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The article presents information on the prospects of U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton in the election. Clinton's vote of support to the Iraq war in October 2002 is weakening the base of the Democratic Party. She has proposed that the U.S. Congress should ask U.S. President George W. Bush to end war in Iraq.

Highlights the views expressed by national security adviser Condoleezza Rice defending U.S. President W. Bush's decision to go to war against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein even while intelligence analysts disputed claim that Iraq was rebuilding its nuclear weapons program. Reference to a debate in September 2002 over whether Iraq's effort to acquire aluminum tubes were related to nuclear weapons or more likely intended for rockets; Opposing opinion of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Energy Department.

Reports on the revelation that the oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell altered its accounting to add reserves that it was not sure could ever be tapped; Dismissal of Philip Watts, senior executive in charge of exploration and production; Investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission into whether Watts or the company broke the law; Evidence based on internal corporate documents and interviews.

The article reports that the same Pentagon contractor that paid Iraqi newspapers to print positive articles written by American soldiers has also been compensating Sunni religious scholars in Iraq in return for assistance with its propaganda work. The author reviews the work conducted by the public relations company Lincoln Group LP. According to the author, the company has retained three or four Sunni religious scholars to offer advice and write reports for military commanders on the content of propaganda campaigns. Comments from Lincoln Group vice president Paige Craig are included.

The article reports that the U.S. President George W. Bush administration, hoping to counter anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world, has been conducting an extensive, costly and often hidden information war. A media center at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, turns out what officers call truthful messages supporting the U.S. government's objectives. Its commander, Colonel Jack N. Summe, acknowledged that the stories are one-sided and their American sponsorship is hidden. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military operates newspapers and radio stations without disclosing their American ties.

The article looks at how the United States military is implementing a multimillion-dollar covert campaign to plant propaganda in the Iraqi news media. According to the author, military officials pay friendly Iraqi journalists monthly stipends. Documents from the Pentagon show that articles are delivered to a defense contractor who translates them into Arabic and submits them to Iraqi newspapers or advertising agencies without revealing the Pentagon's role.

The article reports that some White House officials and others advising the government have grown skeptical about a plan to significantly increase Saudi Arabia's oil production capacity. As oil prices have climbed over the last few years, the administration of U.S. Present George W. Bush has looked to Saudi Arabia to pump extra oil. Doubts about Saudi Arabia's assurances of how much it can expand capacity have been raised in a secret intelligence report and in a separate analysis by a leading government oil advisor.

Reports that United States President George W. Bush met with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to discuss the cost of oil and a plan by the Saudis to increase their oil-pumping capacity. Relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; Report that Saudi Arabia will push down oil prices as demand for energy increases; Impact of the rise of oil and gasoline prices on the U.S. economy.

Reports on the long-term risks in tapping underground oil reserves in Iraq. Excessive water seeping into the oil deposits; Poor management of the damaged oil fields prior to the war.

Focuses on the reasons for the demise of the Enron Corp. in the U.S. Breakdown in checks and balances; Impact of the Enron downfall on business legislation; Evaluation of statements from accounting firm Arthur Andersen.

Reports the opposition of senator Phil Gramm and the criticism of wife and former chairwoman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Wendy Gramm to a U.S. Senate futures bill. Support of the couple to Enron Corp.; Directorship of Wendy Gramm in Enron Corp.; Withdrawal of opposition to the bill.

Describes the tourist attractions in Mont Tremblant ski resort in Montreal, Quebec.

Reports on the meeting between Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and U.S. President George W. Bush at the latter's ranch in Crawford, Texas to negotiate on oil price issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Reports on the possibility of approval to the proposed oil drilling by U.S. President George W. Bush on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Conflict between development interests and environmentalists; Enthusiasm of government officials about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; Source of opposition to the energy policy of the president.

Focuses on the problems in searching fingerprint databases in the U.S. Inability of the American military to identify detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan; Evaluation in the use of a mobile system that records fingerprints of suspects by the Defense Department; Need for rectification of the fingerprinting problem.

