WHAT HAPPENED ON 13th April 1999?

12th April 1999

What People were saying on

"I've never really thought of myself as an actress."

Elizabeth Taylor.

"This ephemeral theme park will be stuffed with everything people don't come to Britain for: a vision of the island that obliterates our history in favour of a synthetic hi-tech Disneyland phantasmagoria of New Labour Utopia."

Sir Roy Strong on the Millennium Dome.

"One reason why the world has become so boring is because sex is everywhere. It's deadly."

Emma Tennant author of a book about her days as a debutante.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

COUNTDOWN TO END OF BRITISH BEEF BAN

Britain could export beef for the first time in three years in June if an inspection by EC veterinary experts proves satisfactory say EU officials. A ban was imposed after the Government admitted a possible link between mad cow disease in cattle & new variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease in humans. EU farm ministers cleared British beef for export last November. A final inspection at meat processing plants & slaughterhouses is under way

12th April 1999

PARLIAMENT CLOSED FOR EASTER BREAK

Parliament has risen for the Easter break. The Commons returns on Tuesday April 13 for a second reading of the Health Bill which proposes to end the NHS internal market. The Lords returns on Monday April 12 for second reading debates on the Tax Credits Bill & the Local Government Bill.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER

The Commons is resuming after the Easter break. Deputy PM John Prescott & ministers for the Environment Transport & the Regions respond to MPs at question time Health Secretary Frank Dobson opens the second reading debate on the Health Bill ending GP fundholding. The Lords debates the second reading of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill reducing the age of consent for male

12th April 1999

The Paris-basedInternational Herald

Tribunereports on Yugoslavia's with Russia & Belarus. This is a move which it describes as a "largely symbolic attempt" to gain support from the Slavic world in resisting the Nato bombing campaign. Germany'sFrankfurter Rundschaualso nostalgic idea but hopes it will provide a signal to the Europeans to be more decisive in approaching Russia.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

US "AGAINST HALT TO BOMBING CAMPAIGN"

The US says it is talking to Germany about a peace plan on Kosovo but it will not discuss a halt to bombing until Yugoslavia meets Nato demands. The German plan suggests a 24-hour to withdraw from Kosovo. An international force would then go in. The plan is being debated by European leaders in Brussels. Nato's Jamie Shea said the plan would

12th April 1999

HINT OF NATO COMPROMISE ON KOSOVO FORCE

Nato has hinted at a concession over the international force it says must be allowed into Kosovo to guarantee an end to oppression in the province. The alliance appears to have softened its insistence on the force being Nato-led. Secretary-General Javier Solana told reporters in Brussels that Nato members would be the key contributors. But he avoided insisting on official Nato leadership of the force.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

US ACCUSED OF PROVIDING KLA WITH ARMS

Russia has accused the US of providing military aid to Kosovo Liberation Army fighters in violation of the UN arms embargo on Yugoslavia. The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that "if the reports are confirmed it is a gross violation of UN Security Council resolutions". It claims it has evidence of a flow of US aid to the KLA. The US & Nato states had used KLA information to guide planes it added.

12th April 1999

Hungary has allowed most of a Russian

convoy that was stopped at its border to proceed to Yugoslavia. An agreement has reportedly been reached to allow the Russian-Belarusian However the convoy's five armoured vehicles which were classified as military could not enter the country and their loads were transferred. Budapest had held up the convoy saying it broke sanctions against Yugoslavia.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

US ACCUSED OF PROVIDING KLA WITH ARMS

Russia has accused the US of providing military aid to Kosovo Liberation Army fighters in violation of the UN arms embargo on Yugoslavia. The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that "if the reports are confirmed it is a gross violation of UN Security Council resolutions". It claims it has evidence of a flow of US aid to the KLA. The US & Nato states had used KLA information to guide planes it added.

12th April 1999

TONGA

The Pacific kingdom is mourning the death of the country's longest- serving prime minister Prince Fatafehi Tu'ipelehake brother of the king. Prince Tu'ipelehake died in Auckland New Zealand after a long illness Radio Australia reported. SPAIN Defence Minister Eduardo Serra Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Serra said allied troops in Bosnia were prepared to capture war criminals included on the International Criminal Court's list EFE news agency said.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

CHERNOMYRDIN NAMED AS ENVOY TO BELGRADE

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has named his former prime minister veteran statesman Viktor Chernomyrdin as his envoy to Yugoslavia. The move comes after Russia & the US pledged to work together to try to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said it was in the interest of both governments to work together. Russia has said it is determined Nato's bombing campaign must end.

12th April 1999

BLAIR LAUNCHES LABOUR'S POLL CAMPAIGN

The Prime Minister has launched Labour's mid-term elections campaign. Tony Blair said only his party could ensure massive public investment in schools & hospitals. Votes for opponents in the Welsh Assembly Scots Parliament & local councils would "put at risk a £40bn cash boost pledged by the Chancellor". The elections are being seen as a test of popularity for Labour. Analysts say it is steeling itself for large losses. I

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

SINN FEIN REJECTS BLAIR-AHERN PROPOSAL

Sinn Fein has said it will not accept the plan put forward by Tony Blair & his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern. Negotiator Mitchel McLaughlin said he had formally rejected the Hillsborough declaration at multi-party talks. It was "an attempt to move away from the Good Friday Agreement" he insisted After the talks N Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam maintained that discussions would continue on decommissioning of arms & the setting up of an executive

12th April 1999

TONGA

The Pacific kingdom is mourning the death of the country's longest- serving prime minister Prince Fatafehi Tu'ipelehake brother of the king. Prince Tu'ipelehake died in Auckland New Zealand after a long illness Radio Australia reported. SPAIN Defence Minister Eduardo Serra Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Serra said allied troops in Bosnia were prepared to capture war criminals included on the International Criminal Court's list EFE news agency said.

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

FORCE NEEDED TO BACK AID WORK ` OGATA

Aid workers will only return to Kosovo if Serb troops withdraw the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees has said. An international force was needed to protect UNHCR staff said Sadako Ogata. She said that up to 525 000 Kosovo Albanians had fled its borders & gone to neighbouring countries. Nato Secretary General Javier Solano said that "all possible alternatives" for displaced people from Kosovo were being studied.

12th April 1999

SHARE PRICES

13th April 1999

EXTRA 1 800 UK TROOPS SENT TO BALKANS

Tony Blair has announced that Britain is to send an extra 1 800 troops to Macedonia & Greece. The Prime Minister told the Commons that the reinforcements would consist of a second armoured battle group to be sent from Germany & the UK. A total of 6 300 UK military personnel will now be stationed in the region. He said Nato's concern was now for those half a million or so Kosovo Albanians still inside the province.

13th April 1999

5 000 UK JOBS THREATENED AFTER SHAKE-UP

Engineering & construction company Kvaerner has hit the engineering industry with a radical shake-up which puts more than 5 000 jobs at risk. The firm is ending its UK shipbuilding operations offering its Govan Glasgow and Clydebank yards up for sale. The Norwegian firm is also selling its bridge building operation in Darlington Its Davy Roll operations in Gateshead and Sheffield are also for sale and other operations are under review.