December 15, 2003

TROUBLED BOEING MAY GET IMAGE UPGRADE FROM 7E7

If there's a way for Boeing to distract the world from its recent setbacks and scandals, it's the 7E7 Dreamliner. Boeing is expected today to approve pre-production of the new,...

BATTLE OF BANDS ; INTERSCOPE GUNS FOR SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW

Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine is negotiating with the National Football League for an all-Interscope Super Bowl halftime show, The Post has learned. It would mark the first time that the...

ALLIANCE IN $250M DEAL, SOURCES SAY

The Securities and Exchange Commission and New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer are expected to reach a settlement with mutual fund giant Alliance Capital this week, with Spitzer's proposal calling...

PAINT BY NUMBERS ; JAILHOUSE ART ON VIEW IN GRAMERCY

AN exhibit at a Gramercy Park gallery gives new meaning to the term con artist. "Insider Art: The New Outsider Art" at the National Arts Club features some 75 works...

SANDRA'S 'SURVIVOR' SURPRISE

LONG-SHOT castaway Sandra Diaz-Twine, who almost no one figured would make the final two on the seventh edition of "Survivor" on CBS, was the surprise winner of $1 million, plus...

PRAISE 'THE LORD'! LAST OF THE TRILOGY IS A MAJESTIC MASTERPIECE

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (four stars) A saga for the ages Running time: 200 minutes. Rated PG-13 (intense battle scenes, frightening images). At the...

YOU GOAT, GIRLS! 'TIS THE SEASON TO CASH IN ON BARGAIN CASHMERE

FOR years, cashmere has been a fabric only the rich could enjoy. Now's your chance to stock your closet, too. Stores like Ann Taylor and the Gap sell 100 percent...

STARR REPORT

It's a hot-button topic, so here we go again: Christmas music, 24/7 - weeks before the actual holiday. As I opined recently, I think it's atrocious for the two stations...

BACHELORETTE BOXED IN

BEFORE she was cast as the next "Bachelorette" and before she met "Bachelor" Bob Guiney, Meredith Phillips was a cover girl - a box cover girl. The green- eyed model...

SPITZER NOW SET TO GET ON DEAN'S LIST

WITH Howard Dean's presidential train poised to leave the station, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is getting ready to jump on board. Spitzer, who vowed a few months ago never to...

VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS - NEW YORK POST CAMPAIGN - SISTERS' DREAM NOW NIGHTMARE ; IMMIGRANT TEENS BEATEN AT HELL HIGH

Laedy Lopez and her sister Yheimmy started the school year with high hopes. The girls had just moved to New York City from the Dominican Republic to be with their...

GYM TEACH SIDELINED BY FEAR AFTER TEEN ATTACK

Jean Daniels was prepared to teach her gym class at Christopher Columbus HS like it was any other day - never thinking she'd be brutally attacked in her safe haven....

A TYRANT HUMBLED; AND A MYTH SLAIN

'LADIES and gentlemen, we got him!" Those words may go down as the most memorable line of Iraq's liberation. The outburst of cheers and applause that followed Paul Bremer's remarks...

WEIRD BUT TRUE

A new $7 million train station in Edinburgh, Scotland, has people on the go - but they can't go, because the facility was built without a single bathroom. "[It] is...

13 FUGITIVES STILL ON 'DECK'

Thirteen to go. The capture of Saddam Hussein means the list of 55 most-wanted Iraqis - whose faces appeared on playing cards circulated by U.S. forces - has dwindled once...

BADGERING THE BUTCHER

Now that Saddam Hussein is in U.S. hands, officials are sure to have many questions to ask the deposed dictator about a range of topics. At the top of the...

MADISON SQ. GARDEN SPRINGS LEAK

It wasn't the Knicks who were all wet last night - it was their fans. The slushy mixture of rain and snow caused water to pour through four holes in...

TERRORIST HITS NOT OVER YET

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein's capture will encourage more Iraqis to embrace a new democratic future but will not, in the short run, bring a halt to the bloody attacks on...

