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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

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 Lynn Neary travels to South Carolina and visits two predominately black churches that were burned last year. One has been re-built, the other is nothing but rubble. Neary examines past history and the current climate in South Carolina with Blacks and Whites who were affected by the church burnings.

- 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 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.

Scott Simon welcomes the cicada mating season.

Steve Tripoli of member station WBUR reports that the town of New Bedford, Mass. has lost 10,000 jobs in recent years to plant closings. Now, the town is trying a radical approach to preventing the new out-of-town owner of a plant from shutting it down: the city wants to use its power of eminent domain to seize the plant and sell it to local bidders.

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.

has struck down the state's "Three strikes and you're out" law. After a third felony conviction, the law required a judge to hand down a sentence of 25 years to life. Only the prosecutor was allowed to waive the law. But the court's decision says that judges may waive the sentencing guidelines.

Scott speaks with violinist Roman Totenberg. Mr. Totenberg recently won Boston University's most prestigious teaching award. His daughter joins us to sing his praises.