Briefs (Press, 20 July 1989)

On 20 July 1989, various international news stories highlighted ongoing political, social, and environmental issues across different countries. In Argentina, the newly appointed Minister of Economy, Nestor Rapanelli, faced allegations of fraud and smuggling from Venezuela, where a judge indicated he was wanted on such charges. Rapanelli, however, dismissed the claims stating that the investigation was closed. He had just taken office a week prior. In El Salvador, military forces escalated control over the national university, which is seen as a hub for leftist support, following a violent incident where soldiers opened fire on protesting students. The clash resulted in at least nine injuries and marked the first significant conflict between students and the military since President Alfredo Cristiani assumed office. A British Conservative Party member urged the UK government to suspend aid to Malaysia in response to the Malaysian decision to reject clemency for a Briton, Derrick Gregory, sentenced to death for drug smuggling. Gregory was apprehended in 1982 with a significant amount of heroin, leading to his conviction in 1987. In India, monsoon floods devastated eastern regions, claiming over 80 lives and isolating countless residents as rivers overflowed. In the Andhra Pradesh region, 72 fatalities were reported due to the heavy rainfall, with most drowning or being struck by lightning. In the UK, a strike among dock workers showed signs of weakening, while a one-day strike paralyzed the state-owned rail network for the fifth time in five weeks. Port employers noted that approximately a fifth of the striking dock workers had returned to work. US Navy investigators concluded that the explosion on the USS Iowa, which killed 47 sailors, was a result of sabotage by a sailor, dismissing mechanical faults or accidental detonations as causes. Investigators pointed to a compelling circumstantial case against gunner's mate Clayton Hartwig, suggesting he committed suicide in the explosion. Exxon Corporation reported that the catastrophic oil spill by the Exxon Valdez was due to the ship's manoeuvring to avoid ice, not due to the captain's alleged intoxication, countering prior conclusions about the incident that took place in March in Alaska. President George Bush expressed displeasure towards prominent Republican critics of Vice-President Dan Quayle, stating that their remarks were "personally offensive" and defended Quayle during a press interaction. In cultural news, an unabridged French translation of Salman Rushdie’s contentious book "The Satanic Verses" was slated for release, despite previous delays prompted by outrage from Muslim communities regarding the book’s perceived blasphemy. Tragically, in South Africa, police mistakenly shot three young children during a high-speed chase through Soweto, leaving one critically injured. Additionally, recovery efforts continued for victims of a ferry accident in Bangladesh, where 13 bodies had been found over a week after the tragedy, with 47 individuals still missing. The ferry capsized amidst a storm, carrying holidaying passengers just before a major festival.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand