December 5, 1998

Former District Council 37 executive Martin Lubin reportedly tells prosecutors that he and others tampered with a 1996 contract ratification vote by New York City's largest municipal union because they thought opponents were doing the same (M)

Sixteen-year-old Christopher Vasquez is found guilty of first-degree manslaughter in 1997 slaying of Michael McMorrow in Central Park, but is acquitted of more serious charge of second-degree murder; photo (M)

Canada, moving to head off border blockade by angry American farmers, agrees to lower barriers to United States farm exports but not to cut its own meat and grain exports; pledges, after months of talks involving trade and agriculture officials, to let US farmers export grain by rail more easily, to revise health rules on imported livestock and to end burdensome testing requirments for wheat disease; American farm leaders call for end to blockade threat (M)

Nation's top three college football teams are in action today, hoping to remain unbeaten, finish No. 1 or No. 2 in final Bowl Championship series ranking and play for national title; right now, Tennessee leads BCS, with UCLA second and Kansas State third; photos (M)

Jobless Rate Slips to 4.4%, Nearing 3-Decade Low Despite fears that 1998 still could turn out to be the decade's worst year for layoffs, more Americans than ever are working, the Government said. United States employers added 267,000 workers to their payrolls in November as the jobless rate slipped to 4.4 percent, near a three-decade low. It was the biggest gain in payrolls in three months and matched the pace of the year's first half, when many on Wall Street were more fearful of an overheated economy than of a recession. [Page A1.] Mylan Said to Face F.T.C. Lawsuit The Federal Government is preparing to accuse Mylan Laboratories, a big generic drug maker, of anti-competitive practices. The staff of the Federal Trade Commission has recommended filing a civil action against the company, which it said sharply raised the prices of its products after trying to corner the market on the drugs' raw materials. [A1.] Unocal Quits Pipeline Project Unocal has withdrawn from a consortium that planned an $8 billion energy pipeline system traversing war-torn Afghanistan, a company official said. The consortium, which brought together companies from Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea and Pakistan, had planned to build twin oil and gas pipelines from Turkmenistan to the Pakistan port of Gwadar. [C2.] Republic Hires Sears Marketer Republic Industries hired a top Sears, Roebuck marketing executive to be its president as part of its drive to raise the profile of its Autonation USA unit. John H. Costello, left, will be responsible for developing the marketing for the company, which owns the nation's largest chain of franchised new and used automobile dealerships. He will also oversee its retail and rental operations. [C2.] Hollinger Selling 45 Newspapers Hollinger International, the second-largest United States newspaper group, will sell 45 newspapers to Community Newspaper Holdings for $475 million. Hollinger said the papers to be sold are in 14 states. [C3.] Buyers Bid Up Ubid Initial Offer The stock of the on-line auction company Ubid ended the first day of trading with its shares closing at $48 -- more than three times the $15 offering price. Coming in the aftermath of several run-ups by Internet initial public offerings the last month, Ubid was able to offer the stock at a price beyond the original estimated range of $12 to $14. [C2.] Scottish Power in Pacificorp Talks Scottish Power was said to be discussing a deal to acquire Pacificorp, a big utility in the Northwest. The value of the potential deal was not known, but two British newspapers reported last month that Scottish Power wanted to buy Pacificorp for $6.6 billion. [C3.] $1.5 Million Award in Air Bag Death A Federal jury in Manhattan awarded $1.5 million to the estate of a 5-year-old boy killed after an air bag deployed in the front seat of a Dodge minivan where he had been riding without a fastened seat belt. DaimlerChrysler, the minivan maker, called the verdict unfair. [B2.] Struggle Over Kenya Beer Market The maker of Kenya's best-selling beer, which was named Tusker after one of the brewery's founders was killed by an elephant, is facing another behemoth. South African Breweries has taken on East African Breweries and its partner, Guinness, in what has quickly become a war over more than beer. [A4.] Mexico Bank Bailout Held Up After nine months of grueling debate, Mexican lawmakers have reached broad agreement on measures to refinance the Government's troubled $61 billion bank bailout. But a final accord has been stymied by a dispute over a top Government finance official. [A6.] Rises Fuel Insurance Spiral Many of the 16 million people under 65 who have to buy their own health insurance are facing increases of 40 percent or more this fall, creating a dynamic that appears likely to send prices even higher. [A7.]