Premise: For sailors, the lighthouse of Alexandria ensured a safe return to the Great Harbor; for architects, it was the tallest building on Earth; and for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most: its reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore. For all these reasons, the lighthouse was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the world.

Hypothesis: The lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the seven wonders of the world.


Premise: Only three buildings were wrapped by Christo: The Kunsthalle Berne, 1968, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, 1969 and The Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1995, which is the third and last wrapped building -- it was initiated in 1961 first and then again in 1971. In 1971 the Valley Curtain was already well underway, and was not a wrapping.

Hypothesis: The Valley Curtain was wrapped by Christo.


Premise: Until the construction of the Chrysler Building in 1930 by architect William Van Allen, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world.

Hypothesis: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1930.


Premise: Jackson dangled his son from a Berlin hotel window in 2002, outraging many of his staunchest fans. Now Debbie Rowe is fighting for custody of her two children.

Hypothesis: Michael Jackson and Debbie Row divorced in 2002.


Premise: The first union between Sweden and Norway occurred in 1319 when the three-year-old Magnus, son of the Swedish royal Duke Eric and of the Norwegian princess Ingeborg, inherited the throne of Norway from his grandfather, Haakon V, and in the same year was elected King of Sweden, by the Convention of Oslo.

Hypothesis: Magnus was a king of Norway.


Premise: El Nino usually begins in December and lasts a few months.

Hypothesis: El Nino usually starts in December.


Premise: Eurotunnel has signalled a revolution in cross-Channel travel, unveiling a raft of new initiatives to make life easier, faster, and cheaper for motorists crossing the Channel this summer. Fares based on one-way crossings from just 49 Euro for car and passengers.

Hypothesis: The passengers that cross the Eurotunnel each year are just 49.


Premise: The EZLN differs from most revolutionary groups by having stopped military action after the initial uprising in the first two weeks of 1994.

Hypothesis: EZLN is a revolutionary group.


Premise: Interestingly, the fruit that best dried naturally on the tree, and that was pleasant eating, also has astonishingly high levels of vitamin C. This is the jujube fruit, Zizyphus jujuba, whose center of diversity is thought to be in the Eastern Mediterranean, around Syria.

Hypothesis: Jujube fruit contain vitamin C.


Premise: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the Universal Exposition as a monument to the scientific achievements of the 18th century.

Hypothesis: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889.


Premise: Eurostat's task is to provide the European Union with statistics that enable comparisons between countries and regions.

Hypothesis: Eurostat provides the EU wth statistics.


Premise: Laurie Pace has qualified for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games thanks to one of the wildcards which were distributed world-wide. She is aiming at improving over the 16th place in Atlanta.

Hypothesis: The Olympic Games took place in Atlanta in 2000.


Premise: Those producer organizations that are neither FLO certified nor IFAT members, are dealt with according to the EFTA monitoring system (EFTA = European Fair Trade Association) in cooperation between Gepa and the other EFTA members. All these systems are based on the principles of Fair Trade defined by the international Fair Trade network, FINE .

Hypothesis: EFTA is a monitoring system.


Premise: The destruction of the ozone layer was first noticed in the late 1980s as a hole over Antarctica.

Hypothesis: The ozone hole was first noticed in the late 1980s.


Premise: Pythagoras was born in Ionia on the island of Samos, and eventually settled in Crotone, a Dorian Greek colony in southern Italy, in 529 B.C.E. There he lectured in philosophy and mathematics.

Hypothesis: Pythagoras was born in Crotone.


Premise: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma are the major gods of Hinduism, and their functions are often interchangeable.

Hypothesis: Brahma is one of the major gods of Hinduism.


Premise: There are currently eleven (11) official languages (EU languages) of the European Union in number.

Hypothesis: There are 11 official EU languages.


Premise: During the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, 85 misting fans were placed at shaded recovery areas throughout various phases of the equestrian courses to allow these elite athletes to stabilize and lower their body temperatures.

Hypothesis: The Olympic Games took place in Atlanta in 1996.


Premise: This is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva, one of 3 major Gods of Hinduism.

Hypothesis: Lord Shiva is one of the major Gods of Hinduism.


Premise: The Eiffel Tower was built in the period 1887-1889, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

Hypothesis: The Eiffel Tower was built during the French Revolution.


Premise: Andrei Kozyrev became Russian foreign minister in 1990 when it was by no means obvious that it was advantageous for him to accept the appointment.

Hypothesis: Andrei Kozyrev was Russian foreign minister.


Premise: On July 8, 1998, United Airlines expresses opposition to the two-airport concept, a train link between John Wayne and El Toro and any attempt to limit John Wayne to short haul markets.

Hypothesis: John Wayne airport is in El Toro.


Premise: Janez Drnovek (LDS centre-left Liberal Democracy of Slovenia) became Prime Minister at the head of a four-party coalition formed after the December 1992 elections. Milan Kucan was re-elected President in 1992 and 1997 and Drnovek as Prime Minister again in 1997.

Hypothesis: Milan Kucan became Prime Minister of Slovenia in 1992.


Premise: Pisa, an ancient Roman port and great maritime republic, is no longer on the sea but its splendid past lives within its abundant historic and artistic monuments: narrow streets that open into picturesque little squares with multicoloured markets; the charming Piazza dei Cavalieri and Piazza dei Miracoli, one of the most famous monumental complexes in the world.

Hypothesis: Piazza dei Miracoli is located in Pisa.


Premise: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) manages broadcast partnerships and the TOP worldwide sponsorship programme.

Hypothesis: The IOC is the International Olympic Committee.


Premise: The Ulysses spacecraft, launched on October 6, 1990, is a joint solar mission of NASA and the European Space Agency.

Hypothesis: The Ulysses spacecraft was launched on October 6, 1990.


Premise: With Linnaeus as professor, a period in Uppsala began where nature science was much esteemed.

Hypothesis: Linnaeus was a professor in Uppsala.


Premise: For the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the competition was a one-day event in which 32 men who qualified via pre-Olympic competitions participated.


Premise: Tom Jennings is a board certified ophthalmologist.

Hypothesis: Tom Jennings is an ophthalmologist.


Premise: Hebron, located south of Jerusalem in the Judean hills, is home to approximately 120,000 Arabs, 500 Jews, and three Christians.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in the Judean hills.


Premise: Six ships sailed from Nicaragua's Puerto Cabezas on April 14th, to begin their Bay of Pigs Invasion and to take over the Cuban army and government.

Hypothesis: The Bay of Pigs invasion took place on April 14th.


Premise: On June 30, 1908, in Siberia the greatest meteorite fall in historic times occurred.

Hypothesis: A meteorite fell in Siberia in 1908.


Premise: De Klerk was Deputy President of South Africa during the presidency of Nelson Mandela until 1996.

Hypothesis: Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa.


Premise: President Vicente Fox heads into his final year of office Thursday, promising a more democratic, less corrupt and economically stable Mexico.

Hypothesis: Vicente Fox is the President of Mexico.


Premise: FTAA is a huge extension of the principles behind NAFTA, aimed at increasing international government, not strengthening the United States.

Hypothesis: NAFTA is a huge extension of FTAA.


Premise: Thanks to Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin the first modern Olympics Games took place in Athens in 1896.

Hypothesis: The Olympics Games took place in Athens in 1896.


Premise: Early last month, reform candidate Vicente Fox stunned Mexico and the world by winning the presidency of his country. Promising economic and political change, the former Coca-Cola executive and his National Action Party ousted the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that had ruled Mexico for 71 years.

Hypothesis: Vicente Fox won the presidency of Mexico.


Premise: Nationals of the Republic of Cyprus living there are nonetheless fully European citizens and were entitled to vote at European Parliament elections in 2004 (though only a few hundred registered).

Hypothesis: There are only a few hundred European citizens.


Premise: The party line is that it is working within the system to achieve its goals and this is reflected in the government post currently held by Umberto Bossi (Minister for Reform).

Hypothesis: Umberto Bossi is the Minister for Reform.


Premise: Blondlot was trying to polarize X-rays when he claimed to have discovered this new form of radiation.

Hypothesis: Blondlot discovered x-rays.


Premise: By far the greatest proportion of the operational efforts of NATO and the Western European Union (WEU) have already shifted away from collective defense toward this type of activity.

Hypothesis: The WEU is the Western European Union.


Premise: But for all its ominous rhetoric, and a board of directors that looks as if it could become the first cabinet of the United States of Earth (including several former senior World Bank and IMF directors; Jacques Delors, the Frenchman who was the officious president of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995; population control experts and, of course, Maurice Strong, the former advisor to Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau, who was the first president of Petro-Canada), what the CGG and most in civil society are seeking is a realization of the high-modern, one-world, one-family-of-Man dream.

Hypothesis: Jacques Delors was President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995.


Premise: Soldiers looking for the men, typically those who are considered the front line of the EZLN, often move into towns under the guise of humanitarian aid workers.

Hypothesis: The EZLN is a humanitarian aid group.


Premise: Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, the second deepest in the Western Hemisphere, and the seventh deepest in the world, dropping downward to 1,932 feet just southeast of Merriam Cone.

Hypothesis: Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the world.


Premise: The Hebron District is located in the southernmost portion of the West Bank, 36 km south of Jerusalem City.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in Jerusalem City.


Premise: The MIT Press Bookstore stocks most of the books and journals published by The MIT Press as well as the best of other publishers' books in related fields.

Hypothesis: The MIT is a bookstore.


Premise: The largest of these is the Lombard League, which was founded by Umberto Bossi in 1984.

Hypothesis: Umberto Bossi is the founder of the Lombard League.


Premise: In a 1982 interview with Newsweek, Kennedy's personal secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, stated that Kennedy decided to install a taping system following the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Hypothesis: The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in 1982.


Premise: All that changed in 1922, when Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered by Egyptologist Howard Carter on behalf of his patron Lord Carnarvon.

Hypothesis: Tutankhamun's Tomb was unearthed by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.


Premise: Formerly the Valdez Principles, the CERES Principles for environmentally sound business practices were drafted by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies.

Hypothesis: The Valdez Principles are principles for environmentally sound business practices.


Premise: Sometimes when the moon is close to the horizon the atmosphere causes the moon to look orange-red in color, or clouds or smoke can darken the moon.

Hypothesis: The moon turns orange because when it is close to the horizon the atmosphere causes the moon to look orange-red in color.


Premise: The Philippines is one of the major crossroads in the eastern hemisphere, as it's home to over 100 ethnic groups and hundreds of language dialects.

