March 26, 1999

School bus that struck and killed Juhi Shah moments after dropping her off in front of her Queens home is owned and operated by Aucar's Transportation, private bus company that is not subject to stringent safety regulations for public school bus services; death of Shah, kindergartner at Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic School in Forest Hills, has prompted number of state and local investigations; Auden Cardenas, company's owner, was driving bus; Shah photo (M)

United States and China said to be making enormous progress in efforts to reach broad accord in next two weeks that could pave way for Beijing to enter World Trade Organization, even as White House fears effort could be torpedoed by Congress; American participant in talks claims China has offered more market-opening concessions in past three weeks than in past three years; Administration officials say publicly they are committed to getting China into trade group; privately, President's advisers fear Clinton could be forced to expend scarce political capital on a losing battle with Congress, which is conducting probe into China's suspected nuclear thefts, and where there are long-running concerns over human rights, Tibet, Taiwan and soaring trade deficit (M)

Microsoft Offer to Settle Receives a Cool Reception State and Federal officials were dismissive of Microsoft's proposal to settle its antitrust suit, but they said the two sides would meet for negotiations, probably beginning on Tuesday. Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson of Federal District Court has asked both sides to try to settle the case. As a result, officials said, even though the Justice Department and state Attorneys General question whether the Microsoft proposal is serious, they feel compelled to show a good-faith effort. [Page C2.]

Connecticut residents are in frenzy over University of Connecticut men's basketball team, which, after many near misses, has made it to Final Four of National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament; Connecticut has been selling out games since 1940's, although team did not become national power until Coach Jim Calhoun's arrival in 1986; crowds are now so large that team plays only half its home games on campus and rest at Hartford Civic Center; Connecticut will play Ohio State in semifinals of tournament on March 27; photo (M)

Serbian anger at West, especially United States, is both media-fed and genuine; some Serbs are stupefied that bombs are falling and outraged that world is treating them 'like savages'; interview with Serb family that spends night in basement, hiding from bombs; photo (M)