January 1, 2005

Article on research conducted by Smithsonian Institution engineer and painting conservator Marion Mecklenburg, who is seeking better ways to preserve priceless art works, including those like Mona Lisa that are painted on thin wood panels; Mecklenburg and assistant have found that maintaining strict temperatures and humidity to prevent paintings from buckling and flaking, standard used by museums worldwide, harms rather than helps art works; photo; diagram (M)

The Arts is a separate section today, starting on Page E1. SportsSaturday appears at the back of The Metro Section, flipped bottom-side-up.

India and Sri Lanka have promised to spare no expense to help tens of thousands whose lives were overturned in tsunami disaster; Sri Lanka is welcoming international aid, but India says it needs no outside help; newly wealthy, in region with history of natural calamity but uneven civic response, have played new role, raising money and delivering aid where wealthy Western countries once did; efforts have frequently been poorly focused, uncoordinated and blunted in some cases by distrust among government officials; situation in Nagappattinam, India, port town where 2,000 people died, noted; map; photos (M)

Justice Department broadens its definition of torture, retreating from Aug 2002 memorandum that defined torture narrowly and said Pres Bush could ignore domestic and international prohibitions against torture in name of national security; new definition comes one week before Senate Judiciary Committee is set to question Alberto R Gonzales, White House counsel and nominee for attorney general, about his role in formulating legal policies that critics say led to abuses at Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Gonzales photo (M)

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column discusses Andy Geiger's role as athletic director of embattled Ohio State University, contending that his resignation is necessary asdepartment has survived one too many controversies; photo (M)