NEWS LITE : DI NAMED SOURCE FOR '92 BIOGRAPHY.

Princess Diana was the source of his 1992 book, ``Diana, Her True Story,'' author Andrew Morton revealed Monday. Calling her his ``Deep Throat,'' Morton said Di gave six secret interviews, read the manuscript, made detailed changes in her own hand, provided captions for the family album pix and even chose the book-jacket photo. He made available editing samples that appeared to be the princess's handwriting.

Di always denied cooperating with the book, and close friends took the heat for disclosures about her unraveling marriage, bulimia, suicide attempts and the looming presence of Camilla Parker Bowles.

``She was desperate for (her) story to come out,'' Morton said. ``She was worried that, with the marriage basically over, she would be dismissed as an unfit mother and worried they would take her children away from her and they would kick her out of the monarchy and she would seem to be the one who couldn't hack it.''

A spokesman for the royal family condemned the release of a new edition of the book this weekend, saying it was ``particularly sad coming, as it does, so soon after the princess's death. We do not intend to contribute to the publicity by making any further comment.'' The new edition will include 18,000 of Di's own words.

Sinatra finds the sharks bite

Frank Sinatra is reportedly dismayed over a fight that's already broken out among family members over his $200 million fortune. In this corner, his kids - Nancy, 57, Frank Jr., 53, and Tina, 49. In that one, the singer's wife, Barbara, 70, and her son, Robert Marx. The kids control their dad's 1960 to 1988 material. Tina heads the outfit licensing his image. Barbara controls his old stuff. Right now, they're battling over licensing goods from cigars to souvenir plates.

Alumnus changes sports team's tune

The last time Larry Gatlin's high school in Odessa, Texas, won the big game against its crosstown rival, the year was 1964 and he was the quarterback.

After the Odessa High School Bronchos ended 33 years of frustration against the mighty Permian High Panthers, Gatlin joined in the celebration.

``Hallelujah . . . hallelujah! That's my comment on the victory,'' Gatlin said Saturday when contacted at his Myrtle Beach, S.C., home. ``And they said it couldn't be done.''

Gatlin visited the Bronchos' two-a-day football workouts in August to meet with the team, and ended his stay by giving a pep talk that he called ``just a visit with the boys.''

But some Bronchos fans said Gatlin's presence in this West Texas town bridged the 33-year confidence gap between victories.

Gatlin, with brothers Steve and Rudy, had numerous country music hits in the late 1970s and '80s, including ``All The Gold In California,'' ``Houston (Means I'm One Day Closer to You)'' and ``Broken Lady.''

Bearing new hopes for N.Y. Democrats

In the movie ``The Edge,'' Alec Baldwin battles Anthony Hopkins. In real life, his rival is New York state's Republican Party.

State Democratic Party Chairwoman Judith Hope said Baldwin wants to help bring down GOP Gov. George Pataki and Sen. Alfonse D'Amato in next year's elections.

``He feels very strongly that Pataki can be beaten, and he feels even more strongly that D'Amato can be beaten,'' Hope said.

Baldwin's interest comes as the struggling New York Democratic Party opened its fall meeting Monday. Baldwin was not at the meeting, but Hope said he has offered to campaign for Democratic candidates and to do fund raising.

Both Baldwin, who is from Long Island, and his wife, Kim Basinger, have long been activists for various social causes. He has promoted everything from funding for the arts to campaign finance reform legislation.

Rude Reed too much for journalist

It was an interview on the wild side for a British journalist who said rocker Lou Reed was so rude that she walked out.

``I've never come across someone so ridiculous and arrogant,'' Joanna Coles, New York bureau chief for The Guardian, told the New York Post. ``Obviously he's used to behaving terribly and everybody taking it.''

Coles, who has interviewed O.J. Simpson, Mikhail Gorbachev and Tony Blair for her London newspaper, met Reed last Wednesday in Manhattan, N.Y., to talk about a video production of his song ``Perfect Day'' from the ``Transformer'' album. As the two were walking to a cafe, Coles asked Reed what he was working on.

``Are you starting this interview? Because you've got exactly 30 minutes,'' Cole said Reed snapped.

Reed then lashed out at Coles during the interview for asking if he had children (``How dare you ask me such a personal question!'') and for asking if he had been paid to do the production with the BBC. (``That's an offensive question!'') At that point, Coles walked out.

Item Found in Swimming Hole; Owner, school ring reunited

Jeff Barris was scanning an old swimming hole in New Jersey with a metal detector when he unearthed a 1938 high school class ring bearing just initials.

After retrieving the ring from a five-foot hole in Glassboro, Barris searched the 1938 Pitman High School yearbook until he found the name of Agnes Copeland, a student who matched the initials on the ring: ``A.C.''

Then Barris of Elk Township went to the Pitman municipal building to find tax records for Copeland. When he called her former address, her brother, H. George Copeland, answered.

As it turned out, he had bought the ring for his sister in 1938. Agnes now lives in Los Angeles.

``We got all excited,'' Barris told the Gloucester County Times. ``He gave me her name and address, and I sent the ring to her.''

Agnes Copeland Trader couldn't remember how she lost the ring or how it landed in the old swimming hole. She hadn't seen the ring in 50 years.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Cut for cancer

Gladys Acquimo Gains, a detective with the Boston Police Department's domestic violence unit, gets her head shaved Monday at police headquarters. Fifty-three police officers, paramedics and city employees took part in Buzz the Fuzz to support the American Cancer Society.

Associated Press

place Sunday.

(2) BALDWIN