11.   The announcement surprised Republicans and Democrats.

12.   The announcement surprised Israelis, whose opinion will be crucial.

13.   The announcement surprised many industry analysts, who were expecting that USAir might go outside the industry for a new leader.

14.   His announcement surprised everyone.

15.   The announcement surprised many Benfica fans, who expected Leiria coach Jose Mourinho to take the job.

16.   The announcement surprised some sports officials.

17.   The announcement surprised and irritated the Dutch and came after two weeks of arm-wrestling between Washington and Europe.

18.   But the announcement surprised his defense minister, Binyamin Ben Eliezer, who said he was opposed to long-term reoccupations of Palestinian territories.

19.   Its announcement surprised analysts who saw it as a panic move amid signs of a slowing economy and falling consumption in the pre-Christmas period.

20.   The announcement surprised financial markets and sent the Australian dollar plunging but brought relief to home-buyers and a distressed retail industry.