June 6, 2003

United States and South Korea agree to reposition American troops far away from demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea to make them less vulnerable to attack by North; 14,000 American troops are considered strategic 'tripwire' on Korean peninsula, ensuring that American troops would be drawn into any war started by North; redeployment, which will occur over period of years, is negotiated at time of high tensions beetween US and North Korea over North's suspected development of nuclear weapons; it comes after months of strained relations between US and South Korea, where Pres Roh Moo Hyun won election in December amid large-scale protest movement against American military presence in country; most of 37,000 American troops in South Korea are based in northern tier of country, in and around Seoul; some South Korean officials feared that repositioning of troops would leave US free to make pre-emptive attack against North Korea's nuclear sites without fear of retaliation against American soldiers; their fears are eased when US pledges that some American troops will remain presence in northern part of country, near demilitarized zone; photo (M)

Somerfield, owner of Kwik Save and Somerfield food chains, rejects $965 million takeover approach from group of investors led by John Lovering, chairman of Peacock Group (S)

Bombay Stock Exchange index of 30 stocks rises 45.71 points, or 1.4 percent, as annual monsoon season arrives; graph (S)

Archaeologists object to plans to auction ancient Chinese porcelain and pottery salvaged from Chinese shipwrecks; entrepreneur Phil Greco lived and worked in Philippines for more than decade, collecting 10,000 pieces, some of which are 2,000 years old, in reefs off Philippine islands in South China Sea; he is shipping artifacts to warehouse to be sold in Sept by Guernsey's auction house; Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's, says many of pieces are in remarkable condition; archaeologists complain that private salvors like Greco recover just what has market value, leaving behind other material that is important for research; Emory Kristof, staff photographer for National Geographic magazine, says publications like his are reluctant to feature projects like Greco's lest they appear to be endorsing treasure hunting over archaeology; photos; map (L)

Howell Raines and Gerald M Boyd resign as the top-ranking editors of New York Times five weeks after resignation of reporter Jayson Blair sets off chain of events that exposes fissures in management and morale of newsroom; publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr applauds Raines and Boyd for putting interests of newspaper above their own; says Raines will be succeeded on interim basis by Joseph Lelyveld, his immediate predecessor, who retired in 2001; says there will be no immediate successor for Boyd, who was managing editor; resignations set off wave of emotions, from sadness to relief, for staff members; news is shocking to others, who heard Sulzberger say during town-hall-style meeting on May 14 that he would not accept Raines's resignation if it were offered; Times's investigation into Blair's journalistic deceptions, including plagiarism, brought to surface long-simmering complaints about management style of editors; some staff members say top-down management style of Raines and Boyd contributed to gaps in oversight of Blair; some reporters and editors say they told Sulzberger that newsroom's disaffection with Raines is so deep as to be most likely irreparable; tensions were further inflamed when second controversy arose over use of freelance reporters by Rick Bragg, national correspondent close to Raines; Sulzberger, citing importance of newsroom morale, says he accepts resignations with great sadness; photo (L)

Article on what can happen when couples do not share enthusiasm over second homes; while some couples are happy to spend weekends apart, buying second home can spell disaster for others; some therapists say second homes, not unlike babies, may serve to mask relationship issues; photos (M)

Anna Kisselgoff Critic's Notebook on important yet varied role that music plays in work of choreographers and dancers; quotes George Balanchine's remark that he wanted to create ballets in which one could see the music and hear the dance; recommends New York City Ballet's Vienna Waltzes, as well as Kenneth MacMillan's passionate storytelling to Prokofiev in American Ballet Theater's Romeo and Juliet; photos (M)

European Central Bank Cuts Rates by Half a Point The European Central Bank cut its benchmark interest rate half a percentage point. The decision, which was widely expected, was aimed at tempering the recent rise of the euro against the dollar and easing the pressure on European exporters, who fear that their goods are being priced out of the American market. Interest rates in Europe are at a level not seen there since at least World War II. But the president of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, above, left the door open for further cuts. [World Business, Section W.]

Federal prosecutors announce arrest of 11 jewelry dealers and others accused of participating in international money-laundering scheme; say jewelers turned drug dealers' gold into everyday objects, like belt buckles and screws, then returned disguised gold to Colombia where it was sold to refiners for cash; arrests are made in Manhattan's jewelry district on West 47 St; investigation tracks $1 million that was exchanged for gold, but prosecutors suggest value of gold smuggled to Colombia over years is vastly more than that; US Atty James B Comey says alleged scheme shows how challenging it is for drug dealers to get money back to Colombia; photos (M)

Scarsdale High School students face new restrictions on prom night this year as part of broader effort to control binge drinking that some say is rampant in Westchester County, NY; will have to be dropped off at school by their parents, attend pre-prom party organized by PTA and then climb aboard buses along with faculty chaperones; photo (M)

2 loud. 2 long. 2 dumb. If the obtuse dialogue and the inane story don't bore you silly, then the crude, tedious racing sequences, replete with whining engines, squealing brakes and enough close-ups of clutch pedals and shifting knobs to fill an instructional video, will surely induce a grinding headache. 2 aspirin should do the trick. — A. O. Scott

SARS Threat Seen as Easing Health officials said the SARS epidemic was winding down all over the world, including in China, the worst-hit country. PAGE A10