WHAT HAPPENED ON 24th January 2001?

23th January 2001

PM ORDERS REVIEW OF UK PASSPORT BID

Tony Blair has ordered a review of the handling of businessman Srichand Hinduja's application for a UK passport He told the Commons he wanted the inquiry to ensure the application had been dealt with properly. The findings of Sir Anthony Hammond's review will be published. But the PM accepted Peter Mandelson's original statement on the passport row had been misleading & his resignation had been accepted on that basis.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER

Questions on Northern Ireland will be followed by Prime Minister's Question Time. Commons debates will be on job losses in manufacturing & the Government's public health agenda. Manufacturing in the north complementary medicine & defence medical services will also be debated. Peers will consider constitutional changes & support to disadvantaged young men.

23th January 2001

KABILA BURIED IN HIGH-SECURITY FUNERAL

The funeral of Laurent Kabila the assassinated president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken place in the capital Kinshasa. Mr Kabila who was shot dead last week by a bodyguard was buried in a mausoleum at the Palace of the Nation in the country's parliament building. Security was tight with Angolan troops arriving amid fears of more unrest. Leading the mourners was Mr Kabila's son Joseph appointed acting president.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

KABILA TO TAKE DR CONGO OATH OF OFFICE

Joseph Kabila is to take the oath of office to become the new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He succeeds his father Laurent Kabila who was assassinated last week. The swearing-in follows the state funeral of his father yesterday witnessed by thousands of Congolese in the capital Kinshasa. General Kabila inherits a regional war that has split the country in two & sucked in neighbouring nations.

23th January 2001

Qs UPROAR OVER THE MANDELSON AFFAIR

Tony Blair has said Peter Mandelson is "a bigger man than many of his critics" during furious Commons exchanges with Opposition leader William Hague. During Prime Minister's Question Time he said Mr Hague had "lived down to my expectations" in his comments. Mr Hague said the PM made a "monumental error of judgment" restoring Mr Mandelson to Government after 10 months He then had to sack the same minister twice for the same offence he said.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER

Questions on Northern Ireland will be followed by Prime Minister's Question Time. Commons debates will be on job losses in manufacturing & the Government's public health agenda. Manufacturing in the north complementary medicine & defence medical services will also be debated. Peers will consider constitutional changes & support to disadvantaged young men.

23th January 2001

CONSORTIUM HAS EYE ON ITV NEWS CONTRACT

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is to form part of a consortium which will bid to challenge ITN for the contract to supply news to ITV. It is joining forces with N Ireland independent TV contractor UTV US broadcaster CBS & Bloomberg & the Chrysalis group it has been announced. Each partner will take a 20% stake in the company bidding for the contract. They intend to approach the ITC & have asked ITV for an early meeting.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

MANDELSON SAYS HE WILL FIGHT ON AS MP

Peter Mandelson has pledged to remain in politics & fight on as a constituency MP. In an interview with the Hartlepool Mail he said: "I want to concentrate on being a good constituency MP for this town & the people." He resigned as N Ireland Secretary over claims he helped an Indian tycoon who gave £1m to the Dome get a UK passport The Tories are demanding that he should leave Westminster altogether.

23th January 2001

MANDELSON QUITS AFTER PASSPORT ROW

Peter Mandelson is resigning as Northern Ireland Secretary but insists he has not acted improperly in any way. Mr Mandelson admitted discussing Dome sponsor Srichand Hinduja's passport application with a Home Office minister The announcement that he was quitting came after he had been called to talks with Tony Blair in Downing Street. In his last Commons appearance before formally resigning Mr Mandelson paid tribute to the work of the RUC.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

NI HOMES HIT BY GUN AND BOMB ATTACKS

Several homes in Northern Ireland have been targeted in bomb & gun attacks. In Belfast a pipe bomb was thrown into a house off the the Limestone Road in the north of the city. It exploded causing damage but no injuries. Shots were fired at another house in the Ardoyne area of the city. Again no injuries were reported. Two more pipe bombs were thrown through house windows at Kinnard Park in Garvagh County Londonderry.

