Panel of doctors and scientists convened by Food and Drug Administration to discuss risks of pain medications, after three days of hearings, releases cost-benefit analysis that recommends allowing sale of arthritis medicines Celebrex and Bextra, made by Pfizer, and Vioxx, made by Merck, despite acknowledged heart risks; recommendations back pharmaceutical industry's stance that no medicine is risk-free and that patients should sometimes be allowed to choose medicines that have serious risks even for conditions that are not life-threatening; photo (M)

A Reminder That No Drug Is Risk-Free

New York State auditors charge that Suriel N Zayas, Department of Transportation office manager on project to rebuild portion West Side Highway in 1998, helped contractor Grace Industries get paid $516,610 for construction materials that were apparently never used; say Zayas, at direction of supervisor Thomas Bowers, filed sham reports; Zayas's role in project is under scrutiny as part of investigation by state inspector general into payments to Grace; Zayas left state payroll in 2001 and took job with Grace several months later, prohibited by state ethics laws; investigation is raising questions about Transportation Department's oversight (M)

Investigating Road Spending, and a New Job

Five suicide bombers, some disguised in robes of religious pilgrims, explode their bombs in crowds of worshipers and at police check point in Baghdad area, killing at least 35 people on eve of Shiite holy day of Ashura; explosions raise fears of repeat of last year's carnage, when about 180 people were killed during Ashura celebrations; photos (M)

Suicide Bombers Kill at Least 35 in Baghdad Area

Time Warner, citing new accounting rules, says it will no longer grant stock options to most of its 80,000 employees; some workers, however, will continue to get stock options based on their job responsibilities and industry practice; stock option grants will not be replaced with other forms of equity and salaries and benefits will largely stay the same (M)

Time Warner Stops Granting Stock Options to Most of Staff

New York Mets manager Willie Randolph gives first team speech at spring training, and sets some strict rules for player appearance and behavior; photos (M)

On Day 1, Randolph Sets a Tone With Pride

Former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton are on four-day humanitarian trip to Asian nations hit hard by tsunami; they are scheduled to visit Phuket, Thailand, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Maldives in effort to raise money for tsunami victims; trip is most dramatic example in recent months of what staff members for both men describe as growing friendship that seems to have erased bitterness of 1992 election, when Clinton ousted Bush from White House; photo (M)

White House Bond: Teamed by No. 43, 41 and 42 Hit It Off

New York Yankees players respond to remarks made by Boston Red Sox players about Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez; photo (M)

Yankees Dismiss Red Sox Taunts

Article on popular Western management experts who have reached celebrity status in China; Chester Elton, 46, author of management handbook, The 24-Carrot Manager, John Welch Jr, Stephen Covey and Michael Porter as well as lesser known experts, many of them hired by Communist Party officials, are conducting management-training seminars, hawking their books, making television appearances and soaking up adoration; photos (M)

7 Habits of Highly Effective Cadres

Some members of 199th Army Band who are members of 42nd Infantry Division, based in Troy, NY, have deployed to Iraq; no one in division thought musicians would be deployed; officially, they were sent to raise morale and entertain troops, but musicians in Army are infantry soldiers first; 199th is oldest band in National Guard system, created in 1853; today, it is comprised mostly of high school band directors, music teachers and professional performers, and is typically called to play at state military ceremonies; photos (M)

Bandsmen Get Marching Orders, to Iraq

Article on influence groups of activist Roman Catholic nuns are having in corporate boardrooms and shareholders' meetings; nuns of dozens of orders are seeking to persuade military companies, including Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Raytheon, to limit military sales in countries where arms can fall into hands of child soldiers or perpetuate long-running laws and promote code of conduct that holds arms makers accountable for effect of their business on environment and on political and social stability of countries where they operate; photos; graph (M)

Shareholders Who Answer to a Higher C.E.O.

Rutgers University women's basketball player Matee Ajavon has helped lead team to 19-5 record as freshman; photos (M)

For Surprising Rutgers: Little Girl Lost, but a Big-Time Player Found

 U.S. Agencies Warned To Label Publicity Videos  The comptroller general has told federal agencies that they may not produce what appear to be independent newscasts promoting White House policies without clearly stating that the government itself is the source.  

INSIDE

Dan Barry About New York humorous column on installation of The Gates, exhibition in Central Park by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude (M)

Christo Shmisto. Try Cheeto.

