11th Jan
Crack down on Hooligans
A bid to stop underage drinking and violence at dances in the county.
Police are to launch a crackdown.
Wind farm dispute
Objections have greeted the proposal to erect 165 wind turbines each measuring
400ft and over a 14 mile area stretching from Rhayader's Elan Valley and
into Ceredigion.
Call for Affordable housing in North Powys. A Newtown County Councilor
has joined the debate on the lack of affordable housing in Montgomeryshire.
25th Jan 2002
A young child fell ill and died from Meningitis. Public Health officials
believe the recent Meningitis case in Brecknockshire to be an isolated
case.
Welshpool man pleaded guilty of possessing drugs at Shrewsbury railway
station. Police officers restrained the man as he attempted to run away
from them when they approached him . He was found to be carrying a class
a class A drug and a class B drug. He was later fined.
Unemployment figures fall to new low
After rising slightly in November unemployment claimant numbers fell in
Powys from 1422 to 1392.
Fire response times met
in 2000/ 2001 the Mid and West Wales fire brigade met national response
times to fires in 99.7 % of occasions placing them on top of the performance
tables for all UK fire brigades.
1st February
Trained First aid Volunteers called 'First Responders' are set to give
a better chance of survival to heart attack victims in county.
8th February
Developer escapes action over trees.
Residents mounted a protest and formed an action group in anger at Radnorshire
planners decision not to prosecute a developer in Llandrindod Wells despite
damage to several large trees in a protected area of Rock Park Spa.
15th February
The sale of Livestock via auction has begun again in many parts of Powys
after a break of almost a year. These centres were closed and stock movement
stringently controlled after the foot and Mouth epidemic in 2001.
Lord Gibson Watt dies.
Former Parliamentarian, Civil Servant and local landowner Lord Gibson
Watt died at his family home in Doldowlod, Nr Rhayader aged 83.
Plas Dinam Fire
Plas Dinam Hall near Llandinam is badly damaged by fire as flames swept
through the upper floors of the home of Lord David Davies.
March 1st
Floods hit Powys and cause widespread chaos to roads and rail links. National
assembly chiefs are urged to tackle persistent flooding problems particularly
in the worst affected area of north Powys, Montgomeryshire.
Fatal Accident
A 32 year old man was killed in an accident at a saw mill in Newbridge
on Wye, Radnorshire (Mid Powys). He was killed in a collision with a fork
lift truck. He had worked for the company for 15 years.
March 8th
Improve our roads call
County Councillors have backed calls to improve trunk roads in County
to aid economic regeneration.
Better Pay for dentists
Local AM calls for better pay for community dentists in a bid to attract
them to the area. Call prompted by a £6000 difference in pay with
dentists across the border in Herefordshire who are paid more and their
counterparts in Powys.
15th March
Public anger grows over short post natal recovery time for mums in Knighton
Hospital due to lack of Midwives.
Tragic farm accident with 2 year old.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded this week following the inquest
into the death of a two year old boy who died on his family farm in Meifod,
North Powys.
£540,000 boost to Powys Public Transport.
Public money has been made available for public and community transport
schemes
March 22nd
Extra Cash call to tempt Doctors to area.
Family doctors in Rhayader are being overworked because they can't attract
a suitable doctor to replace a retiring GP.
29th March
Transport and General Workers Union:- Public sector Union urges members
to reject 3% pay deal offered by County Council to workers.
Road Fury
Councillors to lobby Welsh Assembly Ministers over planned improvements
to roads on Powys. Concerns over the huge time delay in improvements and
in others the roads have been ignored altogether.
Spy Cameras to be installed to cut down on speeding motorists.
Sat 30th March
Queen mother dies aged 101yrs two days national mourning announced by
gov.
5th April
Money for Spa Town Revamp
National Lottery Money will be used to revive derelict historic buildings
in Llandrindod wells in a bid to help regenerate the economic fortunes
of the town.
County mourns death of Queen Mother.
Books of condolence have been made available to the public in council
buildings and flags to fly at half mast.
April 19 th
Awards for innovation
for Mid Wales company won first prize in a ceremony for awards for innovation
for their design for a device which sounds an alarm if a child falls into
a pool or pond.
Call for TB tests on cattle
Unions again urge tests on cattle for tuberculosis in Powys and claim
that disease is wide spread and being ignored by Government.
26th April
Concerns over lack of beds at Hereford hospital may lead to patients in
Powys getting delays and poor service for treatment. The Hospital is short
of 120 beds.
Victorian Festival money.
A Grant of £4000 has been given to the Victorian Festival in Llandrindod
Wells by the Town Council.
Average life expectancy in Powys has risen to 75.9 years for men and 81.3
years for women. The National average for Wales is 74.8 years for men
and 79.7 years for women.
Higher life expectancy at birth
Average life expectancy at birth rose steadily in Wales throughout the
last decade.
10th May
By-passes for Rhayader, Newtown and Builth Wells are not planned to start
for at least another 10 years councillors were told.
Reservoir extension claim refuted.
Severn Trent Water refutes claims that it has plans to extend the Craig
Goch reservoir in the Elan Valley, Rhayader.
Low Flying Warning
R.A.F to step up low flying exercises below 100 feet over county. This
is in addition to the routine low flying level of 250ft every week day.
Mums protest yields results.
Mums get extension for maternity stay in Knighton Hospital.
May 24th
Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd, Near Builth Wells has incurred huge losses
from Foot and Mouth Crisis and claim Welsh Assembly are deaf to their
needs.