CHARGE 'EM; ELEX BIGS: INDICT POL, FIRM IN BRIBE SCANDAL

ALBANY - The state Board of Elections has voted to seek criminal charges against Brooklyn Assemblyman Roger Green's campaign committee and the Florida-based company that helped fund it, The Post...

PREZ TO IRAQ: 'YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO FEAR SADDAM EVER AGAIN'

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Saddam Hussein's capture is "crucial to the rise of a free Iraq" and assured the Iraqi people they'll never have to fear him again. "Now...

DRAMATIC CALL; HOW BUSH GOT THE FIRST WORD

WASHINGTON - President Bush was cautious - and very curious - when he first got a call on Saturday from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld with the blockbuster revelation that U.S....

INVESTORS LIKELY TO CAPTURE SOME QUICK GAINS

WHEN Wall Street opens for business today, it will view this past weekend's developments in Iraq as Saddam-ed good that stock prices are likely to continue their impressive rise. Reaction...

GRUESOME DEATHS ENDED TERROR REIGN OF WICKED FATHER'S DEPRAVED SPAWN

Saddam's astounding capture comes less than five months after another infamous date in Iraqi history: the deaths of his loathsome sons. When the terrible twosome were killed by U.S. troops...

BANNED TOY GUNS STILL ON SALE

Many stores are still selling illegal toy guns, despite a crackdown by city officials three years ago, a City Council probe found. Investigators visited 53 stores in all five boroughs...

WHAT'S NEXT ; SADDAM COULD FACE DEATH AFTER TRIAL

After a lengthy interrogation, Saddam Hussein will likely face a trial before the newly created Iraqi tribunal - and possibly, the death penalty. Iraq's interim Governing Council established a special...

GUARD'S NO MATCH FOR BRUTAL KIDS

Patrolling the city's large high schools is like defending yourself in a war zone without a weapon, said a veteran school safety agent who served six years in the Army....

ABUSE LAW

Victims of domestic violence will get some extra support from their bosses under a new law expected to be passed by the City Council today. The new measure would require...

TYRANT'S CAPTURE THROWS DEMOCRATS INTO DISARRAY

CHRISTMAS came early for President Bush. Nothing could have validated his Iraq policy more than capturing Saddam Hussein, trapped like a rat down a hole. It showed the war is...

MESSAGE: AMERICA WINS

WHEN U.S. administrator Jerry Bremer stood before the microphone yesterday morning and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," he was sending an important message to America and the world....

CAUGHT IN A RAT HOLE ; * SADDAM SNAGGED IN DARK HIDEOUT * 'DON'T SHOOT,' CRIES HAIRY HUSSEIN * BUSH VOWS FIEND WILL FACE JUSTICE

We got him! American soldiers captured a bearded and haggard Saddam Hussein, pouncing on the once-feared Iraqi dictator while he hid in a cramped underground tunnel "like a rat" in...

GIS' KIN REJOICE GRIEVING MOMS: MAY BUTCHER FEEL PAIN

Relatives of New York soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the battle to bring down Saddam said yesterday that execution would be too good for him. Dorine Kenney of...

GENES FIT - HE MUST BE IT ; DNA & CRONIES IDENTIFY SADDAM

U.S. officials used DNA tests and an identification from ex-Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz to confirm they had captured Saddam Hussein. The officials set to work immediately after troops found...

SADDAM MAKE FRONT PAGE NEWS

Saddam Hussein upstaged Jesus and U.S. politics yesterday, wiping them off the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines, which stopped their presses to update the news. Both newsweeklies remade their...

GIS POUNCE ON 'ULTIMATE' TIP ; * TAXI CLUE TRIGGERED FARM RAID * SADDAM 'RESIGNED TO HIS FATE'

WASHINGTON - The sighting of an orange-and-white taxicab and a timely tip from a close tribal ally led U.S. forces to Saddam Hussein's hideout at a sheep farm along the...

