31.   Civilians fled their homes by the thousands Saturday as fierce fighting raged between government troops and members of a rebel faction trying to prevent the arrest of their leader.

32.   Cross-border fighting raged for the sixth day running in Tajikistan while military officials said Wednesday that attempts to negotiate a cease-fire have failed.

33.   Defense Minister George Fernandes said in a television interview Sunday Indian soldiers will maintain yearlong vigil on the Kashmir mountains where the fighting raged since early May.

34.   During the late afternoon attack, several groups of Taliban fighters appeared to be surrendering even as the fighting raged.

35.   Fierce fighting has raged since March near the Elephant Pass, a strategic causeway linking Jaffna with the rest of the mainland to the south.

36.   Fierce fighting raged elsewhere in the country.

37.   Even as the fighting raged, Arafat made frequent trips abroad to drum up support for the Palestinian cause.

38.   Fierce fighting raged in Grozny on Wednesday after a bold rebel attack on the Russian-held capital of their separatist republic.

39.   Fierce fighting raged in northeastern Sri Lanka as the military launched an offensive against rebels.

40.   Fierce fighting raged in the area, but casualty figures were not immediately known.