1.   One person close to Disney said the two parties have exchanged contracts and expect to close the transaction this month.

2.   All three overtures were made before the club entered into serious contract negotiations with Jackson, said the person close to Riley.

3.   And a person close to the company noted that as president and chief operating officer, Walter would still outrank Zeglis.

4.   And a person close to Steinbrenner said that his advisers urged him to remain silent.

5.   And another person close to the tobacco industry confirmed that the talks had broken off over money.

6.   And more recently, a half-dozen other Soros analysts have either been dismissed or quit, departures that a person close to the fund said were performance-related.

7.   And over the next three weeks, a person close to Microsoft said, there will be more such announcements.

8.   Another person close to the discussions said no deal was imminent, but confirmed that recent conversations had taken place.

9.   Another person close to the company said Whitacre billed the firm for fake debts owed to European companies, then diverted the money to personal accounts there.

10.   Any announcement of such a move probably would not be made for at least two weeks, according to one person close to the operation.