NEW YORK: US stocks scored solid gains on Friday as the market got a jolt from Microsoft's announcement that chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within the next 12 months.
The computing giant's shares soared 7.3 per cent to US$34.75 as Ballmer, who succeeded Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in 2000, said the company would search for a new leader who can take charge of its "transformation to a devices and services company."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 46.77 points (0.31 per cent) to 15,010.51.
The broad-based S&P 500 added 6.54 (0.39 per cent) at 1,663.50, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 19.09 (0.52 per cent) at 3,657.79.
The Commerce Department's unwelcome US new-home sales report for July - sales plunged 13.4 per cent month-on-month - also proved a catalyst for the rally.
Stocks were in negative territory before the morning report was released, but rebounded as investors weighed the data's implications on a potential Federal Reserve taper of stimulus.
"Questions arose as to whether that data point might convince the Fed to hold off on a tapering announcement at its September 17-18 FOMC meeting," Briefing.com analysts said.
Briefing.com noted there was a "presumption that the answer could be yes."
The markets showed no hangover from the shock of the Nasdaq's three-hour shutdown Thursday on technology woes.
Nasdaq said it was still investigating the issues, and Nasdaq OMX chief executive Robert Greifeld pointed to an outside party in an interview with CNBC television.
"We all have to be aware of the other person not acting always in the proper way, and you have to have your system be able to handle defensive driving," he said, without identifying the person.
Nasdaq OMX shares rebounded 1.2 per cent after falling more than 3 per cent Thursday.
Shares in youth fashion chain Aeropostale plunged 20.2 per cent after turning in a quarterly loss on a 6.4 per cent fall in sales for its second quarter, and predicted a poor third quarter as well.
The Gap fared better, slipping 0.1 per cent as its second-quarter sales grew and profits rose 25 per cent, but the general picture for retailers of hip clothes for the young remained poor.
On Thursday Abercrombie & Fitch shares also plunged on its bad quarter, and sank another 0.4 per cent Friday, while shares of another trendy chain, American Eagle Outfitters, were down 2.8 per cent. -- AFP
Bridget Kendall investigates how the attack unfolded, mainly through extremely distressing videos posted online
US President Barack Obama has said the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria in an attack on Wednesday is a "big event of grave concern".
Mr Obama said the US was still seeking confirmation such weapons were used, but if proved true the situation would "require America's attention".
Meanwhile, Syria's main ally Russia has said there is growing evidence that Syrian rebels were behind the attack.
The opposition says hundreds died in a government assault outside Damascus.
But despite calls from many different countries, there is no sign yet that the Syrian authorities will allow a UN inspection team to visit to investigate the claims.
Unverified footage shows civilians - many of them children - dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms as a result of Wednesday's attack.
Also on Friday, UN agencies said the number of children forced to flee Syria had reached one million.
The UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, and children's fund, Unicef, described the figure as "a shameful milestone", and said a further two million children were displaced within the country.
'Very troublesome'
Last year, President Obama said the use of chemical weapons in Syria would cross a "red line" and force a tough US response.
"What we've seen indicates clearly this is a big event, of grave concern, and we are already in communications with the entire international community," Mr Obama said.
He said that "core national interests" of the US were involved in the Syrian conflict, "both in terms of us making sure that weapons of mass destruction are not proliferating, as well as needing to protect our allies, our bases in the region."
The BBC has learnt that some in the White House are furious and regard Wednesday's attack as an outrage that breached international law and demands a response.
But Mr Obama warned in his interview: "Sometimes what we've seen is that folks will call for immediate action, jumping into stuff, that does not turn out well, gets us mired in very difficult situations, can result in us being drawn into very expensive, difficult, costly interventions that actually breed more resentment in the region."
Meanwhile, Russia joined calls for an "objective investigation" by UN chemical weapons experts.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said Moscow had urged President Bashar al-Assad to co-operate with a probe, but also that questions remained about the willingness of the opposition to provide "secure, safe access of the [UN] mission to the location of the incident".
"More new evidence is starting to emerge that this criminal act was clearly provocative," the ministry added.
"On the internet, in particular, reports are circulating that news of the incident carrying accusations against government troops was published several hours before the so-called attack. So, this was a pre-planned action."
The ministry also described as "unacceptable" calls from various European capitals for the UN Security Council to authorise the use of force in Syria.
'Something to hide'
Other leaders have also pushed for an urgent UN investigation.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has already called for inspectors to start "without delay".
"I've seen people with loss of speech... [one child] compulsively shooting with a toy gun," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres
"I can think of no good reason why any party - either government or opposition forces - would decline this opportunity to get to the truth of the matter," Mr Ban said from the South Korean capital, Seoul.
He said any use of chemical weapons would violate international law and should result in "serious consequences for the perpetrator".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said it seemed like the Syrian government had "something to hide" over the reported chemical attack.
"I know that some people in the world would like to say this is some kind of conspiracy brought about by the opposition in Syria. I think the chances of that are vanishingly small and so we do believe that this is a chemical attack by the Assad regime on a large scale," he told reporters.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said that there should be a "reaction of force" from the international community if allegations that the Syrian government was responsible are verified.
