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NPR's Tom Gjelten reports President Clinton will head to Colombia tomorrow on a one-day trip highlighting the new billion-dollar US-Colombian program to fight the drug trade. The visit comes at a time when Colombians are despairing over the problems they face, and Colombian leaders say their people need to be encouraged. Critics of the President's trip say it is poorly timed, given the unsatisfactory efforts of Colombian government. The Clinton Administration last week waived requirements that the Colombian government show human rights improvements before receiving additional US aid.

The Street Performer Protocol is the name of a system posted by two computer security consultants a couple of years ago that offered musicians a way to make money selling records in the rapidly-changing digital world. Their proposal amounts to setting a virtual hat on the virtual sidewalk to collect money from fans. That's literally what Stephen King has done with his online book, "The Plant." King just posted the second chapter after more than 3/4 of the 150,000 fans who downloaded the first chapter last month sent him a dollar each. Now the British progressive rock band, Marillion, is offering a similar proposal to its fans: "send us money to record our new album and we'll send you a copy - plus a bonus disc - BEFORE it hits the stores." So far, the band has raised more than 100,000 pounds. NPR News' Rick Karr reports.

Ina Jaffe reports on a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge that the Los Angeles Police Department can be sued under federal racketeering laws. Lawyers representing clients who had been abused by officers of the LAPD's Rampart Division hope to use the RICO statute to press their cases.

Amy Eddings of member station WNYC reports U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke to the Millenium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders today. The gathering has been marred by protests over the exclusion of the Dalai Lama because of China's objections. In his speech today, Annan urged political and religious leaders to reaffirm the right to religious freedom.

Andy Bowers reports on how the people of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho deal with having a large white supremacist group living in their community. Despite numerous awards from human rights groups, the town continues to be branded as a haven for racists.

NPR's Steve Inskeep compares the differing approaches of Presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush toward reforming the Social Security system. Bush favors a plan that would allow people to invest part of their Social Security retirement taxes in private stock market accounts. Gore opposes radical changes to the current system. He supports keeping all Social Security taxes in the federal system and giving people the option of opening supplemental retirement accounts.

Linda speaks with Wouter van Hoven, the chair of the Kissama Foundation, and a professor at the University of Pretoria, about the elephants who will be transferred from South Africa to Angola. He has been examining two elephant families in the crowded Madikwe National Park in South Africa. Tomorrow, they will be captured, then flown to their new home in Angola's Quicama National Park. South Africa has too many elephants in its park, and Angola doesn't have enough. The elephants in Angola were killed during 25 years of civil war by soldiers for sport, and by poachers. (4:30) More information on the Internet at http://www.kissama.org.

Reporter Chad Swiatecki, of Michigan's Flint Journal uses a wheelchair. He was assigned last weekend to cover the Al Gore visit to his area. But the auto plant Gore was visiting was not wheelchair accessible, and neither was the bus used by the campaign. The Secret Service would not let Chad follow in his own car. Swiatecki comments on the event.

NPR Diplomatic Correspondent Ted Clark reports on the second day of the Millennium Summit at the UN, where the focus is on efforts to prevent conflict, especially in Africa.

In France, protests over the high cost of gasoline have blocked transportation routes and forced gas stations around the country to hang "empty" signs, turning customers away. French truckers and farmers are decrying a forty-percent increase in gas prices in the past year, and demanding a cut in taxes that contribute to the high price of gas there. There are talks between the protesting groups and the government to reduce the gas taxes. Linda talks with reporter Jim Bitterman, who is in Paris.

Mark Scott reports teachers in Buffalo, New York are walking the picket lines today. After two years without a contract, the teachers voted to strike despite a New York State law that forbids them to do so.

NPR's Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports that Palestinian students returned to classes this week with something new in their school bags - textbooks written and published by Palestinians. Predictably, the new books have already stirred controversy over what they say, and what they don't say, about Israel.

Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr notes that the prospects are not good for any progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Noah talks to Terry DeGlau, Kodak Manager for trade relations in photography, about how he was able to get all of the world leaders at the U.N. Summit to pose for a group picture. The photo includes Castro, Arafat, Barak, Khatami, Putin, Zemin - 150 world leaders in all, never before photographed together.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports oil prices pushed higher again today despite word from Saudi Arabia that it will back another production increase. The price for two popular benchmark crudes rose to more than 34 dollars a barrel. President Clinton, in New York for the U.N. meeting, said he had told Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah that prices were too high and that OPEC should take appropriate action on the issue.

Host Bob Edwards talks with Steve Goose, the program director of Human Rights Watch, and editor of a report to be released Thursday from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. It shows progress since the signing of the 1997 international treaty to ban the use, manufacture or trade of anti-personnel mines.

Soldiers in the Gulf War were exposed to a wide variety of agents including the nerve gas Sarin, vaccines designed to protect them from biological weapons, and the depleted uranium in tank armor. A report published today reviews the evidence linking these and other agents to the unexplained illnesses subsequently reported by Gulf War veterans. NPR News Science Correspondent Richard Harris has this story.

Warner Brothers has announced that it is re-releasing The Exorcist into movie theaters. It is subtitled "The Version You've Never Seen" and includes footage that was cut from the original, as well as a digitally re-mastered image, six-track Surround Sound and some new music. Spin Magazine writer Chris Norris remembers what it was like growing up during the original release of The Exorcist, twenty-six years ago.

The way that American elections are financed was a major topic in the presidential primaries, when some candidates saw the subject as a way to cut the frontrunners down to size. But then the frontrunners got nominated, and talk about campaign finances took on a different role in the debate. Now, with Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore the party standard-bearers, the subject is mostly used as a metaphor for issues of character. For NPR News, Peter Overby reports.

Today, Margot Adler dipped into the smorgasbord of protests surrounding the UN Millennium Summit in New York. More than 91 demonstrations were scheduled over the three days of the meeting. Adler visited with protesters including some from Iran and Togo, and everywhere there was music by demonstrating members of China's Falun Gong sect.

Special Correspondent Susan Stamberg talks to Peggy Salinger, the daughter J.D. Salinger about her new book Dream Catcher: A Memoir. A testimonial about life hidden away with the Salinger family. (6:53) Dream Catcher: A Memoir is published by Washington Square Press ISBN 06710

Republican candidate George W. Bush, the frontrunner for more than a year in the presidential campaign, saw his lead suddenly disappear after the conventions this summer and has yet to recover his edge. So, today in Michigan, Bush said he was ready to make a few changes in his campaign style and negotiate some debate details with the campaign of Democratic rival Al Gore. Steve Inskeep reports for NPR News.

John Ydstie of NPR News has a report on the differing budget proposals of Democratic Presidential Candidate Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush. Economic prosperity in America has brought a sharp debate over what to do with a projected budget surplus. Gore says his first priority is paying down the national debt. Bush says the surplus should mean tax cuts first.

NPR's Howard Berkes reports from Sydney, Australia that some members of the International Olympic Committee feel that the games have become too big. In Olympic circle it's referred to as gigantism. Within the last ten years the number of nations participating in the Olympics has doubled.

NPR'S Julie McCarthy reports from London on the continuing campaign of protests against high fuel prices in Britain. Protestors are blockading nine refineries, and panic buying is depleting gasoline supplies at the pump. Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government has told oil companies to get their tankers moving -- and ordered police to protect drivers from intimidation.