Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia said Tuesday that his country , one of the poorest in the world , could not afford to keep troops in Somalia much longer and that it was ill equipped to play the role of peacekeeper there .

Two hours after he spoke , two Ethiopian soldiers were gunned down in an ambush in southern Somalia in one of the first strikes of an anticipated anti-Ethiopian guerrilla campaign .

According to residents in Jilib , about 250 miles southwest of Mogadishu , Somalia 's capital , a fighter for the Islamist forces , who were routed last week by Ethiopian-led troops , had shot two Ethiopian soldiers while they were crossing a bridge .

Witnesses said the fighter then dashed into town and was quickly surrounded by Ethiopian troops , who killed him .

`` It was a suicide mission , '' said Mohammed Subiye , a farmer in Jilib .

The Islamist forces , which in the span of one week went from ruling much of Somalia to fleeing into the bush , have vowed to fight a guerrilla insurgency against the Ethiopians , whom they consider infidel invaders .

But Mr. Meles said he did not plan to have his troops to remain in Somalia for much longer , possibly only a few more weeks .

The troops were dispatched to neutralize the rising regional threat posed by the Islamists , he said , and now international peacekeepers are needed to bring order to a country that has been synonymous with anarchy for 15 years .

`` We do n't have the money to take this burden individually , `` Mr. Meles said during a speech to Ethiopia 's Parliament .

Diplomats in the region are hurrying to cobble together an African peacekeeping solution , but despite murmurs of commitment from several countries , including Uganda , South Africa and Nigeria , a force has yet to materialize .

Somalia is far from stable , with many heavy weapons still in the hands of warlords , and the country 's turmoil is likely to dissuade many nations from volunteering troops .

On Tuesday , Ali Mohammed Gedi , Somalia 's transitional prime minister , reiterated his plea for the nation 's many gunmen to turn in their weapons .

But few seemed to be listening .

The collection points across Mogadishu remained empty , and many young men defiantly vowed to keep their guns .

Meanwhile , the remnants of the once-fierce Islamist army continued to flee south from Kismayo , the port city 100 miles from the Kenyan border that had been a final stronghold until the Islamist military definitively collapsed there on Monday .

Kenyan authorities said 10 fighters were apprehended on Monday as they tried to slip through the border disguised as refugees .

Eight had Eritrean passports while two had Canadian passports , said Alfred Mutua , a spokesman for the Kenyan government .

All of them were carrying briefcases packed with cash .

`` They definitely did n't look like refugees , `` Mr. Mutua said .

Mr. Mutua said that the suspects remained in Kenyan custody and that they would probably be returned to Somalia to face charges under the transitional government , though it has not yet set up a justice system .

The Islamists tried to improve their military prospects by calling for a global jihad against Ethiopia , a country with a long Christian history .

But in the end , American officials said , only a few hundred foreign fighters answered the call , the bulk of them from Eritrea , Ethiopia 's archenemy .

Still , the Islamists were widely believed to have been sheltering several wanted terrorists , and American officials said they were hoping to use the swift collapse of the Islamist forces as an opportunity to capture men they have been chasing for years .

Ships from the Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy , based in Bahrain , have increased patrols off Somalia 's coast to prevent any suspects from escaping .

`` Yes , we have a presence out there , '' said Lt . Denise Garcia , a spokeswoman for the Fifth Fleet .

So far , though , no suspects have been apprehended .

Somalia continues to be a work in progress .

The country 's transitional president , Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed , has yet to set foot in the capital , and only a select few officials of the transitional government have returned to it .

Many of them seem to be pulling in wildly different directions .

On Tuesday , Hussein Mohammed Aideed , the interior minister and son of a notorious warlord , announced that he would like to erase the 1,000-mile long border between Somalia and Ethiopia .

`` We should unite , just like the Europeans , '' Mr. Aideed said at a news conference .

`` One money .

One passport .

One security . ``

Many Somalis consider Ethiopia a historic enemy and were appalled by the suggestion .

`` All I can say is that the interior minister is entitled to his opinion , '' said Abdirahman Dinari , the spokesman for the transitional government .

`` But he does not speak on behalf of the government . '' .

Summary: Prime Min Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia says that his country can not afford to keep troops in Somalia much longer and that it is ill equipped to keep peace there .

Summary: Several countries in region have spoken of committing troops , but force has yet to materialize .

Summary: Somalia 's instability may prevent many nations from volunteering troops .

Summary: Islamist forces have vowed to fight guerrilla insurgency against Ethiopians .

Summary: Photo .


Ali Saleem may have devised the perfect , if improbable , cover for breaking taboos in conservative , Muslim Pakistan .

In a country where publicly talking about sex is strictly off limits , Mr. Saleem has managed not only to bring up the subject on his prime-time television talk show -- but to do so without stirring a backlash from fundamentalist Islamic clerics .

And he has done so as a woman .

When Mr. Saleem takes to the airwaves , he is Begum Nawazish Ali , a coquettish widow who interviews Pakistan 's glitterati and some of its top politicians .

A real woman could not possibly do what Mr. Saleem does .

In the unlikely event a station would broadcast such a show , the hostess would be shunned .

And taking on the guise of a married woman -- whose virtue is crucial to her whole family -- would be equally impossible .

But apparently a cross-dressing man pretending to be a widow is another matter entirely .

It is something of a mystery why a man who openly acknowledges he is bisexual is a sensation here .

Traditional Islamic teaching rejects bisexuals and gays , and gay Pakistanis have few outlets for a social life .

The gay party scenes in Lahore and Karachi are deep underground .

Mr. Saleem has his own theory for his popularity : he thinks Pakistan has always been more open than outsiders believed .

It is true that Pakistan is , in a sense , two countries .

There is urban , and urbane , Pakistan , where Western mores are more accepted , although nudity would never be seen on television or scantily clad women on billboards .

And then there is rural Pakistan , where Islam is generally practiced with more fervor .

It is also true that the Pakistani president , Gen . Pervez Musharraf , is relatively tolerant about what the media can show and cover , including politics .

Although General Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup by the military in 1999 , he has been more open to political criticism in the press than some of his democratic predecessors .

Mr. Saleem , 28 , is thrilled with his success for reasons that are both political -LRB- he is proud to be breaking ground in bringing up tough subjects -RRB- and profoundly personal .

`` My biggest high is to see myself gorgeous in the mirror '' he said recently while reclining in a makeup-room chair .

As a beautician outlined his eyes , adding glitter and eye shadow , he said , `` Maybe , yes , I am a diva . ''

It is hard to judge how successful Mr. Saleem 's show is -- there is no form of Nielsen ratings here .

And there are clearly people who find the show revolting .

But by many measures , it is a success .

Television critics have been generally supportive , and the show , which has been on a year and a half , has a prime-time slot despite its name , `` Late Night Show With Begum Nawazish Ali . ''

Mr. Saleem said it was named for its racy content , usually shown late , but he said the network scheduled it earlier hoping for a hit that would bring in more advertising revenue .

Urbanites , meanwhile , seem not to be able to get enough of the once-a-week show , which is rerun twice each week .

They have showered praise on Mr. Saleem 's portrayal of a middle-aged widow who , in glamorous saris and glittery diamonds , invites to her drawing room politicians , movie stars and rights advocates from Pakistan and India .

With fluttering eyelids and glossy lips , Begum Nawazish Ali -LRB- Begum means Lady or Mrs. in Urdu -RRB- flirts with male guests using suggestive banter and sexual innuendo .

With female guests , she is something of a tease , challenging them about who looks better .

Questions are pointed and piercing .

Politics , democracy and saucy gossip are enmeshed in her conversation .

Mr. Saleem sees the show 's acceptance and commercial success as a testimony to the tolerance and moderation of Pakistan , a country often seen by the outside world as teetering on the edges of militancy and extremism .

Colorful and witty , Mr. Saleem is open about his own sexuality and sprinkles his conversation with gender-bending phrases .

`` My life fluctuates between two extremes , '' he says .

`` I always say this : I am a man and I am a woman .

It is two gender extremes , and I am constantly trying to balance it . ``

He is unabashed at the criticism that his show often borders on raunchiness .

`` Sitting senators have sent requests to be on the show , '' he says .

Mr. Saleem has also been willing to take on tough political subjects .

He is openly critical of the army 's role in ruling Pakistan , for instance .

His show is not the only one pushing the envelope on that and other touchy subjects .

In another network television program , `` Aalim Online , '' religious scholars from Shiite and Sunni sects sat side by side and responded to viewers ' queries on different issues from their respective viewpoints .

Television talk shows and news programs have also openly criticized the policies of previous governments on their support for the Taliban and on their policies in Kashmir , which both India and Pakistan claim .

President Musharraf 's policies and the role of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence , or ISI , have come under fire on talk shows and analysis programs , something unimaginable some years ago .

That is not to say that anything goes .

The restrictions on print media are generally tougher than for broadcast journalists , and some subjects are considered clearly off limits .

Owais Aslam Ali , secretary general of Pakistan Press Foundation , an independent media research center in Karachi , said that `` on things of consequence , restrictions remain . ''

He said that included reporting on the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan , where the Taliban and Al Qaeda are taking refuge .

Mr. Ali said there also were unstated restrictions on reporting about Baluchistan , the southwestern province where a low-level civil insurgency has long simmered .

`` This is a big black hole as far as media is concerned , '' he said .

`` Parameters have been set .

You cross those parameters at your own peril . ``

Mr. Saleem , who in the guise of Begum Nawazish Ali often gets away with questions to politicians that print journalists might be wary of , said his show would not have been a possibility earlier .

