21.   In Kuwait City, police banned public gatherings on liberation day and on independence day Wednesday for fear Iraqi agents might carry out terrorist attacks.

22.   In recent gatherings, thousands of usually docile Malaysians have flocked downtown to demand justice for Anwar, although such gatherings are banned by police.

23.   It said banning gatherings by rightist groups and a new law against denying the Holocaust set a bad precedent by limiting freedom of speech.

24.   It would also give him the ability to seal the borders, ban public gatherings, and impose a curfew.

25.   It would also give the government the power to seal the borders, ban public gatherings, and impose a curfew.

26.   Mass gatherings have been banned in the capital, where elite troops have staged impressive security exercises to demonstrate how they would react against troublemakers.

27.   Officials were taking steps to ban the gatherings.

28.   On Thursday, the supporters of the accord also had planned a rally but put it off after authorities fearing clashes banned their gathering.

29.   Police Commissioner James Danbaba said the rally had been banned because of security concerns, the reason usually given by the military government for banning opposition gatherings.

30.   Police banned large gatherings and patrolled streets in parts of the city.