31.   The government, in a desperate bid to balance the budget, has levied new taxes, done away with some exemptions and tried harder to collect.

32.   The men had claimed they stormed the plane in a desperate bid to enter Britain and seek asylum.

33.   The rebels said that in a desperate bid to attract the attention of the international community, starving Tamils will stage a protest in northern Mallavi village Saturday.

34.   With a disappointing Olympics so far, Sweden on Friday made a desperate bid to pinch a little glory from neighboring Norway.

35.   Firemen aided by volunteers used foam to try to contain towering flames in a desperate bid to stop the blaze spreading to the four neighbouring tanks.

36.   Fulham threw everybody forward in a desperate bid to snatch a point but United held on for a vital win.

37.   In a desperate bid to head off the crisis, Bucaram sacked three cabinet members including his brother just before the opening of the legislative session Thursday.

38.   In a desperate bid to head off the crisis, Bucaram sacked three cabinet members including his brother just before the opening of the legislative session.

39.   In a desperate bid to head off the crisis, he sacked three cabinet members including his brother only hours before the Congress session got under way.

40.   Industrialists warned that the Congress, in a desperate bid to regain its popularity, might go in for populist measures that could torpedo the need for fiscal discipline.