`` I owe Begum Nawazish Ali 's existence , in a certain way , to General Musharraf , `` he said .

But he appears to know his own limits .

He shrugged when asked if he should not invite the general himself on the show , appearing to indicate that he knew that was one taboo he could not break .

But it did not stop him from flirting with the idea , especially after General Musharraf made himself so open to the media during his book tour of the United States last year .

`` I would love it if Musharraf would come on the show , '' he said .

`` If he can go on Jon Stewart 's show , then why not .

`` KARACHI JOURNAL .

Summary: Ali Saleem is cross-dressing man who portrays flirty widow on Pakastani television .

Summary: Television critics have been generally supportive and show , which features interviews with country 's celebrities and politicians , has prime-time slot .

Summary: Saleem says show 's acceptance is symbol of Pakistan 's tolerance and moderation .

Summary: Some media researchers say that restrictions on print media are tougher and that some subjects are still off limits .

Summary: Photos .


It would be an ambitious project even in a Middle Eastern country not embroiled in war : build an American-style university where classes are taught in English , teachers come from around the world and graduates compete for lucrative jobs in fields like business and computer science .

Yet some of the leading lights of Iraq 's political and intellectual classes are doing exactly that , even as the bloodshed widens .

Their planned American University of Iraq is modeled after the famous private universities in Cairo and Beirut .

The project 's managers have a board of trustees .

A business plan recently completed by McKinsey & Company , an international consulting firm .

Three candidates for university president .

And $ 25 million , much of it in pledges from the American government and Kurdish sources .

To fulfill their dream , they need much more : $ 200 million to $ 250 million over 15 years , said Azzam Alwash , the board 's executive secretary .

But if it does become a reality , the university will not be built in Baghdad , which for centuries was a beacon of learning in the Arab world .

Instead , it is slated for what is the most non-Iraqi part of Iraq .

The site is on a windswept hilltop along the outskirts of Sulaimaniya , the eastern capital of Iraqi Kurdistan , 150 miles north of Baghdad and far from the car bombs and death squads that are tearing apart the Arab regions of Iraq .

Because of its relative safety so far , Kurdistan can more easily attract aid and reconstruction money .

With doctors , engineers , businesspeople , academics and students among the hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighboring countries or the West , the university raises hopes of stanching the country 's enormous brain drain and pushing Iraq forward .

`` You really need to develop the political elite of the future , the educated elite of the future , '' said Barham Salih , the project 's Kurdish founder , a deputy prime minister who received a doctorate in statistics and computer modeling from Liverpool University in Britain , and whose daughter attends Princeton .

`` The focus is also to stimulate reform in the Iraqi education system . ''

However , some Arab education officials in Baghdad , the capital , have argued that the university should be built there , not in a part of Iraq where secessionist ambitions are well known .

Baghdad first achieved fame for its schools and scholars during the Abbasid caliphate , which reached its height in the eighth century .

Even in the 20th century , before the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and international economic sanctions of the 1990s , students from the region flocked to Baghdad .

But because of security threats , many universities in Baghdad have been closed since October .

Up to 150 employees from the Ministry of Higher Education were abducted by men in commando uniforms in mid-November .

Jihadist groups have threatened to kill students on campuses .

So intellectuals like Kanan Makiya , the prominent former exile and writer who strongly advocated for the American invasion , say they plan to move their research projects to the American University .

Mr. Makiya founded the Iraq Memory Foundation , an organization based in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad that is documenting Saddam Hussein 's atrocities .

`` The problem is nobody can thrive in Baghdad anymore , '' said Mr. Makiya , who teaches Middle Eastern studies at Brandeis University and sits on the new university 's board of trustees .

`` The north is much more stable , growing , prosperous . ''

`` There is a sadness that we 're being driven out of Baghdad , `` he added .

The university 's planners plan to make Mr. Makiya 's documentary project the core of the humanities department .

Mr. Alwash , an environmental scientist , has said he will use the university as a base for his research project , which is about rejuvenating the southern marshlands .

Other prominent intellectual and political figures , many of whom supported the American invasion , are on the board .

They include Fouad Ajami , a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Johns Hopkins , and John Agresto , an education adviser in the Coalition Provisional Authority who , as he ended his tenure there in 2004 , told a reporter he was `` a neoconservative who 's been mugged by reality . ``

The planners have sketched a rough schedule .

Construction would start in the spring , and the first 15 to 30 students could begin a six-month intensive English course , to be taught in rented space here in Sulaimaniya , before they start a two-year master 's program in business administration .

The first class to earn bachelor 's degrees would start in fall 2008 .

The program would take five years , with the first devoted to the study of English , Mr. Alwash said .

Although the university has regional aspirations like its counterparts in Cairo and Beirut , the first undergraduate class would be mostly Iraqis , Mr. Alwash said , and a majority probably Kurds .

In the university 's first five years , degree programs would focus on subjects that the board judges to be crucial to Iraq 's development : business , petroleum engineering and computer science , for example .

`` This has to have immediate practical consequences for the economy of Iraq and the politics of Iraq , '' Mr. Salih , the founder , said .

After five years , the university may add humanities degree programs .

`` We want them to study the ideas of Locke , the ideas and writings of Paine and Madison , '' Mr. Alwash , the executive secretary , said .

`` We want them to understand what democracy is -- not only majority rule , but also the rights of minorities .

They should be well rounded . ``

Projected undergraduate enrollment is 1,000 students by 2011 and 5,000 by 2021 .

The numbers are small compared with enrollment at Baghdad University , the country 's flagship public university , which has 70,000 students .

Sulaimaniya University here has about 12,000 students .

In total , about 475,000 Iraqis are pursuing college-level degrees across the country , in 21 public universities or colleges , 18 private ones and about 40 technical institutes , according to the American Embassy .

Tuition at American University would be $ 8,500 to $ 10,000 a year , Mr. Alwash said .

That places the university beyond the reach of the average middle-class Iraqi family .

But Mr. Salih said the school planned to give loans and scholarships .

Zalmay Khalilzad , the American ambassador and an alumnus of the university in Beirut , has promised that American agencies will give the school $ 10.5 million , possibly the largest donation by the United States to any single education project in Iraq , if American officials approve the business plan .

Mr. Khalilzad , a native Afghan , helped found the American University of Kabul after the American military ousted the Taliban from Afghanistan in 2001 .

Some Kurds fear that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan , the governing party of eastern Kurdistan led by Mr. Talabani and Mr. Salih , could end up diverting money from the university for its own purposes .

Among many Kurds , the main Kurdish parties have a reputation for corruption and authoritarian rule .

`` I hope this will not just be party propaganda , because we need a real academic center for this society , '' said Asos Hardi , the editor in chief of a weekly newspaper here .

`` Having a Western-style university in Iraq would help strengthen education here and across the country . ''

THE STRUGGLE FOR IRAQ .

Summary: Group of Iraqis are planning American University of Iraq , American-style university with international teachers and classes taught in English .

Summary: Prominent intellectual and political figures support university and its chosen site in Sulaimaniya , area that is relatively safe so far .

Summary: Some education officials in Baghdad argue that university should be built there instead .

Summary: Photo .


In 1997 , Jonathan T . Taplin , a veteran film and television producer , stood up at a cable industry convention and asserted that in the future all movies would be distributed over the Internet .

He recalls being laughed out of the room .

Mr. Taplin may laugh last .

Online distribution of movies has arrived , at places like Apple Computer 's iTunes Store .

And even though Mr. Taplin 's own video-on-demand company , Intertainer , shut down operations five years ago , it says it deserves some credit -- and cash .

Last week , Intertainer filed a broad lawsuit asserting that Apple , Google and Napster are infringing on a 2005 patent that covers the commercial distribution of audio and video over the Internet .

Founded by Mr. Taplin and two other Hollywood entertainment executives in 1996 , Intertainer developed technology to distribute movies on demand through cable and phone lines for viewing on televisions and personal computers .

It gained investors including Intel , Microsoft , Sony , NBC and Comcast .

`` Intertainer was the leader of the idea of entertainment on demand over Internet platforms before Google was even thought up , '' said Mr. Taplin , now an adjunct professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California .

He and a secretary constitute the entire remaining staff of Intertainer .

Theodore Stevenson , a partner at McKool Smith , the Dallas firm representing Intertainer , said the company filed suit against Apple , Google and Napster because they were perceived as leaders in the market for digital downloads .

He declined to specify the damages that Intertainer was seeking .

Apple , Google and Napster all declined to comment on the lawsuit .

Intertainer 's tale is somewhat different than other intellectual property suits brought by technology licensing firms .

By 2002 the company seemed to have a growing business , with 125,000 Internet subscribers for its servers and 35,000 TV subscribers through the Comcast cable system .

But in the fall of 2002 , the company shut down its service and filed a lawsuit against some of the backers of Movielink , a competitor backed by five Hollywood studios , including Sony , Universal and Warner Brothers .

At the time Mr. Taplin said the studios were using Movielink as a price-fixing vehicle to kill Intertainer .

An antitrust investigation by the Justice Department into Movielink was dropped in 2004 .

The studios settled the lawsuit last March for an undisclosed sum , and Mr. Taplin said in a phone interview Tuesday that Intertainer would henceforth pursue a patent licensing business .

The company holds nine patents , including United States Patent No . 6,925,469 , which was issued in 2005 and is intended to cover the management and distribution of digital media from various suppliers .

