41.   Colombian rebels are trying to carve out a stronghold in the southern part of the country by threatening and killing municipal officials, Interior Minister Armando Estrada said.

42.   Crimean politics and business long have been plagued by violence and several senior regional officials have been killed in recent years.

43.   Earlier, Palestinian intelligence head in Gaza Mohammed Dahlan said that members of the cell planned to kill Palestinian officials.

44.   Exiled opposition groups working to oust Saddam have regularly reported killing Iraqi officials in the past.

45.   Few details were revealed, but the man identified as the chief commando said Amadou had promised him a fortune if the officials were killed.

46.   He said initial reports that two U.N. officials were killed in the ambush were incorrect.

47.   In a separate incident, three Palestinian security officials were killed when their convoy of unmarked cars came under Israeli helicopter attack near Tamoun, witnesses said.

48.   In addition to attacking Tutsis, the Interehamwe and former government soldiers are raiding Rwanda, laying land mines and killing local officials.

49.   In Urus-Martan, two local administration officials were killed by rebels on Friday night, the official said.

50.   It was not the first time a high government official was killed in Corsica.