Beyond the Farm
For the week preceding this Saturday, January 21st, 1995, here's a review of what happened Beyond the Farm:
An earthquake registering 7.2 on the Richter Scale struck 12 miles below the Japanese island of Awaji on January 16th. Despite a high level of preparedness, 30400 buildings collapsed. Damage was most severe in the nearby city of Kobe, where dozens of fires broke out and water mains were damaged. Major damage extended as far away as Osaka, Japan's second-largest city, and is estimated at $60 billion. Major pieces of infrastructure, including sections of the Hanshin Expressway between Kobe and Osaka and Bullet Train tracks were destroyed. As of press time, 4905 were confirmed dead, with 202 missing, 21600 injured, and 70000 homeless in the largest quake to hit Japan in 40 years.
The Russian Army completely surrounded the Chechen capitol of Grosny for the first time January 15th. Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin called for peace talks January 16th, and another false cease-fire was declared January 17th. On January 19th, the Presidential Palace in Grosny was taken over by Russian forces, forcing most Chechen fighters to flee into the countryside for what they claim will be an extended guerrilla war. Heavy fighting was reported outside Grosny January 21st.
They're Talking About It...
The controversial $9 billion loan package for Mexico has stalled in the Senate as the Democrats filibuster a bill to end unfunded mandates on the states. Meanwhile, Congress sent its first bill to President Clinton January 17th, the measure to require Congress to follow laws it passes for the rest of the nation. On January 18th, the Senate Judiciary Committee met early to pass the Balanced Budget Amendment 15-3 and send it to the floor. In the House, Democrats have continued to attack Speaker Gingrich's canceled book deal, leading to ugly partisan fighting.
In shorts...
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak helped to diffuse the territorial standoff between Yemen and Saudi Arabia January 15th...Israel attacked Palestinian camps in southern Lebanon January 15th...the San Diego Chargers defeated Pittsburgh 17-13 January 15th and will face the San Francisco 49ers (who defeated Dallas 38-28) in the Superbowl January 29th... the Pope continued his Asian tour with stops in the Philippines January 15th, Papua New Guinea the 16th, Australia the 17th-19th and Sri Lanka the 20th...the Los Angeles Rams football team announced a move to St. Louis January 17th...Lamberto Dini announced the new Italian government January 17th; its composition of businesspeople may fail an upcoming vote of confidence...Lamar Alexander filed to run for President as a Republican January 17th...President Ernesto Zedillo signed a reform pact with opposition groups in Mexico January 17th...Fischer-Price announced the closure of its Medina NY toy factory January 18th...in Turkey, "Lebanon Freedom Fighters" kidnapped American Lt. Col. Mike Coallard and his son January 18th...a 6.5 quake in Colombia killed one in Bogota January 19th...a lawmaker and four other people were killed in Algeria January 19th as the government rejected a peace pact...the US lifted some sanctions on North Korea January 20th...an explosion on the USS Nimitz in Bremerton WA killed one January 20th...missiles were reportedly fired on the Afghan capitol of Kabul January 20th...90 year-old Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was reportedly in the hospital January 20th...a three-day strike against General Motors' parts plant in Flint, MI ended January 20th...more hostages were taken by rebels in the West African nation of Sierra Leone January 21st, bringing the total to 19.
Clarifications/Corrections...
In the January 14th edition, it was not made clear that Sen. Christopher Dodd is to become chairman of the Democratic Party, not simply a spokesperson...Robert Rubin was confirmed as Treasury Secretary January 10th.
Finally...
Do you know your sign? The Royal Astronomical Society in Britain has decided that the signs of the Zodiac are inaccurate. The society claims that there should be 13 signs, the new one being Ophicus the healer from November 30th to December 17th. The dates for all the other signs have to be changed under the new system. The Astrological Association rejects the changes.
And that's what happened Beyond the Farm.
Sources this week included All Things Considered (NPR), the Associated Press newswire, the BBC Newshour (BBC/PRI), the Christian Science Monitor, the Jim Eason Show (KGO-AM), KCBS radio news, the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour (PBS), Marketplace (PRI), Meet the Press (NBC), the Reuters newswire, Weekend Edition (NPR), and the World News Roundup (CBS radio). -- Lance Gleich, Stanford CA
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