News beyond the farm

For the week preceding this Saturday, February 3rd, 1996, here's what made the News Beyond the Farm:

Perhaps a fight will ensue for the Republican nomination yet. Most polls taken since Jan 29th in New Hampshire have shown millionaire Steve Forbes ahead of former front-runner Sen. Bob Dole, usually by a 30% to 25% margin. Forbes' platform primarily consists of a 17% flat tax to replace the current graduated income tax. On Feb 3rd, he finally added another item to his stump speech, saying he favors a complete ban on abortion. In response, Dole has started running negative ads against Forbes, questioning why the millionaire has not released his tax returns and whether he has enough experience to run the country.

The Week in the Balkans:

• US Lt. Col. Shawn W. Watts was grazed by a apparently-random gunfire in Sarajevo Jan 28th and became the second casualty of US involvement in Bosnia.

• A British troop carrier hit a mine in Bosnia Jan 28th, killing three soldiers.

• The prisoner-of-war exchange between the Serbs and Bosnian government was completed Jan 28th.

• Two more US soldiers were injured by a land mine Feb 1st.

• The first US soldier hurt by a land mine, Lt. Robert Washburn, was awarded the purple heart Feb 2nd.

• American soldier Donald Doogan was killed by a land mine north of Tuzla at Gradacac Feb 3rd, becoming the first fatality of US involvement.

They're Talking About It:

In Shorts:

• Two nuns were killed in Waterville, ME Jan 27th; Mark Beechard has been charged with the crime. Witnesses say he was "crazed."

• The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superbowl XXX Jan 28th, 27-17, in a game which many called the first interesting Superbowl in a decade.

• At least 10,000 Ethiopian Jews marched on the streets of Jerusalem Jan 28th. The group was upset that Israeli medics had been throwing out their blood donations for years. Prime Minister Shimon Peres met with group leaders to diffuse the crisis.

• Eccentric millionaire John du Pont was captured by police Jan 28th when he attempted to fix a heating system in his mansion which police had turned off; he was charged with the murder of a champion wrestler, Dave Schultz.

• Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan met with South African president Nelson Mandela Jan 28th as part of a worldwide tour which also led him to Mohammar Quaddafi, among others.

• France announced the end of its nuclear testing program Jan 29th. While visiting the US Jan 31st, President Jacques Chirac moved to sign a comprehensive test ban treaty, causing many nations to accuse France of hypocracy.

• An F-14 crashed near Nashville Jan 29th, killing five people. Several squadrons of F-14s were temporarily grounded pending an investigation of the incident.

• The cease-fire in Afghanistan was broken Jan 29th when rockets again rained on Kabul from Taliban rebel positions.

• Gunmen killed 8 and injured 3 more in Johannesburg Jan 29th.

• Rep. Ron Wyden became the first Democrat elected a senator from the state of Oregon in decades when results were released Jan 30th. Wyden defeated Republican Godeon Smith, 48% to 47%. The race received national attention since it had been conducted using only mail-in ballots.

• A car bomb exploded in Colombo, Sri Lanka Jan 30th, killing 80 people and injuring 1400.

• Sudan came under heavy international criticism Jan 31st, as the United Nations passed a resolution calling on that nation to stop supporting terrorism, and the United States withdrew its diplomatic staff, citing unsafe conditions.

• The Federal Reserve Bank lowered the Federal Funds rate to 5.25% Jan 31st.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record 5405 Feb 1st, after five days of significant gains, breaking the 5400 barrier for the first time.

• Colombian President Ernesto Samper admitted for the first time Jan 31st that his 1994 campaign had been funded by drug cartels. Samper may resign if he can make a deal which will make him immune from prosecution, according to various sources in Colombia.

• A hoard of dynamite stored in the basement of an apartment building in Hunan province, China, exploded Jan 31st, leveling a neighborhood, killing at least 80 and injuring hundreds.

• A 49-car BNSF freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed on the steep grades of Cajon Pass in California Feb 1st, north of San Bernadino. I-15 was closed for most of the day; two train crew members were killed.

• Wlodzimierz Cimoszemiez became the new prime minister of Poland Feb 1st.

• Antonio Maccanico was named the new prime minister of Italy Feb 1st; he now needs to form a government.

• The Senate passed the Telecommunications Reform Act Feb 1st, passing the bill along to President Clinton, who says he will sign it. Besides allowing telephone and cable companies to enter each others' fields, the bill bans indecency on the Internet.

• General Motors recalled 920,000 pickup trucks Feb 2nd.

• Apple Computer ousted chairman Michael Spindler and replaced him with comeback expert Gilbert F. Badio Feb 2nd.

• Omni and Longevity magazines ceased publication Feb 2nd, citing increasing paper costs.

• A coup was attempted and failed in Guinea Feb 3rd. Troops had become disgruntled after not receiving a pay raise; President Latsana Cante agreed to a change in reimbursement to end the coup.

• An earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Lijiang, China Feb 3rd, killing at least 200 and injuring at least 1500.

• A strike by miners in Russia was settled Feb 3rd by a huge pay increase agreed to by President Boris Yeltsin's administration.

• Actor Gene Kelley died Feb 2nd at the age of 83.

Finally:

And that's what made the News Beyond the Farm.

Sources this week included All Things Considered (NPR), the Associated Press newswire, the BBC Newshour (BBC/PRI), the Christian Science Monitor, Marketplace (PRI), the New York Times, Newsday (BBC/PRI), Newsdesk (BBC/PRI), the Osgood Files (CBS radio) and the Reuters newswire. Compiled by: Lance Gleich, Stanford CA

News Beyond the Farm is designed to provide a reasonably short summary of a week's events for people who would otherwise have no chance to keep up with current events. It is distributed by direct e-mail. It may be distributed, forwarded, or re-posted anywhere. Check "http://www.stanford.edu/~lglitch/btf/btf.html" on the World Wide Web for back issues and further information. Comments, criticisms, and requests for e-mail subscription additions or deletions should be e-mailed to "lance.gleich@leland.stanford.edu."

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