- Medically, these things: (1) scientists raced to address the rising threat (to humans) of avian flu; (2) word came that shots for common flu expected in the coming season, shots that may or may not prove effective, will be considerably more costly; (3) in its first Vioxx judgment, pharmaceutical company Merck lost - to the tune of a quarter-billion dollars; (4) dog ticks, which span the globe, were declared carriers of Rocky Mountain spotted fever; and (5) America's young were found to be suffering from two epidemics, among others: excess weight and skin cancer.
- The left aligned its guns against Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, whose confirmation hearings will begin Sept. 6.
- The shuttle Discovery landed safely, but with abundant questions as to whether it or its similar sisters ever will fly again.
- Iran and North Korea pressed on with reprising the debate last heard regarding Saddamite Iraq - i.e., whether they have nuclear weapons.
- After a three-day ordeal, a Russian minisubmarine fouled in undersea nets was freed with salvational assistance from the Brits.
- In an apparent expression of their displeasure with American bases in Central Asia, Russia and China held joint military exercises for the first time since the Cold War's end.
- Finally, these shorts: (a) the average cost of a Manhattan condo topped the $1-million mark, and (b) speaking of New York City, the 79-year-old monsignor of St. Patrick's Cathedral resigned his post in the wake of news stories alleging shenanigans with his 46-year-old married secretary, (c) Panasonic went national with a battery heralded as the first improvement in three decades on the alkaline battery (which powers seemingly everything), and (d) fresh from his seventh consecutive Tour de France victory, Lance Armstrong joined President Bush in bicycling the presidential ranch in Crawford, Texas (President Bush dubbed the ride the "Tour de Crawford") - with Armstrong (the greatest athlete ever?) saying afterward he lobbied the president for more federal funds for cancer research.