July 22, 1997

Attorney Gen Janet Reno and Gen Barry R McCaffrey, White House director of national drug control policy, recommend to Pres Clinton that gap between mandatory Federal sentences for possessing crack cocaine and powder cocaine be significantly narrowed; say current policy tends to treat blacks more harshly than whites and drains Government enforcement efforts that might otherwise be applied to catching high-level dealers; say rationale for longstanding disparity is somewhat outdated, given new research which shows leveling off of violence long associated with crack trade (M)

Twenty years ago, the Teaneck Swim Club was given 10 acres of tax-free public land on which to build a private club with swimming pools, changing rooms and tennis and basketball courts. Since then, critics have said that the club has discouraged minority residents and lower-income people from becoming members. Tonight, the town's Municipal Council is to vote on an ordinance that would change the terms of the club's lease with the town and force the club to accept 45 new member families. But a community group, Let All People Swim, said that changes called for in the ordinance would continue to exclude the 95 percent of Teaneck residents who are not members of the club.

State Department issues first comprehensive review of persecution of Christian groups worldwide, and it sharply criticizes China for suppressing religious worship and urges Pres Boris Yeltsin to veto legislation restricting religious freedom in Russia; accuses China of regularly violating constitutional promise of religious freedom by restricting all actual religious practice to Government-authorized religious organizations and registered places of worship; expresses concern over new legislation pending in Russian Parliament restricting religious freedom in Russia for first time since fall of Soviet Union; crackdown by China on unregistered Catholic and Protestant movements, and suppression of Christians in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore discussed (M)

New research suggests hemoglobin in blood controls flow of blood in individual tissues, causing arteries in area to open wider when tissue oxygen levels are low and to narrow when oxygen levels are high; Dr Jonathan S Stamler, lead author of report on study, suggests hemoglobin acts by picking up and shedding nitric oxide, which signals arteries to dilate or contract; diagrams; photo (L)

Interview with Dr May R Berenbaum, advocate of key role insects play in planet's biodiversity; she comments on her efforts to popularize entomology; photos (M)