May 6, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

Netanyahu Talking Tough -- NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Jerusalem that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may turn down an invitation to begin final Middle East peace talks in Washington next week if the United States insists on dictating the extent of an Israeli troop withdrawal from the occupied West Bank. The Israeli leader's statement came as new violence erupted in the area, leaving one Palestinian and one Israeli dead in separate incidents. (4:00)

Cystic Fibrosis and Typhoid -- NPR's Joe Palca reports on a new study showing that people who carry the gene for cystic fibrosis are also resistant to typhoid fever. Scientists never understood why the gene persisted, until this discovery. The gene is found mainly among people who live in the Northern Hemisphere. A similar finding several years ago linked the gene for sickle-cell anemia to resistance to malaria. (3:30)

Skinheads in Russia -- NPR'S Andy Bowers reports from Moscow that the American embassy has issued a warning to Asian- and African-Americans in the city to be on guard against racist violence. The warning follows an attack on a black U.S. embassy Marine guard. The guard's experience is not unusual. African students in Moscow say they are subject to frequent verbal abuse, and fear physical abuse, as well. (4:30)

When Right Meets Left -- Commentator Guillermo Gomez-Pena visits Montana, where a militia man equates his cause with Mexico's Zapatistas. Guillermo points out the vast differences between the two. He says our political compass must be broken if such a mistake can be made. (3:30)

Big Burst -- Astronomers are reporting the largest explosion ever detected in outer space, a blast so powerful that for a brief time it shined as brightly as all of the stars in all of the galaxies combined. The explosion took place about twelve billion years ago, but it occurred so far away that the radiation from it reached Earth only last December. Its discovery -- reported in tomorrow's issue of the journal Nature -- is the latest perplexing find by scientists seeking to determine what phenomenon could generate energy on a scale exceeded only by the Big Bang that formed the universe. So far, that question is one of astronomy's great mysteries. NPR's David Baron has a report. (4:00)

Non-Endangered List -- All Things Considered hosts Robert Siegel and Noah Adams read from a list of plants and animals that are about to be removed from the Endangered Species list, including the American Bald Eagle and the American Peregrine Falcon. (1:30)

What Does Protection Mean? -- Noah talks with Michael O'Connell, the director of Natural Community Conservation Planning for The Nature Conservancy in California. They discuss what the protections are for plants and animals currently on the Endangered Species list, and what it will mean for species that are being taken off the list. (3:30)

Zebra Mussels -- Since the 1980s, a small and completely inedible species of Russian shellfish has done millions of dollars worth of damage to factories and power plants built near the nation's lakes and rivers. Zebra mussels were brought to the Great Lakes in the ballast tanks of European cargo ships and fishing vessels, and they've been spreading to other American ports and waterways ever since. NPR's John Nielsen reports on a study in the journal Nature that suggests this ecological invasion may only be getting started. (3:30)

Camden Basketball -- NPR's Eric Westervelt reports on the Camden Power, a new semi-professional basketball team in Camden, New Jersey, and the hopes that it will bring a dose of optimism and energy to one of America's most ailing cities. (4:00)

When to Start a Concert -- Did violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter jump the gun at her April 25 concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.? She says no, but we check on what the backstage clock really says and how it compares to real time. There were complaints from late-arriving audience members to the concert that she began before the 5 p.m. designated start. We also check on how close to advertised time concerts start at a few other concert halls. (3:15)

Whitewater -- Now that the grand jury in Little Rock that's been investigating the Whitewater land deal has disbanded, the investigation focuses on the grand jury meeting here in Washington. NPR's Mara Liasson reports on the impact the Whitewater investigation has had on the presidency. (5:30)

Privilege -- NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that privilege is something often invoked, but barely spelled out in the Constitution. Traditionally protected privilege -- lawyer-client, executive, spousal -- is coming under increasing scrutiny in the Independent Counsel's investigation. (3:00)

Primaries -- NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports that Republicans are divided over how to deal with the conservative right wing of the party. Conservatives can often be counted on to get out the vote on election day, but often their candidates are too conservative to win the general election. Party leaders closely watched a number of GOP primary races yesterday that pit moderate Republicans against right-wing activists. (3:30)

Boalt Law -- NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that the University of California at Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law has admitted twice as many African-American students as last year. This is the second year that the school has been prohibited from using affirmative action in its admissions. Officials still don't know how many of those admitted will accept the offer. Last year, no new black students decided to attend Boalt Hall. (2:00)

Microsoft-Justice Meeting -- NPR's Elaine Korry reports that Microsoft's Bill Gates met with top officials from the Justice Department last night in a bid to prevent the federal government from filing a sweeping antitrust cast against the giant software company. Neither side would comment on the discussion, but earlier in the day, Gates said a move to block distribution of Microsoft's new operating system would have a terrible impact on the industry. (1:30)

Lost on the Grand Banks -- Noah talks with agricultural businessman John Spoor Broome about a painting that Broome sold recently. "Lost on the Grand Banks" was painted by American artist Winslow Homer. Broome bought the painting from his grandmother in the 1940s, and it was the last seascape by Winslow Homer that had been left in a private individual's collection. Broome himself sold the painting for an undisclosed sum to an undisclosed buyer -- widely reported to be Microsoft chairman Bill Gates -- and experts say the price paid is a record for an American painting. (4:00)

Alternative Cancer Treatment -- NPR's Rebecca Perl follows the stories of three cancer patients who have opted to use alternative treatments to try to cure their cancers. In one incident, a man puts all his hopes in a juice diet in combination with frequent enemas. In another case, a family tells the story of their father who used an injectable form of aloe vera under the care of a doctor who has since had his license revoked. Finally, a young patient tries to cure her disease with shots of 714x -- a Canadian treatment that she eventually realizes doesn't work. (12:30)

Faked Documentary -- Robert talks with Michael Sean Gillard, a reporter for London's Guardian newspaper, about a story reported in today's edition which revealed that a highly-lauded documentary television program concerning the international drug trade was in fact a fake. The program, which was seen by nearly 4 million viewers on the British ITV network, purported to document a new route for transporting heroin through Colombia to London. The documentary faked interviews with Colombian nationals -- who claimed on-camera to be members of the Cali cartel -- and followed a "mule" transporting the heroin through Heathrow Airport in London. The resulting scandal has shocked British viewers and rocked the parent company responsible for financing the film, Carlton Television. (7:30)