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Alex Kleimenov reports from Ukraine on the closure of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, more than 14 years after the world's worst nuclear accident there. The last remaining reactor shut down today, one day ahead of schedule. For most people, the name Chernobyl will forever be associated with the explosion and fire that killed dozens of workers in the immediate aftermath and caused thousands of cases of cancer. But for the people in the nearby town of Slavutich, it the power plant been a faithful employer. High quality housing, good salaries and other amenities have made Slavutich something of a workers' paradise, and residents say it's been worth the health risk to live there.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports from Havana on this week's visit to Cuba by Russian president Vladimir Putin. While the visit revived Cold War memories of Fidel Castro's Cuba as a Soviet client state, Russia is in no position now to renew the large scale aid Moscow once gave Havana. Russia now ranks fourth among Cuba's trading partners, and most of the commerce between the two countries is barter. While Putin joined Castro in denouncing a "unipolar" world order -- a reference to U.S. domination -- the Russian president did take the opportunity of saying he looks forward to working with the new Bush administration.

Melanie Peeples reports that negotiations between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over a water sharing agreement between the three states are on the verge of breaking down.The states have spent over 20 million dollars and three years trying to figure out how to share water in the Appalichicola, the Chattahoochee and Flint river systems. Georgia needs the water to develop the nothern part of the state particularly around Atlanta. Florida is afraid there won't be enough left to protect oyster and other fisheries further down river and are about to walk out of the talks. The three states face a December 30th deadline to reach an agreement, or extend negotiations, otherwise the matter could eventually end up in the Supreme Court.

Janet Heimlich reports that while most Americans take running water, and electricity for granted, there are still pockets of the US where such amenities are lacking. Tamina, Texas is a small, poor, predominantly African American Community about 30 miles north of Houston. Although Tamina is near one of Houston's wealthiest suburbs, the community lacks a sewage system and many residents depend on septic tanks or the outdoors for waste disposal. The community is too poor to afford its own sewage system and county officials say it's not their job to provide this service. A survey by state officials in Texas has already identified nearly 400 communities in the state that have waste water problems.

Amy Tardif of member station WGCU reports from Fort Myers, Florida on the new musical composition, Voice of the Everglades, by Steve Heitzig. It's a musical tribute to the late activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, one of the leaders in the movement to save 'The River of Grass.' Tardif talks to Heitzeg, as well as author Peter Mathieson, and singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Yesterday President Clinton signed the Everglades Restoration Bill, a 30-year, eight-billion dollar program to restore the region's natural water flow, which has been diverted for residential development and farming. (8:50)

Five Hollywood studios launch an online movie rental service called Movielink. It's a bid by the studios to avoid becoming the next major victims -- after record companies -- of Internet piracy. If it's successful, Movielink could eventually compete with cable TV. NPR's Andy Bowers reports.

Leaders for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization wrap up their summit meeting in Prague with a strongly worded statement supporting tough action against Iraq and international terrorism. The meeting marked a major transformation of the Cold War military league -- three of the seven new nations in the 19-member group were once part of the Soviet Union. NPR's Guy Raz reports.

The world premiere of Tony Award-winner Warren Leight's new play is at Baltimore's Center Stage. In 1999, his play, Side Man, was a critical and box office hit. But his next play flopped and he could no longer find a venue for his work. Now, Center Stage has asked him to write a play. No Foreigners Beyond This Point is based on Leight's experience in a remote Chinese village in 1980. NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports.

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports on today's decision by the Supreme Court to allow a lawsuit against a boat manufacturer over whether it should have installed safety cages around its boat propellers. The case involves a woman who was killed when she fell off a boat into the motor's propeller. Her husband is suing the manufacturer, which said federal law protected the firm from lawsuits under varying state laws. The justices ruled unanimously today that federal law does not protect the manufacturer.

The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in a case testing whether medical clinics that offer abortions may use a federal anti-racketeering law to collect damages from protesters who use threats and violence to obstruct access to the clinics. The high court has upheld the use of the so-called RICO law well beyond its original intent to combat organized crime. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.