The Chinese language daily HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES said the Legal Department had been indecisive in its handling of the judge 's case .

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Such hesitancy on the part of the government had damaged public confidence in the rule of law , the paper said .

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Palestinian Authority frees rights activist .


A human rights activist said on Wednesday he had been released after more than two weeks in detention that followed his call for an inquiry into the death of a Gaza man interrogated by Palestinian police .

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Mohammad Dahman , director of the Gaza-based Addameer Prisoners Support Association , said he was freed on Tuesday without being charged .

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Palestinian Attorney-General Khaled al-Qidra was not immediately available to comment .


Qidra had said Dahman was arrested on suspicion of making a false statement .


The activist was detained by Palestinian intelligence service agents on August 12 after publishing a statement demanding an investigation into the death of a Gaza man who had been questioned by Palestinian authorities .

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The Palestinian Authority said the dead man , Nahed Dahlan , had committed suicide .

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Human rights groups had protested about Dahman 's arrest in letters to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and to Qidra .

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Headlines from major national newspapers .


Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy .


- Work groups and weekend arrest to quell juvenile violence in Basque Country


- Aleix Vidal-Quadras - Catalan nationalists are demanding my defenestration


- Catalan nationalists say the 1997 budget will make Spaniards sweat


- Worldwide alarm over child prostitution


- Banco Santander starts conquest of the east .


- Government will finish pension reform before the year 2000


- Caja de Madrid stagnates during struggle for presidency


Iran asks Bonn to extradite ex-president Banisadr .


Iran has asked Germany to extradite its former president Abolhassan Banisadr for alleged hijacking , an Iranian embassy spokesman said on Wednesday .

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Banisadr angered Tehran last week by accusing top Iranian leaders of ordering the assassination of Iranian Kurdish leaders in a Berlin restaurant in 1992 .

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He made the allegations at the trial of an Iranian and four Lebanese accused of carrying out the attack .

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An Iranian embassy spokesman said in response to an inquiry that Iran had formally requested Banisadr 's extradition for hijacking the military aircraft which he commandeered to flee Iran in July 1981 .

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" We submitted the request three or four days ago , " he said .


German authorities could not immediately be reached for comment .


Banisadr lives under round-the-clock security in France , fearing Tehran could make an attempt on his life .

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He is due back in Berlin on September 5 to continue his testimony , which has backed up German prosecutors ' allegations that Tehran ordered the attack on the exiled leaders .

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Three dissidents and their translator were killed in the gangland-style machinegun attack .


Iran has warned Germany that bilateral relations could suffer if it pays heed to the testimony of Banisadr , an architect of Iran 's Islamic revolution who has been a sworn enemy of Tehran since he fell from favour after a year as president .

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Top military officials from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries will tour Spain and Portugal next month for their annual inspection of alliance country installations and forces .

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NATO said in a statement received on Wednesday that its military committee would visit the two countries between September 8 and 13 .

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The committee consists of the chiefs of defence staff of each alliance country except Iceland , which has no armed forces .

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NATO 's top military men -- General George Joulwan , Supreme Allied Commander Europe , and General John Sheehan , Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic -- will also attend .

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The committee 's last tour was in September 1995 in Belgium , Luxembourg and the Netherlands .

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Danish cleaning group ISS on Wednesday said it had signed a letter of intent to sell its troubled U.S unit ISS Inc to Canadian firm Aaxis Limited .

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An ISS statement said that Aaxis , with year-end 1996 assets of US$ 10.9 million and equity of $ 10.5 million , would be listed on the Montreal stock exchange , but did not say when .

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It said that under the sale agreement , full financial details of which were not revealed , ISS would acquire a 25 percent stake in Aaxis which would become an associated company within the ISS group trading under the ISS name and logo .

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ISS Inc senior management would continue to run the business under the new owners , it said .

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Danish analysts recently estimated ISS Inc 's sale value at up to $ 118 million .

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ISS said that the deal included ISS Inc operations in Mexico and the sale of ISS Inc interests in Brazil would be discussed .

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On August 15 , ISS published first half 1996 results showing a two billion crown loss caused by falsified accounts in ISS Inc and said that charges and provisions earlier estimated at $ 100 million would have to be increased to $ 146 million .

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It also wrote down all ISS Inc goodwill and Wednesday 's statement said that the Aaxis purchase would not necessitate further write down if the sale were completed according to the terms of the letter of intent .

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-- Steve Weizman , Copenhagen newsroom +45 33969650


Iraq balks at U.N. staff for oil-for-food deal .


Iraq has balked at the number of U.N. staff needed to implement the oil-for-food deal , blaming the United States for insisting on stringent monitoring .

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In comments to reporters and a statement on Tuesday , Iraqi diplomats said the cost of the monitors and other staff , which Baghdad has to finance , surpasses funds allocated for electricity , water , sewers , education and agriculture .

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At issue was a May 20 agreement allowing Iraq to sell $ 2 billion worth of oil to purchase badly needed food , medicine and other supplies to ease the impact of sanctions in force since its troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990 .

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The Iraqi statement said the United States was " interfering and pressing to augment the number of international staff and this is not legal and not justified . "

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Iraq 's deputy ambassador , Saeed Hasan , noted that the May 20 accord said that the number of personnel would be determined by the United Nations and that the government of Iraq would be consulted .

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Saeed in his comments did not threaten to call off the deal and the U.N. officials said they expected it to go into force next month after Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali reports that arrangements are in place .

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The U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs ( DHA ) , which has to coordinate the distribution of food , medicine and other goods , increased the number of monitors earlier this month at the insistence of the United States .

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According to U.N. officials and diplomats , Iraq would have about $ 1.13 billion to spend for food , medicine and other goods after monies for a reparations fund for Gulf War victims and costs for U.N. weapons inspections were deducted .

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The cost of the U.N. staff overseeing the distribution of food and other supplies was estimated to cost $ 31 million .

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In addition another $ 12 million was anticipated to cover other expenses , such as oil experts and administrative costs .

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For the distribution and supervision of humanitarian supplies the United Nations estimated it needed 1,190 people , including 267 international staff and 923 Iraqi support staff .

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Of this number 64 foreign and 598 local staff would be in the northern Kurdish provinces , no longer the direct control of the Baghdad government .

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Another 203 international staff and 325 Iraqis would run the programme in the central and southern parts of the country .

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There are also 14 monitors to watch oil flows , 32 customs experts and four New York-based oil experts or overseers to approve contracts .

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Yasushi Akashi , the DHA undersecretary-general , told the Security Council last week that the " financial requirements to support the ( humanitarian ) programme represent a very modest percentile of the total ...

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OFFICIAL JOURNAL CONTENTS - OJ C 251 OF AUGUST 29 , 1996 .


( Note - contents are displayed in reverse order to that in the printed Journal )


Aircraft noise and emissions Economic assessment of proposals for a common European Union position for CAEP 4 Consultancy services Call for tender ( 96 / C 251/09 )

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Provision of overland transport services for material and equipment for European Commission delegations in European Third Countries and in the New Independent States ( NIS ) Contract notice No TRA / 96 / 003 / IAE-3 - Open procedure ( 96 / C 251/08 )

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Microfiche production system Open procedure Invitation to tender DI 96/04 Micromation ( 96 / C 251/07 )


Aircraft noise and emissions Gaseous emissions from aircraft in the atmosphere Consultancy services Call for tender ( 96 / C 251/06 )

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Tacis - support framework for the coordination and development of the Tacis information and communications programme Notice of open invitation to tender for a public service contract ( 96 / C 251/05 )

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COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC ) No 4064/89 ( 96 / C 251/04 )


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY AT 31 DECEMBER 1995 ( 96 / C 251/03 )

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Average prices and representative prices for table wines at the various marketing centres ( 96 / C 251/02 )


Ecu ( 1 ) 28 August 1996 ( 96 / C 251/01 ) END OF DOCUMENT .


EU Commission cool on changing beef cull plan .


The European Commission said on Thursday it would study scientific reports saying Britain 's mad cow epidemic would die out by 2001 but offered little prospect the findings would change an agreed slaughter campaign .

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" Obviously we are interested in this research .


We will ask the ( EU ) scientific and veterinary committee to examine it , " Commission spokesman Gerard Kiely told Reuters .

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But he added that new research into the dynamics of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) , a fatal brain-wasting disease suffered by cattle , was unlikely to alter a slaughter plan agreed by Britain and its 14 EU partners .

