The committee 's last tour was in September 1995 in Belgium , Luxembourg and the Netherlands .


Danish cleaning group ISS on Wednesday said it had signed a letter of intent to sell its troubled U.S unit ISS Inc to Canadian firm Aaxis Limited .


An ISS statement said that Aaxis , with year-end 1996 assets of US$ 10.9 million and equity of $ 10.5 million , would be listed on the Montreal stock exchange , but did not say when .


It said that under the sale agreement , full financial details of which were not revealed , ISS would acquire a 25 percent stake in Aaxis which would become an associated company within the ISS group trading under the ISS name and logo .


ISS Inc senior management would continue to run the business under the new owners , it said .


Danish analysts recently estimated ISS Inc 's sale value at up to $ 118 million .


ISS said that the deal included ISS Inc operations in Mexico and the sale of ISS Inc interests in Brazil would be discussed .


On August 15 , ISS published first half 1996 results showing a two billion crown loss caused by falsified accounts in ISS Inc and said that charges and provisions earlier estimated at $ 100 million would have to be increased to $ 146 million .


It also wrote down all ISS Inc goodwill and Wednesday 's statement said that the Aaxis purchase would not necessitate further write down if the sale were completed according to the terms of the letter of intent .


-- Steve Weizman , Copenhagen newsroom +45 33969650


Iraq balks at U.N. staff for oil-for-food deal .


Iraq has balked at the number of U.N. staff needed to implement the oil-for-food deal , blaming the United States for insisting on stringent monitoring .


In comments to reporters and a statement on Tuesday , Iraqi diplomats said the cost of the monitors and other staff , which Baghdad has to finance , surpasses funds allocated for electricity , water , sewers , education and agriculture .


At issue was a May 20 agreement allowing Iraq to sell $ 2 billion worth of oil to purchase badly needed food , medicine and other supplies to ease the impact of sanctions in force since its troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990 .


The Iraqi statement said the United States was " interfering and pressing to augment the number of international staff and this is not legal and not justified . "


Iraq 's deputy ambassador , Saeed Hasan , noted that the May 20 accord said that the number of personnel would be determined by the United Nations and that the government of Iraq would be consulted .


Saeed in his comments did not threaten to call off the deal and the U.N. officials said they expected it to go into force next month after Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali reports that arrangements are in place .


The U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs ( DHA ) , which has to coordinate the distribution of food , medicine and other goods , increased the number of monitors earlier this month at the insistence of the United States .


According to U.N. officials and diplomats , Iraq would have about $ 1.13 billion to spend for food , medicine and other goods after monies for a reparations fund for Gulf War victims and costs for U.N. weapons inspections were deducted .


The cost of the U.N. staff overseeing the distribution of food and other supplies was estimated to cost $ 31 million .


In addition another $ 12 million was anticipated to cover other expenses , such as oil experts and administrative costs .


For the distribution and supervision of humanitarian supplies the United Nations estimated it needed 1,190 people , including 267 international staff and 923 Iraqi support staff .


Of this number 64 foreign and 598 local staff would be in the northern Kurdish provinces , no longer the direct control of the Baghdad government .


Another 203 international staff and 325 Iraqis would run the programme in the central and southern parts of the country .


There are also 14 monitors to watch oil flows , 32 customs experts and four New York-based oil experts or overseers to approve contracts .


Yasushi Akashi , the DHA undersecretary-general , told the Security Council last week that the " financial requirements to support the ( humanitarian ) programme represent a very modest percentile of the total ...


OFFICIAL JOURNAL CONTENTS - OJ C 251 OF AUGUST 29 , 1996 .


( Note - contents are displayed in reverse order to that in the printed Journal )


Aircraft noise and emissions Economic assessment of proposals for a common European Union position for CAEP 4 Consultancy services Call for tender ( 96 / C 251/09 )


Provision of overland transport services for material and equipment for European Commission delegations in European Third Countries and in the New Independent States ( NIS ) Contract notice No TRA / 96 / 003 / IAE-3 - Open procedure ( 96 / C 251/08 )


Microfiche production system Open procedure Invitation to tender DI 96/04 Micromation ( 96 / C 251/07 )


Aircraft noise and emissions Gaseous emissions from aircraft in the atmosphere Consultancy services Call for tender ( 96 / C 251/06 )


Tacis - support framework for the coordination and development of the Tacis information and communications programme Notice of open invitation to tender for a public service contract ( 96 / C 251/05 )


COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC ) No 4064/89 ( 96 / C 251/04 )


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY AT 31 DECEMBER 1995 ( 96 / C 251/03 )


Average prices and representative prices for table wines at the various marketing centres ( 96 / C 251/02 )


Ecu ( 1 ) 28 August 1996 ( 96 / C 251/01 ) END OF DOCUMENT .


EU Commission cool on changing beef cull plan .


The European Commission said on Thursday it would study scientific reports saying Britain 's mad cow epidemic would die out by 2001 but offered little prospect the findings would change an agreed slaughter campaign .


" Obviously we are interested in this research .


We will ask the ( EU ) scientific and veterinary committee to examine it , " Commission spokesman Gerard Kiely told Reuters .


But he added that new research into the dynamics of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) , a fatal brain-wasting disease suffered by cattle , was unlikely to alter a slaughter plan agreed by Britain and its 14 EU partners .


" We agreed that following detailed scientific analysis using a methodology which would take out the maximum number of BSE cases possible .


I think it would be very difficult to sell to the European Commission a programme which would involve the elimination of fewer BSE cases , " Kiely said .


" We will look at our approach ( to the plan ) but we wo n't get involved with the number of animals to be slaughtered , " he said .


" We have always avoided the question of numbers of animals to be slaughtered , that 's not the issue .


The issue is the protection of consumers ' health and the rapid eradication of BSE , " he added .


The reaction is likely to disappoint British farmers , who seized on research by Oxford scientists in the scientific journal Nature saying it would be hard to get rid of the disease any faster than 2001 without killing vast numbers of cattle .


The researchers predicted there would be 340 new infections and 14,000 new cases of BSE before 2001 .


British farmers ' leader called on Wednesday for an urgent meeting with ministers to discuss the report .


" I hope the government will now make it clear they believe there is a better way of dealing with this issue , " National Farmers Union president Sir David Naish told BBC radio .


Naish said there was no need for Britain to carry out a planned cull of some 147,000 cattle to which it had reluctantly agreed to placate its European partners .


" The new evidence to me means some of that proposal should be re-examined because we could get away with considerably less animals being culled if in fact scientists throughout Europe accepted this evidence , " Naish said .


The report could well reopen a damaging row between Britain and the EU , which slapped a worldwide ban on British beef after the government said there could be a link between BSE and the human form of the disease .


The issue flared in in March when government scientists admitted that people could become infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ( CJD ) from eating BSE-infected beef .


French farmers set up blockades in mad cow protest .


Thousands of farmers threw up roadblocks across France overnight , stopping and checking lorries suspected of importing meat from outside the European Union , French radios reported on Thursday .


Radio stations said around 15,000 farmers , angered by a fall in beef prices following the mad cow disease crisis , staged protests in many areas and blockaded several main roads and motorways .


By 3 a.m. ( 0100 GMT ) more than 2,000 lorries had been stopped and searched .


European beef sales plunged after Britain announced the discovery of a likely link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) , or mad cow disease , and its fatal human equivalent Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease ( CJD ) .


GOLF - BRITISH MASTERS SECOND ROUND SCORES .


the second round of the British Masters on Thursday ( British


141 Francisco Cea ( Spain ) 70 71 , Gavin Levenson ( South Africa )


144 Peter O'Malley ( Australia ) 71 73 , Costantino Rocca ( Italy )


145 Peter Mitchell 74 71 , Philip Walton ( Ireland ) 71 74 , Retief


Goosen ( South Africa ) 71 74 , Ove Sellberg ( Sweden ) 71 74 ,


Peter Hedblom ( Sweden ) 70 75 , Pedro Linhart ( Spain ) 72 73 ,


Mike Clayton ( Australia ) 69 76 , Emanuele Canonica ( Italy )


146 Iain Pyman 71 75 , Eduardo Romero ( Argentina ) 70 76 , Ian


Woosnam 70 76 , Miguel Angel Jimenez ( Spain ) 74 72 , Klas


147 Antoine Lebouc ( France ) 74 73 , Paul Curry 76 71 , Andrew


Coltart 72 75 , Paul Lawrie 72 75 , Jose Coceres ( Argentina )


CYCLING - SORENSEN WINS FOURTH STAGE OF TOUR OF NETHERLANDS .


Leading results and overall standings after the 19.6 kilometre fourth stage of the Tour of the Netherlands on Thursday , a time trial starting and finishing in Doetinchem .


1. Rolf Sorensen ( Denmark ) Rabobank 22 minutes 40 seconds


2. Lance Armstrong ( U.S. ) Motorola 1 second behind


3. Vyacheslav Ekimov ( Russia ) Rabobank 29 seconds behind


4. Erik Dekker ( Netherlands ) Rabobank 43


6. Erik Breukink ( Netherlands ) Rabobank 48


7. Wilfried Peeters ( Belgium ) Mapei 51


9. Michael Andersson ( Sweden ) Telekom 54


10. Gregory Randolph ( USA ) Motorola 1 minute 3 seconds


Leading overall placings after three stages :


4. Marco Lietti ( Italy ) MG-Technogym 1 minute 14 seconds


7. Maarten den Bakker ( Netherlands ) TVM 1 minute 31 seconds


10. Olaf Ludwig ( Germany ) Telekom 1 minute 44 seconds


The race continues on Friday with the 178 kilometre fifth-stage from Zevenaar to Venray .


CRICKET - ENGLAND BEAT PAKISTAN IN FIRST ONE-DAYER .


England beat Pakistan by five wickets to win the first one-day ( 50 overs-a-side ) international at Old Trafford on Thursday .


Scores : Pakistan 225-5 innings closed ( Saeed Anwar 57 ) , England 226-5 in 46.4 overs ( M. Atherton 65 ) .


Results at the world track cycling championships on Thursday :


Individual pursuit semifinals ( over 4,000 metres ) :


Chris Boardman ( Britain ) 4:15.006 beat Alexei Markov ( Russia ) 4:23.029


Andrea Collinelli ( Italy ) 4:16.141 beat Francis Moreau ( France ) 4:19.665


Moreau takes bronze medal as faster losing semifinalist .


Chris Boardman ( Britain ) 4:11.114 ( world record ) beat Andrea Collinelli ( Italy ) 4:20.341


Olympic sprint championship ( three-man teams ) :


1. Australia ( Darryn Hill , Shane Kelly , Gary Neiwand ) 44.804


2. Germany ( Jens Fiedler , Michael Hubner , Soren Lausberg )


3. France ( Laurent Gane , Florian Rousseau , Herve Thuet )


4. Greece ( Dimitrios Georgalis , Georgios Chimonetos , Lampros


Women 's world sprint championship quarter-finals ( best of


Magali Faure ( France ) beat Kathrin Freitag ( Germany ) two


matches to nil ( with times for the last 200 metres of 11.833


Felicia Ballanger ( France ) beat Oksana Grichina ( Russia ) 2-0 ,


Tanya Dubnicoff ( Canada ) beat Michelle Ferris ( Australia ) 2-0 ,


Annett Neumann ( Germany ) beat Galina Enioukhina ( Russia ) 2-0 ,


CRICKET - CROFT RESTRICTS PAKISTAN TO 225-5 .


