1.   At the hearing, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., unveiled a bill that would toughen the conditions that large regional telephone companies must meet to merge.

2.   It also toughened conditions for repayment of development funds given by governments, with interest charges set at levels closer to market rates than in the past.

3.   The pledges, which the European Commission is holding the bank to, effectively toughen conditions for the bank to win a go-ahead for its bailout plan.

4.   The IMF has toughened its conditions for the release of further loans following the scandal.

5.   The government also has toughened bail conditions, reduced parole options and lengthened prison sentences for serious offenses.

6.   Toughening her conditions for peace talks, President Chandrika Kumaratunga Friday demanded that Tamil rebels surrender their weapons and threatened them with destruction if they continue fighting.

7.   In particular, it aimed to increase jail sentences for people smugglers and toughen the conditions for granting asylum, to bring Spain into line with European Union directives.