Hypothesis: The Philippines is in the eastern hemisphere.


Premise: CERN has now grown to include 20 member states and enjoys the active participation of many other countries world-wide.

Hypothesis: CERN has 20 member states.


Hypothesis: Maurice Strong was President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995.


Premise: American manufacturers contend that China's decade-long practice of keeping its currency valued at around 8.28 yuan to the dollar, has resulted in the Chinese currency being undervalued by as much as 40 percent, giving the Chinese a huge competitive advantage.

Hypothesis: The currency used in China is the yuan.


Premise: Hamlet (1969) starring Nicol Williamson (not to mention Anthony Hopkins) and directed by Tony Richardson , was a low-budget film that was shot while the actors were simultaneously doing a theatre version.

Hypothesis: Nicol Williamson directed "Hamlet".


Premise: On September 5, 1997, Athens was selected as the host city of the 2004 Olympic Games. The games took place in Greece from August 13 - 29 in 2004.

Hypothesis: The Olympic Games were held in Athens in 2004.


Premise: Launched in 1990 and still going strong, Ulysses is the first spacecraft ever to pass over the polar regions of the Sun.

Hypothesis: The Ulysses spacecraft was launched in 1990.


Premise: Nixon was impeached and became the first president ever to resign on August 9th 1974.

Hypothesis: Nixon was the first president ever to resign.


Premise: The most ardent advocates of this panacea are US secretary of state Colin Powell, European Union foreign affairs executive Javier Solana, the Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres, Arafat's close financial adviser Muhammed Rashid and Ariel Sharon's new chef de bureau Dov Weisglass.

Hypothesis: Javier Solana is the Israeli foreign minister.


Premise: Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, said Brussels was "transforming vices into virtues" and "advancing the cause of atheism every day".

Hypothesis: Umberto Bossi is the leader of the Northern League.


Premise: Once you have your rental car or motorcycle, take off, ride around the Trodos mountains, or get lost on a desolate Mediterranean highway. Nicosia - AKA Lefkosia. This is the capital of Cyprus and is located in the center of the country.

Hypothesis: The capital of Cyprus is Nicosia.


Premise: Henry might be the world record holder and Olympic gold medalist, but Coughlin is America's fastest swimmer ever in this event and has showed time and time again that she's not afraid to step up and race the best in the world.

Hypothesis: Coughlin is the fastest swimmer in the world.


Premise: In Rwanda there were on average 8,000 victims per day for about 100 days.

Hypothesis: There were 800,000 victims of the massacres in Rwanda.


Premise: Most of the open tombs in the Valley of the Kings are located in the East Valley, and this is where most tourists can be found.

Hypothesis: The Valley of the Kings is located in the East Valley.


Premise: Leo Fender invented the first electric guitar and the electric bass guitar.

Hypothesis: Leo Fender invented the first electric guitar.


Premise: In the mid-1970s, scientists first noticed that chlorine produced in the atmosphere from human-made CFCs and similar chemicals had the potential to destroy ozone and damage the ozone layer.

Hypothesis: The ozone hole was first noticed in the mid-1970s.


Premise: Worn by all popes in the last 800 years, the Fisherman's Ring is a gold ring bearing an image of St. Peter casting his net from a boat, encircled by the current pope's name.

Hypothesis: The pope's name is Peter.


Premise: With over 250 Shakespeare movies produced, Shakespeare film adaptations such as Baz Luhrman's "Romeo and Juliet", the Shakespeare inspired "Shakespeare in Love" and the more recent "Hamlet 2000", prove that Shakespeare film adaptations and movies retain their enduring appeal.

Hypothesis: Hamlet was directed by Baz Luhrman.


Premise: The head of the Italian opposition, Romano Prodi, was the last president of the European Commission.

Hypothesis: Romano Prodi is a former president of the European Commission.


Premise: Yoko Ono Lennon (born February 18, 1933 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese-born American musician and artist. She currently resides in New York City.

Hypothesis: Yoko Ono is an artist.


Premise: This installation of the two objects took place in Znojile, a mountain village with less than 15 inhabitants in Slovenia.

Hypothesis: Slovenia has 15 inhabitants.


Premise: In the past decade, El Nino has been more frequent in Alaska, noticed especially in Juneau. Between the 1950s and 1970s, El Nino usually occurred once every 8-10 years. But in the past ten years, El Nino has become more frequent, occurring every 3-5 years.

Hypothesis: El Nino occurs every 3-5 years.


Premise: X-rays and radioactivity had been discovered just a decade earlier, and some years before that Hertz had discovered radio waves.

Hypothesis: Hertz discovered X-rays.


Premise: Recognized as the eighth deepest lake in the world (and second deepest in the United States), Lake Tahoe measures 1,645 feet at its deepest recorded depth, and averages just under 1,000 feet.

Hypothesis: Lake Tahoe is the deepest lake in the world.


Premise: This is good news for Gaelic translators, as the EU will have to churn out official documents in this language, in addition to the 20 other official EU languages.

Hypothesis: There are 20 official EU languages.


Premise: The provisions of the Treaty were complemented by a Stability and growth pact (adopted by the Amsterdam European Council in June 1997) which maintains budgetary discipline even after the beginning of the third stage by requiring Member States participating in monetary union to draw up and submit stability programmes to maintain medium-term budgetary equilibrium.

Hypothesis: The European Monetary Union started in June 1997.


Premise: Just what is the cause of cancer? The cause of cancer is not bacteria, the cause of cancer is not a virus, and the cause of cancer is not a fungus.

Hypothesis: Fungi cause cancers.


Premise: Belize is located between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers , with the Belize River flowing down in the centre of the country.

Hypothesis: Belize located between the Hondo and Sarstoon Rivers.


Premise: Most linguistically diverse countries only award the official status to one or two core languages: The EU distinguishes between procedural and official languages.

Hypothesis: There are two official EU languages.


Premise: One of the most important archeological finds of all time, King Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1923 by Howard Carter, a British Egyptologist, who was financed in his expedition by Lord Carnarvon himself, an ailing gentleman keen on Egyptology.

Hypothesis: Tutankhamun's Tomb was unearthed by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.


Premise: One of them is the 1908 Tunguska event in Siberia, known as the Tunguska meteorite fall.

Hypothesis: A meteorite fell in Tunguska in Siberia in 1908.


Premise: Story Teller, an installation by Tom Jennings, is an experimental narrative about British mathematician/code breaker Alan Turing, told using obsolete media -- perforated paper tape, teletype, phoneme-speech, glowing phosphors and ink-on-paper.

Hypothesis: Tom Jennings is a mathematician.


Premise: Even before Mosaic, the NCSA had created, back in 1985, software "clients" for PCS and Macs, called Telnet, to allow people to access and use computers connected to the Internet as if the user were locally based.

Hypothesis: Telnet created the internet browser Mosaic.


Premise: Because Redgrave's clamorous political opinions have intruded on her professional life over the last several decades, and, as Winer recounted in her May 11 column, some cultural producers took it upon themselves to decide that (Redgrave's) outspoken support of the Palestine Liberation Organization made her unsuited for employment in this country.

Hypothesis: Redgrave supports the Palestine Liberation Organization.


Premise: The next year East Germany helped found the Warsaw Pact, the Soviet answer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and in 1956 East Germany formed an army.

Hypothesis: East Germany helped found the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).


Premise: For example, Nelson Mandela was considered a "terrorist" by the US government during "apartheid" South Africa. Did the US "corporament" support "apartheid" South Africa?

Hypothesis: Nelson Mandela is a terrorist.


Premise: Bush was the managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team from 1989-1994. In 1994 he was elected governor of Texas, and he was reelected in 1998.

Hypothesis: Bush was elected governor of Texas in 1989.


Premise: SpleEn is a software application for the Macintosh computer developed using Think C and DSP Designer.

Hypothesis: Think C developed the Macintosh computer.


Premise: In 1831, Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt took over Hebron until 1840.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in Egypt.


Premise: The Macintosh , commonly called the Mac for short, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured and marketed by Apple Computer, running the Macintosh operating system.

Hypothesis: Apple Computer developed the Macintosh computer.


Premise: Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin are preparing for a space walk.

Hypothesis: Vladimir Dezhurov is a Russian cosmonaut.


Premise: In the Superman canon, White is the editor of the Daily Planet, the newspaper where the Man of Steel's alter ego, Clark Kent, works as a mild-mannered reporter.

Hypothesis: Clark Kent works for the Daily Planet newspaper.


Premise: She joined the EGTA (European Group of Television Advertising) for a short period and has been working for Eurocare since March 2002.

Hypothesis: Eurocare is a group of television advertising.


Premise: De Klerk ran a largely ceremonial and uncompetitive South-African presidential campaign against Mandela, in which Mandela was soundly elected.

Hypothesis: Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa.


Premise: The continuity in Slovenian politics is striking: Drnovek became Prime Minister in 1992, and won a second term in 1996; he was in opposition for six-months in mid-2000, but again returned to the post after his coalition won October elections.

Hypothesis: Drnovek became Prime Minister of Slovenia in 1992.


Premise: This (revised) Convention shall enter into force six months after the date on which four States, including at least three member States of the Council of Europe, have expressed their consent to be bound by the (revised) Convention in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraphs.

Hypothesis: The Council of Europe is made up by 3 member states.


Premise: Revolutionary Zapata is the rebel leader who said "It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."

Hypothesis: Zapata was a rebel leader.


Premise: Whenever job opportunities with EU institutions arise, these are open to EU citizens who can speak 2 (or more) official EU languages.

Hypothesis: There are 2 official EU languages.


Premise: In the Late 1970's Ruiz came into contact with a group of mostly young Marxists, fleeing security forces. These young Marxists are the group that effetely became the armed wing of the EZLN.

Hypothesis: The EZLN is a security force.


Premise: De Klerk is best known for agreeing to end apartheid , and he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela in 1993 for his role in the ending of apartheid.

Hypothesis: Nelson Mandela is a Nobel Peace Prize winner.


Premise: When the old Belgian Congo became the Republic of Congo, Belgians fled, transported by SABENA. This was the end of the impressive regional network of routes and airports in Congo that the airline had built up since 1924.

Hypothesis: SABENA is an airline.


Premise: The first Barbie doll was sold for $3.

Hypothesis: The first Barbie cost 3 dollars.


Premise: At the beginning of 1998 the member states of the European Union will decide whether or not to go ahead with their monetary union and determine which countries qualify as members.

Hypothesis: 1998 marked the beginning of the European Monetary Union.


