intervenes in the market to help support the Australian dollar as it hits an all-time low of US55.30c. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Canada, \JSouth America\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Amid heightened security, a second suspect in the August 7 United States Embassy bombing in \JKenya\j is flown to New York and charged with the murder of 12 Americans. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained by Pakistani authorities on the \Jday\j of the blast and later deported to \JKenya\j. He is accused of complicity with the extremist group al Qaeda, believed to be run by exiled Saudi dissent, Osama bin Laden, the man Washington has named as its arch terrorist foe. The charges against Odeh are filed one \Jday\j after prosecutors brought similar charges against Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali. Both men could face death sentences if convicted. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Pakistan, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
China strongly protests recently announced United States plans to sell $US350 million in missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes to \JTaiwan\j, demanding that Washington strictly abide by the 1982 Sino-US communiqué calling for the US to gradually reduce arms sales to \JTaiwan\j in terms of quantity and quality. Washington switched diplomatic recognition to \JBeijing\j from Taipei in 1979, and despite China's opposition, has continued to sell defensive weapons to \JTaiwan\j. \JTaiwan\j, meanwhile, insists that it must maintain a strong defense because of China's pledge to use force against the island if it opts for independence from the mainland. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
An official from \JMyanmar\j's Government confirms reports that a \JMyanmar\j Airways Fokker F-27 turboprop crashed in poor \Jweather\j five days ago while on a regular two-hour domestic flight from \JRangoon\j to Tachilek, the country's main town in the notorious "Golden Triangle" opium-growing area. The plane came down in a mountainous and forested area, and while an air and ground search is still being carried out, all 39 people aboard the \Jaircraft\j are presumed to have perished. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Extra troops are rushed to northern \JJapan\j where the death toll from flash floods and mudslides caused by storms whipped up by Typhoon Rex has risen to 13, with at least four people still missing and another 27 people injured. As torrential rain continues to pound the region and major rivers reach dangerous levels, local authorities report that at least 101 houses and 19 bridges have been lost, while roads have been destroyed at 229 places. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As the financial and political turmoil in \JRussia\j continues to fuel uncertainty in world markets, stocks fall for a third straight \Jday\j on Wall Street, leaving the Dow Jones Industrial Average off 481.97 for the week at 8,051.68, its largest weekly point loss ever. Of particular concern to the US market is the impact of \JRussia\j's financial chaos on Canadian markets and emerging markets in \JSouth America\j, both big buyers of American-made goods. Meanwhile, in a further bid to defend the commodity-based Canadian dollar, the country's Reserve Bank raises interest rates by one percentage point to six per cent, while \JAustralia\j's Reserve Bank intervenes in the market to help support the Australian dollar as it hits an all-time low of US55.30c. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Canada, \JSouth America\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Amid heightened security, a second suspect in the August 7 United States Embassy bombing in \JKenya\j is flown to New York and charged with the murder of 12 Americans. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained by Pakistani authorities on the \Jday\j of the blast and later deported to \JKenya\j. He is accused of complicity with the extremist group al Qaeda, believed to be run by exiled Saudi dissent, Osama bin Laden, the man Washington has named as its arch terrorist foe. The charges against Odeh are filed one \Jday\j after prosecutors brought similar charges against Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali. Both men could face death sentences if convicted. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Pakistan, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Libya calls on the United States, Britain, and The Netherlands to enter into negotiations on procedures for a proposed trial of two Libyan suspects in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libya's call comes one \Jday\j after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution supporting the US-British proposal for a trial in The Netherlands under Scottish law. Both the US and Britain have stated that the proposal is not negotiable, but say they are prepared to clarify legal and technical points. Should Libya accept the deal, sanctions in force since 1992 will be suspended as soon the two suspects arrive in the Netherlands. \I(Libya, USA, UK, Scotland, The Netherlands)\i
South African police probing Tuesday's fatal bomb blast at the United States-franchised \JPlanet\j \JHollywood\j restaurant in Cape Town release three members of a radical Muslim group arrested overnight. About 100 activists from the group, known as People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, earlier marched to the home of the Justice Minister demanding the release of the three suspects and accusing police of demonizing their organization. Meanwhile, three explosive experts from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation have now arrived in Cape Town to assist South African police with the on-site investigation into the bombing. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
China strongly protests recently announced United States plans to sell $US350 million in missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes to \JTaiwan\j, demanding that Washington strictly abide by the 1982 Sino-US communiqué calling for the US to gradually reduce arms sales to \JTaiwan\j in terms of quantity and quality. Washington switched diplomatic recognition to \JBeijing\j from Taipei in 1979, and despite China's opposition, has continued to sell defensive weapons to \JTaiwan\j. \JTaiwan\j, meanwhile, insists that it must maintain a strong defense because of China's pledge to use force against the island if it opts for independence from the mainland. \I(China, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Amid rumors that he has resigned, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, appears on \Jtelevision\j to assure the Russian people that he has no intention of stepping down from office until his term ends in 2000. Meanwhile, as foreign currency trading is suspended for a third consecutive \Jday\j following the rouble's dramatic collapse, concerns about a compromise deal between the \JKremlin\j and the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j to ensure the confirmation of Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister prompt the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to caution against a return to a Soviet-style command economy. Managing director, Michel Camdessus, warns that such a move would have dire consequences for Russia, and says the IMF will continue to support the financially-battered country only if it adopts market-oriented reforms. \I(Russia)\i
As the financial and political turmoil in \JRussia\j continues to fuel uncertainty in world markets, stocks fall for a third straight \Jday\j on Wall Street, leaving the Dow Jones Industrial Average off 481.97 for the week at 8,051.68, its largest weekly point loss ever. Of particular concern to the US market is the impact of \JRussia\j's financial chaos on Canadian markets and emerging markets in \JSouth America\j, both big buyers of American-made goods. Meanwhile, in a further bid to defend the commodity-based Canadian dollar, the country's Reserve Bank raises interest rates by one percentage point to six per cent, while \JAustralia\j's Reserve Bank intervenes in the market to help support the Australian dollar as it hits an all-time low of US55.30c. \I(\JRussia\j, USA, Canada, \JSouth America\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Serb security forces announce that after three days of fighting, they have succeeded in seizing the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army (KLA) command post in the village of Klecka, completing the recapture of KLA-held villages straddling the Pec-Prizren road. The security forces also claim that a KLA firing squad in Klecka executed 10 kidnapped Serb civilians, including three women and two children. Meanwhile, Western diplomats in \JKosovo\j say prospects for starting peace talks soon are remote, and that the first priority is to get people displaced by the six-month separatist conflict back to their villages and towns. \I(\JKosovo\j, \JSerbia\j, Yugoslavia)\i
Following three days of fighting on the outskirts of the Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, loyalist soldiers claim victory over Tutsi-led rebels fighting to topple President Laurent Kabila. However, while \JKinshasa\j's international airport remains firmly in government hands, the city continues to be plagued by power outages, with rebels still holding the giant Inga hydro-electric dam in the west. The rebels also remain in control of key towns in the east, where their revolt was launched on August 2. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire))\i
Amid heightened security, a second suspect in the August 7 United States Embassy bombing in \JKenya\j is flown to New York and charged with the murder of 12 Americans. Mohammed Saddiq Odeh, also known as Abdull Bast Awadh and Mohammad Sadiq Howaida, was detained by Pakistani authorities on the \Jday\j of the blast and later deported to \JKenya\j. He is accused of complicity with the extremist group al Qaeda, believed to be run by exiled Saudi dissent, Osama bin Laden, the man Washington has named as its arch terrorist foe. The charges against Odeh are filed one \Jday\j after prosecutors brought similar charges against Mohamed Rashed Daoud al-'Owhali. Both men could face death sentences if convicted. \I(USA, \JKenya\j, Pakistan, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
South African police probing Tuesday's fatal bomb blast at the United States-franchised \JPlanet\j \JHollywood\j restaurant in Cape Town release three members of a radical Muslim group arrested overnight. About 100 activists from the group, known as People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, earlier marched to the home of the Justice Minister demanding the release of the three suspects and accusing police of demonizing their organization. Meanwhile, three explosive experts from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation have now arrived in Cape Town to assist South African police with the on-site investigation into the bombing. \I(South Africa, USA)\i
Libya calls on the United States, Britain, and The Netherlands to enter into negotiations on procedures for a proposed trial of two Libyan suspects in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libya's call comes one \Jday\j after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution supporting the US-British proposal for a trial in The Netherlands under Scottish law. Both the US and Britain have stated that the proposal is not negotiable, but say they are prepared to clarify legal and technical points. Should Libya accept the deal, sanctions in force since 1992 will be suspended as soon the two suspects arrive in The Netherlands. \I(Libya, USA, UK, Scotland, The Netherlands)\i
The leader of the Kurdish separatist PKK rebels declares a unilateral cease-fire in the group's 14-year armed struggle for autonomy in southeast Turkey. Abdullah Ocalan also declared unilateral cease-fires in 1993 and 1995, but they were largely ignored by Turkey, which refuses to negotiate with the PKK. More than 28,000 people have been killed since the separatist conflict erupted in 1984. \I(Turkey)\i
The Rembrandt Research Project confirms that the oil-on-oak panel painting, \IOld Man with Turban,\i is by Rembrandt. The privately owned painting, which was discovered in 1917, is signed with the monogram RHL, used by the young Rembrandt. \IOld Man with Turban\i will go on show publicly for the first time at the Pan Art and Antique Fair in \JAmsterdam\j in October. \I(The Netherlands)\i
#
"August 29, 1998",969,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
A second unexploded United States Tomahawk \Jcruise missile\j found in a remote coastal area in southwestern \JPakistan\j is destroyed by Pakistani army experts. The first missile to be discovered in Pakistan was destroyed earlier in the week. Both were launched on August 20 from US warships in the Arabian Sea, targeting a suspected terrorist training compound in the Khost area of eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The compound was linked by Washington to the exiled Saudi Arabian Islamic militant leader, Osama bin Laden, believed to be the mastermind behind the US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
Flood-ravaged \JBangladesh\j deploys troops to help save the railway line between the capital, \JDhaka\j, and the southern port city of \JChittagong\j, almost the only form of land transport still available after the virtual collapse of the road system. Damage to \Jinfrastructure\j has been heavy since July, when \JBangladesh\j was hit by its worst flooding in ten years, affecting some 25 million people across two-thirds of the country, and killing more than 400. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, confirms that he will proceed with a planned visit to Moscow next week despite \JRussia\j's current financial and political turmoil. Mr. Clinton, who will meet President Boris Yeltsin for a long-delayed summit, says that in an interdependent world, the US cannot abandon \JRussia\j and its embattled president, and that he will be encouraging the country to stick to the path of economic reform. The summit also comes at a personal low point for Mr. Clinton following his recent public confession to an extra-marital affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Iraq lashes out at resigning American United Nations weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, accusing him of links with both the United States Central Intelligence Agency and the Israeli \Jsecret service\j organization, Mossad. Ritter has been involved in repeated standoffs with Iraq, and in resigning earlier this week, he attacked the UN Security Council and Secretary General, Kofi Annan, accusing both of failing to enforce the world body's resolutions in relation to Iraq's disarmament. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
The United States Marine Corps orders an Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury hearing, to determine whether two airmen facing charges of negligent \Jhomicide\j and involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the February Italian cable car disaster should also face military courts-martial on obstruction of justice charges. The development arises from new information suggesting that Capt. Richard Ashby and Capt. Joseph Schweitzer destroyed a cockpit videotape of the flight during which their jet severed the cable of a ski lift, sending 20 people plunging to their deaths. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
A Cuban airliner crashes into a field and explodes while attempting to take off from the international airport in \JQuito\j, \JEcuador\j. Of the 90 people aboard, only 20 survive, five of whom emerge unscathed. Ten Ecuadorians near the site of the crash are also killed, including five children playing \Jsoccer\j at the time, while another 39 people, mostly Ecuadorians, are injured as the plane ploughs through the airport fence. \I(Cuba, \JEcuador\j)\i
A second unexploded United States Tomahawk \Jcruise missile\j found in a remote coastal area in southwestern \JPakistan\j is destroyed by Pakistani army experts. The first missile to be discovered in Pakistan was destroyed earlier in the week. Both were launched on August 20 from US warships in the Arabian Sea, targeting a suspected terrorist training compound in the Khost area of eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The compound was linked by Washington to the exiled Saudi Arabian Islamic militant leader, Osama bin Laden, believed to be the mastermind behind the US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
International air traffic is disrupted by a runaway \Jhelium\j-filled \Jweather\j \Jballoon\j drifting near \JIceland\j. The unmanned 300-foot-high \Jballoon\j broke out of control on Monday after being launched from the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and has since defied attempts by Canadian, American, and British military planes to shoot it down. \I(\JIceland\j, Canada, USA, UK)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Responding to a tough warning from the International Monetary Fund, acting Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, says the country is already part of the world economy and that there will be no return to the state controls of its Soviet past. In recent days the rouble has lost more than 40 per cent of its value, panicking markets and unnerving foreign lenders, and Mr. Chernomyrdin has now assembled a group of senior reformers to prepare urgent measures to head off economic collapse. Meanwhile, officials of Russia's acting government continue to negotiate with parliamentary deputies in a bid to forge a compromise political strategy. \I(Russia)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, confirms that he will proceed with a planned visit to Moscow next week despite \JRussia\j's current financial and political turmoil. Mr. Clinton, who will meet President Boris Yeltsin for a long-delayed summit, says that in an interdependent world, the US cannot abandon \JRussia\j and its embattled president, and that he will be encouraging the country to stick to the path of economic reform. The summit also comes at a personal low point for Mr. Clinton following his recent public confession to an extra-marital affair with former \JWhite House\j intern, Monica Lewinsky. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Zimbabwean troops allied to Congolese President, Laurent Kabila, claim to have assumed control of the Inga hydro-electric dam, which provides power to the Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, and has been held by Tutsi rebels for more than two weeks. Despite the claim, much of the capital remains in darkness as loyalist troops enforce a fourth night of curfew after another \Jday\j of hunting down rebel infiltrators. \I(Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Zimbabwe)\i
A new wave of violence hits the Algerian province of Ain Defla, 130 kilometers southwest of the capital, \JAlgiers\j, when Muslim rebels slit the throats of 10 people, six of whom are children. Meanwhile, in Hachad hamlet about 60 kilometers southwest of the capital, police defuse two bombs close to where mourners gathered earlier to bury five civilians killed by Muslim rebels the previous \Jday\j. \I(Algeria)\i
Iraq lashes out at resigning American United Nations weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, accusing him of links with both the United States Central Intelligence Agency and the Israeli \Jsecret service\j organization, Mossad. Ritter has been involved in repeated standoffs with Iraq, and in resigning earlier this week, he attacked the UN Security Council and Secretary General, Kofi Annan, accusing both of failing to enforce the world body's resolutions in relation to Iraq's disarmament. \I(Iraq, USA)\i
A second unexploded United States Tomahawk \Jcruise missile\j found in a remote coastal area in southwestern \JPakistan\j is destroyed by Pakistani army experts. The first missile to be discovered in Pakistan was destroyed earlier in the week. Both were launched on August 20 from US warships in the Arabian Sea, targeting a suspected terrorist training compound in the Khost area of eastern \JAfghanistan\j. The compound was linked by Washington to the exiled Saudi Arabian Islamic militant leader, Osama bin Laden, believed to be the mastermind behind the US embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j on August 7. \I(\JPakistan\j, USA, \JAfghanistan\j, Saudi Arabia, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j)\i
The United States Marine Corps orders an Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury hearing, to determine whether two airmen facing charges of negligent \Jhomicide\j and involuntary \Jmanslaughter\j in connection with the February Italian cable car disaster should also face military courts-martial on obstruction of justice charges. The development arises from new information suggesting that Capt. Richard Ashby and Capt. Joseph Schweitzer destroyed a cockpit videotape of the flight during which their jet severed the cable of a ski lift, sending 20 people plunging to their deaths. \I(USA, \JItaly\j)\i
International air traffic is disrupted by a runaway \Jhelium\j-filled \Jweather\j \Jballoon\j drifting near \JIceland\j. The unmanned 300-foot-high \Jballoon\j broke out of control on Monday after being launched from the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and has since defied attempts by Canadian, American, and British military planes to shoot it down. \I(\JIceland\j, Canada, USA, UK)\i
#
"August 30, 1998",970,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announces an early election on October 3, arguing that the central campaign issue should be economic competence at a time of intensifying global economic turmoil, which has seen the Australian dollar fall to an all-time low of US55.30c. At stake in the October election will be the 148 seats in the \JHouse of Representatives\j and 38 of the 76 seats in the Senate. \I(Australia)\i
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, reshuffles her minority government's Cabinet, a move prompted by the collapse of the 20-month-old Coalition in mid-August. However, Mrs. Shipley avoids major changes in the face of uncertainty and concern caused by the international economic situation. New Zealand's economy has been under strain due to its exposure to Asia and its reliance on commodity exports, and over the past year the country's currency has fallen 15 per cent against the US dollar. \I(New Zealand)\i
In men's tennis, American Michael Chang scores a straight-sets victory over Dutchman Paul Harrhuis in the ATP Tour at \JBoston\j to claim his first title of the year, while Australian Patrick Rafter clinches his fifth title of the year with a win over Spaniard Felix Mantilla in the Hamlet Cup at Commack, New York. \I(USA, The Netherlands, Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
Australian John MacLean, 32, becomes the first paraplegic to swim the English Channel, making the crossing from Dover to \JBordeaux\j in 12 hours, 55 minutes. A former triathlete, MacLean was hit by a truck while training 10 years ago. \I(Australia, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Panamanian President, Ernest Perez Balladares, loses his bid to run for a second straight five-year term when voters overwhelmingly reject the necessary constitutional change at a referendum. Supporters of Mr. Perez Balladares, 52, had argued that his reelection in 1999 was essential to continue a plan that has kept the economy growing without \Jinflation\j. Mr. Perez Balladares will now have to sit out two terms before he can run for president again. \I(Panama)\i
A strike by pilots at Northwest Airlines Corp., the fourth-largest airline in the United States, enters a second \Jday\j with no negotiations in sight. Northwest has already canceled flights for the next two days, rebooking passengers on other airlines, and it is estimated that the outage, called over issues including pay and job security, could cost the airline more than $US15 million a day. \I(USA)\i
