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Several hundred people, including many current and retired FBI agents, marched to the White House today, voicing their strong opposition to a petition for executive clemency that has reached President Clinton's desk. The petition request is for Native American activist Leonnard Peltier who is serving two life terms for the killing of two FBI agents at Pine Ridge 25 years ago. Over the years, Peltier has become a cause celebre who supporters believe he did not commit the crimes and that he has become a scapegoat. NPR's Richard Gonzales reports.

John Lurie is a saxophone player, actor, the voice of Molson on Ice, and star of his own fishing program. His band the Lounge Lizards turns 20 this year, and Lurie has released three new music projects. All Things Considered Director Bob Boilen has a profile of this offbeat big band leader. (7:00) CD's heard in this piece are the Lounge Lizards "Queen of All Ears" and the score to Manni and Lo and African Swim, by John Lurie, all the cd's are on the label Strange and Beautiful Music

One year ago, President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich held an unprecendented joint town meeting in Claremont, New Hampshire. It was described as "cordial", "low-key", and a "love-in", where both leaders talked about the future of the country with little arguing and without raising their voices. They shook hands and pledged to do something about campaign finance reform. One year later, the Claremont resident who asked them to "clean up Washington" wonders why nothing's been done. (2:30)

In the 1940's operatic soprano Kyra (KEER-uh) Vane's pure toned beautiful voice garnered her leading roles in operas like Mussorgsky's "Sorochintsy Fair" and a coveted spot in Europe's opera houses. But then Vane stopped singing, got rid of her beloved piano, and became a typist. Now in her 80's, Kyra Vane has lived to see recordings of her performances on CD and critics are asking how could she have ever stopped singing. Vera Frankl reports.

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

Stephan Micusc is a German musician who collects obscure instruments from around the world, and then learns to play them. He's been making records for twenty years, featuring lush combinations of instruments that, to his knowledge, have never been played in an ensemble before. His latest CD, The Garden of Mirrors, features a harp from Gambia, an Irish tin whistle, a Japanese flute, and steel drums from Trinidad, just to name a few of the instruments. Micus has multi-tracked his own voice to accompany his unique compositions, creating a choir that evokes the black township choirs of South Africa. Charles de Ledesma has a review of the disc. (4:30) The Garden of Mirrors, by Stephan Micus is copyright 2000, ECM Records.

Jack Allsopp, who records and performs under the name Just Jack, is a moody Brit-hop artist who deftly mixes hip-hop with samples, '80s electro beat machines and a touch of funk. The result from this Camden native is danceable and literate. Just Jack lacks the bravado or swagger of other rappers. His lyrics are more sedate, sometimes pessimistic, and his voice is reserved. Meditations on break-ups, hedonism and other seedy city tales are set against a steady, thumping bass.

We learn about what old sounds can and can't be restored. Sound restorer Steve Smolian demonstrates how he goes about his job using materials provided by Quest for Sound line callers as part of Lost and Found Sound. From listener Laurie Baker's little sister singing "All Things Bright and Beautiful" to listener Martha Platt's grandmother speaking in Swedish - Smolian uses his talent and specialized equipment to bring back long lost voices.

The state of Utah reveals what had been a secret for 50 years: Hundreds of ancient Indian granaries, pit houses and rock art panels in a remote canyon. Archaeologists are ecstatic because the sites have not been looted or vandalized, a common fate for such sites. The area had been protected by rancher Waldo Wilcox, who once owned the land containing the ancient Indian villages. NPR's Howard Berkes reports.

All Things Considered staff member Debra Schifrin talks about her recent 10 year high school reunion in the San Francisco Bay area. Having lived on the East Coast for six years, she was shocked at how the incredible wealth that has flooded Silicon Valley has affected her high school class. And she was surprised at her own reaction to all the talk about money.

NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports on a Massachusetts-based internet startup that plans to take the idea behind frequent flyer programs and apply it to an entirely new area: college savings. UPROMISE says it is signing up credit card companies, grocery chains, car companies and will take the rebates these companies offer and put them in a college savings investment account. Financial advisors are skeptical that such programs are a good idea for most people.

Noah talks with NPR's Martha Raddatz about the latest developments with regard to Iraq. The White House has reported that Iraqi troops have not withdrawn from their positions in northern Iraq...an area which has been designated as a safe haven by the United Nations for the Kurdish peoples who live there. They'll discuss what's happening, and the timeline for an American response to this latest show of strength by Saddam Hussein.

Daniel talks with thirteen year old Cason Schmit who decided to see for himself if an FDA regulation banning lead soldered cans was really working. Cason went to some stores in San Francisco and did his own tests and found many cans with lead solder seams in area grocery stores. The FDA representative Dr. Ricard Jacobs tells Daniel that they decided to investigate and found that Cason was on to something.

Commentator Frederica Matthews-Green has found one area of common ground in the abortion debate: adoption. She says both sides can agree that adoption is far preferable to abortion. Women who have given children up for adoption feel bittersweet, she says. Women who have had abortions just feel bitter. Matthews-Green is the author of "Real Choices," published by Quest Star.

Trish Anderton of New Hampshire Public Radio reports on a controversy over giving disabled people access to the nation's wilderness areas. After forcing construction of a wheelchair ramp on a remote mountain hut in New Hampshire, a group of hikers in wheelchairs recently made the climb. But the climb was difficult, and some wilderness managers say making it easier for disabled people to get into the wild could ultimately change the character of the wilderness itself.

Deborah talks with experts about the history of Kisangani and Zaire, and the role the area played in the Cold War. Jeffrey Herbst, the director of African Studies and a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, says that Zaire played an important strategic role when tensions ran high between the U-S and the Soviet Union. Michael Schatzberg (SHOTZ-burg), a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, discusses the connection between the nation's past rebels in Stanleyville and the current group of rebels who are challenging the authority of President Mobutu Sese Seko.

It was something like the movie Outbreakmeets Eloise at the Plaza. Last week a Washington area day care center received an anthrax threat. Kids and teachers made it out the door in seconds flat, into the cold and rain. They took refuge at the luxurious Monarch Hotel next door, where they were treated like tiny royalty. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Charyn Cade of Capital Kids daycare and George Terpilowski of the Monarch Hotel.

Republican leaders promise to make oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a key part of the national energy policy debate next year. Conservationists promise to fight the proposal -- and some wish they could call on Mardy Murie for help. NPR's Howard Berkes profiles one of the nation's greatest champions of wild areas, now 100 years old. View a photo galley and video of highlights from Murie's life.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill blasted the Japanese supplier Takata for refusing to participate in a national recall of its air bags. So far, the potentially deadly air bags have been recalled in warm and humid areas where they may be most likely to rupture. While Takata is resisting a nationwide recall, Honda said Wednesday it would recall all its vehicles with Takata driver-side airbags in the U.S.

up Radios - Daniel talks to Trevor Baylis, the designer of the windup radio. The radio will initially be used by aid agencies in remote areas such as Rwanda and Sarajevo, where people do not have access to batteries because of expense and availability. Owners of the radio will only need to wind it up for 20 seconds and it will play for 40 minutes. This new invention is being manufactured by disabled people in South Africa. Bayliss says demand for the radio is high worldwide.