September 10, 2001

New Mideast Bombing Eight more died in new violence in Israel that included what officials said was the first suicide bombing by an Israeli Arab. PAGE A3 Synagogue Is Rededicated Three years after a fire almost destroyed the Central Synagogue in Manhattan, a $40 million restoration has been completed. PAGE B1

American Embassy visa section in Beijing rejects record number of visa applications from Chinese scholars this year, prompting applicants to charage that its decisions are arbitrary and unfair; Chinese complain that on basis of interviews lasting less than five minutes thousands of Chinese have found longstanding plans to study, travel and work jettisoned; those denied visas include students with full scholarships to Ivy League schools and grandparents wanting to see first grandchild; while cases are not unique to China, numbers have become huge and aftermath especially far-reaching as there are currently more students at American universities from China than from any other country; denials disproportionately affect young, highly educated students and professionals, seeding anti-American resentment in group that has played important role in improving ties between both countries; American Embassy officials are inclined to be suspicious since, historically, majority of Chinese students have remained in US after graduation, although most do so legally; officials acknowledge that large numbers of Chinese have faced rejections in current year and that rate is high compared with 2000, but they say more people are being rejected because more high school students are applying and because total number of applications is growing so fast; photo (M)

A.I.G. Settles Dispute Over Korean Investment The American International Group has resolved a dispute with Hyundai Securities that appears to remove a major obstacle to the $850 million takeover of the financial units of the Hyundai Group. The investment would be the largest investment ever by a foreign company in Korea's financial sector. [Page C2.] Editor's Letter Raises Questions In mid-August, when it was unclear which news organizations would get interviews with the embattled California congressman, Gary A. Condit, The San Francisco Chronicle, like many others, was pitching itself as the best place for Mr. Condit to break his silence. But its pitch has raised ethical questions about the separation of The Chronicle's newsroom from its editorial department. [C2.]

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column says Fernando Ferrer's courting of leading members of black-Latino coalition could backfire if he gets into runoff with Mark Green in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary; says blatant ethnic or racial appeals debate politics and are not very smart, because on one group dominates the franchise (M)

Analysis of efforts by foreign broadcasters to making tiny inroads in huge Chinese television market; government is determined not to let them broadcast to masses anytime soon; will limit foreign broadcasts to part of Guangdong province; has proposed centralizing them on single satellite and encrypting signals so it can more tightly control who on ground can watch (M)