American golfer David Duval wins the NEC World Series at Akron, Ohio, by two strokes, and Briton Russell Claydon finishes with a one-stroke lead to take the BMW International Open at Munich, \JGermany\j. In women's golf, American Pearl Sinn finishes one stroke ahead of the field to capture the State Farm Rail Classic at Springfield, Illinois. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
In men's tennis, American Michael Chang scores a straight-sets victory over Dutchman Paul Harrhuis in the ATP Tour at \JBoston\j to claim his first title of the year, while Australian Patrick Rafter clinches his fifth title of the year with a win over Spaniard Felix Mantilla in the Hamlet Cup at Commack, New York. \I(USA, The Netherlands, Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
\BEurope/Africa/Middle East\b
Two brothers convicted of murder are executed by a Palestinian firing squad at Gaza police headquarters in the first death sentences carried out since the introduction of Palestinian self-rule in 1994. President Yasser Arafat ordered the executions after the brothers, both members of the Palestinian security services, were found guilty of the premeditated murders of two other security officials in a family feud. \I(Palestine)\i
On the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, \JBuckingham Palace\j issues a statement thanking the nation for its remembrances of Diana, who was killed in a Paris car crash aged 36. The anniversary is a relatively low key event, however, with no formal public commemoration. Prayers are said for Diana during a service at Westminster Abbey, while, Diana's sons, William, 16, and Harry, 13, attend the normal Sunday service at Crathie Kirk near the royal family's Balmoral estate in Scotland, where they are spending the weekend with their father, Prince Charles. \I(UK, Scotland, \JFrance\j)\i
American golfer David Duval wins the NEC World Series at Akron, Ohio, by two strokes, and Briton Russell Claydon finishes with a one-stroke lead to take the BMW International Open at Munich, \JGermany\j. In women's golf, American Pearl Sinn finishes one stroke ahead of the field to capture the State Farm Rail Classic at Springfield, Illinois. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
In men's tennis, American Michael Chang scores a straight-sets victory over Dutchman Paul Harrhuis in the ATP Tour at \JBoston\j to claim his first title of the year, while Australian Patrick Rafter clinches his fifth title of the year with a win over Spaniard Felix Mantilla in the Hamlet Cup at Commack, New York. \I(USA, The Netherlands, Australia, \JSpain\j)\i
Briton Damon Hill wins the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix at Sap-Francorchamps after the biggest opening-lap multiple accident in the history of the sport. The race lost about 10 cars in the dramatic start, and only six cars managed to finish. \I(UK, \JBelgium\j)\i
Australian John MacLean, 32, becomes the first paraplegic to swim the English Channel, making the crossing from Dover to \JBordeaux\j in 12 hours, 55 minutes. A former triathlete, MacLean was hit by a truck while training 10 years ago. \I(Australia, UK, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"September 1, 1998",971,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Asian stocks take a tumble in the wake of yesterday's slump on Wall Street, which was triggered by worries about the effects of \JRussia\j's financial and political upheaval on the global economy. In early trading, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Average falls 3.14 per cent to its lowest level in 12 years, while markets in Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, and \JAustralia\j all fall between three and four per cent. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Japanese Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi, says once the details have been determined, \JJapan\j intends to formally protest yesterday's test launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea. Mr. Obuchi also says \JJapan\j will refuse any food aid requests from the Stalinist state, and end talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries. The missile landed in the Pacific Ocean after flying over \JJapan\j, clearly demonstrating North Korea's ability to strike major Japanese cities. South Korea, meanwhile, claims that the missile was a Taepo Dong 1, which has a range of 2,000 kilometers, twice the distance of the medium range Rodong 1 tested by the North in 1993. \I(\JJapan\j, The Koreas)\i
\JCambodia\j's National Election Committee officially declares Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party the winner of the country's July 26 election with 41.42 per cent of the vote and 64 of the 122 National Assembly seats. Second in the polling is the Funcinpec party of Prince Norodom Ranariddh with 31.70 per cent and 43 seats, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party with 14.27 per cent and 15 seats. The confirmed results are much the same as the preliminary results, which were issued on August 5 and subsequently rejected by Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy amid allegations of electoral \Jfraud\j. Yesterday, however, their allegations were dismissed by \JCambodia\j's Constitutional Council, the country's highest appeals body. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Two people are killed and several others are injured when Indonesian security forces open fire on rioters in the northern industrial city of Lhokseumawe in Aceh province. The rioting began after hundreds of local people gathered to jeer more than 650 troops withdrawing from the area as part of the Indonesian Government's reconciliation efforts in the troubled province. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Aceh)\i
As the death toll from flooding in \JBangladesh\j moves past 500, the government becomes increasingly desperate for pledged foreign aid to reach the nation's shores. With three-quarters of the country submerged and 25 million people left homeless or marooned, disaster management officials say the task of reaching and helping all those in need is now almost impossible. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in \JRussia\j for a two-\Jday\j summit with President Boris Yeltsin, their fourth in five years. Mr. Clinton and his wife Hillary are greeted at Moscow's Vnukovo-2 airport by acting Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, whose rejection yesterday by the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j threatens to aggravate the political and economic crisis currently gripping \JRussia\j and shaking financial markets around the world. Speaking later to students at Moscow State University of International Relations, Mr. Clinton insists that \JRussia\j's only way out of its financial woes is to persist with constructive economic reforms. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Wall Street makes an impressive comeback, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending up 288.36 points, or 3.8 per cent, one \Jday\j after sliding 512.61 points in its second-largest point loss ever. The Nasdaq composite index also rallies, jumping 75.84 points, or nearly 51 per cent, to 1,575.09, and eclipsing the previous record daily gain of 67.93 points set in October 1997. \I(USA)\i
Asian stocks take a tumble in the wake of yesterday's slump on Wall Street, which was triggered by worries about the effects of \JRussia\j's financial and political upheaval on the global economy. In early trading, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Average falls 3.14 per cent to its lowest level in 12 years, while markets in Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, and \JAustralia\j all fall between three and four per cent. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
Brazilian President, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, meets with environmental officials to discuss ways of avoiding a disaster in the Xingu National Park, a densely forested area on the southern fringe of the Amazon Basin that is home to 17 indigenous groups, and is currently under threat from advancing fires. President Cardoso, criticized for his response to fire in the far north of the Amazon earlier this year, agrees to free up $US12.8 million for a new program to prevent, detect, and fight fires across the nation. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
All planes of Canada's largest airline are grounded after contract talks break down over wage demands by the company's 2,100 pilots. The Air Canada pilots, who receive an average salary of $C100,000 a year, argued that they were poorer paid than their United States counterparts, and dismissed offered salary increases of 4 per cent and 5 per cent over two years, demanding a 12 per cent increase over the same period. Air Canada rejected the pilots' demands, saying such an increase would set a precedent for other unions in the airline whose contracts will soon expire. \I(Canada, USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
After a series of recent setbacks, the Northern Ireland peace process gains momentum when Gerry Adams, the leader of the Irish Republic Army's (IRA) political wing, Sinn Fein, declares that violence is a thing of the past and names key lieutenant, Martin McGuinness, to interface with an international commission charged with the task of disarming the IRA and rival Protestant guerrilla groups. The 30-year war between the two sides claimed 3,600 lives, and Mr. Adams' move is welcomed by the British and Irish Governments, and by Protestant Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, now the first minister of the province's power-sharing assembly. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in \JRussia\j for a two-\Jday\j summit with President Boris Yeltsin, their fourth in five years. Mr. Clinton and his wife Hillary are greeted at Moscow's Vnukovo-2 airport by acting Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, whose rejection yesterday by the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j threatens to aggravate the political and economic crisis currently gripping \JRussia\j and shaking financial markets around the world. Speaking later to students at Moscow State University of International Relations, Mr. Clinton insists that \JRussia\j's only way out of its financial woes is to persist with constructive economic reforms. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
Asian stocks take a tumble in the wake of yesterday's slump on Wall Street, which was triggered by worries about the effects of \JRussia\j's financial and political upheaval on the global economy. In early trading, \JJapan\j's Nikkei Average falls 3.14 per cent to its lowest level in 12 years, while markets in Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, and \JAustralia\j all fall between three and four per cent. \I(USA, \JJapan\j, Hong Kong, \JIndonesia\j, \JTaiwan\j, \JAustralia\j)\i
In a prison gymnasium outside Paris, a mass trial begins of 138 people charged with being members of, or providing support for, \JAlgeria\j's militant Armed Islamic Group. The trial is the largest of its kind ever held in \JFrance\j, and is expected to last at least two months. All of the accused were arrested in the Paris area between 1994 and 1996. \I(\JFrance\j, \JAlgeria\j)\i
#
"September 2, 1998",972,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The Malaysian Government fixes the country's currency at a set rate of 3.8 ringgit to the US dollar. The ringgit has lost nearly 40 per cent of its value against the US dollar since the currency crisis hit the Asian region in mid-1997, and the move comes as part of a raft of recently announced controls to stop currency speculation and place restrictions on capital flows. The move also coincides with the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who has pushed fiscal stringency as the best protective measure against \JMalaysia\j's deepening economic crisis and, until now, has been heir-apparent to the country's leadership. \I(\JMalaysia\j, Asia)\i
Around 100 people are arrested in the biggest worldwide swoop to date targeting pedophiles operating on the \JInternet\j. Code named "Operation Cathedral," the British-coordinated raids take place across Europe, \JAustralia\j, and the United States, and follow on from summer meetings of police officials from the participating states at \JInterpol\j headquarters in \JFrance\j. Charges against the offenders will differ from country to country according to the various judicial systems. \I(UK, Europe, \JAustralia\j, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
Thousands of student-led protesters take to the streets of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, to voice their rejection of official results declaring Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party the winner of the country's July 26 general election. In a symbolic appeal, the protesters congregate before the Royal Palace of King Norodom Sihanouk, the constitutional head of state, before returning to a park outside the National Assembly, where thousands have been camping for 10 days to demand an investigation into the opposition's allegations of election irregularities. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\JIndonesia\j's armed forces chief, General Wiranto, suspends any further withdrawal of combat troops from the troubled province of Aceh following two days of rioting which left two people dead and at least a dozen others wounded. The riots broke out in the industrial city of Lhokseumawe as troops prepared to leave the region in a gesture of reconciliation on the part of the Indonesian Government. \I(\JIndonesia\j, Aceh)\i
Riot police take up positions outside the Institute of Technology in \JMyanmar\j's capital, \JRangoon\j, as nearly 500 students stage a show of discontent against the country's military regime. Roads near the institute are also closed, but the students do not attempt to reach the streets, and the government later says staff at the institute are dealing with the problem. The institute was closed down after the last wave of student protests two years ago. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The death toll from monsoon floods in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, rises to 1,040 as troops continue round-the-clock relief and rescue efforts. In a situation described as grim, several low-lying districts in the state capital, Lucknow, have been completely flooded, while an epidemic of \Jwater\j-borne diseases has broken out in the city of Gorakhpur. About 40 million of the state's 140 million people have been displaced by the floods, an annual phenomenon that has been particularly severe this time. \I(India)\i
An undersea \Jearthquake\j measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale jolts the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, causing panic among local residents. It is the third quake to hit the \JPhilippines\j in two weeks, but there have been no reports of injuries or major damage so far. \I(The \JPhilippines\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
At a summit in Moscow, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, sign arms treaties pledging to cut \Jplutonium\j stockpiles, and committing both nations to sharing data from their early warning stations on worldwide launches of ballistic missiles and space vehicles. Later, as \JRussia\j's Communist-dominated \JDuma\j moves closer to a showdown with President Yeltsin over his prime ministerial choice, Mr. Clinton urges the opposition to abandon threats to re-impose Soviet-style state controls on the unraveling economy, promising to back new international financial aid if Moscow pushes ahead with market reforms. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
A Swissair McDonnell-Douglas-11 plane en route to Geneva from New York crashes into the Atlantic Ocean 40 miles south of Halifax in the Canadian province of \JNova\j Scotia. Earlier, the pilot of Flight 111 reported cabin smoke and said he was dumping fuel in preparation for an emergency landing. The \Jaircraft\j was carrying 215 passengers and 14 crew, but officials say the chances of finding any survivors are slim. The crash is the worst in Swiss \Javiation\j history, with both Swissair and the MD-11 \Jaircraft\j type having enjoyed exceptional safety records until now. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Canada)\i
Around 100 people are arrested in the biggest worldwide swoop to date targeting pedophiles operating on the \JInternet\j. Code named "Operation Cathedral," the British-coordinated raids take place across Europe, \JAustralia\j, and the United States, and follow on from summer meetings of police officials from the participating states at \JInterpol\j headquarters in \JFrance\j. Charges against the offenders will differ from country to country according to the various judicial systems. \I(UK, Europe, \JAustralia\j, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
America's fourth-largest airline, Northwest Airlines Corp., lays off 27,500 members of its 51,000-strong work force in an effort to cut costs incurred by a five-\Jday\j-old pilots strike that has halted its operations. The strike is the first to shut down one of the country's major airlines since 1993, when American Airlines' flight attendants walked out. \I(USA)\i
A new drug to treat advanced breast cancer is recommended for approval by United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisers. The drug, Herceptin, uses \Jantibodies\j to block the action of the gene HER2/neu, which plays a role in promoting tumor growth. The FDA panel also urges expanded use of the drug tamoxifen, which shows great promise in reducing the incidence of breast cancer. \I(USA)\i
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves the first "morning after" pill, a method of birth-control that has been used in other countries since it was developed over 20 years ago. The Preven Emergency Contraceptive Kit will cost $US20 and will be available by prescription before the end of the month. It uses higher doses of regular birth control pills to prevent \Jovulation\j when taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse. Side effects include nausea in about 40 per cent of women and vomiting in about 20 per cent. \I(USA)\i
Further concerns are raised about the safety of the anti-impotence drug Viagra, especially for men with heart problems. The popular drug is already known to be hazardous to men who take \Jnitrate\j drugs for heart disease, but researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine cite instances of problems experienced by men with heart disease who are not taking \Jnitrate\j drugs, and recommend that caution be exercised when prescribing Viagra to any man with a history of abnormal heart rhythm. \I(USA)\i
Hurricane Earl, the third of the Atlantic season, storms through the Gulf of Mexico and over the northwestern coast of \JFlorida\j. High winds, torrential rains, and roaring seas prompt emergency crews to order the evacuation of barrier islands in three counties, and to urge residents to evacuate low-lying areas and mobile homes in 13 others. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
A Swissair McDonnell-Douglas-11 plane en route to Geneva from New York crashes into the Atlantic Ocean 40 miles south of Halifax in the Canadian province of \JNova\j Scotia. Earlier, the pilot of Flight 111 reported cabin smoke and said he was dumping fuel in preparation for an emergency landing. The \Jaircraft\j was carrying 215 passengers and 14 crew, but officials say the chances of finding any survivors are slim. The crash is the worst in Swiss \Javiation\j history, with both Swissair and the MD-11 \Jaircraft\j type having enjoyed exceptional safety records until now. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Canada)\i
At a summit in Moscow, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, and visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, sign arms treaties pledging to cut \Jplutonium\j stockpiles, and committing both nations to sharing data from their early warning stations on worldwide launches of ballistic missiles and space vehicles. Later, as \JRussia\j's Communist-dominated \JDuma\j moves closer to a showdown with President Yeltsin over his prime ministerial choice, Mr. Clinton urges the opposition to abandon threats to re-impose Soviet-style state controls on the unraveling economy, promising to back new international financial aid if Moscow pushes ahead with market reforms. \I(USA, \JRussia\j)\i
In what is regarded as a significant diplomatic breakthrough, the Serbian and ethnic \JAlbanian\j sides in the \JKosovo\j conflict agree that any peace agreement reached between them can be revisited in three years, an agreement that will enable the Albanians to keep the prospect of independence alive while negotiating the lesser status of a broad-based autonomy for the province. Meanwhile, it is reported that Serb security forces are continuing to press home their offensive against the separatist ethnic \JAlbanian\j \JKosovo\j Liberation Army, this time targeting the town of Prizren near the \JAlbanian\j border. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j, \JAlbania\j)\i
A semblance of normality returns to the Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, as the Tutsi-led assault on the city falters in the face of a wall of Angolan, Zimbabwean, Namibian, and loyalist Congolese troops. At the same time, however, the rebels say they are continuing to press south into the mineral-rich province of \JKatanga\j, President Laurent Kabila's tribal stronghold. The rebels already control the area along the country's eastern borders with \JUganda\j, \JRwanda\j, and \JBurundi\j, and have also captured the strategic central city of \JKisangani\j. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JAngola\j, Zimbabwe, \JNamibia\j, \JUganda\j, \JRwanda\j, \JBurundi\j)\i
At its headquarters in north \JTanzania\j, the United Nations tribunal on \JRwanda\j finds its first defendant guilty of genocide in the 1994 massacres of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, convicting Jean Paul Kayesu, a former mayor of Taba commune, on nine counts of genocide and crimes against humanity. The tribunal's judgment sets a precedent by recognizing rape and other forms of sexual violence as acts of genocide, and is hailed by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as a landmark decision in the history of international law. \I(\JTanzania\j, \JRwanda\j)\i
Around 100 people are arrested in the biggest worldwide swoop to date targeting pedophiles operating on the \JInternet\j. Code named "Operation Cathedral," the British-coordinated raids take place across Europe, \JAustralia\j, and the United States, and follow on from summer meetings of police officials from the participating states at \JInterpol\j headquarters in \JFrance\j. Charges against the offenders will differ from country to country according to the various judicial systems. \I(UK, Europe, \JAustralia\j, USA, \JFrance\j)\i
#
"September 3, 1998",973,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Amnesty International reports that \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia massacred thousands of ethnic Hazara civilians after seizing the northern town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. The London-based rights group also addresses \JIran\j's claims that 11 Iranian diplomats and a journalist disappeared after the capture of the town. Basing its assumptions on the reports of eyewitnesses, the Amnesty statement says there is reason to believe that the twelve Iranians were killed by Taliban forces and later buried in a mass grave. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, UK, \JIran\j)\i
\JMalaysia\j's sacked deputy prime minister and finance minister, Anwar Ibrahim, 51, says he is a victim of a despicable political conspiracy to topple him. Mr. Anwar adds that he is now awaiting arrest over fabricated claims that he divulged official secrets, took improper payments, and committed sexual offences. With his wife by his side, Mr. Anwar rebuts the allegations, and calls on his supporters to exercise restraint if he is taken into custody. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