Burglar bungle
A burglar who raided a forestry workers house in the Radnor Forest left
a trail of food from the crime scene to where he was sleeping. The crime
victim was offered a stolen cigar by the burglar as they waited for police
to arrive at the scene.
31st May
Footpaths blocked
It will take 60 years to re-open blocked or overgrown footpaths in Powys
the County Council heard this week. Their are over 470 outstanding complaints
alone that cannot be dealt with by existing staff.
Businesses are losing out on Objective 2 funding to help them over the
recent Foot and mouth crisis because the application forms take too long
to process.
Fight to keep rail services
Mid Wales rail services are under threat if local people are not prepared
to fight for them.
Call to help sick Chernobyl children
Local Powys Families are sought to host children from the Chernobyl nuclear
disaster area in Belarussia in a bid to give their immune systems a chance
to recover from radiation poisoning.
3rd and 4th June
Golden Jubilee celebrated in communities across the county. Street parties
and fun days were celebrated on and a two day holiday was granted nationally
on the 3rd and 4th June.
7th June
Money for roads
An extra £800,000 for road repairs and maintenance as additional
spending on top of the 18 million pound package on roads has been announced
by the Welsh Assembly.
14th June
Queen comes to Powys
Thousands turn out to greet Queen and Prince Phillip on their royal walkabout
at Dolau where they arrived by train. She met school children and onlookers
from all over the county who had come to see her on her Golden Jubilee
tour of the UK. She left by helicopter for other engagements.
21st June
Attempted child abduction
Police in Newtown are investigating an attempted child abduction of a
14 year old girl in the town in broad day light at 12.30pm on Friday.
The girl was approached by a white male who attempted to drag her toward
a parked white van.
28th June
Heart Operation for child
Baby Girl from Llandrindod will have life saving heart operation at Bristol
Royal Infirmary relieved parents were told.
Meifod hosts National Eisteddfod.
Crowds expected at Welspool for official proclamation ceremony heralding
the 2003 National Eisteddfod at Meifod Near Newtown. Powys.
European Parliament recieves written and oral evidence on impact of Foot
and Mouth in Powys to Local communities at special meeting in Builth Wells.
5th July
Figures published for 2001 tells of Hill Farmers in earning less than
Minimum wage according to Liberal Democrat Lord Livsey of Talgarth. The
National Minimum Wage £8100pa yet hill and beef farmers net earnings
in UK were less than £4000.
New Police HQ.
Llandrindod Wells Police Station to become regional HQ for County Police.
Mid air collision averted over Llandrindod Wells
BA passenger jets came close to collision over Llandrindod Wells on the
3rd of July leaving a gap of 1000fett between them The results would have
had fatal consequences for both passengers and people living on the ground
Fears that Trecastle and Libanus primary schools near Brecon may close
due to falling numbers were discussed with Councillors. Both schools were
granted a years more time to get the numbers above 28 pupils each.
19th July
Royal Welsh Show returns
Royal Welsh Show makes a Triumphant return after Foot and Mouth Crisis
closed it in 2001.
25th July
Opening of the 18th Commonwealth games commence in Manchester.Teams from
Commonwealth countries including athletes from Powys representing Wales
take part in the opening ceremony at the start of the two week games.
26th July
Trehafren death sparks off murder investigation
A mother was rushed to Shrewsbury Hospital by ambulance suffering from
serious injuries. She died two days later. A Forden Man has been charged
with her murder.
Graves were vandalised at Abbey Cwm Hir, St Mary's Church yard - a similar
attack was reported at Llandrindod cemetery a few weeks previously.
Archeologists race against time
Archeologists discover dry docks and lime kilns dating back to 1794 and
race to record their find before developers move in.
2nd August
Heart Op toddler critical
Powys Toddler is in a critical condition after major open heart surgery
at Bristol hospital.
Games closed on the 4th August in the presence of the Queen.
Joanne Weale from powys and Anwen Butten both represent Wales in womens
bowls. J Weale wins bronze medal in bowls semi final as does Gary Cole
from Brecon for Judo.
Powys Homeless increase
Number of homeless people in Powys is on the increase. Powys County Council
has seen a 30% rise in applications for housing.
9th August
Local Government Strikes called off
Council workers strike is called off after widespread disruption. The
Unions decided to go to ACAS and is likely to accept the latest government
pay offer that gives lower paid workers an increase in pay and conditions.
23rd August
Victorian Festival in Llandrindod Wells is opened.
A toddler from Llandrindod Wells who underwent a life saving heart operation
has now been taken off the critical list.
Jobless figures in Powys show a slight increase.
6th September
Mini bus accident kills two
The Powys Town of Rhayader is in shock at the news of a mini bus accident
kills two and badly injures six other passengers in Belgium. The minibus
was taking passengers to trip watch the Belgian Grand Prix.
Heart Op Toddler returns home to Llandrindod Wells.
13th September
Powys hip operation patient was refused treatment because he lived in
Wales.
A Llanidloes GP revealed this information from a letter he received from
a top orthopaedic surgeon.
20th Sept
'Reality' workers in Newtown's the old Pryse Jones warehouse, who deal
with thousands of calls a day for catalogue companies, have called off
their planned strike after agreeing a new deal with company bosses.
22 September
Many people from Powys joined protesters with banners and filled the central
London streets.
Around 400,000 people from across the country have marched through central
London to highlight the needs of rural communities.
23rd September
Large areas of England and Eastern Wales were rocked by a powerful Earth
Tremor at 1:30 am measuring 4.8 on the richter scale. Light damage reported
and emergency services had phone lines inundated with worried residents
who had been woken by pictures and furniture rattling for a period of
time.
