American Special Forces troops enter Mosul, Iraq, after organized Iraqi resistance flees, finding city engulfed by anarchy; quickly retreat; incursion followed talks with tribal and Baath Party leaders intended to bring about peaceful surrender of city, homeland of Sunni Arab nationalism; armed Kurds in civilian clothes drive around city flying flag of Kurdish Democratic Party; thousands of Kurdish troops remain outside city; Kurds in city stage small-scale uprising; city's Arabs begin attacking Americans; Arabs and Kurds blame US for not moving soldiers into Mosul quickly enough to stop looting; photo (M)

Sniper Fire Greets G.I.'s in Big City in North

Leading Wall Street economists, who have almost always hailed broad new tax cuts, are divided on Pres Bush's proposals for $726 billion more in tax cuts and to begin to transform tax code; differences are based on theory and evidence, but some suggest political views play role; Bush did not invite top economists who do not support his proposals to recent White House meetings; photo (M)

Divided Economic Advice and the Lure of Politics

French con man Christopher Rocancourt, accused of bilking wealthy out of nearly $1 million, is extradited to Brooklyn (NYC) from Canada, where he served year in jail; is arraigned on 11 felony fraud charges; while in Canadian jail he wrote his autobiography Moi, Christophe Rocancourt, Orphelin, Play-Boy et Taulard; photos (M)

Hamptons Confidence Man Is Now Occupying a Cell in Brooklyn

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is quietly considering alternatives to his commuter tax proposal. Some are being contemplated by Democrats in the State Assembly, and some could include a tax increase for New York City residents as well as commuters.     Officially, Mr. Bloomberg stands by his original commuter tax proposal; he will present it next week as part of his executive budget. That plan calls for up to a 2.7 percent tax on suburban commuters, as well as an income tax cut for New York City residents. It has been broadly rejected by Republican legislators and Gov. George E. Pataki, who reiterated yesterday at a news conference that the commuter tax ''would have a horrible effect on jobs.''  

Mayor Ponders Commuter Tax With a Twist

G.I. Who Pulled the Trigger Shares Anguish of 2 Deaths

Delta Air Lines, determined to compete with JetBlue Airways and other low-cost rivals on East Coast, is introducing Song, its own low-cost carrier; industry experts say Song is aimed at leisure market JetBlue has successfully served in recent years; say it may let Delta redeploy its planes more efficiently and nudge JetBlue into focusing its expansion outside of Delta's main markets; Song will offer jazzy passenger amenities so that marketers can promote it as hipper product; failed attempts by largest airlines to start low-cost carriers recalled; photos (M)

Delta Answer To JetBlue Is Set to Fly Next Week

For first time in three decades, Shiite Muslims in Iraq's second-largest city, Basra, worship without fear that agents of Saddam Hussein are listening; although Shiites are majority in Iraq, under Hussein, a Sunni Muslim, they were subjected to years of oppression; photo of thousands of Shiite Muslims forced to worship in streets because Hussein's forces bombed and destroyed their mosques to put down uprising in 1991 (M)

No More Fear That Prayer Falls on the Wrong Ears

Negotiators in Congress reached an agreement on a package that would satisfy requests from New York for millions in antiterrorism aid.     Article, Page D4.

Deal on Security Aid

A Northern Push, an Uneasy Transition to Civil Peace and Appeals for Aid

Harvey Araton Sports of The Times column contends that major league baseball commissioner Bud Selig's decision to move number of Montreal Expos home games to San Juan, Puerto Rico, will prove profitable and sound, but could have been executed with more sensitivity; photo (M)

Sports of The Times; A Good Idea, But Lacking In Good Will

Montreal Expos defeat New York Mets, 10-0; photo (M)

Fences Too Close To Give Cone Any Comfort

Allied ground war advancing in northern Iraq faces two principal challenges: risks of armed resistance on lonely approaches to expected battle for Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's ancestral home and power base, and risk of escalating civil unrest in regions that have already changed hands; Kirkuk, which fell into American control on Apr 10, remains rife with disorder and uncertainty; city has been left largely to its own drift and disorder after fighting stopped, just like other cities where American fighters have broken Baath Party's hold on government; Fairadoon Abdulkader, interior minister for eastern Kurdish zone, arrives in Kirkuk with fledgling police force; he is angry about looting of past two days, and upset that it was given chance to occur; says American forces are making mistake by not thinking beyond what happens after fighting stops; photo (M)

Shaky Ground Is Ahead And Behind in the North

The Catch-22 Of Iraq Contracts

Alnajjar family is relieved to learn that their son Bashar, US Navy airman serving in Iraq and one of 4,200 Muslims on active duty, is coming home; Brooklyn (NYC) family has lived with mixed emotions over war in Iraq, which include pride in their son's participation in fight to liberate Iraq and anger that Americans are there at all; photos (M)

Fear for a Navy Son, and for Fellow Muslims; Viewing Images of a War They Hate, a Brooklyn Family Is Proud and Sad

 Congress Passes a Budget With a Smaller Tax Cut  Congress approved a $2.2 trillion budget plan that would make room for a tax cut this year but possibly limit it to less than half of the $726 billion President Bush proposed.    A $350 billion tax cut, the largest the Senate would agree to, would probably preclude one of the central elements of the president's plan, the elimination of income taxes on most stock dividends. [Page A1.]