Tight bowling from Glamorgan off-spinner Robert Croft helped England to restrict Pakistan to 225 for five in their 50 overs in the first one-day international at Old Trafford on Thursday .


Croft , who was one of the few Englishmen to make a good impression in his test debut at The Oval last week , showed great control as he first dried up the early flow of Pakistan runs and then collected the wickets of Aamir Sohail and Wasim Akram in a spell of 10-1-36-2 .


There was also a wicket each for Ronnie Irani , Allan Mullally and Darren Gough although there was no joy for Dean Headley who , along with Lancashire batsman Graham Lloyd , was making his international debut .


After Wasim had won the toss and chosen to bat first , Pakistani made an excellent start as Sohail and Saeed Anwar continued their good form with an opening partnership of 82 .


Anwar , who struck a superb 176 at The Oval , was the more aggressive as he made 57 from 75 balls before skying a catch off Irani to Mullally at long-on .


Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed then added 59 for the second wicket before England struck back with three wickets for 19 in the space of five overs .


First , Sohail , after making 48 , was bowled by Croft as he stepped back to try and hit through the off-side .


Wasim , who promoted himself to number four in the order , followed for six when Croft drifted another well-flighted delivery behind his legs .


Shortly after Ijaz was also back in the pavilion for 48 after Irani had repaid Mullally with another good catch at long-on .


Gough later bowled Moin Khan with an inswinging yorker but Inzamam-ul-Haq , 37 not out , and Salim Malik took Pakistan to 225 for five when the overs ran out .


CRICKET - ENGLAND V PAKISTAN ONE-DAY SCOREBOARD .


first one-day ( 50 overs-a-side ) match between England and


Total ( for 5 wickets , innings closed ) 225


Did Not Bat : Mushtaq Ahmed , Waqar Younis , Ata-ur-Rehman ,


Bowling : Gough 10-0-44-1 , Mullally 10-3-31-1 , Headley


G. Thorpe st Moin Khan b Aamir Sohail 23


Total ( for 5 wickets , 46.4 overs ) 226


Did not bat : R. Croft , D. Gough , D. Headley , A. Mullally .


Bowling : Wasim Akram 9.4-1-45-3 , Waqar Younis 7-0-28-1 ,


Saqlain Mushtaq 10-1-54-0 , Ata-ur-Rehman 3-0-14-0 , Mushtaq Ahmed


Second match : August 31 , Edgbaston ( Birmingham )


Third : September 1 , Trent Bridge ( Nottingham )


LOMBARDI WINS THIRD STAGE OF TOUR OF NETHERLANDS .


Leading results and overall standings after the 122 kilometre third stage of the Tour of the Netherlands on Thursday between Almere and Doetinchem .


1. Giovanni Lombardi ( Italy ) Polti 2 hours 35 minutes


4. Maarten den Bakker ( Netherlands ) TVM all same time


5. Marco Lietti ( Italy ) MG-Technogym 1 second behind


6. Hans de Clerq ( Belgium ) Palmans 27 seconds


9. Olaf Ludwig ( Germany ) Telekom all same time


10. Jeroen Blijlevens ( Netherlands ) TVM 31


Leading overall placings after three stages :


7. Max van Heeswijk ( Netherlands ) Motorola 28


8. Sven Teutenberg ( Germany ) U.S. Postal 31


9. Johan Capiot ( Belgium ) Collstrop 32


10. Jans Koerts ( Netherlands ) Palmans 34


The race continues on Thursday afternoon with a 19.6 fourth-stage Doetinchem-Doetinchem time trial


CRICKET - ENGLAND V PAKISTAN TOSS AND TEAMS .


Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the first one-day cricket international between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford on Thursday .


England - Mike Atherton ( captain ) , Nick Knight , Alec Stewart , Graham Thorpe , Matthew Maynard , Graham Lloyd , Ronnie Irani , Robert Croft , Darren Gough , Dean Headley , Alan Mullally .


Pakistan : Aamir Sohail , Saeed Anwar , Ijaz Ahmed , Inzamam-ul-Haq , Salim Malik , Wasim Akram ( captain ) , Moin Khan , Mushtaq Ahmed , Waqar Younis , Ata-ur-Rehman , Saqlain Mushtaq .


CRICKET - ENGLISH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES .


Close of play scores in English county championship matches on Thursday :


Tunbridge Wells : Nottinghamshire 40-3 v Kent


London ( The Oval ) : Warwickshire 195 ( A. Giles 50 ; B. Julian 4-66 , C. Lewis 4-45 ) , Surrey 82-0 .


Hove : Sussex 285-6 ( W. Athey 111 ) v Lancashire


Leeds ( Headingley ) : Yorkshire 290 ( C. White 76 , M. Moxon 59 , R. Blakey 57 ) , Essex 79-2 .


Chester-le-Street : Glamorgan 259 ( P. Cottey 81 ; M. Saggers 6-65 ) and 8-0 , Durham 114 ( S. Watkin 4-28 )


Chesterfield : Worcestershire 238 ( W. Weston 100 not out , V. Solanki 58 ; A. Harris 4-31 ) , Derbyshire 166-1 ( K. Barnett 83 not out )


Portsmouth : Middlesex 199 and 226-1 ( J. Pooley 106 not out , M. Ramprakash 81 not out ) , Hampshire 232 ( A. Fraser 5-55 , R. Fay 4-77 )


Leicester : Somerset 83 ( D. Millns 4-35 ) , Leicestershire 202-5


Bristol : Gloucestershire 183 ( J. Russell 50 ) , Northamptonshire 123-4 ( K. Curran 51 not out ) .


RUGBY UNION - TELFER CONFIRMED FOR LIONS COACHING ROLE .


Scotland 's Jim Telfer was officially confirmed on Thursday as assistant coach for the British Lions tour to South Africa next year .


Telfer , who has put on hold his role as Scotland team manager for a year , will act as assistant to Ian McGeechan .


The pair last worked together when Scotland won the Five Nations grand slam in 1990 .


The tour party will be announced towards the end of March .


Linford Christie has confirmed he will run in a " Dream Team " sprint relay at the Berlin grand prix athletics meeting on Friday .


A spokeswoman for Christie said the former Olympic 100 metres champion had agreed to captain a quality quartet which also includes Canada 's Donovan Bailey , the current Olympic champion and world record holder , and Namibian Frankie Fredericks .


Christie is retiring from international competition at the end of the season , but Berlin promoter Rudi Thiel has persuaded him to join what is intended to be a special tribute to Jesse Owens , who won four gold medals 60 years ago at the Berlin Olympics .


SOCCER - GROBBELAAR NAMED TEMPORARY ZIMBABWE COACH .


England-based goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar has been appointed temporary head coach of the Zimbabwe national soccer team for two international matches , the Zimbabwe Football Association ( ZIFA ) said on Thursday .


ZIFA vice-chairman Vincent Pamire said Grobbelaar would take charge for a match against Tanzania in Harare on September 29 in the five-nation Castle Cup of Africa tournament and an African Nations ' Cup first round qualifier against Sudan in Khartoum on October 5 .


Grobbelaar takes over until a permanent replacement is appointed for Zimbabwe 's previous coach , Switzerland 's Marc Duvillard .


Grobbelaar now plays for English second division leaders Plymouth Argyle after years in the top flight with Liverpool and Southampton .


Grobbelaar , fellow goalkeeper Hans Segers , retired striker John Fashanu and Malaysian businessman Heng Suan Lim pleaded not guilty in May to charges of giving or accepting bribes to fix English premier league matches .


They are due to stand trial next January .


BASKETBALL - OLYMPIAKOS BEAT DINAMO 69-60 .


Olympiakos of Greece beat Russia 's Dinamo 69-60 ( halftime 35-23 ) in the third match of an international basketball tournament on Thursday , qualifying for the finals .


Partizan and Red Star of Yugoslavia , Alba of Germany , and Benetton of Italy are also taking part in the event which continues until Saturday .


Partizan beat Benetton 97-94 ( halftime 39-32 ) .


SQUASH - HONG KONG OPEN SECOND ROUND RESULTS .


Second round results in the Hong Kong Open on Thursday ( prefix number denotes seeding ) :


1 - Jansher Khan ( Pakistan ) beat Simon Frenz ( Germany ) 15-12 15-7 12-15 15-10


Mark Cairns ( England ) beat Joseph Kneipp ( Australia ) 8-15 15-12 15-8 15-8


Anthony Hill ( Australia ) beat Mir Zaman Gul ( Pakistan ) 15-12 15-11 15-13


4 - Peter Nicol ( Scotland ) beat Jonathon Power ( Canada ) 15-10 15-9 15-9


7 - Chris Walker ( England ) beat Amr Shabana ( Egypt ) 15-13 15-10 15-6


Derek Ryan ( Ireland ) beat Paul Johnson ( England ) 10-15 15-5 12-15 15-12 15-11


2 - Rodney Eyles ( Australia ) beat Zubair Jahan Khan ( Pakistan ) 15-10 15-8 9-15 13-15 15-4 .


SOCCER - RESULTS OF SOUTH KOREAN PRO-SOCCER GAMES .


Standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under -


won , drawn , lost , goals for , goals against , points ) :


BASEBALL - RESULTS OF S. KOREAN PRO-BASEBALL GAMES .


pro-baseball games played on Wednesday .


Note - LG and OB , Ssangbangwool and Hanwha played two games .


Standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under


won , drawn , lost , winning percentage , games behind first place )


TENNIS - THURSDAY 'S RESULTS FROM THE U.S. OPEN .


