The government's military action began after last-ditch talks in Tokyo, led by the United States, Japan and the World Bank, broke down last weekend.

The last-ditch talks indicate that Washington hopes to squeeze sufficient concessions from Beijing to authorize the lowest-possible trade tariffs on Chinese goods and avoid what could be a bruising diplomatic clash.

Ronald Carey, the union president, said last-ditch talks with a Federal mediator and U.P.S. officials were "just a waste of time."

These provide a month in which the adversaries can, if they want, engage in last-ditch talks and avoid a strike.

The leadership of the pilots' union at US Airways voted late last night to hold last-ditch talks with the airline on its bid for wage and benefit cuts.

Talks proposed on 28 July were ignored by the RSK, and last-ditch talks were held in Geneva on 3 August.

Stricken fashion chain Peacocks remained on the ropes on Tuesday as last-ditch talks with the syndicate of banks that control the indebted retailer went to the wire.

An article in the Financial Times on 23 December 2007 reported that the company was in "last-ditch talks" to arrange a financial rescue package.

Mr. Clinton canceled a long-planned fund-raising trip to Boston on Monday to be present in Washington for any last-ditch talks.

Leaders of the pressmen's union huddled privately with a labor mediator for nearly three hours yesterday, as last-ditch talks between The Daily News and its striking unions dragged on for a sixth day.