Weaver's News Spin
May 1998
A review of events and their interpretation.
Saturday, 16 May
Nearly 500 are dead in Indonesia, after this week's rioting. Extra planes are chartered to remove foreign nationals from the country.
A Sinn Fein official and his child is shot in a Dublin church. The shooting, not thought to be politically motivated, took place during a First Communnion service. None of the victims is seriously hurt.
Arsenal complete the double by winning the FA Cup, beating a shoddy Newcastle side 2-0. In Scotland, Hearts take the Cup, bettering Rangers 2-1; the Glasgow side finish runners-up in both league and cup.
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Friday, 15 May
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| The death of Frank Sinatra, 82. The singer of such ballads as "Try a little tenderness", "Strangers in the night" and "My way" passed away near his California home of a heart attack. With some 1,800 music recordings, 60 film credits, nine Grammys and an Academy Award, Sinatra was the grandmaster of entertainment, an American icon of seeming immortality. He recorded more chart albums than any artist. And he holds an unrivaled record of longevity on Billboard charts, where a Sinatra song was a fixture every week from 1955 to 1995. |
| Rioting in Indonesia continues. 110 are dead following a fire in a Jakarta shopping mall, bringing to 160 the total death toll after four days of rioting. The US advises their citizens to leave as soldiers move into key positions around the city.
An LA court fines George Michael $810, and ordered him to do 80 hours community service and five hours counselling following his conviction for lewd behaviour.
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Thursday, 14 May
Prime Minister Toy Bair flies to Ulster to canvass for the peace accord. His trip follows reports that increasing numbers of Unionists are set to vote against the agreement. Bair stressed that Sinn Fein could not join a Northern Ireland executive while they still held guns under the table.
Soldiers from Israel shoot 8 people dead during disturbances on the West Bank. Many thousands of Palestinians are marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Israeli state, known as the "nakba" (catastrophe).
An attempt to fit Britain's most famous nude with a pair of 40,000 pound jeans comes undone. The publicity grab by an American firm to place the trousers over Dorset's Cerne Abbas Giant is hampered by mist obscuring the figure from photographers. The National Trust, maintainers of the figure, seek a fee of 5,000 pounds for access to the fenced-off site.
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Wednesday, 13 May
India tests more nuclear bombs. This action causes the US to impose sanctions removing all but humanitarian aid from the country. President Clintern warns that the country is creating a dangerous level of instability, and making a terrible mistake.
Riots break out in Jakarta following the death yesterday of a student. The youngster was protesting the Indonesian government's economic record. Rioters are demanding the removal of President Suharto.
The Cup Winners' Cup final is won by Chelsea. A dull match, played on a boggy Stockholm pitch, was decided by a goal from substutite Zola in the 72nd minute. The result means English clubs have won three of the last eight CWC finals.
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Tuesday, 12 May
India tests three nuclear weapons, in violation of the spirit of the 1996 test ban treaty. Pakistan warns that this development will give new impetus to the region's arms race. Bill Clinton casts doubt on his trip to the nation, and said the US would look closely at sanctions. Japan, the largest aid donor, is also outraged, and will consider freezing loans. Australia and New Zealand recall their ambassadors. Britain, the former colonial power, expressed its dismay and vowed to discuss the implications of the tests at a meeting today.
Police in Devon seize fake England footballs. The balls carried a crude approximation of the three line symbol of the English national side. Sergeant Peter Gimble said These are clearly amateur efforts. The stiching on the balls is clearly visible, the three line logo only has 64 kinks, and not 66, and the "mondial 98" design is just a shade too small. Oh, and the objects are cubic, not round.
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Monday, 11 May
There's trouble afoot over the Government's role in a coup in Sierra Leone early this year. A British arms exporter is claiming that they were given approval by the Foreign Office to intervene in the situation, in breach of a UN arms embargo, and received logistical assistance from a Navy ship. Robin Cook, foreign affairs minister, denies doing anything wrong.
Celtic boss Wim Jansen leaves his job less than two days after guiding his side to the Scottish title. The club expected this move.
