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Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews The Island of Lost Maps: A true Story of Cartographic Crime (Random House) by Miles Harvey.

NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports on the approval today of the abortion drug RU486. The Food and Drug Administration says the drug is safe and effectively produces an abortion, when used with another commonly available drug. Opponents tried to keep the drug off the market, saying it is unsafe not only for fetuses but also for women. But the FDA said the scientific evidence overwhelmingly favored RU486's approval.

NPR's Jon Hamilton looks at the scientific, legal and political history of RU486 in America.

Josh Levs reports on the surprising lack of protests during the Olympics on one of the most controversial issues in Australia --relations with the aborigines.

Host Bob Edwards talks to NPR's Sylvia Poggioli about the latest developments in Yugoslavia's presidential elections. The opposition to President Milosevic is threatening strikes and protests in an attempt to drive the leader from office.

NPR's Martin Kaste from Caracas reports on the end of the OPEC summit. The meeting finished with the release of a statement reassuring the world that OPEC nations would continue to provide a steady, dependable supply of oil. But also maintained they would continue to adjust production to keep price within a "fair" range.

Euen Kerr of Minnesota Public Radio reports on the popularity of the 101 fiberglass statues of Snoopy that are spread around St. Paul. The city commissioned the representations of Charlie Brown's dog to celebrate the 50th anniversary of native son Charles Shultz's Peanuts comic strip. Many of the statues will be auctioned this weekend, with proceeds going to a Charles Shultz memorial scholarship fund.

An article in today's issue of Nature magazine suggests a large single cell organism is capable of solving a labyrinth, finding the shortest distance between it's entry and exit points. Slime Mould experts say this is far from remarkable.

Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the abortion drug, RU486. NPR's Joanne Silberner explains how the drug works and how it will be dispensed. The drug will only be available from doctors, not from pharmacies. It's expected to cost about the same amount as a surgical abortion.

NPR's Martin Kaste talks to Robert Siegel about the OPEC summit underway in Caracas, Venezuela. This is the first summit of OPEC nations in 25 years. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez convened the summit in a bid to reinvigorate the organization, at a time when member nations are benefiting from soaring oil prices. Yesterday, some member nations warned the west against releasing more oil from strategic reserves, saying it could prompt an OPEC response.

NPR's Julie Rovner reports on the political implications of the FDA's approval of the abortion pill and how its availability is likely to change the public debate over abortion. It's going to be harder for abortion opponents to demonstrate their disapproval.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports that presidential candidate George W. Bush attacked his rival's economic plan during a campaign stop in Michigan yesterday. Bush cast Vice-President Al Gore as an excessive spender who wants to use the federal surplus to expand government. Bush touted his own tax-cut proposal, saying it would help stem future economic down turns by giving the earners and creators of wealth more money. (3:28).