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NPR's Nary Kay Magistead reports that forty hours of rain from Typhoon Kirk triggered floods across northeastern China yesterday, leaving roads, homes, farms and even whole villages under water. It was the latest in two months of storms that have caused the worst flooding in China this century. The Chinese government estimates that 200 million people have been affected. Officials say 2800 people have been killed and four and a half million homes have been destroyed.

This week, members of Congress looked at some so-called "smart guns" that are being manufactured by different companies. Linda speaks with Doug Weiss, author of the "Smart Gun Technology Project Final Report" about the various new technologies available which could prevent anyone except the owner of a gun from using it. Weiss discusses fingerprint identification, voice recognition, and touch memory. He says the most promising technology is radio frequency tags. But he warns that even that technological solutions have many problems.

Robert talks to two people in Israel about the timing of the demonstrations. Khalil Shikasi, a professor of political science at the Najah University in Nablus. He says that the Palestinians fear that the new opening of a tunnel into the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem is part of an effort to de-Islamize the city so it can never be the capital of Palestine. Ze'ev Chafets, a columnist for the Jerusalem Report, says that the opening of the tunnel by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu was thoughtless and provocative. In addition, he says, the TV images of Palestinian police firing on Israeli soldiers are frightening to the Israeli public.

NPR's Melissa Block reports that despite the fact that investigators have yet to determine what caused last July's crash of TWA flight 800, a New York attorney this week filed the first lawsuit stemming from the explosion. The suit charges that mechanical failure caused the fuel tank to explode, and seeks $100 million in damages from TWA and the manufacturer, Boeing. But many experts criticize the lawsuit as a rush to judgment. If in fact mechanical failure did cause the 747's tank to explode in flight, that would be a first, and would have serious repercussions for the airline industry.

Robert talks with Ted Rohrlich, a reporter with the Los Angeles Times, about homicide in Los Angeles County. About half the homicides in the county go unprosecuted. According to Rohrlich, police are overwhelmed with the caseload. Rohrlich also says the nature of homicides in Los Angeles have changed since the 1970's...with more murders being committed by strangers than by family members and acquaintances. Rohrlich is writing a series on Los Angeles County crime for the Los Angeles Times.

NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports that the Senate today elected its new leaders and held an orientation session for 16 new members elected last month. While Republicans will hold a 55-45 majority in the next Senate -- two more seats than they had held -- newly elected leaders say they want to work in a more bipartisan manner. This could be difficult, however, since many of the newer members are more conservative than those they replaced... and divisions over campaign finance reform emerged almost immediately.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that the Justice Department is trumpeting its $100 million dollar settlement with the Archer Daniels Midland company as the largest penalty ever paid for an antitrust violation. ADM pled guilty to antitrust charges today and said the plea and fine put an end to the government's investigation of the company. Conspicuously absent from the company press release though, was any mention of two top ADM executives. A Justice Department official says the two executives "remain available for prosecution."

NPR's Michael Skoler reports on the first man scheduled to stand trial before the International Tribunal for war crimes in Rwanda. At the end of the month prosecutors will begin presenting their case against Jean-Paul Akayesu (ah-kay-YAY-soo), former mayor of a community in central Rwanda. Akayesu is accused of inciting, orchestrating and participating in the murder of Tutsis. He was not a major figure in the 1994 genocide, but a visit to his community shows how the genocide could not have been carried out without the involvement of thousands like him.

Defense Secretary William Perry and Joint Chiefs Chairman General John Shalikashvili have been testifying before a Senate committee on the future of the American military force in Bosnia. Perry and Shalikashvili plan to have some troops in Bosnia beyond the promised exit date of December. NPR's Martha Raddatz reports that, during the hearing, Republican Senator John McCain accused the Clinton administration of abusing its power, and said the "credibility gap between the administration and Congress is as wide as the Grand Canyon."

NPR's John Burnett reports on the on-going controversy over a Southern Baptist Convention resolution to evangelize Jews. Many Jewish leaders consider the Baptist mandate to convert them arrogant and ominous. Southern Baptists believe they are under orders from God to bring the Jews to Jesus. Recently, at a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League in New York, a Southern Baptist representative tried unsuccessfully to convince an angry Jewish audience of the rightness of his denomination's course. It's the latest round in a debate as ancient as Judaism and Christianity themselves.