September 3, 2004

Assumption College for Sisters at Mallinckrodt Convent in Mendham, NJ, has turned to overseas recruitment in experiment aimed at reversing national decline in membership of Roman Catholic orders; more than 35 foreign sisers, most from developing world, are now part of convent's daily life; their culture, faith and curiosity have revived religious community that, as recently as 10 years ago, felt like old-age home on brink of closing; older nuns also hope presence of younger nuns from abroad will encourage more American women to consider religious life; photos (M)

New York Supreme Court Justice John Cataldo orders city to release more than 550 protesters who had been detained without seeing judge, some for as long as 60 hours, after being arrested at demonstrations against Republican National Convention; protesters are greeted with cheers; corporation counsel Michael Cardozo scores decision and says that it did not give city sufficient time to complete processing of arrestees; defense lawyers and protesters claim police are using long detention periods to keep streets clear until convention ends; city concedes that some were held too long because of volume of arrests, but police deny that any tactics are being used to hold demonstrators; comments from several protesters; photo (M)

Malaysia's exports rose 29 percent in July from year earlier, to 42.63 billion ringgit ($11 billion); imports rose 25.8 percent in July from year ago, to 35.03 billion ringgit, giving Malaysia trade surplus of 7.6 billion ringgit, up 47 percent from period year earlier (S)

Airline industry is split between carriers that created attractive jobs but can no longer afford them and airlines that are thriving in large part because they have avoided creating such jobs; struggling traditional airlines like United, Delta and US Airways have laid off tens of thousands of employees and told rest that they must absorb round after round of salary and benefit cuts to keep flying; at healthier low-fare carriers like Southwest and JetBlue, pay is much lower and benefits are skimpier, but good year can yield big bonus at end; some airline employees comment; graph; photos (M)

Wet Seal Inc, mall-based specialty chain, appears to be losing some of teenage customers who used to flock to its signature bohemian tops and trendy jeans; says sales in August at stores open at least a year fell 14.8 percent from year-earlier level; company's stock closes at $1.11 a share, down from $25 a share in April 2002; analysts say company has failed to keep up with trends; bankruptcy filing remains possibility; photo (M)

Intel Corp sharply lowers its revenue and profit margin projections for third quarter, citing unexpectedly weak demand for its computer chips; company's shares plunge in after-hours trading (M)

Women wearing miniskirts describe how to sit on subway seat with modicum of grace and modesty; photos (M)

Tens of thousands of Florida residents flee coastal homes as Hurricane Frances churns past Bahamas and lurches closer; predictions about storm's path remain sketchy; Gov Jeb Bush says more than 2.5 million people along water were asked to evacuate; millions of others along densely populated east coast wait to learn whether they will witness storm; storm has weakened slightly, to Category 3, and track shifts south; officials warn that course could change and that even if it does not, storm is capable of loosing up to 20 inches of rain and perilously strong winds; photos; maps (M)

New York Yankees defeat Cleveland Indians, 9-1; photos (M)

Florida Marlins defeat New York Mets, 9-6; photos (M)

Article suggests 19th-century literary tour of Massachusetts' Berkshire mountains starting at Monument Mountain; focuses on places visited and lived in by Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne and their contemporaries; photos; map; list (M)

Virginia Heffernan reviews first episode of new season of The Inspector Lynley Mysteries on Mystery! on PBS; photo (M)