The World This Week

Today: EU Agriculture Council meets in Brussels. EU General Affairs Council meets in Brussels. P.W

Today: EU Agriculture Council meets in Brussels. EU General Affairs Council meets in Brussels. P.W. Botha faces hearing at South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Opposition in Tatarstan begins hunger strike. Indian Supreme Court reviews death sentences on four people convicted of assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Sudanese government discusses ceasefire proposals of Sudan People's Liberation Army. US marks 30th anniversary of first moon landing.

Tomorrow: New European Parliament holds first session in Strasbourg. Turkish foreign minister visits self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, on 25th anniversary of Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Space Shuttle Co- lumbia launched carrying X-ray telescope. Opposition in Belarus stages demonstrations as original term of President Lukashenka expires but he remains in office.

Wednesday: European Parliament hears statement by Prodi. Opposition Belarussian Popular Front holds demonstration near presidential administration. German foreign minister in Turkey. World Bank conference on economic development in Paris. First meeting of finance and central bank deputies ASEAN countries in Hanoi.

Thursday: European Parliament appoints committees members. Asian Development Bank meets high-level officials from Indonesian government in Jakarta. Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman may announce changes to cabinet. Friends of Albania donor meeting in Brussels. OECD secretary-general in Washington. Brazilian President visits Ecuador. Albright in Singapore. Gore in Kiev.

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Friday: Informal meeting of EU environment ministers in Helsinki. Gore in Moscow. Court hearing in Moscow over bankruptcy case of Sidanko oil firm. President Clinton attends Democratic National Committee fund raiser in Cincinnati. US Reform Party holds convention in Michigan. ASEAN ministerial meeting in Singapore.

Saturday: Indonesia's election commission provisionally expected to issue official election results. Japan's Buddhist-backed New Komeito Party holds convention. President Clinton key guest at Democratic National Committee fundraising retreat in Aspen. National Council of La Raza, organisation working for Hispanic American rights, holds conference in Houston.

Sunday: Petition demanding resignation of Slobodan Milosevic handed to National Assembly. Elections to Venezuela's constituent assembly. Fresh election expected for leadership of PRD in Mexico. Chinese foreign minister in Singapore. Bangladesh opposition calls three-day "road march" protest. Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin visits Washington.

Irish events of a world news interest for this column should be received by David Shanks, Foreign Desk, on the Friday before publication.