Difference between revisions 9336984 and 9337278 on enwiki

<!-- NOTE: PLEASE LOG NEW EVENTS IN THE PRESENT TENSE. THANK YOU!

PLEASE PROVIDE LINKS TO NEWS STORIES AFTER EACH ENTRY, NEWS STORIES WITHOUT LINKS MAY BE REMOVED.

NEWS STORIES MUST BE IN ENGLISH.

PLEASE DO NOT LINK TO SUBSCRIPTION-ONLY SITES SUCH AS AOL, WSJ OR THE NYT (except in the unlikely event that a story is covered there substantially better than anywhere else) 
-->
__NOTOC__ 

<!-- To archive this page at the beginning of the month, see:  [[Wikipedia:How to archive Current Events]] -->
<!-- NOTE: For each item, please update the most relevant linked article if appropriate -->
''This page deals with current events in the English-speaking nations and territories of Europe. These are [[England]], [[Wales]], [[Scotland]], [[Northern Ireland]], [[Republic of Ireland]], [[Isle of Man]], [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and [[Gibraltar]].''
{| style="float: right; margin-left: 3em; margin-bottom: 2em"
|-
|
{{Current events box| in Britain and Ireland}}
|-
| style="border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #fff5f5; padding: 7px" |

===Deaths in January===
* [[January 9|9]] [[Hilary Cropper|Dame Hilary Cropper]], 63
* [[January 6|6]] [[Nicholas Scott|Sir Nicholas Scott]], 71
* [[January 4|4]] [[Humphrey Carpenter]], 58
* [[January 4|4]] [[Edward Britton|Sir Edward Britton]], 95
* [[January 2|2]] [[Cyril Fletcher]], 91
* [[January 1|1]] [[Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham|The Lord Burnham]], 73
''[[Recent deaths|Other recent deaths]]''

===Ongoing events===

===Future events===
[[20 January]]: [[Speed limit]] [[metrication]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Rep. of Ireland]]<br>
[[2005]]: [[UK general election, 2005]]<br>

===Upcoming holidays===
[[20 January]]&ndash;[[24 January]]: [[Eid ul-Adha]]<br>
[[25 January]]: [[Burns Night]]<br>

===Upcoming sports events===
====[[Cricket]]====
[[South African cricket team|South Africa]] v. [[English cricket team|England]] Test Series<br>
4th Test: [[13 January|13]]&ndash;[[17 January]]<br>
5th Test: [[21 January|21]]&ndash;[[25 January]]

====[[Football]]====
[[FA Cup]] &ndash; 3rd Round, [[7 January|7]]&ndash;[[9 January]]

===Related pages===
[[2005 in the United Kingdom|2005 in the UK]]<br>
[[2005 in Ireland]]<br>
[[Wikipedia:How the Current events page works|About this page]]<br/>

|}

==[[13 January]] [[2005]]==
* The number of bodies found after Tuesday night's tragedy in the [[Hebrides]] rises to 4. A family of two parents, two children, and a grandfather were travelling from [[South Uist]] to [[Benbecula]] in two vehicles when they were apparently washed off the causeway between the islands and drowned. [http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13281051,00.html (Sky News)]
* Fury erupts in the UK over [[Prince Harry]] wearing a [[Nazi]] military uniform at a private "[[fancy dress]]" party. He later apologised for any offence caused. [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1105573215455_53/?hub=World (CTV Canada)]
* The [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Comptroller and Auditor General]] (C&AG) is to conduct an investigation into whether [[Irish Government|government]] deals with [[National Toll Roads]] (NTR) achieved "value for money". NTR recently increased the toll on [[Dublin]]'s [[M50 motorway|M50]] [[West-Link]] [[toll road|toll bridge]]. [http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/4840885?view=Eircomnet (Irish Times - eircom.net)]

==[[12 January]] [[2005]]==
* Searchers looking for [[Robert Holohan]], a missing [[County Cork|Cork]] boy, have discovered a body about 10 miles from his home.  The body is yet to be identified. [http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=150292520&p=y5xz93335&n=150293406 (Ireland On-Line)]
* [[Antony Pitts]], a [[BBC]] [[BBC Radio 3|Radio 3]] producer has resigned in protest at the corporation's broadcast of [[Jerry Springer - The Opera]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4167391.stm (BBC)]
* Two men are found dead after last night's storm near the causeway between the [[Scotland|Scottish]] islands of [[Benbecula]] and [[South Uist]]. Concern is rising about three other members of the family who are missing. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4166901.stm (BBC)], [http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13281051,00.html (Sky News)]
* Britain's tallest self-supporting sculpture, the "[[B of the Bang]]", is unveiled in [[Manchester]] by [[Linford Christie]].[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4166517.stm (BBC)]⏎
* The [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] environmental agency, [[An Taisce]] objects to the [[National Roads Authority]]'s planned route for the [[N6 road|M6]] [[motorway]] from [[Galway]], claiming it would be "particularly destructive" in passing by a historic battle site at [[Aughrim]]. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0112/aughrim.html (RTÉ)]

