March 16, 2002

John Nash, Nobel laureate in mathematics whose mental illness is subject of film A Beautiful Mind, will go on television's 60 Minutes to combat rumors of anti-Semitism; some in film industry says he is victim of whisper campaign aimed at scuttling movie's Oscar chances, phenomenon that is now part of intense competition for Academy Awards; Sylvia Nasar, who wrote movie's book, charges journalists with inventing 'fact' about Nash and wife(M)

Treasury Sec Paul H O'Neill, in off-the-record comment following speech before Council on Foreign Relations in New York, says that he opposes Bush administration's recent decision to impose tariffs on imported steel and that move will cost more jobs in US than it will save; reiterates long-held position that imposing tariffs risks nation's interests as world's leader in promoting free trade (M)

Tipper Gore is considering running for Senate, friends and advisers said. Her sudden interest has stunned Democratic officials and friends, who said she was never enthusiastic about her husband's designs on the White House.

Israel pulls forces out of all West Bank towns save Bethlehem, bringing unfamiliar calm to much of area as American mediator, Gen Anthony C Zinni, concludes intensive first round of meetings in search of cease-fire; Pres Bush praises pullback as positive development; US officials say Zinni will undertake high-level talks among political officials from both sides, in tandem with talks about security issues with lower-level officials, in effort to jump-start peace effort; Zinni meets with Israelis and travels to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat; meeting with Arafat is regarded as triumph for Palestinians because major focus of Prime Min Ariel Sharon was to marginalize him; Pres Bush and senior advisers are said to be increasingly skeptical that Sharon has coherent strategy for ending violence; map; photos (M)

Andrea Pia Yates, mentally ill mother convicted of drowning her five children in bathtub, avoids death penalty after Texas jury recommends life sentence that requires that she spend at least 40 years in prison; husband Russell Yates expresses relief at sentence but says family is offended that she was ever prosecuted; blames medical establishment and justice system for failing wife and others with mental illness; photo (M)

U.S. and More Companies Abandon Arthur Andersen Longtime clients, the federal government and even some of its own foreign affiliates abandoned Arthur Andersen, a day after the accounting firm was indicted for destroying documents related to the Enron collapse. Several of the firm's most loyal clients, including Sara Lee and Abbott Laboratories, as well as Northeast Utilities and Brunswick, said they planned to replace Andersen. The federal government also announced that it would give no more work to Andersen or to Enron, whose books Andersen had audited. [Page A1.]

Lorenzo Branch testifies in New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn that he was involved in death of Danny Josephs in 1988, not his jailed brother Lamont; Lorenzo Branch says incident was accidental shooting and that his brother Lamont was not even there; Lamont Branch is returned to prison after appearing in court; prosecutors say they will keep open mind when hearing continues on April 1; photo (M)

HarperCollins is taking rare step of destroying its inventory of Nicholas W Maier's book Trading With the Enemy that attacks journalist and former hedge fund manager James J Cramer after threat of libel suit; HarperCollins vice president-general counsel James A Fox concedes in letter to Cramer's lawyer that three pages of book contain false assertions that Cramer traded on insider information about Western Digital Corp; HarperCollins spokeswoman Lisa Herling says company will pulp about 4,000 copies of bok that it has in stock; publisher shipped 10,000 copies beginning in middle of February; will send errata notice to bookstores and reviewers correcting text and will reprint new copies without erroneous pages; Herling says HarperCollins stands by remainder of book and plans to continue promoting it as soon as new copies become available; Maier contender Cramer used his media connections to manipulate stock prices and on other occasions traded on insider information for his own financial advantage; photo (M)

In first round of NCAA Midwest Regional tournament Creighton University defeats Florida University, 83-82; Illinois University defeats San Diego State University, 93-64; Georgia University defeats Murray State University, 85-68; photo (M)

Scarce water is old news in Goshen, NY, which is trying to end nearly century of chronic shortages by tapping into new lifeline; village's main reservoir has only six weeks' worth of water left in it, and backup reservior is already dry; it will take another three to four weeks to hook up new well to village water supply; many villages and towns in Orange County rely on patchwork of artificial reservoirs and wells that have been drained in recent years by droughts and suburban sprawl; Goshen Mayor Marcia Mattheus comments; map; photos (M)

West Point cadets' world has suddenly, and irrevocably, changed as US Military Academy marks its 200th birthday; with strange new war, with no clear enemy or end, changes have touched campus, curriculum, even cadets' conception of themselves; few graduates have already died in war in Afghanistan, and four senior faculty members were sent there to serve on planning staff; National Guardsmen with M-16's now man West Point's gates, and tourists are allowed on campus only with official tour groups; administation is updating battle drills by putting civilians on field, and as exercise in diplomacy, cadets must answer questions from mock reporters; course on terrorism is new; some cadets comment; photo (M)

Clyde Haberman NYC column on upcoming major league baseball season focuses on sport's legal problems, including New York Yankees' decision to cut Ruben Rivera who allegedly stole Derek Jeter's glove to sell to memorabilia dealer and Dwight Gooden's arrest for drunken driving in Tampa, Fla (M)