Israel

Twenty-six people died in the Palestinian uprising during the month (Reuters).

1 JANUARY 2001

St. Lucia

Four or five suspected members of an anti-Christian group attacked a Roman Catholic mass in Castries, killing two people and injuring dozens (Reuters).

2 JANUARY 2001

Cambodia, Genocide

The National Assembly approved a draft law for bringing former leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge to trial. Cambodia and the UN reached tentative agreement in late-April on how to conduct the trials, but the process has been on hold since then (Reuters).

3 JANUARY 2001

Czech Republic

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Praque against the appointment of Jiri Hodac to direct public Czech Television (Reuters).

4 JANUARY 2001

Colombia

Suspected members of the AUC murdered 11 people near Yolombo (Reuters).

6 JANUARY 2001

Thailand, Politics

General elections were held. The Thai Rak Thai party led by Thaksin Shinawatra won 248 of 500 parliamentary seats with 51% of the vote. The Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai won 128 seats. Thaksin may yet be barred from becoming Prime Minister due to alleged crimes during the 1990s (Reuters).

6-7 JANUARY 2001

Europe, Diplomatic Affairs

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visited Russia (Reuters).

7-8 JANUARY 2001

Ivory Coast

Armed groups temporarily seized the radio and TV stations in Abidjan before being expelled by government troops (Reuters).

7-10 JANUARY 2001

Diplomatic Affairs

Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf visited Syria, Jordan and Lebanon (Reuters).

8 JANUARY 2001

Israel

About 100,000 Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem against any handover of parts of the city to the Palestinians (Reuters).

11 JANUARY 2001

Czech Republic

Tens of thousands of people celebrated the resignation of Czech Television director Jiri Hodac (Reuters).

14 JANUARY 2001

Portugal, Politics

A presidential election was held. Socialist Jorge Sampaid was reelected with 56% of the vote. Social Democrat Joaquim Ferreira Do Amaral received 34%.

Colombia

Suspected anti-Marxist gunmen murdered eight civilians in Valledupar (Reuters).

15-20 JANUARY 2001

Asia, Diplomatic Affairs

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visited China (Reuters).

16 JANUARY 2001

Philippines

There were protests in Manila and several provincial cities against President Joseph Estrada (Reuters).

16-18 JANUARY 2001

Democratic Republic of Congo

On the 16th, President Laurent Kabila was shot; the government announced his death on the 18th. On the 17th, his son, Major General Joseph Kabila, was named interim head of state (Reuters).

17 JANUARY 2001

Colombia

Unknown gunmen, probably from the AUC, murdered at least 25 men in Chengue (Reuters).

19 JANUARY 2001

Philippines, Politics

President Estrada resigned and was replaced by Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Reuters).

20 JANUARY 2001

United States, Politics

George W. Bush was sworn in as President (see 7 November-13 December 2000)(Reuters).

21 JANUARY 2001

Sub-Saharan Africa, Diplomatic Affairs

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, Namibian President Sam Nujoma and Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos met in Luanda, Angola to discuss the situation in the DRC (Reuters).

25 JANUARY 2001

Ecuador

About 1500 Indians protested in Cotopaxi province against some government economic policies (Reuters).

26 JANUARY 2001

India, Environment

An earthquake registering 7.7 on the Richter scale struck western India, particularly Gujarat state. Tens of thousands of people were killed and massive destruction was caused (Reuters).

Spain

A bomb attack, probably by the ETA, killed one person in San Sebastian (Reuters).

27 JANUARY 2001

Switzerland

There were violent protests against the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Zurich and other cities. The occasion was the WEF's annual meeting being held in Davos (Reuters).

Spain

Thousands demonstrated against the ETA in San Sebastian (Reuters).

27-28 JANUARY 2001

Tanzania

There were violent protests against the government in Dar es Salaam and other cities, and on the islands of Zanzibar. On Penbra island, order broke down in many areas (Reuters).

30 JANUARY 2001

Ecuador

Police dispersed about 2000 Indian demonstrators in Quito. In the preceeding few days, thousands of Indians arrived in Quito to protest price increases by the government, and groups of Indians blocked highways north and south of the capital (Reuters).

Kosovo

Ethnic Albanians rioted in Mitrovica (Reuters).

31 JANUARY 2001

Terrorism

A Scottish court sentenced Libyan Abdel Basset al-Megrahi to life imprisonment for the destruction of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie in 1988. Co-accused Libyan Al-Amin Khalifa Fahima was acquitted (Reuters).