July 4, 2005

States Balk at Mandate To Pay Medicare Billions States are openly resisting a provision of the Medicare law that requires them to pay billions of dollars each year to the federal government to help finance the cost of the new Medicare drug benefit. Texas is leading the charge against the requirement. PAGE A9 2 Charged in IPod Killing Two Brooklyn teenagers were arrested on charges that they fatally stabbed a 15-year-old boy and robbed him of his sneakers as they were stealing his friend's iPod, the police said. PAGE B1 California Barrier Disputed A plan to finish a barrier on the Mexican border has angered some California officials, who object to its effect on the environment. PAGE A8 Familiar Wimbledon Scene Roger Federer of Switzerland played near-perfect tennis to brush aside Andy Roddick in straight sets and become just the third man since 1936 to win three straight Wimbledon titles. SPORTSMONDAY, PAGE D1 Founder of Earth Day Dies Gaylord A. Nelson, a former senator and governor of Wisconsin who was one of the architects of America's modern environmental movement and the founder of Earth Day, was 89. PAGE B6

Unhappy with the home-plate umpire Saturday night at Fenway Park, pitcher David Wells of the Red Sox waved in disgust, turned his back on him when he approached to scold him and polluted the mild evening air with emphatic curse words. Wells was ejected by the second-base umpire, and Manager Terry Francona was ejected an inning later for protesting a call.

Chien-Ming Wang and John Flaherty sat together at a table in the clubhouse lounge after Sunday's game, talking the international language of baseball. Wang had fired seven shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers, leading the Yankees to a 1-0 victory at Comerica Park. Flaherty had caught the game and was still excited, gesturing with his hands, mimicking the movement of pitches and reaction of hitters.

ALL of us could probably agree that any time Paris Hilton and General Motors converge on the same thing, a significant cultural moment is under way. Recently, those two remarkably different brands decided it was worth their time and effort to put together a podcast. On a podcast for the movie ''House of Wax,'' Ms. Hilton talks about the onerous responsibilities of doing publicity for the film. G.M., meanwhile, used one of its recent podcasts to introduce the 2006 Buick Lucerne, which combines ''high-level technology and luxury features with a spacious quiet interior.'' Notably, the carmaker used rhetoric that might apply equally to the Lucerne or Ms. Hilton: ''Its body is contoured, athletic-looking with a very strong stance.''

One by one, the former Wimbledon champions left Center Court on Sunday and crossed the elevated walkway that leads to the players' area, with its ample lawn and circular tables. One by one, they were asked to put Roger Federer's third consecutive Wimbledon title in perspective. ''For me, he's the most complete player I've seen,'' said Richard Krajicek, the Dutchman who won here in 1996. ''He reminds me of Pete Sampras, with a better backhand. With Sampras, I always had the feeling his backhand could fall apart.''