October 16, 2001

Bruce Weber reviews revival of Lady in the Dark at Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia; Ted Sperling directs (M)

Dutch financial services company ING Groep cuts its forecast for earnings growth this year; says profit will be hurt by slowing sales and increased insurance claims related to Sept 11 terrorist attacks; graph (S)

Relations between Mark Green and Fernando Ferrer are more antagonistic than during New York City mayoral primary campaign itself amid Ferrer's charges that Green ran racially charged and unfairly harsh campaign; Rep Charles Rangel, Ferrer adviser, meets with Republican candidate Michael R Bloomberg; lauds Bloomberg and deplores racist calls made and cartoons sent, news conference; Green's advisers deny campaign was behind literature or calls in white neighborhoods warning Ferrer would be tool of Rev Al Sharpton; race was constant presence in campaign, used by both sides, spurred in part by Ferrer's success in winning black and Latino support (M)

United States mail moves more gingerly than usual against backdrop of rising anxiety over anthrax exposure; postal workers and private companies adjust work habits, and mail handlers all along delivery system demonstrate higher degree of caution and concern; some businesses, including NBC, refuse to receive mail altogether; many mail handlers are wearing latex gloves for first time; some are strapping on face masks; many of nation's 800,000 postal employees express fear, confusion or frustration at time when envelopes with powdery substances are turning up in uncommon numbers; John E Potter, postmaster general, says Postal Service would do everything possible to safeguard 680 million pieces of mail it moves daily, as well as its employees and consumers; photo (M)

Bethlehem Steel Corp files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; company, which has not made money since 1998, says it lost $152.2 million in third quarter, compared with loss of $34.8 million year earlier; revenue fell 17 percent, to $825.4 million from $988.8 million; chairman Robert S Miller Jr says events of Sept 11 put steel demand into free fall, and terms of of financing packages company are negotiating are getting worse; Miller says he has asked government for assistance with costs and taxes; Bethlehem and other American steel companies have been suffering from cheaper imports; some analysts doubt whether government will comply; they expect American steel industry to consolidate and Bethlehem is unlikely to remain independent (Market Place column) (M)

Bush administration proposes to pay vast majority of losses of insurance industry from any terrorist attacks next year and to cap industry's liability at $12 billion; plan calls for government to pay 80 percent of first $20 billion of claims next year and 90 percent of next $80 billion; if claims exceed $100 billion, Congress would determine how they would be paid; proposal would also limit industry's liability from terrorist claims to $23 billion in 2003; insurers would pay all of losses on first $10 billion; in 2004, industry's liability would be limited to $36 billion; insurers would pay all losses on first $20 billion in claims (M)

American Airlines Flight 11 had fallen mysteriously silent. The air traffic controller called over and over for a response. None came. Then he heard an unidentified voice from the cockpit: ''We have some planes. Just stay quiet, and you'll be O.K. We are returning to the airport.'' The controller, confused, asked, ''Who's trying to call me?''

Taliban Foreign Min Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, in secret talks in Pakistan, appeals for American bombing pause in Afghanistan, while moderates in Taliban government seek to persuade supreme leader Mullah Muhammad Omar to agree to formula for handover of Osama bin Laden; talks come amid widespread rumors of Muttawakil's defection; his presence in Pakistan, apparently without Omar's approval, suggests intensive American bombing is causing policy shift in Taliban leadership; plea for bombing pause reportedly relayed to Sec Colin Powell, who is on one-day visit; Pakistani officials are optimistic Powell's visit will compress political process, accelerating steps to form post-Taliban government and clear way for American military commanders to pound Taliban front-line troops into disarray, defection or disintegration; photos (M)

United Airlines is carrying out biggest overhaul it has ever made in its flight schedule, requiring it to contact more than five million passengers traveling in November and December, and alert them to changes; thousands of passengers who booked their reservations months in advance may find themselves leaving earlier or later than they planned, or on smaller plane flown by one of United's commuter partners when they had expected to travel on United itself; changes are result of efforts by United to cut costs and match its operations to severely reduced passenger demand in wake of terrorist attacks; schedule changes reflect 23 percent reduction in United's total number of seats, industry measure of capacity; photo (M)

John Tierney column questions Senate-approved plan to create federal airport security force; notes officials in Israel and Europe have tried and abandoned federal model; holds security was lax at American airports because no one was accountable and terrorism was seen as foreign problem (M)

When a team has won 37 pennants and 26 World Series, including the last 3, there are not many firsts remaining. But the Yankees achieved another one last night. Becoming the first team to win a three-of-five-game postseason series after losing the first two games at home, the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics, 5-3, at Yankee Stadium to win the American League division series, three games to two.

Overview of events in war on terrorism that is now being fought on two distinct fronts: at home, with threat of anthrax-laced mail, and in Afghanistan, with 10 days of bombing and missile attacks (M)