Robert Leonard, 70, a Creator of Ticketmaster [1]. Robert Anthony Leonard's technical expertise and marketing prowess helped create the worldwide machine that opens doors to over 150,000 events a year. By Wolfgang Saxon.
Sending 'Liberal Media' Truism to the Fact-Checker [1]. In an impressively researched book, Eric Alterman provocatively challenges the conservative belief in a liberal media bias. By Orville Schell.
A Rocker and a Revered Author Bond for a Cause [1]. When Robert Coles, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, needed to raise enough money to save his magazine, DoubleTake, from closing, he called Bruce Springsteen. By Jacques Steinberg.
In U.S. Eyes, a Fraud Particularly Bold [1]. It was a fraud that went on for more than 15 years, complete with "family meetings" to create records to fool the auditors, who seem never to have caught on that something was amiss, even as a company that was barely breaking even was reporting more than $1 billion in nonexistent profits. By Floyd Norris.
A Most Unsettling Time for French Wineries [1]. The threat of a boycott of French wines by Americans could not come at a worse time for a struggling industry. By John Tagliabue.
Automakers May Try Zero Percent Financing [1]. With the United States poised to attack Iraq, auto dealers are worried that Detroit may not have a tonic to offer a paralyzed economy. By Danny Hakim.
Karmazin Is Expected To Stay On at Viacom [1]. Summary Source: After months of negotiations, Mel Karmazin, the president of Viacom, is expected to sign a new contract in the next several days to remain at Viacom. By Geraldine Fabrikant.
Designers Lose a Free Oscar Plug [1]. Hollywood's decision to roll up the red carpet at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday will cost the fashion industry incalculable free publicity. By Ruth La Ferla and Alex Kuczynski.
Pirelli Returns to Basics With Tires Made in U.S. [1]. While the phone industry and Pirelli's other core business, manufacturing cable, are in deep slumps, Pirelli's tire operation has held up well. By Eric Sylvers.
Art Dealer and 3 Others Sued Over $26.5 Million in Taxes [1]. Federal prosecutors filed suit on Wednesday against the Manhattan art dealer Larry Gagosian and three business associates. By Carol Vogel.
Europe Challenging German Law Protecting VW [1]. The European Commission began legal proceedings on Wednesday to challenge a German law that protects Volkswagen from a hostile takeover. By Paul Meller.
Big Holder Buying Rest of Expedia in Stock Deal [1]. Expedia, one of the largest online travel agencies, agreed on Wednesday to be acquired by its part-owner USA Interactive. By Saul Hansell.
Britain Plans to Review 4 of 5 Bidders for Safeway [1]. A British official ruled that four of the five potential buyers of the supermarket chain would have to submit their proposals to further antitrust scrutiny. By Suzanne Kapner.
Interpublic Faces Audit by I.R.S. [1]. The company disclosed a federal audit of its income tax returns and provided more details about previously announced charges.
Many Marketers to Curb Campaigns [1]. Major marketers are poised to shelve billions of dollars worth of advertising when war with Iraq breaks out. By Stuart Elliott.
Some Insurance Rates in the Gulf Have Doubled Overnight [1]. Prices for insurance for ships, businesses, oil workers and journalists in the Persian Gulf region are skyrocketing. By Joseph B. Treaster.
A Trade Show Talks Shop Between Talk of an Invasion [1]. War worries were pervasive on Wednesday at a large international gathering of the wireless communications industry. By Simon Romero.
In Shift, Enron Will Retain Interests in Some Pipelines [1]. The stories of Enron's ultimate demise may prove to be at least somewhat exaggerated. By Kurt Eichenwald.
Sprint Settles Suits With Policy Shift and $50 Million [1]. In a settlement that may signal that the battleground for corporate reform has shifted to the courts, Sprint agreed to changes in governance. By Patrick Mcgeehan.
Airline to Drop 1,200 Jobs as Part of Cost-Cutting Plan [1]. Continental Airlines said that it would eliminate 1,200 jobs as part of a plan that would try to cut expenses $500 million a year. By Edward Wong.
Diller Is Leaving Vivendi Entertainment Post [1]. Barry Diller said that he was leaving his job as interim chief executive of Vivendi Universal Entertainment to focus on his interactive business. By Geraldine Fabrikant.
