> * Palestinian President Yasser Arafat yesterday called for a
> general strike in the West Bank and Gaza to protest the Israeli
> government approval of expanded Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
> - Arafat equated the decision with a declaration of war
> against the Palestinians.
> - the strike has already gone into effect this morning, with
> increased tensions in the area resulting.
Rob's right, you'd have to be CRAZY to want to settle there.
Also, for Tim...
> * The Russian newspaper Izvestia reports that an "under-the-carpet"
> campaign has begun in Russia to replace President Boris Yeltsin.
> - Yeltsin has appeared in public very infrequently, causing
> renewed concern about his health.
Looks like America isn't the only major country undergoing an internal
coup, eh?
> * The US Treasury Department yesterday denied Nation of Islam
> leader Louis Farrakhan's request that he be allowed to accept
> $1 billion in support from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Where does Gaddafi get that kind of money?
> - the Department said that federal law prohibits the
> acceptance of funds from states linked to terrorism.
> - Farrakhan is in Libya today to receive a human rights prize
> worth $250,000.
Where does Gaddafi even get that kind of money?
> * USA Today reports that the six-month-old national domestic-abuse
> hotline is receiving about 7,000 calls per month.
> - the unexpected use is reportedly placing a strain on
> shelters and other services used to follow up on
> the calls.
I wonder if it's the same 7000 people every month.
> * Three polls released yesterday show President Clinton with
> a growing lead over Republican Bob Dole.
> - an ABC TV poll gave Clinton 52%, Dole 28%, and Perot 7%.
> - a CBS polls gave Clinton 51%, Dole 26%, and Perot 8%.
> - an MSNBC poll gave Clinton 47%, Dole 34%, and Perot 13%.
Ugh. My Bob Dole shares are plummeting again.
> * The San Francisco Examiner reports that California Gov. Pete
> Wilson says he will sign a new bill which allows judges to
> order the chemical castration of repeat sex offenders.
This is constitutional????
> * Farmers in France today have set up blockades on roads throughout
> the country to protest the falling price of beef now that the
> "mad cow" disease scare is over.
> - the farmers stopped and checked trucks suspected of importing
> non-European beef.
French farmers have something against nonEuropean beef?
> * Philip Morris raised its quarterly dividend 20% to $1.20 a share
> yesterday.
> - stock initially rose but closed down 5/8 at 91 1/4.
Wow, Clinton's anti-tobacco policy is good business I guess.
> * National Basketball Association filed suit against America
> Online yesterday for using game scores and data without
> permission.
> - seeks to block the computer online service from using
> real-time information on its games.
Thereby forcing everyone to use ESPNzone.
> * Colorado Rockies yesterday became the first National League
> team in 67 years to have 4 players reach 100 RBI.
There's something to be said for having a home stadium at
such a high altitude.
> * Denmark's Copenhagen Zoo has opened a Homo Sapiens exhibit
> between baboons and a pair of ruffed lemurs.
> - acrobat Henrik Lehmann and newspaper employee Malene Botoft
> will live out their daily existence in a mini-apartment
> until Sept. 15.
How do I get a job like this??? Does the mini-apartment include MTV and
CNN??? And a Net feed???