The Hottest Button: How The Times Covers Israel and Palestine
Date: 24 April 2005
By Daniel Okrent
Daniel Okrent
Let me offer two statements about this paper's coverage of the conflict in the Middle East. First: I find the correspondents at The Times to be honest and committed journalists. Second: The Times today is the gold standard as far as setting out in precise language the perspectives of the parties, the contents of resolutions, the terms of international conventions. Neither of these comments is my own. The first is a direct quotation from Michael F. Brown, executive director of Partners for Peace, an organization that seeks, it says, ''to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories.'' The second comes from Andrea Levin, president and executive director of the Committee for Accurate Middle East Reporting in America, the muscular pro-Zionist media monitor. With partisans on each side offering respectful appraisal in place of vituperation and threat, you would think that we had reached a milestone moment in The Times's coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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Rival N.Y.S.E. Bid Said to Be in Works
Date: 25 April 2005
By Jenny Anderson and Landon Thomas Jr
Jenny Anderson
Former New York Stock Exchange director Kenneth G Langone reportedly seeks support from handful of Wall Street executives to launch rival bid for exchange, which has agreed to buy electronic trading firm Archipelago and become public company; reportedly is angry at how Goldman Sachs orchestrated deal, questioning role of NYSE chief executive John A Thain, former Goldman Sachs president; photos (M)
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The Agony of War
Date: 25 April 2005
By Bob Herbert
Bob Herbert
Bob Herbert Op-Ed column says media's stunning lack of interest in toll war in Iraq has taken on civilians is what motivated Marla Ruzicka to try to personally document as much of suffering as she could; says she became civilian casualty herself last week, killed by suicide bomber in Baghdad; notes Sen Patrick Leahy is pursuing her ultimate goal, to establish US government office to document civilian casualties of American military operations, to publicly report them and provide compensation for victims and their families (M)
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NEWS SUMMARY
Date: 24 April 2005
INTERNATIONAL 3-23 Journey to the Papacy For all Pope Benedict XVI's decades as a Vatican insider, it may have been the crucible of a university town swept by student radicalism in the late 1960's that definitively shaped the man who now rules the Roman Catholic Church. 1 The new pope introduced himself to the world's news media, and if he was concerned about hard-edged headlines that focused on his years as enforcer of the faith, he did not show it. 23 Plight of Tsunami Amputees Of the survivors of the tsunami in Indonesia, amputees face singular hardships. Indonesia has few facilities that produce artificial limbs. Those it has make old-fashioned, expensive prostheses that do not meet international standards, foreign specialists who have tried to help the tsunami amputees say. 3 Six Captured in Morning Raid Acting on a tip from an Iraqi, United States soldiers from Task Force Baghdad captured six men during a raid who are suspected of shooting down a civilian helicopter on Thursday and killing 11 people, according to military officials. 8 Report Seeks Abuse Action A human rights group issued a report calling for a special prosecutor to examine the conduct of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and the former director of central intelligence, George J. Tenet, in issues related to the abuse of detainees. 14 China and Japan Try to Mend Rift After a 55-minute meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Africa summit conference in Jakarta, the leaders of Japan and China pledged to improve ties after weeks of escalating disputes, but did not appear closer to resolving the critical problems besetting relations between East Asia's two big powers. 20 NATIONAL 24-35 New Medicare Policy A new federal policy will make it significantly more difficult for Medicare beneficiaries to get hearings in person before a judge when the government denies their claims for home care, nursing home services, prescription drugs and other treatments. 1 No Surge in Assault Weapons Despite predictions that the streets would be awash in military-style guns, the expiration of the assault weapons ban has not brought a sustained surge in the weapons' sales, gun makers and sellers say. 1 The Burden of the Acela Despite lofty goals, Amtrak's Acela fast rail system has failed to be the financial savior once predicted, and instead has become a frustrating burden. 1 Microsoft Defends Message The chief executive of Microsoft sent an e-mail to its employees to defend the company's decision not to support an antidiscrimination bill for gay people in Washington State. Company officials had been inundated by internal messages from angry employees, attacks on the Web and criticism from gay rights groups. 35 OBITUARIES 45-46 Robert R. Granville An F.B.I. agent in New York who headed the team that arrested Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, he was 89. 46 NEW YORK/REGION 37-45 Asking if Dad is a Killer The arrest of a Brooklyn man, Roscoe Glinton II, in the death of his former girlfriend has revived suspicions over the mysterious death of his first wife. 37 Chess 44 Weather 47 Cong. Vote 41
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NEWS SUMMARY
Date: 25 April 2005
INTERNATIONAL A3-13 U.S. Calls for Assembly To End Stalemate in Iraq Worried about a political deadlock in Iraq and a spike in mayhem from an emboldened insurgency, the Bush administration has pressured Iraqi leaders to end their stalemate over forming a new government, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney exhorting top Kurdish and Shiite politicians to come together. A1 Marines Tell of Unmet Needs The leaders and infantrymen of the Marines' Company E returned home from Iraq with a story punctuated by a lack of armor and a shortage of men and planning that hampered their efforts, destroyed morale and ruined the careers of some of their fiercest warriors. A1 Electronic Call to Arms in China E-mail, text messaging and instant online messaging were used to help inflame public opinion and served as organizing tools for anti-Japanese protesters in China. A1 Benedict XVI Officially Installed Benedict XVI was installed as the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church in a huge outdoor Mass in St. Peter's Square. A12 Uncertainty on U.N. Nomination Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, said that John R. Bolton's prospects of winning confirmation as ambassador to the United Nations were ''too close to call.'' A13 U.S. Considers Ship Seizures The Bush administration, facing a series of recent provocations from North Korea, is debating a plan to seek a United Nations resolution empowering all