11.   The application was made with Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands, a longstanding ally of Sony in the DVD forum, and Hewlett-Packard Corp.

12.   The longstanding ally sometimes seems reluctant to be a full partner in the U.S.-organized anti-terror coalition.

13.   Nine weeks later, this longstanding ally of Yeltsin still has his job.

14.   Taipei cut off direct air links with Seoul in retaliation for the political defection of its longstanding ally during the Cold War period.