Despite initial backing from Microsoft and Intel , Mr. Taplin said the two companies were not involved in the decision to bring the Apple , Google and Napster lawsuit .

He said that decision was made by Intertainer 's board and that none of his original corporate backers have board seats .

Several of the company 's original investors have taken patent licenses , he said , but he would not name the companies .

Despite the company 's decision to file the case in a federal district court in Texas that has traditionally looked favorably on plaintiffs in patent lawsuits , several digital media experts said that Intertainer might have a difficult time enforcing its patent because of its relatively recent filing date of 2001 .

By that time , for example , Real Networks , the Seattle-based pioneer in streaming digital media , had begun an Internet subscription service for digital content .

Legal experts said it was difficult to handicap Intertainer 's claims .

`` There are so many of these lawsuits nowadays , '' said Eric Goldman , director the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law .

`` It is hard to figure out which ones are a serious threat and which ones are not . ''

Mr. Goldman also said it was unclear what specific technology or service was covered by the Intertainer patent .

`` I have the same problem with this patent as so many of the patents of the dot-com boom days : I do n't know what it means , `` Mr. Goldman said .

Mr. Stevenson , the Intertainer lawyer , said the patent covers a system that can be used by content owners to upload their content and used by consumers to download it .

`` It is pretty basic to the architecture of digital content delivery nowadays , '' he said .

Mr. Taplin , who once worked as a road manager for Bob Dylan and produced several movies , including `` Mean Streets , '' `` The Last Waltz '' and `` To Die For , '' has a history of activism on technology issues .

In 2002 , he encouraged those attending a technology conference to urge the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that broadband providers would not be able to block specific Web sites -- an early version of a hot-button issue that has become known as network neutrality .

Earlier that year , he testified before the Senate against legislation that would have forced high-tech manufacturers to incorporate technology to prevent piracy in their software and hardware .

Correction : January 4 , 2007 , Thursday A headline in Business Day yesterday about a lawsuit brought by Intertainer , a digital media company , against Apple Computer , Google and Napster misstated the nature of the litigation .

It involves a patent , not a copyright .

Summary: Intertainer files broad lawsuit against Apple Computer , Google and Napster for infringing on 2005 patent covering commercial distribution of audio and video over Internet .

Summary: Claims to be leader of concept of entertainment on demand over Web platforms .

Summary: Founder Jonathan T Taplin has history of activism on variety of technology issues .

Summary: Photo .


A government effort to cool Ireland 's roaring economy by encouraging people to save is threatening to backfire .

In 2001 , Ireland encouraged citizens to set money aside each month in special accounts by offering to match a portion of those savings .

The catch was that savers had to lock up their money for five years .

About 1.1 million Irish savers -- or 40 percent of the adult population -- amassed 16 billion euros -LRB- $ 21 billion -RRB- in savings , a sum that is about 10 percent of the country 's annual gross domestic product .

But now that the five years are over , the wealth is being unleashed , and the plan may do exactly what it was meant to prevent : add fuel to the economy of one of the most competitive and fastest-growing countries in Europe .

The expected outcome underscores the trickiness in taming surging economies -- a task that the authorities in China are grappling with .

It could also serve as a case study for countries , like the United States , which are looking for ways to motivate spendthrift consumers to save more to rebalance their economies .

Edel Byrne , 30 , an operations director for a large chain of restaurants in Dublin , is looking forward to spending the 20,000 euros she will have accumulated when the five-year lockup ends in the spring .

She has her eyes on a Marni handbag -- the line sells on the Internet for 280 to 1,060 euros -- and airline tickets to Rio de Janeiro , Milan and Paris .

She plans to spend some of what is left on a house that she recently bought in the Dublin suburbs .

In 2002 , Ms. Byrne would never have dreamed of setting aside as much as 254 euros each month for five years if the government had not made it worth her while : It gave her one euro for every four she paid into her so-called Special Savings Incentive Account , or S.S.I.A.

For Ms. Byrne , the government incentive was worth 63.50 euros each month .

Her own monthly payments , the government bonus and the interest she earned were not accessible as the savings accumulated .

Some of the accounts have already matured since the program opened in May 2001 .

But most savers , who on average have accumulated 15,000 euros , according to industry estimates , delayed opening the accounts until the months before enrollment ended in April 2002 .

The freed savings will come on top of an estimated 5 billion euros in increased public spending and tax cuts that the Irish government plans to pump into the economy in 2007 , an election year .

If the Irish choose to spend their savings over a few months rather than tap the personal wealth pool over two or three years , inflation , especially for services like hotels and restaurants , could accelerate at a time when prices are already rising rapidly .

`` The 16 billion euros is a phenomenal amount of money , '' said Jim Power , chief economist at Friends First , a pension and investment firm in Dublin .

`` There is of course an inflationary risk .

There is already an inflationary risk notwithstanding the S.S.I.A. effect . ``

The savings plan was devised by Charlie McCreevy , the Irish finance minister at the time and now the European Union 's commissioner for the internal market , who wanted to tame a potential threat of inflation to the Irish economy .

In 2000 , consumer prices in Ireland rose 5.6 percent .

That figure had moderated to 2.5 percent for 2005 , but it started creeping up again in 2006 , to a 4.4 percent pace in November , and is expected to stay relatively high at about 3.5 percent in 2007 , according to some economists who fear the bounty from the savings accounts could inject too much money into the economy over a short period .

But nobody really knows what will happen , which is why there have been widespread surveys of the intentions of savers like Ms. Byrne .

Banks eager to hold on to the large sums are offering new but less generous saving products .

Savers whose special accounts have already matured appear to be taking their time in deciding what to do with the money .

Similar savings plans by other European governments have not been as popular , probably because the cash incentives were much less generous than those offered by the Irish plan .

In Britain , for example , tax-efficient savings plans like Individual Savings Accounts , or I.S.A. ` s , operate through the tax system rather than with cash incentives .

Consumer spending in Ireland is less than 50 percent of gross domestic product , low by European standards , according to Dan McLaughlin , chief economist at Bank of Ireland .

According to the Irish Central Statistics Office , the country had a household savings rate of 11.9 percent of income in 2003 , compared with 2.1 percent in the United States and 11.1 percent in France .

On Grafton Street , one of central Dublin 's main shopping streets , evidence of the usual seasonal surge in spending has not been hard to detect .

But whether spending will be further fueled as Irish consumers anticipate tapping their savings is difficult to judge , said Stephen Sealey , a buying director for the department store Brown Thomas .

It sells Hermès handbags for as much as 10,000 euros -LRB- $ 13,200 -RRB- and Chanel watches for 7,500 euros -LRB- $ 9,940 -RRB- .

`` Over the last four years , we have seen a steady growth in luxury goods , '' he said , adding that buoyant consumer spending `` is driving double-digit year-on-year growth across the business . ''

Mr. McLaughlin , at Bank of Ireland , said that surveys by his bank indicated that a slice of the special accounts would be spent on foreign holidays and home renovations .

He forecast that spending from the accounts would help support the economy over the next three or four years at a time when rising interest rates are adding to the costs of housing .

But if Ms. Byrne is any indication , not all the money will be spent .

`` The Irish are good at treating themselves these days , but I would feel guilty to spend over half the amount on luxuries , '' she said .

`` I do not think you should just throw away five years of hard savings . '' .

Summary: Five years after Ireland encouraged citizens to save money in special accounts designed to slow roaring economy , government officials fear spending spree will do exactly what plan was meant to prevent .

Summary: Underscores problems in taming surging economies .

Summary: Inflation could accelerate at rapid pace if Irish choose to spend 16 billion euros -LRB- $ 21 billion -RRB- in savings that are just now becoming available .

Summary: Analysts are uncertain how savings will be spent , if at all .


The steeply rising cost of preventing and suppressing wildfires , which burned more of the American landscape in 2006 than in any other year since at least 1960 , is creating a rift between Washington and state and local governments over how the burden ought to be shouldered .

A study issued in November by the inspector general 's office of the United States Department of Agriculture , the parent agency of the Forest Service , said the nature of the wildfire threat was changing as private homes and communities pushed ever closer to the boundaries of once-remote public lands .

Those communities and landowners , rather than federal taxpayers , should have to pay for more of their own fire protection , the report concluded .

States and local governments are gearing up to fight back in Congress , arguing that decades of federal mismanagement of national forests and open spaces , not development , created the threat and that little communities with few resources are neither responsible for it nor equipped to make a difference .

The pattern of wildfire distribution during the recently ended fire season , which charred more than 9.8 million acres , supports either side .

According to federal statistics , more state , county and private lands burned than in any other year since 1997 -- about half the total 2006 losses -- primarily because of monstrous blazes in Oklahoma , in Texas and across the Upper Plains , regions where most property is privately owned .

That finding , though also driven by broader factors like drought and heat that have little to do with residential development in fire-prone areas , supports the federal contention that the government has had to shift an increasingly large share of its resources from the task of protecting its own forests to firefighting elsewhere .

In some places , though , the issue is more complex .

In Stillwater County , Mont . , north of Yellowstone National Park , for example , the small , long-established towns of Nye and Fishtail are bordered on two sides by national forest .

In early July , the first of two huge fires erupted in the forest and roared into those communities , where 100,000 acres of mostly private land and 32 homes were burned .

The blaze was the worst in the county 's history , local officials say .

`` The forest is very dry and primed for fires started by lightning , and when that occurs in a forest not managed as well as it could have been , it soon gets out of control and meets the community , '' said Ken Mesch , the Stillwater County disaster and emergency services coordinator .

