December 14, 2002

Say Mee Ngu is found badly beaten, apparent victim of robbery, and dies at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens; no witnesses have come forward (M)

Henry Kissinger, saying he cannot reveal names of clients and is unwilling to sever ties with Kissinger Associates, his consulting firm, abruptly resigns as chairman of commission investigating September 11 terrorist attacks; surprised Pres George Bush vows to find replacement quickly; photos (M)

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column contends that New York Jets, which are always under large media spotlight because of New York market, are behaving badly at worst time--just before playoffs; Jets player is accused of assaulting limo driver Donald Matinsky after team dinner and at least 10 Jets players were involved in brawl during practice on next day; photo (M)

Retailers have mastered how to use Internet in conjunction with catalogs, stores or both; online sales have grown 19 percent so far this holiday season; biggest online retailers--Amazon.com and eBay--are still creatures almost exclusively of Internet; both are increasingly creating marketplaces that allow traditional retailers to offer their wares online; Amazon's new apparel section is dominated by catalog companies and by mall retailers; Amazon.com also recently created service that lets customer pay for purchases on its Web site and then pick them up in Borders bookstores; retail strategy of some companies using Internet in conjunction with catalogs, stores or both, including Sears, Roebuck, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, J Crew, Gap and Hanover Direct, discussed; chart; photos (M)

Discounters Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart are closing in on what was once specialized segment of retail, stocking their stores with latest in consumer electronics; idea of visiting discounter to buy advanced television three years ago was contradiction in terms; discounters did not have such products, and manufacturers rarely considered them to be respectable outlet; experts say difference between specialty stores and discounters is narrowing, especially this year, with no clear must-have products and with wavering economy holding spending in check; photos (M)

Analysis on impact that resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law, archbishop of Boston, may have on Roman Catholic Church in America; laity is openly challenging church hierarchy amid sex scandal, priests are telling bishops they feel betrayed and demoralized and more victims are stepping forward, demanding meetings with their bishops and filing lawsuits asking for millions of dollars in damages; church experts say they cannot recall another instance in which bishop resigned after virtual revolt by local parishioners and priests; photo (M)

European Union Grows The European Union redrew its map, pushing its border east to add 10 countries. The expansion will create a Europe of 450 million people in 25 countries and an economy close to that of the United States. PAGE A10 Coaxing North Korea The United States and South Korea chided North Korea for planning to reactivate a nuclear plant but promised a peaceful solution. PAGE A14

New York State Supreme Court Justice Jules Spodek, granting Metropolitan Transportation Authority request, invokes state Taylor Law and issues injunction barring New York City transit workers from striking; denies MTA motion to prohibit union leaders from even discussing strike; Gov George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Transport Workers Union leaders work to ease tensions surrounding contract talks; photos (M)

US dollar falls to its lowest level against euro in almost three years as investors worry about strength of American recovery, country's hugh current account deficit and possibility of war with Iraq; euro settles at $1.0226, up from $1.0185, lowest value since Jan 13, 2000; US dollar drops to 120.47 yen from 122.73 yen; Dow Jones industrial average falls 104.69 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 8,433.71; Standard & Poor's 500-stock index drops 12.10 points, or 1.3 percent, to 889.48; Nasdaq composite index declines 37.13 points, or 2.7 percent, to 1,362.42; price of gold for February delivery rises to $333.80 per ounce, up from $332.10 on Commodity Exchange; price of oil for January delivery climbs 43 cents, to $28.44 per barrel in New York trading; US Treasury bonds fall; 10-year note falls 12/32, to price of 99 15/32; yield rises to 4.07 percent from 4.02 percent; price of 30-year bond falls 28/32, to 106 15/32; yield rises to 4.95 percent fom 4.89 percent; another negative factor is near-record current account deficit for US, which was $127 billion in third quarter; graphs; charts (M)

Sen Trent Lott offers publicly apology for remark that US would have been better served if Strom Thurmond, who ran on segregationist platform, had been elected president in 1948, news conference, Pascagoula, Miss; rejects calls from Democrats and even conservative commentators to relinquish post as incoming majority leader; photo (M)

Merrill Lynch & Co and Charles Schwab Corp, wooing affluent customers, prepare to introduce deposit accounts they hope will replace personal checking accounts; Michael Poulos, director of Oliver Wyman & Co, questions whether bank customers will switch to brokerage firms that do not provide conveniences of neighborhood bank branches; other analysts say customers may fear keeping all their money in one place (M)

Cardinal Bernard Law, meeting with Pope John Paul II at Vatican, resigns as archbishop of Boston; action follows 11 months of revelations that Law and other archdiocesan officials he supervised repeatedly allowed priests accused of sexual abuse to remain in ministry, often transferring them to other parishes without informing parishioners or law enforcement officials; Law apologizes and asks for forgiveness; experts describe decision as earth-shattering for c hurch; biographical sketch; photos (L)