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An index of the day's stories: MILITARY OPTIONS IN IRAQ -- The Pentagon is remaining cautious in its words with regard to the latest standoff with Iraq, using no threatening statements. Defense Secretary William Cohen said today that President Clinton remains focused on diplomatic options and that "Any consideration of questions surrounding use of force are premature and hypothetical." That said, the U.S. still has many, many assets in the region, including two aircraft carrier battle groups and hundreds of aircraft that remain in the area from the last confrontation in October and November. NPR's Martha Raddatz reports. (4:00) BIOLOGICAL TESTING -- NPR' Ted Clark reports on continuing speculation that Iraq may have been trying out biological weapons on humans for at least four years after the Gulf War, despite United Nations inspection teams being in Iraq at the time. A U.N. official denied that the U.N. has photographic evidence of such testing, but the U.N. is continuing to investigate the possibility. Inspection team led by Scott Ridder may have been trying to do just that when it was turned back. The idea that biological weapons testing may have been going on while U.N. inspection teams were in Iraq should not be viewed as an embarrassment for the U.N., analysts say, because finding evidence of biological and chemical weapons programs is anything but easy. (3:30) INDONESIA AGREEMENT -- Robert talks with Wolfgang Reinicke (RYE-nick-ee), a fellow of international economics and politics at the Brookings Institution. He is also an expert on International Monetary Fund policy in Asia. They discuss the problems faced by the IMF in documenting compliance with the guidelines they have requested from the government of Indonesia. Indonesia's President Suharto has agreed to break up his family's cartels, which he failed to do under a previous IMF agreement. (4:30) CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO IMF AGREEMENT -- NPR'S John Ydstie reports that opposition to the IMF's planned $100 billion bailout of South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand is growing on Capitol Hill. The number of lawmakers involved is still fairly small, but the coalition of very liberal Democrats and very conservative Republicans looks reminiscent of the coalition that defeated the Clinton Administraton's fast track initiative. (4:30) LIVING WITH MOM -- When commentator Nancy Aronie's mom announced that she wanted to move in with Nancy's family, Nancy panicked. Then, she remembered the story of a Chinese farmer who tried to get rid of his old father and realized what an important time this transition could be. (3:00) BEEF'S BEEF WITH OPRAH -- NPR's John Burnett reports the "veggie libel" lawsuit brought by Texas cattle ranchers against Oprah Winfrey goes to trial on Tuesday in Amarillo. The cattlemen are suing over a comment she made during a broadcast about mad cow disease that they say caused beef prices to fall dramatically for 2 weeks. This case is seen as the most important test of food disparagement laws - laws that have been passed in 13 states. (5:00) CANNABIS CLUB UPDATE -- NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that California's medical marijuana clubs are once again under fire. Both state and federal authorities have mounted legal attacks of the clubs, which were given legitimacy by a voter supported initiative legalizing the medical use of marijuana. In one instance, a U.S. Attorney has filed an unusual civil suit in an attempt to close down the dispensaries. (4:15) LETTERS -- Robert and Jacki read from listeners' comments. To contact All Things Considered, write to All Things Considered Letters, 635 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington D-C, 20001. To contact us via the Internet, the address is ATC@NPR.ORG. (3:30) This piece is not available becuase of copyright issues:
TEENS & TOBACCO FOLO -- NPR's Joe Neel reports on the reaction to the release of documents showing that the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company collected massive amounts of marketing data about teenagers as young as 13. President Clinton said it showed the need for stronger protections against underage smoking. The company denies that the documents show any intent to sell cigarettes to minors. (3:30) JACKSON ON WALL STREET -- NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that President Clinton, Treasury Secretary Rubin and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan are all on Wall Street today for a conference on increasing diversity in corporate America hosted by civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. The conference started Wednesday night with Jackson calling on Wall Street to focus on developing a formula to revive the ghettos and barrios of U.S. cities. (4:00) CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS -- Light can alter people's internal clocks. NPR's Joe Palca describes the startling finding, published in Friday's issue of Science, showing that it's possible to alter body rhythms by shining light on the backs of people's knees. This is surprising, since most scientists thought the eye was the only place light could have an effect on the brain. (4:30) ANOTHER STORM? -- With tens of thousands of people still without power in central and eastern Maine, the prospect of six inches of snow tonight seems a little surreal to locals. Maine Public Radio's Andrea DeLeon (day-lee-ON) reports on the preparations. (2:00) This piece is not available becuase of copyright issues:
JOHN GLENN IN SPACE? -- We asked visitors to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum what they think of Senator John Glenn's reported return to space. Various news agencies are reporting that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will allow the 76-year-old Glenn to ride on the space shuttle, though Glenn will not confirm this news. It's expected that NASA will formally announce the news at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow. John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth, in February 1962. Our reporters talked with people at the Air and Space Museum, just outside the exhibit which houses the capsule in which Glenn traveled on his historic trip. (2:30) IN DEFENSE OF SETTLEMENT DECISION -- Robert talks to Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Dore (DOHR-ee) Gold. Next week Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to the White House to talk about the peace process. Gold says Netanyahu could get two weeks worth of great press by coming to Washington and saying the Israelis will give up more land for peace. But Gold says Netanyahu won't do that because "reciprocity" is key and the Palestinians must assure a crackdown on terrorism. (6:00) HATE CRIMES AGAINST GAYS IN ITALY -- NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome on what might be a turning point for activists in the Italian gay and lesbian community. During Pope John Paul's visit to Rome's city hall today, a group of activists demonstrated to protest against the Catholic Church's opposition to homosexual acts. They say the church's policy leads to violence, hate crimes and murder. (6:30) RIVER HUSTON -- Poet River Huston has written the text of a book of photographs by Mary Berridge called "A Positive Life: Portraits of Women - Living with HIV." Huston, who is HIV positive herself, talks to Jacki about selecting the women who were photographed and the challenges AIDS has presented to her. ("A Positive Life" is published by Running Press.) (8:00) |