An Under-13 schoolboy cricket team in Calcutta has created an unenviable record by being dismissed for no runs at all. The 10-man Ramakrishna Mission school lost all their nine wickets without scoring in four overs against Bournvita cricket academy. The inning lasted just 18 minutes, and after a 10-minute break, the Academy took only two deliveries to win the game. The 30-minute game goes down in cricket history as the lowest-scoring match ever. The lowest recorded first-class score is 12 by Oxford University against MCC in 1877. England captain Alec Stewart said Curses! We wanted to take that accolade for ourselves.
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Sunday, 10 May
Sinn Fein backs the Ulster peace accord. The formal approval was by acclaim. The agreement will be voted on by the people of Ulster on May 22.
Bolton are relegated to Division 1, following a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, and Everton getting a 1-1 draw at home to Coventry. It means the three sides who came up last season go straight back down.
Mika Hakkinen wins the Spanish Grand Prix, ahead of team-mate David Coulthard. Michael Schumaccer comes 3rd, with Jacques Villeneuve finishing 6th. 5th past the post is Rubens Barrichello for the Stewart team.
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Saturday, 9 May
Israel wins the Eurovision Song Contest, with Dana International performing "Diva". Ms International wins ahead of strong showings from the host UK, the Netherlands, and Malta, making their best ever placing at the contest. Songs from Croatia and Belgium also score well. Other landmarks included Norway's entrant looking like Ronan Boyzone; Poland's wonderfully up-beat song getting totally overshadowed by the next act, Dana I; Ireland finishing slap bang in the middle; and Switzerland bringing up the rear with nul points.
Celtic are confirmed as Scottish football champions. They beat St Johnstone 2-0 to clinch their first title in ten years. Rangers finish second, after winning 2-1 at Dundee United. Kilmarnock's 1-1 draw with relegated Hibs is enough to put them 4th and secure a place in the UEFA cup.
Other issues to be decided today: Clydebank and Stranraer are promoted to Division 2; they'll swap places with Partick Thistle. Arbroath will also be playing 2nd division football following their promotion today.
The South African rugby crisis looks to be over as news breaks that chief de Luyt will resign. Tours by British sides now look to be back on.
A rogue Irish nationalist group declares that it's at war with the British government. The group, believed to contain at least one former IRA staffer, is instantly dismissed as an irrelevance by both Dr Mowlam and Martin McGuinness.
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Friday, 8 May
In local elections, Londoners decide that they do want a mayor. The result, approving the proposal, follows a turnout of less than 35%. Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats take control of Liverpool - their largest council ever. Labour gain five councils, while the Conservatives take over 250 seats.
South African rugby head Louis Luyt refuses to resign following claims of racism in the sport. The net effect is expected to be a boycott of South African rugby for the second time this decade.
The national radio awards were a great outing for the BBC. Radio 5 Live is the national station of the year for the second time in three years, with the defunct Garvey and Allen partnership taking the Breakfast Show award. Radio WM, from Birmingham, is local station of the year, and Ed Doolan is the local broadcaster to emulate.
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Thursday, 7 May
The merger of Daimler-Benz into Chrysler is announced at Docklands, London. The group, a product of the largest ever industrial merger, will have annual sales of $130 billion.
Tony Blair meets leaders of the Orange Order in Downing Street. The Order, a historic tradition that supports the widespread consumption of the citrus fruit, is worried about the recently brokered Greengrocery Agreement, in which militant Lettuce and Avocado groups will share power with other vegetables and fruit in a new assembly. The oranges left without comment, amidst splits in the organisation.
The Appeal Court rules that a pregnant woman has the right to refuse medical treatment, even if it would harm her health, or that of her child. Ruling in the case of a 36-week pregnant woman who had a Caesarean against her will, the Court said that the High Court were wrong to allow her to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
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Wednesday, 6 May
Sinn Fein boost the Ulster peace process by urging a yes vote in the forthcoming referendum. Their members will also sit in the Northern Ireland Assembly, breaking their policy of not recognising "partitionist" bodies, such as the Westminster parliament.
A plane crashes in Peru, killing all 87 occupants. The plane, chartered by Occidental Petroleum, crashed five kilometres from its destination in the north of the country.
