April 6, 2000

In Japan, Change at the Top Parliament elected Yoshiro Mori, of the Liberal Democratic Party, as prime minister, and he may call a snap election. But skeptics are not confident he can survive in power long. PAGE A6

World Health Orgn and United Nations AIDS program say 23 million Africans infected with virus that causes AIDS should be given regular doses of common and affordable antibiotic to ward off fatal secondary infections; recommendation is based on encouraging preliminary studies with drug, best known as Bactrim; Clinton administration is spending more than $100 million to fight AIDS abroad and wants to raise that to $325 million in next year's budget; Bactrim has been prescribed for years in wealthy countries to ward off AIDS-related infections (M)

San Diego Padres defeat New York Mets, 4-0; photo (M)

New Jersey Department of Commerce and Economic Development records show that Governor Christine Todd Whitman's husband John Whitman was major shareholder and director of Mail.com, Internet company that was approved for $16 million grant from state last November; although state officials say that neither Governor Whitman nor her husband were involved in application or approval of grant, government watchdog groups say that conflict of interest questions could be raised; photo (M)

Best performing initial public offerings of 1999 lead Nasdaq stock market in comeback; total of 23 new stocks ended year trading at least 10 times their original offering price; nearly all of 1999 class of hot deals were Internet related, and nearly all of them have no profits; group has performed horribly since Nasdaq market peaked on March 10; since then, Nasdaq composite is down 17.4 percent; on average group has lost 48 percent of its value in 18 trading sessions; measured from lows on April 4, these stocks are up 33.9 percent by close of trading April 5, more than twice 14.3 percent recovery of overall Nasdaq market; chart (Market Place column) (M)