Qid 26: What evidence is there for transport of [smuggled VCDs] from [Hong Kong] to [China]? 26 1 vital VCDs from Hong Kong intercepted by Chinese authorities 26 2 okay Hong Kong authorities seize VCDs to be smuggled to China 26 3 okay VCDs to be smuggled from Hong Kong to China hidden inside waste paper 26 4 okay VCDs to be smuggled from Hong Kong to China hidden under waste plastic 26 5 okay Secret compartment of Huigang 169 ship used for smuggling VCDs from Hong Kong to China 26 6 okay VCDs labeled as fishing imports stopped by Chinese Customs 26 7 okay 2.3 million VCDs intercepted by Chinese Customs in transit from Hong Kong to China 26 8 okay Half million VCDs made in Hong Kong confiscated by Chinese Customs 26 9 okay 110,000 VCDs from Hong Kong intercepted by Chinese police 26 10 okay 2 million VCDs being smuggled from Hong Kong to China seized by Chinese Customs 26 11 okay 579 boxes containing 580,000 pirated VCDs enroute Hong Kong to China stopped by Customs 26 12 okay Chinese Customs officials stop smuggling of 600,000 VCDs 26 13 okay 700,000 VCDs discovered by Chinese Customs in attempted smuggling case 26 14 okay Hong Kong Customs confiscate 130,000 pirated VCDs enroute to China 26 15 okay 723,000 pirated VCDs enroute Hong Kong to China seized by Chinese Customs 26 16 okay 210,000 pirated VCDs enroute Hong Kong to China confiscated by Chinese Customs 26 17 okay 900,000 pirated VCDs enroute Hong Kong to China seized by Chinese Customs 26 18 okay All the cabins of a special smuggling cargo ship designed as cargo holds 26 19 okay Stats revealed 5,000,000 smuggled VCDs seized by Chinese customs in 1997 26 20 okay Chinese customs seize 580 boxes containing 5.8 million VCDs enroute from Hong Kong 26 21 okay 7000 pirated VCDs shipped by air from Hong Kong stopped by Chinese police Qid 27: What evidence is there for transport of [drugs] from [Mexico] to [the U.S.]? 27 1 vital Mexico, Switzerland to cooperate on Salinas - Swiss seized over $114 million in bank accounts opened by Salinas 27 2 okay Anti-drug police in Mexico confiscate 3.5 tons of marijuana 27 3 vital Mexican heroin trafficking emerges - Mexican authorities discover a new organization smuggling heroin into the US 27 4 okay Mexican navy seized 20 tons of cocaine off ships travelling Mexico's coast using technology and info supplied by American law enforcement 27 5 okay Despite the often spectacular seizures and arrests, the bilateral structures to fight drugs put into effect by U.S. and Mexican governments... have been incapable of reducing the intensity of drug trafficking 27 6 okay Clinton also said that he will continue to pressure Mexico for "tough action" to keep drugs out of the U.S. 27 7 okay The governments of Mexico and the U.S. will sign a joint anti-drug declaration 27 8 vital Mexican traffic police intercepted three tons of cocaine on a state highway in northern Mexico 27 9 okay Last October, the unit appeared to get an important break when it captured Gilberto Garza Garcia 27 10 vital Mexican Antinarcotics police agents seized almost 108 kilos of cocaine at the port of Veracruz 27 11 vital United States arrested 167 people - including 26 Mexican bankers 27 12 okay U.S. plan to help Mexican military fight drugs is faltering 27 13 okay Fourteen people were arrested in Canada, the U.S., Italy and Mexico, Canadian authorities said. 27 14 okay Ex-Mexico drug Czar Rebollo gets more jail 27 15 vital U.S. customs officials seized $100 million from banks and dozens of individuals Qid 28: What evidence is there for transport of [goods in the food-for-oil program] from [Syria] to [Iraq]? 28 1 vital Humanitarian goods have reached Iraq from Syria in the oil-for-food program 28 2 vital 19981202 10,000 tons of food were transported by Iraqi trucks from Syria 28 3 vital Humanitarian goods have been imported into Syria to be taken by land to Iraq 28 4 vital 19970911 The first consignment of 50,000 tonnes of sugar imported from France will soon reach the Syrian port of Tartous, and will be taken by land to Iraq through the Tanaf route 28 5 okay Iraqis have signed contracts with Syrians to supply Iraq with humanitarian goods in the oil-for-food program 28 6 okay 19970911 Iraq recently concluded contracts to the tune of 50 million U.S. dollars with Syrian traders and businessmen 28 7 okay 19980920 Syria has signed a dlrs 720,000 contract with Iraq to export 1,000 tons of detergent, the Tishrin daily reported Sunday. 28 8 okay 19980703 Syria's pharmaceutical firms have taken part in 12 tenders offered by Iraq to buy medicine. Syria was awarded contracts worth 10 million U.S. dollars. 28 9 okay 19970609 According to these contracts, Syria will export to Iraq 5,000 tons of chick-pea, 3,000 tonnes of soap, 4,000 tonnes of washing powder and 6,000 tonnes of olive oil. 28 10 okay 19980903 Syria exported medicines, clothing and food worth nearly dlrs 150 million to Iraq in 1997 and in the first half of 1998. 28 11 okay Evidence of cooperation between Iraq and Syria and the UN in the field of land and marine transport, including the use of Mediterranean seaports as a transit point for Iraqi humanitarian imports 28 12 okay 20000912 Syrian and Iraqi Ministers discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in the domain of maritime, road and railway transport. 28 13 okay 19970619 [Iraq] submitted a request today to the U.N. for the approval of its import of food and medicine through Abu Al-Shamat, a Syrian-Iraqi border crossing. Qid 29: What evidence is there for transport of [human cargo] from [China] to [the U.S.]? 29 1 vital Seattle, 15 Chinese aboard Cape May, Jan 2000 29 2 vital Seattle, 19 Chinese aboard Hanjin Yokohama, Jan 2000 29 3 vital Long Beach, 18 Chinese in cargo container, Jan 2000 29 4 vital New York, 256 Chinese aboard Golden Venture, June 1993 29 5 vital New Jersey, 22 Chinese aboard Oops II, June 1998 29 6 vital Seattle, container of Chinese aboard OOCL Faith, Dec. 1999 29 7 vital Seattle, 3 Chinese found dead in cargo container, Jan. 2000 29 8 vital Long Beach, 30 Chinese arrested from cargo containers, Dec. 1999 29 9 okay 100 Chinese stowaways arrested since Dec. 1999 29 10 okay Canvas-top containers are vehicle of choice for smugglers 29 11 vital San Francisco, 240 Chinese put ashore by freighter Pai Sheng 29 12 okay 203 Chinese smuggled in cargo containers to U.S. West coast arrested in 1999 29 13 okay Lap Kei Traiding company shipped two containers with Chinese stowaways to Seattle 29 14 okay Harbor Island, 12 Chinese smuggled from Hong Kong on container ship 29 15 okay Three Chinese and 1 Taiwanese convicted of smuggling 150 immigrants 29 16 vital Los Angeles, 15 Chinese in modified hard-top containers, Feb 2000 29 17 vital Savannah, GA, 132 Chinese aboard Prince Nicolas, Aug. 1999 29 18 vital Tacoma, WA, 19 Chinese aboard Sea-Land-Navigator, Apr. 1999 29 19 vital Vancouver, 25 Chinese aboard California Jupiter, Jan 2000 Qid 30: What evidence is there for transport of [illegal immigrants] from [Albania] to [Italy]? 30 1 vital 19970325 570 Albanians arrive in Brindisi 30 2 vital 19970928 11 illegals on ferry in Brindisi 30 3 vital 19971127 Navy intercepts 3 smuggling boats 30 4 vital 19981010 Refugee children thrown overboard 30 5 vital 19981107 freighter adrift w/400 illegals 30 6 vital 19981127 3 die in smuggler boat/dinghy wreck 30 7 vital 19981201 police detain 26 suspected smugglers 30 8 vital 20000812 boat w/240 illegals pulled into southern port 30 9 vital 19961210 tens of thousands flee by sea in Aug 1991 30 10 vital 19961210 400,000 come to Italy since Aug 1991 30 11 vital 19970325 ~12,000 take refuge in Italy this month 30 12 vital 19970329 over 13,000 arrive in recent weeks 30 13 vital 19981109 200 - 250,000 illegals in Italy as of Nov 1998 30 14 vital 19970327 Italy/Albania agreement on naval patrols 30 15 vital 19971127 Italian Adriatic air and naval forces strengthened 30 16 vital 19980715 police launch crackdown on mobsters involved in smuggling 30 17 vital 19981029 agreement to send more Italian police to Albania 30 18 vital 19981028 Italy stations police in Albanian ports 30 19 vital 19981110 Agreement of prime ministers to fight organize crime & smuggling of illegals 30 20 vital 19990422 Bashkim runs ferry service from Vlore to Italy every night at 1:00am 30 21 vital 19990511 20 Albanians indicted for xport of 800 children under age 16 Qid 31: What evidence is there for transport of [military equipment and weaponry] from [South Africa] to [Pakistan]? 