24th September
Powys A Day In the Life
Thousands of People in Powys fill in diaries for Powys: A Day in the Life
Project. The Project aims to show the differences with life in 1891 and
today.
4th October
Tourism project
Plans for a £12 million tourism project is unveiled for Powys. Called
Terra Nova it will be the largest 'working farm history' site in the UK.
It will have 10 working farms all working replica's from history dating
as far back as the neolithic period tothe present day.
Elan Valley's largest dam, Claerwen, celebrates its 50th birthday.
Fine for pollution in River
A Llanbrynmair farmer is fined after slurry from his farm pollutes local
river.
11th October
Anti war demonstration
Protesters from Powys join 150,000 anti war demonstrators in Trafalgar
Square.
The march was against the planned military intervention in Iraq from USA
and it's allies.
18th October
Welshpool Farmers Market success
The First Farmers Market for Welshpool has been hailed as a huge success
and will help pave the way for more in other Powys towns.
25th October
Fire Crews vote to strike
Fire Crews vote to strike and bring chaos to county. Residents and businesses
are urges to be on their guard and to help cut the risk of fires breaking
out.
Dyfed/Powys police slam decision to cut their budget by £4.1million
Unemployment figure remain static for county
1st Nov
Storm Chaos
Gales and heavy flooding cause chaos in the county with trees and powerlines
brought down. One man is killed when a tree falling on his car.
Bronze Statue of Thomas Jones -
18 Century artist and local Pencerrig land owner, Thomas Jones, is unveiled
in Llandrindod Wells.
8th Nov
Trunk road downgrade.
Trunk road from Rhayader to Hereford via Crossgates is to be down-graded
and to lose its Trunk road status.
A 73 year old female pensioner died in a house fire in Newtown, Powys,
during the Fire Fighters strike. Fire Fighters broke their strike to help
with the emergency.
15th November
Mont recycling
Recycling scheme in Montgomeryshire for households is set to be expanded.
22nd November
Domestic violence shock
Shocking statistics for domestic violence in the county show that the
Police were called out to 483 incidents resulting in 178 arrests.
Spa Farmers Market plans
Plans for a farmers market for Llandrindod Wells have been put on hold.
However, hopes for a market with a difference are still high.
29th Nov
Saw mill accident
Probe into latest accident in Newridge on Wye sawmill. Worker sustained
multiple fracture to his arm it caught in a mechanism. This would be the
3rd serious accident which included a death at the company in the last
twelve months.
6th Dec
Welsh teacher sacked
Welsh teacher sacked from Presteigne secondary school leads to concerns
by parents over pupils Welsh education. A replacement for the teacher
at John Beddoes school still had not been found.
Dec 13
Teacher fights sacking
Teacher of Welsh at John Beddoes school in Presteigne fights for reinstatement
claiming unfair dismissal.
Builth High school adopts new pioneering qualification.
The Welsh Baccalaureate, an equivalent to the A level exam, will be pioneered
at the sixth form college. It is likely it will be adopted nationally.
Thousands turn out for charity Santa run
A fun run in aid of the charity dial a ride scheme held their annual run
in Newtown. All participating runners donned Santa outfits.
20th December
Accident fine at sawmill
A Newbridge sawmill was fined £7000 for breaking health and safety
after a worker had his fingers ripped off in an accident.
December
Health blow to special service
A specialist service for people with learning disabilities in Powys is
due to be axed meaning that patients must travel to Carmarthen.
Jobs boost for Powys
Company expansion for meat processing factory will bring jobs to Radnorshire
area.
|
Friday 1st January
Europe launches a single currency and will lead automatically to the abolition
of the 11 national currencies at the end of June 2002 at the latest. The
United Kingdom stays out of the single currency, but has not ruled out
joining at a later date
11th January
The first showing of Monet's 'Prairie de Limetz' landscape since 1889.
It is expected to fetch up to £3 million in a London art auction.
Renoir's 'Le Premier Pas' will probably sell for between £4m and
£6m, while Paul Cezanne's 'Maisons a Valhermeil vues en direction
d'Auvers-sur-Oise' is tipped to sell for between £2.8m and £3.5m.
Claude Monet's 'The Haystacks: Last Rays of the Sun' was last seen in
public in 1895, and recently sold for £10,123,500.
12th January
Prime Minister Blair flew home after almost a fortnight abroad yesterday
to growing clamour for him to face domestic issues, particularly the rail
crisis.
12th January
Police in Leicestershire are now questioning 17 people arrested in Leicester
and London in the biggest anti-terrorist swoop in Britain since September
11. The raids are connected to arrests in France, Belgium and Holland
that stem from the detention at Dubai airport last year of Djamel Beghal,
a key figure in the European al-Qa'eda network.
Britain declared free of Foot and Mouth.
The number of animals slaughtered in the foot and mouth outbreak could
be as high as 10 million - more than twice as high as official Government
figures.
Lords back research on cloned embryos
and reprogramming human eggs with donor DNA to treat certain genetic diseases.
This could one day lead to the birth of babies with three genetic parent.
9th February
Princess Margaret, younger sister to Queen Elizabeth 2nd, dies after illness
aged 71. Expressions of sadness and tributes followed.
21st February
John Thaw dies. British actor who played the title character in the "Inspector
Morse" television series, based on the novels by Colin Dexter, died
in Wiltshire, England on Feb. 21 of cancer at age 60.
27th February
Spike Milligan dies.
Star of Britain's "Goon Show" who kept Britain laughing even
as he struggled for years with persistent depression, died Feb. 27 at
age 83.
