NATIONAL BRIEFS

WASHINGTON: 2 indicted in fake chip sales to Navy

Federal prosecutors unsealed charges Tuesday accusing a Florida pair of selling more than 59,000 counterfeit computer microchips from China to the U.S. Navy and other clients for use on warships, fighter planes, missile and antimissile systems. Shannon Wren, 42, of Treasure Island, and Stephanie McCloskey, 38, of Clearwater Beach, an employee, were named in a 10-count indictment handed up in the District of Columbia. Wren, owner of VisionTech Components, and McCloskey, an administrator, were charged with conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit goods and mail fraud.

Women take lead in doctorates

For the first time, more women than men in the United States received doctoral degrees last year, the culmination of decades of change in the status of women at colleges. Women now hold a nearly 3-to-2 majority in undergraduate and graduate education. Doctoral study was the last holdout. Of the doctoral degrees awarded in the 2008-09 academic year, 28,962 went to women and 28,469 to men, according to an annual enrollment report from the Council of Graduate Schools.

GULF OF MEXICO: New rules limit shallow drilling

The drilling moratorium enacted after the BP oil spill applies only to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Yet energy exploration in the Gulf's shallow waters has come to a virtual standstill as drillers grapple with tougher federal rules since the spill. The pace at which regulators grant drilling permits in water less than 500 feet deep has slowed sharply, an Associated Press analysis of government data shows.

FLORIDA: Tropical Storm Karl aims at Mexico

Tropical Storm Karl has formed in the northwestern Caribbean, heading on a path expected to take it over the Yucatán Peninsula. Forecasters say the storm has maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph and is located about 270 miles east of Chetumal, Mexico. It's moving west-northwest at 15 mph. Meanwhile, far from land over the Atlantic, Hurricane Igor's top winds increased to 145 mph. Hurricane Julia, also in the open Atlantic, had maximum winds near 85 mph.