Premise: His alter ego Clark Kent works for newspaper company The Daily Planet and is partnered with uptight, work obsessed, sexy and talented Lois Lane.


Premise: What will Finland say if a seminar on the subject "Between Finland and Sweden: Whom the Aland Islands Belong to?" took place in the State Duma?

Hypothesis: The Aland Islands belong to Sweden.


Premise: A report of a government commission designated by the former President Ernesto Samper to negotiate with the guerrillas, states in the last days of July, the FARC mounted a military offensive against the army that saw more than 360 killed.

Hypothesis: The FARC is a government commission designated to negotiate with guerrillas.


Premise: U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein of the District of Columbia announced, today, that a second member of the Colombian terrorist group FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) has been indicted on charges of attempted murder and use of weapons of mass destruction for a November 2003 grenade attack aimed at Americans in Colombia.

Hypothesis: The FARC is a Colombian terrorist group.


Premise: In 1900, Paul Villard discovered gamma rays, which were thought to be a much more energetic form of X-rays (well, they are, but at that time X-rays had not been shown to be a form of light).

Hypothesis: Paul Villard discovered x-rays.


Premise: In addition, Hebron is bordered to the east by the large settlement of Kiryat Arba, whose population now reaches 6,000.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in Kiryat Arba.


Premise: The failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 seriously embarrassed the Kennedy administration.

Hypothesis: The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in 1961.


Premise: Due to these effects, a person who has consumed a high amount of alcohol in a short amount of time will undoubtedly have difficulty driving. Each year, more than 10,000 people ages 16 - 25 die as the result of alcohol use and half of those deaths result from crashes caused by alcohol-impaired driving.

Hypothesis: Half of road-traffic deaths are caused by alcohol.


Premise: Just think that the most beautiful goal in the history of football was scored by Maradona in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico against England, when he dribbled past 6 English players and the goalkeeper scoring an amazing goal.

Hypothesis: Diego Armando Maradona is an English player.


Premise: The Grandpa of Internet Explorer was a web browser called Mosaic, which first began development at the National Center for Super Computing Applications (NCSA) back in 1987.

Hypothesis: The National Center for Super Computing Applications created the internet browser Mosaic.


Premise: Hebron, located in south-central Licking County, is home to about 2,200 residents.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in Licking County.


Premise: The Mafia murdered European Parliament deputy Salvo Lima last March because he stopped protecting their interests after years of collusion, according to a magistrate's report Wednesday.

Hypothesis: The Mafia murdered Salvo Lima.


Premise: Meanwhile, in Ramallah the High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana, and the EU's special envoy to the Middle East, Miguel Angel Moratinus, have met with the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat and undertaken to continue working with Russia, the UN and the US to re-launch the political dialogue and achieve an end to the conflict.

Hypothesis: Javier Solana is the High Representative for the CFSP.


Premise: In 1900 Berlin's arterial roads ran across Potsdam Square - Potsdamer Platz.

Hypothesis: Postdam Square is located in Berlin.


Premise: In 1994 the country held its first democratic elections and, during the last decade, the African National Congress (ANC) has transformed from a struggling organisation to the governing political party of the country.

Hypothesis: The ANC is the African National Congress.


Premise: The Council of Europe has 45 member states. Three countries from outside Europe (Canada, Israel and Mexico) have observer status in the Parliamentary Assembly.

Hypothesis: The Council of Europe is made up by 45 member states.


Premise: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the Universal Exposition as a monument to the scientific achievements of the 18th century.

Hypothesis: The Eiffel Tower was built in the 18th century.


Premise: Its members have been devoted Congressites who, as members of the ANC, have propagated and defended the policies of our movement, including the Freedom Charter, without hesitation.

Hypothesis: ANC is a movement.


Premise: Many Filipinos continue to primarily speak their indigenous language, rather than Filipino.

Hypothesis: The primary language of the Philippines is Filipino.


Premise: The Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko who are in the Czech Republic on a four day state visit on Monday met with the Czech President and First Lady.

Hypothesis: Akihito and Michiko are the Czech President and First Lady.


Premise: The creation of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) on January 1st, 1994 marked the beginning of the second stage of Economic and Monetary Union.

Hypothesis: The beginning of the European Monetary Union was on January 1st, 1994.


Premise: European Footballer of the Year, Andriy Shevchenko, was awarded with the Golden Ball. The award is given annually to the player considered to have performed the best over the previous year. Until 1995, a player also had to be of European nationality to be eligible.

Hypothesis: Andriy Shevchenko got the Golden Ball in 1995.


Premise: The flights begin at San Diego's Lindbergh Field in April, 2002 and follow the Lone Eagle's 1927 flight plan to St. Louis, New York, and Paris.

Hypothesis: Lindbergh began his flight from St. Louis in 1927.


Premise: The rock, which was returned from the Moon in April 1972 by Apollo 16 astronauts Young and Charlie Duke, remains NASA property but is on extended loan for display at the Burke Baker Planetarium Theater located at the museum.

Hypothesis: 16 astronauts have been on the moon.


Premise: Up until the 1992 Olympic Games (Barcelona and Albertville), the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) could integrate demonstration sports into the Olympic programme.

Hypothesis: Barcelona and Albertville hosted the 1992 Olympic Games.


Premise: Denmark was one of three countries, along with Sweden and Britain, that opted not to join the euro currency system in its initial phase when it was launched in January 1999.

Hypothesis: Sweden adopted the single European currency in 1999.


Premise: In the mid-1960s, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) arose as a peasant movement demanding land redistribution and social reform.

Hypothesis: The FARC is the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.


Premise: With the goal of establishing a common currency for all member countries of the European Union (EU), the European Monetary Union (EMU) was founded in 1999.

Hypothesis: The European Monetary Union began in 1999.


Premise: With Leukemia is a website bringing parents together world-wide to share experiences on caring for children who have leukemia.

Hypothesis: Leukemia is a website.


Premise: That accident gave our idea greater urgency and its first name, the Valdez Principles was later changed to the CERES Principles.

Hypothesis: The valdez Principles are the CERES Principles.


Premise: El Nino events usually begin early in the year (between January and March) and often peak during the month of December.

Hypothesis: El Nino usually starts between January and March.


Premise: Denzel Washington, who previously had won Best Supporting Actor in 1989 for his role in the movie "Glory," won Best Actor this year for his role as a rogue cop in the movie "Training Day."

Hypothesis: Glory won the Academy Award for best movie in 1989.


Premise: The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional, EZLN ) is an armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas, one of the poorest states of Mexico.

Hypothesis: EZLN is an armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas.


Premise: World governments first banned the ozone-destroying refrigerants known as CFCs in 1987. But CFCs take up to 100 years to degrade, which will retard the pace of ozone hole repair for years to come.

Hypothesis: The ozone hole was first noticed in 1987.


Premise: Kings Valley Collies is a breeding and training facility located on a 160-acre tree farm in the beautiful foothills of the Coast Range, northwest of Corvallis, Oregon.

Hypothesis: The Valley of the Kings is in Oregon.


Premise: From its original 12 member states, CERN has now grown to 20, including a number of countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech and Slovak republics, and Poland) of the new Europe.

Hypothesis: CERN has 20 member states.


Premise: CPT urges individuals and organizations to pressure the Israeli government and international community to alleviate the oppression of the Palestinian residents imposed by this closure of the Old City of Hebron.

Hypothesis: Hebron is located in Israel.


Premise: In the 1820's, the first flush toilet was invented by Albert Giblin, acting as a forerunner to today's modern loo.

Hypothesis: The first flush toilet was invented in the 1820's.


Premise: The European Council is made up of the Heads of State or Government of the fifteen Member States of the EU, the Foreign Ministers and the President of the Commission. It must not be confused with the Council of Europe, which is an international organisation, nor with the Council of the European Union.

Hypothesis: There are 15 Member States in the Council of Europe.


Premise: There are 360 million European citizens in 15 member states and yet we cannot find just 20 men and women with the relevant professional competence and work experience to be commissioners.

Hypothesis: There are 360 million European citizens.


Premise: Javier Solana, the Spanish Marxist who serves as NATO's secretary- general, warned that NATO troops "will not hesitate to take necessary measures, including the use of force, against media networks or programs inciting attacks."

Hypothesis: Javier Solana is NATO's secretary general.


Premise: Early last month, reform candidate Vicente Fox stunned Mexico and the world by winning the presidency of his country. Promising economic and political change, the former Coca-Cola executive and his National Action Party ousted the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that had ruled Mexico for 71 years.

Hypothesis: Vicente Fox is a member of PRI.


Premise: The Aland Islands belong to Finland and they are situated between Finland and Sweden.

Hypothesis: Aland Islands belong to Finland.


Premise: Other British winners included Robbie Williams, James Blunt, the animated group Gorillaz and dance duo The Chemical Brothers.

Hypothesis: Robbie Williams sang with the animated group Gorillaz.


Premise: Jobs has convinced the Apple board to second the computer company's award-winning design team to work for IKEA, and in a unique licensing agreement, the results will bear the Apple logo.

Hypothesis: Ikea is a computer company.


Premise: De Klerk was Deputy President of South Africa during the presidency of Nelson Mandela until 1996.

Hypothesis: Nelson Mandela was the Deputy President of South Africa.


Premise: The Brandenburg Gate plays a highly symbolic role in the German history.

Hypothesis: The Brandenburg Gate is in Germany.


Premise: We at Funai Pty Ltd. are also a small business that has been through the same IT pains as you're probably going through.

Hypothesis: The Funai is a small business.


Premise: The Zulu are an African ethnic group of about 11 million people who live mainly in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Hypothesis: The Zulus live in Kwazulu-Natal Province.


Premise: Toyota Ireland, through its Eurocare programme, provides owners of both new and up to 3 year old Toyota models with the peace of mind of a comprehensive roadside assistance service.

Hypothesis: Eurocare is a programme of roadside assistance service.


Premise: During the attack of the Bay of Pigs, the 1,300 men were let down by U.S. forces because President Kennedy called off the backup planes that were planned to help in the invasion.

Hypothesis: The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in 1300.


Premise: Delaware Cadillac was founded in 1916, with its original location at the current site of MBNA world headquarters.

Hypothesis: Cadillac was founded in 1916.


Premise: If they could control the US, their new and improved Tower of Babel would become a reality.

Hypothesis: The US built the Tower of Babel.


Premise: Brandenburg Gate is one of Berlin's best known landmarks and is now regarded as one of the greatest symbols of German unity.