Hospital Chain Accused of Accounting Fraud [1]. HealthSouth, the nation's largest chain of rehabilitation hospitals, was accused on Wednesday of adding $1.4 billion in nonexistent earnings to its profits. By Milt Freudenheim.
White House Warns Public to Prepare for Loss of Life [1]. War against Iraq will be as short as possible but Americans must be prepared for loss of life, the White House warned today. By Brian Knowlton, International Herald Tribune.
HealthSouth and Chief Charged With Fraud [1]. The S.E.C. charged the nation's biggest operator of rehabilitation hospitals and clinics with overstating its earnings by at least $1.4 billion since 1999. By Kenneth N. Gilpin.
15 Iraqis Cross Border to Surrender in Kuwait [1]. Fifteen Iraqi soldiers guarding the Iraq-Kuwait border laid down their arms and crossed into Kuwait today, a U.S. military commander said. By Steven Lee Myers with Patrick E. Tyler.
World waits as Iraq deadline expires [1]. A US deadline for Saddam Hussein to go into exile or face war passes, as US-led forces prepare to attack Iraq.
Anti-war protesters maintain pressure [1]. Protests against looming war with Iraq continue across the UK - including school children outside Westminster.
Second UK mystery bug case [1]. A second suspected case of the severe flu-like illness which has claimed lives around the world has been reported in the UK.
HK doctors 'identify killer disease' [1]. Scientists in Hong Kong claim a breakthrough against a virulent form of pneumonia claiming victims worldwide.
Fuel Supplies Are a Top Concern of Military Planners [1]. One of the chief worries that preoccupies military planners is that combat forces will outrun their fuel supply lines. By John M. Broder.
Diller Steps Down From Vivendi Universal [1]. Barry Diller unexpectedly resigned as co-chief executive of Vivendi Universal Entertainment today. By The Associated Press.
Bloomberg Appeals to White House for Terrorism Aid for New York [1]. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg asked President Bush today for more money to fight terrorism around New York City. By David Stout.
Negative Views of U.S. Are Increasing in Europe, Poll Finds [1]. Most of America's major European allies and Russia view the U.S. unfavorably, according to a nine-country survey. By Christopher Marquis and Marjorie Connelly.
Rumsfeld Seeks Consensus Through Jousting [1]. Decisions reached by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld after months of fierce debate with his defense colleagues will soon be tested on the battlefields of Iraq. By Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt.
Antiwar Movement Divided by Thoughts on Civil Disobedience [1]. Some members of the antiwar movement argue for acts of civil disobedience, while others fear alienating the public. By Kate Zernike.
White House Warns Citizens to Prepare for Loss of Life [1]. War against Iraq will be as short as possible but Americans must be prepared for loss of life, the White House warned today. By The Associated Press.
Oil Steady After 4 - Day Rout, on War Alert [1]. LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices steadied on Wednesday after a four-day rout that knocked 18 percent off the cost of a barrel, as dealers braced for an imminent U.S. invasion of Iraq. By Reuters.
Firefighters defy leaders over pay offer [1]. The fire dispute is set to go on after members of the Fire Brigades' Union voted not to accept a revised pay offer.
Quiz suspect 'did not know' cougher [1]. A man accused of cheating to win £1m on a TV quiz tells a court he did not know the man who allegedly helped him.
S.E.C. Charges HealthSouth and Its C.E.O. With Accounting Fraud [1]. The S.E.C. said it separately ordered trading in HealthSouth securities suspended for two business days. By Reuters.
Bear Stearns Profits Leap on Bond Results [1]. Bear Stearns Cos Inc. said today its quarterly earnings rose 52 percent, soundly beating estimates, as the Wall Street firm posted record bond results. By Reuters.
With Tighter Security, New Yorkers Tense Up for Life in Wartime [1]. Wearily if not warily, New Yorkers began confronting the additional uncertainties that accompany the end of the long buildup to war. By James Barron.
Millionaire winner had £50,000 debts [1]. A quiz show winner accused of cheating their way to the top prize owed more than £50,000 with his wife, a court hears.
Four Safeway bids face scrutiny [1]. Four of the five proposed bids to buy the UK supermarket group will be referred to the Competition Commission, officials say.
Terror suspect arrested in Somalia [1]. A Yemeni man accused of involvement in terror attacks in East Africa is arrested in Somalia and flown to Kenya.
