Tuesday, March 25, 2003

Key to Baghdad: How Hard Will Republic Guard Fight?. As the U.S. Army closes in on Baghdad, the central question facing American commanders is how fiercely will Iraq's Republican Guard fight. By Eric Schmitt. 9:10:50 AM

Iraq War Keeps Generals Busy, Even the Ones Who Have Retired. A whole constellation of retired generals including many who led the recent wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf can be seen across the television firmament. By John H. Cushman Jr.. 9:10:50 AM

Lessons of the Past for Bush on Leading a Nation at War. The president needs to keep the country convinced of ultimate triumph if he hopes to have it marching in solid ranks behind him. By R. W. Apple Jr.. 9:10:49 AM

Democrat Seeks Inquiry on Adviser to Bankrupt Firm. Representative John Conyers asked the Defense Department to investigate an adviser to both the Pentagon and Global Crossing. By Stephen Labaton. 9:10:48 AM

Future Shuttles May Carry Fewer Astronauts, or None. Despite the breakup of the shuttle Columbia, the three other ships in the fleet may be needed until 2020 and fly with fewer astronauts to cut risks. By Matthew L. Wald. 9:10:48 AM

Military Discharged Fewer Gays in 2002, Report Finds. The military discharged fewer gay service members last year than in any other year since 1996, according to a report. By The New York Times. 9:10:47 AM

Shuttle's Data Recorder Is Found to Be in Good Condition. A data recorder from the space shuttle Columbia may contain crucial information previously unavailable to investigators of the shuttle disaster. By Warren E. Leary. 9:10:47 AM

Death Penalty Lawyers' Duty Is Taken Up by Supreme Court. The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could define the constitutional duty of defense lawyers to search the background of a client facing the death penalty. By Linda Greenhouse. 9:10:46 AM

Groups Lose Challenge to Government's Broader Use of Wiretaps. An effort by a coalition of civil liberties groups to challenge the government's use of expanded surveillance authority under a post-Sept. 11 statute failed. By Linda Greenhouse. 9:10:46 AM

G.I.'s Regroup After Setback 2 Prisoners on Iraq TV. The U.S. army clashed with the outer ring of Saddam Hussein's final defense, which drove back more than 30 Apache helicopters. By Patrick E. Tyler. 9:10:45 AM

Pacific Northwest Keeps Watch on Many Vulnerable Points. Tterrorist targets crowd the map of Washington, a state with a long, forested border with Canada and a half-dozen prominent military installations. By Timothy Egan. 9:10:44 AM

Bush Calls Putin to Protest Sales of Russian Equipment. The White House said on Monday that Russian companies were supplying Iraq with sophisticated military equipment for use against the U.S. By Richard W. Stevenson with Sabrina Tavernise. 9:10:43 AM

Democrats, Treading Carefully, Press On for Presidency. Democratic presidential candidates say they are weighing what is appropriate to do or say at a time when the nation is absorbing endless images of soldiers in combat. By Adam Nagourney with Richard A. Oppel Jr.. 9:10:42 AM

24-Hour Air Patrols Resume Over New York. The United States government has resumed air patrols after the city was warned that it was in special danger from terrorists during the war with Iraq. By Philip Shenon. 9:10:41 AM

U.S. Plans to Run Iraq Itself. The U.S. is preparing to establish immediate sole control of post-war Iraq, initially without recourse to the U.N. By Elizabeth Becker. 9:10:41 AM

Officials Fear Iraqis Plan to Use Gas. U.S. officials said they believe that the Iraqi leadership may be holding its chemical weapons in reserve until American forces approach Baghdad. By David E. Sanger. 9:10:40 AM

Bush Requesting Nearly $75 Billion for War Costs. President Bush will ask Congress for $74.7 billion to pay for the war in Iraq, but the money covers anticipated expenses for only the next six months. By Elisabeth Bumiller and David Firestone. 9:10:40 AM

Technology Briefing: Software. COREL AGREES TO BE ACQUIRED BY VECTOR CAPITAL; KEYNOTE OFFERS TO BUY BACK 33% OF ITS SHARES; SYMANTEC WILL BE ADDED TO S.& P. 500;. 9:10:38 AM

Technology Briefing: Telecommunications. MOTOROLA INCREASES BID FOR NEXT LEVEL BY 13%; BELLSOUTH AND EARTHLINK EXPAND NET ACCESS PACT;. 9:10:38 AM

World Business Briefing: Australia. AUSTRALIA: Gas Deposit Found; AUSTRALIA: Real Estate Acquisition;. 9:10:37 AM

