1.   President Fidel Ramos met an Irish priest Wednesday who was recently freed by former Muslim guerrillas and promised the government will provide promised assistance to the ex-rebels.

2.   But Thomas said he was sure the IMF would not back away from its promised assistance.

3.   On Friday, Kuchma said Ukraine still expected western nations to provide the promised assistance and would continue its talks with the EBRD.

4.   Troubled Belgian airline Sabena SA will seek bankruptcy protection Wednesday after Swissair failed to provide promised financial assistance, the government announced.

5.   But the chief Ukrainian negotiator emerged to say more talks were needed in order to guarantee that the West would come through with all of its promised assistance.

6.   But Turkey complains that it cannot receive promised EU assistance related to the customs union agreement due to vetos by its arch rival Greece.

7.   Wednesday, Vice President Al Gore toured some of the flood-hit areas across the region, including Cincinnati, and promised swift federal assistance to flood victims.

8.   Yukihida Ikeda, the first Japanese foreign minister to visit South Africa, met President Nelson Mandela here Tuesday and promised assistance for the country in several fields.