1.   After western allies protested our refusal to pay our bills, he responded with embarrassment, pleading with GOP congressional leaders to stop being such pikers.

2.   When voting began, Democratic House members staged a brief walkout to protest the refusal of Republicans to allow a vote on censure as an alternative to impeachment.

3.   Bulgarian officials Sunday protested the refusal by Macedonia to allow several Bulgarian journalists to cover the second round of general elections underway in the former Yugoslav republic.

4.   Last month, Mrs. Ershad called a general strike to protest the refusal of jail authorities to send her husband to a hospital for treatment of viral hepatitis.

5.   On Sunday, Bulgarian officials protested the refusal by Macedonia to allow several Bulgarian journalists to cover the second round of voting.

6.   President Ernesto Zedillo was jeered at an official reception by government workers protesting his refusal to hand out farewell bonuses at the end of his term.

7.   The opposition disrupted the budget presentation to protest the refusal of President Daniel arap Moi to enact constitutional reforms before general elections to be held later this year.

8.   Turkish people and businesses have been boycotting Italian goods to protest the refusal to extradite.

9.   In particular, the workers have protested a refusal by the Polish government to guarantee loans for contracts to build five ships for German customers.