WHAT HAPPENED ON 14th April 1999?

13th April 1999

PENTAGON ASKED FOR 300 MORE AIRCRAFT

The Pentagon is reviewing a request by Nato supreme commander General Wesley Clark for 300 extra planes to support the air strikes against Yugoslavia. "The goal is to increase Nato's ability to attack Yugoslavian army & security forces in Kosovo " said an official. The requested aircraft include ground attack jets such as F-15Es & F-16s and possibly more heavy bombers. Also involved could be air defence support aircraft & refuelling planes.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th April 1999

NINE LIFE TERMS FOR SERIAL RAPIST

Serial rapist Keith Samuels has been been given nine life terms & ordered to serve at least 18 years in prison. Samuels 35 & from Northampton was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of seven rapes & two firearms offences. The court heard that he had attacked women in Milton Keynes Leamington Spa and Northampton since 1984. He was held in December 1998 after a joint police initiative to investigate a number of rapes across the country.

13th April 1999

GIRAFFE The world's oldest giraffe has died at the age of 34. "Dribbles" was caught in the wild in Uganda in 1966 and had lived at Marwell Zoo near Winchester Hampshire since 1971. DEATHA man has died in an accident at a frozen food warehouse at Coatbridge Lanarkshire. Craig Tweedie 20 was killed when wooden pallets fell on him. CRICKET The start of the first county championship match of the season between Durham & Worcestershire at the Riverside has been delayed ` because of snow.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th April 1999

LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Two Libyans suspected of the Lockerbie bombing have been committed for trial on murder charges in the Netherlands. Al-Amine Khalifa Fhimah 43 and Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi 47 did not enter a plea but say they are innocent Some 259 people on a Boeing 747 died 1989 11 more on the ground were killed The suspects were finally handed over last week in return for a suspension of sanctions against Libya. I

13th April 1999

DEATHS "INEVITABLE" IN KOSOVO ` SPAIN

Spain's Foreign Minister Abel Matutes has said civilian deaths in Yugoslavia are regrettable but unavoidable. "They are very regrettable situations ... & are the inevitable result of situations which we at least do not wish for " he told Spanish radio. He added that a diplomatic solution had to be found in which Russia played a significant role. Spain is to set up a refugee camp in Albania for 10 000 people under the auspices of Caritas & the Red Cross.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th 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

13th April 1999

TUESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER

Britain was sending "substantial reinforcements" to back Nato's action against Serbia Tony Blair told MPs. He said a second Armoured Battle Group would be sent to support military personnel already in Greece & Macedonia swelling their number by about 1 800 to 6 300. Tory Leader William Hague said his party still supported Nato's campaign but to be successful there needed to be a "clear & consistent" strategy.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th April 1999

SIX CANDIDATES QUIT ALGERIA'S ELECTION

Six out of the seven candidates in Algeria's presidential elections have withdrawn from the contest. The six are protesting over allegations of fraud in early voting. The move leaves only Abdelaziz Bouteflika ` favoured by the military ` in the running. It had been hoped that the ballot would give Algeria its first civilian leader after years of an Islamic insurgency that has reprtedly claimed 75 000 lives

13th April 1999

What People were saying on

"I always want to make a speech at the end of a performance ` 'If you don't like it this evening come back tomorrow because it may be ever so much better!

'"Dame Judi Dench.

"Our son Daniel is 21 on January 1 2000. Impressive forward planning?"

Toby Wood of Peterborough in a letter to The Guardian.

"I am full of joy like a water-melon. It is so beautiful to be here. I am really happiful."

Actor Roberto Benigni after winning a Bafta award.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th 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.

13th April 1999

PENTAGON ASKED FOR 300 MORE AIRCRAFT

The Pentagon is reviewing a request by Nato supreme commander General Wesley Clark for 300 extra planes to support the air strikes against Yugoslavia. "The goal is to increase Nato's ability to attack Yugoslavian army & security forces in Kosovo " said an official. The requested aircraft include ground attack jets such as F-15Es & F-16s and possibly more heavy bombers. Also involved could be air defence support aircraft & refuelling planes.

14th April 1999

NATO ADMITS ATTACK ON KOSOVO VEHICLES

column of military vehicles in Kosovo amid Serb claims that up to 64 Kosovo Albanians died in the incident. Nato spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed the strike on a road between Prizren & Djakovica in the province. The Serb-run Media Centre claimed that 64 people were killed & 20 wounded in the village of Meja. But Nato says it has no evidence of the result of the attack.

14th April 1999

HARRIERS IN BACK-TO-BACK AIR STRIKES

RAF Harriers have flown back-to-back raids for the first time as Nato stepped up air strikes on the Serbs. A first wave of jets dropped 1 000lb free-fall bombs through cloud on to an ammunition dump in Kosovo. As soon as the pilots landed engineers refuelled & rearmed the £20m jets & a second wave returned to the target. Group Captain Glenn Edge said the series of strikes were believed to have been successful.