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House GOP leaders push for a close to this week's post-election lame-duck session, despite unfinished business on terrorism insurance and unemployment benefits. NPR's David Welna reports.

Leadership elections in the House of Representatives produce a historic milestone as Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) becomes the first woman elected to lead either party in either chamber of Congress. NPR's Linda Wertheimer reports on the new House minority leader.

Progressive Democrats acknowledged that many of their priorities would have to be scaled back, but called the White House meeting "productive."

The Senate has the final word next week on the largest government reorganization in a half-century. The Homeland Security bill calls for a Cabinet-level department that, with a staff of 170,000, combines 22 existing agencies. NPR's Lynn Neary talks with foreign policy expert Ivo Daalder about how the restructuring will affect Americans.

In her new guide to the evolutionary biology of sex, Judson explores the sex lives of animals and insects. Posing as Dr. Tatiana, sex-advice columnist, she answers "letters" posted by such creatures as the fairy wren, the stalk-eyed fly and the African elephant. Her new book is Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation. Judson has also written for The Economist, Nature and Science. This interview first aired Aug. 13, 2002.

In the aftermath Brazil's presidential election, which was won by former factory worker Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the "red star" of the Workers Party has become the star of the fashion circuit. NPR's Martin Kaste reports on the latest trend sweeping the South American nation.

Lawyers for some of the nation's largest retailers say Visa and MasterCard illegally thwarted for years the growth of debit-card networks, The Wall Street Journal reports. The allegations stem from recently unsealed court documents from a class-action suit that includes Wal-Mart and Sears. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

The Homeland Security bill extends a key deadline for screening all checked luggage for explosives. Airports and airlines breathe a sigh of relief, but supporters of the deadline say new security requirements at airports should not be eased. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

Central states cry foul over federal attempts to save prairie dogs and their habitats. Nebraska and others say the prairie dog is a pest, not an endangered species. Prairie dogs have lost 99 percent of their original range in North America. NPR's Greg Allen reports.

Robert Siegel and Lynn Neary read some of this week's letters from listeners. Topics include the closing time of pubs in London, Victoria's Secret's lawsuit against Victor's Little Secret, and whether the well-being of the state of California or the state of Maine predicts the health of the nation. Send e-mail to atc@npr.org.