World Business Briefing: Asia. JAPAN: Special Bank Meeting; JAPAN: Trade Surplus Grows; JAPAN: Land Prices Fall; SOUTH KOREA: Debt Assistance;. 9:10:36 AM

Helping Hand for Bangladesh's Poor. As successive governments have struggled to fulfill basic needs, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, or BRAC, does much of what a government should do. By Amy Waldman. 9:10:36 AM

Oil Prices Help Mexico's Trade. High oil prices pushed Mexico's trade balance into a surplus for the first time since June 1997, the finance ministry said. By The New York Times. 9:10:35 AM

Preparing Journalists for Battle. British companies that equip and train members of the news media in Iraq have experienced booming business. By Alan Cowell. 9:10:35 AM

Shock, Awe and Razzmatazz in the Sequel. With the new engagement in Iraq, the Pentagon and television news coverage are blurring the lines between movies and real life as never before. By Michiko Kakutani. 9:10:34 AM

Sandal From Brazil Is New Fashion Flavor. Brazilian flip-flops are now fashion's flavor of the month in the United States, finding takers in high-end stores for prices as high as $160. By Tony Smith. 9:10:33 AM

U.S. Disfavor Drains Turkish Economy. The Istanbul Stock Exchange has fallen by a quarter from its February high and is approaching an all-time low. By Landon Thomas Jr.. 9:10:32 AM

Basketball Puts Rather on Sideline. Dan Rather, the anchor of the "CBS Evening News," declined to criticize the network's decision to recently give him less air time during its N.C.A.A. tournament coverage. By Richard Sandomir. 9:10:31 AM

Antiwar Talk Not Unanimous. None of the documentary filmmaking nominees who joined the Oscar winner, Michael Moore, onstage at the Academy Awards on Sunday night knew just what he was going to say. By The New York Times. 9:10:31 AM

Reporting Reflects Anxiety. War coverage that was speeding along on good news and victorious imagery has bumped into hard realities. By David Carr. 9:10:30 AM

How a Nightmare Began and Might Continue. Their tones may differ, but three new documentaries all explore the roots of 9/11 and its aftermath in the Muslim world. By Nancy Ramsey. 9:10:29 AM

A Night to Restore a Faith in Movies. It is always dangerous to read too much meaning into the Oscars, but this year's awards do suggest that ambitious, accessible movies can still find audiences and honors. By A. O. Scott. 9:10:29 AM

TV Images Confirm Fears of Prisoners' Kin. The number of American prisoners of war increased as Iraqi television showed video images of two men who it said were captured pilots. By Jim Yardley. 9:10:28 AM

From China to the American Dream. Bill Moyers's new PBS documentary crams nearly two centuries of tangled Chinese-American history into a few engrossing hours. By Dwight Garner. 9:10:28 AM

'Gangs' Not All There on Big Miramax Night. Miramax Films went into the Oscars with 40 nominations and came away with nine awards. There was at least one big lump in the gravy, though. By Rick Lyman. 9:10:27 AM

Some Consolidation by AstraZeneca Unit. Some Consolidation By AstraZeneca Unit The United States operation of AstraZeneca in Wilmington, Del., which sells drugs like the stomach-acid treatment Nexium, said yesterday that it had consolidated most of its creative duties in the United States, which had been handled by nine agencies. Though billings were not disclosed, AstraZeneca spent nearly $199 million to advertise in major media last year, according to CMR, a division of Taylor Nelson Sofres. 9:10:27 AM

Sticking to Plans on Madison Ave.. Madison Avenue is cautiously forging ahead with business as usual or as usual as possible given the war against Iraq. By Stuart Elliott. 9:10:26 AM

Carefully, Democrats Press On for Presidency. Democratic presidential candidates say they are weighing what is appropriate to do or say at a time when the nation is absorbing endless images of soldiers in combat. By Adam Nagourney with Richard A. Oppel Jr.. 9:10:26 AM

Groups Lose Challenge to Government's Broader Use of Wiretaps. An effort by a coalition of civil liberties groups to challenge the government's use of expanded surveillance authority under a post-Sept. 11 statute failed. By Linda Greenhouse. 9:10:25 AM

CSX Filing Details Payments to Snow. Treasury Secretary John Snow, who led the CSX Corporation for 14 years, received $60.8 million in cash, stock and pension money when he resigned last month to join the government, according to a report filed today by the company. 9:10:24 AM

Iraq War Keeps Generals Busy, Even the Ones Who Have Retired. A whole constellation of retired generals including many who led the recent wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf can be seen across the television firmament. By John H. Cushman Jr.. 9:10:23 AM

Demand for Gold Falls. LONDON, March 24 (Bloomberg News) World gold demand fell 3 percent in the fourth quarter as rising prices deterred jewelry buyers, the metal's biggest users, the World Gold Council said in a report. 9:10:22 AM

