21.   Parliament is expected to consider measures the government is proposing to reinforce security as well as a stronger role for the government in religious affairs.

22.   PPP insisted on excluding nondenominational faiths from religious affairs.

23.   Patriarch Alexy II appeared happy with the revised version, proposed by a presidential advisory commission on religious affairs earlier this week.

24.   A Henan police official in charge of religious affairs who declined to give his name said cult activities were common in rural areas around Jiaozuo.

25.   A leading Buddhist support group on Wednesday said Thich Tu Man and Thich Tam Thanh quit the Vietnam Buddhist Church to protest interference in religious affairs.

26.   A struggle between Jordan and the Palestinians for control of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem has been resolved, the Palestinian minister of religious affairs said Thursday.

27.   A moderate cleric, Soueidan handled religious affairs of the Shiites in southern Lebanon, where predominantly Shiite guerrillas are fighting Israeli occupation of a border zone.

28.   Al-Shahir, who previously held Cabinet posts for religious affairs and youth, is a member of the Dulaimi tribe.

29.   Authorities in Hanoi maintain that the final say on all religious affairs in Vietnam rests with the Communist government, which is officially atheist.

30.   Both sides also battled over control the department of religious affairs, Yilmaz said.