News In Brief

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS

Let's say you represent a charity and someone offers a sizable contribution. You accept it eagerly, right? Not if your charity is Sowers Action, which promotes educational development in China's poorer regions but rejected a $578 donation. Tough to explain, you say? Not to fundraising chief Rosanna Lui. The money came from an auction of bikini swimsuits organized by a mass-circulation men's "skin magazine." The event, Ms. Lui said, was "not in harmony with our mission."

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HEY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO IT

In Murcia, Spain, five armed men burst through the service entrance of a supermarket, helped themselves to two full bags that looked as though they contained the day's cash receipts, and fled. So, how much money did the store lose? Well, none, actually. In the bags was trash that hadn't yet been collected.

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"Survivor II" and "E.R." are US's favorite TV shows

Almost 17 percent of the nation's 100 million TV viewers tuned in to watch finalists on "Survivor II" compete in the Australian Outback, according to prime-time ratings for the week of April 16-22 by Nielsen Media Research. An identical-size audience tuned in for "E.R." The top 10 most-watched shows, according to Nielsen, with their season-to-date ranking in parentheses. (An "x" stands for a first or one-time presentation.) The rating is based on the percentage of viewers tuned in.

1. (2) "E.R.," NBC 16.5%

tie (1) "Survivor II," CBS 16.5

3. (12) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS 14.8

4. (5) "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Sunday," ABC 13.1

5. (10) "The Practice," ABC 12

6. (4) "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Tuesday," ABC 11.7

tie (x) "Weakest Link- Wednesday," NBC 11.7

8. (x) "Barbara Walters," ABC 11.6

9. (5) "Friends," NBC 11.4

10. (x) "Law and Order," NBC, 11.1

- Associated Press

(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor