June 26, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

SECRET SERVICE -- A federal appeals court heard arguments today on whether Secret Service agents have a special privilege that allows them to refuse to testify about the president. Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr is trying to get testimony from agents on whether or not President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky were ever alone together in a study off of the Oval Office. The Secret Service says if agents have to testify, presidents will not allow them to be close enough to guard effectively. The independent counsel says that no privilege allowing agents to refuse to testify has ever been recognized, and only Congress, not the courts, should be allowed to create it. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports. (4:00)

MODERATE SERBS -- NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Belgrade on the growing dissatisfaction among Serbs with their government's military campaign against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo province. Parents who don't want their sons serving in the army units deployed to Kosovo are now talking about organizing a broader anti-war movement. (5:00)

KOSOVARS IN GERMANY -- NPR's Edward Lifson reports on the new influx of Kosovar-Albanian refugees into Germany. The Kosovars are straining the budget, and, in some cases, the patience of Germans. Many of the Kosovo exiles send money they are earning in Germany back home to finance the Kosovo Liberation Army. Others are returning to take up arms themselves. (2:45)

MACY'S LAWSUIT -- Ingrid Becker of member station KQED reports on a lawsuit filed by a group of disabled people against three Macy's West department stores. The lawsuit alleges that the stores do not provide adequate access for disabled shoppers. (4:30)

INCIDENT IN BOSTON -- A note on race by Vermont poet David Budbill. He talks about an incident where witnessed motorists ignoring a feeble, wheelchair-bound old black man who'd been stranded in the midst of traffic. Then, a young black man dressed in hip-hop style jumped out of a car and risked his life to get the old man out of harm's way. Budbill feels ashamed that HE didn't act first. (3:15)

DEATH PENALTY -- Death row inmates across the country are facing new obstacles to what could be their best chance to avoid execution. Congress cut off federal funds for lawyers who handle capital punishment cases, and the inmates now have less time to find a lawyer willing to work for free. Congress set a one-year deadline for filing federal habeas corpus appeals. Those petitions, which allege that the defendent's constitutional rights were violated, come after the prisoner has failed in his appeals in the state courts and US Supreme Court. But experts say it's when they get to that stage that they have their best chance of having their death sentences overturned. NPR's Barbara Bradley reports. (6:45)

VATICAN & LUTHERANS -- The Vatican has in principle agreed to a joint declaration that would do away with most of the condemnations the Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches have levied against one another since Western Christianity split in the 16th century. The Lutheran World Federation announced June 16 that its ruling council had approved a declaration eliminating the condemnations on the part of the Lutherans. The joint declaration was intended to settle a doctrinal dispute that was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation. Linda talks with Brother Geoffrey Gros, the associate director of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. They discuss what caused the Lutherans to split from the Roman Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation some 400 years ago. They also talk about the significance of the joint declaration. (5:30)

WESTERN WATER -- NPR's John Biewen reports on a new study by a Congressional advisory committee on water use in the Western United States. The commission suggests that given the rapid population growth in the West, cities may need to be given higher priority than agriculture for water. (3:30)

SMOKE SIGNALS -- Movie critic Bob Mondello has a review of Smoke Signals, the first major feature film that is both made by and about Native Americans. The film was a prize-winner at the Sundance Film Festival. It is mainly a "buddy" road picture about two young men who leave their reservation to find themselves. Mondello says it's a very good movie. (4:00)

SEXUAL HARASSMENT -- NPR Legal Affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports that the Supreme Court today handed down two decisions that make it potentially easier for employees to sue employers over sexual harassment claims. In one case, the justices held that behavior can be interpreted as sexual harassment even if a supervisor does not directly threaten a worker with professional retribution. In the other case, the court ruled that an employer can be held liable even if they have not been made aware of instances of sexual harassment. (7:30)

SAVINGS RATE DECLINE -- NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports that one thing most economists and policymakers agree on is that Americans don't save enough. It turns out, though, that the main statistic used to track how much people are setting aside for retirement isn't very accurate. It doesn't include investment gains, which during a bull market can swell retirement accounts and give people less reason to save. But the statistical flaws don't change the big picture; most experts still believe average Americans should be saving more. (4:30)

WORLD CUP -- Noah talks with Stephan Fatsis, who covers sports and sports business for the Wall Street Journal, in our regular Friday sports roundup. They talk about tensions at the World Cup. Riot police are on alert today in Lens, France, a small town which is an hour's drive from the English Channel. Some ten-thousand England fans have come to the town to watch England play Colombia. Store, bars and cafes are closed. No alcohol is being served in the town because officials worry about possible violence. At least 100 English citizens have been detained at the border because they had no tickets for today's match. Ten days ago in Marseille, English hooligans clashed with Moroccan fans. (4:00)

ALASKAN SOFTBALL -- Noah talks with Elise Patkotak, who announces Wednesday night softball games on the radio in Barrow, Alaska. It turns out that softball is an extremely popular sport in Alaska, but the cold, wind, and gravel fields in Barrow necessitates the use of some unique home rules. (4:00)

BEIJING -- NPR's Mary Kay Magistad reports from Beijing that though the Chinese media has so far downplayed the arrival of President Clinton in China, the police have not. People viewed as potentially troublesome have been warned to behave, and some dissidents been prevented from any contact with the US President. (6:00)

SOUTH AFRICAN WEAPONS THEFTS -- NPR's Charlayne Hunter-Gault reports on a rash of robberies of armored cars and military weapons stores in South Africa. Millions of dollars, as well as thousands of weapons and tons of ammunition have been stolen. Nearly twenty people have been killed during these crimes. Some of the weapons thefts were allegedly carried out by white soldiers, while former African National Congress guerrillas have been arrested for the armored car heists. With elections to choose Nelson Mandela's successor just a year away, the crime wave has touched off wide speculation about possible plots to destabilize the country. (6:30)

MIDWEST HEAT -- Bill Cohen of Ohio Public Radio reports from Columbus on the heat wave that is causing problems for utilities throughout the Midwest region. Power companies are warning they may have to cut back on service because they are unable to cope with the surging demand for electricity. They are asking customers to turn down air conditioners and conserve energy. Several Ohio industrial plants shut down today because the power supply is uncertain. (2:30)

ARMSTRONG ANNIVERSARY -- Smithsonian Institution curator and music historian John Edward Hasse talks about one of the most well-known and most important recordings ever made. Trumpeter Louis Armstrong recorded West End Blues seventy years ago this Sunday. Hasse says that the recording of the song, which was written by legendary proto-jazz artist King Oliver, transformed jazz into an artform that could not only tolerate, but actually feature solo performances. Prior to West End Blues, jazz was focused on ensemble performance. (4:00)