Results of second round matches on Thursday in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Centre ( prefix number denotes seeding ) :


Anna Kournikova ( Russia ) beat Natalia Baudone ( Italy ) 6-3 6-3


Rita Grande ( Italy ) beat Tina Krizan ( Slovenia ) 6-2 6-0


Els Callens ( Belgium ) beat Annabel Ellwood ( Australia ) 6-4


Elena Likhovtseva ( Russia ) beat Lila Osterloh ( U.S. ) 6-4 6-2


Sandra Dopfer ( Austria ) beat Nanne Dahlman ( Finland ) 2-6 6-2


13 - Thomas Enqvist ( Sweden ) beat Guillaume Raoux ( France ) 6-3


Sergi Bruguera ( Spain ) beat Michael Stich ( Germany ) 6-3 6-2


Jakob Hlasek ( Switzerland ) beat Alberto Berasategui ( Spain ) 7-6 ( 7-5 ) 7-6 ( 9-7 ) 6-0


1 - Steffi Graf ( Germany ) beat Karin Kschwendt ( Austria ) 6-2 6-1


Naoko Kijimuta ( Japan ) beat Alexandra Fusai ( France ) 6-4 7-5


Natasha Zvereva ( Belarus ) beat Ai Sugiyama ( Japan ) 4-6 6-4 6-3


14 - Barbara Paulus ( Austria ) beat Elena Wagner ( Germany ) 7-5 7-6 ( 7-5 )


Petra Langrova ( Czech Republic ) beat Naoko Sawamatsu ( Japan ) 6- 4 3-6 7-5


17 - Karina Habsudova ( Slovakia ) beat Nathalie Dechy ( France ) 6-4 6-2


7 - Jana Novotna ( Czech Republic ) beat Florencia Labat ( Argentina ) 6-2 4-6 6-2


3 - Thomas Muster ( Austria ) beat Dirk Dier ( Germany ) 6-3 6-2 6-4


Jason Stoltenberg ( Australia ) beat Kenneth Carlsen ( Denmark ) 6- 3 7-6 ( 7-1 ) 6-3


Arnaud Boetsch ( France ) beat Magnus Gustafsson ( Sweden ) 7-6 ( 8- 6 ) 6-3 6-1


16 - Martina Hingis ( Switzerland ) beat Miriam Oremans ( Netherlands ) 6-4 6-4


Tami Whitlinger Jones ( U.S. ) beat Amy Frazier ( U.S. ) 7-6 ( 7-3 ) 6-2


Judith Wiesner ( Austria ) beat Debbie Graham ( U.S. ) 6-2 7-5


Javier Sanchez ( Spain ) beat Jim Grabb ( U.S. ) 6-2 7-6 ( 7-3 ) 2-6 6-3


3 - Arantxa Sanchez Vicario ( Spain ) beat Nicole Arendt ( U.S. )


David Wheaton ( U.S. ) beat Frederic Vitoux ( France ) 6-4 6-4


Jan Siemerink ( Netherlands ) beat Carlos Moya ( Spain ) 7-6


BASEBALL - MAJOR LEAGUE STANDINGS AFTER WEDNESDAY 'S GAMES .


standings after games played on Wednesday ( tabulate under won ,


lost , winning percentage and games behind ) :


BASEBALL - YANKEES BRAWL AND CONTINUE TO SLIDE .


Jay Buhner hit a three-run homer and former Yankee Terry Mulholland allowed one run over seven innings as the Seattle Mariners completed a sweep of New York with a 10-2 victory in a game marred by a bench-clearing brawl .


Including the last three games of last October 's Divisional Playoff Series , the Mariners have beaten the Yankees 12 of the past 15 meetings overall and 14 of the last 16 in the Kingdome .


Five players were ejected after Yankees ' outfielder Paul O'Neill and Seattle catcher John Marzano got into a fight after O'Neill had been brushed back .


In Baltimore , Don Wengert threw a nine-hitter for his first shutout and Jose Herrera had a two-run double in a three-run fifth inning as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 .


Wengert ( 7-9 ) , who failed to record a shutout in his previous 86 starts in either the minors or majors , did not walk a batter and struck out three for Oakland .


In Chicago , James Baldwin scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings and Ray Durham and Ozzie Guillen had RBI hits in the second inning as the Chicago White Sox blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 .


Baldwin ( 10-4 ) struck out four and did not walk a batter for Chicago , which won for only the fourth time in 15 games .


Dave Nilsson had three hits for the Brewers .


In Kansas City , Jose Offerman 's single with two out in the 12th inning scored Johnny Damon with the winning run and lifted the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers .


Rick Huisman ( 1-1 ) allowed one hit and a walk in the 12th to post his first major-league win .


In Toronto , Pat Hentgen tossed a five-hitter for his fifth consecutive complete game and three players drove in two runs apiece as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-1 for their ninth win in 11 games .


Hentgen ( 17-7 ) surrendered just three doubles and a pair of singles in tossing his major-league leading ninth complete game .


He walked three and struck out three in winning for the 10th time in his last 11 decisions .


In Detroit , Orel Hershiser recorded his fourth straight win and Albert Belle snapped a sixth-inning tie with a grand slam as the Cleveland Indians completed a season sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 9-3 victory .


Hershiser ( 14-7 ) , who allowed three runs , eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings , improved to 4-0 in his last six starts , including a pair of wins over Detroit in the last 11 days .


BASEBALL - MAJOR LEAGUE RESULTS WEDNESDAY .


Baseball games played on Wednesday ( home team in CAPS ) :


TENNIS - MARTINEZ GETS AGGRESSIVE AT U.S. OPEN .


Conchita Martinez decided that when in New York , do as the New Yorkers do -- and the Spaniard 's new-found aggressiveness seems to have put her in the right frame of mind for the U.S. Open .


The fourth-seeded Spaniard , who is tackling the world class traffic of New York City as a warm-up by driving to the tennis centre for her matches , ran over France 's Nathalie Tauziat 6-1 6-3 on Wednesday to take her place in the third round .


" I 've been trying my whole career to be aggressive , " said the 24-year-old Martinez after crushing Tauziat in just over an hour .


" What I 'm trying to do is be aggressive all the time , maybe go up to the net a few times like I did tonight .


Martinez , the 1994 Wimbledon champion , used to struggle at the Open , but has come to terms with the noise , crowds and chaos .


" There is a lot of things that can happen , " Martinez said about her early difficulties adjusting to tennis on the cement at Flushing Meadows .


We stay in Manhattan and it 's a long way to come .


The crowds , they speak louder or they move .


That does n't happen in other Grand Slams .


You have to concentrate for these two weeks . "


It took Martinez four Opens to get as far as the quarters , and another four to match that .


Last year , Martinez , who finished 1995 ranked second in the world , reached the semifinals before bowing out to Monica Seles .


Now she feels she is in the swing of things .


" I have my own car now and that helps , " said Martinez .


" Sometimes the transportation they ( the tournament ) provide gets a little messed up .


It gets my adrenalin going , those taxi drivers .


" We change lanes all the time in Barcelona .


I 'm used to it and I like to drive fast . "


The defending world champion Atlanta Braves , with the best record and best pitching in baseball , added another weapon Wednesday , acquiring Denny Neagle , the winningest left-hander in the National League , from the Pittsburgh Pirates .


The Pirates , who conceded earlier this week they would be forced to trim salary from next season 's payroll , received Ron Wright , a first baseman at Double-A Greenville ; Corey Pointer , a pitcher at Class-A Eugene , and a player to be named .


It was another stunning mid-season acquisition for the Braves , who already have an 11-game lead in the National League Eastern Division .


In the last 15 days , Atlanta has traded for third baseman Terry Pendleton , claimed outfielder Luis Polonia on waivers and called up minor-league phenom Andruw Jones , all in preparation for their fifth post-season .


Summary of Dutch first division soccer match played on Thursday :


NAC Breda 1 ( Abdellaoui 20th penalty ) NEC Nijmegen 1 ( Graef 36th ) .


SOCCER - DUTCH FIRST DIVISION RESULTS / STANDINGS .


division soccer match played on Thursday :


Standings ( tabulate under played , won , drawn , lost , goals


ATHLETICS - JOHNSON , CHRISTIE , BAILEY TO RUN OWENS RELAY .


Olympic champions Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey and former champion Linford Christie will run in a " Dream Team " sprint relay squad in honour of Jesse Owens on Friday .


Johnson , the 200 metres world record holder , and Britain 's 1992 Olympic 100 champion Christie confirmed on Thursday that they would join 100 record holder Bailey and Namibia 's Frankie Fredericks in one of the greatest 4x100 squads ever assembled .


They will run against quartets from the United States , Europe and Africa in a special race at the Berlin Grand Prix meeting to mark the 60th anniversary of Owens 's four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in the German capital .


Christie will run the anchor leg after Canada 's Bailey , American Johnson and Olympic silver medallist Fredericks have run the first three stages of the relay .


The participation of Bailey and Fredericks had been known before Thursday .


But Christie did not announce his decision to run until the eve of the meeting when organisers also confirmed Johnson would take part .


Christie is due to retire from international competition at the end of the season although he may compete for Britain in next season 's European Cup .


Although Christie , who is not racing the individual 100 metres in Berlin , took his time to agree to run , the veteran was clearly delighted to be part of the tribute to the black American .


When five former Olympic 100 champions from 1948 to 1980 , who have been invited to watch the race , turned up at a news conference on Thursday , Christie was quick to put his autograph book in front of the them .


" I do n't normally do this but can you please sign , " he said thrusting an ornate white book in front of Americans Harrison Dillard ( 1948 ) , Lindy Remigino ( 1952 ) , Jim Hines ( 1968 ) , Trinidad 's Hasely Crawford ( 1976 ) and Britain 's Allan Wells ( 1980 ) .


" Jesse Owens inspired everyone here and it is great to have a tribute to him . "


Owens 's widow Ruth is not well enough to attend but a message from her will be read out by the sprinter 's grand-daughter Gina Tillman during the meeting


Berlin organisers hoped to have American 1984 and 1988 champion Carl Lewis in the squad but he injured himself in last Friday 's Brussels meeting .


SOCCER - GENOA AWARDED ITALIAN CUP WIN .


Italian soccer 's sports judge on Thursday ruled that Genoa , beaten 3-0 by Lecce in the first round of the Italian Cup , should be awarded a 2-0 victory because their opponents fielded a banned player .


The ruling meant that serie B club Genoa now meet local serie A arch-rivals Sampdoria in the second round .


Genoa appealed after their defeat last Saturday on the grounds that Lecce striker Jonathan Bachini , who came on in the 71st minute with his team leading 2-0 , still had a one-match suspension to serve from last season .


Struggling French first division side Nice on Thursday announced they were parting with coach Albert Emon after a string of poor results .


Club president Andre Bois said a successor would be named on Friday .


A former player for Marseille and Monaco , Emon , 43 , has coached Nice since 1992 .


The announcement came 24 hours after the team from the French Riviera lost at home to Guingamp 2-1 in a league match .


SOCCER - THREE PULL OUT OF DUTCH SQUAD FOR BRAZIL .


Three Dutch players have pulled out of the squad for Saturday 's friendly international soccer match against Brazil in Amsterdam .


Ajax defender John Veldman and his team mate Richard Witschge are injured , while PSV midfielder Philip Cocu has a fever .


Dutch coach Guus Hiddink called in Feyenoord midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Vitesse defender Ferdy Vierklau for Cocu and Veldman , but did not name a replacement for midfielder Witschge .


BRITAIN WELCOMES ROMANIA-HUNGARY TREATY ACCORD .


Britain joined the United States on Thursday in welcoming Romania and Hungary 's agreement on the text of a much-delayed friendship treaty , which it said would contribute to stability in the area .


" The United Kingdom believes that such a treaty will contribute positively to the further development of good neighbourly relations between the two countries and enhance the stability of the region , " said the British Foreign office statement .


