April 17, 2005

There was never doubt that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's hard-line defender of the faith, would have a strong hand in selecting the next pope. But in the days of prayer and politics before the conclave, which begins on Monday, he has emerged as perhaps the surprise central figure: the man who could become the 265th pope, choose him or be the one other cardinals knock from the running. Any talk of who will become the next pope is guesswork, echoes from cardinals and their staffs sworn to silence about one of the world's most elite and secretive gatherings.

NEW YORK is a city of professionals and predawn discipline, an empire meant to be conquered not by wanderers but by the lusty achievement of the hyperemployed. Languorous weekday afternoons are the province of those deemed to be lacking in power. Still, a fair portion of the city's employable population can be found, midweek, far from any office, whiling away the hours in restaurants and cafes. Unlike the corps of freelance writers with their laptops, these loiterers do not appear to be engaged in any income-producing work. Call them flâneurs, if you want to romanticize them with a French name. Some are princes of leisure, who clearly have never learned that a bank account may approach zero. Others are conscientious objectors to the rat race, who have decided that their personal freedom is worth more than the compromises that might gain you a flat-screen TV.

Kelefa Sanneh article on the Houston hip-hop scene, which has been producing some of the country's best and weirdest rap music; music is about to go national; among the leaders are Mike Jones and Devin the Dude; photos (L)

President Bush's meeting this last week with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ended the way such sessions always seem to, with proclamations of harmony and good feeling. But a question lingered: how much would Mr. Bush lean on Israel in the coming months to maintain the momentum toward a peace agreement with the Palestinians after the withdrawal of Israeli forces and settlers from Gaza this summer? While playing host to Mr. Sharon in Crawford, Tex., Mr. Bush gave unequivocal backing for the Gaza move. But he also repeated his desire that Israel halt expansion of settlements in key areas of the West Bank and Jerusalem suburbs, and reiterated his support for negotiating the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state. Mr. Sharon and the president essentially agreed to disagree on settlement expansion but the prime minister signaled that he would not do anything to provoke a confrontation now. The ambiguous statements in Crawford guaranteed that Arab nations, Europeans and especially Palestinians would continue to press Mr. Bush to press Israel on a full range of issues.

No matter how fast they have run, Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams have not eluded each other. The two-day N.F.L. draft, which begins Saturday, will finally separate Brown and Williams, two talented running backs whose careers are intertwined. Both played for Auburn. Either could be the first back selected. And both are anticipating draft day, which will take their friendly rivalry to a new level.