Millionaire winner had £50,000 debts [1]. A quiz show winner accused of cheating his way to the top prize owed more than £50,000 with his wife, a court hears.
Oil Prices Decline Ahead of Possible War [1]. WASHINGTON (AP) -- As the United States and Iraq move closer to war, crude oil stocks are growing and prices are declining. By The Associated Press.
Stocks Open Slighty Higher [1]. Reports that U.S.-led forces moved into the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait fed hopes for an imminent and quick war against Iraq. By Reuters.
Congo hails CAR coup leader [1]. Congo's foreign minister praises the leader of the coup in the Central African Republic, despite regional condemnation.
At the Dentist: Parents' Smoke and Babies' Teeth [1]. Children who are regularly exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke appear more likely to develop cavities in their baby teeth. By John O'neil.
Measurements: The Economics of the Heart [1]. The way people respond to stress appears to be in part a function of how well off they are economically. By John O'neil.
Aging: Closing In on Root of Alzheimer's [1]. Studies have indicated that over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen led to a lowered risk of Alzheimer's. Now a new report suggests why. By John O'neil.
Best Way to Fight Colon Cancer: Take the Test [1]. Colorectal cancer approaches being 100 percent curable, even preventable, if everyone at risk would take advantage of well-established tests. By Jane E. Brody.
Scientists Explore the Molding of Children's Morals [1]. Over the last few years, schools in 48 states have introduced character education programs in the hope of bolstering students' morals. By Susan Gilbert.
Studying a Disease in Life as Well as in the Abstract [1]. The author of "Moonrise: A Family's Journey Through Muscular Dystrophy" hopes that the book will raise awareness. By Hubert B. Herring.
In New Outbreak, Eerie Reminders of Other Epidemics [1]. The W.H.O. has declared a mysterious respiratory illness "a worldwide health threat," but little is known about the ailment. By Lawrence K. Altman, M.d..
'Oldest Old' Still Show Alertness [1]. Of all the infirmities people dread in old age, dementia may be the scariest. But in a recent study, half of the nonagenarians were perfectly alert. By Mary Duenwald.
Tales From a Burn Unit: Agony, Friendship, Healing [1]. David Malagrino and William Long were at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., on Feb. 20. They have been brought together by a painful survival. By Mary Duenwald.
U.S. Seeks $289 Billion in Cigarette Makers' Profits [1]. The Justice Department is demanding that cigarette makers forfeit $289 billion in profits derived from a half-century of fraudulent and dangerous marketing. By Eric Lichtblau.
Pfizer to Sell Drug to Rival to Soothe Regulators [1]. Pfizer has agreed to sell a new incontinence treatment to Novartis for $225 million. By Alison Langley.
Hong Kong Officials Concede Other Carriers Are Out There [1]. Officials hastened to add that the moderate rate of new infections around the world suggested that the disease is not as contagious as initially feared. By Keith Bradsher.
Tobacco Companies Pledge to Fight Justice Department [1]. Tobacco companies pledged to fight Justice Department efforts to recover $289 billion from the industry for allegedly conspiring to defraud consumers. By Sherri Day and Jonathan D. Glater.
Bayer Cleared of Liability in a Lawsuit Over a Drug [1]. A Texas jury cleared Bayer, the German drug company, of all liability in a lawsuit brought by an 82-year-old retired oil company engineer. By Melody Petersen.
Tenet to Sell or Shut Hospitals and Cut Jobs [1]. Tenet Healthcare said it would sell, close or shrink 14 of its 114 hospitals and cut jobs and expenses to cope with an expected decline in payments received from Medicare. By Andrew Pollack.
New Yorkers Lag in Colon Cancer Screening, Surveys Show [1]. Fewer than half of New Yorkers over age 50 have had the recommended screening for colon cancer, and the rate is below average among blacks. By Richard PÉrez-peÑa.
Panel Says Health Cutbacks Fall Hardest on Minorities [1]. City Council Members said budget cuts proposed by the health commissioner disproportionately hurt minority groups that have high rates of H.I.V. infection and other problems. By Nichole M. Christian.
Researchers Find Clues That a Virus Is Causing the Mysterious Illness, but Seek Proof [1]. The World Health Organization cautioned that much more work needs to be done to be sure that a virus is the cause of the outbreak. By Lawrence K. Altman and Mark Landler.