The accord , agreed two weeks ago , is expected to end years of disputes over the status of Romania 's large ethnic Hungarian minority .


It will also boost both countries ' ambitions to join NATO and the European Union .


Bucharest and Budapest say the treaty should be signed in the first half of September .


" The United Kingdom looks forward to the early signature of the treaty , " the statement said .


U.S. EMBASSY IN ATHENS CLOSED ON LABOUR DAY , SEP 2 .


The U.S. embassy in Athens , the consulates general in Athens and Thessaloniki and all U.S. government offices in Greece will be closed on Monday , September 2 in observance of Labour Day , a U.S. national holiday , the embassy said .


-- George Georgiopoulos , Athens Newsroom +301 3311812-4


ND PARTY PICKS SPOT THOMSON , BOLD / OGILVY , MATHER FOR AD CAMPAIGN .


Greek conservative New democracy party picked Bold / Ogilvy and Mather advertising companies for its pre-election campaign and Spot Thomson to help party president Miltiadis Evert on communication strategy , it said in a statement .


Spot Thomson will also be responsible for the campaign TV and radio spots , it said .


-- Dimitris Kontogiannis , Athens Newsroom +301 3311812-4


Rugby star once linked to Princess Diana divorces .


Former England rugby captain Will Carling , whose marriage broke down after he was romantically linked to Princess Diana , was divorced by his wife on Thursday , just 24 hours after Diana and Prince Charles divorced .


The Times newspaper said Diana was not named in the divorce petition heard by a court in Surrey , southern England .


But Julia Carling , a television presenter , is said to have blamed Diana for the problems in her marriage and she has repeatedly mocked the princess on her breakfast television programme .


Diana met Will Carling at an exclusive gymnasium in London .


He has always insisted that they were just friends .


London LIFFE futures APT closing prices .


London International Financial Futures Exchange automated pit trading ( APT ) tabular details :


CONTRACT ( MONTH ) APT CLOSE SETTLEMENT PREVIOUS SETTLE


GERMAN GOVT BOND ( SEP ) 97.42 97.38 97.34


Zaire installs first election delegates .


A total of 116 delegates to Zaire 's National Election Commission ( CNE ) were formally installed on Thursday , launching another phase of the Central African nation 's much-delayed democratic transition .


The 116 , representing political parties in the capital Kinshasa , will help organise a voter census , a constitutional referendum planned for January and efforts to brief potential voters on what balloting involves .


A total of 9,446 delegates will be deployed throughout Zaire 's 11 provinces for the elections , which must be held by July 1997 under the transitional constitution .


Presidential , parliamentary and municipal elections are planned for May .


" We can meet the required deadlines for organising the elections .


All that is needed is for everyone to show goodwill , " Commission spokesman Yoka Lye Mudaba told reporters .


Delegates to the commission from the other 10 provinces will be installed progressively from next week with the provinces of North and South Kivu , Maniema , Shaba and Bandundu having priority , he said .


The installation of delegates was initially scheduled for July .


Officials said lack of funding had delayed the process .


President Mobutu Sese Seko , who seized power in a 1965 coup , introduced a multi-party system in 1990 but Zaire 's transition has lagged well behind that of other states in the region .


In the past , Mobutu has been elected without opposition .


Nigeria would not refuse Commonwealth officials .


Nigeria would not object to a visit by Commonwealth officials but insists its suspension from the organisation be resolved before any other questions are addressed , Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi said on Thursday .


Ikimi reiterated his position that the Commonwealth had no mandate to send a fact-finding mission .


" The request I have received is for their officials to come and talk to my officials .


We cannot object to people wanting to visit Nigeria , " Ikimi told Reuters by telephone from the capital Abuja .


" The fundamental problem we have with the Commonwealth is our unfair suspension .


Any discussions we have at ministerial level will be a continuation of what we began in London on that .


Before that is accomplished we cannot address anything else . "


Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in November after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other minority rights activists in defiance of international pleas for clemency .


A meeting of Commonwealth ministers in London on Wednesday said it planned to send a team of senior officials to Nigeria as soon as possible to persuade Abuja to accept a fact-finding mission .


The timing of that mission has yet to be determined .


The latest diplomatic row between Nigeria 's military government and the club of Britain and its former colonies erupted over the terms of a visit by Commonwealth ministers to discuss Nigeria 's suspension .


Nigeria said they would be restricted to a two-day meeting with government officials , but the Commonwealth said it wanted to hold meetings with people outside the government and called off the visit .


Dutch Queen Beatrix to visit S. Africa in October .


Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands will pay a four-day state visit to South Africa in October , the first by a ruling Dutch monarch , the South African foreign ministry said on Thursday .


She will be accompanied by several officials who will sign a cultural agreement with South Africa , where the Dutch were the first European settlers in 1652 .


The queen will be accompanied by her husband Prince Claus on the September 30 to October 3 visit .


Senegal bans guns ahead of local elections .


With tension rising among Senegal 's political parties ahead of local elections on November 24 , the interior ministry on Thursday banned the carrying of guns and ammunition until the end of the year .


" It is forbidden for holders of permits for weapons of all categories to transport the said arms and their ammunition outside their homes , " the statement said .


It said the ban applied to Senegalese nationals and foreign residents .


Chad parliamentary election set for November 24 .


Chad 's President Idriss Deby has signed a decree fixing November 24 as the date for parliamentary elections , state radio said on Thursday .


Nomads will vote at mobile polling stations around the vast Central African country between November 20 and 24 .


The electoral commission said the new 125-member national assembly would be installed on February 10 .


Deby took power in an armed uprising in 1990 .


He won 69 percent of votes in the second round of presidential elections on July 3 , 1996 ..


His supporters will contest the parliamentary election in a coalition of 30 mainly small parties , the Republican Front , led by Deby 's Patriotic Salvation Movement .


These are significant stories in the Ivorian press on Thursday .


Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy .


- Cabinet meeting establishes five new administrative regions and four new departments as part of government decentralisation policy .


- Members of parliament seek higher pay and more benefits .


The speaker of parliament , Charles Bauza Donwahi , will meet President Henri Konan Bedie on September 3 to discuss their request .


- Deputy director of animal health department Douati Alphonse says his agents have seized 46 tonnes of illicit pork in a two-week operation to ensure compliance with a ban imposed after an outbreak of swine fever .


- Raphael Lakpe , publisher of the daily Le Populaire , was released on Wednesday evening after three days in custody and will appear in court on Thursday morning .


- Cabinet meeting appoints Colonel Severin Konan Kouame as gendarmerie commander , replacing General Joseph Tanny , who has been appointed secretary-general of the National Security Council .


NATO releases Serb police , crisis easing - NATO .


NATO forces released a group of Bosnian Serb policemen late on Thursday and a tense confrontation appeared to be easing , an alliance spokesman said .


" The situation in Mahala seems to be very much on its way toward resolution .


My understanding is the ( Serb ) police have been released ...


In Zvornik , we think the situation is winding down as well , " NATO spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Max Marriner told Reuters .


NATO troops detained 65 Bosnian Serb policemen early on Thursday after they attacked Moslem refugees returning to homes in Mahala , a Serb-controlled village on Bosnia 's internal boundary line .


In apparent retaliation for NATO 's detention of the Serbs , an angry Serb mob including policemen trapped six unarmed U.N. police monitors and three local aides in their office in the town of Zvornik , east of Mahala .


Marriner said NATO forces confiscated 25 long-barreled AK-47 automatic assault rifles from the detained Serbs before setting them free .


" Local radio and television there ( in Zvornik ) are advising people to step back and take it easy .


We think that when the word about how things are going in Mahala which is about 35 minutes away by road reaches Zvornik that should help , " Marriner said .


Storm kills 11 at Macedonian religious festival .


At least 11 people were killed and 60 others injured on Thursday when lightning struck a group of people attending a religious festival in Macedonia , police and municipal officials said .


Police in Berovo , 150 km ( 90 miles ) west of the capital Skopje , said there were around 15,000 people gathered around the town 's cathedral when the lightning struck the group during a thunderstorm .


Kornblum , Milosevic discuss election crisis .


U.S. envoy John Kornblum met Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday in an effort to defuse a growing crisis surrounding Bosnia 's post-war elections .


The American diplomat arrived in Belgrade two days after international organisers postponed municipal elections in Bosnia due to irregularities in the registration of Serb refugee voters .


" We discussed the decision to postpone the municipal elections and I made clear it was primarily the manipulation of voter registration by the Republika Srpska ( Bosnian Serb republic ) which led to this development , " Kornblum said after three hours of talks .


But he said the United States still believed it was important to go ahead with national elections in Bosnia as scheduled on September 14 to bolster the peace process .


Kornblum gave no indication that he had won any specific commitment from Milosevic , the patron of the Bosnian Serbs , to rectify any abuses in the registration process .


Bosnia 's Moslem political parties have urged their refugees to boycott the elections until irregularities with voter registration are resolved .


Human rights workers say Serbian and Bosnian Serb authorities coerced refugees to register only in Serb-held territory in Bosnia to solidify the results of wartime expulsions and military conquest .


Serbian officials have denied any abuses occurred during a 10-day registration period and the Bosnian Serbs , angry at the postponement of municipal elections , have threatened to hold local polls on their territory without the international community 's blessing .


Kornblum said only elections endorsed by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) would be legitimate .


" As we have said publicly before , if there is any effort to do so ( hold local elections ) these elections will not be valid , " he said . "


The elections which are valid are those conducted by the international community under the management of the OSCE . "


After meeting Milosevic , Kornblum flew to the Croatian capital Zagreb .


He was due to head to the Bosnian town of Banja Luka on Friday to meet Bosnian Serb acting president Biljana Plavsic and Bosnian Serb opposition leaders .


He also planned to travel to Sarajevo to oversee the formal dissolution of the separatist Croat mini-state in western Bosnia .


U.N. police , relief workers and NATO officers have reported a rise in political violence across Bosnia in the run-up to the September 14 elections .


Voters will be choosing a three-member presidency and a parliament to rule over a loose union of Bosnia , comprised of a Serb republic and a Moslem-Croat federation .


Gazprom rises to 2,901.48 rbls at auction .


A stake of 10 million shares in Russian gas monopoly RAO Gazprom was sold at auction on Thursday at an average 2,901.48 roubles a share , up from 2,891.00 roubles a week ago , the Federal Securities Corporation ( FFK ) said .


Starting price at the auction was 2,746 roubles a share and the 40 lots sold for between 2,840 and 2,998 roubles a share , the FFK said in a statement .


The stake represented 0.042 percent of Gazprom 's capital .


The FFK said that since auctions began , 139.75 million shares , equivalent to 0.59 percent of Gazprom , have changed hands .


Gazprom , Russia 's biggest company by market capitalisation , has massive reserves and potentially huge earnings .


However , its 23.6 billion shares are highly illiquid and management permission is required to sell them .


Gazprom has recently tightened these rules , making it harder for shareholders to sell to whoever they want , when they want .


The company has organised regular auctions of its shares to create an orderly market in the paper .