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" We agreed that following detailed scientific analysis using a methodology which would take out the maximum number of BSE cases possible .

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I think it would be very difficult to sell to the European Commission a programme which would involve the elimination of fewer BSE cases , " Kiely said .

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" We will look at our approach ( to the plan ) but we wo n't get involved with the number of animals to be slaughtered , " he said .

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" We have always avoided the question of numbers of animals to be slaughtered , that 's not the issue .

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The issue is the protection of consumers ' health and the rapid eradication of BSE , " he added .

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The reaction is likely to disappoint British farmers , who seized on research by Oxford scientists in the scientific journal Nature saying it would be hard to get rid of the disease any faster than 2001 without killing vast numbers of cattle .

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The researchers predicted there would be 340 new infections and 14,000 new cases of BSE before 2001 .

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British farmers ' leader called on Wednesday for an urgent meeting with ministers to discuss the report .

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" I hope the government will now make it clear they believe there is a better way of dealing with this issue , " National Farmers Union president Sir David Naish told BBC radio .

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Naish said there was no need for Britain to carry out a planned cull of some 147,000 cattle to which it had reluctantly agreed to placate its European partners .

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" The new evidence to me means some of that proposal should be re-examined because we could get away with considerably less animals being culled if in fact scientists throughout Europe accepted this evidence , " Naish said .

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The report could well reopen a damaging row between Britain and the EU , which slapped a worldwide ban on British beef after the government said there could be a link between BSE and the human form of the disease .

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The issue flared in in March when government scientists admitted that people could become infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ( CJD ) from eating BSE-infected beef .

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French farmers set up blockades in mad cow protest .


Thousands of farmers threw up roadblocks across France overnight , stopping and checking lorries suspected of importing meat from outside the European Union , French radios reported on Thursday .

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Radio stations said around 15,000 farmers , angered by a fall in beef prices following the mad cow disease crisis , staged protests in many areas and blockaded several main roads and motorways .

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By 3 a.m. ( 0100 GMT ) more than 2,000 lorries had been stopped and searched .


European beef sales plunged after Britain announced the discovery of a likely link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) , or mad cow disease , and its fatal human equivalent Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ( CJD ) .

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GOLF - BRITISH MASTERS SECOND ROUND SCORES .


the second round of the British Masters on Thursday ( British


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141 Francisco Cea ( Spain ) 70 71 , Gavin Levenson ( South Africa )

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144 Peter O'Malley ( Australia ) 71 73 , Costantino Rocca ( Italy )

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145 Peter Mitchell 74 71 , Philip Walton ( Ireland ) 71 74 , Retief

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Goosen ( South Africa ) 71 74 , Ove Sellberg ( Sweden ) 71 74 ,

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Peter Hedblom ( Sweden ) 70 75 , Pedro Linhart ( Spain ) 72 73 ,

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Mike Clayton ( Australia ) 69 76 , Emanuele Canonica ( Italy )

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146 Iain Pyman 71 75 , Eduardo Romero ( Argentina ) 70 76 , Ian


Woosnam 70 76 , Miguel Angel Jimenez ( Spain ) 74 72 , Klas

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147 Antoine Lebouc ( France ) 74 73 , Paul Curry 76 71 , Andrew

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Coltart 72 75 , Paul Lawrie 72 75 , Jose Coceres ( Argentina )

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CYCLING - SORENSEN WINS FOURTH STAGE OF TOUR OF NETHERLANDS .

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Leading results and overall standings after the 19.6 kilometre fourth stage of the Tour of the Netherlands on Thursday , a time trial starting and finishing in Doetinchem .

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1. Rolf Sorensen ( Denmark ) Rabobank 22 minutes 40 seconds


2. Lance Armstrong ( U.S. ) Motorola 1 second behind


3. Vyacheslav Ekimov ( Russia ) Rabobank 29 seconds behind


4. Erik Dekker ( Netherlands ) Rabobank 43


6. Erik Breukink ( Netherlands ) Rabobank 48


7. Wilfried Peeters ( Belgium ) Mapei 51


9. Michael Andersson ( Sweden ) Telekom 54


10. Gregory Randolph ( USA ) Motorola 1 minute 3 seconds


Leading overall placings after three stages :


4. Marco Lietti ( Italy ) MG-Technogym 1 minute 14 seconds


7. Maarten den Bakker ( Netherlands ) TVM 1 minute 31 seconds

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10. Olaf Ludwig ( Germany ) Telekom 1 minute 44 seconds


The race continues on Friday with the 178 kilometre fifth-stage from Zevenaar to Venray .


CRICKET - ENGLAND BEAT PAKISTAN IN FIRST ONE-DAYER .


England beat Pakistan by five wickets to win the first one-day ( 50 overs-a-side ) international at Old Trafford on Thursday .

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Scores : Pakistan 225-5 innings closed ( Saeed Anwar 57 ) , England 226-5 in 46.4 overs ( M. Atherton 65 ) .

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Results at the world track cycling championships on Thursday :


Individual pursuit semifinals ( over 4,000 metres ) :


Chris Boardman ( Britain ) 4:15.006 beat Alexei Markov ( Russia ) 4:23.029

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Andrea Collinelli ( Italy ) 4:16.141 beat Francis Moreau ( France ) 4:19.665


Moreau takes bronze medal as faster losing semifinalist .


Chris Boardman ( Britain ) 4:11.114 ( world record ) beat Andrea Collinelli ( Italy ) 4:20.341

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Olympic sprint championship ( three-man teams ) :


1. Australia ( Darryn Hill , Shane Kelly , Gary Neiwand ) 44.804

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2. Germany ( Jens Fiedler , Michael Hubner , Soren Lausberg )

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3. France ( Laurent Gane , Florian Rousseau , Herve Thuet )


4. Greece ( Dimitrios Georgalis , Georgios Chimonetos , Lampros

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Women 's world sprint championship quarter-finals ( best of


Magali Faure ( France ) beat Kathrin Freitag ( Germany ) two

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matches to nil ( with times for the last 200 metres of 11.833


Felicia Ballanger ( France ) beat Oksana Grichina ( Russia ) 2-0 ,

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Tanya Dubnicoff ( Canada ) beat Michelle Ferris ( Australia ) 2-0 ,


Annett Neumann ( Germany ) beat Galina Enioukhina ( Russia ) 2-0 ,


CRICKET - CROFT RESTRICTS PAKISTAN TO 225-5 .


Tight bowling from Glamorgan off-spinner Robert Croft helped England to restrict Pakistan to 225 for five in their 50 overs in the first one-day international at Old Trafford on Thursday .

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Croft , who was one of the few Englishmen to make a good impression in his test debut at The Oval last week , showed great control as he first dried up the early flow of Pakistan runs and then collected the wickets of Aamir Sohail and Wasim Akram in a spell of 10-1-36-2 .

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There was also a wicket each for Ronnie Irani , Allan Mullally and Darren Gough although there was no joy for Dean Headley who , along with Lancashire batsman Graham Lloyd , was making his international debut .

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After Wasim had won the toss and chosen to bat first , Pakistani made an excellent start as Sohail and Saeed Anwar continued their good form with an opening partnership of 82 .

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Anwar , who struck a superb 176 at The Oval , was the more aggressive as he made 57 from 75 balls before skying a catch off Irani to Mullally at long-on .

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Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed then added 59 for the second wicket before England struck back with three wickets for 19 in the space of five overs .

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First , Sohail , after making 48 , was bowled by Croft as he stepped back to try and hit through the off-side .

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Wasim , who promoted himself to number four in the order , followed for six when Croft drifted another well-flighted delivery behind his legs .

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Shortly after Ijaz was also back in the pavilion for 48 after Irani had repaid Mullally with another good catch at long-on .

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Gough later bowled Moin Khan with an inswinging yorker but Inzamam-ul-Haq , 37 not out , and Salim Malik took Pakistan to 225 for five when the overs ran out .

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CRICKET - ENGLAND V PAKISTAN ONE-DAY SCOREBOARD .


first one-day ( 50 overs-a-side ) match between England and


Total ( for 5 wickets , innings closed ) 225


Did Not Bat : Mushtaq Ahmed , Waqar Younis , Ata-ur-Rehman ,

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Bowling : Gough 10-0-44-1 , Mullally 10-3-31-1 , Headley


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G. Thorpe st Moin Khan b Aamir Sohail 23


Total ( for 5 wickets , 46.4 overs ) 226


Did not bat : R. Croft , D. Gough , D. Headley , A. Mullally .