31 1 vital Pakistan reportedly purchased weapons from South Africa. 31 2 vital South African arms exports to Pakistan are over 30 million rand (3 million U.S. dollars) a year. 31 3 vital Denel is a South African arms company reportedly doing business with Pakistan. 31 4 vital Reportedly, Pakistani weapons purchases include missile systems. 31 5 okay South African weapons sold to Pakistan said to be air-to-air missiles. 31 6 okay Arms deal said to be 164 million USD. 31 7 okay Pakistan does not deny arms deal. 31 8 vital There is concern that Pakistani missiles could be launched into neighboring territory. 31 9 vital There has been a long-time conflict between India and Pakistan. 31 10 vital The threat of [neighboring] India's weapons program forced Pakistan to develop an indigenous missile capability. 31 11 okay India already held an advantage in conventional weaponry. 31 12 okay Pakistan is concerned about India's developing long-range missiles. 31 13 vital SA says weapons purchased by Pakistan are defensive in nature. 31 14 okay Reportedly, air-to-air missiles [purchased from SA] could not be used against Indian ground forces. 31 15 okay South Africa has close political relations with India. 31 16 okay South Africa supplies arms to India. 31 17 okay [SA] arms sales to India are believed to have exceeded those to Pakistan in value with numerous other common or garden arms, including ammunition and military vehicles, being supplied. 31 18 vital A series of high-powered diplomatic exchanges between South Africa and India have taken place since the missile sale [to Pakistan] was reported in an effort to reduce growing tensions in diplomatic relations between the two countries. 31 19 vital Pakistan develops a nuclear program. 31 20 vital India has a nuclear program. 31 21 vital South Africa is amongst prominent nations that have renounced nuclear weapons. 31 22 vital South Africa being looked to for pressuring Pakistan and India to freeze their own nuclear programs. 31 23 okay Pakistan rules out nuclear disarmament unless territorial disputes with India (specifically Kashmir) have been resolved. 31 24 vital South Africa urges Pakistan to exercise restraint following India's nuclear test. 31 25 vital South Africa expressed concern over Pakistan's nuclear test. 31 26 vital At conference, South Africa says it is imperative that nuclear disarmament be tackled. 31 27 vital South Africa calls on India and Pakistan to abandon their [nuclear] tests and settle their differences through dialog 31 28 vital South Africa is involved in talks between Pakistan and India to discuss territorial disputes. 31 29 vital South Africa welcomes Pakistan's decision to sign the nuclear test ban treaty, and India's announcement that it was ready to conclude discussions in this regard. 31 30 vital Following a military coup in Pakistan, South African government decides to suspend all arms sales to that country. (1999) Qid 32: What [financial relationships] exist between [drug companies] and [universities]? 32 1 okay UCSF professor's paid research for Boots Pharmaceuticals included time restriction on publishing results 32 2 okay Pharmacia buys rights for glaucoma drug from Columbia U (this partially funded by US). Drug makes millions for company 32 3 vital Bonuses are paid to university medical centers for recruiting drug trial participants 32 4 okay GENOVO finances gene research at Penn and has exclusive rights to develop commercial products from that research 32 5 vital Brown U Professor Keller paid consulting fees by pharmaceutical companies whose drugs he touted 32 6 okay Columbia U has received $280 million royalties from 33 biotech companies for using a biotech patent 32 7 okay Harvard, Washington U, Penn, Vanderbilt & Baylor join together in effort to obtain more drug company money for trials 32 8 vital Harvard has limitations on stock ownership and royalty deals their people can have with companies 32 9 okay Washington U biologists given stock in Koronis Pharmaceuticals for their assistance in developing viral resistance drug 32 10 okay 20% of 2000 biomed researchers delay publishing study results due private sponsor concerns 32 11 vital Washington U faculty contract with companies for consulting, exchanging findings and setting limits on publishing findings 32 12 vital UCSF internist blows whistle on articles supposedly written by academic researchers but ghost written by drug companies 32 13 okay Doctor Price of UCSF touts hair loss treatments of companies with which she has financial ties 32 14 okay A Cornell gene therapist treated patients in studies paid by company he founded Qid 33: What [familial ties] exist between [dinosaurs] and [birds]? 33 1 vital Discoverer of Liaoning fossils Ji Qiang declares that feather findings support bird-dinosaur relationship 33 2 vital Sceptic UNC scientist Feducci believes Liaoning fossils represented flightless birds 33 3 okay Sceptic Oregon State scientist Ruben states that Liaoning fossils establish that birds predated dinosaurs 33 4 okay Scientist Chiappe disavows Liaoning fossils' "feathers" 33 5 okay Kansas U scientist Martin believes positions of Liaoning fossils' windpipe and colon were birdlike 33 6 okay Sceptic UNC scientist Feducci proffers when dinosaurs became warm blooded they progressed from down to feathers to flight 33 7 okay Chinese academician Zhou deduced that a small Mesozoic dinosaur could perch on trees and develop ability to fly 33 8 okay U S scientist Burgers calculated that archaeopterx could exceed the lowest speed required for flight 33 9 vital Canadian scientist Sues says only dinosaurs are anatomically suited to be precursors of birds 33 10 okay Scientist Ostrom concluded that the bird archaeopteryx resembled a scaled down deinonychus dinosaur 33 11 okay Chinese ornithologist Hou insists that birds are sisters not descendants of dinosaurs 33 12 okay Supportive Canadian scientist Currie noted 80 of 90 physiological dinosaur characteristics are represented in Liaoning fossils 33 13 okay Chinese scientist Xu Xing considers the Liaoning fossils' shoulder girdle the same as the bird archaeopteryx 33 14 okay U S scientist Norell says the anatomical similarities between dinosaurs and birds are overwhelming 33 15 okay Sceptics argue that dinosaurs lost fingers 4 & 5 while birds missing 1 & 5 33 16 okay Former sceptic ornithologist Olson of Smithsonian agrees with Liaoning bird-dinosaur relationship 33 17 okay Link between dinosaurs and birds was first noted by naturalist Thomas Henry Huxley in the mid-1800s 33 18 okay Reptile Longisquami insignis having feathers and predating earliest known bird by 75 million yrs challenges bird-dinosaur relationship Qid 34: What [financial relationships] exist between [the Israeli government] and [the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)]? 34 1 vital Israel is transferring 600 million dollars, 10 million dollars annually, in income tax collected from the Palestinian workers in Israel. 34 2 vital Under the Paris economic agreement of 1994 between Israeli government and the PNA, Israel agreed to rebate to PNA tax money collected from Palestinians in petroleum excise taxes, customs, income taxes. 34 3 okay Israeli Finance Minister Dan Meridor and his Palestinian counterpart Maher Masri today agreed to reconvene on a monthly basis the joint economic committee, which has not met for nine months. 