Short Reports

Computer hackers vandalized the “Thomas” Web site of the Library of Congress, a favorite among people who want immediate information about bills under consideration on Capitol Hill. The vandals claimed to be “four hackers from a little country in Europe,” and changed the site Monday to read: “U.S. Congress Web site - defeated!”

Property and casualty insurers paid $8.2 billion in claims in 1999, making the year the fifth most costly in a half century, but still less expensive than 1998, according to estimates released Tuesday by the Insurance Services Office Inc.

Coke’s Doug Daft has appointed North American division chief Jack Stahl as the company’s next president and chief operating officer.

DaimlerChrysler AG will soon follow other major automakers in setting up a special unit to handle Internet business ventures. Chrysler President Jim Holden said in remarks prepared for delivery to the Automotive News World Congress on Tuesday that DaimlerChrysler would form an “e-business” unit at its headquarters in Auburn Hills. He did not give any other specifics in his prepared remarks.