October 5, 2001

Pres Bush proposes extending unemployment benefits to help people who lost jobs in wake of Sept 11 terrorist attack; there were 528,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, highest level in more than nine years (M)

Opium and Afghan Rebels The United Nations says that most opium grown in Afghanistan this year was in areas controlled by a rebel group opposed to the ruling Taliban and now supported by the United States. PAGE B5 States Weigh Defense Plans Governors, legislators and local officials in virtually every state are considering proposals to fight terrorism in a nationwide brainstorming session on local defense. PAGE B8

Future of 'flag carrier' airlines comes under scrutiny, particularly in Europe, where half a dozen are teetering financially; Swissair resumes flights after 48-hour halt; European Union regulators want explanation of Swiss government's $280 million emergency loan to Swissair since its rules ban government subsidies to commercial airlines; rules do not deter Belgium, member of union, from offering to lend its struggling flag carrier, Sabena, $114 million to stay afloat; Ireland's Ryanair says it will go to court to stop loan; financial problems of other European flag carriers discussed (M)

Russian airliner carrying 76 people traveling from Tel Aviv to Siberia explodes and plunges into Black Sea off Russian coast; all 64 passengers and 12 crew members of Siberian Airlines jet are presumed dead; Pres Vladimir V Putin, who has thrown Russian support behind United States campaign against terrorism, says disaster may have been work of terrorists, conclusion quickly echoed by Russian intelligence officials; but there are suggesstions from American officials that crash could have been caused by antiaircraft missiles fired by Ukrainian military forces who were conducting training exercises, with Russian help, off Crimean peninsula; Ukrainian Defense Ministry adamantly denies any role in crash, saying that all its missiles hit their intended targets and that exercises were staged far from jet's flight path; map; photo (M)

Article discusses details of quickly arranging 343 funerals for firefighters who died in Sept 11 attack on World Trade Center; each funeral is painstakingly organized by ceremonial unit of department, which has been expanded to handle load; photos (M)