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Focuses on President Boris Yeltsin's crackdown on his conservative opponents, notably parliament Speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov and suspended Vice President Alexander Rutskoi. Challenges he faces with military and regional leaders; Why new elections may only replace one Russian standoff with another; Support of the United States' Clinton administration for Yeltsin.

Reports on the illegal drift-netting activity of Italian fishermen. The United States responsibility to enforce a United Nations ban; The deal to let Italy phase out their activities over three years; The response from American environmentalist groups.

Speculates whether a split is developing inside the Clinton administration over its policy toward Bosnia. Impact of planned withdrawal of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) peacekeeping forces; Possible delay of September 1996 Bosnian elections; Denial of White House over reported split.

Reports that United States officials have proposed providing weapons to Bosnia's Muslim-Croat federation by taking them from the rival Bosnian Serbs. Arguments by American envoys on how this plan would help to fulfill a key aim of the Clinton administration.

Reports on warnings given to the Clinton administration by Britain that it will not proceed with plans for a presidential visit to Northern Ireland in November 1995 unless there is real progress first on disarming the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Administration source who insists that the president still intends to go to Northern Ireland; Pressure on Gerry Adams, head of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA.

Discusses how Randall Robinson, co-founder of the lobbying group Trans-Africa, staged a 27-day fast in 1994 that was instrumental in pressuring President Bill Clinton to reverse his policy and grant Haitian boat people refugee status. How Haiti is beefing up ties with America; Salary of Robinson's wife, Hazel Ross-Robinson, who is a new Washington lobbyist.

Discusses the unmasking of five Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers in Paris. Attempt of United States officials to blame French politics and espionage envy; How the CIA's slipshod operations were also at fault; Details of one agent's deception.

Examines signs of Russia's changing mood toward the United States. Reason why Russian President Boris Yeltsin earlier this month canceled a long-planned trip to Japan; Russia's negotiations of the sale of submarines and nuclear reactors to Iran; Pro-Western Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev's meeting with Acting Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger at the United Nations this week; No predictions of a crisis in Russo-American relations; More.

Discusses how President Bill Clinton has taken a hands-on approach to monitoring events in Iraq as of November 1997. How Clinton was impressed with not only his overall foreign-policy team, but also with the high quality intelligence reports he received under difficult conditions.

Informs that Sweden and the Vatican are trying to persuade the US Department of State to drop, or minimize, references to their roles in the handling of Nazi gold during World War II. The department report naming both states as significant conduits for the gold that helped Nazi officials and their allies escape to Spain and South America.

Reports on fears of National Security Adviser Sandy Berger on how the American public would react to President Clinton meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Clinton's opinion of the meeting; Efforts to make Zemin more comfortable.

Reports that first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on November 1, 1997; Discussion of ways to strengthen the so-called trans-Atlantic connection; How it is the first time for a one-on-one visit between a United States first lady and a British prime minister for substantive discussions; Topics to be covered.

Points out how the US Department of Justice ignored information that Mexico's top drug cartel, led by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, was bribing high-level Mexican Army officials, including former anti-drug czar Jesus Gutierrez Rebello. The dismissal of information that an emissary from the cartel was meeting with generals of the Mexican military's high command; The contention of the generals that they were not aware that they were dealing with a cartel.

Reports the secret trip that California Senator Dianne Feinstein took to Beijing, China in the fall of 1997 to meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The discussion of Tibet, human rights, and trade; Feinstein's relationships with Jiang; The speculation as to how China feels about discussing human rights or Tibet with the US.

Suggests that there has been little diplomacy at work in the fight to reorganize America's foreign-policy apparatus as of September 22, 1997. The fear by the US Information Agency and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency that their programs will be swallowed up in the administration's plan to merge them with the State Department.

Informs that President Bill Clinton used the Madrid summit to expand his rapport with foreign officials. Clinton being particularly impressed with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres; Clinton's views of Dutch Prime Minister Willem Kok and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar; Why German Chancellor Helmut Kohl continues to win top presidential kudos.

Discusses a private meeting between US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin during the June 1997 economic summit in Denver, Colorado. The proposal of President Yeltsin to set up a commission to discuss the development of a joint Russian-American vision for the 21st century; President Yeltsin's health.

States that the White House is planning a major public relations effort to persuade Congress to approve North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) expansion and to grant most-favored-nation (MFN) status to China. The Senate's concerns about the costs of NATO expansion and the obligation to defend former Warsaw Pact states from attack; Politicians and statesmen the White House is attempting to recruit in the battle for MFN for China including former president George Bush.

Reports on the diplomatic mess created between Washington, D.C. and Pakistan when the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) arrested Farooq Ahmed Khan for trying to sell heroin. The Pakistani government's response by arresting a DEA official working in Pakistan and charging him with drug trafficking and anti-state activity; How the arrests impacted foreign relations between the countries; Comments from both countries.

