March 15, 1997

Lawrence K Altman article explains Pres Clinton's knee surgery to repair torn tendon, and months of rehabilitation therapy he will require to prevent withering of muscle in right thigh; surgeon David P Adkison says Clinton will be on crutches for about eight weeks; reports that more than 50 percent of tendon was torn, in complex way, starting fairly high in thigh; describes two-hour operation, under local anesthesia, in which doctors made four-inch incision, drilled holes in kneecap and sewed strong sutures to reattach tendon; diagram; Clinton will not be able to jog or play golf for about six months and will wear lockable brace; he twisted leg in fall at Florida home of golfer Greg Norman (M)

New York City Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew urges Justice Department not to try to block new state law giving him broad powers over local school districts; US officials are studying whether law violates rights of minority-group voters by taking power away from elected local school boards, even though boards have become largely ineffective; Gov George Pataki says rejecting law would be outrageous misreading of civil rights act and harmful to minority children who are majority in districts; new law is meant to root out patronage and corruption that have permeated many districts since decentralization in 1969; state Comr Richard Mills also notes Crew must have free hand to make changes; Crew makes case to officials in Washington (M)

NATO offer to Russia to avoid putting permanent ground troops in former Warsaw Pact countries noted

Collapse of authority in Albania worsens; Pres Sali Berisha's associates flee, Government fails in attempt to take back weapons from roving bands of thugs and mobs of desperate Albanians try to push themselves onto Italian boat; photos; map; US suspends evacuation of Americans after gunmen fire at two helicopter gunships waiting to pick up families near diplomatic compound; only 408 of estimated 2,000 Americans have gotten out so far; police and military officers are not heeding appeals by new coalition Government to return to posts; NATO turns down Berisha's call for troops; anarchy spreads to eastern region near Macedonia, where new $10-million cigarette plant is burned and looted; Government buildings and medieval streets are set afire in Shkoder; new Government forces resignation of Bashkim Gazidede, unpopular head of secret police; defiant Berisha refuses to resign, but sends grown son and daughter to Italy (M)

Summary of major news stories on inside pages