Year in Review-1991
April The D u k e Blue Devils w o n the N C A A basketball tournament, defeating previously unbeaten U N L V and the Kansas Jayhawks. Atheists celebrated their national holiday. Minimum wage increased from $3.80 to $4.25.
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Kevin Seabrook w a s nominated for teacher of the year. A Bangladesh cyclone killed thousands; millions are left homeless.
Kurdish Refugees
About 2 million Iraqi Kurds and other minorities fled north in April 1991 w h e n Kurdish rebels in the north and Shiite Muslim rebels in the south failed to oust President S a d d a m Hussein in the aftermath U.N. passed Persian Gulf cease-fire resolution. of the Persian Gulf War. At least 6,700 of the Iraqi refugees died fleeing to the Turkish border. Iraq accepted U.N. ceasefire demands, and the The most c o m m o n causes of death a m o n g the U.S. began its withdrawal. Kurds were diarrhea, respiratory infections and trauma, the Center for Disease Control reported. H Unemployment rates rose to a four-year high, A n d 63 percent of all deaths occurred a m o n g chilfrom 6.5 percent to 6.8 percent. dren under the age of five. Military units from the United States and at least 16 Space shuttle Atlantis launched a Gamma Ray seven other countries participated in a relief effort observatory. along with civilian agencies from about 20 countries. The relatively quick, cooperative response 17 William Kennedy Smith was accused of rape. helped keep the death rate as low as it was. "There were U.S. soldiers, Dutch nurses and Red Cross workers working side by side. There w a s 21 Allied troops established a haven for Kurds. very little friction," Dr. Michael J. Toole of the CDC's International Health Program Office said. "It 24 Sununu's military flights publicly questioned. really w a s an unprecedented effort." The United States spent about $443 million on the 30 Exxon plea bargain was rejected in Alaska oil Kurdish relief effort. spill; $100 million fine deemed insufficient. The Ozone was discovered to be shrinking twice as fast as before thought.
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