October 13, 2001

Note to readers explains that The New York Times is not printed at Manhattan building where letter containing unidentified powder was handed over to authorities

Norwegian Nobel Committee awards Nobel Peace Prize to UN Sec Gen Kofi Annan and to UN itself; decision, made on Sept 28, after terrorist attacks against US, comes as Annan and UN take prominent role in forging international campaign against global terrorism and as key to building post-Taliban Afghanistan; chairman Gunnar Berge says Nobel committee wishes, in its centenary year, to proclaim UN as route to global peace; Annan welcomes 'great encouragement;' photos; his predecessor Dag Hammarskjold won posthumous Nobel in 1961; citation lauds Annan for bringing 'new life' to UN; Pres Bush telephones congratulations (M)

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column discusses New York Yankees performance against Oakland Athletics in American League division playoff series; says Yankees are looking older against younger team that has won first two games; photo (M)

Assistant to NBC television anchor Tom Brokaw has tested positive for anthrax, more than two weeks after she handled two threatening letters addressed to Brokaw, one containing white powder and second a sandlike substance; Rockefeller Center is cordoned off; The New York Times newsroom is evacuated after reporter opens envelope containing white powder; photos; Times letter and at least one to NBC were mailed from St Petersburg, Fla, and have similar handwriting; anxious people in New York and around US deplete antibiotic supplies and besiege doctors, offices are evacuated after spate of threats and companies alter mail-handling procedures; NBC aide, Erin O'Connor, 38, has skin anthrax, less dangerous form; Vice Pres Cheney speculates on link to Osama bin Laden's terrorists; Pres Bush urges life to go on as normal; hundreds of Rockefeller Center employees are tested, and many get antibiotics; questions are raised about FBI's failure to analyze powder from NBC after being notified Sept 25; test came only after O'Connor's doctor notified city health officials; Mayor Rudolph Giuliani urges people not to overreact to anthrax scare and latest warnings of possible new terrorist attack; O'Connor is reported making full recovery; she developed rash and fever after handling envelope and, on Oct 1, saw doctor who prescribed Cipro; Times letter was sent to Judith Miller, who has written extensively about chemical and biological weapons (M)

Microsoft and Government Fail to Settle Antitrust Case Microsoft and the government have failed to settle the long-running antitrust case on their own, and a federal judge is expected to name a mediator early next week to handle further negotiations, a person close to the talks said. The failure to reach agreement in the antitrust case is not a surprise. Three previous rounds of settlement talks have broken off without agreement. [Page C4.]