41.   The nominal government and the rapidly advancing Taliban militia held tense negotiations Wednesday in a bid to avert fresh fighting in the Afghan capital.

42.   The pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Hall, of Brooksville, Florida, was captured by the North Koreans and released two weeks later after tense negotiations.

43.   The scandal could not come at a worse time for Ukraine, whose government is in the midst of tense negotiations with the IMF.

44.   The soldiers opened fire after a period of tense negotiations.

45.   The three parties signed the agreement after days of tense negotiations to work out a common government policy.

46.   The unveiling was two years later than originally planned because of delays caused by often tense negotiations with Washington.

47.   They were met by thousands of villagers, and tense negotiations ensued.

48.   Three more hostages were released Sunday afternoon amid tense negotiations by radio between authorities in the control tower and the group of gunmen speaking from the cockpit.

49.   Throughout tense negotiations with Essex police, the hijackers never gave a clear explanation of their aims, said David Stevens, chief constable of Essex County police.

50.   US Airways was in tense negotiations Friday to try to avert a threatened walkout by flight attendants.