October 20, 1981

Videotape recording of copyrighted television programs, even if done at home only for private use, is an infringement of the rights of those who own the programs, a Federal appellate court in San Francisco ruled yesterday. As a result, the court indicated, the millions of consumers who use videotape machines to record programs off their living room television screens could be sued for damages, along with the companies that manufacture or distribute such devices, the stores that sell them and the advertising agencies that encourage their purchase. The appeals court ruling, if not reversed, could undermine what has been one of the most rapidly expanding segments of consumer electronics. An estimated 4 percent of American homes with color television sets now have videotape recorders.

In Jerusalem, prayer can be an incendiary act A2 Solidarity reacts mildly to Polish party's tougher line A3 Brezhnev voices satisfaction over new Polish party leader A3 Iran chooses a U.S.-trained doctor to be the next Prime Minister A3 U.S. plans to send aid teams to scout the third world A4 Around the World A5 Excerpts from President Rea- gan's remarks at Yorktown A6 Sudan says U.S. military aid package is insufficient A8 Government/Politics Staff director resigns from Senate intelligence panel A15 Case of accomplice in murder case faces review A18 Supreme Court Roundup A19 Environmentalists present petitions on Watt ouster A20 St. Louis seeks to weather onslaught of U.S. cutbacks A22 Baker denies ''final'' G.O.P. accord on new budget cuts A23 Trial on bribery charges in L.I. sewer project nears end B2 Washington Talk Briefing A16 A hard-driving investigator's role in Congress A16 Curator ponders connection between politics and art A16 Update A16 Energy New York Power Authority seeks hydroelectric-credit cut B14 PARKING REGULATIONS Because of the Jewish holidays of Shemini Atzereth and Simhath Torah, alternate-side parking is suspended in New York City today and tomorrow. All other rules remain in effect. ScienceTimes Earth's ozone layer being studied by satellite C1 Education: accessiblility of U.S. colleges C1 Virus that fights blight means hope for the chestnut tree C1 Science Watch C2 Satellite aided in first shuttle flight C3 Doctor's world: drinking and driving don't mix C4 Science Q&A C4 About education: a question of leadership C6 General Even the British are cheery at Yorktown celebration A7 Around the Nation A15 Hinckley's paper seized by guards at Butner institution A19 Increased police protection announced for cabdrivers B3 Arts/Entertainment O'Neill birthday party at Circle in the Square C9 Disney is rereleasing a remade ''Watcher in the Woods'' C9 Two books about the Greeks are reviewed C11 ''Mass Appeal'' and ''Einstein'' complete cast changes C12 ''Grace'' by Jane Stanton Hitchcock at American Place C12 ''Becoming a Man,'' about youths growing up, on CBS-TV C13 Style Notes on Fashion C7 Paris: Clothes for real people C7 Adopting through the classifieds C7 Obituaries Richard J. Roth, spokesman for State Senate Republicans D31 Dr. A. B. Reese, specialist in children's eye diseases D31 Sports Jackson's Series role uncertain A25 Dusty Rhodes recalls glory days A25 Mets due to name Bamberger manager today A25 Red Smith on the last roar in Montreal A27 Judge refuses to reopen Raider betting case A29 Features/Notes Man in the News: Andreas Papandreou, Greek victor A11 Sports People A28 Notes on People C8 News Analysis Clyde Haberman on Koch's speech to Democratic leaders B1 Jonathan Fuerbringer examines economic policy D27 Editorials/Letters/Op-Ed Editorials A30 Very well, tax sin some more Who lost what in Greece Classic The art of kicking the poor Letters A30 Sydney H. Schanberg: wheat, chaff and PCB's A31 Tom Wicker: an economic catch- 22 A31 Michael Novak: words aren't rights A31 Rene Dubos: creating farmland through science A31

The recession is likely to push the jobless rate over 8 percent this winter, an Administration economist said. A recovery beginning in the first quarter of 1982 is hoped for. (Page A1.) President Reagan's surprise acknowledgement of a ''slight recession'' isn't likely to produce new policy initiatives, economists agree. (Page D27.) Videotape recording of TV shows, even for private use, can infringe copyrights, a Federal court ruled. It indicated damages could be sought from consumers who use videotape machines, from the companies that make or distribute them, from the stores that sell them and from the ad agencies that promote them. (A1.)

President Hosni Mubarak said today that a ''limited net'' of ''fanatic'' plotters were involved in the assassination of President Anwar el-Sadat 13 days ago and that a recent wave of arrests was rooting them out. Mr. Mubarak said that Lieut. Khaled Ahmed Shawki al-Istanbuli, the leader of the assassins, was linked to Aboud el-Zoumr, a Moslem fundamentalist who belongs to a violent sect called Takfir Wahigra. Mr. Zoumr and a cousin, Tarek el-Zoumr, were captured last week in a gunfight near the pyramids. In his first interview since becoming President last Wednesday, Mr. Mubarak was asked what the link was. He said: ''Ah, it is one net. It is one net.'' At another point, he said the assassins were part of ''a net, but it is limited.''

Mayor Koch and his observations on race relations provoked controversy again, this time over the weekend in Baltimore, where Democratic Party leaders gathered to search their souls as part of a newly formed National Strategy Council. School busing and quotas have not worked and perhaps have even aggravated racial tensions, the Mayor said. As it has before, that comment touched off a heated exchange between the Mayor and his old friend and nemesis, Representative Charles B. Rangel of Manhattan. Of all the disputes that have arisen during Mr. Koch's four years at City Hall, none has been as enduring as the matter of his sensitivity or insensitivity to racial minorities. But overshadowed in Baltimore was the fact that the Mayor had come forth with a thorough assault on virtually every major Democratic initiative of the last two decades.