Beyond the farm

For the week preceding this Saturday, February 22nd, 1997, here's what made the News Beyond the Farm:

China's leader is dead. On Feb 16th, Deng Xiaoping was reportedly hospitalized in critical condition, and Prime Minister Li Peng and designated successor Jiang Zemin returned from travel in remote parts of the country. On Feb 19th, it was announced that Deng had died at the age of 92. While a formal funeral was planned, no foreign dignitaries were invited and public actions of mourning were discouraged. The military formally announced its support of Jiang Feb 22nd, and Jiang gave a speech the same day in which he claimed that China could do better in the world economy than it had under Deng, which some found disrespectful since the comments were made even before a funeral.

The crisis in Korea has not disappeared. Hwang Jang Yop remains in the South Korean embassy in Beijing, China, with North Korea distancing itself from him and South Korea continuing to claim he is a defector. On Feb 20th, South Korea announced it was sending $6 million in food aid to the North. Then, on Feb 21st, the Prime Minister of North Korea died, leaving Kim Jong Il the only remaining major public leader and effectively completing a generational transition in that country. Consequences for Hwang Jang Yop's status or general relations with the South are still unclear. While in Japan Feb 22nd, US Secetary of State Madeleine Albright announced that talks between the two sides would take place Mar 5th.

Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor for the so-called 'Whitewater' scandal, will take a position on the faculty of Pepperdine University Aug 1st. The Feb 17th announcement by the university led many to conclude that Starr has no plans to indict President Clinton or his wife. However, the Whitewater investigation has yet to make that decision, and Starr announced Feb 20th that he would stay with the investigation until it was complete. Attention seems to be turning to the other scandal in Washington, campaign financing. Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), in charge of the investigation of the Democrat's campaign finance improprieties, issued 20 more subpeonas Feb 16th, and hinted that hundreds of people may need to testify. However, leaks that the Chinese government had indirectly contributed to the Clinton campaign were denied by the Clinton administration and were not mentioned by the Congressional investigators. Democrats have started to join Republicans in calling for a special prosecutor in the case, mostly notably Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (NY).

They're Talking About It:

In Shorts:

• Liberal Catholics held street protests across the United States Feb 16th, calling for the church to allow female and married priests.

• Rebels in Tajikistan released all remaining UN and domestic hostages Feb 17th after five of their comrades safely returned from Afghanistan.

• The Zairean government used planes for the first time to bomb rebels advancing in the eastern portion of the country Feb 17th and 18th. At least seven died, but rebel leader Laurent Kubila publically announced that his offensive would continue.

• A strike which would have crippled General Motors' truck production was averted Feb 17th when the United Auto Workers union reached agreement on wages with American Axle.

• CompuServe head Robert Massey quit his job Feb 17th, leading to broad speculation in the media about the future of on-line services.

• Seven alledged members of the Japanese Red Army in Lebanon were arrested Feb 17th on charges dating back to the 1970s.

• The hostage crisis in Peru set a Latin American record for duration Feb 17th when it entered its 62nd day. By press time, Tupac Amaru rebels had admitted they would be unable to get their complete goal of all group members in jail being released, but they claimed to still be hopeful to get group leaders released.

• While on a worldwide trip which had taken her to France Feb 17th, US Secretary of State adeleine Albright suggested Feb 18th that the US and Russia should create a joint military brigade. Russia reacted in a cool fashion, and Albright was unable to convince them that NATO expansion was not a threat in meetings Feb 21st.

• Mudslides in Peru killed at least 300 people Feb 18th.

• The Air Force announced new flight rules Feb 18th designed to minimize conflicts with civilian aircraft.

• The strike by public workers in Colombia ended Feb 18th when the government made a small compromise on wages.

• The Supreme Court ruled Feb 19th that protesters must be allowed outside abortion clinics beyond a fifteen-foot radius, overturning a rule that provided for a fifteen-foot 'bubble' around women approaching a clinic.

• Also Feb 19th, the Supreme Court ruled that police may force people from their vehicles when they are pulled over for safety reasons.

• Mexican 'drug czar' Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo was fired and then arrested on corruption charges Feb 19th.

• A judge ruled Feb 20th that new tests should take place on the gun used by James Earl Ray to shoot Martin Luther King Jr., potentially the first step to allowing Ray to have a trial.

• Sen. John Glenn (D-OH) announced Feb 20th that he will not run for re-election in 1998.

• 30 US jets were deployed in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar for training purposes Feb 20th.

• Violence again erupted in Tirana, Albania Feb 20th when students threw stones at police. Protestors believe the government should take action against pyramid schemes which have lost many Albanians their entire net worth.

• A 20-day strike by bus drivers in Toulouse, France was settled Feb 20th, but strikes continue in the rest of the nation.

• The Space Shuttle Discovery landed Feb 21st after five spacewalks to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

• A huge winter snowstorm hit the midwest Feb 21st.

• A nail bomb exploded in a gay night club in Atlanta Feb 21st, prompting concerns that a serial bomber is in action in the area. Another bomb was photographed and safely exploded Feb 22nd.

• 30,000 refugees in Zaire abandoned Kalima Camp in the eastern part of the country Feb 22nd, apparently fearing a rebel offensive. Ironically, the same day, rebel leader Laurent Kubila announced he was halting his offensive to give peace talks suggested by South African President Nelson Mandela a chance to succeed.

• Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto testified for the first time about the death of her brother Feb 22nd.

• Robert Sarnoff, the former NBC executive who helped bring the world color television, died Feb 22nd at the age of 78.

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, Face the Nation (CBS radio), KCBS radio news, Newsday (BBC/PRI), Newsdesk (BBC/PRI), the News Hour with Jim Lehrer (PBS), and the Reuters newswire. Compiled by: Lance Gleich, Stanford CA.