1.   And though the political battle is only now warming up, unusual alliances are being struck.

2.   Axa shares have been weighed down in recent months by speculation that it is striking an alliance with UAP, an unprofitable French insurer.

3.   Barark has been unable to strike an alliance with his right-wing opposition before parliament met to prevent the toppling of his government.

4.   Both it and Microsoft have been rushing to strike alliances with media companies.

5.   Cable giant Tele-Communications Inc. recently struck an alliance with the company called home, for this project.

6.   Delta has struck alliances with Austrian Airlines, Air France and Swissair, among others.

7.   For now, though, Akamai has struck alliances with Apple Computer, Microsoft Corp., and Cisco Systems Inc.

8.   He has struck alliances with minority leaders and union leaders who battled Giuliani, earning himself early good will with people who might otherwise be natural adversaries.

9.   In another deal, Glencore has struck an alliance with Anaconda Nickel NL which is developing its Murrin Murrin nickel-cobalt deposit in Western Australia state.

10.   In its anti-terrorism effort, the Bush administration has sought help from dozens of longtime military partners and struck alliances with scores of new ones.