51.   Still, a bloody skirmish at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem dampened hopes for prodding Israel and the Palestinians into negotiations.

52.   The Congolese rebel leader promised a long guerrilla fight against President Laurent Kabila and dampened hopes of a ceasefire, a newspaper reported Friday.

53.   The government announcement dampened Iraqi hopes that the exports would bring relief from years of sanctions.

54.   The current battle in Washington further dampened hopes that the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee would take any action on interest rates at its meeting on Wednesday.

55.   The delay dampens hopes EU leaders would announce approval of the aid at their year-end summit this week in Vienna, Austria.

56.   The government and the MQM were due to resume peace talks in Islamabad on Thursday, but the latest violence dampened hopes of a solution.

57.   The Palestinians said they would insist on a far-reaching Israeli troop withdrawal in the West Bank, dampening hopes that the latest U.S. peace initiative could succeed.

58.   The Palestinians said Friday they would insist on a far-reaching Israeli troop withdrawal in the West Bank, dampening hopes that the latest U.S. peace initiative could succeed.

59.   The remark dampened hopes for further economic stimulus measures.

60.   The violence has dampened hopes of a negotiated settlement to the Kosovo crisis, fueled by Albanian demands for independence and Serb determination to hold on to the province.