21.   In Washington on Thursday, the building trades department announced it would not oppose the deal.

22.   It was that prospect, and the release of IRA prisoners as part of the settlement, that led many Protestants to oppose the deal.

23.   Just hours after his announcement, David W. Packard, the son of the other HP founder, Dave Packard, also came out to oppose the deal.

24.   Many investors had opposed that deal, saying Natwest was offering too much money for the company, a British insurer.

25.   New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco has opposed the deal because he believes it would be anti-competitive.

26.   One executive who has opposed the deal is Kerry Stokes, chairman of the Seven Network, which owns television stations in Australia.

27.   Otherwise, they said, the government would oppose the deal altogether.

28.   President John Gavras said the council would go to court to oppose the deal.

29.   Procter executives said regulators in the United States, Britain, Canada, Spain and Germany have all indicated they will not oppose the deal.

30.   Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said that and deep cuts in Medicare and many domestic progams were enough to make him oppose the deal.