January 29, 2004

Taxi and Limousine Commission board will vote on proposal to raise fares 26 percent after public hearings; increase is expected to be approved in light of New York City Mayor Michael R Bloomberg's plan to put 900 additional taxis on streets; photos (M)

Long-awaited report by Lord Hutton, senior British judge, clears Prime Min Tony Blair and his government of any deliberate attempt to deceive public on threat from Iraq mentioned in Sept 2002 intelligence dossier; castigates BBC for sloppy, inaccurate reporting and 'defective' editorial supervision in asserting that Blair and aides exaggerated case for war; Lord Hutton reads conclusions from bench in Royal Courts of Justice; photos; BBC chairman Gavyn Davies later resigns in one of worst debacles in famous network's history; findings are personal vindication for Blair, beleaguered by rebellion within Labor Party; BBC editor-in-chief Greg Dyke issues recorded statement saying broadcaster Andrew Gilligan has already admitted that 'certain key allegations' were wrong; defends right to reveal concerns of Dr David Kelly, weapons scientist who was Gilligan's source; Kelly's suicide last July set off uproar; Blair, in Parliament, indignantly demands apology (M)

Sony Corp's profit fell 26 percent in October to December quarter, hurt by restructuring costs, stronger yen and declining revenue in movie and video game divisions; profit of 92.6 billion yen ($874 million) in quarter is larger than expected; sales over all rose 0.7 percent, to quarterly record of 2.32 trillion yen ($21.9 billion); raises its profit goal for financial year ending in March by 10 percent, to 55 billion yen ($519 million), because of yen's decline against euro; does not alter its revenue goal of 7.4 trillion yen or its operating profit forecast of 100 billion yen; chief financial officer Takao Yuhara comments; photo (M)

Brooklyn (NYC) residents react to fatal shooting of teenager Timothy Stansbury Jr by Police Officer Richard S Neri Jr and Police Department's unusually quick and strong response contending that Neri was in wrong; map; photos (M)

Senator John Kerry promised to campaign ''with the same underdog mentality'' that had carried him to victory so far. Page A21.