Blair hopes for swift war [1]. UK forces will do everything they can to ensure war against Iraq is swift and minimises civilian casualties, promises Tony Blair.
Turkey to reassess US request [1]. The Turkish parliament is to vote on a US request to use the country's airspace in the Iraq war - but not to deploy ground troops.
Strike decision angers firefighters [1]. Union leaders' are getting a rough ride from firefighters' delegates over the cancellation of a 24-hour strike planned for Thursday.
Zimbabwe's biggest strike continues [1]. Shops and industries remain closed on the second day of a strike called by the opposition to bring down Robert Mugabe.
Cuba cracks down on dissidents [1]. Cuba's communist government says it has arrested dozens of dissidents in contact with the US representative in Havana.
World Business Briefing: Asia [1]. INDIA: Bids For Oil Company; SOUTH KOREA: Credit Card Debt; JAPAN: New Bank Governor Testifies; JAPAN: Joint Venture Disciplined;.
Germans Balk at the Price of Economic Change [1]. Even rather small changes in the elaborate rules governing Germany's economic life inevitably provoke spirited opposition from some quarters. By Richard Bernstein.
With Little Loans, Mexican Women Overcome [1]. In Mexico, small business loans to women, known as microcredit or microfinance, represent a chance for the poor to acquire a little bit of wealth. By Tim Weiner.
Pfizer to Sell Drug to Rival to Soothe Regulators [1]. Pfizer has agreed to sell a new incontinence treatment to Novartis for $225 million. By Alison Langley.
P.&G. Is Acquiring Wella, German Hair Care Company [1]. The Procter & Gamble Company said that it would buy 77.6 percent of Wella of Germany for $3.4 billion. By Claudia H. Deutsch.
Alcoa and Iceland Agree on Smelter Project [1]. After nearly a year of talks, Alcoa and Iceland reached an agreement to build a $1.1 billion aluminum smelter at Reydarfjordur in the wild. By The New York Times.
Troubles in U.S. for Irish Drug Maker [1]. Elan, the troubled Irish drug company, is facing an F.T.C. investigation and a deteriorating relationship with the company to which it sold $850 million worth of drugs and other assets. By Brian Lavery.
News Corp. to Raise Up to $1.5 Billion With Bond Issue [1]. The News Corporation said that a subsidiary would raise as much as $1.5 billion in capital by issuing bonds. By Suzanne Kapner.
Split on Iraq May Harm U.S.-Europe Trade Ties [1]. Businesspeople in Europe are watching nervously for signs that the trans-Atlantic dispute will spill over into commerce. By Mark Landler with Eric Pfanner.
Turner Jabs AOL Time Warner [1]. Though full of criticism and antics, Ted Turner is still not ready for his exit from AOL Time Warner. By David D. Kirkpatrick.
'Sopranos' Star Drops Suit Against HBO [1]. The salary dispute between HBO and James Gandolfini, the star of "The Sopranos," ended as the network received notice Mr. Gandolfini had dropped his lawsuit against the network. By Bill Carter.
2 New Campaigns Reflect War News [1]. 2 New Campaigns Reflect War News As war against Iraq looms, Qwest Communications International is adding to a six-month-old campaign of commercials that feature some employees who are also military reservists. The reservists appear and speak along with other employees in two of four commercials that began running Monday night. The new commercials, which carry the theme
Adoptive Families Get Starring Role [1]. While adoption is not an especially foreign concept in American life, until now the advertising industry has done little to reflect the numbers. By Abby Ellin.
Too Many Brennans Don't Spoil Broth, Judge Rules in Lawsuit [1]. A restaurateur in New York City successfully battled a New Orleans dining dynasty for the right to name his new restaurant after himself. By Susan Saulny.
US Airways Restructuring Plan Is Approved [1]. A United States Bankruptcy Court judge approved US Airways' restructuring plan yesterday, clearing the way for the airline to emerge from Chapter 11 protection by March 31. By Micheline Maynard.
Scholastic Posts $500,000 Loss in Quarter [1]. The Scholastic Corporation, the publisher of the Harry Potter books in the United States, posted a quarterly loss of $500,000 yesterday as sales rose less than 1 percent. By Bloomberg News.
Calpers to Release Data [1]. The board of the California Public Employees' Retirement System has voted unanimously to release quarterly performance data on the pension fund's venture and private-equity investments. By Dow Jones / Ap.
