Weekly Review

By Roger D. Hodge

A burning plain.

The United Nations Security Council passed another resolution asking the Sudanese government to prevent its proxies from slaughtering people in Darfur (China, Algeria, Pakistan, and Russia abstained). The resolution, which for the first time formally invokes the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, says that the council will "consider" sanctions if the genocide continues.¹ Chaos continued to rule Iraq; there were many attacks by insurgents, including several large suicide bombings, hostages were beheaded, and many civilians, including women and children, were killed in American airstrikes.² Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi broke his hand.³ American weapons inspectors in Iraq once again concluded that Saddam Hussein would have liked to have developed unconventional weapons but did not in fact have such programs.⁴ A classified National Intelligence Estimate prepared for President Bush warned of civil war in Iraq, and the⁵ president said that the country is on a path to a democratic future. Some Republicans were worried about the contradiction between the president's optimistic comments and what is actually happening on the ground. Senator Chuck Hagel observed that "we are in deep trouble in Iraq."⁶ President Vladimir Putin of Russia responded to the recent terror attacks there by announcing plans for a radical restructuring of the Russian political system that would end the popular election of regional governors and district representatives in parliament.⁷ Many of those governors praised Putin's plans; few politicians dared criticize them. Colin Powell expressed "concerns."⁸ NATO was short of troops in Afghanistan.⁹ Volcanic ash rained down on Tokyo.¹⁰

Republicans in West Virginia told voters that Democrats will ban the Bible if John Kerry wins the presidency in November.¹¹ Dick Cheney said that electing John Kerry could lead to another terrorist attack.¹² The federal ban on assault weapons expired.¹³ The mother of a dead American soldier was taken away in handcuffs after she challenged Laura Bush at a campaign rally.¹⁴ Turkish politicians were debating whether to outlaw adultery.¹⁵ Jiang Zemin retired as head of China's military.¹⁶ Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to pay up to $300,000 to Jewish families that agreed to abandon the Gaza Strip.¹⁷ Two Canadian lesbians were granted a divorce.¹⁸ The U.S. Department of Labor said that the average working woman spends twice as much time doing household tasks and caring for children as the average working man; working women also sleep an average one hour less than working men. The survey also said that the average adult has about five hours of leisure time a day and spends half of it watching TV.¹⁹ A schoolteacher was arrested for carrying a weighted bookmark in her purse as she attempted to board an airplane in Tampa, Florida.²⁰ A Texas judge found that the state's system of educational funding is unconstitutional.²¹ A federal judge struck down Pennsylvania's Internet Child Pornography Act because it blocked more than one million legitimate sites in order to block 400 pornographers.²² President Bush worried that because of frivolous lawsuits "too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."²³

The World Health Organization reported that suicide kills more people worldwide than murder and war put together.²⁴ The British House of Commons voted to outlaw fox hunting with dogs after pro-hunting protesters broke into the chamber and insulted the rural affairs minister.²⁵ Martha Stewart asked for permission to begin her five-month prison sentence early instead of waiting for her appeal. Stewart said she would be sad to miss the holiday season but that it was time to reclaim her "good life. I must return to my good works."²⁶ A naughty Indian monkey was sentenced to life in prison.²⁷ Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced a new municipal surveillance system that will use 2,000 remote-controlled cameras that "are the equivalent of hundreds of sets of eyes."²⁸ Scientists were developing a stinky robot that attracts flies, which it then digests and converts into electricity.²⁹ The Cassini spacecraft discovered a new ring around Saturn.³⁰ The Genesis space capsule, which had been collecting sun beams in outer space, crashed into the Utah desert after two helicopters failed to catch it in mid-air as planned.³¹ Efforts to control the global spread of tuberculosis were failing.³² Scientists created a genetically modified fish that produces a human blood-clotting factor.³³ British psychologists warned that people who keep diaries are more likely to suffer from headaches, insomnia, digestive complaints, and social problems.³⁴ A new study found that Legionella bacteria, the cause of Legionnaire's disease, lurks in a quarter of all hot tubs.³⁵ Hippos were dying in Uganda.³⁶