Laura Miller reviews Seabiscuit, Stephen Ives documentary in PBS's American Experience series; photo (M)

They Had The Horse Right Here In 1938

Coverage of the Iraq war and its aftermath, which has occupied a separate section in recent weeks, returns to the regular news pages today, beginning on Page A10.

Editors' Note; Today's War News

Omar Marti, suspect in murder of Fair Lawn, NJ, Police Officer Mary Ann Collura, dies of wounds he received during high-speed chase and shootout with police who were pursuing him in Florida; four of Marti's relatives have been charged with helping him escape and two also are charged with drug possession; slaying leaves only suspect Manuel Brignoni at large; map; photo (M)

Fugitive Dies After Chase And Shootout

Ben Ratliff reviews White Stripes, band made up of Meg White on drums and Jack White on guitar, performing at Hammerstein Ballroom; Loretta Lynn opens show; photo (M)

Contradictory and Proud of It

Allen Iverson dribbled impatiently at the top of the key late in the fourth quarter. Stacey Augmon, the New Orleans Hornets' defensive demon, stood in front of Iverson as Hornets Coach Paul Silas stamped his feet along the sideline, begging for a stop.    Iverson motioned to Keith Van Horn to set a pick, but instead of waiting for a screen, Iverson dribbled right and stopped short as Augmon nearly fell to the floor. Iverson picked up his dribble and launched a 3-pointer that sailed through the net, a basket as effortless as the 48 points that had preceded it.  

Iverson Stuns Hornets With 55-Point Solo Act

Anthony Tommasini Critic's Notebook column on rising tensions between Valery Gergiev, Metropolitan Opera's principal guest conductor, and Met's orchestra and chorus, members of which are said to be dismayed by what they consider his idiosyncratic technique, lack of focus and penchant for showing up late to rehearsals; Gergiev, who has conducted Otello and Parsifal for Met, says he has had nothing but very, very high degree of pleasure working at Met; Joseph Volpe, Met's general manager, remains impressed by Gergiev and dismisses scuttlebutt of orchestra, but has chastised Gergiev for chronic tardiness; photos (M)

Overtones Of Tension For a Met Conductor

James Kaminsky, brought in to update Playboy magazine, comments on plans, interview; magazine will depart from tradition of total nudity in effort to entice celebrities to pose for covers; still enjoys 3.2 million average circulation, largest of any men's magazine, but sold 6.5 million copies of each issue in early 1970's; photos (M)

An Old Leopard Tries to Change Its Silk Pajamas

Interview with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on her new book The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice; photo (M)

Essays On Law (But Life Creeps In)

New Line Cinema is set to release The Real Cancun, first attempt by Hollywood studio to transfer reality television phenomenon to movie screen; film follows 16 hand-picked young men and women at upscale Yucatan hotel for all-expenses-paid spring break week; Jonathan Murray, lead producer, and Rick de Oliveira, director and co-producer, comment; photo (M)

Ready for a Reality Movie?; Following TV's Lead, 'The Real Cancún' Chronicles Spring Break

OPEC members see need to cut back on extra oil output to keep prices in favored range once renewed supplies flow from Iraq; United States forecasts that Iraqi exports will soon resume because war is largely concluded lead oil traders to anticipate glut; uncertainty about stability of authority in Iraq and amount of oil country will pump make it hard to forecast future oil supplies and prices; photo (M)

With the War Largely Over, OPEC Fears Oil Price Drop

Chinese government admits that cases of dangerous new respiratory disease SARS are many times higher than previously disclosed; announcement comes in unusual nationally televised live news conference by Deputy Health Min Gao Qiang, who says that as of Apr 18, Beijing had 339 confirmed cases and additional 402 suspected cases of disease; new numbers bring total of confirmed cases on mainland China to 1,807, highest of any country; of these, 79 have ended in death; government also announces that weeklong national May Day vacation has been reduced to one day to discourage people from traveling and further spreading disease; photo (M)

China Admits Underreporting Its SARS Cases

The marines completed their pullout from Baghdad today, leaving the city under the control of a United States Army force that was maintaining a much lower profile.    The sudden, virtually overnight disappearance of the marines came amid mounting political uncertainty here. Even as the American-backed exile leader Ahmad Chalabi and his associates pressed their claim to power, Iraq's long-oppressed Shiite majority was on the move on the eve of their sect's most emotional religious celebration.  