At the first auction on March 6 , shares sold for an average 406.6 roubles each , and prices have been rising steadily since then , but the rise in price this week and last was much less than in previous auctions .


On the Russian Trading System , Gazprom shares rose 25 percent on Thursday to $ 0.375 from $ 0.300 , after falling by over a third earlier this week .


-- Artyom Danielyan , Moscow Newsroom , +7095 941 8520


Serbian policeman shot dead in Kosovo province .


A policeman has been shot dead in Serbia 's troubled Kosovo province , Serbian police said on Thursday .


It was the fifth attack on police this month in the southern province , a hot spot of ethnic tension where the Albanian majority have boycotted Serbian institutions and set up their own , which are considered illegal by Belgrade .


The slain policeman Ejup Bajgora , 42 , was an Albanian who had served in the Serbian police and state security since 1987 , police told the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug .


He was shot on Wednesday afternoon as he stepped off a bus near his family home in the village of Donje Ljupce in the municipality of Podujevo .


Just hours before Wednesday 's shooting , three hand grenades were thrown at a police station in Celopek .


They caused damage but no casualties , police said .


The Serbian authorities blame Albanian dissidents for the recent spate of attacks .


Kosovo 's autonomy was revoked in 1987 and Serb police forces cracked down on Albanian protests .


Albanian moderates want autonomy restored but hardliners want to join up with neighbouring Albania .


The Serbs , who make up 10 percent of the province 's 1.8 million people , claim Kosovo as the cradle of their culture .


Viral meningitis epidemic kills 10 in Romania .


Viral meningitis has killed 10 people in Romania 's capital Bucharest this month in what doctors said on Thursday was the worst epidemic of its type in the country for a decade .


Some 170 middle-aged and elderly people with the disease were being treated in hospital , doctors said .


Doctor Emanuil Ceausu , head of Bucharest 's Victor Babes hospital for infectious diseases , said the epidemic had been caused by a virus yet to be identified .


Illness from viral meningitis lasts around a week .


It affects the gastro-intestinal tract , causing high fever , headache and vomiting .


In 1986 Romania suffered an epidemic of the more dangerous bacterial meningitis which has killed some 15,000 people in central Africa this year .


Serbia 's Zastava workers protest enters 9th day .


Workers at Serbia 's Zastava arms factory entered the ninth day of their protest over unpaid wages on Thursday with management accused them of rejecting talks .


" The workers keep on gathering in the centre of the town , " the factory 's general manager Vukasin Filipovic told Reuters . "


But they do not want to talk to anyone . "


" They want to discuss in public , at their protest meetings , " Filipovic said . "


The Zastava works in the central town of Kragujevac is the backbone of Serbia 's defence industry , supplying the army with a whole range of weapons .


Its workers are staging protests in the town 's main square demanding June and July wages and last year 's holiday pay .


On Wednesday , the union demanded the resignation of the factory manager .


But Filipovic said he would not quit under pressure . "


We can talk about it and I am prepared to take all the consequences of mismanagement if any . "


Venezuela FinMin to make statement midday Thursday .


Venezuelan Finance Minister Luis Raul Matos Azocar will make an " important announcement " on Thursday at 1230 local / 1630 GMT at a Central Bank press conference , the Finance Ministry said .


The press conference replaces Matos 's scheduled appearance at an IMF-hosted seminar Thursday on Venezuela 's economic reform program , Venezuelan Agenda .


Colombia police find marijuana on ship .


Police said they found 35 metric tons of marijuana on Thursday on a ship preparing to set sail for the Netherlands from Colombia 's Caribbean port of Cartagena .


They said the drug had been packed into a shipping container and was surrounded by ground coffee .


No arrests had been made , a police spokesman said .


Venezuela non-oil exports rise 10.6 pct in July .


Venezuela 's non-traditional exports , which exclude oil and iron , rose 10.6 percent in July to reach $ 334 million compared to $ 302 million in June , according to the Central Office of Statistics and Information ( OCEI ) .


" The rise was due to the end of exchange controls , " OCEI said .


Foreign exchange controls were removed April 22 as part of a wider IMF-sponsored program .


Nevertheless , exports over the first seven months of the year were 16.8 percent lower than during the same period last year , at $ 2.240 billion compared to $ 2.693 billion .


Over the seven months , the private sector accounted for 76 percent of total exports , with " common metals " the strongest export sector accounting for $ 951 million , or 42.5 percent of total exports .


" Chemical products " came next with a 13 percent share , then " transport materials " with nine percent , and finally foods , drinks and tobacco with 6.3 percent .


Colombia was the chief market for Venezuela 's non-traditional exports with 27.4 percent .


The U.S. followed with a 24.6 percent share .


-- Caracas newsroom , 582 834405 REUTER JPR


Buenos Aires fraud cops held in extortion racket .


Thirteen senior police officers from the fraud squad of Buenos Aires province have been arrested on charges of running an extortion racket , security officials said on Thursday .


They included all the top officers from the fraud division of the north of Buenos Aires province , including Commissioner Juan Carlos Lago .


La Nacion newspaper said the officers were suspected of demanding bribes of $ 50,000 to $ 500,000 from companies being investigated for tax evasion in order to " lose " their files .


The credibility of the Buenos Aires provincial police , the largest force in Argentina , has been undermined this year by scandals that included the indictment of three officers for links to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre and the arrest of an entire drugs squad for drug trafficking .


Alberto Piotti , security chief of Buenos Aires province , told local television that 3,600 dishonest officers had been purged from the force 's ranks in the past five years .


And these investigations into police corruption are only possible because there are people brave enough to denounce them , " Piotti said , promising a major overhaul of the provincial police next month .


Brazil gov't set to send 1997 budget to Congress .


Brazilian Planning Minister Antonio Kandir will submit to a draft copy of the 1997 federal budget to Congress on Thursday , a ministry spokeswoman said .


Congress is constitutionally obliged to approve the budget by the end of year but regularly fails to meet that requirement .


Mexico same-day Cetes rates rise on nervousness .


Mexico 's same-day Cetes rates rose 50 basis points to 24.25 percent on nervousness over a new round of attacks by guerrillas in two southern states , dealers said .


" There are people who are taking advantage of the news to put pressure on rates , however , there are enough players who will buy and that will keep rates from rising too much , " said one dealer .


Co-ordinated guerrilla attacks in two southern states overnight that left at least 13 people dead have caused nervousness in Mexico 's financial markets .


Bank notes and acceptances , including pagares , rose 46 basis points to 25.10 percent .


Dealers said that the volume of longer-term government paper declined due to market nervousness .


At least 13 people were killed when scores of masked rebels struck at police and military posts in Oaxaca and Guerrero states overnight in the biggest assaults in more than two years , officials said on Thursday .


Maturing credits are seen at 2.209 billion pesos , and there is an oversupply of 684 billion pesos from the primary auction .


Dealers estimate that the shortfall will increase due to the inflow of funds before the end of the month .


--- Patricia Lezama , Mexico City newroom ( 525 ) 728 9554


Tension builds in Mexican state ahead of elections .


Pre-electoral bickering flared on Wednesday in the troubled western Mexican state of Guerrero as some opposition politicians demanded the army pull out of the area ahead of an upcoming state poll .


The mayor of Acatepec , a small town some 310 miles ( 500 km ) south of Mexico City , sent a letter to Mexico 's National Human Rights Commission complaining the army 's heavy presence in the town would interfere with the Oct. 6 election .


Mayor Antonio Gonzalez Garcia , of the opposition Revolutionary Workers ' Party , said in Wednesday 's letter that army troops recently raided several local farms , stole cattle and raped women .


The letter was signed by some 200 area residents and indigenous leaders .


Some electoral watchdog groups also said the presence of the army , which has fanned out across the state in the past month in search of a new guerrilla group , was likely to intimidate voters and had stirred up tension in the state .


A French group of electoral observers , Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme , concluded the army presence exerted a heavy psychological pressure on local farmers and would prevent a fair vote .


Up for grabs in the election are the state legislature and 75 town halls .


( Corrects to show elections are not for governor ) .


Despite the criticism , acting state Gov .


Angel Aguirre pledged the elections will be free and fair and said he did not expect any trouble from the elusive new guerrilla group , the Popular Revolutionary Army .


" The electoral process has been proceeding in accordance with the new state electoral law , " Aguirre said , adding that the poll would be " an exercise in true democracy . "


Brazil police arrest wanted Italian man - report .


Brazilian authorities on Wednesday arrested a 47-year-old Italian man wanted in Italy for ties to the leftist Red Brigade guerrilla group of the 1970s , local television said .


TV Globo said the Supreme Federal Tribunal ordered the arrest of Luciano Pessina , a political scientist who owns two Rio de Janeiro restaurants , based on an extradition request from the Italian government .


The report , which could not be independently verified on Wednesday night , said Pessina was sentenced in Italy to eight years and 11 months in prison for robbery and illegal weapons and explosives possession .


Globo quoted Pessina 's lawyer as saying he had already been imprisoned in Italy and , when freed , travelled to Brazil .


Seven churches slam Brazil rural violence , impunity .


Seven churches joined voices on Wednesday to condemn the " day-to-day violence " of Brazil 's rural hinterland and the government 's failure to punish those responsible for massacres of landless peasants .


" In the name of Jesus , we want to bring your attention to what is going on in the Brazilian countryside , " two church umbrella groups said in a Letter to the Brazilian People .


The letter from National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil and the Coordinate of Ecumenical Service was sent to President Fernando Henrique Cardoso after a seminar on endemic violence gripping rural Brazil .


Thirty-six people have died so far this year in conflicts over land in the Brazilian countryside , including 19 landless peasants massacred by police in April in the northern state of Para .


" The problem of land is one of the most serious facing Brazil , " said Lucas Moreira Neves , president of the Catholic church 's National Conference of Bishops of Brazil .


The letter made reference to massacres of landless peasants in August 1995 and April 1996 , which claimed the lives of 27 landless peasants .


Thai official flees Hong Kong after passport scam .


A Thai consular official has fled Hong Kong after being questioned by anti-corruption police in connection with soliciting bribes to issue a passport , Hong Kong government radio said on Thursday .


The unnamed suspect left the British colony after being detained and then freed by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ( ICAC ) , the radio said .


The man was released after his arrest on Tuesday , pending further inquiries , the ICAC said in a statement .


The anti-graft body was discussing the case with the Thai government , especially the suspect 's status , it said .


It is not clear if the fugitive had diplomatic status in Hong Kong , and officials from the Thai Consulate were not available for comment .


The arrest came after the ICAC received a complaint that the man had demanded a bribe of HK$ 100,000 ( US$ 12,940 ) to issue a Thai passport , the ICAC said .


At the time of his arrest , ICAC officers seized HK$ 100,000 , it added .


The ICAC has kept a close eye on passport scams after a U.S. official was jailed for trafficking fake Honduran passports as part of an immigration racket aimed at Chinese .


Thai poll shows military wants PM Banharn out .


