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It has not been an easy campaign so-far for Dick Cheney, the Republican nominee for vice president. Cheney has been White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense, as well as a member of Congress. But this is his first exposure to the special scrutiny and pressure of a national campaign. NPR's Nina Totenberg traveled with Cheney and filed this report.

NPR's Mandalit Del Barco reports on an ordinance before the West Hollywood City Council allowing landlords to ban smoking in their rental properties.

Linda reports on one of the big publishing events of the fall: the release of The Mark - the eighth novel in the Left Behind series, published by Tyndale press. It's a huge crossover success which began selling in Christian bookstores but can be found in airport bookstores and on the New York Times bestseller list. The story is the Biblical prophecy of the End Times, set in the near future.

NPR's Diplomatic Correspondent Ted Clark reports on the closing stages of the Millennium Summit at the United Nations. Capping today's schedule — a signing by more than 150 world leaders of a final declaration in which they vow to spare no effort to end war, poverty and environmental degradation.

Cuban President Fidel Castro, in the United States for the first time since his last U.N. visit in 1995, has kept a generally low profile. Five years ago, he was wined and dined by the business, media, and foreign policy elite in New York. This year has been different. Castro will be the guest of honor this evening at a church reception, but media and business leaders have shown little interest in seeing him. Tom Gjelten reports that the growing U.S. interest in Cuba does not translate into greater eagerness to deal with Fidel Castro, who is increasingly seen as irrelevant to Cuba's future.

We hear about the reaction in Japan to the Firestone hearings in Congress. Firestone is only one of several Japanese companies whose business practices are under scrutiny. Noah talks with LA Times Tokyo Correspondent Sonni Efron about how Japanese companies are dealing with the recalls within their corporate culture.

Linda talks with Andy Kohut, Director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, about the polls indicating the standings in the Presidential race, and how the gender gap is playing a part in the race this year.

Noah talks to Dr. Charles Yesalis, an epidemiologist and expert on performance enhancing drugs at Penn State University, about drug use among the Olympic athletes. Yesalis says the new I.O.C. test for EPO won't detect use by athletes who quit taking the drug a week or so before the games. (5:00) >>> Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise, by Dr. Charles Yesalis, is published by Human Kinetics Publishing, Jan. 2000.

Michele Kelemen reports from Moscow that Russia's FSB intelligence service is actively pursuing a growing number of espionage cases, now that its former boss, Vladimir Putin, is president. Journalists, former military officers and defense analysts are held for months, and sometimes years, before going to trial behind closed doors. At least one prominent defense attorney notes, however, that the FSB does not exercise the same unbridled power as its Soviet-era predecessor, the KGB.

Brigham Young University's athletic teams are training with a new kind of sports drink: pickle juice. Some claim that pickle juice reduces cramps and benefits athletes during play. George Curtis is the head athletic trainer for BYU. He joins Linda from Provo, Utah to talk about the virtues of pickle juice.

Commentator Andrei Codrescu speaks about his girlfriend's love of dogs, and his own dog experience.

NPR's Barbara Bradley reviews possible criminal and civil court actions that could be taken in relation to the Firestone tire failures. Both federal and state criminal charges seem unlikely. But several southern states are investigating possible civil suits, saying the tire maker should have reported tire failures and suspicions that the products might be defective.

As the law now stands, victims of domestic violence can't sue their former partners for the cumulative damage of a long-term abusive relationship. But Commentator Lis Wiehl says the Washington state Supreme Court may change that, opening the door to compensation for victims of domestic violence.

Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who in 2018 became the first openly gay man ever elected governor in the U.S., wed his longtime partner on Wednesday.

NPR's Elaine Korry reports on the latest terrain for advertisers: private vehicles. Several companies will make your monthly payments if you let them wrap your car with commercial messages and logos. Some motorists who've signed up seem to like the arrangement, but critics say it's another unfortunate step toward the commercialization of everything.

Linda speaks to Rob Broomby, Berlin correspondent for the BBC, about reaction in Germany to today's Concorde crash in Paris. The flight had been chartered for a German tour group. Broomby discusses what's known about the passengers and the cruise they were scheduled to take, as well as plans for relatives and comments by German authorities.

Commentator Lis Wiehl explains that tribal courts, which operate on many Indian reservations, function separately from the federal court system. These courts have not had to apply the U.S. Constitution directly, leaving out Constitutional guarantees like the right to free legal counsel. But one of the problems with suspending Constitutional protections, is that convictions obtained in tribal courts can be used against defendants later in federal and state courts.

Linda talks with Jon Proctor, editor of Airliners Magazine, about the Concorde airplane. He says that Air France has not put as many miles on the planes as British Air, and that until now, the planes had a good service record.

NPR's Joanne Silberner looks at the closure of New York's Central Park, after a report that West Nile virus was isolated from mosquitoes there. Public health officials said they closed the park and initiated spraying for mosquitoes even though the risk of getting the virus was small. People who have immune system disorders or who are elderly may get a brain infection from West Nile virus. Last year, seven elderly New Yorkers died as a result of the infection.

Texas Governor George W. Bush made it official today: former Defense Secretary Richard Cheney is his choice for vice president. Cheney joined the Texas governor for a press conference today in Austin. NPR's Steve Inskeep was there.