1.   In those days, when state government was plagued with potential deficits rather than blessed with surpluses, it usually was more fun being a challenger than an incumbent.

2.   Many Syrians blame him for initiating much of the official corruption that now plagues the government.

3.   Religious concerns have long plagued Israeli governments that have needed the participation of religious parties to govern.

4.   The eight-month-old government is already plagued by squabbles that range from the farcical to the serious.

5.   The government had been plagued by the growing sophistication of counterfeiting rings that were often associated with narcotics traffickers and, more recently, terrorist groups.

6.   The United States also risks condemnation for backing Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, whose government has been plagued for years by corruption allegations.

7.   A series of corruption scandals has plagued the government of President Kim Dae-jung, whose popularity has plummeted in the past year.

8.   But the government has been plagued with high unemployment, strikers using unruly tactics learned from anti-apartheid protest, and crime.

9.   Ecevit, who has a clean reputation, stood to pick up votes from people angered with the constant scandals that have plagued previous governments.

10.   Ecevit, who has a clean reputation, appeared to be picking up votes from people angered with the constant scandals that have plagued previous governments.