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Linda talks to Sports Columnist Bud Collins about the US Open Tennis Championships in Flushing Meadows, New York, and how the men's and women's finals are shaping up. (3:45) Info on the Internet at http://www.usopen.org.

A Columbus, Ohio band called Evolution Control Committee is in a legal battle with CBS, Inc. because of the group's single now on the web called Rocked By Rape which slices and splices Dan Rather's words to heavy metal music.

Tom Rogers of member station WILL reports that in Decatur, Illinois, news that some defective Firestone tires may have been produced at a local plant is another blow to a town swamped by negative news in recent months.

Some of the highest gas prices in the United Kingdom are in Wales. Some people are stocking up on groceries, fearing that later, they may not be able to get to the store by car. Robert talks to BBC Wales Correspondent Wyre Davies about the effect the prices are having there. He joins us from Cardiff, the Capitol of Wales.

Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush campaigned again today in Florida, but his appearances were dominated by questions about a television ad being run by his party. The ad includes the word "rats," which appears on screen for less than one second, while the ad is talks about government bureaucrats. Bush said today the ad was not an attempt to send a subliminal message, but he added that it would not air again. NPR's Steve Inskeep is traveling with the Bush campaign and filed this report.

A new government review of the federal death penalty shows serious racial and geographical disparities among those on death row for federal offenses. Death penalty experts disagree on whether the review will influence the federal courts, which hear the appeals of those inmates. NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

Firestone underwent a similar tire recall in the late 1970s. NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports the recall brought proposals for stricter regulations -- but the proposals were dropped when the Reagan Administration took over in 1981, carrying the banner of deregulation. Some of those who supported more regulation then, are crying "I told you so" now. But not everyone agrees.

Linda talks with Max Nonnamaker, who has testified as an expert witness for and against Bridgestone/Firestone. Nonnamaker, who runs his own consulting company, and is investigating the current problem with Firestone tires addresses what could have gone wrong in the design and construction of the recalled tires. He also describes the problem of tread separation and how companies test tires to make them safe for consumers.

NASA scientists report today that they have discovered a new kind of black hole. These are much larger than black holes caused by collapsing stars, but much smaller than the ones in the centers of galaxies. Black holes are so dense, not even light can escape their gravity. The new discovery could help explain how these bizarre objects come into being. NPR's Richard Harris reports.

Commentator Hallie Deaktor finds evidence on the subway that aliens are among us. Her suspicion is reconfirmed by another strange being on the street. She says she's ready to join them. After recent news of evidence there might once have been microbial life on Mars, she's not sure of anything anymore.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from London on protests over rising fuel costs. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has cancelled a tour of northern England in order to attend urgent talks about the situation. Britain has the highest gas prices in Europe.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on Senate hearings about the Firestone recall, in which Firestone admitted it doesn't use failure data for safety purposes, Ford said Firestone assured the automaker there were no defects, and Transportation Department officials asked for more regulatory authority.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Sydney on Australia, the Olympic medal powerhouse. Per capita, Australia wins more Olympic medals than any other country and one reason is its Institute of Sport, created after the country's dismal Olympic performance in 1976. The Institute's laboratories have the latest technology. Sports physiologists closely monitor athletes' immune systems, and the Institute administers aptitude tests to almost all high school students in the country. Critics say the system resembles the old East German program. Supporters say it's the only way Australia can compete against countries like China and the U.S.

NPR's Madeleine Brand examines the controversy over the Republican ad that criticizes Vice President Gore's prescription drug plan and which critics charge contains a "subliminal" message. The split-second appearance on the screen of the word "RATS," in large capital letters, then becomes part of the word "bureaucrats." The ad lambastes bureaucracy. Brand looks at the effectiveness of so-called "subliminal" advertising -- in selling candidates as well as other products.

Susan Chisholm reports on the ongoing strike at Maine's biggest shipyard, Bath Iron Works. The striking workers have little incentive to settle their dispute and are finding other work in the robust economy, a sharp contrast to past strikes in the region.

Minnesota Public Radio's Lynette Nyman reports on the efforts of domestic violence counselors to create an Internet site that would facilitate battered women in the United States.

Commentator Judy Muller's just gotten back from vacation, and says she's missed very little news wise.

Linda talks with Rhonda Albom who survived a crash in a 1998 Ford Explorer this spring. Albom describes the harrowing experience when the tread on her tires separated while she was driving her vehicle on April 25th. Her Ford Explorer rolled three times, spun 180-degrees and took out a street sign leaving her 20-day-old baby bloody in the back seat. Linda rejoins the conversation with Rhonda Albom who, along with her 20-day old daughter, survived a crash in her 1998 Ford Explore in April. Albom tells of her surprise about what the companies knew and when. She is suing both Bridgestone/Firestone and the Ford motor Company. She has also begun distributing flyers alerting Firestone tire owners of what happened to her and to her family.

Host Bob Edwards talks to Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times about the Toronto International Film Festival. Turan says the festival is timed just right as a preview for the fall movie season. Turan says movies like Pollock, about the abstract painter Jackson Pollock...and State of Maine, a satire about Hollywood coming to a small New England town, are something for movie-goers to look forward to.

Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr wonders why George W. Bush is hesitant to engage Al Gore in presidential debates.

Jon Miller reports from Lima that the government of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has engaged in talks with the political opposition on democratic reforms. The two sides are considering ways to restructure institutions throughout the government, from the military and intelligence services to the judiciary. Fujimori agreed to the talks under intense international criticism of the country's last election, which returned him to office for a third term. His immediate obstacle is convincing opponents that with his record, he can become a champion of democracy.

NPR's Steve Inskeep reports from Allentown, Pennsylvania on the Bush campaign. The Texas Governor is preparing for a speech today on prescription drugs and trying to recover from using profanity in front of an open microphone.

Host Bob Edwards talks with NPR's Linda Gradstein about the Middle East peace process. Many of the region's leaders will be attending this week's UN Millennium Summit in New York. Yesterday, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak told UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the peace process must be resolved in a matter of weeks.

NPR's Allison Richards reports that medical ethicists are awaiting the outcome of a case in Britain in which judges will rule whether doctors may surgically separate Siamese twins in hopes of saving one of them. Doctors have said both babies will die in three-to-six months unless they are separated, but the operation means certain death for one of the infants. The case is important ethically because it involves the power of doctors and courts to sacrifice one life to save another.

NPR's Phillip Davis reports on the Miami-Dade county mayoral race. The front-runner is Alex Penelas, who made the famous vow that his police force would not help the federal government return Elian Gonzalez to his father, as well as threatening to hold Janet Reno responsible if violence broke out in Miami. The remarks cost him a lot of support in the non-Hispanic community, but apparently have not hurt him in his Cuban base, and he's favored to win in tomorrow's primary.