September 30, 2002

A Favorite to Lead Serbia Vojislav Kostunica of Yugoslavia won the first round in Serbia's first presidential election since Slobodan Milosevic's ouster. Mr. Kostunica is favored to win the runoff. PAGE A3 Number of Uninsured Rises The number of Americans without health insurance increased by 1.4 million last year to 41.2 million, and small business accounted for much of the erosion in coverage. PAGE A22

Interview with Michael J Copps, lone Democrat on Federal Communications Commission, and sole member concerned about maintaining regulation of nation's broadcasters and telephone companies; he urges caution on deregulation of media ownership favored by fellow commissioners; cites need to defend public interest by encouraging diversity; photo (M)

New York City's legendary, three-sided Flatiron Building marks its centennial on Oct 1; still commands streetscape at intersection of great thoroughfares as neighborhood continues surge toward gentrification; comments and anecdotes about building from some tenants; photos (L)

2000 Census finds Vacherie, La, is most rooted town in most rooted state in US, with almost total absence of population mobility; 98% of 5,787 residents were born in Louisiana and and 80 percent live in houses they occupied in 1995; town has one of most stable populations in history of North America, with generations growing up and staying put and pressuring descendants to do likewise; offers primer on what forces in American life are still strong enough to keep young people in family's area code; census shows that nationally, 60 percent of Americans live in state where they were born and 54 percent in house they occupied in 1995; at least one in four Americans was on move in 1990's, with 73 million people moving acros state lines and 13 million immigrating from other countries; Census shows Nevada was by far most transient state, where nearly four out of five residents were born in another state or country; Louisiana was least transient, with only one in five residents born elsewhere; map; photos (M)

Prime Min Tony Blair of Britain expresses confidence of securing UN approval for tough new Security Council resolution on Iraqi weapons; says in BBC interview that Pres Saddam Hussein will be disarmed, one way or another; refuses to rule out acting along with US if UN fails to endorse military strikes against Iraq; signals London might be willing to soften terms of draft currently being circulated in Paris and Moscow; notes, in particular, France's proposal for two separate Security Council resolutions, with only second threatening use of force; photo (M)