April 24, 1999

Recording industry and electronic manufacturers are trying to hammer out universal, pirate-proof technology for distributing commercial music to new generation of portable digital music players; but two sides are at such loggerheads that it may not be possible for manufacturers to meet recording industry's goal of getting authorized players onto store shelves for Christmas season; several electronics manufacturers say they will ship players anyway, without safeguards against illegal copying; analysts predict that with or without secure standard, American consumers will buy about one million of devices, which enable users to record music off their computers, largely from Internet (M)

Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia come under attack from Italian Government leaders, shareholders and competitors two days after formally reaching agreement on merger, raising doubts about deal's future; Italian officials threaten to block $82 billion stock transaction if German Government refuses to offer more explicit assurances about its plans to reduce its stake in Deutsche Telekom; there are also signs that some of Italy's top business leaders, who are shareholders in Telecom Italia, are throwing their support to rival $65 billion bid by Olivetti SpA, Telecom Italia's main domestic competitor (M)

Comcast Corp is not expected to sweeten its initial offering for Mediaone Group following AT&T Corp's $58 billion bid; Comcast would have trouble raising cash anywhere near AT&T's level (M)

New York Yankees defeat Toronto Blue Jays, 6-4; table; photos (M)

A 20-year-old New Jersey man was convicted of murdering two pizza deliverymen he lured to an abandoned cabin in what the authorities called ''thrill killings.'' The man, Thomas Koskovich, could face the death penalty for killing the deliverymen, Jeremy Giordano and Giorgio Gallara in a wooded area of Franklin, N.J. The jury will return on Wednesday to begin hearing evidence in the penalty phase of the trial. Another man, Jayson Vreeland, has been accused of firing the bullets that killed Mr. Gallara. Mr. Koskovich had confessed to the shootings and had told the police he had no remorse because ''I didn't know the people.'' Article, page B6.