34 4 vital Routine expenses in the Palestinian region are met largely from sales taxes and customs levies collected by Israel but passed on to the Palestinian treasury. 34 5 okay Other talks to resume include those on transferring Israeli excise taxes and other moneys to the PNA, whose financial distress reportedly emerged as one of Arafat's major concerns at Sunday night's meeting. 34 6 vital Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) today have reached agreement on money each side claims they are owed. 34 7 okay Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) today have reached agreement on money each side claims they are owed. 34 8 okay Israel will transfer 55 million shekels (some 16 million US dollars) VAT to the PNA, in addition to pay some 40 million shekels (some 13 million US dollars) owed by PNA to Israeli institutions, including the Bezeq communications company. 34 9 okay The deal, mainly on PNA's debts to Israeli institutions and arrangements for transferring value-added tax (VAT) to the PNA for the period of May to December 1994, was closed at an Israeli-PNA joint economic committee meeting in Jerusalem. 34 10 vital Palestinian Finance Minister Mohammed Nashashibi accused Israel of refusing to transfer 145 million U.S. dollars it owes to the PNA. 34 11 vital Israel stopped transfer of millions of dollars in tax revenues in response to the July 30 terror attack. 34 12 okay Israel stopped transfer of millions of dollars in tax revenues in response to the July 30 terror attack. 34 13 okay Israel has frozen transfer of funds to the PNA and any future unfreezing was dependent on PNA's war against terrorism. 34 14 okay The Israeli decision to withhold tax revenue collected from the Palestinian workers, to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), has caused the PNA to sustain a critical shortage of funds. 34 15 okay Arafat's statement coincided with a Washington report that the U.S. has openly voiced its disappointment at Israel's delay in releasing funds to the PNA. 34 16 okay He noted that the act by Israel to hold up monetary transfers owed to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is nothing short of an attempt to steal tax money belonging to the Palestinians. 34 17 okay Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has ordered a transfer of 10 million U.S. dollars at once to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) which suffers from a financial freeze imposed by Israel. 34 18 vital Significant amount of revenue is being held back by Israel. 34 19 okay Palestinian officials say Israel has kept back some 220 million shekels (62.5 million dollars) of the money, owed under a 1994 agreement on economic links between the two sides. 34 20 okay Almost 100 million U.S. dollars in revenue transfer is now being withheld by Israel. 34 21 okay The exact total figure of frozen taxes has so far not been made public by the Israeli side, but PNA put it at over 50 million U.S. dollars. 34 22 okay Israeli government's withholding of revenue transfer due to the PNA was not related to security. 34 23 okay The PNA, for its part, demanded Israel lift the total closure of its territories, releasing the frozen funds and other sanctions. 34 24 okay Ross is to meet with Netanyahu today again in a bid to consolidate the initial results from his shuttle mission by persuading Israel to lift sanctions against the Palestinians, including a total closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the halt of tax revenues to the PNA. 34 25 vital Israel to the transfer to the PNA some of the funds withheld by Israel since the Mahaneh Yehuda attack on July 30. 34 26 okay Israel said Monday it is to free about 30 percent of the transfers in taxes and customs duties Israel has withheld from Palestinian self-rule areas since the July 30 bombing in Jerusalem. 34 27 okay The money, which was deposited into the PNA account in an Israeli bank, was part of the total 14 million dollars withheld by Israel following the Mahane Yehuda bombings. 34 28 okay In a gesture to reward the PNA's partially resumed security cooperation, the Israeli government transferred on Tuesday 4.2 million U.S. dollars of the total withheld 14 million dollars tax money to the PNA. 34 29 okay Israel's step to release part of the tax money was "a return for some steps" taken by the PNA for its cooperation in investigating the Mahane Yehuda Bombing and Palestinian police's quick action in apprehending three Palestinians who killed an Israeli taxi driver last week. 34 30 okay Releasing funds to Palestine does not mean Israel is convinced that PNA Chairmen Yasser Arafat is doing all he can to dismantle terrorist organizations. 34 31 okay Mohammed Zuhdi Nashashibi, Minister of Finance of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) today called on Israel to release the funds it owns to the PNA. 34 32 okay So far Israel has announced three times to release the funds to the PNA due to the improvement of security cooperation between the two sides. 34 33 vital The Israeli government intends to further return the tax revenues 34 34 okay Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided today to release more funds to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the Israeli Government Press Office announced this evening. 34 35 okay Netanyahu said that he has given instructions to the transfer to the PNA 59 million shekels (about 16 million U.S. dollars), half of the funds withheld by Israel since the Mahaneh Yehuda attack on July 30. 34 36 okay In an effort to push peace process forward, Israel today informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) that it will release 170 million shekels (about 48 million U.S. dollars) of Palestinian tax revenues to the PNA. 34 37 okay Israel's decision to repay the owed money is considered as a good gesture to the PNA after the resumption of the long-deadlocked Israeli-Palestinian peace talks early this week and the first meeting Wednesday in the past eight months between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and PNA President Yasser Arafat. 34 38 okay Israeli Deputy Finance Minister Shmuel Lavin confirmed that the Israeli government intends to further return the tax revenues, which have been held by Israel for several months. 34 39 okay Israeli Finance Ministry today informed its PNA counterpart that Israel had transferred 4.2 million dollars of the tax revenues to the PNA. 34 40 okay Palestinian Finance Minister Mohammed Zuhdi Nashashibi announced that although Israel had returned 40 percent of the withheld tax money, there were still 110 million dollars of Palestinian tax money in Israeli hands. 34 41 vital Israel will release the remaining funds, totaling 57 million U.S. dollars, to the PNA. Qid 35: What [financial relationships] exist between [Greece] and [Cyprus]? 35 1 vital 19980304 Greece has expressed its opposition to the equal participation of Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus' accession talks with the EU: it wants them to be involved in the negotiations only if (1) this would not lead to the recognition of northern Cyprus, and (2) it would not create obstacles to the island's accession to the EU. 35 2 vital 19970527 According to Chrissanthi Passadi, Greek trade and economic representative to Cyprus, total transactions between Greece and Cyprus in 1996 reached 171.5 million pounds (343 million dollars), compared with 153.4 million pounds (306.8 million dollars) the previous year. 35 3 vital 19970527 Passadi said that efforts during the last 18 months to conclude a joint economic-trade pact, parallel to the existing joint defense pact between the governments of Cyprus and Greece, have resulted in boosting trade transactions between the two countries. 35 4 vital 19970527 Greece ranked fourth among countries exporting to Cyprus in 1996, following the United States, Britain and Italy, adding that economic and trade relations between the two countries are substantially increasing. 