Martha Stewart is all but certain to serve prison time, but few people believe she will give up her connections and influence over her company; there is no law against her working for her company, Martha Steward Living Omnimedia, although working from prison--if her appeal is unsuccessful--will reqire overcoming some logistical obstacles; chronology shows highlights of Stewart's business career; photos of Stewart, and Peter Baconovic, who is also sentenced to five months in prison (L)

Stewart Likely To Influence Her Company, Even From Jail

Dell Computer, world's leading maker of personal computers, says second-quarter earnings should be 31 cents a share, or 2 cents above its previous estimate and consensus of analysts; outlook is based on second-quarter revenue of $11.7 billion; announcement comes day after IBM reports quarterly profits that surpass Wall Street estimates; research firm IDC reports that personal computer shipments were more robust in April, May and June than expected; photo of Michael Dell with Kevin Rollins, who succeeds him as chief executive of Dell (M)

Dell's Forecast Of Solid Profit Lifts PC Sector

Ivan Basso wins stage 12 of Tour de France; Thomas Voeckler maintains overall lead; map; photos (M)

Armstrong Gains as Tour Moves Up

Vocational and recreational opportunities will be available to Martha Stewart at federal prison camp in Danbury, Conn, where judge has recommended she serve her five-month sentence for lying to federal investigators about stock sale; photo (M)

Prison Blues: 12 cents an Hour, Loss of Control And No Tennis

Oscar de la Renta, one of world's best-known couturiers, will introduce moderately priced line of women's clothes--with rhinestone-buttoned silk tops, embroidered sweaters and broacade jackets--designed for midlevel stores like Macy's West, Belk and Dillard's; his day suits sell for more than $3,000, but pieces in this newest line will sell for less than $100; photo (M)

De la Renta To Offer Line With Prices Below $100

Dave Anderson Sports of The Times column discusses Skip Kendall, British Open leader after two rounds, and Todd Hamilton, who is tied for fifth; both golfers have never won major tournament; photo (M)

Sports of The Times; Two U.S. Players Have Reached An Unfamiliar Peak

Detroit Tigers defeat New York Yankees, 8-0; photos (M)

Yanks Put Tigers' Maroth on Road to Recovery

Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum sentences Martha Stewart to five months in prison and five months of home confinement for lying to federal investigators about sale of nearly 4,000 shares of Imclone Systems in 2001; Peter E Bacanovic, her former stockbroker, receives virtually identical sentence; Stewart will appeal her conviction; graph shows rise in stock price of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia after sentencing; photos (M)

5 Months in Jail, and Stewart Vows, 'I'll Be Back'

Dan Barry interview with Ian Spiegelman, who was fired as gossip columnist at New York Post for using some foul language in an angry e-mail he sent to someone who then publicized it through Daily News; he now dedicates his energies to writing fiction (M)

About New York; How a Gossip Lost His Spot At the Cooler

 Boston Scientific Widens Recall of Some of Its Stents  Shares of Boston Scientific plunged nearly 8 percent after the company said that it was voluntarily widening the recall of two of the devices it makes to treat heart disease. The recall involves about 85,000 of the drug-coated devices that the company introduced earlier this year and another 11,000 of the devices it made without the special drug coating.     While Boston Scientific is not recalling all of the devices, called stents, it said that it decided to recall some of them because of a problem that can occur when a doctor first inserts the device into a patient. The recall comes after reports of three deaths and 43 injuries, the company said. [Page C2.]

BUSINESS DIGEST

Former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, after two decades of living in secrecy, is arrested by Japanese immigration authorities in Tokyo and accused of trying to leave country without valid passport; Japanese news reports say Fischer probably will be deported to US, where he faces charges for violating economic sanctions against former Yugoslavia by playing exhibition match there in 1992; Fischer has expressed anti-US views since warrant was issued for his arrest on Dec 15, 1992; photo (M)

Chess's Lost Soul, Bobby Fischer, Is Held in Tokyo

New York City, which last year allowed every child who wished to transfer out of failing school to do so, will drastically reduce number of students allowed to move this year; decision comes after year in which some principals complained that influx of students transferring under No Child Left Behind federal law had overcrowded and undermined city's more successful schools and run up millions of dollars in busing and other expenses; over 7,000 students transferred to better schools last year; city will probably allow fewer than 1,000 transfers next year, with priority going to poor children with low test scores; New York City went further than other major cities in trying to adhere to transfer provision of federal law during 2003-4 school year (M)

CITY WILL LIMIT CHANCE TO LEAVE FAILING SCHOOLS

Assorted statistics suggest how this summer in New York is sizing up against last year's (S)

The Living Is Easy. Really.; Numbers May Add Up to a Great Summer

John Kerry detailed his ideas for overhauling the intelligence community, including more than doubling the number of spies overseas, linking intelligence agencies at every level and under one director, and ensuring that dissenting views could rise from the ranks so the nation does not go to war because of bad information.    Article, Page A9.

