Still to be resolved is the potentially thorny issue of who will become publisher of The Inquirer, or, technically, of Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.

The American detention in a foreign country of 12 Iranians, one of whom may be a high-ranking general, represents a potentially thorny diplomatic situation.

Those will include the potentially thorny question of a date for the new election.

And it faces potentially thorny regulatory obstacles.

Bland is unapologetic about the potentially thorny issue of trying to convert people.

Fehr did not address the potentially thorny issue of the designated hitter.

Mr. Barr has not tried to displace Mr. Sessions, a potentially thorny task.

The others concern potentially thorny issues like justice and land distribution, so a complete armistice remains far off.

They are divided on the issue of term limits, a potentially thorny topic for Mr. Maloney, who signed a pledge in 1998 that he would not serve beyond eight consecutive years.

Legal experts said the judge's decision was a sensible approach to a potentially thorny issue.