USA

Boeing machinists returned to work Sunday after ratifying a new contract, ending a walkout that began Sept. 6 and that cost the planemaker an estimated $100 million a day. Seventy-four percent of about 27,000 machinists favored the contract, which promises pay increases over four, instead of three, years and protects more than 5,000 factory jobs.

The government response to hurricane Ike, which slammed Texas's Gulf Coast in Sep-tember, has been too slow, a deputy Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator said in a report released Saturday. He underlined the need for FEMA to increase its deployment of mobile homes to the Galveston area and to address problems in approving applications for family assistance. The storm caused at least $11 billion in damages.

Complaints by pregnant women who believe employers haven't treated them fairly have risen 65 percent since 1992, according to filings with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The data were compiled in connection with the 30th anniversary of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which was Oct. 31.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg blasted a federal judge's preliminary ruling to block the city from requiring all taxicabs to be fuel-efficient hybrids by 2012.

Major US airlines have chopped holiday fares in what one travel executive calls the most broad-based fare sale in at least 18 months. Carriers normally cut prices closer to the holidays, but have already trimmed fares in hopes of stimulating demand during the current economic slump. Discount offers of up to 25 percent or more are expected to be good until late November.

In a game sure to take its place in the state's football history, sixth- ranked Texas Tech completed a 28-yard touchdown pass with one second left in Lubbock Saturday night to knock off top-ranked, undefeated Texas. The play, which gave the Red Raiders a 39-33 victory, occurred after the Longhorns, who once trailed 19-0, went ahead with 1:29 left.