==[[11 January]] [[2005]]==
*Another fierce storm system strikes the northern British Isles:
**In [[Derry]], the driver of an articulated lorry is killed when his vehicle is blown off the Foyle bridge. 3,000 customers across Northern Ireland have lost their electricity supply. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4165489.stm (BBC)]
**Gusts of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) are predicted for Tuesday night in Northern Ireland, Western Scotland, and North-West England. By Tuesday afternoon there are 4 flood warnings and 40 flood watches in England and Wales, 12 flood warnings and 18 flood watches in Scotland. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4164613.stm (BBC)]
**Train services between [[Llandudno]] Junction and [[Blaenau Ffestiniog]] are suspended until further notice because of flood damage -- the line had only recently reopened after expenditure of £3 million following flood damage last year. [http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/en/news/news_releases2.php?categoryID=46&article=591&sub_subnavID=&subnavID=134 (Arriva Trains Wales)]

==[[8 January]] [[2005]]==
*''[[Jerry Springer - The Opera]]'' controversy:
** The [[BBC]] broadcasts ''[[Jerry Springer - The Opera]]'' despite receiving at least 45,000 complaints. BBC [[Director-General of the BBC|Director-General]] [[Mark Thompson]] states: "There is nothing in this which I believe to be blasphemous." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4154071.stm (BBC)]
** Senior BBC executives receive abusive phone calls after a web site reveals their private telephone numbers. The web site has now been shut down and police are investigating the calls. [http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=stageNews&storyID=7272395 (Reuters)]
*After a night of stormy weather, tens of thousands of homes across [[Ireland]] are left without power. A ferry has run aground on [[Scotland]]'s coast, with passengers remaining on board rather than evacuating in stormy weather. Extensive flooding has occurred in [[Carlisle]] as well as other locations in [[Britain]] and many homes are without power. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0108/weather.html (RTÉ)] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4156017.stm (BBC)]

==[[7 January]] [[2005]]==
* The [[BBC]] receives over 30,000 complaints and its offices are picketed by religious groups protesting tomorrow night's planned transmission of ''[[Jerry Springer - The Opera]]''. Some claim the opera is blasphemous and obscene, containing 3,168 "[[Fuck|F-words]]" and 297 "[[Cunt|C-words]]". Others argue that this is a misleading total since it counts a swear word sung by multiple members of the cast in unison as multiple instances of that word. One group threatens to bring a private prosecution for blasphemy against the BBC if the transmission goes ahead, under laws last used in the 1970s. [http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Andinothernews&ao=177601 (Mail & Guardian, SA)]
* [[Northern Ireland]] [[PSNI|police]] [[Chief Constable]] [[Hugh Orde]] publicly accuses the [[Provisional IRA]] of what has now been assessed as a £26.5 million robbery of the [[Northern Bank]] in [[Belfast]] before Christmas. Northern Bank announces that it is to recall and reissue all its banknotes in different colours and designs in response to the robbery, making most of the money taken "waste paper". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4154657.stm (BBC)][http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0107/belfast.html (RTÉ)]
* Three ex-[[Aer Lingus]] managers have declared their ambition to set up a rival domestic, European and transatlantic low-cost airline. The trio recently quit the [[Ireland|Irish]] [[Republic of Ireland|state]] airline over the [[Irish Government]]'s unclear privatisation plans, and inaction over the airline's future. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0107/aerlingus.html (RTÉ)]
* [[Jack Straw (politician)|Jack Straw]] now says that 49 Britons are confirmed dead in the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Asian tsunami]], and that the total number of British deaths may reach 440. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4153741.stm (BBC)]

==[[6 January]] [[2005]]==
*The British public have now donated over [[Pound sterling|£]]100m to the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Asian tsunami]] appeal, according to the [[Disasters Emergency Committee]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4152933.stm (BBC)]
*Police charge three teenagers (aged 19, 17 and 16) from [[Peckham]] with the murder of [[Damilola Taylor]] in [[November 2000]]. They will appear in court tomorrow. The three were arrested yesterday after police used new DNA techniques to examine evidence obtained at the time of the murder. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4153461.stm (BBC)]
*[[Gerry Kelly]], the [[Sinn Féin]] justice spokesman, condemns the robbery of the [[Northern Bank]] on [[21 December]] [[2004]] and states that he believes the [[Irish Republican Army|IRA]] did not play a role in the robbery. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0106/northpolitics.html (RTÉ)]
*A public awareness campaign is started by the [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Irish Government|Government]] to inform motorists of the changeover to [[metric]] [[speed limit]]s in two weeks' time. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0106/metric.html (RTÉ)]
*[[Jon Smee]] becomes the youngest ever person convicted of drink driving in the [[United Kingdom]], at [[13]] years old. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4151687.stm (BBC)]
*[[South African cricket team|South Africa]] (441 and 222-8 dec) beat [[English cricket team|England]] (163 and 304) by 196 runs in the third [[Test cricket|Test]] in [[Cape Town]]. This is England's first Test defeat since [[December 2003]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4151307.stm (BBC)]

