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President Clinton signed the line-item veto bill today. It will allow a president to eliminate specific items in spending legislation, as well as very narrow tax loopholes and new entitlements. The new law, which presidents have called for for decades, goes into effect next January and will expire in eight years unless Congress extends it. Proponents say it will help cut the deficit. But NPR's Mara Liasson reports that many analysts are skeptical about the line-item veto's effectiveness.

Robert talks with Jeff Goodell of Rolling Stone magazine about the news that Apple Computers has reported its lowest earnings ever. Goodell has written and in-depth look into the rise and fall of Apple computer and about the Apple culture. Goodell talks about Apple COmputers origins in which came during the rise of the West Coast counter culture. While Apple is experiencincing very difficult times right now, Goodell belives that Apple's inventiveness is still there and thinks this will be the factor that will keep the company competitive for awhile to come.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports that this week's release of secret State Department documents sheds new light on the U-S relationship with the Guatemalan military in the period following the end of the Cold War. The security forces in Guatemala were responsible for numerous cases of murder and torture, some of them involving American citizens, but the United States continued to maintain ties with the military there. The documents show that the CIA was working closely with the Guatemalan security forces at a time when the U-S government officially was distancing itself from those security forces.

NPR's Joe Palca reports on the murky ethical questions that can arise during medical research. Palca tells the story of a woman with multiple sclerosis who volunteered to test an experimental drug. She says she was promised a free supply of the medication in exchange for her participation. Medical ethicists say patients should never be made promises like that, and should not enter studies with the expectation that they will benefit personally.

NPR's Joanne Silberner reports that the hormone estrogen is showing promise as a treatment for post-partum depression. A study that involved having new mothers wear skins patches that adminiter estrogen found the treatment seemed to alleviate post-partum depression. Researches caution that more research is needed to test the approach. (4:30) -b- 8. OTTO - Storyteller Kevin Kling has a hitchhiking tale to tell. He gets picked up by Otto a man with bad knees and a few other problems.

Tonight, the Chicago Bulls may clinch the National Basketball Association playoffs with a win against the Seattle SuperSonics. Chicago is gearing up for the game with enthusiasm --- and with some trepidation. The last two times the Bulls won championships, the city endured looting and some rioting. NPR's Edward Lifson reports that this time the city, the Bulls management and local merchants are doing what they can to prevent and minimize any looting that may follow the game.

Bombing between Israeli forces and Hezbollah continues. Clashes between the two groups have existed for years. Linda Wertheimer talks with Judith Miller, New York Times correspondent and author of several books about the Middle East. She discuss the historical roots of Hezbollah and talks about previous clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Judith Miller has a new book out, God Has 99 Names: Reporting from a Militant Middle East (Simon & Schuster).

Legislators in California, exasperated with the explosion of graffiti, have proposed a new law to ban portable, aerosol paint cans. NPR's Mandalit DelBarco reports that Chicago tried a similar tactic, but graffiti continues apace there. The paint industry is opposed, saying it will hurt legitimate users, from home hobbyists to costume designers in Hollywood. Graffiti writers scoff at the ban: they say they'll just use other tools.

NPR's Anne Garrels reports from Moscow that Russia and three former Soviet republics today signed an agreement designed to lead to a common market and perhaps a single currency. Russian President Boris Yeltsin stressed, however, that the deal is not a move towards re-establishing the Soviet Union. He said the main idea behind the agreement is the preservation of the four nations' sovereignty. One of the countries involved in today's plan, Belarus, plans to sign a treaty with Russia next week bringing those two nations even closer.

NPR's Brian Naylor reports on the flurry of activity on capitol hill this week. Congress passed a number of bills -- including legislation to raise the debt ceiling, a line-item veto, and an overhaul of the farm bill . But lawmakers also got bogged down in some partisan fights, including a move by democrats to try to increase the minimum wage. That feuding is seen as a sign of trouble to come for the rest of the year, as democrats try to stymie the legislative efforts of presumptive gop presidential nominee Bob Dole.