1st March
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), honours British film
company. Merchant Ivory, the team that has become a byword for a lost
era of British imperial elegance, receives one of the country's most prestigious
awards for cinema.
27th March
Dudley Moore dies. British actor known for his broad physical comedy and
his hilarious high-brow performances who starred in numerous films including
"10", "Arthur", and "Micki and Maude" died
in Plainfield, NJ on March 27 of complications from progressive supranuclear
palsy at age 66.
5th February
The potential health effects of genetically modified foods should be rigorously
investigated before allowing them into baby food or to be marketed to
pregnant or breast feeding women, the elderly, and those with chronic
disease, the Royal Society said yesterday.
10th February
Scientists from the conservation group WWF have predicted that 80 per
cent of the 115 most scientifically important wildlife habitats will be
ruined by rising temperatures. The most severely damaged will be the Canadian
Low Arctic Tundra; the wooded Ural Mountain taiga in Russia; the central
Andean dry puna in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia; the Daurian steppe of
Mongolia; the savannah of north-east India and Nepal; and the fynbos of
southern Africa.
10th March
Irene Worth dies. British film and stage actress who won Tony Awards for
her roles in Tennessee Williams "Sweet Bird of Youth" and Neil
Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" and who appeared in numerous movies
and TV shows, dies in New York at age 85.
11th March
Action against Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney received strong backing
today from Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Blair said Saddam Hussein's
pursuit of weapons of mass destruction represented a grave threat. His
view buttressed the Bush administration's contention that addressing the
Iraqi danger may require military action.
Britain directed the police to increase stop-and-search street investigations
and to give people forms explaining why they had been singled out.
18th March
Britain Sends 1,700 Troops to Afghan Fight in a response to a request
from the United States to help the Americans flush out remaining Taliban
and Al Qaeda fighters.
19th March
Mugabe /Zimbabwe Barred from Commonwealth.
The unusual step was meant to punish President Robert Mugabe
in the aftermath of the discredited presidential election as he defies
international pressure by entrenching himself for another six years in
power.
21st March
Amanda "Milly" Dowler vanishes while walking home in Walton-on-Thames,
Surrey.
23rd March
Police launch a massive hunt involving 50 officers and dogs as fears grow
for her safety.
27th
March
Milly's parents admit their daughter may have been abducted.
24th March
Sectarian rioting erupts in Belfast after a Protestant woman was injured
in a blast bomb attack.
March
Fox hunting banned in UK.
The PM backed the view of most MPs as they overwhelmingly supported an
outright ban by 386 votes to 175 - a majority of 211.
They also rejected the option of allowing hunting with hounds to continue
under self-regulation by 401 votes to 154 - a majority of 247.
March
Debate on 'open ended war'.
The Tories will hold an emergency debate today on the deployment of 1,700
Royal Marine commandos to Afghanistan amid fears of an open-ended commitment.
Blair tackles street crime
A new Government group hopes to halt the escalation of muggings, car-jackings
and thefts is meeting today under the chairmanship of Tony Blair.
30th March
Queen mother dies aged 101years.
Two days of national mourning announced.
31st March
Barry Took dies. British comedian and writer who assembled six comics,
including John Cleese and Graham Chapman, for a BBC television comedy
that became the legendary "Monty Python's Flying Circus" died
of cancer in London on March 31 at age 73.
9th April
Kings and queens from across Europe gathered today in Westminster Abbey
for the Queen Mother Elizabeth's funeral, with huge crowds standing outside.
British embassy pulls out personnel from Embassy in Pakistan Capital
Islamabad as risk is high with Suicide bombings. British Citizens told
to 'leave now' the potential conflict area.
24th May
Britain could lose its lead in world science to other nations, Tony Blair
warned yesterday despite its outstanding record. "We have relied
too long on tradition and sentiment to aid out scientists," he said.
"We need strong funding and strong public support, not just the warm
glow of our traditions."
Fortress Europe?
British Prime minister seeks help from Spain to strengthen policy and
border control on Economic Migrants and Assylum seekers.
17th May
Banquet at Windsor Castle
The Queen will entertain European kings and queens to a private dinner
at Windsor Castle it was announced yesterday. The dinner, on June 17,
is expected to be one of the biggest gatherings of royalty in recent times.
17th May
Workers urged to Vote to strike
Largest public sector Unions urge council workers to prepare to vote for
strike action over low pay. National Strike planned.
28th May
The transport secretary, Stephen Byers, announces his resignation. Alistair
Darling is appointed transport secretary with the local government brief
passing to John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Oil Demos
A National day of action against Oil Giant Esso saw demo's at petrol stations
across the uk. Environmentalists claim that Texas based firm has done
more than any oil company to block International agreement on Global Warming.
Train Crisis. An 87-mile afternoon train journey turned into an overnight
expedition for 200 passengers.
Thousands of British overseas citizens left stateless after decolonisation
in the 1960s are to be given the right to live in Britain.
The man who decapitated a white marble statue of Lady Thatcher, causing
potentially irreparable damage, said yesterday that he did it to save
his two-year-old son from global capitalism.
June
British government reveal plans to screen and monitor private emails and
internet services to all citizens in a bid to fight terrorism in the wake
of September 11th 2001 attack on World trade centre.
June 3th and 4th
Jubilee holiday in UK celebrate the 50 years of Queen Elizabeth's reign.
11th June
Tate Modern attracted 5.25 million visitors in its first year and interest,
nationally and internationally, in the work of young British artists is
immense.
July
Leo McKern dies. British character actor best known for playing Horace
Rumpole on TV's "Rumpole on the Bailey" as well as roles in
50+ movies died in July at age 82.