35 5 vital 19970527 Cyprus' exports to Greece reached 37.6 million pounds (75.2 million dollars) in 1996, an increase of 12.7 percent compared with those of 1995. Qid 36: What [financial relationships] exist between [the United States] and [supporters of the Irish Republican movement]? 36 1 vital There is strong bi-partisan agreement in Congress to support economic development via the International Fund for Ireland 36 2 vital Sinn Fein raises funds in the US. 36 3 vital Fundraising bans occasionally have been put in place. 36 4 okay Since U.S. President Bill Clinton lifted a fund-raising ban in 1995, Sinn Fein has raised more than two million U.S. dollars. 36 5 okay Intense media coverage of an 1981 IRA hunger strike dramatically improved the image of the Provisional IRA among 35 million Irish-Americans and reversed a five-year trend of declining financial support of the IRA. 36 6 okay Sinn Fein leader Jerry Adams has been forbidden to raise funds for his party during his trip in the U.S. (1996 following break in ceasefire) 36 7 vital Various private American organizations provide philanthropic support to Irish groups. 36 8 okay The American Ireland Fund, a Boston-based organization, has raised more than $100 million in 20 years. 36 9 okay There was a $100-a-head Sinn Fein fund-raiser at an Albany hotel. 36 10 okay About 600 attended a $20-a-head reception at the Polish-American Citizens Club in Albany. 36 11 okay A one-week six-city tour in 1998 was expected to gross $500,000 for Sinn Fein. 36 12 okay Friends of Sinn Fein raised $3.5 million in the United States in three years. 36 13 okay Smaller cities are consistently bringing in $25,000 and more at events. 36 14 okay A NY priest was suspected by federal agents of directing millions of stolen dollars to IRA terrorists. 36 15 okay Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for Sinn Fein by New York State Irish Northern Aid over the past two decades. 36 16 vital The Albany metropolitan area contributes more money to Adams' cause than anyplace else in the nation except New York City and Boston. 36 17 okay New York is one of the US' leading areas of financial support to Gerry Adams/Sinn Fein. 36 18 okay Boston is one of the US' leading areas of financial support to Gerry Adams/Sinn Fein. 36 19 okay Albany is one of the US' leading areas of financial support to Gerry Adams/Sinn Fein. 36 20 vital [British PM] Tony Blair has asked that the American people stop funding Irish terrorism. 36 21 vital The US government considers canceling permission for Sinn Fein to raise funds in the country (US) following the renewal of the IRA's bombing campaign in London. 36 22 okay [US President] Clinton agreed to do what he could to isolate and eliminate private American financial support to IRA splinter groups trying to undermine peace. Qid 37: What [common interests] exist between [the Abu Sayyaf] and [MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front)]? 37 1 vital The MILF and the Abu Sayyaf are the only two Muslim rebel groups still fighting the Philippine government. 37 2 vital Both groups are responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians. 37 3 vital Both groups take hostages. 37 4 okay The MILF is a splinter group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) 37 5 okay The MILF is the larger group. 37 6 okay Abu Sayyaf is the more radical group. 37 7 okay There is little public support for Abu Sayyaf. 37 8 vital The MILF is seeking an independent Islamic state. 37 9 vital Abu Sayyaf is seeking an independent Islamic state. 37 10 okay The Philippines are predominantly Roman Catholic. 37 11 okay The Islamic state would be in the southern Philippines/Mindanao. 37 12 vital There are reports that Abu Sayyaf has forged a military alliance with the MILF. 37 13 okay MILF may be reinforcing Abu Sayyaf. 37 14 okay The two groups have been accused of staging concerted actions. 37 15 okay MILF and Abu Sayyaf set up a joint training program in Cotabato city. 37 16 okay Many Abu Sayyaf members live in MILF-controlled territories. 37 17 vital Both groups are opposed to the peace deal forged between Manila and the MNLF (1996). 37 18 vital The government has pursued peace talks with Muslim insurgency groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf. (1996) 37 19 okay The MNLF offered to mediate between the government and either radical group. (1996) 37 20 vital The MILF began peace talks with the government early this year (1997), but the Abu Sayyaf has shunned peace negotiations with Manila. 37 21 vital The MILF and Abu Sayyaf are on separate tracks for peace talks as the Philippine government has opened negotiations with the former but refuses to deal with the latter. (1998) 37 22 vital Philippine government conducts peace talks with the Abu Sayyaf. (2000) Qid 38: What effect do [psychological or emotional problems] have on [obesity]? 38 1 vital Dr. Derrick of the Preventive Medicine Group cited links between psychological problems such as fear and anxiety with obesity 38 2 vital Gary Foster, clinical director of weight and eating disorder at U Penn stated that obesity is often associated with morale problems and depression. 38 3 vital School pressures, divorce and stress could lead to anxiety driven eating resulting in obesity. 38 4 vital Hypotism has become successful treatment of people suffering from fear, anxiety and obesity. 38 5 vital Alger-Mayer state that eating disorders tend to occur in families with histories of anxiety, depression and mood disorders. 38 6 vital A psychologist with an eating disorder, discovered that when psychological reason for eating identified, weight loss ensued. 38 7 vital Journal of Pediatric Health Care reported that loneliness, saddness, and anger trigger overeating and thus obesity. 38 8 vital Emotional eating is related to the dramatic rise in child obesity. 38 9 vital Urban life stype can lead to psychological pessures and obesity. 38 10 vital There are links between psychological problems such as fear and anxiety and obesity. Qid 39: What effect does [second-hand smoke] have on [non-smokers]? 39 1 vital U.Cal Survey showed that second-hand smoke can cause damage to cardio-vascular sytem and results in 50,0000-60,0000 deaths in US annually 39 2 vital Latest survey shows that second-hand smoke can seriously damage children's health. 39 3 vital Researchers learned that second-hand smoke increased risk lung cancer in restaurant and bar workers. 39 4 vital Studies (35) show non-smokers, who live with smokers increase risk of lung cancer by 20 percent. 39 5 vital Researchers said second-hand smoke causes short-term respiratory problems asa well as cancer and heart disease. 39 6 vital Jonathan Samet, Johns Hopkins said fetal exposure through maternal smoking increases rate of spontaneous abortion, penatial mortality, reduced infantt weight and effects growth. 39 7 vital Parental smoking cause of asthma, most common in children. 39 8 vital Major canadian study found that 13 percent middle ear infections of children result of second-hand smoke. 39 9 vital The three top killers in china-- cancer, heart and brain disease, linked with passive smoking. 39 10 vital Turkish paper, Green Crecent reported that 40,000 babies deaths were attributed to second hand smoking. 39 11 vital Non-smoking wives of smokers more likelty to suffer from cancer. 39 12 vital Geariatric Institute, China confirms that passive smoking is harmful and the leading cause of cancer in China. Qid 40: What effect does [Title IV] have on [college wrestling]? 40 1 vital Title IX bars discrimination on basis of gender in educational programs receiving federal funds 40 2 vital Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 40 3 vital Syracuse University cut men's wrestling 40 4 vital When schools deal with the Title IX gender equity concerns wrestling is the first program to go. 40 5 vital More than 50 Division I colleges have killed wrestling programs in past two decades. 