NYPD DAILY BLOTTER

Manhattan A New York state mental-health police officer was busted for driving while intoxicated after he crashed into an FDNY ambulance early yesterday in East Harlem, cops said. The smashup...

A WORLD AT LAST UNITED ; GLOBAL LEADERS HAIL THE CAPTURE

World leaders - sharply divided over the Iraqi war - joined forces yesterday to hail the capture of Saddam Hussein. "This is the minute we and the whole world have...

'LORDS' HORDES READY TO PARTY

As Middle Earth mavens get set for the "Return of the King" on Wednesday, Tolkien lovers in New York plan to celebrate the "Lord of the Rings" film finale with...

2 SLAIN ON QUIET QUEENS STREET

A man related to a member of the Philippines' consulate and his friend were shot in the head and killed yesterday morning while walking down a Queens street, cops said....

'TRANNY' CASTRATES SELF, FAKES BIAS CRIME

A 22-year-old transvestite was in critical condition yesterday after he hacked off his penis, then lied and told cops he was the victim of a hate crime. The man, who...

EVIL TYRANT'S RISE AND FALL: DREADED DESPOT RULED THROUGH FEAR FOR 24 BLOODY YEARS

Saddam Hussein was found cowering in a crude, unlit hole dug in the basement of a small farm near Tikrit, not far from the tiny village of mud huts where...

JAMAICA EXPRESS ; DEVELOPERS RIDE BIZ SPUR WITH JFK AIRTRAIN LAUNCH

The Queens area surrounding the new AirTrain terminal is preparing for a surge in development now that the $2 billion rail line is set to begin passenger service to JFK...

BIZARRE SLAY-'SUICIDE' IN B'KLYN

At first, it appeared to be an open-and-shut case of a murder and attempted suicide, but cops last night were taking a closer look at how a man wound up...

ACTIVIST TEEN IN POLE VAULT

Most kids want to go to the North Pole for Christmas. But Crystal Domenech is heading south. The 19-year-old Sunset Park native is one of four city teens who'll be...

TRAM RIDERS KEPT IN SUSPENSE

A power failure halted the Roosevelt Island tram yesterday, leaving at least a dozen frightened passengers dangling 3,000 feet over the East River for about an hour. "It was really...

CANADIAN CHARGED IN HAMAS MURDER PLOT

A Canadian citizen has been charged in Israel with plotting to shoot Israelis, as well as Jews in the United and Canada. Jamal Akkal, 23, who was born in Gaza...

SLAY-'SUICIDE' PUZZLES COPS

At first, it appeared to be an open-and-shut case of a murder and attempted suicide, but cops last night were taking a closer look at how a man wound up...

FEUDING WTC ARCHITECTS NEAR COMPROMISE

Warring architects Daniel Libeskind and David Childs are inching toward a compromise on the design of the Freedom Tower, and officials hope details can be finalized as early as today,...

GIS' KIN REJOICE; GRIEVING MOMS: MAY BUTCHER FEEL PAIN; WE GOT HIM

Relatives of New York soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the battle to bring down Saddam said yesterday that execution would be too good for him. Dorine Kenney of...

BOY, 6, DIES IN QNS. FIRE

A 6-year-old boy was killed and his mother and 16-year-old sister seriously injured in a raging blaze that trapped them in their Queens apartment. "The flames were barreling out of...

GIS POUNCE ON ; 'ULTIMATE' TIP ; * TAXI CLUE TRIGGERED FARM RAID * SADDAM 'RESIGNED TO HIS FATE'

WASHINGTON - The sighting of an orange-and-white taxicab - whose trunk Saddam Hussein had been hiding in to get around - and a timely tip from a close tribal ally...

TAUNTS OF DEFIANT DEVIL ; SADDAM BAITS HIS CAPTORS ON WMD

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein was led from his secret foxhole like a lamb, but became defiant when questioned by U.S. intelligence officials and Iraqi political foes hours later. During the...