In a final settlement of the bitter dispute that erupted on \JAustralia\j's waterfront in April this year, Patrick Stevedores agrees to pay $AUD7.5 million to compensate small businesses damaged by Maritime Union of \JAustralia\j pickets. As part of the settlement, 626 of the 1,400 Patrick dock workers reinstated after being sacked in April will now take redundancy payouts funded by $AUD88 million provided by the Federal Government. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
At least nine people are injured when an \Jearthquake\j measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale shakes a Japanese ski resort in the area of Mount Iwate, about 500 kilometers north of \JTokyo\j. Mount Iwate has been closed since July 1 due to fears of a possible volcanic eruption. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in \JBelfast\j on a visit aimed at giving extra momentum to the Northern Ireland peace process. Later, Mr. Clinton and his wife Hillary receive a rapturous welcome from residents of the market town of Omagh, the scene of the bomb explosion which killed 28 people last month, the province's deadliest terrorist atrocity ever. In a gesture of solidarity, Mr. Clinton and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, unveil a plaque which will mark the site of the blast once the ruined town center is rebuilt. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
The White House announces that President Bill Clinton has decided to send United States Middle East envoy, Dennis Ross, back to the region next week to help iron out lingering differences between the Palestinians and Israelis. Mr. Clinton's decision to resume direct high-level US involvement in the talks between the two sides follows \Jtelephone\j conversations earlier in the week with both Mideast leaders. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Swissair offers immediate compensation of $US20,000 to the families of the 229 people killed in the crash of Flight 111 yesterday, and says it will fly grieving relatives to the Canadian province of \JNova\j Scotia if they wish to go. Most of the 215 passengers on board the \Jaircraft\j were from the United States, \JFrance\j, Britain, and \JSwitzerland\j. Among the victims were several United Nations officials, including Jonathan Mann, the first director of the World Health Organization's AIDS program. Meanwhile, about 1,000 determined rescue workers aboard a flotilla of fishing boats, eight Coast Guard vessels, and four Navy ships continue to ply the waters eight kilometers off the coast of picturesque Peggy's Cove, where the Geneva-bound airliner went down. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Canada, USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
United States President, Bill Clinton, arrives in \JBelfast\j on a visit aimed at giving extra momentum to the Northern Ireland peace process. Later, Mr. Clinton and his wife Hillary receive a rapturous welcome from residents of the market town of Omagh, the scene of the bomb explosion which killed 28 people last month, the province's deadliest terrorist atrocity ever. In a gesture of solidarity, Mr. Clinton and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, unveil a plaque which will mark the site of the blast once the ruined town center is rebuilt. \I(USA, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
Following a meeting of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community attended by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, South African President, Nelson Mandela, drops his opposition to foreign military intervention in the month-old civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j. Neighboring \JAngola\j, Zimbabwe and \JNamibia\j are currently allied with Congolese loyalist troops battling Tutsi-led rebels fighting to topple President Laurent Kabila. Meanwhile, President Kabila continues to accuse \JRwanda\j and \JUganda\j of backing the rebellion and, while both have repeatedly denied any involvement, both have troops stationed in the east of the country. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), South \JAfrica\j, \JAngola\j, Zimbabwe, \JNamibia\j, \JRwanda\j, \JUganda\j)\i
The White House announces that President Bill Clinton has decided to send United States Middle East envoy, Dennis Ross, back to the region next week to help iron out lingering differences between the Palestinians and Israelis. Mr. Clinton's decision to resume direct high-level US involvement in the talks between the two sides follows \Jtelephone\j conversations earlier in the week with both Mideast leaders. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Amnesty International reports that \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia massacred thousands of ethnic Hazara civilians after seizing the northern town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. The London-based rights group also addresses \JIran\j's claims that 11 Iranian diplomats and a journalist disappeared after the capture of the town. Basing its assumptions on the reports of eyewitnesses, the Amnesty statement says there is reason to believe that the twelve Iranians were killed by Taliban forces and later buried in a mass grave. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, UK, \JIran\j)\i
Swissair offers immediate compensation of $US20,000 to the families of the 229 people killed in the crash of Flight 111 yesterday, and says it will fly grieving relatives to the Canadian province of \JNova\j Scotia if they wish to go. Most of the 215 passengers on board the \Jaircraft\j were from the United States, \JFrance\j, Britain, and \JSwitzerland\j. Among the victims were several United Nations officials, including Jonathan Mann, the first director of the World Health Organization's AIDS program. Meanwhile, about 1,000 determined rescue workers aboard a flotilla of fishing boats, eight Coast Guard vessels, and four Navy ships continue to ply the waters eight kilometers off the coast of picturesque Peggy's Cove, where the Geneva-bound airliner went down. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Canada, USA, \JFrance\j, UK)\i
#
"September 4, 1998",974,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
North Korea denies test-firing a ballistic missile four days ago, insisting that the incident condemned by the United States and \JJapan\j was the successful launch of the Stalinist nation's first artificial \Jsatellite\j aboard a multi-stage rocket. At the time, \JJapan\j claimed that North Korea fired a newly developed three-stage missile, and that the first stage splashed down in the Sea of \JJapan\j, while the other stages crossed over \JJapan\j's main island of Honshu and landed in the Pacific Ocean. \JJapan\j has since asserted its right to strike back if it is attacked by missiles. \I(North Korea, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
United States intelligence warns that an Iranian invasion of \JAfghanistan\j could be imminent, and that any conflict between the neighboring countries is likely to be long and bloody. The warning comes as \JIran\j stages large-scale military exercises, involving about 70,000 troops, 80 tanks, and 25 attack \Jaircraft\j, on its northeastern border with \JAfghanistan\j. Tensions between \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia have heightened since the disappearance of 11 Irian diplomats and a journalist following the Taliban's capture of the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Non-government groups in \JMalaysia\j, including the Trade Union Congress and Amnesty International, issue a joint statement criticizing this week's dismissal of deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim. The statement accuses Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of using political repression to hold onto power, and says the lack of transparency in the government's actions reflects contempt for public opinion. While Dr. Mahathir has refused to provide detailed reasons for the sacking of Mr. Anwar, the Malaysian print media has published unsubstantiated affidavits containing accusations of \Jtreason\j and sexual offences against the former minister. Mr. Anwar, meanwhile, maintains that the accusations have been fabricated as part of a political vendetta. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
\JSingapore\j's parliament passes a law which will require foreign workers entering the country to undergo medical examinations showing that they are free of AIDS and all other infectious diseases. The law will also apply to foreigners already working in \JSingapore\j, but will not apply to tourists or people in transit. The penalty for flouting the law will be a fine of $S2,000, six months in prison, and deportation. \I(\JSingapore\j)\i
As the Bangladeshi Government waits for foreign aid to arrive, the country's health officials report that the situation is getting more critical every \Jday\j, with flood waters rising again in most affected areas, including the capital, \JDhaka\j. Officials say two months of flooding has now resulted in 580 deaths, 110 of which were caused by diarrhea from drinking filthy \Jwater\j or eating rotten food. According to the officials, \Jmalaria\j is also infecting people marooned by the floods as well as those who have been moved into shelters. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
Eastern \JNepal\j is jolted by an \Jearthquake\j measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, but there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The epicenter of the tremor is located around Chalang peak, which is southeast of Mount Everest and 160 kilometers east of the Nepalese capital, Katmandu. \I(\JNepal\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Speaking at the University of \JCalifornia\j, United States Federal Reserve Board Chairman, Alan Greenspan, makes his first comment on the recent fall in stock prices, cautioning that Wall Street's volatility and global financial turmoil could damage the US economy. The world's most powerful central banker says the Federal Reserve now calculates the risks to the US economy as a balance between domestic \Jinflation\j and deflationary pressure from international crises. \I(USA)\i
North Korea denies test-firing a ballistic missile four days ago, insisting that the incident condemned by the United States and \JJapan\j was the successful launch of the Stalinist nation's first artificial \Jsatellite\j aboard a multi-stage rocket. At the time, \JJapan\j claimed that North Korea fired a newly developed three-stage missile, and that the first stage splashed down in the Sea of \JJapan\j, while the other stages crossed over \JJapan\j's main island of Honshu and landed in the Pacific Ocean. \JJapan\j has since asserted its right to strike back if it is attacked by missiles. \I(North Korea, \JJapan\j, USA)\i
United States intelligence warns that an Iranian invasion of \JAfghanistan\j could be imminent, and that any conflict between the neighboring countries is likely to be long and bloody. The warning comes as \JIran\j stages large-scale military exercises, involving about 70,000 troops, 80 tanks, and 25 attack \Jaircraft\j, on its northeastern border with \JAfghanistan\j. Tensions between \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia have heightened since the disappearance of 11 Irian diplomats and a journalist following the Taliban's capture of the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton offers his first real apology for deceiving the public about his affair with former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, saying he is "very sorry" for what he describes as an "indefensible" mistake. The apology comes almost three weeks after Mr. Clinton's televised confession, and is prompted by criticism from Democratic senator and longtime ally, Joseph Lieberman. Senator Lieberman took issue with Mr. Clinton's claim that the affair was a private matter, saying such a claim failed to acknowledge that the scandal had diminished the office of United States president both at home and abroad. Senator Lieberman went on to describe Mr. Clinton's behavior as "immoral," "sad," and "sordid," and called for a fuller acceptance of responsibility on his part. \I(USA)\i
Two United States Air Force helicopters crash during a night training exercise, killing all 12 crew members, who were believed to be navigating while using night vision goggles. The collision of the two HH60 helicopters, modified Blackhawks used in combat search and rescue, occurs over remote desert mountains about 50 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force base in Nevada. \I(USA)\i
The Cook County State's Attorney's office drops murder charges against two boys aged 7 and 8, who ranked among the youngest murder suspects ever in the United States following their alleged confession to police in connection with the late July killing of an 11-year-old girl. In dropping the charges, the Attorney's office says it is highly unlikely that semen found on the victim's underwear could have come from pre-adolescent boys, and that the case is once again open. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JRussia\j's opposition-controlled \JDuma\j votes to postpone a vote on whether to accept Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister, having rejected him in a first-round vote last Monday. Meanwhile, as the ruble continues to plunge against the US dollar, Russian consumers are already facing price increases of up to 50 per cent for basic items, and economists are warning that unless the political standoff ends and someone quickly takes charge of the country's collapsing economy, the situation will deteriorate further. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Reports of further fighting emerge from the troubled Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, with Serb security forces claiming to have overrun a \JKosovo\j Liberation Army stronghold near Klina in central \JKosovo\j, and to have arrested 60 ethnic Albanians following clashes south of the city of Prizren in the west. According to Prizren police, residents of villages in the area have also handed over large quantities of arms, including 17 machine guns, 89 assault rifles, 59 semi-automatic rifles, five rock-propelled grenades, three mortars, and radio communications equipment. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
United States intelligence warns that an Iranian invasion of \JAfghanistan\j could be imminent, and that any conflict between the neighboring countries is likely to be long and bloody. The warning comes as \JIran\j stages large-scale military exercises, involving about 70,000 troops, 80 tanks, and 25 attack \Jaircraft\j, on its northeastern border with \JAfghanistan\j. Tensions between \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia have heightened since the disappearance of 11 Irian diplomats and a journalist following the Taliban's capture of the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. \I(USA, \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United Nations tribunal on \JRwanda\j sentences Jean Kambanda, the country's former prime minister, to the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for genocide and crimes against humanity. Mr. Kambanda, who pleaded guilty to the charges in May this year, was prime minister of \JRwanda\j between April 8 and July 17, 1994, during which time an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred. \I(\JRwanda\j)\i
#
"September 5, 1998",975,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Following its substantial buildup of military forces near the Iranian-Afghan border, \JIran\j increases the pressure on \JAfghanistan\j's ruling Taliban militia as hostility mounts over the fate of scores of Iranians, including at least 11 diplomats, caught up in recent faction fighting in \JAfghanistan\j's north. \JIran\j warns that it has already notified the United Nations of the situation, and has the right under international law to take all necessary action. The Taliban has admitted holding 30 Iranian truck drivers, but continues to deny any knowledge of the fate of an Iranian journalist and the staff of Tehran's Mazar-e-Sharif consulate. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, meeting for the first time in four years, abolishes the post of president which has been vacant since the July 1994 death of Kim Il Sung, and reelects his son Kim Jong Il as Chairman of the National Defense Commission, declaring it the highest post of the state. Kim, 56, was named Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Armed Forces in December 1991 and General Secretary of the Workers' Party in October 1997. He still remains an enigma to the outside world, however, rarely giving public speeches, seldom photographed, and known to have made only a few foreign trips to communist countries. \I(North Korea)\i
Thousands of people join nuns of the Missionaries of Charity in \JCalcutta\j to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, the order's revered founder. As hourly prayers are said throughout the \Jday\j in the first floor chapel of Mother House, nuns of her organization stand near Mother Teresa's tomb, decorated with white roses and marigolds, while streams of visitors, hundreds of whom have queued since dawn, file by to pay their respects. \I(India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Thousands of enthusiastic Irish pack O'Connell Street in downtown Limerick as visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, is honored by Ireland's nine universities for his efforts to bring peace to the British province of Northern Ireland. Hailing the future of hope offered by the so-called Good Friday peace agreement, Mr. Clinton urges all parties to fend off attempts by "demons of the past" who want to keep Northern Ireland in turmoil, and promises that America will be there every step of the way. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
As fighting continues unabated in parts of the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, the visiting US assistant secretary of state for human rights says there is evidence of human rights atrocities in the province that should be investigated by the international war crimes tribunal. John Shattuck is touring \JKosovo\j with former US senator and presidential candidate, Bob Dole, now chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons. More than 265,000 people have fled their homes since Serb security forces launched their offensive against the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army seven months ago, and the joint mission is also prompted by fears of a major humanitarian disaster as winter approaches. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
In a speech marking the 29th anniversary of his coming to power, Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, says he will surrender the two suspects in the Lockerbie airliner bombing on condition that The Netherlands is their final destination. In proposing that the trial of the two suspects be held in The Netherlands, the United States and Britain have said that if they are convicted, they will serve the sentence in Britain. A total of 270 people died as a result of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, and \JLibya\j has since been under UN sanctions for failing to hand over the two men. \I(\JLibya\j, The Netherlands, USA, UK, Scotland)\i
At least 23 people are killed and 500 are injured when the roof caves in on a Brazilian church packed with some 1,300 worshipers. The 40-year-old building in Osasco, a working class suburb south of Sao Paulo, was converted into a church from a movie theater, and firemen say the roof's support beams had been weakened over time by \Jwater\j damage. \I(\JBrazil\j)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
Following its substantial buildup of military forces near the Iranian-Afghan border, \JIran\j increases the pressure on \JAfghanistan\j's ruling Taliban militia as hostility mounts over the fate of scores of Iranians, including at least 11 diplomats, caught up in recent faction fighting in \JAfghanistan\j's north. \JIran\j warns that it has already notified the United Nations of the situation, and has the right under international law to take all necessary action. The Taliban has admitted holding 30 Iranian truck drivers, but continues to deny any knowledge of the fate of an Iranian journalist and the staff of Tehran's Mazar-e-Sharif consulate. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
As fighting continues unabated in parts of the Serbian province of \JKosovo\j, the visiting US assistant secretary of state for human rights says there is evidence of human rights atrocities in the province that should be investigated by the international war crimes tribunal. John Shattuck is touring \JKosovo\j with former US senator and presidential candidate, Bob Dole, now chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons. More than 265,000 people have fled their homes since Serb security forces launched their offensive against the \JKosovo\j Liberation Army seven months ago, and the joint mission is also prompted by fears of a major humanitarian disaster as winter approaches. \I(USA, Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Thousands of enthusiastic Irish pack O'Connell Street in downtown Limerick as visiting United States President, Bill Clinton, is honored by Ireland's nine universities for his efforts to bring peace to the British province of Northern Ireland. Hailing the future of hope offered by the so-called Good Friday peace agreement, Mr. Clinton urges all parties to fend off attempts by "demons of the past" who want to keep Northern Ireland in turmoil, and promises that America will be there every step of the way. \I(USA, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK)\i
In a speech marking the 29th anniversary of his coming to power, Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, says he will surrender the two suspects in the Lockerbie airliner bombing on condition that The Netherlands is their final destination. In proposing that the trial of the two suspects be held in The Netherlands, the United States and Britain have said that if they are convicted, they will serve the sentence in Britain. A total of 270 people died as a result of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, and \JLibya\j has since been under UN sanctions for failing to hand over the two men. \I(\JLibya\j, The Netherlands, USA, UK, Scotland)\i
#
"September 6, 1998",976,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
\JCambodia\j's King Norodom Sihanouk expresses pessimism over the prospect of a speedy end to the political deadlock that has followed the country's July 26 parliamentary elections. The 75-year-old monarch is currently presiding over three days of talks in the northwestern province of Siem Reap between representatives from the three main political parties, the national election committee, and the nation's highest appeals body. In Phnom Penh, meanwhile, traffic is clogged for several hours when opposition politician, Sam Rainsy, leads 10,000 people through the streets to the National Assembly, the site of a two-week sit-down protest to demand an investigation into allegations of electoral \Jfraud\j. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\JJapan\j voices concerns that the military emphasis of sweeping constitutional changes approved yesterday by North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly could signal the start of a more militaristic foreign policy. Along with the post of president, the changes abolished the Central People's Committee, the main political arm of the government. The changes also consolidated other state organs into two key bodies under the supreme control of Kim Jong Il, the Stalinist state's reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, which is now North Korea's highest position. \I(\JJapan\j, North Korea)\i
