January 16, 2002

Citigroup names Robert B Willumstad president, position unfilled since departure of James Dimon in November 1998; move comes amid talk that chief executive Sanford I Weill is preparing to make more acquisitions; analysts say appointment appears to place Willumstad as leading candidate to succeed Weill and reinforces importance of consumer operation, which accounts for half of Citigroup's profits; FleetBoston Financial is seen as potential takeover target; Fleet spokesman James Mahoney denies that merge is in works; photo (Market Place column) (M)

Israeli Army officials say Palestinian gunmen kidnapped American Israeli Avi Boaz at Palestinian checkpoint, Beit Jala, West Bank and later shot him to death; two Palestinian gunmen fire at car outside Givat Zeev, part of northern Jerusalem Palestinians consider settlement, killing Yoela Chen and wounding her aunt; killings are first of civilians by Palestinian militants since Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat's Dec 16 call for halt to all attacks; his Palestinian Authority scores killings and affirms its commitment to cease-fire; detains Ahmed Saadat, leader of Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, group that killed Israeli Min Rehavam Zeevi in Oct; militia whose leader, Raed al-Karmi, was recently killed by bomb in Tulkarm, West Bank, claims responsibility for killing Boaz; Israel tightens blockade of Tulkarm; map; photos (M)

NYC column observes that real objection to street vendors making money from Sept 11 attack is that they are doing business near World Trade Center site (M)

Former colleagues describe Sherron S Watkins, Enron vice president who wrote Aug letter to chairman Kenneth L Lay warning improper accounting practices threatened to destroy company, as tough, ethical and unafraid to deliver difficult news, even to superiors; she formerly worked at Arthur Andersen accounting firm; photo (M)

Two students are shot at Martin Luther King Jr High School, troubled school near Lincoln Center, in what may have been dispute over girl; gunman escapes; photos; map; wounded students are Andre Wilkins, 16, and Andrel Napper, 17; New York City Schools Chancellor Harold Levy acknowledges school's problems with security (M)