O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O


Bowling : Wasim Akram 9.4-1-45-3 , Waqar Younis 7-0-28-1 ,


Saqlain Mushtaq 10-1-54-0 , Ata-ur-Rehman 3-0-14-0 , Mushtaq Ahmed


Second match : August 31 , Edgbaston ( Birmingham )


Third : September 1 , Trent Bridge ( Nottingham )


LOMBARDI WINS THIRD STAGE OF TOUR OF NETHERLANDS .


Leading results and overall standings after the 122 kilometre third stage of the Tour of the Netherlands on Thursday between Almere and Doetinchem .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O


1. Giovanni Lombardi ( Italy ) Polti 2 hours 35 minutes


4. Maarten den Bakker ( Netherlands ) TVM all same time

O B-PER I-PER I-PER O B-LOC O B-ORG O O O


5. Marco Lietti ( Italy ) MG-Technogym 1 second behind


6. Hans de Clerq ( Belgium ) Palmans 27 seconds


9. Olaf Ludwig ( Germany ) Telekom all same time


10. Jeroen Blijlevens ( Netherlands ) TVM 31


Leading overall placings after three stages :


7. Max van Heeswijk ( Netherlands ) Motorola 28


8. Sven Teutenberg ( Germany ) U.S. Postal 31


9. Johan Capiot ( Belgium ) Collstrop 32


10. Jans Koerts ( Netherlands ) Palmans 34


The race continues on Thursday afternoon with a 19.6 fourth-stage Doetinchem-Doetinchem time trial


CRICKET - ENGLAND V PAKISTAN TOSS AND TEAMS .


Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the first one-day cricket international between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford on Thursday .

B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O B-LOC I-LOC O O O


England - Mike Atherton ( captain ) , Nick Knight , Alec Stewart , Graham Thorpe , Matthew Maynard , Graham Lloyd , Ronnie Irani , Robert Croft , Darren Gough , Dean Headley , Alan Mullally .

B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O


Pakistan : Aamir Sohail , Saeed Anwar , Ijaz Ahmed , Inzamam-ul-Haq , Salim Malik , Wasim Akram ( captain ) , Moin Khan , Mushtaq Ahmed , Waqar Younis , Ata-ur-Rehman , Saqlain Mushtaq .

B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-PER O B-PER I-PER O


CRICKET - ENGLISH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES .


Close of play scores in English county championship matches on Thursday :


Tunbridge Wells : Nottinghamshire 40-3 v Kent


London ( The Oval ) : Warwickshire 195 ( A. Giles 50 ; B. Julian 4-66 , C. Lewis 4-45 ) , Surrey 82-0 .

B-LOC O B-LOC I-LOC O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O O


Hove : Sussex 285-6 ( W. Athey 111 ) v Lancashire

B-LOC O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG


Leeds ( Headingley ) : Yorkshire 290 ( C. White 76 , M. Moxon 59 , R. Blakey 57 ) , Essex 79-2 .

B-ORG O B-LOC O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O O


Chester-le-Street : Glamorgan 259 ( P. Cottey 81 ; M. Saggers 6-65 ) and 8-0 , Durham 114 ( S. Watkin 4-28 )

B-LOC O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O


Chesterfield : Worcestershire 238 ( W. Weston 100 not out , V. Solanki 58 ; A. Harris 4-31 ) , Derbyshire 166-1 ( K. Barnett 83 not out )

B-LOC O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O O


Portsmouth : Middlesex 199 and 226-1 ( J. Pooley 106 not out , M. Ramprakash 81 not out ) , Hampshire 232 ( A. Fraser 5-55 , R. Fay 4-77 )

B-LOC O B-ORG O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O O


Leicester : Somerset 83 ( D. Millns 4-35 ) , Leicestershire 202-5

B-LOC O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O


Bristol : Gloucestershire 183 ( J. Russell 50 ) , Northamptonshire 123-4 ( K. Curran 51 not out ) .

B-LOC O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O


RUGBY UNION - TELFER CONFIRMED FOR LIONS COACHING ROLE .


Scotland 's Jim Telfer was officially confirmed on Thursday as assistant coach for the British Lions tour to South Africa next year .

B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O


Telfer , who has put on hold his role as Scotland team manager for a year , will act as assistant to Ian McGeechan .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O


The pair last worked together when Scotland won the Five Nations grand slam in 1990 .

O O O O O O B-LOC O O B-MISC I-MISC O O O O O


The tour party will be announced towards the end of March .


Linford Christie has confirmed he will run in a " Dream Team " sprint relay at the Berlin grand prix athletics meeting on Friday .

B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O


A spokeswoman for Christie said the former Olympic 100 metres champion had agreed to captain a quality quartet which also includes Canada 's Donovan Bailey , the current Olympic champion and world record holder , and Namibian Frankie Fredericks .

O O O B-PER O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O


Christie is retiring from international competition at the end of the season , but Berlin promoter Rudi Thiel has persuaded him to join what is intended to be a special tribute to Jesse Owens , who won four gold medals 60 years ago at the Berlin Olympics .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC B-MISC O


SOCCER - GROBBELAAR NAMED TEMPORARY ZIMBABWE COACH .


England-based goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar has been appointed temporary head coach of the Zimbabwe national soccer team for two international matches , the Zimbabwe Football Association ( ZIFA ) said on Thursday .

B-MISC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O B-ORG O O O O O


ZIFA vice-chairman Vincent Pamire said Grobbelaar would take charge for a match against Tanzania in Harare on September 29 in the five-nation Castle Cup of Africa tournament and an African Nations ' Cup first round qualifier against Sudan in Khartoum on October 5 .

B-ORG O B-PER I-PER O B-PER O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O O O O


Grobbelaar takes over until a permanent replacement is appointed for Zimbabwe 's previous coach , Switzerland 's Marc Duvillard .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O


Grobbelaar now plays for English second division leaders Plymouth Argyle after years in the top flight with Liverpool and Southampton .

B-PER O O O B-MISC O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-ORG O


Grobbelaar , fellow goalkeeper Hans Segers , retired striker John Fashanu and Malaysian businessman Heng Suan Lim pleaded not guilty in May to charges of giving or accepting bribes to fix English premier league matches .

B-PER O O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER I-PER O B-MISC O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-MISC O O O O


They are due to stand trial next January .


BASKETBALL - OLYMPIAKOS BEAT DINAMO 69-60 .


Olympiakos of Greece beat Russia 's Dinamo 69-60 ( halftime 35-23 ) in the third match of an international basketball tournament on Thursday , qualifying for the finals .

B-ORG O B-LOC O B-LOC O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Partizan and Red Star of Yugoslavia , Alba of Germany , and Benetton of Italy are also taking part in the event which continues until Saturday .

B-ORG O B-ORG I-ORG O B-LOC O B-ORG O B-LOC O O B-ORG O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O


Partizan beat Benetton 97-94 ( halftime 39-32 ) .


SQUASH - HONG KONG OPEN SECOND ROUND RESULTS .


Second round results in the Hong Kong Open on Thursday ( prefix number denotes seeding ) :

O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O O O O O O O O O


1 - Jansher Khan ( Pakistan ) beat Simon Frenz ( Germany ) 15-12 15-7 12-15 15-10

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O


Mark Cairns ( England ) beat Joseph Kneipp ( Australia ) 8-15 15-12 15-8 15-8

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O


Anthony Hill ( Australia ) beat Mir Zaman Gul ( Pakistan ) 15-12 15-11 15-13

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O


B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O


4 - Peter Nicol ( Scotland ) beat Jonathon Power ( Canada ) 15-10 15-9 15-9

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O


7 - Chris Walker ( England ) beat Amr Shabana ( Egypt ) 15-13 15-10 15-6


Derek Ryan ( Ireland ) beat Paul Johnson ( England ) 10-15 15-5 12-15 15-12 15-11

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O


2 - Rodney Eyles ( Australia ) beat Zubair Jahan Khan ( Pakistan ) 15-10 15-8 9-15 13-15 15-4 .

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O


SOCCER - RESULTS OF SOUTH KOREAN PRO-SOCCER GAMES .


Standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under -


won , drawn , lost , goals for , goals against , points ) :


BASEBALL - RESULTS OF S. KOREAN PRO-BASEBALL GAMES .


pro-baseball games played on Wednesday .


Note - LG and OB , Ssangbangwool and Hanwha played two games .

