Weaver's News Spin

August 1999

A review of events and their interpretation. 

Nature (2nd) Floods along China's Yangtze River leave almost 1.8 million people homeless in six provinces. Although floods are receeding in some areas, high water still threatens parts of the central and eastern provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Anhui (11th) A rare tornado hits Salt Lake City, tossing trucks and trees around and shredding tents set up for a convention. At least one person was killed and more than 100 were injured. "It couldn't have picked a worse place," said the National Weather Service. "The chance of it hitting a city where it did today is pretty slim." The fatality was the first tornado-related death in the history of a state that averages two tornadoes a year. (17th) Over 40,000 die in West Turkey after an earthquake strikes. The quake is ranked as 7.8 on the Richter scale, one of the worst to strike the Med. The early morning quake devastates a large area across the industrialized northwest region. One of the hardest hit cities is the port city of Izmit where a major oil refinery burns out of control. (18th) A forest fire is burning near Edzo, 100 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife. The town is evacuated when the fire comes within 2 kilometres of the homes. Forestry officials are confident the fire can be controlled.

 

Transport (2nd) Around 300 are killed as two trains collide head-on in Northern India. A signalling error is blamed; the Railways Minister resigns. Six are hurt when an InterCanadian airliner overshot the runway trying to land in St John's. The front wheels of the Fokker F-28 broke off as it skidded to a stop about 60 metres off the runway. Investigators are not immediately sure what caused the accident. The airport was closed into Monday morning, all flights diverted to Gander. (9th) An Indian combat jet shoots down a Pakistani maritime patrol aircraft, prompting a threat of retaliation from Islamabad, which said all 16 people on board died, the victims of "cold-blooded murder." India said the reconnaissance and anti-submarine Berguet Atlantique plane strayed into its airspace. Pakistan said the unarmed plane was shot down well within its territory. Toronto conglomerate Onex Corp offers $5.7 billion for Canadian Airlines and Air Canada and then merge the two airlines. "This is a good deal for Canada and for all Canadians," said Onex president and chief executive Gerry Schwartz. The plan has already been approved by the board of Canadian, he said.

 

Unrest (3rd) Germany refuses to import British beef, in spite of the lifting of the EU's ban two days ago. This move puts Germany in prima face breach of its European committments, for which it can expect no action to be taken. (3rd) Human rights groups are up in arms over plans to send General Pinochet to Chile. The General, detained in Britain since October last year, is fighting extradition to Spain on spurious human rights charges. (4th) President Yeltsin-Fires sacks his deputy chief of staff, who claims the Kremlin is considering an emergency rule that would ban elections. Sergei Zverev, fired after writing a letter to Yeltsin, said the Kremlin may move to postpone December's parliamentary elections and the presidential vote next summer. Yeltsin's spokesclone dismissed Zverev's claim. (5th) Three are killed as an Alabama man opens fire on the company that sacked him a few weeks ago. North Korea hits back at warnings from its neighbours and the United States not to test one of its long-range missiles. Instead, communist North Korea accuses Japan of being the major threat to regional security and is protesting against joint naval exercises being conducted between Japan and South Korea. (13th) Britain is set to test all pregnant women for HIV, to try to reduce the number of babies born with the virus. Doctors claim most mothers who are HIV-positive don't know they're infected. Others suggest this is merely another part of the government's failing campaign to suggest HIV can be spread through heterosexual acts. Corner Brook Pulp and Paper is granted an injunction against striking loggers. The floating picket line interferes with the company's access to the wharf, but an unlimited number of strikers will be allowed to picket the main gate of the mill. (14th) A tense day in Ulster as Unionists march in Derry. Though there are many threats of violence, nothing significant transpires. (19th) The Yugoslav government disimisses an opposition rally in Belgrade. More than 100,000 rally to demand the resignation of Slobodan Milosevic. It was the largest opposition rally since mass protests in 1996 demanded more power for the opposition. Since then, the country has suffered a long campaign of NATO air strikes and lost control of Kosovo province.

