31.   Prime Minister Jenny Shipley strengthened her hold on power Tuesday, securing enough defections from a splintered junior government coalition party to guarantee her rule.

32.   Sorenstam can strengthen her hold on player-of-the-year honors.

33.   Tahboub said the excavation was another attempt by Israel to strengthen its hold over the disputed city.

34.   The executives claimed Chavez was trying to strengthen his hold on a multinational corporation that cherishes its autonomy.

35.   The point allowed the Coyotes to strengthen their hold on eighth place in the Western Conference, moving two points ahead of idle Los Angeles.

36.   The Penguins, playing without injured star Jaromir Jagr, strengthened their hold on the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

37.   The rebels have strengthened their hold on the east because the military has pulled out half of its forces from that region for the offensive in the north.

38.   The raid appeared to be part of a government campaign to squash Palestinian Authority efforts to strengthen its hold on east Jerusalem and its immediate West Bank hinterland.

39.   Their efforts to strengthen the hold of religion in Israel have stirred the once-passive secular majority.

40.   They did call off municipal contests because of harassment of candidates and claims that refugees were told where to cast their votes to strengthen political hold on strategic cities.