71.   Pakistani police on Friday arrested the former food minister of central Punjab province on corruption charges as a wheat flour crisis gripped the country, officials said.

72.   Practically all the state warehouses containing grain or flour were looted last week when the chaos gripping the country was at its peak.

73.   Republicans were widely expected to gain ground in the Democrat-controlled Congress as anti-incumbent fever gripped the country.

74.   The country has been gripped by ethnic conflict since the Hutu-majority presidency and the Tutsi opposition agreed to share power two years ago.

75.   The country was also gripped by political uncertaintly resulting from the weekend resignation announcement by Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata.

76.   The country has been gripped by football frenzy since the national side sealed qualification for the World Cup in South Korea and Japan late last year.

77.   The country has been gripped by strikes called to press for the release of jailed pro-democracy leader Moshood Abiola.

78.   The Japanese government Friday adopted plans to impose heavier penalties on people who assist illegal immigrants as an upsurge in illegal immigration grips the country, officials said.