June 15, 2003

Market Watch column on cheer among some analysts, though not all, about prospects for IBM; stock price graph (M)

Thousands of American troops backed by tanks, planes and helicopters carry out extensive raids in restive city of Falluja and in at least two other Iraqi cities; military operation is one of largest in Iraq since end of major fighting; no American casualties are reported; dozens of suspected Baath Party members are detained; map; photo (M)

Caryn James discusses successful British tv sex sitcoms Coupling and Manchild and US attempts to adapt them for US audiences; says NBC's marketing hype, pushing steaminess of its version of Coupling, reveals lack of understanding of sophistication of BBC original; photos (L)

Families of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease are cautiously optimistic about new drug that a study suggests may have modest effect in alleviating symptoms of advanced Alzheimer's disease; drug, memantine, is not a cure and does not reverse disease; Forest Laboratories, which has licensed it, has applied to FDA to market it and does not expect to hear anything until fall; drug is sold in Europe, and FDA generally allows patients to import unapproved drugs for their personal use if there is no approved treatment for their condition and they can supply name and address of doctor who will approve treatment; there are plenty of Internet companies ready to fill demand; photos (L)

Article on urban nomads, little-known segment of homeless youth who follow warm weather to New York and select cities across North America subsisting, with little or no money, on fringes of society; Don Des Jarlais, research director at Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center, which is conducting survey of urban nomads, estimates that nationally there may be 5,000 to 10,000 urban nomads, 1,000 of whom pass through New York each year; stories of Julie, Samantha, Shane and others recounted; photos (L)

Harvey Araton Sports of The Times column discusses San Antonio Spurs player David Robinson, who will retire after NBA finals against New Jersey Nets at age 37; photo (M)

European Union delegates struggle to draft its first constitution; 105 delegates who make up Convention on Future of Europe try to codify common ground among long-established states that will give their union more of a logical structure--and perhaps more power--as they expand eastward; draft constitution states that every national of a member state shall be citizen of union; when union expands, that would mean mega-Europe of 450 million citizens, and economy of more than $9 trillion; proposed constitution states that European Union law will have primacy over that of member states; simplifies voting rules and spells out areas like trade policy in which union will have full authority and other areas to be shared with member states, including justice, transportation and economic and social policy; photo of president of European Convention, Valery Giscard de'Estaing of France, and his vice presidents, Jean Luc Dehaene of Belgium and Giuliani Amato of Italy; map (L)

Role of past United States presidents in Arab-Israeli peace effort recalled as Pres Bush continues to search for effective level for his own personal involvement; Bush has put his representative, John S Wolf, in charge of managing day-to-day crises; publicly demands restraint from Palestinian Prime Min Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Min Ariel Sharon, but has not made single call to region since summit meeting there two weeks ago in face of near collapse of peace effort; photos (M)

Article on Re-Storation Deep Repair Facial Serum, Creme Cellulaire Radiance and other high-priced so-called anti-aging skin care concoctions; photo (M)

Article on six artists who 22-years ago bought tenement on Rivington Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side for $46,000 and renovated it; they comment on their lives and friendships since 1981; photos (M)

Barry Gewen article considers likelihood that large number of Holocaust documentaries may now exceed demand; scholars discuss possibility; article offers suggestions to filmmakers for new ways to approach subject; photos; (L)

Article on television series Law & Order and its ever-expanding spinoffs, which are keeping hundreds, perhaps thousands, of struggling New York actors financially solvent; drawing; photos (M)