News In Brief 13 June 2005

Tyson Says Media Twisted His Words

After his humiliating defeat Saturday evening, to Irish journeyman Kevin McBride, when he refused to come out for the seventh round, boxer Mike Tyson announced he is retiring from the sport after 20-years.

Tyson confirmed yesterday that is, indeed retiring, but said the media took his words out of context.

In the post-match press conference, Tyson speculated, in a rambling speech, that he may undertake "missionary work in Bosnia or Rwanda".

"You guys always put words in my mouth" said the angry Tyson. "I didn't say that but you write want you want to write.

When asked to clarify what he said, Tyson offered;

"I said that I was going to watch the DVD of Hotel Rwanda. I like that guy, that actor and I got me a brand new DVD player … I mean I have a friend that has a brand new DVD player".

Tyson, paid $5-Million for the match, is over $20-Million in debt to the IRS and other creditors.


Some G8 Members Concerned About Cancelled Debt

Some members of the G8, who on Saturday formally agreed to cancel at least $40-Billion in debt by a bevy of poor nations, expressed concern, including U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow.

Having their debt burden reduce were 18 of the world's poorest countries'. They are Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

All promised to take anticorruption measures but Secretary Snow isn't so sure.

"I've heard rumors" stated Snow, "that some of these countries have already gone out an bought new cars, clothes, taken expensive vacations. This concerns me.

The United States agreed to pay up to $1.75 billion in compensation to international lenders over the next 10 years. Great Britain agreed to pay up to $960 million and other members of the Group of 8 countries have made undisclosed pledges, with more pledges expected from other members, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund