February 21, 2006

Tatyana Navka and Roman Kostomarov (Russia) win ice dancing; Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto (US) win silver; Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov (Ukraine) win bronze; photos (M)

In a rare display of unanimity that cuts across partisan and geographic lines, lawmakers in virtually every statehouse across the country are advancing bills and constitutional amendments to limit use of the government's power of eminent domain to seize private property for economic development purposes. The measures are in direct response to the United States Supreme Court's 5-to-4 decision last June in a landmark property rights case from Connecticut, upholding the authority of the City of New London to condemn homes in an aging neighborhood to make way for a private development of offices, condominiums and a hotel. It was a decision that one justice, who had written for the majority, later all but apologized for.

Harvey Araton Sports of The Times column discusses US figure skater Sasha Cohen, whose presence at 2006 Olympics has thus far been sparse; chart; photos (M)

For more than a year, the German government has criticized the United States for its role in the abduction of a German man who was taken to an American prison in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he said he was held and tortured for five months after being mistaken for a terrorism suspect. German officials said they knew nothing about the man's abduction and have repeatedly pressed Washington for information about the case, which has set off outrage here. At a meeting in Berlin last December, Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded an explanation from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over the incident.

Hope Wanes for Trapped Mexican Miners Hopes of rescuing 65 coal miners trapped underground in northeastern Mexico began to fade as mine officials reported that they had not yet been able to excavate the collapsed tunnels leading to the men. PAGE A10 U.S. Ice Dancers End Long Slide, Strutting to Silver The team of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto won the silver medal at the Winter Games, becoming the first American ice dancers to win an Olympic medal since 1976. Tatyana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia took the gold. The American Alpine ski team's futility continued as Austrian skiers won gold medals in the men's giant slalom and the women's super-G. Bode Miller of the United States tied for sixth in the giant slalom and Lindsey Kildow was seventh in the super-G. SPORTSTUESDAY, PAGE D1 Oil Prices Rise as Attacks In Nigeria Cut Output Oil prices surged after a series of militant attacks in the Niger Delta shut down nearly a fifth of Nigeria's oil production. Brent crude oil for April delivery jumped $1.57 a barrel, to $61.46, on London's ICE Futures exchange. BUSINESS DAY, PAGE C1 Holocaust Denier Sentenced The British historian David Irving, after pleading guilty at his trial in Austria to charges of denying the Holocaust, was sentenced to three years in prison. His lawyer immediately said he would appeal. PAGE A11 Opposition Over Ports Deal The governors of New York and Maryland questioned an Arab company's takeover of operations at six ports, while officials of the company said they had worked with the United States for decades. PAGE B3 SPECIAL TODAY Small Business A bottom-up revolution driven by information technology has overturned assumptions about the role of small business. SECTION G