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NPR's Tom Goldman reports from Sydney that five members of Romania's weightlifting team were reinstated at the Summer Olympics after a bizarre day of confusion over policy concerning drug tests. The athletes who did not fail any drug test were kicked out of the Olympics because two of their teammates tested positive.

NPR's Tom Goldman reports on the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The event ceremony celebrated Australia's rich and strange history, with a lawnmower ballet, displays of horsemanship and tributes to the island nation's Aboriginal history. But it was the selection of Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman, an Aborigine and gold medal favorite, as the final torch bearer, that provided the emotional highlight of the 4-hour event.

All Things Considered Host Noah Adams profiles Olympian David Hearn, eighteen times the U-S national solo whitewater canoe champion. He's in his third Olympics in Australia. He's trained on the Potomac River for twenty-five years. Now, his wife, Jennifer, is one of his coaches. He's 41-years-old, twice the age of many of his competitors. Hearn says that the slalom course imitates a real whitewater river.

Linda speaks with Rex Gephart, head of the Los Angeles MTA's "Metro Rapid" program, which aims to reduce bus travel times by 25 percent. As part of the plan, the MTA has equipped two of its major bus lines with a new device that hold a green lights for approaching buses. Gephart says ridership has increased significantly on the lines being tested. He says L.A. is the first city in the U.S. to implement so-called "signal priority" so extensively.

NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports on Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore's speech today at Howard University in Washington. Gore told the mostly-black audience that he would end racial profiling as the first "civil rights act" of his administration. Gore also said he would work for hate crime laws, affirmative action programs, and a tax deduction of up to 10-thousand dollars for college tuition.

The International Monetary Fund's forecast for the world economy will be released tomorrow, a week before the IMF and World Bank meet in Prague. NPR's John Ydstie previews the report, which predicts economic growth in several countries, including the U.S., Russia, and Indonesia.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on yet another issue in the debate over the Presidential Debates. After both the Gore and Bush campaigns agreed on their debate formats, third party candidates are feeling excluded. For them to participate, third party candidates must meet what they call a ridiculous criterion set up by the bi-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates. That criterion states that a candidate must win an average of at least 15-percent in national polls to be invited to the debates.

Host Bob Edwards talks with NPR's Cokie Roberts about this week's political events including the new strategy in the presidential campaign of Texas Governor George W. Bush.

NPR's Ina Jaffe reports that officials from the Los Angeles have been negotiating with the federal officials in an effort to help the police department be more open and accountable. In recent months, the Justice Department threatened a civil rights suit if the city did not agree to reforms.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports from the West Bank town of Hebron that despite the continued deadlock, peace negotiations are expected to resume this week between the Israelis and Palestinians. One area of great concern is the environment that affects both Israelis and Palestinians.

NPR's Allison Aubrey reports that the Surgeon General is hosting a two-day national conference on children's mental health.

Host Bob Edwards talks to Steve York and Peter Ackerman, director and editor of the PBS documentary A Force More Powerful: A Century of non-Violent Conflict which airs tonight. The documentary highlights successful non-violent movements from around the world.