11.   With every day that Ryan Thompson is sidelined with a strained right hamstring, Everett tightens his hold on the starting job in right field.

12.   As the president spoke, U.S.-backed forces tightened their hold on a cave-filled Afghan region where bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

13.   China has in recent years tried to tighten its hold on what it considers state secrets, especially given the challenge of the Internet.

14.   China tightens news hold before anniversary.

15.   Milosevic took advantage of the schism to further tighten his hold on power.

16.   Since then, the Serbs have tightened their hold by resettling Serb refugees in the homes, most recently from the Sarajevo suburbs.

17.   Since then, she has moved to tighten her hold on the party and to allow younger politicians to emerge.

18.   Taliban fighters tightened their hold on newly won northern Afghanistan Sunday, and opened contacts with their last opponents after decades of war.

19.   The general has tightened his hold on the region by military, economic and political means.

20.   The Rangers were eliminated Sunday night when Montreal beat Ottawa and tightened its hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.