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)