WORLD NEWS HEADLINES
EARTHQUAKE
Last night, Jan 1st, there was an earthquake (4.2 on the Richer Scale) north of San Diego (near Borrego Springs). No damages or injuries have been reported so far.
ARGENTINA
Argentina ended 2001 leaderless and penniless on Monday with its new interim president resigning a week into the job and the country fearing more bloodshed and the loss of savings frozen in the banks.
Plunged into chaos by looting and deadly riots that forced Fernando de la Rua to resign as president a week ago, Argentina fell deeper into anarchy when interim leader Adolfo Rodriguez Saa quit on Sunday after losing the support of his party.
INDIA/PAKISTAN
According to Focus Online, a serious battle was fought at the end of the year between India and Pakistan. Four soldiers were killed, and seven bunkers were destroyed. Tony Blair announced that he will try to intervene.
AFGHANISTAN
According to an Internet article of December 31, 2001, of Der Spiegel, an American attack killed more than 100 civilians in the eastern part of Afghanistan. Although American news channels originally reported that the U.S. government denied this report, Der Spiegel states now that the U.S. government did NOT deny the attack and that they announced that there will be an investigation. The article continues that the U.S. government does presently not heed to demands to soon cease American bombardments of Afghanistan.
EURO
Europe made history on Tuesday with the midnight launch of euro single currency notes and coins for more than 300 million people, completing an unprecedented monetary union aimed at securing peace and greater prosperity.
The coinage of a millennium was wiped out as the currencies of the 12 euro zone countries began being swapped for what will be the most widely used common money since the Roman Empire.
The new euro notes in purple, yellow, green, blue, red and orange bear architectural designs of bridges and arches rather than national cultural symbols or figureheads. The coins bear national emblems on one side like Germany’s landmark Brandenburg Gate and Belgium’s King Albert, a map of Europe on the reverse.
According to Max Online, the euro started brilliantly, constituting the greatest currency exchange of all times. “Politicians from 12 EU states applauded the historical success towards a politically and economically united Europe,” the article said. It continued, “President Jacques Chirac of France stated that ‘the euro is a victory for Europe which will strengthen its [Europe’s] identity and power.’… Head of State Jose Maria Aznar of Spain stated, ‘The euro is the symbol of strength of our community.’ Minister President Kostas Simitis of Greece added, ‘The euro is one of the strongest currencies in the world. We have now more chances and more hope.’… According to Tony Blair of Great Britain [Great Britain, Denmark and Sweden did not anticipate in the exchange], his country has a massive interest in the success of the euro…. Whether Great Britain itself will introduce the euro, the people of the nation will have to decide, Mr. Blair said.”
THE POPE
New Years Message of the Pope: According to Der Spiegel, the Pope is upset about religious wars. “‘Nobody is permitted to kill for whatever reason in the name of God,’ he said in his New Years Message. Violence in the name of God is always unjustified, and the Holy Land longs for peace, he continued, pointing out that all are brothers and the sons of the same ancestor, Abraham, and all men are sons of the same Holy Father. The Catholic Church begins on January 1 the world year of peace. The message is, according to the Pope, that there can be no peace without justice, and no justice without forgiveness. Both, he said, are indispensable for the promotion of peace.
