A federal judge who recently eased limits on police surveillance of political groups said yesterday that he was troubled by recent police questioning of antiwar demonstrators.

That included South Africa when such investments were highly unpopular at home, and, Mr. Ramseyer hopes, Vietnam, as the United States eases limits on trading there.

Civil rights lawyers yesterday asked a federal judge who recently eased court-ordered limits on police surveillance of political groups to revise the guidelines so that the city could be held in contempt if they are violated.

It also eases limits on spending on roads and railways.

In response, President Bush significantly eased limits on American intelligence and law enforcement agencies and the military.

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan measure that eases limits on the federal financing of embryonic stem cell research, setting up another confrontation over the issue with President Bush.

The idea is to ease limits on weapons on Russia's European borders so it can deal more easily with secessionist movements.

One of Culver's first initiatives was to sign legislation easing limits on types of stem cell research in Iowa.

If the Russians do crack down, Washington is willing to ease limits on Russia's launching of foreign satellites, American officials say.

About the time that the Administration was easing limits on weapons sales, officials in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic began re-thinking their enthusiasm for the expensive jet fighters.