==[[5 January]] [[2005]]==
* Work begins on upgrading the [[N7 road|N7]] [[Naas]] [[roads in Ireland|road]] in [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]. The project is part of a &#8364;1.1 billion plan that includes upgrading the [[M50 motorway|M50]] and associated [[interchange]]s. [http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/4799124?view=Eircomnet (Irish Times - eircom.net)]
*Year-end figures released by the [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Exchequer]] show a &#8364;33 million [[budget surplus]], as opposed to the &#8364;2.8 billion [[budget deficit|shortfall]] forecast by the [[Irish Government]] at the beginning of the year. [http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/4799104?view=Eircomnet (Irish Times - eircom.net)]
*[[Chief executive]]s of the [[Republic of Ireland]]'s semi-amalgamated [[The Eleven Kingdoms|health boards]] meet under the new "Health Service Executive". Health services will continue to be administered separately in the eleven regions for at least six months. [http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/4792212?view=Eircomnet (Irish Times - eircom.net)]
* [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Asian tsunami]]:
** The [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Irish Government|Government]] cabinet meets to discuss the aid situation. A [[Garda Síochána|Garda]] team is to be sent to the area. There have been calls for the government to increase their &#8364;10 million pledge to match rising public donations. [http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/4792508?view=Eircomnet (Irish Independent - eircom.net)]
** Casualties are still being determined even though ten days have passed since the disaster; reports include the parents of celebrity [[Charlie Dimmock]] [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/05/ndimm05.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/05/ixnewstop.html] and government advisor [[Nim Hoy]] among the victims, [http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/publish/article_27808.shtml] with presenter [[David Dickinson]] narrowly avoiding death. [http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3966504]

==[[4 January]] [[2005]]==
* [[Smoking]] has been [[smoking ban|banned]] in all [[Northern Ireland]] [[civil service]] offices. Public health lobbyists are calling for a complete workplace ban, similar to that in force across the border in the [[Republic of Ireland|Republic]]. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0104/smoking.html (RTÉ)]
* [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Asian tsunami]]:
**[[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Taoiseach]] [[Bertie Ahern]] met with Irish [[aid agency|aid agencies]] to discuss how to allocate the government's &#8364;10 million aid pledge. Involvement of the [[Irish Army]] in aid efforts is also a matter of debate. [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0104/quake3.html (RTÉ)]

==[[3 January]] [[2005]]==
* [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|Asian tsunami]]:
** [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] [[Jack Straw (politician)|Jack Straw]] says that the British death toll is "highly likely" to reach 199. Forty Britons are confirmed dead; another 159 are missing and feared killed. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4142945.stm (BBC)]
** Christopher Pierson pleads guilty to sending [[hoax]] emails to relatives of those missing, claiming that they are confirmed dead. He is remanded in custody until [[January 24]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4142463.stm (BBC)]

==[[2 January]] [[2005]]==

* A [[hoax]]er has emailed friends and relatives of those missing in the Asian [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|tsunami]] to say that they are confirmed dead.  [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4140375.stm (BBC)].
* [[Operation Garron]], the British military aid effort for victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake is launched. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4142237.stm (BBC)]
* [[Train|Rail]] fare increases take effect from today.  Average fares have increased by about 4%, advance fares between 2% and 7.2%. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4140631.stm (BBC)]
* [[Police]] investigating the murder of Amy Williams have been given more time to question the man arrested yesterday. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4140677.stm (BBC)]

==[[1 January]] [[2005]]==
* UK charities have now collected over £60m for the victims of the Asian [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|tsunami]]. Thirty-five Britons are now confirmed to be amongst those who died, although authorities have said that the total death toll may never be known.  [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4139735.stm (BBC)]
* [[New Year]]'s celebrations all over the UK fall silent for two minutes as a mark of respect for those who died in the tsunami.  [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4136705.stm (BBC)]
* Papers released under the [[Thirty Year Rule]] show that the [[British House of Commons|Labour government]] of [[1974]] was against the introduction of [[British national identity card|identity cards]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4139049.stm (BBC)]
* The [[Freedom of Information Act 2000|Freedom of Information Act]] and the [[Environmental Information Regulations 2004|Environmental Information Regulations]] come into force. They radically alter the balance of presumption over access to government information.
* A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of [[pregnant]] teenager Amy Williams in [[Telford]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4137045.stm (BBC)]
* New [[Chip and PIN]] legislation comes into effect today.  It makes retailers liable for fraudulent transactions if they have failed to sign up to the scheme. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4139211.stm (BBC)]

==Past British and Irish events by month==

[[2004 in the United Kingdom]]: [[December 2004 in Britain and Ireland|December]]

''(For earlier events in Britain and Ireland, see [[November 2004]] and preceding months)''