Today's Story Line

Who will govern Kosovo? The KLA has traded its rebel camouflage for political pin stripes as it vies with the elected "shadow" government returning from exile.

Meanwhile, the Serbians have left no one behind to fix the water pipes, turn on the lights, collect the trash, and police the streets in Kosovo. The United Nations is moving to step into the breach.

The moment may be ripe in Japan for stiffer penalties against those who harm pets and other animals.

Improving a 200-yard long road through the village of Pyla epitomizes the struggle to bring Greeks and Turks together on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Grass-roots peace efforts are making headway. Quote of note: "Once people get the bicommunal bug they can't live without it." - a Western diplomat in Nicosia.

- David Clark Scott, World editor

PRESS CLIPPINGS.. * END OF THE OVER?: The conflict over Kashmir has reached the point where even cricket may be casualty. Indian test captain Kapil Dev called for an end to sharing the same pitch with Pakistani teams this week. "India should not play against Pakistan anywhere," said Mr. Dev after a morale-boosting visit to wounded soldiers in Kashmir. Even matches on neutral ground should end, said Dev. The two nations are next scheduled to play in the Sahara Cup in Toronto in September. Indian officials say they'll wait to hear from the fans. Local newspapers are surveying readers on their Web sites (indiaexpress.com, for example.)

* A FUNERAL PROCESSION? Or perhaps the passing of an era. Some 600 dark-suited lawyers marched solemnly through Hong Kong Wednesday to protest Beijing's unprecedented intervention in Hong Kong law. The dispute is over immigration. Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal ruled that any mainland Chinese with one Hong Kong parent had the right to live here.

But China's National People's Congress reinterpreted the Constitution, overturning the court ruling. The lawyers called it the most serious challenge to Hong Kong's Constitution since London ceded the former colony to Beijing in July 1997.

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