March 9, 2002

Mayor Michael R Bloomberg says New York City teachers will not receive raises until he has control over school system; teachers' union has joined Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in resisting Bloomberg's demand to eliminate Board of Education and give City Hall direct and complete control of schools; one compromise, promoted by union and many in Assembly, would expand board to 11 members from 7 and let mayor appoint most of them (M)

Connecticut University defeats Notre Dame University, 82-77, in Big East tournament semifinals; photo (M)

Clyde Haberman column says that whatever memorial is erected to victims of Sept 11, they may one day sink into obscurity, just like 1,021 people, mostly women and children, who died when excursion steamer General Slocum caught fire in East River in 1904, taking picnickers from Little Germany on Lower East Side to Long Island (M)

Stocks rise to end week higher, second consecutive strong week for markets; S&P 500 rises 6.77 points, to 1,164.31, while Nasdaq composite index jumps 48.04 points, to 1,929.67; Dow Jones industrial average climbs 47.12 points, to 10,572.49; rally comes on heels of unexpected surge in economy that has caught all but most optimistic analysts by surprise; graph; tables (M)

Israeli forces kill at least 40 Palestinians with fire from land, sea and air after five Israeli teenagers die in Palestinian's suicidal rampage through settlement near Gaza City; on deadliest day in 17 months of fighting, foreign ministers of 22 Arab nations call for international intervention to 'stop Israeli aggression'; funerals are held throughout Gaza Strip, where 16 Palestinians, most of them armed, die in one savage firefight with Israeli forces; Prime Min Ariel Sharon makes tentative gesture toward diplomacy; says he is dropping demand for absolute calm lasting seven days before undertaking American-brokered cease-fire plan; says his goal is to negotiate cease-fire; Palestinian leaders dismiss his announcement as diversion from day's violence; Pres Bush's special envoy Gen Anthony C Zinni is expected to return to Middle East next week for third try at brokering cease-fire; Palestinian officials say they detained Majdi Rimawi, suspect in assassination of Israeli Tourism Min Rehavam Zeevi last Oct; Israel has made arrest of suspects in case condition for lifting blockade on Yasir Arafat; photos; map; chart (L)