\JJapan\j's world renowned film director, Akira Kurosawa, dies in \JTokyo\j at the age of 88. Kurosawa began his work in films in 1936, but emerged as a giant of Japanese cinema after the First World War. With the debut of his 28th film in 1985, he was honored with a special trophy for achievement at the \JCannes\j Film Festival. He remains the only director to have won two Oscars in the United States for best foreign film, and in 1990 received a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. \I(\JJapan\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
Honda rider Michael Doohan seizes victory in the Italian 500cc \JMotorcycle\j Grand Prix at Imola, a win that vaults the Australian into second place in the world championships standings with just four races left in the season. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JItaly\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton's political troubles mount as Democrats seek to distance themselves from their damaged leader. Maryland Governor, Parris Glendening, cancels two campaign appearances with Mr. Clinton, while New York Senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, declines to dismiss the possibility of \Jimpeachment\j and expresses uncertainty as to how he would vote on the matter. The president has already been stung by the criticism of longtime Democratic ally, Senator Joseph Lieberman, who last week took to the Senate floor to denounce Mr. Clinton's admitted affair with Monica Lewinsky as "immoral" and "disgraceful." \I(USA)\i
European Union foreign ministers voice doubts about the effectiveness of strict market economics in \JRussia\j, saying the crisis-ridden country needs a different development model, and that International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies in relation to \JRussia\j should be reviewed. The EU position moves away from that of the United States, which has prescribed more market reforms to ease \JRussia\j's economic crisis and secure further IMF credits. \I(Europe, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
After three days of underwater searches, Canadian divers recover the flight data recorder from Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean last Wednesday while trying to make an emergency landing at Halifax airport during a flight from New York to Geneva. None of the 229 passengers and crew survived the crash, and investigators will now attempt to reconstruct the "flight profile" of the \Jaircraft\j during its final moments. \I(Canada, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\JJapan\j's world renowned film director, Akira Kurosawa, dies in \JTokyo\j at the age of 88. Kurosawa began his work in films in 1936, but emerged as a giant of Japanese cinema after the First World War. With the debut of his 28th film in 1985, he was honored with a special trophy for achievement at the \JCannes\j Film Festival. He remains the only director to have won two Oscars in the United States for best foreign film, and in 1990 received a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. \I(\JJapan\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
In men's golf, German Sven Struver wins the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, \JSwitzerland\j, while at \JMilwaukee\j, \JWisconsin\j, American Jeff Sluman takes the Greater \JMilwaukee\j Open. In women's golf, American Danielle Ammaccapane claims her second title of the season with a one-stroke victory in the Safeway LPGA Championship at Portland, Oregon. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
As \JRussia\j faces a third week without a government, Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, confirms that his faction, the largest in the \JDuma\j, will again reject President Boris Yeltsin's nomination of Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister when it is put to a second vote tomorrow. An adamant Mr. Zyuganov says he has already proposed a number of alternative candidates, including the unexpected choice of acting Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
European Union foreign ministers voice doubts about the effectiveness of strict market economics in \JRussia\j, saying the crisis-ridden country needs a different development model, and that International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies in relation to \JRussia\j should be reviewed. The EU position moves away from that of the United States, which has prescribed more market reforms to ease \JRussia\j's economic crisis and secure further IMF credits. \I(Europe, \JRussia\j, USA)\i
With \JGermany\j's federal elections just three weeks away, a closely watched poll by the Electoral Research Group shows Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democrats narrowing the once-towering lead of Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats. Despite the progressively closing gap, Mr. Schroeder remains confident that he will win the race, describing Mr. Kohl as a spent force who has lost touch with reality after 16 years in power. \I(\JGermany\j)\i
After three days of underwater searches, Canadian divers recover the flight data recorder from Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean last Wednesday while trying to make an emergency landing at Halifax airport during a flight from New York to Geneva. None of the 229 passengers and crew survived the crash, and investigators will now attempt to reconstruct the "flight profile" of the \Jaircraft\j during its final moments. \I(Canada, USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\JJapan\j's world renowned film director, Akira Kurosawa, dies in \JTokyo\j at the age of 88. Kurosawa began his work in films in 1936, but emerged as a giant of Japanese cinema after the First World War. With the debut of his 28th film in 1985, he was honored with a special trophy for achievement at the \JCannes\j Film Festival. He remains the only director to have won two Oscars in the United States for best foreign film, and in 1990 received a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. \I(\JJapan\j, \JFrance\j, USA)\i
In men's golf, German Sven Struver wins the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, \JSwitzerland\j, while at \JMilwaukee\j, \JWisconsin\j, American Jeff Sluman takes the Greater \JMilwaukee\j Open. In women's golf, American Danielle Ammaccapane claims her second title of the season with a one-stroke victory in the Safeway LPGA Championship at Portland, Oregon. \I(\JGermany\j, \JSwitzerland\j, USA)\i
Honda rider Michael Doohan seizes victory in the Italian 500cc \JMotorcycle\j Grand Prix at Imola, a win that vaults the Australian into second place in the world championships standings with just four races left in the season. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JItaly\j)\i
#
"September 7, 1998",977,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Prominent Cambodian opposition politician, Sam Rainsy, takes refuge in the United Nations office in Phnom Penh when police order his arrest for allegedly inciting an earlier grenade attack on the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Meanwhile, officials from the Sam Rainsy Party deny responsibility for the attack, which is condemned by Mr. Hun Sen as an attempt to provoke him into using force to break up the two-week opposition vigil outside the National Assembly, called by Sam Rainsy and his ally Prince Norodom Ranariddh to protest the outcome of the country's July 26 election. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
In one of the largest demonstrations of its kind since \JIndonesia\j's former president Soeharto resigned in May, more than 1,000 students mass outside the gates of the parliament in Jakarta to demand that President Jusuf Habibie step down from office. In their push for the formation of a transitional government, the students claim that Dr. Habibie's appointment was unconstitutional and that the country's economic problems have not been resolved since he came to power. Hundreds of troops and police are deployed to prevent the students advancing to the parliament building, but no attempt is made to stop the protest itself. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\JMyanmar\j's main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) says the military government has detained 110 of its members over the past two days as part of a bid to thwart NLD plans to convene a "People's Parliament" this month. Those detained include 50 members who won parliamentary seats in the country's last general election in 1990, which was won by the NLD but ignored by the military. A government spokesman later confirms that NLD members have been detained to prevent the party calling parliament, but justifies the move as being in the interests of maintaining and safeguarding national security. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
The death toll from floods in \JBangladesh\j, the longest in the country's history, rises to 730, with \Jweather\j officials predicting that the situation will worsen before it improves. The capital, \JDhaka\j, is now virtually cut off following the suspension of ferry services from nearby Aricha to the country's north. The highway to the south has been closed for weeks. The floods were triggered by heavy monsoon rain in July, and have been continually fed by swollen rivers flowing from the Himalayan mountains through India. \I(\JBangladesh\j, India)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Independent counsel, Kenneth Starr, rejects a request from US President Bill Clinton's private lawyer, David Kendall, that he be allowed to review an imminent \Jimpeachment\j report against Mr. Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky sex-and-\Jperjury\j investigation before it is sent to Congress. Mr. Starr is expected to complete his report within days, and Mr. Kendall argued that fundamental fairness dictated that he and his client should have the opportunity to review the report and formulate a response that could be sent to the House simultaneously. \I(USA)\i
Canadian investigators say early analysis shows that the flight data recorder recovered from the wreckage of Swissair Flight 111 failed to operate below 10,000 feet, and therefore may not reveal what happened in the final moments before the \Jaircraft\j crashed into the Atlantic Ocean last Wednesday, killing all 229 people on board. The investigators suggest lack of electrical power as the most likely explanation for the recorder's failure. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
American comedian Jerry Seinfeld tops \IForbes\i magazine's annual ranking of the highest-paid entertainers, earning a gross income of $US225 million this year by finalizing the syndication sale of his sitcom, \ISeinfeld,\i which the magazine rates as the most profitable single piece of entertainment in history. Second on the big-money list is Seinfeld's comedian colleague, Larry David, with a gross income of $US200 million, followed by Steven Spielberg with $US175 million, and Oprah Winfrey with $US125 million. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JRussia\j's political crisis deepens as the Communist-dominated \JDuma\j rejects the prime-ministerial candidacy of Viktor Chernomyrdin for a second time, leaving President Boris Yeltsin with one week in which to present another nomination. Should Mr. Chernomyrdin be nominated and rejected a third time, it will trigger the dissolution of the \JDuma\j and an early parliamentary election, something the Russian people can ill afford amid a collapsing currency and soaring food prices. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
The so-called Real IRA, the renegade paramilitary group responsible for the recent bombing in the Northern Ireland town of Omagh, declares a complete cessation of all military activity as of midnight, making permanent a temporary cease-fire announced soon after the deadly attack. The decision comes as the 29th victim of what was the British province's worst terrorist atrocity is buried. The decision also leaves the Continuity IRA the only paramilitary group still actively opposing the peace process on the republican side. The Continuity IRA split from the Provisional Irish Republic Army in the mid-1980s, and is believed to be neither as well armed or organized as the Real IRA. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
At a marathon meeting chaired by President Frederick Chiluba of \JZambia\j, leaders of the seven African states involved in the civil conflict in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j reach a peace agreement proposing a cease-fire and troop standstill, to be followed by further talks to arrive at a more lasting settlement. Mr. Chiluba's meeting with the heads of state comes after separate negotiations with the rebel delegation, which is led by Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, deputy president of the Congolese Democratic Coalition. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JZambia\j)\i
South \JAfrica\j's \Japartheid\j-era police commissioner, Johan Coetzee, tells the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that former president P.W. Botha sanctioned the 1982 bombing of the London offices of President Nelson Mandela's African National Congress (ANC). Nobody was killed in the London bombing, the aim of which, according to Mr. Coetzee, was to warn Britain of the serious risks in allowing the ANC to operate there. \I(South \JAfrica\j, UK)\i
Canadian investigators say early analysis shows that the flight data recorder recovered from the wreckage of Swissair Flight 111 failed to operate below 10,000 feet, and therefore may not reveal what happened in the final moments before the \Jaircraft\j crashed into the Atlantic Ocean last Wednesday, killing all 229 people on board. The investigators suggest lack of electrical power as the most likely explanation for the recorder's failure. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"September 8, 1998",978,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
\JIran\j announces an end to its war games near the Afghan border, but says its 70,000 troops will stay in the area to "reinforce deterrent power against foreign threats." The war games raised fears of conflict between \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia following the escalation of tensions over the fate of a group of Iranian diplomats who have been missing since the Taliban captured the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Cambodian riot police use fire-truck hoses, electric \Jcattle\j prods, and batons to disperse hundreds of protesters who have been camped outside the National Assembly since August 24 to support opposition demands for an investigation into alleged \Jfraud\j in the country's July 26 general election. Earlier, the authorities said prominent opposition politician, Sam Rainsy, would not be arrested if he showed flexibility in ending the protest. An order for his arrest was issued yesterday following a grenade attack on the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, refutes allegations that his former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, was sacked a week ago as a result of a high level political conspiracy, insisting that Mr. Anwar is a man of low morals who engages in activities not expected from a leader of that level. Mr. Anwar, meanwhile, maintains that he is being persecuted for championing economic policies opposed by powerful business interests, saying there were also fears that he would mount a challenge to the prime-ministership. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
Armed Indonesian riot police and soldiers evict anti-government student protesters from the grounds of the parliament building in Jakarta. The student activists belong to an umbrella group calling itself Forum Kota, and say the demonstration which began yesterday is only the beginning, and that bigger and more disruptive protests will follow. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in \JJerusalem\j on a mission aimed at reconciling lingering differences between the Israelis and the Palestinians concerning Israel's overdue withdrawal from the West Bank. Back in Washington, the State Department plays down expectations of an imminent breakthrough in the lengthy stalemate, describing the resumption of direct US involvement as appropriate in view of the progress achieved by the two sides during the past few weeks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average posts its biggest point gain ever, jumping 380.53 points, or nearly 5 per cent, to 8,020.78, while the Nasdaq composite index climbs 94.34 points, or 6.2 per cent, eclipsing the record 75-point gain set on the first of the month. The surge in the market follows hints from Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, that interest rates may be headed lower. \I(USA)\i
United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, opens a new preliminary investigation into whether President Bill Clinton violated campaign spending laws during his 1996 reelection bid. Ms. Reno's move comes amid escalating demands from Republicans in Congress that an independent counsel be named to probe the White House campaign finance scandal. \I(USA)\i
A United States federal appeals court upholds the conviction and death sentence of Timothy McVeigh for the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, an act of domestic \Jterrorism\j that took the lives of 168 people. McVeigh's lawyers were seeking a new trial on the grounds of juror misconduct, unfair exclusion of evidence, prejudicial pretrial publicity, and unfair and inflammatory testimony by relatives of those killed in the bombing. \I(USA)\i
American \Jbaseball\j history is made when Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hits his 62nd home run of the season in a game against the \JChicago\j Cubs, breaking the all-time major-league record set by Roger Maris of the New York Yankees in 1961. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JNigeria\j frees 20 Ogoni minority activists jailed since 1994 on charges of murdering four pro-government chiefs, the same charges for which author Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others were executed in 1995 despite worldwide pleas for clemency. The 1995 executions, ordered by late Nigerian leader General Sani Abacha, sparked an international outcry, and led to the imposition of limited sanctions, as well as the suspension of \JNigeria\j from the Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies. The sudden release of the 20 Ogoni youths is regarded as part of the new climate of freedom in the African nation since General Abdulsalam Abubakar assumed power in June. \I(\JNigeria\j, UK)\i
Despite initial hopes, a summit of African leaders concludes without a signed agreement for a cease-fire in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j's civil conflict, which erupted on August 2 and now involves six other nations in the region. From their headquarters in the eastern Congolese town of Goma, meanwhile, the Tutsi-led rebels fighting to oust President Laurent Kabila say they are continuing to advance on three fronts. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire))\i
\JIran\j announces an end to its war games near the Afghan border, but says its 70,000 troops will stay in the area to "reinforce deterrent power against foreign threats." The war games raised fears of conflict between \JIran\j and \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia following the escalation of tensions over the fate of a group of Iranian diplomats who have been missing since the Taliban captured the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, arrives in \JJerusalem\j on a mission aimed at reconciling lingering differences between the Israelis and the Palestinians concerning Israel's overdue withdrawal from the West Bank. Back in Washington, the State Department plays down expectations of an imminent breakthrough in the lengthy stalemate, describing the resumption of direct US involvement as appropriate in view of the progress achieved by the two sides during the past few weeks. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
Hans Joachim Klein, a former \Jaccomplice\j of guerrilla mastermind Carlos the Jackal, is captured by a French anti-terrorist squad near the Normandy village of Sainte-Honorine-La-Guillaume, where he has lived for years under an assumed name. Klein was involved in the 1975 Vienna kidnapping of OPEC oil ministers, in which three people were killed. He defected from the guerrilla group three years later, frightened by Carlos' ruthlessness. Carlos himself was jailed for life last December for the 1975 murders of two French secret agents in Paris. \I(\JFrance\j, \JAustria\j)\i
#
"September 9, 1998",979,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Speaking at a \JBeijing\j hotel, United Nations human rights chief, Mary Robinson, challenges China's policy of placing economic growth ahead of civil liberties, insisting that development and human rights go together. Ms. Robinson is currently on a ten-\Jday\j official visit, the first such visit to China by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. \I(China)\i
A Buddhist monk is reportedly shot dead and another young monk wounded when clashes erupt between anti-government protesters and riot police in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The clashes come one \Jday\j after a two-week sit-in protest outside the National Assembly was forcibly disbanded by police. Opposition allies, Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy, condemn the violence, but vow to continue their demands for an investigation into alleged \Jfraud\j in the country's July 26 election, won by government leader, Hun Sen. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\JMyanmar\j's main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) says the number of its members arrested by the military government this week has now risen to more than 300. Among those detained are NLD members who won parliamentary seats in the country's 1990 elections, the results of which were ignored, and the arrests constitute part of the military regime's efforts to prevent the party convening a "People's Parliament" this month. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
Violence breaks out in the Indonesian city of \JSurabaya\j when thousands of students demanding the overthrow of President Jusuf Habibie clash with troops outside the palace of the governor of East Java, where Dr. Habibie is staying. Earlier, during a speech at the inauguration of a sports stadium in the country's second largest city, Dr. Habibie called on his critics to exercise patience in the face of \JIndonesia\j's current difficulties and challenges. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
East \JTimor\j's five former political parties announce the establishment of a combined National Council of Resistance of the People of East \JTimor\j, and name jailed resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, as chairman. In announcing its formation, the new council rejects autonomy for the province as offered by \JIndonesia\j and the United Nations, demanding instead that an immediate referendum on self-determination be called. \I(East \JTimor\j, \JIndonesia\j)\i
The Bangladeshi capital, \JDhaka\j, is placed on full alert as a new surge of floodwaters threatens a huge embankment protecting more than one million of the city's nine million residents. After two months of unrelenting rain, much of \JDhaka\j has already disappeared beneath the flood waters, with streets now resembling rivers and residents forced to move to rooftops or seek higher land. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
