Budapest  - Hungary's largest railworkers union has suspended a nationwide strike after eight days of cancellations, delays and misery for rail travellers.

The news came as a relief to thousands of Hungarians who plan to catch a train home for Christmas. Only the day before, union leaders were hinting that the strike might continue throughout the holiday season.

The leader of the Railway Workers Free Trade Union, Istvan Gasko, announced that the strike would be lifted at midnight on Monday (1100 GMT).

Budapest  - Talks between management of Budapest Ferihegy International Airport and the representatives of striking workers ended in acrimony Friday, with both sides accusing the other of unlawful conduct.

Despite the ongoing strike, the airport had returned to near normal level of service by Thursday, albeit only through one of three passenger terminals, as many union members have gone back to work, and foreign temporary staff have been brought in.

Budapest - Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic refused on Friday to sign a bill passed by parliament that would allow the use of Hungarian place names in text books, in a move that could reignite a long-running row between Slovakia and its Hungarian minority.

Current Slovak law allows only the use of the Slovak place names even in textbooks designed for the country's Hungarian-speaking minority.

The issue has caused considerable tension in recent months between Slovakia, the 10 per cent of its population that is ethnically Hungarian and, by extension, Hungary itself.

Budapest - There was more disruption to rail services in Hungary on Friday as a strike by the country's largest railworkers union entered its sixth day.

The Rail Workers' Free Trade Union (VDSZSZ) is demanding a one-off payment of 250,000 forints (1,356 dollars) to all MAV employees from the proceeds of the privatisation of MAV Cargo, the recently spun off freight wing of the loss-making state-owned rail firm.

It also wants a backdated, ten per cent pay rise for subcontracted workers.

Budapest - A nationwide strike by public sector workers in Hungary scheduled for January 12 has been averted after union and government representatives struck a compromise deal at 4 am on Friday following lengthy negotiations.

Twenty unions have signed a deal over "thirteenth month" bonuses, state secretary for employment Gabor Csizmar announced on morning television on Friday.

"On the basis of this agreement, the overwhelming majority of unions have agreed to call off the January 12 strike," said Laszlo Varga, head of the union forum involved in the negotiations.

All Hungarian public sector workers traditionally receive an extra payment equivalent to one full month's pay at the end of the year.

Budapest - Hungarian police said Thursday that French authorities have sent two officers and equipment to help search for a 22-year-old French student who disappeared two weeks ago after leaving a city centre bar to walk home alone in the early hours.

Hungarian police assigned a seven-strong team of detectives to interview over 100 possible witnesses and review footage from surveillance cameras to reconstruct Ophelie Bretnacher's last known movements.

However, they have found no trace of the young French woman, who came to Hungary in September as an exchange student.