Today's Story Line:
A raging divorce rate in the world's most populous nation is making Beijing's leaders wonder if China is morally adrift.
A proposed law would end no-fault divorce, and raise the stakes by requiring proof of extramarital affairs before a marriage could end. Quote of note: "Chinese youths who have been raised on Hollywood films and American television say 'If young Americans can fall in and out of love so easily, why can't we.' " - Ma Fengzhi, Beijing University sociology professor.
The massacre of Muslims in 1995 by Serbs in Bosnia spurred the West to send in NATO forces as peacemakers. Now a massacre in one village of the breakaway Yugoslav province of Kosovo has put the West on the spot again.
If the Europeans look the other way, the United States may, too.
Brazil was supposed to be the next economic domino to fall after Russia's big loan default last August. But so far the world markets have not gone over the edge after Brazil was forced to float its currency.
One earlier economic domino, South Korea, wants to hold someone accountable for its new poverty. But rather than blame the banking system, a former finance minister is facing jail.
Spain saw a dramatic drop in spousal murder last year after one spectacular case.
- Clayton Jones World editor
REPORTERS ON THE JOB PR IN KOSOVO: When Monitor contributor Justin Brown stopped in a Kosovo press office to report today's story, he saw some familiar faces that he knew from their previous jobs - at propaganda outlets. Staffing the press office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are both Serbs and ethnic Albanians. At least three Serbs came from the Serb-run Media Center in Pristina, and one ethnic Albanian hails from the information office of the de facto ethnic Albanian government. All are happy to have a part in more truthful news - and all appear to be working together in harmony.
FOUL-WEATHER FRIENDS: It's quite a switch for the Monitor's Seoul contributor Michael Baker to watch President Kim Dae Jung investigate and embarrass the former ruling party about South Korea's economic crisis. Before Mr. Kim came to power, his National Congress for New Politics (NCNP) always returned Michael's phone calls, provided fluent English speakers for comments, and made unsolicited offers to interview top leaders. The NCNP is still helpful, but sometimes hard to get ahold of. The former ruling Grand National Party now returns phone calls, provides English speakers, and offers interviews with top leaders.
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