O O B-ORG O B-ORG O B-ORG O B-ORG O O O O


Standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under


won , drawn , lost , winning percentage , games behind first place )


TENNIS - THURSDAY 'S RESULTS FROM THE U.S. OPEN .


Results of second round matches on Thursday in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Centre ( prefix number denotes seeding ) :

O O O O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O O B-LOC I-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O


Anna Kournikova ( Russia ) beat Natalia Baudone ( Italy ) 6-3 6-3

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O


Rita Grande ( Italy ) beat Tina Krizan ( Slovenia ) 6-2 6-0


Els Callens ( Belgium ) beat Annabel Ellwood ( Australia ) 6-4

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O


Elena Likhovtseva ( Russia ) beat Lila Osterloh ( U.S. ) 6-4 6-2


Sandra Dopfer ( Austria ) beat Nanne Dahlman ( Finland ) 2-6 6-2


13 - Thomas Enqvist ( Sweden ) beat Guillaume Raoux ( France ) 6-3

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O


Sergi Bruguera ( Spain ) beat Michael Stich ( Germany ) 6-3 6-2


Jakob Hlasek ( Switzerland ) beat Alberto Berasategui ( Spain ) 7-6 ( 7-5 ) 7-6 ( 9-7 ) 6-0

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O


1 - Steffi Graf ( Germany ) beat Karin Kschwendt ( Austria ) 6-2 6-1

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O


Naoko Kijimuta ( Japan ) beat Alexandra Fusai ( France ) 6-4 7-5


Natasha Zvereva ( Belarus ) beat Ai Sugiyama ( Japan ) 4-6 6-4 6-3

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O


14 - Barbara Paulus ( Austria ) beat Elena Wagner ( Germany ) 7-5 7-6 ( 7-5 )

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O


Petra Langrova ( Czech Republic ) beat Naoko Sawamatsu ( Japan ) 6- 4 3-6 7-5

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC I-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O


17 - Karina Habsudova ( Slovakia ) beat Nathalie Dechy ( France ) 6-4 6-2


7 - Jana Novotna ( Czech Republic ) beat Florencia Labat ( Argentina ) 6-2 4-6 6-2

O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC I-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O


3 - Thomas Muster ( Austria ) beat Dirk Dier ( Germany ) 6-3 6-2 6-4


B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Jason Stoltenberg ( Australia ) beat Kenneth Carlsen ( Denmark ) 6- 3 7-6 ( 7-1 ) 6-3

B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O O


Arnaud Boetsch ( France ) beat Magnus Gustafsson ( Sweden ) 7-6 ( 8- 6 ) 6-3 6-1


16 - Martina Hingis ( Switzerland ) beat Miriam Oremans ( Netherlands ) 6-4 6-4


Tami Whitlinger Jones ( U.S. ) beat Amy Frazier ( U.S. ) 7-6 ( 7-3 ) 6-2

B-PER I-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O


Judith Wiesner ( Austria ) beat Debbie Graham ( U.S. ) 6-2 7-5


O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O


Javier Sanchez ( Spain ) beat Jim Grabb ( U.S. ) 6-2 7-6 ( 7-3 ) 2-6 6-3


B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


3 - Arantxa Sanchez Vicario ( Spain ) beat Nicole Arendt ( U.S. )

O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O


David Wheaton ( U.S. ) beat Frederic Vitoux ( France ) 6-4 6-4


Jan Siemerink ( Netherlands ) beat Carlos Moya ( Spain ) 7-6


BASEBALL - MAJOR LEAGUE STANDINGS AFTER WEDNESDAY 'S GAMES .


standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under won ,


lost , winning percentage and games behind ) :


BASEBALL - YANKEES BRAWL AND CONTINUE TO SLIDE .


Jay Buhner hit a three-run homer and former Yankee Terry Mulholland allowed one run over seven innings as the Seattle Mariners completed a sweep of New York with a 10-2 victory in a game marred by a bench-clearing brawl .

B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-MISC B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Including the last three games of last October 's Divisional Playoff Series , the Mariners have beaten the Yankees 12 of the past 15 meetings overall and 14 of the last 16 in the Kingdome .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O


Five players were ejected after Yankees ' outfielder Paul O'Neill and Seattle catcher John Marzano got into a fight after O'Neill had been brushed back .

O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O B-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-PER O O O O O


In Baltimore , Don Wengert threw a nine-hitter for his first shutout and Jose Herrera had a two-run double in a three-run fifth inning as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 .

O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG O O


Wengert ( 7-9 ) , who failed to record a shutout in his previous 86 starts in either the minors or majors , did not walk a batter and struck out three for Oakland .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O


In Chicago , James Baldwin scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings and Ray Durham and Ozzie Guillen had RBI hits in the second inning as the Chicago White Sox blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 .

O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O B-MISC O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG O O


Baldwin ( 10-4 ) struck out four and did not walk a batter for Chicago , which won for only the fourth time in 15 games .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O


Dave Nilsson had three hits for the Brewers .


In Kansas City , Jose Offerman 's single with two out in the 12th inning scored Johnny Damon with the winning run and lifted the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers .

O B-LOC I-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O


Rick Huisman ( 1-1 ) allowed one hit and a walk in the 12th to post his first major-league win .

B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


In Toronto , Pat Hentgen tossed a five-hitter for his fifth consecutive complete game and three players drove in two runs apiece as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-1 for their ninth win in 11 games .

O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O


Hentgen ( 17-7 ) surrendered just three doubles and a pair of singles in tossing his major-league leading ninth complete game .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


He walked three and struck out three in winning for the 10th time in his last 11 decisions .


In Detroit , Orel Hershiser recorded his fourth straight win and Albert Belle snapped a sixth-inning tie with a grand slam as the Cleveland Indians completed a season sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 9-3 victory .

O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O


Hershiser ( 14-7 ) , who allowed three runs , eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings , improved to 4-0 in his last six starts , including a pair of wins over Detroit in the last 11 days .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O


BASEBALL - MAJOR LEAGUE RESULTS WEDNESDAY .


Baseball games played on Wednesday ( home team in CAPS ) :


TENNIS - MARTINEZ GETS AGGRESSIVE AT U.S. OPEN .


Conchita Martinez decided that when in New York , do as the New Yorkers do -- and the Spaniard 's new-found aggressiveness seems to have put her in the right frame of mind for the U.S. Open .

B-PER I-PER O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O O B-MISC I-MISC O O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC O


The fourth-seeded Spaniard , who is tackling the world class traffic of New York City as a warm-up by driving to the tennis centre for her matches , ran over France 's Nathalie Tauziat 6-1 6-3 on Wednesday to take her place in the third round .

O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O


" I 've been trying my whole career to be aggressive , " said the 24-year-old Martinez after crushing Tauziat in just over an hour .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O B-PER O O O O O O


" What I 'm trying to do is be aggressive all the time , maybe go up to the net a few times like I did tonight .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Martinez , the 1994 Wimbledon champion , used to struggle at the Open , but has come to terms with the noise , crowds and chaos .

B-PER O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


" There is a lot of things that can happen , " Martinez said about her early difficulties adjusting to tennis on the cement at Flushing Meadows .

O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O


We stay in Manhattan and it 's a long way to come .


The crowds , they speak louder or they move .


That does n't happen in other Grand Slams .


You have to concentrate for these two weeks . "


It took Martinez four Opens to get as far as the quarters , and another four to match that .

O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Last year , Martinez , who finished 1995 ranked second in the world , reached the semifinals before bowing out to Monica Seles .

O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O


Now she feels she is in the swing of things .


" I have my own car now and that helps , " said Martinez .


" Sometimes the transportation they ( the tournament ) provide gets a little messed up .


It gets my adrenalin going , those taxi drivers .


" We change lanes all the time in Barcelona .


I 'm used to it and I like to drive fast . "


The defending world champion Atlanta Braves , with the best record and best pitching in baseball , added another weapon Wednesday , acquiring Denny Neagle , the winningest left-hander in the National League , from the Pittsburgh Pirates .

O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC O O O B-ORG I-ORG O


The Pirates , who conceded earlier this week they would be forced to trim salary from next season 's payroll , received Ron Wright , a first baseman at Double-A Greenville ; Corey Pointer , a pitcher at Class-A Eugene , and a player to be named .

O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O


It was another stunning mid-season acquisition for the Braves , who already have an 11-game lead in the National League Eastern Division .

