August 20, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

QUEBEC RESTE ICI -- Carolyn Jack reports from Toronto that Canada's Supreme Court ruled today that Quebec cannot secede from Canada unilaterally. The court, responding to a request for a ruling from the federal government, said Quebec would need to negotiate any separation. Legal experts are debating the exact meaning of the ruling, but it has angered supporters of independence for Quebec. The province's government has boycotted the proceedings since the case was brought before the high court nearly two years ago. [3:30]

PA JUDGE AND SCHOOL VIOLENCE -- Noah talks to Leo Sereni, president judge of the Delaware county board of judges. Judge Sereni orders students who threaten violence at school to be reported to authorities, detained, and evaluated by a psychologist. [4:30]

JAPAN ECONOMY IV -- In the final part of a series on Japan's economic crisis, NPR's John Ydstie reports on what is needed to bring the country out of recession and whether the new Prime Minister has the ability to implement reforms. Keizo Obuchi has proposed a stimulus package and a plan to clean up the country's banks. Critics say the stimulus package is inadequate... They also question the government's will to shut down weak banks and cut off huge infrastructure projects that benefit the government's biggest contributor. (7:50)

AIRSTRIKE UPDATE -- An update on the President's announcement of a US airstrike against terrorist sites in Sudan and Afghanistan. [4:30]

FOOD SAFETY -- NPR's Richard Harris reports that an expert advisory panel recommends that food safety issues should be controlled by a single individual in the federal government. A National Research Council committee today concluded that food safety in this country is undermined because it's regulated by dozens of laws carried out by many different agencies. As a result, the committee reports that current efforts aren't focused appropriately on the most important issues. [4:30]

KENNEDY CENTER HONOREES -- Tape and copy about the entertainers who'll get Kennedy Center Honors this December: comedian Bill Cosby, country music singer and songwriter Willie Nelson, former child star and ambassador Shirley Temple Black and "Cabaret" composers John Kander and Fred Ebb will be honored. Classical composer and conductor Andre Previn is the fifth honoree. The honorees get their medals at the White House on December sixth. That night, they'll also attend a gala at the Kennedy Center.

U.S. AIRSTRIKES -- President Clinton today ordered US military strikes against terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan after linking them to the embassy bombings in Africa. the president and defense officials said the facilities were linked to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi millionaire whom US officials call a major sponsor of terrorism. The President said the United States had "compelling information they were planning additional terrorist acts." The President said the US targets were a terrorist base in Afghanistan and a chemical weapons facility in Sudan. Noah talks to NPR's Martha Raddatz. [4:30

AFGHANISTAN -- Linda talks to Richard Galpin, a reporter for the BBC who recently returned from Kabul, Afghanistan. [4:00]

THE HILL REACTS -- NPR's Steve Inskeep reports on Capitol Hill's reaction to the President's decision to use force against reported terrorist facilities in Sudan and Afghanistan. [3:30]

TESTIMONY DISCREPANCIES -- NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports that Monica Lewinsky returned to the federal courthouse today for more testimony about the Presidential affair and alleged cover-up. In a development that could mean more trouble for President Clinton, prosecutors collected a sample of his DNA. According to sources familiar with the investigation, her second appearance will test the President's account of their relationship, including how she came to return gifts the President gave her, as well as specifics of their sexual encounters. [4:30]

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U.S. AIRSTRIKES/RECAP OF TODAY'S EVENTS -- Hosts speak with NPR'S Martha Raddatz about the US airstrike against "terrorist facilities" in Sudan and Afghanistan, and of the controversy caused by President Clinton's stand.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS -- President Clinton's address from the White House on today's airstrike against suspected terrorist sites in Afghanistan and Sudan.

ANALYSIS -- Hosts talk to NPR's Martha Raddatz, NPR's Mike Shuster, Richard Haas, the Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, and Bard O'Neill, the director of Terrorism Studies at the National War College.

MADAME ALBRIGHT -- Secretary of State Madame Albright speaks briefly about today's events.

BERGER -- White House security advisor Sandy Berger addresses reporters.

NORTH KOREA NUKES -- NPR's Mike Shuster reports US intelligence has uncovered a massive underground construction site that could be an effort to restart North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Should that be the case, North Korea would be violating the 1994 agreement struck with the US to abandon its nuclear weapons program in exchange for Western assistance in meeting its energy needs. [5:15]

AIRSTRIKES -- President Clinton today announced US military strikes against suspected terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan after linking them to the embassy bombings in Africa. The president and defense officials said the facilities were linked to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi millionaire whom US officials call a major sponsor of terrorism. The President said the United States had "compelling information they were planning additional terrorist acts." The President said the US targets were a terrorist base in Afghanistan and a chemical weapons facility in Sudan. [7:00]

CHEERLEADING SCHOOL -- Glen Mitchell of member station KERA in Dallas reports on the largest and longest-running cheerleading school in the country.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT -- Commentator Peter Trachtenberg remembers the summer he was sixteen years old, and a devotee of Zen Buddhism. The problem is, he had some other habits distinctly at odds with the aim of becoming freed from his wants and desires. [4:00]