September 26, 1996

Boris N Yeltsin's doctors, calming mounting concern that Russian leader may be too sick to rule Russia, say that he will go ahead with bypass operation and is expected to make full recovery; optimistic prognosis, endorsed by renowned American specialist Dr Michael E DeBakey, gives badly needed lift to Yeltsin Government, which has been shaken by assertions that he might be too sick to risk surgery; photo (M)

Record number of wealthy Americans have been drawn to Paris, France, for Biennale Internationale des Antiquaires, the world's ritziest antiques fair, at Carrousel du Louvre; two weeks after biennial's opening, Americans have accounted for half of fair's sales, and 60 percent of its gross; photos (L)

Israeli and Palestinian forces exchange gunfire in Ramallah, leaving at least five Arabs dead and hundreds wounded in worst clashes in West Bank since Israeli-Palestinian peace accords three years ago; twelve Arabs and two Israelis are reported wounded in clashes near Bethlehem; immediate trigger for outbreak is Israeli authorities opening of entrance to tunnel that runs along western retaining wall of Temple Mount, one of most sacred sites in Jerusalem to Arabs and Jews; map; photos (M)

Market for big American cars has been sliding steadily in recent years, as younger buyers flock to smaller, high-performance imported cars that have redefined the luxury market; some of biggest American-made cars--like Chrysler New Yorker, Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood--face extinction this or next year; General Motors Corp is trying to revive sales of its biggest lines, and Ford Motor Co y is trying to pick up sales its rivals are writing off, but Chrysler Corp is racing out of large-car market as fast as it can; scale of problem is clear: in 1965, nearly 50 percent of all autos were traditional full-sized American cars; by 1995, only 10 percent were; while older motorists continue to buy big cars, younger buyers of today are not expected to switch to bigger cars as they get older; photos; charts (L)

Ross Perot, barred from Presidential debates and denied prime-time television slots he wants for his lectures on public policy, has found sharper focus for his 1996 campaign by once again running not so much for President as running against Washington political institutions, particularly Bob Dole; Perot blames Dole for opposing his inclusion in debates; says Dole has poisoned attitudes of millions of independent voters who put Republicans in power in House and Senate (M)