January 20, 1997

Yasir Arafat is engulfed by thousands of cheering Palestinians as he visits West Bank city of Hebron for first time in more than 30 years, where he proclaims city liberated and holds out olive branch to Israel and to 450 dejected Jewish settlers; visit caps breakthrough in dealings with Israeli Government, which concluded arrangements for withdrawal of troops from four-fifths of city and transfer of all major Palestinian population centers to Palestinian control; Arafat sends messsage of moderation and conciliation to Israelis; speaks of moving with Israel toward just and comprehensive peace; thanks Pres Clinton, Egyptian Pres Hosni Mubarak and King Hussein of Jordan; photos; maps (M)

Article discusses resurgence of village of West Hampton Dunes on South Shore of Long Island; building has overcome series of hurdles that included disastrous erosion control project and raging sea that tore beach in half four years ago, swampinig dozens of homes and disturbing nests and mating of piping plover, endangered shore bird; photo; map (M)

Rwanda Aid Workers Slain Apparently in a calculated attack, Hutu militiamen in Rwanda shot and killed three Spanish aid workers and wounded an American. Page A3. Golden Globe Awards Among the winners in Hollywood: Madonna, for her performance in ''Evita,'' and, on television, two series about aliens. Page C15. Big Credit Card Deal Seen Banc One is expected to announce that it has reached an agreement to buy First USA, a credit card company, for about $7 billion. Page D2.

Kansas defeats Connecticut, 73-65, in college basketball; photo (M)

Finland, most wired nation in the world, is microcosm of an electronic future; Finns use Internet to chat and do academic research; they use 'electronic wallets' and cash systems to order postage stamps, pick lottery tickets, bank, play roulette in electronic arcade, shop for groceries, read newspapers and attend courses given hundreds of miles away; there are 62 Internet host computers for each 1,000 Finns, twice the proportion in US; in fact, Finland and four other Nordic countries are among top 15 in having proportionately most Internet-connected computers; market researcher in Finland explains that because Finland is so small, homogenous and has high level of education, Internet use has become part of democratic access in society to government and institutions; others half-jokingly attribute high Internet use in Finland to country's long winter nights; maps; chart (M)