August 2, 2003

Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets prepare for league's preseason opener in Tokyo, Japan, where NFL has been trying for years to attract Japanese fans to American football; photos (M)

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column contends that NCAA president Myles Brand brought promise of change and reform to often-embattled organization, but has yet to deliver as various conferences are still dealing with issues of discrimination, corruption and myriad other ethical problems; photo (M)

Minnesota-based telephone company Onvoy Inc releases personnel information about former employee James C Krutchen, who is key witness in Federal investigation of alleged conspiracy by MCI and Onvoy to avoid paying long-distance access fees; Krutchen testified that Onvoy diverted MCI traffic through Canada and onto lines owned by AT&T, which incurred access charges; Onvoy characterizes Krutchen as poor performer seeking retribution for losing his job (M)

Sen John Warner, Republican chairman of Armed Services Committee, criticizes Bush administration for preparing plans to send US troops to Liberia without making convincing case to Congress, which is in recess; comments on Senate floor after Pentagon abruptly cancels detailed briefing; charges administration is not adhering to doctrine of spelling out risks and national interest involved; remarks by usually staunch Bush ally come as two of three Navy ships carrying 2,300 marines are set to arrive off Liberian coast (M)

Metropolitan Museum's sumptuous exhibit of Mesopotamian antiquities includes Naram-Sin limestone fragment that was unknown until it surfaced in home of New York collector four years ago, illustrating ambiguous, often murky, world in which such objects are traded; debate becomes more pointed with recent looting in Iraq; photos of three objects in Met show, only one of which has clear provenance; museum director Philippe de Montebello says that even objects without clear records may come from legitimate sources, such as longstanding private collections; experts say including such objects abets illicit trade that destroys archaeological sites; unclear history of Naram-Sin fragment, involving collector Jonathan P Rosen, archaeologist Donald P Hansen and Met curator Joan Aruz, explained (M)

35 Killed in Russia Bombing A truck bomb exploded at a military hospital in southern Russia, killing at least 35 people and wounding dozens. The area had been used as a staging ground for Russian troops on their way to Chechnya. PAGE A5

Dan Barry About New York column discusses Brooklyn (NYC) cab driver Mark Komissarov, who is teaching 12-year-old Natalia Lulova and other children to tap into extrasensory potential of brain, alleging his students can see while blindfolded; Lulova will compete for One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, but many are skeptical, as her gifts are demonstrated only under Komissarov's conditions and in his presence (M)

Serena Williams withdraws from US Open because of knee surgery; photo (M)

Bush administration backs away from demands that Palestinian Authority dismantle militant groups immediately, concerned that security forces are too weak at this point to carry out crackdown; US is instead coming to accept cease-fire negotiated by Prime Min Mahmoud Abbas, in light of fact that terrorist attacks have declined and support for Abbas among Palestinians seems to be growing; US is also urging Israel to improve conditions for Palestinians during three-month cease-fire; will speed $300 million in aid to Authority through CIA (M)

North Korean-US agreement to hold talks on nuclear weapons program noted

General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler report falling sales of cars and trucks in July, despite offering largest buying incentives in collective history; Autodata reports industry's annual selling rate for July was estimated 17.3 million vehicles, compared with 18.1 million year earlier; says over all, sales declined 4.82 percent in July from year ago; foreign carmakers captured 40.1 percent of new-car market, third month this year in which they have sold two of every five new cars bought in country; graph; chart (M)

Mel Gibson, whose movie The Passion is under attack as anti-Semitic, tries to build support with screenings for evangelical Christians, conservative Catholics, right-wing pundits, Republicans, some Jewish commentators and Jews converted to Christianity; both sides in debate warn that graphic depiction of crucifixion could undermine years of interfaith bridge-building and stoke anti-Jewish violence by reviving ancient stereotypes; photos; first critics were Catholic scholars concerned about Gibson's affiliation with splinter Catholic group that rejects modern papacy and Second Vatican Council's reforms, including repudiation of charge of deicide against Jews; several Biblical scholars say movie badly twists Jewish leaders' role in Jesus' death; Gibson denies anti-Semitism, saying intent is to 'inspire, not offend' (M)