A Confluence of Several Cultures. Cape Town's many suburbs all have their own shopping and business districts, but the real action is in Cape Town proper. By Abby Ellin. 9:10:21 AM

Low-Fare Flights Are Gaining. How big a slice of the pie are low-fare airlines actually taking? By Joe Sharkey. 9:10:21 AM

A Travel Expert Who Hates to Fly. Terry Trippler, the well-known expert on airline fares, really, really hates to fly, but still he loves the airline business. By Joe Sharkey. 9:10:20 AM

Bush Requesting Nearly $75 Billion for War Costs. President Bush will ask Congress for $74.7 billion to pay for the war in Iraq, but the money covers anticipated expenses for only the next six months. By Elisabeth Bumiller and David Firestone. 9:10:20 AM

Web Venture Chief Is Indicted in Fraud Case. Gregory Earls, the chief executive of U.S. Technologies, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of swindling more than $1 million from investors in an Internet venture. By Bloomberg News. 9:10:19 AM

Data Expert Is Cautious About Misuse of Information. Gilman Louie, who runs a venture capital firm founded by the Central Intelligence Agency, warned of the danger of amassing a large, unified database that would be available to government investigators. By Steve Lohr. 9:10:19 AM

N.Y.S.E. Urged to Reform Process. The New York Stock Exchange should consider changing how it chooses its directors, said Leon E. Panetta, one of its longtime directors. By Patrick Mcgeehanand Jonathan Fuerbringer. 9:10:18 AM

Accused Adviser's Web Operator Is Arraigned. The man who ran the Web site for a penny-stock adviser accused of using information from the F.B.I. to manipulate stock prices was himself arraigned on securities fraud charges. By Andy Newman. 9:10:17 AM

2 Retailers Say War Hurts Sales. By Bloomberg News. By Bloomberg News. 9:10:17 AM

Industry Sees Opportunity to Push U.S. for New Rules. No one in the chemical industry will come out and say it. But the truth is, for chemical companies, the war in Iraq is not all bad. By Claudia H. Deutsch. 9:10:16 AM

Delta Plans to Cut Flights, Citing a Drop in Demand. Delta Air Lines said that it would temporarily cut 12 percent of its capacity because of low passenger demand caused by the war with Iraq. By Edward Wong. 9:10:16 AM

More Charges Expected in HealthSouth Inquiry. Federal investigators are expected to file criminal charges against additional senior officials at HealthSouth soon. By Simon Romero with Riva D. Atlas. 9:10:15 AM

Co-President at Goldman Announces His Retirement. John L. Thornton, the co-president of Goldman Sachs, surprised Wall Street by announcing his retirement to become a professor in China. By Landon Thomas Jr. and Joseph Kahn. 9:10:14 AM

Democrat Seeks Inquiry on Bankrupt Firm's Adviser. Representative John Conyers asked the Defense Department to investigate Richard N. Perle, the head of a Pentagon advisory board who is also an adviser to Global Crossing. By Stephen Labaton. 9:10:13 AM

Government May Alter Line Between a Car and a Truck. In planning an overhaul of fuel economy standards, the White House may redraw the lines between what is considered a car and what is defined as a light truck. By Danny Hakim. 9:10:13 AM

Retailers Adjust Reluctantly to Era of Permanent Discounts. Many stores already have sale signs in their windows because consumers are not buying goods that are not on sale. By Tracie Rozhon. 9:10:12 AM

War in Iraq Could Bring U.S. Recession, or Economic Growth. Depending on the outcome of the war in Iraq, its impact on the economy could range from a recession to a mild stimulant. By Daniel Altman. 9:10:11 AM

A Confluence of Several Cultures. Cape Town's many suburbs all have their own shopping and business districts, but the real action is in Cape Town proper. By Abby Ellin. 9:10:02 AM

Oil Prices Help Mexico's Trade. High oil prices pushed Mexico's trade balance into a surplus for the first time since June 1997, the finance ministry said. By The New York Times. 9:10:01 AM

U.S. Disfavor Drains Turkish Economy. The Istanbul Stock Exchange has fallen by a quarter from its February high and is approaching an all-time low. By Landon Thomas Jr.. 9:10:00 AM

Stock Market Rally Ends. The worldwide rally in stock prices ended, with some European exchanges declining more than 5 percent. By Floyd Norris. 9:09:59 AM

Industry Sees Opportunity to Push U.S. for New Rules. No one in the chemical industry will come out and say it. But the truth is, for chemical companies, the war in Iraq is not all bad. By Claudia H. Deutsch. 9:09:57 AM

