11.   In southern Afghanistan, US and Canadian troops worked to boost defences around their coalition base in Kandahar amid signs an unknown enemy was trying to penetrate it.

12.   Vietnam will work to boost cooperation with the United States even if there is no move to normalise relations before the next presidential elections, an official said Thursday.

13.   Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and Vice President Al Gore vowed to work to boost trade and investment ties.