October 24, 2003

MARDA WHITE TODD'S 1965 Austin Healey, originally owned by her parents, is no ordinary heirloom. It is a connection to her father, who died before she was born. Page 8.

Hong Kong's monthly average price drop was 0.3 percent for July through September, in contrast to 0.6 percent from June through August; consumer prices were 3.2 percent lower in September than year earlier (S)

Jeremy Eichler Critic's Notebook column on ways in which lives and works of composer Arnold Schoenberg and painter Wassily Kandinsky became intertwined in light of new exhibition, Schoenberg, Kandinsky and the Blue Rider, at Jewish Museum; photos (M)

New Zealand regulators reject

Royal Dutch/Shell Group reports third-quarter earnings that miss analysts' estimates; net income was $2.7 billion, 1 percent rise from year earlier and substantially below analysts' estimates of $3 billion to $3.3 billion; revenue increased 10 percent, to $49.5 billion in quarter (M)

European Court of First Instance says British-Dutch food group Unilever is restricting competition in fiercely contested market for ice cream bars in Ireland; Unilever appealed to court in 1998, when European Commission outlawed company's policy of providing freezers to retailers on condition that they not be used to stock rival ice cream; HB Ice Cream, division of Unilever that was later renamed Van den Bergh Foods, imposed exclusivity condition in 1989, just as American candy maker Mars began selling ice cream based on its namesake chocolate bar in Ireland; smaller retailers in Ireland who did not have space for two freezer cabinets were stocking their Mars ice creams in Unilever freezers, practice Unilever wanted to stop; Unilever plays down significance of ruling by saying it applies only to Irish market; notes ruling does not require retailers in Ireland to stock their Unilever freezers with rival products (M)

Microsoft Reports Gains In Revenue and Profits Strong demand in the consumer market for personal computers helped Microsoft report solid quarterly gains in sales and profits, which slightly surpassed Wall Street's expectations. Microsoft also expects revenue and earnings for the current quarter to be somewhat higher than the consensus estimates of securities analysts. [Page C6.]

George Vecsey Sports of The Times column contends that New York Yankees' performance in this year's World Series has been one of team's weakest; Florida Marlins lead series, 3-2 (M)

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines earned 90 million euros ($106 million) in second quarter ended Sept 30, compared with earnings of 86 million euros year earlier; operating profit fell 7.1 percent, to 131 million euros (S)

Michael Sweeney, New York City emergency medical technician called to shooting of Gidone Busch in Brooklyn, testifies that police told him everyone was OK at scene shortly before he noticed Busch dying on sidewalk; Shimon Charach, volunteer paramedic, testifies that police refused to let him close to Busch; Lazar Eichenstein, witness for city and police officers in civil lawsuit brought by Busch's family, says police appeared afraid, but adds that Busch was not moving towards police when they shot him (M)

World Business

Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are competing for passengers; Southwest and JetBlue, nation's most profitable airlines, operate out of Oakland, not San Francisco; Oakland's airport has lower fees and better weather, and population is growing faster on east side of bay; influx of low-cost air service has meant that number of passengers has been rising even as it has dropped at San Francisco; San Francisco is fighting back, driving hard to woo airlines, especially low-cost carriers; Mayor Willie Brown is courting airline executives, and airport is cutting landing fees by half on new routes; efforts seem to be paying off, for American Trans Air is starting its first transcontinental service--nonstop flights between San Francisco and New York area--on Oct 26, and couple of other low-cost airlines also plan to fly new cross-country routes within months; graph; photos (M)