An interim report by a Pakistani cricket board committee established last month finds three star players responsible for fixing international matches over the past four years. The committee recommends that former captains Wasim Akram and Salim Malike, and batsman Ijaz Ahmed should not be considered for Test matches until further investigations are completed. Another five high-profile Pakistani players are also implicated in the scandal. \I(\JPakistan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The United Nations General Assembly opens its 53rd annual session, this year electing Uruguayan Foreign Minister, Didier Opertti Badan, to the prestigious post of president. Mr. Opertti lists a number of special challenges facing the 185-nation body, including the world's financial troubles, the resurgence of international \Jterrorism\j, and the protection of underprivileged peoples, the environment, and human rights. \I(USA, Uruguay)\i
After almost eight months of investigation, independent counsel Kenneth Starr sends the United States Congress his report on US President Bill Clinton's affair with former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Packed in 36 boxes, the 445-page report includes a 25-page introduction, a 280-page narrative description of the affair and the attempts to cover it up, and a 140-page discussion on grounds for possible \Jimpeachment\j. It is the first time since Richard Nixon and the \JWatergate\j crisis of 1974 that the question of \Jimpeachment\j against a president has been raised. However, Mr. Clinton's private attorney, David Kendall, denies that there is any basis for such a move, and insists that the special prosecutor's report contains only allegations. \I(USA)\i
After privately apologizing to House Democrat leaders, US President Clinton offers his broadest public expression of regret to date over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Speaking before Democrats gathered for a fund-raising lunch in Orlando, \JFlorida\j, Mr. Clinton acknowledges that he let them down in the same way that he let his family and his country down, but says he is trying to make it right, and is determined that nothing like this will ever happen again. Mr. Clinton is given a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
In its first substantive reaction to \JIraq\j's August 5 decision to halt cooperation with arms inspectors, the 15-member United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to suspend its regular reviews of sweeping sanctions imposed after Iraqi troops invaded \JKuwait\j in 1990. The last time the council suspended the reviews was from June 1997 to April 1998 for similar obstructionist actions by \JBaghdad\j. Without the reviews, normally conducted every 60 days, there is no hope of the crippling embargoes being eased or lifted. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
A \Jearthquake\j measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale strikes southern \JItaly\j, killing one person and causing minor damage in several towns. The epicenter of the tremor is near Potenza, the capital of the extremely poor and mountainous Basilicata region, also the site of a major 1980 quake which killed more than 3,000 people. \I(\JItaly\j)\i
Profound and beautiful poems written by an autistic woman virtually unable to communicate are given their first public showing at the British Association Festival of Science taking place at \JCardiff\j University. The depth, structure, and sophistication of the poems have impressed academics and astounded doctors caring for the woman, who suffers from the severe form of autism known as Asperger's syndrome, and who began spontaneously producing poetry about 12 years ago. \I(UK, Wales)\i
#
"September 10, 1998",980,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
In a fourth \Jday\j of violent clashes in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, police fire point-blank into a crowd of protesters, critically wounding a student. Anger against Government leader, Hun Sen, has intensified since a protest camp outside the National Assembly was destroyed in order to crush opposition-led calls for an investigation into alleged electoral \Jfraud\j. Meanwhile, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) urges all parties to exercise restraint and to accept the outcome of the July 26 election, which left Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party with a slight parliamentary majority, but without the two-thirds needed to form a new government. \I(\JCambodia\j, Southeast Asia)\i
In the latest in a series of anti-government protests, hundreds of Indonesian students march on the presidential palace in Jakarta, demanding that President Jusuf Habibie cut food prices or quit. The protests have flared as \JIndonesia\j's continuing economic crisis threatens to plunge two-third of the country's 200 million people into abject poverty, with millions already suffering severe food shortages due to spiraling prices and diminishing supplies. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
As the United States Congress considers the explosive 445-page report delivered yesterday by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, an embattled President Bill Clinton demonstrates further contrition over his affair with onetime White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Continuing an almost unprecedented round of presidential blame-taking, Mr. Clinton first apologizes personally to ten Senate Democrats, and later, in an emotional meeting with most of his Cabinet, he once again expresses his regret over the affair and the fact that he misled the country about it. Following the meeting, a half dozen Cabinet members appear to publicly voice their ongoing support for Mr. Clinton, while Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, issues a statement saying she too accepts the president's apology, at the same time conceding that what he did was wrong. \I(USA)\i
Risky credit ratings issued by three international agencies send \JBrazil\j's financial markets crashing to new lows, forcing the country's central bank to intervene in defense of the local currency, the real. Meanwhile, shares on the Sao Paulo stock exchange, already at a two-year low, plunge a further 13.2 per cent, sparking falls of nearly 4 per cent in Argentina and Mexico amid fears that a \Jdevaluation\j in \JBrazil\j will drag the region into recession. Also affecting Latin American markets is a 3.5 per cent drop in share prices on Wall Street, where the market reflects investor concerns about a possible \Jimpeachment\j of US President Bill Clinton. \I(\JBrazil\j, Argentina, Mexico, USA)\i
\JAviation\j safety experts investigating last week's crash of Swissair Flight 111 say they have found early signs of heat damage to the cockpit and evidence of interference with the plane's electrical systems. The MD-11 was en route to Geneva from New York when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Halifax, \JNova\j Scotia, killing all 229 people on board. Although the investigation still has a long way to go, the preliminary results again focus attention on the issue of \Jaircraft\j wiring problems, the subject of recent Boeing 737 inspections across the United States. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Canada)\i
Northwest Airlines Corp. and negotiators representing its 6,200 striking pilots arrive at terms to form the basis of an agreement that could end a 13-\Jday\j shutdown of America's fourth-largest airline. The strike has forced Northwest to cancel about 1,700 daily flights, causing inconvenience to some 150,000 passengers, and dampening airport activity in \JMinneapolis\j/St. Paul, \JDetroit\j, and Memphis, where the airline controls more than three-quarters of the traffic. \I(USA)\i
Air Canada reaches a tentative contract agreement to end a nine-\Jday\j pilots' strike that has grounded the planes of the Montreal-based company. In announcing the deal, the pilots union apologizes to travelers and co-workers who have been affected by the strike, and says the pilots will vote to ratify the newly-forged agreement over the next three days. The strike has forced Air Canada to lay off 9,500 support staff, and is estimated to have cost the country's largest airline $C120 million in lost business. \I(Canada)\i
A recently raised two-story section of the hull of the ill-fated White Star liner, \ITitanic,\i goes on display in \JBoston\j. George Tulloch, president of the New York-based recovery company, RMS Titanic Inc., disputes the theory that weak rivets hastened the liner's end, saying preliminary tests show that the slag content is quite acceptable and that the rivets are as strong as those found on modern vessels. In what was one of history's worst maritime disasters, only about 700 of the 2,200 people on board the liner survived when it struck an \Jiceberg\j on the night of April 14, 1912 while on its inaugural voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York. The lack of sufficient lifeboats has since been blamed for the high death toll. \I(USA, UK)\i
At an emotional ceremony in Berlin, American film director, Steven Spielberg, is awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, \JGermany\j's highest honor, for his work in preserving the memory of the World War Two Nazi \JHolocaust\j. Soon after filming the 1994 \JHolocaust\j film \ISchindler's List,\i the director created the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which aims to compile a library of videotaped interviews with more than 50,000 \JHolocaust\j survivors. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
Keiko, the five-tonne killer-whale star of the film, \IFree Willy,\i begins his journey from an aquarium in Newport, Oregon, to a floating sea pen off \JIceland\j's Westman Islands. Keiko was captured in 1979, and the ultimate goal of the move, funded by the Free Willy Keiko Foundation, is to return the celebrity whale to the wild. \I(USA, \JIceland\j)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
In a major political back-down, Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, abandons his attempt to force the opposition-dominated \JDuma\j to accept Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister, instead nominating former spy chief and acting Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, for the post. The \JDuma\j has already twice rejected Mr. Yeltsin's initial choice of Mr. Chernomyrdin, and vowed to do so a third time, a course of action that would have led to the dissolution of the \JDuma\j and propelled \JRussia\j into a new wave of political turmoil. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Northern Ireland reaches a milestone on its path to peace when First Minister David Trimble and Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams hold direct talks, the first between leaders of Ulster unionism and Irish republicanism since 1922. The face-to-face meeting comes after Mr. Adams' recent public denunciation of violence, and focuses on the question of guerrilla disarmament. Following the meeting, described by Mr. Trimble as "civilized and workmanlike," Mr. Adams confirms that the Ulster Unionist leader is a man he can do business with. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The United Nations refugee agency reports that around 40,000 ethnic Albanians in the strife-torn Serbian province of \JKosovo\j have fled their homes over the past two days following the launch of an offensive against \JKosovo\j Liberation Army guerrillas in the west. The UN agency says some relief supplies are being distributed under the supervision of Serbian police, but compared with the number of people in need, the amount of assistance being provided is pitifully inadequate. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
As \JBelgium\j lands the first food aid flight for the Congolese capital, \JKinshasa\j, a new round of regional talks begins in an attempt to hammer out conditions for a cease-fire in the strife-torn country. In attendance at the talks are the neighboring African countries caught up in the civil conflict, but representatives of the Tutsi-led rebels fighting to oust Congolese President, Laurent Kabila are not invited. Scorning the regional meeting, the rebels instead boast of new military gains, claiming to have "liberated" the eastern towns of Shabunda and Aru. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JBelgium\j)\i
\JAviation\j safety experts investigating last week's crash of Swissair Flight 111 say they have found early signs of heat damage to the cockpit and evidence of interference with the plane's electrical systems. The MD-11 was en route to Geneva from New York when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Halifax, \JNova\j Scotia, killing all 229 people on board. Although the investigation still has a long way to go, the preliminary results again focus attention on the issue of \Jaircraft\j wiring problems, the subject of recent Boeing 737 inspections across the United States. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, USA, Canada)\i
A Ukrainian-made Zenit-2 rocket carrying 12 commercial communications satellites crashes to \Jearth\j just four and a half minutes after launch from \JRussia\j's Baikonur cosmodrome. A Russian Space Agency spokesman says the crash was due to a malfunction command on the guidance system which caused the motors on the rocket to cut out. The launch was the first of three planned this year to form part of a $US2.6 billion communications system using 48 satellites, and its failure is an unwelcome setback for the space industries of \JRussia\j and \JUkraine\j. \I(\JRussia\j, \JUkraine\j)\i
A recently raised two-story section of the hull of the ill-fated White Star liner, \ITitanic,\i goes on display in \JBoston\j. George Tulloch, president of the New York-based recovery company, RMS Titanic Inc., disputes the theory that weak rivets hastened the liner's end, saying preliminary tests show that the slag content is quite acceptable and that the rivets are as strong as those found on modern vessels. In what was one of history's worst maritime disasters, only about 700 of the 2,200 people on board the liner survived when it struck an \Jiceberg\j on the night of April 14, 1912 while on its inaugural voyage from \JSouthampton\j to New York. The lack of sufficient lifeboats has since been blamed for the high death toll. \I(USA, UK)\i
At an emotional ceremony in Berlin, American film director, Steven Spielberg, is awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, \JGermany\j's highest honor, for his work in preserving the memory of the World War Two Nazi \JHolocaust\j. Soon after filming the 1994 \JHolocaust\j film \ISchindler's List,\i the director created the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which aims to compile a library of videotaped interviews with more than 50,000 \JHolocaust\j survivors. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
#
"September 11, 1998",981,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Warnings that \JJapan\j is teetering on the brink of a deflationary spiral accompany the release of official figures showing that the economy slumped another 0.8 per cent in the June quarter, leaving it with an annualized 3.3 per cent rate of contraction. The bad news is compounded by a monthly report from the country's central bank pointing to continuing deterioration in \JJapan\j's economic conditions. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
At least one person is killed and several more are wounded when rival political supporters clash in the streets of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The clashes occur after about 2,000 backers of Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party, some carrying guns and bamboo canes of the same type used by riot police, seek out opposition supporters protesting the results of the country's July 26 polls. The week-long violence in the capital is the worst since Hun Sen deposed Prince Norodom Ranariddh in a July 1997 coup, and has prompted King Norodom Sihanouk to appeal to the army and police to stop shooting and beating peaceful demonstrators. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
In an attempt to appease an angry \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j's ruling Taliban militia vows to punish the members of its forces responsible for the deaths of 11 Iranian diplomats following the capture of the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month, claiming that the killers were acting on their own. \JIran\j, which is preparing a second round of major military exercises on the Afghan border, demands the return of the bodies and the immediate release of all other Iranians held by the Taliban. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
A bomb explosion in the municipal hall of the northern Sri Lankan town of Jaffna kills 17 people, including the mayor, the local army commander, and the police chief. There is no immediate claim of responsibility, but a Defense Ministry spokesman blames guerrillas of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the attack, which comes just four months after the dead mayor's predecessor was assassinated, reportedly by Tamil Tiger rebels. \I(Sri Lanka)\i
As troops and emergency workers battle to shore up a vital embankment around the Bangladeshi capital, \JDhaka\j, foreign embassies begin drawing up plans to evacuate women and children from the flooded city. Meanwhile, fresh inundation is reported around \JDhaka\j airport, and new areas in the capital's northern fringes succumb to the floods, forcing residents to abandon their homes for already overcrowded shelters. At least 823 people have now died nationwide in the flooding, which still shows no signs of easing. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
The XVIth Commonwealth Games open with a glittering ceremony in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The festivities and the parade of 6,000 athletes from 70 nations are enjoyed by a vast crowd and an assembly of dignitaries, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the King and Queen of \JMalaysia\j, and Britain's Prince Edward, who is president of the Commonwealth Games Federation. \I(\JMalaysia\j, UK)\i
\BThe Americas\b
The White House sex-and-\Jperjury\j report of independent counsel Kenneth Starr appears in its entirety on the \JInternet\j after the United States House of Representatives votes to release it immediately, rejecting requests that President Bill Clinton's lawyers be allowed to review it first and respond. The 445-page report describes 10 encounters between Mr. Clinton and Monica Lewinsky in sexually explicit detail, and contends that Mr. Clinton's attempts to keep the affair a secret led him to commit at least 11 impeachable offenses, including five counts of lying under oath, four of obstructing justice, one of witness tampering, and one of abusing his constitutional authority by lying to the public and the Congress about his relationship with Ms. Lewinsky. \I(USA)\i
US President Clinton's private attorney, David Kendall, holds a news conference to denounce the Starr report as a personal attack without credible evidence of impeachable offenses. Mr. Kendall is particularly scathing about the amount of lurid, graphic detail contained in the report, saying it far exceeds any legitimate justification, and is intended to humiliate, embarrass, and politically damage the president. Even before the report was released on the \JInternet\j, the president's legal team issued a 78-page rebuttal, insisting that Mr. Clinton's "intimate contact" with Ms. Lewinsky did not consist of sexual intercourse, and did not consist of "sexual relations" as he understood the term in his January testimony in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. The rebuttal also denies allegations of witness tampering and abuse of power, and argues that there is no constitutional basis for \Jimpeachment\j, saying \Jimpeachment\j was prescribed for "high crimes and misdemeanors" such as wrongs committed against the system of government, and was not designed to force a president from office for a personal mistake. \I(USA)\i
The Israeli Army seals off the West Bank and Gaza Strip after soldiers shoot dead two armed Palestinians during clashes in the town of \JHebron\j, and the Israeli security forces receive warnings of retaliatory terrorist attacks. The decision to impose a closure on the Palestinian territories occurs during the latest round of shuttle diplomacy by United States special Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, who is meeting with regional leaders in an attempt to iron out problems over a proposal for Israel to cede 13 per cent more of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Brazilian stocks rebound from the previous \Jday\j's free fall, jumping 13.4 per cent after the country's central bank raises its basic interest rate close to 50 per cent in a bid to stem the exodus of dollars out of \JBrazil\j. Other Latin American markets also rally in the face of \JBrazil\j's determination to encourage investments to remain in the country for the better returns, and to avert a \Jdevaluation\j of its currency, the real, considered the centerpiece of \JBrazil\j's four-year economic stabilization drive. \I(\JBrazil\j, Latin America)\i
Divers retrieve the cockpit voice recorder from Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into waters off Peggy's Cove, \JNova\j Scotia, on September 2, killing all 229 people on board. The flight data recorder, recovered Monday, did not record the final minutes of the flight, and investigators are hopeful that the newly retrieved device will yield an explanation for the crash. Speculation so far has centered on a fire, possibly in the wiring of the cockpit. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
Large areas of \JTexas\j and Louisiana are flooded when Tropical Storm Frances, the sixth in the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, sweeps in from the Gulf of Mexico, where it has been churning for the past two days, forcing the emergency evacuation of workers from offshore oil production platforms. Pounded by torrential rain and winds of up to 65 miles per hour, the city of Houston comes to a virtual standstill as overflowing bayous flood hundreds of homes, shut down the freeways, and force the closure of schools and businesses. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JRussia\j's damaging political standoff ends when the State \JDuma\j overwhelmingly approves Yevgeny Primakov as the country's new prime minister. The acting Foreign Minister and former spy chief was nominated yesterday after the \JDuma\j twice rejected President Boris Yeltsin's original choice of Viktor Chernomyrdin. In a compromise between the \JKremlin\j and the opposition Communist Party, the \JDuma\j also reinstalls Viktor Gerashchenko, once head of the Soviet Union's central bank, as chairman of \JRussia\j's central bank. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Three Irish Republic Army guerrillas and three members of the rival Ulster Defense Association become the first paramilitary prisoners to win parole following Northern Ireland's Good Friday peace agreement. The six inmates of \JBelfast\j's high-security Maze prison were serving sentences ranging between 12 years and 22 years, but were released early under a scheme rewarding armed groups for backing the peace deal and observing long-standing cease-fires. About 400 prisoners who fought in Northern Ireland's 30-year conflict are expected to be released within two years, about half of them before Christmas. \I(Northern Ireland)\i
The Israeli Army seals off the West Bank and Gaza Strip after soldiers shoot dead two armed Palestinians during clashes in the town of \JHebron\j, and the Israeli security forces receive warnings of retaliatory terrorist attacks. The decision to impose a closure on the Palestinian territories occurs during the latest round of shuttle diplomacy by United States special Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, who is meeting with regional leaders in an attempt to iron out problems over a proposal for Israel to cede 13 per cent more of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule. \I(Israel, Palestine, USA)\i
