January 18, 2001

Earthquake measuring 2.4 on Richter Scale strikes New York City, causing minor damage; seismologists place epicenter somewhere on Upper East Side of Manhattan; map; photo (M)

Allan Kozinn Critic's Notebook article on Lorin Maazel's performances conducting Israel Philharmonic and in playing violin in recital with pianist Yefim Bronfman; discusses Maazel as candidate for New York Philharmonic's music director (M)

Dutch Internet retailer LetsBuyIt.com, which asked for temporary court protection from creditors Jan 2, less than six months after it went public, says it has filed for full-scale bankruptcy proceedings (S)

Gov Gray Davis of California declares state of emergency after state is forced to cut power temporarily for hundreds of thousands of people in Central and Northern California; this is first such planned, controlled blackout to occur in such a large area; utilities and state officials make frantic efforts to line up enough power for later in week; prospect of continuing blackouts puts pressure on governor to step in and take emergency actions; Davis provides few specifics in his announcement, other than saying that state's two largest utilities, Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison, are on verge of bankruptcy, and that he ordered Dept of Water Resources, state agency, to become principal purchaser of electricity from big generating companies that supply state; state would then sell power to financially strapped private utilities; emergency declaration recognizes that one factor that caused blackouts and threatens more in days ahead is refusal of big generating companies to sell their power to utilities that might never be able to pay for it; photos; map (M)

Recovering addicts, convicted dealer, retired drug agent and others involved in battle against drugs view film Traffic and discuss accuracy of its depiction of drug world; panelists say harrowing movie could have been even harsher in depiction of addicts; photos (M)