`` If the federal government started pulling back money for fire suppression , they would be hanging us out to dry . ''

Federal land managers say protection of private land at the boundaries of public space -- called the wildland-urban interface -- is the fastest-growing component of the nation 's firefighting budget .

In 2003 and 2004 , the inspector general 's report estimated , the Forest Service spent at least half a billion dollars , and perhaps as much as a billion , protecting private property in such areas .

The trend is similar at the Interior Department , which oversees hundreds of millions of acres of public lands in the West through the Bureau of Land Management , the Fish and Wildlife Service , and the National Park Service .

Fire prevention activities -- controlled fires or thinning of burnable vegetation -- have shifted there toward the interface lands , said Lynn Scarlett , deputy interior secretary .

Ms. Scarlett said that almost half the 1.1 million acres treated by the Interior Department for fire-risk reduction in 2006 were in interface zones , about double the proportion as recently as 2002 .

She said her department , too , was considering that it demand increased cost-sharing by state and local governments , though she emphasized that any outcome would have to be collaborative .

`` One of the last things you want in an emergency is people squabbling over who 's going to pay , `` she said .

The report from the Agriculture Department 's inspector general said a major problem was simply the weight of accumulated assumptions : fire response in the West has long meant federal authorities ' riding to the rescue , with no questions asked and no cost too great to bear .

`` Public expectations and uncertainties about protection responsibilities , '' the report said , `` compel the Forest Service to suppress fires aggressively and at great expense when private property is at risk , even when fires pose little threat to National Forest system land . ''

About 8.5 million homes were built at the wildland-urban interface within the interior West in the 1990s alone , according to the Forest Service .

But state and local officials say they already pay their share to protect those communities and homeowners , partly because the residential growth has coincided with years of federal budget cuts .

Arizona , for instance , now has 12 to 14 air tanker firefighting aircraft under contract , up from 2 to 4 in 2005 , as a result of reduced federal spending on tankers , said Lori Faeth , a policy adviser to Gov . Janet Napolitano .

`` Our forests are in the condition they are because of poor federal management , '' Ms. Faeth said .

`` They 've put us in this position , and they have the responsibility to pay for it . ``

The Forest Service 's director of fire and aviation management , Tom Harbour , said the agency would follow up on the inspector general 's recommendations .

`` We 're not going to walk away , `` Mr. Harbour said , '' but we will engage in a vigorous debate with our partners about the right way to split the pie . ``

Still , money is only part of the issue , he said .

Communities and developers in the West should be thinking in new ways as well , he said , including the use of fire-wise construction techniques and preparedness plans that involve residents in their own defense even before fires start .

Many land experts say hardly anyone is addressing the most tangled and emotional question raised by the debate : how much or how little voice federal land managers should have in land-use decisions .

`` Thinking through in advance the fire implications of a new subdivision next to a national forest boundary -- that does n't happen , `` said James L . Caswell , administrator of the Idaho Office of Species Conservation .

Given the property rights issue and the tension between local governments and Washington that has shaped the West 's culture for the last century , a system of planning that allows federal officials veto power would seem unlikely .

Mr. Caswell said better planning must be part of the solution .

`` A thousand houses next to a boundary could overwhelm all the other cost-control issues , '' he said .

`` But , '' he added , `` that 's a very emotional topic , so it 's really hard to deal with . `` .

Summary: Steeply rising cost of preventing and suppressing wildfires is creating rift between Washington and state and local governments over who should pay .

Summary: Agriculture Dept report says private homeowners and communities , rather than federal taxpayers , should pay more of their own fire protection .

Summary: State and local governments are fighting back .

Summary: Recent fire season burned 9.8 million acres .

Summary: Photos .


Massachusetts , the only state where same-sex marriage is legal , took a first step toward possibly banning it Tuesday when legislators voted to advance a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman .

The amendment now requires the approval of at least 50 legislators in another vote in the 2007-8 session .

Then it would be placed on the November 2008 ballot as a referendum question .

If it passed , the amendment would not invalidate the more than 8,000 same-sex marriages that have taken place since they became legal in May 2004 .

But it would prevent future marriages of gay men and lesbians .

`` This is democracy in action , '' said Kris Mineau , president of the Massachusetts Family Institute , which sponsored the amendment .

`` It 's giving people the opportunity to vote on the most essential institution in human existence -- marriage . ``

Arline Isaacson , co-chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus , choked back tears .

`` The price that our children and families will pay is so severe that we simply have to recommit ourselves to fight this some more , '' she said .

The swiftness of the vote on Tuesday surprised people on both sides of the issue , taking place without any debate , just minutes after the constitutional convention had been gaveled into session .

Proponents of the amendment needed just 50 of the legislature 's 200 lawmakers to support it .

The final vote was 61 in favor of the amendment and 132 opposed .

Later in the day , supporters of same-sex marriage persuaded lawmakers to reconsider the amendment , but the second vote , 62 to 134 , only affirmed the results of the first .

National groups on both sides of the issue said they would commit resources to help advocates wage battle here .

This past Election Day , the tide had seemed to be turning slightly in favor of supporters of same-sex marriage , with the defeat of an opposition amendment in Arizona and passage of seven others by slimmer margins than similar amendments in 2004 .

Just two months ago , at an earlier constitutional convention , the legislature appeared to have essentially killed the proposal to allow a vote .

During that session , legislators recessed without voting on the amendment , tabling it until Jan . 2 , the last day of the legislative session .

Both sides said they expected that lawmakers would then vote to end the session without taking up the measure .

But last week , the state 's Supreme Judicial Court , which three years ago ruled that same-sex marriage should be legal , threw a wrench into things .

The court chided lawmakers for their maneuvers to avoid a vote on the amendment , saying the legislature had demonstrated `` indifference to , or defiance of , its constitutional duties . ''

The court said it was not empowered to order the legislature to vote on the amendment , which petitioners , including Gov . Mitt Romney , had asked it to do .

But the court 's criticism appeared to be enough to make some lawmakers , including some supporters of same-sex marriage , decide to allow a vote .

`` Certainly , the court ruling changed the atmosphere this week , '' said Mr. Mineau , whose organization had gathered a record 170,000 petition signatures to get the amendment before the legislature .

Ms. Isaacson said , `` The S.J.C. decision really tipped the scales against us . ''

Tuesday 's vote was considered a victory for Governor Romney , a Republican who has used his opposition to same-sex marriage as a conservative rallying point as he has laid the groundwork for an expected run for the presidency in 2008 .

In a statement Tuesday , Mr. Romney called the marriage vote `` a huge victory for the people of Massachusetts . ''

By contrast , the vote was something of a rebuke to the incoming governor , Deval L . Patrick , a supporter of same-sex marriage who on Thursday will be sworn in as the first Democrat to occupy the governor 's office in 16 years .

On Tuesday , before the constitutional convention , Mr. Patrick met with the House speaker and the Senate president , both Democrats , to urge them to find a way to defeat the amendment , even if it meant adjourning without voting on it .

`` I believe that adults should be free to choose whom they wish to love and to marry , '' Mr. Patrick said , adding that he objected to using the constitutional amendment process `` to give a minority fewer freedoms than the majority . ''

After the vote , Mr. Patrick said in a statement , `` We have work to do over the next year to turn this around . ''

The new legislature taking office this month includes more supporters of same-sex marriage .

But people on both sides of the issue said it was not clear if the balance had tipped enough to sideline the amendment .

Ms. Isaacson and other gay rights activists have said that , should the initiative get on the 2008 ballot , they fear losing to an expensive campaign that would draw opponents from around the country .

Polls in Massachusetts have generally found that just over half of the citizens surveyed supported same-sex marriage , but about the same number wanted the constitutional amendment to come before voters .

On Tuesday , scores of demonstrators lined the street outside the Statehouse and spilled into the building .

`` I think it is going to get defeated next time around , '' said Lea Roy , 38 , a supporter of same-sex marriage from Fitchburg who hopes to marry her girlfriend .

`` It 's something you always dream about growing up -- getting married .

Then it 's like , I 'm gay and we 're not allowed to get married . ``

But David Wilson , who , along with his partner , Rob Compton , was a plaintiff in the original lawsuit that legalized same-sex marriage , was less optimistic .

`` It feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us , '' said Mr. Wilson , who has married Mr. Compton .

`` Maybe I 'll feel better tomorrow , but today I feel like I 've been shot . ``

Bea Martins , 63 , an opponent of same-sex marriage from Fall River , said she was `` very pleased '' by the vote .

As the initiative winds its way through the rest of the process , Ms. Martins said , `` my counsel is we continue praying to the dear Lord for justice to be done . '' .

Summary: Massachusetts Legislature votes to advance constitutional amendment defining marriage as union between man and woman .

Summary: Amendment now requires approval of at least 50 legislators in another vote in 2007-8 session for it to be placed on ballot as referendum .

Summary: If passed , amendment would not invalidate same-sex marriages that have taken place since becoming legal in 2004 , but would prevent future marriages .

Summary: Photo .


The Delaware River , which separates New Jersey and Pennsylvania , is putting distance between the Democratic governors of the two states , who are at a standoff over the financing and environmental implications of a plan to deepen the river for larger cargo ships and oil tankers .

After a yearlong impasse over the $ 300 million project , which requires approval and money from both states , Gov . Edward G . Rendell of Pennsylvania has halted the work of the Delaware River Port Authority , a bistate agency he heads that regulates activity along the river , blocking construction projects and increasing debt .

