USA

Armed officers will be stationed at the nation's airports in response to the July 4 shooting attack at the Israeli El Al terminal in Los Angeles, the Transportation Security Administration said. Egyptian immigrant Hesham Mohamed Hadayet killed two people at the El Al ticket line and wounded three others before he being fatally shot himself by a security guard. The FBI said it hadn't ruled out terrorism as a motive, but was exploring others as well. (Story, page 3.)

More thunderstorms and rain were forecast for central Texas, where flooding is blamed for eight deaths and has forced more than 4,000 people to leave their homes. Parts of Abilene and three nearby towns were evacuated Saturday, and two dozen counties are under flood warnings. In the past week, more than 30 inches of rain have fallen in some parts of the state.

To guard against a possible bioterrorism attack, the government plans to vaccinate a half-million healthcare and emergency workers against smallpox and to develop a system for mass vaccinations in case of an outbreak, The New York Times reported. The move comes as the Bush administration pursues the ouster of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Iraq is suspected of stockpiling the smallpox virus as part of a clandestine chemical- and biological- weapons program.

President Bush observed the holiday weekend – and his birthday – in Kennebunkport, Maine, playing golf Saturday with his father, the previous President Bush. The current occupant of the Oval Office is scheduled to return to Washington today ahead of what aides say will be a major speech on corporate accountability Tuesday in New York. In Congress, a House panel is holding hearings this week on accounting irregularities at telecommunications giant WorldCom, while the Senate takes up reform legislation prompted by the Enron collapse. (Related story, page 1.)

US Rep. Carrie Meek, (D) of Florida, announced she won't seek reelection to a sixth term. The granddaughter of a slave, Meek was one of three African-Americans elected to represent the state in Congress in 1992, the first to do so since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. Meek's son, state Sen. Kendrick Meek (D), said he would run for his mother's seat in November.

Hall-of-Fame baseball great Ted Williams, who died Friday in Florida, was to be honored July 22 at a memorial service in Boston's Fenway Park, where he played 19 seasons for the Red Sox. Nicknamed the "Splendid Splinter," Williams (above) was regarded as perhaps the sport's greatest hitter. He was the last player to end a season with a better-than .400 average. He hit .406 in 1941.