April 3, 2003

Army's Third Infantry Division clears last geographic obstacle to Baghdad, 20 miles away, after it seizes damaged bridge over Euphrates River following intense three-hour battle against more than company of dug-in Iraqi soldiers; thousands of American soldiers surge across bridge in tanks, Bradleys, mobile artillery batteries and array of other armored vehicles; there are no immediate reports of American casualties; battle for bridge described; Iraqi tactics that proved efective against forces encircling Najaf, Nasiriya and Samawa--sniping, ambushes, taxi bomb--could do little to slow division's armored forces; photo (M)

New York Yankees defeat Toronto Blue Jays, 9-7; photos (M)

Deliberately set fire fueled by liquid accelerant tears through Brooklyn apartment house, leaving four people dead; basement of building in East Flatbush was home to illegal gambling parlor that was well-known in working-class neighborhood; photos (M)

Mayor Michael R Bloomberg and Gov George E Pataki are suddenly at odds over tens of millions of dollars in homeland defense money that Congress is poised to approve, with each man lobbying at other's expense in Washington for larger share of aid; Pataki aides are trying to change formula that gives New York City 80 percent of any money that will be doled out to New York State, while Bloomberg is pressing lawmakers to preserve that formula; Bloomberg aides and other lawmakers say mayor helped create formula through his persistence and persuasive lobbying in Washington; Bloomberg administration officials are said to be astounded at Pataki's move against 80/20 split; Bloomberg has ostentatiously declined to criticize Pataki in past for thwarting various measures to help city; now, with both city and state facing huge deficits and dismal revenue projections, two Republicans are at loggerheads over expected pot of federal money (M)

A Hoboken police officer and a sergeant with the Hudson County Sheriff's Office were shot and a suspect was killed last night after a crime spree through Hoboken and Jersey City that involved a taxi robbery, a carjacking, and two shootouts, the authorities said. A cabby was also wounded. Article, Page D6.