1.   American strongly denies the assertion, but acknowledges having reached agreements with Antigua, Grenada and St. Lucia to provide daily jet service between those islands and Miami.

2.   And he again denied assertions that he ever hit his wife.

3.   And he denied assertions that he had not given his artists or associates their due.

4.   At a news conference Wednesday, Babitsky denied Kremlin assertions that he had been handed over to Chechen rebels in exchange for Russian POWs.

5.   Bauer, the campaign lawyer, denied that assertion.

6.   Administration officials denied the assertions of business lobbyists that the White House had rushed through the rules.

7.   Aides to Pataki deny those assertions.

8.   Bosnian officials denied the assertion, and U.N. officials could not confirm it.

9.   But Fed spokesmen vehemently deny the assertion by some Fed critics in Congress that its spending is excessive.

10.   But Pat Bath, a spokeswoman for the Legal Aid Society, denied her assertion.