September 28, 2001

Craig O McCaw, who made fortune in telecommunications industry, is selling homes, jets, yacht, ranch and other personal assets, almost certainly as result of severe downturn in industry; entrepreneurs of 1990's spent freely in apparent belief that good years would never end; spokesman maintains that McCaw is selling properties to raise cash to buy telecommunications assets on cheap; McCaw invested heavily in telecommunications stocks in early 1990's; his two big investments, Nextel and XO Communications, were valued at $8.8 billion in March 2000, but lately their worth has fallen to about $1 billion; graph; photos (M)

Agfa-Gevaert says it may have to cut up to 4,000 jobs, or 18 percent of its work force, in bid to refocus on digital technologies (S)

Pres Bush announces that federal government would take on larger role in airport security and that more than 4,000 National Guard troops would begin protecting nation's 420 commercial airports within days; says troops will be stationed at airport metal detectors and machines screening carry-on luggage; use of National Guard troops will be temporary measure until federal government establishes what Bush administration official describes as new agency to oversee all domestic airport security; says new approach would give government more control over training, performance standards, wages and benefits; Bush says he will give grants to airlines to allow them to develop stronger cockpit doors and transponders that cannot be switched off from cockpit; there will also be government grants available to pay for video monitors in cockpit to alert pilots to trouble in cabin; new technology, probably far in future, would allow air traffic controllers to land distressed planes by remote control; photo (M)

New York City's cultural organizations respond to Sept 11 terror attack; Lincoln Center president, Gordon J Davis, explains changes in schedules of constituent groups there; sales, fund-raising, rehearsals and gala openings are suspended until security plans and memorials are set; photos; situation at Carnegie Hall and other venues also noted; city's major musical organizations are somewhat insulated from aftermath of attack because New Yorkers, not tourists, make up much of audience (M)

John Tierney The Big City column discusses efforts by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to stay in office after his term expires to help rebuild city from Sept 11 terrorist attack; urges Giuliani to step down when his term is completed (M)