Kerry on Intelligence

At least 81 children are killed when fire engulfs Lord Krishna School in Kumbakonam, India; no teachers die in fire; government officials accuse faculty members of abandoning their students; assail school owners and government inspectors for allowing crowded, poorly equipped school to become death trap; over 800 children were inside when fire broke out; blaze is worst school fire in India since 1995; map; photos (M)

At Least 81 Children Are Killed In Fire at Private School in India

Skip Kendall takes second-round lead at British Open; photos (M)

Shadow of Doubt Follows Leader Into Third Round

Philadelphia Phillies defeat New York Mets, 5-1; photos (M)

With First in View, Mets Are Turned Away

 Wave of Kidnappings Unsettles Gaza Strip  Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip staged three kidnappings, seizing four French aid workers and two Palestinian security officials, including the Gaza police chief, Palestinians said. The French captives were later freed, but one Palestinian was still held, Palestinian officials said.   PAGE A5    No Poll Boost From Edwards  John Edwards's selection for the Democratic ticket did not win over a substantial number of voters, and a majority feel the country should have stayed out of Iraq, a New York Times/CBS News poll said.   PAGE A8

INSIDE

Many young conservatives say Bush administration is testing definition of conservatism as it has never been tested before; are debating just what conservatism means when their side has taken over Washington, and yet they still do not feel that they have won; debate is unfolding on Web sites and it is discussed at roundtables and cocktail parties organized by groups like America's Future Foundation; photos of Austin Bramwell, one of five new trustees of National Review, and Caleb Stegall, founder of conservative Web site (M)

Young Right Tries to Define Post-Buckley Future

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who faces questioning by New York State lobbying commission regarding discount suite he received from Caesars Hotel while on personal trip to Las Vegas 2002, spends $15,000 in campaign funds to hire lawyers; focus of investigation is not Silver, but Caesars Entertainment, which is trying to break into gambling market in New York, and whether it violated law by offering discounted hotel suite; photo (M)

Silver Dips Into Campaign Funds to Hire Lawyers

Richard Brooks, part-time constable for Town of Babylon, is shot to death after trying to pull car off causeway near Oak Beach, LI, on suspicion of drunk driving; police say driver, identified as James Wilson, drove to his home in Oak Beach, obtained shotgun and killed Brooks, who had followed him; police arrive and chase Wilson, killing him after he refuses to put down rifle; Brooks was retired New York City police lieutenant; photo (M)

Driver Kills L.I. Constable And Is Killed

Anonymous government officials say final report of commission investigating Sept 11 attacks will recommend creation of cabinet-level post to oversee nation's intelligence agencies; say position would take power away from CIA, FBI, National Security Council, Pentagon and other agencies that face blistering criticism from panel; say creation of post of national intelligence director would be most important of recommendations in long-awaited report; proposal is likely to face fierce opposition from Pentagon and CIA, which would have to cede significant authority over government's estimated $40 billion annual intelligence budget (M)

9/11 REPORT IS SAID TO URGE NEW POST FOR INTELLIGENCE

PNC Financial Services, Pittsburgh bank, will acquire Riggs National Corp for $779 million in stock and cash; deal ends Riggs's independence, but does not fully put to rest investigation of possible money laundering and terrorist financing through Saudi Arabian and Equatorial Guinean accounts at bank (M)

PNC Financial To Acquire Riggs National

New York's Conservative Party withholds it endorsement of Sen Joseph I Bruno, majority leader, and two other Republican candidates for Senate, Stephen B Kaufman and Dean G Skelos; Michael R Long, Conservative chairman, cites shift by Senate leaders to middle positions on several issues deemed important to Conservatives; three candidates brush off move, saying it will not affect their candidacy (M)

Conservative Party Refuses To Endorse Senate Leader

Technicians at News 12, cable news channel in Bronx, say 200 of 390 votes cast in online poll conducted to assess support for water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park were generated from computers at City Hall complex; 107 votes went against plant; opponents charge ballot stuffing; Bloomberg administration and City Council say they cannot look into matter without more information (S)

July 17, 2004

Headlines from July 17, 2004

Stewart Likely To Influence Her Company, Even From Jail

Dell's Forecast Of Solid Profit Lifts PC Sector

Armstrong Gains as Tour Moves Up

Prison Blues: 12 cents an Hour, Loss of Control And No Tennis

De la Renta To Offer Line With Prices Below $100

Billboard 200

The Hunger For More

Confessions

Afrodisiac

Kiss Of Death

Tha Carter

Historical Context for July 17, 2004