Thailand 's powerful military thinks the government is dishonest and Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa 's resignation might solve the nation 's political and economic woes , an opinion poll showed on Thursday .


Nearly half the 1,617 military personnel surveyed in the Rajapat Institute poll suggested that Banharn resign , while about 28 percent thought he should dissolve parliament and 24 percent thought a cabinet reshuffle could resolve the government 's problems .


Banharn , who leads a six-party , 13-month-old coalition government , faces a no-confidence debate in parliament next month .


The prime minister , who has already lost one coalition partner this month , is expected to have a tough battle in the debate because of infighting in his own party and warnings of more pullouts by other coalition partners .


The poll , conducted earlier this month after Banharn 's coalition completed one year in office , showed the military would prefer General Chatichai Choonhavan -- a former prime minister who was ousted in a military coup in February 1991 -- as prime minister .


Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh , head of coalition member the New Aspiration Party , was the second choice for prime minister , the poll showed .


Banharn came in last on the list of proposed leaders with less than one percent of the votes .


Nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed thought the government was dishonest and insincere , and 65 percent blamed the government 's poor performance for the country 's economic slowdown .


The opinion of the military in Thailand , which has seen 17 coups or attempted coups since the country switched to parliamentary democracy from absolute monarchy in 1932 , always carries weight in the political scene , despite officials ' vows to distance the military from politics .


Hamas cleric jailed in Israel hospitalised briefly .


Israeli prison officials took jailed Islamic militant Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin to hospital briefly on Thursday for medical tests , officials said .


" This evening Sheikh Yassin completed medical checks and returned to Ramle prisons authority medical centre , " said a spokesman for Israel 's internal security ministry .


A prison official said Yassin had a mild case of pneumonia .


The 60-year-old Moslem cleric , jailed by Israel since 1989 , is serving a life sentence for ordering attacks by Hamas guerrillas against Israeli targets .


The ailing Yassin is the spiritual leader of the fundamentalist Hamas group which has killed scores of Israelis in suicide attacks aimed at wrecking Israel-PLO peace deals .


Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has demanded that Israel release Yassin -- who is confined to a wheelchair -- on humanitarian grounds .


Israel said last month after it recovered the body of a soldier abducted by Hamas seven years ago that it would consider freeing Yassin .


Moroccan King meets former Israel PM Peres .


King Hassan of Morocco met former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres on Thursday at the coastal resort of Skhirat , 20 km ( 12 miles ) south of Rabat , an official source said .


" Mr Shimon Peres , who is on a purely private and family visit to Morocco , was received on Thursday by his Majesty King Hassan at the royal palace of Skhirat , " the source said .


Accompanied by his wife and grandson , Peres arrived in Morocco on August 25 .


Peres is expected to fly home on Friday , officials said .


Scandal hits Clinton campaign at vital moment .


President Bill Clinton 's triumphal appearance at the Democratic convention , a vital moment in his bid for a second term , was marred on Thursday by the resignation of a top adviser in a reported sex scandal .


Clinton was at work on the nomination acceptance speech that will launch his 10-week re-election campaign when political strategist Dick Morris abruptly announced his resignation on Thursday .


The tabloid Star magazine reported the married Morris had a lengthy affair with a $ 200-an-hour prostitute who he allowed to eavesdrop on telephone conversations with Clinton , and with whom he shared White House speeches before they were made .


" Dick Morris is my friend , and he is a superb political strategist , " Clinton said in a written statement . "


I am and always will be grateful for the great contributions he has made to my campaigns and for the invaluable work he has done for me over the last two years . "


Morris declined to address the allegations directly in his resignation statement but said he was quitting to avoid becoming a campaign issue .


The surprise development captivated the thousands of reporters at the convention and clearly worried some Democrats , who had planned a triumphal celebration of Clinton 's lead over Dole in the opinion polls .


Senator Dianne Feinstein , a California Democrat , called it a " big bump " in the way of the Clinton campaign .


" It comes at the worst possible time on one of the biggest days for the president , " Feinstein said .


Clinton was to deliver his acceptance speech at the final session of the Democratic Convention opening at 8 p.m. EDT ( midnight GMT ) .


The 50-year-old president has been dogged for years by allegations of financial wrongdoing , sexual misconduct and questionable judgment in selecting his advisers .


Republicans hope to seize on the " character " issue to bolster Clinton 's challenger Bob Dole in the final weeks of the campaign .


Speaking in Santa Barbara , California , Dole did not directly refer to the sexual scandal but said the departure of Morris , who had advised Clinton to chart a more centrist political course , would make Clinton drift back to the left .


" Morris has been trying to make President Clinton a Republican , now maybe he 'll revert to the liberal Democrat that he really is , " Dole told reporters .


Clinton will hit the road on Friday for a bus tour across several states in his fight to become the first Democratic incumbent re-elected to a second term since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt .


Aides said Clinton planned to spend most of Thursday in his hotel room several miles ( km ) from the convention hall working on his speech .


It was apparently neglected on his long " whistle-stop " train trip to the convention , during which he revelled in contact with friendly crowds across the country 's heartland .


He was also hoarse and was giving his voice a rest .


But first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton told ABC television , " He 's really fired up . "


" He wants to outline to the American people what he thinks has been accomplished in the last four years , and what he would like to see done in the next four years , " she said .


" He 's very excited about this convention ...


But more than that , he 's very resolute about what he wants to do . "


I always expect elections to get close .


I expect to have a great deal of up and down days between now and then , " she said of the November 5 election date .


Clinton is leading Dole by as much as 15 points according to some polls .


The campaign pits Dole , a man of quick and withering wit and long-time public service , but stilted speaking style , against the glib and confident Clinton , who has perfected a style that makes direct eye contact with his audience .


Montana weekly muni bond indices - Piper Jaffray .


The following Montana tax-exempt municipal bond indices were compiled by Piper Jaffray Inc for the week ending August 30 .


Year A-rated Gen'l Obligation 4.45 % 4.40 % +0.05


10 Year A-rated Gen'l Obligation 4.90 % 4.90 % -----


Researchers report progress in muscular dystrophy .


University of Pennsylvania researchers on Thursday said a new gene-therapy technique for treating muscular dystrophy disease had shown progress in laboratory animals .


Word of the findings , to be published in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal " Human Gene Therapy , " came in advance of the annual Jerry Lewis Labour Day weekend telethon to raise money for muscular dystrophy research .


Several hurdles must be overcome before the method is used in human trials .


Nevertheless , " a treatment based on the new strategy .... may have the potential to benefit many patients , " the University of Pennsylvania Medical Centre said in a release .


Muscular dystrophy is a fatal illness in which the body 's muscle tissue degenerates and is replaced by fat .


Individuals with the disease have a non-working version of a gene responsible for producing a crucial muscle protein called dystrophin .


In the study at the University 's Institute for Human Gene Therapy , researchers altered a common-cold virus to carry a version of the working dystrophin gene .


The virus , which also was altered to minimise its susceptibility to the immune system , was then injected into the muscle cells of mice bred to lack dystrophin genes .


In the experiment , between 30 to 40 percent of the muscle fibers in one group of mice produced dystrophin for two weeks before diminishing .


Similar results had been obtained previously in test-tube cell cultures , but not in live animals , the university said .


The university said methods are still needed to make enough of the altered virus to treat humans , to further decrease the immune-system response to the virus , and to deliver the virus to human muscle tissue .


Export Business - Grain / oilseeds complex .


Grain and oilseed exports reported by USDA and private export sources .


WHEAT SALES - Taiwan Flour Mills Assn bought 98,000 tonnes of U.S. No.1 or No.2 wheat from Cargill , Mitsui , Continental and Louis Dreyfus Corp for shipment from the Pacific Northwest .


For Sept 10-30 : 16,300 tonnes of dark northern spring ( DNS ) at $ 212.00 ; 7,000 of hard red winter ( HRW ) at $ 205.10 ; 2,700 of western white ( WW ) at $ 202.65 .


WHEAT SALES - The Commodity Credit Corp of USDA bought 18,278 tonnes of dark northern spring ( DNS ) wheat from Cargill Inc at $ 195.79 per tonne , FOB , for donation to Nicaragua .


WHEAT / BARLEY SALE - The Japanese Food Agency said it bought 20,000 tonnes of U.S. dark northern spring wheat , 20,000 of Canadian western red spring wheat , 20,000 of Australian standard white wheat and 20,000 of Australian feed barley at its weekly tender , all for October shipment .


SOYBEAN SALES - The Taichung division of Taiwan 's Breakfast Soybean Procurement Assn bought 108,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans .


Bunge sold the first shipment and Cargill the second , traders said .


For Nov 11-25 from the U.S. Gulf or Nov 26 - Dec 10 from PNW it paid $ 0.8584 per bushel over CBOT January soybeans and for Dec 6-20 or Dec 21 - Jan it paid $ .8787 over CBOT January .


- Pakistan bought 31,412 tonnes of PL-480 No.2 yellow soybeans from Cargill Inc for $ 303.19 per tonne , FOB U.S. Gulf , agents for the buyer said .


The soybeans were for Oct 15-30 shipment .


BARLEY TENDER - The Cyprus Grain Commission said it invited offers September 3 to supply 25,000 tonnes of feed barley , with shipment for Sept 25 - Oct 10 from Europe or Sept 15-30 from North America .


MARKET TALK - Sri Lanka plans to import up to 400,000 tonnes of rice by the end of this year to meet a crop shortfall caused by drought and rising demand , government officials said on Thursday .


MARKET TALK - USDA net change in weekly export commitments for the week ended August 22 , includes old crop and new crop , were : wheat up 595,400 tonnes old , nil new ; corn up 1,900 old , up 319,600 new ; soybeans down 12,300 old , up 300,800 new ; upland cotton up 50,400 bales new , nil old ; soymeal 54,800 old , up 100,600 new , soyoil nil old , up 75,000 new ; barley up 1,700 old , nil new ; sorghum 6,200 old , up 156,700 new ; pima cotton up 4,000 bales old , nil new ; rice up 49,900 old , nil new ...


USDA Thursday forecast U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 1997 would decline to $ 58 billion , down $ 2 billion from the record $ 60 billion seen for fiscal 1996 .


Oilseed exports are expected to rise by $ 800 million and livestock , poultry and fruits and vegetables are seen gaining more than $ 1 billion .


USDA pegged U.S. wheat exports at 25.0 million tonnes in fiscal 1997 versus 32.0 million tonnes the prior year ...


The European Union agreed on Thursday to increase by 300,000 tonnes the quota of German intervention barley available for export , France ONIC said .


The EU 's grain panel will add two tranches of 150,000 tonnes each to the existing allocation , it said .


USDA gross cutout hide and offal value .


The hide and offal value from a typical slaughter steer for Thursday was estimated at $ 9.76 per cwt live , up $ 0.03 when compared with Wednesday 's value .


The help-wanted advertising index fell in July , the Conference Board said Thursday , reflecting the uneven nature of the nation 's labour markets .


The monthly index fell to 83.0 in July against a reading of 85.0 in June , the private business research group said .


