February 14, 2000

French troops kill Albanian gunman as fierce fighting continues in streets of Mitrovica, Kosovo, in most sustained clashes involving NATO peacekeepers since arrival in June 1999; more than dozen people are wounded, including two French soldiers, and 17 are arrested; French, Italian and British troops come under fire from snipers; former commander of Kosovo Liberation Army says Serbs attempted to attack Albanian area and that fighters of outlawed guerrilla force fought back to defend it; both Serbs and Albanians regard Mitrovica as last battlefield in war for Kosovo; thousands of Albanians, still unable to return to homes, consider Mitrovica last place still to be liberated from Serbian persecution; Serb community leader blames Albanians; both sides accuse other of wanting to control area beacuse of presence of iron ore and precious-metals mines; photos; maps (M) (M)

Fort Campbell, Ky, where gay soldier was beaten to death in 1999 by fellow Army recruit, has become proving ground to test whether six-year-old 'don't ask, don't tell' policy aimed at protecting privacy rights of homosexuals can be properly enforced without undermining rights of gay service personnel; is administering training course for commissioned and noncommissioned officers as part of effort to help them come to grips with practical applications of policy; number of soldiers at Fort Campbell who have asked to leave military because they are gay or lesbian has skyrocketed since murder; photo (M)

Metropolitan Museum of Art to open exhibition of mummy portraits from Roman Egypt; Ascap lists most performed love songs of 20th century; Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, to open exhibition of paintings, photographs and installations intended to capture Midwest spirit; new dance program focusing on past, present and future of black choreography to open with performance by Philadanco at Brooklyn Academy of Music; photos (M)

Some 400 academics, arts administrators, students and others attend University of Chicago conference on relationship between arts and society in wake of controversy over Brooklyn Museum of Art exhibition of cutting-edge art owned by Charles Saatchi; Gilbert S Edelson of Art Dealers Association of America surprises many participants with stand that some museums take commission on sales of new art they exhibit; photo (M)

Donald J. Trump is ending his brief and flamboyant exploration of a run for president, concluding that the Reform Party, whose support he had sought, is so beset by internal fighting that he would have no chance of winning as its nominee, the developer's associates said. Article, Page A18.