That the Germans were now actively negotiating with the resistance was an unmistakable sign that they were getting ready for the end.

BBC: Part Two - France and Memory

Arab neighbours, some 13 of which have either signed or are actively negotiating free-trade agreements with Iraq, will also be hoping to cash in on new opportunities.

ECONOMIST: Sharpening sanctions

That is especially bad news for Mercosur, an agricultural superpower, which is one of the few areas in the region not actively negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.

ECONOMIST: What can Latin America expect of a re-elected George Bush?

Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a moderate Democrat whom the Republicans have been actively courting, would mean the White House would have to start negotiating the size and scope of the tax cut, something the Bush team did not want to do this early in the budget process.

CNN: Senate deals sharp blow to Bush tax plans