WHAT HAPPENED ON 26th May 2006?

25th May 2006

Home Office 'damaged' by scandals

The Home Office's top civil servant has said recent controversies including over foreign criminals have "inflicted immense damage" on his department. Sir David Normington told a police chiefs' conference recent events had "undermined confidence" in the Home Office's ability to protect the public. Earlier this week Home Secretary John Reid told MPs the immigration service was "not fit for purpose". Mr Reid also said the Home Office could be "dysfunctional" from time to time.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Open jail moving foreign inmates

Foreign inmates at Ford open prison in Sussex are being returned to closed prisons after 11 absconded this month. The Prison Service said the men's cases were being reviewed due to the "current high abscond level amongst this group". It said no similar action was being considered at other open jails and no foreigners were known to have absconded from other open prisons this month. The move comes after the Home Office admitted it had failed to consider the removal of 1 019 foreign prisoners.

25th May 2006

Blair heads to US for Bush talks

UK leader Tony Blair is heading to Washington to meet US President George W Bush with Iraq & Iran expected to dominate the agenda. Mr Blair will urge the international community as a whole to support Iraq's new government his spokesman said. A new package to persuade Iran to curb nuclear work will also be a key issue. Both leaders have seen their popularity drop & will be keen to ensure a positive legacy as their terms draw to a close correspondents say.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Digital TV switch 'help needed'

Pensioners & people with significant disabilities will need substantial help to switch to digital television a nine-month government trial indicates. The study of 400 homes in Bolton found 74% still had problems adjusting four weeks after switching to digital TV. But after a further four weeks it was fewer than 20%. And 98% were happy with the change in the long term. Starting in the Border TV region in 2008 the switch to digital TV should be completed nationwide by 2012.

25th May 2006

Blair heads to US for Bush talks

UK leader Tony Blair is heading to Washington to meet US President George W Bush with Iraq & Iran expected to dominate the agenda. Mr Blair will urge the international community as a whole to support Iraq's new government his spokesman said. A new package to persuade Iran to curb nuclear work will also be a key issue. Both leaders have seen their popularity drop & will be keen to ensure a positive legacy as their terms draw to a close correspondents say.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Blair attack 'morally justified'

MP George Galloway has said it would be "morally justified" to assassinate Tony Blair but stressed he was not calling for his death. In an interview with GQ magazine he was asked whether a suicide bomb attack on Mr Blair would "be justified as revenge for the war on Iraq". He said it would be morally equivalent to Mr Blair "ordering" Iraqi deaths. But Mr Galloway said he would not support an attack & would tell the authorities if he knew of any plot.

25th May 2006

Blair heads to US for Bush talks

UK leader Tony Blair is heading to Washington to meet US President George W Bush with Iraq & Iran expected to dominate the agenda. Mr Blair will urge the international community as a whole to support Iraq's new government his spokesman said. A new package to persuade Iran to curb nuclear work will also be a key issue. Both leaders have seen their popularity drop & will be keen to ensure a positive legacy as their terms draw to a close correspondents say.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Teenager charged over explosives

An immigration office worker has been charged with possessing explosive materials for an unlawful purpose. Callum Atkinson 19 from Liverpool was remanded in custody to reappear at Liverpool Crown Court on 23 August. Prosecutors told the court there was no evidence to suggest that the case is connected with terrorism. Mr Atkinson a clerk at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate was arrested after chemicals were allegedly found at his home.

25th May 2006

Blair welcomes new Iraqi cabinet

The approval of a new Iraqi government of national unity marks a "huge step forward" Tony Blair has said. The administration had a programme for Iraq's security & reconstruction & the potential to create a "different Iraq" the prime minister said. Mr Blair said an exit strategy for UK forces depended on how the cabinet responded to the "critical moment". Earlier the Ministry of Defence said two UK soldiers received minor injuries after a roadside bomb outside Basra.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Bush & Blair admit Iraq errors

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair & US President George W Bush have made a stark public acknowledgement that they made mistakes in Iraq. Mr Bush said the biggest US error was the prison abuse scandal in Abu Ghraib which it was now paying for. The two leaders have never admitted their mistakes in such frank terms the BBC's Jonathan Beale says. They also called for the international community to give its full support to the new Iraqi government.

25th May 2006

Blair heads to US for Bush talks

UK leader Tony Blair is heading to Washington to meet US President George W Bush with Iraq & Iran expected to dominate the agenda. Mr Blair will urge the international community as a whole to support Iraq's new government his spokesman said. A new package to persuade Iran to curb nuclear work will also be a key issue. Both leaders have seen their popularity drop & will be keen to ensure a positive legacy as their terms draw to a close correspondents say.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

Bush & Blair admit Iraq errors

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair & US President George W Bush have made a stark public acknowledgement that they made mistakes in Iraq. Mr Bush said the biggest US error was the prison abuse scandal in Abu Ghraib which it was now paying for. The two leaders have never admitted their mistakes in such frank terms the BBC's Jonathan Beale says. They also called for the international community to give its full support to the new Iraqi government.

25th May 2006

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26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

DNA snares rapist after 16 years

DNA evidence has led to a 10-year jail term for a man who raped & beat a young woman in east London in 1990 then tried to dump her in a river. Detectives from the Met's cold case unit traced Yonis Dirie 40 last year. He & another man who is still at large both raped the 21-year-old & left her with severe facial injuries. Somalia-born Dirie of West Kensington was given indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 1994 although he had committed a string of other offences.

25th May 2006

Big Brother ejects 'rule-breaker'

Big Brother contestant Dawn has been thrown off the show with the producers claiming she broke a rule banning communication with the outside world. This came after she told housemates that a message she was allowed from her family had contained a coded warning about negative press the makers said. The 38-year-old had been facing the first public vote for eviction now between only Bonnie 19 and Glyn 18. On Tuesday night contestant Shahbaz Chauhdry 37 walked off the show.

26th May 2006

Blair urges United Nations reform

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for the reform of the United Nations in a key foreign policy speech in the US. He said the UN secretary general should be given greater powers to speed up the organisation's ability to react to international crises. Other institutions such as the World Bank & International Monetary Fund also needed to change he added. Mr Blair repeated his call for more support for the new government in Iraq in his speech at Georgetown University.

26th May 2006

SSP official jailed over papers

Senior Scottish Socialist Party official Alan McCombes has been jailed for refusing to hand over party documents to the Court of Session. The News of the World has requested the internal minutes which it claims would help defend a defamation case brought by former SSP leader Tommy Sheridan. Judge Lady Smith jailed Mr McCombes for 12 days after he ignored a deadline to release the papers. The party insists the minutes of an executive council meeting are private.