23th January 2001

DOUBT OVER SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT "SUICIDE"

Five members of the Falungong spiritual movement have set themselves alight in Tiananmen Square Beijing according to the official Chinese news agency. It said one had died & others had been taken to hospital. But a Hong Kong-based Falungong spokesman said the report was doubtful and suggested it was a government attempt to discredit the movement. Its protests have been peaceful until now the BBC Beijing correspondent said

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

ESCAPED PRISONERS IN HOTEL SURRENDER

The last two of seven escaped Texas prisoners have surrendered after barricading themselves in a motel room. Two men claiming to be rapist Patrick Murphy Jr & armed robber Donald Newbury were holed up in the Holiday Inn in Colorado Springs Colorado. Police feared they had rifles & shotguns but they gave up peacefully. Four members of the gang which broke out last month had been captured earlier & another had killed himself.

23th January 2001

What People were saying on

"I've only been invited to dinner but I am going to get there early & hang around the gates so that they let me in for tea as well."

Retired umpire Dickie Bird after receiving a Prime Ministerial invitation to go to Chequers.

"If hunting with dogs is to be made illegal how about hunting with cats?"

Leonard Marr of Hexham Northumbs in a letter to The Daily Telegraph.

"William Hague leads the most incompetent opposition in modern British history."

Lord Hattersley.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

STORM BREWS OVER CARE PLAN FOR ELDERLY

Ministers have stopped short of putting forward the implementation in full of the Sutherland Report on care for the elderly north of the border. Health minister Susan Deacon has given details of a range of measures to improve nursing & personal care for older people. Sir Stewart Sutgherland called for full across-the-board funding for the nursing & personal care of the old. Opposition MSPs have criticised the minister's proposals.

23th January 2001

KABILA BURIED IN HIGH-SECURITY FUNERAL

The funeral of Laurent Kabila the assassinated president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken place in the capital Kinshasa. Mr Kabila who was shot dead last week by a bodyguard was buried in a mausoleum at the Palace of the Nation in the country's parliament building. Security was tight with Angolan troops arriving amid fears of more unrest. Leading the mourners was Mr Kabila's son Joseph appointed acting president.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

KABILA TO TAKE DR CONGO OATH OF OFFICE

Joseph Kabila is to take the oath of office to become the new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He succeeds his father Laurent Kabila who was assassinated last week. The swearing-in follows the state funeral of his father yesterday witnessed by thousands of Congolese in the capital Kinshasa. General Kabila inherits a regional war that has split the country in two & sucked in neighbouring nations.

23th January 2001

UGANDA TACKLES CHILD LABOUR PROBLEM

The government in Uganda is holding a conference to address the problem of the country's 3m child labourers. Ministers & union officials were told that orphans whose parents had died in the Aids epidemic were a potentially limitless supply of cheap labour. Labour minister Philemon Mateke said most of the exploited children were hidden away in illegal workshops. And many families send their children to work instead of school because they depend on the children to sustain them.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

EU CUTS COD FISHING AFTER STOCKS SLUMP

Part of the North Sea will be closed to cod fishermen to restore dangerously low stocks the European Union has said The Brussels Commission expects to keep the emergency measures in place for 12 weeks during the spawning season. All boats fishing cod will be banned from protected areas while permits reports & monitoring are tightened. The ban will cover 40 000 square miles mainly off East Anglia the west of Scotland Norway & Denmark.

23th January 2001

BLAIR HEADS TO BELFAST FOR PEACE TALKS

Prime Minister Tony Blair is flying to Belfast later this afternoon to try to break the deadlock in the Northern Ireland peace process. A spokesman played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough but said talks might establish whether agreement on oustanding issues could be achieved. Mr Blair will try to speak to Ulster unionists & the SDLP before leaving. He is likely to speak to President Clinton by telephone this evening.

24th January 2001

GOVT URGED TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON PEACE

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has urged the Government not to allow Peter Mandelson's resignation to distract it from the search for peace in N Ireland. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble praised Mr Mandelson in the Commons. He said his work in Northern Ireland had been appreciated by many people. The Democratic Unionist Party said few tears would be shed for Mr Mandelson who "refused to recognise" it spoke for the majority of the unionist community.

24th January 2001

DUP MAY STEP ASIDE IN CRUCIAL SEATS

The Democratic Unionist Party says it may not contest several constituencies held by opponents of the Good Friday peace agreement at the General Election Deputy leader Peter Robinson said to oppose the MPs in West Tyrone Belfast South & North Down may split the vote and elect pro-agreement candidates. The seats are held by William Thompson Martyn Smyth & Robert McCartney. A deal may be made in Fermanagh & South Tyrone where Ken Maginnis is retiring.