February 17, 1999

Consolidated Edison Co offers for sale three prime East Side, New York City, lots likely to be sold to housing developers and expected to together fetch $200 million; says lots, totaling 4.41 acres, might be combined with fourth, now site of generating plant, which covers 9.5 acres; most of land is currently zoned for manufacturing; map (M)

Ira Berkow Sports of The Times article on former New York Knickerbocker player Charles Oakley's return to Madison Square Garden as Toronto Raptor to play against former teammates for first time; cites his reputation for hitting opposing players; photo (M)3

Political Shift in Ulster The Northern Ireland Assembly approved political changes for the British province aimed at giving the Roman Catholics more power and ending sectarian violence. Page A3. Cheap Flights to Europe Major airlines are reducing fares to Europe because international business travel is weakening and more flights have been scheduled across the North Atlantic. Page C1.

Protestors enraged by capture of Abdullah Ocalan, foremost Kurd rebel leader, storm diplomatic posts throughout Europe and elsewhere, taking hostages and setting fires; Kurds in Paris, London, Moscow, Frankfurt, Milan, Bern and more than dozen cities as far away as Sydney, Australia, stage violent protests; seize consulates; battle police; threaten mass suicides; hundreds are arrested; most of approximately two dozen hostages are freed; at least three Kurds are seriously injured after setting themselves on fire; focus of anger is against Greece, which temporarily provided Ocalan shelter, and Kenya where he was captured; both countries are believed to have betrayed him in end; Kurds demonstrate in Kurdish neighborhood in Istanbul, setting cars on fire; demonstrations of joy erupt elswhere in Turkey, where many people view Ocalan as terrorist; photos (M)

New York Knickerbockers defeat Toronto Raptors, 95-85; photo (M)