October 7, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

Kosovo Diplomacy -- After trying to get Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to commit to peace in Kosovo, Special U.S. Envoy Richard Holbrooke has left Belgrade empty-handed. The United States says Milosevic still has not complied with international demands and therefore faces NATO military action. But NPR's Tom Gjelten reports that planning for military moves against Milosevic have been delayed by disagreements within the NATO alliance. (3:45)

Russia Protests -- NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that today's nationwide protests in Russia turned out to be smaller than Communist Party leaders had predicted. Tens of thousands of people joined the protests in Moscow, demanding payment of back salaries and pensions. But despite the low turnout, many groups came together to demand President Boris Yeltsin's resignation. (4:30)

Middle East Summit Set -- NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ended two days of meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat proclaiming that "significant progress" had been made towards a new West Bank accord. Albright said that there still was "a lot to do" if the agreement was to be sealed in a planned White House summit later this month. (3:45)

Gearing Up for House Vote -- The House is getting ready for tomorrow's vote on taking the next step toward impeachment proceedings. Members will vote on whether to authorize the Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on whether an impeachment trial is warranted. President Clinton said today that he will not pressure members to reject hearings. He encouraged them to vote according to their consciences. NPR's Mara Liasson reports. (4:00)

Move Yankee Stadium? -- A judge ruled today that the voters of New York City should get to decide whether tax money should be spent to replace the existing Yankee Stadium with a new one in Manhattan. All Things Considered host Robert Siegel talks with Joel Siegel, the senior political correspondent for the New York Daily News about the ruling. Such a referendum would likely boost turnout in the next election in the largely-Democratic city. (3:45)

Leprosy Center to Close -- Leprosy is an illness that has been documented since biblical times. Most people believe it no longer exists. Yet each year, the disease strikes more than million people worldwide, including six thousand Americans. Over the last century, many found their way to a stately former plantation in Louisiana, the last federal hospital to treat what is now known as Hansen's disease. The hospital is scheduled to be transferred back to the state of Louisiana, a victim of its own success. The 122 remaining patients must decide to stay or leave the hospital that has been both their prison and their sanctuary for decades. Sally Squires, a health reporter for the Washington Post, reports on the final chapter in this tale of triumph over an old medical foe and the stigma, fear and discrimination that surround it. (22:00)

Congress and the IMF -- NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports that the White House and Congressional leaders are moving closer to a deal that would allow the U.S. to provide the International Monetary fund with additional funds. The Clinton Administration has been urging Congress to help replenish the IMF's resources, which the Fund says are desperately low. Some conservatives have insisted on sweeping reform before signing off on any additional money for the IMF. (3:30)

Latin American Jitters -- NPR's John Ydstie reports that U.S. Treasury and IMF officials remain tight-lipped on details of a bailout package for Brazil. There is little doubt that a major aid package will be necessary to protect Latin America's biggest economy. Meanwhile, other Latin American nations appear to be weathering the financial crisis better than most economists expected, at least so far. (4:00)

Democrat Donations -- NPR's Steve Inskeep reports from Washington on competing claims by Democrats and Republicans that each party violated campaign fund raising and spending laws in 1996. The charges stem from nearly two years of investigations by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, and chairman members say the inquiry is not yet complete. (4:30)

Visa, Mastercard Charged in Justice Suit -- NPR's Madeleine Brand reports that the Justice Department today sued Visa and MasterCard, the nation's two largest credit card networks, for violating anti-trust laws. The two networks account for 75 percent of all credit card purchases in the United States. The lawsuit charges that some banks are prohibited from offering competing cards, such as American Express or Discover. (3:30)

Chiropractic Treatment -- The New England Journal of Medicine this week featured an article examining chiropractic care. The findings showed it isn't worthwhile for treating asthma but is of some minimal use for those with low back pain. NPR's Rebecca Perl reports on the large study that measured chiropractic care against physical therapy and against a visit to the doctor. (4:00)

International Space Station -- NPR's Joe Palca reports that the international space station is in trouble again, this time from its main U.S. sponsor. NASA administrator Daniel Goldin says the program should be ended once and for all if Congress and other participating nations won't come up with funds needed to launch the main components. (3:30)

Missing Pigeons -- All Things Considered host Noah Adams talks with Dr. Charles Wolcott, Director of the Division of Biological Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He's a professor of Neurobiology and Behavior and has done research on homing pigeons for many years. They discuss the mystery surrounding the disappearance of 2500 racing pigeons, which were lost in two separate races in northern Virginia and western Pennsylvania. (3:30)

Store for the Blind -- NPR's Wade Goodwyn reports on an unusual place to shop in Dallas. The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind has opened a store where blind people can buy products like talking watches and thermometers and other gadgets designed especially for them. It's one of only a handful of such shops throughout the country where visually impaired people can find the kinds of products that help them lead independent lives. (5:00)

'Waltzing the Cat' -- Noah talks with Pam Houston, the author of "Cowboys Are My Weakness," about her second collection of short fiction, called "Waltzing the Cat." The protagonist of these stories is Lucy O'Rourke, who makes a living as an outdoor photographer...but who also finds time for whitewater rafting trips, sailing, and several unfortunate adventures with men. Pam Houston says her writing is mostly autobiographical and that fiction serves her better as a storyteller than non-fiction would. She reads two selections from her book. The first is about teaching a dog to sing; the second is an account of a raft trip in Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River. (Note: "Waltzing the Cat" by Pam Houston is published by W.W. Norton and Company, ISBN 0-393-02749-X.) (8:00)