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Commentator Marianne Jennings sasys business people speak a different language...sometimes they don't use words, just acronyms, sometime they take nouns and turn them into verbs and sometimes they put all these things together and nobody knows exactly what they are saying.

NPR's Trevor Rowe reports on the latest standoff between UN inspectors and Iraqui officials. For the second time in four days, Iraquis have blocked UN officials from checking Iraq's compliance with orders banning weapons of mass destruction.

NPR's Tom Gjelten in Bosnia was at the killing fields this morning with United Nations Ambassador Madeleine Albright. Albright visited a farm believed to contain a mass grave. Gjelten reports that she said the bones and body she saw are clear evidence of a systematic slaughter.

Scott Bard reports from London on the fear raging through Europe over a possible link between "mad cow disease" and a deadly human brain disease. Yesterday the British Health Minister said a group of scientists had found the bovine disease the most likely explanation for the human fatalities -- spurring several European countries to ban or consider banning British beef.

Linda talks with South African journalist Stephanie Bothma (BOT-ma) about the opening today of the murder trial of South Africa's former defense minister and several other former senior military officials. Magnus Malan (muh-LAWN) and the other defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge that they orchestrated a 1987 massacre of apartheid opponents. The trial has caused a sensation in South Africa; Malan is the highest-ranking former apartheid official to be put on trial.

In the wake of Cuba's downing of two civilian aircraft, President Clinton today signed controversial legislation that will tighten the U.S. embargo of Cuba and permit Americans to file claims against Cuba in American courts. We hear excerpts from Mr. Clinton's remarks.

NPR'S Sunni Khalid reports that many Arab leaders support tomorrow's summit on terrorism in Egypt but they say it should do more than address Israel's problems with Hamas. They say it should deal with the causes of political violence in the Middle East and promote a just peace between Israelis and Arabs.

Commentator Mickey Edwards says the government should not meddle in Amercians' decision to die.

Sue Simpson reports on South Africa's efforts to integrate its public schools following the collapse of apartheid. Last month a group of white parents in a small town made international headlines when they tried to prevent black students from attending their local school. But that dispute was not representative of what's going on throughout South Africa. While there is white resentment, integration is moving forward.

NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that foreign policy, once thought to be less imporant than domestic policy during a presidential election season, is fast becoming an issue with the recent crises in Cuba, Israel and Northern Ireland.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has again cancelled a summit with the president of the Ukraine. The two men were to sign a long-delayed cooperation agreement. But problems with the Black Sea Fleet and upcoming Russian elections got in the way. NPR's Anne Garrels - who is just back from the Ukraine - reports.

NPR's John Burnett reports on the controversy over whether a convicted sex offender in Texas should be surgically castrated. Larry Don McQuay, who's about to be released from prison, says he'll molest more children unless he's castrated... and there's been controversy over whether the state should sanction this kind of operation, and whether it will stop him from offending again.

The Europop band called Blur has been immensely popular in Britain for nearly seven years - yet the band can't seem to crack the U.S. market. Some say their music is too happy ...others say it's too snide. Rick Karr profiles the band and tries to find out just what it is.

Linda Gradstein reports from the West Bank on the separation of Israelis and Palestinians. Israel is talking about permanently sealing off the West Bank and Gaze. Palestinians say this would mean economic disaster, but more Israelis are calling for separation.

Using scrap tires as fill to build roads is becoming a popular way to solve the nationwide surfeit of used tires. But Jennie Schmidt of member station K-P-L-U in Seattle reports that two roads built with tire chips have been burning for months, and leaching noxious chemicals into nearby water. It could put an end to this novel form of recycling.

- along the Via Dolorsa [VEE-uh doh-lah-ROH-suh]... the path Jesus walked to his death, this walk is referred to in a Christian Meditation known as the Stations of the Cross. Commentator Sister Maureen Fiedler sees the Stations of the Cross in the modern world in the faces of those who are unemployed, sick and destitute.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports that Israelis are divided over how effective tomorrow's terrorism summit in Egypt will be. Supporters say that intelligence sharing will help Israel protect itself against acts of terrorism, while critics say the conference will do little except play into Prime Minister Shimon Peres' hands.

Linda speaks with Paul Burka, the executive editor of Texas Monthly, and John Pancake, campaign editor at the Miami Herald, about today's presidential primaries in their respective states. Burka says most candidates regarded Texas as belonging to Sen. Phil Gramm while he was still in the race, but now the state is solid Dole country. Pancake says Dole is clearly ahead in Florida as well, athough there is no particular enthusiasm for him. Statewide polls indicate Flordia will be competitive in November.

Commentator Paul Durrenberger says ours is a society that places a high premium on precision. We like our checkbooks balanced to the penny, and we wear digital watches that clock time to the hundreth of the second. But often, Durrenberger maintains, the precision implied by such authoritative numbers is largely a pretence.

Robert talks with E.J. Dionne about his book, "They Only Look Dead: Why Progressives Will Dominate the Next Political Era." Dionne argues the United States is on the verge of a second progressive era. He believes today's socio-economic upheavals are analogous to conditions in the late 19th century and early 20th century -- a time when the industrial revolution required new rules to match the changes in society.