He warned at a recent news conference that `` our patience is running out . ''

But Gov . Jon S . Corzine of New Jersey said that officials in his state are not yet convinced that Pennsylvania 's recent promises to accept the bulk of the waste from the riverbed and cover any cost overruns would allay their concerns .

Moreover , Mr. Corzine , who has yet to offer a definitive position on the project , has expressed doubts about it from an environmental standpoint .

`` I understand his frustration , '' Mr. Corzine said in an interview .

`` We have people who are frustrated also about the environment , and I 'm certain with all the details , some of the conceptual ideas that have been framed , we 'll work through it . ``

The debate over the Delaware predates both governors , and for many of those who have followed it -- environmentalists and developers alike -- the stakes are high .

Backers say the proposal to deepen more than 100 miles of the river , from the mouth of Delaware Bay north to Philadelphia , to 45 feet from 40 feet , is critical to the revitalization of the Port of Philadelphia .

Critics contend the dredging could shake free contaminated sediments that could be absorbed by fish or make their way into the water supply .

`` It 's a giant waste of money that 's going to hurt the environment and waste taxpayers ' resources , `` said Jeff Tittel , executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club .

Mr. Tittel challenged Mr. Rendell 's contention that the dredging would make the Philadelphia port more competitive with other major East Coast ports .

`` The port will still be 100 miles from the ocean , '' Mr. Tittel pointed out , `` and will still not be competitive with Port of Newark , Norfolk , or even Halifax . ''

Governor Rendell continues to push for the project as a potential economic development engine .

He pointed to a similar , if more costly , dredging project effectively undertaken at the Port of New York in the last six years , asking in a recent interview , `` Why is it good enough in the north and not good enough in the south .

`` Meanwhile , his refusal to take action to reduce the interest rates on bonds issued by the Delaware River Port Authority has increased the agency 's debt by $ 7 million .

In addition to agreeing to handle waste and extra costs , Governor Rendell has also promised to appoint a committee to examine the environmental impact of the 10-year project .

But Governor Corzine dismissed these concessions , saying , `` It would be an overreading of that to say we 've come to an agreement . ``

Those who know both men and understand the dispute said that they are dismayed that the governors of neighboring states , both from the same political party , have been unable to have a meeting of the minds .

`` Hopefully , the two governors will sit down and resolve this , '' said State Senator Stephen M . Sweeney , a Democrat from Gloucester County in southern New Jersey and an opponent of the plan .

`` Honestly , I have n't heard anything about this in a year . ``

Mr. Rendell and Mr. Corzine , who have both played roles in the national Democratic Party , have enjoyed a cordial if not particularly deep friendship .

But their styles are as different as the environs of the well-heeled New Jersey suburb of Summit , where Mr. Corzine lived while he was chief executive at Goldman Sachs , and the rough-and-tumble , in-your-face attitude of South Philadelphia , in Mr. Rendell 's adopted hometown .

The garrulous Mr. Rendell , who will be 63 this week , is a former prosecutor and Philadelphia mayor who once instigated spectators to throw snowballs on the field at a pro football game .

The earnest Mr. Corzine , who just turned 60 , is a multimillionaire and former Wall Street trader who successfully tackled fiscal problems in his first year but sometimes struggled to get along with state legislative leaders from his own party .

Despite his frustration , Governor Rendell said the issue has not affected his friendship with Mr. Corzine , a relationship that he said dates to his successful 1991 campaign for mayor of Philadelphia , when Mr. Corzine , then a trader at Goldman Sachs , was a significant campaign contributor .

`` I think he 's a great , great , great public servant , `` said Mr. Rendell , a native New Yorker , who before becoming governor in 2003 served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee .

`` I believe that Governor Corzine has acted in good faith and does intend to resolve this . ''

Mr. Corzine , the former head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , declined to discuss how the dispute had affected his rapport with Mr. Rendell .

Indeed , he was reluctant to talk about the matter .

Days after Mr. Rendell 's acerbic comment that New Jersey officials are `` running out of excuses , '' Mr. Corzine would say only , `` I actually think it 's better for us to have private conversations about it . ``

Mr. Rendell said that he has tried to be accommodating with New Jersey officials , who over the past 14 months had asked to delay talks on the dredging project while political campaigns were going on in both states .

Also , Mr. Corzine was trying to work out the details of his first budget , which led to a seven-day shutdown in July of the state government .

He said that he and Mr. Corzine were scheduled to meet this month on the issue .

`` I do n't know what reason they 'll find now , `` Mr. Rendell said of the prospect of any future delays .

David P . Rebovich , director of the Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University , said the showdown has highlighted Mr. Rendell 's `` feisty , quick-witted , can-do style '' and the fact that Mr. Corzine is `` much more thoughtful and deliberative . ''

`` The impasse is n't doing either state much good , `` Professor Rebovich added .

Summary: New Jersey Gov Jon S Corzine and Pennsylvania Gov Edward G Rendell head for showdown over financing and environmental issues of plan to deepen Delaware River .

Summary: Corzine expresses concern that dredging could shake free contaminated sediment .

Summary: Says he is not convinced by Pennsylvania 's promises to accept bulk of waste from river and cover cost overruns .

Summary: Rendell sees project as critical to revitalization of Port of Philadelphia .

Summary: Photo .


Sale prices for Manhattan apartments fell in the last quarter of 2006 , while the pace of sales was reported to be strong and the backlog of unsold apartments fell , according to several market studies released yesterday by large real estate brokerage firms .

The new quarterly numbers led brokers and market analysts to conclude that the Manhattan real estate market -- with its legendary high prices -- appeared to have so far escaped the worst of the real estate market excesses , like large price cuts by developers , reported across the country .

`` It shows us that we hit the soft landing that a lot of people were hoping for , '' said Gregory J . Heym , an economist who prepared market studies for two brokerage firms , Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead Property .

The new figures were also reported in a series of competitive and sometimes contradictory studies .

One report , released by Prudential Douglas Elliman , reported a 5 percent decline in the average apartment sale price , compared with the previous quarter , while one by the Corcoran Group put the decline at 1.5 percent .

Both put the average sale price for all apartments at more than $ 1.2 million .

A third study by Mr. Heym showed that average apartment prices actually increased by 5 percent from the prior quarter .

But even this study showed weakness in the market .

It found that prices for co-ops , the older apartments that make up most of Manhattan 's residential real estate , declined by 5 percent , with these declines offset by increased sale prices for condominiums .

He said more than half the sales were in new luxury buildings that command premium prices .

Yet what heartened many market watchers was the market 's overall stability , and the rising sales , according to the Prudential report , in what is traditionally a weak quarter .

Average prices were higher last quarter than they were in the same quarter a year ago .

For all of 2006 , average prices were also higher than the previous year , which included the peak quarters of the recent real estate boom .

At the end of December , the Prudential report found that the backlog of unsold apartments had dropped to 5,934 from 7,623 , a decline of 22 percent and slightly below the inventory reported a year before , as apartments were sold and overpriced apartments were taken off the market .

At the same time , the Prudential report tracked 2,441 sales in the last quarter of 2006 , an increase of 15.5 percent from the prior quarter and a 55 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2005 .

Jonathan J . Miller , an appraiser and president of Miller Samuel Inc . , prepared the Prudential report .

He said some of the increase in sales might be exaggerated because of improved reporting by New York City , which last summer began providing sales information for previously undisclosed co-op sales .

But he said that the increase in reported sales was the largest he had seen in several years , especially in the fourth quarter when sales typically decline an average of 8 percent .

But he said that he believed the market was strengthening and that it was now `` just barely '' a buyer 's market , but one in which buyers were frustrated because sellers were not making significant concessions .

He found that the average discount from the final asking price for an apartment fell to 2.8 percent from 4 percent in the previous quarter .

Pamela Liebman , president of the Corcoran Group , said that sellers are now generally pricing their apartments realistically , and that with the economy strong and Wall Street bonuses high , `` the psychology of the market is very positive . ''

`` The big story here is the story that never happened , '' she said .

`` The story was supposed to be that prices would crash in 2006 , and a strong buyer 's market will emerge .

Buyers can certainly pick and choose , but those who think they are going to have a field day out there right now are mistaken . ``

Ms. Liebman said the fear of a price collapse caused by a construction boom has not been borne out so far , and the outlook remained good for this year .

She said several thousand planned condominiums have instead been turned into hotels and office buildings , as hotel profits and office rentals have risen .

The trends in the Manhattan real estate market have always been something of a puzzle , since the average and median prices tend to move up and down with the changing mix of large and small apartments and of apartments in old and new buildings .

In addition , the various market studies augment public records of sales with private databases compiled by brokers and appraisers of recent closings that have not yet been reported by the city .

New building sales also distort the data , since sales often close up to a year or more after they go to contract .

Ms. Liebman predicted that average sale prices would rise next year as contracts already signed at new expensive luxury buildings with multiple sales of more than $ 10 million , like 15 Central Park West and the Plaza on Fifth Avenue , are completed .

Several reports showed significant price increases in very large apartments with four or more bedrooms and in studios .

The reports generally showed the largest increases in very large apartments with four or more bedrooms , with declines in average prices for two-bedroom apartments , which still averaged above $ 1.5 million per apartment .

Overall , 2006 ended with an average price increase of 6 percent over the previous year 's sales , Mr. Miller said , while the median went up by 11 percent .

Mr. Heym , the economist at Halstead and Brown Harris Stevens , attributed the continued strength of the market to the local economy , which he said has produced more jobs last year than in any year since the 2000 boom , and that interest rates that have remained low .

Mr. Heym said , `` 2006 turned out to be a really good year , much better than people thought . '' .