ANOTHER FLAG DAY FOR JINTS

GIANT NOTES NEW ORLEANS - Among their myriad of problems this dismal season, the Giants have been bad and also undisciplined. They went into last night's game averaging 8.3 penalties...

TROOPS' BURDEN LIFTED AT LAST

Vince Morris spent several weeks inside Iraq as an embedded reporter traveling with a Marine Sea-Stallion helicopter squadron and a ground unit attached to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.WASHINGTON -...

HAVING A SNOW BALL: SECOND STORM PUTS BIG APPLE IN HOLIDAY MOOD

Mother Nature sent folks all over the city packing - packing snowballs, that is - as she blasted the Big Apple with yet another record-breaking storm yesterday. An impressive 5.8...

SADDAM USURPS JESUS

Saddam Hussein usurped Jesus and U.S. politics yesterday, wiping them off the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines - which stopped their presses to update the news. Both newsweeklies remade...

CALL HIM ST. ANTHONY ; FORMER KNICK A RADIO GODSEND

WHAT'S the cure for being stuck in holiday traffic near the Tappan Zee Bridge? Saturday night, it was Greg Anthony, bless his heart. The Knicks should only be as deep...

PRIDELESS JINTS ARE BIG EASY PUSHOVERS

Saints 45Giants 7 NEW ORLEANS - Some day, perhaps, the Giants will muster enough fight to put a licking on a showoff like Joe Horn, the Saints' receiver who tried...

THORN'S GLAD KIDD BLEW HIS TOP

Timing is everything. And after the Nets suffered a loss where the humiliation, the embarrassment and the incompetence were of Biblical proportions, the timing was right to blow a stack....

A 47-POINT DEFEAT AND INJURIES, TOO

NET NOTES After Saturday night's indignation endured in Memphis, the Nets need practice. But what they need even more are healthy bodies for practice. Lucious Harris and Jason Collins both...

BIAS, LAZINESS TAINT HEISMAN

THE e-mails and telephone calls started way too early yesterday morning. In my immediate post-college days, these would have been collection agencies. Now they come from the emotional and illogical....

BOSS STICKS IT TO BRIAN ; BLOCKS GM'S DEPARTURE BY PICKING UP OPTION

Despite telling Brian Cashman several times that he wasn't going to pick up next year's option, George Steinbrenner is doing exactly that. Reacting to the story in yesterday's Post that...

SPINKS, HOPKINS BIG A.C. WINNERS

Don King's blockbuster boxing card at Atlantic City Saturday night produced its share of winners and losers, both literally and figuratively. Here's a look at how the key players fared.Winner:...

KNICKS FIND HOPE

For once, Antonio McDyess exceeded expectations. And now there exists a glimmer of hope the sub-mediocre Knicks can also diss the doubters. The real test, however, existed last night against...

BIGGER & BETTER ; BY GEORGE, YANKEES LOOKING AS IF THEY'LL BE AS GOOD AS EVER

NEW ORLEANS - Not everyone is bashing George Steinbrenner, the pinstriped piñata. "Hey," Larry Bowa said in the lobby of the Marriott yesterday, "I want you to thank George for...

IT'S TYREE'S TIME GIANTS' WR GETS SHOT TO STRUT STUFF

NEW ORLEANS - The other day, David Tyree was talking about Jesse Palmer, the backup quarterback who barely could contain his excitement when considering his first NFL start. The rookie...

PONSON POPS UP ON METS' RADAR

NEW ORLEANS - The Mets' offseason plan has been to improve the team's speed, defense and pitching. The first two are down, now the club is taking aim at the...

HOUSTON'S COMEBACK WELCOMED

Antonio McDyess' ailing knee was not the only one that the Knicks got good news about on Saturday night. While Allan Houston's right knee has not ruined the Knicks for...

HAMILTON'S READY TO SACK IT IN

GIANT NOTES NEW ORLEANS - Time is winding down for Keith Hamilton, the longest-tenured Giants player, who is nearing the end of his 12-year run that likely will lead to...