Delta Plans to Cut Flights, Citing a Drop in Demand. Delta Air Lines said that it would temporarily cut 12 percent of its capacity because of low passenger demand caused by the war with Iraq. By Edward Wong. 9:09:54 AM

War in Iraq Could Bring U.S. Recession, or Economic Growth. Depending on the outcome of the war in Iraq, its impact on the economy could range from a recession to a mild stimulant. By Daniel Altman. 9:09:54 AM

Sticking to Plans on Madison Ave.. Madison Avenue is cautiously forging ahead with business as usual or as usual as possible given the war against Iraq. By Stuart Elliott. 9:09:53 AM

Preparing Journalists for Battle. British companies that equip and train members of the news media in Iraq have experienced booming business. By Alan Cowell. 9:09:52 AM

Sandal From Brazil Is New Fashion Flavor. Brazilian flip-flops are now fashion's flavor of the month in the United States, finding takers in high-end stores for prices as high as $160. By Tony Smith. 9:09:51 AM

U.S. Says Lawyer Aided Terror Signals From Sheik. The government has defended its prosecution of a prominent New York lawyer charged with supporting a terrorist network of an imprisoned sheik and his followers in Egypt. By Benjamin Weiser. 9:09:50 AM

Shock, Awe and Razzmatazz in the Sequel. With the new engagement in Iraq, the Pentagon and television news coverage are blurring the lines between movies and real life as never before. By Michiko Kakutani. 9:09:50 AM

Treatment and Training Help Reduce Stress of War. Many troops in this new gulf war will discover that battlefield reality bears little resemblance to anything that they had imagined beforehand. By Erica Goode. 9:09:49 AM

Experts See Gains and Gaps in Planning for Terror Attack. With war under way, experts say the nation's capacity to respond to terrorism is greater than it was in the past, but still has significant gaps. By Denise Grady and Lawrence K. Altman. 9:09:49 AM

Worried About Terror? Preparations That Make Sense. Most of the advice on preparing for a terrorist attack sounds indistinguishable from that given on preparing for an earthquake. By Kenneth Chang. 9:09:48 AM

Procedure May Save Women in Third World From Cancer. Doctors are testing a simple one-visit procedure that could save many of the thousands of women who die each year of cervical cancer. By Donald G. Mcneil Jr.. 9:09:48 AM

Another Man in Buffalo Case Pleads Guilty to Qaeda Link. One of six men charged with attending a Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11 attacks pleaded guilty to a charge that he aided the terrorist group. By The New York Times. 9:09:47 AM

Fearing the Worst, and Then Seeing It Realized. When the family of Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young Jr., saw videotape of their son, the day's emotional rollercoaster went off its tracks. By David M. Halbfinger. 9:09:45 AM

Putting Faith in Their Son's Stubborness. As they watched him answer questions from his Iraqi captors on television, the family of Sgt. James Riley of Pennsauken, N.J., concluded that he would survive his ordeal. By Tina Kelley. 9:09:44 AM

Contract for Oil Fires Set. HOUSTON, March 24 (Bloomberg News) The Halliburton Company's engineering and construction unit won a contract today from the Army Corps of Engineers to extinguish Iraqi oil well fires and repair damaged wells. By Bloomberg News. 9:09:43 AM

Lofty Expectations, Grim Reality. Although few Americans expect Saddam Hussein to prevail, the quick-victory ending no longer appears preordained. By Andrew Jacobs. 9:09:42 AM

U.S. Sends 18 at Guant[omega]namo to Afghanistan to Be Freed. The U.S. military has returned 18 prisoners from the Guant[omega]namo Bay detention site in Cuba to Afghanistan. By Carlotta Gall. 9:09:40 AM

1,400 Airstrikes Planned in Next 24 Hours; Basra Strategy Changes. The invasion of Iraq, premised on overwhelming strength and lightning speed, was slowed by stubborn resistance from Iraqi fighters and by a developing sandstorm. American troops took heavy fire as they tried to break through the By The New York Times. 9:09:39 AM

Reporting Reflects Anxiety. War coverage that was speeding along on good news and victorious imagery has bumped into hard realities. By David Carr. 9:09:38 AM

In Prayers, Kansas Town Shows Unity. They came by the hundreds to a church to pray for the safe return of one of their own, an American now being held as a prisoner of war by the Iraqis. By John W. Fountain. 9:09:37 AM

24-Hour Air Patrols Resume Over New York. The U.S. government has resumed air patrols after the city was warned that it was in special danger from terrorists during the war with Iraq. By Philip Shenon. 9:09:36 AM