In July , the volume of help-wanted advertising fell in five of the nine U.S. regions .


" The labour market has been expanding throughout 1996 , but in a very uneven pattern , " Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein said . "


Recent want-ad figures indicate that conservative hiring plans are keeping job growth below the rate of overall economic activity . "


With 2.5 percent gross domestic product growth expected for 1996 , new job growth should slowly lower the unemployment rate over the rest of the year .


" With the unemployment rate staying close to about 5.5 percent over the last two years , there is a good chance the rate will slowly drop to about 5.0 percent by the end of the year , " Goldstein said .


The July index matched the reading for July , 1995 .


The greatest declines in the volume of help-wanted advertising were in the New England , Mountain and West South Central regions .


The greatest increase was in the East North Central region .


Police seek suspects in Atlantic City jewel heist .


Atlantic City police said Thursday they were seeking two men and two women in connection with a $ 690,000 theft of jewelry and cash from a guest of the Showboat Hotel and Casino .


Richard Andrews said police were seeking a man shown on a hotel videotape carrying a suitcase resembling the victim 's . "


We want to talk to him , " Andrews said of the man .


A second man and two women also were being sought .


The thefts occurred Sunday when the victim , New York jewelry wholesaler Jerry Schein , left three suitcases in a closet at Somerset Jewellers in the hotel while he checked out .


While he was gone , two women in their mid-twenties and an older man entered the jewelry store and tried to distract store owner Charles McGilley .


When Schein returned two of the suitcases were missing .


They contained $ 650,000 in jewelry and $ 40,000 in cash , Andrews said .


He said the man on the videotape did not match the description given by the jewelry store owner .


O.J. Simpson hints at more supporting evidence .


O.J. Simpson said on Thursday he was financially broken by his defence against murder charges but he was hopeful new evidence to support him would be available for a civil trial next month .


The former football star was found not guilty by a criminal trial jury last October of the murders of his former wife , Nicole Brown Simpson , and her friend , Ronald Goldman , in June 1994 .


He now faces a civil suit brought by families of the victims who hold him responsible for the deaths .


He told reporters a court order not to talk about his case kept him from detailing how he has fulfilled his pledge to find the killers .


But he added without elaborating , " hopefully we will see some things come out in this next trial . "


The judge in the civil trial has imposed a sweeping gag order that prohibits lawyers , witnesses and parties to the case from discussing it with the media or elsewhere in public .


" I would love to speak about everything , " said Simpson , who vowed after his acquittal to find the killers and offered a substantial reward .


His lawyers have said his defence in the civil trial that starts Sept .


17 will be that he did not kill the victims .


Simpson said at the hotel news conference his plans include eventually writing another book .


He added that he has had job offers but more have come from abroad than at home .


I can get along just fine , " he said . "


Whatever you want to send me , I need . "


He again accused the news media of erroneous reporting on his case but did not signal any plans for lawsuits as he did on Wednesday in an address at a jam-packed Washington church .


Contrary to news reports , Simpson said , he has received support from both blacks and whites .


He again dismissed charges that he had distanced himself from the black community during his successful football and commercial career , only to seek their support after he faced murder charges .


A crowd of 2,000 paid $ 10 a head to hear the former star running back for the Buffalo Bills professional football club and a Football Hall of Fame member on Wednesday night .


The crowd in the church was wildly supportive , showering Simpson with gifts and praise .


But outside , dozens of protesters from the D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence called for the church to support victims of violence instead .


Clinton adviser Morris announces resignation .


President Bill Clinton 's top political strategist Dick Morris resigned on Thursday , saying he did not want to become an issue in Clinton 's re-election campaign .


In a written statement , distributed by the Clinton campaign , Morris avoided comment on published allegations that he had engaged in a year-long affair with a $ 200-an-hour prostitute .


The statement from Morris said that he had submitted his resignation on Wednesday night . "


While I served I sought to avoid the limelight because I did not want to become the message .


Now , I resign so I will not become the issue , " he said .


The announcement followed a report in the weekly supermarket tabloid Star magazine , reprinted in Thursday 's editions of the New York Post , that the married adviser had hired a 37-year-old prostitute on a weekly basis while visiting Washington to advise Clinton on his re-election campaign .


" I will not subject my wife , family or friends to the sadistic , vitriol of yellow journalism .


I will not dignify such journalism with a reply or an answer .


It was distributed to reporters at the press centre of Clinton 's Democratic convention headquarters just hours before the president was to address the delegates accepting the party 's nomination for a second four-year term in the White House .


U.S. surgeon investigated for discarding foot .


Health officials said on Thursday they were investigating the discovery of an amputated foot on a beach near Charleston to determine whether a local surgeon had improperly disposed of infectious waste .


The foot , which washed up on Sullivan 's Island beach this month , was amputated three years ago from a child whose legs were deformed .


The foot had to be removed so the infant could be fitted with a prosthesis .


An orthopedic surgeon was given permission by the child 's parents and the hospital to keep the foot for research and educational purposes .


Health officials said the surgeon told authorities he stored the foot in his freezer at home , but the freezer recently broke down and the contents spoiled .


The surgeon , who apologised for the incident , said he decided to put the foot in a crab trap to remove the flesh .


Florida cop disguised as shrub nabs bad guys .


It was a bush that bagged the bad guys .


When four would-be robbers , armed and masked , showed up to rob a Checker 's restaurant in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Pembroke Pines on Tuesday , they had no idea the shrub near the drive-through window was toting a shotgun .


Detective Earl Feugill , camouflaged as a shaggy green bush , ordered them to freeze . "


They were quite surprised , " he told the Miami Herald .


Feugill said he made the hot , heavy suit , which he first used in the Marines , by attaching strips of burlap to a camouflage outfit .


Green and black face paint completed his disguise .


He was staking out the restaurant after a series of robberies at local fast-food places .


Pembroke Pines police said five people were arrested as a result of the 90-minute stakeout , including the four robbers and a restaurant employee who was allegedly prepared to let them in a back door .


U.S. DLA sets tin price at $ 2.7975 per lb .


The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency set Thursday 's offering price for stockpile tin at $ 2.7975 per lb , versus $ 2.7775 per lb yesterday .


Dick Morris , the Republican political consultant who reshaped U.S. President Bill Clinton 's reelection campaign , has resigned , MS-NBC News reported Thursday .


Morris drew the ire of liberal Clinton aides for repositioning the president in the political centre .


There was no immediate comment on the report from the White House .


U.S. corn gluten meal steady-higher , feed flat .


U.S. corn gluten feed prices were flat while meal values were steady to firmer on Thursday .


Dealers noted a seasonal pickup in meal demand .


CHICAGO AREA MILLS ( dollars per short ton )


Gluten feed 21 pct bulk Spot - 117.00 unc


Gluten meal 60 pct bulk rail Spot - 320.00 up 5


DECATUR , IL / CLINTON AND CEDAR RAPIDS , IA


Gluten feed 18 pct pellets Spot - 117.00 unc


Gluten meal 60 pct bulk Spot - 310.00 unc


EU barley sale worth $ 145 / T , for Saudi - sources .


A European Union sale of 234,324 tonnes of German intervention barley is worth some $ 145 per tonne fob Germany and is mostly destined for Saudi Arabia , European grain sources said on Thursday .


The EU 's cereals management committee sold 234,324 tonnes of German intervention barley at a minimum price of 105.07 Ecus per tonne .


Saudi Arabia provisionally bought 800,000 tonnes of optional-origin barley at an August 21 tender at prices between $ 160 and $ 162 including cost , insurance and freight , traders said last week .


But European grain traders and officials said the Saudis might reduce the purchase to 600,000 tonnes .


Traders have said a substantial part of the deal was likely to come from the European Union , which enjoys a supply and freight advantage over other producers .


But subtracting freight costs , the equivalent fob price of the deal is around $ 142 , well below the $ 149 per tonne floor price which the EU put on its barley as news of the deal emerged last week .


Last Thursday the EU sold 34,277 tonnes of German intervention barley at a minimum price of 109.36 Ecus per tonne , which was seen as worth $ 149 per tonne fob .


French shipyard workers march against job cuts .


About 3,500 naval shipyard workers marched in the centre of the northern port town of Cherbourg on Thursday to protest against defence restructuring , a union official said .


The local police headquarters did not give a figure but said 1,800 workers at the Cherbourg yeard had stopped work .


A cutback plan could slim their numbers to 1,700 from 4,200 .


Several hundred workers also marched in the western town of Indre where 500 or 1,600 jobs are at risk .


Following are some of the main stories in Thursday 's Pakistani newspapers :


- The government has decided to transfer the entire distribution network of electricity to foreign managements to curtail losses of billions of rupees .


- The government has suffered a loss of 11 billion rupees due to tax holidays at industrial estates in Hub and Gadoon .


- High Court officials have unearthed police-run human cages at Tando Allahyar near Hyderabad .


Some 27 people were rescued from the private jail set up by the police .


- Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif renewed a pledge to oust the Pakistan People 's Party government headed by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto .


- Gas prices may go up by five percent to increase the rate of return of Sui Southern Gas and Sui Northern Gas companies .


- Japan is importing 80 percent of cotton yarn from Pakistan every year .


- The government has blamed sugar technologists for not supporting a long-term programme of research and development to increase production of sugarcane .


- Armed robbers pillaged 70 barrels of crude oil from a well near Gujar Khan on Wednesday .


- Pakistan will pay an additional bill of $ 244 million as private power projects with capacity of 3,225 megawatt go on-line by 1998/99 .


- The government is facing extreme difficulties in meeting its revenue collections targets for 1996/97 .


- Mohib Textile Mills has defaulted to nearly 23 development finance institutions , foreign and local banks , leasing companies and modarabas ( Islamic mutual funds ) .


- Investment Minister Asif Ali Zardari expressed keenness for a close working relationship with Japanese companies so that investment from Japan can multiply.q


- Karachi Stock Exchange index falls by 7.84 points .


- The prime minister 's special economic assistant Shahid Hasan Khan said privatisation of thermal power plants , power generation from private plants and management contracts of Area Electricity Boards would help achieve 6.5 percent GDP growth .


- Pakistan 's Muslim Commercial Bank , Vital Information System , and Duff and Phelps of the U.S. are likely to announce a strategic alliance with Bangladesh 's only credit rating company -- Credit Rating and Information Systems Ltd -- next month .


- The Sindh High Court issued an ad-interim order restraining the Privatisation Commission from handing over Javedan Cement to Dadabhoy Investment ( pvt ) Ltd until it can consider a legal challenge mounted by unions to the deal .


- Pakistan and Iran have agreed to expand and strengthen political , trade and economic relations .


Salang tunnel reopened linking Kabul with north .


The Salang tunnel linking Kabul with northern Afghanistan was formally reopened to traffic on Thursday under an agreement between the government and an opposition militia , witnesses said .


They said dozens of trucks began moving through the tunnel from both directions after the road reopened .


