February 1, 1997

Jury in civil suit against O J Simpson is ordered to begin deliberations anew on his responsibility for two murders, after one juror is dismissed for not disclosing that her daughter works for Los Angeles prosecutor's office; only black woman on panel is replaced by Asian-American man, chosen by lot from four remaining alternates; court is informed of connection by prosecutor's office; court is also investigating reports that Brenda Moran, juror in criminal trial, contacted some members of civil panel about possible media contracts; Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki denies both plaintiffs' request for sequestration and defense motion for dismissal; photo; Orange County judge refuses plea to return two Simpson children to grandparents; father has won custody (S)

Presidential task force that includes representatives of labor unions, human rights groups and major companies has agreed on child-labor and anti-harassment policies for apparel factories in US and overseas, but is divided over standards for wages and hours; panel, which includes companies like Liz Claiborne, L L Bean and Nike, hopes that voluntary standards will be embraced by entire American apparel industry, with push from Pres Clinton; companies say plants should not be considered sweatshops if they pay miniumum or prevailing local wage; unions and rights group say workers should earn enough to meet basic needs, and should have work week of no more than 48 hours; task force, which agrees on not employing children under 15, also weighs monitoring system; map showing hourly wages around world (M)

US economy grew by strong 4.7 percent in last quarter of 1996, powered by surge in exports; graph; Wall Street reacts calmly; Commerce Department reports real GNP advanced 2.5 percent for year as current expansion approaches 6th anniversary; inflation by one important measure, implicit price deflator, rose just 1.4 percent in final 1996 quarter, skimpiest rise since 1967 (M)

Snowmobiling has become major boon for state of Maine, pumping estimated $226 million into economy last year, more than twice as much as ski slopes; onetime local pastime draws more affluent 'flatlanders' from lower New England, who spend thousands of dollars on equipment and accessories; towns in return have invested large sums in huge snow-grooming machines to smooth trails, such as those going all around huge Moosehead Lake; photos; map; snowmobiling is $4-billion industry in US (M)

Albania, poorest country in Europe, is sorting out devastating consequences of flim-flam schemes that have cost tens of thousands of desperately poor people their tiny savings; pyramid schemes have flourished in former Communist countries, but especially in Albania, which was shut off from world for years by harsh dictatorship; schemes there have taken in almost $1 billion, about three times the national budget deficit, and touched almost every family; their prolonged success and ability to deliver on fantastic promises to initial investors encouraged even the cautious to take risks; victims in Fushe-Kruja discuss personal disasters; photo; map; chart explaining schemes; Pres Sali Berisha has promised to restore some of monies, but longevity of schemes, and Government's failure to heed warnings, raise suspicions of complicity (L)