March 3, 1997

Warm winter, while being good for crocuses, has also been kind to flea beetle and corn borer, which could spell trouble for New Jersey farmers (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Successful cloning of a lamb by Dr Ian Wilmut and colleagues at Britain's Roslin Institute follows decades of scattered success and frustration on part of researchers dating from 1938, when cloning was first envisioned by Hans Spemann, German embryologist who proposed 'fantastical experiment' involving taking nucleus from cell of late-stage embryo and transplanting it into egg; Wilmut and colleagues say true object of years of labor was to find better ways of altering genetic makeup of farm animals to make them more healthy and efficient and better able to serve humanity, which shows how needs and goals of basic science are increasingly driven by and entwined with those of business; Wilmut's works and other failed or partially successful experiments since research with frog embryos in 1952 described; diagrams; photos (L)

Mounty Laurel, NJ, township is considering proposal to build rental housing for low-income families more than two decades after the filing of a lawsuit against zoning that had effect of excluding blacks and poor people; map (M)

Storms Kill at Least 35 At least 35 people in eight states were killed this weekend by tornadoes and floods. Most of the devastation was in Arkansas. Page A10. Companies Bid for Trash New York City will begin exporting some of its trash in July, and officials say bids for the program are lower than expected. Page B3.trash

Albanian Government imposes nationwide state of emergency as anarchy spreads in wake of officially sanctioned pyramid schemes in which hundreds of thousands of people lost their life savings; southern half of country spirals out of control as enraged protestors ransack military warehouses, burn buildings and loot banks and stores in city of Sarande; at least four people are reported killed in gunfire in other areas; Pres Sali Berisha warns iron hand will be used to end violence; Government, faced with police force that has deserted most of posts and disaffected army that has abandoned barracks, says feared secret police will be used to maintain order; unrest has political implications for US and its European allies; map; photo (M)

Teamsters Fund Questions G.E. Chief's Compensation A Teamsters union pension plan is about to ask John F. Welch Jr., General Electric's chief executive, to defend his compensation.

THE truth-in-advertising laws need to be applied to pay-per-view boxing. Until then, it's buyer beware. For $34.95 on your cable television bill and for $4 million under his short black satin robe with ''Sugar'' in white on the back, Ray Leonard hopped up into the ring Saturday night for his cameo comeback against Hector (Macho) Camacho after two weeks of secret workouts.

Gov George Pataki of New York is carrying mortgages on his real estate holdings that total nearly $1 million in principal, saddling him with debt so heavy that he has made speeches throughout country for $15,000 each; government watchdog groups have raised ethical questions of possible conflict of interest in speaking to organizations that might do business with his administration; photo (M)

State Sen Joseph L Bruno, majority leader, is confident he can block extension of rent control and rent stabilization in New York without support of four vulnerable Republican colleagues: Roy M Goodman, Frank Padavan, Guy J Velella and Nicholas A Spano; however, those Senators may face pressures that Bruno does not anticipate to be more aggressive in retaining controls (M)

New York Knickerbockers defeat Cleveland Cavaliers, 90-82; photo (M)

Television producers and directors are turning their attention to visual image on planned high-definition television; engineers and on-air personalities at WHD-TV, Washington, experimental high-definition television station, are finding that aging sets, heavy makeup and personal flaws not visible on ordinary television become apparent in high-resolution digital image; table; photos (L)

The Central Intelligence Agency has severed its ties to about 100 foreign agents because they committed murder, torture and other crimes, Government officials said.