International Events in September 1997
1st Sep
Taiwan's President, Mr. Lee Teng-hui swears in Island state's new
Cabinet, headed by Mr. Vincent Siew, former Economics Minister,
who took over from Mr. Lien Chan as Premier. Mr. Lien retains his
seat as Vice-President.
4th Sep
At least eight persons are killed and 200 injured, as suicide
bombers blow themselves up in crowded outdoor pedestrian mall in
Central Jerusalem, throwing West Asia peace process in jeopardy.
7th Sep
Moscow celebrates 850 birthday with lavish party that outshines
even grandiose Soviet-era bashes.
8th Sep
Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, secures two more
years at helm of ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Indonesian President, Mr. Suharto, receives United Nations Development Programme award in Jakarta. It is in recognition of his efforts to eradicate poverty.
One-man movie machine Steven Spielberg garners top spot on the Forbes Top 40 list of the World's highest-paid entertainers earning $ 313 millions in 1996-97.
10th Sep
South Africa's new leader of National Party, Mr. Marthinus van
Schalkwyk, takes over after president and Nobel laureate Mr. F.
W. de Klerk, quits party post.
12th Sep
U.S. Space engineers, in a step towards possible manned mission
to Mars, blast a tiny robotic craft into orbit around the red
planet to map surface for landing sites.
Scotland casts aside doubts and votes overwhelmingly in favour of greater autonomy within United Kingdom.
13th Sep
International communications company Iridium successfully
launches more satellites into orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
in Kazakhstan.
15th Sep
Swiss bank accounts of former Prime Minister, Ms. Benazir Bhutto,
her jailed husband Mr. Asif Zardari, and her mother, Begum Nursat
Bhutto, are frozen following request from Pakistan Government.
17th Sep
United Nations General Assembly opens 52nd session with focus on
`comprehensive reforms package' presented by Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan, and ways and means to resolve financial crisis
facing world body.
19th Sep
U.S. conducts underground explosive test on radio active
plutonium at Nevada site. Experiments designed to check safety
and reliability of U.S. nuclear stockpile.
Wales votes by narrowest of margins in favour of creating its own elected Assembly. The close result saves British Government an embarrassing defeat.
22nd Sep
U.S. President, addressing 52nd session of General Assembly,
gives strong support to reform plan of Secretary-General, Mr.
Kofi Annan.
China cautions World Bank and International Monetary Fund that straying into areas like corruption is outside their competence and they should adhere to respective mandates.
23rd Sep
Mr. Bill Clinton nominates former Governor of Ohio, Mr. Richard
Leleste, as next Ambassador to India.
Mir crew restart space station's computer and fix other problems in advance of rendezvous with U.S. shuttle Atlantis.
U.S. and Japan agree to strengthen military relationship despite warnings from China that the stronger alliance is provocation that would threaten peace and stability throughout Asia.
24th Sep
Pop Singer Elton John's new version of `Candle in the wind,'
which he sang at funeral of Princess Diana has sold 8 million
copies in advance sales in U.S. Recording Industry Association of
America gives song multi-platinum status.
South Korean President, Mr. Kim Young Sam resigns as head of ruling New Korea Party to help boost the image of its presidential candidate.
25th Sep
1997 annual meetings of IMF in Hong Kong and World Bank end with
Mr. Michel Camdessus, MD of the IMF, saying Governments should
not ``outlaw'' speculative activity in currency markets. A ban
will only make speculators create parallel circuits and continue
with their trading.
Poland's Premier, Mr. Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, announces resignation, hours after Solidarity alliance was proclaimed winner in elections.
26th Sep
All 234 passengers including 12 crew on board Indonesian Airbus
killed as plane explodes and bursts into flames while approaching
airport in smog-hit northern Sumatra island of Indonesia.
27th Sep
Russian President, Mr. Boris Yeltsin, signs controversial
religion Bill that enshrines Russian Orthodox Church as the
country's pre-eminent religion and limits the activities of other
religious groups.
Former Soviet leader, Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, is awarded France's top cultural honour, named a commander of Arts and Letters.
28th Sep
U.S. space shuttle Atlantis docks with Russia's Mir space station
for controversial exchange of American astronauts. The metallic
docking ports of the craft came together in darkness as they
soared 392 km above Central Asia.
Mexico city orders cars off roads and stops factories from working full time as pollution levels soar. The Metropolitan Environment Commission declares a Phase I emergency as ozone levels go above permitted levels.
Massive relief and rescue operations are on in Bangladesh as army troops and civilian volunteers start combing the debris left behind by cyclone in which 300 are feared drowned.