"Dr. Richard Stoughton, a U.S. physician, and his wife, Loretta, have been based in Zimbabwe for the past six years, but for much of the spring and summer this year they have lived an itinerant lifestyle in the States, because of political instability and violence that surrounded the elections in the southern African nation.

But with hopes for a negotiated power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe, in power for 28 years, and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Stoughton was eager to get back and practice medicine. The couple planned to head back to Zimbabwe Aug. 21."