61.   The tobacco firms are threatening to challenge the inflation-adjustment provision in the courts because they say it is not part of the national settlement agreement.

62.   Those amounts could change if Congress approves a national settlement.

63.   Tobacco industry analysts and national settlement negotiators expect Minnesota to settle its case before the end of the trial in a state court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

64.   Tobacco industry analysts and investors expect the state and the companies to settle the lawsuit, pending the approval of the national settlement by Congress.

65.   Tobacco shares fell on concern that industry documents released in the Minnesota trial may jeopardize a proposed national settlement.

66.   To public health advocates, most of whom have criticized the national settlement, the inability of the attorneys general to protect Liggett was symptomatic of other deficiencies.

67.   Tobacco industry analysts and investors said last week they expected Florida and the tobacco companies to settle the lawsuit, pending the approval of the national settlement by Congress.

68.   TOBACCO-FARMERS -- WASHINGTON -- A House Agriculture subcommittee holds a hearing on how tobacco producers would be affected by the proposed national settlement.

69.   Under the proposed agreement with the attorneys general, a national settlement providing congressional immunity from class-action lawsuits would supersede the state settlements.

70.   With those developments, the manufacturers have been less willing to concede on some major points they had agreed to incorporate in the national settlement.