December 9, 1999

The mayor's policy has given ammunition to critics who call him mean-spirited and has put his Senate campaign on the defensive. Page B5.

French court rules that Seita, maker of Gauloise and Gitane brand of cigarettes, is partly responsible for death of Richard Gourlain, three-pack-a-day smoker who died of lung cancer earlier in the year; decision is first time that a tobacco company has been held liable in health liability case in France; court, in reaching complicated formula for responsibility, also said that Gourlain was to blame for his illness; held Seita was respopnsible for years that Gourlain smoked when he was teenager and partly responsible for years he smoked as an adult before company put health warnings on cigarette packs in 1976; Seita to appeal ruling (M)

Peter H Lewis State of the Art column offers do-it-yourself guide to copying on compact discs vintage long-playing vinyl phonograph records; methods require either CD recorder that attaches to stereo system or computer equipped with sound card, special software and CD-R or CD-RW recorder; diagram of analog and digital signals; drawing; table of useful Web sites (M)

General Motors Corp is off to an unepectedly smooth start in its ambitious effort to corner China's car market and expects to sell about 20,000 Buicks this year , double its projection and those of outside analysts; production at GM's Shanghai plant discussed; Shangahi GM is joint venture with China's largest sedan maker, Shanghai Automotive Industry Group; Philip Murtaugh, executive vice president of Shanghai GM, says before GM came to Shanghai, cars produced in China were 'horrible' (M)

Nortel Networks Corp reportedly is nearing deal to acquire Qtera Corp, Boca Raton, Fla, firm underwriten by venture capitalists, for $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion in stock; Qtera is developing next generation of optical communications technology (M)