In an attempt to bring about a peace treaty, President Bush announced that the United States will begin to lift sanctions on North Korea, according to the New York Times. The Bush Administration went on to stipulate that sanctions will only be removed as North Korea relinquishes nuclear armament.
France and Germany refused a draft proposed by the U.S. Thursday, Sept. 4. The plan set forth in the U.S. draft included the use of multi-national troops in post-war Iraq with the united States in charge. Gerhard Schroeder, the German chancellor, and Jacques Chirac, the French president, suggested that the United Nations have more input in the conduct of post-war Iraq. They went on to say that they are not averse to a compromise.
Presdent Bush, in a speech on Sunday, Sept. 7, said that they would be requesting an additional $87 million beyond the $67 billionsn alrady approved to be spent until Tuesday, Sept. 30 on military and intelligence support in Iraq.
Hurricane Fabian, the first strong hurricane of the season, hit Bermuda Friday, Sept. 5. It was the strongest hurricane Bermuda has seen in more than 50 years with winds reaching 120 miles per hour. Four people are missing and presumed dead after their cars were swept off a bridge. Fabian is losing strength now that it is moving northward into cooler water.
Isabel, the second in this series of hurricanes is rapidly becoming as strong as Fabian, and meteorologists at the national hurricane center in Miami say she may hit the Caribbean by the end of the week.
A record setting 261 people were sued in the recording industry’s latest attempt to end Internet piracy. This action is intended to set guidelines for Internet swapping and copyright enforcement. Four college students recently settled with the music industry by paying from $12,000 to $17,000 each for their downloading.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat nominated Amed Qurei Monday, Sept. 8, to be the next Palestinian Prime Minister. Qurei is currently the speaker of the Palestinian Parliament, and, according to the New York Times, he is known as a “pragmatist.” This comes after the sudden resignation of Mahmoud Abbas, favored by the United States as a leader open to a peace treaty.
Posted to the web by Cecelia Francisco
