September 15, 1999

Article discusses outcry over decision by board of Miss America Pageant to adopt new rules that would clear way for divorced woman or one who had had an abortion to compete for crown; many supporters and contestants in pageant say that new standards would ruin essence of contest they hold sacrosanct; pageant organizers, in wake of outcry, have decided to reconsider new standards; photo (M)

Moscow's thousands of dark-complexioned natives of Caucasus Mountains, Muslim or Christian, have become suspects and potential scapegoats in Russia's reaction to suspected terrorist bombings of two apartment buildings; many are staying at home to avoid bullying by police and neighbors; many Moscow residents fear bombings mean conflict in north Caucasus region of Dagestan, where insurgents seek to create Islamic state, has been extended to city; police begin enforcing Mayor Yuri M Luzhkov's requirement that visitors to city re-register, move aimed at people from Caucasus, many of whom live in city without residency permits; photos (M)

E.Spire Communications Inc, GST Telecommunications Inc, ICG Communications Inc and Intermedia Communications Inc are among competitive local exchange carriers, or CLEC's, that have recently canvassed or are currently canvassed for potential acquirers, generally with help of big-name investment banks; with average market value of $750 million, those four carriers are fairly representative of middle of CLEC industry; there have been no takers so far; many of competitive carriers that emerged in wake of deregulatory Telecommunications Act of 1996, hoping for easy pickings in local communications markets, have found competing against regional Bell companies more difficult and expensive than they expected; many are laden with debt and need to raise yet more money; graph; chart (M)

New York Atty Gen Eliot L Spitzer, opening new legal front in fight against air pollution from coal-burning power plants in upwind states, plans to sue 17 out-of-state power plants to force them to clean up; holds they failed to make required pollution control upgrades when they made other big investments in plants, interview; Environmental Protection Agency officials laud suits (M)

With heavenly finesse Kevin Spacey plays a buttoned-down 42-year-old suburbanite who flips his lid for a teenage cheerleader. And he never gets it back on. The midlife crisis motif is familiar, but the stage director Sam Mendes brings terrific visual flair and dry humor to this barbecuing of the bourgeoisie. All the actors display coolly expert timing, especially Annette Bening as the antihero's grasping wife. Although the story spreads itself thin among many characters, the film coalesces for a devastating finale. — Janet Maslin\n