WHAT HAPPENED ON 1st January 2001?

15th December 2000

ZIMBABWE "SPYING" ON ITS BRITISH EXILES

Almost 40 Zimbabwean agents are spying on exiled opponents of President Robert Mugabe in Britain it is claimed. The Daily Telegraph reports that the country's Central Intelligence Organisation is also monitoring phone calls e-mails & faxes. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims exiles are living in fear after being sent a letter of warning. But a Zimbabwean Government spokesman said there was "nothing to worry about"

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

SADDAM SPEECH FOLLOWS "STROKE" RUMOURS

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has delivered a televised speech appearing to contradict speculation that he may be ill. The Iraqi regime earlier denied reports that Saddam had suffered a stroke. His speech marked the 80th anniversary of Iraqi armed forces' formation. Meanwhile Britain has dismissed claims that the trade embargo on Iraq is hurting civilians saying it is up to Baghdad to get the sanctions suspended.

15th December 2000

WARM PRAISE FOR COLD HOGMANAY REVELLERS

Police & the organisers of Scotland's Hogmanay celebrations have praised the partygoers who braved terrible weather to welcome in the New Year. Revellers who took to the streets of the main cities for major celebrations won tributes for heeding public safety and public order appeals. Edinburgh saw 100 000 cram the centre for the UK's largest street party ` with police reporting only four arrests However the poor weather forced the cancellation of Stirling's celebrations

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

SAUDI ARABIAAn Indian & a Pakistani

found guilty of smuggling heroin into the kingdom have been beheaded. Four people have now been executed since the start of the year. ST LUCIAA British cabin crew member working for Virgin Atlantic has been assaulted while off-duty in St Lucia and she is being flown home from the Caribbean island the airline said. FRANCE Beef industry unions have blocked roads into major cities in protest at the cost of government- ordered testing for mad cow disease.

15th December 2000

UKRAINIAN SANTAS IN MASS PUNCH-UP

New Year revellers in the centre of Odessa were treated to a mass brawl between six Grandfather Frosts as Father Christmas is known there. Two Grandfathers were earning a little extra by taking pictures of people in front of Christmas trees on the city's most famous street Deribasovskaya. was " Radio Russia reported. "The Santas tore each others' beards off & had to be separated by police."

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

SHARE PRICES

15th December 2000

US AND ISRAEL SIGN WORLD COURT TREATY

The US & Israel signed a treaty to create an international war crimes court as the midnight deadline neared. The court would be the first permanent institution to try charges such as genocide & crimes against humanity. Sixty countries need to ratify the treaty before it can come into existence ` so far 27 have. The US hesitated before deciding to sign the treaty which has been criticised by American conservatives.

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

CONSERVATIVES PLEDGE TAX CUTS OF £8bn

Shadow Chancellor Michael Portillo has said a Tory government would cut tax by #8bn without damaging public services. Cuts in social security spending & schemes such as the New Deal would mean taxes could be reduced by this amount within three years he told the BBC. He said Tories agreed with Labour that education & health spending must rise Chancellor Gordon Brown's raising of public spending by more than average growth is "extremely unwise" he added.

15th December 2000

US EXPERTS SEEK RELIABLE VOTING SYSTEM

Two top US technology schools plan to develop a voting system to avoid the confusion of this year's elections. The California & Massachusetts Institutes of Technology want to develop new voting machines before the 2004 presidential contest. They have had a $250 000 grant from the philanthropic Carnegie Corporation. A nation that put men on the moon should be able to count ballots accurately said MIT head Charles Vest.

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

US CONGRESS CONFIRMS BUSH ELECTION WIN

The US Congress has confirmed the election of George W Bush as US President under the chairmanship of his defeated rival Vice-President Al Gore. The Senate & House of Representatives convened jointly to read & confirm the votes of the Electoral College. A succession of House members tried to raise points of order alleging election misconduct & fraud. But Mr Gore overruled them because no Senator supported the points of order.

15th December 2000

The head of the Tories' campaigns unit

says Labour's behaviour over a reported £2m donation is "disgraceful". John Redwood said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Have they received this donation? If so why can't they tell us where it comes from?". Labour will not name the mystery donor reported to have given the party £2m. New "anti-sleaze" legislation comes into effect soon requiring details of gifts to be disclosed.

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

FOX CALLS ON NHS TO IMPROVE CLEANLINESS

Tory shadow health secretary Dr Liam Fox has called for a return to basic "matron's values of cleanliness" after a critical survey of many NHS wards. A survey of 700 hospital buildings saw 250 given the lowest cleanliness grade. The data in the Health Service Journal are reportedly based on Department of Health Figures. Government sources claimed ministers were cleaning up "the mess" created by the Tories' internal NHS market.

15th December 2000

HESELTINE SLATED IN ASYLUM-SEEKER ROW

Tory MP Michael Heseltine has been accused of fuelling racial hatred after an attack on "bogus" asylum-seekers. Mr Heseltine told BBC Radio 4 that many so-called refugees were merely seeking a better quality of life in the UK. Refugee Council chairman Nick Hardwick said Mr Heseltine's "inflammatory & prejudiced" remarks would stoke up "racial hostility". Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien said the comments were "ill-informed".

1st January 2001

TORIES PLAN BLITZ ON INNER-CITY DECAY

The Conservatives have pledged to tackle decay in Britain's inner cities with a blitz on dirty streets. Councils would face a 72-hour deadline to clear up vandalism & rubbish under proposals to be included in the party's next election manifesto. Residents would be entitled to compensation if deadlines were not met. Signs of urban decay undermined self- esteem in inner-city communities Tory environment spokesman Damian Green said

1st January 2001

What People were saying on

"The Home Office has been a graveyard for many politicians & Jack Straw looks like another political corpse."

Tory peer Lord Tebbit.

"Christmas Eve in casualty is not my idea of the festive spirit."

Tory MP Nigel Evans after being attacked by an alleged thief he was chasing.

"I've joined the voluntary euthanasia society. I know it's illegal but I feel the world is so overcrowded & I wouldn't want to take up space if there was no hope of a normal life or become a burden."

Actress Susan Hampshire.