March 25, 2003

George Vecsey Sports of The Times column scores interim marking system at world figure skating championships in Washington that allows judges to be anonymous; skaters Michael Weiss and Takeshi Honda comment; photo (M)

Article on Butler University's 79-71 victory over University of Louisville in second round of East Regional of NCAA tournament focuses on Butler players Darnell Archey and Joel Cornett; photos (M)

Article on unsuccessful efforts by Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein to secure Oscar win for Gangs of New York director Martin Scorsese despite possibility of backlash against pressure by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters; film had 10 nominations but won no awards: photo (M)

US government resumes 24-hour air patrols over New York City after warnings that city is in special danger from terrorists during Iraq war; officials say resumption of patrols does not reflect specific intelligence warning of threat from Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups (M)

Worldwide rally in stock prices end abruptly, with declines particularly sharp in Europe, as American-led forces in Iraq run into fierce fighting in their drive to Baghdad; major US stock indexes fall at least 3.5 percent, but performance is relatively good compared with that of many European markets; leading Dutch index plunges 6.4 percent, and indexes in France, Germany and Switzerland fall 5 percent or more; Istanbul stock market falls 5.2 percent, bringing its losses for four days to 16 percent, Dow Jones industrial average falls 307.29 points, or 3.6 percent, to 8,214.68, while Standard & Poor's 500-stock index is down 31.56 points, or 3.5 percent, to 864.23; Nasdaq composite index falls 52.06 points, or 3.7 percent, to 1,369.78; interest rates on Treasury securities drop, with 10-year Treasury note yield falling to 3.97 percent, from 4.10 percent; graph; photo (M)

R W Apple Jr article compares and contrasts Pres Bush's behavior with other wartime presidents; notes that in first days of war in Iraq, Bush appears to be fully engaged commander in chief, but one who leaves details to his subordinates; he gets most of his information from their reports, particularly at early morning meetings of his inner council of war; like his father during first week of Persian Gulf war, he chose to go to Camp David for weekend; this is intended to send message that he is calm, cool president, leader confident of victory; unlike his father, he reportedly watched graphic scenes on television only episodically during intense opening phases of bombing in Baghdad; Bush talks of disarming Iraqi regime rather than invading Iraq; idea is to avoid personalizing conflict and to dispel suspicion in Europe and even within US that one of his goals is to make up for his father's failure to remove Saddam Hussein from power; Bush has rationed his public appearances so far; history suggests he would do well to get out into country often in weeks ahead, particularly if war hits lengthy bad patch; presidents who have holed up during wars tend to lose public support; photos (L)

World Business B

Havaianas sandals, which cost about $3 in Brazil where they are manfactured, are fashion's flavor of month in US, with prices as high as $160 for customized pair; distribution is being restricted to up-market chains and more prestigious surf stores on West Coast; importer David Sengstaken has sold 100,000 pairs since sandals' introduction on West Coast six month ago and Sengstaken predicts millions will be sold; Angela Hirato, export director at Sao Paulo Alpargatas, which makes colorful thongs, comments; photo (M)

France Telecom, in effort ot turn around its debt, announces it will sell 15 billion euros of stock ($15.8 billion) to investors; chief executive Thierry Breton says capital will allow him to refocus management on running normal company; photo (S)/

Iraqi television shows video images of two men it says are captured pilots of American Apache helicopter; Gen Tommy R Franks confirms one helicopter failed to return from mission and its two-member crew is missing; Pentagon releases names of pilots; prompt release of information about crew contrasts with silence that miltary officials maintained for second day in row about soldiers who were ambushed on Mar 22; Iraqi television has shown gruesome images of bodies and short interviews with stunned and anxious soldiers who say they are in 507th Maintenance Co; exact number of soldiers missing or killed is not officially confirmed; Iraqi TV shows images of five soldiers it says are prisoners of war; Army official says three others are missing and that seven were killed; in United States, officials begin notifying family members of those missing or captured; photos (M)

Japan's merchandise trade surplus expanded 20.4 percent in February compared with same month year ago as exports to China offset decline in shipments to US (S)

American forces gather south of Baghdad, flinging artillery fire and attack helicopters against Republican Guard, outer ring of Saddam Hussein's defense of Baghdad; curtain of fire from small arms and machine guns drives back airborne force of 32 Apache helicopters seeking Iraqi tanks; nearly all helicopters sustain damage, and one goes down in farmer's field; its two crewmen are listed as missing in action; Iraqi state television runs video of two captured men; allied forces regroup to consider shift in strategy to take on Medina Republican Guard Division's armor from safer altitudes; heavy aerial bombardment is unleashed on targets south of Baghdad; Iraq appears to be pursuing military strategy of concentrating its forces in cities, where they are less immediately vulnerable to superior allied firepower; Deputy Prime Min Tariq Aziz appears buoyant during televised news conference while describing results of day's battles; photos; map (M)