Prosecutor in trial of Police Officer Bryan Conroy, who is charged in 2003 shooting of Ousmane Zongo in Chelsea, NYC, warehouse, reads aloud from Conroy's account of killing, which was given to grand jury; Conroy says he drew his gun when he encountered Zongo and repeatedly identified himself as police officer, but Zongo did not drop to ground as ordered; Conroy describes unusual behavior, which culminated in Zongo's running away, Conroy chasing him, and struggle for Conroy's gun before he fired shots (M)

Jury Hears Officer's Words on Fatal Shots at Warehouse

Second article in series 10 Years Later examines aspects of state government in time since Gov George E Pataki took office; Pataki in 1995 pushed through average 20 percent reduction in state's income tax rate, bringing it to lowest level in New York since 1953 and removing 500,000 low-income workers from tax rolls; different fiscal reality has settled in after budget austerity of Pataki's first term; state spending has regularly outpaced inflation, with size of New York State's budget rising from $77.8 billion in 1997-98 fiscal year to $96 billion in 2003-4 fiscal year; analysts warn that such unchecked spending could help undo one of Pataki's most significant achievements as governor; New York's state and local tax burden, driven especially by high local taxes, is among highest in nation, even with governor's tax cuts; graphs; photo (M)

Budget Growth Clouds Pataki Legacy of Tax Cuts

Brad Durick and Brad Dokken, who record show called Why Fish from Grand Forks, ND, are pioneers in latest technology revolution; their show is podcast, kind of recording that anyone can make on computer and then post to Web site, where it can be downloaded to iPod or MP3 player to be played at listener's leisure; former MTV video jockey Adam Curry and David Winer developed podcasting technology in Aug 2004; photos (M)

Tired of TiVo? Beyond Blogs? Podcasts Are Here

NHL and players union schedule another meeting after league commissioner Gary Bettman cancelled hockey season, signaling second chance to reach new collective bargaining agreement; photo (M))

A Last-Second Save for Hockey?

Dispatch by China of high-level envoy to persuade North Koreans to return to talks on their nuclear weapons would seem to present it with ideal opportunity; all pieces seem to be in place for Beijing to score its first big coup in global diplomacy; only problem with this optimistic scenario is that it is shared by almost no one in China; Chinese remain reluctant to take major diplomatic risks on North Korea, convinced that its longtime ally will never turn against them; analysts say that Beijing' s top priority is to maintain quiet on its frontier, and that it would take more aggressive tack only if tensions between US and North Korea were to increase seriously (M)

Doubting U.S., China Is Wary of Korea Role

Child support laws that punish so-called deadbeat dads make little differentiation between wealthy and jobless or incarcerated, producing consequences for poor men that are increasingly vexing local and national policy makers; low-income men are accumulating enormous debt; as of 2003, total child support owed was $96 billion, three times what it was 10 years ago; poorer men who have had their drivers licenses suspended because of debt accumulation are unable to work if they were dependent upon driving for job; New York State law permits men to go to court when child support is first determined and have cap on amount owed, but reductions are not automatic, and information is not widely disseminated; photo (M)

When Child Support Is Due, Even the Poor Find Little Mercy

Panel of experts votes unanimously to advise Food and Drug Administration that leading painkillers Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx can cause heart problems; it also advises against banning drugs, though by narrow margins in cases of Bextra and Vioxx; most panel members recommend that agency should place warnings on drugs' labels, ban consumer advertising for drugs and require prescriptions to include guide outlining risks; several members say patients in need of pain relief should first try naproxen, which is sold as Aleve by Bayer AG (M)

F.D.A. IS ADVISED TO LET PAIN PILLS STAY ON MARKET

Selena Roberts Sports of The Times column discusses Houston Astros pitcher Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco's new book Juiced, Canseco's allegations that various Major League players used steroids and reliance of Clemens on prescription drug Vioxx before it was taken off market; photo (M)

Clemens Had a Fountain of Youth in Vioxx

Dr David Brailer, national health information technology coordinator, tells those attending convention in Dallas sponsored by Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society to come up with single set of technical standards for electronic health records; health care experts and politicians agree that nation's hodgepodge of paper medical files needs to move into digital age so that each person has electronic health care record that can be read by doctors, hospitals and insurers as well as patients; Brailer says that if industry cannot agree on standards by this summer, goverment may issue mandate; photo (M)

