11.   The ministry announced it will abolish in April some restrictions on issuing new shares in an effort to stimulate more equity financing.

12.   The positions will be created in July, when the ministry announces a reshuffle of officials.

13.   When the ministry announced July trade figures a month ago, the Japanese central bank began buying dollars to bolster the U.S. currency.

14.   President Nelson Mandela will pay a four-day state visit to France after his trip to England that begins next week, the Foreign Affairs ministry announced Monday.

15.   A senior Pakistani official said the foreign ministry would announce the closing of the embassy later Thursday.

16.   Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso will make a three-day state visit to South Africa at the end of November, the Foreign Affairs ministry announced Monday.

17.   Chavez arrived about three hours later after the Dominican foreign ministry announced his visit.

18.   Fukushima also said the ministry could not announce whether Fujimori is a Japanese citizen without his consent.

19.   German President Roman Herzog will visit South Africa next month, where he will address a special sitting of both houses of parliament, the foreign ministry announced Monday.

20.   In neighboring Pakistan Thursday, the Pakistan foreign ministry announced a three-point peace plan for Afghanistan.