O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O B-MISC I-MISC I-MISC I-MISC O


In the last 15 days , Atlanta has traded for third baseman Terry Pendleton , claimed outfielder Luis Polonia on waivers and called up minor-league phenom Andruw Jones , all in preparation for their fifth post-season .

O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O


Summary of Dutch first division soccer match played on Thursday :


NAC Breda 1 ( Abdellaoui 20th penalty ) NEC Nijmegen 1 ( Graef 36th ) .

B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER O O O


SOCCER - DUTCH FIRST DIVISION RESULTS / STANDINGS .


division soccer match played on Thursday :


Standings ( tabulate under played , won , drawn , lost , goals


ATHLETICS - JOHNSON , CHRISTIE , BAILEY TO RUN OWENS RELAY .


Olympic champions Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey and former champion Linford Christie will run in a " Dream Team " sprint relay squad in honour of Jesse Owens on Friday .

B-MISC O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O


Johnson , the 200 metres world record holder , and Britain 's 1992 Olympic 100 champion Christie confirmed on Thursday that they would join 100 record holder Bailey and Namibia 's Frankie Fredericks in one of the greatest 4x100 squads ever assembled .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O B-MISC O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O


They will run against quartets from the United States , Europe and Africa in a special race at the Berlin Grand Prix meeting to mark the 60th anniversary of Owens 's four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in the German capital .

O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O B-LOC O B-LOC O O O O O O B-LOC B-MISC I-MISC O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O B-MISC O O B-MISC O O


Christie will run the anchor leg after Canada 's Bailey , American Johnson and Olympic silver medallist Fredericks have run the first three stages of the relay .

B-PER O O O O O O B-LOC O B-PER O B-MISC B-PER O B-MISC O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O


The participation of Bailey and Fredericks had been known before Thursday .


But Christie did not announce his decision to run until the eve of the meeting when organisers also confirmed Johnson would take part .

O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O


Christie is due to retire from international competition at the end of the season although he may compete for Britain in next season 's European Cup .

B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O B-MISC I-MISC O


Although Christie , who is not racing the individual 100 metres in Berlin , took his time to agree to run , the veteran was clearly delighted to be part of the tribute to the black American .

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When five former Olympic 100 champions from 1948 to 1980 , who have been invited to watch the race , turned up at a news conference on Thursday , Christie was quick to put his autograph book in front of the them .

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" I do n't normally do this but can you please sign , " he said thrusting an ornate white book in front of Americans Harrison Dillard ( 1948 ) , Lindy Remigino ( 1952 ) , Jim Hines ( 1968 ) , Trinidad 's Hasely Crawford ( 1976 ) and Britain 's Allan Wells ( 1980 ) .

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" Jesse Owens inspired everyone here and it is great to have a tribute to him . "

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Owens 's widow Ruth is not well enough to attend but a message from her will be read out by the sprinter 's grand-daughter Gina Tillman during the meeting

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Berlin organisers hoped to have American 1984 and 1988 champion Carl Lewis in the squad but he injured himself in last Friday 's Brussels meeting .

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SOCCER - GENOA AWARDED ITALIAN CUP WIN .


Italian soccer 's sports judge on Thursday ruled that Genoa , beaten 3-0 by Lecce in the first round of the Italian Cup , should be awarded a 2-0 victory because their opponents fielded a banned player .

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The ruling meant that serie B club Genoa now meet local serie A arch-rivals Sampdoria in the second round .

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Genoa appealed after their defeat last Saturday on the grounds that Lecce striker Jonathan Bachini , who came on in the 71st minute with his team leading 2-0 , still had a one-match suspension to serve from last season .

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Struggling French first division side Nice on Thursday announced they were parting with coach Albert Emon after a string of poor results .

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Club president Andre Bois said a successor would be named on Friday .


A former player for Marseille and Monaco , Emon , 43 , has coached Nice since 1992 .

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The announcement came 24 hours after the team from the French Riviera lost at home to Guingamp 2-1 in a league match .

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SOCCER - THREE PULL OUT OF DUTCH SQUAD FOR BRAZIL .


Three Dutch players have pulled out of the squad for Saturday 's friendly international soccer match against Brazil in Amsterdam .

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Ajax defender John Veldman and his team mate Richard Witschge are injured , while PSV midfielder Philip Cocu has a fever .

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Dutch coach Guus Hiddink called in Feyenoord midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Vitesse defender Ferdy Vierklau for Cocu and Veldman , but did not name a replacement for midfielder Witschge .

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BRITAIN WELCOMES ROMANIA-HUNGARY TREATY ACCORD .


Britain joined the United States on Thursday in welcoming Romania and Hungary 's agreement on the text of a much-delayed friendship treaty , which it said would contribute to stability in the area .

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" The United Kingdom believes that such a treaty will contribute positively to the further development of good neighbourly relations between the two countries and enhance the stability of the region , " said the British Foreign office statement .

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The accord , agreed two weeks ago , is expected to end years of disputes over the status of Romania 's large ethnic Hungarian minority .

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It will also boost both countries ' ambitions to join NATO and the European Union .

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Bucharest and Budapest say the treaty should be signed in the first half of September .


" The United Kingdom looks forward to the early signature of the treaty , " the statement said .

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U.S. EMBASSY IN ATHENS CLOSED ON LABOUR DAY , SEP 2 .

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The U.S. embassy in Athens , the consulates general in Athens and Thessaloniki and all U.S. government offices in Greece will be closed on Monday , September 2 in observance of Labour Day , a U.S. national holiday , the embassy said .

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-- George Georgiopoulos , Athens Newsroom +301 3311812-4


ND PARTY PICKS SPOT THOMSON , BOLD / OGILVY , MATHER FOR AD CAMPAIGN .

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Greek conservative New democracy party picked Bold / Ogilvy and Mather advertising companies for its pre-election campaign and Spot Thomson to help party president Miltiadis Evert on communication strategy , it said in a statement .

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Spot Thomson will also be responsible for the campaign TV and radio spots , it said .

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-- Dimitris Kontogiannis , Athens Newsroom +301 3311812-4


Rugby star once linked to Princess Diana divorces .


Former England rugby captain Will Carling , whose marriage broke down after he was romantically linked to Princess Diana , was divorced by his wife on Thursday , just 24 hours after Diana and Prince Charles divorced .

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The Times newspaper said Diana was not named in the divorce petition heard by a court in Surrey , southern England .

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But Julia Carling , a television presenter , is said to have blamed Diana for the problems in her marriage and she has repeatedly mocked the princess on her breakfast television programme .

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Diana met Will Carling at an exclusive gymnasium in London .


He has always insisted that they were just friends .


London LIFFE futures APT closing prices .


London International Financial Futures Exchange automated pit trading ( APT ) tabular details :

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CONTRACT ( MONTH ) APT CLOSE SETTLEMENT PREVIOUS SETTLE


GERMAN GOVT BOND ( SEP ) 97.42 97.38 97.34


Zaire installs first election delegates .


A total of 116 delegates to Zaire 's National Election Commission ( CNE ) were formally installed on Thursday , launching another phase of the Central African nation 's much-delayed democratic transition .

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The 116 , representing political parties in the capital Kinshasa , will help organise a voter census , a constitutional referendum planned for January and efforts to brief potential voters on what balloting involves .

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A total of 9,446 delegates will be deployed throughout Zaire 's 11 provinces for the elections , which must be held by July 1997 under the transitional constitution .

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Presidential , parliamentary and municipal elections are planned for May .


" We can meet the required deadlines for organising the elections .


All that is needed is for everyone to show goodwill , " Commission spokesman Yoka Lye Mudaba told reporters .

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Delegates to the commission from the other 10 provinces will be installed progressively from next week with the provinces of North and South Kivu , Maniema , Shaba and Bandundu having priority , he said .

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The installation of delegates was initially scheduled for July .


Officials said lack of funding had delayed the process .


President Mobutu Sese Seko , who seized power in a 1965 coup , introduced a multi-party system in 1990 but Zaire 's transition has lagged well behind that of other states in the region .

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In the past , Mobutu has been elected without opposition .


Nigeria would not refuse Commonwealth officials .


Nigeria would not object to a visit by Commonwealth officials but insists its suspension from the organisation be resolved before any other questions are addressed , Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi said on Thursday .

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Ikimi reiterated his position that the Commonwealth had no mandate to send a fact-finding mission .


" The request I have received is for their officials to come and talk to my officials .


