Latest News On Kosovo Conflict

Snowballs and stones for US troops on Kosovo weapons search -- US troops raced out of north Mitrovica Sunday under a hail of snowballs, stones and bottles as a hostile Serb crowd chanted "Serbia, Serbia," and flashed victory signs as the last Humvee headed south. Story by Agence France-Presse.

NATO forces spur Kosovo prostitution boom -- The international troop presence in Kosovo is fuelling a prostitution boom in the Yugoslav province where brothels and girly bars are proliferating. A traffic in women of eastern European origin has grown up since the arrival in July of the 45,000 men of the NATO force KFOR, and personnel of the United Nations and non-governmental organisations. Story by Agence France-Presse.

Senate panel would provide $535 million for Balkans, Eastern Europe -- Kosovo and neighboring regions that harbored ethnic-Albanian refugees, or were otherwise affected by the fighting in Yugoslavia, would get $535 million next year under a foreign aid spending bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Alan Fram writes for the Associated Press.

European Union to be responsible for Kosovo reconstruction

Kosovo Rebels Raped Serb Nun, Say French Officials

The charges against Milosevic and four others -- The indictment of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and four other senior officials includes four counts, three of crimes against humanity and one of violating the laws or customs of war. Story by the Associated Press. See also: Russia says Milosevic indictment political. See also: U.S. Lawmakers Applaud News Of Milosevic Indictment.

Opposition leader: Milosevic offered asylum in China if ousted -- A top opposition leader says Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has been offered asylum in China if he is ousted, so he can avoid prosecution on war crimes, a German newspaper reported Saturday. Story by the Associated Press.

Changing Tune? China Wants Kosovo Investigation

400,000 Kosovar Albanian men missing — warcrimes report -- The number of ethnic Albanian men unaccounted for in the Kosovo conflict could be as high as 400,000, according to a US Information Agency report published earlier this month. Story by Agence France-Presse. See also: NATO Finds Charred Remains Of 20 In Kosovo.

Peacekeepers meet resistance from Russians, Serbs -- Serb troops burned houses within sight of Western troops Sunday and NATO soldiers shot dead two armed men as peacekeepers tried to contain new violence in Kosovo. Russian troops, meanwhile, blocked reinforcements for a small British unit uneasily coexisting with a Russian force dominating Pristina airport. Laura King writes for the Associated Press. See also: U.S. Plays Down Russian Presence In Kosovo.

Questions facing the international community over Kosovo

Inside the Serb torture chamber -- There are just 17 concrete steps down into the dark, evil-smelling medieval torture chamber beneath the Serb Ministry of Interior police (MUP) station, but it must have been a terrifying descent for the hundreds of ethnic Albanians — men, women and children — who were dragged from their homes and brought here for interrogation. Michael Evans writes for The Times of London. See also: Serbs Complete Kosovo Withdrawal.

Time to exhume the truth in Kosovo

NATO troops stream into Kosovo but Russians keep hold on airport -- NATO troops streamed into Kosovo's capital Sunday, but a small group of Russian soldiers remained largely in control of a vital airport as diplomats tried to work out Russia's role in the peacekeeping mission. Candice Hughes writes for the Associated Pres. See also: Russians Stop French At Pristina Airport-Witnesses.

NATO Finds 'Concentration Camps' In Kosovo — Paper

U.S., Russia Reach Accord On Kosovo Force

Serbian Troops Leave Kosovo Capital, NATO Moves In -- As hundreds of Serbian soldiers, packed in military vehicles, pulled out of the Kosovo provincial capital Pristina early Sunday, 20 British tanks staged a show of force in the city center, receiving a rapturous reception from ethnic Albanians, many of whom said they had not dared to leave their homes for over two months eyewitnesses said. Story by Reuters.

U.S. considers "zone of responsibility" for Russia in Kosovo -- U.S. and Russian negotiators held a third day of emergency talks Sunday on the terms of Russia's role in Kosovo, as Moscow showed no sign of pulling out the troops it sent into the province without informing NATO. John Iams writes for the Associated Press.