Summary: Prudential Douglas Elliman reports 5 percent decline in average apartment sale price in last quarter .

Summary: Corcoran Group puts decline at 1.5 percent .

Summary: Both reports put average sale price for all apartments at more than $ 1.2 million .

Summary: Results of Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead Property study noted .


The dollar slumped yesterday and the euro climbed to a three-week high against the currency .

A steady slide in the value of the dollar since late 2005 , primarily against the euro and the British pound , has steepened over the last month amid indications that interest rates will rise in Europe , while the Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates this year .

At the same time , countries with large dollar holdings are showing a new willingness to dump the dollar in favor of the rising euro , though the current activity is seen as posing little long-term risk to the dollar .

Late last month , the United Arab Emirates became the latest country to shift more of its currency reserves away from the dollar , joining Russia , Switzerland , Venezuela and others .

Those moves coincide with ambiguous signals from China about possibly pulling back from the dollar , and recent word from Iran , the world 's fourth-largest oil producer , that it would prefer euros as payment for oil , which is typically priced in dollars .

But currency experts say that this turn away from the dollar is not likely to do any long-term damage to the currency 's value for a number of reasons .

First , the motives of central banks that are adding other currencies to their reserves do not appear to be driven by the belief that the euro will eventually supplant the dollar as the world 's key currency .

Rather , these central banks are doing what investors do to cut risk : diversifying their portfolios .

Moreover , the amount of currency moved so far has been relatively small in a global market that trades trillions of dollars a day -- only about $ 2 billion in the case of the United Arab Emirates , for example .

`` There is some indication that central banks are moving to diversify reserves , but it 's at a very slow pace , `` said David Powell , a currency analyst with IDEAglobal .

`` Is it the start of a massive shift out of the dollar .

I would say no . ``

Yesterday , the euro traded at $ 1.3272 , up from $ 1.3198 late Friday in New York .

The British pound was at $ 1.9721 , up from $ 1.9586.

The United States dollar index , a measure of the dollar 's strength against a basket of currencies , fell to 83.23 from 83.65 on Friday .

In February 2002 , the index was at 120 .

But trading was thinner than usual yesterday as financial markets were closed in the United States , as were markets in Tokyo and Singapore .

In 2006 , the euro appreciated more than 11 percent against the dollar , while the British pound rose nearly 14 percent against the dollar .

But the dollar is not likely to start flowing with great speed out of central banks because foreign countries risk devaluing their investments if they do so .

Even the slightest suggestion that a country is thinking about swapping dollars for euros risks sending the value of the dollar falling , and in turn hurts all foreign investors in American securities .

The case of China , which holds more Treasury securities than any other foreign nation except Japan , offers an example of why countries would be reluctant to dump their dollar reserves .

In October , the most recent month for which figures are available from the Treasury Department , China held $ 345 billion in Treasury securities .

That was up from $ 301 billion a year earlier .

Its currency holdings total $ 1 trillion .

About $ 700 billion of that , economists estimate , is in dollars .

So in many ways , it is in China 's best interest not to let the dollar 's value slip .

Heavy sales of the dollar could make it harder for the People 's Bank of China to manage its gradual appreciation of the yuan against the dollar .

Anything more abrupt , Beijing fears , would make Chinese goods less competitive in the United States and pose problems domestically for some of the loans from its state banks .

And if the dollar drops too much , the value of China 's holdings would decrease , limiting the lending ability of its banks .

Nonetheless , the rising euro is not something the United States or foreign investors can afford to ignore .

`` You have to start to thinking that the euro can be of some risk to the dollar , '' said Shaun Osbourne , chief currency strategist at TD Securities in Toronto .

`` Over the course of the next 5 or 10 years , I do n't think there 's any danger that the dollar 's pre-eminence is threatened .

But in the long run , there is certainly the risk that does happen . ``

One issue driving investors from the dollar is the possibility that interest rates in the United States and Europe may move farther apart .

Financial markets are currently expecting at least one interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve sometime next year .

That contrasts with predictions of further rate increases by the European Central Bank .

`` A lot of foreign investors think the Fed is going to cut rates in 2007 , and that 's a rather dollar-bearish thing , `` said Julia Coronado , senior economist with Barclays Capital .

Some economists predict the dollar will fall further in 2007 .

The euro finished 2006 at $ 1.31 , and some economists see it climbing near $ 1.40 -- a high in its seven-year history .

`` We believe that the dollar 's decline versus the euro has further to run , with $ 1.38 a possible destination for the pair over the next six months , `` said Tom Levinson , a foreign exchange strategist with ING Wholesale Banking in London .

Still , many economists are unwilling to predict that the dollar faces an inevitable demise .

`` The dollar is still the world 's No . 1 currency , and it 's going to stay that way , `` said Nigel Gault , chief United States economist for Global Insight .

`` The euro is gradually going to become more important , but I do n't see it becoming more important than the dollar . `` .

Summary: Steady slide in value of United States dollar since 2005 continues as Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates this year and currencies such as British pound and euro are rising .

Summary: United Arab Emirates joins Russia , Switzerland , Venezuela and other countries that have shifted reserves away from dollar or have hinted at similar plans .

Summary: Experts do not expect long-term damage to US currency 's value .

Summary: Graph .


College stinks .

Just ask Emily Watson , a sophomore at Dartmouth , who sprays her dorm room once a week and her clothes two to three times a week with fresheners , usually in citrus or other fruity flavors .

Ms. Watson did not grow up using air fresheners , but a Febreze commercial two years ago changed all that .

`` If you 're in a frat basement or something , you kind of stink afterwards , and you want to wear your jeans the next day , `` Ms. Watson said .

Younger customers like Ms. Watson are at the forefront of the boom in air fresheners , which have grown up since the first Air Wicks and Glade sprays hit the shelves two generations ago .

Glade 's first sprays in evergreen and blossom scents appeared in 1956 and were marketed to suburban families as a way to banish cooking and tobacco smells .

Since then , thousands of new products have made their debuts -- plug-ins , fragrance fans , diffusers , flashing light shows -- becoming pricier and fancier every year .

These days , air fresheners are selling to a wider range of customers , as companies pour more money into advertisements that show people of all ages , male and female , euphorically smelling their `` clean '' air .

Procter & Gamble introduced Febreze air products in 2004 , after sensing a growing market , and put its marketing heft behind them .

Sales across the industry have soared as a result , up 50 percent , or nearly $ 600 million since 2003 , according to Kline & Company , a market research firm in New Jersey .

Total sales are expected to reach $ 1.72 billion in the United States this year , the firm said .

`` P . & G . came from nowhere , '' said William Schmitz , a senior analyst with Deutsche Bank .

`` And they expanded the category . ''

Febreze has become popular with young people who go barhopping and come home with smelly sweaters , Mr. Schmitz said .

Indeed , Procter & Gamble sought such customers by creating offbeat Febreze ads featuring young 20-somethings -- men and women -- making air fresheners seem cool .

The company used much the same approach to marketing for its Swiffer cleaning products , with one of them appearing in the hands of Jessica Simpson on a Rolling Stone cover in 2003 .

One of the first Febreze air freshener products was designed to look like a CD player .

Febreze Scentstories , released in 2004 , features `` stop '' and `` play '' buttons and `` discs '' that radiate scents rather than music .

The disc titled `` Wandering Barefoot on the Shore '' features scents like `` splashing in the waves '' and `` sailing in the bay . ''

`` Teenage girls are very scent-involved , generally speaking , '' said John Paquin , executive vice president and global account director for Febreze at Grey Worldwide , a WPP Group agency .

`` You ca n't have enough scent with teenage girls . ``

Shoppers looking to brighten their air will find plenty of options .

More than 1,000 new fresheners hit the market last year , exceeding the number for 2005 and 2004 combined , according to the Productscan Online service of Datamonitor .

Companies that make air fresheners , like SC Johnson , maker of Glade .

Reckitt Benckiser , maker of Air Wick .

And Procter & Gamble say they are responding to consumer demand .

Scent , they say , has become more important to consumers .

`` Fragrance for some people is a natural expression of themselves , '' said Tammy Maier-Jones , category manager for Glade .

`` They want their friends to come over and say , ' That 's Linda 's scent , ` or ' Mary 's scent . '

`` SC Johnson spent only $ 31 million on Glade ads in 2003 , before Febreze .

It has since increased its spending by more than $ 30 million a year , bringing Glade to Febreze 's level , according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus , a unit of VNU .

`` There 's an explosion of activity in this segment , `` said Michelle Dauchy , category manager for Glade .

Febreze commercials now account for about 30 percent of air freshener commercials , and about 40 percent of the money spent buying TV air time in the category .

Procter & Gamble spent $ 58 million for Febreze commercials in the first nine months of 2006 , overshadowing Reckitt Benckiser 's $ 31 million and just above SC Johnson 's $ 55 million in that period , Monitor-Plus numbers show .

SC Johnson released a Glade product in August directly for tweens , or girls 8 to 12 years old , and teenage girls .

Its Scented Oil Light Show plugs into walls and beams bright colors and scents like Berry Burst , Watermelon Rush and Vanilla & Cream .

Glade commercials for the Light Show feature a teenage girl in a bathrobe complaining that her mother bought the freshener for her younger brother rather than for her .

The company developed a tween-focused Web site for the Light Show and ran a contest online for teenagers to win `` the ultimate slumber party '' with Vanessa Anne Hudgens , star of the Disney show `` High School Musical . ''

Ten pairs of best friends won the contest and hung out with Ms. Hudgens in Hollywood in November .

