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Officials just reaching hardest hit areas in Indonesia. BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (CNN) -- The latest death toll from the Asian tsunami has increased to more than 80,000 as relief workers and supplies begin to reach some of the most devastated areas.The dramatic rise of the number of deaths came Wednesday as officials were finally able to reach remote regions -- like Indonesia's Aceh province, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Maldives.More than half of those deaths were reported in Indonesia, the nearest land mass to Sunday's undersea earthquake that triggered the deadly waves and flooding in about a dozen...

WASHINGTON - New Mexico, Idaho, Utah and other states blessed with wide-open spaces are seeing steady population growth as increasingly cramped Americans look for ways to spread out. Overall, the U.S. population grew by almost 3 million people over the last year to just under 294 million, the Census Bureau (news - web sites) reported in annual population estimates being released Wednesday. The top 10 list of fastest-growing states was dominated by those in the West and South, with Nevada leading the way for the 18th consecutive year. While favorable weather and jobs continue to be primary lures, people also...

SACRAMENTO - He's used his millions to benefit exotic show horses, a home for retired chimpanzees - and California's actor-governor. William Armsted Robinson has quietly become one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top donors, periodically trading off the pinnacle with San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos and Spanish language television entrepreneur Jerry Perenchio. Stockton real estate developer Spanos and Univision owner Perenchio are high-profile businessmen with long-term interests in California. But Robinson is an elusive, reclusive man whose first major foray into influencing politics is the $650,000 he has given Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger fund-raiser Marty Wilson describes Robinson as a "very private,...

What a wonderful life story!

Soros tops Institutional Investor's ranking of the 25 highest-paid hedge-fund managers. Among the top 25 managers on the list, the average salary rose to $207 million from $110 million. Soros' firm, Soros Fund Management, had more than $12.8 billion worth of investments at the end of 2003. The majority of its holdings are mid- to large-cap companies in the natural resources, business services and consumer goods sectors, according to Thomson Financial's ShareWatch, which monitors institutional holdings. The fund's largest position is discount airline JetBlue Airways (JBLU: news, chart, profile), in which it holds an 11.5 percent stake. The No. 2...

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who has made a fight against corporate special interests a centerpiece of his front-running campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, has raised more money from paid lobbyists than any other senator over the past 15 years, federal records show. Kerry, a 19-year veteran of the Senate who fought and won four expensive political campaigns, has received nearly $640,000 from lobbyists, many representing telecommunications and financial companies with business before his committee, according to Federal Election Commission data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

<p>BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's next governor will be asked by higher education officials to continue funding reforms that are improving and stimulating growth in colleges and universities rather than subject them to cuts to balance the budget.</p> <p>"We've got all the necessary building blocks" to solve Louisiana's persistent education problems, Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie said. "Our challenge now is to follow through and finish the job."</p>

<p>Attorney General Richard Ieyoub touted his record and leadership ability Wednesday as his gubernatorial campaign came to Alexandria.</p> <p>"We have a very strong message of bold, energetic leadership for the people of Louisiana, which is absolutely necessary, if we're going to move this state in the right direction," he said.</p>

Des Moines, July 21, 2003 - If the Iowa Caucuses were held today, Richard Gephardt would win. But when Hillary Clinton is added to the mix, she beats Gephardt and all other declared democrats. That's according to our exclusive Survey Iowa 13 results. Survey participants were asked the following questions: If the Iowa Democratic Presidential Caucuses were today, and you had to make a choice right now, who would you vote for? Gephardt 32% Dean 19% Kerry 12% Lieberman 10% Edwards 7% Other 12% Undecided 7% Now suppose that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton were to enter the contest. Who would...

Weight woes By Allison Fashek Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE – Donna Keyt, 60, knows just how difficult it is not only to lose weight, but also to keep it off. For years Keyt has been a local member of a weight-loss group, Take Off Pounds Sensibly, but she still hasn’t figured out how to get to her target weight and stay there. When she first joined, she lost about 30 pounds and then slowly gained it again. Now she’s trying to lose that weight and an additional 30 pounds. “The truth is America has too much good food,”...

<p>WASHINGTON -(KRT) - For the first time since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the American people are more concerned about the nation's economic woes than about terrorism, war or Iraq, a new poll found.</p> <p>Fully 41 percent of those polled cited the economy, unemployment or the federal budget deficit as the nation's biggest problem, while 29 percent pointed to issues related to war and terrorism, according to the poll released Friday by the Pew Research Center.</p>

Bare hostess ... cabin girl Hillary Vinson on Hooters' maiden flight SEXY hostesses have taken off plenty for the debut of a new airline — called Hooters Air. Cabin girls wore tight vests and hotpants on the maiden flight of the US service which calls itself “delightfully tacky”. Boss Robert Brooks, who already has a chain of 330 Hooters restaurants, said: “We aim to bring fun back to flying. We’re politically incorrect and everyone knows it.” No plane Janes ... Hillary and colleague Cameron Brooks Robert hopes to lure golfers and other sportsmen away from rival airlines with £80 flights...

<p>SACRAMENTO (AP) - Despite a slumping economy and the possibility of war with Iraq, a poll released Tuesday found voters will go to the polls in two weeks with education as their top concern.</p> <p>One indicator is solid support for two education measures on the Nov. 5 ballot even with voters on edge over the shaky economy, said Public Policy Institute of California poll director Mark Baldassare.</p>