Thomas F McLarty 3d, pushed out as Pres Clinton's chief of staff more than three years ago, still wields as much influence as he did while member of Cabinet; lifelong friend of Pres Clinton belongs to tiny elite who can walk into Oval Office, and even into President's private living quarters, unscheduled and unannounced; has made nearly 40 trips to Latin America as envoy for President, and has emerged as diplomatic troubleshooter elsewhere; has become publicist for Clinton's campaign to win Congressional authority to negotiate new trade deals, and has facilitated White House meetings with big-donor business executives--activity that has recently made him target of campaign finance investigators; photo (M)

Clinton Friend, in New Job, Keeps His Power

Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu says he wil release another portion of tax funds Israel has withheld from Palestinian Authority, step US Sec of State Madeleine Albright sought during recent visit; Government also announces easing of restrictions on Palestinian movements within West Bank, imposed after suicide bombings in Jerusalem on September 4; photo (M)

Israel Is to Release More Money Owed To the Palestinians

Two more suspects are arrested and charged with murder in shootings of couple Fay Kitchen and James Williams in Newark (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

3 Are Charged in Killings

Katherine Shindle begins her yearlong reign as Miss America 1998 with dip in Atlantic Ocean and pledge to fight AIDS (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Miss America Takes a Dip

Two days after several hundred teen-agers ran screaming through Freehold Raceway Mall, town officials say that they would consider an ordinance banning minors from mall on weekend nights unless they were accompanied by adult (S)

Restricting Youths at Mall

Herbert Muschamp reviews architecture of Museum of Jewish Heritage--A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York's Battery Park City; architect is Kevin Roche; compares it to US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC (M)

Museum Tells a Tale of Resilience, Tuned to the Key of Life

Anthony Tommasini assesses Maria Callas's pervasive influence on opera 20 years after her death in Paris; says most important event marking the anniversary is EMI Classics' release of its entire Callas discography on compact disk, remastered from original tapes (M)

A Voice and a Legend That Still Fascinate; Callas Is 'What Opera Should Be'

New England Patriots defeat New York Jets, 27-24; photo (M)

PATRIOTS 27, PARCELLS 24

Metro Matters column discusses faults in new New York State school governance law, particularly fact that it does not fundamentally alter procedure for dismissing school principals (M)

Metro Matters; In School Law, Protection For Whom?

Leading members of Congress threaten retribution against broadcasters who they say hoodwinked Congress by promising to broadcast high-definition television on their new digital channels, then reneged once new channels were in hand; although law allows television stations to use their new channels as they please, Sen John McCain and other members say Congress ageed to loan valuable spectrum only after broadcasters promised to use it for HDTV at least part of time; ABC has already said it was leaning toward using its new channels to broadcast lower-resolution, pay-television programs, instead of single high-definition TV show, as has Sinclair Broadcasting Group; both say they see no easy way to make money from high-definition broadcast; Sen McCain schedules hearing of his Senate Commerce Committee on matter (M)

Warning to Broadcasters That Renege on Running HDTV

At time of growing public alarm over erosion of privacy by technology and data commerce, electronic dossiers have become common currency of computer-age sleuths, and semi-underground information market has emerged that can offer everything, including private telephone records, credit card bills, airline travel records, and even medical treatment histories; in past five years growing power of computers and expansion of commercial databases have made it quicker, cheaper and easier than ever for private eyes to collect individualized information that predecessors were unable to piece together after weeks of dogged surveillance and research; result is more time, money and pressure to produce non-public information from thriving gray-to-black market in purloined privacy; cash-strapped state governments are selling digitized public records to new generation of commercial database companies, so that personal details that once remained hidden in musty courthouse files can now be uncovered by computer from almost any place; investigations industry, once mainly province of retired police officers, has become booming global business swept by mergers and acquisitions, with revenue projected to reach $4.6 billion by year 2000, or nearly quintuple 1980 levels; some cases highlighting privacy intrusion by private investigators, including class-action suit against Texaco Inc, discussed; photos; chart (L)

ELECTRONIC EYES: What the Computer Knows -- A special report.; On Line, High-Tech Sleuths Find Private Facts

 EVENTS    Icing on the Cake   If it seems like deja vu all over again at Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday night, that's because Kurt Masur hasn't finished celebrating his birthday yet. Mr. Masur, the music director of the New York Philharmonic, actually turned 70 on July 18, but the parties go on. One of the biggest celebrations will take place when the orchestra opens its season on Wednesday with a gala dedicated to the maestro. The festivities include a preconcert cocktail reception, a Champagne reception at intermission and a postconcert dinner dance with birthday tributes and, of course, the concert: Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1, Mozart's motet ''Exsultate, Jubilate,'' three Richard Strauss songs and Brahms's Symphony No. 1. The soprano Renee Fleming will sing the Mozart and Strauss works. The concert will be broadcast nationally on PBS in the ''Live From Lincoln Center'' series and on radio in New York City on WQXR (96.3 FM). (Information: 212-875-5709.)

This Week

Clinton Administration, in major policy shift, tells allies it could sign treaty banning anti-personnel land mines under compromise that would allow it additional nine years before it begins to remove mines on Korean peninsula; US warns it will insist on right to deploy anti-personnel mines in times of conflict, and on inclusion of clause allowing countries to withdraw if they are victims of aggression, after six-month waiting period (M)

U.S., IN SHIFT, SAYS IT MAY SIGN TREATY TO BAN LAND MINES

 Shifting Case Over Diana  The case of Mohamed al-Fayed, owner of the hotel that employed Diana's driver and father of her companion, is a shifting tale of the French legal system. Page A10.    Two Planes Lost Off Africa  American and German military planes carrying 33 people were missing off the coast of southwest Africa and may have collided. Page A3.

