1.   In spirit, if not always in the same exact form, these boutique blocs are coming to be reflected in the U.S. political topology.

2.   The largest bloc of immigrants came from Germany, and their influence is most evident in the churches of the region.

3.   Countless EU-brokered truces and peace conferences collapsed, and the bloc never came up with an approach that the combatants felt compelled to deal with.

4.   His opponents were led by former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, whose bloc also came close to toppling Dini in an October confidence vote.

5.   However, the United States and Western European countries fear the upcoming ballot has been manipulated to ensure that a pro-presidential bloc comes out on top.