Today's Story Line:

As the lights flicker and Zimbabwe sinks deeper into economic gloom, its citizens are voting on whether to give President Robert Mugabe even more power. Quote of note: "The economy is in a bad way. We've never experienced anything of this magnitude." - an economist in Zimbabwe.

International peacekeeping forces in Kosovo are struggling to fulfill their mission. In Mitrovica, considered the last battleground between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, a curfew was imposed Monday after French troops were wounded by sniper fire. In Vitina, American soldiers are trying to fulfill the unaccustomed role of policemen. Quote of note: "We train for all this other stuff, and then they send us here." - a US paratrooper.

A British philanthropic inventor is working on a pair of sneakers that will recharge your cellphone while you walk (page 7).

David Clark Scott World editor

REPORTERS ON THE JOB

* MIXED (WEDDING) RECEPTION: A few days before the Unification Church's mass wedding, foreign media were invited to a news conference in Seoul. Often the recipient of "negative coverage," the group seemed to welcome the attention. And the media was invited to the service. Reporter Michael Baker arrived early at the stadium, two hours early, in time to see the wedding rehearsal. But he was frustrated. He couldn't get access to the couples. "When I approached people at the edge of the cordoned-off area, security guards shooed me away." Security eased after the ceremony. "By mingling with the family and friends greeting the newlyweds afterwards, I was able to talk to the couples," says Michael.

CULTURAL CONFUSION

* YOU SAY AUSTRALIA, I SAY AUSTRIA: The Embassy of Australia in Washington has been taking angry phone calls and faxes from people enraged by the new coalition governing Austria. A concert scheduled for the Embassy of Austria in Washington was cancelled as a protest by the guest artist. But who got the angry phone calls and faxes? the Australian Embassy. "We suspect the telephone company's information operators aren't hearing the request for the phone number properly - or don't know the difference themselves between Australia and Austria," says Sandi Logan, a public affairs officer at the Australian Embassy. Mr. Logan has had an opportunity to dust off his German language skills. "It's made for a couple of weeks of confusion - and humor," he says. And Australian Embassy officials are doing their diplomatic best to refer callers to the correct phone number.

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