Hypothesis: Brandenburg Gate is in Berlin.


Premise: Diego Armando Maradona is the newest stadium of Buenos Aires city, built at La Paternal neighbourhood, named after football star Diego Maradona , home to Argentinos Juniors football (soccer) team.

Hypothesis: Diego Armando Maradona is the Juniors football team.


Premise: The Apollo 8 spacecraft has taken its crew of three astronauts safely into orbit around the Moon, the first manned space mission to achieve the feat.

Hypothesis: Eight astronauts have been on the moon.


Premise: We are located on the MIT campus, and offer quality retail bookselling to both the MIT community and the public at large.

Hypothesis: MIT is a retail bookshop.


Premise: The first flush toilet or water-closet was invented by Sir John Harrington in 1596.

Hypothesis: The first flush toilet was invented in 1596.


Premise: Only three buildings were wrapped by Christo: The Kunsthalle Berne, 1968, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, 1969 and The Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1995, which is the third and last wrapped building -- it was initiated in 1961 first and then again in 1971. In 1971 the Valley Curtain was already well underway, and was not a wrapping.

Hypothesis: The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, was wrapped by Christo.


Premise: The FARC is an 18,000-strong guerrilla force that controls large territories in Colombia. Its demands revolve around issues of social welfare, economic development, agrarian and judiciary reform and reorganization of the military.

Hypothesis: The FARC is a guerrilla force.


Premise: Laboring side by side on the outer hull of the station's crew quarters, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Turin mounted science packages and two Eastman Kodak Co. placards while U.S. astronaut Frank Culbertson looked on from inside the complex.

Hypothesis: Vladimir Dezhurov is a U.S. astronaut.


Premise: Genghis Khan died in 1227 and two years later his son Ogodei was proclaimed Great Khan.

Hypothesis: Genghis Khan died in 1227.


Premise: Socrates is a software application for the Macintosh computer developed at the University of Texas at Austin.

Hypothesis: Socrates developed the Macintosh computer.


Premise: The news comes as doctors in Hong Kong warned that people who survive Sars may suffer permanent lung damage and may suffer a relapse.

Hypothesis: Those who recovered from Sars might have permanent lung damage.


Premise: Arizona has won 38 straight against the Cougars, who have not earned a victory in the series since a 65-63 overtime triumph at Pullman on January 30, 1986.

Hypothesis: The Cougars have not won in the series since a 65-63 overtime triumph on January 30, 1986.


Premise: Changes in the cell-cycle and apoptotic machineries, or in the signalling pathways that control them allow cancer cells to escape the normal control of cell proliferation and cell death.

Hypothesis: The altered cellular networks of molecular pathways sustain cancer cell growth and make them resistant to certain therapies.


Premise: The debt load has hamstrung Trump's attempts to expand his Trump Marina, Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza casinos in Atlantic City.

Hypothesis: The company would expand Trump Taj Mahal.


Premise: The 73-year-old Rather, whose 24 years as anchor is the longest tenure in the most coveted position in broadcast news, will remain as a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and will handle other assignments.

Hypothesis: Rather has served the longest tenure at the helm of network broadcast.


Premise: Monday, when the hearings begin, the Palestinians will hold their demonstration during the same hours, and a 25-person counter-demonstration by Israelis and Jews will take place.

Hypothesis: Israelis will demonstrate and a counter-demonstration of 25 Palestinians will be permitted as well.


Premise: Named for the Inuit goddess who created the sea creatures of the Arctic, Sedna lies more than three times farther from the sun than Pluto.

Hypothesis: The object has been named Sedna after the Inuit goddess credited with creating the sea creatures of the Arctic.


Premise: The Genesis space capsule and its precious cargo, billions of particles from the sun, crashed into the Utah desert Wednesday in a last-minute bungling of a near-flawless, three-year scientific odyssey.

Hypothesis: The Genesis capsule plunged into the ground.


Premise: Second seed Roddick double-faulted on break point in the fifth game to let the first set slip and, after twice failing to convert from 0-40, was soon two sets down.

Hypothesis: Roddick hit back from two sets down.


Premise: Curt Schilling worked six innings of four-hit ball and Bellhorn added two RBI, as Sox grabbed a two-games-to-none lead in the 2004 World Series with a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hypothesis: The Red Sox lead the World Series two games to none after a 6-2 victory.


Premise: UN Secretary of State Kofi Annan is in Sri Lanka amid tension between the government and rebels that threatens to undermine tsunami relief efforts.

Hypothesis: Tensions between government and rebels in the two countries worst hit by the tsunami disaster threaten to undermine aid efforts.


Premise: Author Alan Hollinghurst's novel, "The Line of Beauty", a tale of a young, gay man dazzled by drugs, power and money in Margaret Thatcher's London, today won Britain's most prestigious literary award.

Hypothesis: A book about a gay man with HIV in Thatcher's Britain won.


Premise: Ukraine's election commission declared the Kremlin-backed prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, the winner of the country's bitterly disputed presidential election, sharpening a crisis sparked by the opposition candidate's allegations that the vote was fraudulent.

Hypothesis: Election officials declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner.


Premise: Still, violence continued: Insurgents killed five U.S. soldiers, set off a suicide car bomb that killed four Iraqi policemen in Baghdad and targeted more polling sites across the country.

Hypothesis: Five US soldiers were killed, and at least 10 Iraqis died in Baghdad.


Premise: Considering the amount of rain that soaked Riviera, Campbell didn't expect to complete his second round Friday in the Nissan Open.

Hypothesis: Campbell finished his second round Friday.


Premise: For the year, the Dow rose 3 percent, while the S&P 500 index added 9 percent.

Hypothesis: For the year, the Dow gained 3 percent, the S&P rose 9 percent.


Premise: Richard Lennon, named to replace Cardinal Bernard Law until a new leader is named for the Archdiocese of Boston, faces a church in turmoil.

Hypothesis: The pope named Bishop Richard Lennon to fill in for Law.


Premise: Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has won best film at the US People's Choice Awards, voted for by the US public.

Hypothesis: Filmmaker Michael Moore was all smiles after winning top honors at the People's Choice Awards.


Premise: Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding hundreds of hostages as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled the building through explosions and gunfire.

Hypothesis: Women escaping the building were seen fainting and were carried away on stretchers.


Premise: Joachim Johansson held off a dramatic fightback from defending champion Andy Roddick, to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Thursday night.

Hypothesis: Defending champion Andy Roddick took on Joachim Johansson.


Premise: Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen said yesterday that it was too early to say whether it was a terrorist organisation or a single person acting alone, but added the bomb was "built to cause maximum damage".

Hypothesis: Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen said the government was investigating whether the attack may have been linked to terrorism.


Premise: The holy Shiite city south of Baghdad was ravaged by fighting Thursday and Friday between American forces and radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia that left scores dead.

Hypothesis: Al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and U.S. forces have been fighting.


Premise: Long-distance telephone company MCI Inc. on Friday touted its $6.75 billion deal to be bought by Verizon Communications Inc., but said it would thoroughly analyze a revised $8 billion bid by Qwest Communications International Inc.

Hypothesis: MCI said it would thoroughly review the Qwest offer.


Premise: The model for the new network is an existing system in the Pacific, which was established in 1965 and now provides early tsunami warnings to 26 nations.

Hypothesis: The key is laying the foundation for an Indian Ocean tsunami early warning system.


Premise: The BBC has apologised for incorrectly broadcasting figures which suggested more Iraqi civilians had been killed by coalition and Iraqi forces than by insurgents.

Hypothesis: The BBC apologises over Iraqi figures.


Premise: California's Supreme Court has rejected a request from the state's attorney general to stop gay weddings and declare invalid over 3,400 same-sex marriages.

Hypothesis: California's Attorney General asked the state Supreme Court to halt any further gay marriages.


Premise: After meeting officials from groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad,  Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said commanders had agreed on a plan to ensure security and order.

Hypothesis: Qureia met in Gaza with the heads of Palestinian factions.


Premise: Rescuers using shovels, high-tech cameras and their bare hands to search the rubble of a California mudslide found the bodies of three children and a woman before dawn Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 10.

Hypothesis: The bodies of a mother and three young children were pulled from the rubble.


Premise: After just four days on the job: Wally Backman was fired Friday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks because of two arrests and financial problems he kept from the team.

Hypothesis: Backman filed for bankruptcy.


Premise: U.S. helicopters rescued dozens of desperate and weak tsunami survivors Monday as the American military relief operation reached out to remote areas of Indonesia with cartons of food and water.

Hypothesis: Indonesian helicopters brought much-needed supplies.


Premise: About 1.75 million Palestinians are eligible to cast ballots in the election tomorrow to replace Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, the president of the Palestinian Authority who died Nov. 11.

Hypothesis: Palestinians are eligible to vote.


Premise: The fourth quarter's performance was weaker than the 3.5% growth rate some economists were predicting and was the slowest since the beginning of 2003.

Hypothesis: The fourth quarter's performance was weaker than the growth rate economists were predicting.


Premise: Employers created 144,000 new payroll jobs in August as the unemployment rate dipped to 5.4 percent, a modest improvement over the 5.5 percent jobless rate in July, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Hypothesis: The Labor Department raises the new-job number.


Premise: The film, which teams Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand  and Dustin Hoffman, has grossed more than $163 million during its 12-day run, according to studio estimates.

Hypothesis: The comedy sequel reunites Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.


Hypothesis: The Labor Department reported that the average hourly wage rose.


Premise: Israeli helicopters shot two missiles at a car driving through the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing three people, Palestinian security sources said.

Hypothesis: Three militants from the Islamic Jihad group were killed when Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a car in the Gaza Strip.


Premise: That was up from 3 percent in 2003 and marked the best showing since 1999, when the economy grew by 4.5 percent.

Hypothesis: That was up from 3% in 2003 and marked the best showing since 1999, when the growth was 4.5%.


Premise: Since the start of the 2003 season, New England has won 19 of 20 games against teams that finished the season with a winning record.

Hypothesis: New England simply doesn't lose.


Premise: Hurricane Frances destroyed more of the citrus crop in some places in Florida than Hurricane Charley did three weeks ago, the state's agriculture commissioner said on Tuesday.

Hypothesis: Initial reports of destruction did not rival the estimated $7.4 billion in insured damage caused by Hurricane Charley in southwest Florida three weeks ago.


Premise: Insurgents in Iraq killed five U.S. soldiers and attacked polling centers Friday in persistent violence ahead of Sunday's elections.