3rd July
'Near miss' over Llandrindod Wells
BA passenger jets came close to collision over Llandrindod Wells, Powys,
leaving a gap of 1000 feet between them. The results would have had fatal
consequences for both passengers and people living on the ground.
12th July
Today's BCS figures show overall crime is down by 22% since 1997, domestic
burglary down 39%, car crime down 26% and the chance of being a victim
of crime lower than at any time since the survey began in 1981. Violence
has risen by 2% on one measure or
fallen by 5% on the other, but they agree street robbery rose by 28% (mostly
kids and mobiles), though in London that has now been brought back down
to last years' figure.
15th July
The total education budget will rise from £45bn to £58bn by
2005/2006, representing a real terms increase of 6% for each of the next
three years. The chancellor explained the additional payments in direct
funding to a "typical" primary school would be £50,000,
and £165,000, rising to £180,000, for a "typical"
secondary per year. On average, after inflation, spending per pupil will
rise to £4,900, more than 50% higher than in 1997.
16th July
Charities are failing to get the most from their communications departments,
which is affecting their ability to raise funds, the Institute of Fundraising
convention heard today.
17th July
British scientific researchers have demonstrated for the first time that
genetically modified DNA material from crops is finding its way into human
gut bacteria, raising potentially serious health questions.
25th
July
Opening of the 18th Common Wealth Games in Manchester.
Possible Plane Hijack
over London
A Swedish court on Monday ordered that a man suspected of planning to
hijack an airliner bound for London be held in custody for two more weeks.
August
Maurice Denham dies. British character actor who appeared in over 100
films including "Day of the Jackyl", "84 Charing Cross
Road" and "Nicholas & Alexandra", died in August at
age 92.
4th August
Commonwealth Games in Manchester closed on the 4th August in the presence
of the queen.
4th August
Ten-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman go missing from their
home in Soham, Cambridgeshire.
5th August
The senior manager in charge of the air conditioning system that almost
certainly triggered the Barrow legionnaire's disease outbreak was suspended
yesterday, as the number of confirmed hospital cases of the disease rose
to 47.
Five hospitals in the north-west are treating more than 70 suspected or
confirmed cases of the disease - all of them people thought to have been
in or near Forum 28, Barrow's council-owned entertainment complex, whose
air conditioning system vented infected steam into a narrow alley.
10th
August
Search for missing schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman enters
its seventh day. This becomes one of the largest police hunts in British
criminal history - second only to the search for eight-year-old Sarah
Payne.
17th
August
Police announce that a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been
arrested on suspicion of murdering Holly and Jessica. The man was detained
on suspicion of murder and abduction and the woman on suspicion of murder
after "items of major importance" had been recovered during
a search of Soham Village College.
Later that day two bodies are found and confirmed to be the missing girls.
19th August
Paedophiles have approached more than one in five children while they
were away from their homes, according to a study.
A total of 2,420 children aged nine to 16 from the north-west were questioned
for the study by Huddersfield University, the first into the extent of
the dangers facing children away from their homes.
Researchers found that the children surveyed were more at risk from someone
they knew than from strangers, even though they were outside their own
homes.
September
Katrin Cartlidge dies. British actress who appeared in a remarkable string
of good films including "Topsy Turvy", "No Man's Land",
"Breaking the Waves" and 2001's "From Hell" died of
apparent food poisoning in Sept. at age 41.
September
Michael Elphick dies. British actor best known for memorable roles in
several English TV series as well more than 40 movies including "Quadrophenia"
and "Elephant Man", died in Sept. of an apparent heart attack
at age 55.
4th September
Danielle Duval Age 11, from Reading, Berkshire, is fitted with the first
microchip tracking device.
12th September
In the case of the missing Schoolgirl Milly Dowler the FBI are called
in to help. They believe film from a CCTV camera reveals the image of
a figure standing near a dark coloured saloon.
19th
September
A body is found in woodland 25 miles from where Milly Dowler was last
seen. Forensic offers and the head of the investigation into the teenager's
disappearance attempt to identify it.
20th September
Police say they believe the body found in woodlands is Milly's.
The the case becomes a Murder investigation.
22nd
September
Countryside Marches on the city!
London was brought to a standstill by one of the biggest demonstrations
the capital has seen in years. Over 400,000 people converged on the capital
to protest over many issues affecting people living and working in the
Countryside in UK. Many see the legislation over the years as being the
key to rural de-population and the demise of traditional countryside living
and leisure pursuits.
22nd
September
Photovoltaic technology exploits the property of semi-conductor materials
such as silicon to emit electricity when exposed to daylight. The technology
has been around for some time, but use of PV panels in the UK is set to
grow with the first grant support scheme for householders. The government
will pay up to half the cost for homeowners, and up to 65% for some public
buildings.
23rd
September
Large areas of England and Eastern Wales were rocked by a powerful Earth
Tremor at 1:30 am measuring 4.8 on the richter scale. Light damage reported
and emergency services had phone lines inundated with worried residents
who had been woken by pictures and furniture rattling for a period of
time.
3rd October
2,000 British soldiers began a major exercise on Tuesday but military
officials denied it had anything to do with preparation for war in Iraq.
Talks break down
between unions and employers over a pay award offererd by the government
to firemen striking for better pay and conditions.
21st
October
A recent ITC survey found that the most conspicuous items in homes were
VCRs (87%), PCs with internet access (35%), satellite TV (27%), video
cameras (24%), widescreen TVs (21%), cable TV (19%) and DVD players (17%).
There are 45 million mobile subscribers in the UK. People still want to
buy the latest technological wizardry even if they cannot cope with all
the choice it brings. Now TV sets will have to evolve over the next 10
years to help them cope.
