May 4, 1997

Few companies that build television towers are embarking on crash program across country to build hundreds of towers under federally mandated schedule to usher in digital high-definition television--timetable that construction industry says may be impossible to meet; only about half-dozen crews have experience to put up these towers, which, at heights up to 2,049 feet, are taller than world's tallest buildings; diagram (M)

George Vecsey (Sports of The Times) column discusses campaign being waged by Philadelphia Phillies baseball player Len Dykstra against chewing tobacco; Dykstra discusses his previous use of tobacco; photo (M)

New York City begins yearlong 100th anniversary celebration on May 4; events will begin with small ceremony at Museum of City of New York, where City Charter is being displayed for what is thought to be its first public exhibition; some historians and urban planners comment; drawing; photo (M)

Questions and answers about street names in Queens, former city brewing company, and mysterious handprints in sidewalk outside East Village theaer (M)

Nation on Trial in Bangladesh Two decades after a President was gunned down, six accused assassins are on trial. The case is important to Bangladesh, which has begun to make social progress. Page 14. The Vigor of Las Vegas New hotels and a determined effort to develop a new image have helped make Las Vegas the nation's fastest growing metropolitan area. Page 22.

Robert Lipsyte column on a family's pain when name of their child, who died young, is removed from wall of their synagogue, Young Israel of Woodmere, to make room for name of family that donated large amount of money; drawing (M)

Tours, talks and exhibition are planned on New York City buildings and sites; photo (M)

Money Show, series of investment seminars around nation sponsored by Charles and Kim Githler, successfully attracts small investors; majority of participants prefer to manage own investments; bullish and bearish views of investment gurus featured at Las Vegas seminar discussed; tables; photo (L)

Many Iranian merchants have opened businesses, Great Neck, NY, in last 10 years to serve thousands of Iranian immigrants, most of them Jewish, who now live in area; Iranian Jews, long barred from public life in Muslim society, are reaching out to community groups and political system; seek to balance assimilation and preservation of their culture; photos (M)

US diplomats say Pres Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire has said he will resign after nearly 32 years in power; say South African diplomats are trying to start direct talks between Mobutu and rebel leader Laurent Kabila; say stage seems set for Mobutu to abandon power and for rebels to make quick entry into Kinshasa; say major outstanding issue now appears to be whether Kabila will seize undivided power or whether he will be persuaded to share it with other political forces; map; photo (M)

Article discusses implications of EEOC order that employers may not discriminate against mentally-ill workers or job applicants, and must take 'reasonable steps' to accommodate workers with psychiatric or emotional problems; such accommodations could range from flexible schedule for anxious people to window space for person depressed by lack of light to quiet spot for schizophrenics; small-business owners see great potential for abuse, if, for instance, workers with 'phobia' about traffic come in late or 'sex addicts' also have to be accommodated (M)

Residential long-distance telephone rates will fall significantly in next several years under new plan negotiated by AT&T Corp and Federal Communications Commission; AT&T says it will cut residential rates by $500 million in year beginning July 1, first substantial cut in long-distance charges in 1990's; FCC says Sprint and MCI Communications are expected to follow but have not yet announced size of their reductions; rate reductions are last major piece of complex compromise hammered out over several weeks in intense negotiations between telecommunications lobbyists and FCC officials (M)