51.   French President Jacques Chirac will likely announce his bid for re-election in early March, a lawmaker in his conservative political party indicated on Monday.

52.   He announced his bid at a lavish cocktail party, and stressed his personal ties with leading figures in the international sports scene.

53.   Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi will officially announce his bid at a press conference later Saturday, press reports said.

54.   Lee is the first businessman to announce his bid in the presidential election next March.

55.   Mikhail Gorbachev announced for a second straight day Friday that he intends to run for president, but denied that he was formally announcing a bid.

56.   Mikhail Gorbachev reaffirmed on Friday that he plans to run for the Russian presidency in the June elections, but denied that he was formally announcing a bid.

57.   No date was set for announcing the bids.

58.   President Bush formally announced his bid for re-election.

59.   Secretary of State Bill Jones, the only Republican currently holding state office, announced his bid last week.

60.   Shares in both companies rose on the Toronto Stock Exchange after the bid was announced.