41.   The statement came two days before regional elections will be held in the Spanish Basque country.

42.   The statement came a day before the second Franco-Romanian economic forum is to open here with the participation of numerous French companies.

43.   The statement came as a deadline issued by rebel leader Laurent-Desire Kabila for talks to start expired.

44.   The statement came as South Korean security forces stepped up the hunt for suspected North Korean agents who gunned down another defector in Seoul.

45.   The statement came as the entire Kuwaiti army was ordered to deploy along the border to ward off any threat from Iraqi troops massed near the emirate.

46.   The statement came as Yemen threatened to win back the islands by force if diplomatic means failed.

47.   The statement came as congressional lawmakers deepen their investigation into the bankruptcy of the energy titan and questionable procedures by its accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

48.   The statement came as prisoners from two loyalist paramilitary groups announced they had withdrawn their support for the stalled peace process, blaming deadlocked talks and IRA provocation.

49.   The statement came as the Front said it would soon announce its next leader to replace deposed prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

50.   The economic policy statement came as US companies are hoping to buy shares in telecommunications and electrical companies that were slated for privatisation.