April 22, 2000

New York Knick Marcus Camby comments on Knicks' playoff opponent Toronto Raptors, his former team (M)

Justice Department officials say unnamed intermediaries are working on plan for Elian Gonzalez's Miami relatives to immediately turn over child to his father Juan Miguel; it is not immediately clear who unnamed parties are or whether proposal will be acceptable to Miami relatives, Elian's father or Justice Department; department officials say outline of plan has been sent to lawyers for Miami relatives and lawyer for Elian's father; they say Attorney General Janet Reno telephoned Gregory Craig, father's lawyer, to discuss plan; photo (M)

Prominent social and fiscal conservatives have been quiet about Gov George W Bush's advocacy of expanded federal role and his overtures to nontraditional constituencies; cite hunger to win back presidency and willingness to sacrifice some bedrock Republican stands to do so, interviews; say his positions make them more insistent that he not pick running mate who favors abortion rights (M)

Brooklyn livery cab drivers hail aggressive police response to murders of 7 New York City drivers this year; Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani and Police Comr Howard Safir have created livery task force of over 300 officers at taxi industry's urging, and have issued rules that make it easier for officers to stop and search livery cabs; police and drivers hope frequent traffic stops will discourage robbery-murders; photos (M)

Little has changed in ruined East Timor as United Nations passes six-month mark in its first experiment in building a new nation; whole towns and villages still stand burned, roofless and silent, devastated by rampage of destruction of that followed East Timor's vote last August to end 24 years of Indonesian occupation; as many as 80 percent of territory's 700,000 people still have no jobs; another 100,000 or more remain in camps across border in Indonesian West Timor, still afraid to return; desperation of East Timor's unemployed, and first spasms of violence it has spawned, are sharpest signs of swelling discontent; aid workers and diplomats say they fear that this discontent could lead to lawlessness and political disarray and could open door to trouble from Indonesian-backed militias that crossed border to Indonesian West Timor after laying waste to territory last September; there is still no working police force or justice system, no government structure, few schools, no working water or power or transportation system, no post office, not much of an economy, little reconstruction; scene in Dili described; map; photos (M)