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between Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads, a five billion dollar deal that would create the nation's largest railway. Federal regulators meet today to decide whether to approve the merger.

The Senate has approved the Kennedy-Kassabaum portabililty bill which protects the health insurance coverage of those with pre-existing conditions, even if they lose or change jobs. The Senate bill would require that mental illness be treated the same as physical health problems. But the Senate and House bills are very different, meaning compromise could prove difficult.

today whether to recommend approval of the French abortion pill, RU-486 for use in the U.S.

The House of Representatives approved amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act which means some good changes for consumers, large cities, and rural communities. The law seems to have something for everyone. But the biggest beneficiaries might be Congressional Republicans looking to shed their anti-environmental image. NPR's David Baron reports.

The House voted today to release funding for international family planning assistance. The vote was a rejection of a campaign by anti-abortion activists. They had advocated denying funds to groups that provide abortion-related services. The Senate is expected to complete congressional approval for the family planning funds. NPR's Brian Naylor has a report.

NPR's Chris Arnold reports that two studies released this week show small business owners are having better luck when they go to the bank. Banks are approving more applications from small business owners, but analysts aren't sure whether the change will last for very long.

Despite three weeks of violent demonstrations and terrorist attacks, a majority of Israelis and Palestinians still support the peace process. But recent surveys reveal that the support is beginning to erode. A growing number of Palestinians say they approve of violent attacks against Israel, and a majority of Israelis rank the chances of war with Arabs as 'very high'. NPR's Eric Weiner reports.

The U.S. Copyright Office has given final approval to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The record and publishing industries lobbied heavily for it. The American Library Association, the Association of American Universities and the Commerce Department opposed it. What will it mean for the future of sharing information in the digital age? NPR's Rick Karr reports.

NPR's Kenneth Walker reports from Johannesburg on a corruption scandal related to a large South African arms deal. In exchange for approving the purchase of arms from European suppliers, high level government officials and their families allegedly received lucrative subcontracts and bribes.

NPR's Julie Rovner reports on what role Congress might take in deciding the presidential election, depending on what happens in the Electoral College vote next month. The first issue is the usually-routine approval of the electors by the House and Senate in a joint meeting in January. If they vote to invalidate the electors, the election of the president goes to the House and the vice president, to the Senate.