February 3, 1993

NEW YORK CITY COLD FAILS TO DRIVE HOMELESS TO SHELTERS Even on a brutal, wind-whipped early morning -- the coldest in three years -- many of New York City's homeless choose to avoid the city's shelter system. And police officials reported that at least one apparently homeless man died after falling asleep with a cigarette in his mouth that set his clothes on fire. A1. HOMELESS MAN IS ORDERED RELEASED The homeless man who residents of the Upper West Side accuse of terrorizing them and their neighborhood was ordered released from a state mental hospital on the ground that he was not mentally ill and only had what a judge described as an "attitude problem." B3.

Iraq Is Behaving, U.S. Says The Pentagon said the Iraqis had "changed their behavior" and halted their harassment of American planes in the north and south. Page A5. Russia Barters in Weapons Weapons sales are helping ex-Soviet republics stay afloat, but the exports are deepening Western concern about buildups in China and Iran. Page A6. A Victory for Labor The President revoked two orders, issued by the Bush Administration, that had been a particular target of organized labor. Page A17. Clinton and the Bishops The nation's Roman Catholic bishops are trying to co-exist with a President whose stance on abortion is very different from their own. Page A14. No Smoke, No Fire The White House smoking ban, unlike some other decisions by the new Administration, has hardly drawn a whimper of criticism. Page C6. Post-News Battle Escalates The Daily News lured more editors and writers from The New York Post and The Post responded with a lawsuit to try to halt the exodus. Page B1.

The same people who raised their eyebrows at the suggestion that Hillary Rodham Clinton knew how to bake cookies would be equally astonished to learn how closely she supervised the preparations of the first official dinner at the White House Sunday night, which honored the nation's governors. From the choice of tablecloths and china to the arrangement of the floral centerpieces and the menu selection, Mrs. Clinton offered suggestions and made changes, putting her stamp on the proceedings. And she said she loved every minute of it.

The Economy The main index for predicting the economy soared 1.9 percent in December, and sales of new homes climbed 6.3 percent, indicating that the economy is expanding solidly and seems poised to continue growing despite lags in some areas. [ Page A1. ] President Clinton told governors and members of Congress that he wants $31 billion in new spending on jobs and on tax breaks for business this year to stimulate the economy. [ A1. ]

THE door swings open and three middle-aged women enter, clustered together as if sent by parcel post. One clutches theater tickets in her hand. Surveying the packed tables at Sam's, the ultimate theater insider's restaurant, she gets the first crease of anxiety between her eyes. "Uhmmm, we don't have a reservation," she tells the maitre d', who looks back, deadpan.