Sources close to the leadership indicated that Benn had been a marked man even before the Observer revelations.
When the international communist leadership indicated its dissatisfaction with Browder in 1945, Foster again became party chairman.
The Republican House leadership indicated on Sunday that it was planning to amend whatever the Senate sends back Monday.
The RMT leadership indicated it would still be open to talks, despite failure to agree terms at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).
In a sign that Mr. Arafat had not exhausted his chances, Israel's leadership indicated early today that it would not strike back immediately in reprisal for the latest attack, which also wounded more than 40 people.
Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Republican leadership, indicated he, too, was leaning toward voting for taking up the legislation on Thursday, although he left open the chances of a filibuster at the end of the legislative fight.
But Mbeki continues to show an abject lack of leadership, indicating - as his firing of the Deputy Health Minister shows - that he is less than half-hearted in his commitment to the cause; that the great $64,000 question of South African politics - what the hell is going inside Mbeki's head on Aids? - remains unanswered.
Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, said: "We are glad Republicans have seen the light and taken up Democrats' call to pass a middle-class tax cut, just a few days after their leadership indicated they would oppose it.
If changes in top leadership indicate a change of direction, Hollande is now serious about unpopular economic reforms to get the French economy off life support, which means to give prosperity a chance.
For now, the comments of Kristol and David Frum, who has been highly critical of the Republican leadership, indicate that there is movement inside the GOP's cadre of thinkers.