Pacific Northwest Keeps Watch on Many Vulnerable Points. Terrorist targets crowd the map of Washington, a state with a long, forested border with Canada and a half-dozen prominent military installations. By Timothy Egan. 9:09:35 AM

Three Soldiers Who Died in Accidents While in Iraq. Two soldiers died in separate vehicle accidents, while a third was killed when a machine gun accidentally discharged. By Monica Davey and Lydia Polgreen. 9:09:34 AM

TV Images Confirm Fears of Prisoners' Kin. The number of American prisoners of war increased as Iraqi television showed video images of two men who it said were captured pilots. By Jim Yardley. 9:09:33 AM

Arabic Stations Compete for Attention. Against the backdrop of war, Arabic television broadcasters are vying for an audience addicted to news. By Neil Macfarquhar. 9:09:32 AM

Iraq War Keeps Generals Busy, Even the Ones Who Have Retired. A whole constellation of retired generals including many who led the recent wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf can be seen across the television firmament. By John H. Cushman Jr.. 9:09:31 AM

Officials Fear Iraqis Plan to Use Gas. U.S. officials said they believe that the Iraqi leadership may be holding its chemical weapons in reserve until American forces approach Baghdad. By David E. Sanger. 9:09:30 AM

U.S. Is Assembling a Civilian Team to Run Iraq. The U.S. is preparing to establish immediate sole control of postwar Iraq, initially without recourse to the U.N. By Elizabeth Becker. 9:09:29 AM

Arab Foreign Ministers Urge U.S. Withdrawal. The Arab League meeting, the first since the war began, put all the tensions and fears of the region on display. By Susan Sachs. 9:09:28 AM

Bush Calls Putin to Protest Sales of Russian Equipment. The White House said on Monday that Russian companies were supplying Iraq with sophisticated military equipment for use against the U.S. By Richard W. Stevenson with Sabrina Tavernise. 9:09:27 AM

Blair Tells Parliament the War Is on Track. The prime minister's first report on the war to Parliament opened on a solemn note as he paid tribute to the British and American dead. By Warren Hoge. 9:09:26 AM

Kurdish Refugees Make Do. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of Kurds are living in tents, caves, trucks and buses in northern Iraq. By David Rohde. 9:09:25 AM

Kurdish Hopes Fading in Light of New Moves. Kurds said the Americans had aggravated ethnic rivalries, which if mishandled could cause an unintended war. By Charlie Leduff. 9:09:24 AM

U.S. Opens Command in Northern Iraq. The move appeared to be part of the effort to dissuade Turkey from sending its troops into Iraq. By David Rohdewith C. J. Chivers. 9:09:23 AM

Fighting Delays Plans for Aid Distribution. Relief workers said that getting aid to southern Iraq by Tuesday would be impossible. By Marc Santora. 9:09:22 AM

'We Go to Liberate': A Colonel's Address. A speech by Lt. Col. Tim Collins, commander of the First Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, delivered on Saturday. 9:09:22 AM

Pilots Learn to Overhaul Flight Plans. The pilots' changing role, from conducting surgical strikes to providing close air support for ground troops, has required retooling of plans and attitudes. By Lynette Clemetson. 9:09:21 AM

G.I.'s Pause on Push to Baghdad, and One Falls to a Sniper Deckline Source:. One soldier was killed by a sniper's bullet, as the Third Infantry Division consolidated its positions on a broad plateau north of Najaf. By Steven Lee Myers. 9:09:20 AM

Full Text: In Hussein's Words 9:09:19 AM

In Hussein's Words: 'Victory Is Very Close and at Hand'. BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 24 Following are excerpts from a speech by President Saddam Hussein broadcast today as translated by the BBC and CNN and transcribed by Federal News Service Inc. A full transcript is at nytimes.com/iraq. 9:09:17 AM

Watching, and Praying, as a Son's Fate Unfolds. Life is on hold in Cpl. Michael P. Gardner II's house, as it is for thousands of families whose loved ones are in the military in Iraq. By Jayson Blair. 9:09:16 AM

Lessons of the Past for Bush on Leading a Nation at War. The president needs to keep the country convinced of ultimate triumph if he hopes to have it marching in solid ranks behind him. By R. W. Apple Jr.. 9:09:16 AM

In Search of a Gulf War With No Gulf War Illness. Officials are coordinating their efforts - intense monitoring and measurement of the health of the troops - to forestall another outbreak of symptoms. By Gina Kolata. 9:09:15 AM

Marines Battling in Streets of Nasiriya. Following heavy fighting on Sunday, the battle that unfolded on Monday in Nasiriya had all the hallmarks of a confused and chaotic urban shootout. By Dexter Filkins and Michael Wilson. 9:09:14 AM