Health Industry Under Pressure to Computerize

 Advisory Panel Tells F.D.A. Not to Ban Cox-2 Drugs  A panel of experts voted to advise the Food and Drug Administration that three leading painkillers -- Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx -- can cause heart problems. But it also advised against banning the drugs, though by narrow margins in the cases of Bextra and Vioxx.    Several panel members said patients should first try naproxen, sold as Aleve, before taking any of the three painkillers known as cox-2 inhibitors. [Page A1.]    Sentencing in Boeing Case  A former executive at Boeing, Michael M. Sears, was sentenced to four months in prison for his role in illegally recruiting a former Air Force official to work for the company. [C2.]    Did Star Power Doom a Fox Film?  Some in Hollywood see this week's sudden collapse of a Fox Searchlight film as a lesson in the difficulty of putting big stars like Russell Crowe into art-house films. [B17.]    Keep Your Hands Off Our Orange  Orange, the British mobile phone company, plans to sue easyMobile, a wireless start-up, to keep it from using Orange's signature color in advertisements. EasyMobile is part of easyGroup, founded by the entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou, and the shade of orange used by Orange is similar to the one used by easyGroup brands. [C3.]    Bank Takeover Offer in Japan  The Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group, the No.2 Japanese bank, offered $29 billion in stock for UFJ Holdings, moving the companies closer to creating the world's largest financial group. [C3.]    Unions Support Contribution Cuts  Many of the nation's largest unions are pushing a plan to cut in half most unions' contributions to the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and instead devote the money to organizing workers. [A10.]    Boston Herald Found Guilty of Libel  A jury ordered The Boston Herald to pay $2.09 million to a superior court judge, ruling that the newspaper libeled him in articles that accused him of making disparaging comments about crime victims. [A10.]    A New Kind of Microbroadcasting  The new home-grown technology known as podcasting may have the potential to transform the world of radio. [A1.]    Shares Finish the Week Mixed  Intensified fears about inflation caused by a report on producer prices sent stocks to a mixed finish as bond prices fell. Blue-chip stocks rose in late trading, led by pharmaceuticals. The major indexes finished the week with losses. For the week, the Dow fell 0.1 percent, the S.&.P. 500 was down 0.34 percent and the Nasdaq dropped 0.87 percent. [C4.]    Investment Group Helps US Airways  US Airways reached agreement on a $125 million deal with Eastshore Aviation, an investment group owned by Air Wisconsin. The deal was the first significant equity investment in US Airways since it filed for Chapter 11 protection last September. [C4.]    Jury Awards May Be Shrinking  A look at the 100 biggest jury verdicts of 2004 indicates that the size of jury awards may have leveled off. [C2.]    Exxon Mobil Tops Market Value List  Exxon Mobil passed General Electric to become the largest corporation in the nation measured by stock market value. Exxon Mobil's market value topped $383 billion, while G.E. slipped to $379 billion. [C3.]    Brascan in Deal With Weyerhaeuser  Brascan, a holding company based in Toronto, agreed to buy timberland and sawmills in British Columbia from Weyerhaeuser for 1.2 billion Canadian dollars ($975 million). [C4.]  

BUSINESS DIGEST

Feb 10 article about English translation of Talmud that is nearly complete misstated a precedent; last complete English translation was by Jacob Neusner, who finished work in 1995

