Today's Story Line

The trial of two Libyans charged with bombing Pan Am Flight 103 marks a turning point in Libya's relationship with the West.

Tensions remain high on the only active frontline of the Arab-Israeli conflict. As Israel begins to pull troops out of the area, some in Lebanon are looking forward to a revival of tourism.

The once-rock solid relationship between Cuba and other Latin American countries is showing cracks. Criticism of Cuba's human rights policies is rising.

David Clark Scott World editor

REPORTERS ON THE JOB..

SWITCHING to MANUAL: Security was tight at the trial of two Libyans charged with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Reporter Patrick Rucker had to give up his tape recorder. No cameras. No dictaphones. No laptops. Just a pen and paper were allowed into the courtroom. A bulletproof glass partition separated the Scottish judges (in powdered horsehair wigs), attorneys, and the accused from the audience of about 250 people. On one side of the room sat about 20 families of the victims. On the other side, some 17 family members of the accused. "There was a tender moment when the 16-year-old daughter of one of the accused tried to communicate with her father, without success, through the glass," says Patrick.

CULTURAL SNAPSHOT..

POSTAGE-SIZE PORTRAIT: Canadians lined up at their local post offices this past week to get their own photos put on postage stamps. Canada is the first country to allow a personal photo to fill the entire stamp. Other countries have introduced similar stamps, but put the photos in a corner. "The interest so far has just blown us away," Tim McGurren at Canada Post told Reuters.

For C$24.95 (US$16.72) Canadians can send in their favorite 4-by-6-inch photo and get back 25 stamps in two weeks. The postal agency has set no restrictions on what kinds of snapshots adorn the stamps, but says it reserves the right to refuse any photo.

Let us hear from you.

Mail to: One Norway Street, Boston, MA 02115 via e-mail: world@csmonitor.com

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society