March 25, 2002

Fire that started in vacant warehouse in Jersey City near entrance to Holland Tunnel spreads to adjoining building; tunnel will remain closed to Manhattan-bound drivers for several days; photo (M)

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column recalls mysterious disappearance of Muhammad Salman Hamdani on Sept 11; he had no business in lower Manhattan, but apparently went to help after terrorist attacks; questions about his whereabouts and possible role in attacks are quashed after his remains are found (M)

Michael S Ovitz's Artists Management Group is in financial turmoil with withdrawal of Vivendi Universal, major investor in film unit, from their joint venture; Vivendi's internal audit of unit has cast shadow; company faces threat of suit by at least six dismissed workers seeking back pay; Ovitz, once Hollywood's top talent agent, has had trouble with bid to become entertainment mogul; photos (M)

The fire that had been gradually consuming a vacant warehouse next to the Holland Tunnel for two days spread to an adjoining building yesterday, all but guaranteeing that the tunnel would remain closed to Manhattan-bound drivers through tonight. Last night, as smoke and flames belched from the second building, the demolition of the first building began raining bricks down on the inbound toll lanes. Article, Page B1.

Vice Pres Dick Cheney says it is important that Yasir Arafat attend upcoming Arab summit in Beirut, development that would require Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel to lift travel ban; says he has no immediate plans to meet with Arafat because of failure to meet US condition that he take steps to establish cease-fire and stop terrorist attacks against Israel; Sharon weighs Cheney's appeal; says Arafat has given no orders to halt attacks; US officials hope Beirut meeting will endorse Saudi peace plan calling for Israel to withdraw from territory it has occupied since 1967 in return for full normalization of relations with Arab nations; fear meeting could turn into cascade of criticism of Israel and US if Israel does not allow Arafat to attend; Saudi and other Arab leaders also urge Cheney to help Arafat attend Beirut meeting (M)

Maryland University defeats Connecticut University, 90-82, in NCAA East Regional final to advance to Final Four; photos (M)

Frank Stronach, racetrack owner, hopes to increase attendence and interest in horse racing by revamping track environment, adding entertainment, retail shops and restaurants in addition to betting; photos (M)

America's biggest Chinese-language daily newspapers, all based in New York, alter printing formats so papers read horizontally rather than vertically; transition has been difficult for some readers and reactions to change are deeply felt, both pro and con; photo (M)

Article on new class of seminarians being trained as priests at University of St Mary of the Lake in Mundlein, Ill, nation's largest Roman Catholic seminary; class has been selected and shaped by radically different ways than generations before; members have been subjected to Rorschach tests and criminal background checks, and interviewed about dating history and sexual orientation; courses are offered on topics once considered taboo as focus shifts to producing priests who are spiritually prepared and psychologically and emotionally mature; Catholic leaders, who say seminaries themselves are part of problem after nearly two decades of scandals involving sexual abuse by priests, are trying to make them solution; photo (M)

Analysis of bid by states that opted out of Justice Department-led antitrust settlement with Microsoft for stronger measures they say are needed to prvent company from repeating its illegal conduct in new markets; Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has agreed to hear testimony on new markets in context of appropriate remedy, while refusing to rule on scope of remedy proceeding (M)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to use newly renovated Tweed Courthouse as public school provokes wide range of opinions about type of school it should be; photo (M)

News analysis; future of Arthur Andersen & Co may rest with former employee David B Duncan, who oversaw wholesale destruction of documents related to company's audits of bankrupt Enron Corp, but whose name appears nowhere in company's indictment by Justice Department for obstruction of Justice and was not mentioned at department's news conference announcing case; government's controversial and unusual decision to indict company while leaving Duncan untouched has upended usual legal chessboard, bestowing enormous amount of power on him; man originally focus of outrage from both government and Andersen potentially has ability to transform either side's case with testimony about what he intended when he ordered document shredding; photo (M)