11.   A new Chinese law banning payment for blood donations took effect Thursday, prompted by an alarming rise in AIDS and other diseases in contaminated donations.

12.   A relaxation of social controls in the countryside has permitted an alarming rise in the kidnapping of women and children.

13.   Chinese health authorities have noted an alarming rise in the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, the official newspaper Guangming Daily reported Tuesday.

14.   Government officials and religious leaders are meeting in an effort to stem an alarming rise abortions of female fetuses.

15.   Hashim said he had heard that there had been an alarming rise in dengue cases in northern Australia.

16.   Kuptsov told the Interfax and the ITAR-Tass news agencies that there has been an alarming rise in contract killings.

17.   Taiwan officials have reported an alarming rise in crimes against Taiwanese businessmen in China.

18.   Sri Lankan conservationists are worried about an alarming rise in the number of elephants killed.

19.   Ukraine has created a new force to police the police because of an alarming rise in corruption, the Interior Ministry said Friday.

20.   Government data has shown an alarming rise in teen smoking.