11.   The federal probe of Fowler comes as Small and other defense attorneys are preparing for pretrial hearings in the state corruption case.

12.   The full-scale probe comes amid growing complaints about police brutality and other misconduct in the fast-growing suburban county north of Washington.

13.   The probe comes amid allegations that IMF loan money may have been illegally diverted through the Bank of New York.

14.   The probe came one day after Kang Young Kwan, a senior executive of the association, was arrested over alleged fraud.

15.   The probe comes as Turkish politicians gear up for elections in April.

16.   The probe comes two weeks after Brazilian TV broadcast a videotape of Macedo gleefully counting donations and telling subordinates to threaten stingy followers with damnation.

17.   The probe comes two weeks before parliamentary elections when the pro-Islamic Welfare Party, is expected to make a strong showing, in the predominantly Muslim country.

18.   The probe comes as the contracting company and the Department of Public Works trade blame for the fires, with both sides accusing the other of sabotage.

19.   But, he told reporters, it was impossible to know where the probe would come to earth, or when the impact would happen.

20.   The announcement of the ICAO probe came as the US Congress gave final passage Wednesday to a bill tightening the US economic embargo against Cuba.