19 - Seven masked, armed men storm the Parliament of Fiji and take the Prime Minister and his entire Cabinet hostage. 24 - India and USA rule out support to any independent Tamil State carved out of Sri Lanka. 27 - Fiji President Ratu Sir Kamisise Mara dismisses the government of Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, held hostage by armed coup plotters, and takes over complete authority. 28 - Mob loots Fiji TV station and shops of Fijians of Indian origin. 29 - Army takes over in Fiji.
Martial law is imposed.
2 - Nine people are killed in a blast in Srinagar Valley. Noted Shia leader and former Minister Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari has a miraculous escape. 5 - A massive earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale, hits Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing 58 people. Clandia Moreno of Venezuela was placed second, and Helen Lindes of Spain third. She has been hailed as the billionth baby of India.