Hypothesis: Insurgents have attacked US troops and polling stations.


Premise: In one of the latest attacks, a US soldier on patrol was killed by a single shot from a sniper in northern Baghdad, the military said yesterday.

Hypothesis: A sniper killed a U.S. soldier on patrol in Baghdad with a single shot.


Premise: Another winter blast covered California with rain and snow Saturday morning as residents in waterlogged areas, still recovering from wildfires, braced for flash flooding and mudslides.

Hypothesis: Heavy rain fell Friday in southern communities where waterlogged areas, still recovering from wildfires, braced for flash flooding and mudslides.


Premise: The Bills now appear ready to hand the reins over to one of their two-top picks from a year ago in quarterback J.P. Losman, who missed most of last season with a broken leg.

Hypothesis: The Bills plan to give the starting job to J.P. Losman.


Premise: Childress led all players with 26 points and nine rebounds and scored 10 points in a five-minute second-half stretch as the Cardinal put the game away.

Hypothesis: Childress was the reluctant hero, even after 26 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, three steals and three assists.


Premise: Stocks rallied for a second session Thursday, boosted by falling oil prices and ongoing relief that the presidential election has passed without incident.

Hypothesis: The falling oil prices had a positive impact on stocks.


Premise: New voters also are less likely to be Republicans (27 percent, compared with 36 percent of repeat voters) and more apt to be liberals (28 percent vs. 17 percent).

Hypothesis: Among likely voters in this survey, 36 percent are Democrats.


Premise: The child molestation case against Michael Jackson is finally ready for a trial that promises to be like no other.

Hypothesis: The Jackson trial promises to be like no other.


Hypothesis: The August jobless rate dipped a bit.


Premise: A study of 16,466 female nurses ages 70 to 81 found that even women who walked a leisurely 1.5 hours a week did better on tests of mental function than less active women.

Hypothesis: A study of women showed those who did more exercise scored better on mental agility tests.


Premise: Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were looking for the company to post earnings of 38 cents per share on sales of $12.81 billion in the latest period.

Hypothesis: The company beat the estimate carried by analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call.


Premise: Even as both sides appeared to make conciliatory moves, 11 militants and six army soldiers were killed in a four-hour gun battle in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Hypothesis: A gun battle killed 17 people in Indian-administered Kashmir.


Premise: The average price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped a nickel over the past two weeks and is back near the record high set earlier this year, according to a national survey released Sunday.

Hypothesis: Gas prices jumped 5 cents a gallon over the last two weeks.


Premise: The announcement at NASA headquarters in Washington confirmed decades of mounting evidence that water once flowed in abundance on Mars, now a frigid and dry planet pocked with craters.

Hypothesis: The surface of Mars once was "drenched" in water that could have supported life forms.


Premise: President Bush briefly and vaguely alluded to stem-cell research and cloning during his State of the Union address, instigating much speculation on what to expect in 2005.

Hypothesis: President Bush blatantly ignored the topic of embryonic stem-cell research in his recent State of the Union address.


Premise: Yasser Arafat has lapsed into a coma in a French hospital, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday, a day after the Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care following a sharp deterioration in his health.

Hypothesis: Arafat was taken into intensive care where, according to a Palestinian official, he lapsed into a coma.


Premise: Women with the poorest DNA repair capacity had a breast cancer risk three times greater than women with the best DNA repair capacity.

Hypothesis: Deficiencies in the ability to repair DNA add to cancer development.


Premise: Tokyo stocks fell Friday morning as investors cautiously awaited key events including a series of earnings reports from major Japanese companies later in the day.

Hypothesis: Tokyo stocks slipped early Friday.


Premise: Cloning Professor Ian Wilmut and a team of scientists from Kings College London will clone early stage embryos in the hope of finding new treatments for motor neurone disease.

Hypothesis: Scientists will harvest the embryos for stem cells in a quest to understand the causes and find a new treatment for motor neurone disease.


Premise: Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday defended the administration's budget plan against Democratic criticism that Bush is seeking steep cuts in scores of federal programs because he is unwilling to roll back first-term tax cuts.

Hypothesis: Bush is seeking large cuts in domestic spending to lower the deficit.


Premise: Microsoft Corp., on Thursday, posted higher quarterly earnings as revenue rose 12 percent, but its shares fell after the world's largest software market said current quarter sales would fall below Wall Street expectations.

Hypothesis: Microsoft's forward-looking figures remained in line with expectations.


Premise: Dozens of gay and lesbian couples arrived in this rural town Friday to get married after a county clerk announced she would grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but the offer was soon revoked.

Hypothesis: The mayor announced he would allow gay nuptials.


Hypothesis: Microsoft said that earnings for its latest quarter beat expectations.


Premise: A victory over the Philadelphia Eagles next week would give the New England Patriots three Super Bowl championships in four seasons.

Hypothesis: The New England Patriots have won three Super Bowls in the last four seasons.


Premise: Hurricane Katrina slammed this legendary Gulf Coast city Monday, flooding historic streets, damaging buildings such as the iconic Superdome and disrupting nearby oil production, before the weakened storm saturated areas across the South.

Hypothesis: Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore Monday.


Premise: Employers created 144,000 new payroll jobs in August as the unemployment rate dipped to 5.4 percent, a modest improvement over the 5.5 percent jobless rate in July, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Hypothesis: The Labor Department said this sector has added nearly 1 of every 5 of the new jobs created during the last 12 months.


Premise: Israeli helicopters fired two missiles in separate attacks on a Palestinian refugee camp on Wednesday, killing four people in a stepped-up campaign the army says is aimed at rooting out militants in the Gaza Strip.

Hypothesis: Palestinian militants were killed while trying to infiltrate the Gaza Strip.


Premise: Liquid methane rain pelts Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and feeds rivers, lakes and seas that carve the surface like water does on Earth, images from a space probe show.

Hypothesis: Methane rain appears to be supplying rivers and lakes on the surface of Saturn's biggest moon.


Premise: A July 31 bombing at Hebrew University in Jerusalem killed nine people, including five Americans.

Hypothesis: A bomb in a Hebrew University cafeteria July 31 killed the five Americans and four Israelis.


Premise: The deal comes two weeks after another Baby Bell, SBC Communications (Research), agreed to pay $16 billion in cash and stock for AT&T (Research).

Hypothesis: The deal comes two weeks after a $16 billion deal was reached between AT&T Corp. and SBC Communications Inc.


Premise: Israeli security forces seized large amounts of cash from four Palestinian bank branches Wednesday, saying much of the money was sent by Iran, Syria and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas to fund Palestinian militants.

Hypothesis: The forces took millions of shekels in cash from the bank.


Premise: Befitting a young group, new voters have lower incomes, are less educated and are far more likely to be single than other voters.

Hypothesis: New voters are younger.


Premise: Orbach, best known for his long-running role as Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order has died.

Hypothesis: Orbach, who achieved his widest fame as wisecracking Detective Lennie Briscoe on 'Law & Order,' died.


Premise: One of seven people killed in an explosion at a busy shopping centre near Helsinki was suspected to have carried out the attack, police have said.

Hypothesis: The teenage bomber behind a blast was one of the seven people who died.


Premise: The vehicles were stranded about 4 a.m. in 3 to 4 feet of snow on a 15-mile stretch of Highway 18 between Snow Valley ski resort and Big Bear dam, said Tracey Martinez.

Hypothesis: The snow storm on Highway 18 caused vehicles to slide on the roadway.


Premise: Quarterback Donovan McNabb was every bit Quarterback Tom Brady's equal for 48 passes Sunday night, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns in his Super Bowl debut for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Hypothesis: McNabb's 357 yards were the best postseason game of his career.


Premise: Foreign aid workers will have to take military escorts to areas of Indonesia's tsunami-stricken Aceh province deemed unsafe, but troops for such escorts may be in short supply, the Indonesian military said Thursday.

Hypothesis: Many parts of tsunami-battered Aceh province were not safe for the military.


Premise: They also come amid warnings from the Indonesian military that areas of tsunami-battered Aceh province may not be safe for aid workers.

Hypothesis: The military has warned aid workers that some regions are not safe.


Premise: Continuous tremors rocked Mount St. Helens for 90 minutes overnight, geologists reported Monday, and that sustained activity foretells what could be a volcanic eruption within the next few minutes or months.

Hypothesis: Tremors lasted 90 minutes Sunday night.


Premise: U.S. officials have been warning for weeks of possible terror attacks against U.S. interests in East Africa, particularly Kenya.

Hypothesis: The United States has warned a number of times of possible terrorist attacks in East Africa, specifically Kenya.


Premise: The case of the State of California vs. Michael Jackson is finally ready for a trial that promises to be like no other.

Hypothesis: The case against Michael Jackson is ready for a trial.


Premise: Five U.S. soldiers were killed in the capital and insurgents blasted polling stations across the country.

Hypothesis: Five US soldiers were killed.


Premise: Bush's top election lawyer resigned from the campaign Wednesday after it was revealed that he also was advising Veterans for Truth, a group airing TV ads attacking Kerry's war record and anti-war activism.

Hypothesis: One of Bush's election lawyers also advises a group running ads against Kerry.


Premise: Once a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 mph, Frances slowed and weakened to a Category 2 storm as it neared Florida.

Hypothesis: After hitting the Florida coast the storm lost some of its power.


Premise: A controversial film directed by the actor Mel Gibson has been criticised by some Jewish groups who claim it blames Jews for the death of  Jesus.

Hypothesis: A controversial film directed by the actor Mel Gibson which depicts the Crucifixion has opened.


Premise: Bob Geldof and Ultravox singer Midge Ure are teaming up to re-record the song 20 years after the original topped charts around the world, with proceeds going to famine relief in Ethiopia and Sudan.

Hypothesis: Midge Ure said Dominic Mohan approached him and Bob Geldof about re-recording the single.


Premise: More than 3,300 gay couples have married in San Francisco since the new mayor, Gavin Newsom, announced he would allow gay nuptials two weeks ago.

Hypothesis: Same-sex marriages have been performed in San Francisco.


Premise: Dan Rather, one of the United States' most respected news anchormen, has announced he is to retire as the lead of CBS main news programme next year.

Hypothesis: One of America's news presenters, Dan Rather, has announced that he is to give up his role as the face of CBS News next year.


Premise: Juan Manuel Alvarez who also apparently tried to slash his wrists and stab himself after the wreck, was brought to court in what appeared to be a hospital smock and had bandages on his wrists.