Ministers from African countries linked to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j hold a second days of talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, but fail to achieve a breakthrough on a cease-fire agreement. Meanwhile, the Congolese Government claims to have ousted Tutsi-led rebels from the eastern town of Lubutu, and announces that the western road and rail corridor is now guarded by the military and safe for transport operators. The closure of the corridor and disruptions to power supply threatened a food crisis in the capital, \JKinshasa\j, a threat that subsided yesterday following the start of international airlifts to the city. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JEthiopia\j, \JAfrica\j)\i
At least three people are killed and 29 others are wounded when a bomb explodes in a popular open-air market in the western Algerian town of Gdyel, in Oran province. The blast comes less than 24 hours after at least one person died and 10 others were injured in a similar incident in Larbaa, Blida province, about 50 kilometers south of the capital, \JAlgiers\j. The two bomb attacks are the latest in a series blamed by the authorities on Muslim rebels. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
In an attempt to appease an angry \JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j's ruling Taliban militia vows to punish the members of its forces responsible for the deaths of 11 Iranian diplomats following the capture of the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month, claiming that the killers were acting on their own. \JIran\j, which is preparing a second round of major military exercises on the Afghan border, demands the return of the bodies and the immediate release of all other Iranians held by the Taliban. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Divers retrieve the cockpit voice recorder from Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into waters off Peggy's Cove, \JNova\j Scotia, on September 2, killing all 229 people on board. The flight data recorder, recovered Monday, did not record the final minutes of the flight, and investigators are hopeful that the newly retrieved device will yield an explanation for the crash. Speculation so far has centered on a fire, possibly in the wiring of the cockpit. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
German carmaker, Volkswagen AG, launches a 20 million mark ($US11.87 million) fund to compensate its former slave laborers under Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. Volkswagen says it has already provided 25 million marks since 1988 for humanitarian projects in the home countries of former slaves, and that the relief fund will be its final gesture. Many of the former slave laborers live in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. \I(\JGermany\j, Eastern Europe)\i
The XVIth Commonwealth Games open with a glittering ceremony in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The festivities and the parade of 6,000 athletes from 70 nations are enjoyed by a vast crowd and an assembly of dignitaries, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the King and Queen of \JMalaysia\j, and Britain's Prince Edward, who is president of the Commonwealth Games Federation. \I(\JMalaysia\j, UK)\i
#
"September 12, 1998",982,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Osama bin Laden, the Islamic militant accused of masterminding the August 7 United States embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j, is reported to have been placed under house arrest by \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia. According to the editor of a London-based Arabic newspaper, the exiled millionaire Saudi dissident is being held by his former protectors near the southern Afghan city of \JKandahar\j. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, UK, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
In the sixth straight \Jday\j of violence in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, at least three people are wounded by gunfire as rival political supporters once again clash. Prompted by fears of further violence, opposition allies Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy cancel plans for a mass rally and a strike, part of their ongoing protest over the outcome of the country's July 26 general election, won by government leader Hun Sen. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
United States troops arriving in \JBangladesh\j for previously planned joint military exercises prepare to assist their Bangladeshi counterparts in carrying out rescue and aid operations in flood-devastated areas of the country. The \Jmagnitude\j of the two-month crisis is such that experts fear mass hunger and epidemics in 55 of the 64 districts hit by the floods unless help arrives quickly. \I(\JBangladesh\j, USA)\i
\BThe Americas\b
In his weekly radio address to the nation, an embattled US President Bill Clinton makes no direct reference to the heightened threat to his presidency since the public release of independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report on the Monica Lewinsky affair, but instead calls on lawmakers to stay focused on issues affecting the nation's security and economy. Mr. Clinton urges Congress to back him on efforts to deal with the financial crises gripping Asia and \JRussia\j by passing legislation that will give the International Monetary Fund $US18 billion to replenish its coffers. The president also launches a new initiative in the national drug strategy, announcing $US8.7 million in federal grants to 93 community groups to finance education programs and other efforts to discourage substance abuse. \I(USA)\i
President Bill Clinton's legal team issues a caustic 42-page rebuttal to Kenneth's Starr's report, arguing that the 11 possible grounds for \Jimpeachment\j amount to "overreaching in an extravagant effort to find a case where there is none," and that the "irrelevant," "unnecessarily graphic," and "salacious allegations" contained in the report are part of a "hit-and-run smear campaign" which says volumes about the "tactics and objectives" of the independent counsel. Vice President Al Gore also speaks out in defense of the president, saying he does not consider that the material in Kenneth Starr's report serves as a basis for \Jimpeachment\j. Meanwhile, as the American public continues to digest the lurid details of the sexual encounters between Mr. Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the first opinion polls since the Starr report was released on the \JInternet\j show the president's job approval rating remaining relatively steady at around 60 per cent. \I(USA)\i
\JInternet\j service providers say yesterday was the busiest \Jday\j in the global network's history, with a record surge in usage after Kenneth Starr's presidential sex-and-\Jperjury\j report became available on more than a dozen online sites. Despite the crush of Web surfers, the \JInternet\j passed the test, with the anticipated delays and breakdowns failing to occur as people throughout the world rushed to read the racy 445-page document, which includes detailed episodes of oral sex and one sexual escapade involving the use of a cigar. \I(USA)\i
Osama bin Laden, the Islamic militant accused of masterminding the August 7 United States embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j, is reported to have been placed under house arrest by \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia. According to the editor of a London-based Arabic newspaper, the exiled millionaire Saudi dissident is being held by his former protectors near the southern Afghan city of \JKandahar\j. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, UK, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
United States troops arriving in \JBangladesh\j for previously planned joint military exercises prepare to assist their Bangladeshi counterparts in carrying out rescue and aid operations in flood-devastated areas of the country. The \Jmagnitude\j of the two-month crisis is such that experts fear mass hunger and epidemics in 55 of the 64 districts hit by the floods unless help arrives quickly. \I(\JBangladesh\j, USA)\i
A two-week shutdown of Northwest Airlines Corp. ends when representatives for 6,200 striking pilots approve a new contract with the company. The contract gives the pilots the 12 per cent pay increase they were seeking, but over a period of four years rather than two. Northwest, the nation's fourth largest airline, says it will now take eight to 10 days to resume full service. \I(USA)\i
Residents of New Mexico are warned not to drink \Jwater\j from wells after scientists discover extremely high levels of uranium contamination, which they say comes from natural geologic deposits that have started to leach into shallow ground \Jwater\j. The area affected includes several Indian reservations and small towns just east of the Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear facility, a coincidence according to the scientists. \I(USA)\i
Lindsay Davenport becomes the first American-born woman to win the US Open Tennis Tournament since Chris Evert in 1982 when she defeats world number 1 Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j. It is Davenport's first grand slam victory, and caps an outstanding summer performance of three WTA hardcourt titles in preparation for the event. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JRussia\j's new Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, seeks to sooth the anxiety of Western creditors and economists, pledging to continue on the path of reform, and vowing that the country will pay off its debts and will not be declared bankrupt. \JRussia\j's turmoil continues, however, with a new government still to be established, and most political commentators noting that President Boris Yeltsin's position has been weakened significantly as a result of the compromise with the Communist-led \JDuma\j over his prime-ministerial choice. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
In a signal of hope that the threat of guerrilla violence in Northern Ireland is receding, the Royal Ulster Constabulary ends its daily armed foot patrols on the streets of the capital, \JBelfast\j. The daily British army patrols were withdrawn in 1994 following cease-fires by the main paramilitary rivals, but were reintroduced after a spate of tit-for-tat killings between dissident Protestant and Catholic guerrillas in January this year. Army patrols in other parts of Northern Ireland are to continue for the time being. \I(Northern Ireland, UK)\i
At least 30 Palestinians suffer \Jrubber\j bullet wounds during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank towns of El-Bireh and \JHebron\j. The violence flares during protests touched off by Israel's recent killing of two Palestinian brothers, allegedly senior members of the military wing of the Islamic group Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, later makes a point of publicly reiterating the Jewish state's security demands, accusing the Palestinian Authority of refusing to conduct a systematic war on organized terror that operates from its areas. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
\JAlbanian\j opposition leader, Sali Berisha, blames the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Fatos Nano after a member of Dr. Berisha's Democratic Party, Azem Hajdari, 35, is murdered in what appears to be a contract killing. It is the second attack against Mr. Hajdari in the space of a year. On September 18, 1997, he was critically wounded after being shot four times by a Socialist member of parliament, and an angry Dr. Berisha now warns Mr. Nano to resign from office or face "catastrophic consequences." \I(\JAlbania\j)\i
Osama bin Laden, the Islamic militant accused of masterminding the August 7 United States embassy bombings in \JKenya\j and \JTanzania\j, is reported to have been placed under house arrest by \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban militia. According to the editor of a London-based Arabic newspaper, the exiled millionaire Saudi dissident is being held by his former protectors near the southern Afghan city of \JKandahar\j. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, USA, \JKenya\j, \JTanzania\j, UK, Saudi \JArabia\j)\i
Lindsay Davenport becomes the first American-born woman to win the US Open Tennis Tournament since Chris Evert in 1982 when she defeats world number 1 Martina Hingis of \JSwitzerland\j. It is Davenport's first grand slam victory, and caps an outstanding summer performance of three WTA hardcourt titles in preparation for the event. \I(USA, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
#
"September 13, 1998",983,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
More than 10,000 people stage a show of force in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, to demonstrate backing for the July 26 election victory of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People's Party. Most of the demonstrators are brought in by trucks from neighboring provinces, and while many carry clubs and iron bars, there are no reports of major clashes with opposition supporters. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
\JAfghanistan\j's Sunni Muslim Taliban militia claims to have captured the central city of Bamiyan, the last bastion of the pro-\JIran\j Shi'ite Muslim opposition. The Taliban's claimed victory comes amid an escalation of border tensions with \JIran\j, sparked by the deaths of a number of Iranian diplomats following the fall of the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. Tehran is now demanding the \Jextradition\j of those responsible for the killings. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, \JIran\j)\i
In the largest show of support yet for ousted Malaysian deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, more than 30,000 people attend a rally in the country's north to hear Mr. Anwar tell his side of the story. Mr. Anwar was sacked by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on September 2 amid allegations of \Jtreason\j and sexual misconduct, but the former minister continues to deny the allegations, blaming his dismissal on a high-level political plot to stem his growing popularity and his support for economic reform. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
Australian Patrick Rafter claims his second consecutive US Open Tennis title with a victory over unseeded countryman, Mark Philippoussis. It is the event's first all-Australian final since 1970, and the win elevates Rafter to second spot in the world rankings behind American Pete Sampras, who was beaten by the defending champion in the semi-finals. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
At the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, the Australian team sets a new world record in the final of the men's 4x200m freestyle relay. Gold medal-winners Ian Thorpe, Daniel Kowalski, Matthew Dunn, and Michael Klim complete the race in a time of 7 min 11.86s, breaking the previous world record time of 7:11.95 set by a Russian team in 1992. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
Two days after Kenneth Starr's steamy sex-and \Jperjury\j report is posted on the \JInternet\j, opinion polls in the United States continue to show President Bill Clinton's strong job approval rating undiminished by the public's exposure to the sordid details of the scandal. In each poll, more than half the respondents approve of the way Mr. Clinton handles his presidential role, and say he should remain in office but should be censured by Congress for his actions. Between 31 and 39 per cent express disapproval and say he should resign. A majority of respondents also believe that the Starr report included graphic details of the sexual escapades between Mr. Clinton and Monica Lewinsky solely for the purpose of embarrassing the president. \I(USA)\i
Armed protesters incensed by yesterday's murder of \JAlbanian\j opposition politician, Azem Hajdari, storm the main government building in the capital, Tirana, setting fire to the premises and forcing Prime Minister Fatos Nano and members of his Cabinet to flee in a hail of gunfire. One protester is killed and four guards are wounded in the violence, which prompts the United States Embassy in Tirana to issue an appeal for restraint, urging Albanians to put down their weapons and pursue legitimate democratic and legal means to deal with the situation. \I(\JAlbania\j, USA)\i
Former \JAlabama\j Governor, George Wallace, dies of a heart attack at the age of 79. A four-time presidential candidate, Wallace rocked both the nation and his own Democratic Party in the 1960s by preaching "segregation forever." In 1972, he was paralyzed from the waist down by a bullet fired by a would-be assassin, but years later, he renounced his white supremacist, segregationist views and became a supporter of racial \Jintegration\j. \I(USA)\i
At the American Academy of \JTelevision\j Arts and Sciences' 50th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Helen Hunt from \IMad About You\i wins best actress in a comedy series for the third consecutive year, and \IFrasier\i takes the outstanding comedy series award for the fifth consecutive year. Other acting awards go to Kelsey Grammer, Christine Lahti, Andre Braugher, Ellen Barkin, and Gary Sinise, while the award for best drama series goes to \IThe Practice,\i and the award for best mini-series goes to \IFrom the \JEarth\j to the Moon.\i \I(USA)\i
Scot Colin Montgomerie wins the British Masters Golf Tournament at Coventry, England, while the Canadian Open at Oakville, \JOntario\j, is won by American Billy Andrade. In women's golf, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden closes with a five-stroke lead to take the Safeco Classic at Kent, Washington. \I(Scotland, UK, Canada, USA, Sweden)\i
Australian Patrick Rafter claims his second consecutive US Open Tennis title with a victory over unseeded countryman, Mark Philippoussis. It is the event's first all-Australian final since 1970, and the win elevates Rafter to second spot in the world rankings behind American Pete Sampras, who was beaten by the defending champion in the semi-finals. \I(\JAustralia\j, USA)\i
American \Jbaseball\j's 37-year-old single-season record of 61 home runs is broken for a second time in a week when \JChicago\j Cubs' Sammy Sosa hits his 62nd homer to draw even with Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, who last Tuesday broke the record held until then by New York Yankee, Roger Maris. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
Armed protesters incensed by yesterday's murder of \JAlbanian\j opposition politician, Azem Hajdari, storm the main government building in the capital, Tirana, setting fire to the premises and forcing Prime Minister Fatos Nano and members of his Cabinet to flee in a hail of gunfire. One protester is killed and four guards are wounded in the violence, which prompts the United States Embassy in Tirana to issue an appeal for restraint, urging Albanians to put down their weapons and pursue legitimate democratic and legal means to deal with the situation. \I(\JAlbania\j, USA)\i
In \JJerusalem\j, the fifth anniversary of the Oslo peace accords is marked by concerns that a terrorist attack could be imminent in retaliation for last week's killing of two operatives of the Islamic Hamas movement by Israeli troops. Israeli officials, fearing that a public funeral could spark further violence, say the bodies of the two men, who were brothers, will not be released to the family. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
\JAfghanistan\j's Sunni Muslim Taliban militia claims to have captured the central city of Bamiyan, the last bastion of the pro-\JIran\j Shi'ite Muslim opposition. The Taliban's claimed victory comes amid an escalation of border tensions with \JIran\j, sparked by the deaths of a number of Iranian diplomats following the fall of the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif last month. Tehran is now demanding the \Jextradition\j of those responsible for the killings. \I(\JAfghanistan\j, \JIran\j)\i
Scot Colin Montgomerie wins the British Masters Golf Tournament at Coventry, England, while the Canadian Open at Oakville, \JOntario\j, is won by American Billy Andrade. In women's golf, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden closes with a five-stroke lead to take the Safeco Classic at Kent, Washington. \I(Scotland, UK, Canada, USA, Sweden)\i
German Michael Schumacher races his Ferrari to victory in the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at Monza, a victory that leaves Schumacher sharing the lead in the drivers' championship with \JFinland\j's Mika Hakkinen. \I(\JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, \JFinland\j)\i
At the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, the Australian team sets a new world record in the final of the men's 4x200m freestyle relay. Gold medal-winners Ian Thorpe, Daniel Kowalski, Matthew Dunn, and Michael Klim complete the race in a time of 7 min 11.86s, breaking the previous world record time of 7:11.95 set by a Russian team in 1992. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JAustralia\j, \JRussia\j)\i
#
"September 14, 1998",984,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
President Bill Clinton takes further steps to turn the attention of the United States away from Kenneth's Starr's sex-and-\Jperjury\j report and back to policy, calling for a meeting of world financial leaders to discuss a coordinated response to the global financial crisis. Mr. Clinton comments that the balance of risks has shifted, and that accelerating economic growth should now be the industrial world's first priority. He also says major industrial nations should stand ready to use some $US15 billion from the coffers of the International Monetary Fund to help stop the financial crises that have gripped Asia and \JRussia\j from spreading to Latin America and elsewhere. \I(USA, Asia, \JRussia\j, Latin America)\i
China joins \JMalaysia\j and Hong Kong in blaming international speculators for the financial storm that has rocked Asia both economically and politically, praising the two countries for intervening in their stock and currency markets to frustrate "financial terrorists." The financial terrorists condemned by China include the International Monetary Fund and United States financier, George Soros, who has already been singled out by \JMalaysia\j and banned from operating in \JTaiwan\j's markets. \I(China, \JMalaysia\j, Hong Kong, Asia, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
In the eight straight \Jday\j of violence in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, riot police repeatedly open fire to scatter thousands of demonstrators engaging in the latest protest against the ruling Cambodian People's Party's election victory. There are no immediate reports of casualties from the shooting, but at least two people have been killed and many more wounded since the protests began three weeks ago. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Yang Shangkun, China's former hardline president who in 1989 gave the order to crush the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstration, dies in \JBeijing\j at the age of 92. Mr. Yang was also one of the last surviving commanders of the Communist Party's Long March and China's civil war. \I(China)\i
Pfizer Pty Ltd holds a media conference in a leading Sydney hotel as the company's acclaimed anti-impotence drug Viagra becomes nationally available in \JAustralia\j. The drug is authorized for sale through prescription only, and the Australian Medical Association and the Pharmacy Guild of \JAustralia\j are both urging professionalism and caution in its use. \I(\JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
President Bill Clinton takes further steps to turn the attention of the United States away from Kenneth's Starr's sex-and-\Jperjury\j report and back to policy, calling for a meeting of world financial leaders to discuss a coordinated response to the global financial crisis. Mr. Clinton comments that the balance of risks has shifted, and that accelerating economic growth should now be the industrial world's first priority. He also says major industrial nations should stand ready to use some $US15 billion from the coffers of the International Monetary Fund to help stop the financial crises that have gripped Asia and \JRussia\j from spreading to Latin America and elsewhere. \I(USA, Asia, \JRussia\j, Latin America)\i
