31.   He told Israeli Radio that Assad was still consolidating his hold on power, after succeeding his father, who died in May of last year.

32.   His handpicked successor, Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin, seems to have consolidated his hold on power.

33.   If the voting is accepted as fair, it indicates the Communists are consolidating their hold on power.

34.   In Kunduz, which fell Sunday after a two-week siege, the northern alliance was trying to consolidate its hold on the city.

35.   Last weekend, troops consolidated their hold on the northern territory wrested from the rebels.

36.   Massood ordered his soldiers to consolidate their hold on the air base surrounding the airport with heavy weapons and antiaircraft weapons.

37.   Meanwhile the Taliban army, which is battling a northern-based opposition alliance, is trying to consolidate its hold over the entire country.

38.   Milosevic consolidated his hold on Serbia over the Kosovo issue, and the criticism harked back to the period when Milosevic used nationalism to inspire support.

39.   Restrictions on women that have prompted international condemnation could be lifted once the Islamic group has consolidated its hold over the Afghan capital, a Taliban leader said Friday.

40.   Rebels began to consolidate their hold on Zaire as deposed dictator Mobutu Sese Seko fled the country to begin a life in exile.