The Glade Create-a-Scent PlugIn , released in 2004 , also appeals to young shoppers .

Tweens have long made their own perfume potions , and the Glade product provides suggested combinations of its scents .

Air Wick introduced a new look for some of its fresheners last July with animated commercials , featuring elephant and octopus characters .

These new products tend to be pricey .

The Febreze `` players '' cost $ 27.49 and discs are $ 5.99 apiece .

The Glade Light Show costs $ 11.99.

But then teenagers today have more discretionary money than those of past generations , analysts said .

`` The teenager today is purchasing what prior generations have looked to buy when they became young career professionals , '' said Marshal Cohen , chief industry analyst at the NPD Group , a retail research company .

`` Younger consumers are much older today , in terms of what they 're buying . ``

Mothers and older consumers remain important to air freshener companies , and many advertisements continue to be directed at people with families .

About three-quarters of households bought air fresheners last year , according to an ACNielsen Homescan Consumer Facts report .

Ad executives said there had also been significant growth in the last few years among those traditional customers .

`` It used to be that home environment stopped at décor , and now scent is brought in as another dimension , '' said Tammy Anthony , executive director for client services in the Cincinnati office of Landor Associates , a WPP Group agency that works with Procter & Gamble on Febreze .

`` Today 's consumers crave experiences that touch all of their senses . ``

About 40 percent of people who buy air products started buying them in the last six years , according to a recent survey by MarketTools , a firm based in San Francisco that does consumer research for Procter & Gamble and other packaged goods companies .

About half of the people buying air scents said they were now putting them in more rooms than they used to .

The living room , kitchen , bathrooms and master bedroom are the most popular , but fresheners are also showing up in the oldest child 's room , the survey found .

Teenagers are sometimes encouraged to make their rooms smell better by their parents , but they are also seeking out the scents themselves .

About a third of teenagers with scented air in their rooms buy the fresheners themselves , a third ask their parents to buy them , and the other third said their parents put the freshener in , according to a survey by Weekly Reader Research , a research firm in Stamford , Conn . , that specializes in teenagers .

The survey , while not scientific , interviewed 1,500 teenagers online and found that two-thirds used air fresheners .

Of those , about a third said advertisements had convinced them their rooms could smell better .

Jessica Ray , a freshman at Williams College , said she liked having a dorm room scent that could be smelled all the way down her hallway .

She has been using an apple-cinnamon-scented Glade PlugIn , but in the spring , she says , she 'll switch to something flowery .

Her family in Virginia did not use fresheners when she was growing up , but Ms. Ray said she was likely to continue to buy them throughout her life .

Even specialty retailers are seeking young buyers .

Anne Taintor Inc . , a specialty retailer for women that uses vintage images and a playful sense of attitude in its products , has found that a lemon-gelatin-scented freshener sells well among college students .

`` Young people are more oriented towards the inside than the outside , '' said Christina White , the company 's senior vice president for marketing .

`` They 're in front of their computers .

They 're not taking long walks in the woods .

The idea of scent tended to be a personal thing , but younger people are seeing it in a much broader way .

They want to control everything around them in their own spaces . ``

It is not just teenage girls who are enjoying scented rooms .

Boys , too , are customers .

Unilever has had success selling its Axe line of body sprays aimed at young men in the last few years , and Weekly Reader Research found that about 60 percent of its male respondents used fresheners , just 10 percentage points fewer than the teenage girls surveyed .

Mohammad Usman , a freshman at Dartmouth , said that most of his friends of both sexes were scent savvy .

He showed up for college this fall with about a dozen fresheners he brought from home , he said .

He sprays them about once a week .

`` I go to the gym every day , and I come back and it always smells because my laundry bag is there , '' Mr. Usman said .

`` Tonight , I 'm throwing a movie night , so before I clean my room , I 'm going to spray some Febreze . ``

ADVERTISING .

Summary: Makers of air fresheners are responding to increased demand as scent becomes more important to consumers .

Summary: College students are fueling growth in new generation of air fresheners .

Summary: Companies such as Procter & Gamble , S C Johnson and Reckitt Benckiser have increased spending to capitalize on trend .

Summary: Older consumers remain important to air freshener makers as indicated by focused advertising in segment .

Summary: Photos .

Summary: Graphs .


Eugen David , a small-time farmer with a chipped tooth and muddy boots in this obscure wrinkle of Transylvania , is an unlikely man to attract the attention of movie stars and moguls .

But he counts Vanessa Redgrave , George Soros and Teddy Goldsmith among his backers in a land battle with a Canadian gold mining company .

The company , Gabriel Resources , owns the rights to mine the hills here and wants Mr. David , 41 , to leave his 50 acres of land so that the company can carve out what would be Europe 's largest open-pit gold mine .

Mr. David says he is n't budging .

`` We do n't want to move , `` he says , staring across at the brown-gray stain of Rosia Montana 's defunct gold mine , which would be swallowed by Gabriel Resource 's huge project .

In the old days , a pipsqueak like Mr. David would n't stand a chance fighting powerful and sophisticated adversaries like Gabriel Resources and its minority partner , the Romanian government .

But this is the Internet age , when local activists like Mr. David can tap into an increasingly well-oiled global network of non-governmental organizations for financial and political support on a long list of causes and emerge with almost as much clout as any corporation .

Mr. David 's stubbornness has struck a chord with the anti-globalization movement .

Gabriel Resources ' proposed open-pit , cyanide-leaching mining process has also drawn the ire of international environmentalists who are now trying to stop it .

They just might win .

Mining is one of the world 's most unpopular pursuits these days , particularly the gigantic gouging that leaves the earth pocked with moonscape-like craters a mile or more wide .

Gold mining is disdained even more because of the perceived frivolity of its end : to provide lucre for the rich , status for the everyman and hidden stores of wealth for nations .

But it also has a strong allure , particularly for resource-rich countries like Romania that are struggling to develop impoverished communities that need jobs .

The $ 3.7 billion project would plow more than $ 2 billion into the Romanian economy and could earn Gabriel Resources and its shareholders profits of $ 1 billion or more .

And the company involved here , a Toronto-based corporation with market capitalization of $ 1 billion , is run by savvy mining executives , many of them highly experienced from cutting their teeth building the Barrick Gold Corporation , the largest gold mining company in the world .

The allure is perhaps stronger in Romania because the country was created , in a way , by gold mining .

Early in the second century A.D. , Emperor Trajan extended Roman territory to include what is now Transylvania , in the western half of Romania , to mine Europe 's most important gold deposits .

The mines helped finance the expansion of the empire to its peak .

When the Romans abandoned the territory almost 200 years later , they left behind colonists who are the ancestors of Romanians today .

When the Romans left , the mining did not stop .

The eventual ruling dynasty , the Hapsburgs , and the Communists , who turned to open-pit mining , continued the process , though with dwindling efficiency .

The mine was finally shut in early 2006 .

Gabriel Resources was born in the breakup of the state-owned economy after Communism 's collapse when Romanian businessmen with little mining experience and suspected ties to the former secret police won a vast concession to exploit mineral deposits .

Mr. David and his neighbors realized six years ago that the company planned to expand the old mine and formed an association called Alburnus Maior -- Rosia Montana 's Roman name -- to try to stop the project .

They were engaged in an ineffective letter-writing campaign when the founders of Gabriel Resources moved the company 's listing from Vancouver , British Columbia , to the more respectable Toronto Stock Exchange .

Mr. David 's opposition might have withered had it not been for an ill-advised plan to build a Dracula theme park near the picturesque Romanian town of Sighisoara , once home to Vlad Dracula , the notorious Romanian ruler and inspiration for `` Dracula , '' the Bram Stoker novel .

Prince Charles of Britain , fond of Romania 's old Saxon villages , was outraged .

So was Teddy Goldsmith , the aging anti-globalist environmentalist and scion of a wealthy business family .

A Swiss-born environmental journalist named Stephanie Roth , who wrote for Mr. Goldsmith 's magazine , The Ecologist , moved to Romania to help defeat the project .

With such powerful forces aligned against it , the theme park for Sighisoara died .

While in Romania , Ms. Roth heard about the Gabriel Resources ' plan for Rosia Montana and went to meet Mr. David in April 2002 .

Within months , she had introduced him to some of the most powerful environmental organizations in the world .

`` When I came there was no computer , no Web site , '' Ms. Roth said .

`` I tried to empower the local organization . ''

Ms. Roth started by helping Mr. David 's group obtain a grant for a few hundred dollars from an American environmental organization , Global Greengrants Fund .

They organized a public hearing in Rosia Montana that drew 40 non-governmental organizations with Romanian operations , including Greenpeace , and catapulted Mr. David 's dispute onto the national stage .

Then Ms. Roth took to the road .

By the time Gabriel Resources ' founders turned the company over to more professional management in 2005 , the company had an international coalition of nongovernmental organizations arrayed against it .

But the mining industry does n't easily back down .

Hoping to extract an estimated 300 tons of gold and 1,200 tons of silver from the mine , Gabriel Resources introduced a public relations campaign with Madison Avenue-style television commercials and community sponsorships to win over 960 Rosia Montana families that it needed to relocate .

It cast itself as an economic savior .

It even countered a critical documentary with its own film , `` Mine Your Own Business . ''

Some efforts backfired .

Gabriel Resources helped sponsor the Transylvanian International Film Festival in nearby Cluj-Napoca .

But when its organizers invited Ms. Redgrave to receive a lifetime achievement award , Ms. Roth quickly put the actress and Mr. David together .

