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- NPR's Dan Charles reports that transportation officials today said Valujet is a safe airline. Charles looks at the history of Valujet and reports on its successes and failures.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Abidjan on the saga of an overloaded freighter carrying nearly four thousand people who fled the recent fighting in Liberia. The leaky vessel set out from Liberia nine days ago, but has been sailing up and down the west African coast, as Ivory Coast and Ghana have refused to accept the refugees. Today Ghana allowed the ship to dock, but many of whom are suffering from dysentery. The reluctance of west African nations to accept more refugees follows warnings from diplomats that the international community may abandon Liberia if its warring factions fail to make peace. (3:00) CUTAWAY 1A 0:59 1B 4. JURY REFORM - In Los Angeles, Virginia Biggar reports on a soon-to-be-released report on how to reform the California jury system. Reform has been on the legal agenda for years, but the OJ Simpson trial highlighted many flaws in the system, say critics. Recommendations for change vary from paying jurors more to punishing potential jurors for avoiding jury duty.

NPR's Richard Harris reports that the Food and Drug Adminstration today approved a new HIV test. The test allows people take their own blood at home and mail it to a laboratory for analysis. They can then call for the results by telephone. The test's maker, and the FDA, say the test will make it easier for people to find out their HIV status. Some public health experts worry about how the results will be handled.

The U-S and North Korea have an agreement that may help the U-S get back the remains of more servicemen missing from the Korean War. The U-S has committed to paying North Korea two million dollars to cover the cost of recovering 162 sets of remains that were returned in 1993-94. Thousands of servicemen who were in the war are unaccounted for. NPR's Phillip Davis reports on the agreement.

NPR's Ted Clark reports that yesterday's bombing reveals undercurrents of anti-Americanism in Saudi Arabia and resentment toward the government there. Though the opposition is fuelled by militant Islam to some degree, analysts say that Saudi Arabia remains stable, though the opposition will have to be managed carefully if the country is to remain stable.

Robert Siegel speaks with Javier Solana (HA-vee-air soh-LAH-nah), Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, about NATO expansion in Central Europe. Solana says that moral and security concerns compel NATO to admit democratic countries in Central Europe that want to join the organization. He also says that despite Russian anxiety over NATO expansion, new countries should be admitted as full members, with all NATO benefits and obligations.

That's the title of a new CD from CRI Records, a label noted for serious releases of contemporary classical music. Is this a marketing ploy or is there a gay aesthetic that informs the work of these composers...something that can be captured or anthologized on disc? Dean Olsher talks to two of those represented on the CD: David Del Tredici (dell-TREH-dih-chee) and Ned Rorem who take different views on the merits of this project, a la "Point Counterpoint." John Corigliano (koh-RIG-lee-AH-noh), one of the most in-demand classical composers working today, was originally supposed to take part, but he withdrew after he saw the suggestive cover art. (8:00) (IN S

Commentator David Brooks says that Robert Dole's presidential campaign has slowed down in the past few weeks, and he wishes the Dole camp were more invigorated. Brooks thinks more focus on substantial issues like taxes and race quotas would stir up the campaign.

A beautiful, ethereal soprano voice backed by two acoustic guitars, accordion, and synthesizer has captured huge audiences in Europe playing music that is the antithesis of the electro-dance bands that usually top the charts there. The band, Madredeus (mah-dre-DAY-oos), is also REALLY big in Japan, despite the fact that all of the songs are in Portuguese. The band has just released its first album in this country, has just started its first U.S. tour, and can be heard in Wim Wenders' latest film, "Lisbon Story." From Spain, Emilio San Pedro reports. (8:00) (IN S

Senate minority leader Tom Daschle said today that no one should expect Congress to reach a deal anytime soon on passing health insurance reform that would make insurance portable from job to job. GOP amendments to the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill are the main obstacle to any agreement.

to the Clinton administration's threat to impose punitive tariffs on products imported from China, while others worry about Chinese retaliation.