Reports on the effort of Lukoil Oil Co. president Vagit Y. Alekperov to transform the oil company from an Russian oil company to an international oil giant in Russia. Alliance of the company with ConocoPhilips; Joint venture for production in undeveloped hydrocarbon fields; Acquisition of the government's stake in Lukoil by ConocoPhillips.

Cites the result of a study pertaining to the impact of higher oil prices on the global economy. Role in hampering gross domestic product growth, bolstering inflation and increasing unemployment; Comparison of effects between the U.S. and developing countries; Implication of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' decision to restrain oil production further.

Reports that senior executive Walter van de Vijver at the Royal Dutch/Shell Group told a subordinate in an e-mail that the employee's analysis of the company's oil and gas reserves needed to be destroyed because it was incomplete. Dismissal of the van de Vijver and the company's chairman, Sir Philip Watts; Lowering of estimates of proven reserves by the company, a crucial financial indicator; Investigation by regulators and prosecutors in the United States and Europe.

Reports on the statement released by Walter van de Vijver, former president of exploration and production for Shell Group, regarding the compliance of the company to the oil reserve policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the U.S. Estimated volume of the company's oil reserve expected to be at risk; Impetus to the resignation of van de Vijver; Progress of the internal investigation into the company's disclosures of its reserves.

Reports on the decline in oil production by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group in Oman. Conflict of the new information with the company's optimistic reports; Source of the new information; Question of whether new technology can extend the life of mature oil fields; Decrease of the estimate of worldwide reserves by the company; Questions about the future role of Western oil companies.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. says its oil and gas reserves have not been affected by the Royal Dutch Petroleum Co./Shell Group's recent reduction of its estimates of proven reserves in the country. Shell stunned investors by reducing its global reserve estimates by 3.9 billion barrels, or 20 percent, including a large but unspecified cut in Nigeria. However, the difference between the two companies' estimates is that proven reserves under the Securities and Exchange Commission definition, involve a financial commitment to extract the resource, while Nigeria's standards are focused on the geological resources.

Reports that the Royal Dutch/Shell Group has kept secret important details of its sharp reduction in oil and gas reserves, especially in Nigeria, for fear of damaging its business relationship with the government there. Evidence from confidential documents showing that Shell concluded that 60 percent of its Nigerian reserves did not meet accounting standards for "proven reserves"; Disclosure that it had overstated its oil and gas reserves by 20 percent; Potential for an explosive political effect; Importance of the scale of the revisions.

Reports that the U.S. Justice Department has opened an inquiry into whether executives at the Royal Dutch/Shell Group violated any laws by their delayed disclosure of a significant shortfall in proven reserves of oil and natural gas. How the company and its executives are already the focus of investigations by European regulators and the Securities and Exchange Commission; Authority of the Justice Department to bring criminal as well as civil charges; Background on the Justice Department inquiry; Details of how the company lowered its estimates; Importance of reserves for oil and natural gas companies.

Focuses on a review of industry practices by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, which downgraded its estimate of its oil and natural gas reserves. Conclusion that some of its chief rivals, like Exxon Mobil, had more conservative accounting of their reserves; Question of when the group's board members learned of the reserves shortfall; How, in the wake of disclosures about the reduction of reserves, two top Shell executives were ousted and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has started an investigation.

Reports that the new head of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, its chairman, and its current chief financial officer were advised of huge shortfalls in oil and natural gas reserves two years before they publicly disclosed. Proof contained in a 2002 memorandum stating that billions of barrels of reserves were at risk for a variety of reasons; Creation of an "external storyline" and an "investor relations script" to present to the public; Conduction of an inquiry.

Reports on the plan of Saudi Arabian oil executives to maintain production capacity for the rest of the decade. Rate of production of the petroleum industry in the region.

Focuses on the increasing costs and vague explanations involved in the rebuilding of Iraq's oil industry; Pentagon's contract with the Halliburton Company; Scope of the contract; Minimal Halliburton profits; Absence of competition; Inviting other bids; Lack of public disclosure.

Discusses the long-term risks for Iraqi underground oil reserves which could severely limit the amount of oil those fields produce. Years of mismanagement which have damaged the fields; Long-term danger of rapidly returning the fields to pre-war production; Opinions of petroleum engineers; Need of oil revenue to rebuild Iraq; Major concerns over oil fields in Kirkuk and Rumaila.

