November 2, 2001

Article discusses alliance forged between Atty Gen John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller, and notes it is departure from past relationships of people in these posts; FBI has ceded much of its traditional independence to Justice Dept, with Ashcroft taking command of investigation as he defers to Mueller on strategic decisions; some in bureau welcome change as indication that fight against terrorism is more important than turf battle, while others perceive stronger loyalty to Ashcroft than bureau; photos (M)

Accurate US bombing of front-line Taliban forces in northern Afghanistan has been delayed for weeks by difficulty of infiltrating up to 100 elite American commandos; Sec Donald Rumsfeld and other officials cite howling sandstorms, ground fire and coordination problems with opposition forces; US special forces are training and organizing rebel militias and spotting targets for warplanes, but only about two dozen are on ground so far; delays complicate campaign to oust Taliban, get Osama bin Laden and promote resistance in south, where some angry Pashtuns seem to have rallied to Taliban; national security adviser Condoleezza Rice sees no bombing pause for Ramadan, saying enemy has to be pressed to the end; Gen Richard B Myers reports B-52's are having some effect on entrenched Taliban troops around Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif; he and Rumsfeld say such strikes now account for 80 percent of missions (M)

New York State Supreme Court Justice Rena K Uviller dismisses all charges against Oliver Jovanovic, Columbia University doctoral student accused five years ago of sexual torture of woman he met on Internet; prosecutor says that woman, Barnard College student who made allegations, is no longer willing to testify at second trial; Jovanovic's conviction at his first trial was overturned on appeal; case reviewed; photo (L)

Dispute over setting aside patents that limit cheap drug supplies is threatening to derail new round of World Trade Organization trade talks set to begin next week in Doha, Qatar; group of 38 African nations is seeking more leeway under trade group's intellectual property agreement, which US and Switzerland say already ensures adequate supplies of drugs when there is health crisis (M)

Mark Green and Michael Bloomberg tear into each other's character and credentials in debate that lays out differences between New York City mayoral candidates over how to rebuild lower Manhattan and repair public school system; photo; Bloomberg mocks Green as careerist government official ill-prepared to take over from Rudolph Giuliani; Green paints billionaire businessman as insensitive to women and minorities, disloyal to Democratic party to which he belonged until recently, and unfamiliar with government operations; personal attacks reflect tightening race (M)