June 1, 2002

Los Angeles Lakers defeat Sacramento Kings, 106-102, in Game 6 of Western Conference finals to tie series, 3-3; photos (M)

New Jersey Nets defeat Boston Celtics, 96-88, in Game 6 of Eastern Conference finals to win series, 4-2, and advance to NBA finals; photos (M)

Moody's Investors Service lowers Japan's credit rating by two notches, alarmed by nation's climbing debt; move affects rating on government and government-guaranteed bonds issued in local currency; Japan's Finance Ministry has been publicly battling with main credit-rating agencies--Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch--since April, when Moody's said it was considering two-notch downgrade; Finance Vice Min Haruhiko Kuroda responded by assailing three as ignoring Japanese finanical strengths; Moody's and many private economists say Japan's leaders are not doing enough to address country's mounting problems; national debt is expected to reach 139 percent of gross domestic product this year, which would be more than twice level in US (M)

US government awards IBM $224.4 million contract to build power new supercomputer as part of effort to close growing gap facing US scientists in weather prediction; machine, which is planned to reach theoretical peak speed of more than 100 trillion calculations per second by 2009, will be used to increase accuracy of forecasts of weather, floods and ocean conditions by National Centers for Environmental Prediction, part of National Weather Service (M)

Special panel of three federal judges strikes down law requiring libraries to filter Internet for material harmful to minors or lose federal subsidies for financing Internet access; rules technology blocks so much unobjectionable material that it would violate library patrons' First Amendment rights; Chief Judge Edward R Becker's opinion holds panel is 'sympathetic' to goal of using techology to shield children from Internet pornography; civil liberties advocates hail ruling, in suit brought by Multnomah County, Ore, public libraries, American Library Association, American Civil Liberties Union, variety of Web sites and library patrons; ruling does not address law's requirement that schools filter Internet; panel says libraries could use less restrictive alternatives to filters; includes Judges John P Fullam and Harvey Bartle III (M)

United Federation of Teachers, after agreeing that New York City teachers will work extra 20 minutes per day, irks Mayor Michael Bloomberg by proposing that teachers, not principals and superintendents decide how additional time should be used; Bloomberg wants it spent in classroom, but teachers say they already spend enough time with students (M)

Bomb that injured Tatyana Sapunova when she tried to tear down anti-Semitic sign on roadside near Moscow shows deeply rooted anti-Semitism is still present in Russia; Jewish groups, touched by rare display of courage and civic concern by Christian with some Jewish ancestry, are offering to pay for her treatment in Israel; her family resists any attempt to paint her act as extraordinary; Judaism is enjoying rebirth in Russia, with many Jews prominent in public life and Jewish schools and organizations springing up; Pres Vladimir V Putin has aggressively courted Jewish groups, reassuring Jews that they are free to practice faith, but attacks on Jews remain threat and usually go unpunished; photo (M)

Bush administration, warning of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, urges 60,000 Americans in India for business, study or tourism to leave immediately; authorizes nonessential diplomats and all dependents to depart; State Sec Colin L Powell decided to issue warning despite concern that it would make war seem imminent; administration officials say war is still avoidable; say warning is not spurred by any new data on troop movements, but reflects fear that nuclear weapons might be used; say both nations would still need 10 days to three weeks to fully mobilize; military officials weigh steaming times to region of three warship groups with Marine rescue forces aboard; Canada, Britain, Australia and Germany issue travel advisories (M)

Relatives of Victims Shun Federal 9/11 Fund Nearly six months after the federal government opened its checkbook to the relatives of Sept. 11 victims, fewer than 10 families have filed completed applications, illustrating the anguish of some relatives. PAGE B1 On the Mountain, Undaunted Six deaths this week on Mounts Hood and Rainier are unlikely to deter growing numbers of mountain climbers who hike to the summits at this time of year, officials say. PAGE A9

Newly retired Abp Rembert G Weakland apologizes for scandal that occurred because of his 'sinfulness', prayer service, Milwaukee; accepts full responsibility for inappropriate nature of his relationship 22 years ago with graduate student Paul J Marcoux, who accused him of sexually assaulting him and was paid $450,000 out-of-court settlement; admits money he earned over years and turned over to archdiocese was less than settlement amount, not as he had claimed far more; Dist Atty E Michael McCann says his office and United States attorney's office probe source of money to determine whether any laws were broken; many in Milwaukee continue to express sympahty for Weakland; photo (M)

Securities and Exchange Commission has opened 10 inquiries over last year into potential conflicts of interest by securities analysts, and 5 of inquiries have been upgraded to formal investigations; SEC memo, released by Rep Edward J Markey, says some of probes 'involve potential conflicts arising from firms' investment banking activities'; adds that number of inquiries might be expanded to include other possible violations of securities laws; memo was sent to Markey by SEC chairman Harvey L Pitt in response to request for information about current investigations into conflicts involving research analysts (M)

Citigroup's announcement last week that it was acquiring Golden State Bancorp has some analysts handicapping which savings and loans will be sold next; investment bankers and analysts caution that wave of mergers is unlikely, given high prices of many savings and loan stocks; say Golden State, whose largest investor is financier Ronald O Perelman, was sold for some special reasons; Perelman said he sold it because he expanded company as far as he could; chart; photo (M)