July 31, 2001

Pres Bush's advisers, reacting to foreign criticisms of his opposition to some longstanding international treaties and protocols, deny he is unilateralist or isolationist, or that administration has blanket disdain for group action as way of conducting world affairs; say administration is pursuing policy of evaluating international agreements and meetings on case-by-case basis, and that treaties will be adopted when they clearly carve American interests in stone; Bush, by knocking off several high-profile treaties on arms control and environment, has been subjected to outrage from some of America's closest friends as well as adversaries, who see adoption of finger-in-the-eye confrontation in place of diplomacy; administration's opposition to several international agreements discussed; some accords it supports noted (M)

Sappi Ltd reports fiscal third-quarter net income, before one-time loss, fell 41 percent, to $55 million, down from year-earlier $95 million (S)

Wall Street investment bankers that had been preparing pitches to underwrite AT&T's initial public offering of its cable business, AT&T Broadband, have been fiercely jockeying for position since Comcast made hostile bid for unit; are now vying for smaller, but still lucrative advisory fees for deal; Comcast acted pre-emptively, hiring cadre of top banks and bankers to advise it; table of banks aligned with players interested in AT&T unit (M)

Final Fuel Economy Report Less Optimistic Than Draft As the House prepares to debate how much the fuel economy of new vehicles should be improved, a federal panel produced a carefully hedged report saying that considerable gains were possible but might pose safety risks. The final report is less optimistic about the opportunities for improving fuel economy than a draft report that the panel sent to nine outside reviewers three weeks ago. [Page C4.]

Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Conn, mounts exhibit, The American Artist in Connecticut, created by artists who lived and worked in state from 18th to early 20th centuries; photo; Universal Ballet of Korea will present works in five-day engagement at New York State Theater; Tony Bennett and K D Lang will sing together in concert at PNC Bank Arts Center; photo; New Jersey Performing Arts Center is recipient of $15 million in new gifts to secure its financial future (M)