DAYTON, Ohio -- Under U.S. prodding, Balkan leaders agreed yesterday to end 3 1/2 years of savage fighting and carve Bosnia into two ethnic zones. President Clinton renewed his pledge to send 20,000 U.S. peacekeepers to the former Yugoslav republic despite congressional opposition.
The dramatic agreement, which remained elusive up to the last moment, came after 21 days of hard bargaining among the leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
"The people of Bosnia finally have a chance to turn from the horror of war to the promise of peace," Clinton declared in a Rose Garden announcement of the accord -- a major foreign policy success for the administration.
The three Balkan presidents initialed the pact yesterday afternoon in a ceremony at Wright-Patterson and shook hands stiffly. A formal peace agreement is to be signed next month in Paris.
"We've reached a day many believed would never come," said Secretary of State Warren Christopher, presiding over his crowning achievement as America's chief diplomat.
The agreement provides for Bosnia's division into two entities, a Muslim-Croat federation that will control 51 percent of the territory, and a Serb republic that will hold the remaining 49 percent. It calls for a central government with a democratically elected president and parliament and bars indicted war criminals from holding military or elected office.
NASHUA, N.H. -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich accused the White House of "absolutely tawdry" budget politics yesterday and declared the Republicans "will not compromise" in the crucial negotiations that begin next week.
Gingrich also said that President Clinton, in a telephone call, had affirmed a commitment to balancing the federal budget in seven years. But Clinton's spokesman said the White House was sticking to its stance that the budget-balancing effort must be coupled with consideration for the administration's spending priorities.
Outlining GOP plans to Republican governors, Gingrich said negotiations would begin Tuesday or Wednesday and he voiced optimism a deal could be reached before the temporary spending agreement expires Dec. 15. But he also told the governors to prepare for another government shutdown if no settlement is reached by then.
One non-negotiable item, he said, is a capital gains tax cut retroactive to Jan. 1. He also said Republicans were committed to a $500-per-child tax credit, and he said he hoped to maintain a $5,000 adoption tax credit.
Democrats have demanded Republicans scrap some or all of their tax-cut package, targeting the capital gains provisions as a giveaway to the rich. But Gingrich said the cuts were vital for economic growth and as a symbol to families that a balanced budget would allow them to keep more of their money.
"We will cooperate with the president to reach an agreement but we will not compromise," Gingrich said.
NEW YORK -- What's the biggest difference between stand-up and sitcoms? The hours, Ellen DeGeneres says.
"It takes a little time to adjust to this schedule, because there is a whole side to me that is a lazy person," she said of the transition from club comedy to TV.
"I did stand-up, you know? It's not that hard! It's like an hour a night -- and then you can sleep all day," she told USA Weekend magazine. "And suddenly I'm working, like, 20 hours a day."
In addition to starring in "Ellen," DeGeneres has written a book and will star in an upcoming movie "Mr. Wrong." She said her dreams of stardom never included baggage.
Compiled from wire reports.