1.   French soldiers and local police forces had taken control of the city and the violence and gunfire which had rocked the centre of town Friday petered out overnight.

2.   French soldiers patrolled the streets of the capital Bangui and the violence and gunfire which had rocked the centre of town Friday petered out overnight.

3.   Four explosions rocked the centre of Zepa town Saturday afternoon as small arms skirmishes occured around the enclave UN officials said.

4.   Four explosions rocked the centre of Zepa town in the afternoon as small arms skirmishes occurred around the enclave, UN officials said.

5.   Four explosions rocked the centre of Zepa town Saturday afternoon as small arms skirmishes occured around the enclave, UN officials said.

6.   A car bomb blast rocked the centre of the Tajik capital Dushanbe Saturday, killing one soldier and wounding three other soldiers and two civilians, police said.

7.   A major explosion rocked the centre of Algiers late Sunday, audible from the suburbs, an AFP reporter said.

8.   A major explosion rocked the centre of Algiers late Sunday and was audible from the suburbs, an AFP reporter said.

9.   A powerful blast rocked the centre of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo Wednesday, residents said.

10.   A powerful explosion rocked the centre of the devastated Chechen capital Grozny Monday, ITAR-TASS news agency reported, without giving any details of casualties or damage.