China Position Still In Doubt On Kosovo Resolution -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he expected the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution on a Kosovo peace plan quickly but predicted the West would have to deal with China first to get its backing. Story by Reuters.

NATO Lays Down Way Out Of Kosovo For Serbs

U.N.'s highest court rejects Yugoslav request for cease-fire -- The U.N.'s top judicial body on Wednesday rejected Yugoslavia's contention that the NATO bombings were unlawful and that a cease-fire needed to be ordered. Anthony Deutsch writes for the Associated Press.

Military purchases 9,000 Purple Hearts -- The Defense Department is buying 9,000 Purple Hearts, the Pentagon's first order in eight years for the medals that are awarded to soldiers hurt during hostilities. Story by the Associated Press. See also: 9,000 PURPLE HEARTS — THAT'S AN ORDER. See also: Times of London: Clinton to order 90,000 troops to Kosovo.

Misfired NATO missile slams into Bulgaria -- For the seventh time since NATO launched its air campaign against Yugoslavia, a missile slammed into Bulgaria on Wednesday, digging a 20-foot-wide crater, state radio reported. No other injuries or damage were reported. Story by the Associated Press.

Clinton authorizes call-up of reservists to active duty for Kosovo conflict -- President Clinton authorized the Pentagon to order 33,102 reservists to active duty for the Kosovo conflict, and he announced that about 2,000 members of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve in eight states will be the first to be mobilized. Robert Burns writes for the Associated Press.

Many U.S. Muslims say they back NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia -- Long against U.S. military action in the Middle East and elsewhere, many of America's 6 million Muslims have rallied behind NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia. Jeff Wong writes for the Associated Press.

Text of NATO statement on refugee bombing

Clinton likely to order Guard, reserve troops to active duty -- Bringing the Kosovo conflict closer to home, U.S. military reservists are likely to be ordered to active duty as part of a major new buildup of American air power in the Balkans, officials said. Robert Burns writes for the Associated Press.

U.S. intelligence tracked Yugoslav military meeting with Iraqis -- U.S. intelligence tracked senior Yugoslav defense officials to Baghdad last month for a meeting that Pentagon officials suspect involved the Iraqis providing the Yugoslavs with detailed information on the air combat tactics of their common enemy, the United States. John Diamond writes for the Associated Press.

Conflict, Risks Continue
Teams standing by to fetch downed pilots -- When NATO and U.S. military search and rescue teams go into combat, often under cover of dark when a warplane goes down, they have two main missions in mind: find the pilot and don't get caught. It's a race against the clock and the enemy. Laura Myers writes for the Associated Press.

Weak Serb Defense Puzzles NATO -- During two nights of NATO strikes, Yugoslavia has fired only one of its most fearsome anti-aircraft weapons: the lethal SAM systems inherited from the Soviet Union. And NATO's generals don't know whether they should worry or breathe a sigh of relief. Eric Schmitt writes for The New York Times.

U.S. leads NATO assault on Serbia 'to prevent wider war' -- American and allied forces pounded Yugoslavia Wednesday with a heavy missile barrage that gave the bat-winged B-2 stealth bomber its first taste of battle and engaged Yugoslav pilots in dogfights that knocked at least two Soviet-made MiGs out of the sky. "We act to prevent a wider war," President Clinton said. Robert Burns writes for the Associated Press.

Russian Anger Over Attack Tempered by Need for Cash -- Stung by NATO's decision to launch air strikes against Yugoslavia, Russia on Wednesday night suspended cooperation with the Western alliance and denounced the attack as an act of brazen aggression. Michael R. Gordon writes for The New York Times.

Smuggled video adds strength to atrocity claims

Kosovo Calls Brooklyn Teen

Military fears its image damaged by Clinton's Kosovo strategy -- Air Force officers and an active fraternity of retired air commanders bitterly blame the Clinton administration for returning to the incremental use of force that failed to bring Hanoi to heel in the Vietnam War. John Diamond writes for the Associated Press.