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20 March 1997 Edition

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News review

Thursday 13 March

The IRA attacks members of the Crown Forces in the Short Strand and Ardoyne districts of Belfast

Foreigners are evacuated from Albania as the rebellion threatens to reach the streets of the capital, Tirana.

 
Friday 14 March

Catholic father of ten, John Slane, is shot dead in his Falls Road home by loyalist gunmen. There is no claim of reponsibility.

Three undercover members of the crown forces open fire on bar staff at the Derryhirk Inn at Aghagallon near Lurgan.

 
Sunday 16 March

The Sunday Business Post reveals startling new evidence from a British paratrooper who was a witness to the Bloody Sunday killings. He claims the soldiers were told to ``get some kills'', that some protestors were shot with their hands in their air, and that his statement to the Widgery Tribunal was ripped up and he was told to give give false evidence.

 
Monday 17 March

John Major calls the Westminster election for 1 May. The Tory party are 25 points behind in the polls.

Environmentalists welcome a British government announcement that it will not proceed with plans to dump nuclear waste at an underground site at Sellafield.

In a speech in Washington Senator Ted Kennedy calls for an IRA ceasefire if the British government will agree to admit Sinn Féin to resumed talks on 3 June.

 
Tuesday 18 March

Pressure for a fresh inquiry into Bloody Sunday grows with the leaders of every nationalist party making calls in support

Local Orangemen in Dromore, County Tyrone, reject an agreement with local residents on their march through the mainly nationalist town on 12 July.

Tensions rise in Palestine as Israel sends in the bulldozers to begin building houses for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem against agreements reached in peace accords.

 
Wednesday 19 March

The Dublin government backs Mary Robinson for the top UN human rights post.

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