1.   The Dales authority has defended its plans as an extension to public subsidies to landowners for the preservation of the countryside.

2.   In spite of opinion polls suggesting public disapproval, the Education Secretary, John Patten, has defended his plans for national school tests.

3.   The Health Secretary has defended plans to reduce costs for NHS treatment at dentists, saying many dentists earned more than a hundred thousand pounds gross last year.

4.   FORMER US Congressman Bruce Morrison today defended his plans to meet Sinn Fein during his fact-finding mission to Ireland.

5.   Arafat has held such gatherings before, and he defended the plan Sunday as necessary to maintain dialogue among all Palestinians, even those who are his rivals.

6.   At an afternoon court hearing, the counsel to Vacco, Lucia Valente, defended the plan.

7.   Both the company and the insurance division defended the plan.

8.   Bracken defended the plan, noting that most Northwest consumers get power from investor-owned utilities but benefit little from power produced at publicly owned hydro plants.

9.   Administration officials defended their plan, saying it would speed the start of important new standards.

10.   Bush got one of his standing ovations when he defended his plan to use military tribunals to try terrorist suspects who are not Americans.