August 2, 2000

New York Knickerbockers re-sign free agent forward Kurt Thomas; say that Patrick Ewing will not be traded; photo (M)

Sen John McCain sheds rebellious image to laud Gov George W Bush, speech to Republican National Convention; holds Bush would be able to defend nation's interests abroad; speech anchors evening aimed at invoking symbols of military might and assuring national viewing audience that Bush can be trusted as commander in chief and steady hand in foreign policy despite his lack of experience; speakers include other military heroes: Bob Dole, Gen H Norman Schwarzkopf and Sen Chuck Hagel, and Condoleeza Rice, Bush's chief international affairs adviser, who as African-American also underscores his pledge to place minorities in key roles; photos (M)

Interview with 95-year-old Stanley Kunitz, who will succeed Robert Pinksy in October as 10th poet laureate of US; photo (M)

Amanda Hesser article on preparing homemade mayonnaise; photos; recipes (L)

New York City's three largest real estate brokerage--Corcoran Group, Douglas Elliman and Halstead Property Co--agree to combine their residential listings in one huge database that home buyers and renters can view on the Internet; firms, which hold 50 percent of listings in Manhattan, will invite other residential real estate companies in city to join system, making it difficult for brokers not using the system to compete; brokerage companies now exchange listings selectively in a process called co-broking, dividing up the commissions when a deal is made, but temptation for agents is to try to hold on to new listings and sell the home themselves to retain the entire commission; change would put city's real estate industry in step with the way things are done in the rest of country (M)

New York Mets defeat Cincinnati Reds, 3-2; photo (M)

Sen Robert G Torricelli's move to seize Democratic nomination for New Jersey governor ran into a solid wall of opposition in the normally fractious party; he made critical mistake by underestimating the strength of his opponent, Mayor James E McGreevey of Woodbridge; powerful Democrats like Sen Frank R Lautenberg and Rep Robert Menendez were eager to thwart Torricelli, who they felt slighted them during his rise to power; photos (M)

Anthony Tommasini's Critic's Notebook column says New York Philharmonic should abandon common American practice of going after renowned foreign conductors and older eminences and look instead at younger, energetic Americans who could wake up New York's cultural community; photos (M)

Tobacco Industry Faulted Cigarette makers took part in efforts to undermine antismoking endeavors by the World Health Organization, an agency report says. PAGE A8 Secret Vote on Pinochet The Chilean Supreme Court reportedly voted in secret to strip Gen. Augusto Pinochet of his senatorial immunity. PAGE A4

United States is proposing that efforts to cut levels of heat-trapping gases that may be warming climate give as much credit to countries that use forests and farmers' fields to sop up carbon dioxide, chief greenhouse gas, as for cutting emissions; State Department outlines approach in document filed with United Nations office overseeing talks aimed at carrying out 1997 international accord on averting global warming; Clinton administration officials and some scientists say incentives to plant trees and to farm in ways that lock away carbon are key to stabilizing climate and winning Senate support for any climate treaty; some environmental groups score approach, citing uncertainties about how long plants and soils can continue to absorb carbon; proposal is at odds with European Union stance; 38 other industrialized nations are also set to file proposals (M)

Dow and S.& P. 500 Gain, But Nasdaq Slumps 2.2% Stocks were mixed as investors switched out of technology companies on fears that their earnings growth might slow and moved into more traditional and cheaper sectors, like consumer products. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 84.97 points, or 0.8 percent, to 10,606.95, while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index gained 7.27 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,438.10. The technology-laden Nasdaq composite index fell 81.47 points, or 2.2 percent, to 3,685.52. [Page C9.]

Bathrooms have become as important to people who design restaurants in New York City as gleaming kitchens were in 1980's; Zagat Survey's New York City Nightlife 2000 guide includes listing of 'cool loos'; photos (M)