21.   It said the bus was on its way to Dhaka from the northwestern Dinjapur district.

22.   The rights organization also said the Maoists kidnapped two suspected govermment sympathizers in the northwestern Rukum district who remain missing.

23.   The worst-hit north and northwestern districts of Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh and Dinajpur were likely to improve Sunday, it predicted.

24.   Two others were killed in a gun fight between pro- and anti-government supporters in northwestern Chapainawabganj district.

25.   Quoting residents from the Pakistani border town of Ali Zai in northwestern Parachinar district, the report said the bombs fell close to the border.

26.   Separately the agency quoted residents from the Pakistani border town of Ali Zai in northwestern Parachinar district who said the US bombed Chargoti Ghar in Khost province Thursday.

27.   Sixteen flood-hit northwestern Bangladesh districts were exempted from the strike so that relief efforts could continue.

28.   Sixteen flood-hit northwestern Bangladesh districts were exempted from the strike, which ends Thursday.

29.   The Maoist insurgents have chosen remote hilly northwestern districts to operate in, where the poor villagers can easily be turned against the present political set-up.

30.   The rebels also said they carried out a retaliatory attack against an army bunker in the northwestern Mannar district Monday and killed two soldiers.