[Q]: Both figures were below consensus expectations , but August sales were revised to a 1.2 percent increase from a previously reported 0.6 percent gain , fueling a dollar rally .

But August sales were revised to a 1.2 percent increase from a previously reported 0.6 percent gain , fuelling a dollar rally .
****
[A]: yes

[Q]: Ontario Premier Ernie Eves appointed a judge on Tuesday to hold an independent investigation into how the province has handled SARS .

Ontario Premier Ernie Eves announced yesterday that a former judge would conduct an independent investigation of how the province and city handled SARS .
****
[A]: yes

[Q]: Negotiators talked with the boy for about an hour and a half , Bragdon said .

Negotiators talked with the boy for more than an hour , and SWAT officers surrounded the classroom , Bragdon said .
****
[A]: no

[Q]: The news came as authorities in Taiwan quarantined hundreds at two major hospitals amid fears of a widespread epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome on the self-governing island .

The threat came as Taiwanese authorities quarantined hundreds at two hospitals amid fears of an epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome .
****
[A]:
yes