40 6 vital Illinois State University canceled its wrestling and soccer programs in 1995 to comply with Title IX. 40 7 vital Wrestlers and soccer players challenged Illinois State University decision to cut men's wrestling and soccer programs to comply with Title IX. 40 8 vital Of 750 college wrestling programs in 1972 300 remain in 2000 40 9 okay Women's college wresting is becoming more popular 40 10 okay When they can't fill their own teams, college women wrestlers can join mens' teams 40 11 vital Wrestling is an NCAA sport at only 5 schools in the Big 12 Conference 40 12 vital Some believe college wrestling is being used as a scapegoat since it is easy to drop wrestling where it's not popular 40 13 vital Supreme Court appeal by Illinois State University male athletes challenging cut of Men's wrestling team failed Qid 41: What effect does [steroid use] have on [athletes' performance]? 41 1 vital enhances athletic performance 41 2 okay abuse of steroids can stunt bone growth in adolescents and damage the heart, liver and kidneys 41 3 okay long term use of steroids can result in various types of cancer and heart disease 41 4 vital steroids act like testosterone, the male sex hormone, in building muscle mass 41 5 okay side effects for men - increased aggression, impotence and kidney damage 41 6 okay may cause male pattern baldness, unnatural hair growth in women, changes to sex organs and mood swings 41 7 vital steroids have same adverse health and social effects as narcotics Qid 42: What effect does [aspirin] have on [coronary heart disease]? 42 1 vital aspirin works in large part by its immediate and lasting effect on blood platelets 42 2 okay low doses of aspirin may allow blood to flow more easily through blood vessels to the brain, preventing the more common ischemic strokes 42 3 okay aspirin makes the blood less likely to form clots that get stuck in tortuously narrowed arteries 42 4 vital aspirin may help patients avoid strokes and protect them from angina, or severe chest pain 42 5 okay the combination of aspirin and warfarin is at least 60% more effective at preventing heart attacks than either drug taken alone 42 6 vital aspirin prescribed for people with high risk of heart attacks because it thins their blood 42 7 okay For 50 years aspirin linked to reducing risk of heart attack 42 8 okay Aspirin widely used in heart attack care also blocks platelet activation Qid 43: What effect does [the discovery of natural gas in Gaza] have on [Arab-Israeli relations]? 43 1 vital 19991222 Out-pumping Shell, British Gas, and BP-Amoco, ENI-Agip has become the largest foreign developer of Egypt's gas fields, which produce 2.3 billion cubic feet a day. Its Sinai pipeline venture is a partnership with the state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. 43 2 vital 19981210 The ``formal consent and commitment of the government of Egypt is a prerequisite for a natural gas supply agreement,'' Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructure said in a statement. ``This is required because of the linkage made in the past, by the government of Egypt, between the commercial negotiations and the political situation.'' 43 3 vital 19991222 For most of its independent life, Israel was prevented by boycotts from buying oil or gas from its Arab neighbors. 43 4 vital 20000914 Because it had no choice, Israel has always relied on fuel from far outside the Arab world: it now ships in coal from Australia, Colombia and South Africa, and crude oil from Norway, Britain and Mexico. 43 5 vital 19981210 An Egyptian gas pipeline is snaking its way east across the Sinai desert, laying the groundwork for a regional power network that could bind Israel closer to its Arab neighbors and radically change its energy and security strategy. 43 6 vital 19990909 In June, a natural gas reservoir was found undersea off the Israeli city of Ashdod, north of Gaza, estimated to be able to produce 30 million cubic feet of gas per day. 43 7 vital 20000406 Earlier in March, the company said that its "Mary 1" drilling site off Ashkelon pointed to reserves of 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, which it said could supply one third of Israel's natural gas needs. 43 8 vital 20000927 The gas field is one of the two gas fields recently found in an Israeli-controlled area. Seventy percent of the area of the second gas field, which was discovered at Gaza Strip's northern border area, belongs to the Palestinian National Authority while the rest is under Israeli control. 43 9 vital 20000914 To begin with, it was not clear if there was such a thing as Palestinian territorial waters, given the Authority's nonsovereign status. The Oslo accords assigned the Palestinians a 20-by-20-mile swath of sea for limited ``fishing, recreation, and economic activity,'' but said nothing about resources beneath the Mediterranean. 43 10 vital 20000914 But by default, the Authority and BG reasoned, the area between Egypt's eastern maritime boundary and Israel's self-identified exploration zone was Palestinian. Though Israel could restrict shipping off Gaza for security reasons, it never claimed economic rights there. 43 11 vital 20000914 Natural gas would make desalination plants an affordable adjunct to power plants serving the densely populated Gaza and Israeli seacoast, helping to resolve an acute potable water scarcity that is one of the region's most difficult diplomatic and environmental problems. 43 12 vital 19981210 Late last month, the Infrastructure Ministry postponed until next year a self-imposed December 1998 deadline for plans on importing natural gas, expanding electrical generating capacity, and possibly converting existing plants to gas from coal. 43 13 vital 19981210 The ministry has also proposed huge gas-fired desalination plants to satisfy demands for drinkable water in the Gaza Strip. 43 14 vital 20000404 Industry experts say importing natural gas, a cleaner and cheaper fuel than oil or coal, from Egypt would save Israel 150 million U.S. dollars annually as compared to any viable alternative. 43 15 vital 20000927 The BG Group of London, which won a concession in November from Arafat's Palestinian Authority to drill in the 2,000-foot-deep waters off the Gaza Strip, said Wednesday that this first Gaza test well was flowing at a strong 37 million cubic feet a day, more than in any of eight recent offshore gas strikes in nearby Israeli territorial waters. 43 16 vital 20000914 The Israelis and Palestinians are both respecting the unofficial division of coastal exploration rights, despite angry objections from Israeli rightists and some local energy companies, who are suing in Israeli courts to stop the Gaza drilling. 43 17 vital 20000914 Having its own gas reserves _ plus access to nearby Palestinian deposits _ should make it easier for Israel to buy additional gas from Egypt, which is now building a gas pipeline to the Israeli border, analysts say. Israel's objection to Egyptian gas was fear of dependence on a single Arab supplier. 43 18 vital 20000404 Last December, Egyptian government finally agreed to sell natural gas to Israel, a decision coming shortly after the Israeli- Syrian peace talks were resumed. 43 19 vital 20000406 The company said Thursday that the new finding, along with a series of initial gas discoveries off Israeli coast near Ashdod and Ashkelon in the past few months, had made the talks on purchasing gas from Egypt meaningless. 43 20 vital 20000914 The Palestinians already plan to use the offshore gas at three new power stations they are building; the first, near Gaza City, will be ready this year, followed by plants in Nablus and Hebron. Qid 44: What is the position of [Bill Archer] with respect to [lowering taxes]? 