November 6, 1998

A study of a benchmark blood test used in measuring the levels of H.I.V. in people indicates that women may be at a more advanced stage of infection and at a higher risk of developing AIDS than men with identical test results. The researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, in Baltimore, suggest that official treatment guidelines, used for both sexes even though they are based on research only in men, should be changed to recommend earlier treatment for women. Article, page A18.

Carlethia Weeks testifies that she hears 'voices' and was hearing them at the time when Corey Arthur, her former boyfriend, confessed to her that he killed Jonathan M Levin in his apartment in Manhattan in May 1997; defense lawyers seek to use admission to discredit her earlier testimony for the prosecution about this alleged confession; Weeks insists she can tell he difference between a person actually speaking to her and the voices she hears (M)

Labor Department says employers added 116,000 workers to payrolls in October, unemployment rate held steady at 4.6 percent and hourly pay of most workers inched up slightly; hourly earnings rose by a penny, to $12.89 (M)

House Judiciary Committee chmn Henry J Hyde asks Pres Clinton in letter to help expedite impeachment inquiry by accepting or denying 81 findings from independent counsel Kenneth W Starr's report on Clinton's affair with Monica S Lewinsky; urges Clinton to say flatly whether he lied under oath, tampered with witnesses or obstructed justice; says answering such questions would help wrap up inquiry by end of year; says committee will very likely summon only one witness, Starr; White House lawyers decline to comment on Hyde's letter, but they are certain to balk at many of conclusions drawn from Starr's report that they consider biased; Hyde photo (M)

Clyde Haberman column says traffic congestion in Manhattan is terrible and getting worse; says Giuliani administration is not likely to do much to discourage cars from entering midtown even though his Transportation Commissioner, Wilbur L Chapman, has set easing traffic congestion as his 'highest of the high' priorities; notes Samuel I Schwartz's suggestion for 'congestion pricing' in midtown using E-Z Pass technology (M)