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Jennifer Ludden reports that Zaire's longtime ruler Mobutu Sese Seko returned from a four-month absence today. Tens of thousands of people welcomed him as he returned to the capital, Kinshasa. Mobutu has been receiving treatment for prostate cancer in Europe. While he was away a civil war erupted, and the rebellion threatens to split up one of Africa's largest nations.

Linda talks with Dr. Ed Kilborn, a Research Professor of Microbiology at New York Medical College, about why influenza seems to strike and spread more during the winter than in any other season. Kilborn says it's a combination of factors...including the dryness of the air and the fact that the flu viruses tend to incubate better when people stay close together indoors in overheated environments.

A special commission set up by Congress to study the accuracy of the consumer price index has concluded the C.P.I. overstates inflation by approximately 1.1%. The commission, headed up by former Bush Administration economic advisor, Michael Boskin, made several recommendations for correcting the upward bias...which costs the federal government billions of dollars every year because the C.P.I. is used to adjust benefit payments to millions of American retirees and veterans. NPR's John Ydstie reports.

John Biewen of Minnesota Public Radio reports on the rise of the so-called fringe banks...pawn shops and check cashing businesses which charge very high rates of interest and cater to the poor. An increasing number of poor families have no relationship with a traditional bank or savings and loan. Advocates for the poor say that higher and more pervasive fees are pushing the poor out of banks and into the pawn shops. Bankers disagree and suggest there are lots of reasons why poor people prefer "fringe" banking.

Commentator Andrew Lam uses his family's story as Vietnamese immigrants to frame his concerns about the current anger over immigration. He says that neither presidential candidate argues for the essential role of immigrants in our national life but vie instead to beef up border patrols.

its digital wireless communication network. The long distance phone company will combine voice and data transmission to offer a wireless telephone and pager in one package.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from the Zairean capital Kinshasa that longtime President Mobutu Sese Seko is expected to return tomorrow after spending several months in Europe getting treatment for prostate cancer. Mobutu will be returning to a country in severe crisis: a weak civilian government and a largely inept military are facing a surging rebel army in eastern Zaire. Some believe the uprising, combined with Zaire's legendary corruption, economic mismanagement and political instability, could lead to the complete disintegration of one of Africa's largest nations.

supercomputer.

Kathleen Schalch reports many members will not be returning as elected representatives but as lobbyists seeking to influence legislation they helped write.

Beth Fertig of member station WNYC reports that New York Governor George Pataki proposes testing every welfare applicant for drug use, and cutting off cash benefits for those testing positive. They'd be sent to treatment programs "when available," and experts predict chaos because of the number of addicts on welfare far exceeds the number of treatment centers.