Bush, Upstaged and Losing a Crucial Moment
Date: 24 February 2001
By Andrew Kohut
Andrew Kohut
Op-Ed article by Andrew Kohut says conventional wisdom is that Pres Bush is benefiting from bad news about Bill Clinton over his controversial last-minute pardons; says fact is that news media's obsessive coverage of Clinton is depriving Bush of opportunity to push his agenda, particularly his big tax cut proposal, in opening months of his presidency; says Bush is getting scant news coverage; says he needs to be center stage if he is to persuade public that big tax cut is right thing to do; drawing (M)
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Political Briefing; Ventura Serves Up A Week of the Jackal
Date: 25 February 2001
By B. Drummond Ayres Jr
Gov Jesse Ventura of Minnesota, who often refers to reporters as 'jackals,' decrees that news people covering him must wear jackal press badge; many news organizations object, and Ventura's office says he is rethinking issue (S)
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This Revolution Is Being Televised
Date: 25 February 2001
By Alberto Fuguet
Alberto Fuguet
Alberto Fuguet article on outpouring of scandalous political videos that has population of Peru glued to their televisions; videos depict scheming and shady dealings by former president Alberto Fujimori and his influential spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos, filmed by Montesinos himself; at least 800 of these secret videos were reportedly obtained by Fujimori in illegal raid of Montesinos' home; Fujimori kept about 100 he wanted, then handed over rest to Justice Department, flew to Japan and resigned in absentia; before this flood of videos, there was one that started it all, bringing government to its knees with depiction of Montesinos bribing Congressman Alberto Kouri; video was obtained by television journalist Luis Iberico, who televised it on Canal 2 TV, only television station to maintain its independence from Fujimori government; perhaps greatest irony is that Fujimori's one truly notable contribution was the development and exploitation of a ubiquitous and influential mass media; photos (L)
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Inside Trading; How I Got That Scoop!
Date: 25 February 2001
By Suzy Menkes
Suzy Menkes
Comment by Suzy Menkes, fashion editor of International Herald Tribune, on how she got some of her greatest scoops; drawings (special section, Fashions of The Times) (part 2 of 2-part section) (S)
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Jonathan Lebed's Extracurricular Activities
Date: 25 February 2001
By Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis article on Jonathan Lebed, first minor ever to face proceedings for stock-market fraud, and murky questions case raises about what exactly constitutes illegal market manipulation; in September 2000, Securities and Exchange Commission settled case against 15-year-old, who used Internet to promote stocks from his bedroom in New Jersey suburb of Cedar Grove; Lebed agreed to hand over $285,000, but SEC did not go after additional $500,000 in profits Lebed accumulated in six months of trading; Lebed was accused of 'artificially' influencing market by posting hundreds of messages on Web touting stocks he had purchased; however, 'artificial' appears to mean whatever SEC says it means, or what it can persuade courts it means, highlighting illusion that stock prices are ever 'real' and fact that they are continuously influenced by media, professional analysts and companies themselves; photos (L)
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SHARES OF WILLIAMS-SONOMA CLIMB ON PROFIT FORECAST
Date: 24 February 2001
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Shares of Williams-Sonoma Inc rise after company says that it will report quarterly profits that exceed forecasts and and that annual profit may beat estimates (S)
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BAIN CAPITAL BUYS STAKE IN HUNTSMAN, CHEMICAL COMPANY
Date: 24 February 2001
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Huntsman Corp, leading chemical company, sells $600 million stake to Bain Capital Inc (S)
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CHAPTERS INC. WITHDRAWS OFFER FOR ITS ONLINE UNIT
Date: 24 February 2001
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Canadian bookseller Chapters Inc withdraws its offer for shares in its online sales unit; stock price of ChaptersOnline plunges 41 percent (S)
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NEWS SUMMARY
Date: 25 February 2001
Correction of picture caption in Feb 25 Travel section with report on restoration of fresco at Basilica of St Francis in Assisi, Italy
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NEWS SUMMARY
Date: 24 February 2001
INTERNATIONAL A3-5 Bush, Welcoming Blair, Endorses European Force President Bush endorsed a European rapid-reaction force, telling Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain that the United States had no objections to a separate military arm to keep the peace in Europe as long as it was clearly secondary to NATO. The announcement was made at the opening of a two-day summit meeting at Camp David. A1 Britain Bans Moving Livestock A seven-day ban on transporting livestock in Britain was imposed to try to stem the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that led Britain to suspend meat exports. A3
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