September 19, 2002

Cable and Wireless again warns revenue will fall short of previous forecasts; stock falls on news; stock price graph (S)

Money earmarked for research for spinal cord injuries in July 1998, measure promoted by Christopher Reeve and other well-known paralyzed people, went unspent and state raided program's trust fund at behest of New York State Gov George Pataki, putting most of money into state's General Fund; raid occurred as progress in spinal cord injury treatment has been very much in news; Pataki administration spokesman John Signor says in e-mail message that governor intends to retore money, though that is not binding commitment; adds New York takes back seat to no one in its support for outstanding spinal cord injury research; H Carl McCall, who is running against Pataki, says program is another sad example of Pataki's rhetoric not matching his real record; says Pataki has raided more than five times as much from Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust Fund than he has spent on research to help people; Reeve says Pataki and Health Comr Antonia C Novello assured him that progam will be fully financed in future but did not promise to replace money that was taken out; Signor says state will invest $15 million over next five years to create center for spinal cord injury research and treatment (M)

Many pigeons used during Jersey City's 9/11 ceremony plunged into Hudson River, smacked into plate-glass windows on office buildings and wound up in crowd; animal rights advocates and others have been trying to rescue birds; organizers of ceremony say they tried to hire company to conduct professional bird release, in which trained doves or homing pigeons would soar high in sky and return to their owner's roost, but professionals were already booked; birds used were soup birds; photo (M)

Australian government, responding to company failures and accounting shocks both at home and abroad, sets stringent audit and corporate disclosure rules; overhaul, to be backed by legislative amendments early in 2003, stresses closer scrutiny of accounting practices and more transparent financial reporting framework (S)

New York Jets coach Herman Edwards, usually mild mannered, delivers hot-tempered speech to team to express anger over 44-7 loss to New England Patriots, in preparation for next game against Miami Dolphins; photos (M)