61.   This Lakers stance leaves the door open to widespread speculation.

62.   This has led to widespread speculation that in many cases ransom is paid to shadowy intermediaries.

63.   Ties between these groups and officials of security agencies have been the subject of widespread speculation for the last year and a half.

64.   When he lost the job of deputy president to Mbeki two years earlier, there was widespread speculation Ramaphosa was preparing to leave politics for business.

65.   Widespread speculation is that several others are enduring serious financial difficulty and may eventually fold or merge with more successful companies.

66.   With the hands-on, hard-driving Diller aboard, there had been widespread speculation in the industry about how his presence would affect the studio operation.

67.   Primakov also denied widespread speculation that the government was planning to nationalize ailing domestic banks.

68.   After Mother Teresa died last month, there was widespread speculation over whether the process would be speeded up.

69.   Also weakening the mark was widespread speculation that the German central bank may cut official interest rates when its policymaking council meets on Thursday.

70.   And Syria, after years of sputtering peace talks, moved troops in Lebanon toward the Israeli border in August, prompting widespread speculation about the possibility of war.