Wednesday September 6, 2006

The Final Word: “Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid Edition”

(The media experiment in which we conjoin the headline and last paragraph of each bylined article in the A-section of today's New York Times.)

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Ford Brings in Outsider to Help Run the Company:

Mr. Ford said he did not think morale would be hurt by Mr. Mulally's arrival. Indeed, there were no logical successors to Mr. Ford inside the auto company, and the man mentioned most often to succeed him has been Mr. Ghosn. But Mr. Ghosn turned down Mr. Ford's entreaties at least twice and is now engaged in talks with General Motors.

Election Ruling in Mexico Goes to Conservative:

The leftist vowed that he and his supporters would form their own government at a "national convention" on Sept. 16. He said they would "abolish for once and for all the regime of privileges that has ruled our country."

In Bellwether District, G.O.P. Runs on Immigration:

"The issues that end up driving this campaign," Mr. O'Donnell told a Rotary Club luncheon in nearby Commerce City, "are going to set the tone for this country."

To Stay Alive, Iraqis Change Their Names:

His words seemed intended more to reassure himself than anyone else.

Iraqi Parliament Adds Month to 2-Year State of Emergency:

The Islamic Army in Iraq, an insurgent group founded by former Baath Party members, issued an Internet statement saying it had not entered into any negotiations with the government, contrary to some news media reports, according to the SITE Institute, a Washington group that tracks jihadist messages.

Illness Persisting in 9/11 Workers, Big Study Finds:

Mount Sinai officials said they would release a study of mental health effects on ground zero workers soon. They also are planning to begin a statistical program this fall to examine the occurrence of cancer, lung diseases and other ailments among that group. That information will then be compared to national rates to see if there is a higher-than-expected incidence of those diseases.

City Offers Treatment Plan:

Mr. Bloomberg also said that he had asked Edward Skyler, deputy mayor for administration, and Linda I. Gibbs, deputy mayor for health and human services, to study coordination among all city agencies that interact with people potentially affected by World Trade Center-related illnesses. They are to report their findings and recommend improvements to Mr. Bloomberg within three months.

Zoroastrians Keep the Faith, and Keep Dwindling:

"It's scary; we're dipping down in numbers," she said. "I don't want to hurt his parents, but he doesn't have the kind of responsibility, whereas I do."

Other News

Washington Memo: Candidates of Both Parties Turn Criticism of Rumsfeld Into Political Chorus:

"I've talked it over with most of our candidates,'' Mr. Schumer said, "and the majority, if they haven't already, will call on him to step down."

Another Split at Viacom:

Mr. Redstone also said he would not consider putting CBS and Viacom back together again.

Implantable Heart Device Receives F.D.A. Approval:

The challenge for Abiomed now is to obtain insurance coverage for the device. Mr. Minogue said slowly dying heart patients in intensive care units cost insurers an average of $1 million in the last six months of their lives, a figure that could be cut sharply if they could be sent home.

Big Oil Find Is Reported Deep in Gulf:

Because the new reserves are so far off the gulf coast, they seem unlikely to attract the intense opposition from environmentalists who oppose drilling close to beaches.

Princess Kiko of Japan Has a Boy:

Princess Kiko, the daughter of a university professor who never had a career before marrying, has become the darling of the Japanese media. By contrast, Princess Masako has increasingly become a target, routinely criticized by the conservative media for her supposed selfishness and lack of common sense.

TV Watch: For the New Face of CBS News, a Subdued Beginning:

Ms. O'Donnell is the first boisterously gay host of a major daytime talk show, but that doesn't make her a touchstone of tolerance. Ms. Couric's ratings at CBS will not be a test of feminism; they will be a measure of viewers' flexibility.

Back Into the Fray:

And it's a good thing, too. If all these ambitious plans turn into long-running successes, in a city that some have been warning for years is oversaturated with places to eat, they'll certainly deserve that toast.

International

Danish Antiterror Police Seize 9 Men, Mostly Young Muslims:

Mr. Findsen told reporters, "Some media have suggested that this is boys making fun, but I can assure you this is not child's play."

Jiaju Journal: A Tale of Gold Evokes Another. Remember That Goose?:

With that, the oldest sister, Guihua, who is 27, put the issue more bluntly. "It will be a disaster if every family builds houses."

