December 17, 1996

The New York Blood Center, which supplies about 80 percent of the blood used in New York City hospitals, agreed yesterday to overhaul its laboratory and record-keeping procedures to reduce the risk of having tainted blood reach a patient. Under a consent decree, the center agreed to procedural changes that included stricter monitoring of blood testing and more training for employees.

Decision on whether to build minor league baseball stadium in park alongside Passaic River may be made by Newark voters in referendum to be held in mid-March (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

With Boeing Co about to acquire McDonnell Douglas Corp, its business interests around the world will have even larger impact on broad range of policies; while officials in Washington say they welcome the merger, they also acknowledge that deal will intensify difficulties for American foreign policy that Boeing's operations often raise, such as aircraft maker's protests over European subsidies for Airbus Industrie, and ever increasing demands from China for advanced technology aircraft; senior State Department official says question is whether what's good for Boeing is good for America's interests around the world; because Boeing now stands alone in US aircraft industry, it will be viewed by Governments worldwide as a commercial extension of the Government; chart on weapons produced by leading military manufacturers (L)

Article discusses failed attempt by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers to charge Girl Scouts a royalty fee for use of songs around campfire; Girl Scouts' National Director Mary Rose Main and Ascap president Marilyn Bergman comment; photo (M)

Legal defense fund established for Pres Clinton and wife to help pay Whitewater legal bills returns or rejects more than $639,000 in questionable donations after private investigators are unable to verify sources of money; contributions were raised by Arkansas businessman, Charles Yah Lin Trie, who was appointed to Presidential commission on Asian trade after delivering first $460,000 to Michael Cardozo, executive director of defense fund; Cardozo comments (M)