44 1 vital Wants to reduce all personal income tax rates by 10% 44 2 vital Supports lowering capital gains tax 44 3 vital Favors a reduction over 10 yrs of corporations capital gains tax rate 44 4 vital Wants to eliminate the Estate Tax 44 5 vital Desires to eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax 44 6 vital Wants to raise standard deduction for married couples 44 7 vital Supports reducing taxes for couples who itemize and have high incomes ("the marriage penalty") 44 8 okay Wants to simplify the tax code 44 9 okay Opposes raising the minimum wage 44 10 okay Would consider a national sales or consumption tax 44 11 okay Likes allowing employees to shelter more income in 401(k) plans 44 12 okay Supports using some aviation taxes for other than aviation purposes 44 13 okay Favors tax credits for prepaid education plans 44 14 okay Supports education savings accounts for elementary and secondary schools 44 15 okay Opposes resurrection of excise tax 44 16 okay Supports phasing down and eventually repealing gift tax 44 17 okay Favors reduction of social security tax and allowing private accounts 44 18 okay In tax cases, believes burden of proof should be IRS not tax payer 44 19 okay Opposed exempting Unabomber's brother's $1 million reward from taxation Qid 45: What is the position of [John McCain] with respect to [the Moral Majority or the Christian Coalition]? 45 1 vital McCain's 02 Feb 2000 attack on Robertson & Falwell in Virginia Beach, VA 45 2 vital McCain's criticism of Bob Jones Universitiy's ban on interracial dating & marriage 45 3 vital McCain's telephone interview comments on Michael Reagain's Talk Show 45 4 vital McCain's "out of mainstream, divisive, exclusive" comments in Stockton, CA Qid 46: What is the position of [the Saudi Government] with respect to [Osama bin Laden]? 46 1 vital 19981227 Saudi Arabia on Sunday denied reports that a senior government official had plotted to assassinate Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden. 46 2 vital 19980826 Osama bin Laden was officially banned from Saudi Arabia in 1991, while he was living in Sudan. 46 3 vital 19981227 Bin Laden was stripped of his Saudi citizenship in 1994. 46 4 vital 19990805 King Fahd announced that bin Laden was being stripped of citizenship ``because of his irresponsible behavior that contradicts the interests of Saudi Arabia and harms sisterly countries, and his refusal to obey instructions issued to him.'' 46 5 vital 19981227 Saudi Arabia downgraded ties with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia in September because they are harboring Bin Laden, a Taliban diplomat said. 46 6 vital 19990805 Saudi security, already highly uneasy about his activities, had held onto bin Laden's passport during the 1989-91 period, hoping to prevent or at least discourage his contacts with exiled Saudi dissidents, accusing the kingdom of police corruption and abuse of political prisoners. 46 7 vital 19981017 Prince Turki bin Faisal, chief of Saudi intelligence, sat down with Mullah Mohammed Omar, leader of the Taliban's Supreme Council, and asked him to end his protection for bin Laden and hand him over 46 8 vital 19990804 Prince Turki reminded bin Laden that although he had been deprived of Saudi citizenship, no steps had been taken against his family in Saudi Arabia, and surely it was time for a reconciliation. 46 9 vital 19990412 Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Nayef ibn Abdel Aziz, absolved him of guilt in the bombings in May and June of 1996 in Dhahran and Riyadh; "Maybe there are people who adopt his ideas," he said. "He does not constitute any security problem to us." 46 10 vital 19990803 In 1981, Prince Sultan bin Abdul Azziz, the powerful Saudi Defense and Aviation Minister, told a high-level American business and investors' delegation that the bin Laden firms had done great things for the Kingdom. He [Osama bin Laden] was seen as a potential ally in a cold war operation that could rally Muslims to oppose the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Qid 47: What is the position of [the United States] with respect to [BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or "Mad Cow Disease")]? 47 1 vital The U.S. Department of Agriculture involved in preventing any chance of mad cow disease entering the country. 47 2 vital US has banned British beef since early/mid-1990's. 47 3 vital US to restrict livestock imports from 21 European nations. 47 4 vital US bans use of animal parts (meat and bonemeal) from slaughtered sheep or cows in manufacture of dairy feeds. 47 5 vital US opposes EU ban on some use of animal parts most at risk of harboring Mad Cow disease. 47 6 okay At risk parts are head, spinal cord, and spleen. 47 7 okay Some BSE risk animal parts are used in US pharmaceutical/cosmetic industry. 47 8 okay US pharmaceuticals/cosmetics export is a $4 billion/year business. 47 9 vital Sheep having TSE (transmissable spongiform encephalopathy) to be destroyed. 47 10 okay USDA ordering destruction of flocks when brain disease detected. 47 11 okay Diseased sheep were imported from Belgium. 47 12 okay Scrapie, another TSE, is the ovine equivalent of BSE. 47 13 okay No proven case of sheep infected with BSE...yet. 47 14 okay Scrapie is not known to affect humans. 47 15 vital Scientists developing blood test for detecting BSE and related diseases in animals and humans. 47 16 okay USDA is involved in or tracking blood test effort. 47 17 okay This group of diseases is known as known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or TSE. 47 18 okay Studies in the United States show that leukodepletion is effective in clearing CJD, but not perfect. 47 19 okay Leukodepletion is a blood purification system that removes white cells. 47 20 vital The US has imposed bans on blood donations from people who were in Britain when BSE was at its height. 47 21 okay FDA imposing blood donor restriction. 47 22 okay Red Cross estimates blood donation ban would decrease supplies significantly. 47 23 okay Red Cross estimates needing one million donors to compensate for banned blood donation sources. 47 24 vital There is no known mad cow disease in US cattle. (1999) 47 25 vital No American has caught the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease associated with BSE. (1999) 47 26 vital The US Centers for Disease Control has alerted states to watch for any cases that might suggest the appearance of variant CJD. Qid 48: What is the position of [Saudi Arabia] with respect to [foreign workers]? 48 1 vital Riyadh has lured hundreds of thousands of foreign workers who account for 25 percent of Saudi Arabia'a population 48 2 vital Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council members are in a drive to replace foreign workers with nationals. 48 3 okay Most foreign workers work in the private sector. 48 4 vital Saudi authorities are concerned that foreign workers create more crimes and values contradicting Islamic values might bring about some social problems. 48 5 vital King Fahd called on Saudi private sectors to secure more jobs for local laborers to help achieve national goal of increasing number of Saudi nationals in the workforce. 48 6 vital King Fahd directed private companies to increase the number of Saudi workers on their staff by 5 percent per year or receive sanctions. 48 7 vital Saudi Arabia launched a campaign to clamp down on illegal residents. During first five days arrested 955 illegal foreign laborers. 48 8 okay After the Gulf War Saudi Arabia expelled hundreds of thousands of expatriate workers from countries sympathetic to Saddam Hussein during the war. 48 9 okay Saudi police raided businesses and housing blocks acress the country when cracking down on illegal foreign workers in a bid to catch unlawful expatriate laborers. 48 10 okay Saudi authorities revived their campaign against illegal workers to create jobs for their own citizens according to a regional newspaper 48 11 okay Saudi Interior Ministry warned people harboring illegal workers that they could also face jail terms of up to 6 months and a monetary fine. 48 12 vital Saudi government began cracking down on illegal labor in October 1997. 