25th October
Richard Harris dies. Irish-born actor known for being one of the hell-raisers
in filmmaking who appeard in great films like "Camelot", "This
Sporting Life", "A Man Called Horse", "Unforgiven"
and more recently "Gladiator" and the "Harry Potter"
movies, and who had a huge hit song in 1968 with "MacArthur Park",
died Oct. 25 of Hodgkin's disease at age 72.
14th
November
Fire fighters take strike action. A force of 800 'Green Goddesses' or
Army Fire Trucks have been deployed accross the UK.
A 73 year old female
pensioner died in a house fire in Newtown, Powys. Local Fire fighters
broke their strike to help with the emergency.
1st
November
Culture minister Kim Howells attacks latest art on display for the Turner
Prize as "conceptual bull***t".
November
The notorious Moors murderer Myra Hindley dies in Prison.
26th November
David Blunkett yesterday agreed to change the law to hand over to judges
his power to set minimum jail terms for convicted murderers, after seven
law lords ruled that the home secretary's role breached the European convention
on human rights.
Government linguistics experts believe the voice on a new audiotape praising
recent terror attacks and broadcast on Arab television is Osama bin Laden's.
Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's former butler, has made accusations concerning
the rape of a colleague at the palace by an Aide to Prince Charles. Burrell
faced a prison sentence in a lengthy high court battle recently. It was
squashed after late evidence was given by the Queen.
10th December
Mr Darling unveils a £5.5bn package of transport improvements, of
which over £3bn is to be spent on roadbuilding and expansion. Outraged
environmental groups brand the move a "u-turn" on the government's
policy of promoting public transport.
13th December
The Department of Transport admits that targets to cut traffic congestion
by 2010 will not be met.
19th December
British troops to make ready for War on Iraq.
23rd December
A Cambodian court sentenced a former senior Khmer Rouge commander to life
imprisonment for masterminding the abduction and murder of three western
backpackers, including a British man, in 1994.
7th
January 2003
Britain calls up 1500 medical and military reservists in readiness for
Iraq war.
Terror arrests.
6 Algerian men are arrested under the prevention of Terrorism act in London
with toxic poison Ricin in their flat.
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Friday 1st January
Europe takes the historic step of launching a single currency and will
lead automatically to the abolition of the 11 national currencies at the
end of June 2002 at the latest. The United Kingdom did not adopt the single
currency, but has not ruled out joining.
9th January
The Justice Department opens a criminal investigation of Enron and its
role in the biggest global financial scandal so far.
Corporate US Energy Giant Enron evaded billions of dollars in tax with
the help of "some of the nation's finest" accountants, investment
banks and lawyers, according to a recently published report. Enron's collapse
over hidden debts leaves many of its employees without retirement funds,
raises questions over its ties with the Bush administration and the Blair
government, and destroys Enron's auditor, Arthur Andersen.
Jan
11
"lumpy sauce decision simmers on".
An obscure EU committee met in Brussels to decide whether to raise the
"lump threshold" from 20% to 30% on cooking sauces for manufacturers.
By EU definition anything over the threshold is considered a vegetable.
Sauce manufacturers were up in arms about EU rules on sauce thickness
and wanted them abolished altogether so that their products could be imported
and exported with lower sauce tariffs rather than outrageously high vegetable
tariffs which can apparently reach 288% as against 20%. The committee
deferred the decision until next month.
January
Astrid Lindgren dies, 94, creator of Pippi Longstocking
12 January
Nathan Chapman, 31, is first American soldier to die in combat in Afghanistan.
Slobodan Milosevic former President of Yugoslavia, will face a single
war crimes trial this month that will examine his role in atrocities committed
during eight years of war in Croatia, Bosnia and recently in Kosovo in
1999.
Shaven US Taliban suspect returns home to face justice. John Walker Lindh,
the 20-year-old American who fought for the Taliban, appeared in court
in Virginia yesterday to face charges of conspiring to kill his fellow
citizens
February
Gordon Matthews dies, inventor of e-mail.
1st February
Hildegard Knef dies. German actress and smoky-voiced singer who earned
fame in the U.S. for her performance as a Soviet commissar in Cole Porter's
"Silk Stockings" and also starred opposite "The Snows of
Kilimanjaro", died in Berlin on Feb. 1 at age 76.
10th February
Scientists from the conservation group WWF have predicted that 80 per
cent of the 115 most scientifically important wildlife habitats will be
ruined by rising temperatures. The most severely damaged will be the Canadian
Low Arctic Tundra; the wooded Ural Mountain taiga in Russia; the central
Andean dry puna in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia; the Daurian steppe of
Mongolia; the savannah of north-east India and Nepal; and the fynbos of
southern Africa.
March
Billy Wilder dies, 95, film director and writer.
7th March
Israeli forces attacked the Gaza Strip, Israel. Secretary of State Colin
L. Powell rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for intensifying
violence.
Pashtuns Flee
The Pashtuns of northern Afghanistan are fleeing their villages by the
thousands now, telling tales of murder and rape and robbery.
More American troops and helicopters were called in Wednesday to join
what is already the biggest battle of the five-month Afghan war.
11th March
President Bush declares that the United States was willing to train and
provide military aid to "governments everywhere" for the fight
against terrorism and for what he made clear would be battles beyond Afghanistan.
12th March
Defence Minister Sergei B. Ivanov of Russia warned today that the American
proposal in arms reduction talks to "warehouse" excess warheads
instead of destroying them would not only encourage nuclear proliferation,
but could even set off a new kind of arms race.