The Salang tunnel , the main supply route for Soviet troops when they were occupying Afghanistan in the 1980s , had been closed since 1994 when northern militia leader General Abdul Rashid Dostum rebelled against the Kabul government .


Witnesses said wrecked tanks and vehicles littered both sides of the heavily-mined road .


Mines had been removed from the road itself , but experts of the Halo Trust mine clearance agency said it would take a week to clear the roadsides .


Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Qotbuddin Hilal officiated at the reopening ceremony , which was delayed by several hours while the two sides argued about a mutual release of prisoners .


Two Indians to die for killing 23 bus passengers .


India 's Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced two men to death after finding them guilty of killing 23 bus passengers , including children .


It said the two , after robbing the passengers , burnt them alive by sprinkling the bus with petrol and setting it on fire in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in 1993 .


" We have no doubt that this is one of the rarest of the rare cases , not merely due to the number of innocent human beings roasted alive by the appellants , but the inhuman manner in which they plotted the scheme and executed it , " Justice K.T. Thomas said in the verdict by a panel of three judges .


Elephant tramples woman to death in Nepal .


A rampaging elephant dragged a sleeping 72-year-old woman from her bed and trampled her to death in the third such killing in two months , Nepal police said on Thursday .


The elephant crashed into Hari Maya Poudels house in Madhumalla village earlier this week while she was asleep , they said .


The beast dragged the woman 30 feet ( nine metres ) away from her bed and trampled her to death , a police official told Reuters in the Himalayan kingdoms capital Kathmandu .


In the past two months elephants have killed three people in remote areas of east and central Nepal .


Elephants are protected under Nepali law , which provides for jail sentences of up to 15 years for convicted elephant killers .


Sri Lankan rebels overrun police post , kill 24 .


Tamil Tiger rebels overran an isolated police post in Sri Lanka 's northeast early on Thursday killing 24 policemen , defence officials said .


A large group of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) rebels stormed the Kudapokuna police post , just north of Welikanda , 200 km ( 125 miles ) from Colombo , before dawn , they said .


" The entire post was overrun , " said a defence official .


It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties among the rebels , who are fighting for independence for minority Tamils in the Indian Ocean island 's north and east .


It is the second time in three days that the rebels attacked police .


Suspected Tamil Tigers on Tuesday hurled hand grenades at a police vehicle in a crowded market in the army-controlled northern town of Vavuniya , killing at least two policemen .


More than a dozen people , including several police who were working undercover , were wounded in the attack .


Vavuniya is just south of the northern mainland area controlled by the LTTE .


The government says more than 50,000 people have died in the ethnic war , now in its 14th year .


Vicorp Restaurants Inc said it has named Richard Sabourin as executive vice president and chief financial officer .


The company said Sabourin is the former president and chief executive at Bestop Inc of Boulder , Colo .


It said Craig Held has also joined the company as executive vice president and chief marketing officer .


SoCal Edison sees 2 power lines back today .


Southern California Edison Co said it expected two 220 kilovolt ( KV ) power lines in southern California to resume service later today after being shut late Wednesday because of a wildfire raging north of Los Angeles .


" They are expected to be placed in service later today , " said company spokesman Steve Conroy , adding repair crews have been removing smoke and other fire-related residues , which had settled on the two lines .


The shutdown of the 220 KV lines reduced by 500 megawatts ( MW ) the amount of power which the area received from SoCal Edison 's 1,200 MW Sierra hydroelectric facility , he said .


Conroy noted two 500 KV and another 220 KV line running from the Sierra plant to Los Angeles remained in operation , and continued to carry some of the production from Sierra to the region .


On Monday , the two 500 KV transmission cables were taken out of service , also for cleaning , for about a day .


Containment of the fire has been difficult because of the hot , arid , windy weather in the region , Conroy said .


" The fires keep moving back because of the winds , " he said , forcing the utility to shut those transmission lines for a second time this week .


Local authorities charged a teenager for starting the blaze .


In four days , the fire destroyed 20,000 acres of forest land .


Dreyfus Strategic Munis monthly $ 0.056 / shr .


NOTE : Full name of company is Dreyfus Strategic Municipals Inc .


Sierra Semiconductor jumps on exit plan .


Sierra Semiconductor Corp jumped 23 percent Thursday on the expectation the company would emerge as a smaller but more profitable operation after its planned exit from the computer modem business .


The San Jose , Calif. , company was up 2-1/8 at 11-3/8 after its announcement Wednesday that it planned to pull out of the highly competitive modem-chip business and focus instead on the fast-growing market for computer networking equipment .


" Certainly the company will be a much smaller company now , but it will be a more profitable business , " said analyst Elias Moosa of Roberston Stephens & Co .


But analysts noted that Sierra still has much painful work ahead of it , including cutting as many as 150 jobs from its workforce , which currently has 500 people , and building up the business of its PMC-Sierra unit , which makes routing devices and chipsets for high-speed computer networks .


The company has announced plans to take a charge against earnings of $ 50 million to $ 80 million to write down the value of assets and inventories and cover severance payments .


Scott Randall of Soundview Financial Group said the company likely would have difficulty selling its modem-chip business .


" Once you announce your intention to exit a business , it becomes a complete buyer 's market , " he said .


And he said that while the company is focusing on the fastest-growing part of its business , the market for networking chips has begun to attract the attention of much-larger players such as International Business Machines Corp .


" As the market develops the question is , are they able to make that transition to be a much larger company ? "


Other analysts were more bullish , even though the company is expected to shrink to slightly more than half its current size in sales .


" It 's a positive strategic move , " said Miles Kan of Hambrecht & Quist .


" The modem business is a low-margin , commodity business , " he said .


The company 's PMC-Sierra unit generated $ 33 million of the company 's $ 117 million in sales in the first half of the year , compared with $ 45 million in sales of modem chips , Kan said .


But the PMC unit is far more profitable , he said .


Sierra 's stock has fallen from a high of nearly $ 25 this year as the computer chip sector has been battered by falling prices and concern about slowing demand .


Housecall shares sink after profit warning .


Shares in home healthcare services company Housecall Medical Resources Inc fell more than 50 percent on Thursday after the company said it expected a net loss for the fiscal fourth quarter .


Morgan Stanley said it downgraded the stock to underperform from outperform .


Housecall was off 7-3/8 to 7-1/8 in morning trading .


The Atlanta-based company went public in April at $ 16 a share .


Wall Street had expected the company to earn $ 0.17 a share in its fourth quarter , ended June 30 , according to First Call .


Housecall said fourth quarter earnings and revenues were expected to fall short of expectations .


It said its non-Medicare infusion therapy , hospice and nursing services businesses failed to meet budgeted revenues .


It also cited a limitation on Medicare reimbursement for some services provided during the quarter .


First Alliance Corporation and Subsidiaries


Quarter ended June 30 Six Months ended June 30


Oasis singer heads for U.S. after illness .


Liam Gallagher , singer of Britain 's top rock group Oasis , flew out on Thursday to join the band three days after the start of its U.S. tour .


Gallagher made his usual obscene gestures and swore at journalists as he prepared to fly from London 's Heathrow airport to Chicago .


" I hate you f... ing lot , yet you 're always asking me too many things .


I 'm not a supermodel you know , " he said .


On Monday , just 15 minutes before his flight was due to depart , Liam decided not to travel with the rest of the group , which includes his brother Noel .


Liam caught a taxi back to London saying he had " problems at home " .


He was believed to be suffering from laryngitis and said he had to go house-hunting with actress girlfriend Patsy Kensit .


When they first heard that Liam had not flown out with the band at the start of the tour , many U.S. fans asked for refunds on their concert tickets .


The group began the U.S. tour , which is scheduled to last until September 18 , with a concert in Chicago on Tuesday at which Noel Gallagher filled in for his brother as lead singer .


Slough Estates helps lift property sector .


A strong set of interim results and an upbeat outlook from Slough Estates Plc helped to boost the property sector on Thursday .


Shares in Slough , which earlier announced a 14 percent rise in first-half pretax profit to 37.4 million stg , climbed nearly six percent , or 14p to 250 pence at 1009 GMT , while British Land added 12-1 / 2p to 468p , Land Securities rose 5-1 / 2p to 691p and Hammerson was 8p higher at 390 .


Traders said positive comment from investment banks Merrill Lynch and SBC Warburg also fueled the gains .


One dealer said positive stances from Merrill Lynch and SBC Warburg were the key factors behind the gains .


A spokesman for Merrill Lynch said the bank was preparing to issue a note on the sector . "


We have been very positive ( on property ) , " he said , adding : " On a technical basis it is our most favoured sector . "


SBC Warburg issued an update on the property sector on Thursday , saying that most of the predictions it made at the start of the year were being realised .


" In the property market it is a case of so far , so good , " a member of SBC Warburg 's property team said .


SBC Warburg said it is maintaining its forecast for five percent growth in rental incomes during 1996 , but it has shaved its forecast for capital growth to five percent from six .


The spokesman said SBC Warburg has also put an " add " recommendation on Slough Estates ' shares , but added that this " is a general move , not because of the results . "


Slough 's chairman Sir Nigel Mobbs added to the bullish mood in the sector , saying in a statement that " with the prospect of a period of steady economic growth and low inflation ahead , there is good reason to believe that the property sector should continue its improvement . "


Canada 's international travel account gap shrinks .


Higher spending by foreign visitors and less Canadian tourist spending abroad cut the deficit in Canada 's international travel account by 26.5 percent in the second quarter , Statistics Canada said on Thursday .


The deficit fell to a seasonally adjusted C$ 715 million in the second quarter from C$ 973 million in the first , as foreigners spent a record C$ 3.00 billion seasonally adjusted while Canadians reduced their spending abroad by 5.1 percent to C$ 3.72 billion .


-- Reuters Ottawa Burea ( 613 ) 235-6745


Jordanian PM Kabariti meets Arafat in West Bank .


Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul-Karim al-Kabariti began talks with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the West Bank on Thursday on the stalled Middle East peace process , officials said .


Kabariti flew by helicopter to Palestinian-ruled Ramallah and after a brief arrival ceremony went into talks with Arafat .


The prime minister 's visit , his first trip outside the country since Jordan was shaken by food riots earlier this month , came against the backdrop of a Palestinian general strike in the West Bank and Gaza .


Arafat called the four-hour strike , which ended at noon ( 0900 GMT ) to protest against Israeli policy on settlements and Jerusalem .


Jordan 's official state news agency Petra said Kabariti would hold discussions " on the latest developments in the peace process and bilateral cooperation " .


Iran says five spy networks destroyed , 41 held .


Iranian security forces have broken up five espionage rings in northwestern Iran and arrested 41 people on charges of spying for unnamed countries , a daily newspaper said on Thursday .


Jomhuri Eslami quoted the West Azerbaijan province security chief as saying those held confessed to gathering confidential information , photographing strategic sites , doing propaganda against state officials and " spreading pan-Turkism " .


It was not clear if they were the same five spy rings , allegedly led by Turkish diplomats , that Iran said in April it had broken up in the same area , which borders Turkey .