41.   Seven Afghan drug traffickers were killed during clashes with police in the northeastern Khorasan province, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Monday.

42.   Russian and Iranian news agencies reported fierce fighting Wednesday, saying the opposition gained ground in far northeastern Takhar province.

43.   Southern China was hit by severe floods, and consecutive floods struck the central provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi and the northeastern provinces of Liaoning and Jilin.

44.   Suspected guerrillas fighting for an independent homeland for tribespeople in a remote northeastern province have shot and killed eight civilians, news reports said Saturday.

45.   Taliban forces attacked Iranian border posts in northeastern Khorasan province with machine guns and Iranian border guards returned fire, forcing Taliban fighters to retreat, the broadcast said.

46.   Ten people were killed in Masouleh city in the northern Gilan province and two were killed in the northeastern Ardebil province, IRNA said.

47.   Ten people were killed in Masouleh city in northern Gilan province and two were killed in northeastern Ardebil province, IRNA said.

48.   The anti-Taliban northern alliance, made up mostly of ethnic and religious minorities, controls only northeastern Badakhshan province and small areas in other northern provinces.

49.   The bus was on its way from Tehran to the northeastern Golestan province, the agency said.

50.   The drugs were confiscated during armed encounters with smugglers in the northeastern Khorasan province, said the English-language daily.