November 9, 2001

Reporter's Notebook describes night sky in Afghanistan, where natural world looms large; stars and moon are very bright without competition from electric lights; cratered landscape is harsh; there is no bridge across Kokcha River so people cross on horseback; elements dictate life in land where rains--and hunger--can force people to move; describes working in mud-brick hut that operates with gas-powered generator and no plumbing; photo (M)

Federal probe of anthrax attacks has stumbled in several areas and may have missed opportunities to gather valuable evidence because criminal investigators have been slow to fully grasp scientific complexities of case; FBI comes under withering criticism in Congress and acknowledges having to turn to outside experts, but insists inquiry is following logical strategy; experts criticize permission given to Iowa State University to destroy collection of Ames strain spores that might have held important genetic clues, criminal investigators have not visited many of companies, laboratories and academic institutions with capability of making anthrax, and questions that have been asked have seemed too general; FBI has just now subpoenaed labs for names of workers and researchers who have been vaccinated against anthrax and set up Web site to consult with scientists; microbiologists comment on value of Ames strains, although James A Roth, who presided over destruction for security reasons, says data on collection dating back decades were very limited; FBI probe in New Jersey, where letters were mailed, and differing assessments of letter sent to Sen Tom Daschle recounted; photo (L)

As trade ministers converge on Doha, Qatar, for World Trade Organization meeting, Japan, long the world's staunchest multilateralist, is quietly hedging its bets, pursuing parallel policy of negotiating bilateral free trade agreements; is talking one on one with it major trading partners; photo (L)

Pieter Bouw, former head of Dutch national carrier KLM Royal Dutch, is named president of new Swiss airline (S)

Ben Brantley reviews Roundabout Theater's revial of The Women, 1936 hit play by Clare Boothe Luce; stars include Kristen Johnston, Lisa Emery, Amy Ryan and Cynthia Nixon; photos (M)

New York City Police Comr Bernard Kerik discovers that mother who abandoned him when he was child lived seedy life of prostitute in Newark, Ohio, and died in 1964 from massive blow to head; Kerik says he believes she was murdered, but police in Ohio say not enough evidence survives to be certain; concerns are emerging now because his autobiography The Lost Son is due to be published shortly; photo (M)

E.on, German conglomerate that has been shedding industrial companies to focus on its core business of power generation, says that it is in negotiations to sell its aluminum-making subsidiary to Norsk Hydro of Norway (S)

Tens of thousands of employees are being forced to drop their health plans and choose different one this month as companies across country sharply reduce their rosters of HMO's and other managed care insurers; some employees will have to change doctors as well, if their physicians are not on roster of new health plan; everyone who makes switch will have to deal with new set of customer service representatives and often different rules and out-of-pocket payments (M)

Nicholas Scoppetta, commissioner of Administration for Children's Services, promises thorough investigation into death of Sylena Herrnkind, who was severely abused by her parents, Julie and Matthew Herrnkind; lengthy case history and foster case placements for other children reviewed; Herrnkinds plead not guilty to charges of murder, assault and child endangerment (M)

Overview of war in Afghanistan, which moves into second month; fighting will continue into winter, with emphasis on southern part of country where Taliban is strongest and weather is less harsh than north; world leaders converge on United Nations for meeting of General Assembly and security is on highest alert; 12 employees of Port Authority are charged with stealing disaster relief money from American Red Cross through false job loss claims (M)

Faltering economy translates into layoffs for many associates at some firms whose practices revolve around Wall Street deals; photo (M)

Brazilian delegation to World Trade Organization talks lands in Qatar, hoping to lay groundwork for new accords even as trade liberalization is losing momentum around world; trade accords are a priority for Brazil as it tries to pare its huge current account deficit; but even with Brazil's currency, the real, down around 25 percent since January, exports have barely budged as global economic slowdown has scared investors away (M)