31.   Brazil, aiming to improve its record to five titles, had one of the easiest groups.

32.   Brazil, which seeks to improve its record to five World Cup championships, is the seeded team in Group A.

33.   But France and Japan said they open diplomatic relations only if North Korea improves its shaky human-rights record.

34.   But he repeated the administration position that engaging in open trade with China offers Washington the best opportunity to persuade China to improve that record.

35.   But with the near collapse of Russian financial markets this year, the government has said it wants to improve its record on corporate governance.

36.   Chirac, who has in the past avidly courted Chinese leaders, expressed confidence that China would improve its record.

37.   Clinton had previously threatened to revoke the trade status, which gives Chinese goods the lowest available tariffs, if China did not improve its human rights record.

38.   Daly is meanwhile hoping to improve his record at the Classic.

39.   Flick called on hospitals to improve their records of Aboriginal health problems so data could be used in future to target specific problems.

40.   Gere said China should not be allowed to join the World Trade Organization until it had improved its record.