31.   The violence undercuts a fragile truce declared last week and followed up by security meetings attended by both sides.

32.   Three ethnic Albanians were killed Friday in Kosovo, Serb sources reported, and signs of strain on the fragile truce in the province were growing.

33.   However, a fragile truce which took effect last Wednesday finally collapsed Tuesday after Russian commanders demanded that the rebels leave Grozny.

34.   A fragile truce which had held since last Wednesday broke down at the weekend despite continuing peace talks.

35.   A tense standoff between Chechen rebels and Russian forces surrounding this town continued Sunday, threatening the fragile truce agreed last week between President Boris Yeltsin and rebel leaders.

36.   An uneasy calm returned to Monrovia on Saturday after heavy weapons fire rocked the Liberian capital despite a fragile truce declared by rival factions.

37.   An uneasy calm returned to Monrovia late Saturday after heavy weapons fire rocked the Liberian capital despite a fragile truce declared by rival factions.

38.   Elite police commandos Wednesday rescued four Tamil students forcibly conscripted by suspected Tamil Tiger guerrillas in eastern Sri Lanka despite a fragile truce, officials said.

39.   The Russian and rebel military commanders in Chechnya Saturday formally agreed a ceasefire, consolidating a fragile truce that took effect Wednesday.

40.   The official ceasefire will reinforce a fragile truce brokered by Russian security chief Alexander Lebed that has held -- with occasional exceptions -- since Wednesday.