August 3, 2003

Gretchen Morgenson column criticizes fees charged to investors in mutual funds that are closed for marketing intended to attract more investors; notes Standard & Poor's study that found 139 stock, bond and money market funds closed to new investors that charge such fees; graph (M)

Government officials and legal scholars express concern about US courts hearing lawsuits over human rights violations beyond country's borders, and Bush administration complains that trend is hampering fight against terrorism by making it more difficult for US to secure cooperation of foreign governments; critics say US courts have become magnate for international litigation, but are not institutionally equipped to conduct foreign relations; administration's stand is consistent with its opposition to foreign and international courts that might hear cases alleging human rights violations by Americans, and suits in American courts do seem to have encouraged lawsuits against US in foreign courts (M)

Cushman & Wakefield report shows rents for commercial space on Long Island are beginning to rise as vacancy rate decreases slightly (M);

Jane Gross article on her mother's death at Hebrew Home for Aged in Riverdale, NY, after refusing to eat or drink; says that while her last three days were peaceful, she seemed to suffer terribly during preceding week; discusses difficulty of setting right dosage for painkillers, especially with nursing homes facing possible state sanctions or legal liability for dispensing morphine too readily; photos (M)

Marketing of fast food, snacks and beverages to children, once confined to Saturday-morning television, has intensified and spread to Nickelodeon, movies, video games, Internet and even school; companies view this advertising and associated tie-ins as harmless, but they are under attack in court, legislatures and school boards; some of fiercest critics call for outright ban on all food advertising aimed at children, who represent huge market, both in what them spend on their own and how their influence their parents' spending; television remains most powerful medium for selling to children, and some critics say that children often cannot differentiate programs from commercials and that food companies and producers of children's shows have helped blur line by creating characters that leap back and forth from pitchmen to program characters; drawing; photos (L)