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  • Every workplace in China has a propaganda unit. The central government now calls them "publicity" departments. NPR's Rob Gifford reports that Chinese President Jiang Zemin addressed provincial chiefs of these propaganda units last night. The speech seemed remarkably out of step with today's China, a country in which people generally are far more interested in making money than in politics. The President said Marxism still is his guiding philosophy and that he would work to educate the Chinese people about Marxism, Leninism and Mao Zedong. Yet, couched in the language of Communist ideology was an acknowledgement that what both China and the Communist Party need is economic development.
  • NPR's Barbara Bradley reports on the case of Navy Petty Officer Daniel King, who was held for 500 days on suspicion of spying for Russia without being charged. A military judge ordered King's release, saying the Navy didn't have enough evidence to try him. During King's lengthy detention, from September of 1999 to earlier this month, he was not allowed to have a lawyer. The Navy says King waived his right to legal representation. It's defending itself against criticism that it conducted interrogations that lasted for up to 19 continuous hours, over a 26-day period. The lawyers King now has maintain that the Navy hid audio tapes that supported his claims of innocence.
  • As All Things Considered celebrates its 30th anniversary, we're hearing a series of special reports on other things that are 30 years old. Today, host Linda Wertheimer examines the war on cancer, which was initiated by President Richard Nixon in May, 1971, when he pledged $100 million to cancer research. Linda Wertheimer spends time with five doctors who have been involved in cancer research and treatment for the past 30 years. We meet a parent who lost her child to the disease in the 1970s and a family whose 9 year old is undergoing treatment right now.
  • As the debate over campaign finance reform begins, we spend some time examining some of the key provisions of the debate. NPR's Peter Overby reports that the McCain-Feingold bill takes aim at two categories of political money -- soft money and issue ads. Soft money is the unregulated money that citizens and groups can raise for their party. Issue ads are communications with votes that do everything but tell people who to vote for or against. Reformers say banning soft money is essential because of the amount of money has gone from zero to $250 million for each party in the past 20 years. Reformers oppose any restrictions on soft money saying it would be an infringement on free speech.
  • NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports that the Bush administration is reevaluating the 1994 U.S. agreement with North Korea, known as 'The Agreed Framework.' North Korea agreed to shut down and eventually dismantle its nuclear weapons program. In return, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea would provide the North with light-water nuclear reactors for generating electricity. But North Korea's electrical grid can't handle the light reactors, and that raises safety concerns. Light reactors also produce plutonium, which can be used in nuclear weapons. So, the U.S. hopes to persuade North Korea to accept conventional power generating plants instead.
  • Flower Foods, which makes Tastykakes, said one of its vendors reported an ingredient in some cupcakes may have been contaminated with bits of wire mesh. The company is recalling the products.
  • In 1856, dozens of Mormon pioneers died on a desolate, snowbound pass in Wyoming during their exodus to Utah. Now the church wants to buy the land from the federal government, saying it's a sacred site. But critics say the proposed sale would set a bad precedent. NPR's Howard Berkes reports for Morning Edition. (Please note this segment was corrected on air on May 22, 2002: "In an early feed of our story on Martin's Cove, Wyoming, last week, we failed to give the full name of the church that wants to purchase the historic site. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.")
  • Thirty years ago, Pink Floyd's recording The Dark Side of the Moon became the number one album on Billboard magazine's pop music chart. So began the longest streak in music chart history: 741 weeks on the Top 200. No other recording comes close. The album has touched one generation after the next, which is odd because it's such a quirky album of electronic music, sound effects, saxophones, and a famous but unidentified female singer performing scat. Reporter Jad Abumrad of member station WNYC went around New York City to ask likely listeners why Dark Side has lasted.
  • Scientists at the National Institutes of Health are attempting the first test of an HIV vaccine that could stop the global spread of AIDS. But as NPR's Joe Palca reports, finding volunteers willing to get innoculated with an unproven and possibly harmful vaccine is proving difficult. Learn more about the vaccine program.
  • The U.S. government releases post-mortem photographs of Uday and Qusay Hussein in an effort to convince Iraqis that the heirs to Saddam Hussein's toppled regime were killed by U.S. forces Tuesday. Eric Westervelt reports that the photos have diminished some but not all the skepticism among Iraqis. One said only a video of the bodies would convince him. Any hope that the deaths would stem attacks on U.S. forces were short lived. Three American soldiers died Thursday when their convoy was ambushed.
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