48 13 okay Foreign workers worked for lower wages that their Saudi counterparts. 48 14 vital Penalty imposed by Saudi government of 6 months in prison or 10,000 Saudi riyals for expatriates who eo not leave the kingdom by October 16 1997. 48 15 okay Saudis offered training to Sri Lankan housemaids who some to Saudi Arabia for employment. 48 16 okay Egyptian laborers in Saudi Arabia "have full care" provided by the Kingdom and "enjoy their full rights as Saudi officials are keen on protecting their interests. 48 17 okay Saudi Arabia set up its first company to handle issues relating to recruitment of foreign workers. 48 18 okay When Saudi diplomats were murdered in Thailand, Saudi Arabia barred new Thai guest workers and refused to renew visas of 1000's in the kingdom. 48 19 okay Economist predicted by the year 2000 a large number of foreign female workers would be replaced by Saudi women. Qid 49: What is the position of [Richard Seed] with respect to [human cloning]? 49 1 vital Richard Seed's announcements forced the scientific community to confront the possibility of human cloning. 49 2 okay Richard Seed announced his intention to make a copy of himself at a London Conference. 49 3 vital Richard Seed, an independent scientist, announced he would begin work on human cloning 49 4 vital Richard Seed stated he would clone a child within two years. 49 5 okay Richard Seed said he would move his cloning enterprise to Mexico City if Congress banned human cloning in the US. 49 6 okay Richard Seed believed cloning would be key to quest for rejuvenation. 49 7 okay Announced he would open a clinic in Chicago to clone human beings 49 8 okay His wife agreed to carry an embryo created by combining one of his cells with a donor egg. 49 9 okay He hoped to cooperate with Greek scientists to experiment with human cloning. 49 10 okay He planned to open a cloning lab in Japan where there is no law to ban cloning. 49 11 okay Said he was invited to move his Human Clinic to Mexico if Congress forbid his research. 49 12 okay Whether he had the expertise and could recruit capable scientists or raise funding for cloning was not clear. Qid 50: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy] in [accepting illegal gratuities]? 50 1 vital Acceptance of tickets to U. S. Open tennis tournament from Sun-Diamond 50 2 vital Acceptance of luggage from Sun-Diamond 50 3 vital Acceptance of a framed print from Sun-Diamond 50 4 vital Acceptance of a Waterford crystal bowl from Sun-Diamond 50 5 vital Acceptance of $12,000 in gratuities from Tysons Foods 50 6 vital 70 witnesses testified Espy never offered or gave favors for gifts 50 7 vital Acceptance of tickets to Dallas Cowboys football 50 8 vital Acceptance of tickets to Chicago Bulls basketball 50 9 vital Acceptance of cash and air fare for Espy girlfriend from Tysons Foods 50 10 vital Acceptance of wine worth $187 from Robert Mondavi Corp 50 11 vital Acceptance of dinner worth $207 for self and friend from Robert Mondavi Corp 50 12 okay Espy gratuity givers were convicted and fined for giving illegal gratuities 50 13 okay Espy paid a fine for using campaign funds to pay fees of his trial 50 14 okay EPA head Browner testified Espy said ethics code "was a bunch of junk" 50 15 okay After case, Supreme Court ruled a "gratuity" conviction MUST include evidence of an official act resulting from gratuity 50 16 vital Acceptance of $665 in meals from Sun-Diamond Qid 51: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [Mark McGwire] in [the use of illegal, performance-enhancing substances]? 51 1 vital McGwire used a performance-enhancing substance named "androstenedione" 51 2 vital McGwire used the muscle-builder "creatine" 51 3 vital Use of androstenedione is technically legal 51 4 vital Use of creatine is technically legal Qid 52: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [Christopher M. Davidge] in [illegal price fixing by the auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's]? 52 1 vital Davidge resigned a month after Christie's turned over incriminating evidence to the Justice Department. 52 2 vital Justice Dept. added new details to allegation that A. Taubman of Sotheby's met secretly with Davidge to fix seller's fees during first half of 1995. 52 3 vital Davidge maintained "incriminating communications" in concealed files separate from the company's and his own. 52 4 vital Davidge provided prosecutors with a batch of documents with collusion instructions from Tennant and detailed responses. 52 5 vital Davidge told prosecutors he got involved in the conspiracy on orders from his boss, Tennant. 52 6 vital Davidge told prosecutors he met secretly with Diana Brooks many times over three years in NY & London to work out details of collusion & exchange. 52 7 vital N.Y. Antitrust Office received 100's of memo's and notes of secret meetings between Davidge and Diana Brooks of Sotheby's. 52 8 vital Diana Brooks said she is prepared to testify about meetings with Davidge to discuss price-fixing arrangements. Qid 53: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [China] in [human organ transplants from Chinese prisoners]? 53 1 vital A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman today denied a US television report that some hospitals under the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) sell foreigners the organs of convicts sentenced to death. 53 2 okay "Military surgeons" appearing in the documentary are not PLA medical personnel, he added. 53 3 okay He said that hospitals have never sold the organs of convicts sentenced to death. 53 4 okay They pretended to be a husband and wife team and shot footage of a heart surgery during a visit to a Chinese hospital, then claimed it was an organ transplant operation using an organ taken from an executed convict. 53 5 okay A thorough investigation has shown that the footages used in the documentary, with the exception of a few shots of entrances to medical centers in south China that are open to foreigners, are "fabrications" that have nothing to do with PLA hospitals. 53 6 okay The judge also refuted the allegations by some Western human rights groups and media that China has adopted lethal injection for the convenience of obtaining organs from executed criminals for the purpose of transplants. 53 7 okay Any form of trade in human organs is in direct violation of Chinese law and is strictly prohibited by the Chinese Government, according to a leading government official. 53 8 okay China is permitted to use organs of executed prisoners when the prisoner voluntarily affixes his or her signature or his or her relatives grant approval to his or her organ donation. 53 9 okay Medical institutions in Hainan Province have never engaged in any form of cooperation with foreign counterparts and personnel in the transplantation of human organs. 53 10 okay The Hainan Provincial Customs Office has never detected or had a due cause to investigate a case involving the illegal shipment of human bodies to foreign countries. 53 11 okay In May of 1996, the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the General Administration of Customs published a regulation prohibiting the trading of human tissue or organs; and making it illegal to donate or exchange human tissue and organs with any overseas organizations or individuals. 53 12 vital Reports that Wang Chengyong has been charged with attempting to sell in the United States organs removed from executed Chinese prisoners. 53 13 okay A federal judge has delayed the trial of two men who were charged in a scheme to arrange the transplant of organs taken from executed Chinese prisoners, questioning whether the defendants were entrapped in the case, and expressing concern over the absence of a crucial witness. 53 14 vital Federal charges against two men accused of conspiring to sell human organs taken from Chinese prisoners were dismissed. 53 15 okay Judge Deborah A. Batts of the U.S. District Court here said the informant, Paul Risenhoover, had been seeking to overthrow the Chinese government and might have entrapped the two defendants. 