Iranian Leader Wants Purge of Liberals From Universities:

The president's appointment of a cleric to head Tehran University, the first since the 1979 revolution, sparked protests on campus. This summer, about 10 humanities professors who had criticized the government were sent into retirement.

News Analysis: Nuclear Déjà Vu: Now It's Iran That Does or Doesn't Intend to Make Nuclear Weapons:

Among the most important was President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's boast that the country was researching a new generation of advanced centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Inspectors have never seen those centrifuges.

Pakistan Lets Tribal Chiefs Keep Control Along Border:

The deal was brokered by a grand tribal jirga, or assembly, set up by the governor of the North-West Frontier Province on July 20, after the militants declared a unilateral ceasefire. Turning to a jirga was an admission by the government that it could not win control of the region militarily.

Drug-Resistant TB in South Africa Draws Attention From U.N.:

If the strain keeps spreading, it could exceed by "hundreds of times" the outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis in New York City in the 1990's, Dr. Raviglione said. That outbreak was brought under control by adopting strong measures, including observation of infected patients to make sure they took their drugs properly.

Putin Visits South Africa, Seeking Good Will and Trade:

A South African runs Sual Aluminum, the Russian concern that hopes to become a world-leading producer by merging with two other major aluminum companies, a move that has won Mr. Putin's blessing. South African mining companies have major investments in Russia, and Russian investors hold a large stake in Gold Fields, a major South African miner.

Africa Monitors Threatening to Quit Sudan:

Until then, the fate of the force remains uncertain.

Man in the News: Felipe Calderón: A Politician at Birth:

So Mr. Calderón's struggle continues, even now that his childhood dream has come true.

In Africa, a More Business-Friendly Approach:

The nations the bank named as the top 10 reformers were, from the best, Georgia, Romania, Mexico, China, Peru, France, Croatia, Guatemala, Ghana and Tanzania. Eastern Europe, Central Asia and wealthy Western nations were the leading regions, followed by Africa. This year, South Asia brought up the rear.

Many in Palestinian Security Forces Join Strike Over Pay:

Mr. Peres said any such talks should be based on the road map, the peace plan that has largely been ignored by both sides since it was introduced three years ago.

Typical of a New Terror Threat: Anger of a Gunman in Jordan:

"There's no foolproof system to prevent an attack like this," said Joost Hiltermann, an analyst with the International Crisis Group based in Amman. "That's why this portends further attacks like it, because you can't prevent them. The tourists are an easy target and you can have a real effect, so naturally you could expect each attack to get worse."

Annan Hopeful on Easing Israeli Blockade of Lebanon:

The bombing came 10 days before an interim report is due on a United Nations investigation of the killing of Mr. Hariri and 19 others in a huge explosion on Feb. 14, 2005, an attack for which Syria was widely blamed. An earlier stage of the investigation had cast suspicion on President Bashar al-Assad's powerful brother-in-law, Gen. Asef Shawkat, and a network of Syrian and Lebanese operatives.

National Report

Man Is Charged in Killings at Maine Bed and Breakfast:

A woman who answered the phone at the home of Mr. Nielsen's father and stepmother in Bryant Pond, referred questions to a family spokeswoman, who did not respond to several phone messages Tuesday.

Florida Republicans Choose Katherine Harris:

Both Democratic candidates were counting on mobilizing South Florida voters, but heavy rain kept many in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties from casting ballots. Bad weather also appeared to reduce the turnout in Hillsborough County, in the Tampa Bay area.

Judge Hears Arguments on Federal Spying Program:

He added, "I have no idea at this point how I'm going to come out on this."

Bush Chooses Transportation Nominee:

Jim May, president of the Air Transport Association, the trade group of the big airlines, said that Ms. Peters's position on highways represented an endorsement of user fees, and that he favored a user-fee structure for financing the air traffic control system, rather than the ticket tax now in place.

9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased:

Mr. Ben-Veniste said he did, however, approve of the casting. "I like Harvey Keitel," he said of the actor who plays John O'Neil, the onetime F.B.I. counterterrorism expert who died in the attacks. "I liked him in 'Mean Streets.' I'm a fan."

Looking to Elections, Bush and Democrats Spar on National Security:

The Defense Department had initially considered including a classified set on interrogation methods that would not be made public, but that idea was dropped, several officials said.

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