It's the UEFA Cup Final. Inter Milan take out Lazio 3-0 in the Parc de Princes, Paris. A 5th minute goals from Chilean Zamorano opened the scoring, preceeding an ineffective attacking spell from Lazio. The second goal came from Argentine Zanetti on the hour, with Ronaldo adding a third ten minutes later. It's Inter's 3rd UEFA Cup of the decade.
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Tuesday, 5 May
The new chief of the Swiss guard is found shot dead. Alois Estermann was promoted to head the Papal army just yesterday, but was killed by Cedric Tornay, passed over for the high position. It's the first recorded crime in the Vatican since 1982. Apart from those committed by the head of state, that is.
The Scottish FA approves the new Scottish Premier League. The 10-team league, formed by the 10 sides who would have played in next season's Scottish League Premier Division, now control their own tv and sponsorship rights.
Alec Stewart will captain England's cricketers in the summer tests against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Adam Hollioake will still skipper the one-day side.
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Monday, 4 May
Madeline Albright is "slightly more optimistic" about peace in the Middle East. Her statement follows individual talks with Israeli Prime Minister Netenyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in London.
Lincolnshire police's Chief Constable is being investigated over allegations of sexual harrassment. This all follows victimisation of a complainant, as proven at an industrial tribunal in March. The chief of police was criticised for his force having a substandard attitude to equal opportunities.
Opposition leader William Hague criticises the Euro agreement as a huge fudge, saying that it will adversely affect the performance of European economies for many years to come.
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Sunday, 3 May
It's revealed that the Euro talks came within an ace of failure last night, as German Finance Ministers threatened to veto the plan as the head of the Euro Bank should have been appointed for 8 years. Meanwhile British Chancellor Brown warns that his aim is to take Britain into the Euro, in spite of strong reservations from many economists, industrialists and members of the public.
Arsenal win their first Premier League title. Their 4-0 beating of Everton means that they can't now be caught. It's their first title since 1991, and puts them on course for the League and Cup double in two weeks time.
Manchester City are relegated to the third flight of soccer for the first time ever. Even though they beat Stoke 5-2 today, a result that relegated their opposition, other results meant that City fell down. Middlesborough claimed the final promotion place after beating Oxford 4-1.
In Scotland, Celtic's title celebrations are on ice following a 1-1 draw at Dunfermline. They'll now go to the last round of matches next weekend.
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Saturday, 2 May
The green light for the Euro Gamble clears the final hurdle. Dutch representative Wim Duisenberg will head the Central Bank, which will have the task of imposing one set of economic conditions on 11 disparate nations. The euro will begin to shadow the existing currencies from next year, and will become the only legal tender from July 2002. It says here...
The High Court clears pistol shooters to sue the Government over compensation for their weapons. In a knee-jerk response to a preventable massacre, all pistols and one-handed guns have been confiscated by the police. Their owners were to have been compensated for this theft, but the Home Office has denied that any time scale applies. The courts disagree.
Sheffield score one of the biggest upsets in Rugby League history. They upset the 1/14 favourites Wigan by 17-8 in the Cup Final; the biggest shock in the 70 year history of the competition.
Barnsley slip out of the Premier League after just one season. Bolton move out of the relegation zone, following a 5-2 thrashing of Crystal Palace. Liverpool confirm their third place by beating West Ham 5-0, while Tottenham ensured their survival with a 6-2 win at Wimbledon. Jurgen Klinsmann scored four in 20 minutes.
Rangers lost ground in Scotland, with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Kilmarnock. Celtic now need to win tomorrow to clinch their first title in ten years. Hibernians were relegated from the Premier.
Elsewhere: Brentford and Plymouth go down from Division 2; Lincoln take the final promotion place in Division 3. Stirling are down from Scottish Division 1.
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Friday, 1 May - Beltane
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern criticises the IRA after they suggest that they'll not be bound to surrender their weapons under the peace accord reached three weeks ago. Ahern points out that the peace agreement is not a buffet, from which parties can pick and choose what they want.
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This page updated May 16, 1998