From the International Desk
Published 5/19/2003 5:18 PM
View printer-friendly version

Bush vows to pursue 'road map'

WASHINGTON, May 19 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush said Monday the administration-backed "road map" for Middle East peace still stands despite a flurry of terrorist attacks in Israel and the Palestinian territories. "It's clear there are people there that still cannot stand the thought of peace, and therefore it reminds ... people in the region that if you're interested in moving the peace process, join us in fighting terror." The bombings -- five in 48 hours -- killed about 16 people in Jerusalem, northern Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

-0-

France may back move to end Iraq sanctions

PARIS, May 19 (UPI) -- French President Jacques Chirac indicated Monday his readiness to support a U.S-British resolution to lift sanctions against Iraq if an anticipated role for the United Nations is reinforced. Chirac's message, delivered by a presidential spokeswoman and reported on France 2 TV, offers the latest manifestation of France's new "pragmatic" approach to world affairs, now that the war in Iraq is over. The U.N. Security Council was split over the decision to attack Iraq. While Britain and the United States supported the measure, France, China and Russia opposed it. The war, which the U.S.-led coalition conducted claiming sanction from previous U.N. resolutions, toppled the government of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

-0-

SARS outbreak exploding in Taiwan

WASHINGTON, May 19 (UPI) -- Taiwan Monday reported 70 new cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome and five more deaths. The increase makes "Taiwan the most rapidly growing outbreak at present," the World Health Organization said in a written statement. To date, 344 SARS cases and 40 deaths have been reported there. As Taiwanese officials struggled to control the disease, Russia's Transaero Airlines announced flights between Moscow and Taipei will be postponed indefinitely because of SARS and a lack of demand among the business community and travel agencies.

-0-

Palestinian clash kills 7, wounds 20

SIDON, Lebanon, May 19 (UPI) -- Rival Palestinian guerrillas clashed Monday in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, killing seven people and injuring 20 others. The clashes broke out at midday between guerrillas of the mainstream Fatah movement and the Islamist Isbat al-Nour in the Ein el-Helweh camp at the outskirts of Sidon, 24 miles south of Beirut. Fighters exchanged machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades in three areas inside the camp, the largest shantytown in south Lebanon where some 65,000 refugees live.

-0-

Big hurricane season predicted this year

MIAMI, May 19 (UPI) -- Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center predicted Monday there will be more tropical storms and hurricanes this hurricane season than normal. They estimated there would be 11-15 tropical storms, six to nine hurricanes, and two to four storms with winds of more than 115 mph during the season that begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. The long-term average is 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes per year. There were 12 named storms in 2002 but only four hurricanes and two intense hurricanes. James R. Mahoney, deputy administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in the last two years alone, nine tropical storms and one hurricane hit the United States, causing 54 deaths and $6.3 billion in damage.

-0-

Court: Tribes can't use civil rights suits

WASHINGTON, May 19 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday an Indian tribe cannot sue the government under federal civil rights law. The law was designed to secure private rights against government encroachment, the Supreme Court said, but a tribe is a "sovereign" entity like the states. While an individual member of the tribe could sue under the law, the tribe as a whole could not, the opinion written by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said. The Bishop Paiute Tribe in California chartered and owns the Bishop Paiute Gaming Corp., which in turn operates and manages the Pauite Palace Casino.

-0-

N. Michigan residents assess flood damage

MARQUETTE, Mich., May 19 (UPI) -- Residents of Michigan's Upper Peninsula Monday assessed damage from floodwaters that devastated half of Marquette and much of the lower Dead River basin. Gov. Jennifer Granholm toured the area by helicopter Sunday and said she would seek federal disaster assistance. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were to arrive in Marquette County Tuesday morning to tour the flood-ravaged zone. The Presque lsle Power Plant, the largest power station in the region, was shut down for a fifth day and could be out of commission for up to four weeks.

-0-

Stocks tumble on dollar weakness

NEW YORK, May 19 (UPI) -- Prices on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market were sharply lower Monday, knocked down by comments from Treasury Secretary John Snow at the Group of Eight meeting of finance ministers in France that appeared to suggest authorities will not take action to stop the dollar's meltdown. The blue-chip Dow Jones industrial average, which lost 34.17 points Friday, lost 185.58 points, or 2.1 percent, to close at 8,493.39. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index, which fell 12.85 points in the previous session, fell 45.76 points, or 2.9 percent, to 1,492.77.

-0-

Report: Stringer family settles with doctor

MINNEAPOLIS, May 19 (UPI) -- The family of Korey Stringer, a Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle who died in training camp in 2001, reached an out-of-court settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit against the team's doctor, a judge said Monday. The amount of the settlement was undisclosed. Stringer's widow, Kelci, filed the lawsuit against the team and Dr. David Knowles of the Mankato (Minn.) Clinic after her husband's death, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. Kelci Stringer alleged her husband was a victim of poor medical treatment on the two days prior to his death from heat stroke on Aug. 1, 2001. He became ill after a practice session two days before he died. Knowles had coordinated the Vikings' medical care during that training camp.

-0-

Roddick advances at Raiffeisen Grand Prix

ST. POLTEN, Austria, May 19 (UPI) -- Top seed Andy Roddick recorded a straight-sets win Monday but fellow Americans Taylor Dent and Jan-Michael Gambill were not as fortunate in the first round of the International Raiffeisen Grand Prix. Roddick, seeking his first title of the year, defeated Spaniard Alberto Martin, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) to advance to a meeting with qualifier Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round of the claycourt event. Roddick has reached two finals this year but has not won since last April when he defeated former World No. 1 Pete Sampras in Houston.