AMAZIN'S HAVE SHOT TO UPEND YANKEES

NEW ORLEANS - The Mets have an opening now that did not exist even two weeks ago. They have a chance over the next 12-24 months to regain standing in...

PALMER GETS LITTLE SUPPORT

GIANT NOTES NEW ORLEANS - Jesse Palmer last night wasn't the reason why the Giants were humiliated 45-7 by the Saints. Palmer, in his first NFL start, was surely nothing...

JET DEFENSE HAS THE WHITE STUFF ; HERM FIRES 'EM UP TO COLDCOCK STEELERS

Where, you might wonder (and justifiably so), did this come from? Had the Jets played defense all season the way they did in yesterday's 6-0 win over the Steelers at...

MARTIN HAS SNOW PROBLEM RUNNING WILD

IN another part of the world, on a far bigger stage, Saddam Hussein found out that you can run, but you cannot hide. Curtis Martin (1,123 rushing yards) has been...

MARTIN SKATES TO 11TH

JET NOTES To borrow a phrase used by his former coach, Bill Parcells, Curtis Martin is going to the Hall of Fame "on roller skates." Martin, the Jets' classy, record-setting...

GANG (GREEN) TACKLING ; COTTRELL'S BUNCH WRAPS UP THE BUS

Coming into yesterday's game against Pittsburgh, the Jets' defense was in the spotlight and under scrutiny. Their doubters and detractors said they didn't pursue, couldn't tackle, weren't physical and wouldn't...

THIS GAME SNOW JOKE

IT was colder than a Bill Belichick-Bill Parcells reunion, blowing like Rich Kotite's teams did fourth-quarter leads. Good Lord, it was even more miserable than Terry Bradway when he reads...

MICKENS MAKES STEELERS MISERABLE

As Tommy Maddox's last-gasp, fourth-down pass wobbled through the windswept Meadowlands, Ray Mickens closed on the ball and tipped it away from Plaxico Burress. It was fitting that Mickens deflected...

SATHER'S CREATED A MESS-Y SITUATION

GLEN Sather has three days to deal with a crisis of his own making that is threatening to sabotage the Rangers' season. Make no mistake, 30 games in, the Blueshirts...

THOMAS 'SHOCKED' BY BENCHING

KNICK NOTES Kurt Thomas was "shocked" and "definitely not pleased" by Don Chaney's decision to bench him for Antonio McDyess, and he acknowledged his days as a Knick are probably...

HEALTHY STATS FOR HOUSTON

Allan Houston said his bothersome knee was feeling better before last night's game against the Wizards. While that would seem to be hard to believe, since the Knicks were playing...

KNICKS WIN UGLY ; HOUSTON'S 39 LEAD CLUB PAST WIZARDS

Knicks 89Wizards 87 The Knicks looked as haggard as Saddam Hussein for most of last night, and a shave won't fix their long-term appearance. But Allan Houston almost single-handedly prevented...

ROCKET MAY FILL SCHILLING SUCCESS

NEW ORLEANS - Roger Clemens might have helped steer Andy Pettitte to the Astros and just might pitch for Houston himself after telling the Yankees he was retired. But it...

HEALTHY NIGHT FOR HOUSTON

Eddie Jordan was pretty sure of what was going to happen when Allan Houston let go of a 22-footer with 18 seconds to go in the fourth quarter in a...

PITCHING AT TOP OF MET WISH LIST

NEW ORLEANS - The Mets have gotten faster, more athletic and better defensively. Now it's time to improve the pitching. After signing Kaz Matsui and Mike Cameron, the Mets are...

BIRDS GIVE TEJADA SIX-YEAR, $72M DEAL

NEW ORLEANS - While the Yankees have been looking to the north at the Red Sox, the team just down 95 South is barreling down the road. The AL East...

HOUSTON SPOILER ; ALLAN'S 39 SPARK KNICKS' UGLY WIN

Knicks 89Wizards 87 The Knicks looked as haggard as Saddam Hussein for most of last night, and a shave won't fix their long-term appearance. But Allan Houston almost single-handedly prevented...