Hypothesis: Alvarez wore a hospital patient gown and bandages on his wrists.


Premise: Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday that players will be locked out starting Thursday, leaving the upcoming season in jeopardy.

Hypothesis: Commissioner Gary Bettman voted to officially lock out the players.


Premise: But this kind of technology would eventually replace transistors, just as they replaced vacuum tubes and vacuum tubes replaced electromagnetic relays, said the HP team.

Hypothesis: Transistors replaced vacuum tubes.


Premise: Palestinian militants resumed rocket and mortar fire at Jewish settlements in Gaza, signaling tough challenges ahead for Abbas and his call for a truce to help revive peace talks aimed at creating a Palestinian state.

Hypothesis: Hamas militants fired rockets at Jewish settlements in Gaza.


Premise: Lleyton Hewitt kept his dream of an Australian Open title alive with a four-set win over Andy Roddick in Friday's second semi-final.

Hypothesis: Andy Roddick had lost a four-setter.


Premise: Investors disappointed with lower-than-expected earnings from Amazon.com Inc. and low productivity gains from U.S. workers pushed stocks lower Thursday, ending Wall Street's three-day string of gains.

Hypothesis: Stocks finished lower Thursday.


Premise: Donald Trump's casino empire filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after months of negotiations with bondholders over restructuring a crushing debt.

Hypothesis: Trump's casino operation has filed for bankruptcy protection due to the accumulation of debt.


Premise: A report from UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, released on Tuesday, shows the number of adults and children living with HIV reached 39.4 million in 2004.

Hypothesis: There is an estimated 39.4 million people living with HIV.


Premise: Israeli security forces have arrested several Palestinian suspects in the July 31 bombing at Jerusalem's Hebrew University in which nine people, including five Americans, were killed, Israel Radio said Wednesday.

Hypothesis: The radio said the suspects were also responsible for a suicide bomb attack March 9 at Jerusalem's Moment Cafe in which 11 Israelis were killed.


Premise: Club officials, particularly in discussions between Bledsoe and Coach Mike Mularkey last week, afforded the classy veteran the opportunity to consider returning to the team as a backup, and at a reduced salary.

Hypothesis: Mularkey offered Bledsoe the chance to remain in Buffalo and serve as Losman's mentor and backup.


Premise: Hollywood studios said Thursday they will file hundreds of lawsuits later this month against individuals who swap pirated copies of movies over the Internet.

Hypothesis: Hollywood studios are to sue people who swap pirated copies of films over the internet.


Premise: Cate Blanchett won the supporting-actress honor Saturday at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for her role as Katharine Hepburn in the Howard Hughes epic "The Aviator."

Hypothesis: Cate Blanchett won supporting actress for her role as Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator."


Premise: Joachim Johansson held off a dramatic fightback from defending champion Andy Roddick to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Thursday night.

Hypothesis: Andy Roddick lost to Joachim Johansson in a U.S. Open match Thursday.


Premise: In the Gaza Strip, seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in two separate incidents Saturday, two days after Palestinian militants killed six Israeli civilians at a Gaza cargo crossing.

Hypothesis: Six Israelis were killed in an attack at a Gaza Strip crossing.


Premise: The original Band Aid featured artists including Duran Duran, U2, Sting and George Michael, selling 3.5 million copies in the UK alone to raise money for the Ethiopia famine.

Hypothesis: Many of the original acts, including George Michael, will appear on the new record.


Premise: Ukraine's election commission declared the Kremlin-backed prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, the winner of the country's bitterly disputed presidential election, sharpening a crisis sparked by the opposition candidate's allegations that the vote was fraudulent.

Hypothesis: The Election Commission announced that Viktor Yanukovich has won Ukraine's presidential election.


Premise: If Bush wins West Virginia, one of the state's five Republican electors says he might not vote for Bush to protest the president's economic and foreign policies.

Hypothesis: Kerry has said he still stands by the vote to give Bush the authority to invade Iraq.


Premise: Jackson, 46, is set to face trial in late January on 10 charges that include felony conspiracy with 28 overt acts involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.

Hypothesis: Jackson is set to face trial in January for allegedly molesting a boy.


Premise: The White House acknowledged on Monday that Bush's plan to add private accounts to the Social Security retirement system would add tens of billions of dollars to the nation's budget deficit starting in fiscal 2009.

Hypothesis: Bush's budget allows younger workers to set up private accounts.


Premise: Two car bombs explode near a police station outside of Baghdad's Green Zone, killing seven police officers and wounding about 60 others.

Hypothesis: A pair of car bombs explode near government offices in Baghdad.


Premise: The raid Friday on the Abu Hanifa mosque left three people dead and was followed by a wave of attacks in several parts of Baghdad.

Hypothesis: The raid just after Friday prayers left three people dead.


Premise: Yasser Arafat has lapsed into a coma in a French hospital, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday, a day after the Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care following a sharp deterioration in his health.

Hypothesis: Arafat was taken to intensive care after his condition worsened.


Premise: Microsoft Corp., on Thursday, posted higher quarterly earnings as revenue rose 12 percent, but its shares fell after the world's largest software market said current quarter sales would fall below Wall Street expectations.

Hypothesis: Microsoft showed revenue growth.


Premise: Insurgents exposed the vulnerability of Iraq's security forces again Sunday, killing at least 22 national guardsmen and their driver in a suicide bombing and 10 other people in separate attacks with elections just weeks away.

Hypothesis: A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle killing at least 14 people.


Premise: Asked whether economic conditions or terrorism would be more important to their vote this fall, 65% in the survey said economic conditions, and only 26% said terrorism.

Hypothesis: A majority of voters said the economy was more important to their vote than terrorism.


Premise: Visiting the Pakistani capital, the American Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, praised Pakistan for its contribution to the US-led war on terrorism.

Hypothesis: Assistant Secretary of State met with Pakistani officials to discuss the global war on terror.


Premise: The chip will run at speeds of greater than 4 GHz, the firms said.

Hypothesis: Cell is said to run at clock speeds greater than 4 gigahertz.


Premise: Saturn's moon Titan is covered by "dirty" ice ridges and seas of liquid natural gas, a team of scientists said on Friday after a week of research into data from the space probe Huygens.

Hypothesis: Rain feeds river channels on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, images from the Huygens probe show.


Premise: Kerry said Wednesday night that Bush bears responsibility for a misguided war in Iraq, lost jobs at home and mounting millions without health care.

Hypothesis: Kerry said 5 million people had lost their health care.


Premise: Temporary help firms added 32,000 and education and health care services gained 13,000 jobs last month.

Hypothesis: Service industries such as education and health care added 46,000 jobs.


Premise: The death toll of a fire that roared through a packed Buenos Aires nightclub climbed on Friday to at least 175, with more than 700 injured as young revellers stampeded to reach locked exit doors.

Hypothesis: At least 174 had been killed and more than 410 people injured.


Premise: Deputy state department spokesman Adam Ereli said the US had long assumed that North Korea had a nuclear capability, and stressed the importance of the six-party talks.

Hypothesis: The US has said it hopes to persuade North Korea to return to multi-party talks.


Premise: Exhausted survivors of southern Asia's giant earthquake and tsunami combed the rubble for food and belongings Tuesday as officials stepped up efforts to identify and bury the dead, whose numbers topped 60,000.

Hypothesis: Survivors still wandered amid rubble looking for food that had not arrived.


Premise: A 100-foot diameter asteroid will pass within 26,500 miles of Earth, the closest-ever brush on record by a space rock, NASA astronomers said.

Hypothesis: An asteroid with a diameter of 100 feet will pass close by Earth, astronomers said.


Premise: Former South African president Nelson Mandela has criticised US President George W. Bush over Iraq, saying the sole reason for a possible US-led attack would be to gain control of Iraqi oil.

Hypothesis: Former South African President Nelson Mandela aimed criticism at President Bush.


Premise: Insurgent attacks on pipelines have brought oil exports from southern Iraq to a complete halt, a senior oil official said Monday, part of a rebel campaign to undermine the nation's post-war reconstruction efforts.

Hypothesis: Insurgents have launched attacks on Iraq's oil industry.


Premise: US rounds up 400 Saddam diehards as group claims anti-US attacks in Iraq.

Hypothesis: US rounded up 400 people in Iraq.


Premise: A jammed flood gate forced the temporary evacuation of hundreds of people who live downstream from Lake Manatee as the swollen reservoir threatened to burst its banks following torrential rains.

Hypothesis: Hundreds of people living downstream from a lake evacuated.


Premise: The original Band Aid featured artists including Duran Duran, U2, Sting and George Michael, selling 3.5 million copies in the UK alone to raise money for the Ethiopia famine.

Hypothesis: The first Band Aid record was recorded in 1984 and featured artists including Duran Duran, U2, and George Michael.


Premise: Two car bombs explode near a police station outside of Baghdad's Green Zone, killing seven police officers and wounding about 60 others.

Hypothesis: 60 people are killed when a car bomb explodes near a police station in Baghdad.


Premise: American commanders moved their oversight of air operations in the region on Monday from here to a similar command center the U.S. built at the al-Udeid base in Qatar shortly before the Iraq war.

Hypothesis: The US military moved its air command centre to the al-Udeid air base in Qatar.


Premise: Kerry said Bush lied to Nevadans about his Republican administration's determination to build a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain.

Hypothesis: Kerry says Bush lied about Yucca Mt.


Premise: A militant group beheaded three Iraqi Kurdish hostages, showing the killings in a videotape posted on a Web site yesterday, while another group announced that it had kidnapped at least 15 Iraqi National Guardsmen.

Hypothesis: A group claimed to have kidnapped 15 members of the Iraqi National Guard.


Premise: U.S. troops went on the offensive from the gates of Baghdad to the Syrian border Tuesday, pounding Sunni insurgent positions from the air and supporting Iraqi soldiers in raids on mosques suspected of harboring extremists.

Hypothesis: Iraqi forces, backed by U.S. soldiers, launched a series of raids on mosques.


Premise: On Monday Pakistan Prime Minister Jamali made a 10-minute telephone call to India's Prime Minister Vajpayee in a move Islamabad said had ended an 18-month impasse between the two sides.

Hypothesis: Prime Minister Jamali of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart, Vajpayee.


Premise: Roger Federer posted a huge win in the howling wind, beating two-time champion Andre Agassi 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 Thursday in a U.S. Open quarterfinal match suspended the previous night because of rain.

Hypothesis: Andre Agassi is keen to continue playing despite defeat to Roger Federer in the US Open quarter-finals on Thursday.


