December 31, 2002

Italian Prime Min Silvio Berlusconi, facing calls for government

New York Yankees sign pitcher Roger Clemens to one-year contract (M)

Article on controversy, which is abating, over health benefits of moderate drinking; many experts are convinced that drink or two a day of wine, beer or liquor could prevent heart attack, strokes and dementia in some adults; question remains whether any one form of alcohol is better than others; American Heart Assn and other organizations, however, do not suggest that teetotalers begin drinking; photos (M)

New York Jets prepare to face Indianapolis Colts in playoff game; photo (M)

Tyco Admits to Gimmickry In Inflating Its Earnings Tyco International engaged for years in financial gimmickry to inflate its earnings, the company acknowledged for the first time, saying that it would erase $382 million in profits it had previously claimed. Tyco said that an investigation had uncovered a corporate culture that encouraged managers to use accounting techniques to mislead investors. Until now, Tyco had contended that financial abuses were not widespread and that most of the abuses were related to the criminal charges that its former chief executive, L. Dennis Kozlowski, had looted the company of more than $600 million. [Page A1.]

New York Giants prepare for playoff game against San Francisco 49ers; photos (M)

Dave Anderson Sports of The Times column contends that both New York Giants and New York Jets, which are preparing for playoff games, could make it to Super Bowl because of this season's lack of clear favorite and both teams' demonstrated hunger over past few games; photo (M)

Australian mining conglomerate BHP Billiton says Sweet River Investments, of which it owns some two-thirds, is exercising option to sell its 11.56 percent stake in Valepar, which owns 27 percent of Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, world's largest producer of iron ore, to Companhia Siderurgica Nacional; will get $343 million from sale (S)

Yemeni officials report three Americans killed at Baptist missionary hospital in central Yemen by man apparently belonging to small cell that plans to victimize both Westerners and secular Yemenis; fourth American is seriously wounded in attack; assailant, identified as Abed Abdul-Razak al-Kamil, sneaks semiautomatic rifle into hospital under his coat; Kamil surrenders to authorities and is arrested; this is latest in series of Islamic militant attacks against easily accessible American targets in region; officials in Washington say it is too early to know whether Kamil acted alone or is linked with Al Qaeda, whose leader Osama bin Laden has family origins in Yemen; guns are so common in Yemen that missionary hospital where attack occurred, in Jibla, has desk where visitors are supposed to check them; assailant easily evades site and bursts into room where staff meeting was taking place; those killed are hospital director William E Koehn, Dr Martha C Kyers and purchasing agent Kathleen A Gariety; pharmacist Donald W Caswell is shot but not killed; Kamil tells investigators he listened to speeches of Ali Mohammed Jarallah, member of Islamic Reform Party, who is being questioned by Yemeni authorities in connection with recent assassination of Socialist Party's deputy leader; Islamic militants are said to be resentful that missionary workers preach Christianity; photos; map (L)

Creditors led by government-controlled Korea Exchange Bank approve $4 billion debt-relief plan to keep Hynix Semiconductor, troubled South Korean chip maker, alive; plan provides no added funds for research and development needed to keep up in fast-evolving field (M)

Clyde Haberman ponders large issues on New Year's Eve; revisits question of whether new millennium began on Jan 1, 2000, or Jan 1, 2001; wonders what first decade of new century should be called and suggests the Oh-Ohs, which would fill dual purpose of naming and defining last two years (M)

Deutsche Telekom reports raising 1.1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) from sale of real estate in fourth quarter as part of efforts to cut debt (S)