Democratic leaders in the United States Congress urge President Bill Clinton to abandon his legalistic defense against the allegations of \Jperjury\j put forward as impeachable offenses in Kenneth Starr's report. Mr. Clinton has insisted that he told the truth in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit when he denied having had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, and his legal team is continuing with this line of defense, maintaining that the president did not believe his activities with Ms. Lewinsky conformed to the definition of sexual relations presented by lawyers in the Jones case. However, Mr. Clinton's fellow Democrats say the considered judgement of American people will rise or fall on straight talk and the truth, and that for the good of the country, it is time the president stopped splitting legal hairs. \I(USA)\i
Wall Street stocks post solid gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 149.85 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 7,945.35, after rising 180 points on Friday, and the Nasdaq composite index jumping 24.05 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 1,665.69. The extended rally following last Thursday's losses reflects a sense of investor relief that independent counsel Kenneth Starr's sex-and-\Jperjury\j report was not as damaging to President Clinton as might have been the case. \I(USA)\i
China joins \JMalaysia\j and Hong Kong in blaming international speculators for the financial storm that has rocked Asia both economically and politically, praising the two countries for intervening in their stock and currency markets to frustrate "financial terrorists." The financial terrorists condemned by China include the International Monetary Fund and United States financier, George Soros, who has already been singled out by \JMalaysia\j and banned from operating in \JTaiwan\j's markets. \I(China, \JMalaysia\j, Hong Kong, Asia, USA, \JTaiwan\j)\i
United States authorities announce the arrest of 10 people who allegedly operated a Cuban spy ring seeking to infiltrate US military installations in Miami and Key West. The 10 suspects, eight men and two women, are charged with acting as agents of the Communist Government in \JHavana\j, conspiring to defraud the US Government, and conspiring to gather and deliver defense information to aid a foreign government. If found guilty, they will face life imprisonment. \I(USA, \JCuba\j)\i
Swissair reveals that a 1930 Picasso painting was destroyed when Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off \JNova\j Scotia earlier this month, killing all 229 passengers and crew. Swissair says it is still trying to identify the present owner of \IThe Painter,\i which was worth about $US1.5 million, and was being carried aboard the \Jaircraft\j in a normal freight container. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Canada)\i
Relief workers report widespread hunger and despair in Pacific coastal areas of Mexico's southern Chiapas state, devastated by five days of torrential rain that has dropped an average of two feet (60 centimeters) of \Jwater\j on the region. The deluge has left at least 121 people dead, hundreds more feared buried by mudslides, some 30,000 people homeless, and half a million people without electricity, food, or medicine. \I(Mexico)\i
Cancer researchers reviewing results of a clinical trial first published in April, say the drug tamoxifen's potential to prevent breast cancer is even better than they thought. The review of the results concludes that women with a history of noninvasive breast cancer have their risk reduced by 56 per cent, while women with atypical hyperplasia, breast disease that involves growths, have their risk reduced by 86 per cent. The side effects of tamoxifen are increased risks of blood clots and cancer of the uterine lining. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JRussia\j's new Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, distances himself from the strict monetarism of former reform governments, announcing a shift of policy towards social welfare and industrial growth. Mr. Primakov also confirms that his top priority will be paying off wage and pension arrears, and says he cannot rule out taking "extraordinary measures" to meet that priority. Mr. Primakov's remark prompts concerns that he might start printing money, a move that could spark hyperinflation. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
President Bill Clinton takes further steps to turn the attention of the United States away from Kenneth's Starr's sex-and-\Jperjury\j report and back to policy, calling for a meeting of world financial leaders to discuss a coordinated response to the global financial crisis. Mr. Clinton comments that the balance of risks has shifted, and that accelerating economic growth should now be the industrial world's first priority. He also says major industrial nations should stand ready to use some $US15 billion from the coffers of the International Monetary Fund to help stop the financial crises that have gripped Asia and \JRussia\j from spreading to Latin America and elsewhere. \I(USA, Asia, \JRussia\j, Latin America)\i
Group of Seven ministers meeting in London offer \JRussia\j's new government their support as long as it sticks to the path of reform to overcome the economic crisis that has helped trigger steep losses in stock prices around the globe. As expected, the \Jday\j-long meeting of senior foreign and financial officials from the world's major economic powers concludes without any new policy initiatives or immediate pledges of aid. \I(\JRussia\j, UK)\i
Members of Northern Ireland's new 108-seat power-sharing assembly meet for the first time since the forum's inauguration on July 1, taking another vital step forward in the process of ending decades of guerrilla violence in the province. As the session gets under way, the issue of which flags should fly over the parliament buildings is one of the first to spark spirited debate between the rival pro-British and pro-Irish politicians. \I(Northern Ireland, UK, Republic of Ireland)\i
Serb, Croat, and Muslim nationalists parties in Bosnia rush to claim victory in weekend general elections, the second since the 1992-95 war. However, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the international body supervising the vote, dismisses the rival claims as "triumphalism and propaganda," saying ballots are still being counted and nobody yet has a basis for making any such statements. Gains for leaders representing the interests of their own communities would be a setback for Western efforts to restore normality to the ethnically divided country. \I(Bosnia)\i
Three people are killed in the \JAlbanian\j capital, Tirana, as gun battles rage between supporters of opposition leader, Sali Berisha, and forces loyal to Socialist Prime Minister, Fatos Nano. The city's latest outburst of violence flared after several thousand people gathered for the funeral of Azem Hajdari, a member of Dr. Berisha's Democratic Party who was murdered two days ago by contract killers. Dr. Berisha has publicly blamed Mr. Nano for the killing, and called on him to resign. \I(\JAlbania\j)\i
Fierce battles erupt around the Goma headquarters of Tutsi-led rebels fighting to oust Congolese President, Laurent Kabila. The rebels say the attacks against them were launched by Mai Mai warriors and Hutus linked to the 1994 genocide in \JRwanda\j. Meanwhile, at a regional economic summit in the Indian Ocean island of \JMauritius\j, leaders from the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, led by South \JAfrica\j's President Nelson Mandela, begin a fresh bid to end the six-week conflict. Peace efforts thus far have been thwarted by President Kabila's refusal to face his opponents across the negotiating table. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j, \JMauritius\j, South \JAfrica\j)\i
Algerian security forces report that Muslim rebels slit the throats of 27 people during an overnight attack in Ain Defla province, an Islamic stronghold about 130 kilometers southwest of the capital, \JAlgiers\j. As yet, the government of the strife-torn North African country has not issued a death toll for 1998, but according to the official figures for 1997, 4,643 civilians were massacred in 554 raids by extremist Islamist organizations such as the Armed Islamic Group. \I(\JAlgeria\j)\i
Swissair reveals that a 1930 Picasso painting was destroyed when Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off \JNova\j Scotia earlier this month, killing all 229 passengers and crew. Swissair says it is still trying to identify the present owner of \IThe Painter,\i which was worth about $US1.5 million, and was being carried aboard the \Jaircraft\j in a normal freight container. \I(\JSwitzerland\j, Canada)\i
\JEgypt\j's Minister of Health arrives in \JKhartoum\j on board a plane carrying a cargo of food and pharmaceutical aid for the millions of people affected by floods which have devastated 12 of \JSudan\j's 26 states. When questioned about the uneasy relations between \JEgypt\j and \JSudan\j, Ismail Sallam states that humanitarian ties are far more important than political ties. The floods are \JSudan\j's worst since 1988, and \JLibya\j has also responded with aid, defying a United Nations air embargo to fly in planes carrying tents, medicine, and food. \I(\JEgypt\j, \JSudan\j, \JLibya\j)\i
Nearly 24 hours of torrential rain causes mudslides and overflowing rivers in towns across \JBelgium\j, leaving residents to cope with flooded homes, power outages, and streets flowing with \Jwater\j up to a meter deep in places. There are no reports of casualties, but paratroopers are deployed to help shore up river dykes, and firemen and troops resort to \Jrubber\j dinghies to evacuate hundreds of stranded people from their homes. \I(\JBelgium\j)\i
#
"September 15, 1998",985,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
\JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, orders the country's armed forces on alert, and warns \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban regime and its Pakistani backers that \JIran\j stands ready to help "the oppressed Afghan people" unless the regime makes amends for past errors and adopts a more conciliatory course. It is \JIran\j's strongest threat to date against the rival Islamic state, and comes just hours after the bodies of seven Iranian diplomats killed by the Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif last month are flown home to an emotional reception. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
The Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, is tense but calm after three weeks of protests against the election victory of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party. The lull follows a plea for restraint issued by opposition leader, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who also announces upcoming talks between the three main political parties in an attempt to resolve their differences. The talks are to be chaired by Prince Ranariddh's father, King Norodom Sihanouk. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, currently on a landmark visit to China, announces that \JBeijing\j has pledged to sign the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, enshrining the freedoms of speech and assembly, participation in public affairs and elections. While acknowledging that China has very serious human rights problems, Ms. Robinson says she is encouraged by \JBeijing\j's growing openness to cooperation with the UN on rights issues. \I(China)\i
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that Asia's financial crisis could hamper global efforts to control disease and improve public health. Speaking at an annual meeting of health policy-makers in the Western Pacific, WHO director-general, Gro Harlem Brundtland, says reduced national budgets as a result of the crisis threaten to further crimp the already low percentages going to health services and institutions, and cautions that setbacks in health will also be setbacks to development. \I(Asia)\i
A diabetic Englishman claims a world record after walking across \JAustralia\j from Sydney to Perth in 69 days, 11 hours, and 28 minutes. The 2,600-mile trek raised more than ú10,000 for the British Diabetic Association, and was also David Parker's way of showing others who suffer from diabetes that the disease does not have to be crippling. \I(UK, \JAustralia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton selects three officials with close congressional ties to strengthen the team that will seek to avert his possible \Jimpeachment\j over the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Mr. Clinton's move comes as Republicans in Congress push for the release of the president's videotaped grand jury testimony about his relationship with Ms. Lewinsky, and members of the House Judiciary Committee review 17 boxes of evidence that independent counsel Kenneth Starr says supports his claim that Mr. Clinton committed at least 11 impeachable offenses in his attempt to cover up the truth of his affair with the former White House intern. \I(USA)\i
Canadian investigators report that the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of Swissair Flight 111 failed to work during the crucial final minutes before the jet plunged into the sea off \JNova\j Scotia last week, killing all 229 on board. An earlier analysis of the flight data recorder revealed that it too stopped at the same time, leaving open the possibility that the MD-11 suffered a catastrophic electrical failure which triggered a systems shutdown, and forced the pilots to fly the \Jaircraft\j manually with little more than a mechanical compass at their disposal. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
A report prepared by officials in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas describes a scene of destruction and despair in the wake of a series of storms that have caused devastating floods in the region. According to the document, 407 people have been reported dead, while as many as 849 people are suspected to be buried beneath a sea of mud that has swept away dozens of communities. \I(Mexico)\i
In what is hailed as a major discovery, astronomers from New York's Cornell University say they now have a definitive answer to the origin of the \Jplanet\j Jupiter's rings, which are not visible from \JEarth\j, but were detected by the Voyager 1 \Jspacecraft\j in 1979. The astronomers confirm that the three rings consist of tiny dust particles dragged into \Jorbit\j after being thrown up by space rocks striking the four inner moons of the solar system's largest \Jplanet\j. The astronomers add that the process is ongoing, with the rings never increasing in size or density due to the limited life-span of the particles, but being constantly regenerated with fresh particles. \I(USA)\i
American \Jbaseball\j history is rewritten yet again when Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hits his 63rd home run of the season just one week after breaking Roger Maris's 37-year-old record of 61 home runs. McGwire also pulls away from Sammy Sosa of the \JChicago\j Cubs, who hit his record-tying 62nd homer on Sunday. \I(USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
\JIran\j's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, orders the country's armed forces on alert, and warns \JAfghanistan\j's Taliban regime and its Pakistani backers that \JIran\j stands ready to help "the oppressed Afghan people" unless the regime makes amends for past errors and adopts a more conciliatory course. It is \JIran\j's strongest threat to date against the rival Islamic state, and comes just hours after the bodies of seven Iranian diplomats killed by the Taliban in Mazar-e-Sharif last month are flown home to an emotional reception. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j, \JPakistan\j)\i
Residents flee the mainly ethnic \JAlbanian\j villages around the town of Podujevo, 40 kilometers north of \JKosovo\j's capital, \JPristina\j, amid reports of fighting between Serb security forces and guerrillas of the separatist \JKosovo\j Liberation Army. Serb security forces have been battling the outlawed guerrilla group since February in a conflict that has left more than 500 people dead and forced more than a quarter of a million to abandon their homes. \I(Yugoslavia, \JSerbia\j, \JKosovo\j)\i
Watched by state security forces, some 3,000 supporters of former \JAlbanian\j president, Sali Berisha, defy a government ban to stage a peaceful march through the center of the capital, Tirana. The march comes as Dr. Berisha surrenders two tanks seized during two days of armed street clashes touched off by the weekend assassination of a key member of his Democratic Party. The opposition Democrats blame Prime Minister Fatos Nano for their colleague's death, but Mr. Nano has staunchly rejected their demands that he resign, accusing Dr. Berisha of plotting a coup and threatening him with arrest. \I(\JAlbania\j)\i
\JGermany\j formally requests the \Jextradition\j from \JFrance\j of Hans Joachim Klein, the former ally of Carlos the Jackal who was apprehended near a village in Normandy last week. Klein, 50, is charged by \JGermany\j with three counts of murder and kidnapping in connection with the 1975 kidnapping of OPEC ministers in Vienna. \JAustria\j is also planning to request Klein's \Jextradition\j, but has not yet named the charges. \I(\JGermany\j, \JFrance\j, \JAustria\j)\i
Canadian investigators report that the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of Swissair Flight 111 failed to work during the crucial final minutes before the jet plunged into the sea off \JNova\j Scotia last week, killing all 229 on board. An earlier analysis of the flight data recorder revealed that it too stopped at the same time, leaving open the possibility that the MD-11 suffered a catastrophic electrical failure which triggered a systems shutdown, and forced the pilots to fly the \Jaircraft\j manually with little more than a mechanical compass at their disposal. \I(Canada, \JSwitzerland\j)\i
The European Union gives the seal of approval to the blockbuster anti-impotence drug, Viagra, saying it can now be prescribed in its 15 member countries. The celebrated blue pills are expected to go on sale in October or November at a cost of around $US10 each, and national governments will decide individually whether to subsidize the drug. Countries such as \JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, and Denmark have already decided to let patients bear the expense of reviving their sex lives, arguing that Viagra is a lifestyle medicine rather than a therapeutic one. \I(\JFrance\j, \JGermany\j, \JItaly\j, Denmark, Europe)\i
A diabetic Englishman claims a world record after walking across \JAustralia\j from Sydney to Perth in 69 days, 11 hours, and 28 minutes. The 2,600-mile trek raised more than ú10,000 for the British Diabetic Association, and was also David Parker's way of showing others who suffer from diabetes that the disease does not have to be crippling. \I(UK, \JAustralia\j)\i
#
"September 16, 1998",986,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
The African nation of Burkina Faso becomes the 40th country to ratify a landmark treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, clearing the way for it to go into effect on March 1, 1999. The treaty was concluded in Oslo, \JNorway\j, in September 1997, and opened for signature in \JOttawa\j, Canada, in December 1997. It has since been signed by 130 countries, but not by the United States, China, or \JRussia\j, all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. \I(Burkina Faso, \JNorway\j, Canada, USA, China, \JRussia\j)\i
As Iranian troops remain poised for a possible punitive strike against \JAfghanistan\j's Sunni Muslim Taliban regime, the Iranian Navy announces plans to stage five days of war games aimed at boosting combat capability and readiness. Meanwhile, two diplomats who escaped the Taliban's raid on Tehran's consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif last month safely return to \JIran\j. One diplomat was absent from the consulate when Taliban forces seized it, while the other was shot and wounded but managed to flee with the help of \JAfghanistan\j's Shi'ite Muslim community. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
\JCambodia\j's looming constitutional crisis is averted when opposition leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh announces that he and his Funcinpec party will attend the first session of the National Assembly next week. Prince Ranariddh was threatening to boycott the opening parliamentary session unless his allegations of electoral \Jfraud\j were addressed, and his change of heart follows a multi-party meeting chaired by his father, King Norodom Sihanouk. Had Prince Ranariddh carried out his threatened boycott, a new government could not have been formed. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
The Indonesian Government announces that it has set up a team to investigate the personal wealth of former president Soeharto and his family. Mr. Soeharto's 32-year-rule came to an abrupt end on May 21 amid violent protests and rioting triggered by the country's economic collapse, and since then, there have been allegations that he and his family illegally amassed up to $US30 billion during his time in office. Recently, Mr. Soeharto made a rare \Jtelevision\j appearance to deny accusations that he had stashed millions of dollars abroad, but his denial was received with disbelief by many increasingly impoverished Indonesians. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
As the worst floods in \JBangladesh\j's recorded history finally begin to recede, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed announces plans for a huge dyke-building program aimed at protecting all villages from future devastation. At least 950 people have died since the floods hit last month, and health officials now fear that the spread of \Jwater\j-borne diseases will claim more lives, particularly in parts of central and northern \JBangladesh\j, where medical teams have already reported a total of 229,050 cases of diarrhea. \I(\JBangladesh\j)\i
At least two people are killed and 16 are injured when \JTyphoon\j Stella hits the Japanese archipelago. Packing fierce winds and heavy rain, the powerful \Jtyphoon\j tears down trees and bridges, triggers landslides, floods nearly 2,000 houses, and causes major disruptions to air and rail services. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
US President Bill Clinton faces his first barrage of media questioning since independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report on the Monica Lewinsky affair was delivered to the United States Congress on September 9 and posted on the \JInternet\j two days later. At a joint news conference with the visiting and visibly uncomfortable Czech President, Vaclav Havel, an equally uncomfortable Mr. Clinton declines to comment on the accuracy of the graphic sexual details contained in the Starr report, but confirms that he will stay in his job despite the scandal, saying he believes it is the right thing to do for the country and it is what the American people want. \I(USA, Czech Republic)\i
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, dampens speculation about coordinated interest rate cuts to rescue shaky world financial markets, telling a House Banking Committee's hearing that there is no endeavor at the moment to take such a step. Dr. Greenspan is the third prominent central banker in as many days to rule out any change in monetary policy. Bank of England Governor, Eddie George, and Bundesbank President, Hans Tietmeyer, have both distanced themselves from the notion of a coordinated rate cut, instead favoring policies that will best serve domestic conditions. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
