December 3, 2001

Article discusses progress of repair work on Manhattan Bridge in New York City; notes history of bridge and its engineer Leon Solomon Moissieff, as well as description of repairs; photo; drawing (M)

Hearst Magazines appears increasingly likely to withdraw its backing from Tina Brown's Talk magazine; other backer, Miramax Films, would have to find new investors or support Talk alone; magazine industry analysts debate Talk's future; photo; graph (M)

New England Patriots defeat New York Jets, 17-16; photo (M)

Enron Seeks Bankruptcy And Takes Dynegy to Court Enron filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but sought to remain in business with the support of its creditors. The company also said it sued Dynegy for billions of dollars in damages for withdrawing its buyout offer. [Page A1.] Steve Jobs Rejects Microsoft Plan Apple Computer's chairman and chief executive, Steven P. Jobs, says that Microsoft's proposal to settle antitrust lawsuits would allow it to dig into the education market, one of the few Microsoft does not dominate. Microsoft has proposed giving away $1 billion in software, hardware and expertise to the nation's poorest schools to end 100 class-action lawsuits. [C3.]

Federal scientists who have analyzed anthrax spores that have killed five people lean toward theory that someone with ties to US biowarfare program may be behind attacks; preliminary analysis of powder shows it has same extraordinarily high concentration of deadly spores as anthrax produced in American weapons program; concentration is higher than any stock publicly known to be produced by other governments; experts say it is surprising and far beyond what military analysts once judged as likely abilities of terrorists; caution, however, that emerging evidence is tentative and that it is too early to rule out other possible suspects (M)

Fox News Channel offers unabashed and vehement support of US war against terrorism, and its audience is growing as result; network, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has reputation of being politically conservative, but even critics are surprised by its demeanor since Sept 11; Fox says its reports are not tinged with ideology but simply reflect new realities facing nation (M)

US warplanes resume daily attack on Kandahar, putting more pressure on Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan; leaders of Pashtun tribes say forces have takes new ground and are within 10 miles of city; senior Bush administration officials stress US is in talks with anti-Taliban forces to guarantee that Taliban and non-Afghan Al Qaeda commanders, if captured, will be turned over to Americans and not granted amnesty to speed surrender; comments by Defense Sec Donald H Rumsfeld noted; talks between four Afghan opposition groups for broad power-sharing agreement approach crucial point in Bonn, Germany; draft agreement calls for 28-member executive administration, international security force for capital of Kabul and symbolic role for former king, Mohammed Zahir Shah; Taliban forces, though squeezed by bombardment and opposition attacks, remain firmly entrenched in Kandahar; some pockets of resistance are operating out of region between Jalalabad and Pakistani border; Rumsfeld says between 1,500 and 2,000 American troops are operating in Afghanistan; warns difficult and dangerous months lie ahead as mission changes from attacking massed forces of Taliban and Al Qaeda and rooting out smaller bands of resistance; ongoing US military buildup described; photo (M)

Sales of personal computers and electronics quicken slightly since Thanksgiving; deep discounts and manufacturers' rebates may be more responsible than consumer demand; analysts expect computer industry to decline in 2001 for first year since 1986, with revenue down about 1 percent because of cut-throat price competition; photo; graph (M)

Article discusses upcoming college football games and speculates about impact on Bowl Championship Series; photo (M)

Article describes medical ordeal of Leroy Richmond, Washington, DC, postal worker who survived attack of inhalation anthrax, which killed two co-workers; he survived largely by demanding diagnosis of ailment, refusing to be treated for simple flu; his odyssey through unwitting health care system has helped establish first ground rules for treating disease that has taken Americans by surprise; he comments; photo (M)

State and federal officials say New York City's fight to win $20 billion in emergency reconstruction aid from Washington is being increasingly undercut by change in administrations at City Hall and by sudden escalation of race for governor in New York; say lobbying campaign, already weakened by infighting among state's Congressional representatives and rising resistance among national Republican leaders to New York's request for funds, has been made more problematic by city's transition to new mayor and by fact that Gov George E Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani have yet to offer united front on what city needs and how it should get it; photo (M)

Third Palestinian suicide bomber in just over 12 hours strikes city bus in Haifa, Israel, killing himself and 15 others and prompting Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat to order arrests of suspects; Israeli government ministers speak openly of removing him from power; Israel tightens already formidable blockade of Palestinian cities and villages; Palestinian officials report arrests of dozens of militants as Palestinian Authority declares state of emergency in West Bank and Gaza; Pres Bush meets with Israeli Prime Min Ariel Sharon in Washington and condemns 'horrific acts of murder;' Sec of State Colin Powell says administration will leave it up to Israeli government to decide appropriate response; bus attack follows coordinated assault on crowded pedestrian mall in Jerusalem on December 1, in which two suicide bombers and car bombs killed 10 Israelis; Islamic group, Hamas, claims responsibility; says it is seeking to avenge killing by Israelis on November 23 of Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, its senior West Bank leader; photos (M)