Discusses the United States Senate committee investigating alleged campaign finance abuse which is chaired by Senator Fred Thompson. Decision to focus its first efforts on charges that China tried to influence the 1996 election by making illegal campaign contributions; Future issues that the panel will look into.

Discusses statements by the White House and State Department that it was time for a change in government in Zaire. How that announcements owed more to accident than careful planning; Comments made George Moose, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, about the regime of Zairean dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Discusses a meeting held at the White House in February 1997 between President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Presence of military officers; What Netanyahu wished to convey to Clinton regarding Israeli interests.

Reports that China has turned down an American request which would allow Washington to open a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration office in Beijing. Intent of offices to be part of America's worldwide fight against international crime; Chinese response which is particularly surprising; Beijing's `Strike Hard' campaign against crime.

Reports that the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) chief of station in Rome and at least two other intelligence officers were hurriedly pulled out of Italy in July 1996. Crackdown by Italian police on suspected terrorists which also swept up a United States intelligence officer who was running a recruitment operation without first informing the Italians; Strained relations between CIA and Italians.

Comments on a proposed meeting between President Bill Clinton and former Polish President Lech Walesa in June 1996. Belief of White House officials that the benefits of the meeting will outweigh any diplomatic friction which could emerge over Walesa's diplomatic upstaging of his successor, Aleksander Kwasniewski.

Reports that the United States government is preparing to put pressure on the government of beleaguered Colombian President Ernesto Samper, charged with accepting $6 million in campaign contributions from the Cali drug cartel. Cancellation of visas of several Colombian officials who have been implicated in drug cases; Efforts to underscore the image of Samper's administration as a pariah government.

Reports that President Bill Clinton's advisers are already developing a political defense in case Boris Yeltsin loses to the Communists in Russia's presidential election in June 1996. Belief of White House aides that a Yeltsin defeat could raise major concerns about Clinton's international leadership; Yeltsin's challenge from Communist Gennadi Zyuganov.

Relates the problems encountered by Secretary of State Warren Christopher when attempting to schedule the February 1996 meeting between himself and the new Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov. Meeting to be held in Helsinki, Finland; United States-Russian relations at stake; Christopher's previous meetings with former minister, Andrei Kozyrev.

Questions whether the Central Intelligence Agency is putting distance between itself and its counterpart in Tel Aviv. Sources which say that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Deutch does not value the American-Israeli intelligence relationship as highly as some of his predecessors did; Other sources who say the relationship has changed little under the new CIA boss.

Reports that China has increased its congressional liaison staff at its embassy in Washington after being stung by rhetoric over Taiwan, human rights and other issues. Suggestion by Chinese President Jiang Zemin that China has not done enough lobbying of the United States Congress; Debate over private visit to the United States by Taiwanese President Lee Ten-hui.

Reveals how a public-relations script was created for the Vietnamese as a result of an American researcher in Hanoi's central military archives. Uncovering a number of documents in 1992 about United States POWs and MIAs in the Vietnam War; How Bush was faced with the dilemmna of helping Vietnam, which had denied the existence of such records.

Reports that although President Bill Clinton plans a high-profile visit to Ireland and Britain this fall, White House insiders predict that as the 1996 presidential election campaign heats up, Vice President Al Gore will become increasingly responsible for the nuts and bolts of the Clinton Administration's foreign policy. Amount of time Gore already spends on foreign policy issues.

Reports that France and Britain were not given any advance warning of President Bill Clinton's apparent policy shift in offering the temporary use of United States troops in Bosnia. Reaction to the news, according to diplomatic insiders.

Comment that Iraq and Washington are at loggerheads over two Americans convicted of illegally entering the country. Plans of Spain and Italy to expand diplomatic ties with Baghdad; Opening of an `interests section' by France in the Iraqi capital.

Comments on Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev's last-minute refusal to sign an accord on special ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). How his decision seems to have been carefully planned.

Comments on a meeting in October 1994 in Riyadh with the outgoing president of the American Jewish Committee and five powerful Saudi leaders. Their arguments that the United States should do whatever is needed to get rid of Saddam Hussein; Lack of concern with the dismemberment of Iraq.

Advises that the Clinton administration is working hard to shape positive news coverage of the United States intervention in Haiti. Information on the chief spin doctor, senior State Department adviser David Gergen.

Discusses how Russian President Boris Yeltsin continues to pledge his commitment to aggressive market-oriented reform, as his most prominent reform architects resign. How Clintonites are clinging to their faith in Yeltsin, despite the dwindling ranks of reformers in his government; Yeltsin's immediate concern which is keeping the faith of ordinary Russians; How Clinton administration will try to steel Yeltsin's nerve by diverting more aid to Russia.