August 21, 2001

Financial records for Democratic mayoral candidates show that Mark Green and Comptroller Alan Hevesi have already raised enough money to ensure that they can spend maximum allowed by law by Sept 11 primary and Sept 25 runoff election if necessary; Fernando Ferrer is about $1 million short of that ceiling while Peter Vallone needs additional $650,000 (M)

National Business Travel Association survey suggests that sharp drop in business travel may be beginning to bottom out, but association warns that strong growth is unlikely to return for quite a while to airlines and hotels that cater to corporate market; 16 percent of corporate travel managers surveyed plan on spending more on business trips next year, while 57 percent say they will spend at same level as this year; chart; photo (M)

Interview with Helen Hays, American Museum of Natural History ornithologist, who has run since 1969 project to study roseate and common terns that nest on museum-owned Great Gull Island, NY; map; photos (M)

Israeli roadblocks sprinkled across West Bank and Gaza have become defining physical feature of conflict that has consumed both sides for past 11 months; have trapped thousands of Palestinians in their towns and divided both areas into virtual cantons; for Israel blockades are essential security measure, but for Palestinians they are source of daily hardship and humiliation; maps; photos (M)

Ernst & Young, independent auditors of ExciteatHome, expresses 'substantial doubt' about financial viability of company, once mighty Internet portal turned broadband provider; Excite says it currently does not meet conditions to continue listing on Nasdaq and could face delisting; stock falls 40 cents a share, to 49 cents (M)