March 10, 2002

Mexico Arrests Drug Chief Mexico arrested Benjamín Arellano Félix, the chief of the nation's most powerful and violent drug gang. The authorities said it would mean the end of the cartel, which transported Colombian cocaine as well as heroin and other drugs. PAGE 7 Former Black Panther Guilty Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, the fiery black radical known in the 1960's as H. Rap Brown, was found guilty of murdering a sheriff's deputy in Atlanta two years ago. PAGE 34

US war in Afghanistan discussed as important not only to dislodge Al Qaeda terrorists but also as virtual political and military prerequisite for Bush administration's more ambitious efforts in other regions; insistence on full victory and willingness to use US troops in Afghanistan delivers message to potential foes elsewhere and challenges Pentagon to be able to wage war on multiple fronts (M)

Article on reawakening of Afghanistan's culture which, surprisingly and despite bombed-out ruins of Kabul, depredations under Taliban rule and devastation of war, has emerged not only optimistic but exuberant; Union of Artists, closed by Taliban, has reopened and has already attracted more than 3,000 members nationwide, including 200 women; many Afghans say, contrary to Taliban propaganda, that prohibitions against art were not based in Islam but were political; photos; drawings (L)

BIG EAST CONFERENCE -- Connecticut outlasts Pittsburgh, 74-65, in double overtime for its fifth conference championship. PAGE 1 IVY LEAGUE -- Penn adds another trophy to its case by defeating Yale, 77-58. The victory culminated a three-team playoff. PAGE 6

Los Angeles is transforming itself in tens years since riots ripped apart city; although greater metropolitan area is still spreading out, nation's second-biggest city is fighting sprawl by growing inward, upward, and making fledgling attempt to free itself from automobile; last year city issued more building permits for housing inside city than at any time in last decade; most are for kind of projects planners praise as antithesis of sprawl; in riot zones of South Central, hundreds of houses rise on weed-choked lots; throughout city, parking lots are going down and more densely built apartments and commercial developments are going up; planners and critics say Angelenos weary of spending hours each day in motionless traffic now see worth of living in city rather than in suburb; photos; map (L)

Palestinian terror attacks in Jerusalem and in Netanya kill at least 14 Israelis, underscoring enormous challenges facing America's renewed peacemaking efforts; in Jerusalem, suicide bomber walks into popular cafe and sets off bomb, killing 11 people and wounding 50 others; militant Islamic group Hamas claims responsibility and says bomber lived in refugee camp in Hebron; in Netanya, two men attack popular promenade, hurling grenade into hotel lobby and opening fire with automatic rifles until police officers shoot them dead; three people are killed, including baby and Israeli-Arab man, and 24 others are injured; Aksa Martyrs Brigades, which is associated with Yasir Arafat's Fatah organization, claims responsibility for attack and says attackers came from refugee camp in Nablus; Israeli helicopters fire missiles at Arafat's seaside office building in Gaza City, detroying it; photos; maps showing locations of Israeli and Palestinian deaths in last week (L)

Reinterviews with score of single New Yorkers interviewed shortly after September 11 terrorist attacks, at which time almost all expressed desire to find partners and deepen ties to friends and neighbors; polls and statistics show many do desire more serious, committed relationships, but interviews show they are choosing carefully and delaying decisions; photos (M)

IN the groovy 1960's, Pontiacs were far out. Who didn't want to cruise, or burn rubber, in stylish, powerful, youthful cars like the Firebird, LeMans and GTO? In the 70's and early 80's, Toyotas were totally awesome. Thrifty, reliable, sort-of-sporty small cars -- like the Celica and Corolla -- were what first-time buyers wanted in times of gas lines and economic turmoil.

New York Yankees hitter Jason Giambi uses exceptional eye sight and patience to make most of pitches, giving him competitive edge over other hitters; photos (M)

Article on speculation that has arisen over identity of Mrs X, central character in Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus's new novel The Nanny Diaries; photo (M)

Growth and safety of asset-backed securities discussed in light of Enron collapse; holders of Enron's asset-backed commerical paper collected all $58 million owed them at time when Enron's stock and bonds plummeted; tools of so-called structured finance used to create such securities are attracting new scrutiny because they were abused by Enron to build elaborately camouflaged and booby-trapped partnerships blamed for company's collapse; diagrams; drawing (M)

Article on high emotions involved when babysitters, au pairs or nannies quit; many factors enter equation, including issues of class, race and gender politics, money, incompatibility and personalities of mothers and sitters; drawings (L)