We cannot object to people wanting to visit Nigeria , " Ikimi told Reuters by telephone from the capital Abuja .

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" The fundamental problem we have with the Commonwealth is our unfair suspension .


Any discussions we have at ministerial level will be a continuation of what we began in London on that .

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Before that is accomplished we cannot address anything else . "


Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in November after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other minority rights activists in defiance of international pleas for clemency .

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A meeting of Commonwealth ministers in London on Wednesday said it planned to send a team of senior officials to Nigeria as soon as possible to persuade Abuja to accept a fact-finding mission .

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The timing of that mission has yet to be determined .


The latest diplomatic row between Nigeria 's military government and the club of Britain and its former colonies erupted over the terms of a visit by Commonwealth ministers to discuss Nigeria 's suspension .

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Nigeria said they would be restricted to a two-day meeting with government officials , but the Commonwealth said it wanted to hold meetings with people outside the government and called off the visit .

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Dutch Queen Beatrix to visit S. Africa in October .


Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands will pay a four-day state visit to South Africa in October , the first by a ruling Dutch monarch , the South African foreign ministry said on Thursday .

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She will be accompanied by several officials who will sign a cultural agreement with South Africa , where the Dutch were the first European settlers in 1652 .

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The queen will be accompanied by her husband Prince Claus on the September 30 to October 3 visit .

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Senegal bans guns ahead of local elections .


With tension rising among Senegal 's political parties ahead of local elections on November 24 , the interior ministry on Thursday banned the carrying of guns and ammunition until the end of the year .

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" It is forbidden for holders of permits for weapons of all categories to transport the said arms and their ammunition outside their homes , " the statement said .

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It said the ban applied to Senegalese nationals and foreign residents .


Chad parliamentary election set for November 24 .


Chad 's President Idriss Deby has signed a decree fixing November 24 as the date for parliamentary elections , state radio said on Thursday .

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Nomads will vote at mobile polling stations around the vast Central African country between November 20 and 24 .

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The electoral commission said the new 125-member national assembly would be installed on February 10 .


Deby took power in an armed uprising in 1990 .


He won 69 percent of votes in the second round of presidential elections on July 3 , 1996 ..


His supporters will contest the parliamentary election in a coalition of 30 mainly small parties , the Republican Front , led by Deby 's Patriotic Salvation Movement .

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These are significant stories in the Ivorian press on Thursday .


Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy .


- Cabinet meeting establishes five new administrative regions and four new departments as part of government decentralisation policy .


- Members of parliament seek higher pay and more benefits .


The speaker of parliament , Charles Bauza Donwahi , will meet President Henri Konan Bedie on September 3 to discuss their request .

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- Deputy director of animal health department Douati Alphonse says his agents have seized 46 tonnes of illicit pork in a two-week operation to ensure compliance with a ban imposed after an outbreak of swine fever .

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- Raphael Lakpe , publisher of the daily Le Populaire , was released on Wednesday evening after three days in custody and will appear in court on Thursday morning .

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- Cabinet meeting appoints Colonel Severin Konan Kouame as gendarmerie commander , replacing General Joseph Tanny , who has been appointed secretary-general of the National Security Council .

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NATO releases Serb police , crisis easing - NATO .


NATO forces released a group of Bosnian Serb policemen late on Thursday and a tense confrontation appeared to be easing , an alliance spokesman said .

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" The situation in Mahala seems to be very much on its way toward resolution .


My understanding is the ( Serb ) police have been released ...


In Zvornik , we think the situation is winding down as well , " NATO spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Max Marriner told Reuters .

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NATO troops detained 65 Bosnian Serb policemen early on Thursday after they attacked Moslem refugees returning to homes in Mahala , a Serb-controlled village on Bosnia 's internal boundary line .

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In apparent retaliation for NATO 's detention of the Serbs , an angry Serb mob including policemen trapped six unarmed U.N. police monitors and three local aides in their office in the town of Zvornik , east of Mahala .

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Marriner said NATO forces confiscated 25 long-barreled AK-47 automatic assault rifles from the detained Serbs before setting them free .

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" Local radio and television there ( in Zvornik ) are advising people to step back and take it easy .

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We think that when the word about how things are going in Mahala which is about 35 minutes away by road reaches Zvornik that should help , " Marriner said .

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Storm kills 11 at Macedonian religious festival .


At least 11 people were killed and 60 others injured on Thursday when lightning struck a group of people attending a religious festival in Macedonia , police and municipal officials said .

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Police in Berovo , 150 km ( 90 miles ) west of the capital Skopje , said there were around 15,000 people gathered around the town 's cathedral when the lightning struck the group during a thunderstorm .

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Kornblum , Milosevic discuss election crisis .


U.S. envoy John Kornblum met Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday in an effort to defuse a growing crisis surrounding Bosnia 's post-war elections .

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The American diplomat arrived in Belgrade two days after international organisers postponed municipal elections in Bosnia due to irregularities in the registration of Serb refugee voters .

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" We discussed the decision to postpone the municipal elections and I made clear it was primarily the manipulation of voter registration by the Republika Srpska ( Bosnian Serb republic ) which led to this development , " Kornblum said after three hours of talks .

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But he said the United States still believed it was important to go ahead with national elections in Bosnia as scheduled on September 14 to bolster the peace process .

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Kornblum gave no indication that he had won any specific commitment from Milosevic , the patron of the Bosnian Serbs , to rectify any abuses in the registration process .

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Bosnia 's Moslem political parties have urged their refugees to boycott the elections until irregularities with voter registration are resolved .

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Human rights workers say Serbian and Bosnian Serb authorities coerced refugees to register only in Serb-held territory in Bosnia to solidify the results of wartime expulsions and military conquest .

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Serbian officials have denied any abuses occurred during a 10-day registration period and the Bosnian Serbs , angry at the postponement of municipal elections , have threatened to hold local polls on their territory without the international community 's blessing .

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Kornblum said only elections endorsed by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) would be legitimate .

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" As we have said publicly before , if there is any effort to do so ( hold local elections ) these elections will not be valid , " he said . "

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The elections which are valid are those conducted by the international community under the management of the OSCE . "

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After meeting Milosevic , Kornblum flew to the Croatian capital Zagreb .

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He was due to head to the Bosnian town of Banja Luka on Friday to meet Bosnian Serb acting president Biljana Plavsic and Bosnian Serb opposition leaders .

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He also planned to travel to Sarajevo to oversee the formal dissolution of the separatist Croat mini-state in western Bosnia .

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U.N. police , relief workers and NATO officers have reported a rise in political violence across Bosnia in the run-up to the September 14 elections .

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Voters will be choosing a three-member presidency and a parliament to rule over a loose union of Bosnia , comprised of a Serb republic and a Moslem-Croat federation .

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Gazprom rises to 2,901.48 rbls at auction .


A stake of 10 million shares in Russian gas monopoly RAO Gazprom was sold at auction on Thursday at an average 2,901.48 roubles a share , up from 2,891.00 roubles a week ago , the Federal Securities Corporation ( FFK ) said .

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Starting price at the auction was 2,746 roubles a share and the 40 lots sold for between 2,840 and 2,998 roubles a share , the FFK said in a statement .

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The stake represented 0.042 percent of Gazprom 's capital .


The FFK said that since auctions began , 139.75 million shares , equivalent to 0.59 percent of Gazprom , have changed hands .

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Gazprom , Russia 's biggest company by market capitalisation , has massive reserves and potentially huge earnings .

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However , its 23.6 billion shares are highly illiquid and management permission is required to sell them .


Gazprom has recently tightened these rules , making it harder for shareholders to sell to whoever they want , when they want .

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The company has organised regular auctions of its shares to create an orderly market in the paper .


At the first auction on March 6 , shares sold for an average 406.6 roubles each , and prices have been rising steadily since then , but the rise in price this week and last was much less than in previous auctions .

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On the Russian Trading System , Gazprom shares rose 25 percent on Thursday to $ 0.375 from $ 0.300 , after falling by over a third earlier this week .

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-- Artyom Danielyan , Moscow Newsroom , +7095 941 8520


Serbian policeman shot dead in Kosovo province .


A policeman has been shot dead in Serbia 's troubled Kosovo province , Serbian police said on Thursday .

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It was the fifth attack on police this month in the southern province , a hot spot of ethnic tension where the Albanian majority have boycotted Serbian institutions and set up their own , which are considered illegal by Belgrade .

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The slain policeman Ejup Bajgora , 42 , was an Albanian who had served in the Serbian police and state security since 1987 , police told the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug .

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He was shot on Wednesday afternoon as he stepped off a bus near his family home in the village of Donje Ljupce in the municipality of Podujevo .

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Just hours before Wednesday 's shooting , three hand grenades were thrown at a police station in Celopek .

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They caused damage but no casualties , police said .


The Serbian authorities blame Albanian dissidents for the recent spate of attacks .


Kosovo 's autonomy was revoked in 1987 and Serb police forces cracked down on Albanian protests .

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Albanian moderates want autonomy restored but hardliners want to join up with neighbouring Albania .


The Serbs , who make up 10 percent of the province 's 1.8 million people , claim Kosovo as the cradle of their culture .

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Viral meningitis epidemic kills 10 in Romania .


Viral meningitis has killed 10 people in Romania 's capital Bucharest this month in what doctors said on Thursday was the worst epidemic of its type in the country for a decade .

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Some 170 middle-aged and elderly people with the disease were being treated in hospital , doctors said .


Doctor Emanuil Ceausu , head of Bucharest 's Victor Babes hospital for infectious diseases , said the epidemic had been caused by a virus yet to be identified .

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Illness from viral meningitis lasts around a week .


It affects the gastro-intestinal tract , causing high fever , headache and vomiting .


In 1986 Romania suffered an epidemic of the more dangerous bacterial meningitis which has killed some 15,000 people in central Africa this year .

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Serbia 's Zastava workers protest enters 9th day .


Workers at Serbia 's Zastava arms factory entered the ninth day of their protest over unpaid wages on Thursday with management accused them of rejecting talks .

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" The workers keep on gathering in the centre of the town , " the factory 's general manager Vukasin Filipovic told Reuters . "

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But they do not want to talk to anyone . "


" They want to discuss in public , at their protest meetings , " Filipovic said . "


The Zastava works in the central town of Kragujevac is the backbone of Serbia 's defence industry , supplying the army with a whole range of weapons .

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Its workers are staging protests in the town 's main square demanding June and July wages and last year 's holiday pay .

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On Wednesday , the union demanded the resignation of the factory manager .


But Filipovic said he would not quit under pressure . "


We can talk about it and I am prepared to take all the consequences of mismanagement if any . "


Venezuela FinMin to make statement midday Thursday .


Venezuelan Finance Minister Luis Raul Matos Azocar will make an " important announcement " on Thursday at 1230 local / 1630 GMT at a Central Bank press conference , the Finance Ministry said .

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The press conference replaces Matos 's scheduled appearance at an IMF-hosted seminar Thursday on Venezuela 's economic reform program , Venezuelan Agenda .

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Colombia police find marijuana on ship .


Police said they found 35 metric tons of marijuana on Thursday on a ship preparing to set sail for the Netherlands from Colombia 's Caribbean port of Cartagena .

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They said the drug had been packed into a shipping container and was surrounded by ground coffee .


No arrests had been made , a police spokesman said .


Venezuela non-oil exports rise 10.6 pct in July .


Venezuela 's non-traditional exports , which exclude oil and iron , rose 10.6 percent in July to reach $ 334 million compared to $ 302 million in June , according to the Central Office of Statistics and Information ( OCEI ) .

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" The rise was due to the end of exchange controls , " OCEI said .


Foreign exchange controls were removed April 22 as part of a wider IMF-sponsored program .


Nevertheless , exports over the first seven months of the year were 16.8 percent lower than during the same period last year , at $ 2.240 billion compared to $ 2.693 billion .

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Over the seven months , the private sector accounted for 76 percent of total exports , with " common metals " the strongest export sector accounting for $ 951 million , or 42.5 percent of total exports .

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" Chemical products " came next with a 13 percent share , then " transport materials " with nine percent , and finally foods , drinks and tobacco with 6.3 percent .

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Colombia was the chief market for Venezuela 's non-traditional exports with 27.4 percent .


The U.S. followed with a 24.6 percent share .


-- Caracas newsroom , 582 834405 REUTER JPR


Buenos Aires fraud cops held in extortion racket .


Thirteen senior police officers from the fraud squad of Buenos Aires province have been arrested on charges of running an extortion racket , security officials said on Thursday .

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They included all the top officers from the fraud division of the north of Buenos Aires province , including Commissioner Juan Carlos Lago .

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La Nacion newspaper said the officers were suspected of demanding bribes of $ 50,000 to $ 500,000 from companies being investigated for tax evasion in order to " lose " their files .

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The credibility of the Buenos Aires provincial police , the largest force in Argentina , has been undermined this year by scandals that included the indictment of three officers for links to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre and the arrest of an entire drugs squad for drug trafficking .

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Alberto Piotti , security chief of Buenos Aires province , told local television that 3,600 dishonest officers had been purged from the force 's ranks in the past five years .

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And these investigations into police corruption are only possible because there are people brave enough to denounce them , " Piotti said , promising a major overhaul of the provincial police next month .

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Brazil gov't set to send 1997 budget to Congress .


Brazilian Planning Minister Antonio Kandir will submit to a draft copy of the 1997 federal budget to Congress on Thursday , a ministry spokeswoman said .

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Congress is constitutionally obliged to approve the budget by the end of year but regularly fails to meet that requirement .

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Mexico same-day Cetes rates rise on nervousness .


Mexico 's same-day Cetes rates rose 50 basis points to 24.25 percent on nervousness over a new round of attacks by guerrillas in two southern states , dealers said .

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" There are people who are taking advantage of the news to put pressure on rates , however , there are enough players who will buy and that will keep rates from rising too much , " said one dealer .

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Co-ordinated guerrilla attacks in two southern states overnight that left at least 13 people dead have caused nervousness in Mexico 's financial markets .

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Bank notes and acceptances , including pagares , rose 46 basis points to 25.10 percent .


Dealers said that the volume of longer-term government paper declined due to market nervousness .


At least 13 people were killed when scores of masked rebels struck at police and military posts in Oaxaca and Guerrero states overnight in the biggest assaults in more than two years , officials said on Thursday .

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Maturing credits are seen at 2.209 billion pesos , and there is an oversupply of 684 billion pesos from the primary auction .

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Dealers estimate that the shortfall will increase due to the inflow of funds before the end of the month .


--- Patricia Lezama , Mexico City newroom ( 525 ) 728 9554


Tension builds in Mexican state ahead of elections .


Pre-electoral bickering flared on Wednesday in the troubled western Mexican state of Guerrero as some opposition politicians demanded the army pull out of the area ahead of an upcoming state poll .

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The mayor of Acatepec , a small town some 310 miles ( 500 km ) south of Mexico City , sent a letter to Mexico 's National Human Rights Commission complaining the army 's heavy presence in the town would interfere with the Oct. 6 election .

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Mayor Antonio Gonzalez Garcia , of the opposition Revolutionary Workers ' Party , said in Wednesday 's letter that army troops recently raided several local farms , stole cattle and raped women .

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The letter was signed by some 200 area residents and indigenous leaders .


Some electoral watchdog groups also said the presence of the army , which has fanned out across the state in the past month in search of a new guerrilla group , was likely to intimidate voters and had stirred up tension in the state .

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A French group of electoral observers , Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme , concluded the army presence exerted a heavy psychological pressure on local farmers and would prevent a fair vote .

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Up for grabs in the election are the state legislature and 75 town halls .


( Corrects to show elections are not for governor ) .


Despite the criticism , acting state Gov .


Angel Aguirre pledged the elections will be free and fair and said he did not expect any trouble from the elusive new guerrilla group , the Popular Revolutionary Army .

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" The electoral process has been proceeding in accordance with the new state electoral law , " Aguirre said , adding that the poll would be " an exercise in true democracy . "

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Brazil police arrest wanted Italian man - report .


Brazilian authorities on Wednesday arrested a 47-year-old Italian man wanted in Italy for ties to the leftist Red Brigade guerrilla group of the 1970s , local television said .

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TV Globo said the Supreme Federal Tribunal ordered the arrest of Luciano Pessina , a political scientist who owns two Rio de Janeiro restaurants , based on an extradition request from the Italian government .

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The report , which could not be independently verified on Wednesday night , said Pessina was sentenced in Italy to eight years and 11 months in prison for robbery and illegal weapons and explosives possession .

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Globo quoted Pessina 's lawyer as saying he had already been imprisoned in Italy and , when freed , travelled to Brazil .

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Seven churches slam Brazil rural violence , impunity .