Corrections

 INTERNATIONAL   A2-8    Suicide Bombers' Attacks Kill Dozens in Baghdad  Five suicide bombers, some disguised in the black robes of religious pilgrims, exploded their bombs in crowds of worshipers and at a police checkpoint in the Baghdad area, killing 35 and maiming dozens of people on the eve of the Shiite holy day of Ashura.   A1    AIDS Report in South Africa  South Africa's government reported that annual deaths caused by AIDS increased 57 percent from 1997 to 2003, with common AIDS-related diseases like tuberculosis and pneumonia fueling much of the rise. The increase in mortality spanned all age groups, but was most pronounced among those between ages 15 and 49, where deaths more than doubled.   A3    Togo Leader Plans New Election  Togo's new military-backed leader agreed to hold new elections in 60 days to choose a president. The leader, Faure Gnassingbé, said he would remain president in the interim rather than cede the office to the speaker of the Parliament. Opposition political parties vowed to march to demand his removal.   A3    Raids Continue in Ireland  Irish police officers continued a second day of raids on houses and businesses spanning the length of the Irish Republic, aimed at a sprawling money-laundering ring that is believed to help finance the Irish Republican Army. There was no confirmation whether money seized in the raids would definitively link the I.R.A. to the robbery of $50 million from the Northern Bank in Belfast.   A8    Sex Scandal at the U.N.  The refusal of Ruud Lubbers, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, to yield to closed-door pleas to step down over sexual harassment findings ballooned into public exasperation as Mr. Lubbers denied that his resignation had been discussed and attacked the United Nations for ''slandering'' him.   A8    Japanese View on Taiwan  Senior Japanese officials plan to assure their American counterparts that Japan shares a common concern about the future security of Taiwan. Japan is increasingly concerned about the growing political and military might of China.   A6    NATIONAL   A10-13; 16    Panel Advises Against Ban On 3 Leading Painkillers  A panel of experts voted unanimously to advise the Food and Drug Administration that three leading painkillers -- Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx -- can cause worrisome heart problems, but also advised against banning the drugs.   A1    1,092 New Priest Abuse Cases  Roman Catholic bishops reported that they had received 1,092 new allegations of sexual abuse by priests as they released the second annual survey of the church's procedures for handling and preventing such abuse by clergy members and employees.   A12    Newspaper Loses Libel Lawsuit  A jury ordered The Boston Herald to pay $2.09 million to a superior court judge, ruling that the newspaper libeled him in articles that accused him of making disparaging comments about crime victims.   A10    Rift Over A.F.L.-C.I.O. Funding  Many of the nation's largest labor unions are pushing a plan to cut in half most unions' contributions to the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and instead devote the money to organizing workers.   A10    Intelligence Nominee Criticized  Human rights advocates accused John D. Negroponte, President Bush's nominee as director of national intelligence, of covering up abuses as ambassador to Honduras in the 1980's.   A13    Judge Faults Navy on Airfield  A federal judge ruled that the Navy distorted an environmental impact study to justify the construction of an airfield near a large waterfowl refuge in eastern North Carolina.   A13    A Sort of Blog for the Ears  Thanks to a technology barely six months old, enthusiasts of all sorts are creating their own broadcasts, or ''podcasts,'' on computers and then posting them to a Web site, where they can be downloaded to an iPod or any MP3 player.   A1    SCIENCE/HEALTH    NASA Sets Date for Next Liftoff  NASA officials set May 15 as the date for launching the first space shuttle since the loss of the Columbia, calling the plan realistic even though much work remains to be done.   A12    NEW YORK/REGION   B1-7    Higher Spending May Undo Early Pataki Tax Cuts  Gov. George E. Pataki delivered on his campaign promise to cut taxes across the board in New York state years ago, but with state spending now outpacing inflation, some fiscal analysts warn that unchecked spending increases over the last few years could, in the coming years, help undo one of his most significant achievements.   A1    Support Law Spurs Debt  Low-income men forced to pay child support are accumulating enormous debts because of a tough law that allowed many states across the country to revoke any state license and restrict direct access to bank accounts for not meeting their payments.   B1    Audit Criticizes Road Deal  A former state worker for the Department of Transportation on the project to rebuild a portion of the West Side Highway in 1998 helped a contractor receive $516,610 for construction materials that were never used and then began working for the company that benefited from his actions, according to state auditors.   B1    Religion Journal   B7    SPORTSSATURDAY   D1-8    Hope for a Canceled Season?  A team executive in the National Hockey League expressed optimism that even though teams had already begun issuing refunds to season-ticket holders, a deal could still be worked out over the weekend and an abbreviated season could be played as soon as possible. Some members of the players association's executive committee were believed to be traveling to New York, as were Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky, former superstar players who are now team owners, to take part in the discussions.   D1    ARTS   B11-23    OBITUARIES   B9    Yolanda Garcia  A South Bronx community advocate who forced planners and politicians to rethink how they would rebuild a sprawling swath of the Melrose section, she was 53.   B9    BUSINESS DAY   C1-10    Stock Options Dropped  Time Warner will no longer grant stock options to most of its employees, citing new accounting rules. The decision comes at a time when a number of companies are reining in the use of options.   C1    Health Care Fix Sought  Dr. David J. Brailer, who is trying to prod the health care system into the computer age, has warned that unless steps are taken to come up with a single set of technical standards for electronic records, the government will probably impose a solution.   C1    Mitsubishi Makes Offer  The Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group has offered $29 billion in stock for UFJ Holdings.   C3    US Airways Reaches Deal  US Airways, which is operating under bankruptcy protection, said it had reached agreement on a $125 million deal with Eastshore Aviation, an investment group owned by Air Wisconsin.   C4    Gurus Heed Calling  In response to China's severe shortage of skilled business managers, western management experts are flocking to China to capitalize on the country's capitalist frenzy.   C1    Business Digest   C1    EDITORIAL   A14-15    Editorials: Time for an accounting; the experts' verdict on painkillers; picking a World Bank president.    Columns: David Brooks.    Bridge   B21  TV Listings   B27  Crossword   B20  Weather   B24  

February 19, 2005

Headlines from February 19, 2005

A Reminder That No Drug Is Risk-Free

Investigating Road Spending, and a New Job

Suicide Bombers Kill at Least 35 in Baghdad Area

Time Warner Stops Granting Stock Options to Most of Staff

On Day 1, Randolph Sets a Tone With Pride

Billboard 200

The Documentary

All The Best

American Idiot

Be As You Are: Songs From An Old Blue Chair

Get Lifted

Historical Context for February 19, 2005