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A recent spy flap between the United States and France has focused attention on the issue and ethics of industrial espionage -- spying on foreign firms to gain trade secrets and an advantage in the global marketplace. NPR's Dan Charles reports that the CIA is now warning U.S. companies against foreign spy operations while intelligence specialists are advising U.S. companies to develop espionage capabilities of their own.

Daniel talks with Lawrence Fuchs, professor of American studies at Brandeis University, about his proposals to help resolve the current debate over affirmative action programs. Fuchs proposes limiting affirmative action programs to native-born American blacks because of the country's historical debt to this minority. He also proposes phasing out affirmative action programs for other minorities over the next five to ten years and strengthening anti-discrimination laws to protect their gains.

Daniel talks with Dr. Alexis Clare, a fiber optics specialist at Alfred University in New York, about the stealthy properties of polar bear hair. She explains that because the hair prevents the bear from emitting any body heat, polar bears resist detection by infrared devices. They also resist ultraviolet detection.

Jamey Turner is many things. He's a professional clarinetist, he plays the wrench harp and the musical saw. He's also well known as one of those few individual who can actually make music from a table loaded with brandy snifters half filled with water...an instrument known as the glass harp. Joe visits with Mr. Turner to talk about just how all of this comes together to create music that is both beautiful and ethereal.

Jacki talks with Paul Wilkes, who writes about religon for the magazine Atlantic Monthly. Pope John Paul the Second just finished a tour of Asia looking very frail. Wilkes talks about the Pope's health and how the Vatican is already starting to talk about who will be the next Pope.

NPR's movie critic, Bob Mondello, reviews the little-noticed movie about the troubled marriage of poet T.S. Eliot and his wife, Vivian. It's already garnered two Oscar nominations.

Jacki talks with author Pete Dexter, who wrote Paris Trout, about his most recent novel "Paper Boy". Dexter's has been a rough 'n tumble life, filled with many of the dramatic events that characterize his novels. It is this wide range of experience that Dexter says makes it easier to put yourself in the minds of people who have different backgrounds from your own.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on the presidential candidates opening season. The top Republican hopefuls appeared on the Sunday morning talk shows just before kicking off the 1996 run for the White House.

NPR's Jon Greenberg reports on a proposal that several governors have put together which would define how hundreds of federal programs could be combined into a handfull of blockgrants. The proposal would limit the funds going directly from Washington to cities.

NPR's Tom Cole reports on the debate over continued funding of the National Endowment for the Arts. Congressional hearings on NEA funding are due to begin next week