WHAT HAPPENED ON 26th January 2001?

25th January 2001

AFRICAN LEADERS DISCUSS CONGO CIVIL WAR

An emergency summit is being held in the Angolan capital Luanda to discuss the impact of last week's assassination of Congolese President Laurent Kabila. The presidents of Angola Zimbabwe & Namibia ` key allies of Kabila ` are taking part in the talks. They provided him with weaponry & thousands of troops for his war against rebels backed by Rwanda & Uganda. The stance of Congo's new President Kabila's son Joseph remains unclear.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

THOUSANDS FLEE GUINEA'S BORDER CONFLICT

Thousands of refugees are fleeing fighting along the borders of the West African state of Guinea. About 250 000 people are trapped between warring factions on the frontiers with Liberia & Sierra Leone The UN Refugee Agency says some people have not received food aid for months. A BBC correspondent says parts of southern Guinea have been turned into a wasteland with burnt-down villages and shell cases littering the ground.

25th January 2001

FISCHER REPEATS EU INTEGRATION CALL

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has repeated his call for deeper European integration during a speech to a London audience. But he made no mention of the ideas he put forward last year of a European government with an elected president. And he said integration would not mean abolition of the nation state. Mr Fischer was speaking after receiving an award from the British-German Forum for his contribution to the Euro debate

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

BLACKMAN SUSPECT FACING VIOLENCE CHARGE

A Japanese property developer suspected of involvement in the disappearance of British bar hostess Lucie Blackman has been charged with a new crime. Joji Obara 48 is accused of sexual violence resulting in the death of an Australian woman in 1992. Obara already faces five charges of raping Japanese & foreign women. Miss Blackman 22 of Sevenoaks in Kent had been working as a bar hostess when she went missing in July.

25th January 2001

What People were saying on

"We don't have modern art. We have Lord Nelson."

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon describing the decor in his office at the MoD.

"A great part of this nation has become too casual for its own good: casual about the doctor casual about personal relationships casual towards any form of obligation."

Tory peer Lord Deedes.

"Labour's lead will fall but it will be enough to give them a majority of over 100 seats."

Pollster Robert Worcester who is already writing a book called Labour's Second Landslide.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

SCHROEDER SHOOTS DOWN US MISSILE PLAN

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said Russian opposition to a US missile defence plan so-called "Son of Star Wars" must be seriously considered. Russia had a vital role in lasting security in Europe he said demanding clarity from the US on the proposals. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld again said the plan posed no threat but European leaders fear a new arms race. Nato chief Lord Robertson believes the plans would not affect the alliance.

25th January 2001

What People were saying on

"We don't have modern art. We have Lord Nelson."

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon describing the decor in his office at the MoD.

"A great part of this nation has become too casual for its own good: casual about the doctor casual about personal relationships casual towards any form of obligation."

Tory peer Lord Deedes.

"Labour's lead will fall but it will be enough to give them a majority of over 100 seats."

Pollster Robert Worcester who is already writing a book called Labour's Second Landslide.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER

The Commons will begin with questions to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. The questions will be followed by Opposition Day debates entitled Conditions in Her Majesty's Prisons & Shifting the Balance. Peers will hold a third reading debate on the Criminal Defence Service (Advice and Assistance) Bill (Lords). They will also hold the committee stage debate on the International Criminal Court Bill (Lords).

25th January 2001

WHITEHALL SECRECY UNNECESSARY ` REPORT

Government departments have been criticised for unnecessary secrecy in a report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman Michael Buckley. Information was wrongly withheld six times between April & December his report on eight MPs' complaints said. Some departments did not realise they should follow a Code of Practice when dealing with information requests. There could be "no excuse" as the code had existed for seven years he said.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

ECUADOR TO REVIEW GALAPAGOS SHIP RULES

Ecuador is to review rules on shipping around the Galapagos Islands to prevent a repeat of the oil spill which nearly caused an environmental disaster. The government said tankers should be required to have double hulls to reduce the chance of leaks if they run aground The US coastguard said the 30-year-old tanker behind the spill would have been banned in international waters. It spilled at least 185 000 gallons of oil after running aground on January 16

25th January 2001

MEN SHOT IN LEGS IN N IRELAND ATTACKS

Three men are being treated in hospital for gunshot wounds after paramilitary- style shootings in Northern Ireland. A 28-year-old man was bundled into a car in Rathcoole Belfast and driven to New Mossley where he was shot in both legs. A second man was abducted by two men in a car in Carrickfergus & shot in the lower leg. And a 19-year-old youth was shot in both legs in north Belfast.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

ONE DEAD AFTER CAR BLAST IN NORTH SPAIN

A navy cook has been killed & two passers-by have been injured in a car bomb blast in northern Spain. No group admitted planting the bomb but reports said it bore the hallmarks of Basque separatist group Eta. The bomb exploded as the man started his car near a military compound in the Basque city of San Sebastian. Eta has admitted being behind the deaths of 23 people since it ended a 14-month truce in December 1999.

25th 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.

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

FIRST MEMORIAL DAY TO MARK HOLOCAUST

Political & religious leaders are to attend a service to mark Britain's first Holocaust Memorial Day. It is being held exactly 56 years after Allied troops liberated the Auschwitz Nazi death camp at the end of WWII. Memorial days are also being marked in Germany Italy & Sweden. Tonight's service of remembrance is taking place at Methodist Central Hall in Westminster. It will be attended by survivors of the Holocaust.

25th January 2001

SHARE PRICES

26th January 2001

UK TROOPS EXTEND SIERRA LEONE TRAINING

The Government has announced plans to extend British troops' training of the Sierra Leonean army by eight months until the end of September. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the move would help make the West African state's army "self-sufficient". The British military presence will remain at around 600 at any time. British troops have made an "important contribution to stability in Sierra Leone" Mr Hoon added.

26th January 2001

BISTRO CHAIN WITH RECEIVERS AFTER CRASH

The Pierre Victoire restaurant chain has gone into receivership ` for the second time. The current owners Edinburgh based firm Voila bought the restaurant chain from its founder Pierre Levicky when it went bust two year ago. The new owners today blamed their financial troubles on dramatic changes in the marketplace. The restaurants employ more than 150 staff across the UK ` with around 50 of them in Scotland.