SINGAPORE (AP)-Thousands of people who migrated to Australia from Singapore and Malaysia

are returning home because of the worst recession down under since the "Great

Depression," according to the Business Times. The report said 6,440 Malaysian

and 3,700 Singaporean migrants returned home last year in an outflow that has been

increasing since 1988, when Australia's economy began to slow after the government

raised interest rates.

Most emigrants from Southeast Asia initially moved to Australia in search of investment

opportunities and better jobs.

Ghana to Hold Elections

ACCRA, Ghana (AP)-Ghana's first presidential election in 13 years will be held Nov.

3, official Ghana radio said recently.

Ghanaian voters approved the military's plan for a return to civilian rule in an

April referendum. Its ban on party politics was lifted in early May.

Many parties have threatened to boycott the elections because the referendum bars

prosecution of anyone in Lt. Jerry Rawlings' government. And the military has ordered

political parties not to use the names of any parties that existed before Rawlings

seized power in a coup Dec. 31, 1981.

The opposition parties tried unsuccessfully to have a court block the rules, saying

they were part of a plan to make it impossible for the new parties to operate. They

said Rawlings' goal is to manipulate the process to stay in power.

Rawlings has refused to say whether he will run in the presidential elections, slated

for Dec. 8.

Indonesia May Buy Scuds

JAKARTA, Indonesia ( AP)- Indonesia may buy scud missiles from the former Soviet

Union to strengthen its defense system.

"We are collecting data on weapons that we are going to buy and scud missiles

are one of the considerations," the daily Kompas newspaper quoted Air Force

Chief Siboen as saying last month.

Indonesia and other countries in the region have begun bolstering their militaries

recently, partly to compensate for the closure of U.S. bases in the Philippines.

Siboen has said Indonesia is currently negotiating the purchase of two squadrons

of "Hawk" fighters from Britain.