May 8, 1993

Holtzman's Lender Is Barred Mayor David N. Dinkins removed a banking company recommended by Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman's staff as a bond underwriter, and the city began an investigation. Page 23. Divisions for Another Parade A day before marchers are to step out on Fifth Avenue, a gay congregation finds itself excluded from the annual Salute to Israel parade. Page 23. Ex-Governor Sentenced Former Gov. Guy Hunt of Alabama was ordered to pay $210,000 and serve 1,000 hours of community service after his fraud conviction. Page 7.

President Clinton's health-care plan will cover the cost of treating people injured on the job or in automobile accidents, merging workers' compensation and the medical portion of auto insurance with standard health insurance in one big system, Hillary Rodham Clinton said today. The plan would move toward eliminating the sprawling workers' compensation system, which has become a particular headache for employers. Medical costs paid by workers' compensation and auto insurance have risen faster than health-care expenses in general, as have the mandatory workers' compensation premiums paid by employers.

Despite the apparent lack of progress in a week of diplomatic consultations, President Clinton said today that he expected to produce "a common approach" with Europe soon on a strategy to bring the Bosnian Serbs to the peace table. "There's still some disagreement around the edges about what the overall specific tactical steps should be," Mr. Clinton told reporters after a meeting at the White House with representatives of the European Community. "But I think there's a lot more agreement than you think, and I think in the next few days we'll see a common approach emerging."

Dimming hopes for a brighter, more prosperous economy in the New York region, unemployment jumped sharply in New Jersey and rose in New York City last month, according to the Federal Government. Joblessness in New Jersey rose to the worst among the nation's largest industrial states, according to the report, which was released yesterday. The state's unemployment rate climbed to 9.1 percent in April from 8.3 percent in March. That deterioration followed two months of mounting unemployment since January, when 7.4 percent of the state's job seekers were out of work, the Government said.

In an assault that seemed a calculated gesture of defiance, Bosnian Serbs blew up two historic mosques in the northern Bosnian town of Banja Luka today. The ornately decorated Ferhad-Pasha Mosque, one of those blown up, dated from 1583 and was considered one of the most beautiful in the Balkans. Also destroyed was the town's other principal mosque, Arnaudija, which was built in 1587.