Saturday September 16, 2006

The Final Word: “Me Too 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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Iraqis Plan to Ring Baghdad With Trenches:

Basim Sharif, an official in the ayatollah's Fadhila Party, said the ayatollah could decide to support the legislation if it included language saying that Iraq would not break up into autonomous regions anytime soon.

Detroit Flails in Latest Effort to Reinvent Itself:

Toyota, at least, was listening. While Ford Motor's "Way Forward'' clearly suggests it faces a struggle ahead, the tagline of Toyota's new advertising campaign is a much more positive "Moving Forward,'' a direct homage to the path that its Detroit rivals may have no choice but to follow.

Daimler Looking Outside U.S. for Source of Subcompacts:

Government archaeologists are still examining the tombs; under Chinese law, DaimlerChrysler has to pay for the government's excavation of the site. DaimlerChrysler planned to put the factory's employee activities center where the tombs are and still hopes to do so once the archaeological work has been completed, said Günter Butschek, the president and chief executive of the joint venture that runs the factory.

Military Lawyers Caught in Middle on Tribunals:

General Dunlap said in his mind that signing the letter meant just to convey that trying to clarify ambiguous language was helpful and that it did not mean that he and his colleagues fully endorsed the administration view.

Possible Source of Bad Spinach Is Named as Outbreak Widens:

In addition to the Wisconsin cases, federal authorities broke down the E. coli cases by states this way: Utah, 11; Ohio and New York, 7 each; Michigan, 6; Oregon and New Mexico, 5; Indiana, 4; Idaho, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, 3 each; Maine and Connecticut, 2 each; and California, Minnesota, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, one each.

Produce Is Growing Source of Food Illness: In August and September 2003 the agency was aware of outbreaks of hepatitis A traced to green onions in three states, but there was no public notification. As a result, an outbreak of hepatitis A from green onions at a Chi-Chi's restaurant in October was responsible for 650 illnesses and 4 deaths.

Paying Top Dollar for Punishment, 26 Miles' Worth:

"I would think that would be a hollow victory," Pinkowski said.

A Kean on the Ballot? What Else Is New?:

"He'll call me and say, 'Dad, what do you think about this, what do you think about that?' " the elder Mr. Kean said. "What I want him to understand is, no matter what I say, he's going to make the ultimate judgment — he's the candidate."

In Case Against Politician, a Tale of Friendship, Ambition and Betrayal:

The pastor, R. Z. Miller, said that at first he was afraid the scandal might have set Mr. Jackson on "a run for the cross." But he said Mr. Jackson recently preached about his struggle to embrace forgiveness and atone for his mistakes. "I told Vernon that even though I teach forgiveness," Mr. Miller said, "I don't know if I could really forgive like he has."

Other News

The President: Bush Says G.O.P. Rebels Are Putting Nation at Risk:

But Republicans boasted that their top issue, terrorism, was dominating the political news for yet another day and overtaking Democratic criticisms of the war in Iraq.

Lawmaker Admits He Took Illegal Gifts:

On returning home in August, the plea agreement said, Mr. Ney gave about $5,000 to a staff member to carry so the lawmaker "could carry and report a lower dollar amount to Customs Services officials upon re-entry into the United States." On his customs form, Mr. Ney reported that he was bringing only $32,000 into the country. The court papers did not explain the $10,000 discrepancy.

Some Muslim Leaders Want Pope to Apologize:

The controversy came as a new Vatican hierarchy was being put in place. In addition to appointing a foreign minister, the pope installed as secretary of state — the highest position after the pope — Cardinal Tarcisco Bertone, 71, an Italian and longtime colleague of the pope's.

Oriana Fallaci, Incisive Italian Journalist, Is Dead at 77:

"To speak of oneself means to lay bare one's own soul, expose it like a body to the sun," she told an interviewer in 1979. "To lay bare one's own soul is not at all like taking off one's brassiere on a crowded beach!"

W.H.O. Supports Wider Use of DDT vs. Malaria:

Dr. Kochi said he himself did not worry about whether he would lose his job if he took on too many influential players. Success will require many difficult changes, he said. "I don't want to fail."

