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NPR's Claudio Sanchez reports on the release today of a new set of national history standards. The first standards, released 2 years ago, were roundly criticized for offering too many negative examples about American history. The new standards are decidedly more positive about the American experience, but more importantly they omit the specific curriculum suggestions that many people objected to in the original draft.

NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports that the Library of Congress' employee union is challenging the library's practice of ordering psychiatric exams for certain workers. The union says the library uses the practice to get rid of employees who had disputes with their supervisors. Library officials say they have used the tests to help workers and protect the institution.

In the first of an occassional series on security issues in Asia, NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that the tensions in the Taiwan Strait raise concerns in the US and much of Asia. China's wargames just miles from Taiwan suggest to some a new militarism, and further tip the balance of US sentiment away from China and toward the tiny island that has emerged from dictatorship to democracy.

NPR's John Ydstie reports President Clinton addressed a gathering of finance ministers and central bankers today at the annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The President announced the US will take steps to forgive the debt of some of the world's poorest countries. He said the money should instead be spent by poor countries on basic human needs.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports that hundreds, maybe thousands, of people were killed in East Timor in recent weeks because of the rampages of Indonesian army organized militias. But whether the culprits are brought to justice or not is another matter. The United Nations Human Rights commission has voted to establish an international inquiry for East Timor, but Indonesian officials have rejected it.

NPR's David Kestenbaum reports on the first known death in a study of gene implantation. An 18-year-old Arizona man with a rare metabolic disease died in mid-September after undergoing the experimental therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. Experts say the fatality could force changes in the way these experiments are performed and may slow down the advance of so-called "gene-therapy."

Host Bob Edwards talks with reporter Nick Thorpe in Budapest about efforts by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to change the country's constitution. This would allow him to run for re-election next year, which the constitution currently forbids, as well as change the balance of power in the parliament to give Serbia more control.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports the Pentagon will test a missile defense system over the Pacific Ocean tonight. A rocket -- armed with a dummy warhead -- will be launched from California. Another rocket will be launched from an island hundreds of miles away, carrying an "interceptor" that's intended to shoot down the first rocket. The operation is part of a series of tests that will ultimately be used in deciding whether to proceed with the deployment of such a defense system.

Host Bob Edwards talks to reporter John McLean about the recovery efforts in Manila after a mountain of garbage collapsed on a shantytown killing at least 71 people. Approximately one-hundred people were injured and an unknown number still missing. The mountain of garbage was weakened by a typhoon that swept through the Philippines last week.

NPR's Ina Jaffe reports that a fourth police officer has been charged with misconduct in the ongoing probe of corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department. New charges have also been filed against two of three officers already facing trial.