December 20, 2004

Soprano Renata Tebaldi, one of most beloved opera singers of all time, dies at age of 82; conductor Arturo Toscanini claimed she had 'the voice of an angel'; her distinguished career recalled; her final performance was at Met, as Desdemona in Verdi's Otello in 1973; photos (L)

Russia auctions off subsidiary of its largest oil producer, Yukos, to little-known company that registers as last-minute bidder; Gazprom, Kremlin-favored front-runner, does not even make bid; mystery surrounding winner, Baikal Finans Group, raises suspicion among industry analysts that company is front for Gazprom or state-friendly company or combination of both; Gazprom denies any connection to Baikal Finans; Yukos unit is sold to help cover more than $27 billion in tax claims that Russian government lodged against Yukos; auction seen as reminiscent of Russian privatization deals in early 1990's--murky financing, questionable bidders and unknown companies representing powerful financial groups emerging to win lucrative assets; one analyst sees Baikal Finans bid as delaying tactic to allow Gazprom more time to raise funds; Baikal Finans has won controlling stake in Yuganskneftegas unit with bid equivalent to $9.35 billion, far below fair market value of unit; photo (M)

Walt Disney Co chief executive Michael D Eisner's low-key demeanor at Delaware trial over hiring and firing of Michael S Ovitz, arriving without entourage and driving self in rented car, seems to reflect new era of humility in Hollywood; contrasts sharply with tale of corporate excess and betrayal, dominated by outsize personalities, playing inside courthouse; criticism of company's management and board has already had impact both inside and outside company; influential yet hardly flamboyant executives are emerging as Hollywood's new power elite; photos (M)

Article in series The War at Home, on effects of Iraq deployment on American soldiers and their families, examines matter of redeployment; military life now lacks its usual predictable rhythm to deployments; some soldiers and marines are being sent to war zones repeatedly, for longer stretches in some cases, and with far less time at home between deployments than they say they have ever experienced before; nearly third of 950,000 people from all branches of armed forces who have been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan since those conflicts began have already been sent second time; Army national guardsmen and reservists--part-time soldiers--are slightly more likely to have served more than one deployment in conflict zones than regular Army members; more than 100 of the 1,300 troops who have died in Iraq were on second tours; this radical change is leaving emotional mark on thousands of military families having to deal with stress of repeated separations; soldiers say heading to Iraq is more overwhelming second time around; photos; charts (L)

Pfizer to Halt All Ads For Pain Drug Celebrex Pfizer said it would immediately stop advertising the pain reliever Celebrex to consumers after a study showed that high doses of the drug were associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. The suspension, which is indefinite, was done with the approval of the Food and Drug Administration. BUSINESS DAY, PAGE C1 Israel to Free 170 Palestinians Israel agreed to release 170 Palestinian prisoners in what Prime Minister Ariel Sharon described as a good-will offering to Egypt. But Palestinian officials dismissed the move as a hollow gesture. PAGE A6 Debating Rumsfeld's Future The continuing debate among Republicans over the future of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld grew more fractious, as prominent senators weighed in. PAGE A26 Rwanda Film, Personal View For Anthony Lake, ''Hotel Rwanda,'' a look back at genocide that occurred during his term as national security adviser, is not just another movie. THE ARTS, PAGE B1