April 28, 1992

The New York Times today introduces its first foreign-language edition, a biweekly paper in Russian called The New York Times News in Review. Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The Times, announced arrangements for the publication yesterday at a news conference at The Times. It is a joint venture with The Moscow News, a weekly paper that emerged in the mid-1980's as one of Russia's first independent journalistic voices.

After years of mounting concern over faltering academic standards, the City University of New York yesterday signaled its sharpest change of direction since its open admissions policy in 1970 by approving a broad plan to tighten educational requirements over the next decade. The trustees of the nation's largest urban university, while reaffirming its commitment to accepting all New York City high school graduates without regard to their academic standing, voted unanimously to demand tough new curriculum standards that would place a heavy onus on the city's public high schools and their students, who make up the bulk of the student body.

Perot Target: New York The Perot Presidential campaign targeted New York for an intense ballot drive, and Albany came closer to election-law changes that could make his bid easier. Pages B1 and B2. Fraud at House Bank Alleged A special counsel said he might have proof of a "check-kiting scheme" at the House bank. Page A15. Afghan Cease-Fire Fails A cease-fire did not bring an end to the violence among rebel factions in Afghanistan's capital. Page A10. Bonn Foreign Minister Quits After 18 years in office, Hans-Dietrich Genscher is stepping down, but not out of politics. Page A3.

Edward S. Finkelstein, the last of the merchants who presided over the golden age of department stores only to see his chain wind up in bankruptcy court, resigned abruptly yesterday as chairman and chief executive of R. H. Macy & Company. The end of his 43-year tenure at the company closed a sad and calamitous chapter in the story of the 134-year-old retailer.

IT can happen in the back seat of an automobile or in the first class cabin of a trans-Atlantic flight. Wherever it strikes, an estimated 90 percent of American adults at some point in their lives meet that bane of travel: motion sickness. For the 10 million to 15 million adults who encounter it regularly when they travel, dream vacations turn into nightmares. And the syndrome's debilitating symptoms are a constant threat to pilots, Navy crews and astronauts.