The African nation of Burkina Faso becomes the 40th country to ratify a landmark treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, clearing the way for it to go into effect on March 1, 1999. The treaty was concluded in Oslo, \JNorway\j, in September 1997, and opened for signature in \JOttawa\j, Canada, in December 1997. It has since been signed by 130 countries, but not by the United States, China, or \JRussia\j, all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. \I(Burkina Faso, \JNorway\j, Canada, USA, China, \JRussia\j)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
As Iranian troops remain poised for a possible punitive strike against \JAfghanistan\j's Sunni Muslim Taliban regime, the Iranian Navy announces plans to stage five days of war games aimed at boosting combat capability and readiness. Meanwhile, two diplomats who escaped the Taliban's raid on Tehran's consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif last month safely return to \JIran\j. One diplomat was absent from the consulate when Taliban forces seized it, while the other was shot and wounded but managed to flee with the help of \JAfghanistan\j's Shi'ite Muslim community. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
The United Nations special envoy in \JIraq\j, Prakash Shah, engages in talks with the country's leaders in a bid to persuade them to rescind their August 5 decision to halt cooperation with the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with \JIraq\j's disarmament. Iraqi officials are now considering a freeze on all UNSCOM activities unless the UN Security Council renews its regular reviews of sanctions against \JBaghdad\j. The reviews were recently suspended due to \JIraq\j's latest obstructionist stance. \I(\JIraq\j)\i
In a further easing of a closure imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel allows another 3,000 Palestinians to return to their jobs in the Jewish state. The move brings to 10,000 the number of Palestinian laborers granted entry since the territories were sealed off for security reasons last Friday after two senior members of the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas were killed by Israeli forces near the town of \JHebron\j. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
As \JAlbania\j's parliament meets to consider lifting opposition leader Sali Berisha's immunity from prosecution, the defiant former president condemns the government's plans to arrest him, rejecting the charge that he attempted to gain control of the country in a coup, and again accusing the ruling Socialist Party of murdering Democratic Party stalwart, Azem Hajdari, on September 12. Dr. Berisha also calls for Democrats to rally in Tirana for a national \Jday\j of protest on September 18, the first anniversary of the wounding of the late Mr. Hajdari by a Socialist lawmaker in the parliament building. \I(\JAlbania\j)\i
Despite the country's expanding civil war, President Laurent Kabila says elections in the Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j will proceed next year as planned. At the same time, Mr. Kabila concedes that it is important to first end the conflict, and urges residents of the capital, \JKinshasa\j, to organize themselves into civil defense groups, which will then be armed to wage a people's war against the Tutsi-led rebels and their Rwandan and Ugandan backers. \I(Democratic Republic of \JCongo\j (formerly Zaire), \JRwanda\j, \JUganda\j)\i
The ETA guerrilla group declares a total and indefinite cease-fire in its 30-year separatist struggle in \JSpain\j's Basque region. The last ETA truce in mid-1996 lasted for a week, and the Spanish Government warns the public that the cease-fire announcement could be a trick. The government has refused to consider opening talks with ETA until it completely renounces violence and lays down its arms. \I(\JSpain\j)\i
The African nation of Burkina Faso becomes the 40th country to ratify a landmark treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, clearing the way for it to go into effect on March 1, 1999. The treaty was concluded in Oslo, \JNorway\j, in September 1997, and opened for signature in \JOttawa\j, Canada, in December 1997. It has since been signed by 130 countries, but not by the United States, China, or \JRussia\j, all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. \I(Burkina Faso, \JNorway\j, Canada, USA, China, \JRussia\j)\i
\JRussia\j's new Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, names moderate Communist Yuri Maslyukov as his first deputy, insisting again that his will not be a reactionary Communist-led administration despite his stated determination to temper market reforms with help for industry and \JRussia\j's poor. The appointment comes as Russian shares touch a record low and the rouble loses some 30 per cent of its value, trading on the street at 14-16 per dollar, less than half its rate a month ago. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
United States Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan, dampens speculation about coordinated interest rate cuts to rescue shaky world financial markets, telling a House Banking Committee's hearing that there is no endeavor at the moment to take such a step. Dr. Greenspan is the third prominent central banker in as many days to rule out any change in monetary policy. Bank of England Governor, Eddie George, and Bundesbank President, Hans Tietmeyer, have both distanced themselves from the notion of a coordinated rate cut, instead favoring policies that will best serve domestic conditions. \I(USA, UK, \JGermany\j)\i
US President Bill Clinton faces his first barrage of media questioning since independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report on the Monica Lewinsky affair was delivered to the United States Congress on September 9 and posted on the \JInternet\j two days later. At a joint news conference with the visiting and visibly uncomfortable Czech President, Vaclav Havel, an equally uncomfortable Mr. Clinton declines to comment on the accuracy of the graphic sexual details contained in the Starr report, but confirms that he will stay in his job despite the scandal, saying he believes it is the right thing to do for the country and it is what the American people want. \I(USA, Czech Republic)\i
Russian cosmonauts on the aging Mir space station engage in a rare spacewalk inside the damaged Spektr module, which is sealed off from the rest of the craft. Gennady Padalka and Sergei Avdeyev complete repairs expected to take three hours in just half an hour, connecting two cables to improve Mir's ability to gather \Jenergy\j from the \Jsun\j. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
#
"September 17, 1998",987,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
Ministers and officials from 22 nations, including the United States, Europe, and \JRussia\j, convene in \JJapan\j for two days of informal talks, the follow-on from last December's endorsement of the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to combat the threat of global warming. There are still a number of issues to be addressed before the accord can be implemented, and negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems will be held during a key November conference in Argentina. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JRussia\j, Argentina)\i
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of \JMyanmar\j's takeover by the military, the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) names Saw Mra Aung as chairman of the People's Parliament the party has vowed to convene this month in accordance with the 1990 multi-party democracy general election law. The NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won the 1990 polls in a landslide, and over the past two weeks, more than 800 NLD members, including 195 elected representatives, have been detained by the military in a bid to prevent the party from carrying out its vow. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j))\i
In a further deterioration in relations between \JMalaysia\j and \JSingapore\j, the Malaysian Government announces that \JSingapore\j Air Force \Jaircraft\j will no longer be allowed to enter Malaysian air space without authorization, and that joint search and rescue operations and exercises between the two air forces are to be terminated. Longstanding differences between the neighboring nations have been exacerbated by the Asian region's economic turmoil, with \JMalaysia\j highly critical of \JSingapore\j's disinclination to pitch in and help. \I(\JMalaysia\j, \JSingapore\j, Asia)\i
After a four-\Jday\j string of gains on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumps 216.01 points, or 2.6 per cent, to close at 7,873.77, and the Nasdaq composite index drops 43.66 points or 2.5 per cent, to 1646.252. The falls reflect dashed hopes of coordinated interest rate cuts to ease the economic turmoil abroad, and follow steep losses on other markets, particularly in \JJapan\j, where the Nikkei stock index slides to a 12-year low, closing down 339 points, or 2.4 per cent. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
\JIndonesia\j's Justice Minister announces that the government is in the process of establishing a second team to investigate the wealth built up by former president Soeharto during his 32-year rule, this time focusing on assets allegedly hidden overseas. The first team, headed by the country's Attorney-General, is due to question Mr. Soeharto within days, and Justice Minister Muladi adds that the 77-year-old former leader may face jail if he is found guilty of criminal acts and abuse of power. \I(\JIndonesia\j)\i
In an extraordinary move, 138 MPs from South Korea's opposition Grand National Party (GNP) hand in their resignations in protest over a corruption investigation they say is aimed at crushing the party. The investigation centers on allegations that the GNP used the tax office to illegally raise funds for last year's elections, and should the party leadership endorse the mass resignation, it will leave the country without an opposition. \I(South Korea)\i
At the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Australian swimmer Susie O'Neill wins the 200m women's butterfly to claim her sixth gold medal, eclipsing the previous Commonwealth record of five gold medals in a single Games. In what is her third and perhaps final appearance at the four-yearly event, O'Neill also becomes \JAustralia\j's greatest Commonwealth Games gold-medal winner ever with a tally of 10, bettering the record of nine gold medals won by swimming sprinter Mike Wenden between 1966 and 1974. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JMalaysia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States federal authorities offer a $US2 million reward for information leading to the arrest of a third suspect charged in connection with the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JKenya\j, which left 253 people dead and more than 5,000 injured. Haroun Fazil, also known as Harun Fahdl, is described as an active member of the Kenyan cell of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist organization, and is accused of the murders of 12 American citizens. Federal authorities also charge a \JTexas\j man, described as a former personal secretary to bin Laden, on three counts of making false statements. Wadih El Hage, however, is not accused of participating in the bombing. \I(USA, \JKenya\j)\i
Ministers and officials from 22 nations, including the United States, Europe, and \JRussia\j, convene in \JJapan\j for two days of informal talks, the follow-on from last December's endorsement of the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to combat the threat of global warming. There are still a number of issues to be addressed before the accord can be implemented, and negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems will be held during a key November conference in Argentina. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JRussia\j, Argentina)\i
Republican leaders ask the \JFBI\j to investigate whether a recent spate of sex scandal reports about members of Congress represent an orchestrated campaign to smear and intimidate key lawmakers currently considering the public release of further evidence relating to US President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. The White House has denied playing any role in leaking the stories, which include the revelation that House Judiciary Committee chairman, Henry Hyde, had a five-year extramarital affair 30 years ago. Mr. Hyde would head any \Jimpeachment\j inquiry arising from independent counsel Kenneth Starr's sex-and-\Jperjury\j report. \I(USA)\i
After a four-\Jday\j string of gains on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumps 216.01 points, or 2.6 per cent, to close at 7,873.77, and the Nasdaq composite index drops 43.66 points or 2.5 per cent, to 1646.252. The falls reflect dashed hopes of coordinated interest rate cuts to ease the economic turmoil abroad, and follow steep losses on other markets, particularly in \JJapan\j, where the Nikkei stock index slides to a 12-year low, closing down 339 points, or 2.4 per cent. \I(USA, \JJapan\j)\i
Eighteen Mexicans, including eight children from one family, are massacred by unknown gunmen at a \Jcattle\j ranch near the port city Ensenada, just south of the United States border. The motive for the slaughter is unknown, but the area is a major corridor for drug trafficking controlled by the notoriously violent Tijuana-based Felix drug gang. \I(Mexico, USA)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
United States federal authorities offer a $US2 million reward for information leading to the arrest of a third suspect charged in connection with the August 7 bombing of the United States Embassy in \JKenya\j, which left 253 people dead and more than 5,000 injured. Haroun Fazil, also known as Harun Fahdl, is described as an active member of the Kenyan cell of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist organization, and is accused of the murders of 12 American citizens. Federal authorities also charge a \JTexas\j man, described as a former personal secretary to bin Laden, on three counts of making false statements. Wadih El Hage, however, is not accused of participating in the bombing. \I(USA, \JKenya\j)\i
Fresh tensions are raised in the Middle East after two Jewish settlers open fire on a group of Palestinians outside a West Bank school, killing one teenager and wounding three others. The settlers say they shot at stone-throwers who were attacking them, but the Palestinian students deny the claim. The incident is denounced as a crime by Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, and prompts the Islamic Hamas group, which is opposed to any conciliation with Israel, to call for a Palestinian response of escalated confrontation and resistance. \I(Israel, Palestine)\i
\JRussia\j's central bank indicates that it plans to print money to pay off state debts and bail out banks, confirming fears that have already sent the rouble into a fresh slump amid worries about a return of rampant \Jinflation\j. Meanwhile, the troubled country remains without a full Cabinet as President Boris Yeltsin continues to consider Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov's proposals, especially for the vital post of finance minister. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
Ministers and officials from 22 nations, including the United States, Europe, and \JRussia\j, convene in \JJapan\j for two days of informal talks, the follow-on from last December's endorsement of the \JKyoto\j Protocol, the world's first accord to combat the threat of global warming. There are still a number of issues to be addressed before the accord can be implemented, and negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems will be held during a key November conference in Argentina. \I(\JJapan\j, USA, Europe, \JRussia\j, Argentina)\i
#
"September 18, 1998",988,0,0,0
\BAsia/Pacific\b
\JJapan\j's Government and opposition hammer out an agreement to reform the faltering banking system and help pull the country out of its recession. In the face of opposition pressure, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi backs down and agrees to nationalize the troubled Long-Term Credit Bank of \JJapan\j, and to strip the Finance Ministry of its authority to set policy for the financial industry. That authority is now to be given to a new independent commission which will also oversee the banking clean-up. \I(\JJapan\j)\i
As \JIran\j prepares to stage another show of strength on its border with \JAfghanistan\j, the Taliban's supreme ruler, Mullah Mohammad Omar, says the problems between the rival Islamic neighbors will not be resolved under military pressure, and calls on the United Nations to intervene in the dispute. Omar also accuses the international community of double standards, saying while it condemned the killing of \JIran\j's diplomats last month, it ignored the slaughter last year of at least 2,000 Taliban fighters by Iranian backed factions. \I(\JIran\j, \JAfghanistan\j)\i
Marking the 10th anniversary of the military takeover of \JMyanmar\j, around 60 exiled \Jdissidents\j protest outside their country's embassy in the Thai capital, \JBangkok\j. The protesters, mostly members of the All \JBurma\j Students Democratic Front, call on \JMyanmar\j's military junta to release all political prisoners, including students and elected members of parliament, many of whom were recently detained to thwart a bid by the National League for Democracy to form a People's Parliament. \I(\JMyanmar\j (formerly \JBurma\j), \JThailand\j)\i
Capping a week of increasingly scathing public speeches, \JMalaysia\j's ousted deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, calls for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to step down after 17 years in power. Mr. Anwar's call is echoed by a crowd of some 5,000 supporters, and marks his first open challenge to the man he longed considered a father figure. Once Dr. Mahathir's heir-apparent, Mr. Anwar is now under investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and \Jtreason\j, allegations he has repeatedly denied. \I(\JMalaysia\j)\i
Prominent Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, emerges from 10 days of sanctuary in a United Nations office in Phnom Penh, where he fled after police ordered his arrest for allegedly inciting a grenade attack on the home of government leader, Hun Sen, on September 7. Mr. Rainsy now claims that Hun Sen may attempt to have him assassinated, a claim dismissed as "totally ridiculous" by a government spokesman. \I(\JCambodia\j)\i
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II begins a four-\Jday\j visit to the oil-rich Southeast Asian State of \JBrunei\j, her first to the former British colony since 1972. The Queen will later fly to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to officiate at the closing ceremony of the XVIth Commonwealth Games. \I(UK, \JBrunei\j, \JMalaysia\j)\i
Australian world champion cyclist, Lucy Tyler-Sharman, is sent home from the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur after she publicly accuses Australian cycling officials of deliberately sabotaging her chances in the 3,000-meter individual pursuit, and refuses to retract the accusations or apologize. The unrepentant Ms. Tyler-Sharman is the first Australian competitor to be expelled from a Commonwealth Games during competition. \I(\JAustralia\j, \JMalaysia\j)\i
\BThe Americas\b
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, offers his most optimistic assessment of the status of Mideast peace negotiations since he arrived in Israel on September 8, saying issues are being dealt with seriously, intensively, and comprehensively, and there is a good chance that the 19-month-old Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking deadlock will be broken. Mr. Ross's optimism, however, is not shared by Palestinian Cabinet ministers and negotiators, who claim that there has been no substantial progress on the main issues, including the land-and-security deal proposed by Washington. \I(USA, Israel, Palestine)\i
\JBrazil\j's battered financial markets enjoy a rare lull, with shares in Sao Paulo creeping up 1.3 per cent and the exodus of dollars slowing to a trickle. The lull comes after US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, reaffirms Washington's support for \JBrazil\j, saying it has the largest economy in Latin America, and its financial stability is thereby important to the rest of the region and to the United States. Ms. Albright cautions, however, that \JBrazil\j must continue to take steps to respond to the turmoil in order to convince the international community that US support will not be wasted. \I(\JBrazil\j, USA)\i
After a heated two-\Jday\j debate, the Republican-led United States House Judiciary Committee votes on party lines to release President Bill Clinton's videotaped grand jury testimony concerning his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, along with at least 2,800 pages of supporting evidence submitted to Congress by independent counsel Kenneth Starr. The videotape will air on many cable networks as soon as it becomes available on Monday, September 21, while the documents, including graphic sexual material in Ms. Lewinsky's deposition, will be posted on the same \JInternet\j sites used last week for the text of Mr. Starr's report. \I(USA)\i
A gap becomes apparent between the American media and the American public in the wake of Kenneth Starr's report on President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky. As opinion polls continue to indicate that the majority of American people want Mr. Clinton to complete his term in office, a growing number of newspapers are publishing editorials calling for the president to resign. Of the nation's estimated 1,400 daily newspapers, more than 100 now favor a presidential resignation, including \IUSA Today.\i Among the nation's largest newspapers which have not yet called for Mr. Clinton's resignation are \IThe New York Times,\i \IThe Los Angeles Times,\i and \IThe Washington Post.\i \I(USA)\i
DuPont Pharmaceuticals announces that it has won approval to market Sustiva, the first once-a-\Jday\j anti-\JHIV\j drug which the company predicts will transform treatment of the virus. The 11 other anti-\JHIV\j drugs marketed in the United States must be taken at multiple times during the \Jday\j, typically in three-drug combos, creating cumbersome schedules that cause lifestyle difficulties and are thereby hard to maintain. \I(USA)\i
Shareholders of Chrysler Corp. approve the company's merger with \JGermany\j's Daimler-Benz, announced on May 7 and valued at more than $US40 billion. Subject to the approval of German shareholders, the deal is expected to close by mid-November. \I(USA, \JGermany\j)\i
\BEurope/\JAfrica\j/Middle East\b
As the Russian rouble takes a new dive, Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov announces measures to help pull the country out of its economic crisis, including unspecified controls on \JRussia\j's foreign exchange market, and the imposition of a state monopoly on the production and sale of alcohol and \Jtobacco\j. Mr. Yevgeny adds that he has every reason to count on support from the International Monetary Fund, but insists that he will not accept ultimatums from the West, which is demanding that \JRussia\j stick to the path of market reforms. Mr. Primakov plans to temper such reforms with aid for local industry and welfare, while the country's central bank has said it is prepared to print money to pay off state debts and re-float ailing banks. \I(\JRussia\j)\i
United States special envoy, Dennis Ross, offers his most optimistic assessment of the status of Mideast peace negotiations since he arrived in Israel on September 8, saying issues are being dealt with seriously, intensively, and comprehensively, and there is a good chance that the 19-month-old Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking deadlock will be broken. Mr. Ross's optimism, however, is not sh
