41.   Congressional leaders are hoping to minimize the number of side issues tacked onto the bill.

42.   Congress plans to vote on the measure this week and Republican leaders hope to send it to the president by this weekend.

43.   Congressional leaders hope to complete their work this week before the holiday recess.

44.   Democratic Party leaders had hoped to recruit a qualified, aggressive candidate this year to challenge Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

45.   Democrats said Republicans had staged the perjury session to rally support for impeachment articles, which House leaders hope to bring to a floor vote later this month.

46.   Democratic leaders are hoping to hold all but three to five Democrats against impeachment.

47.   Democratic Party leaders are now hoping to convince Arnold to quit the race and perhaps consider a bid for secretary of state instead.

48.   Despite the latest violence, Israeli and Palestinian leaders were still hoping on Thursday night that a truce might yet be established.

49.   European leaders hope to give a push to monetary union this week by nailing down an agreement to prevent reckless government spending that could undermine a planned common currency.

50.   European political leaders are hoping that adopting a common currency will provide the whole continent a much-needed boost.