INTRO: Austria's extreme right wing Freedom Party is now part of the country's coalition government, causing dismay and anger among Vienna's European Union partners. In this first of four reports on the Freedom Party, correspondent Andre de Nesnera profiles the party's leader, Joerg Haider, and looks at what draws voters to the Freedom Party.

TEXT: Fifty-year old Joerg Haider and his far-right Freedom Party have completely transformed Austria's political landscape and ended 30 years of domination by the country's Social Democrats. By becoming part of the new coalition, the Freedom Party has entered the government "by the front door" - so to speak - quite a feat for a party that was very much on the margins of Austrian politics just a decade ago. And the rise of the Freedom Party is directly linked to Joerg Haider. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Haider joined the Freedom Party in the late 1960's and headed its youth league. Moving up through the ranks, he took over the party's leadership in 1986 at a time when the Freedom Party received only about five percent of the vote. Since that time, the party's fortunes have blossomed, culminating in last October's elections in which Mr. Haider's party received 27 percent of the votes - a figure that propelled the Freedom Party into a coalition government formed just a few days ago. To Mr. Haider's admirers, he is a breath of fresh air a charismatic leader who will bring much-needed political and economic reform. To his detractors, he is a political opportunist, a xenophobe and a threat to democracy - a dangerous man who uses rhetoric reminiscent of a much darker past. It is not easy to characterize Mr. Haider and it is very difficult to pinpoint exactly what he stands for, since many of his positions are ambiguous. Some experts have described him as a "political chameleon." Richard Luther is writing a biography of Joerg Haider and he is a professor of European politics at Britain's Keele University (in Staffordshire). Professor Luther says a good part of Mr. Haider's popularity is due to the perception by many Austrians that the country's political system is in need of fundamental reform. He says since 1945, Austria has been ruled by two main parties: the conservative People's Party and the Social Democrats.

[02] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: In Northern Ireland, last-ditch efforts continue to try to avert the suspension of the power- sharing assembly, which was set up eight-weeks ago. The dispute is once again over the timing of paramilitary disarmament. Correspondent Laurie Kassman reports on the latest developments from London.

TEXT: Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, who also heads Northern Ireland's executive council, has held crisis talks in Dublin with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Earlier this week, he met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. So did Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. The consultations are aimed at averting the collapse of Northern Ireland's assembly. It was Mr. Trimble's threat to resign over the disarmament issue that sparked the latest crisis. Mr. Trimble has insisted the Irish Republican Army (I- R-A) must start handing over weapons. But the special commission on decommissioning says the I-R-A has not made such a gesture. Gerry Adams, who heads the I-R- A's political wing, says the Good Friday Agreement sets the deadline for disarmament in May. Sinn Fein also argues that disarmament applies equally to both nationalist and loyalist para-military groups and British forces still based in Northern Ireland. Last week, Britain's top minister for Northern Ireland asked Parliament to pass legislation to suspend the assembly until the dispute is sorted out. Mr. Trimble is trying to soften the impact of that decision.

[03] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

INTRO: U-S stock prices were mixed today (Thursday), with the technology sector re-gaining strength. VOA correspondent Elaine Johanson reports from New York:

TEXT: Once again, it was a tale of two markets on Wall Street - with technology taking a dominant position. The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved within a narrow trading range, finally closing down 55 points, one-half of one percent, at 10-thousand-643. The Standard and Poor's 500 index added five points. The Nasdaq composite rallied to a record high after Wednesday's huge losses with a gain of nearly three percent. Analysts said there seemed to be no compelling reason for investors to buy stocks outside of technology:

[04] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: The withdrawal from the Republican presidential race by millionaire magazine publisher Steve Forbes is the day's most popular editorial topic. It is closely followed by comment on the unprecedented attacks this week on various Internet companies by hackers, people, assaulting e-commerce businesses with evil intent. Other topics of interest include: U-S aid to Colombia; the skyrocketing price of oil; and increasing aid to Africa. Now, here is __________ with a closer look and some excerpts in today's Editorial Digest.

TEXT: The Republican presidential race has narrowed to only three candidates, Texas Governor George Bush, Arizona Senator John McCain and radio talk-show host Alan Keys. The publisher of "Forbes" magazine, a respected business and financial weekly, Steve Forbes, says he's dropping out. Mr. Forbes has been running almost continuously since the last presidential campaign, spending an estimated 60-million dollars of his personal fortune, with little to show for it. No paper is more disappointed than the "Manchester [New Hampshire] Union Leader", which had heartily endorsed Mr. Forbes.

VOICE: Our man Steve Forbes is out of the running ... and a few of our readers have reminded us that despite the many gripes as we have had with George W. Bush and John McCain, we would prefer them to having Al Gore or Bill Bradley in the White House. Granted... But now that it appears either [Mr.] Bush or [Mr.] McCain will be the nominee, a simple question must be asked of each of them. To Bush, do you have the innards [strength] to be President, and to [Mr.] McCain, what is your philosophy of government - aside from campaign finance reform?

TEXT: "The Oklahoman" in Oklahoma City laments that: "In a different day and time, Steve Forbes might have become president." But the paper concludes, he was [The "Right Man, [at] Maybe [the] Wrong Time." Less charitably, "The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" scoffs:

VOICE: Conservative publisher Steve Forbes is a dilettante who, in the last two presidential elections, has demonstrated only that he has nothing to say to voters. It is hardly a surprise, therefore, that voters want nothing to do with him. /// OPT /// ... In the end, [Mr.] Forbes' self-indulgent quest for fame, fun, and the presidency did little but waste money - - some 66-million dollars of his 440-million dollar personal fortune, by one estimate. His accountant is probably glad ... [and] The messages of Forbes' G-O-P rivals will no longer be diluted by his blathering... /// END OPT ///

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