January 3, 2004

Growing number of large American companies are outsourcing white-collar jobs to overseas providers in order to avoid duplication of services and take advantage of lower wage scales in foreign countries; outsourcing has proven boon to many beleaguered consulting firms, which have seized on strategy as means of helping clients reduce costs; range of jobs being outsourced continues to broaden, and now includes most nonessential business functions; some economists fear that new outsourcing methods will continue recent losses of American jobs to overseas workers; outsourcing of jobs by Procter & Gamble Co discussed; photo (M)

Private delegation of US experts on North Korea, including former National Security Council staff member Jack Pritchard and former Los Alamos National Laboratory dir Sigfried Hecker, will travel to North Korea and possibly visit nuclear weapons plant; Bush administration officials say delegation does not have official government blessing; express concern that trip might complicate administration's own delicate diplomacy with North Korea; John W Lewis, professor emeritus of international relati ons at Stanford University, will lead delegation (M)

Profile of Edward J Zander, who is taking over as new chairman and chief executive of Motorola; Zander is seen facing difficult challenge of reinvigorating wireless communications giant in face of strong competition from smaller wireless companies such as Verizon; photo (M)

New Jersey Nets defeat Cleveland Cavaliers, 97-82; photos (M)

Survey released by Institute for Supply Management shows highest level for US manufacturing sector since 1983, suggesting that last year's economic recovery will continue; however, survey also shows that unemployment in manufacturing sector rose once again, reaching near-record levels; analysts say that growth in manufacturing may signal imminent reverse in recent unemployment rise; predict that US economy as whole should continue to grow at annual rate of 4 percent to 5 percent in 2004 (M)

British Airways cancels another flight to US as Bush administration faces questions from US allies about reliability of intelligence information that has led to recent rash of flight cancellations; grounds Jan 2 flight from London to Washington, DC, third cancellation in 24 hours, and Jan 3 scheduled flight from London to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; seven international flights have been canceled since Dec 27, 2003, after Bush administration began aggressive approach to defending US airspace when nation was put on 'high' alert on Dec 21; Mexican Pres Vicente Fox questions US decision to cancel two Aeromexico flights from Mexico City to Los Angeles; photos (M)

Flushing neighborhood of Queens (NYC) has been called home by number of families who have histories that date back to 1600's; relatively-stable area has supported early land-owners and farmers through 21st century; families may not be land-holding aristocrats anymore, but many still carry storied legacies of their historical ancestors; photos (L)

St Joseph's University men's basketball team opens season with 10 consecutive victories for first time since 1964-65 season; photos (M)

Jimmy's Bronx Cafe (NYC), owned by Jimmy Rodriguez, closes its doors after 10 successful years as local gathering place, celebrity hangout and Latin dancing spot; space will reopen as seafood restaurant; photos (M)

Japan and China are in competition for rights to proposed oil pipeline to be built in eastern Russia; China wants pipeline to end in heavy industrial region of northeastern China, while Japan wants pipeline to carry oil to depot on Siberian coast where it can be shipped by tanker to Japan; China is fastest-growing oil importer in world and Japan is second-largest; Russian government currently is seen favoring Japanese plan despite lo wer costs associated with proposed Chinese route; map (M)

Brazil is giving poor families small cash payments if they keep their children in school and take them for regular medical checkups; Pres Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is consolidating array of cash transfer programs, expanding his version of model, named Family Grant, and tripling average monthly benefit, to about $24; Family Grant will reach 11.4 million families by 2006--over 45 million people, about quarter of Brazil's population; that would be world's largest such program; W orld Bank and Inter-American Development Bank are putting up $3 billion in loans for program; Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico have adopted similar programs; photos (M)

Bush administration says Iran has rebuffed offer from US to send delegation led by Sen Elizabeth Dole to assist in distribution of relief supplies to earthquake victims in Bam; says Iran cited difficulties facing relief workers in ancient city, but did not rule out possibility of future visit; expresses concern for Iran at time when US has declared that some of Tehran's recent actions have been positive and could lead to resumption of dialogue to improve relations; photo of Muslims praying in damaged mosque (M)