Hussein Rallies Iraqi Defenders in Speech. In a televised speech, Saddam Hussein said the allies will be dragged into a "quagmire" by guerrilla warfare. By John F. Burns. 9:09:12 AM

World Briefing: Asia. CHINA: Mine Deaths Rise; MYANMAR: Envoy Leaves, Citing Bug;. 9:09:11 AM

World Briefing: Africa. NIGERIA: Beauty Business Returns; BURUNDI: 150 Drown As Boat Capsizes; ZIMBABWE: Government Retaliation;. 9:09:10 AM

World Briefing: Americas. HONDURAS: Remains Are Not Priest's;. 9:09:09 AM

World Briefing: Europe. NORTHERN IRELAND: 3 Held In Arms Find; CROATIA: General Convicted Of War Crimes; GERMANY: World War Ii Bomb Found;. 9:09:08 AM

Chechens Back Ties to Russia in New Charter. A new Constitution that affirms Chechnya'a status as a part of the Russian federation was approved by almost 96 percent of voters in a referendum on Sunday. By Michael Wines. 9:09:07 AM

Catalan Nationalists Draft Sovereignty Bill. Catalan nationalists have proposed turning the northeastern region of Catalonia into a sovereign state associated with Madrid. By Agence France-presse. 9:09:06 AM

Attack on Hindus in Kashmir May Signal Increase in Violence There. The attack may heighten fears that with spring approaching and American attention elsewhere, violence could rise in Jammu and Kashmir. By Amy Waldman. 9:09:05 AM

Peruvian Spy Chief Convicted in First of His Trials. Vladimiro Montesinos, the once-feared Peruvian spy chief, was convicted on Monday in the first of more than 60 public trials he faces. By Juan Forero. 9:09:04 AM

Helping Hand for Bangladesh's Poor. As successive governments have struggled to fulfill basic needs, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, or BRAC, does much of what a government should do. By Amy Waldman. 9:09:03 AM

A Dutch Nurse Is Found Guilty of Killing Four. A Dutch nurse was sentenced to life in prison for murdering four of her patients and trying to kill three others with high doses of drugs. By Marlise Simons. 9:09:02 AM

Fear of New Virus Grows as Hong Kong Official Falls Ill. The outbreak is beginning to change daily life as people warily watch their neighbors on buses and ferries, while shunning people with a cough or a sneeze. By Keith Bradsher. 9:09:01 AM

For Rent: One Principality. Prince Not Included.. With tourism down and the worldwide economy in flux, the "rent-a-state" program is intended to draw attention to Liechtenstein's "Heidi"-esque charms. By Sarah Lyall. 9:09:00 AM

Canadian Mix of Both Jeers and Cheers for the U.S.. Relations with the United States is Canada's national psychic quandary, one that produces great ambivalence and sometimes even hostility. By Clifford Krauss. 9:08:59 AM

An Arab Boy Tossing Stones Is Shot to Death in West Bank. The boy, Ahmed Abahra, was throwing stones at an Israeli armored vehicle when it opened fire at him, hitting him in the head. By James Bennet. 9:08:58 AM

As Japan's Women Move Up, Many Are Moving Out. In the last few years divorces among older people have been skyrocketing, reflecting profound changes in a traditionally conservative society. By Howard W. French. 9:08:57 AM

Scientists Find Link to Common Cold in Mysterious Ailment. The World Health Organization said the cause of the illness, known as SARS, might be a previously unknown member of the paramyxoviridae family of viruses. By Lawrence K. Altman. 9:08:56 AM

Key to Baghdad: How Hard Will Republican Guard Fight?. As the U.S. Army closes in on Baghdad, the central question facing American commanders is how fiercely will Iraq's Republican Guard fight. By Eric Schmitt. 9:08:55 AM

Loss of Apache Is Evidence of Vulnerability of Copters to Ground Fire. Experts say it is too early to judge whether the Apache helicopter itself is at fault in its loss Monday near Karbala, Iraq. By Christopher Marquis and Nicholas Wade. 9:08:55 AM

Bush Requesting Nearly $75 Billion for War Costs. President Bush will ask Congress for $74.7 billion to pay for the war in Iraq, but the money covers anticipated expenses for only the next six months. By Elisabeth Bumiller and David Firestone. 9:08:54 AM

The Goal Is Baghdad, but at What Cost?. The cost of taking Baghdad and dislodging Saddam Hussein's government, in terms of both allied and Iraqi casualties, is uncertain. By Michael R. Gordon. 9:08:53 AM

G.I.'s Regroup After Setback 2 Prisoners on Iraq TV. The U.S. Army clashed with the outer ring of Saddam Hussein's final defense, which drove back more than 30 Apache helicopters. By Patrick E. Tyler. 9:08:52 AM