China protests
About 5,000 workers from six recently bankrupted state factories demonstrated
and blocked traffic in the northeastern city of Liaoyang yesterday, complaining
that they were owed a year or more's wages and accusing officials of corruption.
12th March
A Tribute of Light for the new twin towers, which reach a mile high and
can be seen up to 20 miles away, were switched on hours after President
Bush opened the second phase of the war on terrorism. Six months to the
day since the hijack jet attacks on New York and Washington, Mr Bush said
he intended to stop al-Qaeda militants from establishing new havens, starting
with Yemen, Georgia and the Philippines.
14 th March
Marion Countess Donhoff dies
Prussian aristocrat involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler who became
the doyenne of German journalism
March 17
Islamabad, Pakistan, Two men walked into a Protestant church close to
the American Embassy and threw several grenades. Five people were killed,
including an embassy employee and her daughter.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was sworn in Sunday, after being
declared the winner of the most contentious election since he came to
power in 1980.
Scientists make strides with the DNA computer, theoretically capable
of performing trillions of calculations in seconds.
The space shuttle Columbia released a reinvigorated Hubble Space Telescope
365 miles above Earth on Saturday.
Signs of Great Floods, on Mars
New photos from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft suggest that some
floods may have been relatively recent, evidence that the interior of
Mars remains geologically active.
Ice Shelf in Antartica dissintergrates. Researchers said this was the
first time in thousands of years that the east coast of Antarctica's arm-shaped
peninsula had seen so much ice erode
19th March
Jakarta, Indonesia. Four army officers, the first military defendants
to be tried over East Timor.
Europe Presses U.S. on Steel Tariffs
Trade negotiators from the United States and the 15-nation European Union
made their first formal effort today to negotiate a settlement addressing
European complaints that the tariffs are impermissible under World Trade
Organization rules.
March, Arab summit rejects military action against Iraq.
26th March
More than 1,500 people are feared dead after a series of earthquakes struck
the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan.
28th March
Enemy of the state
Arafat is branded enemy of the state by Israel and is cornered in his
government compound by Israeli troops.
April
Ruth Handler dies, inventor of the Barbie doll
1st April
A rising tide of anti-Semitic incidents has prompted Prime Minister Lionel
Jospin to deploy 1,110 extra police officers to guard France's synagogues
and Jewish schools.
Extreme Right eclipses socialists in France.
28th April
Seroxat is set to overtake Prozac as the world's favourite antidepressant.
2nd May
Sihung Lung dies.
Taiwanese actor who played paternal figures in the Ang Lee films "The
Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman" died in Taipei
on May 2 at age 72.
22nd May
Blast Rocks Israeli Town of Rishon Letzion causing a number of casualties,
a rescue service.
Border skirmishes and a political attack on the Indian Parliament and
tension over Kashmir has resulted in Diplomatic breakdown and high risk
of Military action in the region.
Threat of nuclear war far is considered very high.Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee told Indian soldiers along the tense frontier in Kashmir
on Wednesday to prepare for a "decisive battle" against terrorism.
19th May
Famine in south Africa Region -Malawi says over 12 million people are
starving to death. Food aid needed urgently after maize crops fail again.
Friday, May 24, 2002
U.S. and Russia Sign Nuclear Weapons Reduction Treaty to cut their nuclear
arsenals to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads over the next decade.
Pakistan is preparing to shift troops from the border with Afghanistan
to the front in Kashmir, where tensions with India are quickly rising.
Pakistan starts to test missiles.
A China Airlines Boeing 747-200 with 225 passengers and crew on board
crashed into the sea today en route from Taiwan to Hong Kong.
26th May
President Bush urged Pakistan to stop incursions by militants into Kashmir,
while Russian President Vladimir V. Putin pushed for new talks in the
region.
June
Spud Melin dies, co-founder of Wham-O toy in company USA who made toy
classics as the Hula-Hoop and the Frisbee.
7th June
Us President Bush reveals plans for tightened Homeland Security.
India makes concessions to defuse tension between itself and Pakistan
and Kashmir. In a move to reduce tensions with Pakistan, India took what
it called a "significant step" today by announcing that flights
to and from Pakistan will be lifted soon.
India & Pakistan pull back from the brink of Nuclear War.
U.S. Arrests Man for Allegedly Planning Radioactive Dirty Bomb Attack.
Iran Earthquake
A strong earthquake rocked northwestern Iran today, killing at least 500
people and injuring 1,600, Iran's state-run media reported.
July
Rod Steiger dies. Academy-award winning actor known for classic films
like "On the Waterfront" and "In the Heat of the Night"
died from complications after gall bladder surgery in July at age 77.
July
General Choi Hong Hi dies, founder of the martial art Tae Kwon Do in the
1940s.
5th July
A gunman opened fire at the El Al ticket desk at Los Angeles international
airport, killing two people and injuring four before he was shot dead
by a security guard.
13th and 14th July
American law enforcement agencies have been working in tandem with the
American military in Pakistan in an unusual effort to hunt down Al Qaeda
fighters.
27 hindus killed in Kashmir attack on a crowded slum. India blamed Pakistan
today for an attack by suspected Islamic guerrillas.
14th July
Neo Nazi supporter attempts to assassinate President J Chirac of France
at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris.
11-14th August
Floods
Germany Ausrtria and Czech republic drowning in floods . Salzburg deemed
a disaster zone. Prague under 16 meters of water and thousands evacuated
in worst flooding for over a hundred years. Dresden braced today for its
worst flooding in 150 years, while other parts of central Europe remained
on alert.
