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NPR's Richard Knox reports the National Institutes of Health has announced new guidelines allowing federally funded researchers to perform experiments with cells taken from human embryos. Research with embryonic cells is controversial. Scientists say cells taken from human embryos may be helpful in treating many serious diseases, including Parkinson's and diabetes. But some people have moral objections to the research because it involves destroying a human embryo. The NIH guidelines attempt to strike a balance by insisting that federally funded scientists can only use cells taken from embryos that are left over from fertility treatments -- embryos that would otherwise be thrown away.

Ron McKay, a scientist at National Institutes of Health, joins Robert Siegel in NPR's Washington studios to talk about new guidelines for stem cell research.

Barbara Bradley reports on today's announcement that Attorney General Janet Reno will not appoint a special counsel to investigate Vice President Gore's 1996 campaign fundraising. Reno says further investigation would not result in a prosecutable case, so a special counsel is not warranted. Gore's campaign spokesman says the vice president is pleased with the announcement. His opponent, Texas Governor George W. Bush, says he understands the American people are tired of investigations, but also says Gore engaged in questionable fundraising activities.

NPR's Michele Kelemen reports from Moscow that President Vladimir Putin said today he feels guilty and responsible for the sinking of submarine Kursk in the Barents Sea. He said Russia's defense minister, navy chief and commander of the Northern Fleet had all offered to resign, but he did not accept their resignations. Putin said there would be no rush to assign guilt until the facts of the accident are known. Yesterday, family members of the 118 sailors who died on the Kursk grilled Putin for hours about his handling of the crisis. Little of the meeting was shown on television. Lawyers for the Kursk families are threatening legal action against the government over the Kursk disaster.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports that Secretary General Kofi Annan has asked world governments to implement changes in U-N peacekeeping operations, as recommended by a report put together by an independent panel. The Secretary General established the panel last March after publication of two reports on the U-N's failure to prevent genocide in Rwanda and to protect residents of Srebrenica (sreh-breh-NEET-sah). The report calls for more efforts to prevent conflict and says peacekeepers must be allowed to defend themselves and their mandate. The report also calls for better peacemaking strategies.

NPR's Madeline Brand examines the similarities between the survival skills required in the workplace and those on the popular television program, Survivor, which concludes tonight.

Commentator Paul Raeburn says Detroit should stop worrying about making environmentally friendly automobiles and start making cars with fins.

Host Renee Montagne talks to Dr. Enoch Gordis, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism about a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. According to the study the drug ondansetron used to treat nausea in cancer patients can help alcoholics reduce their drinking significantly.

Commentator Austin Bay says he's skeptical of a new plan to provide mercenary peacekeepers to the United Nations.

Host Renee Montagne talks to Michael Tsao, owner of the Kahiki Tiki Bar in Columbus, Ohio about the closing of the Tiki bar, which is on the National Historic Registry.