August 4, 1999

Republican leaders reach general agreement on plan that would cut taxes by $792 billion over next decade; under plan, which draws from tax bills recently passed in House and Senate, all income tax rates would be reduced by one percentage point; plan also includes reduction in top rate on capital gains to 18 percent from 20 percent; it would provide tax break for many married couples, and would phase out inheritance tax on large estates; Pres Clinton has promised to veto vill; photo (M)

Isiah Thomas agrees to buy control of Continental Basketball Association for $10 million; says he hopes to expand it from nine teams and turn it into minor league of National Basketball Association (M)

Toronto Blue Jays defeat New York Yankees, 3-1; photo (M)

In Albany, an agreement was reached on a plan to give the courts authoity to force mentally ill people to undergo treatment. Page B1.

Former Hutu soldiers and militiamen who killed at least 500,000 Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 before fleeing to neighboring countries have become key element in cease-fire plan to end war in Congo, but unpredictable one that, many experts on Africa say, represents biggest threat to peace; peace accord, drafted in mid-July, calls for warring parties in Congo to disarm these groups, some of most violent guerrillas fighting in some of world's harshest terrain; United Nations has pledged peacekeepers in region, but almost no one believes their mandate will include dangerous job of disarming; map; photo (M)