August
The United Nations Earth Summit in Johanesburg. More than 100 world leaders
join the summit finale. Issues include promoting clean energy, preserving
fish stocks and fighting Aids.
31st August
Renewed fears for stability in Macedonia grew yesterday ahead of key elections
after police killed two ethnic Albanians and special forces closed in
on the suspected kidnappers of five Macedonians.
September 4th
Mugabe attacks UK Premier telling him to stay out of Zimbabwe's affairs.
White farmers forced off their land and the farms taken over by squatters
or supporters of Mugabe's ruling party. Meanwhile 90% of the farms are
not producing crops and famine is rife.
Israel's Supreme Court ruled that relatives of Palestinian terror suspects
can be expelled from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip.
September
Kim Hunter dies. Oscar-winning actress for "Steetcar Named Desire"
in 1951 who is probably best known for her role as Dr. Zira in three of
the Planet of the Apes movies, died of a heart attack in Sept. at age
79.
11th September
America remembers the attack on world trade centre one year on. President
Bush plans to challenge the United Nations to enforce resolutions it has
passed regarding Iraq. Secretary General Kofi Annan will urge America
not to move alone.
President Vladimir V. Putin threatened on Wednesday to order military
strikes in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
17th September
Iraq unconditionally accepts UN Inspectors to check for weapons of mass
destruction. America and allies hold back from the brink of war . US President
says this is a delaying tactic.
30th September
In Brussels the 15 nations of the European Union have agreed to exempt
American soldiers and government officials from prosecution for war crimes
at the International Criminal Court.
The compromise, reached at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday,
came close to the blanket immunity for US government employees sought
by the Bush administration. European officials emphasised that it did
not undermine the court.
7th October
Israeli's kill 13 on raid in Gaza town.
The raid drew an unusual rebuke from the Bush administration, which said
Israel was endangering civilians.
French Oil tanker is attacked off the coast of Yemen - witness reports
of boat packed with explosives driven at the vessel at high speed. No
fatalities.
2nd October
11-year-old Jakob von Metzler - the youngest member of Germany's most
venerable banking dynasty was found murdered by his kidnappers. He had
died despite the fact that his family had handed over a 1m euro (£630,000)
ransom. The news sent a wave of horror through the financial capital of
continental Europe and is bound to prompt many of its wealthier citizens
to consider tighter security for themselves and their families.
10th October
U.S. envoy presses for full exemption from war crime court.
U.S Congress backs war.
The Senate, joining with the House, voted early this morning to authorize
President Bush to use force against Iraq.
12th October
Former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize today for finding
peaceful solutions to international conflicts, and for advancing democracy
and human rights.
12th October
Terror Bomb attack kills in excess of 190 - in Bali. A car bomb that detonated
in front of a nightclub. Australia bracing its self for fatalities.
13th October
Helsinki: A man who placed a bomb in a suburban Helsinki shopping centre
was one of seven people who died in the blast. 80 people were injured
U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Pakistan was a major supplier
of critical equipment for North Korea's newly revealed nuclear weapons
program.
20th October
Iraq, President Saddam Hussein opens prisons allowing hundreds of political
prisoners and common criminals to go free. Protests by families who find
relatives have dissappeared at the hands of the security forces.
24th October
Sniper in USA caught
Authorities arrested two men found sleeping in a car at a Maryland rest
stop today in connection with the sniper attacks that have killed 10 people.
25th October
40 Chechen terrorists seize Moscow Theatre taking hostage as many as 700
people and threatened to blow up the building. More than 120 hostages
are killed when Russian special forces storm Moscow theatre. All 41 Chechen
militants, who carried out the siege, are also killed.
United Nations Security Council passes motion to send scientists into
Iraq to hunt for weapons of Mass destruction or face the consequences
from USA and her allies.
18th November
James Coburn dies.Tough-guy actor who starred or appeared in over 100
movies including great performances in "The Magnificent Seven"
and "Our Man Flint", who disappeared from the movies in the
1980's due to crippling arthritis, but made a dramatic comeback in 1998
when he won an Oscar for "Affliction", died of a heart attack
on Nov. 18 at age 74.
25th November
Eighteen U.N. inspectors are scheduled to arrive in Baghdad today. The
first inspection is planned for Wednesday.
27th November
Wolfgang Preiss dies. German actor who appeared in over 100 movies, including
several U.S. films including "Raid on Rommel", "A Bridge
Too Far", "Von Ryan's Express", "The Longest Day"
and the mini-series "War and Remembrance" and "Sidney Sheldon's
Bloodline", died Nov. 27 at age 82.
28th November
Arms inspectors are unhindered on visit to 3 sites in Iraq.
28th November 2002
11 killed in simultaneous attacks on Israeli's in Kenya.
17th December
Top 10 films. The respected American Film Institute yesterday named its
top 10 movies of the year, including The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
and Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York on its list.
The other films were the Nick Hornby adaptation About a Boy, Adaptation,
Chicago, About Schmidt, Antwone Fisher, Frida, The Quiet American and
The Hours.
Boston's critics made Gangs their runner-up in the best film category,
but their real favourite was Roman Polanski's The Pianist, based on the
true story of Jewish musician and Warsaw ghetto survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman.
Polanski also took best director and Adrien Brody took best actor for
his role in the film.
20th
December
USA tells Germany to ready 2000 troops to cope with depletion of troops
from militaty bases in Germany as army is re-deployed in the Gulf.
28th December
Five Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea publicly criticised
the communist state for the first time yesterday, describing their abductions
in 1978 as "a state-organised crime".
3rd January 2003
Us president plays down rift with allies over handling of North Korea
stand off.
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