 

Politicing (3rd) Jean Chretien holds a cabinet reshuffle. The most senior ministers - Lloyd Axworthy (Foreign), Paul Martin (Finance), Allan Rock (Health), Art Eggleton (Defence), Sheila Copps (Heritage) - maintain their portfolios. New faces include George Baker (Veterans Affairs); Robert Nault (Indian Affairs); Maria Minna (International Cooperation); Elinor Caplan (Citizenship and Immigration); Martin Cauchon (Revenue). Chretien claims to have put together the team that will see him to the next election, due by June 2002. But many suggest the PM will step down next year. (4th) George Robertson will be the new NATO Secretary General. The British defence secretary is the unanimous choice of the countries. (9th) Boris Yeltsin sacks his Prime Minister for the fourth (we think) time in the past eighteen months. As part of his drive to ensure all Russians can have a Cabinet post by the end of the millennium, Yeltsin replaces his cabinet with a bunch of spies. Vladimir Putin is confirmed as PM the following week. (16th) Russian jets and helicopter gunships attack three villages in the Caucasus in an attempt to drive out Islamic militants there. Neighbouring Chechnya declared a state of emergency, putting troops on combat alert and imposing curfew. (17th) Canada and the US ban anyone who has spent a total of six months in Britain since 1980 from giving blood, following concerns that some people may have been infected with mad cow disease as a result of eating British beef. But the British government says blood in Britain is still safe. (26th) Mo Mowlam says there is not enough evidence to suggest the IRA ceasefire has been violated. Northern Ireland's police chief blamed the IRA for the murder of a Belfast man last month. Pro-British unionists are infuriated; they wanted Mowlam to say the IRA had breached the ceasefire and that the release of prisoners should be halted.

 

This Is Also News (6th) Conrad Black launches a lawsuit against Jean Chretien and the Canadian government. Black says he suffered embarrassment and inconvenience when he didn't get a peerage in June. He blames political interference by Chretien for the non-award. (11th) The Kansas Board of Education approves education standards that make no reference to evolution - the theory that living things evolved from earlier species. The decision leaves unchanged state policy on the teaching of evolution in the public schools. Local schools will decide for themselves whether to teach the theory. (20th) Eaton's files for bankruptcy. The retailer, with 64 stores across Canada, will sell off its remaining inventory and assets, closing a history streching back to 1855. (25th) Authorities in Austria arrest a Bosnian Serb general. Momir Talic is wanted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, accused of crimes against Muslims and Croats during the Bosnian conflict. Talic will appear before local Austrian courts before being transferred to The Hague. French farmers demonstrate for the release of a farm activist. Jose Bove was jailed for leading a group of protesters who ransacked a McDonald's restaurant in Southern France. The French food producers have been staging almost daily protests against the fast-food giant. The chain has become a target for the farmers angry over US tariffs on French goods, imposed after the World Trade Organization ruled that the European Union's ban on imports of North American hormone-treated beef was illegal. McDonald's has dropped a civil case against the farmers.

 

Cricket (5th-9th; Test 1457) Old Trafford: Tail-ender Peter Such records the second slowest Test duck, batting for 72 minutes and 51 balls before falling to Daniel Vettori. The record remains Geoff Allott's 101 minutes for the Kiwis last March. Ramprakash (69*) top scores in a lacklustre England innings of 199. Nathan Astle makes 101 as New Zealand cruise to a commanding first innings lead of over 200, with Craig McMillan making a wonderful 107*. Declaring on 496/9, NZ have a lead of 297. England make steady progress, making 118/2 before the rains curtail day 4. Only one hour is possible on the final day, with England advancing to 168/2 before the inevitable sodden conclusion. Match drawn; series tied at 1-1. (19th-23rd; Test 1458) The Oval: After a slow first session, England claim eight first day wickets, and wrap the tail end just before lunch on the second. Caddick, Mullally and Tufnell take two each. Captain Fleming makes 66*, and Vettori 51, in the best piece of resistance of a 236 score. England lose quick wickets in response, only Hussain and Ramprakash break 12. Cairns returns 5/31 as England are limited to 153. In second innings, New Zealand play the hokey-cokey, but recover from 39/6 as Caddick and Giddins take three wickets apiece. McMillan posts 26 and Cairns 80 in a total of 153. Maddy and Hussein go cheaply, but Atherton and Thorpe combine to add 94 for the third wicket. The target of 228 to win looks invitingly close, but the remaining seven batsmen are all out in less than an hour. New Zealand win by 83 runs, and take the series 2-1. England replace NZ as the World's Worst Test Match Team.

 

Sports (1st) Eddie Irvine wins the German GP after championship leader Mika Hakkinnen's tyre blows up. Irvine now takes the lead in the driver's championship; Mika Salo comes second for another Ferrari 1-2. (4th) Linford Christie is suspended from athletics after a sample he gave in Germany in February turns out to contain a banned substance. The athlete, 39, who is only being tested at his own insistence, has successfully exposed the testing procedure as an affront to science. (8th) Dario Franchitti takes the lead in the Indy Car championship following his victory at Detroit. (15th) Mika Hakkinen wins in Hungary; Irvine's third place cuts his championship lead to a single point. Helio Castro-Nevez continues his sparkling rookie season with his fifth win; he's two points adrift of Franchitti. (29th) David Coulthard wins in Belgium, but Hakkinen's second place returns him to the top of the drivers' standings, a point clear of Eddie Irvine. Jacques Villeneuve finishes the race, his best performance of the season.

