1.   According to executives close to the talks, Sprint conducted extensive discussions with Deutsche Telekom during the summer about such an acquisition.

2.   According to executives close to the talks, American would acquire TWA this week after TWA files for bankruptcy for the third time in less than a decade.

3.   According to executives close to the talks, Vornado submitted the highest bid and has held discussions with all the other partners.

4.   According to executives close to the talks, SBC and BellSouth will have equal power over management decisions in their new venture, overseeing a single chief executive.

5.   According to officials close to Murray, the one-time Dodger interviewed Thursday in Los Angeles, where he makes his offseason home.

6.   Directors at the embattled cable company Adelphia Communications decided on Saturday not to seek bankruptcy protection, at least for now, according to people close to the situation.

7.   The companies could announce a deal as soon as this weekend, according to executives close to the talks.

8.   The News Corp. proposal, which has never officially been made public, is complicated, according to executives close to the talks.

9.   The talks are suffering from several main sticking points, however, according to people close to the discussion.

10.   According to sources close to the talks, Arafat twice interrupted his meetings after receiving phone calls from United States Secretary of State Colin Powell.