Premise: The leader of Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political party Saturday proposed 15 amendments to the country's draft constitution, one day after Shiite Muslim and Kurdish leaders said they had made their last, best offer.

Hypothesis: Shiites and Kurds made what they said was a final offer.


Premise: U.S. planned job cuts dropped by 15 percent in January and below the 100,000 level for the first time since August 2004, a report said on Tuesday.

Hypothesis: U.S. planned job cuts fell in January.


Premise: The 2004-2005 season was officially canceled yesterday when the hockey team owners and players couldn't agree on what players should be paid.

Hypothesis: The season has been cancelled after players and owners failed to agree on a deal.


Hypothesis: Kerry said the nuclear waste dump issue is important to all Americans, not just Nevada.


Premise: A study of the United States at war in the past 50 years has picked up one of the main awards at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, in the US.

Hypothesis: Sundance Institute took over the former Utah/United States Film Festival.


Premise: In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded late Sunday near a police patrol in the fashionable Jadiriyah district, killing at least six people, including three police officers, and wounding 26 others.

Hypothesis: The bomb killed six people, including three policeman.


Premise: For all last year, business spending on equipment and software grew 13.4%, the largest increase since 1997.

Hypothesis: Business spending on equipment and software grew by 13.4 percent.


Premise: Iraqi forces backed by U.S. soldiers and Marines raided mosques Tuesday in the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi and detained a prominent cleric following fierce clashes that hospital officials said killed at least four people.

Hypothesis: Insurgents had repeatedly used mosques as shelters.


Premise: North and South Korean delegates struggling to hold together a summit on economic co-operation have resumed talks in Pyongyang.

Hypothesis: South and North Korea resumed discussions.


Premise: England has come a long way in improving cancer survival rates in the past 30 years but still does not match up to Europe and the US, a report says.

Hypothesis: Overall survival rates were found to be increasing in England, but were still poor compared to Sweden.


Premise: At an international disaster conference in Kobe, Japan, the U.N. humanitarian chief said the United Nations should take the lead in creating a tsunami early-warning system in the Indian Ocean.

Hypothesis: Nations affected by the Asian tsunami disaster have agreed the UN should begin work on an early warning system in the Indian Ocean.


Premise: Mickelson finished a triumphant week in his second home, winning the FBR Open by five strokes for his largest margin of victory in a PGA Tour event.

Hypothesis: Mickelson won the FBR Open by five strokes, the largest margin of victory in his PGA Tour triumphs.


Premise: A mortar attack north of Baghdad killed four Iraqi national guardsmen and wounded 80 others Tuesday, while a top official from a prominent charity was kidnapped in the Iraqi capital.

Hypothesis: On Tuesday, a mortar attack killed four Iraqi guardsmen and injured 80 north of Baghdad.


Hypothesis: Roger Federer battled past Andre Agassi in five sets.


Premise: Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were looking for the company to post earnings of 38 cents per share on sales of $12.81 billion in the latest period.

Hypothesis: SBC reported earnings of 38 cents per share in the latest quarter.


Premise: The three-day hostage siege at a school in southern Russia ended in chaos and bloodshed Friday, after witnesses said Chechen militants set off bombs and Russian commandos stormed the building.

Hypothesis: The hostage takers want the release of Chechen rebels.


Premise: Saddam Hussein destroyed his chemical and biological weapons after the 1991 Gulf War and dismantled what remained of his mass-destruction weapons programs by 1996, the CIA's top Iraqi weapons adviser reported Wednesday.

Hypothesis: Saddam Hussein ended his nuclear programme in 1991, after the Gulf War.


Premise: The pope entered the hospital for a relapse of the flu and underwent the elective surgery to relieve respiratory problems, Vatical officials said earlier.

Hypothesis: The pontiff was struck by a relapse of the flu.


Premise: The South Asian neighbors have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, which is divided between India and Pakistan but which both claim in its entirety.

Hypothesis: India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir.


Premise: Mount St. Helens emitted a large plume of steam on Monday, with fears of an eruption rising as scientists estimated the width of the volcano's crater had expanded by 15 to 30 metres.

Hypothesis: After a steam eruption scientists raised the alert level for Mount St. Helens.


Premise: Designers say their chip, code-named Cell and built from the start with the burgeoning world of rich media and broadband networks in mind, can deliver 10 times the performance of today's PC processors.

Hypothesis: Designers say the chip has the potential to efficiently handle several multimedia tasks at once.


Premise: Excluding those items, the company reported a net income of 79 cents per share, handily beating the estimate of 72 cents per share carried by analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call.

Hypothesis: Analysts surveyed by Thomson First call were expecting earnings of 72 cents a share.


Premise: On Social Security, Bush reassured retirees and those nearing retirement that the 70-year-old program "is strong and fiscally sound," promising he was proposing nothing that would change their benefits.

Hypothesis: The president said that the reform would not affect the benefits of current and near retirees.


Premise: Scientists on Monday announced the discovery of a frozen, shiny red world some 8 billion miles from Earth that is the most distant known object in the solar system.

Hypothesis: A frozen world 8 billion miles from Earth is believed to be the farthest known object within our solar system.


Premise: Rising wholesale prices and a jump in oil futures intensified inflation fears Friday, keeping stocks mixed and sending bond prices falling.

Hypothesis: Wholesale prices rose at the fastest rate in six years, causing a selloff on the bond market and pressured stocks as well.


Premise: The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) said the civil suits would seek damages of up to $30,000 per film.

Hypothesis: The law states $30,000 damages can be sought per film.


Hypothesis: Saddam Hussein had used chemical weapons in the past.


Premise: Insurgents have attacked US troops, polling stations and Iraqi forces as security was tightened ahead of Sunday's landmark national election.

Hypothesis: Insurgents in Iraq attacked polling centers ahead of Sunday's elections.


Premise: Bush today said staying the course in the war on terror will make the world safer for future generations, though he said an all-out victory against terrorism may not be possible.

Hypothesis: Bush said that victory may not be possible.


Premise: Bush used his weekly radio address to try to build support for his plan to allow workers to divert part of their Social Security payroll taxes into private investment accounts.

Hypothesis: Mr. Bush is proposing that workers be allowed to divert their payroll taxes into private accounts.


Premise: US President George W. Bush and his Democratic challenger John Kerry have clashed over homeland security, jobs, taxes and healthcare in the third and final of their televised debates.

Hypothesis: President George W. Bush and his Democratic challenger John Kerry have clashed over domestic security in their last TV debate.


Premise: A statement distributed early today by the Governing Council said the members would reconvene Monday "to finalize" outstanding issues "and sign" the interim charter.

Hypothesis: Members of Iraq's Governing Council refused to sign an interim constitution.


Premise: Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding hundreds of hostages as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled the building through explosions and gunfire.

Hypothesis: The total number of hostages held in the school may have been as many as 1,200.


Premise: A huge car bomb killed Lebanon's former prime minister al-Hariri and at least 12 other people Monday in Beirut's most devastating attack since the 1975-90 civil war.

Hypothesis: A bomb blew up close to Hariri's motorcade in Beirut on Monday.


Premise: Such a margin of victory would give Abbas a clear mandate to renew peace talks with Israel, rein in militants and reform the corruption-riddled Palestinian Authority.

Hypothesis: The new Palestinian president combatted corruption and revived the Palestinian economy.


Premise: Andy Roddick could not hide his disappointment after his hopes of winning the Australian Open title were ended by third seed Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals on Friday.

Hypothesis: Lleyton Hewitt had a win over Andy Roddick in Friday's semi-final.


Premise: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday that Iran must live up to its international obligations to halt its nuclear program or "the next steps are in the offing."

Hypothesis: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned Iran it faces possible UN sanctions.


Premise: Palestinian officials and international officials Saturday, privately weighed the prospects of political life after Arafat, who remains in poor condition at a French hospital.

Hypothesis: Arafat is ailing in a French hospital.


Premise: The U.S. military staged a series of aggressive strikes Tuesday in insurgent strongholds west of Baghdad, including firing missiles into the streets of Fallujah and conducting raids alongside Iraqi commandos in seven mosques in Ramadi.

Hypothesis: Clashes broke out between U.S. forces and insurgents in Fallujah, killing one Iraqi.


Premise: The deal comes some two weeks after a $16 billion deal was reached between AT&T and SBC, a top rival for Qwest.

Hypothesis: The two firms sealed the deal despite what was thought to be a higher offer from rival US carrier Qwest.


Premise: The model for the new network is an existing system in the Pacific, which was established in 1965 and now provides early tsunami warnings to 26 nations.

Hypothesis: Japan's warning system can issue an alert for a deadly tsunami within minutes of an undersea quake.


Premise: Former South African President Nelson Mandela blasted the United States for 'undermining' the U.N. and President Bush for a desire to start a world 'holocaust,' Tom Fenton reports.

Hypothesis: Mandela said Bush is 'undermining' past work of the United Nations.


Hypothesis: A massive car bomb killed the former Prime Minister Hariri.


Premise: Phil Mickelson finished a triumphant week in his second home, winning the FBR Open by five strokes for his largest margin of victory in a PGA Tour event.

Hypothesis: Mickelson won by five shots last week, the largest margin of his career.


Premise: In one of the latest attacks, a US soldier on patrol was killed by a single shot from a sniper in northern Baghdad, the military said yesterday.

Hypothesis: A U.S. soldier was killed in a sniper attack in northern Baghdad.


Premise: A bomb blew up close to Hariri's motorcade in Beirut on Monday, killing at least 15 people and injuring about 120 others.

Hypothesis: Mr. Hariri died when a bomb exploded near his motorcade in Beirut on Monday.


Premise: The scientists said the existence of water or ice would significantly increase the chance that microscopic life may also be found on Mars.

Hypothesis: The frozen sea of sorts is the first large quantity of water ice on Mars.


Premise: Former European Ryder Cup winning captain Sam Torrance says Welshman Ian Woosnam is the right man to lead Europe at the 2006 match in Ireland.

Hypothesis: Torrance told BBC Sport: "I think Ian Woosnam should get it" (the 2006 captaincy).


Premise: With stars like Sluggers Barry Bonds under suspicion and lawmakers demanding action, Major League Baseball adopted a tougher steroid-testing program that will suspend first-time offenders for 10 days and randomly test players year-round.

Hypothesis: Baseball rolled out a tougher steroid-testing program  that includes penalties for first-time offenders and random, year-round checks.