 

Football (7th) Opening Day sees England captain Alan Shearer expelled as Newcastle lose 1-0 to Villa. Chelsea secure early favouritism after beating promoted Sunderland 4-0. New boys Bradford upset Middlesborough 1-0, while Watford lose 3-2 to Wimbledon. A relegation battle sees Southampton beat Coventry, Arsenal need an injury time own goal to beat Leicester, West Ham down Spurs and Liverpool over Sheff W. (8th) Man United concede a late own goal to draw 1-1 at Everton. (9th) Newcastle lose heavily to Spurs. (11th) Leeds' Dean Bridges scores a hat-trick over Southampton. Arsenal pick up a win at Derby, Sunderland overcome Watford, Wimbledon lose to Middlesborough. Villa overcome Everton, Leicester beat Coventry, and Man U are all over Sheff W. (14th) Watford pick up a shock 1-0 win at Liverpool; stout defending of a Mooney goal secures three points for the newcomers and their first win at Anfield. Man United do well, beating Leeds 2-0, Chelsea lose ground with a 2-2 draw at Leicester, and Arsenal are held 0-0 at Sunderland. Bradford draw with Sheff W, Middlesborough down Derby, Spurs beat Everton; Wimbledon and Coventry tie, as do Villa and West Ham. Newcastle lose again, 4-2 at Southampton. (19th) Robbie Keane becomes Britain's most expensive teenager; his move from Wolves to Coventry is for 6 million pounds. (21st) Tottenham lead Division I after beating Sheffield Wednesday. Newcastle pick up their first point of the season, but let the win slip from their grasp in a 3-3 draw with Wimbledon. Chelsea show their championship credentials by knocking Villa down 1-0. Robbie Keane pays back part of his fee, scoring both goals as Coventry down Derby 2-0, while Middlesborough upset Liverpool's applecart with a 1-0 win. Boro go second in the league. Also: Everton thrash Southampton 4-0, Leeds down Sunderland, West Ham defeat Leicester, Watford over Bradford. (22nd) Man United stage a come-from-behind win, 2-1 at title rivals Arsenal. Both goals are scored by unsettled captain Roy Keane. (23rd) Liverpool's slack run ends with a 2-1 defeat of Leeds. (24th) Watford's good run ends with a 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa; Middlesborough's good run is brought to a halt by Leicester. West Ham qualifies from the Intertoto Cup by beating Metz in the two-legged final; they now join the main UEFA Cup draw. (29th) Aston Villa beat Middlesbrough 1-0. Chelsea sneak a 1-0 win over Wimbledon. for 78 minutes without any reward before Dan Petrescu broke the deadlock and secured the points that lifted Chelsea into third spot. Liverpool put on a show at Anfield, stunning Arsenal 2-0. Leeds United won a tough battle against Tottenham 2-1; Derby beat Everton 1-0, West Ham beat Bradford 3-0, and Southampton dismissed Sheffield Wednesday 2-0. Sunderland and Coventry tied 1-1, and Leicester downed Watford 1-0. MUN roar past managerless Newcastle 5-1 - former Toon Andy Cole scores four.

 

Passages (2nd) Moving: Des Lynam The face of BBC Sport for the past ten years is moving to commercial rivals ITV. He'll front their football coverage, including Man Utd's defence of the European Cup. Des said that he's simply looking for a new challenge; critics of the Beeb suggest that this is another body blow on a par with losing Tests and the FA Cup. (9th) Helen Rollason, BBC sports anchor and the first woman to host Grandstand, dies of cancer aged 45. (12th) Jean Drapeau, former mayor of Montreal, 83. He led the city for nearly three decades and transformed Montreal into a glittering and sophisticated Canadian metropolis with a strong continental flavor. "Jean Drapeau was a giant for his city and a fixture of Quebec politics for half a century," said a spokesmodel for Prime Minister Chretin. The former mayor, widely known as "Mr. Montreal", helped to develop a subway system in the city and his time in office also saw Montreal adopt professional baseball and F1 Grand Prix racing, and stage Expo 67 and the 76 Olympics. (14th) A bridge that physically links Sweden to Denmark is completed. The 17km project, which also includes a tunnel, ties Copenhagen to Sweden's third-largest city, Malmo. It will open to traffic next July. (19th) Kay Macpherson, a leading feminist, dies in Toronto, at age 86. She had been suffering from lymphatic cancer. Macpherson was a leader of Canada's feminist movement in the 1950s and '60s. She was head of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women in the late 1970s.

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