October 2, 1997

National Association of Purchasing Management's manufacturing index fell to 54.2 in September, from 56.8 in August, as orders, production and backlogs declined; Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators rose two-tenths of 1 percent in August; Commerce Department reports spending on construction declined three-tenths of 1 percent in August; graphs (L)

Pres Clinton invites over 100 national and local television forecasters to White House for chat with him and Vice Pres Al Gore and for briefings on climate change from Government experts; Administration hopes that forecasters will influence public opinion on climate change more than journalists on evening news; playing host to nation's television weather forecasters is innovative step in White House campaign to rally public support for new binding global targets for restricting greenhouse gases; broad coalition of industry and labor groups is spending some $13 million on advertising opposing such targets, which may be adopted at international conference in Kyoto, Japan, in Dec; photo (M)

NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, announcing series of antidrug measures that he hopes to make hallmark of second term, says that he will expand special police drug-fighting efforts into Queens and Bronx, offer more treatment for addicts and make Washington Square Park drug-free zone by placing it off limits to those convicted of selling drugs there (M)

Metro Matters colum discusses New York State Lieut Gov Betsy McCaughey Ross's decision to leave Republican Party to become member of Democratic Party; how decision will affect possible bid for elected office in 1998 discussed; photo (M)

A 15-year-old youth is arrested and charged with murdering and sexually assaulting 11-year-old boy Edward P Werner (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)