Damascus has described the allegations that it sanctioned the use of chemical weapons as "illogical and fabricated".
But according to Reuters news agency, Syrian anti-government activists are trying to smuggle tissue samples from victims' bodies to the UN inspectors to prove their claims.
"The UN team spoke with us and since then we prepared samples of hair, skin and blood and smuggled them back into Damascus with trusted couriers," activist Abu Nidal told Reuters.
The main opposition alliance, the National Coalition, also said it would do everything to assist the UN inspectors and ensure their safety.
"It is critical that those inspectors get there within 48 hours. The clock is ticking and we want to see those inspectors and we believe that the evidence will show who used those chemical weapons against innocent civilians," spokesman Khaled Saleh told Reuters.
'Chemical attack': What we know
01:15: 21 August (10:15 GMT 20 Aug): Facebook pages of Syrian opposition report heavy fighting in rebel-held districts in the eastern Ghouta, the agricultural belt around Damascus
02:45: Opposition posts Facebook report of "chemical shelling" in Ein Tarma area of Ghouta
02:47: Second opposition report says chemical weapons used in Zamalka area of Ghouta
Unverified video footage shows people being treated on pavements in the dark and in makeshift hospital
Reports say chemical weapons were used in Ghouta towns of Irbin, Jobar, Zamalka, and Ein Tarma as well as Muadhamiya in the western Ghouta, but this is not confirmed
Syrian government acknowledges military offensive in the Ghouta but denies chemical weapons use
'Traumatised'
Meanwhile, the UN says children now make up half of all refugees fleeing Syria. About three-quarters of those children are under 11.
The BBC's Jim Muir meets the Syrian children living on the streets of Beirut
"The youth of Syria are losing their homes, their family members and their futures," said UN high commissioner for refugees Antonio Guterres.
Most of the children have arrived in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, the UN says, and increasingly Syrians are fleeing to North Africa and Europe.
But with its appeal for Syria less than 40% funded, the two UN agencies say they are struggling to meet the needs of the refugees.
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the agencies are now warning of a lost generation that are ill-equipped to bring peace and stability to their country in the future.
He was shot in the leg during the Battle of Okinawa
Suspects are described as "two young African American males"
(CNN) -- A juvenile has been arrested by Spokane police in connection with the beating death of an 88-year-old World War II veteran this week, police said Friday.
The male suspect has been charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree murder.
The man -- Delbert Belton -- was brutally beaten and left for dead by two teens outside a lounge in Spokane, Washington, where he loved to go play pool.
The motive? Police don't have one. The teens appeared to have picked him at random, authorities say.
A retired aluminum company worker who served in the Pacific, Belton, friends say, took a bullet in the leg during the Battle of Okinawa. He survived that attack.
Delbert Belton survived being wounded in action during the Battle of Okinawa only to be beaten to death by two teens in Spokane, Washington.
But on Wednesday night, Belton -- affectionately called "Shorty" by friends for his height -- headed to the Eagles Lodge where he was a regular.
Police found him in the parking lot, with serious head injuries. He died Thursday.
"It does appear random," Spokane police Lt. Mark Griffiths told reporters. "It appears he was assaulted in the parking lot and there was no indication that he would have known these people prior to the assault."
It's the second time in a week that a seemingly random attack by teenagers has claimed a life.
One of three teens police arrested in that shooting said they carried it out because "we were bored and didn't have anything to do."
'All there is is bad news'
The randomness of the two attacks was not lost on Ted Denison, who's been friends with Belton for a long time.
"It's really depressing," Denison told CNN late Thursday night. "Seems that all there is is bad news."
The two men met more than 20 years ago and worked on cars together.
"We were mechanic buddies," the 42-year-old Denison said. "We just kind of kicked right along."
But the friends also hung out together outside the garage.
"We went dancing on Saturday nights," Denison said. "We went out to breakfast together."
Belton stopped by the Eagles Lodge two or three times a week. He played pool, but by his own admission, wasn't too good at it.
"He went up there and played pool, met with some of the guys he used to work with at Kaiser Aluminum," where he was employed more than 30 years, Denison said.
His wife died several years ago. The WW II vet is survived by a son, 65.
Waiting for a friend
Wednesday night, Denison was outside the lodge waiting for a friend because he didn't want her to walk home alone, Lillian Duncan told the Spokesman-Review newspaper.
"He was so awesome," Duncan told the paper. "Anybody that didn't get to know him missed out on a wonderful angel in their life."
Police are looking for two suspects. Witnesses described them as "young African American males of average build," according to a police statement.
Officers used K-9 search dogs to search for the suspects, swept for fingerprints on the chain link fence in the area where they were last seen headed, and scoured through surveillance tapes.
So far, the attackers haven't been found.
"We are actively looking for the suspects in this tragic incident and following up on tips and other leads in order to bring those responsible to justice," said police spokeswoman Monique Cotton.
Outside the lodge Thursday, friends and strangers alike left flowers, flags and messages for Belton.
Belton never had problems outside the lodge before -- no threats, no altercations, Denison said.
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