December 31, 2001

New View

Orlando Magic defeat New York Knickerbockers, 94-90; photo (M)

Afghanistan left behind by fleeing Taliban is sad and broken land; in five years that Taliban ruled, one million refugees joined million others who already left and refused to come home, and six million Afghans, quarter of country, are unable to find enough food; real legacy of Taliban rule lies deeper; journey around country reveals deep psychological wounds in people still struggling with torment of government regarded by many as oppressive and strange; nearly one in eight families in Kabul is believed to be headed by widows, and most have children; under Taliban, they were not permitted to work; Taliban flourished outside gaze of world's remaining superpower, United States, finally giving succor to terrorists that would invite its own doom; photos (L)

Impressions in Afghanistan and at World Trade Center remains recorded by New York Times reporter C J Chivers after spending time and reporting from both sites; in both places, he finds that it is often chance that determines where someone will be and if person will live or die; photos (M)

Editors' Note says this is last scheduled issue of A Nation Challeged as separate section; articles about war and terrorism will be found in regular pages of New York Times; also, daily presentation of Portraits of Grief closes, but will be seen from time to time in regular pages of newspaper (M)