11.   An armed man seeking ransom seized a worker at the Swedish Embassy in Moscow Friday night and was rendered harmless after swapping the Swede for a Russian security official.

12.   An armed man seeking ransom seized a worker at the Swedish Embassy in Moscow Friday night but then agreed to swap the Swedish hostage for a Russian security official.

13.   An attacker seeking ransom seized a kindergarten in southern Russia Tuesday and hurled two hand grenades into a room packed with children after police began rescuing his small hostages.

14.   Armed gangs seeking ransom have kidnapped dozens of foreigners and ethnic Russians this year.

15.   Armed gangs seeking ransom have seized dozens of ethnic Russians and foreigners this year.

16.   Authorities believe the women were kidnapped by members of a Chinese gang seeking ransom.

17.   Authorities say dozens of people are being held in Chechnya by kidnappers seeking ransom.

18.   But Roman Catholic officials on Wednesday accused the ELN of seeking ransoms for some of the captives.

19.   Chechnya and surrounding regions have been plagued by kidnappings, mostly by armed groups seeking ransoms.

20.   Efforts to negotiate the release of the last two so far have proven fruitless, despite early reports their kidnappers were seeking a ransom.