March 5, 1999

Justice Harry A Blackmun, modest Midwestern Republican who became passionate defender of right to abortion in 24 years on Supreme Court, dies at age of 90; he had retired from Court five years ago; despite active, 62-year career as lawyer and judge, his name is forever linked to issue of abortion and to opinion that bore his signature, Roe v Wade; he began his tenure on Supreme Court in 1970 as liflong Republican never known for breaking new ground or challenging status quo; by time of his retirement, he was one of last liberal voices on transformed Court; although vote in Roe v Wade was 7 to 2, it was Blackmun who became personal symbol of abortion issue that assumed increasingly dominant, and divisive, role in American politics; although Blackmun maintained that it was Court that changed, not he, evidence of his own evolution is unmistakable; one example is reversal of his long-held support of death penalty, having concluded after many years that capital punishment could not be carried out in manner consistent with Constitution; Harry Andrew Blackmun was born Nov 12, 1908; detailed profile of his life and career; photos (L)

Protestants and Catholics opposed to promise of peace in Northern Ireland are killing and maiming their own; members of paramilitary armies who control working-class neighborhoods are turning their violence on their own, in vicious effort to avoid being swept away in march toward peace; in grim paradox, beatings increase at times like present, when cease-fires and political negotiations drastically reduce killing between two warring religious communities and bring exhilarating promise of peace; Sam Cushnahan, director of Families Against Intimidation and Terror, nonsectarian organization, says new violence is from militias that took on enforcement role to maintain unity and discipline in their communities as sectarian conflict became more intense; says they do not want to give up this power and control; photos (M)

''Analyze This'' has a funny title, an even funnier premise and inspired odd-couple casting, with Robert De Niro (above, left) in the hilarious role of a Don experiencing fits of self-doubt, and Billy Crystal (right) as his beleaguered psychiatrist. Directed with the utmost affection by Harold Ramis, the film summons the hallmarks of a mob movie and finds in Mr. De Niro just the man to send them up. Without betraying the genre that has handed him such choice opportunities, Mr. De Niro gives a performance that amounts to one long wink at the viewer. And it helps to no end that he and Mr. Crystal, despite their obvious differences, are perfectly in tune.

Republican leaders of Congress agree on broad outlines of budget plan they say would immediately wall off Social Security funds so they could not be used to pay for tax cuts or new Government spending; budget framework hammered out would adhere to stringent spending limits enacted in balanced-budget agreement reached two years ago by Pres Clinton and Congress; it would provide for relatively small tax cut in fiscal year beginning Oct 1 that would grow to cut of as much as $800 billion over next decade; Republicans' plan is intended to protect them from charges by Pres Clinton and Democrats that they would use Social Security money to finance tax cuts for wealthy; Republicans hope their plan will leave Democrats open to accusations that they are raiding Social Security if they want to increase domestic spending; White House signals that Republican plan is $700 billion short for Medicare (M)

Dow Up Nearly 200 Points As I.B.M. Lifts Stocks After weeks of sour news on technology stocks, the sector received a boost when I.B.M. announced that it had won a $16 billion order from Dell Computer for parts like disk drives and displays. Despite the increase, the market is still locked in the trading range it has been in since January.