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Wireless phone and data service providers are in need of more "airwave real estate." As the number of customers for their products increases, wireless companies are ready to pay big money for use of the public airwaves. NPR's Larry Abramson reports the government is preparing to auction more frequencies. But there's a catch -- they're being used.

NPR's Phillip Davis reports on Internet companies aimed at Latin America that are setting up shop, not in their native countries, but increasingly in Miami. They're doing so mainly because it's easier to get to Latin America from Miami than anywhere else. But Davis also says doing business from Miami helps alleviate traditional rivalries among Latin American countries.

A new study shows the number of women and girls has surpassed the number of men and boys using the Internet. We hear some female students at Oakland Technical High School in Oakland, California talk about the sites they like to visit.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says that the presidential campaign would restrain a more candid Defense Department from calling a halt to the development of a national missile defense system.

Stanley Kunitz will be named Poet Laureate today in Washington. Kunitz, a 95 year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning poet is the country's oldest poet laureate.

Commentator Ev Ehrlich says Vice president Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush both have a lot of explaining to do about their views on the economy.

Co-Host Madeleine Brand talks to NPR's Cokie Roberts about the political events this week as the Republican National Convention gets underway in Philadelphia.

NPR's Steve Krueger reports that aerospace conglomerate Boeing has seen a huge number of its engineers leave in the past few months. Many say the cause of this Brain Drain is the company's move to use private contractors in much of its research and development projects. Officials at Boeing are considering a number of programs they hope will help them recruit and retain the engineers it needs to stay competitive.

Commentator John Ridley explores the sinister repercussions behind a recent government proposal to buy and dispose of millions of gallons of cranberries.

Co-Host Madeleine Brand takes a tour of Philadelphia with 16-year-old Elise Beattie, who's lived in the city her whole life. They start out downtown, which, Elise points out, has been cleaned up and dressed up for the Republican Convention.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is expected to survive a no-confidence vote in parliament today. The vote is designed to halt Barak's efforts to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Host Alex Chadwick talks to Captain Chuck Dickson of the Kern County Fire Department about the wildfire that's burning thousands of acres of pine forest in the mountains of California. The area in and around the Sequoia National Forest is sparsely populated. The small towns of Pine Creek and Kennedy Meadows have been evacuated.

The Republican convention that began today, and its Democratic counterpart that begins in two weeks are underwritten by taxpayer financing. Each major party gets $13.5 million for its four-day nominating extravaganza. The public funding was supposed to fee the parties from their dependence on private sponsors for these events. But the parties have found ways to accept private donations as well. NPR's Peter Overby reports the conventions are now more elaborate and expensive than ever.

Youth Radio reporter Amit Paley speaks to young Republicans at this year's convention. The GOP is drawing more and more people between the ages of 18 and 24. Many are drawn by the parties position on taxes and social security---others are hoping to be a moderating force on the social issues.

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 @.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports on follow-up activities by North and South Korea to put into practice their landmark agreement reached last month. Today the two Koreas agreed to rebuild the railway that once connected them, and reunite families separated by the war.

Robert talks to Jack Randorff, the acoustical engineer in charge of sound at the Republican Convention. It's Randorff's job to make sure everyone at the convention -- and perhaps more importantly, the broadcast audience -- can hear the sounds of the gavel, and the voices of the speakers. (2:30)NOTE: MUSIC HEARD HERE WAS THE ESKIMO "MOUTH BOW" VERSION OF THE "ALL THINGS CONSIDERED" THEME, PLAYED BY JOHN PALMES OF JUNEAU, ALASKA

NPR's Larry Abramson looks at the FBI's controversial Internet eavesdropping device, known as "Carnivore." Twenty-eight members of Congress have called on the FBI to stop using Carnivore because, depending on how it is programmed, it has the potential to invade the privacy of innocent citizens. But, if programmed to delete information unrelated to its search, a Carnivore tap on Internet communications can be less intrusive than court-approved wiretaps on telephones.

At the University of Dayton today, George Bush addressed one of the biggest crowds of his campaign, more than 3,000 people. He talked about education, social security, strengthening the military, and promoted his wife Laura's speech tonight to the Republican National Convention. After the rally, Bush rode with Mrs. Bush to the airport to see her off to Philadelphia. NPR's Don Gonyea is traveling with the campaign, Linda talked with him this afternoon.

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.

NPR's Rick Karr reports that following the near shutdown of Napster, the online music swapping service, many fans are flocking to similar sites. Programs on the web such as Freenet and Gnutella had more than 9-million hits this weekend alone, causing some critics to say the end of music copy-write law may be at hand.

Reina Gonzales of Youth Public Radio in Oakland, California, reports on two contrasting summer school experiences: enrichment courses; and remedial classes for students who failed during the regular year.

All Things Considered Host Robert Siegel is in Philadelphia where the Republican Party convention opened today. He reports that the GOP goal is for a largely controversy-free meeting to demonstrate party unity. That plan got off to a good start today as the party passed its platform with little dissent.

On Tuesday, three members of the Kansas State Board of Education who voted to remove the theory of evolution from state-wide assessment tests are facing election battles. Peter Hancock of member station KANU reports that the school board race is garnering unprecedented attention, and the evolution issue has become something of a litmus test for candidates in many state-wide races.

Co-Host Madeleine Brand and NPR's political editor Ken Rudin talk about three political conventions from history where crucial and unpredictable decisions were made: the Democratic Convention of 1860, the Republican Convention of 1912, and the Democratic Convention of 1944. The two earlier conventions are brought to life through dramatic recreation.