April 24, 2004

General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are among nearly dozen automobile makers and roughly 40 financial institutions that have decided that financial risks of leasing cars in New York State are too high; reason is 1924 law that holds owners of vehicles responsible for accidents, even if car is not in their possession; law has been invoked in increasing number of lawsuits against carmakers whose leased vehicles are involved in accidents; automotive industry has implored lawmakers to amend or repeal law; trial lawyers say problem is not law, but automakers exaggeration of risks they face (M)

John Kerry says he does not remember attending 1971 meeting of Vietnam Veterans Against War where assassination of senators was discussed; says he knew nothing of attempts by his campaign to tinker with past and that he disapproves; is accentuating his five months in combat in Vietnam, but he rarely emphasizes his two years working against war; recently appeared on Meet the Press and disavowed his own remarks on program in April 1971, when he said he and thousands of other soldiers had committed atrocities; photos (M)

Richard Desmond, owner of London's Daily Express, does a signature Nazi goose step during meeting with executives from Daily Telegraph, apparently angered by German publisher Axel Springer Verlag's interest in buying Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph; puts two fingers under his nose in imitation of Adolf Hitler's mustache and urges his executives to sing prewar German national anthem; stunned Telegraph executives pack up their papers in retreat; Desmond photo (M)

World Bank Meeting Plans To Focus on Poverty With the global economic outlook improving, the top economists at the World Bank said the focus of their annual meetings this weekend would be further reducing poverty. They will try to persuade wealthy nations to drastically increase their aid to developing nations and bolster programs to halt the spread of AIDS and improve education in poor countries. Officials of the bank, who are meeting at the same time as officials of the International Monetary Fund, will also wrestle with the Bush administration's desire to see the World Bank and other United Nations affiliates do more to smooth Iraq's transition to a sovereign government. [Page C2.]

Harvey Araton Sports of The Times column contends that former Arizona Cardinals player Pat Tillman, who died in combat while fighting with Army Rangers in Afghanistan, was rare star athlete who shunned media attention in order to concentrate on what was important to him, which was service, patriotism and honor; Tillman turned down multimillion-dollar contract to join Army Rangers after Sept 11 terrorist attacks and refused to draw attention to himself when media spotlight centered on his story; photo (M)