31.   The first, shortly after dawn, came amid fighting between Israeli forces and guerrillas of the Hezbollah, or Party of God, militia.

32.   The frenzied diplomatic activity came amid increasing international pressure on Israel to halt its offensive in the West Bank.

33.   The move comes amid what critics have described as a crackdown on the independent and opposition press in Egypt.

34.   The high gas prices come amid rising crude oil costs.

35.   The meeting came amid fighting within the government coalition over a timetable for abolishing nuclear power.

36.   The new diplomatic developments come amid what appears to be growing discontent in the tightly-controlled state.

37.   The pledge came amid increasing labor unrest.

38.   The statements opening a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin came amid increasing questions about who is in charge of the troubled Chechnya offensive.

39.   The talks come amid slowly improving U.S.-North Korean relations following attempts at reconciliation between North and South Korea.

40.   The violence comes amid increasing media reports about violence against Russian sports stars, especially those earning substantial non-ruble salaries in the West.