In the Land of Beautiful People, an Artist Without a Face:

But the artworks are Banksy's alone, he said. "And I do know that some of them took literally hours to paint."

International

Hardly a Revolution, but Swedes Could Evict Leaders:

"I don't know Reinfeldt, and I don't feel too safe about him," she said. "I'm not sure he knows what he's talking about. I'm an old, experienced woman, and he's not an old, experienced man."

Suicide Attacks Foiled at 2 Oil Sites, Yemen Says:

Yemen, a close ally of the United States in the campaign against terrorism, has long been a hotbed of extremist activity and recruitment. In February, 23 prisoners suspected of links to Al Qaeda escaped from a maximum-security prison in Sana, the capital. Fourteen of the fugitives remain at large. It was not immediately clear on Friday whether any of them were connected to the attack.

The Saturday Profile: Survivor Gently Adds Voices to Cambodia's Dark Tale:

"I wish I could go back, to be in that moment again," he said. "I wish I could go back and tell her that I love her."

In a Shift, Annan to Fill Out a U.N. Form Disclosing His Finances:

The report, published Sept. 7, 2005, examined Mr. Annan's financial information for the period Jan. 1, 1998, through Dec. 31, 2004, and concluded that it did not "reveal any payments or transactions that appear suspicious or improper."

Secrets and Lies Shroud Origins of Giant Swastika:

Then he flashed a mischievous smile. Whoever designed this may have taken a dangerous risk. "You do not think I am guilty, do you?" he asked, eyes twinkling. "Will they take me to a prison?"

Notables Urge India to End 145-Year Ban on Gay Sex:

In June came news that the scion of a former royal family had been disinherited after saying he was gay.

European Diplomat Cites Gains in Iran Talks:

But he cautioned that the window for negotiations would not stay open indefinitely. "The United Nations resolution is a track that is still open," he said, but added: "Dialogue will not last forever. That is not our idea."

Palestinian Intelligence Official Is Killed:

Also on Friday, Israeli forces bombed a house in Rafah that the army said contained the entrance to a tunnel used to smuggle arms. The Israelis said that they had warned inhabitants to leave, and that there were secondary explosions suggesting that arms were in the tunnel.

Raúl Castro Speaks Out Against U.S. at Summit Talks:

The Non-Aligned Movement began during the cold war, when many nations were firmly allied with either the United States or the Soviet Union. The group has lived on, and now has 118 members that see themselves as the voice for the developing world.

U.S. Won't Abandon Fight in Anbar, Commander Says:

To achieve economic progress, he said, "We need help, and we've got commitment from the Iraqi government for help. And as quick as we can get that help out there to start working those economic conditions, I think that that is, in fact, a strategy for victory."

National Report

Jackson Mayor Is Indicted Over Crime-Fighting Tactics:

After a grand jury returned the indictments Friday, the mayor surrendered, posted a $50,000 bond and was released on condition that he refrain from using law enforcement vehicles, carrying firearms or supervising minors.

Mystery Deepens in Case of Missing Colorado Marine:

"Our heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of volunteers," Lloyd Hering said. "We now know lots of places where Lance is not."

Recruiting for Students, the Deluxe Way:

"They loved it," Professor Smith said. "They wouldn't leave me alone."

Applying the Law: The Question of Liability Stirs Concern at the C.I.A.:

"It is fair to say that C.I.A. officers are mindful of these situations and developments,'' Mr. Mansfield said, "but it's unwise to make generalizations or sweeping statements about levels of concern. That said, we have a very important mission to carry out — helping to protect the country — and that has been and continues to be the paramount concern."

Shuttle Astronauts Complete Final Spacewalk at Station:

On Saturday, the six Atlantis astronauts are to get a half-day off before packing up and preparing for the shuttle's departure on Sunday. The shuttle is scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday.

Congressional Plan Would Bolster Disaster Agency:

And the plan would double the amount of money communities would be eligible for to protect against future disasters — like moving homes away from a river that often floods — to 15 percent of federal disaster relief. This so-called mitigation financing would be capped at $3 billion for one disaster.

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