Wednesday, March 10, 2004 The Marketplace Morning Report with Kai Ryssdal and Tess Vigeland is a series of seven 9-minute business news modules airing weekdays. This timely report delivers a global business newscast and a hard-hitting feature report. Visit the archive to browse previous stories. Note: Each of the broadcasts contains some of the newscast items below and one of the features. Since only a few radio markets get all seven broadcasts, we've made them available below.

Broadcasts Listen: 2:50 | 3:50 | 4:50 | 5:50 | 6:50 | 7:50 | 8:50 (times are a.m., Pacific Standard Time)

Newscast Stories From New York: Amy Scott explains why Microsoft is taking one class-action lawsuit to trial. Microsoft is accused of using its monopoly power to overcharge for its software. From Los Angeles: Even though Halliburton received $4 billion in 2003 to provide logistical support for U.S. troops in Iraq, the company filed papers with the SEC warning it could face a cash flow crunch. Jeff Tyler reports. From Los Angeles: The United Methodist Church starts a discount drug program for its 8.3 million members. It's the first religious denomination in the country to do so. Matthew Algeo reports. From Los Angeles: Lisa Napoli examines the scope of the European Parliament's unprecedented crackdown on pirated products. From Washington, DC: Alex McRae explains how new federal mandates requiring state funding are doing little to address states' real needs. From Paris: Genevieve Oger reports on the dearth of government funding for scientific research in France and the subsequent scientific brain drain to the U.S. From Beijing: Jocelyn Ford explains how China's trade deficit is increasing the value of their currency and adding to the U.S. trade deficit. From Washington, DC: Hillary Wicai reports that Ford will pay Toyota for the right to use some of its gas-electric hybrid technology. From London: Britain has just recorded the worst trade deficit in its history -- and the fall in the U.S. dollar is mainly to blame. Stephen Beard has the story. Features Airlines and Web sites / Airline promotions Airlines are depending more than ever on their Web sites to attract customers. From New York, Marketplace’s Judy Martin looks at some of the reasons why. Then, Marketplace’s travel expert Rudy Maxa says the new wave of airline incentives being offered has some drawbacks.

Students fight against textbook price hikes While textbook prices have jumped 40 percent in the past six years, students and some professors are fighting back. From the Marketplace Work & Family Desk, Sarah Gardner reports.