Priceline Buys 14% Stake in TravelWeb [1]. Priceline, the online travel site that allows bargain hunters to bid for goods and services, yesterday aligned itself with TravelWeb, the upstart hotel reservation Web site, in a deal that will give Priceline a 14 percent stake in TravelWeb. By Bob Tedeschi.
Among the Hospitals, a Mixed Project [1]. A car wash on the Upper East Side of Manhattan will soon be replaced by an unusual hotel and office combination that is to be built in connection with a new residential building. By John Holusha.
Shares Rise Modestly in Choppy Trading; Bond Prices Fall [1]. Stocks rose after bouncing between gains and losses. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rose 3.66 points, to 866.45. By Bloomberg News.
Tenet to Sell or Shut Hospitals and Cut Jobs [1]. Tenet Healthcare said it would sell, close or shrink 14 of its 114 hospitals and cut jobs and expenses to cope with an expected decline in payments received from Medicare. By Andrew Pollack.
New Housing Dropped Sharply in a Snowy Month [1]. Starts on new housing fell 11 percent in February, the government said, the biggest decline in nine years as snowstorms hampered construction in the South and Midwest. By Bloomberg News.
Corporations in Survey Say Banks Tie Loans to Other Business [1]. Top financial officers of large corporations believe the willingness of banks to lend to them is linked to their willingness to do other business with banks, according to a survey. By Riva D. Atlas.
Cargo Insurance Would End 48 Hours Into an Iraqi War [1]. Insurance companies notified airlines and operators of cargo ships that their coverage for wartime cargo losses in the Middle East would be canceled within 48 hours of the start of hostilities in Iraq. By Joseph B. Treaster.
Gasoline Prices, Near Record Highs, Don't Reduce Demand [1]. Analysts predict that even if crude oil prices drop soon, gasoline prices will stay high, likely averaging $1.76 a gallon in April. By Neela Banerjee.
BellSouth Official Can Go to Sprint [1]. Trying to resolve a protracted tug-of-war between rival phone companies, a court-appointed arbitrator ruled that Gary D. Forsee could leave BellSouth to become chief of Sprint. By Patrick Mcgeehan.
Houston Breaks Real Estate Cycle [1]. There has long been a boom-and-bust real estate cycle in Houston, but the city has learned to diversify its economic base. By Michael Brick.
Tobacco Companies Pledge to Fight Justice Department [1]. Tobacco companies pledged to fight Justice Department efforts to recover $289 billion from the industry for allegedly conspiring to defraud consumers. By Sherri Day and Jonathan D. Glater.
Bayer Cleared of Liability in a Lawsuit Over a Drug [1]. A Texas jury cleared Bayer, the German drug company, of all liability in a lawsuit brought by an 82-year-old retired oil company engineer. By Melody Petersen.
Airlines Announce Cutbacks as They Prepare for War [1]. Airlines scrambled to prepare for a war with Iraq by suspending flights and warning employees to expect emergency wage cuts. By Micheline Maynard and Edward Wong.
Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged [1]. The Federal Reserve said that uncertainties surrounding a war in Iraq made it too difficult to assess the risks of a new economic slump. By Edmund L. Andrews.
Higher Alert and Tighter Budgets [1]. As the nation returned to a high level of alert, state, local and federal officials increased security at sensitive sites, but many states did not activate the National Guard. By Jodi Wilgoren.
Rumsfeld Seeks Consensus Through Jousting [1]. Decisions reached by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld after months of fierce debate with his defense colleagues will soon be tested on the battlefields of Iraq. By Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt.
U.S. Calls Decision by Hussein His 'Final Mistake' [1]. The White House said that Saddam Hussein made his "final mistake" when he rejected an ultimatum ordering him to leave Iraq or face war. By Elisabeth Bumiller.
Teams of Experts to Hunt Iraq Arms [1]. The plan is to rapidly find, secure and ultimately destroy the caches of chemical, biological and other unconventional weapons. By Judith Miller.
As Baghdad Empties, Hussein Is Defiant [1]. Among many Iraqis, the mood seems to be that war, if it is inevitable, might as well come soon as late, so the country can move forward. By John F. Burns.
Soldiers and Equipment Head for Iraq Border in Vast Formation [1]. The U.S. and Britain made final preparations to wage a war aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein's government in Baghdad. By Patrick E. Tyler.
