1.   Parliamentary systems giving the head of government discretion on timing the election have traditionally been used for advantage by governing parties.

2.   In timing the election for the fall, Milosevic appears to have miscalculated.

3.   The long-awaited word on election timing was the most specific statement yet from the man who sets the date.

4.   Visiting the hard-hit Dumfries and Galloway region in Scotland on Friday, Blair refused to talk about election timing.