October 1, 1993

Three days after a strike stopped its presses, Rupert Murdoch's New York Post roared back to life last night, with a new issue of the paper on New York streets and a new victory against newspaper unions on Mr. Murdoch's resume. With the cooperation of the leaders of The Post's production unions, whose members had spontaneously supported the striking employees of the New York Newspaper Guild on Monday, Mr. Murdoch managed to isolate the striking union and demonstrate his dominance over the others. Through the day, the production union leaders walked many of their members through the picket lines as the strikers yelled picket-line epithets like "scab" and "traitor."

Prudential Securities has agreed to pay about $371 million to settle Federal and state charges of securities law violations stemming from its sales of money-losing limited partnerships during the 1980's, people with knowledge of the talks said yesterday. Under terms of the deal with regulators, reached after almost a year of negotiations, Prudential would pay about $345 million to settle Federal charges, and about $26 million for state charges.

For Sale: U.S. Highways The top highway official proposed that businesses operate parts of the interstate system, charging tolls to repair roads and bridges. Page A12. Nervous Health Insurers Providers of health insurance, already in precarious financial shape, say the Clinton health plan would accelerate their demise. Page A22. Clean Needles and AIDS A Federal report finds that giving clean needles to addicts helps prevent the spread of AIDS, and it encourages more such programs. Page A21. Closing the Texas Border With hundreds of United States agents on the Texas-Mexico border, illegal immigrants are being prevented from entering the U.S. Page A3. New Term at the Court The docket for the Supreme Court term that begins Monday is heavy with unfinished business, particularly in civil rights. Law, page B9.

Perhaps the clearest indicator of the change and uncertainty at Apple Computer Inc. lately is the way Bill Fernandez, the software engineer who became the company's first employee in 1976, spends his time these days. He reads the Help Wanted ads in the newspaper. Mr. Fernandez is among the 2,500 people Apple has laid off since July, when the company reported a $188.3 million third-quarter loss and announced a reorganization intended to reverse its plummeting value in the stock market.

Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr., the one-time liberal Republican who built a career out of going his own way, announced today that he would not seek re-election to a second term. Mr. Weicker, who is 62 and has more than 15 months left in office, said he wanted more time with his family, less intrusion by the demands of campaigning, and, perhaps, a job in private industry. He avoided the word "retirement" and vowed a vigorous final year in office.