Today: UN talks in Islamabad between Taliban and anti-Taliban alliance. Uncosom meets for periodic review of sanctions against Iraq. US under-secretary of state heads meeting in Washington with Swiss banks about Holocaust compensation. Chirac in Japan.
Tomorrow: Albright tour of Japan, China, South Korea and Mongolia begins. Israeli PM in Cairo. Nigerian court to deliver verdict on 26 military personnel and civilians. Council of Europe conference on child sexual exploitation.
Wednesday: CIS summit in Moscow. Mandela in Angola. Swedish parliament votes on Amsterdam Treaty. European Parliament debates on economics and ecology.
Thursday: Gore in Israel. Nairobi holds Sudanese peace talks. EU health ministers in Luxembourg.
Friday: May Day.
Sunday: World Press Freedom Day.
Ireland
Today: London representative of the Turkish administration in northern Cyprus addresses seminar on "Cyprus and EU Membership" in University of Limerick at 9 a.m. Book of condolence at Greek embassy for Constantine Karamanlis. Debate in Irish on the Amsterdam Treaty in Connemara Coast Hotel, Furbo, at 8 p.m. TCD One World and Politics Societies meeting on "The 50th Anniversary of Palestinian Diaspora" at 7.30 p.m. in Ussher Theatre, Arts Building. Lord Mayor of Dublin opens exhibition of photographs on struggle for land and justice in Brazil and Mexico in the Ilac Library. Thursday: Irish Mexico Group public meeting on Chiapas upstairs in Ha'penny Bridge Inn at 8 p.m. "Press Freedom and the State: a tortured liberty?": Trocaire public meeting in Irish Writers Centre, Parnell Square, at 7.30 p.m. Friday: Women's Council of Ireland seminar on Amsterdam Treaty in EU House, Dublin, at 7.45 p.m.
Irish events of a world news interest for this column should be received by David Shanks, Foreign Desk, on the Friday before publication.