31.   He refused to explain his absence, which began Friday, but said he wanted to play baseball again.

32.   He refused to explain his absence, which began last Friday, but said he wanted to play baseball again.

33.   His campaign issued statements explaining his absence.

34.   Latrell Sprewell will meet Sunday with Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy and general manager Scott Layden to explain his absence from training camp.

35.   Managers for the singer explained her absence from the ceremony to honor British musicians Monday night by saying that she was very ill.

36.   Sprint star Frankie Fredericks tried to explain his absence from the Welsh Games in a telephone linkup with the fans Saturday but no one could hear him.

37.   The court said Egyptian Mahmoud Said Ahmed and Tanzanian Rashid Saleh Hemed had not explained their absence.

38.   The judge asked the prosecution to explain the absence of a warrant, but said the trial would continue.

39.   The Kremlin explained his absence by saying he was simply tired or was suffering from a cold.

40.   The Kremlin has explained his absences by saying he was simply tired or was suffering from a cold.