A break in sieges this day. The war raging in the former Yugoslavia got something of a break on April 17th 1994, when Bosnian Serbs agreed to end their siege of Gorazde and allow 300 UN Peacekeepers to take up positions on the front lines. It was also reported that some 15 Canadian Peacekeepers being held as hostages by the Bosnian Serbs would be released.

Still, it didn't mean an end to fighting as skirmishes were still going on in other parts of the war-torn region. But any lull in the madness was welcomed, even briefly.

In other news - it was reported a 17 year old, held in the murders of 3 co-workers at a Popeye Fried Chicken drive-thru in Alabama would be charged as an adult in the crime.

And Country Star Minnie Pearl is the first Female comic to be inducted in the National Comedy Hall of Fame.

At least there was something funny somewhere this day.

As reported on ABC Information Radio's World News for Sunday, April 17, 1994.

The Dog Days of Summer in history appear to be anything but, when looking at the goings on this particular week in 1949.

Congressional Hearings over a mysterious character named John Maragon, who managed to get himself in high positions for seemingly no apparent reason, yielded as much as his reputation did in his repeated use of the fifth Amendment. The hearings ended knowing less about the highly influential man than when they started. Our tax dollars at work.

In other Congressional news, the much promised Civil Rights Legislation brought down the wrath of the South, in the form of the Dixiecrats, who swore up and down they would defeat any bills brought before Congress having anything to do with Civil Rights. At one point, the DNC met and tossed a number of highly visible Dixiecrats out of the party, and even President Truman weighed in on the fracas.

Hurricane season was starting - then as now, the East Coast was braced for whatever was coming their way. Of course, in 1949 there were no satellites and no way of predicting where or when they would arrive. Everyone just nervously watched the skies and tides.

The FCC this week ruled no more giveaway programs on Radio which was, up until the point, a staple in the diet of most Networks.

Veteran entertainer and legendary star from Vaudeville Harry Lauder was near death in Glasgow. And controversy erupted among the press on both sides of the Atlantic over the economic recovery in Britain and the lean towards Socialism taking place. Both the right and left wings of the Fourth Estate got their digs in.

And this week marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of World War 2 (at least the war in Europe), and a goodly chunk of the program is given over to historic recordings of Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain and the ominous days ten years earlier. Good historic stuff. Interesting too, are the contrasts with Germany today and the voices of present-day (in 1949) Germany.

Everything that happened this week in 1949, which just so happened August 28th was a Sunday too, via NBC Radio's "unique experiment in News" Voices and Events.

Just thought you'd like to hear what it was all about.

August 4, 1978 - Unemployment was up to 6.2% - an increase from 5.7% in June. And in direct contrast to today's drop of over 500 points, the Stock Market was going nutty with a dramatic rise of over 23 points during the week (in 1978 dollars, that was a big deal). President Carter was on the road selling his proposal to reform the Civil Service System. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance was on the road to the Middle East again, trying to keep the on-again/off-again peace talks going. Texas was getting deluged and there was flooding all over the state. In the UK, former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was arrested on attempted murder charges. Something about Male models. Things were heating up big-time between Vietnam and Cambodia with skirmishes and fire fights heading into all-out war. And to top it all off, Southern California builders were going into hysterics over a shortage of cement.

On some days they just scratched for news. But this was what was going on this particular August 4th, via the CBS World News Roundup with Dallas Townsend.

For all intents and purposes, a normal day in history. August 2nd 1994 saw Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell unveiling his plan for Healthcare as something of an alternative to what was already being bandied about. The infamous Whitewater Investigation was rolling on. Primaries were being held around the country as a prelude to the upcoming Fall Off-Year elections. The CIA let it be known it was aware of Aldrich Ames a good three years before he was finally unmasked as a Russian spy. Zaire had the ominous distinction of replacing Cholera with Dysentery as a major epidemic sweeping the African nation. And on the subject of epidemics, AIDS was now an official threat to Asia, mostly from all the sex-tours and rampant needle use. Wild fires were raging out of control in the Pacific Northwest. Baseball soon-to-be-legend Cal Ripkin had just tied the record set by Lou Gehrig for 2,000 consecutive games played. And The Rolling Stones kicked off their 1994/1995 Voodoo Lounge Tour in the U.S.

As August 2nd's go - this one wasn't so bad. At least according to the CBS World News Roundup, as it was broadcast on that day seventeen years ago.