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NPR's Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports the government of Prime Minister Ehud Barak has survived yet another "no confidence" vote in the Israeli parliament.

Veteran Broadcaster Robert Trout casts back to his early days as a reporter covering politics, to tell the story of the Republican Party's slide from a majority party to the minority in the 1930's and 1940's. For its first seventy years, the GOP was the dominant party. But from Hoover's loss to Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election until now, Republicans have been playing catch-up to the Democrats. This is the first of two reports.

At the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Robert Siegel asked the question What do you want to hear from Governor Bush tonight? to several delegates on the floor of the First Union Center last night. Some delegates want to hear about faith-based organizations, appointing future Supreme Court justices. Some people want Bush to continue on themes of unity, compassion, and inclusion. Some delegates want him to avoid topics like abortion and impeachment. And some people say it's not so much what he should say, but how he should appear to the American people -- confident, compassionate, authentic.

David Greenberger reviews The Unaccompanied Voice, a collection of songs by two dozen performers singing a cappella.

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports from Paris that investigators say it's too early to tell what exactly brought down the Concorde supersonic jet that crashed last week. The Accident and Inquiry office says investigators have identified a fuel leak as one of a number of problems with the plane.

Linda Wertheimer talks by phone with three Republican voters about their reactions to what they've seen of the Republican National Convention on television so-far. She speaks first with Faye Schwartz, an independent financial advisor in Portland, Oregon. Then she talks to Betha Wade a retired teacher, who lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Finally, Kate Fowler, a University of Colorado student who is living in Chicago for the summer.

Hypnosis is often thought to be a gimmick, not a real state of mind. But a new study uses P-E-T scans to test the theory that hypnosis actually has a biological basis. NPR's Michelle Trudeau reports.

The FCC reports that the market for fast Internet connections is growing rapidly, with the number of residential subscribers about tripling over the past year. But in its annual survey of access to broadband service, the agency says access is still expensive or not available for people in rural or inner city areas. The report adds that some areas might never get service with current technologies because it's simply too expensive.

It was forty years ago today that "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," sung by Brian Hyland, written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss, topped the charts.

Veteran newsman Robert Trout has the second of two reports about the history of the Republican party, through his own reporting on the last 17 conventions over a period of nearly seventy years. Today, Trout picks up in the late 1940's and early 1950's, and the fight between moderates and conservatives -- between the forces of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Robert A. Taft. Eisenhower won. But the pendulum swung back in the 1960's with the nomination of Barry Goldwater. Ultimately, Trout points out that the struggle between moderate and conservative still marks party proceedings today.

Veteran Missouri Congressman Bill Clay is retiring after 32 years in office. The state's first African-American congressman, he is extremely popular and has proven to be unbeatable during his career. But his bid to anoint his son as his successor is finding some resistance in tomorrow's Democratic primary. From St. Louis, Kevin Lavery of member station KWMU reports. (4:45) Music following story: theme from "Dynasty", from the CD "Television's Greatest Hits of the 70s and 80s".

In a recent visit to his homeland, Commentator Andrei Codrescu stopped at the grave of former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceacescu. He remarks on the ironic symbolism at the site.

Noah talks to Esther Siegfried, Chief Conservator for the Laboratory of Fine Arts in San Antonio, Texas, about statues stolen from the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Other statues in San Antonio Missions National Historical Park have been removed until a way is devised to secure them safely.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from London on the tributes to Sir Alec Guinness, one of the greats of the British stage, screen and television who died over the weekend at the age of 86. He was an exceptionally versatile actor, whose roles ranged from Hamlet, to upper-class eccentrics in Kind Hearts and Coronets to George Smiley in the televised versions of John le Carre's spy thrillers, to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. (4:00) Music played at 1 minute before the hour was the theme from "Lawrence of Arabia" as performed by the Ventures, from the CD "Now Playing", copyright 1975, EMI Records.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says that, judging from the careful phrasing of Condoleeza Rice's GOP convention speech last night, the Bush campaign is very wary of making any grand gestures concerning foreign policy.

Linda talks with Rick Ochoa, Staff Meteologist for the National Interagency Fire Center, about the wildfires in the western United States. The Center uses a team of "incident meteorologists" to help firefighters strategize against the flames. Ochoa talks about what the crews are telling him from around the country.

According to sources in Chile's Supreme Court, the court has stripped former dictator General Augusto Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution. The verdict still must be signed by all the judges, and formally announced. If he does, in fact, lose his immunity, Pinochet could then be tried for human rights abuses.

Linda Wertheimer speaks with Linda DiVall, a Republican pollster, about issues that will influence the women's vote this year. DiVall is the founder of American Viewpoint, and part of the polling team for Women's Voices 2000. DiVall talks about the research on women voters for The Center for Policy Alternatives and Lifetime Television. A series of focus groups show that women are worried about their economic future, are concerned about education and health issues, and feel pressed for time. (4:45) For more information on American Viewpoint, see www.amview.com

The "at" (@) sign -- the letter "A" encircled by a loop -- is everywhere these days -- thanks to the internet and E-mail addresses. But where did the sign originate and what is it actually called? According to Giorgio Stabile, a professor of history in Rome, the "at" symbol or "amphora symbol" is not a new sign at all -- and it predates the 18th century as historians previously believed. Professor Stabile has been hard at work for the past three months studying this ubiquitous symbol -- and has now traced it back to May 4, 1536 in a Roman mercantile document signed by Francesco Lapi. No doubt the race is on to find earlier recordings but for now -- the "at" symbol, drawn as we know it, dates back at least as far as the Italian Renaissance. We also went out to ask folks on the streets of Washington about @.

Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts is one of three co-chairmen of the Republican National Convention. He is also the only African American Republican in the House of Representatives. He and other blacks have prominent roles at the convention in Philadelphia as the GOP aims to soften its image with voters of all races. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.