October 26, 1998

Anna Kisselgoff reviews San Francisco Ballet's production of George Balanchine's Agon and Jermone Robbins' The Cage, featuring dancer Lucia Lacarra, at City Center; photo (M)

Sen Alfonse M D'Amato and Rep Charles E Schumer lay out sharply different views on tax cuts, gun control and abortion rights during free-flowing and clamorous debate in which each Senate candidate struggles to set agenda for final week of campaign; Schumer and D'Amato spend much of debate trying to discredit each other's credentials, with D'Amato again asserting that Schumer neglected his duties in Washington and Schumer describing D'Amato as untrustworthy and extreme; Schumer assails D'Amato for repeatedly voting against abortion rights and gun control and for supporting much of Newt Gingrich's Contract With America; D'Amato assails Schumer for supporting series of tax increases in Congress, opposing 1996 welfare bill and voting against authorizing President George Bush to use force against Saddam Hussein in Persian Gulf; photo of candidate with moderate, Gabe Pressman (M)

NBC plans to name Scott Sassa as president for entertainment division, replacing Warren Littlefield; NBC has decided to move Sassa from his current job as president of NBC's station division, to set up transition period during which Sassa could work under NBC's top entertainment executive, Don Ohlmeyer, before taking over for Ohlmeyer, when he decides to step down; Ohlmeyer is expected to leave when his contract expires in 2000; photos (M)

Microsoft's Trial Thesis: Big, Yes, but Not a Bully The Microsoft Corporation's defense in the antitrust trial that began last week boils down to one question: Where's the harm? John Warden, Microsoft's lead lawyer, posed the question in hundreds of ways as he cross-examined the Government's lead witness, James Barksdale, the president and chief executive of Netscape Communications. Mr. Warden sought to establish that while Microsoft is assuredly aggressive and powerful, there is scant evidence that its behavior raises prices or restricts output so that consumers suffer. News Analysis. [Page C4.]

Several basketball players address personal finances two months after National Basketball Association's lockout put halt to their paychecks; Boston Celtics guard Kenny Anderson tells how not receiving salary has affected his lifestyle; photo (M)