101.   US officials acknowledge that the drop-off was partly due to bad weather but said stricter US immigration policies were also discouraging refugees from attempting to reach US shores.

102.   Seven Taiwanese and Hong Kong activists managed to reach the shore in two groups.

103.   Seven members of its crew were able to abandon ship and reach shore in a lifeboat, it said.

104.   The agreement was reached after President Bill Clinton last month ended an open-door policy that granted Cubans fleeing their homeland instant asylum upon reaching US shores.