INSIDE

News analysis of runoff elections between Democratic Mayoral hopefuls Ruth W Messinger and Rev Al Sharpton; contends that runoff has become swirl of conflicting agendas, mostly about main event in November but also next Mayoral election, about state of black political leadership in city and even national ambitions of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (M)

More at Play in Runoff Than Vote Outcome

Wage gap between men and women is widening again, after nearly two decades in which it steadily narrowed, piquing confusion and concern among economists and women's groups alike; Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median weekly earnings of full-time working women are just under 75 percent of men's, down from 77 percent four years ago; from 1979 to 1993 median for women rose from 62 percent of men's to 77 percent, and in early 1990's narrowing gap was widely trumpeted as evidence of women's greater opportunities, greater education and greater work experience; while some labor economists suggest tentatively that turn in statistics may have something to do with flood of unskilled women unleased on job market by welfare, most warn that it is far too soon to say with any certainty just what, if anything, earnings data prove; graphs (M)

Women Losing Ground to Men In Widening Income Difference

Lawyer for CSX Corp blames runaway jury for $3.4 billion award to plaintiffs in 10-year-old case stemming from raging fire in leaky, unattended rail car owned by CSX in mostly black neighborhood of New Orleans; there was no proof of deaths or serious injury, but corporate carelessness in minds of jurors can be costly; at time of fire, railroad refused to take responsibility and initially declined mayor's frantic request for help; it did nothing to help those evacuated; about half the jurors suspected racism had put tank car in black neighborhood; some jurors say award will probably be reduced, but it was important to send message to corporate America; photo; map (M)

Jury in CSX Case Sent Angry Message With a $3.4 Billion Stamp

Starting today, The Times introduces its most sweeping improvements in more than 20 years:    Later printing deadlines, allowing more complete news reports and sports results in all copies distributed in the metropolitan area.    The Arts, a free-standing weekday section with greatly expanded coverage of cultural life and entertainment, including more reviews and reports on music and television from the West Cost, around the nation and abroad. (Section E.)    A stand-alone sports section seven days a week.    More complete and streamlined sports result pages, organized league by league, with capsule reports on the teams. (Section C.)    Color photos, on the Arts and Sports front pages, as well as color advertising, new in the weekday Times. Color printing will arrive in coming weeks on the front pages of all news sections.                     --------------------          More new sections and features will make debuts this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  

Today: Later News and More Sections

Newark City Council, in significant step in $250 million project to connect Newark International Airport's monorail with New Jersey Transit rail system, is scheduled to vote on agreement giving Port Authority right to condemn 12 acres of privately held land along proposed route (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

New Step in Monorail Project

Baltimore Ravens defeat New York Giants, 24-23; photo (M)

Amid Big Numbers, Giants Are Undone By the Little Things

Construction crews are expected to break ground on new drug addiction center in Trenton, cornerstone of $20 million redevelopment plan for city's beleaguered Battle Monument district (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Redevelopment Effort Starts

Congo Pres Laurent Kabila, four months after coming to power through armed rebellion, is locked in showdown with UN, outcome of which could critically influence his Government's prospects for survival and determine how it is seen by much of world; is torn between demands of international organizations and foreign governments that he respects long-established conventions on treatment of refugees and investigation of war atrocities, and demands of powerful African allies who helped place him in power and have no interest in shedding light on such matters; diplomats say Kabila, militarily and politically weak, has opted to satisfy his neighbors; breakdown in relations with UN will affect relations with international financial institutions, such as World Bank, and other lenders in West; aid from Washington is already nearly frozen because of huge arrears in debt payments inherited from dictatorship of late Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown by Kabila; map (M)

Congo Aid at Risk In Defiance of U.N. Over War Refugees

Entertainment lawyers are taking increasingly active roles in making deals for television performers and others that were once handled mainly by agents; critics say downside of this new way to do business in television industry is that shows often get on air based on how a deal was structured, not on somebody's original idea for concept of a show; new television industry playing field has emerged since elimination of Federal Communications Commission rules that once greatly restricted number of shows in which network could own an interest; new vertically integrated companies own both production studios and networks; this concentration of power has led many producers and stars to rely on entertainment lawyers, rather then just their agents, to find creative--often complicated--ways to make a deal; photo (M)

Lawyers Eclipse Agents in TV Deals

Television stations in areas susceptable to hurricanes and other potentially dangerous weather patterns seek good, experienced meteorologists who can also relate to viewers; news directors say it is not enough to show complicated graphics and computer-enhanced images because viewers must like, and trust, person who brings that message; as result, meteorologists are often odd mix of scientist and celebrity; photo (M)

A Good Forecaster Is Hard to Find; Local Stations Seek Those Who Understand Storms and People

Law enforcement officials say that Dominick V Cirillo, who has thrived on obscurity, shunning trappings of wealth and influence and living in an attached house in Bronx and driving modest cars, has vaulted to summit of organized crime in America; officials say that informers' reports and electronic eavesdropping show that Cirillo has emerged as heir to Vincent Gigante as head of Genovese crime family; photo (M)

'Quiet Dom' Is Seen as Heir to Gigante as Crime Family Boss

Quin Walton Houff is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He has previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the ARCA Racing Series.

Quin Houff, American racing driver

Quin_Houff

Richard T. Gland, better known by his ring name Dick "Bulldog" Brower, was an American professional wrestler.

September 15, 1997

Headlines from September 15, 1997

Clinton Friend, in New Job, Keeps His Power

Israel Is to Release More Money Owed To the Palestinians

3 Are Charged in Killings

Miss America Takes a Dip

Restricting Youths at Mall

Billboard 200

No Way Out

Be Here Now

The Dance

(Songbook) A Collection Of Hits

Spice

Notable Births

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for September 15, 1997