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NPR's John Greenberg reports that the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress continued flinging rhetoric at each other today, as a Monday night deadline looms ahead for the shutdown of the federal government. At issue is legislation extending the government's borrowing and spending authority. President Clinton says he will veto the legislation because the Republicans have attached riders affecting medicare and other programs. This piece examines what the fight is about.

NPR's Melinda Penkava reports on the complicated issue f federal benefits to legal aliens. The new Republican "Contract with America" alls for the cut-off of welfare benefits to all immigrants. While defenders of he plan believe we cannot afford to continue financial support for legal mmigrants, critics find the proposal neglectful and unreasonably inhumane.

Robert Smith of member station KUOW in Seattle reports on the esolution of a dispute between the State of Washington and American Indian ribes over fishing rights. A federal judge has ruled that early treaties give 4 tribes the right to harvest half of the shellfish along Puget Sound. Now, ashington State and the tribes will need to find a way to balance treaty rights ith private property rights.

Jacki Lyden examines the issue of political freedom in the third part of her series on Iran..She visits an intellectual magazine that was first published just 18 months ago. The magazine is called Goftegu which means "dialogue" in farsi and is a sign of a slight relaxation in the Government's attitude towards freedom of thought and expression. However, as Jacki Lyden reports, Iran has a long way to go before many of its intellectuals will be free to fully express their ideas.

Madeleine Brand reports on a public education controversy in New Jersey. The state's high court recently ruled that there is a gross disparity between poor urban and rich suburban public schools. The state is trying to restore equity by cutting back the amount of money is spends on suburban schools. Urban school superintendants fear the money saved from the rich won't wind up in the hands of the poor.

In 1983, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was deemed a onafide federal holiday. New Hampshire is the one state the does not honor the ay in the name of the assassinated civil rights leader. Eric Westervelt of New ampshire public radio reports that last night the Reverend Jesse Jackson isited New Hampshire and urged state officials to rethink the issue.

NPR'S ANTHONY BROOKS REPORTS FROM BOSTON ON ONE MASSACHUSETTS FAMILY'S EFFORTS TO DONATE THEIR LARGE, FULLY EQUIPPED HOME TO THE STATE FOR THEIR TWIN MENTALLY RETARDED SONS, AGE 22, AND OTHERS TO LIVE IN. THE STATE CANNOT ACCEPT THE HOME BECAUSE IT CAN'T AFFORD TO STAFF IT.

The Aum Shinrykio sect is now the principal suspect in the Tokyo subway gassing last Monday. Over the past few days Japanese police have confiscated huge amounts of chemical compounds from their headquaters. But as Anne Garrels reports from Moscow the sect also has a large following in Russia - almost three times as many members as in Japan. But some of them are less willing than others.

Harry Forestell reports on the controversy surrounding the emains of American Indian Pocahantas 400 years after her death. Pocahantas is redited with helping the Jamestown colony survive, and will be the subject of a isney movie this summer. Pocohantas died on a visit to England, and is buried n Gravesend (GRAVES-end), near London. American entertainer Wayne Newton, who laims the Indian Princess is a relative, wants to ship her remains back to the .S., but England is not inclined to give her up.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has unexpectedly freed two Americans who had been jailed in Iraq. The men, William Barloon and David Daliberti, were arrested and sentenced to 8 years in prison after they entered Iraq from Kuwait by mistake last March. The Americans were freed after US Congressman Bill Richardson (of New Mexico) met with Saddam.