Premise: Blanchett won the supporting-actress honor for her role as Hepburn in "The Aviator" and Morgan Freeman took the supporting-actor prize for "Million Dollar Baby" playing a sage-like ex-prizefighter.

Hypothesis: Morgan Freeman took the supporting actor prize for "Million Dollar Baby."


Premise: A German man has been able to eat his first proper meal in nine years after surgeons rebuilt his face using a pioneering jaw-bone graft.

Hypothesis: The man ate his first real meal in nine years.


Premise: Emergency-control managers began asking residents living near the lake and downstream along the Manatee River to leave yesterday morning.

Hypothesis: Emergency managers began asking residents along the Manatee River to evacuate.


Premise: A series of explosions ripped through Baghdad and a nearby city Friday, killing at least 35 people and injuring dozens on the eve of Shiite Islam's most important holiday, officials said.

Hypothesis: The attacks came on the eve of Shiite Islam's most important holiday.


Premise: U.S. ground forces began their long-awaited assault into Fallujah yesterday - capturing the city's main hospital and two bridges soon after Iraq's interim government declared martial law.

Hypothesis: U.S. forces launched an offensive against Fallujah.


Premise: Growth in the vast U.S. services sector slowed in August although managers seemed more willing to hire new workers, according to an industry survey published Friday.

Hypothesis: A report showed that growth in the vast service sector slowed in August.


Premise: 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,' the fifth installment in Rowling's wildly popular childrens' series about a boy wizard, comes out Saturday.

Hypothesis: The fifth Harry Potter book - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - is set to be released on Saturday.


Premise: Iraqi forces captured a key aide to Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi , who leads an insurgency affiliated with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, the government said Friday.

Hypothesis: Iraqi forces captured an al-Zarqawi aide the government said.


Premise: The 2004-2005 season was officially canceled yesterday when the hockey team owners and players couldn't agree on what players should be paid.

Hypothesis: Both owners and players admit there is unlikely to be much negotiating.


Premise: The militant group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the slaying and said another hostage - either an American or a Briton - would be killed in 24 hours.

Hypothesis: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group has beheaded one of the hostages.


Premise: A NASA spacecraft carrying solar particles that were captured a million miles from Earth slammed into the Utah desert yesterday and cracked open after its parachutes failed to deploy, possibly rendering the mission a failure.

Hypothesis: A U.S. space capsule returning to Earth crashed in a Utah desert yesterday.


Premise: The shooters escaped as other soldiers tried to give aid to the wounded.

Hypothesis: The gunmen escaped as other soldiers tried to help the wounded.


Premise: Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding hundreds of hostages as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled the building through explosions and gunfire.

Hypothesis: Hundreds of people were killed after terrorists seized a school building.


Premise: Former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas declared victory in the Palestinian presidential election late Sunday after exit polls gave him a commanding lead over his rivals.

Hypothesis: Mahmoud Abbas won the vote in the Palestinian presidential election Sunday.


Premise: Packard Co. will start selling its version of the iPod digital music player next month and will add new flat-panel televisions, photo printers and computers that handle media to help the company tap consumer demand.

Hypothesis: Packard Co. Friday unveiled its version of the iPod digital music player.


Premise: The BBC has apologised for incorrectly broadcasting figures which suggested more Iraqi civilians had been killed by coalition and Iraqi forces than by insurgents.

Hypothesis: The BBC reported that coalition and Iraqi forces could be responsible for conflict-related civilian deaths in Iraq.


Premise: The Israeli army said in a statement that the car carried "three senior Hamas militants" who plotted attacks against civilians in the past and were planning more.

Hypothesis: The IDF said the air force targeted a car carrying "senior Hamas militants".


Premise: Shares of Apple Computer Inc. surged Thursday after the computer maker plowed through earnings forecasts with strong sales of its popular iPod digital music player.

Hypothesis: Apple said the iPod had helped its quarterly earnings more than quadruple.


Premise: Claude Chabrol (born June 24, 1930) is a French movie director and has become well-known in the 40 years since his first film, Le Beau Serge , for his chilling tales of murder, including Le Boucher .

Hypothesis: Le Beau Serge was directed by Chabrol.


Hypothesis: Le Boucher was made by a French movie director.


Premise: Claude Chabrol divorced Agnes, his first wife, to marry the actress Stéphane Audran. His third wife is Aurore Paquiss.

Hypothesis: Aurore Paquiss married Chabrol.


Premise: The Communist Party USA was a small Maoist political party which was founded in 1965 by members of the Communist Party around Michael Laski who took the side of China in the Sino-Soviet split.

Hypothesis: Michael Laski was a member of a Maoist political party.


Hypothesis: Michael Laski was an opponent of China.


Premise: Born near Yirrkala in the Northern Territory, Yunupingu is one of the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu people.

Hypothesis: Yunupingu is a member of the Yolngu people.


Premise: Sandra Goudie was first elected to Parliament in the 2002 elections, narrowly winning the seat of Coromandel by defeating Labour candidate Max Purnell and pushing incumbent Green MP Jeanette Fitzsimons into third place.

Hypothesis: Sandra Goudie was defeated by Max Purnell.


Premise: Ms. Minton left Australia in 1961 to pursue her studies in London.

Hypothesis: Ms. Minton was born in Australia.


Premise: Minton's first major part in England was as Maggie Dempster in the premiere of Nicholas Maw's One Man Show. Shortly thereafter, she became a regular member of the company of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Hypothesis: Maggie Dempster was a member of the company of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.


Premise: Marcel Beaubien unsuccessfully sought election to the Canadian House of Commons as the Conservative candidate in the federal riding of Sarnia-Lambton in 2004.

Hypothesis: Marcel Beaubien was elected to the Canadian House of Commons.


Premise: In the Super Nintendo Entertainment System release of the game as Final Fantasy III , Biggs' name was Vicks.

Hypothesis: Final Fantasy III is produced by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


Premise: Judge Drew served as Justice until Kennon returned to claim his seat in 1945.

Hypothesis: Kennon served as Justice.


Premise: In 1956 Accardo won the Geneva Competition and in 1958 became the first prize winner of the Paganini Competition in Genoa. He has recorded Paganini's famous 24 Caprices (re-recorded in 1999) for solo violin and was the first to record all six of the Paganini Violin Concertos.

Hypothesis: Accardo composed 24 Caprices.


Premise: In 1956 Accardo won the Geneva Competition and in 1958 became the first prize winner of the Paganini Competition in Genoa.

Hypothesis: Accardo won the Paganini Competition in Genoa.


Premise: Dawson is currently a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and an Adjunct Professor at Monash University.

Hypothesis: Dawson teaches at Monash University.


Premise: David Golinkin is the editor or author of eighteen books, and over 150 responsa, articles, sermons and books.

Hypothesis: Golinkin has written eighteen books.


Premise: David Golinkin is single-handedly responsible for uncovering and re-publishing dozens of responsa of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly, making them available to the general public in a three-volume set.

Hypothesis: David Golinkin is the author of dozen of responsa of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly.


Premise: Ryo Okumoto (born in Osaka, Japan) is a keyboardist, best known for his work with progressive rock group Spock's Beard.

Hypothesis: The rock group Spock's Beard comes from Japan.


Premise: During Reinsdorf's 24 seasons as chairman of the White Sox, the team has captured American League division championships three times, including an AL Central title in 2000.

Hypothesis: Reinsdorf was the chairman of the White Sox for 24 seasons.


Hypothesis: The White Sox have won 24 championships.


Premise: Major League Baseball and its clubs have purchased more than $260 million in goods and services from minority and women-owned businesses.

Hypothesis: Major League Baseball and its clubs have bought minority and women-owned businesses.


Premise: Anu Kepa was married for many years to Ro Teimumu Kepa, an Adi (Fijian chief) and politician in her own right. They had four children: Filipe, Sailosi, Jr., Asenaca, and Tupoutu'a.

Hypothesis: Anu Kepa served a Fijian chief.


Premise: Kepa was married for many years to Ro Teimumu Kepa, an Adi (Fijian chief) and politician in her own right. They had four children: Filipe, Sailosi, Jr., Asenaca, and Tupoutu'a.

Hypothesis: Kepa was the father of four children.


Premise: Sean Brown (born November 5, 1976 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) is a National Hockey League utility player and enforcer.

Hypothesis: Sean Brown plays in the National Hockey League.


Premise: Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, Brockwell played his county cricket for the very strong Surrey side of the last years of the 19th century.

Hypothesis: Brockwell was born in Surrey.


Hypothesis: Brockwell was born in the last years of the 19th century.


Premise: Crime in Choir is an instrumental progressive rock band from San Francisco. The founding lineup in the fall of 2000 consisted of Kenny Hopper, an early member of At the Drive-In, Jeff Hunt and Zach Hill of Hella.

Hypothesis: Jeff Hunt was a member of At the Drive-In.


Premise: Natta was confirmed as leader of the PCI during the Florence congress in 1986, but in 1988 he was forced to resign by a heart attack and was succeeded by Achille Occhetto.

Hypothesis: Achille Occhetto was a leader of the PCI.


Premise: Natta, along with Cossutta, strongly opposed Occhetto's proposal in the historic "Bolognina split" to change the party's name .

Hypothesis: Cossutta was an opponent of Occhetto.


Premise: KOOG was Utah's first Pax affiliate, and changed its call letters to KUPX in February 1998.

Hypothesis: KUPX was an affiliate of KOOG.


Premise: Upon receiving his Ph.D., Wetherill became a staff member at Carnegie's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) in Washington, D.C. He originated the concept of the Concordia Diagram for the uranium-lead isotopic system.

Hypothesis: Wetherill was the inventor of the concept of the Concordia Diagram.


Premise: Rising in the Blackdown Hills just inside the border of Somerset the River Otter flows for some 32 kilometers finally reaching the sea at Budleigh Salterton.

Hypothesis: Budleigh Salterton is located in Somerset.


Premise: The Gaspé Peninsula or just the Gaspé ( la Gaspésie in French) is a North American peninsula on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, in Quebec.

Hypothesis: The Gaspé Peninsula is located in Quebec.


Premise: A Revenue Cutter, the ship was named for Harriet Lane, niece of President James Buchanan, who served as Buchanan's White House hostess.

Hypothesis: Harriet Lane owned a Revenue Cutter.


Hypothesis: Harriet Lane was a relative of President James Buchanan.


Hypothesis: Harriet Lane worked at the White House.


Premise: She was transferred again to Navy when the American Civil War began, 1861.

Hypothesis: The American Civil War started in 1861.