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Details remain scarce about events at a gas plant in the Algerian desert yesterday where Islamist militants were holding foreign hostages – but it seems the crisis is continuing and the Algerian army has laid siege to the complex.

Algerian state media said four hostages and several militants were killed when troops backed by helicopters attempted to free them on Thursday afternoon. There are fears the death toll could be higher.
Stephen McFaul – a 36 year old electrician from Belfast – was among a number of workers who were safe and free last night.
It appears a convoy of five Al Qaeda trucks were attacked by Algerian forces - but his family said Stephen somehow managed to escape his captors. His brother Brian McFaul said the kidnappers had strapped explosives around Stephen’s neck. Four other trucks in the convoy were destroyed.

Pat spoke with journalist Said Ben Ali in Algiers who has been watching events unfold at the remote gas installation about 100 miles from the Algeria- Libya border and Shaskank Joshi Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.

Hard work wins the Tour de France and, in Lance Armstrong’s case, EPO, testosterone, blood doping, cortisone, bullying, lies, abuse of power and money. The day many cycling fans have waited for has arrived, the day Lance Armstrong admits doping in the Tour de France. That said, anyone who has followed the career of one of sport’s biggest cheats, would say that the timing, the choice of interviewer, the questions that weren’t answered and his demeanor would suggest that it’s just another PR or damage limitation exercise. The man who chased him all the way, David Walsh, spoke to Pat this morning.

Daniel Day Lewis plays Abraham Lincoln in Stephen Spielberg’s Lincoln, recalling the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln and his fight to emancipate slaves. Where the film shows Lincoln as the hero, pushing through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that would guarantee freedom for slaves, he himself was not a radical abolitionist, but events were set to change all that. Pat was joined from the Galway studio by Enrico Dal Lago, of the Department of History at the National University Of Ireland, Galway, who has specialized in this period of American history.

Patrick Wall, Professor of Public Health, UCD, Mairead McGuinness, Fine Gael MEP, Eddie Downey, Deputy Leader IFA, Blair Horan, Civil, Public and Services Union.

If you’re New Year’s resolutions are holding but you’re wavering slightly as the cold, dark wet days and nights close in and the draws of comfort foods and takeaways tempt you from your healthy eating regime, then hold fast, Catherine Fulvio was here to make things a bit easier for you.

Recipes:

Pork and Pak Choi Stir Fry
Serves 4

Make sure that you have all the vegetables and pork prepped before you start cooking. Once you get going there is no time to be chopping again! The process moves on fast.........

350g pork fillet, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 lime, juice and zest
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
½ tsp 5 spice powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 pak choi, roughly chopped

Steamed rice, to serve
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

1. Place the pork and 1 tbsp oyster sauce into a bowl and toss.
2. Pour the lime juice, chilli sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce and 5 spice into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large wok, add the pork and quickly sear. Remove the pork from the wok and set aside.
4. Add a little more oil and add the garlic, red onion, pepper and stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lime, chilli and oyster sauce mix. Add the pak choi and return the pork back to the pan. Stir fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Serve with warm steamed rice and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.

Tip: Instead of the lime, use a medium orange for a zangy citrus flavour and the pork blends together so well with orange.

Warm Grilled Chicken Rice Salad
Serves 4

I really like using wild rice or a combination of brown and the wild rice as not only does it look interesting it adds great texture to salads and is very healthy for us.

150ml low fat yoghurt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp mango chutney

3 medium chicken fillets, trimmed and scored

2 tsp rapeseed oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp chopped thyme
120g mushrooms, sliced

200g brown rice or a mix of wild and brown rice, cooked and warm
4 tbsp pitted black olives
50g rocket, washed and trimmed

For the dressing
½ red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 lime, juice only
Pinch of cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cucumber, diced

1. Combine the yoghurt, cumin and chutney together and place the chicken into the marinade for at least 1 hour preferably longer.
2. In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
3. To prepare the mushrooms, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and sauté for about 4 minutes, add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further 1 minute followed by the mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are just cooked. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the warm cooked rice.
4. When ready to grill the chicken, preheat the grill.
5. Place the yoghurt chicken onto the grill tray and keeping the oven door open, grill the chicken for 12 to 14 minutes or until cooked. Using tongs, turn the chicken 2 or 3 times during the cooking time. Remove from the grill, place on a board and cover with foil to “rest” for a short while and then slice.
6. Place the rocket on the serving platter, spoon over the mushroom rice, sprinkle over the olives and arrange the sliced grilled chicken on top.
7. Slightly warm the salad dressing.
8. Spoon over the dressing and sprinkle over the diced cucumber.

Tip: Slices of poached mango are delicious in this salad as well as pink grapefruit segments. Roasted cashew nuts add an extra crunch as well.