As senators campaign hard for positions in the new Senate leadership line-up, members of both parties are pessimistic about their ability to achieve any substantive legislation in the rest of this Congress. There's no indication that the squabbling over the minimum wage and the gas tax will be resolved, while legislation on welfare, Medicaid, immigration, campaign finance reform, and insurance reform remains unfinished. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

Linda talks with Sandra Lynn Wood of Russellville, Arkansas, who was the forewoman of the Whitewater jury, about the outcome of the trial. CUTAWAY 1A 0:59 1B 4. JUROR II -- Linda continues her interview with Sandra Wood about the facts presented in the Whitewater trial. 5. POLITICAL FALLOUT -- NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that the verdict in the Whitewater trial has cast a shadow over President Clinton, who just a week ago was far ahead of Dole in the polls. Funder 0:29 XPromo 0:29 CUTAWAY 1B 0:29 RETURN1 0:29 NEWS 2:59 NEWS 1:59 THEME MUSIC 0:29 1C 6. CHINA DISSIDENT -- Noah talks with Mike Jendrzejczyk (jenn-DREEZ-sick), the Washington Director of Human Rights Watch-Asia. Chinese police have detained dissident Wang Donghai (WAHNG dong-HY) after he and six other activists petitioned the National People's Congress on May 27th, demanding the release of political prisoners. Mr. Jendrzejczyk believes that paranoia in the Chinese government toward the democracy movement has increased in recent months as economic reforms have triggered more unrest. This recent round of arrests comes one week before the anniversary of the military crackdown that ended pro- democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989.

accelerated the race to name his successor as majority leader. The leading candidates are Majority Whip Trent Lott, his fellow Mississippian Thad Cochran, Oklahoma Senator Don Nickles, and Pete Domenici of New Mexico. Dole's decision to step down has given new life to his presidential bid, but it could prove costly to the Republican Senators in this election year.

NPR's Mara Liasson reports on fallout in Washington following yesterday's conviction of former Clinton business partners James and Susan McDougal and Arkansas governor Jim Guy Tucker. The White House is trying to make the best of the situation...but the verdicts give new momentum to the Whitewater investigation.

Without the Senate guarantee of daily headlines, Bob Dole will have have to hit the hustings. And that takes money...something the Dole campaign is nearly out of. NPR's Peter Overby explains how the presumptive Republican nominee will do it.

The Supreme Court today voted to limit punitive damages. The case involved an Alabama doctor who had been awarded two million dollars because the paint on his new BMW had been touched up. The decision is a victory for manufacturers, but the justices did not provide clear guidance on limits for future awards. NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports that after many false starts, Iraq has finally agreed to the terms of a UN plan that allows Iraq to sell 2 billion dollars in oil over six months. Iraq could use the hard currency to buy food and medicine. The deal does not mean an end to the sanctions, however.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Community Affairs Richard Holbrooke testified today at a hearing before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, which has begun hearings to determine whether the White House complied with federal law on covert activities in relation to the shipment of Iranian arms to Bosnia. Linda talks with NPR's Mike Shuster about the committee's progress, and what the committee's findings might mean for American foreign policy.

Commentator Paul Durrenberger muses about conspiracy theories in our country, theories that involve topics from who controls the weather to who controls powerful businesses.

Jacki Lyden talks politics with editors of three national newspapers. Bob Kittle with the San Diego-Union Tribune, Mindy Cameron with hte Seattle Times, and Tom Bray with the Detroit News. Bob Dole is the focal point of this conversation, and most of these editors say their readers feel Dole made the right move when he announced his resignation from the Senate this week.

Linda talks with Matt Coles of the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. He was one of the attorneys who argued the Gay Rights case in front of the Supreme Court and says that this ruling makes the constituition real for gays and lesbians. The ruling, he says, means that government can't disadvantage people simply because it doesn't like them.

Like many other cities, Philadelphia is dealing with a massive police corruption case. Six officers have already been convicted, but the most serious result of the case is the possibility that dozens of drug convictions could be overturned if the officers involved are convicted. NPR's Eric Westervelt, of member station WHYY, reports. CUTAWAY 1C 0:59 1D 8. TORNADOES -- Noah talks with Officer Richard Hardin of the Hillview Police Department in Hillview, Kentucky, where severe weather injured eight people and destroyed hundreds of homes outside Louisville. Officer Hardin was chased by a tornado yesterday, and tells about his experiences...and the damage left in the wake of the storms.

Linda has an obituary for 1940's Western film star Lash LaRue. His death was announced earlier today.

The name Whitewater has come to mean different things to different people, to both interested and disinterested parties. To some it is just a land development deal in Arkansas; to others it is a scandal that threatens the President's credibility.