WHAT HAPPENED ON 8th January 2001?

7th January 2001

BOOST

An application to build a £300m gas line is going to the DTI. It will be the second link between Scotland & Southern Ireland and is expected to create several hundred jobs. BUM NOTEVeteran rocker Rod Stewart has paid a cheeky tribute to Mick Jagger. Hibs fan Stewart commented: "He has an unbelievably small backside & that's what women go for." Warnings from the Wild BBC2 8.00pm

8th January 2001

GOODYEAR AXES 500 JOBS AS DEAL REJECTED

Tyre firm Goodyear is shedding 500 jobs at its Wolverhampton plant after the workforce voted to reject a pay deal. Staff at the plant voted 4 to 1 against the deal which could have saved 250 jobs but involved taking a pay cut. Unions had recommended accepting the deal aimed at raising productivity. After the vote Goodyear said it had "no other option" but to axe the jobs. Building a future for the plant was now "extremely difficult" it added.

8th January 2001

CRASH

Two people who were trapped in their van after it crashed into a lorry this morning are being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. SMUGGLERA man has been jailed for five years for trying to smuggle 22 kilos of cannabis into Scotland. Gerhardus Bester 33 was caught at Edinburgh Airport last September. TECHNOLOGY Mainetti the UK's largest manufacturer of telecommunications ducting systems will announce a £1.9m expansion at its Hawick headquarters tomorrow. It will created up to 100 extra jobs.

7th January 2001

PCA BACKS AL-FAYED'S POLICE COMPLAINTS

The Police Complaints Authority has upheld Mohamed al-Fayed's complaints against the Metropolitan Police. The PCA said it was wrong to arrest the tycoon & five others over claims that gems were stolen from Tiny Rowland's safe deposit box at Harrods. It said alleged payments by the tycoon to Harrods' ex-security chief should have been probed before the arrests. Mr al-Fayed said he was "delighted" with the authority's ruling.

8th January 2001

GOODYEAR AXES 500 JOBS AS DEAL REJECTED

Tyre firm Goodyear is shedding 500 jobs at its Wolverhampton plant after the workforce voted to reject a pay deal. Staff at the plant voted 4 to 1 against the deal which could have saved 250 jobs but involved taking a pay cut. Unions had recommended accepting the deal aimed at raising productivity. After the vote Goodyear said it had "no other option" but to axe the jobs. Building a future for the plant was now "extremely difficult" it added.

8th January 2001

PAY RISE PLANS FOR TEACHERS "PATHETIC"

An expected pay rise for teachers of between 3.5% & 3.7% has been branded "pathetic" by the NASUWT Britain's second largest teacher's union. Labour was paying more attention to advisers & the media than the voice of teachers general secretary Nigel de Gruchy told website ePolitix.com. Morale was "perhaps even lower" under Labour than it was under the Tories. The Department for Education said the figures were speculation at this stage.

7th January 2001

NEW ZEALAND WARNING ON UK TEACHER DRIVE

Teachers' associations in New Zealand are warning that attempts by Britain to recruit teachers from New Zealand may lead to a local staffing crisis. Some English state schools are already sending representatives to New Zealand to recruit teachers the principal of the head teachers' association said. The recruiters were targeting maths science & IT staff already in short supply in New Zealand he warned. New Zealand may have to turn to Canada Scotland & Australia to fill the gap.

8th January 2001

GOODYEAR AXES 500 JOBS AS DEAL REJECTED

Tyre firm Goodyear is shedding 500 jobs at its Wolverhampton plant after the workforce voted to reject a pay deal. Staff at the plant voted 4 to 1 against the deal which could have saved 250 jobs but involved taking a pay cut. Unions had recommended accepting the deal aimed at raising productivity. After the vote Goodyear said it had "no other option" but to axe the jobs. Building a future for the plant was now "extremely difficult" it added.

8th January 2001

METRO MASSAGE TO SOOTHE SUBWAY STRESS

The Paris subway system is treating its passengers to a free massage to counter the stress of delays & staff strikes. The initiative in place at four stations also involves giving away health foods like seaweed crackers & green tea and putting up bright signs. "We live in a city where there are lots of nervous & stressed out people " explained masseur Christophe Basile. The massages are set to add up to 10 minutes to people's journey times.

7th January 2001

What People were saying on

"I suppose I am more interested in grandchildren than knocking on doors."

Ulster Unionist MP Ken Maginnis announcing that he will not contest the next General Election.

"For more information contact Kate Bosomworth."

Passage from a press release issued by bra-maker Playtex.

"An actor's life is a series of three- month blocks with great question marks constantly over the future."

Screen star Geoffrey Rush.

8th January 2001

GOODYEAR AXES 500 JOBS AS DEAL REJECTED

Tyre firm Goodyear is shedding 500 jobs at its Wolverhampton plant after the workforce voted to reject a pay deal. Staff at the plant voted 4 to 1 against the deal which could have saved 250 jobs but involved taking a pay cut. Unions had recommended accepting the deal aimed at raising productivity. After the vote Goodyear said it had "no other option" but to axe the jobs. Building a future for the plant was now "extremely difficult" it added.

8th January 2001

PAY RISE PLANS FOR TEACHERS "PATHETIC"

An expected pay rise for teachers of between 3.5% & 3.7% has been branded "pathetic" by the NASUWT Britain's second largest teacher's union. Labour was paying more attention to advisers & the media than the voice of teachers general secretary Nigel de Gruchy told website ePolitix.com. Morale was "perhaps even lower" under Labour than it was under the Tories. The Department for Education said the figures were speculation at this stage.