Nation briefs 7/13/06

George H.W. Bush attends service for Lay

HOUSTON -- Former President George Bush and his wife, Barbara, were among the mourners Wednesday at a memorial service of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay. Lay's memorial service drew some high-profile guests who were close to him before he was convicted in May of fraud and conspiracy for lying to investors and the public about the energy company's financial health before it collapsed in 2001. Former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, 80, collapsed at the memorial service shortly after arriving and was taken by ambulance. Lay, 64, died while vacationing in Aspen with his wife, Linda.

Army to put out bids on Halliburton contract

WASHINGTON -- The Army will rebid the multibillion dollar contract under which a Halliburton Co. subsidiary has been providing logistical services to troops around the world, Army officials said Wednesday, after long-standing complaints over how the deal has worked in Iraq. Halliburton subsidiary KBR, also known as Kellogg Brown & Root, provides food, water shelter, laundry service and other logistical support for troops around the globe under a 2001 contract that has been extended several times.

Landlord arrested on child porn charges

BLOOMINGTON, Calif. -- Trips to Disneyland. Gifts of dirt bikes, clothes and video games. Everything the children could want, plus a place to stay for their impoverished parents. Investigators say these were the tools a landlord used to win the trust of parents and lure their children to his residence, where he had equipped a room with bunk beds, video cameras and movies. Earl Venton Buchanan, 62, pleaded not guilty to child pornography charges last week in federal court in El Centro. He has not yet been charged with molestation, but police said he may be. Buchanan's court-appointed attorney, Steve Peterson, declined to comment. Buchanan could not be reached because his phone number is unlisted. Burgrass said Buchanan typically picked up the children at their homes, took them shopping or to an amusement park, then returned with them to his house to spend the night.

EU fines Microsoft $357 million, threatens more

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The EU fined Microsoft Corp. $357 million on Wednesday and threatened more penalties, saying the company failed to obey a 2004 antitrust order to share technical information that would allow rivals' software to communicate better with Windows. Microsoft said it would appeal the fine, which was set at 280.5 million euros, claiming the hefty amount was unfair. The European Union also said it would double fine rates to 3 million euros a day -- or $3.82 million, at current exchange rates -- starting July 31 unless the company supplies "complete and accurate" technical information to help rivals make software that works smoothly with its Windows operating system.

-- From wire reports