News beyond the farm

For the week preceding this Saturday, November 9th, 1996, here's what made the News Beyond the Farm:

There will be changes in Washington, however. As many as eight cabinet-level and other high-visibility assignments in the Clinton administration will change hands. President Clinton held a press conference Nov 8th (the first since January) to announce that Secretary of State Warren Christopher (now 71 years old) was stepping down, along with White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. Erksine Bowles was announced as the new chief of staff. Others apparently on the way out include Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary, Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor, Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Defense Secretary William Perry, and Transportation Secretary Federico Pena. There may be others. In the Nov 8th press conference, President Clinton implied that he will ask Republicans to fill at least a few of the open posts.

The government of Pakistan was deposed Nov 4th. President Farooq Leghari dissolved parliament and the government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and announced new elections will be held in 60 days. Bhutto's husband was placed under house arrest for some time Nov 5th. The move came after extended protests against the government by the Jamast-i-Islami militant group the previous week.

They're Talking About It:

In Shorts:

• In Bulgarian Presidential elections held Nov 3rd, the Union of Democrat's Peter Staganov won a surprisingly large 59.9% of the vote.

• The Communist Party cleaned up in Serb elections Nov 3rd, gaining 50% of the vote for parliamentary seats, with the unified opposition garnering only 30%.

• American businessman Paul Tatum was shot to death in Moscow Nov 3rd.

• Italian Giacomo Leone surprised many by winning the New York City Marathon Nov 3rd.

• The forces of independent general Abdul Dostum in Afghanistan bombed the Taliban-held city of Herat Nov 4th, apparently in retaliation for Taliban attacks on Dostum's forces near Kabul.

• Another American F-16 fighter fired on an Iraqi air defense battery Nov 4th after that facility apparently locked its radar on the plane. This was the second such incident in a week.

• Tutsi rebels in Zaire declared a cease-fire Nov 4th to allow refugees to return to Rwanda. However, the aid crisis did not stabilize after the cease-fire, and estimates now state that 80,000 children may die this month if the situation does improve. President Mobuto Sese Seko promised Nov 4th to return to Zaire, but he had not by press time.

• Texaco was accused of destroying documents indicating racial discrimination in personnel decisions Nov 4th.

• Russian President Boris Yeltsin underwent at least a quintuple bypass surgery Nov 5th. By Nov 6th, he signed a decree placing himself back in charge of the country, and he was begging to be removed from the hospital Nov 8th.

• Americans living in Saudi Arabia were warned to take "extreme caution" Nov 5th because of terrorist threats.

• South Korea killed two North Korean agents they had been pursuing for some time Nov 5th; three South Korean soliders were killed in the exchange.

• Rebels in the Philippines killed seven soldiers Nov 5th.

• Missouri governor Kirk Fordyce was injured in a car crash Nov 5th.

• The launch of the Mars Observer probe was delayed by weather Nov 6th, but it did get in to space Nov 7th.

• 31 people were killed by rebels near Algiers, Algeria Nov 6th.

• A cyclone ravaged Uttar Pradesh state in India Nov 7th, leaving at least 1000 dead, and tens of thousands homeless. Final damage may not be clear for a week; the city of Hyderabad was especially devastated.

• A 727 crashed in Nigeria Nov 7th, killing all 141 people aboard.

• The Navy admitted it was investigating a sex scandal involving the abuse of female recruits Nov 7th.

• Chevron reached an $8 million settlement for at least 777 employees over sexual discrimination Nov 7th.

• Former state department employee Pierre Salinger claimed Nov 7th that a US missile had brought down TWA flight 800, a rumor that has been circulating on the Internet forever. FBI investigators deny that it is even a possiblity.

• The Dow Jones Industrial average reached a third straight record, at 6219, Nov 8th.

• An 1857 Swedish stamp sold for $2.26 million Nov 8th.

• Former Clinton advisor George Stephanopolous announced Nov 8th that he intends to go to Britain to help the Labor Party.

• Lebanese national Marwan Adib Adam Kadi was extradited from Paraguay to the United States Nov 8th to face charges of threatening the US embassy in that country.

• The Serb regime finally fired General Ratko Mladic, an accused war criminal, Nov 9th. However, they claim he is too ill to stand at a war crimes tribunal.

• An attempt was made to attack and kill Burmese dissident Aun San Suu Kyi Nov 9th; it was clearly government-sanctioned since the area had been cordoned off to the public.

• A Hizbollah attack in southern Lebanon killed one Israeli soldier and injured two others Nov 9th.

• China added new restrictions to US imports of textiles and alcoholic beverages Nov 9th in response to US restrictions on Chinese textiles.

• Evander Holyfield defeated Mike Tyson in eleven rounds for the heavyweight title Nov 9th.

• Former Central African Republic leader Jean-Bedel Bohassa died Nov 4th.

Finally:

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