War Is Test of High-Speed Web. A sudden surge in wartime demand for online news has become a pivotal test of the potential of high-speed Internet connections. By David D. Kirkpatrick. 9:08:49 AM

E.D.S. Pays Ousted Chief $37.4 Million. Electronic Data Systems will give $37.4 million in cash, stock and other severance compensation to its former chief executive, Richard H. Brown. By Bloomberg News. 9:08:44 AM

After Her Own Toxic Affair, Breakup Girl, E-Heroine, Is Back. "Breakup Girl," a Web-based superhero, is equipped to deal with the knottiest of romantic problems. By Rachel Sklar. 9:08:43 AM

Japanese Technology May Help Islands Reap Pacific's Waters. A number of Pacific island nations may use new Japanese technology that can both desalinate seawater for drinking and produce electricity. By Agence France-presse. 9:08:42 AM

Chip Industry's Workaday Side. The shares of companies that make semiconductor equipment could climb sharply if investors decide that a strong economic recovery is finally under way. By John Kimelman. 9:08:41 AM

Technology Companies Take Hope in Charity. Hewlett-Packard has been working with the United Nations on ways to standardize and computerize the small-loan industry in the developing world. By Susan E. Reed. 9:08:40 AM

New Patents Are Stressing Security. New patents focus on security devices that might have been considered extreme just a few years ago. By Sabra Chartrand. 9:08:39 AM

Beyond War News, AOL's Broadband Plan May Face a Struggle. AOL appears to have a challenge ahead selling its new, largely untested vision of what broadband customers want. By Saul Hansell. 9:08:39 AM

AARP's New Hangout: KaZaA, Web's Mosh Pit. The computer literacy gap between children and their grandparents may be narrowing. In fact, older people now spend so much time online that the AARP, the association for middle-age and older adults, has begun advertising on KaZaA Media Desktop, software used by millions of teenagers and young adults to swap songs online. By Chris Nelson. 9:08:37 AM

Venture Capitalists Finding Biotech Relatively Attractive. Biotechnology and medical device companies have become relatively more attractive to venture capitalists in the wake of the dot-com collapse. 9:08:36 AM

Germany Restricts Game It Says Glorifies War. Electronic Arts, the nation's largest maker of video games, says it is caught in the cross-fire between the German and United States governments over the Iraq war. By John Markoff and Mark Landler. 9:08:35 AM

New Online Guides Rate Professors. Pick-a-Prof, a three-year-old Web business, is taking consumerism in higher education to a new level, allowing students to read reviews of professors. By Tamar Lewin. 9:08:34 AM

Biotech Battle in Britain Takes a Twist. Oxford GlycoSciences, a British biotechnology company embroiled in a takeover battle, said that it would continue to negotiate with potential buyers. By Sherri Day. 9:08:34 AM

Microsoft Pulls Ad Found Misleading. Microsoft has yanked an ad implying its major software packages would render computer hackers as extinct as saber tooth tigers and the dodo bird. By The Associated Press. 9:08:33 AM

Start-Up Aims to End Spam. Phil Goldman, a well-known software designer, will introduce a service that he says will permanently end e-mail spam for consumers. By John Markoff. 9:08:32 AM

Improved Tools Turn Journalists Into a Quick Strike Force. Reporters covering the war in Iraq are at one with their technology as never before. By Amy Harmon. 9:08:30 AM

Data Expert Is Cautious About Misuse of Information. Gilman Louie, who runs a venture capital firm founded by the Central Intelligence Agency, warned of the danger of amassing a large, unified database that would be available to government investigators. By Steve Lohr. 9:08:29 AM

Web Venture Chief Is Indicted in Fraud Case. Gregory Earls, the chief executive of U.S. Technologies, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of swindling more than $1 million from investors in an Internet venture. By Bloomberg News. 9:08:29 AM

Accused Adviser's Web Operator Is Arraigned. The man who ran the Web site for a penny-stock adviser accused of using information from the F.B.I. to manipulate stock prices was himself arraigned on securities fraud charges. By Andy Newman. 9:08:28 AM

National Briefing: Midwest. MISSOURI: Youths Charged In Firebombings; MICHIGAN: Missing Girl Is Found Alive;. 9:08:26 AM

Did PCB's Save the Stripers? A Fish Story. Greatly restricted fishing, partly due to PCB's in the Hudson River, has perhaps indirectly led to more stripers now than there have been in decades. By James Gorman. 9:08:25 AM

Arkansas School Is Accused of Harassing a Gay Student. Teachers and administrators who outed Thomas McLaughlin, a junior high school student, have been disciplining him for discussing homosexuality in school. By Tamar Lewin. 9:08:24 AM