BUSINESS DIGEST

Analysis of dangerous task facing American troops, stretched thin as they seek to restore order and services in Baghdad while combat phase of war continues; troops face attacks from Saddam Hussein loyalists who continue to hide out in small pockets of city (M)i

Seeking Calm In the Chaos

United Airlines says its pilots have ratified labor concessions that would save it $1.1 billion a year; reaches tentative accord with mechanics on wage cuts and other moves to save $349 million a year over six years; flight dispatchers also approve concessions; UAL Corp chief executive Glenn F Tilton says United needs moves to emerge from bankruptcy and succeed for long term; seeks $2.56 billion a year in labor concessions (M)

Pilots Ratify Concessions At United

American troops clear Iraqi forces from wide swaths of Baghdad, but seem powerless before fresh wave of frenzied looting and mayhem that follows retreat of Saddam Hussein loyalists; mobs set fire to virtually all government ministries and begin ransacking private homes for first time; city and virtually all of Iraq are operating essentially without government, services or police protection; Bush administration apparently is unprepared to respond quickly to breakdown; Defense Sec Donald H Rumsfeld calls freedom 'untidy' and instantaneous response impossible; State Department says it will send 26 police and judicial officers to Iraq as advance team for contingent of what might eventually be over 1,150 people to help restore law and order; they will be part of group led by Lt Gen Jay Garner, who will run initial Iraqi civil administration under US occupation; military officials in Baghdad say American troops will try to keep religious centers open and public services functioning; begin enlisting local Iraqi officials to help rebuild police forces; photos (M)

In Baghdad, Free of Hussein, a Day of Mayhem

Schools in New York City and elsewhere are redrawing emergency plans in case of terrorist attacks, increasing frequency of drills and taking extra precautions to be as prepared as possible (M)

Crisis Plans Being Redrawn By Schools Across Nation

Mike Weir takes second-round lead at Masters Tournament; Darren Clarke is in second place and Phil Mickelson is third; photos (M)

After the Rains, Augusta Drowns the Field

 10 Qaeda Suspects Escape  Ten suspected members of Al Qaeda, including at least two suspects in the suicide bombing of the American destroyer Cole in 2000, escaped from a high-security prison in Yemen.   PAGE B11    Illness Mostly Under Control  The World Health Organization said that the epidemic of a mysterious respiratory disease appeared under control in most countries, although too little was known about its spread in China.   PAGE A6

INSIDE

International Committee of Red Cross, in unusual move, appeals to American troops to protect hospitals and water supplies in Baghdad; agency, only international relief group now functioning in city, urges troops to bar looting of essential public services; says medical system in city has virtually collapsed, with 39 of 40 hospitals looted or closed; says its aid workers were able to venture outside for only limited time; workers from other aid groups are say Iraq is too dangerous to enter; aid specialists and supplies assembled by United States Agency for International Development are stranded in Kuwait and Jordan because of security concerns; Lt Gen Jay Garner, designated to run Iraq, enters nation but gets only as far as Umm Qasr; photos (M)

Aid Groups Urging Military to Protect Essential Services

Congress approves $2.2 trillion fiscal 2004 budget resolution that could limit $726 billion tax cuts sought by Pres Bush to $350 billion over ten years; House approves measure, 216-211, that would permit $550 billion tax cut; Senate approves measure only after Sen Charles E Grassley, who backs $726 billion cut, pledges to limit any cuts this year to $350 billion level; stand wins over enough reluctant Republicans to let Vice Pres Cheney cast tie-breaking vote; budget plan shows $385 billion deficit, largest ever in dollar terms; projects deficit will decline annually until budget is balanced in 2012; photos (M)

Senate Vote Could Sharply Reduce Bush Tax Cut

Apple Computer, which plans to introduce new online music store, reportedly discusses possible investment in Vivendi Universal's Universal Music unit; deal is seen as unlikely (M)

Apple Said to Discuss a Music Deal, but Not Too Seriously

Dave Anderson Sports of The Times column discusses Tiger Woods, who played worst round in seven Masters since turning professional; notes that Woods is trying to stay positive about remaining rounds of Masters Tournament; photo (M)

April 12, 2003

Headlines from April 12, 2003

Sniper Fire Greets G.I.'s in Big City in North

Divided Economic Advice and the Lure of Politics

Hamptons Confidence Man Is Now Occupying a Cell in Brooklyn

Mayor Ponders Commuter Tax With a Twist

G.I. Who Pulled the Trigger Shares Anguish of 2 Deaths

Billboard 200

Meteora

One Heart

Now 12

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

Come Away With Me

Historical Context for April 12, 2003