41.   Abubakar has freed political prisoners, welcomed in foreign envoys, invited exiles to return and committed his military government to elections next year.

42.   Agcaoili said Sison agreed to return home after the government assured the rebels it would free political prisoners still languishing in Philippine jails.

43.   Also Monday, Israel began freeing Palestinian prisoners to mark a Muslim holiday, but PLO officials said the releases fell far short of what was promised in negotiations.

44.   Although he has lost every case, all the prisoners were freed on pardons from President Saddam Hussein.

45.   Aman Ullah, a senior police official, said the gunmen had been trying to free the prisoners but fled after more police units arrived on the scene.

46.   All sides had been expected to free all prisoners not suspected of war crimes.

47.   Alliance Chairman Szeto Wah read a statement calling on China to free political prisoners and end the Communist monopoly on power.

48.   An Israeli negotiator said Monday that Israel should be more flexible in freeing Palestinian prisoners.

49.   At the time, Hamas had given Israel three days to free the prisoners, but the demand was ignored by Israel.

50.   Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat met Sunday to discuss remaining Israeli-Palestinian disputes, agreeing that Israel would remove a sticking point by freeing women prisoners.