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NPR's David Baron reports that an international group of scientists has issued a warning that synthetic chemicals in the environment may be harming children's intelligence and behavior. This concern stems from ongoing studies of chemicals -- such as PCBs and dioxins -- that may disrupt hormones in the body. Skeptics say the evidence of harm is sketchy and comes mostly from animal experiments using far higher levels of the chemicals than most people encounter.

and a top forecaster predicts there will be fewer storms than last year. 1995 was one of the most active seasons in the last century.

Robert talks with Jerrold Post, a professor at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University. They profile General Alexander Lebed, the surprise third-place finisher in last weekend's Russian presidential elections. Lebed threw his support behind Russian president Boris Yeltsin, and in return was named Yeltsin's security advisor.

has fired three top officials including chief bodyguard and confidante, Alexander Korzhakov. The three are suspected of trying to block the second round of Presidential voting.

NPR's Wendy Kaufman reports on some of the impacts Valujet's grounding may have on other low-cost carriers and major airlines, as well as consumers. There is concern that recent events may erode confidence in discount airlines and ultimately increase fares.

NPR's Adam Hochberg reports that Olympic organizers are concnerned about a shortage of workers to fill about 4,000 unskilled jobs at the games. . .jobs like ticket takers, baggage handlers. The jobs pay up to $15 an hour, but response has been poor because they are temporary and because Georgia has a low unemployment rate. Other employers in Atlanta are afraid that the Olympics will try and raid their businesses for workers.

Commentator Lee Cullum writes about the effect of big business on democracy. She claims that the power of markets and big companies is already huge, but still growing...and that government can do very little to stop the forces of commerce.

Commentator Jack Beatty says the presidential campaign is already incredibly nasty and he thinks that is in part because there is so little difference between Senator Dole and President Clinton on the issues. He says they have to beat each other up in negative ads because it fills the ideological void.

has called on the government to relax the restrictions it imposes on Cryptography, the science of scrambling electronic data. The panel said the government should promote such efforts to protect phone conversation and computer data.

Linda speaks with David Broder and Haynes Johnson, two top political correspondents with the Washington Post and co-authors of the new book The System which examines how the machinery of government dealt with the problem of health care during the most recent effort by President Clinton to reform the health care apparatus. The 'system' failed to provide a solution to the problem, and authors Broder and Johnson say that failure demonstrates many of the vagaries and deficiencies of modern American politics.