Seven churches joined voices on Wednesday to condemn the " day-to-day violence " of Brazil 's rural hinterland and the government 's failure to punish those responsible for massacres of landless peasants .

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" In the name of Jesus , we want to bring your attention to what is going on in the Brazilian countryside , " two church umbrella groups said in a Letter to the Brazilian People .

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The letter from National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil and the Coordinate of Ecumenical Service was sent to President Fernando Henrique Cardoso after a seminar on endemic violence gripping rural Brazil .

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Thirty-six people have died so far this year in conflicts over land in the Brazilian countryside , including 19 landless peasants massacred by police in April in the northern state of Para .

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" The problem of land is one of the most serious facing Brazil , " said Lucas Moreira Neves , president of the Catholic church 's National Conference of Bishops of Brazil .

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The letter made reference to massacres of landless peasants in August 1995 and April 1996 , which claimed the lives of 27 landless peasants .

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Thai official flees Hong Kong after passport scam .


A Thai consular official has fled Hong Kong after being questioned by anti-corruption police in connection with soliciting bribes to issue a passport , Hong Kong government radio said on Thursday .

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The unnamed suspect left the British colony after being detained and then freed by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ( ICAC ) , the radio said .

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The man was released after his arrest on Tuesday , pending further inquiries , the ICAC said in a statement .

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The anti-graft body was discussing the case with the Thai government , especially the suspect 's status , it said .

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It is not clear if the fugitive had diplomatic status in Hong Kong , and officials from the Thai Consulate were not available for comment .

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The arrest came after the ICAC received a complaint that the man had demanded a bribe of HK$ 100,000 ( US$ 12,940 ) to issue a Thai passport , the ICAC said .

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At the time of his arrest , ICAC officers seized HK$ 100,000 , it added .

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The ICAC has kept a close eye on passport scams after a U.S. official was jailed for trafficking fake Honduran passports as part of an immigration racket aimed at Chinese .

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Thai poll shows military wants PM Banharn out .


Thailand 's powerful military thinks the government is dishonest and Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa 's resignation might solve the nation 's political and economic woes , an opinion poll showed on Thursday .

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Nearly half the 1,617 military personnel surveyed in the Rajapat Institute poll suggested that Banharn resign , while about 28 percent thought he should dissolve parliament and 24 percent thought a cabinet reshuffle could resolve the government 's problems .

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Banharn , who leads a six-party , 13-month-old coalition government , faces a no-confidence debate in parliament next month .

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The prime minister , who has already lost one coalition partner this month , is expected to have a tough battle in the debate because of infighting in his own party and warnings of more pullouts by other coalition partners .

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The poll , conducted earlier this month after Banharn 's coalition completed one year in office , showed the military would prefer General Chatichai Choonhavan -- a former prime minister who was ousted in a military coup in February 1991 -- as prime minister .

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Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh , head of coalition member the New Aspiration Party , was the second choice for prime minister , the poll showed .

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Banharn came in last on the list of proposed leaders with less than one percent of the votes .

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Nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed thought the government was dishonest and insincere , and 65 percent blamed the government 's poor performance for the country 's economic slowdown .

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The opinion of the military in Thailand , which has seen 17 coups or attempted coups since the country switched to parliamentary democracy from absolute monarchy in 1932 , always carries weight in the political scene , despite officials ' vows to distance the military from politics .

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Hamas cleric jailed in Israel hospitalised briefly .


Israeli prison officials took jailed Islamic militant Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin to hospital briefly on Thursday for medical tests , officials said .

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" This evening Sheikh Yassin completed medical checks and returned to Ramle prisons authority medical centre , " said a spokesman for Israel 's internal security ministry .

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A prison official said Yassin had a mild case of pneumonia .


The 60-year-old Moslem cleric , jailed by Israel since 1989 , is serving a life sentence for ordering attacks by Hamas guerrillas against Israeli targets .

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The ailing Yassin is the spiritual leader of the fundamentalist Hamas group which has killed scores of Israelis in suicide attacks aimed at wrecking Israel-PLO peace deals .

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Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has demanded that Israel release Yassin -- who is confined to a wheelchair -- on humanitarian grounds .

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Israel said last month after it recovered the body of a soldier abducted by Hamas seven years ago that it would consider freeing Yassin .

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Moroccan King meets former Israel PM Peres .


King Hassan of Morocco met former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres on Thursday at the coastal resort of Skhirat , 20 km ( 12 miles ) south of Rabat , an official source said .

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" Mr Shimon Peres , who is on a purely private and family visit to Morocco , was received on Thursday by his Majesty King Hassan at the royal palace of Skhirat , " the source said .

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Accompanied by his wife and grandson , Peres arrived in Morocco on August 25 .


Peres is expected to fly home on Friday , officials said .


Scandal hits Clinton campaign at vital moment .


President Bill Clinton 's triumphal appearance at the Democratic convention , a vital moment in his bid for a second term , was marred on Thursday by the resignation of a top adviser in a reported sex scandal .

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Clinton was at work on the nomination acceptance speech that will launch his 10-week re-election campaign when political strategist Dick Morris abruptly announced his resignation on Thursday .

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The tabloid Star magazine reported the married Morris had a lengthy affair with a $ 200-an-hour prostitute who he allowed to eavesdrop on telephone conversations with Clinton , and with whom he shared White House speeches before they were made .

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" Dick Morris is my friend , and he is a superb political strategist , " Clinton said in a written statement . "

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I am and always will be grateful for the great contributions he has made to my campaigns and for the invaluable work he has done for me over the last two years . "

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Morris declined to address the allegations directly in his resignation statement but said he was quitting to avoid becoming a campaign issue .

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The surprise development captivated the thousands of reporters at the convention and clearly worried some Democrats , who had planned a triumphal celebration of Clinton 's lead over Dole in the opinion polls .

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Senator Dianne Feinstein , a California Democrat , called it a " big bump " in the way of the Clinton campaign .

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" It comes at the worst possible time on one of the biggest days for the president , " Feinstein said .

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Clinton was to deliver his acceptance speech at the final session of the Democratic Convention opening at 8 p.m. EDT ( midnight GMT ) .

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The 50-year-old president has been dogged for years by allegations of financial wrongdoing , sexual misconduct and questionable judgment in selecting his advisers .

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Republicans hope to seize on the " character " issue to bolster Clinton 's challenger Bob Dole in the final weeks of the campaign .

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Speaking in Santa Barbara , California , Dole did not directly refer to the sexual scandal but said the departure of Morris , who had advised Clinton to chart a more centrist political course , would make Clinton drift back to the left .

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" Morris has been trying to make President Clinton a Republican , now maybe he 'll revert to the liberal Democrat that he really is , " Dole told reporters .

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Clinton will hit the road on Friday for a bus tour across several states in his fight to become the first Democratic incumbent re-elected to a second term since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt .

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Aides said Clinton planned to spend most of Thursday in his hotel room several miles ( km ) from the convention hall working on his speech .

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It was apparently neglected on his long " whistle-stop " train trip to the convention , during which he revelled in contact with friendly crowds across the country 's heartland .

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He was also hoarse and was giving his voice a rest .


But first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton told ABC television , " He 's really fired up . "

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" He wants to outline to the American people what he thinks has been accomplished in the last four years , and what he would like to see done in the next four years , " she said .

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" He 's very excited about this convention ...


But more than that , he 's very resolute about what he wants to do . "


I always expect elections to get close .


I expect to have a great deal of up and down days between now and then , " she said of the November 5 election date .

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Clinton is leading Dole by as much as 15 points according to some polls .


The campaign pits Dole , a man of quick and withering wit and long-time public service , but stilted speaking style , against the glib and confident Clinton , who has perfected a style that makes direct eye contact with his audience .

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Montana weekly muni bond indices - Piper Jaffray .


The following Montana tax-exempt municipal bond indices were compiled by Piper Jaffray Inc for the week ending August 30 .

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Year A-rated Gen'l Obligation 4.45 % 4.40 % +0.05


10 Year A-rated Gen'l Obligation 4.90 % 4.90 % -----


Researchers report progress in muscular dystrophy .


University of Pennsylvania researchers on Thursday said a new gene-therapy technique for treating muscular dystrophy disease had shown progress in laboratory animals .

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Word of the findings , to be published in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal " Human Gene Therapy , " came in advance of the annual Jerry Lewis Labour Day weekend telethon to raise money for muscular dystrophy research .

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Several hurdles must be overcome before the method is used in human trials .