1.   Low oil prices were costing the country billions in lost sales, forcing it to contemplate painful budget cuts.

2.   Opponents said closures would save the country billions of dollars to spend on crucial military modernization efforts.

3.   Those reforms have brought the country billions of dollars in foreign investment and helped make the Czech economy one of the strongest in the region.

4.   If the lost business and other opportunity costs are taken into consideration, the water fiasco may have cost the country billions of ringgit in export earnings.

5.   Indonesia replaced the head of its powerful bank restructuring agency on Friday after the incumbent was accused of going soft on debtors who owe the country billions of dollars.

6.   Revenue from the sale of oil and dates gave the country billions of dollars for a comfortable life.

7.   The Federation of Indian Export Organizations estimated on Thursday that the shutdown could end up costing the country billions of dollars in lost exports.

8.   The Federation of Indian Export Organizations has estimated the shutdown could cost the country billions of dollars in lost exports.

9.   The United Nations has estimated that bribes paid to government ministers and officials for weapons and telecommunications contracts are costing countries billions of dollars.