51.   The proposal for a ban comes as the Netherlands continues to slaughter pigs in affected regions.

52.   The Saudi ban comes a few weeks after Egypt resolved a similar problem with the European Union.

53.   However, it said the ultra-orthodox members wanted the ban to come into force immediately.

54.   But Air India and the UAE carrier Emirates said the ban had not come into effect immediately and flights were likely to continue at least until Thursday.

55.   The temporary ban came as government troops clashed with rebels in the mainly Christian and animist south who want to shake off control by the mainly Moslem north.

56.   One other poll, by Sonda-Ipsos, is expected to be released before that ban comes into force.

57.   Prince Ranariddh told AFP an agreement had been signed, but denied it involved wood cut since the ban came into force.

58.   That ban came just two days after the military regime lifted a two-year-old ban on all political parties.

59.   The ban came after President Pervez Musharraf said last week the military presence along the border would be beefed up to stop the infiltration of alleged terrorists from Afghanistan.

60.   The British government has said that it would lodge an official complaint with the European Union if the German ban comes into force.