11.   The government started preparations for the expected crowds years late.

12.   The NBA will assign a two-person team that will move to Atlanta in August to start serious preparations.

13.   The U.S. team will start preparations with practices late at night.

14.   Toward that end, Radja will rendezvous with his Croatian brethren in Zagreb next week to start preparations for the European Cup in late June.

15.   Palestinians started preparations for the Israeli pullout.

16.   Palestinians, meanwhile, started preparations for the Israeli pullout Tuesday.

17.   Palestinians in Hebron started preparations for the Israeli pullout.

18.   A delegation from the IMF and World Bank is due to arrive in Bulgaria this week to start technical preparations for the board.

19.   Because Bush conducts foreign policy mainly through personal rapport, he already has started preparations for at least one new face.

20.   France now meets Croatia next month as it starts a preparation of nine matches before it opens the World Cup in eight months.