January 19, 2001

John Tierney The Big City column contends Justice Leland DeGrasse's decision ordering more money to be spent on New York City schools is misguided; compares public and Catholic schools and holds that, even with significantly lower per pupil expenditure, Catholic schools succeed because they are accountable to parents (M)

Forecast dim for providing cellular telephones to millions of poor people in rural areas of world because technology stocks are slumping, telecommunications industry is reeling at cost of its wireless future and doubts are being raised that even rich-country users will quickly embrace new technology; most people in developing world still do not live in cities; while many developing nations in Asia have embraced Internet and wireless communications, Indonesia's relatively large and poor rural population has been left out; some experts believe poverty could be eased by hooking up rural Asia with wireless communications; maps; photos (M)

Consumer prices in Canada rose 3.2 percent in December, matching November's advance (S)

Homeowners' Equity Share Has Fallen to Record Low For most American families, their home is their biggest investment, and after years of prosperity in which home prices rose substantially, family wealth has increased as well. But millions of households borrowed heavily against their homes, often to support ever greater spending. The borrowing has been so extensive that homeowners have let their ownership shares deteriorate over the last two decades to the lowest level on record, the Federal Reserve reports. [Page A1.]

Chapters Inc, Canada's biggest book chain, is acquired by Future Shop Ltd for 200 million Canadian dollars ($134 million) in cash and stock (S)