July 15, 1997

First fund-raiser for re-election campaign oof New Jersey Gov Christine Todd Whitman, $525-a-ticket picnic, is expected to raise between $1 million and $1.5 million (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Mark Landler column notes that MCI Communications Corp's stock recovered a bit from its tumble on July 11, which came after long-distance carrier disclosed that it will cost far more than expected to break into local telephone market; contends that for MCI, fallout from announcement is likely to last longer than couple of trading sessions; maintains that MCI's partner, British Telecommunications, was caught off guard by size of losses and has dispatched team of executives to MCI's Washington headquarters to investigate situation; notes that MCI's shares rose $2.5625, to $37.5625, in Nasdaq trading on July 14; says shares are still trading well below $42.375--their price before MCI's bad news knocked $7.375 off share price in one session (M)

TEST FLIGHT -- Using another Boeing 747, investigators tried to recreate the conditions of T.W.A. Flight 800 to see what went wrong. B4. PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE . . . -- Thanks to a cabdriver, a woman is reunited with the $32,859.05 she left in the back seat of a taxi. B3. ADOPTION TRIAL -- Flight attendants testified against a couple accused of beating their newly adopted Russian daughters on a plane. B3. DEVELOPMENT TALK -- Officials at a hearing were supposed to suggest ways to reuse Governors Island. But what surfaced were ways not to reuse it. Metro Business, B7.

Proposals have been made to build four railroad tunnels through Alps to integrate economies of Europe; railway executives and financial planners in Germany, Austria and Italy are studying possibility of drilling railway tunnel under Brenner Pass, on Austria's Alpine frontier with Italy; Switzerland, though not European Union member, has approved digging of two railway tunnels under Alps; France plans to build tunnel that would link southeastern France and northwestern Italy; map; photos (M)

New York State Gov George Pataki's proposed state takeover of Long Island Lighting Co, deal that would help determine island's electric rates for next three decades and require largest municipal bond sale in American history, faces crucial test this week with its fate resting in hands of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; for $7.3 billion plan to go into effect, it needs unanimous approval of state's Public Authorities Control Board, on which Silver is member; photo (M)