Lessons of the Past for Bush on Leading a Nation at War. The president needs to keep the country convinced of ultimate triumph if he hopes to have it marching in solid ranks behind him. By R. W. Apple Jr.. 9:08:23 AM

Iraq War Keeps Generals Busy, Even the Ones Who Have Retired. A whole constellation of retired generals including many who led the recent wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf can be seen across the television firmament. By John H. Cushman Jr.. 9:08:22 AM

Pacific Northwest Keeps Watch on Many Vulnerable Points. Terrorist targets crowd the map of Washington, a state with a long, forested border with Canada and a half-dozen prominent military installations. By Timothy Egan. 9:08:21 AM

Watching, and Praying, as a Son's Fate Unfolds. Life is on hold in Cpl. Michael P. Gardner II's house, as it is for thousands of families whose loved ones are in the military in Iraq. By Jayson Blair. 9:08:20 AM

Fearing the Worst, and Then Seeing It Realized. When the family of Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young Jr., saw videotape of their son, the day's emotional rollercoaster went off its tracks. By David M. Halbfinger. 9:08:19 AM

Putting Faith in Their Son's Stubborness. As they watched him answer questions from his Iraqi captors on television, the family of Sgt. James Riley of Pennsauken, N.J., concluded that he would survive his ordeal. By Tina Kelley. 9:08:18 AM

Exposure to Pesticides Is Lowered When Young Children Go Organic. A recent study showed that an organic diet could decrease a child's pesticide exposure from above the amounts considered to be of negligible risk. By Carol Kaesuk Yoon. 9:08:17 AM

August Meier, 79, Authority on Black American History, Dies. August Meier was an expert on African-American history whose writing focused on the relationship of African-Americans' intellectual history to the civil rights movement. By Eric Pace. 9:08:16 AM

Death Penalty Lawyers' Duty Is Taken Up by Supreme Court. The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could define the constitutional duty of defense lawyers to search the background of a client facing the death penalty. By Linda Greenhouse. 9:08:15 AM

Groups Lose Challenge to Government's Broader Use of Wiretaps. An effort by a coalition of civil liberties groups to challenge the government's use of expanded surveillance authority under a post-Sept. 11 statute failed. By Linda Greenhouse. 9:08:14 AM

Shuttle's Data Recorder Is Found to Be in Good Condition. A data recorder from the space shuttle Columbia may contain crucial information previously unavailable to investigators of the shuttle disaster. By Warren E. Leary. 9:08:13 AM

Military Discharged Fewer Gays in 2002, Report Finds. The military discharged fewer gay service members last year than in any other year since 1996, according to a report. By The New York Times. 9:08:12 AM

Columbia Is Sued Over Pullback on Biosphere. The company that owns Biosphere 2 has sued Columbia University, which is under contract to manage the terrarium until 2010, accusing the school of "bad faith." By David M. Herszenhorn. 9:08:11 AM

Carefully, Democrats Press On for Presidency. Democratic presidential candidates say they are weighing what is appropriate to do or say at a time when the nation is absorbing endless images of soldiers in combat. By Adam Nagourney with Richard A. Oppel Jr.. 9:08:10 AM

Loss of Apache Is Evidence of Vulnerability of Copters to Ground Fire. Experts say it is too early to judge whether the Apache helicopter itself is at fault in its loss Monday near Karbala, Iraq. By Christopher Marquis and Nicholas Wade. 9:08:09 AM

In Prayers, Kansas Town Shows Unity. They came by the hundreds to a church to pray for the safe return of one of their own, an American now being held as a prisoner of war by the Iraqis. By John W. Fountain. 9:08:08 AM

Surprise Confession in California in Murders From 45 Years Ago. A retired South Carolina gas station owner pleaded guilty to killing two Los Angeles-area police officers. By Calvin Sims. 9:08:07 AM

Future Shuttles May Carry Fewer Astronauts, or None. Despite the breakup of the shuttle Columbia, the three other ships in the fleet may be needed until 2020. By Matthew L. Wald. 9:08:06 AM

Reporting Reflects Anxiety. War coverage that was speeding along on good news and victorious imagery has bumped into hard realities. By David Carr. 9:08:04 AM

Three Soldiers Who Died in Accidents While in Iraq. Two soldiers died in separate vehicle accidents, while a third was killed when a machine gun accidentally discharged. By Monica Davey and Lydia Polgreen. 9:08:03 AM

TV Images Confirm Fears of Prisoners' Kin. The number of American prisoners of war increased as Iraqi television showed video images of two men who it said were captured pilots. By Jim Yardley. 9:08:02 AM