nations to intercept shipments in or out of the country that may contain nuclear materials or components. A13 Syria Almost Out of Lebanon Syrian troops packed up their remaining positions in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, nearing a complete withdrawal days before a formal ceremony in Lebanon. A8 Abbas Hires Security Chiefs Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, has named three new security chiefs as part of his effort to reshape the security forces, one of the most contentious issues confronting him. A8 NATIONAL A14-19 Obscure Tax Break Draws Scrutiny of Regulators Regulators and lawmakers suspect that many wealthy people are using obscure philanthropic entities more for tax planning than for any charitable aim, and they are pushing for tighter rules as part of a broader crackdown on charitable tax exemptions. A1 End Sought to Ethics Clash House Republicans said they intended to redouble their efforts this week to resolve a partisan impasse over the ethics committee as Representative Tom DeLay, the majority leader, faced new disclosures regarding his overseas travel. Mr. DeLay himself has called for the panel to review trips that have come under special scrutiny, especially ones involving the lobbyist Jack Abramoff. A1 New Brain Scanning Technique An improved scanning technique, functional magnetic resonance imaging has enabled scientists to figure out what people are looking at, even, in some cases, when they are not aware of what they have seen. The report on the technique shows that the scanners may be better able than previously supposed to probe the border between conscious and unconscious thought. A19 NASA Celebrates Relaunching NASA threw open the gates of its 1,600-acre campus at the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, Tex., restoring a festive annual tradition and offering a close-up look at just what goes into the business of sending men and women into the cosmos. The event coincides with the first relaunching of the Space Shuttle since the Columbia accident. A14 Frist Effort to Stop Filibusters In a telecast organized by Christian conservative groups to denounce the Democrats as ''against people of faith'' for blocking judicial nominees through the filibuster, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee stepped up his threats to change Senate rules to circumvent these maneuvers. A14 Candidate Drops Out of Race Rod Grams, a former Minnesota senator, said he was ending his bid to return to office in 2006, citing the potential for a divisive campaign within the Republican Party. Mr. Grams said he would support the Republican Party's nominee. A19 NEW YORK/REGION B1-6 Illegal Numbers Game Persists in New York The illegal numbers game continues to flourish in New York City despite law enforcement's best efforts and the existence of a legal version, created by New York State 25 years ago. The game's endurance is no great mystery: the street pays better than the state, and the take is tax-free. A1 Hospital Battle in Buffalo Closing hospitals remains a challenge in New York State, even in cities like Buffalo, where a shrinking population and low hospital occupancy rates make it ripe for the kind of budget cuts that state officials say are inevitable. B1 Shunning the Limelight David N. Kelley, the United States attorney in New York, has managed to keep a low profile despite multiple high-profile convictions, but is now drawing attention because the Bush administration is about to replace him. B3 Site for Transit Information A publicly financed Web site that offers up-to-date information on highway, traffic and transit conditions in the New York City region, trips123.com, opened this month after a long and circuitous road to creation. B1 SPORTSMONDAY D1-9 ARTS E1-8 Norman Mailer Sells His Papers Celebrated author Norman Mailer will be in Austin, Tex., on Thursday to announce the sale of his archives, including personal papers and notebooks dating back to his childhood, to the Harry Ransom Humanites Research Center at the University of Texas for $2.5 million. E1 OBITUARIES B7-8 Ezer Weizman The swashbuckling and acerbic former president of Israel who built the country's air force and guided it in the startlingly swift victory over Arab forces in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, he was 80. B8 BUSINESS DAY C1-10 Big Board Battle Heats Up The battle over the future of the New York Stock Exchange took an unusual twist when Kenneth G. Langone, a former director, suggested that he might make a competing bid for the Big Board, executives close to the talks said. Mr. Langone contacted a handful of Wall Street executives to gauge their support to mount a rival bid. C1 Google Explores New Option Google, which has built a huge business out of small ads related to what people are searching for on the Internet, is now entering the larger and more competitive market of advertising for things people do not know yet that they want to buy. C1 Verizon Weighs Next Move In the auction for MCI, Verizon has been temporarily outmaneuvered by its rival, Qwest Communications. But Verizon, which remains in the stronger position given its deep pockets, must now decide how deeply to dig into them. C1 Disney, the Feng Shui Way As it builds Hong Kong Disneyland, the Walt Disney Company has been taking steps that include heeding the advice of a feng shui consultant. The company wants to make sure the park reflects the local culture -- so that it does not repeat some of its past mistakes. C1 Business Digest C1 EDITORIAL A20-21 Editorials: A fragile success in Africa; preserving the right to a lawyer; Carolyn Curiel on political corruption and economic change in northwest Indiana. Columns: Bob Herbert and Paul Krugman. Autos D10 Bridge E6 Crossword E2 Metro Diary B2 TV Listings E8 Weather A16
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Transit News Is a Click Away, and About 5 Years Behind Schedule
Date: 25 April 2005
By Sewell Chan
Sewell Chan
The good news for commuters is that a new, publicly financed Web site established this month offers up-to-date information on highway, traffic and transit conditions in the New York City region. But the road to the site's creation has been long and circuitous.
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Television Is Changing. Can Any Magazine Keep Up?
Date: 24 April 2005
By John Motavalli
John Motavalli
DOES the world need another brightly colored magazine filled with articles about TV stars and the latest gossip from ''Desperate Housewives''? Gemstar-TV Guide International, whose new celebrity magazine, Inside TV, hit supermarket checkout lines last Thursday, sure hopes so. Inside TV, aimed at young women, is an important step in Gemstar's bid to revive its sagging fortunes. Much of the problem lies with its most visible businesses: the once mighty TV Guide, with a circulation of more than nine million a week, and the TV Guide Channel, which offers scrolling basic cable listings in 77 million homes.
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