August 25, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

Nigeria Elections -- All Things Considered host Linda Wertheimer talks with Roger Cohen, a correspondent for the New York Times. They discuss the elections now scheduled for February 27, 1999, that would elect a new president in Nigeria. Cohen says that while many Nigerians are skeptical about the elections process, others are hopeful that a real change will finally occur in the country as power is transferred from the military to a civilian, democratic rule. (4:30)

U.K. Anti-Terrorist Legislation -- NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports that British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a visit today to Omagh, the town in Northern Ireland where a car bomb killed 28 people this month. Standing near the scene of the blast, Blair announced that he is recalling the British parliament next week to enact new legislation that would make it easier to jail terrorists. (3:00)

Ruble Crash -- The BBC's Rob Parsons reports that the Russian ruble had its worst day in world currency markets since "Black Tuesday" in 1994. There is as yet no word on the outgoing government's package of crisis measures to meet IMF loan requirements. Analysts fear that unless acting prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin takes action soon, the Russian market could crash. (1:45)

Mexico Bank Bailout -- NPR's Phillip Davis reports that a Mexican government proposal for a massive bailout of the nation's banks has touched off widespread anger. The government wants to assume sixty-five billion dollars of bad loans into the national debt, but the political opposition points out that a number of the loans were legally questionable, and made to wealthy friends of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. Congress must approve the plan, and the opposition-controlled lower house is expected to launch an investigation. (6:30)

Christopher Dickey -- All Things Considered host Noah Adams talks to Christopher Dickey, author of the book, "Summer of Deliverance: A Memoir of Father and Son." The book is about Dickey's relationship with his father, poet James Dickey, who also wrote the novel "Deliverance" which was made into a movie starring Jon Voight. Even before he wrote "Deliverance," James Dickey was famous as a poet who frequently read at universities. Christopher Dickey says that his father was not very concerned with the truth and would often lie if he thought he could make up a story that was better than the truth. Note: Summer of Deliverance is published by Simon & Schuster. (12:30)

New Heart Procedure -- Linda talks with Dr. Lawrence Cohn, chief of cardiac surgery at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He is one of several surgeons who have been testing a cardiac procedure called Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization -- which involves the use of a laser to drill holes in the heart muscle of patients suffering from advanced coronary artery disease. The procedure has just been approved for widespread use by the FDA. It's thought the laser channels promote the formation of microscopic collateral blood vessels nearby, thereby bringing oxygen-rich blood to otherwise starved heart muscle. (6:00)

'The Anatomist' -- Federico Andahazi's first novel, The Anatomist, was considered something of a scandal when it was published in his native country, Argentina. Andahazi's has written an historical novel about a sixteenth century Italian doctor involved in sexual research. Reviewer Alan Cheuse says the book, though wonderfully witty, would never receive a grant from the NEA. Note: The Anatomist is published by Doubleday. (2:00)

Hurricane Bonnie -- Aileen LeBlanc of member station WHQR in Wilmington, North Carolina reports on preparations for Hurricane Bonnie. Bonnie is now expected to come ashore along the North Carolina coast by late tomorrow morning. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for residents and vacationers in the Outer Banks and areas to the south. Forecasters say the storm - which is packing winds of 115 miles per hour - could turn north and travel along the east coast of the U.S. as far north as Cape Cod over the next few days. (3:30)

Rio Grande Floodwaters -- Noah talks with Laura Ridder, a staff writer for the Laredo Morning Times. They discuss the evacuation plans currently in place for areas along the banks of the Rio Grande. Officials expect the river -- which has become swollen from downpours in the aftermath of tropical storm Charley -- to crest in Laredo, Texas by midday tomorrow. (4:00)

Osama Bin Laden Indictment -- NPR's Tom Gjelten reports on new developments concerning Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of this month's embassy bombings in Africa. A former senior CIA expert says bin Laden was secretly indicted on "sedition" charges by a U.S. grand jury in June, because of his call for a "holy war" against the United States. U.S. officials say bin Laden has also been linked to a plan to assassinate President Clinton. Less clear is his connection to a Sudanese factory where a precursor for nerve gas was allegedly produced. U.S. officials are now linking that facility to Iraq. (4:15)

Castro Murder Plot -- NPR's Ted Clark reports that a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico has indicted seven Cuban-Americans for plotting to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. One of the defendants is a member of the executive committee of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the country's leading anti-Castro lobby. The indictment alleges that the men plotted for four years to kill Castro outside the United States, particularly during a trip to Venezuela last November. (4:00)

A Love Story -- Storyteller Kevin Kling has a few thoughts on growing up, and on the nature of love.

Lewis Powell Obituary -- Retired Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell died today at age 90. He was considered the deciding vote in cases that established the validity of affirmative action and supported laws against homosexual conduct. Powell considered the former a highlight of his 15-year Supreme Court career, but came to regret his vote in the latter case. Analysts say Powell approached cases on their unique facts, rather than applying a preconceived ideology. NPR's Barbara Bradley reports. (5:30)

Juppe Corruption Charges -- Sarah Chayes reports from Paris that former prime minister Alain Juppe, a close ally of President Jacques Chirac, has been placed under investigation for corruption. The case reportedly involves a payroll scam at Paris city hall. The trail of evidence could lead to Mr. Chirac himself. (3:30)

Dangerous Swim -- Charles Simmons' new novel is called Salt Water. It's about a young boy's summer on the New England coast in 1963. We'll hear him read an excerpt from the book, in which the narrator and his father swim too far out into the ocean. Note: Salt Water is published by Chronicle Books.) (3:00)

'Sideman' -- A new Broadway play called "Sideman" tells the story of a trumpet player in the horn section of a big band. When the big band era comes to an end, his career takes a nose dive and so does his personal life. It's a fairly brutal portrait. It was written by Warren Leight, the son of a trumpet player in a big band. Tom Vitale talks to both Leight and his father, Don. (7:45)