MARINES END ROLE IN IRAQ'S CAPITAL AS ARMY MOVES IN

Collapse of Saddam Hussein government and unmasking of intelligence and interrogation centers like Al Hakemiya in Baghdad is bringing out some of the thousands of formerly incarcerated Iraqis who want to confront their memories of degradation and torture; Al Hakemiya was apparently used as way station where suspects were worked over and squeezed for information, and sometimes cash, then moved to more permanent facilities; one former detainee describes being held for five months at center, where he was hung from ceiling by his arms and tortured with electric current after being arrested on what he says were trumped-up theft charges; photo (M)

Iraqis Confront Memories in a Place of Torture

 Split Over North Korea  A memo suggesting the United States press for new leaders in North Korea indicates an emerging battle in the Bush administration over how to deal with the crisis.   PAGE A15    Evidence of Prison Abuse  Five years after an inmate fatally stabbed a guard at a prison in New Jersey, information has emerged supporting inmates' claims of abuse by state prison guards.   PAGE B1

INSIDE

Marines complete their pullout from Baghdad, leaving city under control of Army force that is maintaining lower profile amid mounting political uncertainty; thousands of Shiite pilgrims travel on foot to holy city of Karbala for religious celebration long banned under Saddam Hussein; celebration carries worries for some Iraqis, as well as for Americans seeking to reshape Iraq as modern democracy, because many Shiites want to establish Islamic state and, while happy to be rid of Hussein, are deeply opposed to American presence; Muhammad Mohsen Zobeidi, self-proclaimed governor of Baghdad, tells news conference that new constitution should be based on Islamic law; spokesman at Rashid Hospital in southern Baghdad says final tally of dead Iraqi soldiers there is 260, not 700 reported by United States last week; photos (M)

Bush More Hopeful on Syria

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner overrules manager Joe Torre's decision to send pitcher Jose Contreras to minors in favor of sending him to Tampa (Fla) for more training; Torre expresses anger that Steinbrenner would question judgement after telling Torre he could make decision; photo (M)

Steinbrenner's Decision Leaves Torre Steaming

Profile of XM Satellite Radio and chief executive Hugh Panero; XM has over 500,000 subscribers to its digital broadcasting service, far more than rival Sirius Satellite Radio, and nears profitability; satellite radio industry faces challenge from conventional radio stations, which recently won regulatory approval to broadcast digital signals; graph; photos (M)

Satellite Radio Gains Ground With Right Mix Of Partners

Los Angeles Lakers defeat Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-98, in Game 1 of first-round playoff series; photo (M)

A Tough Week for O'Neal Ends in an Easy Victory

More than five years after murder of prison guard Fred Baker by inmate Steven Beverly at Bayside State Prison, Leesburg, NJ, questions persist about retaliation against prisoners by guards; 600 inmates joined suit alleging beatings and other retribution but inmates' claims were not corroborated and case receded from public memory; new information supporting claims and accounts from guards bring case back to forefront; case and eyewitness testimony reviewed; photos; map (L)

Claims of Widespread Beatings Persist in a 1997 Prison Episode

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column on New York City police practice of questioning antiwar protestors in custody about their politics; notes practice has been stopped even though Comr Raymond Kelly defends it as legal and constitutional (M)

Metro Matters; Speak Out. The Police Are All Ears.

Bush administration begins to weigh cost as factor in deciding whether Medicare should cover new drugs and procedures; officials in recent weeks have adopted policies to limit how much Medicare will pay for certain drugs, setting significant precedent they say illustrates how Medicare will try to control spending if Pres Bush and Congress agree on legislation to provide more extensive drug benefits; drug industry executives voice strenuous opposition (M)

U.S. Limiting Costs of Drugs For Medicare

Tampa Bay Lightning defeats Washington Capitals, 2-1, in triple overtime to win first-round playoff series, 4-2; Tampa Bay and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin win first playoff series; photo (M)

Puck Goes In And Capitals Go Out Early

Federal investigations of possible financial fraud at AOL Time Warner spur curiosity about dealings and communications between soon-departing company chairman Stephen M Case and Thomas Middelhoff, deposed Bertelsmann chairman; Securities and Exchange Commission contends AOL Time Warner improperly inflated AOL division's sales and earnings by effectively overpaying Bertelsmann in deal constructed to get back $400 million in online advertising sales; photo; timetable of companies' relationship since 1994 (M)

What's $400 Million Between Friends?

Largest United States banks reveal their eagerness for customers to use their Web sites by offering customers big bonuses or other perks for signing up for online bill payment; banks' costs for Web-based transactions are substantially below their expenses of processing traditional checks; table of incentives major banks offer (M)

Banks Offer Sweeteners To Paying Bills Online

economies sickened by a virus and fear Severe acute respiratory syndrome is spreading fear and creating economic crisis throughout Southeast Asia; with nervous customers staying home and travelers canceling trips, industries that offer services to people are being hit particularly hard; their suppliers, many in travel-related industries, are also being hit, spreading economic disruption beyond Asia; with fewer than 5,000 actual cases of SARS reported, manufacturing companies are so far experiencing little or no disruption; map and charts show spread of SARS and economic effects; photos (M)

Economies Sickened by a Virus, and Fear

Xavi Quentin Shay Simons is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and the Netherlands national team.

Xavi Simons, Dutch footballer

Xavi_Simons

Nina Simone was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop. Her piano playing was strongly influenced by baroque and classical music, especially Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice.

April 21, 2003

Headlines from April 21, 2003

They Had The Horse Right Here In 1938

Editors' Note; Today's War News

Fugitive Dies After Chase And Shootout

Contradictory and Proud of It

Iverson Stuns Hornets With 55-Point Solo Act

Billboard 200

Meteora

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

Now 12

One Heart

Come Away With Me

Notable Births

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for April 21, 2003