Today: Olympic flame begins torch relay through Japan to 1998 Winter Olympics resort of Nagano. NASA launches Lunar Prospector Spacecraft. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child holds session in Geneva.
Tomorrow: Greek, Syrian and Coptic Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas. British woman Karen Henderson, convicted of smuggling cocaine into Russia, to be released. US-Kuwait exercises end. Council of European Monetary Institute meets in Frankfurt.
Wednesday: Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas. Delegation from European Commission visits London to discuss programme of British EU presidency. EU Trade Commissioner in London. EU Commissioner for Middle East Affairs gives press conference in Brussels on peace process.
Friday: Spacewalk by Russian cosmonaut and US astronaut on Russian Mir space station.
Saturday: Council of Europe holds quarterly parliamentary assembly in Strasbourg. Tourism ministers from Association of South-East Asian Nations meet in the Philippines.
Sunday: Parliamentary elections in Cuba. Run-off election for mayor of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Jacques Santer and Sir Leon Brittan visit Japan. - (Future Events News Service)
Ireland
Today: Ogoni Solidarity Ireland demonstration outside Irish Shell headquarters in Clonskeagh, Dublin, at 1 p.m. Speakers include: Seamus Heaney, Des O'Malley TD, Dick Spring TD. Thursday: Opening of Mexican Graphic Art exhibition in the Model Arts Centre, The Mall, Sligo.
Irish events of a world news interest for this column should be received by David Shanks, Foreign Desk, on the Friday before publication.