Reports on a U.S. Pentagon task force finding that the Iraqi oil industry was so badly damaged by trade embargoes that its production capacity had fallen by over 25 percent. How the finding conflicts with statements by the U.S. President George W. Bush administration; Comments of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz and Vice President Dick Cheney; Estimated oil revenues from Iraq; Conclusions of the Energy Infrastructure Planning Group, a secret government task force; Scope of the task force; The poor state of Iraq's oil infrastructure.

Reports that the Bush administration and major oil companies have allied with activist groups, in support of an international campaign for information disclosure about financial transactions in global oil markets. Intentions to pressure governments of oil-producing countries; Roles of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Exxon Mobil corporation, and non-governmental organizations; Anticipated goals of campaign for transparency.

Examines the increase in Canada's oil reserves. Questionable ranking of Canada's reserves; Implications of Canada's increased oil reserves for U.S. President George W. Bush's goal to reduce U.S. dependence on unstable oil suppliers; Views of analysts; How oil sands were counted as reserves for Canada.

Reports on the failure of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director George T. Tenet to reveal the names of agency officials who were responsible for the intelligence mistakes leading up to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Focuses on the custom-fitting of golf clubs.

Looks at the golf equipment business in the U.S.

Reports on the plan of the U.S. government to use the Iraqi oil reserve to finance the reconstruction of the country after the war.

Reports on charges of bribery filed against U.S. businessman James H. Giffen as of April 1, 2003.

Reports on two U.S. aerospace companies that paid penalties to settle civil charges for unlawful transfer of rocket and satellite data to China as of March 6, 2003.

Reports on the effort of the Saudi Arabia government to increase security around its oil fields and processing centers after it discovered that employees of the state-owned oil company sympathetic to Al Qaeda were discussing sabotage plans last summer of 2002.

Reports on the accusation of the U.S. State Department against Boeing Company and Hughes Electronics Corporation, a unit of General Motors company, that they have violated export laws in connection with the transfer of satellite and rocket data to China during the 1990s.

Reports that the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration has predicted the increase in U.S. dependence on Middle East oil by 2025.

Reports on the recommendation of a study panel sponsored by the Baker Institute and the Council on Foreign Relations for the U.S. government to ensure that Iraqis select their government and control their oil industry in the event that President Saddam Hussein is removed by military action.

Reports on the bribery allegation of the U.S. Justice Department against President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.

Reports on the slow cooperation of the Saudi officials concerning the control of money flow from Saudi-financed charities to groups deemed by the U.S. to be supporting terrorism as of November 2002.

Reports that the U.S. has failed to curb its dependence upon Saudi Arabian oil supplies despite efforts to diversify sources of oil after the Persian Gulf war. Implications of dependence upon Saudi oil in relation to energy security issues in the U.S. and prospects of war with Iraq; Political leverage afforded Saudi Arabia due to the volume of their oil exports; Discussion about foreign relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia; U.S. strategies to safeguard oil supplies and prices.

Reports that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has expressed its opposition to the proposal to let gun sellers and owners import World War II infantry weapon made in the U.S.

Provides information on a report by a council sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations regarding the finance of terrorists in Saudi Arabia as of October 2002.

Profiles Brent Scowcroft, former United States national security advisor and head of the Scowcroft Group, which dispenses advice to corporate clients. His role in the debate over United States military strategy in Iraq; Other positions he holds, including within the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and the American-Turkish Council; His career in U.S. politics; His involvement in international affairs.

Features Brent Scowcroft, the former U.S. national security official whose voice on Iraq policy has attracted considerable attention.

Focuses on U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's tenure as chief executive of Halliburton, which is under scrutiny from government investigators. Securities and Exchange Commission's inquiry into changes made in Halliburton's accounting practices; Why the company suffered because of Cheney's acquisition of Dresser Industries; Question of whether Halliburton adequately informed shareholders of the risks of asbestos liabilities it was taking on; Background on Halliburton's asbestos problems INSET: On Cheney's Watch, a Fateful Deal.