53 16 okay The prosecution had been widely watched because the charges appeared to confirm dissidents' allegations of a thriving trade in China in which kidneys and other organs taken from executed prisoners are sold for use in transplants. 53 17 okay The case suggested that the activity had reached the United States. 53 18 okay In her 155-page opinion, Batts also attacked the government's investigative work, charging that some records had been submitted to the grand jury with pages missing and that a secretly taped conversation of a meeting between Wang, an FBI agent and Risenhoover had been mistranslated by Risenhoover. 53 19 okay The case was built largely on taped conversations involving Risenhoover, Wang and Harry Wu, a well-known human rights activist. 53 20 okay Wu posed as a doctor and secretly videotaped Wang allegedly trying to arrange the sale of body parts. Afterward, Wu contacted the FBI, which videotaped and arrested Wang a week later. 53 21 okay With a key witness who had disappeared now offering to testify, federal prosecutors have reopened their case against two Chinese citizens charged with trafficking in human organs harvested from executed Chinese prisoners, a lawyer involved in the case said Tuesday. 53 22 vital Two urgent resolutions adopted by the European Parliament Thursday, which denounces China's trafficking in the organs of condemned prisoners and calls for the United Nations to set up a commission of inquiry on the matter. 53 23 vital Two House committees, International Relations and Government Reform and Oversight, heard testimony on accusations about the sale of human organs from executed prisoners in China to foreigners. 53 24 okay One hearing focused on harsh conditions _ including the alleged sale of body organs of executed prisoners _ in China's prisons, where hundreds, if not thousands, of political prisoners are being held, according to the London-based rights group, Amnesty International. 53 25 vital Taiwanese patients can make arrangements to receive kidneys transplanted from executed criminals in China through an agent in southern Taiwan, a newspaper reported Wednesday. 53 26 okay Agents in the city of Kaohsiung make all necessary arrangements for patients, from initial health exams through operations and follow up care at a hospital in the Chinese city of Fuzhou, the United Daily News reported. 53 27 okay Human rights groups have reported organs being removed from executed criminals by doctors operating on the back of a truck at the execution ground. 53 28 okay The report quoted the manager of the agency, identified only by his surname, Lu, saying that Fuzhou General Hospital in coastal Fujian province had a contract with the local court to harvest kidneys from executed criminals. The organs can be delivered within 12 hours, and with 13 execution grounds in the vicinity, there was no problem with supply, it quoted the manager saying. 53 29 okay Once approved, total cost for a transplant including transportation costs and hospital stay can total over U.S. dlrs 25,000, part of which is a fee for the agent, the paper said. 53 30 okay Demand for Chinese transplants is driven by waits of up to 10 years for kidneys in Taiwan due to a highly limited supply. 53 31 okay China executes more criminals than any country in the world, and criminals' rights to their body parts are routinely forfeited. 53 32 okay Taiwanese patients arranging for transplants to China say they have been notified that their operations will be held when a patient of matching blood type is executed. 53 33 okay Wu, a former political prisoner, has called attention to the products of prison laborers and exposed the underground sale of prisoners' organs. 53 34 vital A Chinese hospital is selling liver transplants from executed prisoners, a Hong Kong newspaper reported Sunday, fueling allegations that China profits from its frequent use of the death penalty. 53 35 okay Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences No. 1 Hospital is charging $38,500 per transplant, the South China Morning Post said. It said more than 40 patients from mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand have received transplants. 53 36 okay A doctor at the hospital in the southern city of Guangzhou was quoted as saying that most organs come from prisoners. The newspaper did not identify the doctor by name Qid 54: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [the North Korean Government] in [currency counterfeiting]? 54 1 vital In recent years, North Korean diplomats have been caught smuggling counterfeit U.S. dollars in and out of "Japan, Russia, Thailand and a number of African countries." 54 2 vital "A North Korean defector said he had seen forged dlrs 100 bills" so finely crafted that they could pass unnoticed through U.S. counterfeit detection machines. 54 3 vital In 1996, in Cambodia, "Tanaka was arrested with" more than $120,000 worth of "fake $100 bills". 54 4 okay Tanaka was found innocent in Thailand on charges of possessing fake currency as part of a counterfeit ring. 54 5 vital Tanaka was trying to flee to Vietnam "in a North Korean Embassy car" accompanied by North Korean diplomats. 54 6 vital William Drennan, a Korea expert at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said that "North Korean diplomats routinely have been caught" trading in counterfeit money. 54 7 okay Western intelligence agencies believe the gambling haven of Macau, which reverted from Portuguese to Chinese rule in December, is a center of North Korean criminal activity. 54 8 vital Late last year, a North Korean ship captain arriving in Japan was arrested on suspicion of using fake Japanese currency Qid 55: Is there evidence to support the involvement of [Charles Taylor] in [diamond smuggling]? 55 1 vital US and British diplomats say Charles Taylor is a principal player in diamond smuggling in Liberia 55 2 vital NYT states Taylor has turned Liberia into a laundering site for illicit diamonds 55 3 okay In order to tighten control of diamond production Taylor authorized establishment of a cover company in Liberia to hide RUF mining operations in Sierra Leone. 55 4 okay British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said only 2 percent of Sierra Leone diamonds reaching the market were legitimately exported. 55 5 okay Taylor has been dubbed a "Milosevic in Africa with diamonds." 55 6 vital A number of diplomats, international relief officials and mining experts say there is evidence of Taylor's involvement in diamond smuggling in Sierra Leone. 55 7 okay William Twadell said Taylor could have upwards of 75 million dollars a year passing through his hands. 55 8 okay It is widely believed that the Liberian government, with Taylor personally involved, is the biggest buyer of Sierra Leone's diamonds produced by the RUF 55 9 okay A British news crew produced a documentary they believed would support allegations that Liberia is involved ini diamond smuggling for rebels in Sierra Leone. 55 10 okay Holbrooke stated that the governments of Liberia and Burkina Faso, including the actions of their presidents, are profiting from the diamond trade. The US intends to support measures against both Burkina Faso and Liberia unless they stop support for the war in Sierra Leone. 55 11 okay Liberia has been warned to end its involvement in smuggling diamonds from the RUF-controlled diamond areas in Sierra 55 12 okay The US and Britain publicly accused Liberia and Burkina Faso of fueling the war in Sierra Leone by helping its rebels sell diamonds and buy arms. 55 13 okay Taylor personally took command of rebel forces fighting against U.N peacekeepers and sent arms to the rebels and took smuggled diamonds in payment. 55 14 vital United Nations officials accused Taylor of formulating military strategy for the rebels and personally profiting from the sale of illicit diamonds.