By BARRY WILNER / AP Football Writer PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The prediction by some that adding two more teams to the NFL playoffs has no chance of passing at the league meetings might be premature. The Kansas City Chiefs will propose this week an increase in postseason qualifiers from 12 to 14. The…

By MIKE HARRIS / AP Motorsports Writer Kurt Busch celebrates in victory lane after winning the Food City 500 Sunday, March 28, 2004, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) BRISTOL (AP) — Crew chief Jimmy Fennig was furious. Under caution with 119 laps to go Sunday in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway,…

By The Associated Press Duke ended Xavier’s remarkable run in the NCAA tournament and headed to their 14th Final Four with a 66-63 victory in the Atlanta Regional final Sunday. The Blue Devils (31-5) will be the only No. 1 seed in San Antonio, advancing to meet Connecticut next Saturday in the national semifinals. Xavier…

By JEFF LATZKE / Associated Press Writer NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — With All-American Nicole Powell struggling in the second half, Kelley Suminski stepped in to make the big shot. Suminski hit a 3-pointer with 0.3 left on the clock to give Stanford a 57-55 victory over Vanderbilt on Sunday in the Midwest Regional semifinals. Powell…

By JEFF LATZKE / Associated Press Writer NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Even Tennessee coach Pat Summitt hated the way this one ended. Tasha Butts hit two free throws after a questionable call with 0.2 seconds left to give top-seeded Tennessee a 71-69 victory over Baylor in the Midwest Regional semifinals Sunday night. Shyra Ely missed…

By DAVID ESPO / AP Special Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — From gays to guns to the rights of the unborn, Republicans are staging a series of cultural clashes in Congress in the run-up to the fall elections, seeking political advantage as much as legislative accomplishment. They got a dose of both recently, praise from anti-abortion…

By RON FOURNIER / AP Political Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats fear John Kerry is tracing the errant path of Al Gore, who lost focus on a forward-looking vision for America because he set his sights too low — on the daily tactics of the 2000 campaign. Republicans worry that President Bush’s re-election hopes hinge…

By NEDRA PICKLER / Associated Press Writer ST. LOUIS (AP) — John Kerry cited a Bible verse Sunday to criticize leaders who have “faith but has no deeds,” prompting President Bush’s spokesman to accuse Kerry of exploiting Scripture for a political attack. Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech at New North Side…

By SCOTT LINDLAW / Associated Press Writer CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney, seeking to shore up President Bush’s standing on the economy, contends that Democratic opponent John Kerry would sweep away an array of tax cuts the administration has enacted. Kerry has tried to outflank Bush on tax cuts in recent weeks,…

By LAURA WIDES / Associated Press Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Naomi Osorio is typical of the readers driving a boom in Spanish-language newspapers across the United States. Osorio arrived in Southern California two decades ago from Nicaragua and easily glides between English and Spanish. But she prefers Spanish-language papers. Her choice is not just…