EVENTS
JAPANESE CRISIS AND ECONOMIC SUMMIT In reaction to the political upheaval in Japan, President Clinton said the turmoil would complicate next month's seven-nation economic summit in Tokyo, but that he was confident progress could be made. Clinton emphasized that Tokyo will have to open up its markets to the West regardless of who is elected to head its shaken government. "They can't withdraw from the world or shut us out now," Mr. Clinton said in a radio interview June 21. Haitian meeting proposed
Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras, Haiti's military leader, offered on June 21 to meet with exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a neutral country. The bid was made in an attempt to stave off a world embargo on Haiti set to begin at midnight June 23.
United Nations Special Envoy Dante Caputo said he needed time to decide whether the letter is a serious proposal or another delaying tactic. Weeks earlier, General Cedras turned down Mr. Caputo's request for a similar meeting. Muslim extremists charged
An Egyptian military prosecutor on June 22 charged 32 suspected Muslim extremists with terrorist attacks on police and Christian-owned jewelry stores in which five people died. The death penalty was demanded for most of them.
The indictment says the 32 defendants belong to an illegal organization known as Al-Shawkeen that aims at imposing Islamic rule on Egypt.
Military courts have sentenced 22 Egyptians to death in connection with an 18-month extremist campaign to overthrow the country's secular government. One has been executed. Major denies donations
Prime Minister John Major on June 22 denied a newspaper report alleging that Saudi Arabia had donated millions of dollars to his Conservative Party just before last year's April election.
The Guardian newspaper carried a front-page story June 22 alleging the Conservatives, already under pressure for accepting funds from fugitive businessman Asil Nadir, had taken the money after a meeting between a minister and prominent Saudi Arabians. One Conservative rule is that money should not be taken from foreign governments. Algerian assassinated
A noted sociologist was killed at his Algiers home the morning of June 22, shortly after being named to an official think tank to replace a colleague killed in a similar attack in March.
There was no claim of responsibility for the killing of Muhammed Boukhobza. But it bore the earmarks of previous attacks blamed on Islamic extremists fighting to topple Algeria's military-backed leaders. They have recently begun targeting intellectuals, many with ties to the regime. Austrians protest bishop
In a rare protest against Austria's powerful Roman Catholic church, thousands are taking to the streets and demanding the resignation of a bishop accused of being conservative and authoritarian.
Church liberals say appointments, such as that of Bishop Kurt Krenn, are undermining the standing and influence of Catholic teaching. Since being appointed in September 1991, Bishop Krenn's style of leadership and his conservative views such as banning girls from serving as altar assistants have led to mounting criticism. Citizenship ceremony
The chairman of the board of United States English on June 22 called on Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner Chris Sale to stop a travesty before it happens. At issue is a US citizenship ceremony scheduled to be conducted primarily in Spanish on Friday, July 2, by the INS for 75 immigrants in Tucson, Ariz. According to the INS, this will be the first time it has offered such a ceremony in a foreign language.
US District Judge Alfredo C. Marquez, who is set to conduct the ceremony, has reportedly said that though the prospective new citizens can understand English, it "is more meaningful to them in their native language."
Pat Nixon, former first lady
Pat Nixon, the uncomplaining silent partner in Richard Nixon's quarter century of political triumph and disgrace, died June 22 at the Nixon home in Park Ridge, N.J. She was 81.