Ms. Redgrave 's acceptance speech became a rallying cry against Gabriel Resources ' project .

The anti-Gabriel Resources ' movement had its mascot and the European press began covering the story .

Word of the movement had by then reached the Open Society Institute of George Soros , which has been working for years for more accountability from Romanian public officials .

`` When guys in S.U.V. ' s with bags full of cash show up in a poor locality in Romania , they can really make the law there , '' said Radu Motoc , project director of the Open Society Foundation-Romania .

Nearly all members of Rosia Montana 's former and current council are either employed by Rosia Montana Gold , Gabriel 's local subsidiary , or have family members who are , according to the foundation .

The foundation , which has already given $ 35,000 to the cause , says it plans to spend as much as $ 240,000 next year fighting the project and helping Mr. David .

Because of the polarizing debate surrounding open-pit gold mining , it is hard to find an unbiased commentator to assess the risks and benefits of Gabriel Resources ' proposed mine .

A major focus of contention is the use of large quantities of highly toxic cyanide to separate gold and silver from the ore .

In 1999 , Aurul , a joint venture of the Australian mining company , Esmeralda Exploration , and a Romanian national company , Remin , began a leaching operation to recover gold from old tailings in Baia Mare , or Great Mine , roughly 80 miles north of Rosia Montana .

Like Gabriel Resources , the company promised a state-of-the-art , self-contained project that would not pose risks to the environment .

But less than a year later , the dam holding back a lake of cyanide-laced water burst , sending 100,000 cubic meters of contaminated water downstream to the Danube , killing more than 1,200 tons of fish in Hungary .

Gabriel Resources says it would build in safeguards that were missing at Baia Mare .

It has promised to convert most of the cyanide into a nontoxic compound before discharging it into the mine 's tailing pond .

It also promises to clean up pollution left by past mining operations and spend $ 70 million to do as much as possible to repair the altered landscape after its project is done .

`` Arsenic , cadmium , nickel , lead , '' said Catalin Hosu , a public relations official for Gabriel Resources , ticking off just a few of the heavy metals that leach from ancient mines to give this valley its name .

Rosia Montana means red mountain .

`` We help the biodiversity .

We help the environment , `` said Yani Roditis , Gabriel Resources ' chief operating officer .

That 's difficult for many people here to believe .

The new project will grind down several hills , leaving four deep pits in their place , and slowly fill an entire valley with wastewater and tailings that will take years to solidify .

Robert E . Moran , a mining expert hired by the opposition to evaluate the impact of Gabriel Resources ' plans , said that the mine , despite detoxification , would inevitably produce other toxic byproducts damaging to the environment , including heavy metals .

The controversy , meanwhile , has splintered the town , its buildings divided between those with signs that read , `` Property of Rosia Montana Gold Corp . '' and others that say , `` This Property Is Not For Sale . ''

`` I was born here , so why should I leave .

`` said Gabriela Jorka , 38 , who runs a small general store in Rosia Montana .

`` I 'd rather kill myself . ``

Eugen Bobar , 60 , the school principal , says that the dispute is pitting parents against children , husbands against wives .

But only about 40 percent of the families to be relocated remain , and Mr. Bobar predicts that most of them will leave .

`` Most of the people who talk about the environment are just making an excuse , '' Mr. Bobar said , sitting in the school 's office late one night .

`` They will leave for a good price . ''

Mr. David , however , insists there is a committed core of opponents who will not sell , whatever the offer .

In that case , Gabriel Resources warns , it may ask the state to step in and move people out by force .

But that could lead to years of legal wrangling .

The company has told its shareholders that it expects to receive final approval for the project from the Romanian government this year and will start producing gold by mid-2009 .

Gabriel Resources , which is based in Toronto , is , meanwhile , trying to win over the remaining holdouts .

It is sponsoring education for underprivileged children in Rosia Montana through a nongovernmental organization run by Leslie Hawke , the mother of the actor Ethan Hawke and a celebrity herself in Romania .

She supports the project .

`` It 's probably better that nothing happened , but the gold is there and if they do n't do it , somebody else will , `` Ms. Hawke said .

`` And I 'd rather that they do it than somebody else . `` .

Summary: Eugene David refuses to leave home in Romania where Gabriel Resources wants to build largest open-pit gold mine .

Summary: Gabriel owns rights to mine hills in area but not 50 acres of land David lives on .

Summary: David has taken fight to Internet , where he has gained support from celebrities , environmentalists and members of anti-globalization movement .

Summary: Company launches campaign to convince town of economic benefits and safety of proposed mine .

Summary: Photos .


Advisers to former Mayor Rudolph W . Giuliani said yesterday that someone infiltrated the Giuliani camp last fall and stole a document about his presidential prospects and political liabilities .

It was then leaked , they said , as a `` dirty trick '' to embarrass Mr. Giuliani and highlight such headaches as his controversial former aide , Bernard B . Kerik , and one of his ex-wives , Donna Hanover .

The Daily News was given the 140-page document recently by someone `` sympathetic to one of Giuliani 's rivals for the White House , `` The News said in an article published yesterday .

According to the article , the document proposes a $ 100 million fund-raising effort for 2007 , names an array of potential donors , and warns that Mr. Giuliani might face `` insurmountable '' problems , including questions about Mr. Kerik and Ms. Hanover .

Mr. Giuliani is expected to decide over the next few months whether to run for president , his advisers say , and he has already formed an exploratory committee to raise money .

A Giuliani spokeswoman , Sunny Mindel , said yesterday that the document belonged to a staff member and did not reflect official strategy , but `` simply someone 's ideas which were committed to paper over three months ago . ``

Ms. Mindel said the document was apparently stolen from a piece of luggage during a Giuliani political trip last fall , then photocopied and replaced in the luggage .

Ms. Mindel said she did not know if her office would seek a criminal investigation of the alleged theft .

The public disclosure of the document is potentially damaging for Mr. Giuliani , not least because since 9/11 , he has built a business as a private consultant on security issues while creating an image as a political leader capable of combating terrorism .

Indeed , an adviser to one of his possible rivals in 2008 , Senator John McCain of Arizona , half-joked yesterday that it was interesting that Mr. Giuliani 's businesses included security consulting .

`` I 'm surprised that something like that would ever leave the custody of a campaign , and that such raw and frank information would be around the countryside , `` said the McCain adviser , John Weaver .

`` That said , a lot of the information was predictable . ''

The document outlines a fund-raising effort to bring in at least $ 25 million by the end of March , and to spend more than $ 21 million this year .

The News said it included notations that named Mr. Giuliani 's chief fund-raiser , Anne Dickerson , and a senior political aide , Anthony Carbonetti .

Ms. Mindel would not say to whom the document belonged .

Among the sections that appear outdated are the prospective donor lists .

The document proposed New Jersey fund-raisers Lewis M . Eisenberg and Larry Bathgate , financier Henry R . Kravis , and FedEx executive Fred Smith .

The first three men were named last month as leaders of Mr. McCain 's fund-raising operation , and Mr. Smith is expected to join the roster shortly .

Assessing the document , which includes printed text , handwriting and spreadsheets , The News drew the conclusion that Mr. Giuliani appeared torn between seeking the White House and continuing his business endeavors , which include consulting on leadership and security issues , a law practice and an investment concern .

One page in the document , according to The News , says Mr. Giuliani might `` drop out '' of the race as a result of `` insurmountable '' personal and political concerns .

On that page was a list of bullet points that seem to highlight those concerns : Mr. Giuliani 's consulting practice .

His former police commissioner , Mr. Kerik , who has struggled with personal and professional controversies .

Ms. Hanover , with whom he had a stormy breakup .

His third and current wife , Judith Nathan Giuliani .

And `` social issues '' -- apparently a reference to his support for abortion rights , gay civil unions , and gun control , some or all of which are opposed by many Republican voters .

`` All will come out -- in worst light , '' the document stated .

`` $ 100 million against us on this stuff , `` it continued , apparently a reference to likely efforts by Giuliani opponents to draw public attention to his liabilities .

It also suggests that Mr. Giuliani would categorize and honor his donors with terms from baseball .

While President Bush referred to his best financial supporters as `` Rangers '' and `` Pioneers , '' Mr. Giuliani would call them `` Team Captains , '' `` MVPs , '' `` All-Stars , '' and `` Sluggers . ''

He would focus his fund-raising operations in New York , Washington , and California , the document indicates .

Ms. Mindel called the document `` very outdated , '' but at least some of the ideas reflect current strategy discussions in the Giuliani camp , according to Republican Party figures who are familiar with the discussions and who spoke to The New York Times recently on condition of anonymity .

Specifically , these Republicans say , Giuliani advisers believe that he is broadly popular enough to be able to raise money quickly for a presidential bid , and that he would need more than $ 100 million by the end of 2007 .

According to Giuliani advisers , the document was a notebook compiled by one staff member whose luggage was not immediately located after a private plane flight last fall .

They said it was not an official dossier that all Giuliani political aides shared .

`` Voters are sick and tired of dirty tricks , '' Ms. Mindel said .

Referring to the document , she added : `` It 's about as relevant today as a grocery list written in early October -- in pencil . `` .

Summary: Advisers to former New York City Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani say someone infiltrated Giuliani camp and stole document about his presidential prospects and political liabilities .

Summary: Daily News was given document recently , and reports it proposes $ 100 million 2007 fundraising effort , names potential donors , and cites other issues .

Summary: Giuliani is expected to decide whether to run for presidency in next few months .

Summary: Photo .